India signs $7.4 billion deal with France for 26 Rafale fighter jets
India has finalized a $7.41 billion agreement with France to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets for its navy, a defence ministry official confirmed to Reuters on Monday.
The EU and UK pledged hundreds of millions in new aid for Sudan on Tuesday, as international leaders gathered in London to address the worsening humanitarian crisis and mark two years since the outbreak of the devastating conflict.
The European Union and the United Kingdom on Tuesday committed to boosting humanitarian aid for Sudan, ahead of an international conference in London marking two years since the outbreak of a devastating conflict that has displaced millions and plunged the country into crisis.
The UK government stated that the purpose of the conference is to strengthen and coordinate the international response to the crisis. However, Sudan’s government criticized the event for excluding representatives from both sides of the conflict.
The war, which began in April 2023 as a result of a power struggle between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has caused widespread destruction, particularly in the Darfur region. Tens of thousands of people have been killed, millions displaced, and several foreign actors have been drawn into the conflict.
During the conference, the EU and its member states pledged over €522 million (approximately $592 million), while Britain announced an additional £120 million ($158 million) in aid to support Sudan.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the need for a united global approach to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access. “We do need patient diplomacy,” he told delegates. “We cannot resign ourselves to inevitable conflict. We cannot be back here, one year from now, having the same discussion.”
The conference is co-hosted by the African Union, European Union, France, Germany, and the UK. Participating nations include Egypt, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates.
Sudan’s foreign minister lodged a complaint with Lammy, expressing frustration over the country’s exclusion and objecting to the presence of the UAE and Kenya. Sudan has accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF—a claim supported by U.N. experts and U.S. lawmakers. Sudan has taken the matter to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The UAE has denied the allegations and requested the case be dismissed.
Tensions have also escalated with Kenya after it hosted talks between the RSF and its allies on forming a parallel administration, prompting Sudan to recall its ambassador.
In a statement, Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s assistant minister for Political Affairs, acknowledged that both warring parties have committed atrocities and accused them of deliberately blocking humanitarian assistance. “As Sudan’s devastating war enters its third year, the United Arab Emirates issues an urgent call for peace,” she said.
The conference aims to draw renewed global attention to what the UK has described as one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory, with 30 million people in need of assistance and 12 million already displaced.
The UN Development Programme’s representative in Sudan, Luca Renda, expressed hope for a more coordinated international response, noting, “The Sudanese people are tired of this war.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described the situation as “the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of our time.”
Meanwhile, lawyers representing Sudanese victims submitted a 141-page dossier to the UK’s war crimes unit, documenting alleged atrocities committed by the RSF. They requested the file be forwarded to the International Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction over war crimes in Darfur.
A UN agency also warned on Tuesday that sexual violence is being systematically used as a weapon of war in Sudan, further highlighting the gravity of the ongoing conflict.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
A deadly attack targeting tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory has left at least 20 feared dead, marking the deadliest incident against civilians in the region for years, according to security sources.
Greece plans to equip its railways with remote control systems and real-time tracking by September, aiming to improve safety after the country’s deadliest train disaster.
SIPRI’s annual report, released Monday, said global military expenditure reached $2.72 trillion in 2024, a 9.4% increase from 2023 and the largest year-on-year rise since the Cold War's end. This marks the tenth straight year of growth.
Roman Catholic cardinals will meet in a secret conclave to elect the new leader of the global Church starting from May 7, a senior Vatican source said on Monday.
An explosion in northwest Pakistan killed six people on Monday, coinciding with intensified security operations against militants along the Afghan border.
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