US President Donald Trump will visit China from May 13 to 15 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. The visit occurs amidst global tensions, including the war in West Asia and trade disputes between the US and China. Discussions are expected to cover China-US relations, world peace, and economic issues.
China has confirmed providing on-site technical support to Pakistan during last year's conflict with India, according to official media reports.
A humanoid robot performing at a university dance event in China startled the crowd when it unexpectedly hugged a female student, prompting a debate about AI safety and autonomous behaviour.
The Congress party has criticised the Indian government's diplomatic efforts, questioning how Pakistan was able to secure a role as a mediator between the US and Iran despite India's attempts to isolate it after the Pahalgam attack. The party also raised concerns about India's standing on the global stage and its relationship with the US and China.
China's Foreign Ministry has refuted allegations of providing military support to Iran, warning the US against imposing tariffs based on these accusations. The statement follows reports of Iran acquiring a Chinese satellite for targeting US military bases. Meanwhile, a rescheduled meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping is set for May.
After the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and expressed hope for lasting peace, Pakistan took much of the credit for playing mediator between the two countries. However, Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies and former US Treasury counterterrorism analyst, said Pakistan is deeply indebted to China.
China is mediating talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan to address their ongoing military conflict, following Pakistan's operation against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and UN reports questioning Pakistan's evidence of militant presence in Afghanistan.
China's week-long mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan concludes without a formal agreement, though Beijing claims progress in exploring solutions to resolve their differences.
Is Bhutan merely experimenting with digital finance -- or is the Himalayan kingdom punching far above its weight, quietly playing one of the most sophisticated strategic games in Asia today? asks Varun Arya.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
US President Donald Trump will travel to China in May for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a postponement due to the war in Iran. The White House has announced the new dates and indicated a reciprocal visit to Washington DC is planned.
A US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil has rerouted mid-voyage from its previously indicated destination of India to China, raising questions about payment issues and the future of India's Iranian oil imports.
China has welcomed the appointment of Vikram Doraiswami as the new Indian Ambassador, expressing optimism for improved Sino-India relations. Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat with experience in China, is expected to play a key role in managing complex bilateral issues and fostering cooperation.
China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to engage in direct talks to resolve their ongoing conflict, offering to mediate and calling for a ceasefire.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted some 20 per cent of the global flows but even if it opens, damages to production facilities in the region will take time to repair, points out Sunita Narain.
Indian compound men's and women's teams, considered strong medal contenders, endured a disappointing outing in Stage 2 of the Archery World Cup, failing to secure a podium finish after crumbling in crunch situations.
India's EV ecosystem is growing, but remains too underdeveloped to cushion a major oil supply shock.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's strategic pivot, from initial rejections to local partnerships and leveraging government policies like PLI, transformed India into a major iPhone manufacturing and export hub, now accounting for one in every four iPhones assembled globally.
Indian compound men's and women's archery teams faced disappointment at Stage 2 of the Archery World Cup in Shanghai, failing to secure a podium finish. Recurve archers showed signs of recovery, but the compound teams' struggles raise concerns ahead of the Asian Games.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for normal passage of ships, describing it as an 'international waterway' amid rising tensions between the US and Iran.
Comptroller and Auditor General of India K Sanjay Murthy highlighted the need for stronger accountability systems to support India's urban transformation and sustainable mobility push at the BRICS Supreme Audit Institutions Leaders' Summit in Bengaluru.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is implementing a comprehensive, multi-layered strategy to fortify its supply chains against geopolitical volatility, logistical challenges, and regulatory risks, drawing lessons from recent global disruptions.
'Even if the war ends tomorrow, which is unlikely, and we go back to the pre-war status quo, the world will still need some time to get over the sudden shock of oil price increases.'
Apple CEO Tim Cook expresses strong optimism about the Indian market, citing its potential for growth and the company's recent successes in the region.
'India should understand that we are not going to make the same mistakes with India that we made with China 20 years ago.'
'Nepal today is far more aware, self-confident, aspirational, and assertive.' 'India's policy so far has not been geared to this shift. It is time to redraw our Nepal strategy.'
We, Indians, forgot that for Pakistan, Kashmir dispute and blood feud with India is the raison detre for its existence. It is also the excuse with which the Pak army keeps its grip over the state. Peace in Kashmir and between India and Pakistan is against the interests of the Pak army, points out Colonel Anil A Athale (Retd).
'Nehru was an idealist, he was certainly a visionary in one way, but Mao Zedong was not. Mao Zedong was a very down-to-earth strategist. He wanted to take Tibet, to take the plateau, to take the rivers, to take the minerals.'
With D Gukesh and R Vaishali set to play world title matches, experts urge India to bid for hosting rights, calling it a major boost for the sport.
'The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments.' 'Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China.'
'After the Galwan clash, the rules of engagement changed with the army commanders allowed to use any means at their disposal as they deem fit for tactical operations.'
Brokerage Bernstein has warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India risks squandering recent economic gains unless it accelerates structural reforms, particularly in jobs, manufacturing and innovation.
'Markets never fully lose hope. But an important shift could come if the Strait remains closed -- moving from high prices to no prices.'
Is the current rally telegraphing a durable peace plan in West Asia, boosted by United States (US) President Donald Trump's incoherent and contradictory posts on social media?
'It was diminishing even before Trump came to power.' 'The US was at the centre of the global economy. That position is going to become less and less important and less central.'
Max Verstappen asked a journalist to leave his Thursday media briefing at the Japanese Grand Prix, with the Dutchman still upset over a question asked by the same reporter in December about an incident that potentially cost him a fifth straight drivers' title.
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
The US administration has ordered a probe into the deaths and disappearances of at least 10 top US scientists and researchers with access to information related to aerospace, defence and extra-terrestrial life.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
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