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The Hindu Morning Digest: July 18, 2025

The Hindu Morning Digest: July 18, 2025

The Hindu18-07-2025
India warns against 'double standards' over Russian oil
India has cautioned against 'double standards', even as U.S. lawmakers consider a Bill that would impose 500% duties on India and other countries buying Russian oil.
PAC calls for Aadhaar review, flags high failure rate of biometric verification
Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has called for a review of the functioning of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), flagging several concerns, including the high rate of failure of Aadhaar biometric verification which can lead to many beneficiaries being excluded from social welfare schemes.
Supreme Court backs ST woman's heirs in property rights case
The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 17, 2025) upheld the right of the legal heirs of a Scheduled Tribe woman to an equal share in their maternal grandfather's ancestral property.
AAIB urges public, media to avoid 'premature narratives' on Air India plane crash
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has issued an appeal to the public and the media 'to refrain from spreading premature narratives' about the Air India crash of June 12 and even targeted international media for 'selective and unverified reporting'.
'No association' with Satyajit Ray: Bangladesh on house in Mymensingh that is being demolished
Bangladesh on Thursday (July 17, 2025) said that a house in Mymensingh district that is being demolished due to 'dilapidated, risky and unusable' structure has 'no association' with eminent filmmaker and author Satyajit Ray.
U.S. designates The Resistance Front responsible for Pahalgam attack as terrorist organisation
In a significant development, the U.S. has designated The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that was behind the Pahalgam attack, as a foreign terrorist organisation.
Custody row: Supreme Court directs Centre to issue LOC against Russian wife, child on Indian man's plea
The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 17, 2025) directed senior Delhi Police officials to immediately trace a child of a Russian mother and an Indian father while asking the Centre to issue a look-out notice about the woman and the minor to ensure she did not leave the country.
A day after Gopalganj clashes, India reiterates call for Bangladesh election 'with everybody in its fold'
India on Thursday (July 17, 2025) reiterated that the next election of Bangladesh should be 'inclusive' and have 'everybody in its fold'.
Trump will not recommend special prosecutor in Epstein case
President Donald Trump will not recommend appointing a special prosecutor in the Jeffrey Epstein case, his press secretary said on Thursday (July 17, 2025), amid pressure from some of his supporters and renewed public scrutiny on the convicted sex offender's connections to powerful figures.
Ons Jabeur announces break from tennis 'to rediscover joy of living'
Ons Jabeur is taking a hiatus from the women's tennis tour, with the three-time major runner-up saying on Thursday (July 17, 2025) she wants to 'rediscover the joy of simply living.'
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UK deal ‘gold standard' for FTAs; will retaliate if UK CBAM hurts India's interest: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal
UK deal ‘gold standard' for FTAs; will retaliate if UK CBAM hurts India's interest: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal

Indian Express

time5 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

UK deal ‘gold standard' for FTAs; will retaliate if UK CBAM hurts India's interest: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the India-UK trade deal can serve as a gold standard for India's trade negotiations with other partners, as it opens India's doors for business while protecting sensitive sectors. He added that India will retaliate if the UK's carbon tax, set to come into effect on January 1, 2027, harms India's interests. 'Our effort is that the Indian industry gets preferential access over our competition, and I think this [UK FTA] can become a gold standard to ensure that India protects its sensitive sectors and opens the doors, particularly in highly labour-intensive sectors, and allows high-quality goods, technology and other products to come to India,' the minister said at a press briefing here. Goyal said most of India's free trade agreements (FTAs) are with countries that do not compete with India on anything, and that under the deal, the UK will be sending products which are in short supply in India. 'In every respect, this is an agreement which opens far greater opportunities for India than any other agreement,' the minister said. On concerns that the UK's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) could negate the tariff concessions India has received under the trade deal, Goyal said: 'Currently there is no CBAM in effect. So it cannot be addressed in the FTA. But India is a sovereign country, and if our export interests are hurt, we will react and retaliate, or 'rebalance'. I can assure everyone that no unilateral measure will go away without a proportionate response,' he said. 'There is a lot of opposition to CBAM in the EU as well, as the EU's cost of manufacturing and housing will become costlier, and so the sufferer will be the industry in the EU,' Goyal reiterated. A government official had said that India and the UK have arrived at a diplomatic understanding on CBAM, and that India will 'rebalance' the negative effect of CBAM by taking countermeasures. It has communicated its concern over CBAM in a 'note verbale'. However, the rebalancing measure is not part of the legal text, which has raised concerns over India's ability to address the CBAM issue legally. The Indian Express had reported on May 6 that CBAM was a major point of contention between the two countries and had been holding up the agreement. India had proposed a 'rebalancing mechanism' provision within the deal which would require the UK to compensate Indian industry for losses incurred due to the regulation. The paper reported that the 'rebalancing mechanism' article had been inserted into the 'general exceptions' chapter of the negotiating text between the two countries. This would have enabled India to claim compensation for its losses and ensure the UK does not raise a dispute against India at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). However, the UK likely did not agree to the same. Goyal said India and the UK plan to address the issue of critical minerals together, stating that 'concentration of certain supply chains in certain geographies' is a common problem, and both countries plan to work jointly on this. The India-UK Vision 2035, a document outlining the broader collaborative goals of the free trade agreement between the two, stated that both countries will work together to develop cutting-edge technology and research, building on the Technology Security Initiative. This will focus on future telecoms, artificial intelligence and critical minerals, laying the ground for future collaboration on semiconductors, quantum, biotechnology and advanced materials. To further cooperation in critical minerals, the two countries will also establish a UK-India Critical Minerals Guild to 'transform financing standards and innovation', according to a joint statement by the two. India has protected all sensitive sectors, including dairy, rice and sugar, in the free trade agreement with the UK, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. The pact will help boost exports of labour-intensive products like footwear, textiles, and gems and jewellery, he added. 'We have protected all the sensitive sectors of India… we have not opened those areas for the UK… Zero compromise and extensive benefits make it a phenomenal free trade agreement (FTA),' Goyal said. Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, covering policy issues related to trade, commerce, and banking. He has over five years of experience and has previously worked with Mint, CNBC-TV18, and other news outlets. ... Read More

West Bengal Governor to move Supreme Court over control of state universities
West Bengal Governor to move Supreme Court over control of state universities

Indian Express

time5 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

West Bengal Governor to move Supreme Court over control of state universities

In another escalation of the ongoing tussle between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan over higher education governance, Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday said he plans to seek clarity from the Supreme Court on whether ultimate authority over state universities lies with the chancellor (governor) or the state government. The move comes after a meeting between Bose and vice chancellors (VCs) of state-run universities at the Raj Bhavan, convened to address key issues in the state's higher education sector. The meeting was attended by nine VCs, with most others remaining absent. Several VCs who skipped the meeting claimed they faced obstructions from the higher education department, while others alleged they were gheraoed or faced hostile conditions on campus. Some sought appointments with the governor to explain their absence. Sources in Raj Bhavan suggest absenteeism has not been taken lightly. 'This is an issue that requires clarification. What is the role of the chancellor or the role of the government? The Supreme Court will be approached to determine who holds the ultimate authority over state universities — the chancellor (governor) or the state government,' Bose told reporters at the Raj Bhavan. The meeting had a wide-ranging agenda, from digital reforms and manpower gaps to implementation of NEP 2020 and awareness on cybersecurity and drug addiction.

Police rescue man abducted by female friend for ransom; four arrested
Police rescue man abducted by female friend for ransom; four arrested

The Hindu

time5 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Police rescue man abducted by female friend for ransom; four arrested

The Ashok Nagar police have recently cracked an abduction case and rescued a 37-year-old manager of a private company who was abducted by his female friend and her associates demanding ransom. The police managed to arrest four among the accused identified as Mohammed Asif Risaldar, 42, Mohammed Sohail Sheikh, 25, both from R.T. Nagar; Salman Pasha, 22, from D.J. Halli; and Mohammed Nawaz, 27, from K.G. Halli, on Saturday. The female friend of the victim identified as Mahima Vat, who is the prime accused in the case along with her three associates are on the run. Efforts are on to track them down, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Hakay Akshay Machhindra, said on Saturday. According to the police, the victim, identified as Lawrence Melwin, worked as a manager at a Dubai-based travel company and had come to Bengaluru on a vacation and stayed at his parent's house before checking into a hotel on Residency Road. The incident came to light when the victim's mother Leena Antony filed a complaint on July 16, claiming that her son, who was staying at the hotel was missing mysteriously and not responding to calls since July 14. The Ashok Nagar police registered a missing persons case and launched the probe. During the investigation, it was revealed that on July 14, Melwin left in a car with Mahima allegedly booked by her. However, near Koramangala, the driver took a detour and he stopped a few meters ahead where two others got inside the car. Melwin's face was allegedly covered with a cloth mask, and he was beaten up. The suspects allegedly took his phone and a bag containing ₹1 lakh. He was then taken to a service apartment where he was tied up and tortured physically demanding ₹50 lakh in cash for his release. Melwin tried to negotiate it down to ₹20 lakh, but to no avail. Melwin told the police that the suspects used to lock him inside the room and feed him before going out. Melwin even tried to starve himself, thinking they would take him to the hospital. When he agreed to pay ₹50 lakh, they allegedly demanded ₹2.5 crore. The case took an interesting turn on July 22 when a woman from a neighbouring apartment heard Melwin's cries for help after the accused left. With the woman's help, he called his sister and informed her that he was in trouble. When his captors returned they realised that something was amiss and forced him into a car before dropping him off near Yeshwantpur. This was because the police had managed to arrest the four people who were keeping a watch on the apartment after tracing them through local intelligence. The police are now on the manhunt for the accused who are on the run.

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