Biden’s long-awaited Africa trip to tout a win against China

Joe Biden headed to Angola on Sunday for a trip that will deliver on a promise to visit Africa during his presidency and focus on a major U.S.-backed railway project that aims to divert critical minerals away from China.

Musk’s record $56bn pay deal rejected for second time

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s record-breaking $56bn (£47bn) pay award will not be reinstated, a judge has ruled.

Italy to work with India in space, nuclear domains

Italy’s minister of Enterprises Adolfo Urso, who is on an India visit, has said that India and Italy are working together in space and the nuclear domains. Italy will soon nominate a space attache at its consulate in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru.

Lithuania expels three Chinese diplomats

Lithuania declared three staff members of China’s representative office in the country, a type of diplomatic mission, as personae non gratae, its foreign ministry said.

India first to develop long-range hypersonic missile: Defence experts

India is the first country to develop a long-range hypersonic missile that can travel more than eight times the speed of sound and is a game-changer in global defence technology which no other countries have, claimed defence scientists.

Systemic corruption shakes China’s banking sector

China’s banking sector is facing a crisis of credibility as a series of high-profile financial scandals shake its foundations.

Biden issues official pardon for son Hunter

US President Joe Biden has issued an official pardon for his son Hunter, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases.

Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar

US President-elect Donald Trump issued a warning Saturday to nations that he would impose a 100% tariff on any BRICS country that attempts to move from the US dollar in international trade.

India among top ten in Global AI Ranking

As the global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure market expands at a rapid pace, Australia and India are making significant strides in establishing their presence in the field. A recent report by ARKANCE highlighted the countries leading the way in AI infrastructure, revealing important insights into the position of Australia and India amid the ongoing AI revolution.

Sweden asks for China’s cooperation in probe over damage to Baltic Sea cables

The two cables, one running from Finland to Germany and the other from Lithuania to Sweden, were both damaged in Swedish waters last week, in an area where the Yi Peng 3 bulk carrier was seen.

Sheikh Hasina calls for release of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called for the release of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who has been arrested in Bangladesh in a sedition case, NDTV reported.

A fatal car crash in India sparks concerns over Google Maps

Can a navigation app be held responsible if a user gets into an accident? That is the question being asked in India after three men died when their car veered off an unfinished bridge and fell on to a riverbed in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

China leverages buddhist diplomacy to counter negative global perceptions?

China’s use of Buddhism in diplomacy is a key element of its foreign policy, particularly under Xi Jinping. The Chinese government leverages Buddhism, a shared cultural heritage in Asia, to enhance its soft power and strengthen ties with neighboring countries, particularly those with Buddhist populations.

Imran Khan and wife face terrorism charges

The Pakistani government has filed a series of charges, including one related to “terrorism”, against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife, Bushra Bibi, and hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party workers after protests held in Islamabad this week.

Australia passes social media ban for children under 16

Australia approved on Thursday a social media ban for children aged under 16 after an emotive debate that has gripped the nation, setting a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.

Malaysian tycoon and maxis owner Ananda Krishnan passes away

Ananda Krishnan, one of Malaysia’s most prominent billionaires, passed away peacefully on Thursday at the age of 86, according to a statement by Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd, his private investment vehicle. The family has requested privacy during their time of mourning.

Landslides in Indonesia’s Sumatra kill at least 27, rescuers search for missing

Indonesian rescuers are searching for passengers trapped in a minibus buried in mud after flash floods and landslides hit several locations in North Sumatra province, killing at least 27, an official said on Nov 28.

India poised to become world’s third largest economy

In a remarkable turn of events, India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, trailing only the United States and China.

Kurram death toll rises to 73 as sporadic clashes continue

Officials on Monday said the death toll from the recent violence that has plagued the restive Kurram tribal district had risen to 73, amid a tenuous ceasefire that is interrupted by sporadic gunfire.

China investors digest another letdown from Big Tech earnings

From Tencent Holdings to Alibaba Group Holding, China’s tech leaders have delivered underwhelming numbers for a quarter beset by economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Whether or not they can win back investors may increasingly hinge on the Beijing government’s actions.

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire comes into effect

A ceasefire following more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has come into effect.

Imran Khan supporters breach lockdown in Islamabad, several people killed

Supporters seeking the release of imprisoned Pakistani former premier Imran Khan broke through a ring of shipping containers locking down the capital Islamabad, while at least six people have died in protest-related violence.

Calls to revoke China’s trade status widen in Washington

Influential members of Congress, including the senator poised to become secretary of state in the incoming Trump administration, are pressing hard to revoke China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations with the United States.

16 years after Mumbai Attacks: Legal battle for justice continues

On the night of November 26, 2008, terror struck the heart of Mumbai, a city that had long prided itself on its resilience and vibrancy. A series of coordinated attacks carried out by 10 gunmen, believed to be linked to the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), devastated the city.

China agrees to remove buoy set up in economic zone near Senkaku islands claimed by Japan

China has told Japan it intends to remove a buoy it installed inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, local media said citing diplomatic sources.

Imran Khan supporters rally in Pakistan despite ban, arrests

Pakistan’s authorities have arrested dozens of supporters of incarcerated leader Imran Khan and blocked highways after the opposition political party has come out on the streets nationwide to converge in the capital Islamabad.

SEC issues summons for Gautam Adani, nephew on bribery allegations

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a summons to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, indicted on U.S. bribery allegations related to a bombshell federal indictment against him, a court filing showed.

China’s economic promises fall flat as South Asian nations face mounting debt crisis

As Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli breaks with long-standing diplomatic tradition by making Beijing, rather than New Delhi, his first foreign visit this December, a troubling trend of Chinese economic influence and subsequent disappointment is unfolding across South Asia.

US bars more food, metal imports over China’s alleged forced labor

The United States banned food, metals and other imports from about 30 more Chinese companies over alleged forced labor involving the Uyghurs, according to a government notice posted online on Friday.

Sacred buddhist mountain in China transformed into commercialized tourist destination

Mount Putuo, one of Buddhism’s four sacred mountains, has undergone a dramatic transformation under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), evolving from a revered spiritual sanctuary to a commercialized tourist attraction.