Trumps' new venture: A mobile phone company
In an apparent bid to make inroads into the liberal-dominated information ecosystem, US President Trump's sons Eric and Don jr on Monday launched "Trump Mobile" a mobile phone service with a subscription plan called the "47 Plan".
Alluding to Trump being the 45th and 47th president, the $47.45 per month plan includes unlimited service and free international calling to over 100 countries, with no contracts or credit checks required. The service emphasises US-based customer support available 24/7 and compatibility with most existing phones.
Trump Mobile also plans to release in Aug 2025 a $499 Android phone made in America, to challenge Apple and other phone makers whose foreign production has irked the MAGA supremo.
The venture, announced by Trump's sons at Trump Tower in New York, positions itself as a conservative alternative to major telecom providers, focusing on "American pride" and reliability.
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Hans India
12 minutes ago
- Hans India
India-Russia Strengthen Partnership Through Energy Cooperation And Balanced Trade Discussions
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov engaged in comprehensive discussions in Moscow on Thursday, focusing on expanding bilateral trade relationships in a sustainable manner while ensuring long-term supply arrangements for critical commodities including fertilizers and maintaining robust energy cooperation. The high-level diplomatic engagement emphasized that India-Russia relations remain among the world's most stable major partnerships, driven by geopolitical alignment and strong public support. The ministerial talks took place one day after Jaishankar co-chaired a bilateral trade and economic commission meeting, highlighting the strategic importance both nations place on strengthening their economic ties. During the discussions, Jaishankar addressed several pressing concerns affecting bilateral relations, including India's substantial trade deficit with Russia, non-tariff barriers that impede commerce, regulatory obstacles, and the sensitive issue of Indian nationals serving in the Russian military. Following his discussions with Lavrov, Jaishankar also held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is anticipated to visit India later this year for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This diplomatic engagement occurred against the backdrop of Jaishankar's recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi, aimed at normalizing India-China relations, while tensions with Washington continue to escalate over trade disputes and punitive American tariffs on Indian goods. Opening the formal discussions, Jaishankar emphasized the global context shaping their bilateral engagement, noting the evolving geopolitical landscape, shifting economic and trade dynamics, and both countries' shared objective of maximizing their complementary strengths. Lavrov responded by highlighting the special significance of India-Russia relations, particularly as the world witnesses the emergence of new international relationship architectures. During a joint press conference following their talks, Jaishankar characterized India-Russia ties as representing one of the world's steadiest major relationships, with geopolitical convergence and popular sentiment serving as fundamental driving forces. He stressed that as both nations work toward expanding bilateral trade, growth must occur in a balanced and sustainable fashion through increased Indian exports and resolution of non-tariff barriers and regulatory impediments. The trade relationship presents both opportunities and challenges, with bilateral commerce reaching a record $68.7 billion in 2024-25. However, this figure masks a significant imbalance, as India's exports totaled merely $4.88 billion compared to much larger Russian exports to India. This disparity has grown dramatically, expanding nine-fold from $6.6 billion to $58.9 billion over the past four years, creating an urgent need for corrective measures. Jaishankar emphasized that enhancing Indian exports in key sectors including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and textiles would help address this substantial trade imbalance. Both sides explored strategies to ensure sustained fertilizer supplies and maintain energy cooperation through expanded trade and investment arrangements. Russia currently supplies nearly 40 percent of India's energy requirements, with Indian imports of petroleum and crude oil valued at $53 billion in 2024, according to United Nations data aggregation. The discussions addressed practical measures to enhance economic cooperation, including improved mobility arrangements for skilled Indian workers to meet Russia's labor demands, particularly in information technology, construction, and engineering sectors. Jaishankar advocated for expediting the establishment of two Indian consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg to facilitate these enhanced economic linkages. Both ministers examined connectivity initiatives designed to deepen economic relationships and reduce transit times, including the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor, and the Northern Sea Route. These infrastructure projects represent strategic investments in long-term economic partnership between the two nations. Jaishankar described defense and military cooperation as robust, emphasizing Russia's support for India's "Make in India" initiatives through joint production arrangements and technology transfer programs. This collaboration continues despite criticism from the United States regarding India's defense procurement from Russia. A sensitive topic addressed during the talks involved Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army. Jaishankar acknowledged progress in resolving these cases while noting ongoing concerns, stating that while many individuals had been released, pending cases and missing persons remained issues requiring expeditious resolution from Russian authorities. According to official Indian data, 126 Indians were recruited by Russian military forces, with 12 fatalities during combat operations in Ukraine. Russian authorities discharged 96 individuals, while 16 others remained listed as missing. Regional security issues featured prominently in the discussions, including developments in Ukraine, West Asia, and Afghanistan, along with India's ongoing struggle against cross-border terrorism. Jaishankar reiterated India's diplomatic approach emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy for conflict resolution, while affirming that India and Russia would jointly combat all forms of terrorism. He conveyed India's unwavering commitment to zero-tolerance policies against terrorism and the nation's sovereign right to defend citizens against cross-border terrorist activities. The ministerial engagement served as preparation for the anticipated Modi-Putin summit, with Jaishankar noting that both sides were developing concrete outcomes for the high-level meeting. He emphasized that practical steps were being implemented to ensure substantial growth in the bilateral relationship beyond diplomatic rhetoric. These discussions occurred as India navigates complex international relationships, balancing its traditional partnership with Russia against growing tensions with the United States over trade policies. The meetings demonstrate India's commitment to maintaining strategic autonomy while pursuing its national interests across multiple international partnerships. The talks reflected both countries' determination to strengthen their partnership despite external pressures and changing global dynamics. By addressing practical challenges including trade imbalances, regulatory barriers, and human resource mobility, both sides demonstrated commitment to building a more robust and sustainable partnership capable of withstanding international political pressures. The comprehensive agenda covered during the Jaishankar-Lavrov talks illustrates the multifaceted nature of India-Russia relations, encompassing energy security, defense cooperation, trade expansion, technological collaboration, and regional security concerns. This diplomatic engagement reinforces both nations' commitment to deepening their strategic partnership while adapting to evolving global circumstances and maintaining their respective national interests in an increasingly complex international environment.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Gadkari directs NHAI to speed up work on Dehu Road-Narhe elevated corridor
Pune: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari recently directed the ministry and officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expedite the process for the proposed elevated corridor along the Pune–Bengaluru Highway (NH-48) within PMC and PCMC limits. A senior NHAI official said Gadkari instructed them in a meeting on Aug 7. "The proposal will soon be placed before the Union cabinet. The minister has also asked us to simultaneously initiate tendering to avoid delay of the project once the cabinet nod is secured," the official said. The NHAI had prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for the corridor nearly four years ago. The 32-km stretch has been planned between Dehu Road and Narhe in two packages — Dehu Road to Pashan-Sus and Pashan-Sus to Narhe. "Earlier, the flyover under the first package was planned till Balewadi stadium. But considering requests from IT professionals of Hinjewadi and local residents, it was decided to extend it till Pashan-Sus," he said. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Gold Rates Today in Pune | Silver Rates Today in Pune In Aug 2024, Shiv Sena MP from Maval Shrirang Barne raised the issue of project delay in the parliament. Responding to it, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said the delay was due to arbitration issues with the existing concessionaire and that govt was exploring options for a mutual termination of the contract. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo According to NHAI officials, the 140km stretch between Dehu Road and Shendre village in Satara was maintained by a private concessionaire, which is entitled to collect toll charges. "The legal dispute with the concessionaire is likely to be resolved soon," another NHAI official said. The elevated corridor is vital to ease congestion on the Pune–Bengaluru highway, which remains choked in the PMC and PCMC limits during peak hours. With rapid residential development along the stretch, the highway has become a crucial lifeline linking these areas to the rest of the city. The NHAI is also set to begin widening the service roads within the PCMC limits, expanding them from the existing 12 metres to 24 metres on both sides of the highway, after the monsoon. Civic officials recently razed 110 structures to facilitate the project. Graphics DELAYS AND LEGAL DISPUTES NHAI prepared DPR for the project nearly four years ago The project got delayed and in Aug 2024, Maval MP Shrirang Barne raised the issue in the parliament Following this, the Union minister Nitin Gadkari had said the delay was due to arbitration issues with the existing concessionaire, which has contract with govt to maintain 140km road between Dehu Road and Shendre Village in Satara Officials from the NHAI say the legal disputes with existing concessionaire are likely to be resolved soon GLIMPSES OF THE PROJECT Proposed cost of elevated corridor: Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 crore Length of the corridor: 32 km Project will be in two phases First phase: Dehu Road-Pashan-Sus Second phase: Pashan-Sus-Narhe Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Execution of RRC: HC summons Bhopal collector in contempt case
Bhopal/Jabalpur: The MP high court has summoned Bhopal collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh on August 25 in connection with a contempt petition filed over non-compliance of the court order to execute the revenue recovery certificate (RRC)for recovery of Rs 70 lakh from a builder issued by Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). Bhanu Pratap Singh from Gwalior in his contempt petition said that he had filed a petition in RERA for recovery from a Bhopal-based builder. RERA decided the case in his favour and issued a RRC of Rs 70 lakh. The RRC was to be executed through collector Bhopal but he didn't execute the RRC. Then, he moved the MP high court seeking direction to collector Bhopal to execute the RRC. The high court disposed of his petition with a direction to collector Bhopal to execute the RRC for recovery of the amount from the builder. However, the RRC has not been executed yet, thus bringing him back to court with a contempt petition. Following initial hearing, the bench of Justice Vishal Mishra directed the Bhopal collector to appear in the court in person to explain the reason for his non-compliance of the court order. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
