Qatar suspends role as mediator between Israel and Hamas

Qatar has suspended its work as a mediator in ceasefire and hostage release talks between Israel and Hamas, officials say.

Steve Madden says it will cut production in China to avoid Trump tariffs

One company is already responding to President-elect Trump’s proposed tariffs, which could result in higher prices for American consumers if retailers pass along added costs to shoppers.

Nissan to lay off thousands of workers as sales drop

Nissan has said it will lay off thousands of workers as it slashes global production to tackle a drop in sales in China and the US.

Legal and political leaders unite against POJK’s repressive free speech law

The government of POJK has dealt a severe blow to the fundamental rights of its citizens with the recent amendment to the Criminal Code Ordinance of 1860. By introducing Section 505-C, the authorities have granted themselves sweeping powers to silence dissent and suppress any criticism of the government and its officials.

Chinese group accused of hacking Singapore’s Singtel in telecom attacks

Singapore Telecommunications, Singapore’s largest mobile carrier, was breached by Chinese state-sponsored hackers this summer as part of a broader campaign against telecommunications companies and other critical infrastructure operators around the world, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Trump victory may pave way for talks on India-US free trade agreement

Donald Trump’s re-election as the 47th President of the US has raised expectations about the resumption of some partnerships which were paused during President Joe Biden’s term. This includes the possibility of an India-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

India’s GDP growth forecasted at 6.5% for Q2 FY25, with FY25 growth approaching 7%: SBI

India’s GDP growth for the second quarter of the current fiscal year is expected to be around 6.5 per cent, according to a report by the State Bank of India (SBI).

Bank accounts of cricketer Shakib Al Hasan seized

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has seized all bank accounts of former national cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan.

Australia moves to ban children under 16 from social media

Australia’s prime minister on Thursday vowed to ban children under 16 from social media, saying the pervasive influence of platforms like Facebook and TikTok was ’’doing real harm to our kids’’.

What Trump’s win means for Ukraine, Middle East and China

Donald Trump’s return to the White House is set to reshape US foreign policy, promising potentially radical shifts on multiple fronts as war and uncertainty grip parts of the world.

Taiwan couple charged with trying to influence elections for China

A Taiwanese radio host and his wife have been charged with receiving $2.3 million from ’’overseas sources’’ including China in exchange for attempting to influence the island’s elections and referendums.

What the Trump presidency means for Muhammad Yunus and Bangladesh’s future

For Bangladeshi Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, a second Trump presidency could herald a complex and challenging new era. The outgoing Biden administration had a significant impact on US-Bangladesh relations, often focused on democratic practices in Bangladesh.

Trump claims victory after Fox News projects he has won US presidency

Trump was first elected president in 2016, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and vowing to ’’Make America Great Again.’’

First Asian Buddhist Summit highlights Buddha’s teachings for a harmonious future

Buddhist spiritual leaders from across Asia and beyond participated in the first Asian Buddhist Summit 2024, held for two days in New Delhi under the aegis of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), themed “Role of Buddha Dhamma in Strengthening Asia.”

Sri Lankan migrants stranded on Diego Garcia offered move to UK

Migrants stranded for years on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia will be offered the right to come to the UK, under a government proposal.

When will we know who has won the US election?

American voters go to the polls on 5 November to choose their next president.

Three coal trucks en route to Punjab torched in Duki attack

Unknown armed men attacked coal-loaded trucks in the Chamalang coal field area of Duki district on Sunday, setting three of them on fire.

Bangladesh steps up repayments to Adani to avoid power supply cut

Bangladesh is ramping up payments to Adani Power after the Indian conglomerate cut electricity supplies by half, reportedly over an unpaid $800m bill.

Only 30% of US public think China trade has created jobs in their state: survey

A mere 30 per cent of the American public believe trade with China has created “some or a lot of jobs” in their state, a new study revealed in the lead-up to the US election.

Repurposing Religion: How China uses Buddhism to expand Its reach

The global promotion of Buddhism as a form of soft power by the Chinese state is unprecedented in the modern world. Recent efforts to integrate Buddhism into Chinese foreign policy build on decades of work by the Communist Party of China (CPC) through its state religious system.

36 dead after overcrowded bus skids into deep gorge in northern India

A poorly maintained and overcrowded bus veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in northern India on Monday, killing at least 36 people and injuring several others, officials said.

China has risen to challenges and turbocharged its economy

“The Chinese economy is intricate, yet one of the most straightforward ways to assess it is through agricultural and industrial output,” stated Yao Jingyuan, former Chief Economist of the National Bureau of Statistics of China, during the 2024 annual meeting of Harvard Business Review in Beijing.

Marriage registrations in China drop for the first nine months of 2024

China, which has been releasing a slew of measures to bolster its sagging population levels, recorded a drop in marriage registrations for the first nine months of 2024, according to official data from Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Spain’s king and queen pelted with mud in flood-hit Valencia

The King and Queen of Spain have been pelted with mud and other objects by angry protesters during a visit to flood-hit Valencia.

Iranian woman detained after taking clothes off at university in Tehran

A female student stripped to her underwear outside her university in Iran in what some student and rights groups say was a protest against the country’s strict Islamic dress code.

MEA Condemns Canada’s ’’Baseless References’’ Against Home Minister Amit Shah

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday strongly protested against recent allegations made by the Canadian government against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s purported involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

EU raises concern over Chinese aggression in Taiwan

The European Union (EU) has warned of the ’’staggering’’ impact on its member states of potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan, calling for the bloc to adopt ’’a major contingency in the Indo-Pacific.’’

Trump vows to protect Hindu Americans from radical left; strengthen ties with India

Ahead of the upcoming presidential elections, former US President Donald Trump vowed to safeguard the interests of Hindu Americans, protecting them from the ’’anti-religion agenda of the radical left.’’

Iran’s supreme leader says enemies will receive ’crushing response’

The US and Israel ’’will definitely receive a crushing response’’, Iran’s supreme leader has said, following an Israeli attack on Iran a week ago.

Pakistan’s 7 billion USD bailout deal with IMF in doldrums

The key assumptions used to finalise Pakistan’s USD 7 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund ( IMF) has gone haywire within a month of its approval, leaving the authorities concerned with an option either to renegotiate the package or keep suffocating the economy through more taxes, the Express Tribune reported.