Colombia begins process to join BRICS bank
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on May 16 that his country has started the process of joining the New Development Bank of BRICS.
Tensions between India and Pakistan soared after Indian airstrikes targeted sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing dozens and prompting threats of retaliation from Islamabad, while the UK warned that "nobody wins" if conflict escalates.
India has confirmed launching overnight missile strikes on what it described as nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, claiming they were bases of “terrorist infrastructure” used to plan attacks on Indian soil. The strikes, carried out under the name Operation Sindoor, came in response to the April 22 killing of 26 people in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on cross-border groups allegedly backed by Pakistan.
Islamabad condemned the attacks as a “blatant act of war,” saying 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured. Meanwhile, India reported that 10 civilians were killed and 48 wounded in retaliatory cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces.
A Pakistani military spokesperson claimed that five Indian aircraft were shot down while inside Pakistani airspace—a statement that has yet to be independently verified. Pakistan’s leadership has vowed to respond to the strikes, raising fears of broader escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
The disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, long a flashpoint, remains at the heart of the standoff. Both nations claim it in full but administer separate parts.
The UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the situation a “serious concern,” urging both countries to “engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward.” He emphasized, “If this escalates further, nobody wins,” while reaffirming the UK’s condemnation of the April terror attack and its commitment to protecting British nationals in the region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Türkiye for their first direct peace talks since 2022, with discussions lasting under two hours.
Vietnam and Thailand have officially upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership, marking a significant step forward in regional diplomacy.
Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, announced that India is opening up 200,000 square kilometers of its sedimentary basin for oil and gas exploration, inviting Russian companies to participate.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on May 16 that his country has started the process of joining the New Development Bank of BRICS.
Ministers in Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) are resigning one by one amid mounting protests in Tripoli, Libya Press agency reports
The US Supreme Court on Friday paused President Donald Trump’s attempt to carry out deportations using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, siding with a group of Venezuelan immigrants in Texas who argued they were at risk of sudden removal under the rarely used wartime law.
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