Russia on Tuesday successfully launched a set of undisclosed military satellites aboard an Angara-1.2 light launch vehicle from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, the defence ministry said.

The launch took place at 4:42 pm Moscow time (7:12 pm IST) from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, the world's northernmost spaceport located in the Arkhangelsk region, the state-run TASS news agency reported, citing a defence ministry statement.

The ministry did not reveal the number or nature of the satellites placed in orbit, saying only that the mission was carried out "in the interests of the defence ministry" by a combat crew of the Aerospace Forces.

The Indian Navy’s indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant arrived today at the Port of Colombo, responding to an invitation from the Sri Lanka Navy to join the forthcoming International Fleet Review 2025 (IFR). The harbour is alive with excitement as a large crowd – including many children and members of the Indian diaspora – gathered to greet the towering warship, marking a significant moment of maritime diplomacy and public fascination.

INS Vikrant, commissioned in 2022 as India’s first fully indigenous aircraft carrier, represents a major milestone for the Indian Navy. The visit continues a long tradition of goodwill between India and Sri Lanka, cementing mutual trust and cooperation.

The Sri Lanka Navy is conducting its fleet review as part of its 75th-anniversary celebrations and will bring together ships from several countries, reflecting Colombo’s ambition to underscore its growing role in regional maritime diplomacy.

The arrival of INS Vikrant is not only a diplomatic gesture but also a strategic symbol of India’s enhanced maritime capabilities in the Indian Ocean region.

Soldiers of the Indian Army and Nepalese Army on Tuesday began the joint military exercise "Exercise SURYAKIRAN XIX - 2025" at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. The 14-day exercise is being conducted from November 25 to December 8. It is the 19th edition of this institutionalised bilateral Army exercise.

The soldiers, apart from the conventional training exercise, will also be undergoing simulation of situations demanding the use of niche technologies.

The Indian Army in a statement said, "This edition of Exercise SURYAKIRAN-XIX will focus on incorporating niche and emerging technologies, including Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), drone-based ISR, AI-enabled decision support tools, unmanned logistic vehicles and armoured protection platforms, enabling both armies to refine and adapt Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for operating in counter terrorism environment aligned to prevailing global dynamics."

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF have announced a new agreement that it said will make the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccines significantly more accessible and affordable, paving the way to protect more children.

The deal, backed by Gavi and executed by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is expected to generate up to $90 million in savings for Gavi and countries, equivalent to more than 30 million additional doses — enabling the full vaccination of nearly seven million more children against malaria over the next five years. The deal is financed by Gavi through an advance payment enabled by the innovative International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) mechanism.

The lower price of the vaccine — at $ 2.99 per dose — is anticipated to take effect in approximately one year.

Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics and Defence of France today signed a Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement in New Delhi, for the production of Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) Smart Precision Guided Air-to-Ground Weapon.

Ministry of Defence said that the agreement will localise the manufacturing, supply and maintenance of HAMMER to meet the operational needs of the Air Force and Navy.

It is informed that the indigenisation level will progressively increase up to 60 per cent with key sub-assemblies, electronics and mechanical parts being manufactured locally.

In Nagaland, the Dr Talimeren Ao Junior Girls National Football Championship 2025-26 (Tier-2) got underway at the Chümoukedima Football Stadium yesterday. The first match was played among the Group B teams. In the opening matches yesterday, Punjab defeated Andaman and Nicobar, 20-Nil, while host Nagaland lost to Uttarakhand, 1-3.

Nagaland is hosting the national football tournament for the first time. Earlier, addressing the inaugural session, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio lauded the All India Football Federation’s decision to rename the event after Indian footballer and physician from Nagaland, Dr T Ao, calling it fitting tribute to his legacy in Indian football. He said it celebrates the unity, strength, and spirit of Indian sports through the participation of talented young players from across the country. Mr Rio said the championship showcases the growing strength and confidence of young women driving the rise of women’s football in India.

In Squash, Indian prodigy Anahat Singh defeated her senior compatriot Joshna Chinappa to win the women’s title at the Indian Open in Indore yesterday. The top seed and India’s number one women’s squash player, Anahat, won the final against her more experienced and unseeded opponent 3-2 (11-8, 11-13, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9) in 54 minutes.

In the semifinals, the 17-year-old Anahat edged out Irish third seed Hannah Craig 3-2, while unseeded veteran Joshna rallied to beat Egyptian second seed Nadien Elhammamy 3-1.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the largest three-year budget in Dubai’s history, with total expenditure of AED302.7 billion ($82.4 billion) and projected revenues of AED329.2 billion ($89.6 billion) for the 2026-2028 cycle.

The plan supports the emirate’s long-term goals of sustainable economic growth, strengthened public services and enhanced global competitiveness.

For 2026, expenditure stands at AED99.5 billion ($27.1 billion), with expected revenues of AED107.7 billion ($29.3 billion), including AED5 billion ($1.36 billion) allocated to general reserves.

The spending plan dedicates 48 per cent to infrastructure development, 28 per cent to social sectors such as health, education and housing, and 18 per cent to security and safety. Dubai’s Department of Finance forecasts an operating surplus of up to 5 per cent of projected GDP for 2026.

India today sent off its contingent for the WorldSkills Asia Competition 2025. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said that 23 candidates will take part in the competition to be held in Chinese Taipei from the 27th of this month.

Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary participated in the send-off ceremony and said that the government is committed to empowering talent that can compete, collaborate, and contribute to the vision of becoming Skill Capital of the World.

Expressing confidence in the Indian contingent, he said that the participants have undergone months of rigorous training under the mentorship of experts and the unwavering support of our Sector Skill Councils.

In an interconnected and geopolitical world, with global prosperity being a common goal, the latest 2025 Commitment to Development Index (CDI) notes that countries are giving less finance for international development.

The index, published by the Centre for Global Development, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, DC and London, evaluates a country’s overall commitment to development through eight policy components: development finance, exchange policies on investment, migration and trade, and global public goods in the areas of environment, health, security and technology.

Topping the rankings this year, Sweden retains its two-time position on CDI 2025. The Scandinavian country ranks first in environment, second in development finance, and fourth in health, although it witnessed weak performance in technology