Looming trade crisis puts Sri Lanka on edge

Sri Lanka’s fragile economic recovery is facing renewed pressure due to a sharply imbalanced trade relationship with China, raising concerns of a potential secondary balance-of-payments crisis.

US strikes Iranian fast boats as Iran attacks UAE oil facility

President Donald Trump says the US has struck seven Iranian ’’fast boats’’ in the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington seeks to guide stranded ships out of the Gulf through the largely closed waterway.

PM Modi hails historic win in West Bengal and Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi on Monday as counting trends showed the party surging past the majority mark in West Bengal and retaining power in Assam.

UAE says Iran fired drones at oil tanker in Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says Iran launched two suicide drones at a tanker affiliated with its Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in the Strait of Hormuz.

US denies Iranian claim it struck American warship

US Central Command (Centcom) denies that one of its warships has been struck by two Iranian missiles.

Kerala Assembly election: No Left govt left in India for first time in 50 years

With the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) losing Kerala Assembly elections, no Left government will be left in India for the first time in 50 years.

At least 12 wounded after Oklahoma party shooting

US authorities responded to reports of gunfire at about 9pm local time on Sunday at a gathering of young people near Arcadia Lake, Edmond Police Department spokesperson Emily Ward said.

Iran’s army warns all ships must coordinate with its forces in Hormuz or face attack

The Iranian army has said “the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in the hands of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and that any safe passage and navigation in any situation will be carried out in coordination with the armed forces”.

US transfers crew of captured Iranian ship to Pakistan

A spokesperson for US Central Command (CENTCOM) has told the ABC broadcaster that crew members of the M/V Touska, which was captured in the Gulf of Oman last month, have been taken to Pakistan for repatriation to Iran.

Old carmakers find new engine in China

Eight months after German auto giant Volkswagen announced a partnership Chinese EV upstart XPeng on electronic and electrical architecture, the alliance has delivered results, debuting two brand-new battery-electric models this month. The second, unveiled at the ongoing Beijing Auto Show, comes equipped with Level 2 advanced driver-assistance systems—evidence of how legacy carmakers can reinvent themselves for the intelligent age.

India launches Earth observation satellite

India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), on Sunday launched a privately-developed Earth observation satellite ’’Drishti,’’ developed by the country’s space-tech startup ’’GalaxEye.’’

Maldives’ press freedom in decline as President’s affair allegations spur crackdown

A political scandal involving President Mohamed Muizzu and allegations of an extramarital relationship with a former employee of the President’s Office has become the catalyst for a broad assault on press freedom in the Maldives.

Trump says US to ’guide’ stranded ships through Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump has said that the US will help guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz from Monday.

Tamil Nadu election results: MK Stalin trails in Kolathur seat, his DMK ahead In early leads

The counting for the high-stakes three-cornered Tamil Nadu Assembly election has begun. The state, known as the citadel of Dravidian politics for over 50 years, with a binary politics dominated by the DMK and AIADMK, could be in for winds of change.

Three die after suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard Atlantic cruise ship

A suspected hantavirus outbreak linked to an Atlantic cruise voyage has left three people dead, while a British tourist is being treated in hospital in South Africa.

Taiwan leader visits Eswatini despite China’s attempts to block trip

Taiwan President William Lai Ching-te says his government will never give up on engaging with the world as he visited Eswatini despite China’s efforts to block the trip.

Chinese hackers vulnerable to US arrest if they travel, FBI official says

The Chinese government’s hiring of hackers has “gotten out of control” and provides cyber criminals with “a form of plausible deniability,” a senior FBI official said on Thursday (Apr 30), warning that Chinese hackers can be arrested when they travel outside their home country.

Mittal family set to own 75% of Rajasthan Royals in $1.65 billion deal

The Mittal Family has reached a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling stake in IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals in partnership with Adar Poonawalla. The deal, signed with current owner Manoj Badale and his consortium, values the franchise and its associated teams at about $1.65 billion.

Oil tanker hijacked off coast of Yemen and taken towards Somalia

Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, according to multiple Somali security officials that spoke with the BBC.

OPEC+ members meet to set new oil quotas following UAE’s exit

Seven members of OPEC+ will meet today to decide on oil production levels for the first time since the UAE left the group.

Air India cuts international flights till July amid jet fuel price hike, closure of certain airspace

Air India is all set to cut its international flights till July because of a surge in jet fuel prices and the ongoing airspace restrictions that made several routes unprofitable, said the firm’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Campbell Wilson on Friday.

India collects 2.43 trillion rupees in goods and services tax in April

India collected ‌2.43 trillion rupees ($25.61 ​billion) ​in goods and ⁠services ​tax in ​April, a rise of ​8.7% ​from last year, ‌the ⁠government said in a ​statement ​on ⁠Friday.

US withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, US officials say

The United States is withdrawing 5,000 troops from NATO ally Germany, the Pentagon announced on Friday, as ​a rift over the Iran war widens between President Donald Trump and Europe.

War with US ’likely’ to restart after Trump rejects proposal, Iranian official says

Trump said on Friday that he was ’’not satisfied’’ with Iran’s latest proposal, without detailing which elements he opposes, while the White House refused to comment on the state of the negotiations.

US bypasses congressional review for military sales of $8.6 billion to Middle East allies

BBC - U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has bypassed congressional review to approve military ‌sales totaling over $8.6 billion to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Qatar Airways resumes operations to Iraq

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways continues to reinstate its network across the Middle East, announcing the return of passenger flights to Baghdad (BGW), Basra (BSR), and Erbil (EBL) in Iraq, starting on May 10, 2026.

Riot erupts over Australian Indigenous girl’s suspected killer, authorities urge calm

Hundreds of protesters clashed with Australian emergency services ​workers in a remote town following the arrest of a man suspected of murdering a 5-year-old Indigenous girl, police said ‌on Friday.

Maldives police raid news outlet over report alleging president’s affair

Police in the Maldives have raided the offices of a critical news outlet and barred its editors from leaving the country after it published a documentary alleging an affair between President Mohamed Muizzu and a former aide.

Hormuz blockade sees alternative land routes opening for trade

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is reshaping trade routes with container ship traffic now using land routes to reach destinations, the AFP news agency reports.

Soaring fuel prices in Pakistan threaten economic and political crises

The most serious fuel price shock to hit Pakistan in more than half a century threatens to unleash a flood of cascading crises that could batter all aspects of the economy and undermine the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.