What would happen when America’s so-called allies become too useful?

In 1987, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) was founded on a largely untested model: producing chips for designers without their own fabs. Nearly four decades later, it has become the backbone of the global semiconductor industry, supplying most of the world’s cutting-edge chips and dominating 7nm-and-below foundry production, with advanced-node revenue making up 69% of its sales in 2024.

Trump says he will not drop tariffs to get China to negotiating table

President Donald Trump said he will not drop tariffs on China to get Beijing to come to the negotiating table.

INS Sharda arrives in Maldives for maiden HADR Exercise

In line with India’s commitment towards regional cooperation, INS Sharda arrived at Maafilaafushi Atoll in Maldives, for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise planned from May 4-10, according to the Indian Navy.

Pakistan tests missile, India orders drills amid Kashmir standoff

Pakistan carried out a second missile test in three days on Monday and India said it ordered several states to conduct security drills, as fears mounted the neighbours could be heading to a confrontation over a deadly attack in Kashmir.

Ukraine drone attack shuts Moscow airports, says Russia

Russia says Ukraine has launched an overnight drone attack targeting Moscow for the second night in a row.

Gunmen intercept prison van in Kalat, kidnap five policemen

Gunmen on Saturday freed 10 prisoners, including two convicts and took five police officials captive after they erected a roadblock near Mangocher on the Quetta-Karachi highway and intercepted the vehicle transporting prisoners to Quetta from Gadani jail.

Trump says non-US movies to be hit with 100% tariffs

US President Donald Trump says he will hit movies made in foreign countries with 100% tariffs, as he ramps up trade disputes with nations around the world.

Assailant slaps Turkish main opposition leader Özel

An assailant slapped Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), on Sunday as he was leaving an event in Istanbul.

US approves HawkEye 360 sale to boost India’s surveillance

In a move to boost New Delhi’s surveillance power amid heightened military tension, the US state department has approved the sale of HawkEye 360 technology to India, which will help the country gain maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific, aided by a growing constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit.

TikTok fined €530 million for illegally sending EU data to China

TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. was fined €530 million ($600 million) by the European Union for illegally sending user data to China, and warned that it didn’t do enough to keep that information out of reach from Chinese state services.

Trump says he is not considering running for third term

US President Donald Trump has denied that he is considering running for a third presidential term, a move which experts agree is banned under the US Constitution.

Maldives president holds record 15-hour press conference

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu addressed a press conference for nearly 15 hours, his office said on Sunday, claiming it broke a previous record held by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

Air India suspends flights to Tel Aviv to May 6 after airport attack

Air India said on Sunday it had suspended flights to Tel Aviv until May 6 after a missile attack on Israel’s main international airport.

India sends holy Buddha Relics to Vietnam for public exposition

The holy relics of Lord Buddha, enshrined at a vihara in Uttar Pradesh’s Sarnath, reached Ho Chi Minh City on Friday in an IAF aircraft for an exposition during the gala celebrations of the United Nations Day of Vesak being hosted by Vietnam.

Illegal sea cucumber trade between Madagascar and China sparks ecological crisis

Madagascar’s marine biodiversity is facing a grave crisis due to the escalating illegal trade in sea cucumbers.

Trump criticised after posting AI image of himself as Pope

US President Donald Trump has attracted criticism from some Catholics after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope.

India bans imports from Pakistan amid tension over tourist killings

India said it has banned the import of goods originating from or transiting via Pakistan as diplomatic tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations flared in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in disputed Kashmir region.

China’s new naval base in Cambodia deepens anxiety across the Indo-Pacific

In a move reverberating across the Indo-Pacific, China has officially inaugurated a naval facility at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, marking a significant expansion of Beijing’s military presence beyond its borders.

China’s factories take a big blow as Trump’s tariffs bite

China’s factory activity contracted at its fastest pace in 16 months in April, as steep US tariffs took a heavy toll on the manufacturing sector, adding urgency to Beijing’s efforts to roll out fresh economic stimulus.

Hundreds of cars get flat tyres after truck spills scrap metal

Hundreds of cars were left with flat tyres after a truck travelling along one of Australia’s busiest highways spilled 750kg (1,653lb) of sharp metal shards on the road.

How China propelled a 5.4% start

China’s economy kicked off 2025 on a strong footing, with first-quarter GDP rising by 5.4% year-on-year to 31.88 trillion yuan (~$4.35 trillion), ahead of the forecast of 5.1% by a Reuters poll of 57 economists earlier this month.

Indian traders eye major growth opportunities at Iran Expo 2025

In a step aimed at boosting Indo-Iranian trade relations, 57 Indian traders have registered their participation in Iran Expo 2025, signalling growing interest in strengthening bilateral commercial ties despite existing challenges.

Somalia bans entry of Taiwan citizens in bid to please China: Taipei

Somalia’s ban on transit and entry of all Taiwanese passport holders has taken effect, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused China of pressuring the East African country into introducing the measures.

Children fall ill in India ’after dead snake found in school meal’

India’s human rights body is investigating reports that more than 100 children fell ill from eating a school lunch after a dead snake was found in the food.

Apple says most US-bound iPhones no longer made in China

Apple says it is shifting production of most iPhones and other devices to be sold in the US away from China, which has been the focus of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

France plans e-commerce crackdown on China’s Temu, Shein

The French government has launched a new e-commerce strategy to curb the annual influx of around 1.5 billion parcels entering the country, half of which originate from China.

Kenyan MP shot dead in ’targeted’ attack in Nairobi

A Kenyan member of parliament has been shot dead in the streets of the capital Nairobi by gunmen on a motorcycle in a suspected assassination.

Tourists undeterred by Pahalgam attack, laud security and enjoy Kashmir visit

After the terrorist attack on April 22, there has been a significant drop in the number of tourists in Pahalgam.

WhatsApp to stop working on select iPhones from May 2025

WhatsApp users with older iPhones will soon lose access to the messaging platform, as the company plans to withdraw support for devices running outdated iOS versions starting May 5, 2025.

Fire tears through hotel in Kolkata, killing at least 14 people

A fire tore through a hotel in the city of Kolkata in eastern India, killing at least 14 people, police said Wednesday.