Nine US lawmakers have sent a letter to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking a ‘ban’ on 17 Chinese companies. In the letter, the lawmakers urged Pentagon (now Department of War) to add these companies to its 1260H list over alleged links to the Chinese military. List of companies that the letter includes are Chinese AI firm DeepSeek; smartphone maker Xiaomi, chip companies Hua Hong Semiconductor, Kingsemi and Shennan Circuit; display and imaging companies BOE Technology Group and Tianma Microelectronics; sensing, surveillance and robotics firms CloudMinds, LeiShen, Livox, RoboSense, Tiandy Technologies, Unitree Robotics and others.In the letter, the lawmakers said that the firms “represent the next logical tranche of military-civil fusion contributors whose designation under Section 1260H would directly support Congress’s intent that US taxpayer funds not underwrite PRC military-industrial and internal-security or intelligence capabilities”.

The letter is signed by: John Moolenaar, Chairman, Select Committee on China; Rick Scott, Chairman, Senate Special Committee on Aging; Eric A. “Rick” Crawford, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Andrew R. Garbarino, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security; Rob Wittman, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee, Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee; Bill Huizenga, Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, South & Central Asia Subcommittee; Dusty Johnson, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee; Darin LaHood, Chairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on NSA and Cyber; Andy Ogles, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee.

What is Pentagon’s 1260H list

Pentagon’s 1260H list is a US Department of Defense roster of Chinese military-linked companies that are believed to support China’s defence or intelligence activities. It is required under Section 1260H of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Companies on the list face increased scrutiny, restrictions on US government contracts, and potential sanctions. The list is used to warn US entities against doing business with firms tied to China’s military–civil fusion strategy.

Letter signed by 9 US lawmakers seeking to ban DeepSeek, Xiaomi and other Chinese firms

The letter, dated December 18, 2025 reads:Dear Secretary Hegseth:We write to urge you to expand the Department’s list of Chinese military companies maintained pursuant to Section 1260H of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to include a set of Chinese firms that support “military-civil fusion” (MCF) and advance People’s Liberation Army (PLA) capabilities across various sectors, including: biotechnology and life sciences; sensing, surveillance, and robotics; consumer smart devices; large-scale AI models; displays and imaging; semiconductors and manufacturing equipment; and power batteries and energy storage.We applaud recent actions taken by the Department, including the addition of Tencent to the1260H list in January 2025 as well as reports that an October 7 letter from Deputy Secretary ofWar Stephen Feinberg informed the Armed Services Committees that Alibaba, Baidu, and BYDshould be added to the list of companies that aid the PRC’s military.The firms listed below represent military-civil fusion contributors central to PLA modernization,internal-security operations, and power-projection capabilities. Their designation under Section1260H would directly support Congress’ intent that U.S. taxpayer funds not underwrite PRCmilitary-industrial and internal-security or intelligence capabilities.

Gaurav Bhatia (ANI image)

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had joined hands with “anti-India forces” during his visit to Germany.Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted that the Congress MP was part of a larger conspiracy against the country. The BJP also linked Gandhi to US billionaire investor George Soros, repeating earlier allegations of foreign influence.Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Bhatia alleged that Gandhi met individuals hostile to India while abroad.“If anyone meets anti-India forces and insults Bharat from foreign soil, it’s none other than Rahul,” Bhatia charged. He added, “George Soros and Rahul Gandhi are two bodies but one soul.”The BJP spokesperson displayed a purported photograph of Gandhi with Cornelia Woll, president of the Berlin-based Hertie School, claiming it as evidence of his interaction with “anti-India forces in Germany”. Bhatia alleged that Woll is a trustee of the Central European University, which he said is funded by Soros’s Open Society Foundation.Questioning Gandhi’s foreign visits during parliamentary sessions, Bhatia asked, “What kind of anti-India agenda is it that the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is hatching a conspiracy against Bharat by joining hands with such anti-India forces?” He further claimed that Gandhi frequently travels abroad during or ahead of Parliament sessions and meets people who are “jealous of India and attack its integrity”.Bhatia also alleged that this was not the first such instance, accusing Gandhi of defaming India during previous foreign visits.“This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi is indulging in such anti-national activities,” he said. “Rahul Gandhi has become Mir Zafar,” the party spokesperson asserted.The BJP reiterated its claim that Soros makes “anti-India statements” and provides funds to create unrest in the country. “George Soros is not an Indian; he is a foreigner. But Rahul Gandhi has taken the oath of protecting the Constitution,” Bhatia said. He added, “These snakelets within India need to be treated. People of the country are demanding it.”The BJP’s remarks come amid Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing visit to Germany, where he toured BMW’s headquarters in Munich. During the visit, Gandhi criticised the Centre over manufacturing, saying India needs to “produce more” and that manufacturing in the country was “declining”.In a video shared by the Congress, Gandhi said India needs to focus more on production-led growth. “Manufacturing is the backbone of strong economies. Sadly, in India, manufacturing is declining. For us to accelerate growth, we need to produce more—build meaningful manufacturing ecosystems and create high-quality jobs at scale,” he said.In another video clip from the visit, Gandhi remarked, “India needs to start producing. Production is the key for the success of any country. And our manufacturing is declining which actually should be going up.”The BJP strongly objected to Gandhi’s remarks, accusing him of running down the country from foreign soil at a time when Parliament was in session. BJP MP and party spokesperson Sambit Patra said the Leader of Opposition carries a “huge responsibility” and must act with restraint while travelling abroad. “The LoP has a huge responsibility. The LoP has to behave in a really responsible manner, especially when the LoP is on foreign soil. Parliament is in session here, several Bills are being discussed in the House and Rahul Gandhi is in Germany to address the Indian diaspora,” Patra said.Referring to Gandhi’s visit to the BMW plant, Patra alleged that the Congress leader praised German manufacturing while portraying India negatively. “Today, we saw Rahul Gandhi visiting the BMW factory in Munich and there, he appreciated their manufacturing and said that he is sad that manufacturing is poor in India,” he said, rejecting Gandhi’s claim and citing official data to assert that India’s manufacturing sector was on a growth path.The BJP’s latest attack also revives allegations made earlier this year, when party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused the Congress and Rahul Gandhi of working with foreign forces to destabilise India. In February, Bhatia had claimed that organisations linked to George Soros were involved in “anti-India activities” and alleged that funding to certain NGOs during the Congress-led UPA government was significantly higher than under the current BJP government.At the time, Bhatia had accused Gandhi of collaborating with foreign forces to weaken India, citing alleged links to Soros-funded organisations.

The World Bank has approved $700 million in fresh financing for Pakistan as part of a longer-term programme aimed at supporting macroeconomic stability and improving public service delivery.As per Reuters, the funding has been cleared under the Public Resources for Inclusive Development – Multiphase Programmatic Approach (PRID-MPA), a framework through which Pakistan could receive up to $1.35 billion over multiple phases. The lender said the latest approval represents a major tranche under this broader initiative.Out of the $700 million, $600 million will be directed towards federal-level programmes, while the remaining $100 million will support a provincial initiative in Sindh, Pakistan’s southern province. The focus of the financing is to strengthen public resources and improve the delivery of essential services at both national and provincial levels.The approval comes months after the World Bank extended a $47.9 million grant in August to support primary education reforms in Punjab, the country’s most populous province. Together, the funding decisions signal continued engagement by multilateral lenders with Pakistan as it works to stabilise its economy and manage long-standing structural challenges.However, concerns over governance and institutional weaknesses remain. An IMF–World Bank report uploaded by Pakistan’s finance ministry in November flagged serious issues, including fragmented regulation, opaque budgeting practices and political capture of public resources. According to the report, these factors continue to deter investment and weaken the country’s revenue base, limiting the effectiveness of economic reforms.The latest World Bank financing also comes at a time when Pakistan remains heavily dependent on external funding to support its economy. Public debt has continued to rise, driven by slower economic growth and sustained borrowing from multilateral institutions. Recent inflows from bodies such as the IMF and other lenders have helped shore up external reserves and support fiscal consolidation efforts, but debt pressures remain elevated.Despite these challenges, Pakistan’s economy has shown signs of gradual recovery following two years of volatility. Growth has picked up modestly, the current account has moved into surplus, and foreign exchange reserves have improved, helped by multilateral disbursements and higher remittance inflows.The World Bank’s phased financing approach allows it to retain leverage over future funding while continuing to support Pakistan’s economic stabilisation efforts. How effectively the new funds translate into lasting reforms and improved service delivery will likely determine the pace and scale of further disbursements under the $1.35 billion programme, as per Reuters.

India’s telecom sector ended 2025 on a strong footing, with the department of telecommunications (DoT) recording major gains in digital connectivity, infrastructure expansion and technology self-reliance, according to a year-end review released by the ministry of communications.A key development during the year was the launch of the National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0 in January. The initiative aims to speed up digital inclusion by expanding high-speed broadband access to villages, schools, health centres and other critical institutions, supporting the government’s long-term vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.The review highlighted a sharp rise in internet and mobile usage. Total internet connections crossed the 100-crore mark, nearly four times higher than in 2014. Broadband subscriptions also touched close to 100 crore, while average monthly data consumption per wireless user jumped to 24 GB, placing India among the highest data-consuming nations globally. Median mobile broadband speeds rose sharply as well, reaching over 130 Mbps by October 2025.The nationwide rollout of 5G stood out as one of the year’s defining achievements. 5G services are now available across all states and Union Territories, covering 99.9 per cent of districts and reaching around 85 per cent of the population. Telecom operators have installed more than 5.08 lakh 5G base stations, supported by a doubling of optical fibre cable length since 2019.Rural connectivity also expanded rapidly, with rural telephone connections rising nearly 43 per cent since 2014, almost twice the growth rate seen in urban areas. Overall tele-density reached 86.65 per cent by September.The year also marked a technological milestone, with India becoming the world’s fifth country to develop an indigenous 4G technology stack. Built by C-DOT, Tejas Networks and TCS and deployed by BSNL, the system is fully software-driven and upgradeable to 5G, news agency ANI reported. Progress was also recorded under the Bharat 6G Mission.On the citizen services front, platforms such as Sanchar Saathi gained wide adoption. The portal logged 22 crore visits, while its mobile app saw over 1.5 crore downloads. The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator helped prevent losses of about Rs 450 crore by flagging more than 70 lakh suspicious transactions.Manufacturing also showed strong momentum, with the telecom PLI scheme generating cumulative sales of over Rs 96,000 crore and exports exceeding Rs 19,000 crore, reinforcing India’s shift towards becoming a global digital and innovation hub.

File photo: Elon Musk (Picture credit: ANI)

Elon Musk secured a major legal victory on Friday after the Delaware Supreme Court cleared the way for him to receive a long-disputed Tesla pay package worth about $55–56 billion, reversing an earlier ruling that had stripped him of the compensation. The decision likely marks the end of a years-long shareholder lawsuit over what was once described as the largest executive pay deal in corporate history.The top court overturned a January 2024 judgment by Delaware Chancery Court judge Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, who had rescinded the 2018 pay package after finding that Tesla’s board was too close to Musk and failed to follow a fair approval process.

McCormick had called the process “deeply flawed” and ruled that Musk effectively controlled the company at the time, according to CNBC.In its 49-page ruling, the Delaware Supreme Court said the lower court went too far by cancelling the pay package outright.“It is undisputed that Musk fully performed under the 2018 grant, and Tesla and its stockholders were rewarded for his work,” the judges said, according to AFP. The court restored the package and awarded Tesla $1 in nominal damages.The ruling adds to Musk’s already vast wealth, estimated at around $679 billion, as per CNBC. It also supports Musk’s long-held criticism of Delaware’s legal system. Following the 2024 ruling, Musk publicly attacked the judge, encouraged other entrepreneurs to leave Delaware and led Tesla to reincorporate in Texas, AP reported.The original 2018 pay deal was tied entirely to performance milestones. At the time, Tesla was valued between $50 billion and $75 billion and was struggling with production challenges. The package set ambitious targets linked to market value and operations. Over the following years, Tesla’s manufacturing improved, sales surged and its market capitalisation crossed the thresholds needed for Musk to earn the payout, AP noted.Despite shareholder approval of the plan in 2018, Tesla investor Richard Tornetta challenged it in court, arguing it was excessive. While Tesla shareholders later voted again in 2024 to reaffirm the package, McCormick maintained her decision to cancel it. That stance has now been overturned.Tesla’s board has consistently backed Musk. In recent years, it approved an interim compensation award worth about $29 billion and later unveiled an even larger long-term pay plan, AFP reported. Shareholders approved that new package last month. The plan could be worth up to $1 trillion if Musk leads Tesla to raise its market value from about $1.6 trillion to $8.5 trillion over the next decade.Legal experts noted that while the Supreme Court restored the pay package, it did not overturn all of McCormick’s findings. “None of that was reversed in this decision,” Columbia Law School professor Dorothy Lund was quoted as saying by CNBC, referring to conclusions about Musk’s influence over Tesla.Lawyers representing the shareholder who brought the case said they were considering their next steps, reported AFP.