Voters in Croatia re-elected Zoran Milanovic to a second term, after he won almost three-quarters of votes cast in the country's presidential election.
It was a dismal result for his opponent Dragan Primorac, who had the backing of the governing centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party.
Primorac picked up 25 per cent of the vote – the worst-ever result for Croatia's most powerful political force.
The outcome was met with a muted response from Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
S. Jaishankar to Attend Donald Trump's Swearing-In Ceremony
On the invitation of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar will represent the Government of India at the Swearing-In Ceremony, on January 20, of President-Elect Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America.
During his visit to the US, Jaishankar will also meet representatives of the incoming Trump administration and other dignitaries.
Trump will be sworn in a ceremony administered by the US Supreme Court Chief Justice in front of the Capitol building.
India Joins UN's Big Data for Official Statistics Committee
India joined the United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD), marking a significant step in the country's growing influence in global statistical frameworks. This membership demonstrates India's commitment to leveraging Big Data and technology for evidence-based policymaking. The committee focuses on exploring how Big Data and data science can be utilised to improve official statistics and track sustainable development goals (SDGs).
This development aligns with India's efforts to modernise its statistical processes by integrating non-traditional data sources like satellite imagery, IoT (Internet of Things), and machine learning for accurate and real-time insights to support governance.
Jan 12, 2025
Trump Announces Leo Terrell as Senior Counsel to Assistant Attorney General
US President-elect Donald Trump announced Leo Terrell as the Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the US Department of Justice.
Leo is a highly respected civil rights attorney and political analyst. He received his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and has defended many high profile cases throughout his incredibly successful career.
Jan 11, 2025
Army Chief Elected Lebanon's President
Lebanon's parliament elected Army Chief Joseph Aoun as the country's new President, bringing an end to a prolonged political deadlock and presidential vacancy.
Aoun was elected after two rounds of voting, following extensive efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia to garner support for him. Both countries have close ties with Aoun, who is aligned with Washington and Riyadh.
Jan 10, 2025
World's Most Powerful Passports of 2025 Declared
The Henley Passport Index 2025 revealed a significant drop in India's ranking, slipping five places from 80th to 85th, in the list of the world's most powerful passports. This ranking is based on the number of destinations that can be accessed visa-free, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
As of the latest standings, Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to 57 destinations, sharing the 85th rank with Equatorial Guinea and Niger. In contrast, Singapore has maintained its top spot, with its passport holders enjoying visa-free access to an impressive 195 destinations worldwide.
The top 10 countries are: Singapore (195 destinations), Japan (193), France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Finland, South Korea (192), Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway (191), Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom (190), Greece, Australia (189), Canada, Poland, Malta (188), Hungary, Czechia (187), Estonia, United States (186) and Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates (185).
Jan 09, 2025
West Asia's Largest Plastics Exhibition Spotlights India's Green Manufacturing Push
The 17th edition of ArabPlast, West Asia's premier trade exhibition for plastics and petrochemicals, was held in Dubai with India emerging as a key player in sustainable manufacturing solutions. The three-day event attracted over 750 exhibitors across 12 international pavilions, showcasing innovations in plastics, recycling, petrochemicals, packaging, and rubber industries.
India's delegation, comprising 125 companies led by the Plastic Export Promotion Council of India (PLEXCONCIL), marked a 70% increase from the previous edition, underscoring the country's expanding role in the global plastics sector.
The Indian Pavilion was inaugurated by Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, underscoring the country's commitment to global collaboration in sustainable manufacturing.