Trump says he thinks 5 jets were shot down in India-Pakistan hostilities
Trump, who made his remarks at a dinner with some Republican US lawmakers at the White House, did not specify which side's jets he was referring to.
"In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually," Trump said while talking about the India-Pakistan hostilities, without elaborating or providing further detail.
Pakistan claimed it had downed five Indian planes in air-to-air combat. India's highest-ranking general said in late May that India switched tactics after suffering losses in the air on the first day of hostilities and established an advantage before a ceasefire was announced three days later.
India also claimed it had downed "a few planes" of Pakistan. Islamabad denied suffering any losses of planes but acknowledged its air bases suffered hits.
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan that he announced on social media on May 10 after Washington held talks with both sides. India has differed with Trump's claims that it resulted from his intervention and his threats to sever trade talks.
India's position has been that New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their problems directly and with no outside involvement.
India is an increasingly important US partner in Washington's effort to counter China's influence in Asia, while Pakistan is a US ally.
The April attack in India-administered Kashmir killed 26 men and sparked heavy fighting between the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry.
New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation.
Washington condemned the attack but did not directly blame Islamabad.
On May 7, Indian jets bombed sites across the border that New Delhi described as "terrorist infrastructure", setting off an exchange of attacks between the two countries by fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery that killed dozens until the ceasefire was reached.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
19 minutes ago
- Business Times
Trump says trade deal struck with Japan includes 15% tariff
[WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Jul 22) said the US and Japan had struck a trade deal that includes a 15 per cent tariff that will be levied on US imports from the country. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the deal would include US$550 billion of Japanese investments in the United States. He also said that Japan would increase market access to American producers of cars, trucks, rice and certain agricultural products, among other items. Trump's post made no mention of easing tariffs on Japanese automobiles, which account for more than a quarter of all the country's exports to the United States and are subject to a 25 per cent tariff. Reuters could not immediately confirm the elements of the deal announced by Trump, and details were scant. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for additional details, while the Japanese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's announcement. 'This is a very exciting time for the United States of America, and especially for the fact that we will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan,' Trump said. Trump's announcement follows a meeting with Japan's top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, at the White House on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the matter. REUTERS
Business Times
19 minutes ago
- Business Times
Trump announces trade deals with Philippines and Japan, with lower tariff rates
[MANILA] US President Donald Trump said the US reached an agreement with the Philippines setting a 19 per cent tariff on the country's exports, the latest pact ahead of an Aug 1 deadline. Trump initially imposed a 17 per cent rate for the US ally in April, which was paused to allow time for negotiations. He then threatened earlier this month to raise the charge to 20 per cent. Separately, he also announced a trade deal between the US and Japan, which includes a 15 per cent tariff that will be levied on Japanese goods. Trump had previously threatened Japan with a tariff of 25 percent beginning August 1 if a deal was not reached. He said that under the deal, 'Japan will invest, at my direction, $550 Billion Dollars into the United States, which will receive 90% of the Profits.' Trump announced both deals on social media on Tuesday (Jul 22). 'The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19 per cent Tariff. In addition, we will work together militarily,' Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up The president did not provide additional details about the trade understanding. Trump hit dozens of trading partners with higher tariffs in April, only to quickly put them on hold for 90 days amid market backlash in order to work out agreements. But that stretch saw the US finalise only a handful of deals and Trump instead moved to unilaterally impose rates on countries and blocs ahead of his new Aug 1 deadline. While the US president and his advisers initially suggested they planned to hold concurrent talks with trading partners, Trump has shown little patience for back-and-forth negotiations, instead saying his preference was to just set rates for other economies. In recent weeks, he has sent a slew of letters setting tariff levels and is also moving ahead on industry-specific levies that will target sectors such as copper, semiconductors and pharmaceutical drugs. While talks continue with major economies including the European Union and India, Trump said some 150 smaller countries will be hit with a blanket rate of between 10 and 15 per cent. Marcos was the latest foreign leader to visit Trump in a bid to secure lower duties and had sought to underscore his country's longstanding alliance with the US to argue for better trade terms from the Philippines' top export market. But the inability to secure a larger cut highlights how Trump's tariff agenda has left America's allies exposed to the US president's bid to reshape global trade flows – even as he seeks a broader trade truce with the nation's chief adversary, China. Prior to the Trump-Marcos meeting, Philippine trade officials had flown to Washington for talks with their counterparts on an agreement. The US held a trade deficit with the Philippines of US$4.9 billion last year with total trade at US$23.5 billion, according to US government data. The Philippines has previously said it could not offer the US a zero tariff, as Trump said Vietnam and Indonesia have done, because it would hurt domestic businesses, but was planning to increase imports of US farm goods, including soybeans and frozen meat, and boost exports of semiconductors, coconut and mango products to the US. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
US Olympic & Paralympic Committee bars transgender women from competing in women's sports
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has updated its policy to align with an executive order signed earlier this year by U.S. President Donald Trump barring transgender women from competing in women's sports. "The USOPC will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities, e.g., IOC, IPC, NGBs, to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act," the USOPC said in an update to its Athlete Safety Policy. The USOPC did not respond to a request for comment on the change. USOPC President Gene Sykes and CEO Sarah Hirshland referenced Trump's executive order in a memo to the Team USA community sent out this week, ABC News reported, which said, "As a federally chartered organization, we have an obligation to comply with federal expectations." Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order in February in a bid to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports, a directive that supporters said will restore fairness but critics argue it infringes on the rights of a tiny minority of athletes. The order directs the Department of Justice to make sure all government agencies enforce a ban on transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports under Trump's interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education. Trump's order goes beyond high school and college sports, calling for the U.S. government to deny visas for transgender females seeking to compete in the United States. Trump also said he would not allow transgender athletes to compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The executive order instructed the State Department to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change its policy, which allows trans athletes to compete under general guidance preventing any athlete from gaining an unfair advantage. The order is expected to affect only a small number of athletes. The president of the National Collegiate Athletics Association told a Senate panel in December he was aware of fewer than 10 transgender athletes among the 530,000 competing at 1,100 member schools. REUTERS
