Gubala Shankar

China warned of "clashes and even conflicts" over Taiwan if the issue is not handled properly during talks between Presidents Trump and Xi. While Trump remained silent on Taiwan, Beijing confirmed it was raised, with Xi calling it the most important issue in US-China ties. US policy remains unchanged, but Beijing was cautioned against using force.

In a decade, India built the world’s largest population-scale real-time payments system. It changed not just banking, but behaviour itself

During a Beijing visit, President Trump observed China's military might, signaling a shift in global power. While the US faces munitions shortages and slow production, China's defense industry operates at wartime pace, excelling in drones, AI, and satellite tech. This evolving warfare, particularly concerning Taiwan, highlights a contest for future global dominance.

Sixty years of leftism & quasi-leftism killed the city & state’s economic vitality. But a revival isn’t hard. Policy needs to build on moribund industrial bases & stock exchange. Plus, prioritise learning English

Anthropic's paper outlines two scenarios for US-China AI leadership by 2028. In one, the US maintains its compute advantage through tightened export controls, leading to democratic AI norms. The other sees China overtaking the US if policymakers fail to act, resulting in authoritarian AI dominance.

BRICS foreign ministers are struggling to agree on a joint statement concerning West Asia. Tensions flared between the UAE and Iran during the meeting. Iran accused the UAE of direct involvement in aggression. India's External Affairs Minister stressed the importance of consensus for new members. The outcome of the meeting remains uncertain.

After intense deliberations, VD Satheesan has been chosen as Kerala's new Chief Minister, overcoming strong contenders KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala. Key factors included alliance support, grassroots sentiment, and Satheesan's vocal opposition to the incumbent government, making him the preferred choice for a stable UDF administration.