Latest news with #handshake


South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
As China and India perform a balancing act, is a breakthrough possible?
The recent handshake between Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing is more than a symbolic gesture. It reflects a cautious attempt to compensate for years of silence between the two Asian giants. As Jaishankar's first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, it can be seen as an inflection point in India-China relations. Advertisement There was a flurry of China-India re-engagement following the 2024 border agreement , which allowed for controlled patrolling along the Line of Actual Control. Following a meeting between Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, multiple senior Indian officials – Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval – visited China. Given that Jaishankar's interaction with Xi took place on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meeting in the Chinese city of Tianjin, it can be seen as a showcase of warming relations and a sign that both sides are choosing multilateral optics over a bilateral breakthrough. The interaction also comes amid India's tensions with Pakistan, following their latest military clash , and high US tariffs on China . Whether this moment leads to sustained dialogue or remains a tactical reset will depend on how both sides manage the balance between hard security issues and economic interests. After Modi was re-elected as India's prime minister, he has focused on maintaining stable relations with China. Returning to the 'normal' before the 2020 clash, India is betting on re-engagement as the best way to avoid an unintended escalation along its militarised border. It also aims to present the narrative that it is open to dialogue without compromising on sovereignty. Advertisement


Washington Post
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
In African politics, the rampant belief in witchcraft fortifies some and vexes others
MBALE, Uganda — Wilson Watira offered his hand when he met his political rival at a funeral, gesturing for a proper handshake. The man didn't want contact, instead folding a piece of paper that he aimed at Watira. 'He looked at me and picked that piece of paper of the program. He folded it and greeted me,' Watira said. 'He's just afraid of me simply because I am not afraid of him.'


Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Dutch king now accused of 'power move' in Trump meeting after Queen denies she mocked his voice
A viral moment between King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and US President Donald Trump has sparked heated debate online. And some viewers are labeling the Dutch monarch's handshake as a calculated 'power move.' The interaction occurred during the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague on June 24, where the Dutch royals formally greeted Trump. Footage of the handshake, which has gained over 4.2 million views on TikTok, shows Willem-Alexander gripping Trump's hand and appearing to yank it towards his midriff - a move many believe mirrors Trump's own famously assertive handshake style. Trump has long been known for using strong handshakes as a form of nonverbal dominance. Past clips show him pulling leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toward him with force. The Dutch king's move has prompted some to suggest he deliberately flipped the script. A video montage of Trump's handshakes with world figures, including Vladimir Putin and US Justice Neil Gorsuch, sets up the context before cutting to Willem-Alexander's interaction. Unlike many others caught off-guard by Trump's grip, Willem-Alexander appeared prepared and steady. Social media users have praised the king's composure, with some suggesting it was a subtle assertion of equal footing. The moment came just days after Queen Maxima faced scrutiny for allegedly mocking Trump's mouth movements during a previous meeting. She has since denied the claim. While the queen's reaction initially drew attention, the king's handshake is now the focal point of online discourse. Experts have long analyzed Trump's handshake tactics, calling them attempts to assert psychological dominance. Florin Dolcos, a psychology professor, once described Trump's approach as 'trying too hard' to maintain control in interactions. Whether Willem-Alexander's response was intentional or instinctual remains unclear. Neither the Dutch royal family nor Trump's team has publicly commented on the handshake. Still, the moment has sparked renewed interest in political body language at high-profile events. The handshake has become the latest symbol in a growing archive of viral NATO summit moments. And with over 400,000 likes on TikTok alone, it's clear this isn't just a handshake - it's headline news.


Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Tennis star who was told 'nobody likes you' in x-rated handshake row hits back following controversial spat - and reveals why her rival is a HYPOCRITE
Yulia Putintseva has broken her silence following her x-rated handshake row with Maria Sakkari on Sunday. The two stars clashed after their third round match at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany, which Sakkari won 7-5, 7-6. Having shaken hands at the net, the pair then fired insults at each other during an argument, including Sakkari telling her Kazakhstani opponent that 'nobody likes you'. The argument left fans debating the incident over who was in the right, but on Monday, Putintseva hit back and aimed a dig at Sakkari. In a post on her Instagram story, the 30-year-old shared a mirror selfie alongside a message of defiance. 'By the way - not that I care - I shook her hand as most women do,' Putintseva said. 'Clearly not according to the 'hugging protocol' some men seem to follow.' That message also came after she had fired a dig at Sakkari as she shared a video from Instagram account 'The Tennis Pulse'. The post was a clip of Sakkari clashing with Putintseva at the net where the Greek star could be heard saying: 'When you shake hands look at the other person in the eye.' The video then switched to a screengrab of Sakkari shaking hands at the net with Emma Raducanu and Martina Trevisan after separate defeats. However, in both instances, Sakkari's head was turned away from her opponent and she wasn't 'looking at the other person in the eye'. Alongside the video, Putintseva added: 'And the plot thickens...', accompanied by a clown emoji. Meanwhile, following their game on Sunday, despite clearly simmering beneath their calm exteriors, both Sakkari and Putintseva observed the usual show of respect by clasping hands over the net. But, spectators were then shocked after a row began, seemingly over the brief and loose handshake. Wild card Sakkari appeared to be especially unhappy and was heard telling her opponent to act 'like a human being', to which Putintseva insisted she had. But the hot-headed Kazakhstani then upped the stakes as she appeared to tell Sakkari to 'go f***' herself and to leave her alone, gesturing for her to move away. Much of the spat wasn't audible because of the music being pumped out around the court, but a riposte from Putintseva led Sakkari to follow her to her bench. Sakkari eventually walked away but returned again just seconds later, appearing to say, 'F****** hell, I'm what?' She then clearly told Putintseva: 'Nobody likes you!' The Greek instructed Putintseva to look into her opponent's eyes when shaking their hand after a match before the umpire stepped in, saying: 'Ladies, please.' Putintseva delivered a sarcastic sweeping bow in Sakkari's direction, saying 'thank you very much', and the argument continued even as she made her way off the court. Last year, Putintseva, 30, was involved in another ugly moment during her defeat to Jasmine Paolini at the US Open, leading to her being widely criticised by pundits. Footage showed two balls being thrown towards Putintseva ahead of her next serve, but she ignored them and stared back at the ball girl without moving. That left the youngster in an awkward position, before Putintseva caught the third ball and resumed the match when she was down 4-2 in the second set. Putintseva was loudly booed and twice apologised for her 'terrible behaviour', insisting she was 'p***ed' at herself rather than the ball girl. 'It's kind of scary the way the world can judge someone from just a three second video, that someone posts from one side, without seeing the rest on what was really happening,' she wrote on social media. 'I was just playing tennis and lost a tough game, which was very close (in my opinion) to turn that match around. 'After the game (as you can see on a pic) I got very much disappointed and was almost crying, that I didn't do better. 'At this time the girl was giving me the ball, which I didn't even notice or so, because I was deep in my thoughts… I was not trying to humiliate her (or anyone) by not taking this ball that she was giving to me. 'I didn't do anything disrespectful to anyone at this particular moment. I do apologise, if this girl thinks that it was something towards her. (And btw her name is Kate, very nice girl, which understood that it was nothing towards her). 'I can't say that I am perfect all my career. I am getting angry on court, p***ed, saying stupid stuff and curse like no tomorrow sometimes. Guilty for that. But I did never put myself "on top" of someone. That's just not me at all.'


Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Oilers star Evander Kane slammed for 'dirty and classless' move after losing to Panthers in Stanley Cup Finals
Nobody is quite sure when hockey's handshake line was born. The practice is believed to be over a century old, but whenever it started, the customary finish to a heated playoff series remains a beloved part of the game for countless players and fans. Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane, it turns out, is not among those handshake line enthusiasts. As noticed by TNT announcers and many irate fans, Kane skipped the post-game handshake line in Sunrise, Florida after his Oilers dropped a second straight Stanley Cup Finals series to the two-time-champion Panthers. Kane may have an excuse. After all, the 33-year-old former All-Star's night came to an end when he was seen slashing Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk and whistled for a 10-minute misconduct with just 2:13 remaining in Tuesday's Game 6. Still, fans expected him to return to the ice to congratulate Panthers players on back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. 'Evander Kane choosing not to be in the handshake line is perfectly on brand for him,' wrote on critic on X. 'Dirty, classless player.' Evander Kane was given a game misconduct before missing the handshake line entirely 'Evander Kane is an a**hole,' another added. 'I get being sour after losing in the biggest moment of your career,' one fan wrote. 'But throwing a tantrum on the ice and not coming back out to join the handshake line is a straight up loser move. But it's Evander Kane. We shouldn't be surprised.' The word 'loser' was used frequently to describe Kane on Tuesday night. 'Evander Kane not going to the handshake line is such a loser move from the biggest loser in the NHL,' one fan added. A 33-year-old Vancouver native, Kane has faced accusations of assault, harassment, gambling on NHL games, domestic violence, sexual assault, and a violation of the league's COVID-19 protocols. The NHL never found any evidence he bet on league games and could not substantiate domestic violence or sexual assault claims.