Nicholson to Lead International Forces in Afghanistan
Lieutenant General John "Mick" Nicholson, the current head of NATO`s Allied Land Command, has been chosen as the new commander of international forces in Afghanistan.
Nicholson, whose selection must be confirmed by the Senate, would replace General John Campbell, who has commanded U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan for the past 18 months and is expected to retire.
The transition comes amid growing concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, where Taliban militants have caused large numbers of casualties among Afghan troops and Islamic State affiliates have made some inroads.
Decision on Peace Talks Put off
A major Syrian opposition group postponed a decision on joining peace talks in Switzerland, as wrangling over who will go threatens to derail the biggest push yet to resolve the war.
The Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee met in Riyadh on whether to accept a UN invitation to the Geneva talks.
The group cannot make a decision until it has received a response from UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura.
India has overtaken Thailand as the world's largest rice exporter in 2015, shipping 10.23 million tones.
As per Thai Rice Exporters Association Chairman, Thailand exported 9.8 million tonnes of rice in 2015, down 10.8 per cent year-on-year.
Thailand ended 2015 behind India for rice exports. India sold 10.23 million tonnes of rice. Vietnam was third globally while China remained the number one importer of rice.
Astronomers have discovered the widest known solar system, consisting of a huge planet that takes nearly a million years to orbit its star.
The planet, known as 2MASS J2126, is estimated to have about 11.6 to 15 times the mass of Jupiter.
It is about 7,000 Earth-Sun distances from its star, giving it the widest orbit known. One circuit around its star takes the around 900,000 Earth years.
Indian shooter Heena Sidhu claimed an Olympic quota place by bagging gold medal in the 10 metre air pistol at the Asia Olympic Qualifying Competition in New Delhi.
She started off with an average score of 9.8, but managed to stay ahead for the majority of the 20-shots final round, thus ensuring a direct qualification for the Rio Games.
Government cleared the creation of over a dozen special police battalions which will provide jobs to about 17,000 youth in Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-violence-hit Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Jharkhand.
The decision to create 17 new Indian Reserve Battalions (IRBs) was cleared at a meeting of the Union Cabinet.
A maximum of 5 IRBs will be raised in Jammu and Kashmir, four will be formed in Naxal-hit states of Chhattisgarh, three each in Jharkhand and Odisha and two in Maharashtra.