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In a sharp retort to US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs charge, the Chinese embassy in the US said Beijing is ready to "fight till the end" in any type of war the US wants. "If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end," the Chinese embassy's official handle posted on X after Trump's explosive remarks in a joint session at Congress.

Trump said other countries have used tariffs against the US for decades. "Now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada. Have you heard of them? And countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. It's very unfair. India charges us auto tariffs higher than 100%. China's average tariff on our products is twice what we charge them. And South Korea's average tariff is four times higher," he said.

"This is happening by friend and foe. This system is not fair to the United States and never was... That's reciprocal back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them," he said.

Trump has increased previously imposed 10 per cent levies on Chinese goods to 20 per cent. China has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization against the US.

"The United States' unilateral tax measures seriously violate WTO rules and undermine the foundation of China-US economic and trade cooperation," Beijing's commerce ministry said in a statement.

While imposing the tariffs, Trump accused China of not doing enough to halt the trafficking of fentanyl and other highly potent opioids into the US.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has contested this. "The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise US tariffs on Chinese imports. The US, not anyone else, is responsible for the #FentanylCrisis inside the US. In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the US in dealing with the issue. Instead of recognizing our efforts, the US has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes," it said in a statement.

"They've been PUNISHING us for helping them. This is not going to solve the US's problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation. Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the US truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals," it added.

In a significant policy shift, the central government has amended the passport application process, making birth certificates the sole valid proof of date of birth for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This move aims to streamline documentation and ensure uniformity in age verification.

Mandatory Birth Certificate for New Applicants

The new rule, announced last week as part of the amended Passport Rules, will take effect after its publication in the official Gazette. As per a notification dated February 24, the Ministry of External Affairs has revised the requirements for submitting proof of date of birth when applying for a passport.

For individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, only birth certificates issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or any other authorized body under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, will be accepted as valid proof of date of birth.

However, those born before this date can continue to submit alternative documents, including school transfer certificates, matriculation certificates, PAN cards, driving licenses, or extracts from service records.

Changes in Residential Information

To enhance privacy, applicants’ residential addresses will no longer be printed on the final page of passports. Instead, immigration officers will retrieve this information by scanning an embedded barcode.

New Colour-Coded Passports

The government has also introduced a colour-coding system for passports:

• White passports for government officials
• Red passports for diplomats
• Blue passports for ordinary citizens

Parental Information No Longer Required

Another major change is the removal of parents' names from the last page of the passport. This revision is aimed at protecting personal information, particularly for individuals from separated or split families.

Expansion of Passport Seva Kendras

To enhance accessibility, the government plans to increase the number of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) from 442 to 600 over the next five years. The Department of Posts and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have extended their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate this expansion, ensuring continued passport services at POPSKs.

Officials noted that passport rules regarding date of birth had not been updated for a long time, largely because many rural residents lacked birth certificates. However, with stricter enforcement of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, birth certificates have now become the only recognized proof for those born after October 1, 2023.

These sweeping changes mark a significant update in India’s passport application process, reinforcing security, privacy, and efficiency in document verification.

Bengaluru: Starting March, households in Karnataka will feel the pinch as the price of Nandini milk is set to increase by ₹5 per litre. The hike, which will take effect after the state budget on March 7, will also see a reduction in milk packet quantity from 1,050 ml to 1 litre. With this revision, the cost of a litre of Nandini toned milk will rise to ₹47.

This marks the latest price revision by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) in the past three years. In 2022, milk prices increased by ₹3 per litre, while in 2024, KMF raised prices by ₹2 per packet but increased the quantity by 50 ml. However, KMF insists that last year’s change was not a price hike, as it involved a proportional increase in milk volume.

The increase in milk prices comes amid multiple price hikes across essential commodities and services. The Coffee Brewers Association has announced a ₹200 per kg hike in coffee powder rates by March, while BMTC bus and Namma Metro ticket fares have also been increased. Additionally, the state government is considering a rise in water tariffs, and electricity supply companies (Escoms) have sought approval for a 67-paise hike per unit from the Karnataka Electricity Commission.

According to KMF Managing Director B. Shivaswamy, the hike follows demands from farmers for a ₹5 per litre increase. "Earlier, we procured 85-89 lakh litres of milk per day, sometimes even 99 lakh litres. Now, the supply has dropped to 79-81 lakh litres per day, so the additional milk provided to consumers will stop," he explained.

Despite the price increase, Shivaswamy emphasized that Nandini milk will still be more affordable than other brands in Karnataka and other states, including those sold online. KMF is currently in discussions with farmer unions, milk unions, employee associations, and other stakeholders to determine how the increased revenue will be allocated.

"Ideally, the additional cost should benefit farmers. However, concerns raised by employee unions over financial matters, including 7th Pay Commission wages and pensions, also need to be factored in," said a KMF official on the condition of anonymity.

The final decision on the milk price hike now rests with the Karnataka Chief Minister, with an official announcement expected post-budget.