06/05/2025

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India cleans Kashmir dams after suspending treaty

Adani aides meet White House team BENGALURU: Representatives for Indian billionaire Gautam Adani met officials from President Donald Trump’s administration to seek dismissal of criminal charges in an overseas bribery probe, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday. Discussions began earlier this year and have picked up in recent weeks, with a resolution possible within a month if momentum continues, the report said, citing sources familiar with the matter. An Adani Group representative, spokespeople for the Justice Department and White House declined comment to Bloomberg on the report. They did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters outside regular US business hours. In November, US authorities indicted Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, alleging that they paid bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts, and misled US investors during fund raises there. The SEC summoned Gautam and Sagar, alleging they paid bribes to Indian officials and misled investors on compliance during a US$750 million (RM3.2 billion) Adani Green bond sale. The billionaire’s aides are trying to make the case that his prosecution does not align with Trump’s priorities and should be reconsidered, Bloomberg News reported. Adani Group, the Justice Department and White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Late last month, Adani Green said its review of the US indictment found no non-compliance or irregularities. The indictment has erased about US$13 billion in market value from Adani Group’s nine listed firms. – Reuters PARIS: Kim Kardashian is ready to “confront” her Paris attackers as the US celebrity prepares to testify in person next week at a trial over an armed robbery of her jewellery in 2016. “She is committed to attending in person the trial and to confronting those who attacked her. She will do so with dignity and courage,” said her French lawyers Leonor Hennerick and Jonathan Mattout. In late April, 10 suspects went on trial in Paris over the 2016 robbery of the US celebrity, which saw some US$10 million (RM42 million) worth of jewellery stolen from the reality TV star and influencer. On the night of Oct 2-3, 2016, Kardashian, then 35, was robbed while staying at an exclusive hotel in central Paris. She was threatened with a gun to the head and tied up with her mouth taped up. Kardashian, who has been keeping abreast of developments during the first week of the trial, is due to testify on May 13. – AFP KENYA PRESIDENT FENDS OFF SHOE THROWN AT HIM NAIROBI: Kenya’s President William Ruto fended off a shoe thrown at him during a speech about the cost of living which has been a source of public anger, videos shared on social media showed. Ruto has been compelled to abandon tax hikes and invite opposition members into Cabinet, but discontent remains high in the East African nation. On Sunday at the rally in Migori county in western Kenya, Ruto blocked the flying footwear with his arm and did not appear to be injured. “We have said we are reducing the price of fertiliser, true or false?” he said as the shoe bounced off him, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said police had arrested three people. Then US president George W. Bush famously had a shoe thrown at him by an Iraqi journalist in 2008 in protest at the chaos following the US-led invasion. – Reuters KARDASHIAN READY TO ‘CONFRONT’ ATTACKERS

o ‘Flushing helps more efficient power generation’

power generation and prevent damage to turbines,” one source said. “We were also asked to open the adjustable gates for cleaning, which we did from May 1,” the source said, adding that the effort aimed to free dam operation from any restrictions. People living on the banks of the Chenab river on the Indian side of Kashmir said they noticed water had been released from both Salal and Baglihar dams from Thursday to Saturday. The flushing of hydropower projects requires nearly emptying a reservoir to force out sediments whose build-up is a major cause of decline in output. “Flushing is not a common thing because it leads to a lot of water wastage,” said one of the sources. “Downstream countries are expected to be informed.” India has sought to renegotiate the treaty in recent years and the archfoes have tried to settle some of their differences at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. These concerns related to the size of the water storage area at the region’s Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants. – Reuters

run NHPC Ltd, and authorities in the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the three sources said. The work may not immediately threaten supply to Pakistan, which depends on rivers flowing through India for much of its irrigation and hydropower generation, but it could eventually be affected if other projects launch similar efforts. There are more than half a dozen such dams in the region. India did not inform Pakistan about the work at the Salal and Baglihar dams, which is being done for the first time since they were built in 1987 and 2008/09, respectively, as the treaty had blocked such work, the sources added. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to the media. India’s NHPC and the neighbouring governments did not reply to emails from Reuters. The flushing operation ran for three days from May 1, the sources said. “This is the first time such an exercise has taken place and will help in more efficient

SRINAGAR: India has begun work to boost reservoir holding capacity at two hydroelectric projects in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, after fresh tension with Pakistan led it to suspend a water sharing pact. Last month, New Delhi suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that ensures supply to 80% of Pakistani farms after an attack in Kashmir killed 26, and it identified two of the three assailants as Pakistani. Islamabad has threatened international legal action over the suspension and denied any role in the attack, warning: “Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan ... will be considered as an act of war.” A “reservoir flushing” process to remove sediment began on Thursday, carried out by India’s biggest hydropower company, state

BR I E F S

ANNUAL CLEANSING ... A Hong Kong child dressed as a Taoist deity takes part in the Piu Sik parade (parade of deities) on the island of Cheung Chau during its annual Bun festival. Locals believe the deities inspect every street and corner, and chase away evil spirits. – AFPPIC

Albanese talks with Trump on tariffs CANBERRA: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday he had a “warm conversation” with President Donald Trump on tariffs and the AUKUS defence pact after his Labor party decisively beat the conservatives. Albanese’s government in 2023 committed to spend A$368 billion (RM999 billion) over three decades on AUKUS, Australia’s biggest ever defence project with the United States and Britain, to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

though he praised Albanese. “I don’t know anything about the election other than the man that won, he’s very good,” Trump told reporters at the White House after disembarking from his official helicopter. “Albanese I’m very friendly with ... I can only say that he’s been very, very nice to me, very respectful to me.” The United States enjoys a trade surplus with Australia but imposed a 10% tariff in April prompting Albanese to call it “not the act of a friend”. Labor was leading in 85 electorates in the 150-seat lower house yesterday, as vote counting continued, data showed. At least a dozen seats are too close to call, with more than three-quarters of votes tallied. – Reuters

Albanese was returned to office for a second term in a stunning comeback against the Liberal-National coalition, which was ahead in polls as recently as February. “I had a warm and positive conversation with President Trump ... and I thank him for his very warm message of congratulations,” Albanese said during a media briefing. “We talked about how AUKUS and tariffs will continue to engage, we will engage with each other on a face-to-face basis at some time in the future.”

Cost-of-living pressures and concerns about Trump’s policies had been among the top issues in the Australian election. About 48% of voters picked the uncertainties triggered by Trump as one of their top five concerns, one survey said, after his tariff plans sent shockwaves through global markets and raised concerns of voters on the impact on their pension funds. Trump said earlier yesterday he did not know anything about the Australian election,