Hook News Brief | 30.04.25

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has hinted that India could be the first country to finalise a bilateral trade agreement with the US since President Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs.

Speaking at the White House press briefing, Bessent told reporters that the “Indian negotiations are moving well” and that the US is “very close” to a deal on trade.

US President Donald Trump called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos after it was reported that the US-based retail giant planned to detail the cost of the trade tariffs to its customers.

This after a report said that Amazon was looking into itemising the impact for shoppers using Amazon Haul, a low-cost site it launched in the US last year to compete with Shein and Temu.

Amazon, though, said the idea was dismissed and was never under consideration for its main platform.

3 people have been killed in a shooting in the Swedish city of Uppsala, on the eve of the Walpurgis spring festival. The shooting took place at a hair salon after which the shooter reportedly fled on a scooter, and is still on the run.

India Prime Minister Modi will chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security - the country's highest decision-making body on national security - around 11 am on Wednesday.

This will be the second high-level meeting under PM Modi, who yesterday said India’s security forces will have a free hand to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack with respect to the mode, targets, and timing of the response.

In business news, key US market indices - the S&P 500, Dow Jones and the Nasdaq Composite ended trading in the green, up over 0.5% as Trump 2.0 completed its first 100 days in office.

And to sports now - Heartbreak for the Gunners as Paris Saint Germain beat Arsenal 1-0 away in the first leg of the UEFA Champions Semi-finals. Ousmane Dembele scored the only goal of the night within 5 minutes.

In the IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs at the Arun Jaitley stadium in sweltering Delhi.

KKR all-rounder Sunil Narine picked up the Man of the Match despite Capitals’ Faf du Plessis’ heroic knock of 62 runs.

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scott bessent

US hints at trade deal w/India, PM Modi to chair CCS meet | Hook News Brief

India likely to be first country to sign trade deal with us: US Treasury Secretary

scott bessent

US hints at trade deal w/India, PM Modi to chair CCS meet | Hook News Brief

India likely to be first country to sign trade deal with us: US Treasury Secretary