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International Development Association fund for the world's poorest countries, two sources with knowledge of the commitment said on Monday. Biden announced the U.S. pledge during a closed session of the Group of 20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The amount is a record and substantially exceeds the $3.5 billion Washington committed in the previous IDA fund replenishment round in December 2021. A White House spokesperson in Washington declined comment on the World Bank's IDA replenishment.

Canada Post and its workers’ union are entering a fresh round of mediated negotiations as a nationwide postal strike enters its fourth day

Xi Jinping warned Monday the world faces «a new period of major changes» as G20 leaders met in Brazil two months before Donald Trump returns to the White House. US President Joe Biden was attending his last summit of the world's leading economies, but as a lame duck eclipsed by Xi who has cast himself as a protector of the international order in the Trump 2.0 era. World leaders are meeting for two days to try to jumpstart stalled UN climate talks and overcome their differences on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and extracting more tax from the super-rich.

«China stands ready to work with India to deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, step up communication and cooperation and enhance strategic mutual trust,» he said, adding that he has no information on the specifics of the meeting of the leaders and officials. At their Kazan meeting, the two leaders endorsed the India-China agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and issued directions to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signalling attempts to normalise ties that were hit by a deadly military clash in 2020.

Adani Group will invest about USD 35 billion over the next five years to set up large-scale solar, wind and hybrid plants across different parts of the country, Adani Green Energy Executive Director Sagar Adani said on Monday. Adani Group is making one of the largest greenfield investments in energy sustainability and transition in the world, he added. «We have embarked upon what I would say (is the largest greenfield development in the field of renewables by any company anywhere in the world. So, we're investing about USD 35 billion over the next five years to set up large-scale solar, wind and hybrid plants across different parts of the country,» Adani said at a CEO panel discussion on 'Role of young leaders for Viksit Bharat@2047' at an SBI-hosted economic conclave here. The company is setting up a 30,000-megawatt single-location renewable energy plant in Khavda in Gujarat.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Indian citizens are hesitatingly capitalist. Perhaps because of this, Indian politicians are unhesitatingly statist.

Nitin Gadkari on Monday slammed the Congress for launching loss-making ventures, neglecting villages and depriving the country of real development during its tenure in power. The country had suffered due to the «wrong policies and corrupt government,» the senior BJP leader said targeting the previous Congress-led dispensations in power. Gadkari lauded former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for strengthening the road infrastructure in the country. The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways was addressing a public meeting at Sadak Arjuni in Gondia district while campaigning for NCP candidate Rajkumar Badole for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Indonesia, for decades a natural partner to the US because of similar defence priorities and democratic values, has in recent years drifted more toward China, drawn by its economic support. A potentially more insular American foreign policy under President-elect Donald Trump is pushing Jakarta even closer to Beijing.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. As the dust settles after one of the most turbulent presidential elections in American history, many are asking whether US president-elect Donald Trump will deliver on his economic agenda and—assuming he follows through on his campaign promises—what impact his policies will have on the United States and rest of the world. On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly pledged to create manufacturing jobs by imposing a 10% tariff on all imports and up to 60% on Chinese goods.

As a 27-year-old, Bivin Sonthalia already owns three apartments in Kolkata, two funded by him and the third bought jointly with his brother. He didn’t hit a lottery or get a windfall from stock options.

ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close aides who face charges of crimes against humanity after hundreds of people were killed in a mass uprising this summer. Golam Mortuza Majumdar, the head judge of the three-member International Crimes Tribunal, set Dec 17 for investigators to finish their work, as the tribunal heard updates Monday from police about what the country's security agencies have done to arrest Hasina and her close aides. The decision came after prosecutors sought more time for the investigation. Hasina has been living in exile in India since Aug 5 when she fled the country amid the student-led protests. The Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal on Oct. 17 issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 45 others including former Cabinet ministers, advisors and military and civil officials. The country is now being run by an interim government headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus.

long-range hypersonic missile. The missile was launched from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha. It has been designed to carry various payloads and boasts a range exceeding 1,500 kilometers, making it a critical addition to India’s defence arsenal. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the achievement, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting the flight trial of a long-range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha. This is a historic moment, and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies.” The missile was developed indigenously by DRDO’s Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad, in collaboration with several other DRDO labs and industry partners.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. IN BARRACKS SQUARE in old Helsinki stands an unusual monument to a war. A towering sculpture of a soldier’s winter snowsuit, its polished steel body is pierced with large round holes, as if still standing after a strafing by cannon fire.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The return of Donald Trump to the US presidency has raised fears worldwide of a trade war. Throughout his campaign, Trump vowed to raise tariffs on US imports, arguing that cheap imports were threatening American jobs.

Garuda Aerospace on Monday said its agri-drone fleet has achieved one million flight hours in the past year, marking a significant advance in the country's adoption of drone technology in farming. The company's 2,000-strong fleet of agricultural drones has been operating at a rate of one deployment every two minutes, the company said, supporting farmers across India with precision agriculture and crop monitoring services. The company's Agri Kisan Drone program provides precision farming services, including targeted pesticide spraying and crop monitoring. Garuda holds six DGCA approvals and operates under government initiatives including the NAMO Drone Didi Program.

The leaders of Nigeria and India have pledged stronger ties in maritime security and counterterrorism during Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visit to Nigeria

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. DEIR BILLA, Lebanon—Christians in this small northern Lebanese village keep a lookout at night for unwanted visitors, asking drivers headed up the hill toward the Shia part of the neighborhood what their purpose is. They have installed cameras and often sit around until 3 a.m.

COP29 summit concluded in Baku without significant breakthroughs, as deep divisions between developed and developing nations stalled progress on key issues like climate finance, trade measures, and equitable responsibility for climate action. India, representing the G-77/China and BASIC blocs, demanded accountability from wealthier countries on unmet financial commitments. The G-77/China bloc reiterated the call for $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance, with an emphasis on grants and concessional funding to avoid burdening vulnerable economies already grappling with the impacts of climate change. «Loans make up nearly 70 per cent of climate finance provided so far. This is unacceptable and places undue pressure on developing economies,» an Indian negotiator had asserted, urging developed nations to move away from debt-inducing mechanisms.

IMEEC represents a breakthrough in India-Europe trade relations, creating an efficient, streamlined corridor that enhances speed, reduces costs, and increases trade reliability. This project is more than infrastructure; it’s a vision of growth and cooperation that opens up endless possibilities for industries, technology, and innovation between the two continents, connecting the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean area, Marco Dreosto is a Senator of the Italian Republic and secretary of the Permanent Commission for Defence and Foreign affairs told ET’s Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury ahead of proposed meeting between the PMs of India and Italy on G20 Summit sidelines. 1. What are prospects of India-Italian partnership in IMEC Historically, Italy and India have been connected for thousands of years; we share an ancient trade heritage that dates back to the Roman Empire, proven by Roman coins discovered in Indian lands. Today, we have the chance to revive and strengthen these bonds through IMEC. The Italian government has repeatedly underscored the strategic importance of this corridor, seeing it as a project that can redefine global trade routes. This isn’t just a trade route; it’s a chance to deepen a partnership rooted in shared history and geared toward a prosperous future.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted “chat. com” on X without explanation earlier this month. It subsequently emerged that HubSpot cofounder and CTO Dharmesh Shah had sold the domain to OpenAI, indicating that the $15.5 million price may have been paid in shares. While Shah seemed to suggest the amount was the same he’d paid to acquire it in the first place, domain investing is again becoming a lucrative business that could yield high returns, following the rise of AI. Web domains with .ai extensions have become the third-largest selling category, with sales reaching $9.2 million in the year to date, according to data from Namebio. This is slightly behind the second-ranked .org, which garnered $9.4 million. The extension .com still rules, at $120.2 million.

The minister has often expressed his frustration and accused the Centre of using political influence to divert semiconductor investments away from Karnataka. «I'm not saying that other ecosystems don't deserve support, but who deserves it the most? It's not just about Karnataka; it's about the nation becoming a manufacturing hub. It's about India becoming an economic superpower and leading in technologies.» Kharge also said that it's disheartening that states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and to some extent, even Maharashtra, are getting the raw deal.