Donald Trump threatens to reclaim Panama Canal due to 'outrageous fees'
The Panama Canal faced significant impacts from the 2023 Central American droughts, which compelled it to considerably cut back on the daily slots available for vessels traversing the waterway.
US President-elect Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that his forthcoming administration might seek to repossess control of the Panama Canal, which he claimed the United States “stupidly” transferred to its Central American partner. Trump stated that vessels navigating this crucial passage incur “outrageous” charges for doing so. “We’re being exploited at the Panama Canal,” he commented during a rally in Arizona, as reported by the Associated Press. Trump lamented that his nation “naively handed it over.”
He asserted that if the ethical and legal foundations of this “generous act of giving” are not upheld, then the US will demand that the Panama Canal be restored to the United States of America, completely, promptly, and unconditionally.
“I won’t tolerate it. So to the authorities in Panama, please act accordingly,” he remarked.
The United States constructed the canal in the early twentieth century while seeking methods to streamline the movement of commercial and military ships between its coasts. Washington transferred ownership of the waterway to Panama on December 31, 1999, in accordance with a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter.
Who is Sriram Krishnan, tech professional from Chennai appointed by President-elect Donald Trump as the AI advisor for the upcoming US administration?
Sriram Krishnan, a technology specialist hailing from Chennai, has received the designation of Senior Policy Advisor for AI from President-elect Donald Trump. With extensive experience from major tech companies such as Microsoft and Facebook, Krishnan is set to influence the AI policy landscape in the United States while ensuring the country maintains its dominance in this vital sector. US President-elect Donald Trump announced the selection of Indian American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author Sriram Krishnan as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence on Sunday.
“Sriram Krishnan will take on the role of Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy,” Trump stated on Sunday during the unveiling of several appointments related to artificial intelligence or AI. Krishnan, who has previously managed product teams at Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap, will collaborate closely with David O Sacks, who is designated as the White House AI & Crypto Czar.
“By working alongside David Sacks, Sriram will prioritize maintaining American leadership in AI and contribute to the development and coordination of AI policies across the government, including in collaboration with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Sriram began his professional journey at Microsoft as a founding member of Windows Azure,” Trump declared.
Can Elon Musk Be US President One Day? Donald Trump Declares 'I Can Tell You...'
Donald Trump faced considerable backlash for allocating a significant position to Elon Musk within his forthcoming administration, with Musk being referred to as "President Musk." In response to the criticism, Trump has made his stance clear.
On Sunday (local time), US President-elect Donald Trump addressed the Democratic party's objections regarding Elon Musk's portrayal as “President Musk” due to his involvement in the impending administration. He explicitly mentioned that the wealthiest individual globally is “not going to be US President.”
He referenced the American legal stipulation that mandates a candidate must be born in the United States to assume the presidency. What Did Donald Trump Say About Musk?
He asserted that Musk “will not have the presidency” and will oversee a newly established department focused on government efficiency. “We are going to establish a new department for government efficiency led by Elon Musk. And no, he's not assuming the presidency. They are on this new narrative. Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine… All the various fabrications. And the latest is — President Trump has handed over the presidency to Elon Musk. No, no, that’s not occurring. But Elon has accomplished remarkable things. Isn’t it great to have intelligent individuals we can depend on? He’s doing a fantastic job,” Trump mentioned at a Republican gathering in Phoenix, Arizona.
“He’s not going to be president, I can assure you. Do you know the reason he can’t? He wasn’t born in this country,” Trump emphasized.
“No, that’s simply not happening,” Trump promised the audience.
3 individuals suspected to be part of the Khalistan Zindabad Force eliminated following confrontation with UP STF in Pilibhit
From them, two AK-47 assault rifles and two Glock handguns, as well as a significant amount of ammunition, were recovered.
On early Monday, three individuals purportedly linked to a grenade assault in Gurdaspur were killed during an engagement with a combined unit of the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab police in Pilibhit, according to officials.
The suspects were named as Gurvinder Singh (25), Virender Singh known as Ravi (23), and Jaspreet Singh also referred to as Pratap Singh (18), all hailing from Gurdaspur, stated the police.
The confrontation occurred in the Puranpur sector of the Pilibhit district.
Amitabh Yash, the Director General (Law and Order) of the Uttar Pradesh Police, indicated that the trio was implicated in a grenade assault on a police checkpoint located in Gurdaspur, Punjab.
"The three suffered critical injuries during the encounter and were quickly transported to CHC Puranpur for medical care," he remarked, as reported by PTI.
He mentioned that two AK-47 rifles, two Glock pistols, along with a sizeable amount of ammunition were confiscated from them.
Yash stated, "The ground situation is stable, and legal actions are currently underway," regarding the aftermath of the encounter.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav elaborates on the Pilibhit encounter
Gaurav Yadav, the Director General of Police for Punjab, also took to X to share details about the encounter. Describing it as a significant breakthrough against a ‘Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module sponsored by Pakistan,’ Yadav asserted that a joint operation conducted by UP Police and Punjab Police culminated in an exchange of fire with three members of the module who shot at the police team.
“This terror module has been participating in grenade attacks on police installations in the border regions of Punjab. The confrontation transpired within the jurisdiction of PS Puranpur, Pilibhit, involving the collaborative police forces of Pilibhit and Punjab, and the three module members are associated with the grenade attack on a police post in Gurdaspur," the update on X stated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's journey to Kuwait yielded notable accomplishments, resulting in the execution of various memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries.
India, which recorded trade amounting to $184.46 billion with Kuwait and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations such as the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar during the period of 2022-23, further strengthened its relations with Kuwait throughout the Prime Minister's visit.
As per the official updates provided by the PMO, the trip from December 21 to 22 included the establishment of an MoU focused on collaboration in the defence sector. "This MoU will formalize bilateral collaboration in defence, encompassing essential areas such as training, personnel and expert exchanges, joint military exercises, cooperation within the defence industry, supply of defence materials, and partnerships in research and development, among other elements," the government stated.
An additional significant advancement was the cultural exchange programme (CEP) agreed upon for the years 2025-29. "The CEP will enhance cultural exchanges across various domains including art, music, dance, literature, and theatre, facilitating cooperation in cultural heritage preservation, conducting research and development in cultural sectors, and organizing festivals," as noted in the statement.
In terms of sports, a new executive programme was launched to enhance bilateral cooperation. "This executive programme will fortify collaboration in sports between India and Kuwait through the promotion of visits from sports leaders for sharing experiences," the PMO remarked. Additionally, it will engage in programs and projects related to sports, sharing expertise in sports medicine, sports management, sports media, and sports science, among other aspects.
One of the significant features of the visit was Kuwait’s engagement with the International Solar Alliance. "The International Solar Alliance addresses the collective efforts to expand solar energy deployment and tackles essential shared challenges in enhancing the usage of solar energy to assist member nations in developing low-carbon growth paths," the government informed.
Kuwait continues to be among India's foremost trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching $10.47 billion during the financial year 2023-24. India serves as a vital partner for Kuwait, and the Indian diaspora represents the largest expatriate community in the Gulf country. Furthermore, Kuwait ranks as India’s sixth-largest supplier of crude oil, fulfilling 3% of its energy requirements. Indian exports to Kuwait surpassed $2 billion for the first time, whereas investments from the Kuwait Investment Authority in India went beyond $10 billion.
Indians make up 21 percent (1 million) of Kuwait's overall population and 30 percent of its workforce (around 9 lakh). According to the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, Indian nationals lead in both the private sector and domestic workforce categories.
