World News

Economist Neelkanth Mishra appointed World Bank Executive Director

He will succeed incumbent Parameswaran Iyer, a 1981 batch retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre

John Bolton reaches deal to plead guilty over classified information

The former Trump national security adviser plans to plead guilty to a count of illegal retention of classified information, which could result in a fine and possibly prison time of up to five years

Trump's trade chief says new tariffs can fit within existing deals

The EU and US agreed to a free-trade deal in July that would see the bloc erase levies on US industrial goods in exchange for a 15 per cent tariff ceiling on its exports

Hezbollah rejects ceasefire accord as strikes kill four in Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces elections later this year, wants to press ahead with Israel's offensive until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat

Mojtaba Khamenei urges steadfastness, unity to 'neutralise enemy's plot'

During the ceremony at the Imam Khomeini shrine, the message was recited in the presence of officials and participants gathered for the annual event

AI data centres may use power equal to 1.3 bn people by 2030: UN report

A UN report warned that global data centres could consume 945 TWh of electricity by 2030, nearly triple the combined annual electricity use of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria

Asian shares fall after Wall Street retreat; oil eases from recent surge

Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.3 per cent to 25,299.29, and the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.4 per cent to 4,067.46

Trump picks former personal lawyer Todd Blanche for attorney general post

Blanche was brought into the Justice Department as deputy attorney general and was elevated after Bondi's ousting over her failed efforts to prosecute Trump's perceived political opponents

Austria, Portugal among 5 nations elected to UNSC; Germany suffers setback

The five new non-permanent UNSC members were elected by secret ballot for the two-year term beginning January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2028

Sam Altman rules out donations in 2026 US elections, backs funding reform

OpenAI's top competitor Anthropic PBC has given $20 million to a rival super PAC, Public First Action, which advocates for tougher AI safety regulations

Trump signs order to tighten customs enforcement, curb tariff cheats

Trump's order targets customs loopholes by cracking down on shell companies, inadequate customs bonds, and shipment-routing schemes used to conceal the true origin of imported goods

Trump plans $700 mn in new coal support using Cold War-era defence powers

Trump admin has framed energy issues in existential terms as it eyes domestic need to sustain power-hungry AI data centers and aims to marginalise foreign adversaries that hold fossil fuel reserves

US says no naval vessel was hit in Sea of Oman, accuses Iran of 'lying'

This high-seas confrontation unfolded just hours after Tehran unleashed a heavy salvo of missiles aimed directly at American military installations situated across Kuwait and Bahrain

Kim Jong Un unveils North Korea's new nuclear plant, vows arsenal expansion

The disclosure of the new factory is in line with Kim's repeated vows to expand its nuclear weapons program to cope with what he called escalating US-led military threats

Israel, Lebanon renew ceasefire, agree to Hezbollah-free security zones

It was not immediately clear how the security zones would be established but the agreement calls for the Lebanese army to take full control of those areas

US House approves resolution to halt military action against Iran

It's the fourth time the House has tried to curb the US war against Iran, and the first time the House was able to pass the measure

Strait of Hormuz to reopen 'immediately' once Iran deal is signed: Trump

US President also indicated his preference to keep the issue of reopening the strait separate from the continuing conflict in Lebanon, which has seen intensive Israeli strikes in the southern parts

Martin Scorsese embraces AI, teams up with company Black Forest Labs

Scorsese, 83, described his experience of using the AI as "creatively freeing"

Ukrainian drones hit St. Petersburg oil terminal ahead of 'Russian Davos'

Ukrainian long-range drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and set it ablaze, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday, as the Russian city hosts an annual international economic forum that is a banner event for President Vladimir Putin.

Brics disaster risk reduction meet begins with focus on Odisha model

Delegates from 11 BRICS member and partner countries are discussing climate resilience, disaster preparedness and sustainable risk reduction under India's Brics Presidency