World economy
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to meet after fresh stand-off
14 May 2019
While there is the prospect of the trade dispute between United States and China spiralling into a no-holds-barred trade war, the fact remains that China and the US cannot live without each other
Japan’s new bullet train to hit speeds of 400 kmph
10 May 2019
While the Alfa-X with a top speed of 400 kmph may be the world’s fastest train right now, before its 2030 launch a new maglev line will start operating between Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027 with top speeds of 505 kmph
US to raise tariffs on $200 bn of Chinese goods as Beijing backtracks
08 May 2019
China had retracted on its commitments to change laws to resolve core US complaints, including theft of US intellectual property and trade secrets, forced technology transfers, competition policy, access to financial services and currency manipulation
Fed leaves policy interest rates unchanged at 2.25-2.50 %
02 May 2019
Fed policymakers said ongoing economic growth, a strong labor market and an eventual rise in inflation were still “the most likely outcomes” as the U.S. expansion nears its 10-year mark
Japan’s new emperor Naruhito ascends Chrysanthemum Throne
02 May 2019
Naruhito, like his father Akihito, has warned of the need to remember World War II "correctly," without downplaying Japan's early 20th-century militarism as also of the need to modernise the royal family
NIA probing Sri Lankan attacker’s Kerala links
29 Apr 2019
The NIA, which is on the trail of ISIS recruitments from Kerala, raided the houses of four suspects in Kasargode and Palakkad after evidence emerged that the targets of their probe had persistently tailed Zahara Hashim, the main accused in Sri Lanka bombing, on social media
Sri Lanka bombings open path for return of Mahinda Rajapaksa
25 Apr 2019
With President Maithripala Sirisena asking defence minister and the police chief to resign and vowing a complete clean-up of the administration, chances of the return of the once ousted Mahinda Rajapaksa seems to be a probability
Sri Lanka under emergency as police hunt for bomb blast plotters
22 Apr 2019
Police had received a tip-off of a possible attack on churches by a little-known domestic Islamist group, the National Thawheed Jama’ut, some 10 days ago, but Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the authorities decided to ignore it
Sri Lanka terror attack toll mounts to 290, over 500 wounded
22 Apr 2019
While the terrorists are yet to be identified and an official explanation of the terror attack may take some time, the attack had all the trappings of the 2008 Mumbai terror strike
Indonesian President Joko Widodo looks set for another term
18 Apr 2019
While multiple quick counts showed Widodo leading at 55 to 45 per cent, rival presidential candidate Prabowo said his team had evidence of cheating and claimed to have won 62 per cent of the popular vote based on internal polling
UN ended 2018 with a $323 million cash deficit: Guterras
16 Apr 2019
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world body owed nations millions of dollars for peacekeeping, the highest amount being the $38 million it owed India
Major fire guts Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris
16 Apr 2019
Firefighters barely managed to save the shell of the stone structure and its two main bell towers from collapse, even as they battled to rescue some of Notre-Dame’s treasures, including artwork
European Union agrees to 6-month delay for Brexit
11 Apr 2019
If the British parliament accepts the extension and London remains in the European Union after 22 May, British voters will have to take part in European parliamentary elections, which most EU members oppose
Israel's Netanyahu set for a fifth term as prime minister
10 Apr 2019
Netanyahu had pledged to annex Jewish settlements in West Bank if re-elected, which is likely to further hinder Israel-Palestine peace talks that have been stalled since 2014
WTO sees global trade growth decelerating to 2.6% in 2019
03 Apr 2019
In a worst case scenario in which international cooperation on tariffs breaks down completely and countries set tariffs unilaterally, WTO expects a reduction in world GDP in 2022 of about 2 per cent and a reduction in global trade of about 17 per cent compared to baseline projections