Brazil's Lula says ‘will not call Trump,' aims to strengthen ties with Modi, Xi
The United States imposed an additional 40% tariff on Brazil, bringing the total tariff amount to 50% on Brazilian imports. This has caused a serious strain between the two countries. Lula said Brazil will use all available tools, including the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to defend its trade interests.Earlier, Trump had said Lula could "call him anytime" to talk about trade. Brazil's finance minister, Fernando Haddad, welcomed Trump's move and said Lula would be ready to take such a call. However, Lula has made it clear that he will not be the one to start the conversation with Trump.TENSIONS RISE AFTER BOLSONARO'S ARRESTThe tensions are not only about trade. The United States recently condemned a decision by Brazil's Supreme Court to place former President Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest before his trial on charges of plotting a coup.The US State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs called Justice Alexandre de Moraes a "US-sanctioned human rights abuser" and accused him of using Brazil's courts to silence opposition voices. They demanded Bolsonaro be allowed to speak freely.Justice de Moraes, who is sanctioned by the US under the Magnitsky Act for alleged human rights violations, said he would continue his duties despite the sanctions.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersTune InMust Watch
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Hindustan Times
6 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
After 'Dog Babu', ‘Donald Trump' applies for Bihar residence certificate amid voter list revision, Opposition reacts
A bizarre string of fake applications in Bihar amid electoral roll revision drive continues, with the latest being an online request for a residence certificate in the name of US President Donald Trump. A screengrab of the fake residence certificate application submitted in the name of US President Donald Trump from Bihar's Samastipur district, now under investigation.(Screengrab from X/@ANI) The application that was filed from Samastipur comes after similar prank entries in the names of 'Dog Babu', 'Dogesh Babu', and even 'Sonalika Tractor', which carried the photo of a Bhojpuri actor. Authorities have rejected all such applications and lodged FIRs. In Trump's case, the application submitted on July 29 claimed he was a resident of Hasanpur village in Mohiuddin Nagar block, with a passport-style photo and even his actual parents' names — Frederick Christ Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod — listed, reported news agency PTI. The district administration rejected the application on August 4 and called the act a 'diabolical attempt' to disrupt the ongoing SIR drive. 'It appears there is a diabolical attempt to negatively impact the special intensive revision of electoral rolls which is underway as per the instructions of the Election Commission,' the administration said in a statement, as cited by PTI. The Samastipur district administration confirmed that a case has been registered at the Cyber Police Station for appropriate investigation. 'In view of the seriousness of the offence, a case has been lodged at the Cyber police station, Samastipur, for appropriate investigation and action,' the statement added. Opposition leaders slam electoral roll revision The incident has drawn strong reactions from the Opposition. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala shared a news clip on social media that falsely claimed a certificate had been issued to the Trump application. 'This is the biggest proof that electoral roll revision in Bihar is a fraud, aimed at stealing votes. The Congress and Rahul Gandhi are fighting to thwart this design. Keeping quiet in such a situation is a crime. Let us all raise our voices and become watchdogs of democracy,' Surjewala said. The administration clarified, saying, 'The certificate has never been issued. Somebody has deliberately made such an application and it was rejected during scrutiny. An FIR has also been lodged. The guilty will not be spared,' the response read. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also criticised the Election Commission, mocking the process, she shared a video on 'X'. 'An exercise which the Election Commission has put its stamp on, which says it is comprehensive and it is accurate. Why don't you decide for yourself? We have in the district of Samastipur, an online application in the name of Donald Trump,' Moitra said. She further said the ongoing SIR was 'nothing but an exercise in mass disenfranchisement', claiming 65 lakh voters had been deleted without proper discussion. 'These forms are including mythical or animal photos and clearly made up names and addresses. The Lord Ram application lists Raja Dashrath and Maa Kaushalya as the parents... So this is the state of the SIR application,' Moitra added, referring to similar fake entries found in Khagaria district. (With PTI inputs)
Hindustan Times
7 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Why India singled out for extra sanctions over buying Russian oil? Trump answers
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said a lot more secondary sanctions are upcoming, after he was asked why only India was singled out for penalties over doing business with Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C.(REUTERS) During a press conference at the White House, Trump was asked about India's response to him doubling its tariffs to 50 per cent on Wednesday. New Delhi had pointed that the US was imposing additional tariffs on India for "actions that several other countries are also taking". Responding to the question, Trump said, "It's only been 8 hours. So let's see what happens. You're going to see a lot going to see so much secondary sanctions." Plans for more tariffs on China? Trump was also asked specifically about China, another country that does business with Russia, and whether he plans to hike tariffs on that country as well. Trump responded, "Could happen. Depends on how we do. Could happen." Earlier on Tuesday, Trump's own party leader Nikki Haley had urged against a "pass to China" as she backed India and called the country a strong ally for the United States. "India should not be buying oil from Russia. But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause. Don't give China a pass and burn a relationship with a strong ally like India," she wrote on X. Trump doubles down on tariff attack On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order, imposing additional 25 per cent tariffs on all Indian goods entering the US, on top of the 25 per cent duties announced last week. In his earlier tariff announcement for India, Trump had threatened penalties for the country, citing its purchase of energy and military equipment from Russia. The additional 25% will take effect on August 27, and would put Indian exporters at a significant disadvantage compared to countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam – which face tariffs of between 19% and 20%. India slammed Trump's latest move "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". It had earlier accused the US and the European Union of unfairly targeting New Delhi for its trade with Russia.
Hindustan Times
7 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
End ‘inhuman' hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran: SC
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered immediate phasing out of hand-driven rickshaws in Maharashtra's hill town of Matheran within six months, observing that continuation of such an inhuman practice in a developing country like India violates human dignity and betrays the constitutional guarantee of social and economic justice to all citizens. End 'inhuman' hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran: SC Dealing with an issue concerning plying of e-rickshaws in Matheran, one of the few towns in the country where vehicular traffic is prohibited, the top court was informed that to service the transportation needs of about 8 lakh tourists visiting the hill station annually and over 4,000 residents living in the town, hand-driven rickshaws are still in vogue. The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai said, 'Continuing such practice even after 78 years of independence and after 75 years of the Constitution being enacted promising social and economic justice to its citizens, would be betraying the promise given by the people of India to themselves.' Granting six months for the state to phase out hand-rickshaw pullers and in the meantime, framing a scheme for their rehabilitation, the court further held, 'We direct the state to forthwith stop plying of hand-held rickshaws in a phased manner and in any case within six months.' The court noted that persons pulling hand-held rickshaws are victims of circumstances who have no alternate source of livelihood and such practices were held to be against the goal of social justice by the top court in a 1980 decision in Azad Rickshaw Pullers union v State of Punjab. 'It is really unfortunate that after 45 years of the decision of this court, the inhuman practice of a human being pulling another human being is still prevalent in the town of Matheran…Permitting such an inhuman practice which is against the basic concept of human dignity in a country like India, which is a developing country, belittles the constitutional promise of social and economic justice,' the bench held. The court was conscious that ending this practice will entail depriving them of their source of livelihood. The court noted that with advancement of technology, e-rickshaws are now available which are eco-friendly and operate on batteries. The court directed the Maharashtra government that while evolving a scheme for rehabilitating the hand-held drivers, the state must consider a novel scheme launched by Gujarat government in Kevadia, where e-rickshaw licenses on hire has been provided to local Adivasi women who ferry tourists visiting the town to witness the Statue of Unity - a massive 600-feet statue of Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, and the Sardar Sarovar dam. The court asked the state to consider giving priority to hand-held rickshaw pullers in getting the licenses for e-rickshaws and also consider tribal women among other needy persons in and around Matheran. The court was assisted in passing the order by senior advocate K Parmeshwar assisting the court as amicus curiae who insisted that only 20 e-rickshaws should be permitted for now. The court further permitted laying of paver blocks on the main city road from Kasturi Naka to Shivaji Statue (4-km long stretch) without any concrete bedding to ensure the roads are motorable by rickshaws, horse carts even during monsoons. The hand-held rickshaw pullers and horse-cart pullers were represented by senior advocate Shyam Divan and advocate Nina Nariman who took the court through the adverse effects of concreting the roads. However, the court permitted no paver blocks on the internal town roads and the trekking route. The court allowed the state to consider sponsoring the e-rickshaw scheme through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative or any other scheme but clarified that non-availability of funds will not be treated as an excuse for not implementing the scheme. Matheran located in the Western Ghats was declared an eco-sensitive zone by the Centre in 2003 and is home to several species of flora and fauna including the bonnet macaque, Hanuman langur, Malabar giant squirrel, and barking deer among others.
