Steeper tariffs, ‘stolen votes': Modi govt feels the heat
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'Not a single policymaking person who knows Russia,Ukraine' as Trump heads for talks with Putin
Negotiations with Moscow have been handled not by diplomats steeped in years of Russia policy, but by real estate developer Steve Witkoff, who has no background in foreign affairs When Donald Trump steps into a room with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (August 15), the setting will be a far cry from his first headline-grabbing encounter with the Russian leader in Helsinki six years ago. That summit went so poorly that Fiona Hill, his then top Russia adviser, later admitted she had considered faking a seizure to shut it down. This time, there are unlikely to be any Russia specialists within arm's reach of the president. In his second term, Trump has purged swathes of the federal workforce, elevated loyalists over seasoned experts and sidelined the traditional machinery of foreign policy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Negotiations with Moscow have been handled not by diplomats steeped in years of Russia policy, but by real estate developer Steve Witkoff, who has no background in foreign affairs. Former ambassador Eric Rubin says Trump 'does not have a single policymaking person who knows Russia and Ukraine advising him', Financial Times reported. Ordinarily, before a meeting of this magnitude, the US national security council (NSC) would be corralling input from across government to prepare the president for anything Putin might throw at him. Known for his command of detail and skill in exploiting gaps in an opponent's knowledge, Putin has been in power for a quarter of a century. That process has been hollowed out. Dozens of foreign policy and national security officials were forced out of the NSC in May. More than 1,300 state department employees were let go last month, including many analysts covering Russia and Ukraine. The diplomatic corps has also been hit hard; the American Foreign Service Association estimates around a quarter of foreign service officers have quit since January. Top posts dealing with Russia and Ukraine remain unfilled. The administration insists the cuts will make the government 'leaner' and more responsive. Deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly said Trump still gets input from leaders at the state department, NSC and intelligence agencies before making decisions. But in practice, the most senior roles are concentrated in the hands of a few figures, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, who is also serving as acting national security adviser. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has said the Alaska meeting will be 'a feel-out' and that he will know 'within two minutes' whether progress is possible. 'I may say 'lots of luck, keep fighting', or I may say 'we can make a deal',' he told reporters this week. For many former officials, that approach rings alarm bells. Daniel Fried, a former ambassador to Poland, warned: 'You can't have him and Witkoff winging it because they just don't know enough. You need somebody in the room who can just look at the president, roll his eyes and shake his head.' In Helsinki in 2018, Trump publicly questioned his own intelligence agencies' findings on election interference, accepting Putin's denials instead. Back then, he had what were described as the 'adults in the room' – experienced hands who tried to temper his impulses. John Bolton, his national security adviser at the time, recalled trying to brief Trump on nuclear weapons during the flight to Helsinki, while the president watched a football match. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This time, those guardrails are gone. Fried put it bluntly: 'This is not an administration that is going to have an experts-led process.'
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India plans to open uranium sector to private players to boost nuclear expansion
The move aims to attract billions of dollars and support the country's ambitious goal to expand nuclear power capacity 12 fold by 2047 India is planning to open its uranium mining, import, and processing sector to private companies, ending a decades-long state monopoly, according to a Reuters report, citing government sources. This move aims to attract billions of dollars and support the country's ambitious goal to expand nuclear power capacity 12 fold by 2047. In April, Reuters had reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is also planning to relax requirements to allow foreign players to take a minority stake in power plants. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Currently, India's government tightly controls uranium mining and processing due to concerns over nuclear material misuse, radiation safety, and strategic security. It will, however, continue to manage spent uranium reprocessing and plutonium waste handling, in line with international norms. To meet rising demand for nuclear fuel amid this expansion, the government is drafting a regulatory framework that would allow private Indian firms to participate in mining, importing, and processing uranium. The policy is expected to be announced within the current fiscal year, reported Reuters. In addition, private companies may be permitted to supply critical control system equipment for nuclear power plants, sources said. Globally, countries such as Canada, South Africa, and the United States already allow private firms to mine and process uranium. Domestic supply not enough According to government data, India has an estimated 76,000 tonnes of uranium — enough to power 10,000 megawatts of nuclear energy for 30 years. However, sources cautioned that domestic reserves would cover only about 25% of the fuel needed to support the country's planned nuclear expansion. The remaining demand would require imports, along with a significant boost to uranium processing capacity. In its February 1 budget announcement, the government revealed its intention to open up the nuclear sector, though it did not provide specifics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move has since prompted several major Indian conglomerates to begin drafting investment plans. Still, experts warn that implementing the policy may face hurdles, as revising existing legislation could prove legally and politically complex. 'It's a major and bold initiative by the Indian Government which is critical for achieving the target,' Reuters quoted Charudatta Palekar, independent power sector consultant, as saying. 'The challenge will be to define quickly the rules of engagement with private sector,' Palekar added. New Delhi will have to change five laws, including the ones regulating mining and electricity sectors and India's foreign direct investment policy to enable private participation in many identified activities, the sources said. With inputs from agencies
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Lula hits back at Trump over judiciary attacks, says US president would face trial in Brazil if January 6 riots happened there
President Lula da Silva has rebuked Donald Trump's escalating campaign against the country's judiciary, saying the US leader would face trial in Brazil if the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots had happened there. Read here Brazilian President Lula da Silva has pushed back against President Donald Trump's campaign targeting the country's judiciary, saying the US leader would face trial in Brazil had the January 6 US Capitol attacks taken place there, the Guardian reported. Lula's comments come amid what analysts describe as one of the deepest diplomatic rifts between Washington and Brasília in decades. Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports and sanctioned a supreme court justice, the moves which are widely considered as an attempt to aid Trump's far-right ally and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces up to 40 years in prison over allegations of plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bolsonaro could face up to 40 years in prison when Brazil's supreme court delivers its verdict in the coming weeks. Trump has denounced the case as a 'witch-hunt' and urged Brazilian authorities to drop the charges. Lula also dismissed US criticism of Brazil's human rights record after the State Department's annual report accused his administration of stifling democratic debate and restricting the speech of Bolsonaro supporters, journalists, and elected officials. 'There was really no reason to hit Brazil with tariffs, and nor will we accept being told that we don't respect human rights here in Brazil,' Lula said. Drawing a sharp contrast between Brazil's handling of political unrest and Trump's pardons for January 6 participants, Lula noted that 141 people are serving prison terms for joining the 8 January 2023 riots in Brasília, which prosecutors say formed part of Bolsonaro's coup attempt. In the US, Trump granted 'full, complete and unconditional' pardons to about 1,500 people involved in the Capitol assault soon after taking office last year. Lula urged Brazilians not to be intimidated by Trump's pressure campaign, adding that his administration had repeatedly tried to negotiate with Washington before the tariffs were enacted. According to Brazilian diplomats, those overtures went unanswered, with key decisions reportedly taken within Trump's inner circle, a group to which they had no access. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unveiling a long-anticipated aid package on Wednesday to offset the impact of steep US tariffs, Brazil's government said it would offer credit lines for exporters and increase government purchases of goods struggling to find new markets. A delegation of Brazilian senators travelled to Washington in the final week of July in a last-ditch effort to defuse tensions. The group, led by Senator Nelsinho Trad, met with business leaders with ties to Brazil and nine US senators, only one of them Republican, Thom Tillis of North Carolina. 'We found views on Brazil were ideologically charged,' Trad told The AP. 'But we made an effort to present economic arguments.' While the delegation was in Washington, Trump signed the order imposing the 50% tariff. But there was relief: not all Brazilian imports would be hit. Exemptions included civil aircraft and parts, aluminium, tin, wood pulp, energy products and fertilizers. Trad believes Brazil's outreach may have helped soften the final terms. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I think the path has to remain one of dialogue and reason so we can make progress on other fronts,' he said. With inputs from agencies
