Russia on Wednesday proposed to create the Association of Ethno-Gastronomic Tourism,  saying it would help strengthen cooperation between states and the private sector at the BRICS working group meeting.

Nikita Kondratiev, Director of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development made the announcement on the ministry’s website.

“The accession of new members to BRICS expands not only the geography but also the cultural diversity of the association.

Kondratiev noted that gastronomic travelling in the world had been developing very actively in recent years.

He stressed that such dynamics could  be associated with the growth of tourist spending, the increasing popularity of niche tours and travelers interest in eco-friendly food. (Tv Brics/NAN)

 German authorities have arrested three men on suspicion of planning arson and explosive attacks on railway freight transport in Germany on behalf of Russia, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

The suspects are said to have told several persons allegedly commissioned by Russia that they were willing to carry out the acts of sabotage, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe said.

German intelligence services believe Russian actors are hiring people to carry out espionage and sabotage operations across the country.

The deployment of professional spies are being made increasingly difficult due to sanctions and increased vigilance amid Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

Three German-Russian nationals were charged with spying for Moscow in December.The man at the centre of the indictment is said to have discussed sabotage operations on German soil with a Russian agent and agreed to carry out explosive and arson attacks on industrial sites and infrastructure used by the military.

According to prosecutors, this was an attempt to undermine the military aid provided by Germany to  Ukraine. (dpa/NAN)

 The Israeli military has once again called on civilians in Yemen to evacuate several ports, after it intercepted a missile launched by the Houthi militia.

The “repeated warning” concerns the Houthi-controlled harbours of Ras Isa, Hodeidah and Salif in the west of the country, an army spokesman wrote in Arabic on X.

The Houthis are using the ports for “terrorist activities,” the spokesman said, adding that civilians should stay away from the facilities for their own safety.

The latest development comes days after Israel called on civilians to evacuate the three harbours on Sunday evening.

No information on subsequent Israeli attacks on the ports has emerged.

The Iran-backed Houthi militia has regularly launched missile and drone attacks against Israel since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

The group, which says it is acting in solidarity with the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas, has recently stepped up its attacks, with one rocket hitting close to Tel Aviv’s international airport earlier this month.

In response, Israel attacked the international airport in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.

Another launch was reported by the Israeli military on Wednesday, with sirens sounding in Jerusalem and other cities.

The missile was intercepted. (dpa/NAN)