Category: Breaking News
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Sweden Recognises Palestine. Will Others Follow?
One of the first foreign policy announcements made by Stefan Lofven upon taking over as Prime Minister of Sweden early this month was that Sweden would be the first country in European Union (EU) to recognise Palestine. On Thursday, Sweden officially recognised the state of Palestine, a move welcomed by Palestinians but roundly derided by…
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Singapore is the best country in the world to do business: World Bank
Singapore is the most business-friendly economy in the world, according to the latest annual study by the World Bank, “Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency”. This is the ninth consecutive year the Southeast Asian country has been ranked the best country to do business. The top 10 countries in terms of business business-friendly regulatory environments…
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India to supply naval vessels to Vietnam
In a subtle message to China, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India would supply naval vessels to Vietnam. This would be India’s first significant military transfer to Hanoi. The development is notable as it comes at a time when Vietnam is tied in a territorial dispute with China on the south…
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US disrupting world order: Putin
Squarely blaming the US for disrupting the world order by seeking to impose its will on other nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday warned that new wars will break out if Washington doesn’t learn to respect the interests of other countries. Putin was speaking on “The World Order: New Rules or a Game without…
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India re-elected to UNHRC
In a notable victory, India has been re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the term 2015-17, receiving the highest number of votes – 162 – in the Asia-Pacific group. India is already a member of the 47-nation UNHRC and its term is due to end on 31 December, 2014. Along with…
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US eases sanctions on Syria
Seeking to enable relief and reconstruction activities in opposition-controlled areas of Syria, the US has eased economic sanctions on the country, the US Department of State said in a statement to the media. According to the media note, which was reviewed by Diplomatic News, Secretary of State John F. Kerry signed a limited waiver of…
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Chinese troops withdraw from Indian territory
In a major relief to peaceniks, the three-week face-off between India and China has ended. By Sunday evening, the Chinese troops have started withdrawing from their newly erected tents on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which India claimed was 19 kms inside Indian territory. The move comes as a result of a flurry of…
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China refuses to budge, Indo-Sino tension may escalate
With the standoff between India and China over Chinese troops’ alleged incursion into Indian territory entering the third week, two bilateral visits are at stake. Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid’s proposed China visit on May 9 and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s trip to India – his first foreign sojourn after taking over – later this…
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Sarabjit Singh is dead, India furious at ‘inhuman’ Pakistan
The love-hate relations between India and Pakistan suffered another blow with the death of Indian citizen Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan. Singh was badly beaten up last week in a Pakistani jail allegedly by fellow inmates. Singh suffered a serious head injury and slipped into coma soon after. He was in a Pakistani hospital for four…
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Multiple explosions shake Iraq
More than 20 people have lost their lives in the latest spate of bomb attacks in Iraq on Monday. About five bombs went off in the majority Shia Muslim areas, bringing the national death toll over the past week to 200. There has been a steady spike in sectarian violence following clashes at a Sunni…