Tension grips Manipur's Ukhrul after militants set ablaze several houses
Imphal (PTI): Armed militants allegedly torched several houses in Manipur's Ukhrul district, as tensions simmered in the area after a Tangkhul Naga community member was “assaulted” by a group of people, officials said on Monday.
Two tribal groups had on Sunday evening engaged in intense stone pelting at Litan village in the district, prompting the administration to clamp prohibitory orders, they said.
Around midnight on Monday, several houses of Tangkhul Naga community members were set on fire at Litan Sareikhong, allegedly by Kuki militants. A few houses of those belonging to the Kuki community were also torched in a nearby area, the officials said.
Tangkhul is the largest Naga tribe in Manipur. Litan Sareikhong is a Kuki village.
"The damages are being ascertained, and the situation remains tense," a district official told PTI.
Video footages doing the rounds show armed men setting fire to houses and vehicles in the village, and militants wearing camouflage firing with sophisticated weapons in the air.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video clips.
Additional security personnel have been deployed at Mahadev, Lambui and Shangkai and in other areas leading to Litan to maintain law and order and prevent movement of suspicious persons, the official said.
On Sunday evening, security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the two tribal groups that clashed at Litan Sareikhong village, he said.
A notification issued by the Ukhrul district magistrate said there was apprehension of breach of peace and tranquillity at the village, due to tension between members of the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities.
DM Asish Das said in the notification that the movement of anyone outside the person’s residence is prohibited from 7 pm on Sunday until further orders.
The decree shall not be applicable to government officials and security personnel, it added.
Violence broke out in the area, after a Tangkhul Naga community member was allegedly assaulted by seven to eight persons at Litan village on Saturday night.
The matter was settled by the victim's side and the chief of Litan Sareikhong, and both parties mutually agreed to resolve the issue through customary means, with a meeting scheduled for Sunday, the officials said.
However, the meeting did not take place.
Instead, a group of villagers from nearby Sikibung allegedly launched an attack on the residence of the chief of Litan Sareikhong, they said.
The villagers also reportedly fired seven rounds while passing through the vicinity of Litan police station.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
