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NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
US Human Rights Report To Downplay Allies' Abuse
United States: The annual human rights report produced by the United States will scale back criticism of El Salvador, Israel and Russia, a report said Wednesday, as officials hinted it would focus instead on what they call dwindling freedom of expression in Europe. The report customarily highlights the imprisonment of dissidents, women's rights, and extrajudicial killings in countries with authoritarian governments, usually drawing a rebuke from the likes of Beijing. But the first report under President Donald Trump looks set to gloss over abuses of governments close to his administration, according to The Washington Post, which said it had seen leaked drafts. The section on El Salvador -- whose strongman president Nayib Bukele has taken migrants deported without trial from the United States -- says the country had "no credible reports of significant human rights abuses" in 2024, the Post reported. Rights groups speak of mass arrests and an abusive prison system in the Central American country. The Post said that while references to human rights abuses in the three countries are still present, each section is considerably truncated. A senior State Department official told reporters the report as a whole will hone in on what the White House calls "censorship" in traditional allies. "We are not shying away... in this administration, from having frank discussions with our partners and allies about what we see as censorship or disfavored voices, whether it be political or religious, and making sure that they're protected whether they are in the mainstream or not," the official said. "I think freedom of expression is one that has really been on the, I would say, has been reversing in some countries, and so we're having those frank conversations to make sure that the fundamental value of human freedom of expression is protected." The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, gave no specific examples of what the administration sees as the shrinking space for free speech, but Trump and his allies frequently complain that conservative voices are being silenced. Ahead of an election in Germany, Vice President JD Vance dismayed Germans by endorsing the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland, a party the country's spy agency says is "extremist." No publication date has yet been given for the report, which is usually issued early in the year, with the State Department focusing on "restructuring" it and making it more readable, the official said. Last week, opposition lawmakers warned the report must continue to highlight real abuses, instead of just repeating Trump's talking points, if it is to continue to have any value. "For decades, the State Department's Human Rights Reports have provided critical insight into human rights conditions in countries around the world and have helped inform American foreign policy," said Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. "The Trump Administration's actions to water down and politicise these reports undermine their very purpose and damage the credibility of the Department itself."
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First Post
4 hours ago
- First Post
As Trump unleashes tariff tirade on India over Russian oil, who gains at New Delhi's expense?
With 50% tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, analysts predict that Indian exports could shrink by up to 45%, representing an annual loss of around $35-45 billion. Here is the breakdown of which countries will gain at India's expense. read more US President Donald Trump meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 13, 2025. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) In a dramatic escalation of trade tensions, US President Donald Trump has imposed punitive tariffs of 50 per cent on Indian imports — doubling the rate from the earlier 25 per cent. The executive order, signed in early August 2025, directly targets India's continued purchase — and re-export — of Russian crude oil, which Washington claims is indirectly funding Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine. This decision marks a significant moment in global economics and diplomacy, entangling energy geopolitics with trade warfare. The implications will be long-lasting — not just for Indian exporters, but also for competitor nations poised to benefit from India's sudden loss of competitiveness in the US market. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What prompted the tariff hike? According to the order, the Trump administration considers India's prolonged Russian oil imports a 'threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States'. Despite pressure from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, India has held firm, arguing that affordable energy is a non-negotiable priority for a developing economy. The tariffs are being presented as a tool to deter Indian firms —particularly refiners and intermediaries— from continued energy ties with Russia. New Delhi, in turn, has labelled the move an 'unfair and unprovoked economic penalty', signalling possible retaliatory action under World Trade Organization mechanisms. Major Indian sectors affected by Trump's tariffs The broad-based 50 per cent tariffs affect a wide range of Indian exports, with consequences expected across: Textiles and garments Gems and jewellery Automotive components and vehicles Leather goods Machinery and engineering products Marine and seafood products Steel and aluminium Chemicals and agrochemicals Selective pharmaceutical and processed goods Exporters in these sectors now find themselves priced out of the American market, losing a competitive edge to rivals that face significantly lower import duties. Some analysts predict that Indian exports in the affected industries could shrink by up to 45 per cent, representing an annual loss of between $35 billion and $45 billion. Who benefits at India's expense? As India falls behind due to steep tariffs, multiple countries stand ready to fill the vacuum. The following nations are poised to gain the most, sector by sector: 1. Textiles and apparel Winners: Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey Why: Countries like Vietnam face US tariffs of just 12–20 per cent, compared to India's 50 per cent. They are likely to capture substantial market share, particularly in cheap cotton-based garments and synthetic fibres. 2. Gems and jewellery Winners: Belgium, Israel, UAE, Thailand, China Why: Indian diamonds often dominated the US import pipeline. These competitors, many of whom face tariffs of under 10 per cent, will likely absorb up to $2–3 billion of lost Indian jewellery trade. 3. Automobiles and components Winners: Mexico, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Thailand Why: Free trade agreements offer favourable terms for Mexico and Canada. With India's costs doubled, these markets look increasingly attractive to US manufacturers. Winners: Vietnam, Bangladesh, China, Italy Why: India's exporters face tariffs of 50 per cent, while rivals continue to pay less than 15 per cent. US buyers are expected to pivot accordingly. 5. Engineering goods and machinery Winners: Germany, South Korea, China, Japan Why: As Indian machinery losses mount, countries with established industrial supply chains will step into the breach. 6. Chemicals and agrochemicals Winners: EU nations, China, Brazil Why: Disruptions in chemical exports from India create openings for existing suppliers familiar to US agricultural sectors. 7. Marine products Winners: Vietnam, Indonesia, Ecuador Why: India is the second-largest shrimp exporter to the US; its loss is Vietnam and Ecuador's gain. Quantifying the trade shifts Sector Expected loss to India Projected gains to rivals Textiles & apparel $10–12 billion Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mexico (~$8–9 billion) Jewellery & gems $2–3 billion Israel, UAE, Thailand (up to $2 billion) Auto & components $1.5–2 billion Mexico, South Korea (~$1.7 billion) Leather & footwear $1 billion+ Vietnam, Bangladesh (~$750 million) Marine products $1.2–1.5 billion Vietnam, Ecuador (~$1 billion) Engineering goods $2.5 billion+ Germany, Japan (~$2 billion) There may be strategic and political fallout Trump's tariffs threaten to unwind portions of the US–India strategic partnership — a relationship cultivated over two decades across defence, technology, and energy sectors. While India's independent energy policy remains domestically popular, prolonged economic pressure may ultimately push it to rethink its sourcing strategy or seek new trade alignments. From Washington's viewpoint, the move reflects President Trump's return to leveraging economic instruments as geopolitical tools, echoing his administration's first-term tactics against China, the EU, and other trade partners. A global economic tipping point Trump's tariff offensive has jolted global markets. At 50 per cent, it is one of the highest ever imposed by the US on a major trading partner. As Indian exporters scramble, countries like Vietnam, Mexico, and Germany are gearing up to absorb lost volumes. In today's fragmented economy, tariffs are no longer just taxes — they are weapons. And right now, India is caught in the crosshairs.
News18
5 hours ago
- News18
Trump Lashes Out At ‘weaklings' Who Believe Epstein ‘Bullsh*t' Amid Building GOP Pressure
President Donald Trump is accusing some of his onetime supporters of being 'weaklings' who are falling prey to Democratic 'bullshit' about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — concluding that he no longer wants their support. Mobile App -
