US tariffs: Trump announces 30% duties for EU and Mexico; cites fentanyl crisis and trade deficits as the reason

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that starting August 1, 2025, goods imported from both Mexico and the European Union will be subject to a 30% tariff. The letters, posted on his social media platform, cite drug trafficking concerns in Mexico and long-standing trade imbalances with the EU as reasons for the sweeping measures.Days…

Read More

‘Sooner or later…’: Paytm founder sees impact of AI on jobs as ‘inevitable’; says artificial intelligence will also create new roles

The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs is “inevitable”, according to Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, who said AI will become part of routine business processes sooner rather than later. “Sooner or later we will have to start using AI as an employee or even as a CFO,” Sharma said at an AI-focused event…

Read More

US tariffs: Mexico calls Trump’s 30% duties ‘unfair’; EU warns of supply chain disruption

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Mexican officials have both hit back at US President Donald Trump’s latest threat to impose 30% tariffs on their exports starting August 1. While the European Union has reiterated its commitment to negotiations, Mexico has rejected the move outright, calling it “unfair” and unacceptable. Trump made the…

Read More

VinFast India expansion: EV maker signs 13 dealer pacts, targets 35 showrooms by 2025-end across 27 cities

VinFast Auto India, the domestic arm of Vietnam-based electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast, on Saturday announced that it has signed agreements with 13 dealer groups to open 32 dealerships across 27 cities. The company aims to expand this footprint to 35 dealerships by the end of 2025, according to a statement.The move is part of VinFast’s…

Read More

US-India ties: Kumar Mangalam Birla joins USISPF board, vows deeper US push as top Indian greenfield investor

Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla (ANI) Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has joined the Board of Directors of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) as a member of its Executive Committee, the forum said in a statement on Saturday.The appointment comes weeks after Birla was conferred the Global Leadership Award at…

Read More

Excise policy protest: Maharashtra bars, permit rooms to shut on July 14; Industry body calls tax hikes ‘draconian’

More than 20,000 bars and permit rooms across Maharashtra will observe a one-day bandh on July 14 to protest what the hospitality sector has called “draconian” tax hikes by the state government, the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) said on Saturday.The association said the shutdown is aimed at opposing multiple tax increases imposed over…

Read More

Vaaree raises $4.6 million to scale home décor platform

Vaaree founders (L-R) Pranav Arora, Varun Vohra and Garima Luthra BENGALURU: Bengaluru-based home décor startup Vaaree has raised $4.6 million in a pre-Series A round led by PeerCapital, with participation from other existing investors Surge (Peak XV’s accelerator programme) and All In Capital. New investors Sattva Ventures and the Asian Paints family office also participated…

Read More

Trade worry: Sri Lankan exporters flag 30% proposed US tariff; Apparel, rubber sectors may take hit

Sri Lankan exporters have expressed concern over a proposed 30 per cent tariff on goods entering the US, warning that the hike could severely impact key export sectors including apparel and rubber products.The Exporters Association of Sri Lanka (EASL) on Friday urged the government to step up negotiations with Washington ahead of the August 1…

Read More

Festive hiring to jump 20-25% this year; top e-commerce firms to hire over 75,000 staff – check details

Consumer goods firms, retailers, e-commerce platforms and logistics companies have increased their recruitment targets by 20-25% compared to the previous year for the upcoming festive period, anticipating robust sales recovery, according to a senior executives and recruitment specialists.The majority of these positions will be filled by temporary and gig workers, with a major e-commerce marketplace…

Read More

No more shortcuts! Roads ministry tightens stricter rules for highway projects; aims to ensure quality, speed

NEW DELHI: The ministry of roads has implemented stricter qualification requirements for bidding on road projects under hybrid annuity model (HAM) and engineering, construction and procurement (EPC) mode. These enhanced criteria aim to ensure superior construction quality of highways and expressways whilst securing timely project completion.The revised guidelines, detailed in a circular from the ministry…

Read More