News

Andrea Nahles is appointed first chairwoman of SPD (Source: DPA)Nahles will face high expectations to revive the party's electoral fortunes: The SPD received only 20.5% of the vote in September's general election, its worst result since the founding of modern Germany. In a speech at the party's congress in the western German city of Wiesbaden, Ms. Andrea Nahles said a glass ceiling was going to be broken in allusion to that fact that for the first time in its 155 years of existence, the party was choosing a woman to lead it. Nahles was up against Flensburg mayor Simone Lange for the position. Andrea Maria Nahles, born in 1970 has been the leader of the SPD in the Bundestag since September 2017. She served as a Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs from 2013 to 2017 and SPD Youth leader.  Former Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Andrea Nahles will replace Martin Schulz, who resigned after the SPD's worst result since 1933 in last year's polls./. Compiled by BTA … [Read more...] about Andrea Nahles appointed first chairwoman of SPD

(Photo: AFP/VNA)External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is paying a four-day visit to China to take part in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) In her initial remarks, Ms. Swaraj congratulated Mr. Wang on being elevated as state councilor and appointed as special representative for the India-China boundary talks. “I am delighted to be in Beijing and very happy to meet you again. I also congratulate you for being promoted as China’s State Councillor and re-appointment as Foreign Minister.” Ms. Swaraj said. The two leaders discussed a range of issues aimed at improving ties between the two Asian powers. Hours later, reports emerged that PM Narendra Modi will be visiting China on April 27th-28th to hold talks with President Xi Jinping. Ms. Swaraj's meeting with Mr. Wang Yi comes just days after India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met top official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) … [Read more...] about Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj meets Chinese…

The package agreed by the Development Committee of the Board of Governors consists of USD7.5 billion paid-in capital for IBRD and USD5.5 billion paid-in capital for IFC, through both general and selective capital increases, as well as a USD52.6 billion callable capital increase for IBRD. The combined financing arms of the World Bank Group are expected to reach an average annual capacity of nearly USD100 billion between FY2019-2030, benefiting all Bank Group members across the income spectrum.World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said this capital package allows for greater responsiveness to risks to global stability and security, particularly in poorer countries and fragile states. The package will better assist all client countries in addressing global challenges while deploying scaled-up assistance to areas that most need financing, as well as putting forward a robust commitment by the World Bank Group to further strengthen its operational model and effectiveness. The … [Read more...] about WB Group shareholders endorse USD13 billion transformative capital…

Chinese President Xi Jinping and UK PM Theresa May (Source: Getty Images)During the call, the two leaders agreed to further promote the “Golden Era” of bilateral ties between the two sides, adding that China was pushing for more cooperation with the UK under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xinhua reported. President Xi went on to say that as permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and the UK should work together to build a new international relationship on the basis of mutual respect, justice and win-win cooperation. He said both countries were supporters of globalization, and that China was willing to work with the UK to support free trade and multi-lateralism. According to China’s state media, President Xi also told PM Theresa May that there needs to be a comprehensive, just and objective probe into a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria. The two also agreed that the use of chemical weapons “by anyone, anywhere, for any … [Read more...] about Chinese President Xi Jinping calls to UK PM Theresa May

President of Cuba’s Council of State and Council of Ministers Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez (Photo: VNA)With 603 votes or 99.86 percent of the votes, Mr. Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez was elected as President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers by the ninth President of Cuba’s National Assembly of People’s Power (NAPP) for the next five years.Mr. Diaz-Canel, 58, has served as Vice President of the powerful Council of State since 2013, when he was appointed by party leadership and approved by the National Assembly. Mr. Diaz-Canel will succeed current President Raul Castro, the brother of revolutionary Fidel Castro and a symbol of the country's 1959 transition from an authoritarian government to a communist state.Mr. Raul Castro, the 86-year-old Head of the country’s Council of State and Cabinet has been ruling Cuba since 2008, succeeding his brother Fidel Castro. In 2013, he began his second tenure and promised that he … [Read more...] about Miguel Diaz-Canel selected as next President of Cuba

At the site where a helicopter crashed in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, The accident killed an employee of the company operating the helicopter, PT IMIP, and wounded the pilot, co-pilot and another worker of the company, spokesman for the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.   After leaving a heliport of the company, the helicopter returned to the base. While trying to land, it hit the two employees, killing one of them and wounding the other, said Sutopo.The six Chinese nationals, the pilot and the co-pilot have been evacuated safely and rushed into a health clinic of PT IMIP for medical treatment before they were shifted to the General Hospital of Marowali, the spokesman said./. CPV/VNA … [Read more...] about Helicopter crash in Indonesia kills one, injures nine others