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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Pentagon stuck a conciliatory tone toward Beijing in its new defense strategy, stating that its overarching goal is to establish “strategic stability" in the Indo-Pacific region and de–escalate tensions with the Chinese military.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Better late than never: One year into the second presidency of Donald Trump, the world has reached an inflection point, as Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, made explicit in his speech at an economic summit in Davos. Having tried and failed to appease Trump’s imperialist bullying, middle powers such as his own country must and will instead “act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu." Acting together, Carney said, will take the form of “variable geometries." Countries, whether traditional friends or foes of the United States, may form ad hoc coalitions to pursue specific interests, trade pacts to replace commercial links to the US that Trump has damaged or severed, cooperation in new or existing multilateral forums or even new military alliances.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : NEW DELHI: The global agreement aimed at setting a minimum level of corporate taxation is facing fresh tests.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The official visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to India on 12-13 January, his first to the Indo-Pacific since taking office, coincided with the 75th anniversary year of diplomatic ties, providing renewed momentum to the India-Germany Strategic Partnership.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump has insisted that the U.S. needs to annex Greenland for U.S.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The government is preparing to table the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2025, in the upcoming Budget Session, setting the stage for a significant overhaul of India’s power distribution sector, according to a news report. Ahead of its introduction, the Ministry of Power is expected to begin consultations with key stakeholders to build consensus around the proposed changes.

At the cusp of a new year, the global outlook appears increasingly grim. Escalating conflicts and resurgent authoritarianism are undermining domestic and international institutions alike, while rising wealth inequality is deepening economic insecurity and eroding social cohesion.Perhaps the most dispiriting development is the growing hatred of the ‘other.’ In country after country, political leaders increasingly dehumanize migrants and refugees, casting people fleeing poverty, persecution, and conflict as a mortal threat.

in support of the plan was widely backed, including by the Arab and Muslim-majority states in the region. It provided the UN mandate needed for the International Stabilization Force to help implement the plan, support the ceasefire, and avoid leaving a vacuum which Hamas could exploit.The resolution also emphasized the importance of increased humanitarian aid, which is still desperately needed in Gaza.

diabetes burden of 100 million after China, and another 136 million in the pre-diabetes stage. A high sugar intake is associated with type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and other metabolic health risks.Until the covid-19 pandemic, sugar consumption grew at an annual rate of about 4.1%, said Prakash P.

Venezuela, the brutal civil war in Sudan, and the continuous instability in the Middle East, to the war in Ukraine and the growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. All these crises have global implications.In the face of these myriad emergencies, it is no surprise that the West, broadly understood, is contending with its greatest challenge in decades. At the root of this challenge lies a sense of civilizational exhaustion, of which our adversaries have taken notice, confident that their time has come.But has it? More than 1,350 days have passed since Russia launched its three-day “special military operation”—its illegal and unprovoked war of aggression—against Ukraine.

Ukraine but also in the rising number of civil wars (in Sudan and Ethiopia, to name only two) and cross-border conflicts elsewhere. So, from the perspective of the end of 2025, it looks as if this decade will be remembered for a global pandemic, the first war waged by a great power in Europe since WWII, Middle East carnage, a deepening climate crisis, and disorder.But recall that in 1941—when the rise of fascism had plunged the world into even more widespread war and despair—something unexpected happened.

The impact of Trump 2.0: The year saw a stark turn in US engagement, with Trump’s approach to the Indo-Pacific characterized by unpredictability at best and rent-seeking at worst.The recently-released US National Security Strategy was emblematic of this ambiguity, prioritizing quid pro quo ties over legacy commitments and the use of muscular rhetoric while offering little doctrinal clarity.This has sent out mixed signals on China, as its deterrence rhetoric coexists with policy fuzziness and even deference in some parts, with US partners struggling to identify US thresholds for action, particularly on high-stakes issues such as Taiwan.Despite the rhetorical turbulence emanating from Washington, alliance architectures did not collapse, although they didn’t sprint forward either.Traditional security partnerships with Japan, Australia, South Korea and the Philippines have endured amid a sobering realization of the magnitude of US capabilities, particularly vis-à-vis strategic concerns about China.Nonetheless, the pace and predictability of strategic cooperation have waned, which is telling in the context of a tenuous regional landscape.Hence, although formal alliances will continue to matter, their political meaning has shifted, with partner countries less willing now to outsource strategy entirely to Washington and more inclined to shape outcomes independently, reflecting a post-‘hub-and-spokes complacency’ mindset.Similarly, multilateral formats like the Quad persisted and adapted, but the coherence of their agenda often reflected leadership from partners as much as from Washington.Initiatives such as maritime domain awareness and cooperation on critical minerals, for example, were driven more on the ground by Canberra,

Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026—to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at [email protected] struggled to protect farmers as the country’s agrarian distress worsened in 2025.Severe monsoon rains caused devastating floods in Punjab, inundating almost 200,000 hectares of farmland, besides damaging crops in Haryana and Maharashtra, notably the Marathwada region.

₹65,000-crore domestic paneer market, according to two government officials and a document reviewed by Mint.Authorities have frequently seized fake paneer ahead of major festivals, when demand surges, giving unscrupulous traders an opportunity to flood markets with adulterated products, posing a threat to consumer health.To curb this unsavoury practice, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposes to make it compulsory for paneer substitutes (products made from non-dairy ingredients such as vegetable oils) as “paneer analogue”, while prohibiting the use of any dairy-related terminology, to help consumers clearly distinguish them from milk-based paneer.“Currently, analogues are designed to mimic the white, creamy appearance of traditional or real paneer, often using starches and emulsifiers to replicate the texture. The proposed regulations aim to empower consumers to make informed choices instantly and promote healthy eating,” said the first of the two government officials cited earlier, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity.For clear visual identification, these substitutes will have food colour added to them to ensure that they stand out from the white and natural dairy paneer or paneer-based products.

India’s exports are heavily dependent on the US, and are currently under threat due to high tariffs. But hidden in numbers is another simple story: the region that could boost Indian exports is not across the Pacific, but across its borders.

Amul and for India’s self-reliance in dairy.The impact was transformative. Buffalo milk was abundant in India, and millions of small farmers depended on it for income. By giving producers direct access to markets through cooperatives, the Amul model ensured fair prices and regular payments.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh (UP) are selling their produce to mills in neighbouring Haryana, attracted by the latter’s higher state advised price (SAP).

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Do individuals matter more than the collective? Is a world where every human contentedly works towards common goals better than one in which selfish motives constantly clash? Is human creativity, born of individual expression, worth the price we pay for it in violence? These are some of the questions Pluribus, the new Apple TV+ drama by Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, asks without undue subtlety. We are just five episodes in, but they are not the subtext of the show—they are the show.

This week’s visit to India of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has drawn New Delhi’s long relationship with Moscow into the spotlight. The India-Russia bond has been strong and steady, as evident in the fact that it has outlasted many shifts in global geopolitics. Looking at the cooperation between the two, whether it is on defence materiel or navigating past twists and turns in the global order, India and Russia have understood each other’s requirements and managed to support each other in their time of need.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. MEXICO CITY—Dozens of Mexico’s most dangerous prisoners, cuffed hand and foot, boarded army jets under heavy guard this year, a rogue’s gallery of cartel leaders responsible for smuggling tons of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine to insatiable U.S. buyers.

Modi will hold talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the PM of Saudi Arabia. Both sides will look to take forward agreements finalised during the crown prince’s trip to India in 2023. The protracted Israel-Hamas crisis and tensions in the Red Sea besides the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) are likely to figure in the discussion agenda, it has been learnt. Saudi Arabia plays a critical role in the proposed IMEEC connecting India with Europe through UAE and Saudi Arabia. Ahead of the PM's trip to Riyadh, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also the Defence Minister of UAE, is expected to visit New Delhi next week in yet another display of special ties. Sheikh Hamdan will meet defence minister Rajnath Singh as India moves to step up engagements with UAE’s next generation leadership. Last year, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi was hosted by the Modi government.