Shivakumar to meet party leaders in Delhi on Feb 10
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said that he would go to New Delhi to meet party leaders on February 10.
"I will be meeting the party leaders who have called me to Delhi. During the visit, I will also meet Union Water Resource Minister C R Patil and legal counsels as well," he told reporters here.
Asked if top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called him to Delhi, Shivakumar said, "I can’t disclose names of all the people I will be meeting. Why are you so curious? I am not just the Deputy CM but also the Congress state president. I will complete six years as the KPCC President on March 10 and it is my duty to meet party MPs and party leaders."
"I keep meeting my party leaders and share my difficulties, sorrows, joys and aspirations," Shivakumar added.
Asked about his Delhi visit when his department pre-budget meetings are scheduled, the DCM said he will seek Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's permission.
He noted that the Chief Minister is also the Chairman of the Irrigation department.
He said the officials will meet Siddaramaiah on Mekedatu balancing reservoir that has been proposed on the Cauvery river at the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu border.
Shivakumar also said that he has ordered forming a Special Investigation Team in the Revenue Department against the nexus to loot the irrigation department in a planned way.
His visit comes amidst the leadership tussle involving him and Siddaramaiah re-surfacing.
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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.
