China's trade surplus tops $1 trillion for second straight year

Starc reiterates denial in Sandpapergate row as Warner backs Khawaja's claims

Mitchell Starc has again addressed the controversy over the 2018 ball-tampering incident, restating the position he has held since 2021. David Warner has sided with Usman Khawaja's account and described it as the truth. Warner also voiced frustration that Cricket Australia's initial investigation did not examine the matter in sufficient depth. Starc maintains he had no involvement in the tampering and no prior knowledge of it. He insists the bowlers were kept uninformed about the plan.

Why Mumbai's post-Diwali air quality reached 'poor' levels while Chennai's did not

India and Oman Start Naval Exercise Amid Focus on Arabian Sea Security

The Indian Navy ship INS Surat has reached Muscat to take part in the 15th edition of the Naseem Al Bahr exercise. The drill includes joint patrols with the Royal Navy of Oman and is aimed at improving operational compatibility between the two navies. India's sustained maritime presence in strategically important waters is framed as supporting energy security and countering piracy. The exercise comes alongside recent multinational training efforts and successful anti-piracy rescues off Somalia's coast.

Asian Stocks Rally After Wall Street Rebound as Oil Prices Ease

Asian stock markets climbed on Tuesday, following a strong recovery in US equities the previous day. Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 2.6%, while South Korea's Kospi rose 4%. Technology shares drove much of the advance, with SoftBank Group stock surging ahead of its earnings release. At the same time, oil prices fell as military tensions linked to the Iran situation eased.