BHUBANESWAR  MONDAY  DECEMBER 02, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 12  JEYPORE 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 US dollar Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi BRICS currency . In October, while answering a US President-elect Donald Trump question on de-dollarisation at an on Sunday threatened to impose a event hosted by Washington-based 100% tariff on the BRICS bloc na- think tank Carnegie Endowment, tions, which include India, if they Jaishankar said India has no politry to undermine the US cy to target the dollar, dollar. “The idea that the adding that it only looks BRICS countries are tryat alternative currencies ing to move away from to deal with trade partthe Dollar while we stand ners who do not have acby and watch is over. We cess to dollar. require a commitment... In that context, that they will neither creTrump’s message is seen ate a new BRICS Currenas mainly targeted at cy, nor back any other Russia and China. ‘Unrealistic Currency to replace the The topic had come up threat’ mighty US Dollar or, they during the October sumwill face 100 percent Tarmit, where Russian PresThe warning of iffs and should expect to ident Vladimir Putin acUS Presidentsay goodbye to selling cused the US of elect Donald into the wonderful U.S. “weaponising” the dollar Trump to BRICS Economy,” Trump wrote to target rivals. “It’s not countries to on his Truth Social us who refuse to use the impose 100% website. customs duties if dollar,” Putin had said at Trump said there is the BRICS group the time. “But if they “no chance” BRICS will would replace the don’t let us work, what replace the US dollar in can we do? We are forced US dollar is global trade and any unrealistic, think t o search for country that tries to alternatives.” tank The Global make that happen Russia is pushing for Trade Research “should wave goodbye to the creation of a new Initiative said America.” The statement payment system that on Sunday comes in the backdrop of would offer an alternathe BRICS summit held in October tive to the global bank messaging in the Russian city of Kazan dis- network, SWIFT, and allow Moscussing ways to boost non-dollar cow to dodge Western sanctions t r a n s a c t i o n s a n d l o c a l and trade with partners. 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 UAE. is no plan to go for a common (With inputs from agencies) Kash Patel named as new FBI head AGENCIES US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named 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. A fierce Trump loyalist and a vocal critic of ‘deep state’, Patel has called for dramatically reducing 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”. Patel served in several senior posts during Trump’s first term, as the Chief of Staff to the US Secretary of Defense. A son of Indian immigrants, Patel has commented on some of the developments in India. Earlier this year, he had voiced support for the Ayodhya Ram Temple, saying: Whether or not you are Hindu or Muslim, there was a Hindu temple there for one of the quintessential gods in the Hindu pantheon in 1500 that was toppled. 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 appreciating 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 acCONTINUED ON P5 tion 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 looming under a $375 mil- Jaiteerth R Joshi where he oversaw large-scale lion contract. These negotiamissile production. His experitions are critical for establishing India ence aligns with BrahMos’ operational as a reliable defence exporter, but they and export ambitions. demand steady leadership to avoid In contrast, Joshi is known for his delays. contributions 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).