Location · 8 published stories · 34 outlets · All places
According to the Henley Passport Index, South African passport holders can travel to 101 destinations without a prior visa. The ranking places the country 50th or 96th globally, depending on the report, with regional highlights across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Caribbean.
Pakistan will host the 14th South Asian Games from April 3 to 11, 2027, across Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar. The decision was approved by the South Asia Olympic Council's executive committee, with India's participation confirmed through video link attendance.
Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) will merge Oriental Hotels Ltd (OHL) through an all-stock transaction, with a swap ratio of 25 IHCL shares for every 117 OHL shares. The merger aims to simplify the group's holding structure and unlock the potential of OHL's portfolio, including iconic properties. Shares of OHL surged while IHCL declined following the announcement.
India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) marks a decade since its launch in August 2016, with annual transactions surging from 1.78 crore in FY17 to 24,162 crore in FY26. The platform now handles nearly half of global real-time payments, operates in 11 countries, and has become the backbone of India's digital economy.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing for a two-day visit to attend the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary issue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The talks come ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected visit to India for the BRICS summit, with both sides emphasizing the importance of border peace for the wider relationship.
The final bridge segment of the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) has been installed, marking a major milestone in the India-funded infrastructure initiative in the Maldives. The project, which will link Male with Villingili, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi, is the largest infrastructure undertaking in the Maldives, and officials have hailed the progress as a testament to India-Maldives friendship.
Signatory States of the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment have agreed to set up a Combined DCoC Task Force to coordinate maritime operations against piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. The decision, endorsed at an extraordinary Steering Committee meeting in July and by National Focal Points in August, aims to complement existing international efforts while addressing the continued captivity of seafarers.
The USS George Washington has arrived in the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln from its record deployment, as reports of poor conditions aboard the Lincoln spark a heated dispute between officials, families, and lawmakers. While CENTCOM and Navy leaders defend the crew's resilience, families and senators demand answers over food shortages, mental health concerns, and the toll of more than 250 days at sea.