The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting kicked off on Monday in Samoa, with leaders and officials from 56 countries discussing crucial topics such as income disparity, structural discrimination, and violence against women. Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland referred to these challenges as a "plague in our world." Participants from both established and developing countries, including large economies such as the United Kingdom, India, Canada, and Australia highlighted the ongoing difficulties of gender inequality. Despite previous accomplishments, Scotland emphasised that
South Korea's state-owned Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) recently outbid France on a nuclear power plant project in Europe, a feat termed a "David versus Goliath" battle. According to South Korea's Minister for Trade, Industry, and Energy, Ahn Duk-geun, this achievement marks the country's emergence as a "major global player in the nuclear energy sector." Ahn emphasised that this result serves as a strategic "bridgehead" for South Korea to grow its nuclear exports to Europe, where nuclear energy is on the rise as part of efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and strengthen
Iran, Russia, and Oman began cooperative naval drills in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, according to state television. The exercise, known as IMEX 2024, aims to strengthen regional security, promote multilateral cooperation, and demonstrate the participating countries' commitment to sustaining peace, friendship, and maritime security. According to reports, the drills are intended to increase international maritime trade security, secure critical sea routes, improve humanitarian operations, and boost rescue and relief efforts. Furthermore, they act as a forum for disseminating essential know
Saudi officials officially launched the Global Harmony Initiative in Riyadh on Wednesday night, a scheme aimed at celebrating the Kingdom's different ethnicities and cultures. The program seeks to investigate the professional and personal lives, social activities, economic contributions, success stories, and cultural integration of its participants. This collaborative project, which includes the Quality of Life Program, Saudi Vision 2030, the General Entertainment Authority, and the Ministry of Media, will host a variety of activities during the Riyadh Season. These activities will highlig
US President Joe Biden will visit Berlin on Thursday for high-level talks with the leaders of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom to discuss Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. With Kyiv pleading for immediate assistance from its Western friends, Biden's summit will seek to discuss diplomatic steps to end the conflict, which has lasted two and a half years. The meetings will also address the fast-rising situation in the Middle East, where efforts to curb destruction have stalled. Biden's journey comes after Hurricane Milton forced him to postpone his planned three-day state visit
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman will lead the Saudi delegation to the European Union-Gulf Cooperation Council (EU-GCC) Summit in Brussels, Belgium, on October 16. This move follows King Salman's directions and reflects Saudi Arabia's continuous commitment to regional cooperation. Prior to the conference, Crown Prince Mohammed travelled to Cairo to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Their discussions centred on improving Saudi-Egyptian relations in a variety of sectors, as well as regional security and stability challenges, notably in the Arab and I
Tuesday's meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi in Cairo focused on regional de-escalation and covered $5 billion in new Saudi investments. According to Sisi's administration, both leaders called for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, expressing worries over prolonged regional violence associated with the Palestinian issue. The decision to strengthen mutual investments and the establishment of a Saudi-Egyptian coordination committee were among the outcomes of the conference. They talked on "regional security and stability" prior of P
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has arrived in Islamabad for the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) session. On October 16, 2024, Pakistan will host the summit, which will emphasize member-state trade and economic cooperation. The attendance of Jaishankar, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, highlights India's strong participation in the SCO. He made it clear that he was just there for the summit and not for one-on-one discussions with Pakistan. "This visit is about supporting the SCO framework, not India-Pakistan rel
India signed a ₹32,000 crore agreement with the US to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones, significantly enhancing its defence capabilities. The agreement, reached during the recent Quad Leaders' Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden, includes the establishment of an MRO facility in India. The drones will be distributed across India's defence services, with 15 Sea Guardians for the Navy and eight Sky Guardians for the Army and Air Force. In addition to UAVs, India will acquire modern weapons, such as 170 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles and 310 laser-guided Small
Australia is aggressively pursuing stronger ties with Thailand through four strategic methods, indicating a willingness to cooperate despite changes in Thailand's political scene. Bilateral commerce remains a focus, providing an opportunity to expand expertise across a wide range of areas. Nicholas Moore, Australia's Special Envoy for Southeast Asia, stated that despite changes in Thailand's government, Australia remains committed to long-term collaboration. "Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's strategy, aiming towards 2040, highlights that while short-term challenges exist, the future of Th