Devendra Fadnavis Unveils Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue in Mauritius
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled a statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius. It was his first visit to the island nation.
During his visit, Fadnavis also met representatives of Mauritian companies in an event organised by the Mauritius India Business Community.
He also attended an event with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and signed agreements in the tourism sector, and an MoU to promote the trade between Maharashtra and Mauritius was also signed between Economic Development Board, Mauritius and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.
Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims Feature on Royal Mail Stamp Marking King Charles's Coronation
A stamp depicting Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and their places of worship feature on one of the four stamps issued by the Royal Mail to mark the coronation of King Charles III.
Captioned "Diversity and Community", the stamp reflects a multi-faith community and the cultural diversity of contemporary British society.
The stamp features figures representing the Jewish, Islamic, Christian, Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist religions and is representative of all faiths and none.
This is only the third time in history that Royal Mail has issued stamps to mark a Coronation. The previous two occasions were for King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
Sitharaman in South Korea for ADB Annual Meeting
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is on a four-day visit to South Korea to attend Asian Development Bank's annual meeting. Besides attending the 56th annual general meeting of the board of governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), she will address investors and hold bilateral meetings.
During the visit, the Finance Minister will participate in the annual meeting focal events like the Governors' Business. She will also be on the panel during the ADB Governors' Seminar on 'Policies to Support Asia's Rebound'. The meetings will be attended by official delegations of ADB members, observers, non-governmental and civil society organisations, media, financial institutions and banks and other private sector companies.
May 01, 2023
Japan's New Five-year Ocean Policy
Japan adopted a new five-year ocean policy that calls for stronger maritime security, including bolstering its coast guard's capability and cooperation with the military amid China's increasing assertiveness in regional seas.
The new Basic Plan on Ocean Policy adopted by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet also says Japan must accelerate the development of autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated robots to bolster its surveillance capability.
It cited a list of threats: Chinese coast guard ships' repeated intrusions into Japanese territorial waters, growing unauthorised maritime activity by "foreign survey boats" inside Japan's exclusive economic zone, increasing joint military exercises by China and Russia, and North Korea's repeated missile launches.
Uzbeks Vote on Extended Tenure for President
Uzbekistan voted on constitutional amendments that promise its citizens greater social protections in exchange for resetting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's term count to zero, which could allow him to stay in power until 2040.
Mirziyoyev has been praised at home and abroad as a liberal reformer for abandoning the previous leadership's isolationist policies and police state approach.
And while Tashkent's Western partners are unlikely to approve of the attempt to extend presidential powers, Uzbekistan risks little given the West is seeking support from all ex-Soviet nations in its efforts to isolate Russia over its war in Ukraine.
The reform also extends the presidential term to seven years from five.
Apr 30, 2023
BBC Chairman Announces Resignation over Loan to Boris Johnson
BBC Chairman Richard Sharp announced his resignation after controversy about role in arranging loan for former Prime Minister of United Kingdom Boris Johnson. Sharp resigned over involvement in securing a private credit line for up to $990,000 for the then-PM Boris Johnson from a Canadian businessman.
The country's public appointments watchdog has been investigating the way in which Sharp was selected by the government to chair the broadcaster in 2021.
Apr 29, 2023
US President, South Korean President Secures a Landmark Deal
US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol secured a landmark deal which includes plans to periodically deploy US nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea. According to reports, Washington also agreed to involve Seoul in its planning for the use of nuclear weapons in any conflict with North Korea. In return, South Korea agreed to not develop its own nuclear weapons.
The US President said that the deal, called the Washington Declaration, will strengthen the allies' co-operation in deterring a North Korean attack.
The declaration came amid rising concerns about nuclear threats from North Korea as the country carries out a record number of ballistic missile tests.
Apr 28, 2023
Pakistan Largest Recipient of ADB Funded Programmes in 2022
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Report 2022 revealed that Pakistan received loans of $5.58 billion, making it the largest recipient of ADB-funded programs/projects in the year 2022. Out of the total lending, Pakistan received concessional funding of $2.67 billion from the bank, highlighting the dire economic situation in the country. This significant lending reflects the severity of the economic crisis in Pakistan, which has been compounded by political and geopolitical uncertainties.
The ADB also provided a combined $2.2 billion, directed through the bank's countercyclical support facility, for the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. All these countries were severely impacted by the food and energy crisis sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the case of Pakistan, devastating floods exacerbated the economic woes, leading to domestic inflation and curtailing consumption.
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