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At least 12 killed in latest Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Man charged after suspected anti-Muslim attacks in Edinburgh BBC Counterterrorism officials investigating after suspect goes on rampage in alleged hate attack: report Fox News Man Arrested in Scotland After Rampage Leaves 5 Hurt, Police Say The New York Times Counterterror police investigate after 5 hurt in Edinburgh attacks that appeared to target Muslims NBC News Stabbing attacks in Edinburgh investigated as anti-Muslim hate crimes Financial Times

They really launched this tiny spacecraft (Well, sort of.) | Space photo of the day for May 11, 2026

Science

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spiesoverforeign

They really launched this tiny spacecraft (Well, sort of.) | Space photo of the day for May 11, 2026

NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is falling out of space. NASA has a daring plan to save it with a spacecraft built by Katalyst Space. (Image credit: NASA) WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. — For over 20 years, NASA's Swift space observatory has been conducting prolific science in orbit, hunting for signs of gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the universe. Now, it's falling to Earth, doomed to a fiery death by the end of the year as its orbit decays.But maybe not.NASA, it turns out, has a daring rescue mission in the works, something never before attempted in space: the Swift Boost mission. The endeavor calls for an untested spacecraft built by the Arizona company Katalyst Space Technologies to rendezvous and dock with Swift — something the observatory was never designed to do — before the observatory falls back to Earth.If all goes well, Katalyst's space tug (it's called Link) will lift the Swift observatory into a higher, safer orbit — one that will add years of life to the aging space telescope's mission. Liftoff is officially set for June 27, with Link launching on the last-ever Pegasus XL rocket, an air-launched booster built by Northrop Grumman."Frankly, I have to be honest: No one thought it was going to be possible," Shawn Domagal-Goldman, NASA's Astrophysics Division director, told reporters here on Wednesday (June 17). "No one thought we would get as far as we've already gotten today."What stands out most is how quickly the mission came together. NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, shown in this artist’s concept, orbits Earth as it studies the ever-changing universe. Launched in 2004, the space telescope's days are numbered as it is falling out of space. (Image credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab)It was just in September 2025 that NASA picked Katalyst to build a spacecraft capable of boosting Swift on a budget of $30 million. That was nine months ago. And now, the finished Link spacecraft — with its three robotic arms, three main Hall thrusters and a suite of other instruments — is packed aboard its Pegasus XL rocket and tucked on the belly of its L-1011 Stargazer carrier plane for a trip to its launch site in the South Pacific's Kwajalein Atoll."In the last nine months, we have gone from a clean sheet to a spacecraft that is currently integrated on a rocket on an airplane, ready to go to Kwaj for launch," said Kieran Wilson, Link's principal investigator at Katalyst Space, on Wednesday. "This is an absolutely unprecedented development timeline for this program."Yet that "swift" timeline, if you will, is essential if NASA is to rescue the Swift space observatory. Katalyst Space's LINK robotic servicing satellite awaits encapsulation inside a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket on June 8, 2026, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (Image credit: NASA/Ron Beard)NASA originally launched Swift (its full name is the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, after its late principal investigator) in 2004 on a $250 million mission to search the sky for gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy astrophysics phenomena in the cosmos. From its original orbit about 375 miles (600 kilometers) above Earth, Swift was a silent sentinel, ready to quickly pivot to new targets with unprecedented speed."Swift was designed to study gamma-ray bursts, short-lived flashes of high-energy light that release more energy in just a few seconds than the sun will in its entire lifetime," Swift principal investigator Brad Cenko told reporters Wednesday. "It's been extremely successful in this regard, detecting over 2,000 of these sources all the way out to the edge of the visible universe."It was Swift that helped scientists confirm without a doubt that the heaviest elements we know of, including the shiny gold and platinum in the jewelry you're wearing right now, were forged by these explosive cosmic events, Cenko said. Swift was expected to last two years in orbit. It's well into its second decade now, and sti

FPI exodus from financials cools, but foreign investors remain net sellers

Economy

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FPI exodus from financials cools, but foreign investors remain net sellers

Shares of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd (TMPV) fell around eight per cent on Wednesday, making it one of the worst-performing stocks on the benchmark indices, as investors reacted negatively to the FY27 outlook presented by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the company's key earnings contributor.Jaguar Land Rover Defender 90 is pictured at a steep track during a demo at the Frankfurt Motor Show. (REUTERS File)JLR accounts for a significant share of TMPV's revenue and profitability, making its guidance closely watched by investors.What triggered the Tata Motors sell-off?The decline followed JLR's Investor Day presentation, where the carmaker outlined its FY27 expectations.Investors were disappointed by the company's profitability and cash flow outlook, which came in below market expectations despite management's long-term growth plans.According to reports, the guidance signalled that earnings recovery at JLR could take longer than anticipated, prompting investors to reassess TMPV's near-term prospects.Concerns over margins and cash flowA key concern was JLR's focus on cost savings and restructuring measures amid a challenging global environment.The company has launched a multi-year cost-reduction programme and is working to lower its breakeven point, reflecting management's caution about demand conditions and profitability pressures.Investors interpreted the move as a sign that margins could remain under pressure in the near term.JLR has also flagged several headwinds, including tariff-related uncertainties, weakness in China's premium vehicle market, changing consumer demand patterns and the ongoing transition to electric vehicles.These factors have raised concerns about the pace of earnings growth from the luxury vehicle business.Why JLR matters for Tata MotorsJLR remains the biggest contributor to the Tata Motors group, accounting for the bulk of its revenue and earnings. As a result, any downgrade in JLR's growth, margin or cash-flow expectations tends to have a direct impact on investor sentiment towards TMPV shares.What lies ahead?Despite macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) remains optimistic about its growth prospects for FY27. In his letter to shareholders in the company's 2025-26 annual report, Chairman N Chandrasekaran said the automaker is entering the new financial year with confidence, backed by a strong pipeline of upcoming launches and a multi-powertrain strategy.Chandrasekaran said the company would continue to focus on delivering industry-leading growth while strengthening its commitment to safety, sustainability, quality and customer satisfaction. He added that TMPV aims to remain resilient and agile amid an uncertain global environment.The chairman also highlighted ongoing collaboration between TMPV and its British luxury vehicle arm Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The two companies will continue to work together on manufacturing, technology and talent development, with a focus on improving scale efficiencies, accelerating learning and maintaining capital discipline, he said.

India on High Growth Trajectory and Wants to Grow with World, Says EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar

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India on High Growth Trajectory and Wants to Grow with World, Says EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jun 12, 2026 11:58 AM IST Defending New Delhi's energy choices, Jaishankar outlined India's realistic approach to safeguarding its national interests. (Credit: @DrSJaishankar X)External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday took aim at what he described as the United States’ inconsistent approach towards India’s purchase of Russian oil. He said Washington had, at one point, encouraged New Delhi to buy Russian crude to stabilise global energy markets, only to later impose tariffs over the same issue. Speaking at the “Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition” session at the Kultaranta Talks in Finland, Jaishankar said, “Let’s not pretend that there is some great principle involved here. I mean, if it is on-off, on-off, and the US wants to do it when it suits them and not do it when it doesn’t suit them.”The remarks came in response to a question on New Delhi’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with a journalist accusing the India of being “too sympathetic to Russia” and “too willing to buy oil from Russia”. Participated in a Panel discussion at Kultaranta Talks with FM Elina Valtonen of Finland, and Assistant FM Lana Nusseibeh of UAE on ‘Emerging Powers and the New Geopolitical Competition https://t.co/S7MQD5wwFc — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 11, 2026 Defending New Delhi’s energy choices, Jaishankar outlined India’s realistic approach to safeguarding its national interests. “I’ll make two observations. I buy oil based on cost and availability. So at that point, much of the oil on the market was Russian because Europeans were essentially buying oil from the Middle East, our traditional supplier. So circumstances pushed us in a certain direction,” he said. Jaishankar recalled that in 2022, Washington itself recognised the vital role India played in maintaining global economic equilibrium. According to him, the United States had encouraged New Delhi to procure Russian crude to stabilise energy markets and prevent a sharp rise in global inflation following Western sanctions on Moscow. “At that time, the US directly asked India to buy Russian oil to stabilise the oil market. We buy oil based on cost and availability,” he maintained during his address in Finland. The External Affairs Minister also questioned the contradictions in Western sanctions policies, cautioning against applying a selective moral lens to complex issues in global trade and energy security.

Economy

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Fed's Warsh inherits economy increasingly squeezed by inflation

India’s package of foreign investment reforms announced on Friday will provide capital account stability, strengthen the rupee, and improve liquidity and price discovery in the G-Sec market, people aware of the matter said on Saturday.The finance ministry and the RBI’s policy responses have been well coordinated and timely (HT Photo/Sanjeev Verma)The Union finance ministry announced a series of measures to widen investment options for foreign individuals and portfolio investors in Indian equities and made government bonds more attractive with tax concessions, while the Reserve Bank of India took monetary measures including hedging cost subvention for external commercial borrowings to boost foreign exchange inflows and support the rupee.The outcome of the coordination between the finance ministry and the RBI, and their nimbleness in responding to a volatile global economic situation, was reflected in the rupee appreciating 56 paise to close at 95.18 against the US dollar on Friday. The impact is expected to sustain, they added.The finance ministry and the RBI’s policy responses have been well coordinated and timely, they said — a coordination also reflected in the GDP numbers announced on Friday. The Indian economy recorded 7.7% GDP growth in 2025-26, cementing its position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. GDP growth in the fourth quarter stood at 7.8%, building on 8.3% in the second quarter and 8.0% in the third.“In an increasingly uncertain global environment marked by the West Asia conflict, elevated energy prices, and trade disruptions, India has demonstrated remarkable macroeconomic resilience,” one of them said.Retail inflation remained within the RBI’s tolerance band. Headline CPI inflation rose to 3.48% in April — the highest in 13 months — from 3.4% in March, but remained below the RBI’s 4% target and within the 2-6% tolerance band. Thirty of 36 states and union territories recorded inflation below 4%, indicating broad-based price stability, they said.India’s forex reserves stood at $682 billion as of June, providing import cover of approximately 11 months, they said. Gross FDI reached a historical peak of $94.5 billion in 2025-26, reflecting continued long-term investor confidence, while net FDI turned strongly positive at $7.7 billion against $1 billion the previous year. Services exports surged to $421.3 billion, an annualised growth of 8.7% in FY26, with the net services surplus growing 14.7% to $216.6 billion. Merchandise exports grew an annualised 13.8% to $43.6 billion in April 2026, the highest monthly value since March 2025, they added.The central objective of the reforms, the person cited in the first instance said, was to address a structural disadvantage that had kept Indian G-Secs less competitive than comparable sovereign instruments in peer emerging markets. The current tax treatment of FII interest and capital gains income reduces the effective post-tax yield on Indian G-Secs relative to those instruments, many of whose markets are already index constituents.India’s government securities market has grown significantly in size and sophistication, but further deepening remains a key policy priority. A deeper and more liquid G-Sec market reduces the cost of sovereign borrowing, strengthens monetary policy transmission, broadens the financing base for the government’s capital expenditure programme, and enhances overall macroeconomic resilience, the person explained.India has also been actively pursuing inclusion of its G-Secs in major global bond indices, including the Bloomberg Emerging Market Local Currency Government Bond Index. Index inclusion would unlock a substantial and predictable pool of passive capital flows from index-tracking funds globally, in addition to attracting greater participation from active international bond investors. The two objectives — deepening the G-Sec market and achieving global index eligibility — are mutually reinforcing: a more accessible market supports the c

India registers 47.9% growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals during past 2 years | Akashvani News

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India registers 47.9% growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals during past 2 years | Akashvani News

3 min readJun 1, 2026 07:56 PM IST On the consumer front, 4.3% more durable goods were produced in April, while growth in non-durables was 2.8%.India’s industrial output grew by 4.9% in April, higher than the 3.2% growth recorded in March, according to the new Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data series released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Monday. The new IIP series, which has 2022-23 as the base year as against 2011-12 in the old one and updates various methodologies used in the compilation of the index and broadens the coverage of the economic indicator, also upgraded the industrial growth rate for the last three years. IIP growth in 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 is now estimated at 6.7%, 6.4%, and 4.3%, respectively. In the old 2011-12 series, the respective industrial growth rates were 5.9%, 4%, and 4.1%. The higher industrial growth in the past three years as per the new series is primarily due to upward revisions in manufacturing and electricity growth.In April, industrial growth was driven by the manufacturing sector, whose output rose 6.2% from the same month last year. The manufacturing sector has a 76% weight in the new IIP series, up from 78% in the 2011-12 series. Meanwhile, output of ‘water supply, sewerage & waste management’ and ‘electricity & gas supply’ rose 6.6% and 4.9%, respectively, in April. However, ‘mining and quarrying’ output contracted 5.1%. Within electricity and gas supply, MoSPI now provides a break-up of electricity generated through renewable and non-renewable sources. In April, electricity generation from renewable sources was 18% higher compared to only 2.8% growth for electricity from non-renewable sources. However, electricity from non-renewable sources has a much higher weight of 7.8% in the IIP compared to 2.3% for renewable sources. The impact of the war in West Asia was seemingly seen in the supply of gas, which was down 11.2% compared to April 2025. According to Barclays economists Aastha Gudwani and Amruta Ghare, the recovery in ‘manufacture of chemicals’ – whose output rose 0.4% in April following a 4.9% fall in March – “corroborates our view that peak shortages for industrial inputs (from gas and petrochemicals rationing) seen in March saw gradual improvement in supply in April and May”. And while the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products was 0.5% lower in April compared to last year, “the sector growth was generally subdued even prior to the conflict”.Story continues below this ad “As such, we would not entirely attribute the Middle-East-related disruptions to output weakness here,” the economists added. In terms of use-based classification of goods produced, output of primary goods was 0.8% higher in April, while that of capital goods rose 16% and intermediate goods 7.7%. Infrastructure goods’ production was 7.1% higher. On the consumer front, 4.3% more durable goods were produced in April, while growth in non-durables was 2.8%. Going forward, economists expect industrial growth to be subdued on account of weaker global demand and supply chain disruptions.Story continues below this ad “The larger risk, though, is rising costs,” said Dipti Deshpande, Principal Economist at Crisil, referring to the energy supply shock caused by the conflict in West Asia. “Cost pressures are already visible, with wholesale inflation jumping to a 42-month high of 8.3% in April, along with consecutive increases in retail prices of diesel and petrol.” Deshpande expects GDP growth in 2026-27 to decline to 6.6%, down from the 7.6% estimated by MoSPI for 2025-26. The statistics ministry will, on Friday, release GDP data for January-March and the provisional estimate for 2025-26. Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newsw

Defence secretary meets officials from Australia, EU, Netherlands in Singapore

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Defence secretary meets officials from Australia, EU, Netherlands in Singapore

The SPARSH Service Centre of the Defence Accounts Department being inaugurated with the lighting of a ceremonial lamp at the NCC Canteen premises in Syamala Nagar, Guntur, on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement A new System for Pension Administration Raksha (SPARSH) Service Centre of the Defence Accounts Department, Government of India, was inaugurated at the NCC Canteen premises in Syamala Nagar on Monday (June 1, 2026).The centre was launched by Lt. Col. S. V. S. Sudarsan, officer-in-charge of the Unit Run Canteen, who lit the ceremonial lamp.The SPARSH Service Centre has been set up under the supervision of the Defence Accounts Department, Secunderabad, to provide pension-related services to retired personnel of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Pensioners can use the services free of charge, with help from trained staff at the centre.In a press release, the Defence Accounts Department said the facility would help defence pensioners resolve pension issues. It said services such as the submission and processing of Digital Life Certificates and the redressal of pension grievances would be available at the centre.The authorities said the centre would give pensioners continued support and help resolve their concerns faster. The initiative is expected to improve access to pension administration services for defence veterans and family pensioners in the region.The SPARSH Service Centre is now operational and open to eligible beneficiaries. Published - June 01, 2026 04:48 pm IST

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Quad Foreign Ministers meet LIVE: Quad ramps up Indo-Pacific surveillance, critical mineral cooperation

Quad Foreign Ministers meet LIVE: Quad ramps up Indo-Pacific surveillance, critical mineral cooperation The Hindu

Cut foreign travel, use more EVs: Finance Ministry’s ‘austerity’ steps for public sector banks & insurers

Politics

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foreignoverseastravel

Cut foreign travel, use more EVs: Finance Ministry’s ‘austerity’ steps for public sector banks & insurers

Home News India The New Delhi meeting will be attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar presiding over it Updated - May 26, 2026 08:20 am IST In this image posted on May 24, 2026, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in New Delhi. File photo: @DrSJaishankar/X via PTI Photo | Photo Credit: - The economic fallout of the West Asia crisis, the prevailing security situation in the Indo-Pacific and ways to boost cooperation in critical minerals and technology are expected to top the agenda at a crucial meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministers on Tuesday (May 26, 2026).Also read | Quad remains ‘vital’, says Japanese Foreign MinisterThe New Delhi meeting will be attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar presiding over it.The Ministers last met on July 1, 2025, when they updated the goals for the quadrilateral grouping, simplifying them to four areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, humanitarian assistance and emergency responses, and the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative. However, rapid developments, including the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and other actions by the Donald Trump administration, have posed questions over the viability of the grouping, and the Ministers will have their task cut out for them as they seek to renew their mandate.Follow live updates here: May 26, 2026 08:20 Watch: Marco Rubio departs from Jaipur to attend Quad Foreign Ministers meet in DelhiMay 26, 2026 08:19 Quad remains ‘vital’, says Japanese Foreign MinisterThe Quad remains a “vital framework”, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said, responding to concerns that the four-nation grouping had lost its relevance, and indicated in an interview that ‘Cooperation over Critical Minerals’ needed for green energy and hi-tech would be at the top of the agenda for the Quadrilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) on Tuesday (May 25, 2026). Japan is working on critical minerals’ projects in India, Mr. Motegi also said, but called for improved infrastructure, more tax subsidies, and protection for intellectual property rights.“The Quad remains a vital framework among countries that share fundamental values and strategic interests. It has delivered concrete results across a wide range of areas, including maritime security, economic security, and cybersecurity,” Mr. Motegi said, in written responses to questions from The Hindu ahead of the FMM, but side-stepped queries on why the mechanism finds little mention in the strategy documents.Click here to read more...May 26, 2026 08:03 As Quad Foreign Ministers meet, India-U.S. tensions, U.S.-China re-engagement and Iran war pose challenges Foreign Ministers of the Quad will meet for the first time in nearly a year, as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hosts U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Delhi on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) at Delhi’s Hyderabad House. The Foreign Ministers will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Ministry of External Affairs advisory said.Suhasini Haidar writes on today’s Quad Foreign Ministers meeting: As Quad Foreign Ministers meet, India-U.S. tensions, U.S.-China re-engagement and Iran war pose challengesQuad Foreign Ministers meet to address India-U.S. tensions, U.S.-China relations, and the Iran conflict on May 26, 2026. Published - May 26, 2026 08:01 am IST0 / 0Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to

Cricket gives special dimension to India-Trinidad and Tobago ties: Jaishankar

Politics

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overiransforeign

Cricket gives special dimension to India-Trinidad and Tobago ties: Jaishankar

A file photo of farmers protesting against the State government's newly formed Suryanagar Phase 4 by Karnataka Housing board, bordering Bannerghatta National Park in Anekal, in Bengaluru Urban District. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR A city-based advocate Umapathi S. has filed a complaint with the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the Additional Director General of Forests (Wildlife) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), opposing the construction of a new international cricket stadium at Suryanagar 4th Phase in Anekal taluk, on the southeastern outskirts of Bengaluru.“In the larger public interest to urgently bring to the attention of the wildlife and environmental authorities a serious and ongoing environmental violation by the Karnataka Housing Board- the substitution, without any fresh Environmental Clearance or Wildlife Assessment, of a quiet residential township for an 80,000-seater International Cricket Stadium located just 1,012 metres from the Bannerghatta National Park,” the complaint stated.He pointed out various violations and to stop the work order to the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) restraining all activities and to revoke the the Wildlife NOC issued to the KHB for the residential township- as the KHB has misrepresented the project purpose and the NOC does not extend, either in law or in fact, to a commercial cricket stadium.He also called for the KHB to apply for a fresh Wildlife Impact Assessment and Forest Department NOC specifically for an 80,000-seater cricket stadium at 1,012-1,407 metres from the BNP, including assessment of acoustic, lighting, vehicular and habitat impacts.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be laying the foundation stone for the stadium on May 23. Published - May 22, 2026 10:53 pm IST

World

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foreignteamsworld

BBC tours England and Argentina's World Cup training grounds

Just nowWedaeli ChibelushiGetty ImagesDR Congo have qualified for the Fifa World Cup for the first time since 1974The Democratic Republic of Congo has cancelled its pre-World Cup training camp in the capital, Kinshasa, because of an Ebola outbreak in the east of the country.Preparations have been moved to Belgium amid the upsurge, which is thought to have killed more than 130 people.The World Health Organization (WHO) has called the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern", but said it was not at pandemic level.Jerry Kalemo, a spokesperson for the national football team, told international media that pre-tournament games in Europe would go ahead as planned, as the squad gears up for their first World Cup since 1974.DR Congo are due to play friendly matches against Denmark, on 3 June in Belgium, and Chile, on 9 June in Spain, ahead of the World Cup finals.A spokesperson for the DR Congo team told the Reuters news agency that the squad's training camp had been cancelled due to travel restrictions imposed by the US, who are hosting the World Cup this summer, along with Mexico and Canada.The US' public health agency has banned entry from non-Americans who have been in the DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days, in response to the Ebola outbreak.All DR Congo's players, as well as the team's French coach, Sébastien Desabre, are based outside the central African country and will therefore not be affected by the restrictions now the training camp has been cancelled.The high-profile event in Kinshasa was supposed to have been attended by fans, along with DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi, according to Reuters.Kinshasa is roughly 1,800 km (1,120m) away from the eastern Ituri province, the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak. There have not yet been any reported cases in the city.On Wednesday, the WHO said 139 people were thought to have died, out of 600 suspected cases. However, on the same day, Congolese health minister Samuel Roger Kamba told state broadcaster RTNC TV that authorities had registered 159 deaths.Getty Images/BBCBBC Africa podcasts

PM Modi Foreign Visit Live: PM Modi to meet Dutch King shortly, talks with PM Rob Jetten next

Politics

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visitliveforeign

PM Modi Foreign Visit Live: PM Modi to meet Dutch King shortly, talks with PM Rob Jetten next

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) receives Norway's top honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, during a ceremony in Oslo, Norway. | Photo Credit: YouTube/@NarendraModi via PTI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday (May 18, 2026) conferred with Norway’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, for his contribution to advancing the India-Norway relationship and his leadership.This is Prime Minister Modi’s 32nd international honour.Also read: PM Modi’s Norway visit highlights on May 18, 2026King Harald V of Norway conferred upon PM Modi the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.“Honoured to receive the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. This honour is dedicated to the people of India and is a tribute to the enduring friendship between India and Norway. It reflects our shared commitment to global progress,” PM Modi said on social media.Prime Minister Modi described the honour as a reflection of the affection and goodwill between the people of India and Norway.The Grand Cross is the highest grade of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. It is awarded for exceptional service in advancing Norway’s interests and international relations.A day earlier, PM Modi was awarded Sweden’s prestigious ‘Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross’ in recognition of his exceptional contributions to bilateral ties and his visionary leadership.The award is Sweden’s highest honour conferred on foreign Heads of Government.PM Modi arrived in Oslo earlier in the day on a two-day visit from Sweden. This is PM Modi’s maiden visit to Norway and marks the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 43 years. Published - May 18, 2026 07:17 pm IST