The Russian military’s Pacific Fleet has begun operational exercises in the volatile waters of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, which will last until 20 June. “More than 60 warships and support vessels, about 35 naval aviation aircraft, coastal troops and more than 11,000 military personnel are involved in the exercise,” Russia’s Defence Ministry said.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Sunday that his government will deploy maritime assets, including a frigate and a supply ship, to the Indo-Pacific in 2024, as tensions rise between China and Taiwan and over the disputed South China Sea.
The Pakistani Army said two soldiers and several terrorists were killed in a gunfight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday. In the past year, 293 have died in 436 terror attacks, which have surged since the Pakistani Taliban ended its ceasefire with the government.
On Sunday, over 80 girls were hospitalised after being poisoned in primary schools in Afghanistan. This is the first such assault on women attending school since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. A similar series of attacks also occurred in Iran last November, where thousands of girls fell sick after exposure to toxic fumes. However, authorities have not determined the perpetrators of the poisoning.
Saudi Arabia has decided to cut its oil output by 1 million barrels a day (bpd). After 7 hours of discussions held in Vienna, OPEC+ (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Allies led by Russia) decided to extend cuts in oil supply by 1.4 million bpd through the end of 2024. The latest production cut is expected to raise oil prices globally.
Authorities have revised the death toll in the Balasore Train Tragedy, which occurred on Friday, reducing it to 275, from the earlier count of 288, on account of double counting. Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train were involved in a horrendous train accident at 7 PM on Friday near the Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district of Odisha. As per reports, 1,175 were injured in the accident, making it one of the worst accidents that India has witnessed in decades.
India has urged G20 nations to develop a digital platform to establish an end-to-end Global Medical Countermeasure (MCM) ecosystem, as an interim measure to fight future pandemics. In the third health working group meeting of G20 nations, Indian Minister for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said, “interim measures are necessary before we get the Pandemic Treaty.” The interim measure is expected to strengthen the global application of digital health.
Indian President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Suriname on 4 June on a three-day visit to strengthen India’s bilateral relations with the South American country. President Murmu was received with full state honours at the airport by Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. Murmu will be holding bilateral talks with her counterpart and be the chief guest at a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in the South American nation.
Russia announced on Monday that its forces had foiled a major Ukrainian offensive at five sites along the front in the southern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, killing hundreds of pro-Kyiv forces. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed Ukraine launched an offensive using six mechanised and two tank battalions. Moscow has long anticipated Kyiv’s counter-offensive in Russian-controlled territory. “The enemy’s goal was to break through our defences in the most vulnerable, in its opinion, sector of the front,” the ministry added. “The enemy did not achieve its tasks, it had no success.”
The Kremlin stated that journalists from “unfriendly countries” would not be permitted to attend the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which Russian President Vladimir Putin has used to promote Russia’s economy to global investors.