Pakistan, India agree to pull back troops to peacetime positions
Pakistan and India have agreed to withdraw troops deployed during their recent clash to peacetime positions, in a step towards de-escalation following a ceasefire deal, Pakistani intelligence sources told dpa on Tuesday.
The withdrawal was agreed during the latest round of "hotline" communication between senior military officials from both sides.
According to sources, the two countries will return to peacetime deployment positions along their border and the Line of Control — the de facto frontier dividing Kashmir — by the end of May.
On May 10, nuclear-armed rivals agreed to the ceasefire after days of tit-for-tat drone, missile and airstrikes, targeting each other's military installations and airbases.
The trigger for the latest tensions was the militant attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists.
New Delhi pointed the finger at Islamabad, accusing it of supporting militants, and then launched attacks on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, killing dozens of people and igniting fears the region was on the brink of an all-out war.
Pakistan denied having any role in the attack on the holidaymakers and asked for independent investigations.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: US and China resume trade talks, White House seeking 'handshake' on rare earths
The US and China restarted trade talks in London on Monday, aiming to ease tensions over rare earths and tech after President Trump and his China's leader Xi Jinping spoke last week. "The purpose of the meeting today is to make sure that they're serious, [and] to literally get handshakes," Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC. "I expect it to be a short meeting with a big, strong handshake and we'll see." Trump's call with Xi, which both leaders framed as positive, came after weeks of Trump publicly pushing for a direct call. US-China tensions have risen in the aftermath of the countries' trade truce reached in mid-May in Geneva, with both countries have accused the other of breaching that truce while ratcheting up pressure on other issues. The US and China are also now using their control over certain key materials to gain control in the trade war. Bloomberg reported on Friday that the US dominates in ethane, a gas used to make plastics, and China buys nearly all of it. Washington is now tightening control by requiring export licenses. China's curbs on exports of rare earth minerals, crucial for autos and more, have drawn Washington's ire. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet The US-China talks come as Trump pushes countries to speed up negotiations. The US sent a letter to partners as a "friendly reminder" that Trump's self-imposed 90-day pause on sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs is set to expire in early July. White House advisers have for weeks promised trade deals in the "not-too-distant future," with the only announced agreement so far coming with the United Kingdom. US and Indian officials held trade talks this week and agreed to extend those discussions on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the July 9 deadline. New tariffs are coming into play: Effective Wednesday, June 4, Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% Meanwhile, Trump's most sweeping tariffs face legal uncertainty after a federal appeals court allowed the tariffs to temporarily stay in effect, a day after the US Court of International Trade blocked their implementation, deeming the method used to enact them "unlawful." Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world. The US is keen to strike a firm deal with China on rare earths exports as both sides resume talks in London today. Reuters reports: Read more here. Global auto companies are hoping that trade talks between the US and China on Monday could help fast track rare earth exports from China, which are desperately needed. Reuters reports: Read more here. Outbound shipments of rare earths in May from China rose 23% on the month to their highest in a year, despite Beijing's export curbs on some of the critical minerals prevented some overseas sales, with shortages impacting global manufacturing. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Chinese exports rose less than expected last month, held back by the biggest drop in shipments to the US in over five years, despite strong demand from other markets. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and China will restart trade talks in London on Monday after President Trump and Xi spoke last week. The two sides have accused each other of breaking a May deal in Geneva to pause tariff hikes above 100%. Trump, after agreeing with Xi to resume critical mineral flows, said he expects the talks to go "very well." 'We want the rare earths, the magnets that are crucial for cell phones and everything else to flow just as they did before the beginning of April, and we don't want any technical details slowing that down,' Kevin Hassett, head of the National Economic Council at the White House, said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation. 'And that's clear to them.' US-China tensions rose this year after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods, triggering retaliation from Beijing. The Geneva deal was meant to ease tariff tensions, but talks stalled as both sides blamed each other. The US criticized a drop in Chinese exports of rare earth magnets and China pushed back on US curbs targeting AI chips and student visas. In London, US officials, which include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will meet with Vice Premier He Lifeng. According to a report in Bloomberg on Monday, Lutnick's presence suggests the US may review some tech restrictions. The recent Trump-Xi call brought hope if lower tariffs, but investor confidence remains cautious. As of today, the US has only secured one new trade deal — with the UK. A startup that assembles one of its smartphones entirely in the US says it's possible for a company like Apple to do the same and not incur prohibitive costs, but it's not easy and would take several years of focused effort, Fortune reports: At least one expert in the UK believes Prime Minister Keir Starmer may have unrealistic expectations about a trade deal with President Donald Trump and the US, Bloomberg reports: Read more here President Donald Trump has come up short on striking trade deals with most nations with just one month left before his self-imposed tariff deadline, even as he took his first steps in weeks toward engaging with China. Trump secured a much-desired call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, paving the way for a new round of talks on Monday in London — yet the diplomacy was overshadowed by a blowout public fight between Trump and his billionaire onetime ally, Elon Musk. Trump's aides insisted Friday that the president was moving on and focused on his economic agenda. Still, question marks remain over the US's most consequential trade relationships, with few tangible signs of progress toward interim agreements. Read more here Bloomberg reports: Read more here. President Trump said a new round of trade talks between the US and China would start Monday, a day after he spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would lead talks for the US. "The meeting should go very well," Trump predicted. Bessent led the last round of talks in Geneva, which led to a tariff truce that sent markets soaring. That truce has come under strain in recent weeks over various trade and other thorny issues, including China's curbs on rare earth mineral exports and US chip curbs. Bet you were wondering how long we could go before mentioning Elon Musk's feud with President Trump in this blog (lots more on that here, here, and here). Yes, the remarkable back and forth included Trump threatening Musk's government contracts — and Musk seeming to agree with a call to impeach Trump, while also throwing in an "Epstein files" mention. But as Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul details, Musk is now going to war with many of the biggest pillars of Trump's agenda. There was a tariff mention as part of that. Specifically, Musk not only criticized the tariffs — he's now on record saying he thinks they will cause a recession this year. As Ben writes: Read more here. Trade talks between the US and India were set to wrap up this Friday, but now they are being extended into next week as officials on both sides aim to work out an interim deal before a July 9 deadline. Indian government sources said the discussions, which have focused on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, will continue next Monday and Tuesday. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are looking to double trade by 2030 and cement a trade pact by fall 2025. Reuters reports: Read more here. US and Chinese officials exchanged jabs at an event held by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai on Friday, as the chamber appealed for more clarity for American businesses operating in China. Reuters reports: Read more here. India's Tata Steel has warned that it might be excluded from tariff-free access to the US under the UK's trade agreement with the Trump administration. This exclusion risks putting more than $180M worth of annual exports at risk. The FT reports: Read more here. Two of the largest economies in the euro zone saw industrial production decline in the first month of President Trump's sweeping tariffs, indicating a economic slowdown after a stronger-than-expected year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Friday. Wall Street Journal: Read more here. The EU said on Friday that it is open to reducing tariffs on US fertiliser imports as a trade bargaining tool in talks with the Trump administration. However, the EU said it would not weaken its food safety standards in pursuit of a deal. EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen told Reuters: "That is definitely an option," Hansen said, of reducing US fertiliser tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. If car buyers think they will be able to beat President Trump's tariffs, they should think again. The trade war has already led to an increase in US auto prices and some of these hikes are invisible to consumers. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. According to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, most US firms with operations in china are not budging. The survey revealed that some US don't want to leave the country and in fact would ramp up production in China, despite the the challenges posed by tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. We know what President Trump wants in trade discussions with China. But what does China's Xi Jinping want? Bloomberg News reports Read more here. Both the US and China are using their control over key materials in a deepening trade war standoff. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that Washington is restricting ethane shipments, a gas China heavily relies on for plastics production. This follows Washingtons block on chip exports to China. 'Ethane is no longer just a byproduct of shale — it's now a geopolitical weapon,' said Julian Renton, lead analyst covering natural gas liquids at East Daley Analytics. 'China bet billions building infrastructure around US ethane, and Washington is now questioning whether that bet should continue to pay off.' But the US is not the only one weaponising their grip on vital materials. China has tightened control on rare earths, a crucial element used for technology products. However, on Thursday President Trump got a commitment from China to restore flow of rare earth magnets. These moves by the US and China marks a shift toward using strategic resources as leverage. The US is keen to strike a firm deal with China on rare earths exports as both sides resume talks in London today. Reuters reports: Read more here. Global auto companies are hoping that trade talks between the US and China on Monday could help fast track rare earth exports from China, which are desperately needed. Reuters reports: Read more here. Outbound shipments of rare earths in May from China rose 23% on the month to their highest in a year, despite Beijing's export curbs on some of the critical minerals prevented some overseas sales, with shortages impacting global manufacturing. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Chinese exports rose less than expected last month, held back by the biggest drop in shipments to the US in over five years, despite strong demand from other markets. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and China will restart trade talks in London on Monday after President Trump and Xi spoke last week. The two sides have accused each other of breaking a May deal in Geneva to pause tariff hikes above 100%. Trump, after agreeing with Xi to resume critical mineral flows, said he expects the talks to go "very well." 'We want the rare earths, the magnets that are crucial for cell phones and everything else to flow just as they did before the beginning of April, and we don't want any technical details slowing that down,' Kevin Hassett, head of the National Economic Council at the White House, said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation. 'And that's clear to them.' US-China tensions rose this year after Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods, triggering retaliation from Beijing. The Geneva deal was meant to ease tariff tensions, but talks stalled as both sides blamed each other. The US criticized a drop in Chinese exports of rare earth magnets and China pushed back on US curbs targeting AI chips and student visas. In London, US officials, which include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will meet with Vice Premier He Lifeng. According to a report in Bloomberg on Monday, Lutnick's presence suggests the US may review some tech restrictions. The recent Trump-Xi call brought hope if lower tariffs, but investor confidence remains cautious. As of today, the US has only secured one new trade deal — with the UK. A startup that assembles one of its smartphones entirely in the US says it's possible for a company like Apple to do the same and not incur prohibitive costs, but it's not easy and would take several years of focused effort, Fortune reports: At least one expert in the UK believes Prime Minister Keir Starmer may have unrealistic expectations about a trade deal with President Donald Trump and the US, Bloomberg reports: Read more here President Donald Trump has come up short on striking trade deals with most nations with just one month left before his self-imposed tariff deadline, even as he took his first steps in weeks toward engaging with China. Trump secured a much-desired call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, paving the way for a new round of talks on Monday in London — yet the diplomacy was overshadowed by a blowout public fight between Trump and his billionaire onetime ally, Elon Musk. Trump's aides insisted Friday that the president was moving on and focused on his economic agenda. Still, question marks remain over the US's most consequential trade relationships, with few tangible signs of progress toward interim agreements. Read more here Bloomberg reports: Read more here. President Trump said a new round of trade talks between the US and China would start Monday, a day after he spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would lead talks for the US. "The meeting should go very well," Trump predicted. Bessent led the last round of talks in Geneva, which led to a tariff truce that sent markets soaring. That truce has come under strain in recent weeks over various trade and other thorny issues, including China's curbs on rare earth mineral exports and US chip curbs. Bet you were wondering how long we could go before mentioning Elon Musk's feud with President Trump in this blog (lots more on that here, here, and here). Yes, the remarkable back and forth included Trump threatening Musk's government contracts — and Musk seeming to agree with a call to impeach Trump, while also throwing in an "Epstein files" mention. But as Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul details, Musk is now going to war with many of the biggest pillars of Trump's agenda. There was a tariff mention as part of that. Specifically, Musk not only criticized the tariffs — he's now on record saying he thinks they will cause a recession this year. As Ben writes: Read more here. Trade talks between the US and India were set to wrap up this Friday, but now they are being extended into next week as officials on both sides aim to work out an interim deal before a July 9 deadline. Indian government sources said the discussions, which have focused on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, will continue next Monday and Tuesday. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are looking to double trade by 2030 and cement a trade pact by fall 2025. Reuters reports: Read more here. US and Chinese officials exchanged jabs at an event held by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai on Friday, as the chamber appealed for more clarity for American businesses operating in China. Reuters reports: Read more here. India's Tata Steel has warned that it might be excluded from tariff-free access to the US under the UK's trade agreement with the Trump administration. This exclusion risks putting more than $180M worth of annual exports at risk. The FT reports: Read more here. Two of the largest economies in the euro zone saw industrial production decline in the first month of President Trump's sweeping tariffs, indicating a economic slowdown after a stronger-than-expected year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Friday. Wall Street Journal: Read more here. The EU said on Friday that it is open to reducing tariffs on US fertiliser imports as a trade bargaining tool in talks with the Trump administration. However, the EU said it would not weaken its food safety standards in pursuit of a deal. EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen told Reuters: "That is definitely an option," Hansen said, of reducing US fertiliser tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. If car buyers think they will be able to beat President Trump's tariffs, they should think again. The trade war has already led to an increase in US auto prices and some of these hikes are invisible to consumers. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. According to a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, most US firms with operations in china are not budging. The survey revealed that some US don't want to leave the country and in fact would ramp up production in China, despite the the challenges posed by tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. We know what President Trump wants in trade discussions with China. But what does China's Xi Jinping want? Bloomberg News reports Read more here. Both the US and China are using their control over key materials in a deepening trade war standoff. On Friday, Bloomberg reported that Washington is restricting ethane shipments, a gas China heavily relies on for plastics production. This follows Washingtons block on chip exports to China. 'Ethane is no longer just a byproduct of shale — it's now a geopolitical weapon,' said Julian Renton, lead analyst covering natural gas liquids at East Daley Analytics. 'China bet billions building infrastructure around US ethane, and Washington is now questioning whether that bet should continue to pay off.' But the US is not the only one weaponising their grip on vital materials. China has tightened control on rare earths, a crucial element used for technology products. However, on Thursday President Trump got a commitment from China to restore flow of rare earth magnets. These moves by the US and China marks a shift toward using strategic resources as leverage. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
World's Tallest Railway Bridge Opens With Trains 1,178ft Above the Ground
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Trains have begun operating across the world's tallest railway arch bridge, the Chenab Rail Bridge, which towers 1,178 feet above the Chenab River in India. The bridge, located in the Reasi district, officially opened on Friday, June 6, after an inauguration ceremony led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Jammu and Kashmir region this morning. Why It Matters The Chenab Rail Bridge's completion bridges links Kashmir to the rest of India via railway for the first time. Modi's inauguration of the bridge underlines India's hold on Kashmir just weeks after an insurgent attack on tourists in Pahalgam killed 26 people and prompted the biggest confrontation in decades with Pakistan, which India blamed for the attack despite its denials. Chenab bridge, the world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 6, 2024. Chenab bridge, the world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 6, 2024. Getty Images What To Know The Chenab Rail Bridge is a steel and concrete structure stretching 4,314 feet across the Chenab River gorge. Its main deck is raised 1,178 feet above the riverbed, making it both the highest rail bridge and the tallest arch bridge on the planet. This structure is taller than France's Eiffel Tower in height, and its opening coincided with the launch of new Vande Bharat Express trains on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. The bridge was designed by WSP Finland and built under the supervision of the Konkan Railway Corporation. Blast-proof steel and self-compacting concrete were used in its construction due to seismic risks and security concerns. The bridge is engineered to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8 and wind speeds up to 266 km/h (165 miles per hour) A graph comaparing the height of the Chenab Rail Bridge to other landmarks. A graph comaparing the height of the Chenab Rail Bridge to other landmarks. Flourish Unlike a suspension bridge, arch bridges are more rigid and less flexible under pressure, but are better for supporting heavy loads like trains. Construction took place in a section of the Himalayan mountains, which complicated the transport of materials and machinery. The Chenab Bridge will complete the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, a 169-mile project aimed at integrating Kashmir Valley with the rest of India. The bridge's completion is expected to stimulate tourism, improve logistics for agriculture and industry, and enhance military mobility where needed. The Chenab bridge overtook the Najiehe Railway Bridge in Guizhou, China, which is 310 meters tall (1,017 feet) and had been the tallest rail bridge since its opening in 2016. The bridging of the Chenab has been discussed since the late 1970s. The foundation for broader railway integration in Kashmir was laid in 1983, with significant progress only materializing in the 2000s. After numerous delays for safety and design reassessment, the main arch was completed in April 2021. What People Are Saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the inauguration event, said: "The Tricolour flies high over the Chenab Rail Bridge! It's a feeling of immense pride that this bridge seamlessly blends ambition with execution, reflecting India's growing capability to build futuristic infrastructure in the most challenging terrains. The world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir on July 6, 2024. The world's highest rail arch bridge in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir on July 6, 2024. Getty Images "The inauguration of mega infrastructure projects today marks a turning point in Jammu and Kashmir's development journey." What Happens Next Regular passenger trains, including Vande Bharat Express services, are now set to operate along the USBRL with the Chenab Bridge as a central link.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
India to Get New Spy Planes to Counter Nuclear Rivals Pakistan and China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. India is preparing to bolster its intelligence and surveillance capabilities with the acquisition of advanced I-STAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) aircraft, in a major boost to the Air Force's ability to counter challenges posed by Pakistan and China, according to news reports. Newsweek has reached out to India's Defense Ministry and the Pakistani government for comment. Why It Matters The reports follows the worst confrontation in decades with Pakistan and underlined India's plan to strengthen aerial reconnaissance and to reduce reliance on foreign arms. Pakistan performed strongly in air combat in May with the help of jets from China, which is another strategic rival of India's and is also locked in territorial disputes. Tensions remain high between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, despite U.S. diplomatic efforts that helped bring about a ceasefire. NEW DELHI, INDIA JANUARY 26: A view of the Indian Air Force show put on for Republic Day with a air display of 75 aircrafts in various formations on January 26, 2022 to mark the... NEW DELHI, INDIA JANUARY 26: A view of the Indian Air Force show put on for Republic Day with a air display of 75 aircrafts in various formations on January 26, 2022 to mark the 75 years of India's Independence in New Delhi ,India. More Pallava Bagla/Corbis/Getty Images What To Know The project, at an estimated cost of 10,000 Indian Rupee (approximately $1.2 billion), involves integrating indigenous sensor systems onto foreign-made airframes and is expected to be reviewed by the defense ministry, according to news agency ANI, citing defense officials. The systems for I-STAR have been developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) which integrates advanced airborne surveillance platforms for the Indian military. The I-STAR could mark a leap in the Indian Air Force's (IAF) ability to conduct precision strikes and monitor enemy movements. High‑altitude surveillance planes will allow the IAF to conduct target enemy radar sites, mobile air defense units, and command posts—including from stand‑off ranges, according to The Economic Times. IAF to get Rs 10,000 crore indigenous I-STAR spy planes to help in precision strikes against enemy ground targets. Report By : @ajitkdubey — Alpha Defense™🇮🇳 (@alpha_defense) June 8, 2025 India has fast-tracked the modernization of its air power—jets, drones, and advanced systems—following its recent armed exchange with Pakistan, where it caused damage but was also challenged by Pakistani air defenses. India accelerated its defense buildup with $4.6 billion in emergency procurement, advancing stealth jet development, a $470 million drone deal, and a $7 billion purchase of 26 Rafale naval fighters, according to Reuters. In March, Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, said new Delhi "can no longer overlook" threats resulting from the military ties between Pakistan and China, especially in advanced cyber and electronic warfare tools, according to India Today. What People Are Saying Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi said in March, according to India Today: "There is a high degree of collusion that we must acknowledge. In the virtual domain, it is nearly 100 per cent. Physically, most of the equipment present is of Chinese origin. The two-front war threat is a reality." Christopher Clary, Non-resident fellow at the Stimson Center's South Asia program wrote in an analysis in May: "This crisis involved the use of several weapons systems, often in innovative ways, which neither India nor Pakistan possessed at the time of their last crisis in 2019. While this crisis provides a baseline for the next India-Pakistan crisis, the pace of military technological change means that the contours of that next crisis might be meaningfully different. Both sides' perceived setbacks and failures will serve as a major driver for defense acquisitions and doctrinal innovation." What Happens Next India aims at acquiring three aircraft from foreign manufacturers including Boeing and Canada's Bombardier for the spy planes, ANI reported.
