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parliamentary elections indicate a strong lead for President Mohamed Muizzu's ruling People's National Congress (PNC) over the opposition, including the India-friendly Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Election Overview

People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Central Military Commission (CMC), the apex military bureaucracy, held the founding meeting of the new Information Support Force (ISF) on April 19, 2024. The Chinese Communist Party General Secretary and Chairman of the CMC, Xi Jinping, awarded the military flag to the ISF. It was later announced that the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLA SSF) would cease to exist. Formed on December 31, 2015, the PLA SSF centralised space, cyber, electronic and psychological warfare capabilities into a single service. It was formed to create synergies between various advanced warfighting capabilities and was hailed as instrumental in achieving Xi’s stated goals of modernisation, informatisation, and converting the PLA into a world-class army. With this change, the PLA now has a new system with four services — the Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force, and four arms — the Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force and Joint Logistic Support Force. What is Information Support Force?

heat extremes could become an «emerging feature» of a warmer planet, according to a new study. The new research that reviewed the weather and climate of 2023 also said that many of the extreme events experienced last year are consistent with predictions previously made about a warmer world. Putting the events of the warmest year on record in perspective, researchers said that in a warmer future, more events involving record-breaking hot temperatures occurring earlier in the year, and cyclones exacerbating rainfall extremes are in order. Change in seasonality of extreme events too is another trend the researchers observed.

United States on Friday said it has imposed sanctions on three China-based companies and one from Belarus for allegedly supplying missile-applicable items for Pakistan's ballistic missile programme, including long-range weaponry. The companies are Xi'an Longze Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade and Granpect Company Ltd from China and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus. «The Department of State is designating four entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii) of Executive Order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery,» said state department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

2025 BMW i4, which is poised to receive significant upgrades to enhance its competitiveness in both style and equipment. Drawing inspiration from the recently revealed BMW 4 Series Coupe and Convertible, the i4 facelift is expected to showcase revamped front styling featuring new LED daytime running lights, updated headlamps, and a redesigned grille. At the rear, tweaks to the bumpers and the introduction of laser taillights, first seen on the BMW M4 CSL, are anticipated to elevate the sedan's aesthetic appeal.

Weekly Tech Recap: A lot of events shook up the world of technology this week from Elon Musk cancelling his high-voltage visit to India to Google tightening its stance on ad-blockers and Apple removing WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China. Here's a roundup of all the latest happenings in the world of technology this week.

The public portion of a Panamanian trial of more than two-dozen associates accused of helping some of the world’s richest people hide their wealth has come to an unexpectedly speedy conclusion

Gems and jewellery exports declined by 12.17 per cent to Rs 2,65,187.95 crore (USD 32,022.08 million) during 2023-24, compared to the previous financial year due to high interest rates in the US and slow recovery in China, Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) data showed. Gems and jewellery exports in FY23 stood at Rs 3,01,925.97 crore (USD 37,646.17 million), according to GJEPC data. «The last financial year was very challenging for all product categories. This was mainly due to slowdown in the US, India's biggest export market in the segment, due to high interest rates. Also, slow recovery in China post Covid-19,» GJEPC chairman Vipul Shah told PTI. Meanwhile, the overall exports of Cut and Polished diamonds declined by 25.23 per cent during FY24 to Rs 1,32,128.29 crores (USD 15,966.47 million) compared to Rs 1,76,716.06 crores (USD 22,046.9 million) for the same period of previous year.

IMF's Asia and Pacific (APAC) Department. "China is more than four times bigger than India, and in that sense, if India is growing faster today than China, then it should not be surprising," Srinivasan explained, while speaking with ANI.

For the past few years, the global wind industry has been stuck in the doldrums. With rising interest rates and materials costs whittling away developers’ profit margins, and political and economic elites cooling on the energy transition, installations of new turbines went sideways. Even as the electric vehicle and solar industries gathered speed, wind ran into turbulence. The sector was left drenched in red ink, project cancellations, and failed auctions.

Investors should consider commodities due to a «big change» involving international expansion, according to VanEck CEO Jan van Eck.

Xi Jinping has ordered what amounts to the biggest reorganisation of the nation's military since 2015 in a move that affects the force in charge of capabilities including cyber warfare. China will terminate the Strategic Support Force, which was created more than eight years ago to enhance capabilities in space, cyber, political and electronic warfare, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday. Xi is in turn creating a new branch called the Information Support Force. The aerospace and cyber units previously under the Strategic Support Force will now be organisationally parallel to the newly created Information Support Force, the defence ministry said in a statement. The aerospace unit will improve China's capability to use space and step up the management of space crises, the ministry said.

helicopters crashed overnight at sea, officials said on April 21. A spokesperson for Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) confirmed the incident to AFP, adding that one person has been rescued. Giving details, Japan's Defence Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters that rescuers located what they believe to be parts of the aircraft in the sea.

WZ-7 Soaring Dragon drone of the Chinese People's Liberation Army was spotted flying in close proximity to the Philippines, ahead of preparations by the Southeast Asian country to receive the delivery of Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, The Eurasian Times reported. According to the report, the distinctive joined-wing shape of the WZ-7 drone caught the attention of Raffy Tima, a correspondent for Philippine news organisation GMA News, as it traversed the skies over the West Philippine Sea, an area within the South China Sea to the northwest of the Philippines. The timing of this sighting is significant amid escalating tensions between China and the Philippines over territorial disputes, notably the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea, the report noted. The acquisition of the BrahMos missiles from India is perceived as a strategic move by the Philippines to enhance its defensive capabilities to counter China's assertiveness in the region.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull has completed a Formula 1 double, taking the pole Saturday for the Chinese Grand Prix just hours after winning the first F1 sprint of the season. Teammate Sergio Perez will start alongside Verstappen on Sunday on the front row with Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Lando Norris of McLaren on the second row. Verstappen turned 1 minute 33.660 seconds on his fastest lap, 0.322 ahead of Perez. Superlatives fail. The three-time defending F1 champion is unassailable — the sport's best driver in the quickest car. The Dutchman has won 22 of the last 26 GPs and three of the first four this season. Only a brake failure in Melbourne, Australia, probably kept him from sweeping all four races.

courses (PG courses). The registration for admissions into the PG courses will remain open till May 25. The second phase of admission will begin in mid-May, the university will start the admissions for undergraduate (UG) courses after the CUET-UG examinations are over.

Apple says it has removed Meta’s WhatsApp messaging app and its Threads social media app from the App Store in China on Beijing’s orders

Vedanta shares: After ushering in the new year 2024, Vedanta share price remained in base-building mode till the middle of March 2024. However, after bottoming out at ₹250 apiece levels in mid-March, Vedanta share price has remained in an uptrend. Vedanta share price ended on Friday at around ₹385 apiece, which means the Vedanta share has risen to the tune of 50 percent since mid-March.

Elon Musk on Saturday said the electric-vehicle (EV) maker may make Full Self-Driving (FSD) available to customers in China very soon. Musk said «It may be possible very soon» while replying to an X post by a user asking when the EV maker would launch FSD in China.

ALSO READ: Elon Musk puts off India visit to ‘later’, Internet says, ‘No rush! We'll hold off on chai-samosa plans’ As per a Reuters report of 2023, Patel was in New Delhi to meet officials from the Invest India agency to discuss Tesla's plan. He, along with other Tesla representatives were expected to meet commerce minister Piyush Goyal and were to discuss on setting up an EV supply chain and land allotment for a factory.

Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the Centre has tailored policies to make India an attractive destination for manufacturing and services, and the aim was to produce not just for the domestic market but for exports as well. She was responding to a query on American tech billionaire Elon Musk postponing his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. «Policies have been made to attract investments. We want manufacturers and investors to come and produce not just for India but also for exports. We will try to attract manufacturers and investors through policies,» she told reporters. Tesla CEO Musk on Saturday said his visit to India has been delayed due to the company's heavy obligations.