WORLD

The Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, released recently, states that India and China's relations remain "strained" following their "lethal clash" in 2020.

The report warns that the "expanded military postures" of both countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) elevate the risk of "armed confrontation" between the two neighbours could "directly threaten U.S. persons and interests, calling for U.S. intervention."

Since the 2020 Galwan incident, ties between the two countries continue to go southwards. Last December also, forces of the two countries clashed in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang after the Chinese side tried to intrude.

Waris De Punjab’s chief pro-Khalistani supporter Amrit Pal Singh has gained popularity among the pro-Khalistan elements. Amrit Pal Singh recently made headlines after the Ajnala Police station in Punjab witnessed a clash between his supporters and Punjab Police personnel.

However, it's an open secret that the Khalistani movement is backed by International elements and ISI is backing this entire movement. Times Now has accessed an exclusive and explosive conversation between the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan and the alleged Pro-Khalistani sympathiser.

Tunisia's president denounced racism on Sunday and pointed to possible legal consequences for perpetrators 10 days after announcing a crackdown on illegal migration using language the African Union condemned as "racialised hate speech".

During a statement on February 21 telling security forces to expel all illegal immigrants, President Kais Saied called migration a conspiracy to change Tunisia's demographics by making it more African and less Arab.

Police detained hundreds of migrants, landlords summarily evicted hundreds from their homes and hundreds of others were fired from work, rights groups say.

China on Sunday hiked its defence budget by 7.2 per cent, marginally higher than last year, to 1.55 trillion yuan (about USD 225 billion), marking the eighth consecutive year of increase in its military spending.

China, last year, pegged its defence budget at 1.45 trillion yuan, a 7.1 per cent increase. This year the defence spending is increased to 1.55 trillion yuan.

However, in view of the appreciation of the dollar against the yuan, this year's defence spending of China totalled, according to the state-run China Daily, about USD 225 billion.

Australia's former defence minister Peter Dutton said that the nation is losing interest in purchasing British nuclear submarines and is thinking about buying the ones made in America instead.

Dutton, who was the country's defence minister until 10 months ago and led the government's decision of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, reportedly said that he has been informed about various hurdles in purchasing a British submarine.