China has a high number of young, self-made billionaires, reflecting strong wealth creation driven largely by technological innovation. However, analysts warn that increased state control and the lack of protections for failed entrepreneurs are holding back innovation and risk-taking. Experts say a more supportive environment is needed to sustain China’s entrepreneurial momentum.

Nuwara Eliya District Secretary Thushari Tennakoon has urged motorists to avoid nighttime travel to Nuwara Eliya due to heightened landslide risks following recent adverse weather. A fresh earth mound collapse on the Gampola–Nuwara Eliya main road in Katukithula underscores ongoing road instability. She confirmed that all necessary relief measures have been provided to affected residents and dismissed claims questioning the government’s response as unfounded.

ISRO has rescheduled the launch of the BlueBird-6 satellite, the heaviest US commercial satellite, to December 21, 2025, to allow additional pre-launch integration and testing. Developed with AST SpaceMobile, the 6.5-tonne satellite will use a massive phased array antenna to provide direct-to-device broadband connectivity, especially in remote regions. The mission, using ISRO’s LVM3 rocket, highlights a major step forward in global communication technology and strengthens Ind

Norwich Castle has attracted over 110,000 visitors in just three months after reopening following a £27.5m refurbishment. The project, which faced delays due to Covid and supply issues, introduced new features such as a glass atrium, café and recreated Norman interiors. Officials say the strong visitor turnout highlights the castle’s renewed status as a world-class heritage attraction.

Amazon announced a $35 billion investment in India by 2030 to expand infrastructure, enhance AI innovation, and boost digital inclusion. The company aims to support 3.8 million jobs and help 15 million small businesses adopt AI while empowering students through AI education. With this commitment, Amazon plans to help India increase e-commerce exports to $80 billion and strengthen its digital economy.

Meta has agreed to offer Facebook and Instagram users in the EU a new choice on how much of their data is shared for personalised advertising, following pressure from the European Commission. Starting January 2026, users can choose between fully personalised ads or a version with less data sharing and limited ad personalisation. This move resolves concerns over Meta’s previous “pay or consent” model, which was found to violate the EU’s Digital Markets Act.

Amazon launched its faster Trainium 3 AI chip, helping companies cut training costs by up to 50% and strengthening AWS’s competitiveness against Microsoft and Google. The company also revealed plans for a future Trainium4 chip that will integrate Nvidia’s NVLink Fusion technology, signaling deeper collaboration between the two firms. Amazon’s stock gained slightly, supported by strong recent performance and growing AI investments.

The OECD forecasts the global economy to grow 3.2% this year, showing resilience despite U.S. trade tensions. U.S. growth is upgraded to 2%, supported partly by strong AI-related investments, even as new tariffs pose future risks. China is expected to grow 5%, while India remains the fastest-growing major economy at 6.7%.

The IT industry is set for one of its strongest years since the mid-1990s, with AI driving a projected 10% global IT spending increase in 2026, surpassing $6 trillion. AI-focused data centers, generative AI systems, and AI-enabled software, cloud, and devices are fueling this growth, with major tech companies leading investments. While analysts caution the surge may not be indefinitely sustainable, integrating AI is increasingly essential for business competitiveness and prod

Japan is preparing to host a Japan–Central Asia Summit in Tokyo on December 19–20, with plans for bilateral talks between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Central Asian leaders. LDP Vice President Taro Aso highlighted the summit’s importance, noting that other major powers have recently strengthened their ties with the region. A similar summit planned for last year was canceled due to emergency megaquake warnings in Japan.

SpaceX is preparing a secondary share sale that could raise its valuation to around $800 billion, potentially surpassing OpenAI as the most valuable private company in the U.S. The surge in value is driven by SpaceX’s strong launch business and the rapid global expansion of its Starlink internet service. However, analysts caution that the valuation is not guaranteed until the sale is completed, and shifts in market demand could alter the outcome.

Sri Lanka’s stock market fell 3.04% as Cyclone Ditwah triggered heavy selling, though construction stocks rose on expectations of rebuilding demand. Analysts say investors are cautious and the downward trend is likely to continue. Across Asia, markets moved mixed, with Japan declining, Pakistan rising, and India slipping due to cyclone impacts and trade uncertainties.

Putin arrived in New Delhi to strengthen Russia-India ties, with Modi hosting him for talks on defense, energy and skilled-labor cooperation. The visit comes amid U.S. pressure over India’s Russian oil purchases and ongoing Ukraine war tensions, testing New Delhi’s diplomatic balance. Both sides aim to boost trade, address defense delivery delays and reaffirm strategic partnership despite global geopolitical challenges.

Fujitsu has developed a new spatial world model technology that helps AI understand real-time environments and predict human and robot behaviors for safer, smoother collaboration. The system uses 3D scene graphs to overcome camera distortion issues and accurately model dynamic spaces. Benchmark tests show it can estimate behavioral intentions three times more accurately, supporting advanced human–robot coordination in real-world settings.

Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia are facing devastating floods that have killed more than 1,100 people and displaced millions, prompting large-scale military rescue operations. Indonesia and Sri Lanka are the worst affected, with blocked roads, damaged infrastructure, and missing persons complicating relief efforts. Authorities across the region warn that climate-driven extreme weather is intensifying these disasters, while schools, homes, and public services rema

Nvidia has invested $2 billion in Synopsys as part of a multi-year partnership combining Nvidia’s AI computing power with Synopsys’ chip design and EDA expertise. The collaboration focuses on accelerating compute-heavy applications, advancing agentic AI engineering, and expanding cloud access for joint solutions. Both companies say the non-exclusive partnership will help address the rising complexity of next-generation intelligent systems.

Sri Lanka’s Kandy district has been hit by severe landslides triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, leaving several areas buried under earth and debris. Rescue teams are still searching for missing residents as unstable, rain-soaked slopes pose a high risk of additional collapses. Authorities warn that worsening weather conditions could further complicate relief efforts across the central province.

Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports remained nearly unchanged in October 2025, reflecting a marginal 0.02% rise despite declines in major industries like apparel and tea. Strong growth in coconut-based products was not enough to offset reduced export earnings from petroleum, rubber, boats, and spices. The slowdown in key markets such as the United States and India further highlights the challenges facing the country’s export sector.

Stablecoins are rapidly expanding and could drain valuable retail deposits from euro zone banks, weakening their funding stability. The ECB warns that a run on major stablecoins could trigger large sell-offs of U.S. Treasury assets, disrupting global financial markets. Additional risks could impact the euro zone if jointly issued stablecoins face heavy redemptions under differing regulations.

Sri Lanka’s CEB is selling power below its generation cost to about 70% of consumers, shifting the burden to higher-use households. Middle-income families using more than 180 units are charged up to 317% of the cost, effectively paying a hidden cross-subsidy. Critics say this amounts to an unrecorded tax and disproportionately penalizes households that cannot afford solar power.