US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on August 18 agreed to deepen military and economic cooperation. During their meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, the leaders also made their strongest joint condemnation yet of “dangerous and aggressive behavior” by China in the South China Sea. In a summit statement, the countries committed to consult promptly with each other during crises and coordinate responses to regional challenges, provocations and threats affecting common interests. The allies also agr
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed his participation in the upcoming G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi in September. His visit to India will be part of a three-nation tour, which will also include Indonesia and the Philippines. During the tour, Albanese will meet regional leaders to discuss global challenges and advance Australia’s economic, security, and climate agenda, said the Australian government in a statement. The G20 is an intergovernmental association of the largest developing and developed nations on the globe. The upcoming leaders’ summit will be on
During the No-Confidence Motion debate in Parliament on August 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in jest that stocks of India’s public sector companies are good to invest in, keeping in mind the robust numbers these stocks have delivered. The Prime Minister cited the examples of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India, two enterprises that were criticised by the Opposition in the past. On LIC’s mega IPO and listing, he said, “They said many things about LIC that the money of the poor will sink but today LIC is getting stronger.” The
Hirsh Vardhan Singh, a 38-year-old Indian-American engineer, has declared his bid for the White House in the 2024 US Presidential election, becoming the third person of Indian descent after Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy to join the crowded Republican field of candidates for the top post. Singh, in a three-minute video message on X, called himself a “lifelong Republican” and a staunch “America First” conservative. He highlighted his past efforts in leading the restoration of the conservative wing within the New Jersey Republican Party. In his message, he focused on the urgent need
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has approved 1,600 scholarships for undergraduate students in the University of Sharjah (UoS) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) for the academic year 2023-24. The scholarships include various programmes offered in all four universities. The scholarships were announced by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, through the “Direct Line” programme, which is broadcast on Sharjah Radio and TV. Sheikh Dr. Sultan has also approved 305 schol
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the BRICS Summit in the South African capital, Johannesburg on August 22-24. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced to attend the summit virtually. The forthcoming BRICS summit has become crucial, as other countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates want to join the institution. It is understood that some 25 countries have applied to join BRICS and a decision whether or not to expand the five-nation body will be taken at Johannesburg. The BRICS group of emerging economies currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India,
On his recent visit to India, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi called India, an “indispensable” partner in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific. He added that Japan intends to deepen cooperation with New Delhi in all areas to expand the special strategic and global partnership between the two sides. Speaking at the India-Japan Forum, convened by Ananta Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on July 27 in New Delhi, Hayashi complimented India’s focus on the Global South. He said the call for upholding the free and rules-based international order may sound like
After the collapse of Black Sea deal, Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised free grain to six African nations. In the next few months, Russia will be able to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Eritrea with 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain free of charge, Putin told the African leaders present at the second Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg on July 27. Speaking at the plenary session of the summit, the Russian president claimed that his country would be able to replace Ukrainian grain exports blocked by Moscow’s decision to abandon th
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore’s Indian-origin former minister, formally launched his presidential campaign on July 26. The 66-year-old had stepped down from active politics in June after 22 years. Officially launching his campaign for office, Tharman in a press conference said that he has stepped into this race, as he strongly felt the need to evolve Singapore’s culture. He has vowed to evolve the country’s culture as a “shining spot” in the world and be “a president for a new era.” The politician outlined the supposed challenges faced by Singapore both globally and do
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the red carpet to global semiconductor industry executives in an effort to establish India as a ‘trusted partner’ for their supply chains at the SemiconIndia 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on July 28. The Prime Minister also announced that technology firms will be given 50 percent financial assistance for setting up semiconductor manufacturing facilities in India. The country has also introduced multiple tax reforms for new manufacturing industry, he said, adding that it is establishing an entire ecosystem for the semiconductor industry to grow. Th