Factbox on Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, who beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the Australian Open final to win her second Grand Slam title on Saturday:
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, Gareth Samuel Davies, accusing him of spying and working for UK secret services. The UK's Charge d'Affaires was summoned, and a formal protest was lodged. Russia warned of retaliation if the UK escalates the situation.
EU leaders convened an emergency summit in Brussels to address transatlantic tensions as President Trump threatened new tariffs on member States linked to his Greenland acquisition demands.
President Vladimir Putin attended an early Wednesday Russian Orthodox Christmas service and hailed his troops' 'holy mission' to defend Russia, pairing the ceremony with a holiday address on unity, charity and support for the armed forces.
Putin said that the Greenland issues doesn't concern him.
Sabalenka primed for Rybakina rematch with eyes on third Australian Open crown
According to a statement cited by TASS, the Russian foreign ministry said it is closely monitoring reports that the US military has boarded the tanker Mariner, originally Bella 1, on the high seas, noting that Russian citizens are among the crew.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's remarks come ahead of a high-level summit where India and the European Union are expected to formally announce the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive free trade agreement.
Following the seizure, Moscow issued a strong condemnation asserting that no country has the right to use force against vessels lawfully registered under another state's jurisdiction, particularly on the high seas.
While some global cities bask in generous stretches of sunshine, others are left with barely a glimmer of light from the sky.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated a potential pathway to remove tariffs imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil, citing a significant decrease in such purchases. He also criticized Europe's approach and accused India of profiting from discounted Russian oil.
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had a good meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is that 'war has to end'.
Russia claims Ukraine launched a drone attack on President Putin's residence, which was thwarted. Russia warns of retaliation and accuses Ukraine of trying to derail peace talks.
United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday boasted about India-US defence cooperation, claiming that India's order for 68 Apache attack helicopters was delayed by five years and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally raised concerns over the long delivery period during a meeting with him.
The US Coast Guard seized a Russian oil tanker, the Marinera, in the North Atlantic. The crew includes three Indian citizens. Moscow has protested the seizure, calling it a violation of international maritime law and demanding humane treatment of the crew.
Days after Russia alleged that Ukraine targeted President Vladimir Putin's official residence in a drone attack, Russian authorities on Thursday said they had shared what they described as evidence related to the incident with the United States, Anadolu Agency reported.
Russian-born Daria Kasatkina said she is ready to embrace the "good pressure" of a home Grand Slam when she steps onto the Melbourne Park court as an Australian citizen for the first time.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Larsen & Toubro, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, Reliance Industries, Tata Steel, and Trent were among the biggest laggards. On the other hand, Eternal, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance, and Bharat Electronics were the gainers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced concern over reports of the targeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence and urged Russia and Ukraine to focus on diplomatic efforts to end hostilities.
Tintin Stays Timeless. From his earliest appearances to the extraordinary stories that followed, Tintin's journey is one of imagination and curiosity.
Ethiopians' domination in the Mumbai Marathon continued as Tadu Abate Deme and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole won the men's and women's elite race titles respectively.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia does not intend to attack Europe, but any attack on Russia would face a devastating response. He also accused the EU's 'war party' of hindering Ukraine peace efforts and pledged support for China on Taiwan.
Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro -- now in United States custody in New York -- had been navigating complex geopolitical challenges as his government faced mounting pressure from the Trump administration for weeks and months before his abduction by American special forces.
United States President Donald Trump has backed a sanctions bill that could impose 500 per cent tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, giving the White House leverage against countries like China and India to stop them from purchasing cheap oil from Moscow.
Putin argued that European countries are putting forward demands related to the conflict that Russia cannot accept. He further accused Europe of obstructing initiatives by the United States and President Donald Trump to pursue a negotiated settlement.
'Incidentally, Prime Minister (Modi) and President Trump have also spoken on the phone on eight occasions during 2025, covering different aspects of our wide-ranging partnership'
He chose what was best for India, not for himself. Few can deny that when god took Shastri away so soon, they did India an injustice, points out Harishchandra.
The world welcomed 2026 with spectacular celebrations across continents. From dazzling fireworks illuminating iconic landmarks like the London Eye, Marina Bay, and Copacabana beach to intimate gatherings at historic sites, the New Year brought together diverse cultures in joyous unity.
Two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded his visit to India, during which he assured that Moscow would remain a reliable energy supplier, the Kremlin on Monday said that India, as a sovereign nation, is free to buy oil from sources it deems beneficial. It expressed confidence that New Delhi will continue to prioritise its economic interests.
China has reacted positively to Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India, emphasizing the importance of trilateral ties between China, Russia, and India for regional and global peace and stability.
Paris, Rome, Athens aren't only European hotspots. Nor is there just one Delhi or one Calcutta. You'll stumble upon towns who have the same names as their more famous namesakes, in the most unexpected corners of the world!
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has voiced his opposition to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro by the US military, calling it an 'act of war' and a violation of international law. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi also criticized the action, citing lack of congressional authorization.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attended dinner hosted in his honour by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday evening.
In the context of India's energy ties with Russia, Putin said certain "actors" dislike New Delhi's growing role in international markets in view of its close relations with Moscow and these elements are aiming to constrain India's influence for political reasons by imposing "artificial obstacles".
Russia, being bogged down by the Ukraine war and prioritising the requirements of its own armed forces, along with India's consistent diversification policy, will remain a major challenge to the bilateral partnership, note Harsh V Pant and Aleksei Zakharov.
In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday on 'Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2025', the US Department of War said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively considering and planning for additional military facilities.
We were talking to a real-life spy!! Wow!
The Russians have termed Putin's visit to India, his first to this country since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, as 'Druzhba Dosti', which means 'friendship' in Russian and Hindi respectively.
On the table are additional batches of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, which India used with immense success during Operation Sindoor. India could buy at least two squadrons of Su-57 fighter jets plus joint production of S-500 air defence systems.
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