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US' Rubio, Pak PM acknowledge importance of working together for peace

US' Rubio, Pak PM acknowledge importance of working together for peace

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday acknowledged the importance of working together to promote peace and stability in the region.
Rubio dialled Sharif to discuss the Middle East situation.
"The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran and maintaining regional stability," said Tammy Bruce, US State Department Spokesperson.
Both leaders "agreed to continue working together to strengthen Pakistan-US relations, particularly to increase trade", said a statement released by the Pakistan government.
Commenting on the current situation in the Middle East, Sharif asserted that Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role in establishing peace in the Middle East.
Sharif also praised US President Trump's "courageous and decisive leadership, which led to a ceasefire between Iran and Israel."

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Majithia case: Badal dares CM Mann to prove foreign funding by Saraya Industries
Majithia case: Badal dares CM Mann to prove foreign funding by Saraya Industries

Hindustan Times

time39 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Majithia case: Badal dares CM Mann to prove foreign funding by Saraya Industries

Chandigarh, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday dared Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to prove that Saraya Industries, in which party leader Bikram Singh Majithia had an inherited share of 11 per cent, had received even one rupee in foreign funding from 2007. Majithia case: Badal dares CM Mann to prove foreign funding by Saraya Industries Lashing out at the Aam Aadmi Party government for arresting Majithia, Badal said that a case was registered against the former Akali minister because he was "constantly exposing" the Mann dispensation over various issues. The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Majithia on June 25 in a disproportionate assets case allegedly involving laundering of ₹ 540 crore "drug money". The Vigilance Bureau claimed the preliminary investigations revealed that more than ₹ 540 crore of drug money was laundered through several channels allegedly facilitated by Majithia, who is the brother-in-law of the SAD president. It included huge unaccounted cash worth ₹ 161 crore deposited in bank accounts of companies controlled by Majithia, channelisation of ₹ 141 crore through suspected foreign entities, excess deposition of ₹ 236 crore without disclosure or explanation in company financial statements and acquisition of movable and immovable assets by Majithia without any legitimate sources of income. Addressing the media here, the SAD chief trashed the Vigilance Bureau's claims against Majithia regarding the disproportionate assets. "The only foreign funding received by Saraya Industries was in March, 2006 when it received ₹ 35 crore from the US-based Clearwater Corporation in exchange for 25 per cent shares in the company. Majithia entered politics only in 2007," said Badal. "Clearwater Corporation, which had offices in several countries, had invested ₹ 50,000 crore globally. All money invested by this company through the NBFC in Saraya Industries was done after due clearance from the Reserve Bank of India and approval of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board ," he added. Badal also said that all transactions of Saraya Industries were scrutinized and accepted by the Income Tax department. "This clearly proves that claims of an investment of ₹ 540 crore into Saraya Industries through foreign funding are absurd and malicious and being done with the sole purpose of defaming Majithia," he added. The SAD chief also clarified that all cash transactions done by Saraya Industries while procuring sugarcane and conducting distillery business had also been scrutinized by the Income Tax department. Badal stated that Saraya Industries Ltd was a private limited company deemed to be a public limited company and was a different entity from Majithia and could not be associated with the latter. "Majithia has no control over the company's day-to-day functioning," he said. Badal accused Chief Minister Mann of pressurizing the state police chief to register a case against Majithia. The SAD chief claimed that no investigation had been done before registering the case. "The Vigilance department did not deem it fit to issue a questionnaire to Majithia which is a prerequisite before filing such a case," he said. Badal said an affidavit, which the government had submitted to the Supreme Court in 2023 while appealing for cancellation of the regular bail given to Majithia and seeking his custodial interrogation in the 2021 drug case, was used "verbatim" to register this new case against him. "This was done despite the fact that the Supreme Court rejected the affidavit in April this year and refused to overturn the regular bail given to Majithia by the high court or grant the request for custodial interrogation. The apex court even asked the A government to complete the probe in two days following which it has now taken this new route to engage in political vendetta," he claimed. The SAD president also condemned the manner in which retired officers former DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya and former deputy director of Enforcement Directorate Niranjan Singh were called by the Vigilance Bureau to share information regarding the drug case. Terming the entire case as "illegal and a willful fabrication", Badal said, "We will go to people and expose the A government." This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Despite airstrikes, Trump officials quietly courted Iran with $30 billion nuclear deal and sanction relief
Despite airstrikes, Trump officials quietly courted Iran with $30 billion nuclear deal and sanction relief

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

Despite airstrikes, Trump officials quietly courted Iran with $30 billion nuclear deal and sanction relief

Even though US president Donald Trump publicly celebrated the bold strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities last weekend, his administration is quietly pursuing a very different approach by secretly meeting with Iranian officials and proposing various deals to lure them back to the negotiating table for nuclear talks, as per a report. Trump Administration Holds Secret Nuclear Talks With Iran According to a CNN report, a team of US officials led by special envoy Steve Witkoff have been engaged in private conversations with Iranian officials amid the heightened tensions and conflict with Israel. Sources familiar with the talks told CNN that the Trump administration floated proposals that included the possibility of investing $20 to $30 billion in a civilian non-enrichment nuclear program in Iran, as reported by Daily Beast. The team has reportedly even discussed about the potential of lifting some sanctions so Tehran could access $6 billion which are frozen in foreign bank accounts, according to the report. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mountain Gear for Extreme Conditions Trek Kit India Learn More Undo A Trump administration official told CNN on the condition of anonymity that, 'The U.S. is willing to lead these talks,' adding, 'And someone is going to need to pay for the nuclear program to be built, but we will not make that commitment,' as quoted by Daily Beast in its report. ALSO READ: Trump says Iran warned of missile strike at Al Udeid base: 'They asked if 1 o'clock was OK — I said fine' Live Events Gulf Allies Could Help Rebuild Fordow Site While, two other Trump administration officials revealed that the Trump administration even suggested that US-backed allies in the Gulf could pay to replace the recently bombed Fordow nuclear site with a civilian non-enrichment program, as reported by Daily Beast. CNN's source told the outlet, 'There are a lot of ideas being thrown around by different people, and a lot of them are trying to be creative,' and another source added, 'I think it is entirely uncertain what will happen here,' as quoted by Daily Beast. ALSO READ: Pornhub, XNXX in panic? US Supreme Court ruling lets states crack down on online adult content access Donald Trump Dismisses Urgency of New Nuclear Deal However, the US president told reporters during the NATO Summit on Wednesday that he did not believe a new nuclear deal with Iran was necessary, even though he confirmed that the United States would be holding talks with Iran next week, but the date is not yet been decided, according to the Daily Beast report. Trump mentioned that, 'We may sign an agreement, I don't know,' as quoted in the report. He said, 'They had a war, they fought, now they're going back to their world. I don't care if I have an agreement or not,' as quoted by Daily Beast. Previously, talks between Washington and Tehran were supposed to be held in Oman but were cancelled after Israel launched an attack on Iranian targets, as per the report. US Focuses on Promoting a Non-Enrichable Nuclear Future for Iran While Witkoff told CNBC on Wednesday that the United States continues to seek a 'comprehensive peace agreement,' as quoted by Daily Beast. He highlighted that, 'Now the issue and the conversation with Iran is going to be, how do we rebuild a better civil nuclear program for you that is non-enrichable?' as quoted in the report. FAQs Is the US lifting sanctions in Iran? There's discussion of easing sanctions to allow Iran access to $6 billion in frozen assets. Is the US negotiating with Iran while bombing its nuclear sites? According to a CNN report, the Trump administration has reportedly been in secret talks with Iranian officials even after the strikes.

US Senate reduces remittance tax to 1 pc from 3.5 pc in relief for NRIs
US Senate reduces remittance tax to 1 pc from 3.5 pc in relief for NRIs

Hans India

time2 hours ago

  • Hans India

US Senate reduces remittance tax to 1 pc from 3.5 pc in relief for NRIs

Washington: The US Senate has proposed to reduce remittance transfer tax from 3.5 per cent to just 1 per cent, offering considerable relief to non-resident Indians (NRIs). The revised draft of US President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" excludes transfers from accounts held at banks and other financial institutions, and also excludes transfers made via debit and credit cards issued in the United States. It means that a large portion of day-to-day remittances may fall outside the scope of the new tax. Originally, the bill sought a 5 per cent tax but the final House version lowered it to 3.5 per cent. According to Lloyd Pinto, Partner-US Tax, Grant Thornton Bharat, Senate republicans released their updated draft of the proposed 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' and have a self-imposed deadline of July 4 to try to pass this bill. 'The updated Senate version significantly changes the remittance transfer provisions that was passed by the House Republicans. In the latest Senate draft, the remittance transfer tax has been reduced to 1 per cent from the erstwhile proposal of 3.5 per cent,' he said. Notably, the Senate proposal excludes transfers from accounts held at banks and other financial institution and also excludes transfers made via debit and credit cards issued in the United States. The remittance transfer tax will apply only to any remittance transfer for which the sender provides cash, a money order, a cashier's check, or other similar physical instrument to the remittance transfer provider. This tax will apply to transfers made after December 31, 2025. 'This should come as a huge relief to the NRI community in the US as they will not be subject to this remittance tax if the remittances are made through accounts held with designated US bank and financial institutions or funded via debit or credit cards issued in the US,' Pinto noted.

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