
'MAGA IS NOT HAPPY': Trump's tax bill stalled by GOP rebellion in US Congress
Trump is seeking final approval in the House of Representatives for his Senate-passed "One Big Beautiful Bill" -- but faces opposition on all sides of his fractious party over provisions set to balloon the national debt while launching a historic assault on the social safety net.
As midnight (0400 GMT) struck, House Speaker Mike Johnson was still holding open a key procedural vote -- the bill's last hurdle before it can advance to be considered for final approval -- more than two hours after it was first called.
With no clear sign of the stalemate breaking, his lieutenants huddled in tense meetings behind the scenes with the rebels who had either voted no or had yet to come to the House floor.
"We're going to get there tonight. We're working on it and very, very positive about our progress," Johnson told reporters at the Capitol, according to Politico.
Originally approved by the House in May, Trump's sprawling legislation squeezed through the Senate on Tuesday by a solitary vote but had to return to the lower chamber Wednesday for a rubber stamp of the Senate's revisions.
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The Hindu
34 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Opposition seeks apology over MLC's ‘urban Naxal' remark on wari pilgrimage
Holding copies of the Constitution, Opposition leaders staged a protest on the steps of the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan on Thursday (July 3, 2025), condemning Shiv Sena MLC Manisha Kayande's remarks alleging the presence of 'urban Naxals' in the annual Ashadhi wari pilgrimage to Pandharpur. Leaders across the Opposition spectrum — including Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve (Shiv Sena-UBT), Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, and NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad — accused the Mahayuti government of attempting to defame a centuries-old religious tradition and demanded an apology from the ruling alliance. 'This is not just an attack on the wari, but on Maharashtra's cultural identity. The government must immediately withdraw these remarks and apologise to the warkari community,' Mr. Danve said during the protest. The Ashadhi wari is a revered annual pilgrimage during which lakhs of devotees — known as warkaris — walk to Pandharpur to offer prayers to Lord Vitthal. Ms. Kayande, a nominated member of the Upper House, claimed in the Legislative Council on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) that urban Naxals had infiltrated the wari and were attempting to mislead devotees. 'Atheist individuals who do not believe in God have entered the wari. This is a serious matter. Under the guise of groups like Samvidhan Dindi, Paryavaran Wari, and Lokayat, they are staging street plays, delivering speeches, and influencing warkaris,' Ms. Kayande alleged. She also cited past instances where pieces of meat were reportedly thrown during the procession. She urged the Mahayuti government to act swiftly to preserve the sanctity of the pilgrimage and said the proposed Maharashtra Public Security Bill would help curb such disruptive elements. 'During last year's Lok Sabha elections, these same elements spread a false narrative about the Constitution being changed,' Ms. Kayande added. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena faction that nominated Ms. Kayande, told the House that the government had taken cognisance of the matter and had directed the Home Department to investigate the claims. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam also said his office had received complaints about attempts by alleged 'urban Naxals' to disrupt social harmony and assured the House that the matter would be taken seriously. The Opposition, however, dismissed the remarks as baseless and politically motivated. They alleged that the comments were part of a deliberate attempt to politicise a spiritual event and discredit the peaceful warkari movement. 'This is an attempt to sow division under the guise of security concerns. The government must stop targeting religious gatherings with ideological labels,' Mr. Awhad said.
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Business Standard
40 minutes ago
- Business Standard
India-US interim trade deal nearly sealed after a week of intense talks
After nearly a week of intense negotiations, India and the United States (US) are learnt to have almost finalised an interim trade deal, mainly focusing on tariff concessions. An announcement is expected over the next two-three days, ahead of the looming expiry of the US's 90-day pause on country-specific reciprocal tariff deadline, people aware of the matter told Business Standard. Indian officials are also closely studying the US' trade agreement with Vietnam announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, especially since the South-East Asian nation is a significant regional competitor for India in manufacturing and exports.


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Maharashtra rolls out round-the-clock sand transport, new measures to regulate mining
In a bid to curb illegal sand mining and ensure efficient transportation, the Maharashtra government on Thursday (July 3, 2025) announced that sand transportation will now be permitted round-the-clock across the State. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule informed the State Assembly that the move is aimed at enhancing transparency, streamlining logistics, and supporting housing beneficiaries under government welfare schemes. Until now, sand excavation was allowed only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., while transportation was restricted to daytime hours. This often resulted in underutilisation of capacity and prompted illegal transport activities during the night. 'To address this, the MahaKhaniij portal will now generate Electronic Transport Permits (e-TPs) 24 hours a day,' Mr. Bawankule said, responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Nana Patole during Question Hour. Technological measures To bolster transparency and regulatory oversight, the government has introduced several digital monitoring mechanisms. All sand depots will be geo-fenced, CCTV cameras will be installed at mining sites and along transportation routes, and GPS devices will be mandatory in all sand-carrying vehicles. The Minister also announced that the State will soon implement a policy on manufactured sand (M-sand) to reduce pressure on natural sand reserves. Under the plan, each district will host 50 crusher units on five-acre plots, with the aim of operationalising 1,000 units in the next three months. Free sand In a key welfare measure, Mr. Bawankule said that five brass (a traditional unit of volume) of sand will be provided free of cost to each beneficiary under the Gharakul Yojana (government housing scheme). He added that although several sand mining sites have come under environmental restrictions since June 10 due to National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives, sand supply from locations not requiring clearance will continue uninterrupted. The government is also preparing a new policy to address the high cost of transporting sand to housing beneficiaries. With distances between sand mines and homes often ranging from 30 to 50 km, beneficiaries are currently incurring transport costs of ₹30,000 to ₹40,000. Mr. Bawankule said a new 'Home Delivery Sand Transport Policy' is being drafted with support from the Chief Minister and the Finance Department. 'Before the end of this session, I will present a detailed plan to ensure affordable sand access for housing beneficiaries,' he said. Public feedback The Minister pointed out that the State's new sand policy is already generating strong economic returns. 'In Chandrapur district, the first tender floated under the revised policy yielded ₹100 crore in royalty revenue. This demonstrates the policy's economic viability in addition to its regulatory benefits,' he said. Mr. Bawankule added that the policy was shaped after considering over 1,200 public suggestions and assured the Assembly that the government is open to further discussions on the matter.