India to play a key role in countering China, says US Navy chief

United States Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday on 27 August said that India will be a crucial partner for America in the future, playing a key role in countering China.

INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, to be commissioned on September 2

Commissioning of the country’s first aircraft carrier Vikrant will enhance peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific Region, Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral S.N. Ghormade said on Thursday. The carrier is set to be commissioned on September 2, 2022 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Biden announces nearly $3 billion in new aid for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that the US will send an additional $2.98 billion worth of weapons to Kiev. In an announcement coinciding with Ukraine’s Independence Day, Biden said that the US envisions Kiev fighting for some time to come.

Indian tycoon’s bid for broadcaster stokes media freedom worries

An Indian billionaire close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to buy a broadcaster seen as the last major critical voice on television, stoking fears about media freedom in the world’s largest democracy.

Thai court suspends PM Prayuth from official duties

Thailand’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday suspended Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha from official duties after it decided to hear a petition to review his legally mandated eight-year term limit.

US WARNS OF RUSSIAN STRIKES ON UKRAINE GOVERNMENT TARGETS

Bangladesh cuts school and work hours to battle energy crisis

Rise in criminal activities against women leads to sudden surge of unrest in China

Due to growing cases of criminal activities against women in China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is being forced to recognize the growing unrest within the country due to the lack of protection of the rights of women and respect gender equality and gender justice.

It’s no secret India-China ties in very difficult phase: Jaishankar

China has ’’disregarded’’ bilateral border agreements with India, and the ongoing border stand-off in eastern Ladakh has cast a shadow over India’s ties with China, foreign minister S Jaishankar said at an event in Brazil.

Pakistan: Imran Khan booked for threatening judge, police officials

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was booked for threatening a judge and two top police officials in a public meeting held at the F-9 Park late Saturday evening, local media reported.

China backs Jaishankar’s remarks on Asian Century, says talks to resolve border standoff ‘effective’

Beijing on Friday concurred with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s observation that an Asian Century cannot happen if India and China don’t join hands and said dialogue between the two countries to resolve the eastern Ladakh border standoff is “effective”.

Germany’s Scholz slams Palestinian leader’s ‘unacceptable’ Holocaust remark

Germany’s chancellor said Wednesday that he was “disgusted by the outrageous remarks” made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Berlin, accusing Israel of committing “50 Holocausts” against Palestinians over the years.

Top Trump critic loses Congress seat

Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney has lost her bid for another term after a poor showing in the Wyoming state primary, according to several outlets that called the race, with her opponent, the Donald Trump-backed Harriet Hageman, appearing to win by a significant margin.

Beijing confirms joint military drill with Moscow

Chinese troops will be among the foreign participants at a multilateral military exercise in Russia called Vostok 2022, China’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

India can help the Commonwealth scale up its trade, says Commonwealth Secy General

India can play a leadership role in enhancing trade and digital connectivity within the Commonwealth, says Patricia Scotland, secretary-general of the 56-nation club, in an interview to Himani Kothari.

Former PM Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan in September: Minister

A Pakistan federal minister has claimed that former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif would return to the country in September.

India likely to get Omicron-specific vaccine by year-end, says SII chief

The Serum Institute of India (SII) is currently working on an Omicron-specific vaccine, which is expected to be launched by the end of the year, said CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Monday.

Taliban mark turbulent first year in power

The Taliban marked the first anniversary of their return to power in Afghanistan with a national holiday on Monday, following a turbulent year that saw women’s rights crushed and a humanitarian crisis worsen.

Pakistan may borrow another USD 2.8 billion from IMF under Saudi Arabia’s SDR quota: Report

Pakistan claimed that Islamabad has been able to borrow up to USD 2.8 billion against Riyadh’s quota of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) after reports of Saudi Arabia planning to renew a USD 3 billion deposit at the State Bank of Pakistan.

41 killed in Egypt Church fire

A massive fire in the Coptic Abu Sifin church in the Egyptian city of Giza has claimed lives of at least 41 people, local media reported, citing health officials. The blaze, which broke out during mass on Sunday attended by some 5,000 worshippers, also left at least 55 people injured.

US Congress team follows Pelosi to Taiwan

A US congressional delegation has arrived for an unannounced visit to Taiwan, 12 days after a tour of the island by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

India, a force to be reckoned with

As the world’s largest democracy India celebrated its Independence Day today (August 15), Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation invited all Indians to carry out their duties to ensure that the country is a developed nation in the next 25 years.

US to boost Taiwan trade, conduct air, sea transits to counter China aggression

The United States will boost trade with Taiwan in response to China’s ’’provocative’’ behaviour, the White House said on Friday, as it insisted on the right of air and sea passage through the tense strait.

Baloch group targets Pakistani army on Balochistan’s Independence Day

Baloch Liberation Army on Thursday claimed responsibility for several attacks on Pakistani army check-posts, targeting Police officials and a Police station in different areas of Balochistan.

New zoonotic virus found in China

A new animal origin virus, which could infect humans, has been discovered in two provinces in China, scientists from China and Singapore have said in a new study.

China to take Taiwan by force if necessary

China on Wednesday, in only its third white paper on Taiwan since 1993 and the first after President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, said it will not “renounce” the use of military force to bring the self-governed island under its control as its armed forces concluded the largest ever exercises around the island but announced that it will conduct regular patrols in the region.

Russia summons UN Security Council over nuclear emergency

Russia has summoned an emergency session of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which has been the subject of regular shelling attacks.

Bangladesh Finance Minister warns developing nations of Chinese loans strapped with debt-trap

Warning growing nations of taking Chinese language loans by its Belt and Street Initiative (BRI), Bangladesh’s finance minister Mustafa Kamal mentioned that the nations should suppose twice about these loans as Beijing’s poor lending choices threat pushing these nations into debt misery, media experiences mentioned.

First Ukrainian grain shipment reaches Turkey

The Turkish dry-cargo ship Polarnet carrying grain from Ukraine moored at the port of Derince near Istanbul on Monday, Turkey’s TRT TV channel has reported. The vessel was the first to leave Ukraine under a deal by Moscow and Kiev to unblock grain supplies.

Gaza bearing cost of strikes as truce holds with Israel

Shell-shocked Gazans on Monday sifted through the rubble of three days of deadly strikes by Israel as a truce held with the Islamic Jihad and life slowly returned to normal with power restored.