
Over 100 US lawmakers urge Biden to support TRIPS waiver proposal of India
India Today
Over 100 US lawmakers have written to President Joe Biden urging him to support India's proposal to the WTO to temporarily lift certain intellectual property barriers and allow countries to locally manufacture Covid-19 diagnostics and vaccines.
More than 100 US lawmakers have written to President Joe Biden urging him to support India's proposal to the WTO to temporarily lift certain intellectual property barriers and allow countries to locally manufacture COVID-19 diagnostics and vaccines. The Biden administration has not made a decision on the issue yet. The proposal by India and South Africa will be a focus at the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) meeting on May 5. "We write to convey the urgent need for the United States to support the temporary waiver of some Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) rules proposed by India and South Africa at the WTO, during the COVID-19 emergency," a group of influential American lawmakers wrote in a letter to Biden.
Legal immigration to the US in 2025 has seen one of its sharpest declines since the pandemic. About 2,50,000 fewer visas in total were issued compared to 2024, reported The Washington Post. The drop has been global, but India stands out as one of the worst affected, alongside China. Visa approvals for the two countries fell by a combined 84,000.

Oil and gas refineries and hubs are up in flames not just in the Middle East, but also in Russia and the US. Crude oil prices have surged over $100 a barrel. With the energy infrastructure in the Middle East likely to take years to be rebuilt, the world could be set for the biggest oil disruption in history.











