Israel, US wrap up joint naval drill

Seoul, July 29 (IANS) North

Korean leader Kim Jong-un met a Chinese delegation, a day after commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, Pyongyang's state media reported on Saturday.

During Friday's meeting, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment

The Chinese party-government delegation arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday to attend anniversary celebrations held the following day, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Led by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo, the delegation was one of the first foreign groups to visit Pyongyang since

On Friday, Kim expressed gratitude to China for its help during the Korean War and said North Korea will always remember the significant contributions made during its "most difficult period", according to the KCNA.

Kim also voiced his appreciation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for sending the delegation and a personal letter.

SL lifts ban on 5 Islamic groups proscribed under terrorism law in 2019 Easter Sunday terror attack

before the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday attack.

Jerusalem, July 28 (IANS) The Israeli military has said that its Flotilla 13 naval commando unit has concluded a joint exercise with the US Armed Forces. During the drill, dubbed 'Juniper Spartan', the forces held several maritime security training scenarios, according to a statement released by the Israeli military on Thursday. Israel frequently collaborates with the US Armed Forces in joint drills, which the Israeli Army said would "lead the two sides to mutual learning, the strengthening of professional ties, and professional improvements". The recent exercise was "yet another sign of the deep and operational cooperation between the Israel Defense Forces and the US Armed Forces," the statement said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report. The drill was carried out amid heightened tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians, growing Israeli concerns over Iran's activities in the Middle East, and internal turmoil triggered by a contentious government plan to overhaul the country's legal system.

Colombo, July 28 (IANS) Sri Lanka has lifted ban on five out of 11 Islamic groups that were proscribed under the terrorism law in connection with the Easter attack more than four years ago.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Defence Minister issued an extraordinary gazette lifting the ban issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) by the former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The ban has been issued under the section "Proscription of Extremist Organisations" under the PTA on April 13, 2021, a week

The Sri Lanka President repealed the ban on the United Thawheed Jamma'ath (UTJ), Ceylon Thawheed Jamma'ath (CTJ), Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamma'ath (SLTJ), All Ceylon Thawheed Jamma'ath (ACTJ) and the Jamiyathul Ansaari Sunnathul Mohomadiya (JASM).

President Gotabaya had banned the organisation amid the pressure by Catholic Church and the people demanding action against the first-ever coordinated suicide bomb attacks on April 19, 2019, at three churches and three start-class hotels in the capital Colombo.

The attacks killed nearly 270 people, including foreigners, and injured more than 500. Organisations banned included those linked to the main suicide bomber, who killed himself along with eight others. They had pledged allegiance to the then ISIL leader, Abu Bakr alBaghdadi.

The inquiry into the attacks revealed that India's intelligence services had alerted Sri Lankan intelligence leaders with details on the attack more than two weeks prior to the attacks but Sri Lankan counterparts had failed to act on them.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court found former President Maithripala Sirisena and four other senior defence officials guilty for their negligence to prevent the attacks.

Former police head Pujith Jayasundera and the then Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were indicted over the attacks but they were acquitted at the end of the trial.

Ukraine requires $37 bn in external financing next year

press service on Thursday.

The official stressed the need for Ukraine to continue its cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and other foreign partners to obtain the aid, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kiev, July 28 (IANS) Andriy

Pyshnyy, Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), said that Ukraine will require at least $37 billion in external financing next year due to high expenditures on defence.

"International support will remain very important for maintaining macrofinancial stability in the coming years," Pyshnyy was quoted as saying by the bank's

Pyshnyy informed that since the beginning of this year, Ukraine received about $27 billion in international assistance, which allowed it to boost foreign reserves to an all-time high of $39 billion at the end of June. At the end of this year, international assistance for Ukraine is expected to reach $42 billion, Pyshnyy said.