Houthi Missile ‘Hits' Ben Gurion Airport, Flights ‘Halted,' Israelis ‘Panic'
US President Donald Trump has sounded alarm bells for India, issuing a direct 10% tariff threat on all BRICS nations. In his remarks, Trump warned that if BRICS forms 'in a meaningful way, it will end very quickly.' While he didn't name countries, India, one of the founding BRICS members, is firmly in the spotlight. The comments follow BRICS expansion and moves like BRICS Pay, a cross-border payment system aimed at reducing dollar dependency. Trump labeled these initiatives 'anti-American,' and pledged to block any US digital currency to defend the dollar. India, balancing ties with the US and the Global South, now finds itself in a strategic squeeze: stay aligned with BRICS or risk economic retaliation? With a 50% tariff slapped on Brazil and more threats looming, how will India navigate this geopolitical and economic crossfire?#donaldtrump #brics #india #indiaus #brics #trumptariff #dollarvsrupee #globaltrade #geopolitics #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews
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India.com
10 minutes ago
- India.com
How to stop deadly US bunker buster bomb? Scientist from this country proposes solution, bad news for Trump due to...
US President Donald Trump Beijing: The United States' bunker-buster bombs have reportedly raised concerns in China. These are the same powerful weapons the U.S. previously used to strike Iran's nuclear facilities. It is important to note that the US's precision-guided bunker-buster bombs fly at a slow speed after being launched but carry massive warheads encased in thick armor. Chinese scientists have now claimed they have found a way to counter these American bunker-busters which doesn't require any sophisticated technology. Chinese President Xi Jinping is reportedly pleased with their suggestion. When US B-2 stealth bombers attacked Iran's nuclear facilities using GBU-57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) bunker-buster bombs, there was reportedly minimal resistance. Chinese scientists, proposing a way to stop these bombs, said that the target country should strike the bomb's weak spots. While the front armor of the bomb is thick, its steel edges are relatively thin — only a few centimeters thick — which means one or two anti-aircraft shells could penetrate and neutralize the bomb. Here are some of the key details: Low-cost anti-aircraft guns can be deployed around key installations. These guns must remain operational, be able to track radar, and withstand electronic warfare. Instead of using China's own weapons, the simulation used the Swiss Oerlikon GDF gun, which is widely used in the Middle East, including Iran. The GDF fires 36 rounds in just two seconds. At a distance of 1,200 meters (0.7 miles), its strike accuracy reaches 42 percent. The method was published on April 14 in Journal of Gun Launch and Control, one of China's top weapons journals, by a team led by researcher Cui Jingyi from the Northwest Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, part of Chinese weapons manufacturer Norinco.

Business Standard
10 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Japan votes in key election as Prime Minister Ishiba faces possible loss
Japanese were voting Sunday for seats in the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses in a key election with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition facing a possible defeat that could worsen the country's political instability. Voters were deciding half of the 248 seats in the upper house, the less powerful of the two chambers in Japan's Diet. Early results were expected Sunday night. Ishiba has set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which means his Liberal Democratic Party and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito need to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already have. That is a big retreat from the 141 seats they had pre-election, but media surveys predict big setbacks for Ishiba. A poor performance on Sunday would not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file no-confidence against a leader, but it would certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Ishiba would face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors have also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his unpopular government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. US President Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations, and the lack of sales of US autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba. Ishiba has resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters are rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. The eight main opposition groups, however, are too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative. The emerging populist party Sanseito stands out with the toughest anti-foreigner stance with its Japanese First platform that proposes a new agency to centralize policies related to foreigners. The party's populist platform also includes anti-vaccine, anti-globalism and favours traditional gender roles. Conservative to centrist opposition groups, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, or CDPJ, the DPP, and Sanseito have gained significant ground at the Liberal Democrats' expense. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the election campaign and on social media has triggered protests by human rights activists and alarmed foreign residents. The LDP has almost continuously dominated Japan's postwar politics, contributing to its political stability and social conformity. Voters are divided between stability and change, with some voicing concern about escalating xenophobia. Yuko Tsuji, a 43-year-old consultant, who came to a polling station inside a downtown Tokyo gymnasium with her husband, said they both support the LDP for stability and unity and voted for candidates who won't fuel division." If the ruling party doesn't govern properly, the conservative base will drift toward extremes. So I voted with the hope that the ruling party would tighten things up, she said. Self-employed Daiichi Nasu, 57, who came to vote with his dog, said he hopes for a change toward a more inclusive and diverse society, with more open immigration and gender policies such as allowing married couples to keep separate surnames. That's why I voted for the CDPJ, he said. I want to see progress on those fronts.
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First Post
10 minutes ago
- First Post
This Week in Explainers: Did Trump send birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein with ‘naked' woman's drawing?
The Epstein files continue to haunt Donald Trump. Under pressure, he has asked for the release of more documents related to the accused sex offender. This, after the Wall Street Journal published a report about a birthday letter sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 with Trump's name. We talk about the Trump-Epstein drama as he sues the newspaper and more in our weekly wrap read more A person takes a photo as a message calling on President Donald Trump to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein is projected onto the US Chamber of Commerce building across from the White House in Washington, DC, on July 18. Trump's administration said it would seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein, as the US president sought to dispel lingering political fallout over his team's handling of the late financier's sex trafficking case. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will ask a court to unseal the grand jury transcripts, as Trump's relationship with Epstein came under the spotlight again over an alleged off-colour letter published by the Wall Street Journal. AFP It's been yet another week of flip-flops courtesy of Donald Trump. The US President is 'frustrated' with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. So much so that he announced a deal to send US weapons to Ukraine through Nato. That's not all. Trump threatened 100 per cent tariffs on Russia and secondary sanctions on its trading partners if there was no deal to end the war by early September. Potus reportedly asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if Kyiv could strike the Russian capital if he provided long-range weaponry. But he seemed to have changed in mind, later saying that Ukraine should not target the Russian capital. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD West Asia was on the boil yet again. In Syria, clashes broke out between government forces and members of the Druze community, a minority sect, in the Suweida province. As the fighting escalated, Israel intervened, attacking its northern neighbour, even bombing the capital Damascus. The Jewish nation said it was defending the Druze. The country remains on edge. Sectarian clashes continue in southern Syria despite a ceasefire announcement. Druze fighters reportedly pushed out Bedouin gunmen from the city of Suweida on Saturday. Trump has been on a war path with Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. There was speculation that he might fire Powell after a meeting on Tuesday (July 15) at which he polled lawmakers about what he should do. Turns out, Potus decided against it. The president is not having the best week. The Epstein files continue to haunt him. He has ordered the US justice department to produce additional documents related to the sex offender amid an explosive Wall Street Journal report that he sent Jeffrey Epstein 'bawdy letters for a 50th birthday'. Following through on his Libel threat, Trump has also sued Rupert Murdoch and two reporters over the article. As the controversy refuses to die down, Trump's Maga base is losing patience – they are not happy that the Epstein list has been kept secret, and they are not happy about the support to Ukraine either. In Asia, Pakistan is battling the same old problem – intense floods that have claimed hundreds of lives. Bangladesh once again was gripped by violence, this time in ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's hometown, Gopalganj. And Thailand was rocked by a sex scandal involving monks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In our weekly wrap, we take a deep dive into some of these stories. 1. US President Donald Trump has changed his tune on the Russia-Ukraine war. At one time, he appeared to be courting his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. But this past week has been about tough talk – Potus has set a 50-day deadline for Putin to end the conflict and has threatened Moscow and its trading partners with tariffs. He has a new weapons plan for Ukraine. But why this big U-turn? This explainer analyses. Ukrainian service members walk next to a launcher of a Patriot air defence system, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location. US President Donald Trump has said to have discussed providing Patriot missiles to Kyiv. File photo/Reuters 2. The Donald Trump-Jeffrey Epstein saga is far from over. The US president has ordered the Justice Department to produce some additional documents related to the sex offender. Amid growing pressure over the Epstein files from the Maga base, an explosive report by the Wall Street Journal revealed that the disgraced financier received a note on his 50th birthday, which bore the president's name and the drawing of a naked woman. Were Trump and Epstein close? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People walk out of the West Wing of the White House with 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' binders, in Washington, DC, on, February 27 Trump said on Thursday (July 17) that he had directed his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking case. Reuters 3. There's a new chapter to the Donald Trump vs Jerome Powell story. The president has been going after the Federal Reserve chair for a while. Earlier in the week, he almost fired him. Hours after asking lawmakers whether he should sack the central banker, the president said it was 'highly unlikely' that he would do so. But does Potus have this power? Donald Trump on Tuesday asked a group of House Republicans if he should fire Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. File photo/Reuters 5. Donald Trump wants to make Coca-Cola great again. He says the beverage giant has agreed to use real cane sugar in its drinks sold in the US. The cola currently has corn syrup in American products. So what changes? Well, to put it simply, the American Coke will now taste like the Indian one. 6. West Asia continues to be gripped by instability. In Syria, clashes erupted between Bedouin gunmen and militias linked with the Druze minority. Government forces were blamed for joining in attacks on the Druze. Then Israel decided to step in. It launched strikes against the Syrian forces and bombed military infrastructure in Damascus. The fighting stopped after a truce was announced on Wednesday (July 15). But why did the Jewish nation attack Syria? Why does it want to protect the Druze? We explain. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bedouin fighters stand in front of a burned shop at Mazraa village on the outskirts of Sweida city, during clashes between the Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, on July 18. AP 7. Next, we talk about a shocker from Thailand. A sex scandal involving hundreds of monks is unravelling in the Asian nation. A woman has been arrested for allegedly seducing Thai monks and then extorting millions by blackmailing them with intimate videos and photos. Several high-profile monks have been cast out of the monkhood. Here's what we know. Thailand's Buddhist monks are under scrutiny after the arrest of a woman, who allegedly had sexual relations with monks and used photos and videos to blackmail them. Representational pic/AFP 8. Our last story is about the paranormal. Dan Rivera, the handler of the 'haunted' Annabelle doll, died suddenly while touring in the US. His death comes days after rumours circulated that the toy had gone missing. This is the story of the paranormal investigator and the doll. That's our reading list for you this Sunday, dear readers. If you are hooked, you can find more such stories here.