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Putin's comments, during a visit to the northern port of Murmansk, come amid U.S. attempts to forge a settlement to the conflict by re-establishing links with Russia and engaging with both Moscow and Kyiv, in separate talks. The Kremlin leader has been accused by Ukraine and European leaders of trying to prolong ceasefire talks without any serious intent of stopping fighting. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has left hundreds of thousands of dead and injured, displaced millions of people, reduced towns to rubble and triggered the sharpest confrontation for decades between Moscow and the West. Putin's suggestion of a temporary administration appeared to address his long-held complaint that Ukraine's authorities are not a legitimate negotiating partner as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stayed in power beyond the May 2024 end of his mandate.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Nearly a dozen foundations and philanthropists including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his parents, Jackie and Miguel Bezos, the Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation, pledged more than $2 billion to address global child malnutrition at an event in Paris on Thursday evening. The financial commitments were announced at a Nutrition for Growth Summit event co-hosted by the Washington nonprofit Stronger Foundations for Nutrition—which works with philanthropies globally to direct funding to nutritional interventions—and the OECD Network of Foundations Working for Development.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Imagine opening a bank account or applying for a loan from the comfort of your home—no branch visits, no paperwork, just a quick video call. That’s the power of Video KYC (VKYC), a game-changer in India’s banking sector since its launch in 2020.

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with global executives and made a case for investing in the country, as Beijing focuses on reaching out to businesses amid escalating trade tensions with the U.S.

Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd (SMIL) advanced 3.8% to their intraday high of Rs 137 on the BSE after the company stated that the recently announced US tariffs on imported products, including automotive components, are not expected to materially impact its financials at present. In a regulatory filing on Thursday, SMIL informed exchanges that a significant portion of its products supplied to U.S. customers are either manufactured domestically within the U.S. or are compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Based on this, the company has assessed that the Executive Orders issued by the U.S. government imposing tariffs are unlikely to have a significant financial effect.

partial solar eclipse is set to take place on Saturday, March 29, marking the first solar eclipse of 2025. The event occurs when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, partially blocking sunlight and casting a shadow on parts of the Earth. According to NASA, the eclipse will be visible across regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and the Arctic.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prides himself on strong relations with President Trump, but Mr. Trump’s second term is posing serious dilemmas for the young Saudi leader, known as MBS.

BEIJING — In the latest step toward building a revenue-generating robotaxi business, Chinese start-up Pony.ai said it has obtained China's first permit to charge fares for fully driverless taxis in core parts of a business district of Shenzhen.

Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the ongoing process of rationalizing customs duties and withdrawing the 6 per cent equalization levy, which began in 2023, is independent of any global events and will continue. Sitharaman said customs duty reductions are part of India's broader objective to strengthen its manufacturing hub and boost battery and advanced chemistry capacities. Replying to a debate on the Finance Bill 2025 in Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman said, «Consistently, budget after budget, we are coming up with a reduction in duties so that India's aspiration for being a manufacturing hub and India's aspiration in building capacities for battery manufacturing and advanced chemistry is being supported. So, this is a consistent thing.» «I heard quite a few members say, „Oh, the tariff war has started, so in response to the tariff announcements made by President Trump, here we are doing it. No, we have been doing it since 2023, steadily, every year. Newer items are being brought in, keeping in mind Atmanirbhar Bharat and, at the same time, Viksit Bharat's requirements, as well as simplifying the customs duty and compliance details,“ Sitharaman said. »So, this is an ongoing process. It has nothing to do with today's global situation but is a process that will continue even in the future," she added.

Shashi Tharoor has welcomed US President Donald Trump's recent recognition of India's voter ID system in his latest executive order aimed at overhauling the US federal election process. Trump's order mandates proof of citizenship for federal elections and imposes new restrictions on mail-in voting, drawing comparisons with election systems in India and other countries. Reacting to Trump's remarks, Tharoor highlighted that India has had a robust voter verification system since 1952.

Lakshmi Mittal is weighing the possibility of leaving the UK following the government’s decision to end tax benefits for non-domiciled residents. If he proceeds with this move, he will be among the wealthiest entrepreneurs to leave due to tax reforms. According to a Financial Times report, Mittal, who has lived in the UK for nearly 30 years, is assessing his options in response to the Labour government's decision to abolish the «non-dom» tax regime. This policy allowed certain UK residents to avoid taxes on foreign income and gains. “He is exploring his options and will take a final decision over the course of this year,” said a close associate. “There is a good chance he will cease to be a UK tax resident.” The billionaire and his family ranked seventh on the Sunday Times list of Britain's wealthiest individuals last year, with an estimated fortune of £14.9 billion. He owns multiple properties across Europe, the US, and Asia, including a chalet in St Moritz, Switzerland, and has recently been investing in Dubai real estate.

Trump escalated the global trade wars with his plans to slap aggressive tariffs on auto imports from next week. There was no uniform flight to safety, however, even though gold leaped to a new high, as mounting inflation concerns pushed up Treasury bond yields. My column below shines a light on the rather surprising resilience shown by currencies of the countries that will be hit hardest by Trump's auto tariffs.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: In a show of soft power, India is upgrading and expanding it vaccine storage infrastructure into an international centre to handhold other developing countries in harnessing the global immunization supply chain. The expansion of the National Cold Chain and Vaccine Management Resource Centre (NCCVMRC) into an International Centre for Excellence in Immunization and Supply Chain will be done in phases.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. South Korean gaming giant Krafton will acquire a controlling stake in Pune-based Nautilus Mobile for ₹118 crore and the transaction is expected to give JetSynthesys a part exit.

Tata Motors tumbled more than 5% on Thursday after US President Donald Trump declared a 25% tariff on imports of cars and components effective April 2. The parent of British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover slumped as much as 6.7% during the day, closing 5.5% lower at ₹669.5 apiece.

Lines of Credit and Concessional Financing Scheme, through a lending bank to six partner countries during January 2022-January 2025, the Parliament was informed on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha. The Ministry of External Affairs was asked the details of foreign aid, developmental assistance, and loans provided by India to other countries between January 2022 and January 2025. «Government of India has offered new loans, under the Lines of Credit (LOCs) and Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS), through a lending bank to six partner countries during January 2022-January 2025. »The total amount of loans offered to these partner countries during the above-mentioned period stands at over USD 3.73 billion. This excludes disbursements for ongoing projects under earlier LOCs," the minister said. The MEA was also asked the details of foreign aid, developmental assistance, and loans received by India from other countries between January 2022 and January 2025.

bilateral trade agreements. Accompanying political energy and encouraging words reflect a dramatic departure from sobering scepticism of the recent past. The big change is, of course, Donald Trump's unsheathing of tariffs. Inevitably, trade negotiations with the US are the principal driver. Not every trade agreement will be uniform. Concessions will likely vary, depending on strategic vulnerability. As India's most consequential business, technology and foreign policy relationship, the US will get priority in timing and substance. This is rooted in realism. It's the same approach every other major trade partner of Washington will take. In a volatile world, marked by American recalibration and retrenchment, there are significant gains to becoming among the earliest countries to find accord with the Trump administration. Gains will be both tangible and intangible.

British Steel has decided to shut both blast furnaces and steelmaking operations in Scunthorpe, which poses a risk to eliminate up to 2,700 positions within the workforce. The Chinese ownership group Jingye has determined that the furnace closures are essential because they face financial challenges and increasing environmental expenses. British Steel received strong opposition from worker unions, who believe this action will trigger devastating effects on the steel industry together with damaging jobs.

Donald Trump's steep tariffs on imported vehicles and parts, vowing retaliation as a widening trade war intensifies, as per a report. Major car exporter Germany urged a firm response from the European Union, while Japan said it «will consider all options», AFP reported. The US duties take effect starting April 3 and impact foreign-made cars and light trucks. Key automobile parts will also be hit within the month. Global stock markets plummeted with automakers like Toyota, Hyundai and Mercedes leading the plunge. In New York, shares in General Motors tumbled with Ford and Stellantis also declining. France Finance Minister Eric Lombard condemned the «hostility,» saying the only solution for the European Union is to «raise tariffs on American products in response.»

Shares in companies such as Japan's Toyota and Honda and South Korea's Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp fell, wiping off some $16.5 billion in value, after Trump on Wednesday unveiled a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks to take effect on April 3. On the streets of Tokyo and Seoul, and in «motor city» Gwangju, people were concerned the levies would have a far-reaching impact, speaking to the singular role the car industry has played in the post-war economic rise of the two U.S. allies. While car production helped transform Germany, Italy and France after World War Two, its influence in Asia has been even more profound. Automakers form the nucleus of vast networks of group companies that impact almost every facet of working life in the two countries. In Japan, where the industry accounts for roughly 3% of gross domestic product, it is the automakers — particularly Toyota — that set the precedent for national wage increases through annual talks between unions and management.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Bengaluru: In 2017, amid much fanfare, Anushka Sharma launched ‘Nush’, a clothing line for young women touted as a mix of comfort and style. At the event unveiling the line, the Bollywood actress claimed she had put in long hours to get things just right—so much so that her mother had to remind her to eat.