logo
Kashmir: Fears dampen celebrations at Hindu festival  – DW – 06/04/2025

Kashmir: Fears dampen celebrations at Hindu festival  – DW – 06/04/2025

DW04-06-2025
Khalid Khan
in Srinagar
06/04/2025
June 4, 2025
Hundreds of Kashmiri Hindus, commonly referred to as Pandits, participated in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela festival — the first major religious event since the Pahalgam attack, which saw 26 Indian tourists killed.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India: Deoghar bus accident leaves many Hindu pilgrims dead – DW – 07/29/2025
India: Deoghar bus accident leaves many Hindu pilgrims dead – DW – 07/29/2025

DW

time18 minutes ago

  • DW

India: Deoghar bus accident leaves many Hindu pilgrims dead – DW – 07/29/2025

A bus with Hindu pilgrims onboard collided with a truck loaded with cooking gas cylinders in eastern India, killing the religious devotees. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the accident "extremely tragic." A bus crash in eastern India left at least 18 Hindu pilgrims dead, a local lawmaker said Tuesday. The crash occurred in the city of Deoghar in the India state of Jharkhand. The bus carrying the pilgrims collided with a truck loaded with gas cylinders, killing the religious devotees onboard. "18 devotees lost their lives due to a bus and truck accident," local Jharkhand lawmaker Nishikant Dubey wrote on social media platform X. Dubey is a member of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Deoghar is a considered a holy city for Hindus in Jharkhand and is the location of a major temple. The city receives an influx of visitors during the sacred month of Shravan. Modi also commented on the accident, calling it "extremely tragic." He expressed his "deepest condolences" to the families of the victims.

What Is The Status Of US Tariff Negotiations?
What Is The Status Of US Tariff Negotiations?

Int'l Business Times

timea day ago

  • Int'l Business Times

What Is The Status Of US Tariff Negotiations?

US tariff negotiations with key trading partners have shifted into high gear as economies race to avoid steeper duties before an August 1 deadline. Many of these tariff hikes were part of a package first announced in April, under which dozens of economies were due to face higher levies -- up from a 10 percent level -- over their trade surpluses with the United States. The twice-postponed deadline for duties to take effect is now Friday, August 1. But Washington has expanded its group of targets coming up against these tariffs, while announcing agreements with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. A deal with the European Union unveiled on Sunday sees a 15 percent tariff imposed on European exports to the United States, down from the 30 percent that Trump earlier threatened. Where do other US trade talks stand? Seoul is racing to reach a deal with Washington, as Tokyo's success in landing an agreement has "amped up the pressure for South Korea," a government source told AFP. Local media reported that Seoul was preparing to propose more than $100 billion in investment as part of a broader agreement, with expected participation by major firms such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor. The South Korean government did not confirm this. But South Korean officials have outlined proposals to deepen collaboration in sectors like shipbuilding, semiconductors and batteries. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lak has told reporters that the two countries are in "the final and most crucial phase of negotiations" to avert Trump's proposed 25 percent duty. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Bloomberg Television Thursday that he was optimistic his country could reach an agreement with the United States to avert Washington's 26 percent tariff threat. Goyal insisted there were not any sticking points in the US-India relationship or in trade talks, and clarified that immigration rules --- including those around H-1B visas for skilled workers -- had not come up in negotiations. Despite Goyal's remarks, local media reported the prospects of an interim deal before August 1 had dimmed. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said Thursday that officials are "working hard" on negotiations, amid worries that an unfavorable tariff level could hit the self-ruled island's economy. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said Taipei's negotiating team was "working almost 24 hours a day to achieve trade balance and Taiwan's industrial interests, and even to further deepen cooperation." Although Canada and Mexico were spared from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs announced in April, goods from both countries entering the United States generally face a separate 25 percent duty if they fall outside a North American trade pact. This figure stands to jump to 30 percent for Mexico come August 1, while the level for Canada was set at 35 percent. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration was "doing everything" possible to avert the duties and that she would speak with Trump if necessary to try to reach a pact. Trump told reporters Friday there was no deal with Canada so far. Brazil is girding for a virtual trade embargo on its planes, grains and other goods if Trump's threatened 50 percent tariff on its exports takes effect on August 1. The United States runs a trade surplus with Latin America's biggest economy, which was not originally expected to face steeper tariffs under Trump's "reciprocal" duties plan. Trump has not attempted to hide the political motivation in targeting Brazil, citing a judicial "witch hunt" against his right-wing ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro, when he unveiled the tariff rate. The political nature of the spat makes a last-minute deal appear less likely.

India: 6 dead in Haridwar temple stampede – DW – 07/27/2025
India: 6 dead in Haridwar temple stampede – DW – 07/27/2025

DW

time2 days ago

  • DW

India: 6 dead in Haridwar temple stampede – DW – 07/27/2025

Authorities are investigating whether a snapped electric wire or a spreading rumor triggered the chaotic surge at a Hindu temple in the northern city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand state. A stampede at a popular Hindu temple in northern India left at least six people dead, officials said Sunday. According to a DW tally, the crush was at least the seventh major stampede in India so far this year, including one at a cricket stadium in Bengaluru in June. The incidents have resulted in over 70 deaths. The incident happened at the Mansa Devi temple in the northern city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand state, about a 5-hour drive from the country's capital, New Delhi. The crush reportedly began at around 8.30 a.m. local time (0300 UTC) after a high-voltage electric wire fell on a temple path, triggering panic among the large group of devotees. Officials also believe the crush could have been triggered by a rumor, the reported. Haridwar police official Parmendra Dobhal told AFP news agency that six people had been killed and more than 10 were injured. The put the number of injured at 34, citing local officials. Vinay Shankar Pandey, a senior government official in Uttarakhand state, recalled how worshippers had scrambled for safety following the incident. "The situation is now under control," Pandey told the Associated Press by phone from Haridwar. "But the panic led to tragic consequences." Uttarakhand's chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, wrote on X that local police and other rescue teams had reached the spot and were engaged in relief and rescue operations. The injured have been taken to the local hospital, Indian news agency ANI reported. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his condolences to the victims and their families in a social media post. Local officials said thousands of pilgrims had gathered at the hilltop temple, which is a major site for Hindu devotees, especially on weekends and festival days. Haridwar is an ancient city and considered a holy place, lying where the River Ganges exits the Himalayan foothills. Deadly stampedes and crowd crushes are a common occurrence in India. At least 30 people died at the Maha Kumbh Hindu festival in January as tens of millions gathered to dip in sacred waters. In June, a sudden crowd surge at a Hindu festival in the coastal state of Odisha triggered a stampede that killed at least three people and injured several others. Also in June, 11 people were killed and dozens injured in a crowd crush during celebrations for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory in the Indian Premier League cricket. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The previous month, six people were crushed to death in the western state of Goa after thousands gathered for a popular fire-walking ritual.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store