Science

India signs $7 bn deal for 97 domestically made fighter jets by AFP Staff Writers New Delhi (AFP) Sept 25, 2025 India on Thursday signed a $7 billion order for 97 domestically designed and built Tejas fighter jets as its air force retires its outgoing Russian MiG-21 jets after decades of use. The first Tejas

Seychelles votes amid concerns over hotel near marine reserve By Rassin VANNIER Victoria, Seychelles (AFP) Sept 24, 2025 Citizens in the beach paradise of Seychelles vote this week in tightly fought elections amid concerns over a Qatari hotel complex being built near a world-renowned marine reserve. Voting in the Indian Ocean archipelago runs from Thursday

Polluting Singapore ship’s agent pays token damages to Sri Lanka By Amal JAYASINGHE Colombo (AFP) Sept 24, 2025 A Singapore-registered ship’s Sri Lanka agent paid $1 million out of $1 billion damages awarded for causing the island’s worst pollution, a litigant told AFP Wednesday. The Sea Consortium (Private) Limited made the token payment in “good

Indian armoured vehicle factory inaugurated in Morocco by AFP Staff Writers Rabat (AFP) Sept 23, 2025 A factory producing Indian infantry combat vehicles was inaugurated in Morocco on Tuesday, the two sides said, in a move underscoring the South Asian giant’s widening defence footprint. The TATA Advanced Systems Maroc plant, located in the industrial zone

Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, a tech industry favourite, concerns India by AFP Staff Writers New Delhi (AFP) Sept 20, 2025 India’s leading IT trade body said on Saturday it was concerned by a new annual $100,000 fee that US President Donald Trump ordered for H-1B skilled worker visas, an addition that could have

New visa rules shatter the American dream for many Indians By Aishwarya Kumar with Anuj Srivas in Mumbai Bengaluru, India (AFP) Sept 21, 2025 Indian aerospace engineering student Sudhanva Kashyap thought he had mapped out everything it would take to get to the United States, only to have his plans upended by Washington’s sudden and

Singapore firm rejects paying $1bn Sri Lankan pollution damages By Martin ABBUGAO with Amal JAYASINGHE in Colombo Singapore (AFP) Sept 23, 2025 A Singapore shipping company told AFP on Tuesday it will refuse to pay Sri Lankan court-ordered damages of US$1 billion for causing that country’s worst case of environmental pollution. In an exclusive interview

Pakistan extends nuclear umbrella to Saudi Arabia: source close to govt by AFP Staff Writers Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (AFP) Sept 21, 2025 Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella will cover Saudi Arabia, a source close to the kingdom’s government told AFP on Sunday, days after the two allies signed a surprise mutual defence treaty. The source told AFP

Framatome expands nuclear footprint with new India operations base by Erica Marchand Paris, France (SPX) Sep 22, 2025 Framatome formally opened its new operations hub in Navi Mumbai on September 17, joined by dignitaries from the French Embassy, Consulate, EDF, and company leadership. The move signals Framatome’s long-term commitment to India’s ambitious target of 100

S.Africa top court hears landmark case on Shell offshore exploration by AFP Staff Writers Johannesburg (AFP) Sept 16, 2025 South Africa’s top court on Tuesday heard arguments in a landmark case pitting environmentalists and coastal communities against energy giant Shell’s oil and gas exploration off the Indian Ocean coast. The Constitutional court hearing marks the