- yesterday
US President Donald Trump met Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the White House.
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00:00Hello and welcome, I am Pranayv Upadhyay and you are watching World Today.
00:18We are starting this bulletin with the breaking news which is coming from the United States.
00:22President Donald Trump meets Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House.
00:27This is the first meeting of an ASEAN leader with President Donald Trump.
00:32Trump says he will soon meet President Xi Jinping of China.
00:36He was invited by President Xi Jinping. This is what President Donald Trump has claimed.
00:41And on the other side, President Marcos of Philippines has said that we do not have to balance between United States and China.
00:50We have an independent policy. United States is our strongest partner.
00:54This is what Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of Philippines has said and we have to maintain the relationship.
01:00This is what the Filipino President visiting United States has said.
01:04But before meeting President Donald Trump, Philippines President met with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's
01:11and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hexet because this visit comes at a time when Philippines is facing concern over China's expansionist policies
01:21in the Indo-Pacific region, especially in the South China region.
01:26And we are concerned about defense of our territory.
01:29This is what the Filipino President has said on the U.S. soil while meeting with the U.S. President.
01:35Look at what President Donald Trump has to say during this meeting.
01:44Well, we have a lot of meetings possible.
01:47President Xi has invited me to China and we'll probably be doing that in the not-too-distant future.
01:53A little bit out, but not too distant.
01:55And I've been invited by a lot of people and we'll make those decisions pretty soon.
02:00And I don't mind if he gets along with China because we're getting along with China very well.
02:06We have a very good relationship.
02:07In fact, the magnets, which is a little complex piece of material, but the magnets are coming out, you know, very well.
02:16They're sending them in record numbers.
02:18We're getting along with China very well.
02:20And I don't mind if the President dealt with China.
02:24You know, if that's meant, Chris, I think he has to do what's right for his country.
02:28I've always said, you know, make the Philippines great again.
02:30Do whatever you need to do.
02:32But your dealing with China wouldn't bother me at all.
02:35Well, now, it is something that we have to do in any case.
02:38Certainly.
02:39As you say, we are chairing ASEAN for 2026.
02:45There is no need, in a sense, to balance, as you characterize it, to balance our relationship between the United States and China.
02:57Simply because our foreign policy is an independent one.
03:00And we are essentially concerned with the defense of our territory and the exercise of our sovereign rights.
03:08Now, whether we do this, not alone, we need to do this with our partners.
03:18And, again, our strongest partner has always been the United States.
03:22But, of course, we are trying to form coalitions and multilateral relations so that we, those like-minded nations who share the same values as we do,
03:33who hew to international law, more specifically the UNCLOS, present that position very clearly to anyone who has intentions of unilaterally changing the world order.
03:51And that is how we are guided.
03:54And now, let's move on to another story involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visit.
04:01Because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a two-nation tour tomorrow on 23rd of July.
04:06And India is set to ink a landmark free trade agreement with the United Kingdom during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to London on July 24th.
04:14Accompanied by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting United Kingdom.
04:20And this FTA is likely to boost bilateral trade between both the countries, who owe up to $120 billion by 2030,
04:29and aims to eliminate duties on key exports and reduce import tariffs.
04:33This is an important achievement for India at a time when President Donald Trump and his tariff threats are risking global business.
04:41The negotiations were concluded on May 6th.
04:43Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-nation tour to the United Kingdom and Maldives from July 23rd to July 26th.
04:52Earlier in June, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had gone to the United Kingdom on a two-day visit to lay the ground for the signing of this free trade agreement.
05:02This FTA is likely to benefit both goods and services sectors.
05:05Helping Indian manufacturers, especially gems, jewellery, textile, shoes, engineering goods, and even toys, will get greater access in UK market.
05:15Indian professionals will also get an exemption from the double taxation.
05:19During his fourth UK visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also call on King Charles III.
05:26Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be on a state visit to Maldives in this two-nation tour,
05:33and he will also be the guest of honour at the 60th anniversary celebrations of Independence of Maldives on 26th of July.
05:44So, to get more details on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit,
05:49let us cut across to Lavina Chandan from London.
05:53Welcome, Lavina, and help our viewers to understand what is there in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to London this time.
06:02This is his fourth visit to UK.
06:04What is there in it?
06:06Tell us more about his program there in London.
06:10Yes, of course, Pranay.
06:11This is his fourth visit.
06:12As you said, a very brief one, a very short one, but a very significant one indeed.
06:18Four years it has taken for FTA to reach where it is.
06:22It is that which everybody is looking forward to, the signing of the dotted line of FTA that will take the trade of the two countries,
06:31between the two countries, to almost double by 2030, as you very rightly mentioned.
06:36So, in terms of his itinerary, he's going to be arriving tomorrow evening, late evening, around 7.45 p.m. here in the UK, in London Stansted.
06:48And after that, he heads straight off to his hotel.
06:51And after that, the bilaterals start the next day afternoon.
06:55Apart from signing the FTA, actually, there are a few very significant things that Prime Minister is expected to raise with his counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
07:07One, of course, is the ongoing issue that has created a lot of difficulty, is that of Khalistanis who have created so much of difficulty for the two countries.
07:20And basically, to also say that it is a difficult moment not to be having a hold on them for this country as well.
07:29Because, after all, everything, all the unrest happens here.
07:34And then another significant thing is bringing up the extradition of Lalit Modi, Vijay Maliya, and Nirav Modi as well.
07:44So, apart from these things, there are the usual talks that will happen on terrorism and having a relationship on that.
07:54So, there are many other agendas, but these are top three things that he's possibly going to raise with the counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, here in the bilateral meeting.
08:05Stay on with us.
08:06I am also being joined by Karishma Asudhani, my colleague from Business Today.
08:10Karishma, you have been covering India's economy closely, with soon-to-be-signed India UK FTA.
08:15Both countries are trying to double the bilateral trade by $120 billion, a very ambitious target.
08:20What kind of impact do you think this deal will have on Indian industries and different sectors, especially both in goods and services?
08:29You know, if I keep aside the numbers, because you've listed them, Lavlina has also spoken about them.
08:35I think, currently, it is more about the sentiment, and not just between India and the UK,
08:42but the fact that this has been a deal that was on the hook for the last three years,
08:48and with many Diwali deadlines passing by, it has finally made to the cut.
08:54It is the sentiment that is going to matter more amidst this issue of global trade that has been going on,
09:01especially with the tariff situation coming in.
09:04Now, talking about where the benefit actually lies, this is going to be in terms of the access.
09:09The access is going to be immense when it comes to certain labour-intensive sectors,
09:15especially for India, which exports maximum of leather and clothing and jewellery to the United Kingdom,
09:22and from the United Kingdom coming in a lot of other goods and services,
09:27especially pertaining to that of alcoholic beverages.
09:31Now, a tariff reduction of between 90% to 95%, while the fine print is yet to come out,
09:39the highlights say that about close to 90% of rebate is expected.
09:44It's going to be massive in order to get the sectors.
09:47Navishpur, please stay with us.
09:48You know, I want to go to Lavina.
09:51Lavina, do we have details about, like, who is going to sign this deal?
09:54Because Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be there,
09:56and he will also be accompanied by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
09:59But do we have details, and will there be a formal ceremony for the signing of this big achievement?
10:08It is expected that the Prime Minister should sign it,
10:13but we do not have details, exact details, on who is going to sign these details.
10:18There is a press conference expected.
10:21Now, who is going to be in the press conference?
10:23We have not been given these details.
10:26I think everything is being kept very close to the chest,
10:30primarily because this deal has gone through many ups and downs,
10:35and one just wants to have the celebratory moment
10:39rather than anticipatory moment that it has gone through for the past four years.
10:44So I guess we will.
10:45We do not know as yet,
10:47but we shall get to know more details by tomorrow.
10:52But there definitely is,
10:54the bus is quite there that this deal is finally going to be signed.
10:59But the Commerce Minister is here.
11:00He is meeting his counterpart.
11:02Obviously, he played a very important role, Lavina,
11:05in the formalizing of this deal.
11:07But, Karishma, I want to ask you about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark on 6th of May
11:13when he had a phone call with his British counterpart, Kair Stammer,
11:17and that call was released by 10 Downing Street as well,
11:20where they called the historic milestone, this free trade agreement.
11:24From what you have seen,
11:26and what are the standout tariff cuts or the market excess wins in this agreement,
11:30and how could they shake up things for Indian economy?
11:33Well, currently, we need to understand that both UK and India
11:39have been as the fourth and the fifth largest economies in the country,
11:43and this deal was important not just to push up the ladder
11:47in terms of the trade pact,
11:50but also for both the economies to grow.
11:53And also, the relationship has not just been with the current minister, Stammer,
11:58but also with how the previous minister,
12:01that is, Rishi Sunak, was significantly involved in these discussions,
12:08and the fact that he has a diasporic sentiment attached to India,
12:12the conversations were always significantly focused on.
12:15Now, if I'm going to keep aside the sectors aside,
12:18then what needs to be focused on is,
12:22along with the FTA,
12:24it is the Social Security Agreement
12:25or the Double Contribution Convention,
12:28which is the DCC that will be a focus of this FTA,
12:32and ideally, this is what is going to bring the employees of,
12:36employees and employers of both the countries at peace.
12:40What is also being looked forward to is some kind of...
12:43Definitely, Karishma, this is going to be a very significant development
12:46as part of the FTA,
12:47that the professionals will get benefited out of it.
12:49Thank you very much, Karishma, and Laveena, to you as well.
12:52And keep tracking this big story.
12:54We will be keep tracking this story on World Today,
12:57and also on India Today.
12:58But let's move on to another big story,
13:01because Iranian Foreign Minister,
13:02Syed Abbas Araqchi, has said
13:04that Tehran cannot give up the uranium enrichment program,
13:07which was severely damaged
13:09by the waves of U.S. and Israeli airstrike last month.
13:13Iran, however, said that it is open to talks with the United States.
13:16Let's have a look on this report on Iran's new nuclear strategy.
13:25After President Trump hailed B-2 bombers
13:27for completely obliterating Iranian nuclear sites,
13:31and the Pentagon claimed a one-to-two-year setback,
13:35Iran insists its uranium enrichment will surge on.
13:40Tehran admits a temporary pause,
13:42but vows long-term enrichment is a matter of national pride.
13:46Foreign Minister Araqchi says,
13:48Iran remains open to talks,
13:50yet no direct U.S. negotiations are planned.
13:56This Friday, Iranian envoy meets Britain,
13:59France and Germany in Istanbul,
14:02under threat of U.N. sanctions by August's end,
14:05if enrichment limits aren't agreed.
14:07Miss the deadline,
14:08and Iran faces crippled economic penalties.
14:12Renewed sanctions are meant to squeeze Tehran back to the table
14:18and force cooperation with the IAEA
14:21after Iran's parliament suspended ties with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
14:26These talks mark the first nuclear dialogue
14:29since Trump tore up the 2015 JCPOA,
14:33formerly the deal,
14:34that opened Iran's sites
14:36to inspection in exchange for lifted sanctions.
14:40With pride on the line and sanctions looming,
14:43the world awaits.
14:44Will diplomacy prevail,
14:46or will Iran's enrichment resolve
14:48break the West's will?
14:50With Mahashwetalala,
14:52Bureau Report, India Today.
14:57From Iran, U.S. tension.
14:59Now, let's move on to the domestic front
15:01for President Donald Trump
15:02because President Donald Trump
15:04has escalated his feud with Wall Street Journal,
15:07officially barring the newspaper reporter
15:08for joining the presidential press pool
15:11on his Scotland visit.
15:13The White House cites
15:15Wall Street Journal's fake and defamatory conduct
15:17after the paper published a 2003 birthday letter
15:20allegedly from Trump to Jeffrey Epstein.
15:24Trump denies ever writing it
15:25and has slapped Wall Street Journal
15:27and Rupert Murdoch, its owner,
15:29with a $10 billion lawsuit.
15:32Originally set to travel aboard Air Force One
15:35from July 25th to 29th
15:37with stops in Aberdeen and Turnberry,
15:39Wall Street Journal reporter
15:42will now be watching from afar
15:45as Trump juts off for his ancestral land of Scotland.
15:50This is the second outlet frozen from press pool
15:53after Associated Press was punished
15:55for refusing to call Gulf of Mexico
15:57the Gulf of America,
15:58which President Donald Trump has insisted
16:00and punished Associated Press
16:03for not obeying it.
16:05Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's base
16:06is clamoring for full release
16:09of the Epstein files.
16:10A joint Department of Justice and FBI memos
16:13has stated that there is no Jeffrey Epstein client list
16:17and that the Epstein's death was ruled as a suicide.
16:20From defamation suits to press crackdown,
16:24the Trump-Wall Street Journal showdown
16:26is rewriting the rules of White House exes.
16:28Just when the world thought travel to the United States
16:35couldn't get more complicated,
16:37here comes another roadblock.
16:39In a move that's rising eyebrows globally,
16:44the Trump administration is pushing
16:46for a brand new visa integrity fee.
16:48If cleared, this could make visiting the United States
16:51significantly more expensive
16:52for tourists, students, and business travelers alike.
16:56So what is this fee is all about?
16:59How much will it cost?
17:00And why is it being introduced?
17:02Here is the full story.
17:07Even as President Donald Trump
17:09demands that countries slash tariffs
17:12and trade barriers,
17:13his own administration is quietly raising
17:16the cost of coming to America.
17:18In a surprise move,
17:21the Trump administration has proposed
17:23a new visa integrity fee,
17:25a charge that would make traveling
17:27to the United States
17:28significantly more expensive.
17:31The fee is part of what Trump calls
17:33his one big beautiful bill
17:35and it adds at least $250
17:37to the current visa application cost.
17:40Here is what we know.
17:42The fee hasn't been implemented yet
17:45and there is no clear timeline.
17:47It applies to all non-immigrant visa applicants,
17:50students, tourists,
17:52and business travelers alike.
17:54The amount is inflation adjustable
17:56and cannot be waived.
17:58There are few exemptions
18:00like airline crew,
18:01certain diplomats,
18:03and children under two.
18:04Crucially, unlike application fees,
18:07this charge is only payable
18:08if the visa is approved.
18:11There is also a refund clause,
18:13but only if travelers follow the rules.
18:15To get reimbursement,
18:17you must not overstay your visa
18:19by more than five days.
18:21You must not take up unauthorized work.
18:24And reimbursements will only happen
18:27after the visa expires.
18:29For Indian travelers,
18:31the cost increase is considerable.
18:33A B1, B2 visitor visa
18:35could now cost over Rs. 40,000
18:37up from Rs. 15,800.
18:40Students' visa could rise
18:42from Rs. 46,600
18:44to more than Rs. 68,000.
18:47The Trump administration
18:49expects to rake in $29 billion
18:51over the next decade.
18:53But travel experts warn
18:55the cost could be far higher.
18:58The World Travel and Tourism Council
19:00is already predicting
19:01a 8.2% drop
19:03in international visitors this year
19:05and says the new fee
19:07could make things worse.
19:10Bureau Report,
19:11Business Today Television.
19:17Now let's talk about
19:18the China's mega plan.
19:20China has begun constructing
19:21the world's biggest hydropower project
19:23on Sangpu,
19:24which is the Chinese name
19:25for Brahmaputra River.
19:27This dam construction
19:28is raising red flags for India.
19:30The move could Beijing's control
19:32over the water flow
19:33of Brahmaputra
19:34and triggering security
19:35and environmental concerns
19:36across India and Bangladesh.
19:38Both these countries
19:38are lower repurant states
19:40for the Brahmaputra River.
19:42Here is why this dam
19:43is being called
19:43a big water bomb.
19:45Watch this report
19:46for more details
19:47on China's dam plan.
19:48It's not missiles or tanks,
20:01but a mega dam
20:02that's setting off alarms.
20:07China has begun building
20:08the world's largest
20:09hydropower project,
20:11the Motuo Dam,
20:13just 50 kilometers
20:14from India's Arunachal border.
20:16On the Yarlung-Sangpur River,
20:18called the Siang
20:19in Arunachal Pradesh,
20:21Brahmaputra in Assam
20:22and Jamuna in Bangladesh,
20:24the dam will generate
20:25three times more power
20:26than the Three Gorges Dam.
20:33But here's the worry.
20:35China can now control
20:36water flow to India
20:37and Bangladesh.
20:39Divert it,
20:40delay it
20:41or even flood it.
20:42The proposed dam
20:45can significantly
20:46disrupt agriculture
20:47and water availability
20:48to eastern states of India.
20:51The project can block
20:53the flow of silt
20:54that's essential
20:54for agriculture
20:55and will adversely
20:57impact local biodiversity.
21:00Arunachal Chief Minister
21:01Pemakhandu warns,
21:03this is a water bomb.
21:05It could dry up
21:0680% of the Siang.
21:07Experts say
21:10the dam
21:11is in a quake-prone zone.
21:13One disaster
21:14and a fallout
21:15could be massive.
21:19And China
21:20isn't bound
21:21by international river treaties.
21:23India and Bangladesh
21:23have no legal rights
21:25to demand information.
21:27Meanwhile,
21:28India is planning
21:29its own dam
21:29on the Siang River
21:30to create a buffer
21:31against Chinese-induced floods.
21:33But the message
21:35is clear.
21:36Water
21:36is the new weapon.
21:41With Meenakshi,
21:42Bureau Report,
21:43India Today.
21:45China has begun
21:46constructing
21:47the world's
21:47biggest hydropower
21:48project
21:49on Tsangpo,
21:50which is the Chinese
21:51name for
21:51Brahmaputra River.
21:53This dam construction
21:54is raising red flags
21:55for India.
21:56The move
21:56could give Beijing
21:57control over
21:58the water flow
21:59of the Brahmaputra River,
22:00triggering security
22:01and environmental
22:02concerns
22:03across India
22:04and Bangladesh
22:05because both
22:05these countries
22:06are lower
22:07rapparine
22:07for a Brahmaputra.
22:09And this is all
22:10in this edition
22:11of World Today.
22:12Keep watching
22:12India Today.
22:13for more on
22:14AMBASS
22:32AND
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