Haryana: 9 killed, 3 missing as vehicle plunges into Bhakra Canal in Fatehabad
Chandigarh, Feb 1 (PTI): Nine people, including five women and a toddler died, while three are missing after a vehicle carrying 14 passengers plunged into the Bhakra Canal in Haryana's Fatehabad district, police said on Saturday.
A man and an 11-year-old boy were rescued, police said.
The accident took place near Sardarewala village in Ratia on Friday night when dense fog engulfed the area, police said.
Most of the passengers of the Force Cruiser vehicle were residents of Mehmara village. They were returning after attending a wedding ceremony at a village in Punjab's Fazilka district, police said.
Due to poor visibility caused by dense fog, the driver lost control of the vehicle near Sardarewala village and it fell into the Bhakra Canal, they said.
Nine bodies have been retrieved so far and efforts are underway to trace three more missing passengers, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Ratia) Sanjay Kumar said.
The bodies were fished out around 50-55 km away from the spot where the vehicle fell into the canal, said police.
Five women, an 11-year-old girl and a one-year-old child were among those killed, the officer said.
The water level in the canal was reduced, police said, adding teams of the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and divers were conducting the rescue operation.
Around 50 people are part of the rescue operation, said police.
A post-mortem examination of the bodies was conducted at the local hospital.
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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.
