South Korea plans to acquire US SM-6 missile interceptors by 2034
Seoul, May 22 (IANS) South Korea on Friday finalised a plan to acquire US Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) shipborne missile interceptors by 2034, in a bid to boost its missile defence capabilities, the state arms procurement agency said. The Defence Project Promotion Committee, a decision-making body for arms procurement under the Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), […]
Central African Republic forms new government
Bangui, May 22 (IANS) President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, on Thursday signed a decree to form a new government. According to the decree, four ministers of state, 26 ministers and two minister delegates were appointed or retained at the Prime Minister’s proposal. Arnaud Djoubaye Abazene was retained as minister of state for […]
India-Cyprus ‘strong and futuristic partnership’ rooted in shared values: PM Modi
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the “strong and futuristic partnership” between India and Cyprus, which he said remains rooted in shared values. “Happy to have met President Nikos Christodoulides in Delhi. We held extensive deliberations on further strengthening the India-Cyprus friendship. Considering the close ties between our nations, […]
Indonesia extends work-from-home policy amid Middle East tensions
Jakarta, May 22 (IANS) Indonesia will extend its work-from-home (WFH) policy for civil servants, employees of state-owned enterprises and private sector workers by two months amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, a senior minister said on Friday. Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the government continued to monitor developments in […]
Pentagon pushes for AI combat aircraft
Washington, May 22 (IANS) The US Air Force is rapidly accelerating development of autonomous combat aircraft designed to fight alongside manned fighter jets, as Pentagon leaders warned that future wars against adversaries like China would demand larger, cheaper and more survivable air fleets. Senior Air Force officials told lawmakers this week that Collaborative Combat Aircraft, […]
Malaysian PM dials CM Vijay, promises to visit Tamil Nadu in September
Kuala Lumpur, May 22 (IANS) Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday spoke with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, congratulating him on assuming office. During the phone-call, Ibrahim stated that he will be visiting India in September to attend the BRICS Summit and hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Had a […]
Ebola risk upgraded to ‘very high’ in Congo: WHO chief
Addis Ababa, May 22 (IANS) The public health risk from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been upgraded from high to very high, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. “We are revising our risk assessment of Ebola to very high at the national level, high at the regional level, […]
EU to suspend key fertiliser tariffs to ease Middle East crisis’s impact on farmers
Brussels, May 22(IANS) The Council of the European Union (EU) announced on Friday a one-year suspension of customs duties on key nitrogen-based fertilisers such as urea and ammonia, aiming to alleviate the impact of the Iran war on EU farmers. The nearly complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted about one-third of global […]
Putin condemns attack on college in Starobilsk
Moscow, May 22 (IANS) Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Friday condemned the Ukrainian armed forces’ attack on a college in Starobilsk in Luhansk, local media reported. During his meeting with graduates of the ‘Time of Heroes’ programme, Putin said that the “‘Neo-Nazi regime that seized power in Kyiv” conducted a “terrorist attack” on a student […]
Indian, Chinese Americans targeted: US lawmakers
Washington, May 22 (IANS) A group of Democratic lawmakers has introduced a House resolution condemning what they described as racist rhetoric targeting Indian Americans and Chinese Americans after President Donald Trump amplified a controversial social media post questioning birthright citizenship and immigrants’ loyalty to the United States. The resolution, introduced by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi alongside […]
