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US commerce secretary Ross cancels India trip

US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross has canceled plans to visit India this week for a business forum due to "inclement weather" and other logistical issues, a spokesman for the agency said in a statement on Wednesday (13).

Ross was due to co-chair the US-India CEO Forum set to begin on Thursday in New Delhi. The last-minute cancellation comes as tensions have risen between the two countries over trade and investment policies.


"Due to inclement weather, technical problems that led to the cancellation of his flight and other logistical issues, secretary Ross regrets he is no longer able to attend the CEO Forum and Commercial Dialogue in person," the spokesman said, noting that Ross would participate remotely.

The United States is considering revoking India's zero-tariff status, sources told Reuters last week. Differences between the two countries have grown as India introduced new restrictions on e-commerce and US president Donald Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs.

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15,000 pubs shut down since 2000 as UK braces for 540 more closures this year
Rising taxes and costs are pushing many UK pubs closer to permanent closure
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15,000 pubs shut down since 2000 as UK braces for 540 more closures this year

  • One pub shut permanently every day in England and Wales in 2025
  • 540 more closures expected this year, industry modelling shows
  • Drinks prices set to rise from April as suppliers pass on costs

After years of rising costs, a fresh increase in alcohol duty from February 1 is set to land on a sector already operating on wafer-thin margins. The rise, approved by MPs under the government’s Finance Bill following chancellor Rachel Reeves’s budget, adds to what many in the industry describe as a toxic mix of higher taxes, wages and overheads.

The numbers underline the scale of the problem. Analysis of government data by tax specialists at Ryan shows that one pub a day closed permanently in England and Wales during 2025. Modelling by UKHospitality suggests the pace is unlikely to slow, with another 540 pubs forecast to shut this year.

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