&w=3840&q=100)
Trump signs his controversial Big Beautiful Bill into law as he celebrates July 4 with family
Donald Trump signs his signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White House on Friday in Washington, surrounded by members of Congress. AP
Commemorating the 249th year of independence, US President Donald Trump has signed his sweeping spending package, famously known as ' Big Beautiful Bill'. Trump made the bill into law on Friday during a Fourth of July picnic at the White House, after it was passed in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate.
The bill is deemed as controversial because it significantly cuts back on federal safety-net programs in increases funding for aggressive immigration enforcement. Former 'First Buddy' and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was also not a fan of the bill since it slashes subsidies on Electric Vehicles.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
During the Fourth of July picnic, Trump was seen gloating about the passing of the bill in both chambers of the US Congress. 'It's the most popular bill ever signed in the history of the country,' Trump said, while standing next to his wife, Melania Trump. 'What we've done is put everything into one bill. We've never had anything like that before.'
This is a developing story.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
33 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Satheesan calls for Minister's resignation citing crisis in Kerala's health sector
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) of gross negligence in the health sector and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Veena George following the tragic incident at Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital where a woman lost her life after a building collapsed. Addressing the media at Chalakudy on Saturday, Mr. Satheesan alleged that instead of coordinating rescue efforts, two Ministers merely arrived at the scene to deliver speeches, further delaying critical response time. 'The Ministers claimed that the building was sealed and that no one was inside. The rescue operations started only after the intervention of Chandy Oommen, MLA,' he said. Mr. Satheesan recalled how during the COVID-19 crisis, Congress leaders like V.K. Sreekandan and Shafi Parambil attempted to help migrant workers with essentials like drinking water, only to be labelled 'merchants of death' by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. 'Now, who really fits that label?' he asked. Mr. Satheesan alleged that the entire health system is on a ventilator, and the Health Minister stands guilty before the public. 'She is repeatedly making mistakes, and yet the party is shielding her. Even doctors and officials aligned with the Left admits the truth,' he said, demanding her immediate resignation. 'The PR machinery is working overtime to shield the government. But we will expose every act of negligence and corruption in the health sector,' Mr. Satheesan said. Communicable diseases Highlighting the deteriorating state of public hospitals, he pointed out that Kerala now leads the country in communicable diseases, yet government hospitals lack basic drugs and surgical equipment. The government reportedly owes ₹1,100 crore to the Kerala Medical Services Corporation alone. 'In places like Kozhikode and Thrissur Government Medical College Hospitals, patients are forced to carry scissors, thread, and cotton to hospitals,' he added. 'The health sector is in shambles, and the people are paying the price for the government's arrogance and incompetence,' the Opposition Leader said. 'The Health Minister must take the responsibility and step down. This is no longer a political demand, but a moral necessity.'
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
38 minutes ago
- Business Standard
India-US trade deal awaits Trump's nod ahead of July 9 tariff deadline
The first stage of the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) is now ready and awaiting final approval from US President Donald Trump, according to a LiveMint report quoting sources. The interim deal has been cleared by US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer and could be signed as early as July 8 -- a day before Trump's reciprocal tariff deadline. The development comes after Indian negotiators, led by chief negotiator Rajesh Aggarwal, extended their stay in Washington beyond their initial schedule to bridge gaps over sensitive sectors, particularly agriculture. A key government official told LiveMint, 'Indian negotiators did their best to convince their US counterparts about the domestic sensitivities involved in these sectors. To some extent, the USTR has agreed to India's position on not fully opening up the agriculture sector. Now, it's up to the US President to take the final call.' Agriculture, dairy, genetically modified (GM) seeds, and medical services remain points of contention, with the US seeking greater market access while India looks to protect its vulnerable sectors, as per the report. India-US trade deal: Options on tariffs The US, as per the report, has offered two alternatives on tariff reductions. If India agrees to the US's demands in agriculture and related sectors, its exports could face an additional 10 per cent tariff. 'If India agrees to US demands for greater market access in agricultural goods, dairy and seeds, then Indian goods may face only a 10 per cent additional tariff -- which, while not ideal, is still much lower than what other countries in the Asian region are facing,' a person aware of the talks told LiveMint. If India refuses, tariffs could go up to 20 per cent, which includes the existing 10 per cent baseline and an extra 10 per cent under earlier US measures. Still, this would represent a 6 per cent relief from the earlier proposed 26 per cent duty. Trump's deadline nears The US President, speaking to reporters on July 4, confirmed he had signed multiple letters informing countries of upcoming reciprocal tariffs. 'I signed some letters and they'll go out on Monday, probably 12. Different amounts of money, different rates of tariff,' Trump said, without naming the countries. Although the reciprocal tariffs are scheduled to take effect from August 1, the letters are expected to be sent out on July 8, giving India a narrow window to seal the deal before being hit by new duties. India firm on agriculture, open on other fronts India is pushing for better access for its leather, textiles, and footwear sectors, while resisting demands to lift restrictions on GM seeds and crops. Only Bt cotton is currently approved for cultivation in India, and no GM food crops are commercially grown. US-India trade data Commerce ministry figures highlight the growing trade with the US. In FY25, India's exports to the US rose by 11.6 per cent to $86.51 billion, while imports increased by 7.42 per cent to $45.33 billion. However, US imports fell in May year-on-year, from $3.85 billion to $3.63 billion, while exports grew by 17.3 per cent, led by electronics and smartphones. In contrast, India's imports from China rose by 11.5 per cent in FY25 to $113.46 billion, while exports to China fell by 14.5 per cent, underscoring the trade imbalance. The deal, if finalised, is likely to mirror elements from recent US trade agreements with the UK and Vietnam. While the US retained its 10 per cent baseline tariff in both those cases, it offered some reductions in additional duties. Trade watchers see the India-US agreement as a limited deal focused solely on goods, with services and labour excluded for now. Despite the challenges, negotiators on both sides remain hopeful of concluding an agreement in time to avoid penalties. The ball now lies in Trump's court.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
MVA top guns Pawar and Sakpal absent from Thackeray cousins' rally
Mumbai: Top MVA politicians like NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Congress state unit chief Harshawardhan Sakpal were not present for the "victory rally" called by MNS president Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday over the withdrawal of Hindi as a language of study from primary classes. While there were some senior politicians from the NCP (SP), PWP and RSP, no senior Congress functionary was present. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and MLA Jitendra Award were present, as were Peasants and Workers' Party (PWP) chief Jayant Patil and Mahadev Jankar of the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP). Among the few known Congress faces present was Bhalchandra Mungekar. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai All sat in the audience, including Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, until they were called on stage at the end. Political analysts said the absence of Pawar and Sakpal was an indication that for the BMC and other local body polls, the MVA may not exist in its current form. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS might have an alliance, while the Congress and NCP (SP) were likely to have an alliance while taking along other MVA constituents like the Samajwadi Party (SP) into their front. "With Raj's hardline 'Marathi manoos' and earlier anti-north Indian stand, and also the hardline Hindutva stand, especially on the issue of loudspeakers on mosques, the Congress and NCP (SP) would want to stay away from the Thackeray brothers or face the risk of losing their Muslim, North Indian, South Indian, and Dalit vote in local body polls. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Luxury 3 & 4 BHK @₹3.33 Cr*+ Yeshwantpur Godrej Tiara Book Now Undo Also, with Raj's MNS in the alliance, seat sharing in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Thane, and other cities in the MMR would be difficult within the MVA. So for now, it looks like it was a studied decision of the Congress and Pawar to keep away from the victory rally and not be seen as playing second fiddle for the BMC and other local body polls," a political observer said. Congress functionaries said that Sakpal did not receive any formal invitation. Pawar said that he would not participate in the rally due to his previously scheduled programmes. "The Congress is wary of Raj Thackeray's presence, and this is a reunion of the Thackerays and not the MNS's entry into the MVA. The MVA anyway has been a fractured front after the drubbing in the state assembly polls. The Thackeray reunion helps the Sena (UBT) and MNS to salvage their parties from political oblivion. They are largely focusing on Mumbai and MMR and maybe Pune and Nashik, but the Congress and NCP (SP) have to regain their bastions in the rest of Maharashtra from the Mahayuti. So for them, it makes sense to keep out of the Thackeray family reunion. The Sena (UBT) will also benefit by moving away from the Congress and be seen as leaving its core Hindutva and Marathi Manoos ideology. Charges of Muslim appeasement on them will also not stick anymore if they don't ally with Congress. So for now, it looks like a new Sena (UBT)-MNS Marathi front is on the cards, while the Congress and NCP (SP) could go together and bank on the secular, minority, and Dalit votes," the observer said. Raut said that Congress netas did not come since they had an important meeting in Delhi but that they were in touch. "This is a moment that brings joy to the people of Maharashtra. Best wishes. The voice of Marathi, of Maharashtra's pride...! To uphold Maharashtra's pride unbroken, I attended the victory rally, which provides extraordinary energy to fight. Through this event, I found the direction to strive for the eternal honour of Mother Marathi and the Marathi soil. I wholeheartedly thank everyone who attended this event with a resolve to fight for Marathi pride," Sule said in a post on X after the event. MSID:: 122268164 413 |
