India and Italy have elevated their ties to a Special Strategic Partnership, fostering deeper cooperation in defence, technology, and trade. A defence roadmap for co-development and co-production of military platforms was agreed upon, alongside an ambitious €20 billion trade target by 2029. Discussions also covered global security, including West Asia and Ukraine, and maritime cooperation.

Sir Keir Starmer announced ministers would postpone their planned 5p a litre fuel duty hike at Prime Minister's Questions after weeks of mounting pressure.

West Bengal's new BJP government is enacting swift policy changes, replacing TMC schemes with central programs like Ayushman Bharat and Annapurna Yojna. Mandatory 'Vande Mataram' in schools, revised OBC reservations, and increased age limits for government jobs are among the key decisions. The administration is also scrutinizing caste certificates and initiating corruption probes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the FAO Agricola Medal, the UN's highest agriculture honour, for his work on food security and sustainable farming. He dedicated the award to India's farmers and agricultural community, emphasizing the nation's shift towards 'Producing Better' with a focus on biodiversity and technology. Modi highlighted India's commitment to human welfare and global responsibility.

India has reported no Ebola cases, despite the WHO declaring it a public health emergency. The health ministry has strengthened nationwide surveillance and preparedness measures, including sharing detailed SOPs with states and Union Territories. The country has prior experience in handling similar outbreaks.

This study was prepared by the Policy Department at the request of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). It examines the bioeconomy's role in future EU agriculture, focusing on promoting farms' economic sustainability. The paper analyses policy frameworks, successful circular models, and trends in biomass valorisation to identify strategies for income diversification. Finally, it provides policy options to boost bioeconomy initiatives and strengthen value chains within the European farming sector. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

This study was prepared by the Policy Department at the request of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI). It examines the bioeconomy's role in future EU agriculture, focusing on promoting farms' economic sustainability. The paper analyses policy frameworks, successful circular models, and trends in biomass valorisation to identify strategies for income diversification. Finally, it provides policy options to boost bioeconomy initiatives and strengthen value chains within the European farming sector. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

The Commission published the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) legislative proposal on 4 March 2026. Its aim is to strengthen EU competitiveness and industrial resilience in the face of global pressures. The IAA would set a target to increase the share of all industrial manufacturing to 20 % of EU GDP by 2035 (up from 14.3 % in 2024). The key sectors covered by the proposed act include energy-intensive industries, net-zero technologies and the automotive industry. The proposal would also introduce measures to apply 'Made in EU' and low-carbon preferences in public procurement and public support schemes, set conditions on foreign direct investment (FDI), launch industrial acceleration areas to boost manufacturing, and simplify permitting processes for industrial manufacturing projects. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

This briefing presents a comparative assessment of the European Parliament’s resolution with recommendations to the European Commission on the 28th regime, adopted on 20 January 2026; and the European Commission's proposal for a 28th regime corporate legal framework presented on 18 March 2026. While the two institutions are well aligned on the broad objectives of the initiative, there are notable divergences in the proposed measures. First, the scope of eligible companies following the Commission's proposal is broad without ensuring a clear and consistent definition across the EU. Although all limited liability companies – including publicly listed entities – would be eligible for registration as 28th regime companies, only a subset would qualify for a 'simplified procedure' in the event of insolvency, on the basis of criteria to be determined at Member State level. Second, the proposed 'dual-track' digital registration system would accommodate only a limited range of actions. Third, the Commission proposal does not provide for the establishment of a specialised dispute resolution mechanism. While seeking to address the fragmentation of corporate legal frameworks in the European Union, the Commission proposal could potentially introduce new sources of fragmentation with detrimental impacts for innovative companies – through a more uneven and less predictable business environment across the EU – and for investors, through reduced access to comprehensive, centralised information and lower legal certainty. The European added value of the Commission's proposal could be limited by these impacts, which could hinder cross-border investment and the scale-up of innovative companies in the EU. Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Rachel Reeves' allies have been stressing that Andy Burnham will need someone 'the bond markets trust' if he succeeds in becoming PM.

[Daily Maverick] Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire faces life imprisonment in a new trial, continuing her battle against President Kagame's regime and the ongoing persecution of dissenters.

[New Times] The Government of Rwanda has stepped up preventive measures at border crossings with DR Congo and Uganda in the wake of confirmed Ebola cases in the two neighbouring countries.

[UN News] The deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda does not represent a global pandemic emergency, although the risk is high at a national and regional level, the UN health agency chief said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed the appointment of Billy Long as ambassador to Iceland.

For over a year and a half Chloe Sterling, repeatedly suffered from debilitating heartburn that could last days at a time.

The death of a university student linked to a vitamin deficiency has fuelled renewed concerns about the safety of plant-based diets.

The squad's senior leaders have discussed the matter and are said to be furious, not only because of the financial impact, but the sporting loss.

Minister of Lands and Urban Development Chimwemwe Chipungu has described surveyors as critical drivers of Malawi’s transformation agenda, calling on the profession to take a leading role in strengthening land governance, embracing modern technology and promoting ethical standards as the country pushes toward the aspirations of Vision 2063. Speaking Monday during the Surveyors Institute of […] The post Chimwemwe Chipungu Says Surveyors Hold Key to Malawi’s Vision 2063 appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

A 34-year-old Malaysian woman will be charged in court on Thursday (May 21) over her alleged role in a scam involving impersonation of police officers.Following her arrest on Tuesday, the number of Malaysians caught in Singapore for allegedly helping scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables since March this year now stands at 26.On May 9, a 26-year-old Malaysian woman was charged for assisting a crime syndicate to collect jewellery from another victim.Modus operandi: You are under investigationPolice said they received a report on May 19 from a female victim who had received a call from an unknown person claiming to be a police officer.The victim was told that her identity had been misused in money laundering activities, and she was instructed to provide her banking and personal information and warned not to divulge details of the investigations to anyone, including her family members. 

Stamford Catering was fined $8,000 on Wednesday (May 20) for food safety offences that lead to more than 180 people suffering gastroenteritis on two occasions, after consuming food catered by the firm.The first occasion was in October 2024 when 160 people were affected after eating food catered by the company.After a joint investigation by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Health, the company was found to have several food safety lapses.These include stagnant water within the premises, dirty ceiling of a walk-in chiller, and electrical sockets found without covers which had food stains and could potentially harbour pests.The inspection at Stamford Catering's premises at 24A Senoko South Road was conducted following reports of the gastroenteritis outbreak.Following the inspection, SFA suspended Stamford Catering's food business operations between Oct 14 and 29, 2024. The suspension was lifted on Oct 30 the same year, after the caterer had implemented the required measures as stipulated by SFA.

A 23-year-old man has been apprehended following a five-hour standoff with police for throwing bottles of liquor from his home in Woodlands.The incident occurred at an HDB unit located at 687A Woodlands Drive 75 on Wednesday (May 20) evening.Videos from an eyewitness show a man standing at the window of his second floor unit with what appears to be wine bottles in his hand.In the footage, he is seen throwing them to the ground from the window, one at a time. Shards of glass and debris were scattered across the void deck below the unit.PHOTO: AsiaOne/Rauf Khan A second video also shows him throwing bottles towards the wall next to his window, causing them to shatter and wine to spill over the ledge.The floor of the void deck below his unit also appeared to be covered with wine and shards of glass.

[Premium Times] Mr Falana urged both the African Commission and the South African government to hold perpetrators of xenophobic attacks accountable.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Public service vehicles returned to Nairobi's roads on Wednesday morning after a crippling two-day matatu strike paralysed transport and disrupted business activities across the country.

[Africa Check] No evidence Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni asked Kenyans to support president Ruto ahead of the 2027 election

According to Sergey Shoigu, this is how Moscow views the decisions to join the International Criminal Court, to extradite Russian citizens to third countries, and to make things harder for Russian economic entities

The Federation Council speaker noted that such attempts reached the level of absurdity

The US president earlier stated that he had decided to postpone the resumption of hostilities against Iran at the request of Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia

IDF Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir pointed out that the IDF is prepared for any development

In February 2022, the monetary gold reserves of the Bank of Russia also amounted to 73.9 million troy ounces

Alfred 'Barney' Barnett died this month aged 104 in hospital without any relatives.

Flats are dropping in value across the country, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The Wickham Horse Fair sees scores of Gypsy and Roma travellers descend on the village, a short drive from Portsmouth, every year on May 20.