Putin says Russia has ‘four new regions’ as he announces annexation of Ukrainian territory

Putin says Russia has ‘four new regions’ as he announces annexation of Ukrainian territory

LONDON: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties on Friday to annex four Ukrainian regions partly occupied by his forces, escalating his seven-month war and taking it into an unpredictable new phase. “This is the will of millions of people,” he said in a speech before hundreds of dignitaries in the St George’s Hall of the […]

India Nepal agree to prevent misuse of their territories by ‘anti-nationals’

India Nepal agree to prevent misuse of their territories by ‘anti-nationals’

Kathmandu: India and Nepal have agreed to prevent the misuse of their respective territories by “anti-nationals” as their top paramilitary officials discussed the mechanism to prevent illegal border crossing of third nation citizens through the Indo-Nepal border. The joint Coordination meeting between Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Director General Sujoy Lal Thaosen and Nepal’s Armed Police […]

Suicide blast kills 19 at education centre in Afghan capital

Suicide blast kills 19 at education centre in Afghan capital

KABUL: A suicide attack at a learning centre in the Afghan capital killed 19 people as students prepared for exams on Friday morning, police said. The blast happened in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood of western Kabul, a predominantly Shiite Muslim area home to the minority Hazara community, the scene of some of Afghanistan’s most deadly attacks. […]

Iran targets celebrities, media over Mahsa Amini protests

PARIS: Iran stepped up pressure on celebrities and journalists Thursday over the wave of women-led protests sparked by outrage over the death of Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested by the Islamic republic’s morality police. Filmmakers, athletes, musicians and actors have backed the demonstrations, and many saw it as a signal when the national football […]

US created nuclear precedent by bombing Japan: Putin

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said the United States had created a “precedent” by using nuclear weapons against Japan at the end of World War Two, in a speech filled with hostility towards the West delivered from the Kremlin on Friday. Fears of nuclear war have grown since Putin said last week he was “not […]

Need for UN Security Council reform cannot be denied forever: Jaishankar

Need for UN Security Council reform cannot be denied forever: Jaishankar

WASHINGTON: The need to reform the UN Security Council cannot be denied forever, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said even as he noted that India never believed that revamping the top organ of the world body will be an easy process. India has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the […]

4 regions of Ukraine to be folded in Russia Friday: Kremlin

4 regions of Ukraine to be folded in Russia Friday: Kremlin

Kyiv: Russia confirmed on Thursday it will formally annex parts of Ukraine where occupied areas held Kremlin-orchestrated referendums on living under Moscow’s rule that the Ukrainian government and the West denounced as illegal and rigged. Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a ceremony on Friday in the Kremlin when four regions of Ukraine will be […]

Iran arrests reporter who covered Amini funeral: lawyer

Iran arrests reporter who covered Amini funeral: lawyer

PARIS: Iran on Thursday arrested a reporter who covered the funeral of Mahsa Amini, her lawyer said, the latest of a growing number of journalists to be detained since protests erupted over the young woman’s death. Elahe Mohammadi was summoned by the judicial authorities but was then arrested by security forces while she was on […]

No difficulties with Russia on servicing of military equipment, spare parts: Jaishankar

No difficulties with Russia on servicing of military equipment, spare parts: Jaishankar

WASHINGTON: India has said that it faced no difficulties in terms of servicing and spare parts supply of equipment that it received in the past from Russia in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine and asserted that it exercises a choice which it believes is in its national interest when it is offered weapons. […]

US wants UN Security Council to be made more inclusive, increase permanent members: Blinken

US wants UN Security Council to be made more inclusive, increase permanent members: Blinken

Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has underlined the need to “modernise” the UN Security Council by making it more inclusive and increasing the number of permanent seats in the global body, a “long-standing” goal of India. India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform […]