BHUBANESWAR  MONDAY  APRIL 28, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 12  JEYPORE EDITION GLOBAL ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY HITS NEW HIGHS AMID U.S. TARIFF International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook warns economic uncertainty has surpassed levels seen during Covid-19 ‘AN ENVIRONMENT OF FEAR AND VOLATILITY’ WORLD TRADE UNCERTAINTY INDEX UP The report attributes this uncertainty to the unpredictable nature of the US tariff policy under President Trump. Recent tariff hikes, including a significant increase to 145% on Chinese products, have created an environment of fear and volatility in financial markets, said the report released on Sunday in Barcelona ■ ■ IMF’s world trade uncertainty index is seven times higher than in October 2024, with global GDP growth forecasts revised downward to 2.8% for 2025 and 3% for 2026 Financial markets are experiencing instability similar to Covid19, with US bond prices falling as investors begin to sell them 1.2% IS THE THE EURO AREA’S GROWTH FORECAST FIGURE FOR 2026 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 HEADS-UP: CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF MEETS RAJNATH SINGH NIA takes over probe, forces ready to strike M AYA N K S I N G H & M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi IN the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and the possibility of an Indian retaliation against Pakistan-backed terror groups, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday to brief him on key military decisions taken after the attack. The Indian Navy on Sunday conducted successful multiple anti-ship firings, showcasing its readiness for longrange precision strikes. “Indian Navy stands combat ready , credible, and future-ready in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests anytime, anywhere, anyhow,” the Navy said in a statement. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have taken a hit, after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on April 23 followed by India withdrawing its Defence, Navy and Air Ad, visors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, reducing the overall strength of the high commission to 30 from 55. The Indus Waters Treaty, functional since 1960, has been suspended, and the only operational land border crossing at Attari has been shut down. Diplomatic ties with Pakistan have been downgraded, prompting Pakistan to shut its ‘ZERO TOLERANCE FOR TERRORISM’ New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday dialled his British counterpart David Lammy and spoke about India’s policy of “zero tolerance” for terrorism while discussing the Pahalgam terror attack, three days after UK PM Keir Starmer spoke to PM Modi TOURISTS RETURN TO PAHALGAM Srinagar: Resilience has triumphed over terror and fear as tourists have begun returning to Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam 5 days after the terror attack. On Sunday, tourists from across the nation arrived in Pahalgam, and tourismrelated activities sprung back to life airspace to Indian airliners and suspend all trade with India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the Pahalgam terror attack, intensifying efforts to collect evidence and identify perpetrators. NIA teams, overseen by an Inspector General of Police, a Deputy Inspector General of Police and a Superintendent of Police, are examining eyewitnesses, analyzing videos, and scrutinizing entry and exit points to piece together the sequence of events. Intelligence agencies have traced the attack’s digital footprints to safe houses i n Muzaffarabad and Karachi, suggesting a clear Pakistan hand, sources said. A local videographer, who was there to film reels for tourists in Baisaran, has now become one of the key witnesses for the NIA, as a senior official said, “The photographer in a bid to save his life climbed a tree, but he continued videographing the incidents that unfolded there.” Meanwhile, Sunday was the last day for Pakistanis having short-term visas in 12 categories to leave India. A long queue of vehicles was seen at the Attari-Wagah border crossing. As many as 537 Pakistani nationals, including nine diplomats and officials, left India in four days since April 24 after the government announced the visa revocation the previous day officials said. , NAVY CONDUCTS WAR DRILLS IN ARABIAN SEA China calls for restraint, backs an ‘impartial investigation’ J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi Navy ships undertake multiple anti-ship firings in Arabian Sea to demonstrate its readiness for long range strikes | PTI PM vows ‘harshest punishment’ for conspirators, justice for kin of dead RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the families of the victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir will receive justice, and the perpetrators and conspirators will face the harshest response ever imagined. Addressing the nation through his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Modi expressed deep anguish over the attack that claimed the lives of at least 26 civilians, mostly tourists. “The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism,” Modi said, adding that the unity of A BSF personnel guides Pakistani nationals arriving at Wagah border to cross over to their country | PTI the country and solidarity of its people is the biggest strength in the war against terrorism. He accused the terrorists and their masterminds of trying to push Kashmir back into turmoil, by executing a major conspiracy . “This attack in Pahalgam shows the desperation of the patrons of terrorism; displays their cowardice.” He noted that the attack was a setback to the progress and peace that was returning to Kashmir, where construction work had gained unprecedented pace, democracy was getting stronger, and new opportunities were being created for the youth. The prime minister urged the nation to demonstrate strong willpower in the face of terrorism, and said, “Today the world is watching, after this terrorist attack, the whole country is speaking in one voice. The anger that the people of India feel is also being felt across the whole world.” AMID rising tensions between India and Pakistan, China on Sunday urged restraint by both sides. Beijing also backed Islamabad’s demand for an ‘impartial investigation’ into the Pahalgam terror attack, adding that it is ‘closely monitoring’ the situation. “Conflict is not in the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan, or conducive to regional peace and stability… Both countries should exercise restraint, meet each other halfway and promote the cooling of the situation,” Chinese state media quoted Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi as saying during a phone call with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday . During the call, Dar briefed Wang on the latest developments and the latter offered support for Pakistan’s “legitimate security concerns and its efforts to uphold sovereignty and security interests”. Reaffirming Beijing’s support for Islamabad, Wang added, “China has always supported Pakistan in its resolute anti-terrorism actions. As a staunch friend and all-weather strategic partner, China fully understands Pakistan’s reasonable security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests.” Pakistan, which is going through an economic crisis amid rising tensions with India and potential global isolation, is looking at China to come to its rescue. According to reports, it has now sought an additional 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) on its Chinese swap line, over and above the existing 30 billion yuan swap line. Meanwhile, sources said the Pakistani military continued its unprovoked firing along the Line of Control for the third consecutive day The Pakistan . military was engaged in similar firing on Thursday and Friday nights as well. “Our troops responded effectively with appropriate small arms fire,” said an official. Fake fundraiser irks Prasant’s family, complaint lodged A S I S H M E H TA @ Bhubaneswar ey in our name,” Sushant told this newspaper. STILL struggling to cope Cyber crime police said with the loss of Prasant Sat- they have detained a woman pathy, who fell victim to ter- for questioning in the conrorists in Pahalgam on April nection. “At least five to six 22, his family now seems to people have transferred be confronted with the chal- about `18,000 to the person’s leng e of crowdfunding account. The woman claimed scam. that they had contacted PrasSushant, the elder brother ant’s younger brother Jayant of Prasant, has lodged a com- and informed him about the plaint with the Cyber Crime plan to start the charity and Economic Offence drive,” police added. police station in BalaBalasore SP Raj sore alleging some Prasad said, though people have started Prasant’s family had a fake fundraising not given them the campaign on social consent, they had media platforms and started collecting collecting money in the money using his the name of helping name. Police are inthe terror victim’s vestigating whether family . the fundraising was We did not give Prashant’s family being done with genconsent for the came to know about uine intent. fundraising a Facebook user who “A woman has campaign. We had started a funddo not approve been detained in of any such raising campaign connection with the using the victim’s activity. Strong matter and is being action should name without their thoroughly interrobe taken knowledge. The user gated. If any wrongh a d r e p o r t e d l y Sushant Satpathy, doing is found, acshared a mobile tion will be initiated Prasant’s brother phone number and as per the law,” said requested the people Balasore SP, Raj to transfer the money Prasad adding the bank acthrough UPI. count in which the money The complaint, a copy of was being transferred has which is with TNIE, alleged been frozen. the Facebook user was colAn accounts assistant with lecting the money and assur- Central Institute of Plastics ing the donors that the entire Engineering and Technology amount would be handed (CIPET) in Balasore, Prasant over to Prasant’s family. Su- was present at the Baisaran shant provided the mobile meadows with his wife and phone number and the Face- nine-year-old son when terbook ID of the user to the rorists attacked. He was shot police. dead. “We did not give consent Chief Minister Mohan for any such fundraising Charan Majhi had ancampaign. We do not approve nounced ‘20 lakh ex gratia of any such activity. Strong for the next of kin of action should be taken Prashant, a native of Isani against anyone raising mon- village in Balasore district. ELEVEN KILLED AS VEHICLE PLOUGHS THROUGH CANADA FESTIVAL After a driver ploughed through a crowd at a Filipino cultural celebration in Vancouver on Sunday, police said while ruling out terrorism as the motive for the incident in the western Canadian city of Vancouver; the driver acted deliberately and had a history of mental health problems, officials said | P9 Expect more ‘torpedoes’ in Trump’s next 100 days EXPRESS READ Woman gang-raped and stabbed in Jajpur, hunt on for accused AGENCIES US President Donald Trump, who completes 100 days in power on April 29, will spend his next 100 days of his presidency to seal trade and peace pacts, media reports quoting White House officials said. After a series of ‘loud’ changes during his first 100 days, including social policy areas such as transgender rights, Trump may deploy some ‘torpedoes in reserve’ over the next three months, reports said quoting officials. This could mean more ‘executive actions’ that have become the hallmarks of Trump’s first 100 days. Sources hinted that the administration was still working on a travel ban for citizens from multiple countries. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has enacted sweeping changes on domestic and foreign policy priorities, upending the world economic order with tariffs, slashing the size of the federal government with job cuts, and scrapping diversity programmes. He is expected to travel to Donald Trump Michigan this week for a rally marking the 100-day milestone. The White House intends to highlight his economic vision, handling of undocumented immigrants, foreign policy changes, and work by billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to purge the federal bureaucracy . While Trump’s supporters have lauded his efforts to remake American society critics , say he has trampled on the rights of citizens as well as non-citizens, alienated allies, and weakened US’ standing on the global stage. Next month, Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE to push for peace in Russia’s war with Ukraine. DOG’S DAY OUT A boy enjoys a fetch the ball game with his pet dog at Bindusagar lake, in Bhubaneswar on Sunday | DEBADATTA MALLICK Jajpur: A 32-year-old woman was allegedly abducted, gang-raped and stabbed multiple times by a group of youths on the outskirts of Jajpur town here, police said on Sunday. The shocking incident took place on April 22 and came to light after the victim lodged a complaint with police. The woman is a resident of Motorangapal, around 8 km from Jajpur town. The woman was offered a ride in an autorickshaw. Instead of taking her home, the auto-rickshaw driver reached a secluded place on the outskirts of Jajpur town where three youths raped her | P4 Uncle held for rape and murder of 4-year-old niece in Ganjam dist EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Berhampur DAY after the body of a fouryear-old girl was found from an under-construction anganwadi centre in Khalingi village of Ganjam district, police have solved the case and arrested a relative of the deceased on charges of rape and murder. Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra said the accused, identified as Kalia Naha of Khalingi village, is a distant uncle of the victim. He frequently enticed the victim with chips and toffees during her visits to her maternal uncle’s house in Khalingi. On Friday, while under the influence of alcohol and after watching explicit content, Kalia saw the victim playing on the street and called her. She approached Kalia unsuspectingly and he lured her into the , under-construction anganwadi centre, where he sexually assaulted her. “When the victim screamed and tried to resist, he smothered her to death. He then hid her body in an interior room of the building before going to drink again,” he added. The little girl and her parents from Mahanala village had gone to her maternal uncle’s house in Khalingi to attend the week-long jatra. She went missing while playing with other kids near her uncle’s house. He family who were busy with villagers in winding up the jatra activities did not notice her absence. However, they found her missing during dinner and went in her search. A group of villagers found her body in the under-construction building in the wee hours of Saturday CONTINUED ON P5 .