UP farmer’s son elected mayor of market town in England
London (PTI): A farmer’s son from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, who was elected as a local town councillor earlier this month, has been chosen as the new mayor of Wellingborough, a market town in Northamptonshire in the East Midlands region of England.
Raj Mishra, 37, was elected from Victoria Ward of the town in the local elections held on May 6 and went on to be elected the fifth mayor of Wellingborough Town Council at an Annual Town Council Meeting on Tuesday.
News of his election brought much cheer among his friends and family back in Mirzapur.
“It is an honour to serve as the mayor of Wellingborough. I am committed to working collaboratively with all residents to foster a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous community. Together, we will build a brighter future for our town,” Mishra said in a statement.
“As mayor of Wellingborough, I bring years of local insight, professional experience, and a strong passion for public service to our community. Understanding the unique needs of our area, I am committed to supporting initiatives that drive positive change.
"My approach is rooted in listening, being approachable, and acting with integrity. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected Wellingborough for everyone,” the statement adds.
The Town Council Mayor is elected annually by the council from its elected members with a primary role to preside over council meetings, ensuring the proper conduct of business and interpreting standing orders.
The mayor also serves as a civic representative, connecting the council with the community and attending formal events.
Mishra, a Conservative Party member, has chosen the Veterans Community Network and Louisa Gregory’s Hospice Campaign as charities for his 2025-26 term.
His efforts over the course of the year will revolve around raising the profile of these organisations and attract funds and support for their work during his term.
“My approach to leadership is rooted in active listening and collaboration. I believe that every resident’s voice matters, and I am dedicated to ensuring that our town’s governance reflects the diverse needs and aspirations of our community. By fostering open dialogues and building strong relationships, we can address challenges head-on and create lasting positive change,” adds Mishra.
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Supreme Court strikes down Trump's sweeping tariffs, upending central plank of economic agenda
Washington (AP): The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's far-reaching global tariffs on Friday, handing him a significant loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda.
The 6-3 decision centres on tariffs imposed under an emergency powers law, including the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs he levied on nearly every other country.
It's the first major piece of Trump's broad agenda to come squarely before the nation's highest court, which he helped shape with the appointments of three conservative jurists in his first term.
The majority found that the Constitution “very clearly” gives Congress the power to impose taxes, which include tariffs. “The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote.
Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.
“The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy. But as a matter of text, history, and precedent, they are clearly lawful,” Kavanaugh wrote in the dissent.
The majority did not address whether companies could get refunded for the billions they have collectively paid in tariffs. Many companies, including the big-box warehouse chain Costco, have already lined up for refunds in court, and Kavanaugh noted the process could be complicated.
“The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the Government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers. But that process is likely to be a mess,' as was acknowledged at oral argument,” he wrote.
The tariffs decision doesn't stop Trump from imposing duties under other laws. While those have more limitations on the speed and severity of Trump's actions, top administration officials have said they expect to keep the tariff framework in place under other authorities.
The Supreme Court ruling comes despite a series of short-term wins on the court's emergency docket that have allowed Trump to push ahead with extraordinary flexes of executive power on issues ranging from high-profile firings to major federal funding cuts.
The Republican president has been vocal about the case, calling it one of the most important in US history and saying a ruling against him would be an economic body blow to the country. But legal opposition crossed the political spectrum, including libertarian and pro-business groups that are typically aligned with the GOP. Polling has found tariffs aren't broadly popular with the public, amid wider voter concern about affordability.
The Constitution gives Congress the power to levy tariffs. But the Trump administration argued that a 1977 law allowing the president to regulate importation during emergencies also allows him to set tariffs. Other presidents have used the law dozens of times, often to impose sanctions, but Trump was the first president to invoke it for import taxes.
Trump set what he called "reciprocal" tariffs on most countries in April 2025 to address trade deficits that he declared a national emergency. Those came after he imposed duties on Canada, China and Mexico, ostensibly to address a drug trafficking emergency.
A series of lawsuits followed, including a case from a dozen largely Democratic-leaning states and others from small businesses selling everything from plumbing supplies to educational toys to women's cycling apparel.
The challengers argued the emergency powers law doesn't even mention tariffs and Trump's use of it fails several legal tests, including one that doomed then-President Joe Biden's USD 500 billion student loan forgiveness program.
The economic impact of Trump's tariffs has been estimated at some USD 3 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Treasury has collected more than USD 133 billion from the import taxes the president has imposed under the emergency powers law, federal data from December shows.
