Trump eyes in-person talks with Putin, Zelenskyy after envoy visit to Moscow
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had achieved "great progress" during a three-hour meeting with Russian Pres...
U.S.-India trade relations plunged into crisis on Wednesday after President Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, citing India's continued reliance on Russian oil.
The decision follows the collapse of trade negotiations and marks the most significant downturn in bilateral ties since Trump resumed office in January.
The order, which raises tariffs on some Indian products to as much as 50%, will take effect 21 days after 7 August. Key Indian export sectors such as textiles, footwear, and gems and jewellery are expected to be hit hardest.
In a sharp rebuke, India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the move “extremely unfortunate” and said, “India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.” It added that the country’s oil imports are based on energy security considerations and market dynamics, not politics.
The timing of the U.S. decision coincides with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to China, his first in more than seven years, prompting speculation about shifting strategic alignments.
Madhavi Arora, an economist at Emkay Global, warned that the new levies would “practically kill trade between the two nations”. Another economist, Garima Kapoor from Elara Securities, noted that the tariff shock could pressure the Indian rupee and spur new calls for fiscal relief.
India imported a record $52 billion of Russian oil in 2024, according to government data. The White House did not comment on whether China, another major Russian oil buyer, might face similar penalties. However, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently told Chinese officials that failing to curb such purchases could trigger new tariffs under pending legislation.
A senior Indian government official said the steep tariff rate and sudden nature of the move caught New Delhi off guard, even as it remained engaged in trade discussions with Washington. There are now behind-the-scenes efforts to negotiate a compromise that could involve a gradual cut in Russian oil imports in exchange for tariff relief.
The trade fallout adds further strain ahead of the 12 August expiry of the U.S.-China tariff truce, after which both sides are expected to reintroduce triple-digit duties on a wide range of goods.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
Most peace talks fail. Some drag on for years. Others collapse in days. But even when they don’t succeed, they can save lives. From backchannel meetings to battlefield truces, here’s how peace talks actually work — and why making peace is often harder than making war.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had achieved "great progress" during a three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as Washington prepares to impose new sanctions on Friday.
Syria on Wednesday finalised 12 major investment agreements totalling $14 billion, part of an ongoing effort to repair its economy and infrastructure after more than a decade of civil conflict.
Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were confirmed dead in a helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, Ghana’s Chief of Staff Julius Debrah announced.
Just days after a deadly Manhattan shooting, the Trump administration is cutting New York City's anti-terrorism funding by $64 million, sparking backlash from state officials and raising security concerns.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment