https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2022-alpina-b3-and-d3-s-saloons-revealed-uprated-power The Alpina B3 and Alpina D3 S have been updated in line with arrival of the facelifted BMW 3 Series, which was revealed by the German car maker last week. Both cars gain a boost in power, aerodynamic improvements, a revised exterior design and new technical software. The updated Alpina B3 is powered by a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine with an output of 488bhp - an improvement of 32bhp over the previous car. Torque is also uprated by 22lb ft to 538lb ft. The reserves are channelled through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The B3 Saloon covers 0-62mph in 3.6sec and estate-bodied Alpina B3 Touring completes the sprint in 3.7secs. Top speed stands at 190mph. Alpina’s D3 S, meanwhile, uses a 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine with mild-hybrid technology supported by a 48V starter-generator, which, the firm says, improves throttle response and efficiency. It has 5bhp more than the previous version, at 355bhp, and generates 539lb ft of torque. The D3 S Saloon takes 4.6sec to dispatch 0-62mph and the Alpina D3 S Touring 4.8sec. The D3 S can reach a top speed of 168mph. It's also capable of 40.9mpg. Both cars receive various exterior design changes, including additional components at the front and the rear to improve aerodynamics. Inside, each model is equipped with a 14.9in curved display, along with a digital driver's display and BMW’s eighth-generation iDrive system. Both cars are open for order now, with prices starting from €88,600 (£74,550) for the Alpine B3 and €77,050 (£64,831) for the D3. The first deliveries are expected in October.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61560786 North Korea fired three ballistic missiles early on Wednesday morning, South Korea's military has said. Authorities in Seoul said the missiles were fired in the space of less than an hour from the Sunan area in Pyongyang. It comes just a day after US President Joe Biden left the region, following a trip that saw him vowing to bolster measures to deter North Korea. North Korea has been test-firing a flurry of ballistic missiles since the beginning of this year. Japan confirmed at least two launches happened on Wednesday but acknowledged there may have been more. Japan's Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said the first missile flew about 300km (186 miles) with a maximum altitude of around 550km, while the second, reaching as high as 50km, travelled around 750km. Mr Kishi criticised the launches, saying they were "not acceptable" adding that it would "threaten the peace, stability and safety of Japan and the international community". In a meeting convened after the missile launch, South Korea's National Security Council called the test a "grave provocation", the presidential office said. The launches came hours after Mr Biden departed for the US on Tuesday evening, after a five-day trip that saw him visit South Korea and Japan. US and South Korean officials had earlier warned that North Korea appeared ready for another weapons test, possibly during the Biden visit. During his visit to Seoul over the weekend, Mr Biden and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol agreed to hold bigger military drills and deploy more US strategic assets if necessary to deter North Korea's intensifying weapons tests. Mr Biden had said the United States was "prepared for anything North Korea does". The timing of these launches is not an accident - just hours after President Biden completed his trip to Asia, and days after he agreed with South Korea's president to bolster their defences against North Korea. For weeks intelligence suggested North Korea was planning to test something major while the president was here. Slightly less provocatively, it has waited until he had left, but only just. Air Force One hadn't touched down on US tarmac before the missiles were fired. At their weekend summit, President Biden and President Yoon said they were ready to take on the threat of North Korea together. This was their first test. They have responded quickly, condemning the launches, while joint-firing missiles of their own. This marks another escalation by North Korea, which, over the past six months has become increasingly aggressive. But the concern is over what comes next. Evidence is mounting that North Korea is preparing to test a nuclear weapon. This would be its first nuclear test in five years and a major step-up.

Music Title: KAALI CAR (Official Video) Raftaar, Asees K Ft. Amyra D | Happy Raikoti | MixSingh | Hindi Song 2022 Signer: Raftaar, Asees K Ft. Amyra D Release Date: 22 May 2022 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer:----- Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):------

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61560543 Malaysia says it will cut the export of chickens from the start of June because of shortages in the country. Elsewhere in Asia, India has banned wheat exports, while Indonesia blocked overseas sales of palm oil. It comes as the world faces the worst food crisis in decades following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. One agriculture expert has highlighted concerns about the potential rise of so-called "food nationalism" by governments in the region. Malaysian shoppers have seen chicken prices surge in recent months, while some retailers have put limits on how much of the meat customers can buy. On Monday, Malaysia's Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the South East Asian country will stop exporting as many as 3.6m chickens every month "until domestic prices and production stabilise". "The government's priority is our own people," he said in a statement. Why chicken is getting more and more expensive Ukraine calls for safe passage for grain exports Neighbouring Singapore, where Malaysian imports account for around a third of its chicken supplies, looks set to be hit especially hard by the move. Almost all the birds are imported live before they are slaughtered and chilled in Singapore. Later on Monday, the Singapore Food Agency encouraged shoppers to buy frozen chicken and moved to discourage panic-buying. "While there may be temporary disruptions to the supply of chilled chicken, frozen chicken options remain available to mitigate the shortfall," the agency said in a statement. "We also advise consumers to buy only what they need." Impact of war Malaysia's chicken export ban is the latest development in the global food crisis. Last month, the World Bank warned that record rises in food prices could push hundreds of millions of people into poverty and low nutrition. Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat and its output has plunged since Russia invaded the country. This has caused a surge in global wheat prices. It has also raised the prospect of shortages in the countries which depend on its exports. On Monday, Yuliia Svyrydenko, the first deputy prime minister of Ukraine, told the BBC that the international community should create a "safe passage" to enable millions of tons of grain stuck in Ukraine to leave the country. Also speaking to the BBC's economics editor Faisal Islam on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, called Russia's blockage of Ukraine's food exports "a declaration of war on global food security". "We are already facing the worst food crisis since World War II," he said. "When you take 400 million people that are fed by the food that comes out from Ukraine and you shut that off, and then you add on top of that fertiliser problems, droughts, food costs, fuel costs, we're looking at a hellstorm on earth," Mr Beasley added. 'Food nationalism' at work? Wheat prices climbed again earlier this month after India banned exports of the staple cereal. The decision by the Indian government came after a heatwave in the country drove domestic prices to a record high. With droughts and floods threatening crops in other major producers, commodity traders had been expecting supplies from India to make up for part of the shortfall from Ukraine. Palm oil prices also surged in recent weeks when Indonesia, the top producer of the ingredient used in everything from processed food to soap, stopped exports for three weeks to bring down local prices of cooking oil. The ban was lifted on Monday. These are examples of "food nationalism", according to Sonia Akter, an assistant professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. "Governments impose such restrictions because they feel that they have to protect their citizens first and foremost," she said. "From the previous experience of the 2007-2008 food crisis, it is expected that more and more countries will follow suit, which will exacerbate the crisis as well as the food price inflation," she added. However, Professor William Chen of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University believes the export restrictions are just temporary in nature rather than fully-fledged food nationalism. "Other countries have imposed bans on food commodities but lifted the ban later on," said Mr Chen, who is a director of the university's food science and technology programme. "This is a good reflection of the interconnectivity of the food value chain, [where] no country can really depend on itself for all foods needed for their po[CENSORED]tion."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61547082 Leaders of the Quad nations are meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday in what can be described as one of the most important meetings in recent years that will affect the geopolitics and security of the Indo-Pacific region. The group - composed of Japan, the US, Australia and India - seems to be emerging from the shadows of the Covid-19 pandemic and, to some degree, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine as well. The top leaders are gathering for the fourth time - they have already met once in Washington last September and twice virtually - in less than two years. That underscores the importance of the Quad, which was largely just a concept until 2017. That year, then-US President Donald Trump revived the group in a bid to take on China in its own backyard. But analysts say the steady decline in each Quad nation's bilateral ties with China in the past few years appears to have given it new impetus. Michael Kugelman, deputy director at the Wilson Center think-tank, says the latest meeting is likely to sharply focus on the Indo-Pacific. "With the pandemic in the rear-view mirror and an understanding over India's stand on Ukraine, the Quad will get down to focusing on its core business of ensuring an open and free Indo-Pacific," he says. India has so far refused to directly criticise Russia over its war in Ukraine but it has reiterated the importance of respecting the sovereignty of each nation. Why India is not criticising Russia over Ukraine How India and US agreed to differ on Ukraine war After initial anger against India's stand, the US and other Western countries seem to have understood Delhi's position. The 2+2 Dialogue - attended by the foreign and defence ministers of the US and India - in April helped smooth their differences over Ukraine. The US has acknowledged that India's heavy dependence on Russia for its defence imports could not be overlooked. So the Quad will focus on mutual points of convergence - and China is the biggest of these. China has become increasingly assertive in the region, with ongoing maritime disputes with several countries and a land boundary conflict with India. Beijing is investing heavily in strengthening its navy and its recent security pact with the Solomon Islands has stoked fears in Australia. A leaked draft of the agreement - which was verified by the Australian government - said Chinese warships would be permitted to dock on the islands and that Beijing could send security forces "to assist in maintaining social order". It will be interesting to see how Anthony Albanese, Australia's newly elected PM, deals with this threat and how he raises the issue within the Quad framework. Japan, for its part, has become increasingly wary of what it calls routine "incursions" from the Chinese navy. As for the US, it is evident that it wants to protect its interests in the region. The launch of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which has 13 regional players, is a step in that direction. It aims to promote regional growth, sustainability and inclusivity in the region. It comes on the back of US President Joe Biden's recent meeting with the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) leaders in Washington. The region's importance can be understood from the fact that it has some of the world's most heavily used shipping lanes, including the Strait of Malacca. Around 30-40% of the world's trade, including goods and crude oil, passes through these lanes. So when Indian PM Narendra Modi, Mr Biden, Mr Albanese and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida meet in Tokyo, they may not mention China directly - but regional security will be on top of their agenda. The Quad has several working groups, including on cybersecurity, health, infrastructure and education, but it has not explicitly spoken about any defence co-operation. However, it's likely to announce a joint strategy to tackle illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific region - which analysts say is largely aimed at China. Mr Kugelman says this announcement would be quite significant because it involves the use of satellite imagery and active intelligence sharing - which will have security implications. But he adds that the group will need to do a lot more before Asean nations see it as a major counterbalance to China. It's not that there is no defence angle to the Quad. The four countries, and a few others, have taken part in India's Malabar naval exercises, and issues such as Afghanistan and North Korea's nuclear programme have been discussed at the Quad. Mr Biden recently warned China that the US would intervene militarily to protect the island if it is attacked. But Mr Kugelman points out that both Asean and Quad nations have significant trading volumes with China and they will try to avoid any direct confrontation with Beijing - at least until the Quad can emerge as a net security provider in the region. Moreover, Delhi is a partner with Beijing in several multilateral forums, including Brics - which also includes Russia, South Africa and Brazil. "The Quad has come a long way but it still has an informal structure and has no secretariat. So, it needs to keep evolving," Mr Kugelman says. Meanwhile, Russia's growing ties with China will most likely feature as well as they don't suit Delhi's geopolitical calculations. Some analysts have predicted that the Ukraine war may "send Russia into China's arms" and Beijing might be able to persuade Moscow to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific. If that happens, it will upset Delhi's interests the most as it has close ties with Russia and an ongoing dispute with China. It's just a scenario at the moment, Mr Kugelman says, but one that can't be completely overruled, especially since Russia has been quite critical of the Quad. Beijing's initial reaction to the Quad was to dismiss it, saying the group would "dissipate like sea foam". But it later sharpened its criticism of the group, calling it the "Asian Nato". On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Quad was formed "to contain China". With such hardening of positions from both sides, Asean nations - some of whom have active maritime disputes with China - may find themselves between what one analyst called "a rock and a hard place".

Live Performance Title: Hassan Raheem .. Expo Dubai Concert 2022 .. full video Signer Name: Hassan Raheem Live Performance Location: Dubai Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video):---

Music Title: Kyun | Karakoram x Hasan Raheem Signer: Karakoram x Hasan Raheem Release Date: 20 May 2022 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer:--- Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video):---

HB @ArInA-pAn, sorry for late!!!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61490635 For the past 15 years, India and China have vied for favourable diplomatic and trade relations with Sri Lanka thanks to its strategic location in the Indian ocean. While po[CENSORED]r perception indicated China had outpaced India, the recent economic and political turmoil in Sri Lanka seems to have given India's foreign policy a fresh lease of life in the island nation. Sri Lanka is in the middle of its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. The country has been rocked by protests as people seethe with anger over soaring prices and shortages of food and fuel. Last week, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister after his supporters clashed with peaceful protesters, sparking a deadly night of violence on 9 May. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took over as PM, said the country's economic problems would get worse before getting better. He appealed for outside financial help, including from India. Sri Lanka down to last day of petrol, new PM says How Sri Lanka's war heroes became villains India has never been a major lender to Sri Lanka, unlike China which by the end of 2019 owned a little over 10% of Sri Lanka's outstanding foreign debt stock. In early 2021, with the economic crisis looming, the Sri Lankan government had also obtained a 10bn yuan ($148m; £119m) currency swap facility from China to tackle its foreign exchange shortage. But now, India is slowly emerging as one of the biggest providers of aid to Sri Lanka. Colombo has racked up $51bn (£39bn) in foreign debt. This year, it will be required to pay $7bn (£5.4bn) to service these debts, with similar amounts for years to come. The country is also seeking emergency loans of $3bn to pay for essential imports such as fuel. While the World Bank has agreed to lend it $600m, India has committed $1.9bn and may lend an additional $1.5bn for imports. Delhi has also sent 65,000 tonnes of fertiliser and 400,000 tonnes of fuel, with more fuel shipments expected later in May. It has committed to sending more medical supplies too. In return, India has clinched an agreement which allows the Indian Oil Corporation access to the British-built Trincomalee oil tank farm. India also aims to develop a 100MW power plant near Trincomalee. Mixed feelings over Indian help Many in Sri Lanka feel that India's growing presence in Colombo could mean a "dilution of sovereignty". "For the past year and a half, there has been a crisis in Sri Lanka and we believe India has used this to serve its own interests. Yes, they gave some credit, some medicines and food but [they are] not being a friend. There is a hidden political agenda," said Pabuda Jayagoda of the Frontline Socialist Party. But others are more accepting of Indian help. "Let's not blame India for our woes," says V Ratnasingham, an onion importer in Colombo. "We are still getting onions from India at a decent price and they are giving us credit in times of crisis. It's the Sri Lankan government's failure that onion prices have trebled." The suspicion over India's intentions right now comes against the backdrop of Sri Lanka's ties to China. After Mahinda Rajapaksa took charge as president in 2005, Sri Lanka's drift towards China was believed to be a preference for a "more reliable partner enabling domestic economic development". More and more infrastructure projects - including the multi-billion dollar Hambantota port and the Colombo-Galle expressway - were awarded to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping's maiden visit to Colombo in 2014 was also a clear diplomatic signal to Delhi. How soaring cost of living is hitting Sri Lanka hard Hambantota is nowadays commonly referred to as a "white elephant" which bled Sri Lanka's economy. So are several other expensive projects which led Sri Lanka into a huge Chinese debt-cycle. Many anti-government protesters at Colombo's Galle Face Green are convinced that this push to modernise fast led Sri Lanka to its current situation. The country owes China $6.5bn and talks are being held on restructuring the debt. While China had earlier agreed to bolster Sri Lanka's foreign currency reserves by swapping the rupee for the yuan, it has since signalled displeasure over Colombo approaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help. Noora Noor, 44, has been camping at Galle Face along with her family, demanding President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the younger brother of Mahinda, resign. "All Chinese money that came in was never accounted for, right? Why else would my country have defaulted on payments? Now all supplies are coming from India, so my question is who should we trust - China or India?" she asks. Still, there are some optimists who feel diplomacy will help. "Is Sri Lanka being placed on a collision course with China? If so, we need to avoid such an eventuality due to other negative situations that may arise. Balancing relationships is a must," Austin Fernando, Sri Lanka's former high commissioner to India, wrote in The Island newspaper. India's efforts India has tried hard to match up to the growing Chinese clout in what it sees as its neighbourhood. After President Xi's visit in 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only visited Colombo the next year but also claimed to be "the best of friends" while addressing the Sri Lankan parliament. Arjuna Ranatunga, a former Sri Lankan cricketer who went on to become a cabinet minister, recalls India being generous when he was in office. "I was handling both the petroleum and port ministries in 2015 and we were struggling to construct the Jaffna airport for a lack of funds. I went to Delhi seeking help. PM Modi's government offered a subsidised loan and later converted it into a grant. What else do you want from a neighbour?" The return of the Rajapaksas to power in 2019, this time with Gotabaya president and Mahinda prime minister, also made India realign its foreign policy options and new agreements over oil and food commodities were signed hastily. State visits followed between Colombo and Delhi without eliciting much response from China. What's behind Sri Lanka's economic crisis? The question of Sri Lanka's Tamil minorities and their demand for rights has been at the forefront of the diplomatic negotiations with India. After the civil war ended in 2009, India extended support to the Sri Lankan government. Sri Lanka is, however, yet to implement the 1987 India-Sri Lanka Peace Accord which promised to devolve powers to all provinces, including where the Tamils were in a majority. The current economic crisis, however, has certainly leapfrogged over any other political concerns between the two nations. There has been a shift in public perception in Sri Lanka - which was seen as anti-India and pro-China - thanks to consistent supplies from India of essential commodities. "India did lose out to China about 15 years ago but is trying hard to make a decent comeback," says Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo. "Ethnic minorities in Sri Lanka have always looked up to India to champion their demands for equal rights, whereas the Sinhalese majority still has a mixed perception," she says. "Some also worry over India's interference in internal matters. But I feel the last few weeks have changed this completely."

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday

Happy birthday