Pioneer in short
Court skips Verdict on Trump Tariffs
The US Supreme Court was expected to release its opinions on Wednesday on the legality of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), but no ruling was delivered and no timeline for a future decision has been announced. The case is closely watched as it could significantly influence US trade policy and define the scope of presidential emergency powers over economic matters. At the international level, the verdict could reshape Washington's approach to tariffs that have disrupted global trade and strained ties with major partners. Domestically, the ruling will determine whether a president can invoke emergency powers to impose sweeping trade measures without congressional approval. The court is examining Trump's "reciprocal tariff" framework unveiled in April 2025. Under the plan, a 10 percent baseline tariff was imposed on imports from most countries starting April 5, followed by higher country-specific reciprocal rates-up to about 50 percent-for nations deemed to have non-reciprocal trade barriers, effective from April 9. Indian exports face total US tariffs of 50 percent, comprising a 25 percent reciprocal levy and an additional 25 percent secondary tariff linked to India's oil trade with Russia.
NEET-PG Cutoff Row Erupts
Several doctors’ bodies have criticised the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) for sharply reducing the qualifying cut-off percentile for NEET-PG 2025–26 across all categories, calling the move “unprecedented and illogical” and warning it could compromise healthcare quality. The revised criteria lower the cut-off for the general category to seven percentile from 50, and to zero percentile from 40 for reserved categories, allowing candidates with negative scores to participate in further counselling rounds.The decision, taken after round two counselling, aims to fill over 18,000 vacant postgraduate medical seats nationwide. However, organisations such as the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) and the Federation of Doctors Association (FORDA) have urged Union Health Minister JP Nadda to withdraw the notification.
Lalu attends Tej Pratap feast
RJD president Lalu Prasad on Wednesday attended a Makar Sankranti feast hosted by his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, marking a rare public interaction months after Tej Pratap’s expulsion from the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the severing of family ties. Tej Pratap’s younger brother and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, however, stayed away from the event, fuelling speculation about continuing rifts within the family. The feast, traditionally a politically significant occasion in Bihar, was organised by Tej Pratap in his capacity as chief of the Janshakti Janata Dal, a party he now heads after his political marginalisation in recent Assembly polls. Welcoming his father’s presence, Tej Pratap claimed it amounted to a blessing for his party and urged RJD workers to consider merging with it.
