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A 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager was brutally beheaded in Dallas, Texas, after a dispute over a washing machine.

Indian-origin motel manager beheaded in US; co-worker arrested

A 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager was brutally beheaded in Dallas, Texas, after a dispute over a washing machine.

A 50-year-old Indian-origin motel manager in the US was beheaded in front of his wife and son in Texas following a dispute over a washing machine, police said.
The suspect, a co-worker with a criminal record, has been arrested and charged with capital murder.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning at the Downtown Suites motel in Dallas.
Chandra Mouli &ldquo;Bob&rdquo; Nagamallaiah, originally from Karnataka, was killed after a dispute over a broken washing machine with his 37-year-old Cuban co-worker Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, according to the Dallas Police Department.
Cobos-Martinez reportedly became enraged when Nagamallaiah asked another person to translate his instructions instead of addressing him directly.
Surveillance footage showed Cobos-Martinez attacking Nagamallaiah with a machete.
The victim fled toward the motel office, where his wife and 18-year-old son were present.
Nagamallaiah's wife and son tried to intervene several times, but Cobos-Martinez pushed them away and continued the attack. He then took the victim's cell phone and key card from his pockets before again resuming the attack until Nagamallaiah's head "was removed from his body", police said in court affidavit.
"The suspect then kicked the [Nagamallaiah's] head twice into the parking lot and proceeded to pick it up and carry it to the dumpster and put it inside," police said.
The crime is &ldquo;unthinkable&rdquo;, they said.
Cobos-Martine is being held without bond. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.
According to official records, he has been arrested twice for auto theft in Florida and has indecency with a child and assault charges in Houston. The records also show an immigration hold.
ICE officials said Cobos-Martine was released under supervision earlier this year due to the lack of deportation flights to Cuba.
The Consulate General of India in Houston condoled the death of Nagamallaiah and said it is following up on the matter closely.
"We are in touch with the family and offering all possible assistance. The accused is in the custody of Dallas Police," it said in a post on X.
Consul General D C Manjunath told PTI that the mission is providing full consular support to the victim's family.
Known as Bob to friends and family, Nagamallaiah was remembered as a loving husband, devoted father, and kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he knew.
This unimaginable tragedy was not only sudden but "deeply traumatic", friends said. &ldquo;Bob&rsquo;s life was taken in a brutal attack that occurred in front of his wife and son, who bravely tried to protect him. The shocking nature of this event has shaken our community.&rdquo; Friends, family, and community groups, including SEWA International, have come together to support Nagamallaiah's family.
A fundraiser set up by his friend Tanmay Patel has raised over USD 50,000 and is still ongoing.
SEWA&rsquo;s Dallas chapter president Gitesh Desai told PTI: &ldquo;We are deeply saddened by this heinous crime. The entire community has been shocked, especially after seeing the gruesome CCTV footage circulating online. We are committed to supporting the family in every possible way.&rdquo; Funeral services for Nagamallaiah are scheduled for Saturday.&nbsp;

Kerrville, Texas suffered deadly flash floods, exposing serious gaps in emergency preparedness. Despite alerts, 32 lives were lost with numerous missing. Renewed calls for better warning systems highlight the need for improved safety measures.

Texas officials face scrutiny over response to catastrophic and deadly flooding

A sudden flash flood in Kerrville, Texas, revealed critical flaws in emergency preparedness. Despite multiple early alerts, 32 people lost their lives, emphasizing the urgent need for improved warning systems and disaster response protocols.

Flash floods in Kerrville, Texas, uncovered significant gaps in emergency preparedness, leaving 32 dead and many missing.

KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) &mdash; Before heading to bed before the Fourth of July holiday, Christopher Flowers checked the weather while staying at a friend&rsquo;s house along the Guadalupe River. Nothing in the forecast alarmed him.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/686b4773aac1d_1751861107.jpg" width="381" height="256">
Hours later, he was rushing to safety: He woke up in darkness to electrical sockets popping and ankle-deep water. Quickly, his family scrambled nine people into the attic. Phones buzzed with alerts, Flowers recalled Saturday, but he did not remember when in the chaos they started.
&ldquo;What they need is some kind of external system, like a tornado warning that tells people to get out now,&rdquo; Flowers, 44, said.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/686b4781e28f5_1751861121.jpg" width="377" height="253"> The destructive fast-moving waters that began before sunrise Friday in the Texas Hill Country killed at least 43 people in Kerr County, authorities said Saturday, and an unknown number of people remained missing. Those still unaccounted for included 27 girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along a river in Kerr County where most of the dead were recovered.
But as authorities launch one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts in recent Texas history, they have come under intensifying scrutiny over preparations and why residents and youth summer camps that are dotted along the river were not alerted sooner or told to evacuate.
&nbsp;
The National Weather Service sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies &mdash; a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
 Local officials have insisted that no one saw the flood potential coming and have defended their actions.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s going to be a lot of finger-pointing, a lot of second-guessing and Monday morning quarterbacking,&rdquo; said Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, whose district includes Kerr County. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of people saying &lsquo;why&rsquo; and &lsquo;how,&rsquo; and I understand that.&rdquo;
 When the warnings began An initial flood watch &mdash; which generally urges residents to be weather-aware &mdash; was issued by the local National Weather Service office at 1:18 p.m. Thursday.
<img src="https://cdn.editorji.com/686b479019cec_1751861136.jpg" width="374" height="251">
It predicted between 5 to 7 inches (12.7 to 17.8 centimeters) of rain. Weather messaging from the office, including automated alerts delivered to mobile phones to people in threatened areas, grew increasingly ominous in the early morning hours of Friday, urging people to move to higher ground and evacuate flood-prone areas, said Jason Runyen, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service office.
At 4:03 a.m., the office issued an urgent warning that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life.
Jonathan Porter, the chief meteorologist at AccuWeather, a private weather forecasting company that uses National Weather Service data, said it appeared evacuations and other proactive measures could have been undertaken to reduce the risk of fatalities.
&ldquo;People, businesses, and governments should take action based on Flash Flood Warnings that are issued, regardless of the rainfall amounts that have occurred or are forecast,&rdquo; Porter said in a statement.
Officials say they didn&rsquo;t expect this Local officials have said they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months&rsquo; worth of rain for the area. &ldquo;We know we get rains. We know the river rises,&rdquo; said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the county&rsquo;s top elected official. &ldquo;But nobody saw this coming.&rdquo;
 Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said he was jogging along the river early in the morning and didn&rsquo;t notice any problems at 4 a.m. A little over an hour later, at 5:20 a.m., the water level had risen dramatically and &ldquo;we almost weren&rsquo;t able to get out of the park,&rdquo; he said.
Rice also noted that the public can become desensitized to too many weather warnings.
No county flood warning system Kelly said the county considered a flood warning system along the river that would have functioned like a tornado warning siren about six or seven years ago, before he was elected, but that the idea never got off the ground because of the expense.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve looked into it before &hellip; The public reeled at the cost,&rdquo; Kelly said.
He said he didn&rsquo;t know what kind of safety and evacuation plans the camps may have had.
&ldquo;What I do know is the flood hit the camp first, and it came in the middle of the night. I don&rsquo;t know where the kids were,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what kind of alarm systems they had. That will come out in time.&rdquo;
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Saturday it was difficult for forecasters to predict just how much rain would fall. She said the Trump administration would make it a priority to upgrade National Weather Service technology used to deliver warnings.
&ldquo;We know that everyone wants more warning time, and that&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re working to upgrade the technology that&rsquo;s been neglected for far too long to make sure families have as much advance notice as possible,&rdquo; Noem said during a press conference with state and federal leaders.
Weather service had extra staffers The National Weather Service office in New Braunfels, which delivers forecasts for Austin, San Antonio and the surrounding areas, had extra staff on duty during the storms, Runyen said.
Where the office would typically have two forecasters on duty during clear weather, they had up to five on staff.
&ldquo;There were extra people in here that night, and that&rsquo;s typical in every weather service office &mdash; you staff up for an event and bring people in on overtime and hold people over,&rdquo; Runyen said.

India and the US discussed strengthening cooperation across key sectors including trade, defense, and energy. Meetings emphasized strategic partnerships and examined the US-India COMPACT initiative's impact on bilateral ties.

India-US Enhance Trade, Defense, Energy Relations

India and the US have set sights on deepening strategic collaboration in trade, defense, and energy. Highlighted was the US-India COMPACT initiative aiming to bolster military and commerce partnerships, emphasizing bilateral growth.

India-US Enhance Trade, Defense Relations

India and the US discussed enhancing ties in trade, defense, and energy. Jaishankar engaged with US officials, emphasizing bilateral partnership and strategic collaboration. The US-India COMPACT initiative aims to strengthen trade and defense ties.

Ways to deepen the India-US collaboration in key sectors such as trade, defence, energy, mobility and critical technologies figured prominently during talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his American counterpart Marco Rubio.
The external affairs minister also held separate bilateral talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
The meetings took place on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the Quad grouping on Tuesday.
It was the first in-person meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio after the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan in May.
"Discussed our bilateral partnership including trade, security, critical technologies, connectivity, energy and mobility. Shared perspectives on regional and global developments," Jaishankar said in a social media post.
It is understood that the two sides also took stock of the ongoing negotiations for a trade deal between India and the US.
New Delhi and Washington are holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) as agreed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington DC in February.
The US State Department said the implementation of US-India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) figured in the Rubio-Jaishankar talks.
The COMPACT initiative, aimed at driving transformative change across key pillars of cooperation, was launched following talks between Modi and Trump in February.
"In his meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, the Secretary affirmed the strength of the US-India relationship, highlighting implementation of the US-India COMPACT which will enhance our two nations' collaboration on trade, defence, energy, countering illegal immigration, counternarcotics, and more," the US State Department said.
Jaishankar also met US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and discussed opportunities for a deeper bilateral energy partnership.
"Spoke about the energy transformation underway in India. And opportunities for deeper India-US energy partnership," Jaishankar said on 'X'.
The external affairs minister also held a separate meeting with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
"Had a productive conversation on advancing the India-US defence partnership, building on growing convergences of interests, capabilities and responsibilities," Jaishankar said.
Jaishankar was visiting the US from June 30 to July 2 at the invitation of Secretary Rubio.

The UK secures a trade deal with the US, cutting tariffs on cars and aerospace, boosting industries, and safeguarding jobs.

UK, US Finalise Historic Export Tariff Deal

The UK has struck a historic trade agreement with the US, reducing tariffs on cars and aerospace exports, boosting British industry, and safeguarding thousands of jobs.

The UK secures a historic trade deal with the US, drastically cutting tariffs on cars and aerospace exports, safeguarding jobs, and boosting key industries.

British car and aerospace manufacturers will benefit from slashed tariffs when exporting to America as the UK-US trade deal comes into effect from Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said as he welcomed the &ldquo;historic&rdquo; pact.
Downing Street claims the UK is the only country to have secured such a deal with US President Donald Trump, reducing car export tariffs from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent and the aerospace sector seeing the removal of 10 per cent tariffs on goods such as engines and aircraft parts.
&ldquo;Our historic trade deal with the United States delivers for British businesses and protects UK jobs,&rdquo; said Starmer.
&ldquo;From today, our world-class automotive and aerospace industries will see tariffs slashed, safeguarding key industries that are vital to our economy. We will always act in the national interest &ndash; backing British businesses and workers, delivering on our Plan for Change,&rdquo; he said.
The deal, announced last month and discussed further between Starmer and Trump at the G7 Summit in Canada earlier this month, is built around a quota system which the UK government claims is &ldquo;as simple, fair and effective as possible&rdquo;.
The deal came soon after the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was announced on May 6, which is now going through its legal document scrubbing to be formally signed by next month to boost bilateral trade by an estimated GBP 25.5 billion annually in the next decade.
"This is a clear example of our Plan for Change in action: cutting costs for businesses, speeding up delivery of trade benefits, and helping UK industries thrive in a challenging global environment,&rdquo; said UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, leading on the trade talks with the US and India.
&ldquo;We agreed this deal with the US to protect jobs and support growth in some of our most vital sectors &ndash; and today, we&rsquo;re delivering on that promise for the UK&rsquo;s world-class automotive and aerospace industries," he said.
"British car manufacturers can now export to the US at a significantly reduced 10 per cent tariff rate &ndash; down from 27.5 per cent &ndash; and aerospace goods will see 10 per cent tariffs removed, saving sectors hundreds of millions each year and safeguarding thousands of jobs,&rdquo; the minister added.
The government reiterated that the deal makes the UK the only country to be exempt from the global tariff of 50 per cent on steel and aluminium. As the Prime Minister and President Trump confirmed, the trade teams will continue to work towards 0 per cent tariffs on core steel products as agreed, the UK&rsquo;s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) stressed.
British industry welcomed the deal, with the aerospace group ADS saying the sector &ldquo;hugely appreciated&rdquo; relaxed tariffs on goods for it to continue to focus on &ldquo;innovation and excellence&rdquo;.
&ldquo;The implementation of the new trading agreement between the UK and US is good news for US customers and a huge relief for the UK automotive companies that export to this critically important market,&rdquo; said Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the UK&rsquo;s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) &ndash; representing the country's auto companies including Indian-owned Tata Motors Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) brands.
&ldquo;It immediately slashes the punitive tariffs that brought the US export market to a standstill and threatened the viability of some of the most famous names in British manufacturing. Securing the deal &ndash; the first and, so far, only automotive deal in place with the administration &ndash; is a diplomatic coup and provides a foundation on which to grow trade in the future,&rdquo; said Hawes.
The UK government is set to update Parliament on the implementation of quotas on US beef and ethanol, as part of the commitment made to the US under the trade deal.

US and China sign a trade deal, staving off tariff hikes. China accelerates rare earth export approvals. India could be next.

Trump announces trade deal signed with China

Recently, the United States and China signed a trade agreement, preventing upcoming tariffs. China expedites rare earth exports. India may soon enter talks.

US and China finalize a trade deal, delaying tariffs; a similar deal with India may follow. China advances rare earth exports, crucial for tech industries.

The US and China have signed an agreement on trade, President Donald Trump said, adding he expects to soon have a deal with India.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Bloomberg TV that the deal was signed earlier this week. Neither Lutnick nor Trump provided any details about the agreement.
&ldquo;We just signed with China the other day,&rdquo; Trump said late Thursday.
Lutnick said the deal was &ldquo;signed and sealed&rdquo; two days earlier.
It follows initial talks in Geneva in early May that led both sides to postpone massive tariff hikes that were threatening to freeze much trade between the two countries. Later talks in London set a framework for negotiations and the deal mentioned by Trump appeared to formalize that agreement.
&ldquo;The president likes to close these deals himself. He's the dealmaker. We're going to have deal after deal,&rdquo; Lutnick said.
China has not announced any new agreements, but it announced earlier this week that it was speeding up approvals of exports of rare earths, materials used in high-tech products such as electric vehicles. Beijing's limits on exports of rare earths have been a key point of contention.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry said Thursday that Beijing was accelerating review of export license applications for rare earths and had approved &ldquo;a certain number of compliant applications.&rdquo;

India says it has noted the visit of Pakistan’s Army Chief to the White House but affirms that its own US partnership is rooted in shared values and remains strong across strategic sectors.

India confident in strategic US ties amid Pak Army chief's visit

India says it has noted the visit of Pakistan&rsquo;s Army Chief to the White House but affirms that its own US partnership is rooted in shared values and remains strong across strategic sectors.

India on Thursday said it has "noted" the recent visit of Pakistan Army chief to the White House, even as it asserted that the India-US partnership is grounded in shared democratic values, and "we remain confident in the trajectory of this most consequential partnership of the 21st century".
At the weekly media briefing in the capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the invitation that was extended to Field Marshal Asim Munir to the White House.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | On Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's visit to the White House, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "... We have noted the visit. I have no further comment to make. As far as the India-US relationship is concerned, our partnership with the United States is&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/ghbPwQTMjd">pic.twitter.com/ghbPwQTMjd</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1938194526520426570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
US President Donald Trump had hosted Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff for lunch at the White House on June 18.
"On your question regarding the White House invitation, we have noted the visit. I have no further comment to make," Jaiswal said when asked how New Delhi saw this invitation.
In his remarks, he also underlined the significance of the India-US ties.
"As far as the India-US relationship is concerned, let me remind you that our partnership with the United States is wide-ranging, grounded in shared democratic values and growing strategic convergence," the MEA spokesperson said.
"A Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between India and the United States continues to receive high-level attention and is manifested in sustained dialogue and cooperation across sectors from trade to critical technology to energy, defence, and several other fields.
"We remain confident in the trajectory of this most consequential partnership of the 21st century," he added.

Marine Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton's seven-year sentence by a Japanese court for assault in Okinawa sparks safety and jurisdictional review concerns amidst substantial US military presence.

Sentence of an US Marine in Okinawa Raises Concerns

A Japanese court hands a seven-year sentence to US Marine Jamel Clayton in Okinawa for assault, escalating safety worries in a region with a large American military presence.

US Marine Jamel Clayton receives a seven-year sentence for sexual assaulting a woman in Okinawa, intensifying safety concerns and prompting calls for jurisdictional review amid US military presence.

A Japanese court has found a US Marine guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on Okinawa and sentenced him to seven years in prison, in a case that has triggered anger and safety concerns on Japan's southern island, which has a heavy American troop presence.
The Naha District Court said Lance Cpl Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio, was sentenced in the case on Tuesday.
Clayton was found guilty of attacking the woman in her 20s in the Yomitan village on the main Okinawa island in May 2024, chocking her from behind, sexually assaulting her and causing her injuries.
In sentencing, Judge Kazuhiko Obata said the victim's testimony, provided remotely and anonymously, was highly credible even though the defendant denied his charges brought by the prosecutors, who demanded 10 years in prison, according to Kyodo News.
&ldquo;This behaviour does not reflect the values of the Marine Corps nor does it exemplify the standards the overwhelming majority of our Marines uphold daily,&rdquo; Capt Kazuma Engelkemier, spokesperson for 3rd Marine Division, said in a statement confirming Clayton's conviction emailed on Wednesday.
Engelkemier said the US side monitored the trial proceedings without interfering in the Japanese judicial process. &ldquo;We cooperated fully with the investigation process,&rdquo; he said.
The Marine has been in Japanese custody since his indictment that followed the allegation, he added.
The case was one of a string of sexual assault cases last year in which the arrests of the suspects were initially withheld by local authorities on grounds of protecting the victims' privacy, triggering anger and criticisms of coverups.
Okinawa, where one of the fiercest battles of World War II was fought 80 years ago and under US occupation until 1972, remains home to the majority of about 50,000 US troops stationed in Japan under a bilateral security pact. The island, which accounts for only 0.6 per cent of Japanese land, hosts 70 per cent of US military facilities.
Frustration runs high on Okinawa because of its continued burden with the heavy US presence that includes noise, pollution, aircraft accidents and crime related to American troops.
Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, who attended Monday's 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, raised concerns about recent sexual assault cases involving US service members when he met with Lt Gen Roger Turner, the commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, requesting discipline and preventive measures.
There has been growing calls for a revision to the Status of Forces Agreement that gives the United States the right to investigate most accidents and crimes that occur on Japanese soil.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's cabinet on Tuesday adopted a statement showing that the Japanese prosecutors dropped criminal cases against more than 300 US service members in the last decade between 2014 and 2024, including a sexual assault case in Okinawa in 2020.

Congress criticizes US travel advisory on India, highlighting safety concerns, terror threats, and economic impact. They urge Modi's government to address these diplomatic challenges.

Congress Criticizes US Travel Advisory

The US travel advisory on India sparks strong criticism from Congress, highlighting Modi's foreign policy challenges amidst safety and economic concerns.

The US travel advisory on India has drawn criticism from Congress, blaming Modi's foreign policy failures. Concerns over safety, terror threats, and negative impacts on tourism and investment are highlighted.

With the US issuing an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, the Congress on Tuesday claimed that it "maligns" the country and demanded that the government should register its protest as well as take a stern view of this at the highest level.
The opposition party also claimed that the Narendra Modi government's foreign policy has completely "fallen flat".
The US has issued an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, urging "increased caution" due to crime and rape, and advising them not to travel to certain parts of central and eastern parts of the country due to terrorism.
The travel advisory issued last week states that "rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India" and violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations. It added that terrorists, who target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls and government facilities, may attack with little or no warning.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress' Indira Bhawan headquarters here, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the reality is that the US has issued a travel advisory of Level 2 and has advised its women, especially, not to travel alone to India, citing various cases of rapes.
"It also goes on to say that various kinds of crimes, incidents of violence and terror attacks can happen in India. It very categorically mentions that American officials will need permission from the government before their travel to India... This kind of advisory is being issued for India, which will have far-reaching impact on our standing," she said.
"However, nothing of this kind of advisory has been issued for Pakistan, which is a terror country, housing terrorists such as Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim, etc., they are being provided protection by Pakistan. On the contrary, an advisory is being issued against us while Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir is being invited to enjoy a meal with US President Trump, who has, in turn, hyphenated India and Pakistan," Shrinate said.
She said it is highly objectionable that the Indian prime minister and Pakistan's Army Chief are being hyphenated.
The reality is that in the last 11 years, Prime Minister Modi has spent a disproportionate amount of time pursuing foreign powers, she said.
"From enforceable hugs to 'Howdy Modi', 'Namaste Trump', and 'Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkaar', to going to the US uninvited. He has done everything possible, and look at what America is doing to us," she said.
"At a time when we need large nations of the world to stand with us, America is issuing travel advisories against us and citing incidents that pertain to the rest of the world. But this really maligns us, and what is the government doing about it? Absolutely nothing. Pin drop silence like always," Shrinate said.
The reality is that Trump has taken credit for the "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan 17 times, she said.
"He (Trump) imposed tariffs on us. He called us an abuser and a fraud. He has put our people in handcuffs and sent them back to India. He is constantly insulting us, and our government chooses to keep quiet. The question arises: what is the cornerstone of our foreign policy? It is to keep India's interest above all," Shrinate said.
"But Mr Modi's foreign policy is to get the right camera angle so that he is shot from the good camera angle wherever he is in the world. Our foreign minister is too busy making reels with laser red eyes. So who do you expect to pursue foreign policy from?" she asked.
Shrinate said she has no qualms in admitting and saying that on one hand, travel advisories are being issued against us but nothing on Pakistan, while "we are completely mute spectators".
"We don't say a word! There are certain aspects which travel advisories have raised which are obviously troublesome, and we should find solutions to them. We should ensure our women are safe, and if every hour, 43 women face a crime against them, then questions will and must be raised," she said.
She claimed the foreign front, the Modi government's foreign policy has completely "fallen flat".
"At a time when we need allies to stand with us, they are issuing travel advisories against us. A travel advisory is very damning, and it impacts the number of tourists that will visit India, the funds generated by tourism, and the level of investments associated with those sectors. So these are very damning advisories. Yet, the Modi government is absolutely silent," she said.
"Therefore, we demand that the Indian government should register its protest and take a stern view of this advisory at the highest level. It is not in good faith, this is not good for our country, and it shows the doublespeak of the US. On one hand you are issuing advisories against us but nothing on Pakistan," Shrinate said.
The US advisory issued on June 16 also tells US citizens not to travel to parts of Central and East India "due to terrorism".
"Maoist extremist groups, or 'Naxalites', are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal,&rdquo; the advisory said.
US government employees working in India are required to obtain permission prior to travel to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Odisha. It said permission is not required for the capital of these states.

“If peace does not come quickly,” Trump cautioned, “remember, there are many targets left. Tonight was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal.”


US strikes Iran targets in historic escalation

Trump Declares U.S. Airstrikes on Iran a “Spectacular Success”

&ldquo;If peace does not come quickly,&rdquo; Trump cautioned, &ldquo;remember, there are many targets left. Tonight was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal.&rdquo;

President Donald Trump hailed the U.S. airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran as a &ldquo;spectacular military success,&rdquo; asserting that the mission had &ldquo;completely and totally obliterated&rdquo; key nuclear enrichment sites. The strikes marked the first direct U.S. military action on Iranian soil since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Delivering a nationally televised address from the White House, Trump issued a stern ultimatum to Iran: pursue peace swiftly or face further, more devastating attacks. &ldquo;There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,&rdquo; he warned.
Standing alongside Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump reaffirmed that the targets&mdash;Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan&mdash;had been the most fortified and difficult to strike, describing the operation as precise and highly effective.
&ldquo;If peace does not come quickly,&rdquo; Trump cautioned, &ldquo;remember, there are many targets left. Tonight was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;President Donald J. Trump Delivers Address to the Nation, June 21, 2025 &lt;a href="https://t.co/yutRDvtWv0"&gt;https://t.co/yutRDvtWv0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936602999553433965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;June 22, 2025&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
&nbsp;
The Pentagon confirmed the use of GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators, also known as "bunker busters," to hit deeply buried nuclear facilities. The strikes were conducted under complete radio silence and reportedly avoided any U.S. casualties.
Although Iranian officials have not confirmed the full extent of the damage, early intelligence suggests significant destruction of nuclear infrastructure. Trump stressed that regime change is not the objective, and that Saturday&rsquo;s strikes were &ldquo;all we plan to do&rdquo;&mdash;a message communicated to Tehran via diplomatic channels shortly after the operation concluded.
Reacting to the strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed full support, stating that the U.S. had given Israel advance notice. "President Trump and I often say: 'Peace through strength.' First comes strength, then comes peace,&rdquo; Netanyahu said. &ldquo;And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.&rdquo;
The conflict began on June 13, when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran&rsquo;s nuclear and military sites, aiming to cripple its nuclear ambitions. In response, Iran fired hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel, killing at least 24 people.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a Washington-based rights group monitoring the situation, at least 657 people have been killed in the broader regional conflict so far.
Trump, who had earlier urged restraint and pursued direct negotiations with Iran, reversed course under pressure from Israeli allies and some Republican lawmakers. Two prior Israeli strikes had been delayed at Trump's request to allow diplomatic efforts to unfold.
However, in his address, Trump made clear that further inaction was no longer an option: &ldquo;Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.&rdquo;

There was no immediate acknowledgment from Iran of any strikes being carried out.

Trump confirms US airstrikes on Iran nuclear sites

There was no immediate acknowledgment from Iran of any strikes being carried out.

The US military struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into Israel's war aimed at destroying the country's nuclear programme in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran's threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict.
President Donald Trump said Iran's key nuclear sites were &ldquo;completely and fully obliterated,&rdquo; and he warned Iran against carrying out retaliatory attacks, saying the US could hit more targets &ldquo;with precision, speed and skill.&rdquo; &ldquo;There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,&rdquo; Trump said in an address to the nation from the White House.
The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted that its work will not be stopped.
The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that aimed to systematically eradicate the country's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities.
But US and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound (13,500-kilogramme) bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground.
&ldquo;We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on social media. "All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.&rdquo; Trump added in a later post: &ldquo;This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!&rdquo; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision to attack in a video message directed at the American president.
&ldquo;Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities, with the awesome and righteous might of the United States, will change history,&rdquo; he said. Netanyahu said the US &ldquo;has done what no other country on earth could do.&rdquo; The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation. But Fox News host Sean Hannity said shortly after 9 p.m. Eastern that he had spoken with Trump and that six bunker buster bombs were used on the Fordo facility. Hannity said 30 Tomahawk missiles fired by U.S. submarines 400 miles away struck the Iranian nuclear sites of Natanz and Isfahan.
The strikes are a perilous decision, as Iran has pledged to retaliate if the U.S. joined the Israeli assault, and for Trump personally. He won the White House on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he was &ldquo;gravely alarmed&rdquo; by the &ldquo;dangerous escalation&rdquo; of American strikes.
&ldquo;There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control &mdash; with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,&rdquo; he said in a statement.
Trump told reporters Friday that he was not interested in sending ground forces into Iran, saying it's &ldquo;the last thing you want to do.&rdquo; He had previously indicated that he would make a final choice over the course of two weeks.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the United States on Wednesday that strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will &ldquo;result in irreparable damage for them.&rdquo; And Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei declared &ldquo;any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region." Trump has vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, and he had initially hoped that the threat of force would bring the country's leaders to give up its nuclear programme peacefully.
The Israeli military said Saturday it was preparing for the possibility of a lengthy war, while Iran's foreign minister warned before the U.S. attack that American military involvement &ldquo;would be very, very dangerous for everyone.&rdquo; The prospect of a wider war loomed. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they would resume attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign. The Houthis paused such attacks in May under a deal with the US.
The US ambassador to Israel announced that the US had begun &ldquo;assisted departure flights,&rdquo; the first from Israel since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump planned to make his decision on the strikes within two weeks. Instead, he struck just two days later.
Trump appears to have made the calculation &mdash; at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republican lawmakers &mdash; that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently.
The Israelis say their offensive has already crippled Iran's air defences, allowing them to already significantly degrade multiple Iranian nuclear sites.
But to destroy the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, Israel appealed to Trump for the bunker-busting American bomb known as the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets and then explode. The bomb is currently delivered only by the B-2 stealth bomber, which is only found in the American arsenal.
If deployed in the attack, it would be the first combat use of the weapon.
The bomb carries a conventional warhead, and is believed to be able to penetrate about 200 feet (61 meters) below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran is producing highly enriched uranium at Fordo, raising the possibility that nuclear material could be released into the area if the GBU-57 A/B were used to hit the facility.
Previous Israeli strikes at another Iranian nuclear site, Natanz, on a centrifuge site have caused contamination only at the site itself, not the surrounding area, the IAEA has said.
Trump's decision for direct U.S. military intervention comes after his administration made an unsuccessful two-month push &mdash; including with high-level, direct negotiations with the Iranians &mdash; aimed at persuading Tehran to curb its nuclear programme.
For months, Trump said he was dedicated to a diplomatic push to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. And he twice &mdash; in April and again in late May &mdash; persuaded Netanyahu to hold off on military action against Iran and give diplomacy more time.
The US in recent days has been shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel and US bases from Iranian attacks.
All the while, Trump has gone from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a &ldquo;second chance&rdquo; for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran's unconditional surrender.
&ldquo;We know exactly where the so-called Supreme Leader' is hiding,&rdquo; Trump said in a social media posting. &ldquo;He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.&rdquo; The military showdown with Iran comes seven years after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Obama-administration brokered agreement in 2018, calling it the &ldquo;worst deal ever.&rdquo; The 2015 deal, signed by Iran, U.S. and other world powers, created a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
Trump decried the Obama-era deal for giving Iran too much in return for too little, because the agreement did not cover Iran's non-nuclear malign behavior.
Trump has bristled at criticism from some of his MAGA faithful, including conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, who have suggested that further US involvement would be a betrayal to supporters who were drawn to his promise to end US involvement in expensive and endless wars.

The US and China have reached a preliminary trade agreement, focusing on rare earth metals. This framework aims to ease tensions, pending approval from Presidents Trump and Xi.

US-China Framework Agreement on Trade Tensions

A preliminary trade agreement between the US and China focuses on rare earth metals, easing tensions. Awaiting final approval from Presidents Trump and Xi.

US and China reach a preliminary trade deal, focusing on rare earth metals supply. Framework awaits final approval from Presidents Trump and Xi.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that a deal with China "is done" after two days of talks in London, marking a turnaround in the trade war between the two major economies.
"Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi (Jinping) and me,&rdquo; Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
His post came after the negotiating teams from both sides concluded two-day talks in London, where they agreed to resolve their trade disputes.
&ldquo;Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!)&rdquo; Trump said.
&ldquo;We are getting a total of 55 per cent tariffs, China is getting 10 per cent. Relationships are excellent! Thank you for your attention to this matter,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;President Xi and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!," he said.
The London talks focussed on both sides reaching a deal on China resuming supplies of rare earth metals, the key elements needed to manufacture mobile phones, semiconductors and missiles, besides automobile production. &nbsp; Following the talks, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the deal between the two countries should result in restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets being resolved.
While China blocked rare earth exports, the US restricted Beijing&rsquo;s access to US goods such as semiconductors and other related technologies linked to artificial intelligence (AI).
"We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus," Lutnick told the media, according to a BBC report.
"Once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it," he said.
Rare earths are a group of metals consisting of 17 elements. Though present in several counties, their extraction is costly and messy, causing massive amounts of pollution.
According to the International Energy Agency, China accounts for 61 per cent of global mined rare earth production but controls 92 per cent of the global output.
Ahead of talks with the US, China last Saturday approved a certain number of export license applications for rare earth-related metals.
The approval was granted considering rising global demand for medium and heavy rare earth elements driven by industries such as robotics and new energy vehicles, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce said in Beijing.
China&rsquo;s recent restrictions on the exports of key metals caused widespread disruption in the manufacturing of automobiles and semiconductor chips in a host of countries, including India.
While China is negotiating with the US and the EU, Beijing reportedly has not yet responded to India&rsquo;s request to resume exports of the key rare-earth elements. &nbsp; &nbsp; The shortages were so acute that Japan&rsquo;s Suzuki stopped production of its Swift model, according to reports from Tokyo.
Trump&rsquo;s latest posts followed a phone call between Xi and him last week leading to the talks between the two countries in London.
The two negotiating teams finished their latest round of talks by announcing they had agreed in principle to a framework that each side would bring home for review by their respective leaders as the world&rsquo;s two biggest economies attempt to get their trade-war ceasefire deal signed in Geneva last month back on track.
Beijing also took exception to US threats to revoke visas of thousands of Chinese students studying in the American Universities.
An official statement released by Xinhua in Beijing on Wednesday said both China and the US &ldquo;made new progress in addressing each other&rsquo;s economic and trade concerns&rdquo; during the &ldquo;candid and in-depth&rdquo; dialogue.
Vice-Premier He Lifeng, who led the Chinese delegation, said that &ldquo;China does not want a trade war, but it is not afraid of one&rdquo;, according to the statement.
&ldquo;The two sides should resolve economic and trade differences through equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation. China is sincere in economic and trade consultations, but it also has its principles,&rdquo; He was quoted as saying.
Lutnick, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer led the US side in what was described as &ldquo;the first meeting of the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism&rdquo;.
Both the US and China agreed to temporarily lower tit-for-tat tariffs after talks in Geneva last month.
The truce is due to last 90 days to provide time for the top two economies to reach a broader substantive agreement to end their tariff war.
Trump imposed 145 per cent of tariffs against the Chinese exports of about USD 439.9 billion and China retaliated with 125 per cent on American exports of about USD 143 billion. &nbsp; However, the Geneva truce was disrupted after the US took exception to China not lifting the restrictions on the exports of rare earth metals.
Under the Geneva agreement, the US lowered tariffs imposed on goods from China from 145 per cent to 30 per cent while China dropped its retaliatory tariffs from 125 per cent to 10 per cent.
Analysts said China wouldn&rsquo;t have agreed to lift restrictions on rare earths unless it received other meaningful concessions.
&ldquo;Trump said China would supply magnets and rare earths but gave no clear explanation of what the US is offering in return, except for student visas,&rdquo; Su Yue, principal China economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
&ldquo;But China wouldn&rsquo;t have agreed unless it received other meaningful concessions. Trump seems to be framing the deal as a win for the US, but that could actually signal that China walked away with more,&rdquo; he added.

MIT barred Megha Vemuri from graduation for an unsanctioned speech on Gaza, sparking criticism. CAIR urged respect for free expression in academia.

MIT Excludes Student Over Gaza Speech

Indian-American student Megha Vemuri was barred from MIT's graduation for altering her speech to criticize Gaza conflict policies, prompting widespread debate.

MIT barred student Megha Vemuri from graduation over an unauthorized speech on Gaza. Despite criticism, MIT cited policy violations. CAIR opposed the decision.

An Indian-American student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was barred from attending her graduation ceremony after delivering a speech denouncing the war in Gaza, according to media reports.
Megha Vemuri, the 2025 class president of MIT, is the latest in the list of students to face discipline after protesting the war in Gaza.
Vemuri told CNN that after her speech, the university&rsquo;s senior leadership informed her she was not allowed to attend Friday&rsquo;s commencement ceremony and was barred from campus until the event concluded.
School officials confirmed that they told Vemuri that she was prohibited from attending the undergraduate ceremony.
MIT leadership said that they stand by the punishment they issued to Vemuri.
&ldquo;MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage,&rdquo; a school spokesperson said in a statement.
The school said that she would receive her degree.
Vemuri, who grew up in Georgia, was a scheduled speaker at Thursday&rsquo;s OneMIT Commencement ceremony in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she took to the podium, with a keffiyeh &ndash; a symbol of pro-Palestinian solidarity &ndash; draped over her graduation robe.
She praised her peers for protesting the war in Gaza and criticised the university&rsquo;s ties to Israel.
An MIT spokesperson told CNN Vemuri's sppech on Thursday &ldquo;was not the one that was provided by the speaker in advance.&rdquo; Vemuri's father Sarat said that she was a double major, in computation and cognition and linguistics, and was told that she would receive her diploma by mail.
Vemuri said she was grateful for her family, who have been present this week, supporting her. She says she&rsquo;s not disappointed about not getting to walk the stage.
&ldquo;I see no need for me to walk across the stage of an institution that is complicit in this genocide,&rdquo; Vemuri said.
&ldquo;I am, however, disappointed that MIT&rsquo;s officials massively overstepped their roles to punish me without merit or due process, with no indication of any specific policy broken,&rdquo; she added.
He called MIT&rsquo;s purported support of free speech hypocritical.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned the university&rsquo;s decision to ban Vemuri from the ceremony.
&ldquo;MIT must respect academic freedom and respect the voices of its students, not punish and intimidate those who speak out against genocide and in support of Palestinian humanity,&rdquo; CAIR-Massachusetts Executive Director Tahirah Amatul-Wadud said in a statement.
College campuses across the US have witnessed protest encampments and accusations of antisemitism since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza.
The tensions coupled with the Trump administration&rsquo;s attacks on universities, have left some school communities wrestling with how to balance civility and safety with open expression and debate, The New York Times said.
New York University recently said it was withholding the diploma of a student who condemned &ldquo;genocide&rdquo; in Gaza while delivering a graduation speech. Several students at Harvard, Columbia and other universities nationwide are also facing disciplinary threats.
At the start of the school year in September, MIT issued new school rules surrounding when and where students can protest on its campus.
School leadership has responded more strictly toward unsanctioned demonstrations this year, which was a departure from the prior school year when protestors camped out on campus.

India and the US enhance their strategic partnership focusing on regional peace, market access, and collaboration in technology amid recent diplomatic engagements.

Vikram Misri, US Dy Secretary of State reaffirm shared desire to maintain regional stability, peace

India and the US fortify their bilateral ties through strategic dialogues emphasizing regional stability, market access, and collaboration in critical sectors.

India and the US engage in strategic talks to cement bilateral relations and joint priorities, emphasizing regional stability, equitable market access, and collaboration on technology, trade, and security.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reaffirmed their "shared desire" to maintain regional stability and peace and discussed the full breadth of the India-US bilateral agenda and shared priorities.
Misri had a "great first meeting" with Landau in Washington on Wednesday during which they discussed the full breadth of the India-US bilateral agenda and shared priorities, the Indian Embassy in Washington said in a post on X.
A statement by State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Landau reaffirmed the close partnership between the US and India, a key component of US foreign policy for the 21st century.
"The deputy secretary and the foreign secretary also reaffirmed their shared desire to maintain regional stability and peace," Bruce said.
Landau underscored the importance of fair and reciprocal market access to fostering economic growth and prosperity in both countries and emphasised the importance of enhanced cooperation on migration and counter-narcotics action, Bruce said.
The Indian Embassy said Misri and Landau agreed that tech-trade-talent will shape the India-US partnership in the 21st century.
They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the leadership's vision and to strengthen the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership, the embassy said. In another post on X, the Indian Embassy said Misri led the Indian delegation along with Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor for the inter-agency discussions on the India-US COMPACT for the 21st century.
Andy Baker, Vice-President J D Vance's national security advisor who will take up new responsibility as deputy national security advisor, and Counsellor Michael Needham led the US delegation.
"Discussions at the White House focused on implementing the TRUST initiative, taking forward cooperation in the defence and energy domains, and strengthening the Quad, IMEEC, and I2U2 initiatives," the embassy said.
Misri is visiting Washington from May 27-29 to meet with senior officials of the US administration, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Monday. On Tuesday, Misri met US Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler in Washington to advance bilateral cooperation in critical and emerging technologies, the Indian Embassy said.
The visit is a follow up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States in February, when both sides launched the India-US COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) for the 21st century, the MEA said. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy said that Misri met Kessler to advance India-US cooperation in critical and emerging technologies.
"They also discussed early convening of the India-US strategic trade dialogue to deepen tech and trade collaboration," the embassy said.

Iran signals readiness for nuclear compromises with the U.S., maintaining peaceful energy goals, yet uranium enrichment remains firm.

Iran Open to Nuclear Compromises with U.S.

Amid talks, Iran shows willingness for nuclear concessions, while asserting rights to peaceful nuclear energy. The U.S. seeks limits on nuclear capabilities.

Iran signals readiness for nuclear compromises with the U.S.

Iran expresses potential concessions in nuclear talks with the U.S., emphasizing peaceful nuclear intentions, despite maintaining uranium enrichment rights.

In a significant development, Iran has expressed willingness to make concessions regarding its nuclear program in ongoing discussions with the United States. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump characterized recent negotiations with Tehran as "very good."&nbsp;
Iran's Foreign Ministry has affirmed that while Tehran is prepared to guarantee the non-weaponization of its nuclear activities, the issue of uranium enrichment remains firmly off the negotiating table, as reported by CNN.
Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Tehran's Foreign Ministry, assured that ensuring Iran's nuclear program does not lead to weapons development is achievable. However, Baghaei emphasized Iran's insistence on maintaining its right to nuclear energy, stating, "If the intention is to make sure that Iran's nuclear program would not be weaponised, I think that's something that we could simply do."
While Baghaei avoided specifics on potential compromises, he noted "so many ways" to reach an agreement, underscoring the importance of protecting Iran's nuclear energy rights. "If the U.S.' intention is to deprive Iranians of their right to peaceful nuclear energy, that would be very problematic and could challenge the entire negotiation process," he cautioned.
Baghaei added, per Reuters, that constructive intentions from the American side could lead to optimism, warning that talks aimed at limiting Iran's rights would be fruitless.
In a related statement, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian asserted that Iran is prepared to withstand the fallout of unsuccessful negotiations. Speaking to state media, Pezeshkian stated, "It's not like we will die of hunger if they refuse to negotiate with us or impose sanctions. We will find a way to survive."
These discussions aim to address longstanding tensions over Iran's nuclear program, with President Trump threatening severe economic sanctions and potentially military action should Tehran fail to reach an agreement. The U.S. administration seeks to limit Iran&rsquo;s capacity to develop nuclear weapons, which could ignite a regional arms race and pose a threat to Israel.
Conversely, Iran maintains that its nuclear ambitions are solely for civilian purposes and is seeking relief from the economic burden of sanctions that have heavily impacted its oil-driven economy.

US warns Indian students to maintain visa status amid Trump policy focus. Embassy emphasizes compliance to avoid revocation.

US Warns Indian Students on Visa Maintenance

In light of strict US immigration policies under the Trump administration, Indian students are urged by the US Embassy to maintain their visa status. Failing to meet academic obligations could lead to visa revocation, affecting future visa prospects.

US warns Indian students to maintain visa status amid Trump policy focus

US advises Indian students on maintaining visa status amid tighter policy enforcement under Trump administration.

Amid heightened enforcement of immigration policies under the Trump administration, the US government has issued a warning to Indian nationals studying at American institutions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining their student status to ensure eligibility for future visas. The advisory highlighted that students who neglect their academic commitments&mdash;by skipping classes, withdrawing, or leaving their study programs without notifying their institutions&mdash;risk having their student visas revoked.
In an announcement on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the US Embassy in India urged students to comply with the terms of their visas and maintain their student status diligently. The post stated, "If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your program of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future US visas. Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues."
In a previous post, the Embassy also warned that overstaying one's authorized period in the United States could result in deportation and potentially lead to a permanent travel ban to the country.
This warning arrives shortly after a significant legal development in which a federal judge in California, US District Judge Jeffrey S. White, issued a temporary injunction preventing the Trump administration from stripping international students of their legal status while ongoing legal challenges are adjudicated. The order, issued in Oakland, prohibits the government from detaining or relocating students based on their legal status until the resolution of the case, as reported by the Associated Press.
It is important to note that students remain subject to arrest for reasons unrelated to their immigration status, particularly if convicted of a serious and violent crime that carries a prison sentence exceeding one year.

The CDC reports NB.1.8.1, a new COVID-19 variant, at U.S. airports, linked to surging infections in Asia. It's detected in multiple states, with current vaccines offering protection.

New COVID Variant Detected at U.S. Airports

The NB.1.8.1 variant from Asia has been detected at U.S. airports. Found in several states, it's linked to surges in China, with vaccines still protective.

The CDC reports NB.1.8.1, a new COVID-19 variant, at U.S. airports

The new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 detected in U.S. airports links to China's surge. Found in several states; vaccines remain effective.

New COVID-19 Variant Detected at U.S. Airports Amid Global Surge
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported the detection of a new COVID-19 variant, linked to a significant surge of infections in China, at several U.S. airports. The variant, identified as NB.1.8.1, has been found in foreign travelers arriving at airports in Washington state, California, the New York City area, and Virginia, according to a recent report by CBS News.
Data from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) indicates that many of these cases are linked to travelers from countries like Japan, South Korea, France, and China. The airport screening program conducted these tests between April 22 and May 12.
Beyond the airport detections, cases of the NB.1.8.1 variant have been identified in other U.S. states, including Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii, representing separate clusters, as per the CBS report.
U.S. health authorities are maintaining vigilance over this variant, which is currently dominant in China and experiencing a rise in cases across parts of Asia, notably Hong Kong, where infections have reached the highest levels in over a year.
Preliminary studies suggest that NB.1.8.1, part of the JN.1 group of variants, may have higher transmissibility than previous variants. However, it does not appear to cause more severe illness, and existing vaccines are believed to offer protection against it.
Current Situation in the U.S.
The CDC has acknowledged the presence of NB.1.8.1 cases in the U.S. but notes that fewer than 20 sequences of the variant have surfaced in their baseline surveillance data, preventing its inclusion in the COVID Data Tracker dashboard. Officials have stated that they continue to monitor all SARS-CoV-2 sequences closely, adding that if the variant's prevalence increases, it will be added to the dashboard.
Simultaneously, U.S. authorities are also scrutinizing the XFC variant, which has shown significant growth domestically. Despite the U.S. experiencing a relatively predictable pattern of biannual surges in COVID-19 cases&mdash;typically during the summer and winter&mdash;experts caution that the virus's evolution remains unpredictable.
COVID-19 Fatalities Persist
While infections have seen a decline, COVID-19 continues to claim an average of 350 American lives per week, according to CDC data. Although this figure is markedly lower than the peak of 25,974 deaths in the week ending January 9, 2021, it underscores ongoing challenges. Health experts attribute persistent high death rates to factors such as low vaccination rates, waning immunity, and insufficient access to treatments.
As the situation evolves, health authorities stress the importance of vaccination, vigilance, and international cooperation in curbing the spread of new COVID-19 variants.

Trump criticizes Putin after deadly drone strikes in Ukraine amid prisoner exchanges. Ukraine seeks global sanctions against Russia. Tensions rise.

Trump Condemns Putin as Russia Strikes Ukraine

In a rare critique, Trump calls Putin 'crazy' after drone strikes in Ukraine. Amidst increasing hostilities, the largest prisoner swap since 2022 is completed.

Trump condemns Putin amid Ukraine drone strikes causing 13 deaths. A record prisoner exchange occurs, while Ukraine urges global sanctions to curb Russian aggression.

US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "crazy" on Sunday after Moscow launched a deadly barrage of drones against Ukraine, even as the warring countries completed a large-scale prisoner exchange.
At least 13 people were killed when Russia launched a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight to Sunday.
"I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
"I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!" he added.
His comments marked a rare rebuke to Putin, who he often speaks of with admiration. The US leader has, however, expressed increasing frustration with Moscow's position in deadlocked truce negotiations with Kyiv.
Earlier Sunday, Trump told reporters he was "not happy" about the latest attack on Ukraine and that he was "absolutely" considering increasing sanctions on Moscow.
"I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don't like it at all," he said.
 - 'Terror' -
Ukraine's emergency services described Sunday an atmosphere of "terror" in the country after a second straight night of massive Russian air strikes, including on the capital Kyiv.
Those killed in the latest Russian strikes included victims aged eight, 12 and 17 in the northwestern region of Zhytomyr, officials said.
"Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media.
"The silence of America, the silence of others around the world only encourages Putin," he said, adding: "Sanctions will certainly help."
In his social media post, Trump also criticized Zelensky, a frequent target of his ire, accusing him of "doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does."
"Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop," he said.
The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also called for "the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war."
"Last night's attacks again show Russia bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine," she said on social media.
 - Call for sanctions -
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also denounced the attacks.
"Putin does not want peace, he wants to carry on the war and we shouldn't allow him to do this," he said. "For this reason we will approve further sanctions at a European level."
Ukraine's military said on Sunday it had shot down a total of 45 Russian missiles and 266 attack drones overnight.
Air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said 298 drones were launched, adding that this was "the highest number ever."
Four people were reported killed in Ukraine's western Khmelnytskyi region, and four in the Kyiv region.
Two people were killed in the southern Mykolaiv region.
"We saw the whole street was on fire," a 65-year-old retired woman, Tetiana Iankovska, told AFP in Markhalivka village just southwest of Kyiv.
Russia said its strikes were aimed at Ukraine's "military-industrial complex" and that it had brought down 110 Ukrainian drones.
The previous night, Russia had launched 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones, wounding 15 people, according to Ukrainian officials.
Flights at Moscow airports suffered temporary closures due to Ukrainian drone activity on Sunday but no injuries were reported, officials said.
Ukrainian officials also reported Russian strikes overnight to Monday, but not on the same scale.
Two people were injured and a house was destroyed in the Zaporizhzhia region when "the enemy struck the village of Yurkivka", Ivan Fedorov, the governor of the region, said in a Telegram post.
 - Major prisoner exchange -
The massive strikes on Ukraine came as Russia said it had exchanged another 303 Ukrainian prisoners of war for the same number of Russian soldiers held by Kyiv -- the last phase of a swap agreed during talks in Istanbul on May 16.
That marked their biggest prisoner swap since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with 1,000 captured soldiers and civilian prisoners in total sent back by each side.
Zelensky confirmed the swap was complete.
An AFP reporter saw some of the formerly captive Ukrainian soldiers arrive at a hospital in the northern Chernigiv region, emaciated but smiling and waving to crowds.
One former captive, 58-year-old Viktor Syvak, told AFP he was overcome by the emotional homecoming.
Captured in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, he had been held for 37 months and 12 days.
"It's impossible to describe. I can't put it into words," he said of the release.

A shooting incident in Little River, SC, resulted in 11 hospitalizations. The Horry County Police are investigating with no suspect details yet revealed. More injured individuals reportedly arrived at hospitals via private vehicles. The story is developing.

At least 11 hurt in South Carolina beach town shooting

In Little River, SC, a shooting late Sunday resulted in 11 hospitalizations. Police continue to investigate as more injured reportedly reached hospitals via private cars. Details on the perpetrator and incident are yet unavailable. Updates will follow soon.

A shooting in Little River, South Carolina, has led to 11 hospitalizations. The police are investigating, with no suspect details available yet.&nbsp;

LITTLE RIVER, S.C. (AP) &mdash; At least 11 people were taken to hospitals after a shooting Sunday night in a South Carolina beach town, authorities said.
Horry County Police did not give the conditions of anyone hurt in the shooting that happened about 9:30 p.m. in Little River.
Investigators were getting reports of more people arriving at the hospital in private vehicles, Horry County Police said on social media.
Authorities didn&rsquo;t release any information on possible suspects or what led to the shooting. Little River is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Myrtle Beach.

India and U.S. are seeing progress in trade deal talks, with teams meeting in Washington. Key goals include doubling trade by 2030, focusing on tariffs and market access.

India-US Trade Talks: Progress and Key Meetings

Significant progress in India-U.S. trade talks with key meetings scheduled in Washington. The interim deal is aimed at early wins, focusing on doubling trade by 2030.

India and U.S. are seeing progress in trade deal talks

India and the U.S. are progressing in trade talks. An Indian team is visiting Washington for discussions on an interim deal, targeting milestones by fall, aiming to double trade by 2030.

Negotiations for a new bilateral trade agreement between India and the United States are making significant headway, according to a senior government official. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal announced on Thursday that an Indian delegation is preparing to visit Washington to accelerate the talks.
The delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, is scheduled to hold discussions with U.S. officials from May 17 to 20. Key meetings include those with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Meanwhile, India's chief negotiator, Rajesh Agrawal, will engage with his U.S. counterpart from May 19 to 22.
These discussions are part of broader efforts by both nations to establish an interim trade agreement that promises "early mutual wins," in anticipation of finalizing the first phase of the comprehensive trade deal by the fall of this year.
"The negotiations are progressing very well, and our team is preparing to discuss further details with U.S. counterparts," Barthwal told reporters.
In a related development, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking in Doha, claimed that India has agreed to remove tariffs on several American goods. "India, which has one of the highest tariffs, has offered us a deal with no tariffs. This marks a significant change," Trump declared.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, addressing reporters on the sidelines of an event, cautioned that trade negotiations are intricate. "These are complicated negotiations, and nothing is decided until everything is. Any trade deal must be mutually beneficial," he emphasized.
Officials are aiming to finalize this phase of negotiations by September-October, with a longer-term goal to double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. "We are committed to enhancing trade with the U.S. The Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) will further strengthen this relationship," an official stated.
Key topics in the upcoming discussions will include market access, rules of origin, and non-tariff barriers. The negotiators hope to capitalize on a 90-day tariff pause window to push the talks forward. The U.S. suspended additional 26 percent tariffs on India until July 9, while maintaining baseline tariffs of 10 percent.
Previously, India's Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal held three-day discussions in Washington with Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch. Prior to this, Goyal met with Greer and Lutnick for bilateral talks in March.
As the U.S. continues to be India's largest trading partner&mdash;with bilateral trade reaching USD 131.84 billion in 2024-25&mdash;these negotiations are crucial. The U.S. constitutes around 18 percent of India's goods exports and 6.22 percent of imports, underscoring the importance of this evolving trade relationship.

India faces new challenges and opportunities with US-China tariff suspension. Trade tension easing offers growth in specific Indian sectors.

India Adapts to US-China Tariff Suspension

India encounters challenges and opportunities from US-China tariff suspension. Heightened competition for Indian exporters urged to leverage beneficial sectors.

US-China tariff deal brings mixed impact for India

US-China tariff suspension poses challenges for Indian exports, but offers growth in pharmaceuticals, jewelry, IT. India urged to strengthen trade ties with the US.

A recent decision by the US and China to suspend their tariff hikes for 90 days presents both challenges and opportunities for India, according to exporters.
The two countries have reached an agreement to significantly reduce most of their recent tariffs or import duties for 90 days, as they are in talks to resolve their trade disputes.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said the US agreed to reduce its 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods by 115 percentage points to 30 per cent, while China agreed to cut the rates to 10 per cent.
Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President SC Ralhan said the announcement reflects a significant thaw in trade tensions between the two largest economies.
"While such developments are broadly positive for global trade stability, they present both challenges and opportunities for India," he said, adding that the reduction in tariffs will likely result in a surge of US-China bilateral trade in high-value segments like electronics, machinery, and chemicals.
This may intensify competition for Indian exporters in markets like Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where India has recently made inroads, capitalising on US-China trade disruptions, he noted.
However, Ralhan said, India can leverage this shift to strengthen exports in sectors that remain relatively insulated from US-China trade, such as pharmaceutical APIs, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, organic chemicals and IT-enabled services.
"India must proactively engage with the US to secure and expand its preferential trade access, emphasising its role as a reliable alternate sourcing destination," he added.
The temporary nature of the tariff cuts may lead companies to hedge against future volatility by expanding manufacturing in India under the Make in India and PLI schemes, especially in electronics, auto components, and textiles, Ralhan noted.
Another exporter said the Indian government should keep a close watch on imports from China into India.
Commenting on the issue, think tank GTRI said that even though US tariffs on Indian goods remain at 10 per cent, well below the 30 per cent still imposed on Chinese imports, the massive tariff gap that once favoured India is shrinking fast.
"Just months ago, the US imposed duties of up to 145 per cent on Chinese goods, giving India a major edge in attracting companies looking to relocate. Now, that edge has narrowed dramatically, with the US and China easing tensions and bringing tariffs closer to parity," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.
He added that this shift risks undermining the "China Plus One" strategy that saw firms move manufacturing to India, Vietnam, and Mexico.
"A smart trade deal with the US could help preserve India's 10 per cent tariff access and prevent any hike to the proposed 26 per cent under US President Donald Trump's new country-specific duties. But beyond trade policy, India must urgently cut production costs, overhaul logistics, and improve regulatory predictability. And as it negotiates future FTAs, India must resist pressure to open up sensitive sectors like automobiles and pharmaceuticals without meaningful reciprocal gains," he added.
The US and China are the largest trading partners of India. While China was India's top trading partner from 2013-14 to 2017-18, and also in 2020-21.
After that, Washington replaced Beijing.
The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports and 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral trade. On the other hand, China's share is just about 4 per cent in exports and a staggering 15 per cent in imports.
In the last fiscal, India's exports to the US rose by 11.6 per cent to USD 86.51 billion against USD 77.52 billion in 2023-24. The imports were up by 7.44 per cent in 2024-25 to USD 45.33 billion compared to USD 42.2 billion in 2023-24.
The trade surplus with America touched USD 41.18 billion in the last fiscal from USD 35.32 billion in 2023-24.
In the last fiscal, India's exports to China contracted 14.5 per cent year-on-year to USD 14.25 billion. Imports, however, rose by 11.52 per cent in 2024-25 to USD 113.45 billion from USD 101.73 billion in 2023-24.
The trade deficit has widened to USD 99.2 billion in 2024-25.

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