Indian Department of Telecommunications Secretary Neeraj Mittal was unanimously elected co-chair of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Digital Innovation Board earlier this week. The move would allow India to play a key role in shaping innovation for the global telecommunications landscape. The board provides strategic guidance and expertise to foster digital innovation and entrepreneurship around the globe.
The Consulate General of India in New York stated on Thursday that it was in contact with US law enforcement agencies regarding a missing engineering student from India. The consulate informed that efforts were underway to find 25-year-old Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who went missing two weeks ago. He was pursuing a Master’s degree at Cleveland State University.
Sri Lanka could soon finalise a debt treatment plan with India and the Paris Club, The Hindu reported on Thursday. Under the deal, Sri Lanka is likely to get a six-year moratorium and a reduced interest rate during the repayment period. The development occurred as Sri Lanka recently secured initial approval for the next loan tranche from a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme.
The US has proposed a tougher UN resolution urging an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, prioritising civilian protection and aid delivery to Gazans. This revised draft differs from the previous version, which focused on cease-fire efforts as part of a hostage deal.
Indonesian authorities rescued over 69 Rohingya refugees from a boat on Thursday, a day after it capsised. Another vessel attempting to aid them also sank, leaving around 150 Rohingya on board, with many missing. “The total [number of] victims rescued (alive) is 69 people, 42 of them are men and 18 are women, and nine of them are children,” the Banda Aceh Search and Rescue Agency stated.
On Thursday, the EU and its allies discussed measures to curb the export of Chinese goods that could aid Russia’s military in Ukraine, including imposing additional sanctions. Earlier this week, the EU and the US discussed addressing China’s increasing involvement in the Ukraine war. These discussions are part of efforts to curb Moscow’s attempts to evade Western sanctions.