Crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Tuesday raised the petrol price by 24.3 per cent and diesel by 38.4 per cent, a record hike in fuel prices amidst the country's worst economic crisis due to the shortage of foreign exchange reserves.

President Joe Biden said Monday that the US would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, saying the burden to protect Taiwan is "even stronger' after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was one of the most forceful presidential statements in support of self-governing in decades.

Sri Lankan police have arrested at least 1,500 people so far in connection with the violent clashes between anti- and pro-government protesters in the country earlier this month that killed at least 10 people and injured over 200 others, according to a media report on Monday.

As the rich and powerful from across the globe gather here for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022, Oxfam International on Monday said the COVID-19 pandemic has seen one new billionaire emerging every 30 hours, while nearly one million people could be pushed into extreme poverty every 33 hours this year.

Canberra (Australia): Australia's prime minister conceded defeat after an election on Saturday that could deliver a minority government.

India on Saturday provided another 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel to Sri Lanka under the credit line facility to the island nation which is grappling with its worst economic crisis.

The Sri Lankan government lifted the state of emergency from Saturday, nearly two weeks after it was imposed across the island nation as it faced unprecedented economic and anti-government protests.

 Russia claimed to have captured Mariupol on Friday in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine, after a nearly three-month siege that reduced much of the strategic port city to a smoking ruin, with over 20,000 civilians feared dead.