Close to making a deal with India: Trump amid fresh tariffs on fourteen nations
New York/Washington (PTI): The US is close to making a trade deal with India, President Donald Trump has said.
“Now, we've made a deal with the United Kingdom, we've made a deal with China….We're close to making a deal with India. Others we met with and we don't think we're going to be able to make a deal, so we just send them a letter. If you want to play ball, this is what you have to pay,” Trump said on Monday.
The remarks came as the Trump administration sent out the first tranche of “letters” to various countries Monday detailing the tariffs that the US will impose on products from those countries entering America.
The countries that got these letters, signed by Trump, were Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.
“We're sending out letters to various countries telling them how much tariffs they have to pay,” Trump said.
He added that the countries were “ripping” the US and “were charging us tariffs at levels that nobody's ever seen before. We have some countries that were charging 200% tariffs and making it impossible to do business.
“And what the tariffs are doing is they're driving people in and companies into the United States,” he said while speaking to reporters ahead of a bilateral dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Monday.
Trump also repeated the claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan by telling the two neighbours that Washington would not do trade with them if they continued the fighting.
“We did a job with India and Pakistan, Serbia, Kosovo, Rwanda and the Congo, and this was all over the last three weeks or so… and others that were ready to fight,” Trump said.
“And we stopped a lot of fights. I think the very big one, frankly, a very, very big one, was India and Pakistan. And we stopped that over trade," he said.
"We said we're not going to be dealing with you at all if you're going to fight. And they were maybe at a nuclear stage. They're both nuclear powers. And I think stopping that was very important,” Trump added.
Trump went on to say that the US is trying to help out with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling it a (Joe) “Biden-created monster”.
“This whole thing that's happening with Russia and Ukraine, horrible, it's a horrible thing. And I'm not happy with Russian President (Vladimir) Putin at all. But this is something that would have never happened if I were president. This is a war that was never going to happen,” Trump said.
At the dinner, Netanyahu presented Trump with a letter that he had sent to the Nobel Prize Committee nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Previously, Trump has bemoaned that he won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the war between India and Pakistan or for his efforts in the Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Iran conflicts.
Since May 10, Trump has repeated more than a dozen times his claim that he “helped settle” the tensions between India and Pakistan and that he told the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours that America will do a “lot of trade” with them if they stop the conflict.
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Cong seeks thorough probe into Goa nightclub fire; Rahul alleges criminal failure of governance
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Sunday demanded a comprehensive investigation and strict accountability for the tragic fire at a nightclub in Goa that killed 25 people, with Rahul Gandhi claiming it was a criminal failure of safety and governance.
The fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub at Arpora village in North Goa, early Sunday, killing at least 25 people, including four tourists and 14 staff members, and injuring six others.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the blaze.
“This avoidable tragic incident is an irreparable loss, and I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured.
ALSO READ: Cong seeks thorough probe into Goa nightclub fire; Rahul alleges criminal failure of governance
“Such tragedies call for a comprehensive investigation, strict accountability, and immediate steps to ensure that all fire safety norms are enforced, so that such devastating incidents are never repeated,” Kharge said in a post on X.
The veteran leader also appealed to all the Congress workers in the coastal region to extend every possible support and assistance to the affected families and stand with them in this hour of grief.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said he was deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora.
“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured. This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough, transparent probe must fix accountability and ensure such preventable tragedies don't occur again,” Gandhi said in an X post.
Congress general secretary in charge of organisation, K C Venugopal, sought fixing of accountability for the tragic blaze so that such incidents are not repeated.
"The fire at a night club in Arpora, Goa, is shocking and I convey my heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims who lost their lives.
"This tragedy took place because of the negligence of the authorities in enforcing fire safety norms. We urge a thorough and impartial investigation to identify those responsible and to ensure accountability, so that such a tragedy is never repeated," he said in a post on X.
Deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora, Goa that claimed more than 20 lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 7, 2025
This is not just an accident, it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough,…
