- Water Balloons and Bollywood, India covers itself with color on Holi festival NBC News
- Holi 2025: India comes alive with the festival of colours BBC.com
- Millions of people celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colors The Associated Press
- Gulaal, thandai and happy faces | Holi 2025 in pics Hindustan Times
- 7 countries that celebrate Holi just like India The Times of India
Putin makes clear Russia will only play ball with Ukraine by his rules
While carefully avoiding an outright rejection of US ceasefire proposals, Moscow is playing for time
For once, the US president and European leaders were on the same page.
Grasping for a familiar metaphor, a chorus of western heads of state declared this week that “the ball was in Russia’s court” after Ukraine agreed in talks with the US on Tuesday to an immediate 30-day ceasefire.
Continue reading...Indian Premier League 2025: Axar Patel named Delhi Capitals’ IPL captain
India international Axar Patel is the last IPL 2025 captain to be named as Delhi Capitals make belated announcement.
Hamas ‘ready’ to hand over Israeli captive and four bodies held in Gaza
The Palestinian group agrees to resume talks, promising to free Edan Alexander and hand over four captives' bodies.
China criticises Hong Kong firm’s sale of majority stake in Panama ports
Commentary urged CK Hutchison to ‘think twice’ about ‘what position and side they are on’ in sale to US investors
China has criticised the sale of the business that controls ports in Panama to US investors, saying the Hong Kong-based parent company should “think twice” and that the $22.8bn deal is “power politics” that is not in the country’s national interest.
Shares in the Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison fell more than 6% on Friday after a critical commentary appeared in the Beijing-backed newspaper Ta Kung Pao in Hong Kong.
Continue reading...Musk’s Tesla raises concern over Trump tariffs
The electric carmaker’s warning about tariffs comes despite its boss's key position in the Trump administration.
What are Putin’s conditions for a ceasefire in Ukraine?
As Zelenskyy accused Putin of preparing to reject the ceasefire, Trump deemed Putin's words 'promising but incomplete'.
Time for Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan – Department of State
- Time for Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Department of State
- Armenia and Azerbaijan agree on historic peace treaty POLITICO Europe
- Armenia and Azerbaijan agree peace treaty, ending decades-long conflict Semafor
- EU welcomes conclusion of Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks DW (English)
- Pashinyan’s Peace — A Masterclass in Capitulation CivilNet English
“Secret” talks to displace Palestinians justifies “shame list
The forced displacement of Palestinians is a “red line that should not be crossed,” says professor Tamer Qarmout.
Germany’s Friedrich Merz agrees spending deal with Greens – Financial Times
- Germany’s Friedrich Merz agrees spending deal with Greens Financial Times
- Germans Reach Deal to Spend Big on Defense, Climate and More The New York Times
- "Germany is back": Merz secures key support for debt deal Reuters
- German stocks lift European markets higher after lawmakers reportedly agree to spending boost; Kering down 11% CNBC
- Germany’s Merz secures breakthrough on gargantuan spending plan POLITICO Europe
Taiwan calls China a ‘hostile foreign force’ and ramps up security – Euronews
- Taiwan calls China a 'hostile foreign force' and ramps up security Euronews
- Taiwan's leader says tougher measures needed to counter stepped-up Chinese infiltration and spying The Associated Press
- Taiwan’s president labels China a ‘foreign hostile force’ and ramps up security measures citing ‘infiltration’ The Guardian
- Taiwan’s president seeks to bring back military courts Financial Times
- Taiwan Cracks Down on Chinese ‘Gray Zone’ Espionage The Wall Street Journal
China and Russia Unite Behind Iran in Challenge to Trump’s Plans – Yahoo Finance
- China and Russia Unite Behind Iran in Challenge to Trump’s Plans Yahoo Finance
- China Backs Iran in Nuclear Talks, Slams ‘Threat of Force’ From the West The New York Times
- China, Russia back Iran as Trump presses Tehran for nuclear talks Reuters
- Russia, China and Iran call for end to U.S. sanctions on Iran and resumption of nuclear talks CBS News
- Iranian officials talk nuclear program with Chinese and Russian counterparts NPR
Weather tracker: Cyclone Jude causes chaos in Mozambique
More than 200mm of rain fell in 24 hours, destroying 900 homes and leaving 40,000 people without power
Cyclone Jude was the third cyclone to hit Mozambique this season. First spotted as a depression last Friday to the south-west of the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, it intensified over the next few days to a moderate tropical storm, affecting northern Madagascar on Saturday and killing at least one person.
Jude strengthened into a tropical cyclone as it tracked westwards over the Mozambique Channel, where sea surface temperatures of close to 30C provided the heat and moisture necessary to fuel the cyclone.
Continue reading...Taiwan’s president labels China a ‘foreign hostile force’ and ramps up security measures citing ‘infiltration’ – The Guardian
- Taiwan’s president labels China a ‘foreign hostile force’ and ramps up security measures citing ‘infiltration’ The Guardian
- Taiwan calls China 'foreign hostile force' and vows tough measures BBC.com
- Taiwan’s president seeks to bring back military courts Financial Times
- Taiwan's leader says tougher measures needed to counter stepped-up Chinese infiltration and spying The Associated Press
- Taiwan Cracks Down on Chinese ‘Gray Zone’ Espionage The Wall Street Journal
YouTuber stabbed to death as she livestreamed on Tokyo street – CBS News
- YouTuber stabbed to death as she livestreamed on Tokyo street CBS News
- Police arrest man in fatal knife attack on a YouTuber during livestreaming on Tokyo street The Associated Press
- Online Influencer Stabbed to Death in Tokyo While Livestreaming The New York Times
- Killing of livestreamer in Tokyo a reminder of social media risks NHK WORLD
- Woman fatally stabbed in Tokyo while livestreaming Kyodo News Plus
British man killed by President William Ruto’s convoy in Kenya – BBC.com
- British man killed by President William Ruto's convoy in Kenya BBC.com
- British man killed in Kenya after being knocked over by president’s speeding motorcade CNN
- Briton dies in Kenya after being hit by vehicle in president’s motorcade The Guardian
- British man dies after being hit by Kenyan president's motorcade - as driver arrested Sky News
- British national killed by vehicle in Kenyan president’s motorcade Yahoo
British man killed by president’s convoy in Kenya hit-and-run
The car did not stop after hitting Edgar Charles Frederick, 79, on a road in the capital, Nairobi.
BBC finds Syrian families sheltering at Russian airbase from sectarian attacks
Many belong to former President Bashar al-Assad's sect, which was targeted in mass killings.
China Backs Iran in Nuclear Talks, Slams ‘Threat of Force’ From the West – The New York Times
- China Backs Iran in Nuclear Talks, Slams ‘Threat of Force’ From the West The New York Times
- China hits out at ‘threats of force’ on Iran as Trump pushes for new nuclear deal CNN
- Iranian officials talk nuclear program with Chinese and Russian counterparts NPR
- China, Russia back Iran as Trump presses Tehran for nuclear talks Reuters
- Russia, China and Iran call for end to U.S. sanctions on Iran and resumption of nuclear talks CBS News
UK hoping to work with China to counteract Trump’s climate-hostile policies
Ed Miliband visits Beijing as part of plan to create global axis working in favour of climate action
The UK is hoping to shape a new global axis in favour of climate action along with China and a host of developing countries, to offset the impact of Donald Trump’s abandonment of green policies and his sharp veer towards climate-hostile countries such as Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Ed Miliband, the UK’s energy and net zero secretary, arrived in Beijing on Friday for three days of talks with top Chinese officials, including discussions on green technology supply chains, coal and the critical minerals needed for clean energy. The UK’s green economy is growing three times faster than the rest of the economy, but access to components and materials will be crucial for that to continue.
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