Latest news with #Russian-developed
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First Post
4 days ago
- Business
- First Post
Putin wants to replace WhatsApp in Russia with a ‘national messenger' app
WhatsApp is the last surviving foreign messaging platform in Russia, and now, Putin wants it gone. The Russian president recently highlighted the need to establish a 'national messenger' read more WhatsApp logo is seen in this illustration taken, on August 22, 2022. Reuters File Russian President Vladimir Putin wants his officials to deactivate their WhatsApp accounts and embrace a national messaging service that the country plans to create within the next few years. WhatsApp is the last surviving foreign messaging platform in Russia, and now, Putin wants it gone. The Russian president recently highlighted the need to establish a 'national messenger'. The State Duma of Russia has adopted a federal law that will oversee the creation of the service for correspondence, telephone calls, and as a platform to receive public and commercial services. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The development was confirmed by presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to a report by TASS. What will the new messenger be like? Peskov has noted that Russia's indigenous messaging service should be 'best quality' and 'on par' with foreign alternatives. The new service will run on Russian-developed software and be integrated with the government portal Gosuslugi, allowing users to verify their identity, present digital documents, register transactions, and certify documents using electronic signatures. 'The emergence of a national messenger is great, provided that it will be a competitive messenger that is on par, as they say, with foreign alternatives. Because there are many of them out there, and anyone can use them,' Peskov said. Peskov emphasised the need to cultivate a competitive landscape in the sector, stating that 'a national messenger - and not just a single one - should appear in our country,' highlighting the belief that competition fuels innovation. He added, 'There should also be a competitive environment in this field, because worldwide, messengers thrive only in conditions of very, very tough competition.' Which countries have their own messaging services? With the introduction of its own messaging service, Russia won't be the first country to enter the market of correspondence apps. Countries like China, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea have their indigenous messaging applications.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kim Jong Un supervises North Korea's air drills, pushes for enhanced war preparation
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the country's air force drills and emphasized the need to intensify war preparation, according to state media. Kim inspected anti-aircraft combat and air strike drills conducted by North Korea's 1st Air Division on Thursday, the Korean Central News Agency reported. The North Korean leader called for all military units to achieve "a breakthrough in war preparation," according to the outlet. North Korea Launches Short-range Ballistic Missiles Into Sea, South Korea Says Footage of the drills aired on state TV showed a MiG-29 jet launching a missile that appeared to be a North Korean version of a Russian-developed mid- to long-range air-to-air missile, according to Hong Min, North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification. Earlier this month, the North Korean leader supervised a missile test, inspected tank and munitions plants, and made a rare stop at the Russian embassy in Pyongyang to reaffirm the nation's alliance with Moscow. He also oversaw tank firing drills and special operations training. Read On The Fox News App 600 North Korean Troops Killed While Fighting Ukraine, South Korea Says North Korea also condemned the U.S. State Department for including it on a list of countries that do not fully cooperate with U.S. counterterrorism efforts -- a designation it has received annually since 1997, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. "The more the U.S. provokes the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] with unnecessary and inefficient malicious acts, the further it will escalate the irreconcilable hostility between the DPRK and the U.S.," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. "The DPRK will ... take effective and proper measures to cope with the U.S. hostile provocations in all spheres," the spokesperson continued. Reuters contributed to this article source: Kim Jong Un supervises North Korea's air drills, pushes for enhanced war preparation
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
India sends warships towards Pakistan after more clashes
India has sent warships equipped with supersonic cruise missiles towards Pakistan after days of cross-border clashes between the two nuclear-armed states. New Delhi has moved its western fleet closer to the northern Arabian Sea, placing it within striking range of Karachi, Pakistan's largest port. The strike group includes an aircraft carrier, destroyers, frigates and anti-submarine ships and is roughly 300-400 miles from the Pakistani coast. Some of the vessels are carrying the partly Russian-developed BrahMos missile, which carries a 300kg warhead and is capable of travelling at speeds of up to Mach 3 to strike targets up to 500 miles away. Analysts have warned that striking Karachi could have catastrophic consequences for Pakistan, as the port handles 60 per cent of the country's trade, as well as its naval headquarters. The navy's deployment comes a day after India said it had intercepted a wave of Pakistani missile and drone attacks on 15 cities across its northern and western regions. In response, New Delhi said it hit Pakistan's air defence systems in Lahore. Pakistan reported no damage, denied carrying out any attack on India and said it had intercepted 48 drones in the latest wave of attacks. India's military struck multiple sites in Pakistan on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack, in which 26 people were killed after gunmen opened fire on a tourist site in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India claims that the strikes, carried out by around 80 jets, destroyed nine terrorist camps, but Pakistan said 31 civilians were killed and that mosques and a power plant were targeted. Pakistan said it had shot down multiple Indian warplanes during the bombardment, including three French-built Rafale fighter jets. At a Pakistani military briefing in the city of Rawalpindi, the army's spokesman suggested that aggressive retaliation was to come. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan would respond to India at a 'time, method and place of our choosing'. 'They want to set a new norm,' he added. 'Will we allow this to happen?' Holding up pictures of Pakistani children killed in the Indian strikes, Mr Chaudhry said: 'Remember these pictures when you ask us what Pakistan is going to do.' Cross-border shelling since May 7 has killed nearly two dozen civilians near the Line of Control, the militarised boundary dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan. The Indian foreign secretary on Friday spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and offered condolences for the loss of civilian casualties, and urged both countries to de-escalate. He later discussed 'countering terrorism' with the Indian foreign minister. Pakistan's foreign ministry said on Friday that 'India's reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict'. The Indian Premier League cricket series was suspended for one week on Friday due to the spiralling tensions. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
