At the secluded Filoli estate in Northern California, President Joe Biden and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping engaged in a four-hour meeting, discussing various issues without releasing a joint statement. They resumed three major security talks, including high-level military-to-military talks, but made no significant announcements on climate change. The summit, which may be the last before the US elections next year, touched on trade, human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and the 'One China' policy regarding Taiwan. Biden also sought China's help in de-escalating tensions with Iran and discussed the Indo-Pacific region. The article suggests that both superpowers prioritize commercial interests and are unlikely to mediate in conflicts such as those in Ukraine or Israel.

Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk is visiting India to reinforce the countries' mutual trust, amidst Bhutan's boundary talks with China. Bhutan, a close ally of India, has not established diplomatic relations with any P-5 UN Security Council nations, including China. The recent progress in Bhutan-China talks has caused concern in India, particularly regarding the strategic Doklam region. India supports Bhutan in various sectors and has agreed to revise power tariffs and consider Bhutan's electricity distribution requests. The two nations share a strong relationship, with India playing a significant role in Bhutan's global cultural differentiation from Tibet. Despite China's attempts to influence India's allies, Bhutan's loyalty remains firm, emphasizing the adage 'money can't buy loyalty'.

Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented an expansionary annual budget for the financial year 2023-24, focusing on debt servicing, development projects, and defence expenditure amid an economic crisis and political turmoil. The budget aims to satisfy global lenders, including the IMF, with whom Pakistan has a history of incomplete program implementation. The World Bank projects Pakistan's economy to grow by two per cent, while the country awaits the IMF's approval to unlock bailout funds.

Twitter suspended a verified impersonated account falsely promoted as belonging to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Prime Minister's office clarified that Hasina does not have any social media accounts. The account, which had a blue verification tick instead of the grey tick designated for government officials, was reported to Twitter after a former aide to the Prime Minister and other officials were notified. Twitter's new policy awards a grey checkmark to state leaders, which is visible on the accounts of other state leaders such as Narendra Modi and Joe Biden.

In Paris, the Kurdish community is protesting against an attack on the Kurdish Cultural Centre, blaming the Turkish secret service. The recent violence coincides with the 10th anniversary of the murder of three Kurdish women, also attributed to Turkish intelligence. A recent shooting at the centre by a retired train driver, who confessed to a hatred for foreigners, has escalated tensions. Kurdish activists allege negligence by French police despite warnings of threats from Turkish fascist groups. The Kurdish Women’s Movement in Europe and the Kurdish Democratic Council of France demand a transparent investigation and hold the Turkish state responsible for a political massacre. They call on President Macron to take international action against Turkey's war on Kurds.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on his first visit to Minsk since 2019, committed to developing nuclear plants and scientific projects in Belarus despite sanctions. He emphasized the operational benefits of the nuclear power plant and expressed readiness to train Belarusians for the industry. Putin and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko discussed bilateral relations and signed an agreement on a planning system in Union State. Russia also pledged to train Belarusian pilots and send a Belarusian cosmonaut to space in 2023. Despite sanctions, Putin expects bilateral trade with Belarus to reach $40 billion. The visit coincided with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Belarus, and included talks on Western sanctions and economic cooperation.

US Secretary of Treasury Janet L Yellen, on her first visit to India, commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his stance against the Ukraine war and highlighted the importance of ending the conflict for the global economy. Speaking at a Microsoft event in Delhi, Yellen emphasized the growing closeness between the US and India, citing shared challenges that have brought the two nations closer. She criticized the weaponization of trade by certain states and urged India to collaborate on various global issues, especially during its G-20 presidency. Yellen described the US-India relationship as stronger than ever, with increasing bilateral trade and a significant Indian diaspora in the US.

At a conference convened by Chennai Centre for China Studies, experts discussed the crisis in Sri Lanka and its relation to China's strategic interests. Former Indian Ambassador to China, Ashok Kantha, emphasized the importance of security cooperation between India and Sri Lanka. Lt General PR Shankar (retired) stated that China is a root cause of Sri Lanka's instability due to its lending practices. He also mentioned Japan as an alternative to China for infrastructure projects. Group Captain R Srinivasan (retired) and Colonel R Hariharan spoke about China's higher interest rates and political influence. Dr Hasith Kandaudahewa from the University of Colombo highlighted Sri Lanka's foreign policy dilemma, needing both India's assistance for an IMF loan and China's support for restructuring programs.

Sri Lanka is experiencing a severe financial and political crisis, with former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fleeing the country amid protests. Ranil Wickremesinghe, a six-time Prime Minister, was sworn in as President by Parliament, a first in 44 years. He declared an emergency to address public security and essential services. The country faces shortages of commodities and has foreign reserves of only $250m. Sri Lanka owes over $51bn to foreign lenders, with China being a significant creditor. The crisis affects Sri Lanka's port operations and relations with India, its third-largest business partner. Diplomatic missions in Australia, Iraq, and Norway have been closed. India has provided $3.8 billion in support this year, including humanitarian aid. Wickremesinghe's administration will review diplomatic relations and may need to implement economic reforms, including privatization and granting autonomy to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

An Indian delegation led by JP Singh of India's Ministry of External Affairs met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul to discuss trade and humanitarian aid. India has provided Afghanistan with wheat, medicines, COVID vaccines, and winter clothing to address the food crisis. India also donated COVAXIN doses to Iran for Afghan refugees and supplied polio vaccines and medicines to UNICEF. The Indian delegation plans to meet with international organizations to ensure proper aid distribution, despite India's policy of not dealing directly with the Taliban.

India's Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, confirmed at a conclave in Davos that India will continue to export surplus wheat to friendly countries in need. Despite a recent heatwave affecting production, India expects a slight surplus after domestic consumption. The country has recently begun exporting wheat, reaching about 7 million tons from a modest start two years ago. India's wheat is gaining attention for quality and minimal chemical use. Goyal will also visit the UK to discuss an FTA after the WEF.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to India aims to boost bilateral trade and ties with investment announcements in science, health, and technology. Amidst COVID-19 concerns, the visit will focus on job creation, energy security, and defence collaboration. Post-Brexit, the UK is keen on a Free Trade Agreement with India to compensate for disrupted European trade. Experts suggest potential in defence manufacturing in India and agricultural trade improvements if the maximum residue limit issue is resolved.

KPMG in India has partnered with HP India to launch a new invoicing platform named 'GST solution' aimed at aiding traders and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the transition to the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The platform is designed to be comprehensive, secure, and affordable, enabling users to file transactions according to the new tax norms easily and manage invoice reconciliation for large companies. The solution provides a unified platform for ease of invoice generation and reconciliation among vendors within the ecosystem. KPMG's initiative is part of its commitment to support the Government of India's signature initiatives, particularly in facilitating the adoption of GST among MSMEs and addressing their IT challenges.