BHUBANESWAR  MONDAY  DECEMBER 02, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 12  LATE CITY EDITION GST mop-up increased by 8.5% to `1.82L crore in November: Official data | P10 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI DONALD TRUMP THREATENS BRICS WITH 100% TARIFFS US President-elect warns against trying to undercut the dollar Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi In October, while answering a question on de-dollarisation at an US President-elect Donald Trump event hosted by Washington-based on Sunday threatened to impose a think tank Carnegie Endowment, 100% tariff on the BRICS bloc na- Jaishankar said India has no politions, which include India, if they cy to target the dollar, adding that try to undermine the US it only looks at alternadollar. “The idea that the tive currencies while BRICS countries are trydealing with trade parting to move away from ners who do not have acthe Dollar while we stand cess to dollar. by and watch is over. We In that context, require a commitment... Trump’s message is seen that they will neither creas mainly targeted at Rusate a new BRICS Currensia and China. cy, nor back any other The topic had come up ‘Unrealistic during the recent summit Currency to replace the threat’ mighty US Dollar or, they of the BRICS, where Ruswill face 100 percent Tar- Trump’s threat is sian President Vladimir iffs and should expect to unrealistic, think Putin accused the US of say goodbye to selling “weaponising” the dollar tank The Global into the wonderful U.S. to target rivals. “It’s not Trade Research Economy,” Trump wrote us who refuse to use the Initiative said on his Truth Social on Sunday. It said dollar,” Putin had said at website. the time. “But if they tariffs of this Trump said there is scale would harm don’t let us work, what “no chance” BRICS will the US consumers can we do? We are forced replace the US dollar in to search for only as it would global trade and any alternatives.” push prices on country that tries to make Russia is pushing for imports, disrupt that happen “should wave global trade, and the creation of a new paygoodbye to America.” The ment system that would risk retaliation statement comes in the from key partners offer an alternative to the backdrop of the BRICS global bank messaging summit held in October in the Rus- network, SWIFT, and allow Mossian city of Kazan discussing ways cow to dodge Western sanctions to boost non-dollar transactions and trade with partners. and local currencies. BRICS is an intergovernmental India is not in favour of a com- organisation comprising nine mon BRICS currency External Af- countries — Brazil, Russia, India, . fairs Minister S Jaishankar has China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiomore than once clarified that there pia, Iran, and the United Arab is no plan to go for a common Emirates. BRICS currency . (With inputs from agencies) Kash Patel named as new FBI head AGENCIES US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday tapped Indian American Kashyap ‘Kash’ Patel, 44, to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). If confirmed, Patel would replace Christopher Wray, who was chosen by Trump in his first term as president in 2017. FBI directors are appointed to 10year terms to insulate the bureau from politics. A fierce Trump loyalist and a vocal critic of ‘deep state’, Patel is expected to cut down the FBI’s footprint. In a recent interview, he said he would close down the FBI’s headquarters in Washington and “reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state”. He said he will send the 7,000-odd employees working in that building across America to chase criminals. Patel served in several posts during Trump’s first term, including as Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense. A son of Indian immigrants, Patel has commented on the developments in India. Earlier this year, he had voiced support for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. He has also alleged there is a disinformation campaign in Washington targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Harness ‘double AI power’ to tackle high-tech crime: Modi E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhubaneswar PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon the police and security establishment to harness India’s double AI power of Artificial Intelligence and ‘Aspirational India’ to thwart the threats from digital fraud, cyber crime and AI technology, particularly the potential of deepfake to disrupt social and familial relations. Addressing the DGP and IG conference on the concluding day , the prime minister also emphasised transformation of the police to SMART through strategic, meticulous, adaptable, reliable and trans- parent action while urging the law enforcement agencies to modernise and realign themselves with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’. He appreciated the initiatives taken in urban policing and suggested that each of the initiatives be collated and implemented entirely in 100 cities of the country He . called for the use of technology to reduce the workload of the constabulary and suggested that police stations be made the focal point for resource allocation. He also highlighted the need for expanding the focus on port security and preparing a future plan of action CONTINUED ON P5 for it. EXPRESS READ 7 Maoists killed in encounter with police in Telangana Mulugu: Seven Maoists were killed in an alleged encounter with Telangana Police in Chalpaka forest of Mulugu district near Chhattisgarh border on Sunday. Police claimed to have recovered two AK-47 rifles, one .303 rifle apart from a shotgun, country-made revolver, a G3, kit bags, and literature from the encounter spot | P5 BJP will take CM call, will have my support: Shinde Mumbai: With suspense continuing over who would be the next Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Sunday reiterated that whatever decision taken by PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah on next chief minister will be acceptable to him. Shinde said Mahayuti allies will sit together and resolve all difference with regard to portfolios | P8 Appointment of new BrahMos chief challenged M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi IN a rare instance, the appointment of BrahMos Aerospace chief has been challenged in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Hyderabad. The leadership dispute comes at a time the organisation is working on the country’s biggest defence supply order to the Philippines. The crisis stems from the appointment of Jaiteerth R Joshi as Chief Executive Officer, a decision contested by Sivasubramanyam Nambi Naidu, alleging he was superseded during the selection. The case was filed on November 29 and the first hearing took place on November 30. According to sources, the CAT has sought a detailed response from DRDO within four weeks and has scheduled the next hearing on December 30. The petitioner has made DRDO and Joshi as respondents. BrahMos procurements. However, leadSources said that Naidu, a Distin- ership ambiguity raises concerns about guished Scientist, is seven years senior meeting these strategic priorities. to Joshi and has served as an OutstandAlexander Maksichev, co-director of ing Scientist since 2017, a position Joshi Brahmos Aerospace, recently said accurrently holds. With only three years tive discussions are on with countries left in service compared to Joshi’s six, such as Indonesia, Vietnam and United Naidu’s plea is to consider his seniority Arab Emirates for potential contracts and experience. of this missile system. The organisation is currentThe dispute pits two accomly engaged in adplished scientists against each vanced ne gotiaother. Naidu, a key figure in PRESS India’s Prithvi missile proCLUSIVE tions with three to four countries, with gramme, is recognised for his the next stages of managerial exper tise at deliveries to the Philippines Bharat Dynamics Limited, also coming up under a $375 Jaiteerth R Joshi where he oversaw large-scale million contract. These negotiamissile production. His experitions are critical for establishing India ence aligns with BrahMos’ operational as a reliable defence exporter and the and export ambitions. deliberations demand steady leaderIn contrast, Joshi is known for his ship to avoid delays. contribution to the Long-Range and On the domestic front, the Army and Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles Air Force are in the midst of more (LRSAM and MRSAM).