World

The US has approved arms sales to Taiwan worth over $10 billion, including HIMARS launchers, ATACMS missiles, howitzers and drones, a move expected to further strain relations with China, which strongly opposes military support to Taipei.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Muscat on Wednesday for the concluding leg of his three-nation tour. He was received by Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said. This marks Modi’s second visit to Oman, home to nearly 7 lakh Indians.

A suspect in Sydney’s Bondi Beach antisemitic massacre was charged with 59 offences, including 15 murders and terrorism. As funerals began for the victims, Australia confronted questions over antisemitism, security failures and gun laws, with leaders pledging tougher action

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India’s ‘Vande Mataram’ and Ethiopia’s national anthem both refer to the motherland as “Mother”, reflecting shared values and cultural outlook, while addressing a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament.

An MIT professor and fusion scientist, Nuno FG Loureiro, was fatally shot at his home near Boston, prompting a homicide investigation. Authorities have made no arrests so far, as tributes pour in highlighting his leadership in clean energy research

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the people and government of Ethiopia for conferring the country’s highest award, the ‘Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia’, calling it a tribute to India-Ethiopia ties and reaffirming commitment to deeper cooperation.

A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced the Decreasing Russian Oil Profits (DROP) Act, proposing financial sanctions on foreign entities purchasing Russian oil to curb Moscow’s war funding, while allowing limited exemptions for countries that support Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump expanded travel restrictions by adding 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority, citing security, vetting failures and visa overstays, significantly widening limits on entry and immigration as part of his administration’s tougher border and national security policy.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss expanding cooperation in technology, economy, connectivity and security, expressing confidence that the India-Israel strategic partnership will continue to strengthen.

Nirav Modi’s bid to reopen his extradition appeal in the UK High Court has been adjourned to March 2026 after Indian authorities submitted fresh assurances regarding his detention in Mumbai. The case, linked to the Rs 14,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud, has already spanned six years in UK courts.

Three Indian students were among 40 injured in the Sydney Bondi Beach terrorist attack during the Hanukkah by the Sea festival. Two are reportedly hospitalized. Fifteen people died, including a child, while authorities investigate extremist links and international travel of the attackers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Jordan for Ethiopia on the second leg of his four-day, three-nation tour. Jordanian Crown Prince Al Hussein personally saw him off. Modi will address Ethiopia’s parliament, meet PM Abiy Ahmed, and engage with the Indian diaspora

Sydney taekwondo instructor Kwang Kyung Yoo was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for murdering a 7-year-old student and the boy’s parents. Jealousy over the family’s financial success motivated the crimes, which were described as senseless, violent, and cruel

In Amman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Jordanian companies to invest in India, highlighting its 8%+ growth and emerging sectors like healthcare, dry-climate farming, and food infrastructure. He emphasized long-term India-Jordan economic cooperation and mutual benefits for businesses and citizens

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s awkward football moments with Lionel Messi have gone viral globally, after popular content creator Matty Farias shared humorous reels highlighting missed passes, a courtesy penalty goal and light-hearted family moments during the interaction.

Twenty-four endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are being rehabilitated in Florida after cold-stunning in frigid Cape Cod waters. Suffering from frostbite and pneumonia, they are receiving intensive care and are expected to be released into the Atlantic by spring

Tickets for the India-Sri Lanka women’s T20I matches at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on December 21 and 23 are now on sale. Tickets are available exclusively via the District by Zomato app, priced from ₹200.

Thai authorities deported Goa nightclub co-owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra to India amid a probe into the December 6 fire that killed 25 people. Detained in Phuket after an Interpol notice, they will face further legal action on arrival

At least 15 people were injured when a San Francisco cable car abruptly stopped on Monday afternoon. Most suffered minor injuries, with two hospitalised. Authorities are investigating the incident, reaffirming passenger safety on the historic, tourist-popular cable car system

Elon Musk has become the first person to cross a $600 billion net worth, driven by rising valuations of SpaceX, Tesla and xAI. The billionaire is now widely seen as moving towards becoming the world’s first trillionaire.

Australian police said the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed 15 people was inspired by Islamic State ideology. Evidence including IS flags was recovered, prompting authorities to classify the attack as terrorism.

US President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC, accusing the broadcaster of defamation and misleading editing of his January 6 speech. The lawsuit claims the broadcast misrepresented his remarks to influence the 2024 election.

At least six people were killed after a small private aircraft crashed in San Mateo Atenco in Mexico’s State of Mexico while attempting to land. The jet hit a nearby building, triggering a fire. The incident is under investigation.

Leadership presence, narrative control, and the ability to project ideological credibility will determine whether the country’s fragile centre holds or succumbs to polarising forces