US President Joe Biden has imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, batteries, steel, solar cells, and aluminium, saying it would ensure that American workers are not held back by unfair trade practices. These include a 100 per cent tariff on electric vehicles, a 50 per cent tariff on semiconductors, and a 25 per cent tariff each on electric vehicle batteries from China. In his address to the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House, Mr Biden said the US can continue to buy any kind of car they want, but it will never allow China to unfairly control the market for these cars. He said the US wants fair competition with China, not conflict. He said Washington is in a stronger position to win that economic competition of the 21st century against China than anyone else. Mr Biden alleged that for years, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese companies across a whole range of industries: steel and aluminium, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar panels, and even critical health equipment, like gloves and masks. The tariff increase will cover 18 billion dollars in Chinese products. Tariffs on EVs, steel and aluminum, and solar cells will take effect this year, and next year for chips.

AIIMS New Delhi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of Bolton Institute of Medicine to collaborate in the field of medical research, innovation and education. The medical institute said in a release that the MoU was signed through a virtual event by executives from both institutions. It added that the partnership will encompass various initiatives such as staff and student exchange, educational conferences and collaborative degree programmes. Hailing the deal as a milestone, Director of AIIMS, Professor M. Srinivas said that this will help the institutes to address global challenges and share expertise with the world.

In Odisha, the electioneering is heating up for the upcoming phases of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are scheduled to address a number of poll rallies and roadshows in support of their respective party candidates in the state today. Mr Shah will hold a roadshow at Cuttack this evening after addressing public meetings at Sorada under the Aska Lok Sabha seat and Boudh under Kandhamal parliamentary constituency, while Rahul Gandhi will join a bike rally and address an election rally at Bolangir. Aska and Kandhamal parliamentary constituencies and 14 assembly segments coming under their purview will go for vote in the fifth phase on 20th of this month, while Cuttack parliamentary seat and seven assembly seats coming under it will go to the polls on 25th of this month in the sixth phase. Odisha is going for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls this time.

Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi passed away in New Delhi yesterday. He breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi. He was battling with Cancer. President, Vice President and Prime Minister have expressed grief at the demise of Sushil Kumar Modi. In her condolence message, President Droupadi Murmu said, the sudden demise of Sushil Modi is an irreparable loss. She said, Mr. Modi’s gentle nature, contribution as an efficient administrator and integrity in public life were reflected in his personality and work. The President said, as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Member of Parliament and Member of both the Houses of the State Legislature, Sushil Kumar Modi upheld high ideals. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said, the untimely demise of Sushil Kumnar Modi is a huge loss to the nation’s socio-political landscape. He said, as a Member of Parliament and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr Modi believed in political propriety and always exemplified decency and decorum. Mr Dhankhar said his Parliamentary contributions would ever be remembered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Sushil Kumar Modi has made an invaluable contribution to the rise of BJP and its success in Bihar. Mr Modi said, by opposing the Emergency strongly, he had carved a niche for himself in student politics. The Prime Minister said, Sushil Modi’s understanding of subjects related to politics was very deep. He said, Sushil Kumar Modi did a lot of commendable work as an administrator and his active role in passing GST will always be remembered. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Amit Shah said, Bihar has lost a great political leader forever. Mr Shah said his politics was dedicated to the interests of the poor and the backward. He said, in this hour of grief, the entire BJP stands with his bereaved family. BJP President J P Nadda said that Sushil Modi’s entire life was dedicated to Bihar and his  efforts have been very helpful in taking the state on the path of development. Mr Nadda said that his absence is an irreparable loss for countless BJP workers.

Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today file his nomination from Varanasi constituency. Polling will be held in Varanasi in the seventh and final phase of general elections and today is the last day of filing nominations for this phase. After getting the blessings of Kaal Bhairav the Kotwal of Kashi, the Prime Minister will proceed for the nomination process today.  BJP is going to use the occasion of nomination as a show of strength which will include participation of the leaders of all alliance partners. Chief ministers of 12 BJP ruled states are expected to participate in the nomination. Several Union ministers, senior BJP leaders, Ministers of Uttar Pradesh Government and MP’s will also be present on the occasion. On the other hand, Congress President Mallikarjun khadge will participate in the nomination of Congress candidate Virendra Chaudhary from Maharajganj constituency. Mr. Khadge will address a political rally in Gorakhpur district also. BJP national president JP nadda and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath will address a political rally in Amethi while Congress General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also campaign in Amethi today.  Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav will hold a joint rally in favour of alliance candidates in Jhansi. Later the Samajwadi Party Chief will address a political rally in Jalaun district. Bahujan Samaj party Chief Mayawati will also hold a rally in Jhansi.

Washington: A long-awaited State Department report on Friday said that Israel likely violated norms on international law in its use of US weapons but it did not find enough evidence to block shipments. The report said it was "reasonable to assess" that Israel, which receives some $3 billion in US weapons a year, has used the arms in ways inconsistent with standards on humanitarian rights but that the United States could not reach "conclusive findings." The report had been held up for several days amid debate within the State Department on whether to reprimand Israel, a historic US ally which has faced growing criticism over the toll in the seven-month Gaza war. The State Department finally submitted its report two days after President Joe Biden publicly threatened to withhold certain bombs and artillery shells if Israel goes ahead with an assault on the packed city of Rafah. The report does not affect that decision, with the White House reiterating Friday that it was concerned about Israeli military action around the southern Gaza city, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have taken shelter. Biden, facing a furor over the war from within his Democratic Party months before elections, had in February issued a memorandum known as NSM-20 that asked countries that receive US military aid to make "credible and reliable" assurances they are complying with human rights laws. Israel -- which launched a war against Hamas after the militants staged the deadliest ever attack on the country on October 7 -- made assurances to the United States and "identified a number of processes for ensuring compliance that are embedded at all levels of their military decision-making," said the public version of the report, which was submitted to Congress. "The nature of the conflict in Gaza makes it difficult to assess or reach conclusive findings on individual incidents," it said. "Nevertheless, given Israel's significant reliance on US-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles covered under NSM-20 have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its IHL obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm," it said, referring to international humanitarian law. - Accepting assurances - The report also said that while the Israel Defense Forces have "the knowledge, experience and tools" to minimize harm, "the results on the ground, including high levels of civilian casualties, raise substantial questions as to whether the IDF is using them effectively in all cases." But despite some "serious concerns," the report said that all countries receiving US military aid had made assurances credible and reliable enough "to allow the provision of defense articles covered under NSM-20 to continue." A US official described the report as a snapshot and said the State Department would keep monitoring the use of weapons. The other recipients of US military aid covered by the report were Colombia, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and Ukraine. Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, called the report disappointing, saying it ignored "overwhelming evidence" on Israel's actions. "It's hard to believe that the administration sees what's happening in Gaza yet fails to conclude that Israel has violated the terms for use of American weapons," he said. Republicans in turn have criticized NSM-20 since it was issued, saying it hinders Israel's campaign against Hamas and that the United States already has rules to deal with human rights. - 'Deep concerns' on aid - The report also stopped short of finding Israel in violation on another key concern -- humanitarian aid. It said the United States had "deep concerns" over "action and inaction by Israel that contributed significantly to a lack of sustained and predictable delivery of needed assistance" to Palestinians. But it said that the United States does not "currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance." The United Nations has warned of risks of famine in the Gaza Strip, where virtually the whole population has been displaced with a lack of consistent food, water or power. The unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Electioneering will also conclude for the first phase of assembly elections in Odisha and single-phase assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh. Voting in the fourth phase will take place on Monday in 96 Lok Sabha seats spread across 9 states and a union territory. Simultaneously, legislative assembly elections for all 175 seats of Andhra Pradesh and 28 out of 147 seats of Odisha will take place. Top leaders of several political parties will be making last ditch efforts to gather support for their party candidates. Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will address public meetings at Kandhamal, Balangir and in Bargarh parliamentary constituencies in Odisha today. He will also hold an election rally at Chatra in Jharkhand.Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address public meetings in Andhra Pradesh.

Indian Coast Guard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindalco Industries for manufacturing and supply of indigenous marine-grade aluminium for construction of ships. The Indian Coast Guard fleet is presently operating 67 ships with aluminium hull with capability of operating in shallow waters. Defence Ministry said, to further boost coastal security, Indian Coast Guard has planned to induct more such vessels where the indigenously manufactured marine-grade aluminium will be utilised. The Ministry said, the MoU will also provide benefits such as quarterly pricing, priority in supplies and turnover discount.

The annual India-UK Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi yesterday. National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval co-chaired the meeting along with his United Kingdom counterpart Tim Barrow. During the meeting, they held discussions on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchanged views on global security challenges. The External Affairs Ministry spokes­­person Randhir Jaiswal said that as part of this engagement, the two sides had extensive discussions covering all security issues. He said that the meeting focused around technology and security initiatives, which will be a major bilateral mechanism to strengthen cooperation in critical and emerging technologies. Mr Jaiswal further added that it is an important piece of emerging collaboration between India and the UK. He said that both sides also discussed regional issues and global matters of mutual interest. He emphasized that the visit will give a major boost to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of India and the United Kingdom. As part of the visit, National Security Advisor of UK also met with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and discussed a range of regional and global issues of importance. They also reviewed the progress in the India-UK bilateral ties. Akashvani’s correspondent reports that India and the United Kingdom share historic ties since several centuries. The two countries have a Strategic Partnership since 2004 and enjoy a multi-faceted relationship spanning across trade and economy, health, science & technology, defence & security, people-to-people relations, climate change and close cooperation on multilateral issues.

Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the BJP wants to build such an India which is wealthy and can lead the whole world in the field of knowledge, science and spirituality. Mr Singh, who is the BJP candidate from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, also said that a crisis of confidence has arisen in independent India towards political leaders due to the difference between their actions and words. "But I want to talk about the party I am in. We (BJP) have done what we promised. We have fulfilled each and every promise of our election manifesto, be it the promise to abolish Article 370 or building of Ram Temple," Mr Singh said while addressing the 'Prabuddha Nagrik Sangoshthi' organised at a private school in Gomti Nagar here. The sitting MP from Lucknow added that Ram Rajya in India will begin when a sense of responsibility arises within people. "If only there is a sense of authority without responsibility, then consider that Ram Rajya has not come and it is Kalyug," said Mr Singh. "I feel that in comparison to the past, a sense of self-responsibility among the people towards the country has grown today," he added. Calling himself a volunteer of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the defence minister said that the Sangh never talked about Hindu-Muslim (religion). He went on to say that the BJP does politics to build the country. "We want to build such an India which is wealthy and at the same time can lead the whole world in the field of knowledge, science and spirituality," he said. Mr Singh said the BJP government has provided the benefits of various schemes like free gas cylinder, houses, tap water, etc, without any discrimination. Mr Singh claimed that the terrorism has been wiped out of the country which is becoming self-reliant in manufacturing defence equipment. Lucknow will go to polls in the fifth phase of ongoing Lok Sabha polls on May 20.

Singapore – For three decades, Singaporean corporate lawyer Gerald Yeo* chased the so-called Singapore Dream. He climbed the ranks to become general counsel, managing a team of lawyers on a six-figure monthly salary. Sometimes he would rack up 20 hours at work handling calls with clients and colleagues in Asia, Europe and Latin America. When COVID-19 forced employees to start working from home, Yeo put in even more face-time online – until he suffered burnout and swapped the rat race for retirement in early 2021. These days, Yeo volunteers with the elderly, dabbles in photography and indulges his love of travel, with jaunts that have taken him to the North Pole and Africa to spot gorillas. “In Singapore, it’s drilled into our minds to pursue excellence, and you can’t slack off …We are always ‘on’. You have the mindset that you’re serving the corporation but without knowing, you slip into doing too much,” Yeo, who is in his 50s. Yeo is among a growing cohort of Singaporeans who are seeking to reimagine the Singapore Dream as being less about achieving material success and more about finding meaning and fulfilment. Singapore’s prime minister-in-waiting, Lawrence Wong, is among those who argue the time has come for the city-state’s residents to look beyond money and work. After the launch of a report on residents’ views on the future of the social compact in October, Wong said Singaporeans today “no longer talk so much about the five Cs” – referring to a condominium, car, cash, credit card and country club membership. “From our engagements, it is also clear the Singapore Dream is more than just material success,” Wong, who is deputy prime minister and finance minister, said at the launch of a festival based on the findings of a 16-month consultation involving more than 200,000 Singaporeans. “It is also about fulfilment, meaning and purpose in what we do. This is not a top-down government agenda. This is very much a shared consensus, a co-created road map for our next round of nation building.” Singapore, whose government tightly controls displays of dissent and political activism by the population, is on the cusp of a major political transition. Current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 72 — the eldest son of Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew — is this month stepping down from the helm of the tiny city-state after two decades in office. On May 15, Wong will be sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister. Under Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership, Singapore transitioned from poverty to prosperity within a generation of gaining its independence from Malaysia in 1965. Today, Singapore has a higher gross domestic product (GDP) per capita than the United States and its residents enjoy some of the highest living standards on earth. While Singapore’s success has been credited to a culture of competition and hard work, the city-state has also gained a notorious reputation as one of the most overworked, stressed-out and strait-laced societies in the world. But there are signs that priorities are beginning to shift. In a survey carried out in October by the Institute of Policy Studies, more than half of Singaporeans said they would accept lower pay or a less senior role to benefit their family or personal life. Wong, who gained plaudits for his handling of the country’s pandemic response, has been seen as Lee’s successor since April 2022, when the long-dominant People’s Action Party (PAP) chose him as head of its team of “4G”, or fourth generation, leaders. A former technocrat, Wong emerged as a dark horse for the premiership after the PAP’s first choice, Heng Swee Keat, a former central bank chief and education minister, stepped aside in 2021 citing age and health issues. Wong, a self-professed fan of playing the guitar and listening to rock, blues and soul, has admitted to not harbouring any grand political ambitions and has been portrayed in international media as being more relatable than as is typical of Singapore’s governing elites. A spokesperson for Wong declined a request for comment, citing his busy schedule. Donald Low, a professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology who studies Singaporean governance, said that Singapore cannot simply prioritise GDP growth or emulate other more advanced societies or economies going forward. “This is not because Singapore has nothing to learn from other countries. Rather, it’s because Singapore is now at the leading edge of development and it’d have to chart its own future…The country must harness the creativity and ingenuity of its people – to a far greater degree than the PAP government has been used to,” Low. Low said that while he hopes Wong can oversee “small but much-needed changes” in Singapore’s political culture, it is unlikely he will do much to satisfy Singaporeans’ desire for the government to embrace greater diversity and representation – or better tolerate dissent and criticism. “Because the party leadership is not emotionally convinced that there is much merit in what the critics or dissenters have to say – a consequence of its elitism and high-handedness – I don’t see any significant shifts in the way the PAP conducts politics,” he said. Chong Ja Ian, a political analyst at the National University of Singapore, said that more Singaporeans are expressing interest in issues beyond monetary and material success – including the environment, meaningful political participation and diversity – which may shape their career plans and how they devote their money, time and energy. Chong said that while the PAP has been trying to soften its image and engage more with younger people, it is “less clear when and whether such contact and image management have translated into concrete changes in policy”. Chong pointed out that Wong has largely stressed continuity. “Whether and how he intends to move in a clearer and bolder direction on these issues – especially how he transforms general principles and ideas into specific and concrete policies – remains to be seen,” he said. Eugene Tan, a law professor at Singapore Management University, said the Forward SG initiative to rejuvenate the social compact should be seen as an “attempt to strike the balance between material and post-material concerns”. “Going beyond material concerns to balancing that with post-material aspirations – fairness, social justice, egalitarianism, national identity – is not just about putting in place and financing measures that support the policy shifts identified in the Forward SG report. “It is a fundamental mindset shift requiring tangible behavioural changes and committed action that will take years before the outcomes would be evident. The question is will Singaporeans be prepared to wait patiently.” Tan said that announcements in the 2024 Budget, such as financial incentives for graduates of the Institute of Technical Education, which provides vocational training to post-secondary students, are an important first and necessary step. Still, Tan acknowledged that shifting the perception that growth is necessary at all costs has been difficult. “The vulnerability of Singapore means that material concerns are always writ large but Singaporeans do not want that to be all that is to life in Singapore,” he said. “Forward SG seeks to nudge and mould societal understanding of success and if the PAP under Wong is unable to do that successfully, then its political grip on power will weaken further and faster.” While Singapore’s economic transformation was a vote-winner for Singaporeans born before and shortly after independence, millennials and members of Gen Z who have only ever known prosperity are in many cases itching for change, as demonstrated by the rising vote share for the opposition Workers’ Party. Jayee, a student at Nanyang Technological University, said he acknowledged that the PAP has gradually allowed greater space for discourse on issues like LGBTQ rights and income inequality, but wished for more sufficient checks. “Real leadership and fresh ideas are lacking,” Ang said he is unconvinced that Singaporeans who aspire to a more egalitarian society are prepared for the necessary trade-offs. “The future state of the economy is quite worrisome. I am a bit concerned that we have put ourselves on a slippery slope, that we are moving towards a high-income Scandinavian model. But we are wired very differently in psyche from the Nordics,” he said. SMU’s Tan said that Singaporeans increasingly expect a government that “talks with – rather than talks to or, worse, talks down to – the average citizen”. “They want Singapore to remain exceptional but also a place that they can call home even as others make the country their hotel and playground,” he said. “While the PAP has done wonders for the country, it is often done with a heavy-handed approach…There is a real need for more watchmen in parliament to scrutinise the PAP and question their policies and conduct,” he told Al Jazeera. Toby Ang*, a former civil servant in his 30s, said he is more worried about structural issues in the economy, such as stagnating wage growth, that cast a cloud over the city-state’s future trajectory. “Ultimately, they want their views to matter and they want to be courted for their votes.” As for Yeo, the former corporate lawyer, he is determined to make up for the time he lost working himself to the bone. “I wonder what life would have been like if I’d lived differently in the past, if I’d set more boundaries and prioritised my well-being instead,” he said.

Frank Bainimarama, who was Fiji’s prime minister for some 15 years until losing power in 2022, has been jailed for a year after he was found guilty of using his position to shut down a corruption investigation into a prominent university. Once armed forces chief, Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup and later won democratic elections in 2014 and 2018. The 70-year-old narrowly lost the December 2022 election to a coalition of parties led by the current prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, but remains a popular figure. Outside the court in Suva on Thursday, a crowd of supporters gathered ahead of the sentencing. Bainimarama’s wife Maria sobbed as acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo announced his decision, and the former prime minister was led away in handcuffs. Bainimarama was found guilty earlier this month of perverting the course of justice by telling then-police commissioner and longtime ally Sitiveni Qiliho not to investigate allegations of corruption at the University of the South Pacific. Qiliho was jailed for two years in the case, which relates to a July 2020 police investigation into alleged corruption over a web of bonus payments, promotions and pay rises within the institution. The court found the two men used their influence to sideline the investigation. Both men denied the charges. Bainimarama’s legal woes have mounted since Rabuka, a former military commander, who himself led two power grabs in the late 1980s, became prime minister. In February 2023, parliament suspended him until 2026 after a speech in which he criticised his successor. A year later, he was hit with two separate charges for abuse of office. One count related to the allegedly unlawful firing of two police officers in 2021. The other was over his alleged waiving of a tender bid “without lawful justification” when he was finance minister in 2011.