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AdvertisementPakistanThis Week in AsiaPoliticsIndia wary as US backs Pakistan with F-16 upgrades and mineral projectsAnalysts say New Delhi faces an ‘uncomfortable truth’ as Washington and Beijing find rare common ground on stability in Pakistan
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1Tom HussainPublished: 11:00am, 16 Dec 2025The United States and Pakistan are reviving defence and minerals cooperation in a bid to reset their uneasy ties, marking a policy shift that has stirred anxiety in India even as Washington seeks to reassure New Delhi.Washington has approved hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades for Pakistan’s ageing F-16 fighter jets and opened the door to more than US$1 billion in financing for US companies involved in critical minerals projects in the South Asian nation.
These moves mark the most substantive warming in US-Pakistan ties since Donald Trump returned to the White House, in sharp contrast to his first term, when Washington froze military aid to Islamabad ..

Australia was rocked by one of its deadliest mass shootings in decades after a Pakistani-origin father and son opened fire at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 16, including gunman, during a Jewish festival. The shooting has been declared a “terrorist incident”, with two Islamic State (IS) flags being recovered during subsequent raids, ABC news reported.Authorities identified the assailants as a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son. The father was shot dead by police at the scene, while the son was taken to hospital with critical injuries. Police said the father legally owned six firearms, believed to have been used in the attack.What we know so far
Who were the attackers
The two suspected gunmen behind were identified as a father and his son, authorities said. The 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene, while his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, was critically injured and remains hospitalised, CBS news cited New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon..

Xu Bo, a 48-year-old Chinese billionaire and founder of online gaming company Duoyi, has fathered more than 100 US-born children through surrogacy agencies and reportedly hopes they will one day marry Elon Musk’s children to create a sprawling family dynasty, according to social-media posts verified by the Wall Street Journal.Xu, who calls himself “China’s first father,” publicly stated he intended to sire at least “50 high-quality sons.” Duoyi later posted on social media that he had produced over 100 children via US surrogacy.The story ignited on Chinese social media after Xu’s ex-girlfriend, Tang Jing, claimed he had fathered more than 300 children, 11 of whom she said she had raised for years. “That number might even be undercounted, but it’s certainly not exaggerated,” said Tang Jing, Xu’s ex, in a post Nov. 15, according to the India Times.The pair are now engaged in a custody battle over two daughters they share, with Xu claiming his ex owes him tens of crores in expenses he pai..

AdvertisementUnited StatesWorldUnited States & Canada2 people found dead in Los Angeles home of director Rob ReinerAuthorities have not yet confirmed the identities of the people found dead in Reiner’s home
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPAgenciesPublished: 11:21am, 15 Dec 2025Two people were found dead at a Los Angeles home owned by director-actor Rob Reiner on Sunday, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation.
The official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a medical aid request Sunday afternoon and found a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman dead inside.
AdvertisementReiner was long one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his work includes some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and ‘90s, including This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride.
His role as Meathead in the 1970..