Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has died aged 85 of heart disease, according to the Institut Jantung Negara, the hospital in Kuala Lumpur where he was being treated. Abdullah, Malaysia’s fifth leader, served from 2003 to 2009, when he was pressured to resign to take responsibility for the governing coalition’s dismal results in national elections. He kept a low profile after leaving politics. In 2022, his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, disclosed that Abdullah had dementia that was progressively worsening. He said Abdullah had trouble speaking and could not recognize

Fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi has been arrested in Belgium following an extradition request by Indian investigative agencies. Choksi is a key suspect in the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, alongside his nephew, Nirav Modi. Indian authorities have initiated the process to extradite Choksi from Belgium. However, Choksi has sought bail in court, citing ill health and claiming he was in Belgium for medical treatment. According to reports, Choksi was allegedly attempting to flee Belgium to Switzerland before his arrest. Meanwhile, his nephew Nirav Modi, also implica

More than 30 people have been killed in a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, the city’s acting mayor said Sunday. Two ballistic missiles struck the heart of the city as local people gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday. “On this bright Palm Sunday, our community has suffered a terrible tragedy,” Artem Kobzar said in a statement on social media. “Unfortunately, we already know of more than 20 deaths.” The strike comes less than a day after Russia and Ukraine’s top diplomats accused each other of violating a tentative U.S.-brokered deal to pause strikes on energy infr

The United Nations trade agency has warned that the economic instability caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs could have a devastating impact on developing countries. The agency stated that global trade could decrease by 3 to 7 percent, with global GDP potentially falling by 0.7 percent. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Center, emphasized the severity of the situation. She warned that if tensions between China and the United States persist, it could result in an 80 percent reduction in trade between the two nations, with repercussions felt world

China has responded to US trade measures by raising tariffs on American goods from 84 percent to 125 percent. Amid the escalating trade tensions, Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first public statement, declaring that China is unafraid of challenges, has never relied on external generosity, and will not bow to coercion. President Xi stressed that a tariff war produces no winners and warned that opposing global cooperation is counterproductive. To address the potential impact of US tariffs, China is seeking to strengthen economic ties with other nations, including India and the European U

Russia has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend its Victory Parade, scheduled for May 9, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory over Germany in World War II. In addition to PM Modi, Russia has invited leaders of several other friendly nations to participate in the Victory Day Parade at Moscow’s Red Square. This invitation comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India later this year. Prime Minister Modi had previously invited President Putin to visit India during his trip to Russia in July 2024, an invitation that Put

The United States is still imposing tariffs on Canada after President Donald Trump on Wednesday partially pulled back some of the most devastating duties against countries around the world. Trump paused his so-called “reciprocal” tariffs for 90 days but kept in place a 10 per cent levy on nearly all global imports. The president also increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 125 per cent. Trump's change in course triggered a surge in U.S. markets following days of massive losses — but it’s not clear how the ongoing uncertainty will play out. A White House official has said duties agains

The US and Canadian stock markets experienced a significant boost today after President Donald Trump's announcement of a 90-day ban on reciprocal tariffs. In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite Index surged by over 1,000 points, while the Dow Jones in New York jumped by 2,400 points. The announcement led to a rebound in stock markets that had been under pressure since the previous week. Shares of major companies like Apple and Nvidia saw gains of 11 to 13 percent. Walmart's stock rose by 9.7 percent, and Tesla shares jumped by more than 19 percent. In the Canadian stock market, several stocks,

US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on tariffs but has simultaneously increased the tariff on China to 125 percent. In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained that the move came in response to what he called China's disrespect towards global markets. As a result, the tariff on Beijing is now set at 125 percent, effective immediately. Trump also expressed confidence that China would soon realize that the days of exploiting the United States and other countries are over. He revealed that more than 75 countries had approached the US for trade deals and that these countries had