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Speaker Johnson's roaring speech to convince GOP rebels to vote for Trump Bill

Economic Times20 hours ago
'In God We Trust' (ET Online)
Speaker Johnson's roaring speech to convince GOP rebels to vote for Trump Bill
Min | July 04, 2025, 5:15 AM IST
House Republicans lifted President Donald Trump's $4.5 trillion tax breaks and spending cuts bill to final passage Thursday, overcoming multiple setbacks to approve his signature second-term policy package before a self-imposed Fourth of July deadline. The tight roll call, 218-214, came at a potentially high political cost, with two Republicans joining all Democrats opposed. GOP leaders worked overnight, and the president himself leaned on a handful of sceptics to drop their opposition and send the bill to his desk to become law. The passage of the 800-plus page 'big beautiful bill' will likely become a defining milestone of Trump's return to the White House, and it's indicative of the power the right wields in this majority-Republican Congress.
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Baghel visits site hit by tree felling for coal mine in Raigarh
Baghel visits site hit by tree felling for coal mine in Raigarh

Time of India

time17 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Baghel visits site hit by tree felling for coal mine in Raigarh

Raipur: AICC General Secretary and former Chhattisgarh Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel , along with over 20 Congress MLAs, visited Tamnar in Raigarh district to assess concerns over large-scale tree felling in the region, linked to a coal mine project of a private mining operator. During the visit, Baghel met villagers who claimed to face police action while protesting the environmental impact of the project. Baghel expressed concern over the manner in which the state's natural resources—such as land, forests, water, and minerals—were being made available for industrial use. He alleged that deforestation activities were carried out under pressure, without the consent of local gram sabhas. He also raised issues related to the treatment of tribal residents protesting the project. He pointed out that extensive tree felling began during the previous BJP-led state govt's tenure and that the current administration continued the trend. Referring to the Hasdeo Aranya region, Baghel claimed more than 50,000 trees were already cut. Citing official communication, he mentioned a letter dated Oct 31, 2022, from the state's Forest Department requesting the Centre to halt coal mining activities in the Parsa block and to withdraw tree felling proposals. He added that the previous Congress govt passed a resolution in the Assembly urging cancellation of all coal blocks in ecologically sensitive areas, including Hasdeo Aranya.

‘Never heard that': Donald Trump says he's unaware ‘shylock' is considered anti-Semitic; faces backlash
‘Never heard that': Donald Trump says he's unaware ‘shylock' is considered anti-Semitic; faces backlash

Time of India

time17 minutes ago

  • Time of India

‘Never heard that': Donald Trump says he's unaware ‘shylock' is considered anti-Semitic; faces backlash

US President Donald Trump said early Friday that he didn't realize the term 'Shylock' is considered antisemitic by some people. He had used the word during a rally to criticize certain bankers while discussing his newly passed tax cut and spending legislation, a comment that drew widespread criticism. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'I've never heard it that way. To me, Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates,' Trump spoke to reporters after stepping off Air Force One. 'I've never heard it that way, you view it differently than me. I've never heard that.' T rump was heading back to Washington after the event in Iowa that marked the start of nationwide celebrations for the country's 250th anniversary, which will take place next year. In his speech, he used the word while highlighting parts of the major domestic policy bill that Congress had passed just a few hours earlier. "Think of that: No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker - and in some cases, Shylocks and bad people,' he said during remarks at an Iowa rally. The term 'Shylock' comes from the character in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. In the play, Shylock is a Jewish moneylender known for being harsh and demanding, famously insisting on a 'pound of flesh' from a merchant named Antonio if a loan wasn't repaid. "The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible," the Anti-Defamation League said in a post on X. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States,' the organisation added. US Representative Dan Goldman, a Jewish Democrat, said, "This is blatant and vile antisemitism, and Trump knows exactly what he's doing." Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a post on social media, 'Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes. This is not an accident. It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories - and it's deeply dangerous.'

State Cong chief to skip Thackerays' rally today
State Cong chief to skip Thackerays' rally today

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

State Cong chief to skip Thackerays' rally today

Mumbai: After NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar , state Congress chief Harshawardhan Sakpal has said that he will not attend the Thackeray cousins' "victory rally" on Saturday which has been organised to celebrate the state's cancellation of its govt resolutions on introducing Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools. Congress functionaries said Sakpal did not receive any formal invitation, so he will not attend. Sharad Pawar had said on Thursday that he would not participate in the rally due to his previously scheduled programmes. With both Pawar and Sakpal not attending, key Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners will be missing from the rally, although other netas from NCP (SP) and Congress are likely to be present. Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Friday said that people must not wait for invitations and should come to the rally to "celebrate" the scrapping of the govt resolutions. "There are no formal invitations. All those who are Marathi and Maharashtra lovers, from any party, must come. This was a victory of Marathi unity against Hindi imposition on school students," he said. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Apart from Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, two other cousins, Aaditya Thackeray and MNS's Amit Thackeray, will also be seen together at the rally. Sena (UBT) functionaries said that only heads of parties will be allowed on the dais and will speak at the rally.

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