South Korea’s Defense minister highlights submarine bid in call with Canadian counterpart

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Seoul, June 4 (IANS) Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back held a phone call with his Canadian counterpart, David McGuinty, on Thursday and underscored the commitment to expanding bilateral defence ties amid South Korea’s push to win Canada’s submarine procurement project, the defence ministry said.

During the talks, Ahn expressed hope that the two countries would strengthen solidarity as key partners across a wide range of areas, including the submarine project, security and defence cooperation, and broader industrial collaboration.

The ministers agreed that their joint exercise last month helped further enhance interoperability between their navies, while reaffirming their shared commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Ahn also praised the port visit of the 3,000-ton ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine to Esquimalt in Victoria last month, which marked the first trans-Pacific voyage by a South Korean submarine, the ministry said.

The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) is a major procurement program involving up to 12 diesel-electric submarines, which is estimated at up to 60 trillion won (US$39.7 billion), including construction, maintenance, repair and overhaul.

A consortium of Hanwha Ocean Co. and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. has been shortlisted for the project and is competing with Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). Canada is expected to announce its preferred bidder later this month.

South Korea has proposed a hydrogen-powered truck project as part of its bid for a major Canadian submarine contract to boost its offer against Germany, according to a Canadian media report.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik unveiled the proposal in an interview with Canada’s CTV News on Wednesday (local time) during his visit to Canada as President Lee Jae Myung’s special envoy supporting Seoul’s campaign to supply 12 submarines to Ottawa.

During the interview, Kang said South Korea would invest more than $2.3 billion in Canada to help establish a hydrogen-powered trucking industry and create about 9,000 jobs through a project code-named “Project Beaver” if the Korean consortium wins the submarine contract.

–IANS

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CBSE launches 15-day helpline, free counselling for Class 10, 12 students after results

New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) In a bid to support students in the wake of the Class 10 and 12 board exam results, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched its second round of free psychosocial counselling services. The helpline, which began on May 13, will be available until May 28, 2025.

After the CBSE declared the results for over 37 lakh students, with more than 22 lakh passing Class 10 with a 93.66 per cent success rate, and nearly 15 lakh passing Class 12 with an 88.39 per cent pass rate, the board extended its efforts to ensure the emotional well-being of students and their families during this stressful time. The CBSE Result 2025 mark sheets can be accessed using login credentials such as the examinee’s roll number, admit card ID, school code, and date of birth.

The free counselling service offers a range of support options. Students and parents can access:

IVRS Support (24/7): By dialling 1800-11-8004, individuals can get immediate answers to questions on stress management, time management, and other exam-related concerns.

Tele-Counselling: Between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., 65 trained experts, including principals, counsellors, and special educators from CBSE schools in India and abroad, will offer guidance.

Online Resources: The CBSE website and its YouTube channel provide podcasts and videos on topics such as mental health and handling academic pressure.

To access the services, students can visit the “Counselling” section of the CBSE website or check out the official CBSE HQ YouTube channel.

This thoughtful initiative comes at a crucial time when students are not only reflecting on their board results but also preparing for national exams such as the CUET, JEE, and NEET. CBSE’s counselling services aim to ensure that students’ emotional well-being remains a priority as they navigate the next steps in their academic journeys.

–IANS

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‘Don’t believe MLA Iqbal Hussain’: Shivakumar on leadership change (Lead)

Bengaluru, Dec 13 (IANS) Reacting to Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain’s remarks, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar said on Saturday that no one should believe Hussain’s words.

“No one should believe Iqbal Hussain’s words. Legal action needs to be taken against him. Iqbal Hussain has a habit of talking too much. No one should believe him,” said Shivakumar.

Earlier, Iqbal Hussain said that the post of Chief Minister should be handed over to Deputy CM Shivakumar.

“He must be given an opportunity. The high command is responding to this demand. There are chances of Shivakumar becoming the Chief Minister on January 6. And January 6 and January 9 are lucky numbers for D.K. Shivakumar. We are 140 MLAs, and it does not matter who has the numbers in terms of strength. The Congress is a disciplined party, and we are committed to the decision of the high command,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he would abide by the high command’s decision on the leadership issue.

Another Congress MLA, Shivaganga Basavaraj, said that if Shivakumar were to assume the Chief Minister’s post on January 6, he would be the happiest.

“Numerologically, 6 and 9 are lucky numbers for Shivakumar. He is a god-like figure to me,” he added.

Despite repeated appeals by the party leadership to refrain from issuing statements on the ongoing leadership issue in Karnataka, Congress leaders have continued to comment on the matter.

Iqbal Hussain, a staunch supporter of Shivakumar, also said on Friday that the hard work which the Deputy CM has put in for the Congress will yield results.

Speaking to the media in Belagavi, MLA Hussain also added that this would happen soon after the Assembly session concludes.

Responding to claims from the Siddaramaiah camp that Shivakumar does not enjoy the support of MLAs, Iqbal Hussain said that the numbers do not matter; what matters is the directive of the Congress High Command.

Commenting on the strong rumours of the organisation of a dinner meeting to show off his strength against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President Shivakumar had said, “I am not displaying any strength, nor do I need to.”

The Deputy CM said, “No one needs to come behind me, and no one should speak on my behalf. I, including the Chief Minister, and all 140 MLAs belong to one group — the Congress group. Do not create room for any groupism.”

–IANS

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TN polls: Left parties missing from Coimbatore electoral fray for first time since 1952

Coimbatore, April 1 (IANS) In an unprecedented development in Tamil Nadu’s political history, Coimbatore district will go to the Assembly polls without any candidates from Left parties, ending a continuous electoral presence that dates back to the first elections in independent India.

The absence marks a major shift in the district’s political character ahead of the 2026 polls. The development is being seen as a reflection of both changing socio-economic realities and evolving political alignments in the state.

Once considered a natural base for communist parties, Coimbatore has, over the years, witnessed a steady decline in the factors that sustained Left influence, particularly organised labour movements.

At the heart of this transformation lies the decline of the textile sector, which once formed the backbone of Coimbatore’s economy. The shutdown of major mills, including those under the National Textile Corporation (NTC), especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, has weakened trade unions that traditionally backed Left parties in the region.

With the shrinking presence of industrial labour and union networks, the electoral strength of parties such as the CPI and the CPI(M) has gradually diminished, reducing their ability to independently contest and win seats in the district.

A senior CPI functionary noted that the diminishing strength of labour unions has directly impacted the electoral prospects of Left parties. “Since the first Assembly elections in 1952, Left parties have consistently contested in Coimbatore, either independently or as part of alliances, and have secured victories in key constituencies. The weakening of unions has altered that dynamic,” the leader said.

Historically, the CPI(M) had notable success in constituencies such as Coimbatore East, where it secured five victories, while Perur and Singanallur delivered two wins each. The CPI, on the other hand, won the Valparai Assembly seat in 1980 and 2011.

At the parliamentary level, the CPI clinched the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency five times, while the CPI(M) won it thrice. Political observers attribute the absence of Left candidates in 2026 largely to seat-sharing arrangements within the DMK-led alliance.

Both CPI and CPI(M) had reportedly sought to contest seats such as Valparai and Singanallur but were ultimately not accommodated. Even as they stay out of direct electoral contests in the district, Left parties have shifted their focus to strengthening the DMK-led alliance’s prospects, with leaders indicating that cadre mobilisation and grassroots campaign work are already in progress across all constituencies.

–IANS

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