World economy
China hints at halting rare earth exports to US
30 May 2019
China accounted for at least 71 per cent of mined output of rare earths last year, and an even higher percentage of processed rare earth compounds, while the US sourced 80 per cent of its rare earth imports from China from 2014 to 2017, according to US statistics
Theresa May resigns as British Prime Minister
24 May 2019
May’s departure will deepen the Brexit crisis as a new leader is likely to want a more decisive split, raising the chances of a confrontation with the EU and possibly a snap parliamentary election
Joko Widodo re-elected as Indonesian president
21 May 2019
The result was released a day ahead of schedule in the early hours today, amid fears of violent unrest after rival candidate Prabowo Subianto, 67, had alleged "widespread cheating" and warned of potential street protests
China warns retaliation as US bans Huawei
17 May 2019
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the US Department of Commerce has followed up President Trump’s executive order by adding Huawei Technologies Co and its affiliates to the Bureau’s (banned) Entity List
Trump declares national emergency over threats to US telecom
16 May 2019
The order does not name specific countries or companies but appears to target Chinese tech giant Huawei, the world's biggest supplier of network gear used by phone and internet companies
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