US Senate Approves Trump's Divisive "One Big Beautiful Bill"
The sprawling text, headlined by a $4.5 trillion renewal of the president's first term tax cuts, now heads to the House of Representatives.
It faces unified Democratic opposition in the lower chamber, and multiple Republicans balking at deep cuts to health care, green energy subsidies and food aid programs for the poor.
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NDTV
15 minutes ago
- NDTV
Hemant Khandelwal To Ravindra Chavan: A Look At 9 New BJP State Chiefs
New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday announced Hemant Kumar Khandelwal as its new chief of the Madhya Pradesh unit, moving closer to picking the replacement of the party's national president, JP Nadda. The ruling party has recently announced nine new state heads and has so far conducted elections for 28 states and union territories - nine more than the required number of 19 for the election of the national president - since its internal polls started last year. The BJP sources, however, said the election of the national president will be conducted only after the successful completion of elections of key states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Delhi and Haryana, among others. Here's a look at new BJP state chiefs: Hemant Khandelwal - Madhya Pradesh Hemant Khandelwal is currently an MLA from Betul. He has also been an MP from Betul, which was won by his father, late Vijay Khandelwal, four times (1996-2008). Khandelwal, a two-time MLA, has strong roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and is considered to be close to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Two-time MLA from Betul, currently serving his second term after regaining the seat in 2023. The 60-year-old has also served as the BJP's district president of Betul and state party treasurer. He has also headed the Kushabhau Thakre Trust, a key ideological and training wing of the party. By appointing Mr Khandelwal, the BJP has signalled its outreach to the strong Vaishya community in Madhya Pradesh and has balanced delicate caste balance with an Other Backward Class (OBC) chief minister and an upper caste state president. Ravindra Chavan - Maharashtra Ravindra Chavan is a four-term MLA from Dombivali and has replaced Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Mr Chavan has held several key portfolios, including Public Works, Food and Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection, in the Maharashtra government. He also served as Guardian Minister for Palghar and Sindhudurg districts. Mr Chavan, who was appointed Working President of the BJP Maharashtra unit in January, is also seen as a close aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and has strong backing from the RSS. The 54-year-old also played a crucial role in the formation of the BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra. His appointment as the state BJP chief is seen as a strategic move ahead of key local body elections in Mumbai. Mahendra Bhatt - Uttarakhand Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt has been reelected as the Uttarakhand BJP president. The 53-year-old, who first took over as Uttarakhand BJP chief in 2022, is the only party chief in the state to get a successive term in 25 years. Mr Bhatt, a two-time MLA, began his political career with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the early 1990s. He became the BJP Yuva Morcha's state president in 2000 and served till 2002. He won his first assembly election in 2002 from Nandprayag and represented the constituency till 2007. In 2017, he won the Badrinath assembly seat. With his re-election, the BJP has balanced caste equations in the state, with Pushkar Singh Dhami, a Thakur, as chief minister, and Mr Bhatt, a Brahmin, as state president. Rajeev Bindal - Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Bindal now has a rare distinction to be re-elected for a third straight term as the president of the BJP's Himachal Pradesh unit. He is a five-time MLA - three terms from Solan and two from Nahan. Mr Bindal, 70, has served as the health minister in the Prem Kumar Dhumal-led BJP government (2007-2012). He also held the post of speaker of the Himachal Pradesh assembly from 2018 to 2020. A doctor by profession, Mr Bindal served in Jharkhand under RSS's Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad. He is a close aide of Mr Nadda and the RSS. PVN Madhav - Andhra Pradesh PVN Madhav is the BJP's new Andhra Pradesh president and has been tasked with strengthening the party's presence in alliance with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's Janasena party in the ruling NDA coalition. His father, PV Chalapati Rao, was the first BJP state president of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He is a former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), representing the North Andhra Graduates' constituency. The 51-year-old has held key roles in Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and RSS-affiliated organisations. He previously served as the general secretary of the Andhra Pradesh BJP. Mr Madhav represents the Backwards Classes and will help the BJP broaden its social base in Andhra's caste-driven politics. N Ramchander Rao - Telangana N Ramchander Rao, a former MLC and senior Supreme Court advocate, will lead the BJP's Telangana unit. He has also served as the chief spokesperson and General Secretary of the BJP in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Mr Rao, 66, has been chosen over high-profile contenders like Etala Rajender and Arvind Dharmapuri. He, however, faced a revolt from senior leader Raja Singh, who quit the party to lodge a strong protest against his appointment. Backed by the RSS and senior BJP leaders for his loyalty and non-factional image, he is known for bridging old and new factions within the party. He has also been credited with strengthening the BJP's legal and ideological framework in Telangana. K Beichhua - Mizoram K Beichhua, a three-time MLA from Siaha, will lead the BJP's Mizoram faction. The 59-year-old, who has served as a medical officer for 16 years, was elected to the assembly from Siaha on a Mizo National Front (MNF) ticket for two consecutive terms in 2013 and 2018. He joined the BJP in 2023 after his expulsion from the MNF in January that year and won the seat. He is one of the two BJP MLAs in the current 40-member Mizoram assembly. Mr Beichhua was a minister holding various portfolios, including Excise and Narcotics, in the previous MNF dispensation headed by Zoramthanga. VP Ramalingam - Puducherry VP Ramalingam, brother of former Congress leader VP Sivakolundhu, is the new BJP's Puducherry unit president. The 63-year-old industrialist-turned-politician joined the BJP in 2021. He was then nominated as an MLA following the formation of the AINRC-BJP coalition government. Anil Tiwari - Andaman and Nicobar Anil Tiwari has been appointed as the BJP's new president of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands unit. He joined the BJP in 1990 and has a strong background with the RSS. Mr Tiwari previously served as State Secretary and is credited with strengthening booth-level management across the islands/
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
New strategic oil reserves planned! India looks to boost emergency stockpile of petroleum; aims to strengthen energy security
As the globe's third-largest oil importer and consumer, India brings in over 80% of its oil requirements from abroad. (AI image) India is currently evaluating plans to construct three additional strategic oil storage facilities to enhance its emergency reserves and bolster energy security, according to the chief executive of the organisation responsible for strategic reserves. Currently, India maintains strategic petroleum storage facilities at three southern locations - Mangalore, Padur and Vizag - with a combined capacity to store 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil, which can be utilised during supply interruptions. As the globe's third-largest oil importer and consumer, India brings in over 80% of its oil requirements from abroad. The country continuously seeks to diversify its crude procurement sources to reduce vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions in its oil supply chain. Also Read | US plans 'economic bunker buster' bill: Will Donald Trump impose 500% tariff on countries importing oil from Russia? How it may impact India India's Strategic Oil Reserves Plan Engineers India Ltd , a state-operated engineering consultancy firm, is conducting feasibility assessments for constructing additional petroleum reserves, according to Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd's CEO L R Jain in his statement to Reuters. "In case of exigencies, we will be better prepared," he said. The organisation intends to establish a new reserve with 5.2 million-5.3 million tonne capacity in salt caverns at Bikaner, situated in Rajasthan's desert region, alongside an additional 1.75-million tonne facility in Mangalore, Karnataka, he indicated to Reuters. A new reserve will be established in Bina, situated in central Madhya Pradesh state, with its storage capacity pending determination. The proposed projects will need to secure approval from the Union cabinet following completion of feasibility assessments. These facilities will supplement the previously sanctioned strategic petroleum reserves : a 2.5 million-ton facility at Padur and a 4 million-ton installation at Chandikhol in eastern Odisha state. India's Strategic Oil Reserves Policy India has modified its strategic petroleum reserve policies, introducing private sector participation and commercialisation. This approach aligns with systems implemented by Japan and South Korea, where private lessees, predominantly oil companies, are permitted to trade crude. "We are looking for 90 days of reserves," Jain said. "And Indian fuel demand is also rising, so we need additional storage." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The expansion of oil storage facilities would facilitate India's membership in the International Energy Agency, which stipulates that members maintain oil reserves sufficient for 90 days of consumption. Currently, India's combined storage capacity, including company holdings and in-transit supplies, can sustain the country's fuel requirements for 75 days. Also Read | India laps up discounted crude: RIL, Nayara Energy get big chunk of Russia's flagship oil exports; Reliance world's single biggest buyer of Urals Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Congress slams Modi govt over Pakistan's UNSC presidency, calls it 'diplomatic setback'
The Congress on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) slammed the PM Modi-led government for 'failing to prevent Pakistan' from assuming key positions in the United Nations, calling it a 'major diplomatic setback for India'. Pakistan on Tuesday said that it assumed the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July. The presidency of the Security Council — the world body's power centre — is part of Pakistan's two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, which began in January 2025. In addition, Pakistan will chair the Taliban Sanctions Committee and serve as vice-chair of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee. Speaking to reporters here, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "the terror state of Pakistan has now been made the global security broker. The devil is now in the chair." Pakistan, "a terror state with a proven record of harbouring terrorists, promoting terrorism, and exporting terror to India" was being elevated to global leadership positions, even as India continues to face terror attacks sponsored by it, he said. "This happened just weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack, which was Pakistan-sponsored," Mr. Surjewala alleged, questioning the Modi government's "silence and inaction". He claimed Pakistan's elevation came "despite all the bravado on foreign policy" displayed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, who, he alleged, had failed to rally global support to prevent this outcome. 'Repeated violations' Citing a specific instance, Mr. Surjewala pointed out that Pakistan assumed the vice-chair of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee on June 4, 2025, despite its repeated violations of international resolutions on terrorism. "What are the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and India's Permanent Representative to the UN doing," he asked. He also criticised the government for failing to protest when Pakistan, allegedly backed by China, blocked India's proposal to designate Abdul Rauf, a known anti-India terrorist, as a global terrorist in the same Counter-Terrorism Committee. "The same Pakistan becomes vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, and the Government of India raises no objection," Mr. Surjewala claimed. He also lamented the 'decline' of India's traditional diplomatic ties. "Our old and trusted allies, relationships built by the Congress across the world, in Asia, and our neighbourhood have been alienated. Today, we are isolated. Even smaller nations like the Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka no longer stand with us." "Diplomacy requires more than photo-ops and optics," he said.
