Entertainment
Trump greets Modi on birthday, praises Ukraine diplomacy as trade row simmers
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received warm congratulations from US President Donald Trump on his birthday Tuesday and praise for his efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as tense trade talks continued between the two countries.
“Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, describing his call with Modi as “wonderful” and praising India´s leader for doing a “tremendous job.”
Modi, posting on X, thanked Trump for his greetings, said he was determined to take bilateral ties to “new heights” and supports Trump´s efforts towards a “peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
Ties between New Delhi and Washington have been under tension since Trump raised tariffs on most Indian exports to 50% last month in retaliation for New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
White House officials have accused Indian oil refiners of profiteering and argued that New Delhi’s decision to buy Russian crude has helped finance Moscow´s war in Ukraine.
But over the last week, the leaders of both countries have offered more conciliatory public statements and said they remain committed to continuing trade negotiations.
And on Tuesday, Indian and US trade officials held discussions in the capital, New Delhi.
The US delegation included Brendan Lynch, assistant trade representative for South and Central Asia.
“Acknowledging the enduring importance of bilateral trade between India and the US, the discussions were positive and forward looking covering various aspects of the trade deal,” an Indian commerce ministry statement said.
“It was decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement,” it added.
Despite being one of the first few countries to start trade negotiations with Washington, India has so far failed to secure a deal that would ease its tariff burden.
Exporters in the world’s most populous country have already warned of cancelled orders and potentially significant job losses.
Trump’s decision to mix issues of war and peace with trade by bumping up duties on most Indian goods from 25% to 50% has also complicated matters.
Experts believe that despite both sides pushing forward, a trade deal still will require tough negotiations.
“Any progress hinges on Washington rolling back the oil-linked 25% duty. Without that, no breakthrough is politically or economically viable,” Ajay Srivastava of the Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think-tank, said in a note Tuesday.
Entertainment
South Korean President Lee tries to ease tensions with North Korea, seeks China’s help
South Korea and China signed seven agreements including cooperation on innovation, online crime prevention, and elderly care industries during meeting
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to assist in restarting stalled talks with nuclear-armed North Korea.
Lee hosted Xi following an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) highlighting the significance of renewed dialogue on the Korean Peninsula.
“I am very positive about the situation in which conditions for engagement with North Korea are being formed,” Lee noted, highlighting recent high-level exchanges between Beijing and Pyongyang.
Lee called Xi, who visited South Korea after 11 years, for closer strategic communication with China to “take advantage of these favourable conditions” to resume peace talks.
Xi, in remarks ahead of the summit, described South Korea as an “inseparable cooperative partner,” stressing Beijing’s desire to “jointly tackle challenges” and “widen cooperation.”
Adding to the conversation related to the improving ties between South Korea and North Korea, Chinese state media later confirmed that Xi proposed mutual respect for each country’s systems and increased collaboration in technology, green industries, and aging population initiatives.
The visit reflects the complex balance South Korea intends to maintain between its security alliance with the US and its economic dependence on China.
During the meeting, both countries agreed on “seven” agreements including a won-yuan currency swap and accords on innovation, online crime prevention, and elderly care industries.
Earlier, North Korea refused to engage with Seoul by swiftly dismissing its denuclearization plan. Furthermore, despite having strong ties with China and Russia, North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un, maintained the stance of “dialogue with the South is off the table.”
Fans suspect that Travis Kelce’s ex, Kayla Nicole, has taken a subtle swipe at his fiancée Taylor Swift, with her Halloween post.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, October 31, Nicole, 33, shared a photo of herself dressed up as Toni Braxton for Halloween. She recreated the singer’s look from her song He Wasn’t Man Enough.
“Listen, girl / Who do you think I am? / Don’t you know that he was my man? / But I chose to let him go / So why do you act like I still care about him?” part of the song’s lyrics read.
“What you thinkin’? / Stop blamin’ me / He wasn’t man enough for me / If you don’t know, now here’s the chance / I’ve already had your man.”
The lyrics of the song made fans speculate that it was a dig at Kelce, whom Nicola dated from 2017 through 2022.
“This was a very SAVAGE move,” commented one fan, while another wrote, “This is how you have the last laugh.. “
A third commented, “Somebody gon check on TayTay?”
This comes after Taylor apparently took a shot at Kayla with her The Life of a Show Girl song Opalite.
According to swifties, the lyrics point to a video of Kayla and Travis at a diner, where the NFL player said, “Oh, my God. Get off your phone. Get off your phone. … You’re not even drinking your wine anymore, can we go?”
In Opalite, Taylor sings, “You couldn’t understand it / Why you felt alone / You were in it for real / She was in her phone / You were just a pose,” Swift, 35, sings on the track. “And don’t we try to love love / And give it all we got / You finally left the table / And what a simple thought / You’re starving ’til you’re not.”
- Imran illegally confined in jail: Ali Zaidi.
- ‘Corrupt, land grabbers gifted power.’
- Fawad, Ismail meet Qureshi in hospital.
Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Haider Zaidi has ruled out any plans to return to politics, saying “there is no politics left in a country where the corrupt, land grabbers, and extortionists are gifted with power through a rigged election”.
Zaidi, a close aide of PTI founding chairman, had stepped away from the party and politics amid the crackdown following May 9, 2023, riots, during which military installations were attacked following the arrest of Imran Khan, the former prime minister.
In a post on X, the ex-PTI lawmaker dismissed speculation about his political relaunch, saying: “Let me be clear: I am not planning to enter politics anytime soon.”
Explaining his reasons, Zaidi wrote: “Firstly, my financial circumstances and my personal family obligations don’t allow it.”
He went on to criticise the country’s political and judicial systems, expressing disillusionment with the current state of affairs. “There is no politics in a country where the corrupt, the land grabbers, the extortionists, even those with blood on their hands are gifted power through a rigged election, protected by a compromised judiciary, which even today fails to deliver justice,” he said.
“Imran Khan was, and remains, the only leader who truly tried to change this system. Sadly, he’s illegally confined in jail. And we all know why.”
Concluding his statement, the former maritime affairs minister said: “When justice dies, politics loses its purpose.”
Zaidi’s statement comes hours after former PTI leaders Imran Ismail and Fawad Chaudhry met Shah Mahmood Qureshi at PKLI in Lahore.
Ismail has lashed out at the current PTI leadership, accusing it of neglecting Imran Khan, who has been behind bars since 2023.
Ismail, while speaking in an interview on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said his visit was purely out of respect and affection for Qureshi. “I went to meet him because I have great respect for him. I also met other imprisoned PTI leaders,” he added.
While slamming the incumbent PTI leadership, the former Sindh governor said that they “seem unconcerned that the party founder is in jail.” Ismail further added that Qureshi also agreed that Pakistan’s political temperature must be lowered.
He also expressed confidence in a few senior leaders, saying, “Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, and Omar Sarfraz Cheema are capable of guiding the party in the right direction.”
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