THERE are many dimensions of Trump's trade war launched against all countries beginning of April, from the biggest countries, such as China, EU, Japan, and India, to the smallest, including Lesotho, one of the poorest countries in the world. Lesotho exports diamonds to the US, has a per capita income of approximately $3.3, and is in no position to buy US goods. The US imposed an import duty on Lesotho of 50 per cent, the highest tariff on any country. This is before China and US reciprocal tariffs tit for tat action reached minimum China’s tariff to 145 per cent.

IN a historic judgment, the Supreme Court has struck down the West Bengal School Service Commission’s (SSC) 2016 recruitment panel, annulling 25,752 appointments and branding the entire selection process “tainted beyond redemption.” This ruling has not only shattered public confidence in the recruitment system but also plunged thousands of affected teachers into an uncertain future.The verdict has ignited widespread political controversy and unrest, with the cancellation of appointments impacting nearly 26,000 teachers.

DONALD Trump has put off his proposed tariffs by ninety days; but countries like India have to respond to Trump’s measures whether now or after ninety days. These measures are not just an episodic act. Trump clearly threatens with tariffs any country that dares to act in a manner not approved by him; he is weaponising tariffs to assert US hegemony, quite apart from using them for economic ends like raising domestic activity and reducing the US current account deficit.

THE Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), in a statement issued on April 15, has expressed deep concern at recent developments in the media space that seek to curtail their right to free expression and the right to earn their livelihoods, whether through the print media or digital platforms like YouTube.The Delhi Union of Journalists is shocked at the union government’s move to seize the assets of the National Herald, including Herald House in Delhi from which the Herald newspaper is published, besides the Associated Journals Ltd’s buildings in Lucknow and Mumbai.

Stop Communal Polarisation and Restore Peace in ManipurTHE 24th Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses serious concern about the developments in Manipur since the eruption of the ethnic violence on May 3, 2023, the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025 and the confirmation of President’s Rule by Parliament on April 4, 2025.