India to Host 2024 World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly
India is set to host the prestigious World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA) in 2024, marking a significant step towards the advancements of 5G and 6G networks.
Union Communication & IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, made this announcement at the India Mobile Congress 2023, emphasizing the country's growing importance in the global technology landscape
G20 Standards Dialogue Kicks Off During India's G20 Presidency
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the aegis of India's G20 presidency, is hosting the G20 Standards Dialogue 2023.
The 2-day event commenced at the iconic Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, inaugurated the event.
15th India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue held in New Delhi
The 15th India-Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue was held in New Delhi.
The dialogue was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Permanent Secretary (Defence), Singapore Chan Heng Kee.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the existing defence cooperation between the two countries and agreed to enhance collaboration in Service-to-Service interactions and bilateral exercises.
They also articulated steps to take forward cooperation in emerging areas like cyber security.
Both sides identified means to enhance existing areas of collaboration, especially in the field of maritime security and multilateral cooperation. India and Singapore also reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values of democracy and rule of law.
This was the first physical meeting at the level of Defence Secretary between India and Singapore post the COVID-19 pandemic.
India And UAE Sign MoU To Strengthen Educational Ties
UM of Education Dharmendra and UAE Ahmad Al Falasi signed an MoU to strengthen existing educational cooperation between the two countries.
Aim: To facilitate student and faculty mobility, joint research programmes, and educational exhibitions in areas of mutual interest held in both countries.
UAE being a global economic hotspot and India being a global talent hotspot, both sides should work together to build a knowledge bridge to cement our civilisational connect
Nov 02, 2023
Rajeev Chandrasekhar to participate in 'AI Safety Summit' 2023 in UK
Rajeev Chandrasekhar to participate in 'AI Safety Summit' 2023 in UK
union Minister of State for Skill Development Rajeev Chandrasekhar participated in the "AI Safety Summit 2023" that is scheduled to be held in United Kingdom on November 1-2, 2023.
It will bring together Ministers and representatives from various countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, France among others.
Aim: To enhance the lives of its citizens while emphasizing the importance of effectively addressing user harm and mitigating risks.
Saima Wazed Elected as WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.
In a recent development, Bangladesh's Saima Wazed, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, emerged victorious in the election for the next World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for South-East Asia.
She secured a significant majority of votes, surpassing her opponent, Nepal's Shambhu Prasad Acharya.
Paris Masters: Novak Djokovic beats Tomas Etcheverry to remain on course for year-end No. 1, Medv...
Novak Djokovic defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the Paris Masters second round, to stay on course for the year-end no. 1 ranking for a record eighth time.
Novak Djokovic stayed on track for the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record eighth time by beating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters on Wednesday. Djokovic was competing in his first singles match since mid-September when he played for Serbia in the group stage of the Davis Cup.
"At the beginning of the match, it was a bit difficult for me to find the rhythm," the top-seeded Djokovic said on court, "but at the end of the second set, it was really good."
FATF removes Cayman Islands from its 'grey list'
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recently removed several countries from its 'grey list', including the Cayman Islands , Panama, Jordan and Albania , while adding Bulgaria to the list .
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), is an inter-governmental body responsible for setting international standards to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.
The FATF maintains a 'grey list', which includes jurisdictions that do not meet the organization's anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CFT), and proliferation financing standards. Countries placed on this list are monitored until identified deficiencies in their regulatory framework are resolved.
India, Singapore strengthen bilateral defense ties
India and Singapore decided to further boost interaction between their armed forces as well as cooperation in military technologies and industries.
The two countries have also inked an implementing agreement on submarine rescue support between their navies.
India is fortunate to have a defence partner like Singapore.
The interaction will benefit both countries on many bilateral issues that are being pursued to further strengthen our special relationship.
Nov 01, 2023
Bid to Corner India at FATF for 'Targeting' Non-profit Outfits
Coinciding with India's strained ties with Canada, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is trying to corner New Delhi on the issue of targeting non-profit organisations (NPOs) for prosecution. The issue will come up during the FATF's special country review of India, known as 'mutual review', which will most likely be initiated in November.
The ball was set rolling at the FATF Plenary Committee meeting in October when it agreed to clarify measures applying to NPOs.
India had been trying to stave off a concerted bid by overseas-based human rights organisations to encourage the FATF to amplify its Recommendation 8 of 2001, which aims to protect NPOs from potential terrorist financing abuse while also ensuring that focused risk-based measures do not unduly disrupt or discourage legitimate charitable activities.
Oct 29, 2023
Malaysia Names Sultan Ibrahim as Next King
Malaysia's royal families elected the powerful and outspoken Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar from the southern state of Johor to be the country's next king.
Malaysia has a unique system in which the heads of its nine royal families take turns to be monarch for a five-year term. The Southeast Asian country is a parliamentary democracy, with the monarch serving as head of state.
Sultan Ibrahim will take over from current King Al-Sultan Abdullah on January 31, 2024.
King Al-Sultan played an unusually active role in Malaysian politics, picking the country's last three Prime Ministers.
The federal constitution grants the monarch only a few discretionary powers, with the king largely required to act upon the advice of the Prime Minister and cabinet.
India Abstains from UN Vote on Israel
India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict leading to a cessation of hostilities. It also called for unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza strip.
The 193 members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which met in a resumed 10th Emergency Special Session, voted on the draft resolution submitted by Jordan and co-sponsored by more than 40 nations including Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia and South Africa.
The resolution titled 'Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations' was adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it and 45 abstaining.
Besides India, countries that abstained included Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine and the UK.
The Jordanian-drafted resolution did not make any mention of the militant group Hamas, with the US expressing outrage at the omission of evil.
Oct 28, 2023
CCI Becomes Member of International Competition Network's Steering Group
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) became a part of the prestigious 18-member steering committee of the International Competition Network (ICN) after consistent efforts.
The Competition Commission of India was established on October 14, 2003 and became fully functional in May 2009 with Dhanendra Kumar as its first chairman.
The steering committee is the ICN's apex body. The ICN, comprising 140 competition agencies, typically provides antitrust authorities with a specialised, yet informal, venue for maintaining regular contacts and addressing practical competition concerns.
The ICN is the only global body devoted exclusively to competition law enforcement and its members represent national and multinational competition authorities. Members produce work through their involvement in flexible project-oriented and results-based working groups.
US House of Representative Elects its New Speaker
Republican Congressman from Louisiana Mike Johnson was elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, bringing an end to three weeks of uncertainty in US politics. The position of Speaker of the House of Representatives is one of the most powerful political chairs in the country and is third in the line of succession after the US President.
Johnson was elected by 220 to 209 votes in a bitterly divided Congress, three weeks after his predecessor Kevin McCarthy was unceremoniously voted out of the seat for the first time in US history. In the 435-member House, the Republicans hold a slender majority with 221 seats against 212 of the Democrats.