PM Modi's FIERY Response As Zelensky Urges India To Stop Buying Russian Oil Before Putin-Trump Meet
Read More
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
9 minutes ago
- First Post
'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.'
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
9 minutes ago
- First Post
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
India Today
9 minutes ago
- India Today
Trump warns Russia of ‘very severe consequences' if Putin blocks Ukraine deal
US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatening "severe consequences" if Moscow obstructs peace in on Wednesday, Trump hinted that punitive measures -- possibly economic sanctions -- could follow if their scheduled meeting in Alaska on Friday fails to produce Trump did not specify what the consequences could be. He stressed that the talks would serve as a stepping stone for a possible second meeting, this time involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy."Will Russia face any consequences if Vladimir Putin does not agree to stop the war after your meeting on Friday?"@POTUS: "Yes, they will." Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 13, 2025advertisement "If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one," Trump told reporters. "I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy and myself, if they'd like to have me there."The US president also said the conflict in Ukraine was the result of the Biden administration's policies, saying, "This is Biden's work, this is not my work. He got us into this thing. This war would have never happened if I were the President. But it is what it is. I am here to fix it."He emphasised his record on global conflicts, claiming, "If we can save a lot of lives, it will be a great thing. I have stopped five wars in the last six months. On top of that, we wiped out the nuclear capability of Iran, obliterated it."EU, UKRAINE DRAW RED LINES AHEAD OF ALASKA TALKSThe warning comes after a high-level virtual call between Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders, hosted by Germany, to outline non-negotiable positions ahead of the Alaska talks."We had a very good call. He was on the call. President Zelenskyy was on the call. I would rate it a 10, very friendly," Trump President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had agreed that Ukrainian land could not be negotiated away without Kyiv's consent. Macron also noted that Trump backed the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine in any post-war Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated that the principle of borders being respected must remain intact. "If there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and we Europeans should increase the pressure," Merz said, adding that Trump "shares this position very extensively."The Alaska meeting is intended to address the nearly three-and-a-half-year-old war -- the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Trump has previously suggested that some form of territorial exchange might be necessary to end the fighting, an idea met with deep concern in Kyiv and across travelled to Berlin for consultations before the virtual call, warning allies that Putin's recent military gains in eastern Ukraine were part of a broader strategy to pressure Kyiv into told the US president and all our European colleagues that Putin is bluffing about wanting to end the war," Zelenskyy said. "Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine, but this is an attempt to intimidate before the Alaska talks."Meanwhile, the Kremlin has shown little sign of softening its stance. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev reiterated that Moscow's demands remain unchanged since last the scenes, officials have been considering potential locations for a three-way summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy, should the Alaska meeting yield progress. European governments have welcomed Trump's initiative but remain firm that no agreement should be made without Ukraine's direct participation.- EndsWith inputs from AgenciesTune InMust Watch
