MEA advises seafarers to exercise caution before taking jobs on commercial vessels in Black Sea region

July 26, 2026 6:13 PM

MEA advises seafarers to exercise caution before taking jobs on commercial vessels in Black Sea region

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday issued an advisory urging Indian nationals to carefully assess security risks before accepting employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected Black Sea region, citing a sharp rise in attacks on merchant ships and the deaths of five Indian nationals since April this year. The advisory noted that the security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas remains highly volatile due to the ongo...

World food prices rise for third straight month in May, UN says

June 7, 2024 4:56 PM

World food prices rise for third straight month in May, UN says

The United Nations World Food Price Index rose for a third consecutive month in May, as higher cereals and dairy product prices outweighed drops in prices for sugar and vegetable oils. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization's price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 120.4 points in May, up 0.9% from its revised April level, the FAO said on Friday. The May reading was nonetheless 3.4% below the level seen a year earlier. The FAO index hit a three-year l...