- today
The big talking point of this edition of News Today is India's six-run victory against England in the fifth Test at the Oval, which levelled the series 2-2.
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00:00Who better than to tell us about what this win means for Indian cricket than Sunil Gavaskar who was a legend of the game.
00:09He was at the Oval. Mr. Gavaskar, this is an iconic moment.
00:13You are in a way connected between 1971 Oval when India defeated England for the first time.
00:19Now defeating them again all these years later to level a series 2-2.
00:23Special moment in a way for Indian cricket and this young Indian side.
00:27Very very special and very very satisfying as well with the way the team has fought back from the situation that they found themselves at the end of the Lord's Test.
00:38When you lose by just 22 runs you know it can be pretty demoralizing.
00:42But the way the Indian team recovered in the next game at Manchester played well and then towards the end also when it came when it looked like they could be in trouble.
00:51The way the batters batted and saved the game and then to come and win the game over here just tells you you know the dedication and determination of this team.
00:59You know let's talk Mr. Gavaskar for a moment about standout performances.
01:03Muhammad Siraj today maybe reminded some of us old timers of BS Chandrasekhar from that famous day in 1971 when he bowled out England.
01:11Today Siraj with Prasid Krishna was just as magnificent.
01:15Yes I think both of them utilized the conditions absolutely brilliantly.
01:20Yesterday towards the latter part of the day it started to get a little bit cooler.
01:26It started to get a little bit overcast and therefore there was a lot more swing.
01:30Earlier on there wasn't that much swing the sun was out so the bowlers you know if you bowl about a five or six over spell got a little bit tired as well.
01:38There was no turn in the in the surface so the spinners were barely used.
01:42And so today this morning again it was very very good in terms of fast bowling because it was overcast.
01:48So the decision was whether to take the second new ball which was due in about three three overs or so.
01:53And what the Shubhan Gill has done, he marshaled his resources absolutely brilliantly.
01:59The field placing this morning was absolutely top class.
02:03You know looking for the top edges, looking for the proper cut shots, looking for the slog shots.
02:09It was all absolutely fantastic.
02:11And that's where the bowling also stands out.
02:14Because if the bowlers get a good field then they can also bowl with a lot more confidence.
02:20And Siraj and Prasid Krishna bowl their hearts out.
02:23Not to forget the contribution of Aakashi with the bat as well.
02:26He probably wasn't amongst the wickets this time around.
02:28But as a night watchman when he came into bat at the end of day three.
02:32And the runs that he scored 66.
02:34All in all I mean everybody put their hand up at the right time for the team to win this game.
02:39You know as you can see Mr. Gavaskar I'm smiling broadly because this was as you said rightly a true team effort.
02:45Of course led by Shubman Gill who came close to breaking your record for the highest runs in a series.
02:51774 runs.
02:53But Shubman also Mr. Gavaskar was just fantastic right through this series.
02:58He was absolutely brilliant.
03:04The way he batted.
03:06Very seldom do you get to see such pure form of batsmanship.
03:10You know in the sense that he hardly played and missed.
03:13He hardly got inside edges.
03:15There was hardly any time where he looked ugly in trying to defend.
03:19Nothing at all.
03:20It was just so pure to watch him.
03:23And I keep talking about those straight drives and the off drives and the cover drives.
03:28The half sort of swat that he does to take care of the bouncer.
03:33It was just incredible to watch such pure batting.
03:37I think we saw Sachin Tendulkar bat like that for most of his career.
03:43Pure pure batting.
03:44Then Kohli had two series where he again pure absolutely pure batsmanship.
03:50I think 2014-15 in Australia.
03:52And then again 2018 in England when he came on his second tour to England.
03:57Those were actually pure forms of batting.
04:00And Shubhman Gill has added to that with what we saw today.
04:04Yeah he missed out on the record by 20 runs.
04:06But I don't know whether you saw that.
04:09In anticipation of that I had taken a little gift for him.
04:13Because you know I mean what can I give him.
04:16He's got everything.
04:17So I had taken a little gift for him.
04:19And while presenting him I said to him that look.
04:22I wore this white jacket at the Gabba win on the last day of the Gabba test.
04:29And I said I will wear this so that we win.
04:32I wore this yesterday.
04:33But the match was not finished.
04:35I wore it again today.
04:36And so the boys made with their bowling and their captaincy.
04:42The boys made this jacket a real lucky jacket.
04:45You've got your lucky jacket on.
04:47You haven't told us exactly what you gave Shubhman Gill Mr. Gavaska.
04:51I saw you give a cap with your signature.
04:54One SG Sunil Gavaska to another SG Shubhman Gill.
04:57What's the actual gift that you've given the Indian captain?
05:03Well there was a shirt as well.
05:05The shirt has got also a little SG on the side.
05:09And in front of the shirt.
05:11It's a very very small SG.
05:13Very subtle kind of SG.
05:15And the cap is something you know which I mean I give to...
05:21It is available but I give to very few people and Shubhman deserved it.
05:26So I've given him the cap.
05:27I didn't want him to wear that because I was so proud to see him wear that India cap when he was talking to me.
05:32That cap you know is so important.
05:34That cap means so much to these players was everything.
05:38From the way Rishabh Pan came out to bat with a fractured toe.
05:42That is the kind of determination.
05:44That was the kind of spirit and character that this team had.
05:47And that is the reason why they were able to come back from difficult situations in all the matches.
05:51They lost two but they won two.
05:53And that draw was you could say a moral victory for the Indian team.
05:58I'm going to come back to Mr. Gawaskar and that fighting spirit in a moment.
06:01But I'm joined live by someone who represents the true fighting spirit of this new India team.
06:06He's the hero of the day.
06:08And therefore I'm joined happily by Mohammed Ismail.
06:12Mohammed Ismail is the brother of Mohammed Siraj.
06:15You're joining me there from Hyderabad.
06:17First of all, Mohammed Ismail, you told me about your entire country.
06:23The way your brothers have played bowling today.
06:26Wow!
06:27The answer is fantastic.
06:29Tell me how you were feeling when Siraj was bowling in the end and taking all those wickets.
06:36What was going on in your home?
06:38Thank you. Thank you very much sir.
06:40First of all, you are very mubarak and congratulations for the Indian victory.
06:44And second, we are very very very proud that this is a great performance.
06:48And to see that India has won the match for the performance.
06:53So, it's a double-fushy in the home.
06:55It's a whole-fushy in the home.
06:57You know, somebody once told me, my late father who played for India, Ismail told me that in cricket you don't need talent, you also need heart.
07:06Jigar.
07:07Exactly.
07:08Do you think, what is your brother?
07:10What is this Jigar?
07:11Where does he get this fighting spirit?
07:13He was bowling the most overs in the series, played all five tests and was still bowling 140 plus.
07:19Where is this Jigar spirit?
07:21What is the Jigar spirit of Hyderabad?
07:23It's a never die attitude sir.
07:25I have to do something.
07:26I have to do.
07:27I will do.
07:28My attitude is on the other side.
07:31Is this before?
07:33Has he always had this even when he was playing tennis ball cricket?
07:37Yes.
07:38He has always had this attitude on tennis ball cricket.
07:40Until I was the general player of Hathaway.
07:41Until then, we started playing tennis ball.
07:43I can't do it through the air and a half.
07:46Within a year and a half, he became a fan by Dupal Seeker.
07:53He became a dynamic fighter.
07:54He became a rich fighter for Iran.
07:56He became a rich fighter for Hyderabad.
07:57He became a rich fighter for ITL.
07:59And, he became a professional defender.
08:00Within two years of Japan, he achieved so much of his team.
08:04So, he did not get any interest in the show.
08:06You know, Ismail was asked today
08:09about what keeps him going on.
08:11He said he has changed his emoji to the word Believe.
08:15And I'm told even in the house,
08:16he has a poster of Believe along with Cristiano Ronaldo.
08:19Is Cristiano Ronaldo the hero of Mohamed Siraj
08:24along with Virat Kohli, I'm told?
08:27Yes, he's a huge fan of Cristiano Ronaldo.
08:29So, if you keep believe in the wallpaper,
08:31if you keep believe in the wallpaper,
08:33he believes his idol.
08:35So, he gets his motivation for Ronaldo.
08:39Of course, Virat played a big role in giving him his opportunities
08:45early on also in his career.
08:48I'm 100% sure.
08:50Because I owe my career to Virat Bhai.
08:54Whatever I am today is because of just Virat Bhai.
08:57He backed me when I was down.
08:58He backed me when my performance was not up to the mark.
09:02Back in 2018, you know,
09:04when his IPL was not that good.
09:06So, Virat Bhai was the one who, you know, stood with him.
09:09He took with him and dragged him.
09:12So, at Virat Bhai, there are a lot of people.
09:15Can I ask you this, Ismail?
09:21Siraj went to Australia in 2021 for the first time to play for India.
09:25Your father passed away while the tour was on.
09:29Siraj was given a choice.
09:30Come back home or stay in Australia.
09:33He decided to stay on.
09:34Is that what he is all about?
09:36That even he did not go, come for his family,
09:39a father's funeral because he wanted to play for India.
09:42Was there a dream of his father's father that
09:45one day my son will play?
09:46Which, Siraj, tell us a little bit more about that.
09:50Yes, exactly.
09:51It was, my father's dream to, you know,
09:53Siraj Andiwapuri, President Siraj.
09:55And that time, Siraj spoke with my mother.
09:57And my mother said to me,
09:58Siraj, you stay there and play for your country.
10:02And I'm going to go.
10:04So, he was, you know, totally broken down.
10:07But still, he managed.
10:09We won that series for Nagavastar Trophy.
10:12Yes.
10:13So, he's mentally and physically very strong.
10:17Mentally and physically very strong.
10:18Is that, you know, he's come the hard way.
10:22You know, it's hard to know that a man who plays in the balls,
10:26not in the leather ball, not in the tennis ball.
10:29Sometimes he thought, I'll give up in all his...
10:32I mean, you know, I can't do that.
10:36How will I reach India?
10:37or it was the chance that I will show you in one day.
10:41In that moment, he never gave up.
10:45Even when after the sentence of the squad announced,
10:49when he didn't select it,
10:51he thought that I should do more and work out.
10:58So, he got a time period for the sentence of his actual career.
11:03So, he used to go to gym fitness.
11:07He would go to gym fitness and practice for the evening.
11:12He had a lot of workouts.
11:14He was missing.
11:15He thought that he was missing.
11:18So, is that the big difference you've seen?
11:22He's very fit now.
11:23His fitness is what has changed him.
11:25That's why he's able to bowl fast for such a long period of time.
11:30Yes sir.
11:30He always focused on fitness.
11:33He doesn't eat junk food.
11:34He needs to avoid eating outside.
11:36He needs to maintain the diet.
11:39So, yes.
11:40In Hyderabad, you're saying that he doesn't eat biryani today?
11:46Definitely, definitely.
11:48He'll have it.
11:49But occasionally, not on a regular basis.
11:51He has to do something.
11:53But he has to do junk food, pizza, and diet course.
11:57He has to do it.
11:58Have you spoken to him since we won the match?
12:02And what did he say to you on the phone?
12:04What did he say to you on the phone?
12:05Yes sir.
12:06First of all, I had to congratulate him.
12:09He was very, very, very happy.
12:12On the way to the bus, people were traveling and going to the hotel.
12:17So, the pipe was very tired.
12:19The body was very tired.
12:21But nothing beyond the finishing of the nation.
12:24But nothing beyond the finishing of the nation.
12:26Yes.
12:27The body was tired, but he wants to win the match for the nation.
12:31Tell me though, when he's not playing cricket, Siraj is very relaxed.
12:36Because it feels very intense on the cricket field, as if he's ready for a fight.
12:41When he's at home, he's relaxed or he's ready to play there?
12:46No, no, no, no, he's completely different off the field.
12:48Like, you know, he's really happy mood.
12:50Like, you know, he's really happy mood.
12:51Like, you know, I see Madag, something, etc.
12:54If he's in the field, he's like dragged by aggression.
12:58And how is the family celebrating today at home?
13:11How is the Mohamed Siraj and family, Mohamed Ismail and all?
13:14How are you?
13:15What's the celebration today?
13:17A little bit today.
13:17Today, you have to be able to eat biryani for everyone in your colony.
13:21I'm just waiting for him to come.
13:24Right, right, right.
13:32But listen, Ismail, he's done the country enormously proud.
13:36He's done Hyderabad, the family and the country very proud.
13:39When I see Mohamed Siraj, I can see the fire of new India in him.
13:44So, okay, I'm watching the pictures of you at home, a little party, a little bit started.
13:50But congratulations, Ismail, and all the very best.
13:55Thank you so much for joining.
13:58It was nice talking to you, sir.
14:00Wonderful, wonderful story.
14:02Mohamed Siraj has come from the back lanes of Hyderabad to become the latest national hero.
14:07There are so many Indian cricket stories.
14:09Father was an auto rickshaw driver.
14:11Today, he has done the country proud.
14:13This is the story of new India, an India which is driven purely, at least on the cricket field, by merit, not by who your father is.
14:22I'm a living example of that.
14:24My dad played for the country.
14:26I wasn't good enough.
14:27On the sports field, you have to prove yourself.
14:30And Siraj has done that.
14:32I want to go back a bit to Sunil Gavaskar, who we spoke to earlier.
14:36Mr. Gavaskar, you mentioned the fighting spirit of this Indian team.
14:41Mohamed Siraj exemplifying that in a way, along with many others like Ravinder Jadeja, Washington Sundar.
14:46In a way, do you think 3-1 to India or 3-2 would possibly have been a fairer result that we competed and should have actually beaten the English?
14:56Well, I mean, at the end of the day, you've got to look at the results.
14:59The results will do all.
15:00When you look at the session spy, as they call it, you know, you see that India had won a lot more sessions in this series.
15:08You would have had 20 sessions for the first four test matches.
15:13And for this test match, you had 13 sessions.
15:17So out of, say, 33 sessions, I think India won probably 21.
15:22And there were some shared, etc.
15:24So India definitely had the better part of this whole series.
15:29But the crucial sessions were won by England.
15:32And that is the reason why we find this series too old.
15:34But look, to go overseas and to draw a series is a huge achievement.
15:41It's easy to win at home.
15:42But to come out the way that these teams have with a shared series is fantastic.
15:48How do you compare it, Mr. Gavaskar, to Australia 2021?
15:53Then we actually won the series, that famous game at Brisbane at the Gabba.
15:56You were then also wearing your lucky jacket.
15:59Which is the bigger win for this new India team?
16:01Gabba 2021 or Oval 2025?
16:04Well, comparisons always, you know, are, you know, odious.
16:10Comparisons, you know, different conditions, everything.
16:13So, very difficult.
16:14But when you look at the Gabba win, you know that that was almost like a B or a C team of the Indian team.
16:20Because, you know, you had so many injuries, a lot of players, therefore, were not available.
16:23You had a completely new attack.
16:26That was, I think, Mahmoud Siraj's first couple of test matches.
16:29And he got a Pfeiffer over there at the Gabba as well, getting rid of Steve Smith at crucial times.
16:35Steve Smith was in very good form.
16:37And then, of course, Washington Sundar played in that game.
16:40Shubhman Gill also was very new at that stage.
16:43Pujara took all the blows.
16:45He's in the commentary box today.
16:46But he took all the blows, stuck around.
16:49So, yes, I think you could say that maybe, you know, because of the fact that, you know,
16:52it was not a full-strength Indian team then, you could possibly rate it there.
16:56But, you know, with the demands and the pressures that have just increased on this Indian team,
17:01pressures of expectations, I mean, and demands of performance,
17:06this performance also has to rank very high.
17:10Also because, Mr. Gavaskar, this series came without Rohit Sharma, without Virat Kohli,
17:15without Ravi Chandran Ashwin, all legends of the game retiring.
17:18This new generation, do you see this now, you know, that we now have the makings of a fine team for the future,
17:28led by Shubhman, managed by Gautam Gambir?
17:30Are we seeing a post-Virat Rohit generation emerge?
17:34Yes, I think the way some of the newer guys have come on,
17:40Yashashwi Jaiswal, for example, last couple of years, he's been scoring hundreds quite regularly.
17:46Sai Sudarshan has shown a great deal of promise as far as the bowling is concerned as well.
17:51Akash Thiep also is not a regular player, but in this series,
17:55he showed that he can handle the new ball and bowl it well.
17:59So, all in all, I think this team certainly has shown it has got the potential
18:04to win not just in India, but all over the world.
18:10One final question, Mr. Gavaskar.
18:12You know, I started out by saying you're the one link between that famous win,
18:15the first win in 1971, 54 years ago, and now.
18:19I must ask you, what keeps you going?
18:21What makes you still so excited about Indian cricket?
18:23Quite simply, Indian cricket has made me, and I'm what I am because of Indian cricket.
18:32I'll never forget that.
18:33If I can get involved with Indian cricket in the commentary box, I just love Indian cricket.
18:39And therefore, for me, to be present on these occasions at Kappa over here
18:45is just a blessing from above.
18:46That's all I can say.
18:48And, like I said, because of Indian cricket is what I've got all these opportunities,
18:55and here I am.
18:57Mr. Sunil Gavaskar for joining me there.
18:59As I said, people will remember 71, then 1979,
19:03when on this very grounded oval, you scored a double century.
19:07Today, this heroic miracle win in some ways.
19:10As always, great talking to you.
19:11Keep that jacket on, because we are going to win many more matches,
19:15hopefully with this new generation of players.
19:17Thank you so much for joining me, the one and only Sunil Gavaskar.
19:21Good to listen to Siraj's brother and to Mr. Gavaskar on the show.
19:25Okay, that's the good news.
19:27Let's turn to some breaking news of not-so-good news at the moment coming in.
19:31Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has decided to raise tariffs on India.
19:37Trump has just posted on his social site,
19:41India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil,
19:44they are then, for much of the oil purchase,
19:46selling it on the open market for big profits.
19:48They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine.
19:53Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariffs paid by India to the United States.
19:58So, once again, Donald Trump has already imposed 25% tariffs.
20:05He is now talking of raising the tariffs even higher.
20:09Karishma Asudhani is joining me live at the moment.
20:12Karishma, what does this mean?
20:14Clearly, Donald Trump is not backing down.
20:17He is, if anything, keeping the heat on.
20:19Absolutely, Rajdeep, and this emerges from a bigger concern to do with the whole relationship
20:28that United States of America and personal, on a personal front, Donald Trump shares with Russia.
20:35Now, let's not forget, if we are coming on the talking table and to look at how officially things are,
20:42we are importing close to about 41% oil, crude oil from Russia.
20:49And if we look at the kind of consumption in India, to throw some numbers on that,
20:54if our consumption is about, say, 5 million barrels per day,
20:58then about 2 to 2.5 barrels per day for us comes from Russia because it's cheaper, it's discounted.
21:04Now, we need to wait and watch out what the government is going to do,
21:08what the Ministry of Petroleum and Ministry of Finance are going to look at
21:11because clearly, if we are going to shift our alternate sources to that of Iran or Saudi Arabia,
21:18we will have to do a lot of checks and check-in balances on our financial front,
21:24especially that we also started early this year with giving a major tax cut in our budget.
21:34So the big question is that does government have the appetite to absorb a higher crude oil price
21:40because our 85% consumption is dependent on imports and clearly, we won't be able to do without it.
21:46Parishma Asudhani, for that quick update on that breaking news,
21:50we'll wait and see how this tango between the US, India and Russia now plays out.
21:55But thanks very much for joining us.
21:57I want to now go to another special guest who's joining me.
22:00Mark Linscott is one of the US's top trade negotiators.
22:05He's a senior advisor also to the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum,
22:09has dealt with trade negotiations for years.
22:12Yes, I appreciate your joining us, Mr. Linscott.
22:15Over the last few days, we are all trying to read what is really on Donald Trump's mind.
22:20Instead, what we are seeing is tariffs after tariffs, escalating the tariff war further now.
22:27What, according to you, Mr. Linscott, is the US president trying to achieve here?
22:31Well, I think the president's been clear, and in fact, his trade negotiator,
22:41his chief trade negotiator, the US Trade Representative, Jameson Greer,
22:46yesterday on American television was clear that broadly,
22:50the efforts are focused on reshoring manufacturing, addressing trade deficits.
22:57And I think additionally, striking trade deals that can advance those interests.
23:05So those are the broad objectives that I've been seeing from the administration.
23:10But many believe, especially with India in particular,
23:13that this trade deal was almost done.
23:16There would be a major announcement which would take the trade talks to the next level
23:22by the 1st of August.
23:23Now, what are we hearing from Donald Trump?
23:26He's poking India virtually every day.
23:29He's even suggested India is a dead economy.
23:32Is this all pressure tactics, a negotiating tactic by a president
23:37who seemed to be a dealmaker above all else?
23:44Yeah, I think it's a combination of factors.
23:47I certainly was one of those several weeks ago who was confident that there would be a trade deal struck
23:54before August 1st.
23:56Obviously, I got that wrong.
23:58Many of us got that wrong.
24:00In fact, there had been plenty of signals from the administration,
24:03from the president down, that a deal with India was very, very close.
24:10You know, one thing that didn't happen, and it's a bit unfortunate that it didn't happen,
24:17was that there was not that very high level, that president-prime minister communication
24:25before August 1st.
24:27With each of these trade deals that President Trump has done,
24:31whether it's with the European Union, Japan, South Korea, et cetera,
24:37there's been that high level conversation and final sealing of the deal
24:43when those trade deals were concluded.
24:49So I think that was a factor.
24:52You know, certainly the broader context is important as well.
24:57I was surprised that there was a posting by the president on True Social
25:02about purchases of Russian oil and then a repeated reference to the BRICS nations
25:09and actions by the BRICS nations.
25:11Hopefully, that's just context, and it's not going to prevent continuing efforts
25:16to strike a trade deal.
25:19You know, from what you're saying, Mr. Lipskite,
25:22is that you seem to suggest that there is a, Linskite,
25:26that there is a need for direct talks between the U.S. president and Prime Minister Modi.
25:32Do you believe that if these trade talks are to get on track,
25:35that is absolutely essential?
25:38This can no longer be brought back on track simply at the level of the negotiators.
25:44It will need the principles to talk to each other,
25:47Prime Minister Modi and the U.S. president.
25:49Well, it's hard to say now.
25:54I mean, that, if it were to occur, it should have occurred two weeks ago.
25:59And that's when President Trump was striking all of these last-minute trade deals.
26:06Now the tariffs have been imposed.
26:08The reciprocal tariffs are in place.
26:10And I think we are in a bit of a different environment at this point in time.
26:15I think what's most important in coming days and perhaps even coming weeks
26:20is that there's a cooling-off period, that there's an opportunity to clear the air.
26:28You know, President Trump did make some posts that were quite provocative.
26:34It perhaps needs a little time at this point in time.
26:37And, you know, I think both sides, at the senior levels, not necessarily at the leader level,
26:47are still planning to continue the negotiations.
26:50The aspiration is for a much larger bilateral trade agreement.
26:54And there have been plenty of reports that a USTR team will be coming to Delhi
26:58at the end of August to continue those negotiations.
27:02So I think that things can get back on track.
27:05It may take more than a few days.
27:08It may take a couple of weeks.
27:11At some point in time, that kind of communication is probably going to be important.
27:17They have a strong relationship, Prime Minister Modi and President Trump.
27:21So at some point in time, I expect that conversation should take place.
27:26There is one view, though, Mr. Linskid, that India must start talking tough now with Washington.
27:31That India has to look at the Trump administration in the eye
27:33because of what Financial Times calls the taco factor.
27:36Trump always chickens out.
27:38A Bloomberg report even claims India may decline an F-35 defense deal.
27:42Is that a wise decision to look at the Americans in the eye?
27:46Does India need to do what China has done, to some extent Canada did,
27:50that actually take on the United States?
27:53Do we have that leverage?
27:54I don't think that would be the right move at this point.
28:01Again, I think what is very important is that there's a cooling off period.
28:07If there were some kind of retaliatory action or commentary that is very provocative in response,
28:17I think that could, in fact, set back efforts.
28:21I don't think it would be effective in terms of the ultimate goal of reaching trade deals.
28:28It's quite likely that the president would respond to that.
28:32He's done that over and over again.
28:33Every time a country has threatened to retaliate or retaliated, he has responded in kind.
28:41He's upped the ante.
28:42And that's exactly what we don't need at this point in time.
28:47And, you know, this taco kind of analysis, I think, isn't quite right.
28:59I mean, the president on August 1st, on Friday, on Thursday night, in fact, here in Washington,
29:05did announce tariffs.
29:08They take effect on August 8th.
29:10But I'm quite confident those tariffs will come into play.
29:15So at this point in time, I think tit for tat is not the right approach.
29:20One final question, Mr. Linskert.
29:23You said you were proven wrong earlier that you were hopeful of a deal by the 1st of August.
29:27That didn't happen.
29:28If I may push you on this, do you believe that a deal will come by the end of autumn, by October,
29:33because that was the original plan that we'll have a full-blown trade deal with the United States by October?
29:38Do you see that likely to happen, given the kind of stand that the U.S. president is taking at the moment?
29:45That's a really good question.
29:49You know, I've made some predictions in the past.
29:51I've been wrong with those predictions.
29:52So I'm a little hesitant to make new predictions.
29:57The two leaders back in February, when Prime Minister Modi was here in Washington,
30:05they pledged to negotiate a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement.
30:10And they agreed that a first tranche of results for that negotiation would be in place by the fall,
30:20meaning roughly October.
30:21So if we don't have a more immediate deal on reciprocal tariffs, I think we should all look ahead
30:28to that kind of timeframe, what can be the early results for the bilateral trade agreement,
30:37which is likely a negotiation that will continue to take some time through the end of this year
30:48and into early next year for the comprehensive agreement.
30:51But ideally, we'll see some early results by October.
30:57Mr. Linskid, for joining me there, giving us the benefit of your wisdom.
31:02I appreciate you taking the time off, joining me there from Washington, D.C.
31:06Clearly, this is now possibly a need for a cooling-off period as the temperature escalates
31:12between India and the United States over trade.
31:16Let's turn back home to the big political story of the day, where the Supreme Court created
31:21a bit of a controversy today.
31:23They stayed criminal defamation proceedings against leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha,
31:29Rahul Gandhi, for his remarks on the situation on the border, the Sino-Indian border during
31:34the 2022 Bharat Joro Yatra.
31:37But in the process, a Supreme Court judge on the bench asked Rahul Gandhi, what credible
31:43material did he have to back his claim and question why he was making what they thought
31:48were irresponsible statements outside parliament rather than making them inside parliament.
31:55The opposition of the BJP, rather, has been quick to seize on it, saying Rahul Gandhi has
32:01once again been pulled up by the courts.
32:05Take a look at tonight's top political story.
32:07That is where it all began.
32:32During the Bharat Joro Yatra in December 2022, Rahul Gandhi alleged that a former army officer
32:39had informed him that China had occupied 2,000 square kilometers of Indian territory.
33:02On Monday, the Supreme Court took strong exception to the Congress leader's remark.
33:12The top court rebuked Rahul Gandhi, saying such statements were unbecoming of a true Indian.
33:18At the same time, the court stated defamation proceedings against Rahul in the trial court.
33:23Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Meshi pressed Gandhi with sharp questions, asking Rahul,
33:31how did he know that China had annexed 2,000 kilometers?
33:36The Supreme Court asked, what evidence supported Rahul's claim?
33:40The Supreme Court also asked Rahul, why did not he, as a leader of opposition, raise the
33:45matter in the parliament but rushed to make such a claim publicly?
33:48In his defense, Gandhi contended that he had not entered politics just for parliamentary
33:55privilege and as constitutional right to ask questions in the public.
33:59I am surprised by this oral observation.
34:03So does it mean that we in the opposition can't raise an issue of national concern unless
34:09we have documentary proof of it?
34:11So the issue with China has been a long-running issue.
34:15People know that we have a very tense border.
34:17We have had confrontation in the border.
34:19There has also been many reports which have said that we have ceded territory.
34:23So as the leader of opposition, it's Rahul Gandhi's right to raise these issues.
34:28The government hit back sharply, referring to Rahul Gandhi's as a China guru who is out to
34:33demoralize the forces through lies and deceit.
34:36This kind of statement from the leader of opposition is extremely harmful for the nation and it
34:46demoralizes our forces.
34:49So we have been making appeal to Sri Rahul Gandhi not to make such kind of unsubstantiated
34:56statement.
34:57But he doesn't listen to us.
34:59I am very happy that at least Supreme Court has now given him a warning.
35:15Rahul had early apologised to top court for wrongly attributing his Chokidar Chor remark.
35:20Is the pressure to take on Modi government making Rahul Gandhi commit political blunders?
35:27As the political battle intensifies, the Supreme Court's observations and the BJP's counter-attack
35:33have pushed Rahul Gandhi's remarks back into the spotlight, raising serious questions about
35:39speech, accountability and national security.
35:42With Anisha Mathur and Piyush Mishra, Bureau Report, India Today.
35:53Okay, from Rahul Gandhi's showdown in a way with the Supreme Court, let's turn to a real
35:58political showdown over a letter written by the Delhi police that is seeking the West Bengal
36:03government's help to translate documents in Bengali.
36:07The TMC there has fiercely objected to what they are saying was the Delhi police's description
36:13of Bengali as a Bangladeshi language, suggesting it reflects the mindset where anyone who speaks
36:21Bangla is today identified as a Bangladeshi.
36:25Take a look at another battle brewing, Mamata Banerji versus the Centre.
36:29Under fire for targeting Bengali speakers during its crackdown on alleged illegal immigrants,
36:40the Delhi police finds itself in another controversy, this time over a letter from the Lothi Colony
36:48police station.
36:50The letter sent to Bongo Bhawan seeks help in translating documents involving suspected illegal
36:57immigrants in what it called the Bangladeshi language, igniting a full-blown political firestorm.
37:05Leading the charge is West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerji.
37:10She accused the Delhi police of calling Bengali a Bangladeshi language and described it as an
37:16insult to all speakers of the language in India.
37:20Mamata Banerji also pointed out that both national anthem and national song are written in Bengali.
37:27To call this a Bangladeshi language on official documentation is a calculated action.
37:36This is not a mistake.
37:37It's not a clerical error.
37:38We demand an unconditional apology from the Delhi police.
37:42We demand corrective action and we demand steps against the officers involved in writing
37:47this letter.
37:48The Congress and DMK have supported the TMC's demand for an apology from the Delhi police.
37:56The BJP has jumped to the defence of Delhi police, branding Mamata's outrage as fake and politically
38:03motivated.
38:03All these narratives that she has been spreading, the fake narratives, it's completely false and
38:10to confuse the people of Bengal and the people of India.
38:14With West Bengal going to polls next year and voter list revision on the cards, the fight over
38:21alleged illegal immigrants is fast becoming a major political issue in the state.
38:27Let's turn to tonight's ground report.
38:33It comes from Prayagraj, which is battling severe flooding at the moment.
38:38Overflowing rivers have flooded homes.
38:40Police are chanting mantras.
38:42Boats are ferrying people.
38:44Thousands have taken shelter as Uttar Pradesh is facing one of its worst floods in years.
38:50It's our ground report tonight.
38:51When water from an overflowing Ganga entered homes in Prayagraj, a police officer offered
39:06milk and rain.
39:08His videos of chanting mantras and swimming in the floodwaters soon went viral.
39:13Chalo gota khani sangam mein karateen saavar jangam mein har har har har nar nar narayan hain
39:26Sub-inspector Chandradeep Nishad and hundreds of others, while being reverent to the holy river,
39:32have shifted to safer locations.
39:38Boats have become the main mode of transport in areas near Prayagraj.
39:42The city where Ganga and Yamuna converge.
39:47Authorities have deployed rafts to move affected citizens.
39:52Some who have not shifted are staying on the upper floors.
40:12in the upper floor.
40:12Football fo'r hootin hai hain to pani jay answered.
40:14To park a car boat, shifth hoona hai pairae ga ki ki ni chay poora paani aaja ta.
40:18To to park a day majboor hoote hai.
40:20For for for for for for for for for for family people.
40:24Hararek cheej bhi saman bhi bhi akar hor rahe our chi go raha hai.
40:27Niche tato paani bharah hoa hi a aqsa aqsa sabharig chis murchya lag raha harik u raha.
40:32flood water has entered in the ground floor and you can see through the
40:37visuals that the doors and the windows are not able to shut down because the
40:42force of the water is so much high so much high intensity that the the owners
40:47of the house have to left this first floor and now they have to live on the
40:51upper air floor whether it is a first floor or whether the roof they have to
40:56spend their life 18 relief centers have been set up where more than 6,000 have
41:03taken shelter the school has been converted into a shelter
41:26i need to see if you want to live here
41:33how food has happened
41:38all are the same
41:41have some difficulty
41:45Waterborne diseases are a concern in Pryor Grouch.
42:15Waterborne diseases are a concern in Pryor Grouch.
42:39Over 400 villages in 37 Tehseals of Uttar Pradesh are affected by floods, impacting 84,000 people.
42:49The government has set up more than 1,000 flood posts to monitor river levels across the state.
42:56With Santosh Sharma and Anand Raj, Bureau Report, India Today.
43:03Our thoughts with the people of Uttar Pradesh.
43:05Let me turn there to some good news story on this day.
43:09In Akola, when snakes slither into homes, it's Bal Kalne who answers their call.
43:16For 30 years, a cancer survivor has rescued over 20,000 snakes,
43:21turning every rescue into a lesson in courage and compassion.
43:26Take a look at this good news today story.
43:28This is the man people of Akola turn to when they are troubled by poisonous snakes.
43:40For the last 30 years, Bal Kalne has been rescuing snakes and releasing them in the forests.
43:46From cobras to wipers to pythons, the 58-year-old has saved thousands of reptiles.
43:52Bal Kalne who survived throat cancer seven years ago believes his work also helps in spreading awareness about the disease.
44:19Kalne remembers that on the day he was diagnosed with cancer, he had gone to rescue a snake.
44:25His family, initially reluctant, later backed Kalne's decision to continue with his work.
44:50He claims he has rescued more than 20,000 snakes and hundreds of wild animals.
45:07Even today, when he gets calls, he hurries to help.
45:14With Dhananjay Sable, Bureau Report, India Today.
45:17It takes all types.
45:23Okay, I want to leave you though with our image today.
45:26Shibbu Soren, one of the towering figures of India's politics in the last four decades.
45:32A leader who fought tirelessly for tribal rights.
45:35Known as Dishom Guru.
45:36A three-time chief minister of Jarkhand, passed away today at the age of 81.
45:41In a country where post-independence, many believe tribals have never got their full political rights.
45:49It was Shibbu Soren who through good times and bad, through plenty of controversy,
45:54continued to wave the flag of separate statehood for Jarkhand which he got eventually
45:59and to be a messiah for the tribals of the Santhal community of Jarkhand.
46:06The founder of the Jarkhand Mukti Morcha, he remained an influential leader in state and national politics.
46:14Dishom Guru is no more.
46:17Rest in peace.
46:18Om Shanti.
46:20Bye for now.