News updates: Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Lanka's interim president

Live news updates: Wickremesinghe, 73, was sworn in as the acting president of Sri Lanka before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya

8:44 AM

China's investment in Sri Lanka is part of Lankan crisis: Arvind Panagariya

Former Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya on Thursday said that China's investment in Sri Lanka is a part of the Sri Lankan crisis, but it's not the sole or the principal cause of the problem.

 

"China's operations are not always transparent. As a result, countries certainly have suffered. Two examples are in our own neighborhood, i.e. both Pakistan and Sri Lanka. China's investment into Sri Lanka is a part of the Sri Lankan crisis, but it's not the sole or the principal cause of the problem," said Panagariya, Former Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog in an exclusive interview to ANI.

8:41 AM

First I2U2 projects to promote agriculture, food, green energy in India

The first projects of the I2U2 will be located in India and help with agriculture, food and green energy, according to the joint statement of the four leaders after the group's launch.

 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan along with the US President Joe Biden launched the Middle East Quad known as "I2U2" from the initials of the participants.

 

The UAE will invest $2 billion in the agriculture and food project that aims to "maximise crop yields and, in turn, help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East," the statement said on Thursday.

8:41 AM

Not seeking separation of homeland, but more autonomy, says Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama on Thursday said he is not seeking separation of his homeland from but China but is seeking more autonomy for his people.

 

"People in China are increasingly realising that I am not seeking the independence of Tibet, but autonomy and preservation of its Buddhist culture," he told the media in Jammu.

 

The Dalai Lama said only a few Chinese hardliners considered him to be a separatist.

8:38 AM

Ripudaman Singh Malik, acquitted in 1985 bombing case, shot dead in Canada

Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was acquitted in the 1985 Air India terrorist bombing, was shot dead in Surrey in Canada's British Columbia province on Thursday morning.

 

Confirming the news, Jaspal Singh, Brother-in-Law of Malik told ANI, "We are uncertain about who killed Ripudaman. His younger sister is on her way to Canada."

 

Malik was one of the persons who was accused of playing a crucial role in the bombing of Air India Flight 182 Kanishka.

8:37 AM

Russian missiles kill at least 23 in Ukraine's Vinnytsia, over 100 injured

Russian missiles struck a city in central Ukraine on Thursday, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others, Ukrainian authorities said.

 

Ukraine's president alleged the attack deliberately targeted civilians in locations without military value.

 

Officials said Kalibr cruise missiles fired from a Russian submarine in the Black Sea struck civilian buildings in Vinnytsia, a city 268 kilometers southwest of the capital, Kyiv.