International
Unmanned freight train travels 70 km unattended in India, sparks investigation
India, home to one of the world’s most extensive railway networks, has experienced numerous train accidents. The deadliest among them occurred on June 6, 1981, in the state of Bihar, where between 800 and 1,000 people lost their lives.
India’s railway company announced on Monday that it has launched an investigation after a freight train traveled unmanned for a stretch of 70 km in the northern region of the country.
“We have ordered an investigation,” stated Deepak Kumar, spokesperson for Northern Railways, to AFP the day after the incident, which fortunately did not result in casualties.
On Sunday, around fifty wagons loaded with gravel traveled unmanned at a speed of 100 km/h, from the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab, also in the north, before being halted by wooden blocks placed on the tracks.
The incident began at Jammu station, where the train was parked to allow for a crew change, as reported by local media.
After the conductor and his team disembarked, the train began to roll downhill. All level crossings along the route were closed to prevent accidents.
India’s extensive railway network has seen numerous accidents over the years. The deadliest occurred on June 6, 1981, in Bihar state in the east, when seven wagons of a train crossing a bridge fell into the Bagmati River, resulting in between 800 and 1,000 fatalities.
Central America
Peru’s ambassador highlights “historic bonds” with El Salvador on Independence Day
The Ambassador of Peru to El Salvador, Jorge Rosado La Torre, reaffirmed on Monday evening—during Peru’s Independence Day celebration—that Peru “maintains historic ties of friendship, cooperation, and mutual respect with El Salvador” and acknowledged “its firm willingness to continue deepening our bilateral relations.”
Rosado La Torre highlighted the strong relations between El Salvador and Peru at the ceremony held at the Palacio Tecleño de la Cultura y las Artes to mark the 204th Anniversary of Peru’s Independence, proclaimed on July 28, 1821.
“El Salvador and Peru share fundamental principles: respect for the rule of law, the promotion of human rights, multilateralism, and the defense of peace and democracy,” the diplomat said during the event, which was attended by diplomatic authorities, Salvadoran officials, members of the Peruvian community, and friends of Peru.
The ambassador also emphasized that Peru and El Salvador “are also united by cultural, social, and human bonds, which grow stronger every day through joint work and the connection between our societies.”
Rosado La Torre noted that Peru’s Independence Day “not only allows us to celebrate a national milestone but also to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and cooperation between our peoples.”
International
U.S. and China push for extension of tariff truce after “constructive” talks in Sweden
The United States and China “will continue working” to secure an extension of their tariff truce, China’s international trade representative Li Chenggang said Tuesday, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Li’s comments followed negotiations in Sweden with a U.S. delegation led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, describing the talks as “frank, in-depth, and constructive,” Xinhua reported.
The discussions aimed to prolong the 90-day pause negotiated in Geneva in May—set to expire on August 12—which temporarily ended the mutual retaliatory measures that had triggered punitive tariffs. The truce lowered customs duties on U.S. and Chinese goods from 125% and 145% respectively, to a more moderate 10% and 30%, on top of existing tariffs, ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year.
The U.S. and Chinese delegations—led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice Premier He Lifeng—also exchanged views on key economic and trade issues and pledged to maintain close communication, Li added.
The talks in Sweden came at the start of a crucial week for Trump’s trade policy, as tariffs on most of the United States’ main trading partners are set for a sharp increase on August 1.
International
Trump administration opens civil rights probe into duke university over alleged bias
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump launched a formal investigation on Monday into Duke Universityand its law journal over alleged “discriminatory practices.”
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened the probe following complaints that Duke’s law review selection process allegedly awarded extra points to applicants who “referenced their race or ethnicity in their personal statements,” according to a statement from the department.
Based in North Carolina, Duke is the latest academic institution to come under scrutiny from the Republican administration, which has escalated an ideological battle against universities.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that higher education institutions have been “captured by the far left” and has taken action to sanction and ban Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs aimed at addressing social inequities in admissions and faculty hiring.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent a joint letter to Duke’s leadership expressing concerns about the use of “racial criteria in hiring, admissions, and scholarship awards,” particularly within the university’s health system.
“I’m proud to partner with Secretary Kennedy to ensure Duke commits to excellence, integrity, and respect for the law in shaping the nation’s future leaders,” McMahon said.
“Granting illegal preferential treatment based on immutable characteristics is an affront not only to civil rights laws but also to the meritocratic nature of academic excellence,” she added.
The decision to investigate Duke comes just days after Columbia University agreed to pay a $200 million fine to settle accusations by the Trump administration of alleged antisemitism.
Peru’s ambassador highlights “historic bonds” with El Salvador on Independence Day
U.S. and China push for extension of tariff truce after “constructive” talks in Sweden
Trump administration opens civil rights probe into duke university over alleged bias
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