Quick Reads
News Dabba for 07 May 2025: Five stories for a balanced news diet
Here are the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites.
Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates, from trade negotiations between China and USA, escalating Sudanese civil war, to the accelerating tensions between India and Pakistan.
US and China to start talks over trade war this week, BBC reports
According to the BBC, US and Chinese officials are set to start talks this week to try to deescalate a trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will attend the talks in Switzerland from 9 to 12 May, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer will represent Washington at the meeting, their offices announced. Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has imposed new import taxes on Chinese goods of up to 145%. Beijing has hit back with levies on some goods from the US of 125%. Read the full report here.
New wave of Sudanese refugees flee into neighbouring Chad, reports Africa news
Large numbers of Sudanese refugees are pouring into eastern Chad with more than 18,500 people arriving in the past two weeks alone, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said. According to the report, hundreds of thousands of people are on the move after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked the Zamzam camp, the country's largest displacement camp, killing at least 400 people. Many of them, including children, elderly people, and pregnant women, are severely malnourished. Read the full report here.
Russian drone strike caused tens of millions worth of damage to Chornobyl, The Guardian reports
A Russian Shahed drone costing up to £75,000 is estimated to have inflicted tens of millions worth of damage to the site of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, according to initial assessments and engineering experts. The cost of a full fix is likely to be borne by western governments including the UK, because initial estimates are that a complete repair will cost more than the €25m available in a special international contingency fund. The report says the strike in mid February significantly damaged the €1.5bn containment structure built in 2017 to encase the destroyed reactor and is likely to take months if not years to completely repair. Read the full report here.
At least 10 killed, over 30 injured in Pakistan shelling, The Hindu reports
At least 10 civilians were killed and over 30 were injured today as Pakistan resorted to firing and shelling along the Line of Control in J&K after the Operation Sindoor. The Indian Armed Forces struck nine targets, four in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) between 01:05 AM to 01:30 AM. The report says three innocent civilians lost their lives in indiscriminate firing and shelling by Pakistan. Houses and shops were damaged in Pakistan’s mortar shelling in Poonch, Kupwara and Baramulla districts. Meanwhile, the Srinagar airport has been closed for air traffic. Read the full report here.
CCEA approves revised SHAKTI scheme for allocation of coal to power plants, Deccan Herald reports
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the revised Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala Transparently in India (SHAKTI) for allocation of coal to the power sector to help them meet long-term and short-term coal requirements. According to the report, the approval was given by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a move aimed at simplification of the linkage process. The revised policy, besides supporting brownfield expansion, will promote setting up of new thermal power projects primarily at pithead sites i.e. nearer to the coal source. Read the full report here.
