Youth Akali Dal leader shot dead in Mohali
Chandigarh, Aug 7 (PTI): Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Middukhera was shot dead in broad daylight in Punjab's Mohali on Saturday, police said.
Two armed miscreants opened fire at Middukhera in a market area and fled the spot, Mohali Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Akashdeep Singh Aulakh told PTI over phone.
A case has been registered, and further investigations are underway, he said, adding that police are trying to identify the accused, four in total, and are hopeful of nabbing them soon.
Footage from CCTV cameras in the area showed the miscreants open fire at Middukhera as he was getting into his parked car.
The police said he had gone to meet a real estate dealer in the area. The miscreants, all wearing caps and face masks, can be seen chasing Middukhera and firing shots as he attempted to run for cover.
The police said eight to nine rounds were fired, after which the miscreants escaped in a car.
After the attack, Middukhera, who was a former president of the SAD's student wing, Student Organisation of India, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead, the police added.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior leader and party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said the incident has once again exposed the state's deteriorating law and order situation .
No one feels safe because the law and order situation in Punjab has broken down, he said.
Cheema said the incident also raises questions as there is heightened security across the state ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
This shows there is no fear of law as the incident took place in broad daylight, he said, and demanded a high-level probe.
Cheema described Middukhera as a bright and talented youth leader.
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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.
