NAMASKAR! A warm welcome to 'World News: an Indian perspective on All India Radio. This is GAURAV SHARMA   and with me is NABANITA ADHIKARI bringing glimpses of the major developments of the day from across the globe. Over the next half an hour, we shall bring to you the latest from the world of politics, economy, sports, entertainment and more.

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THE HEADLINES:

⦁ Landslide victory for BJP in Assembly polls in western state of Gujarat ; Congress set to form Government in hill state of Himachal Pradesh.

⦁ Prime Minster Narendra Modi says, public mandate received by BJP reflects aspirations of New India.

⦁ Ninth World Ayurveda Congress inaugurated at Panaji, Goa on Thursday.

⦁ Threat of Nuclear War increasing, says Russian President Vladimir Putin.

⦁ Dina Boluarte assumes office as the first female President in Peru.

⦁ BCCI announces schedule for upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy and limited-overs home series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia in January and February 2023.

⦁ And, FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter-final stage kicks off on Friday; Brazil to take on Croatia in the first match.

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PM - ELECTION VICTORY

Prime Minister Narendra Modi  has said that public mandate received by the BJP in the western state of Gujarat and hill state of Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections is a reflection of the aspirations of a New India. He said, the public support received by the Party is a manifestation of the Yuva Soch (Young Thinking) of the youth of India. The Prime Minister highlighted that it is also a support of the public given to BJP for the empowerment of the poor, exploited, deprived, tribals. The Prime Minister was addressing the BJP workers at Party Headquarters in New Delhi  on Thursday after Assembly Elections results of the two states.

Prime Minister Modi emphasized that the heart of youth can be won only by vision and development and the BJP has vision as well as  commitment towards development. He said  that Youth vote only when they have faith in the government and the development work is visible. He noted that  when the youth have voted in large numbers for the BJP, the message behind it is very clear that the youth have tested and trusted  the work of government.  Mr Modi said, people of Gujarat has broken all records by giving the biggest mandate to the BJP in the history of the State.

On Himachal Pradesh Assembly poll results, Mr Modi said, the difference between the number of votes for BJP and Congress was less than one per cent which reflects that people of  the State had tried to ensure the BJP victory. He assured the people of Himachal Pradesh that the Central government will leave no stone unturned for the development of the State despite BJP's defeat in the election.

Prime Minister also thanked Election Commission for conducting elections peacefully in two States saying that  re-polling was not required at  any polling booth.

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WORLD AYURVEDA CONGRESS

9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) was inaugurated at Panaji, Goa on Thursday. The 9th WAC aims to showcase the efficacy and strength of the AYUSH systems of medicine at the Global level.  Union Minister of State for Tourism and Shipping, Ports and Waterways Shripad Naik, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha were present on the occasion.

Chief Minister thanked the Union Government for giving the opportunity to host this edition of World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo in Goa. Dr. Sawant said that the introduction of AYUSH visa for AYUSH treatment is a historic decision. The upcoming satellite centre of All India Institute of Ayurveda in Goa will boost Ayurvedic tourism in the state, he added.

The third edition of the ‘Ayushman’ comic book series was also released on this occasion.  A MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Rosenberg’s European Academy of Ayurveda, Germany to facilitate advanced studies in traditional Indian medicine systems.

The 9th edition is being organized in Goa from 8 to 11 December with an objective of providing a global platform for all the stakeholders,including industry leaders, practitioners, traditional healers, educationists, students, medicine manufacturers, growers of medicinal plants and marketing strategists, for networking and engaging in intellectual exchange to strengthen the Ayurveda sector, envision its future, and facilitate interaction between professionals and consumers to boost Ayurveda commerce. The market size of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) sector in the country has grown from USD 3 billion in 2014 to over USD 18 billion now, clocking a phenomenal growth of six times.

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SCINDIA CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

 The Consultative committee of Civil Aviation Ministry met  in New Delhi on Thursday and  discussed GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation, GAGAN which is a Space Based Augmentation System. The meeting  held under the chairmanship of Civil Aviaiton Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was attended by the concerned members of Parliament. GAGAN has benefits in aviation as well as in non-aviation fields. In aviation field, GAGAN helps in designing more efficient routes which can result in fuel savings. In non aviation field,  GAGAN system helps in Disaster Management as early Warning messages can be broadcast on the occurrence of natural disasters, calamities and  dangers for the safety of life. GAGAN can also  enhance safety, mobility, regulation and enable payment applications. Civil Aviation Ministry in a statement said that  Airport Authority of India, (AAI)  designs various types of landing approach procedures for various Indian Airports. It said, so far 51 GAGAN based approach procedures have been designed for various runways of Indian airports. The Ministry added that AAI is making all the efforts for ensuring availability, continuity and integrity of Air Navigation services by such technological enhancement in the country.

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UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE DAY 2022

Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will be organizing a two day conclave commemorating the “Universal Coverage Day (UHC) 2022” on 10th and 11th December 2022 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Anandiben Patel, Governor, Uttar Pradesh will inaugurate the two-day celebrations in presence of Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.

Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath will grace the health minister’s conclave on the second day. The event will also be graced by Health Ministers from various States.

Universal Health Coverage aims towards people having access to needed promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that people do not suffer financial hardship when paying for these services.

12th December was officially designated as International Universal Health Coverage Day by United Nations in the Year 2017. The theme of UHC day is 'Build the World We Want: A Healthy Future for All' which underscores the role and importance of health coverage in building a healthy future for all.

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RS - ENERGY CONSERVATION BILL

The Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) has taken up the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 for consideration and passing. The Bill seeks to amend the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. It promotes energy efficiency and conservation, provides regulation of energy consumption by equipment, appliances, buildings, and industries. The Bill empowers the centre to specify energy consumption standards, requiring designated consumers to meet a minimum share of energy consumption from non-fossil sources. It also empowers the government to specify a carbon credit trading scheme.

Moving the bill, Minister of New and Renewable Energy R K Singh said, India has emerged as one of the leading nations in climate action and energy transition. He stated that India had pledged in COP 21 in Paris that by 2030, forty per cent of the country's established power generation capacity will come from non-fossil sources. Mr Singh pointed out that India’s per capita carbon emission is less than one third of global average.

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RS- WILD LIFE BILL

Parliament has passed the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill 2022, with the Rajya Sabha approving it on Thursday. The Lok Sabha (Lower House) has already passed the bill. The bill aims to implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES and expand the number of species protected by the convention. The Bill provides for the central government to designate an authority which grants export or import licences for the trading in specimens.  

Replying to the discussion on the Bill, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stressed on the importance of conserving wild life and the communities living in forest areas. He said, forest cover has increased in the country. Mr Yadav said during the period between 2004 and 2014 over two lakh 26 thousand hectare forest land was diverted. He informed that between 2014 to 2022, only one lakh 30 thousand hectares were diverted for other purposes. The Minister said that due to initiatives taken by the Narendra Modi government, green cover in the country has increased.

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HOTSPOT

 In today's Hotspot Section, We bring you a News Commentary - Visit of German Foreign Minister to Strengthen Ties. The script is written by Dr. Sanghamitra Sarma, Analyst on European Affairs.

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PUTIN-NUCLEAR

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that threat of a nuclear war was rising. However, He insisted that Russia would not use its nuclear weapons first. Speaking at Russia's annual human rights council meeting, Mr. Putin also said, the special military oprations in Ukraine could be a lengthy process. The Russian president further said that his country would only use weapons of mass destruction in response to an attack. He warned that nuclear threat is growing and it would be wrong to hide it. Mr. Putin also boasted that Russia had the most modern and advanced nuclear weapons in the world.

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PERU-NEW PREZ

In Peru, Dina Boluarte has assumed the office as the first female President. Her oath came in a day-long political development, which saw her predecessor being detained by police and impeached by lawmakers. Boluarte, the country’s former Vice President, was sworn into the top job to become Peru’s sixth president in under five years.

The ceremony took place hours after a majority of 101 members in the 130-person legislative body voted to impeach President Pedro Castillo. The day began when then-President Castillo announced plans to dissolve Congress and install an emergency government, ahead of a looming impeachment vote by lawmakers.

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US - AUSTRALIA

United States has decided to expand its military presence in Australia to counter the rising threat of China in the Indo-Pacific region. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that a decision has been taken to upgrade airfields located in Northern Australia, so that a higher number of US aircrafts can land there. He said, airbases in Australia will be upgraded in such a manner that they will be capable of stationing B-52 long-range, heavy bomber aircraft, which is US' most advanced bomber aircraft. These bombers are built to carry out long range, heavy payload, strategic nuclear strikes.

The announcement comes after a meeting between Australia's Deputy Prime minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington DC.

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BANGLADESH-US

The United States has expressed concern over reports of political violence in Dhaka in the wake of events that took place on Wednesday  leading to the death of a person and injuries to several others. Expressing concern over the event, US Ambassador to Dhaka Peter Haas called upon everyone to respect the rule of law and refrain from violence, harassment and intimidation.

The US embassy also extended ‘condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the violence. The statement further urged the authorities to investigate these reports of violence and ‘to protect the freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly’.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the Naya Paltan area of Dhaka where police cordoned off the office of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) following violence. Police have registered cases against hundreds of people for the violent incident in which a person was killed and several others including some policemen were injured. After remaining closed for several hours, the road near the BNP office in the Naya Paltan area was opened on Thursday, but the road had only thin traffic as people preferred to remain indoors in Dhaka as a tense situation prevailed  in the city.

Earlier, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told media that BNP will hold its 10th December rally in front of the party’s central office at Nayapaltan in Dhaka. However, he said that BNP will consider a suitable alternative venue if the government makes a proposal. Meanwhile, a BNP delegation is holding a meeting with the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner to discuss an alternative venue for the rally.

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BANGLADESH-PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 19th Asian Art Biennale in Dhaka on Thursday. The month-long art-show will showcase 712 pieces of artwork created by 493 artists from 114 countries including 149 Bangladeshi artists. The art-event will exhibit a variety of art-forms including paintings, prints, photographs, installation, performance art, sculpture and new media art created by the participating artists from across the globe.

A two day seminar is also being held as part of the Biennale on the theme of ‘Home and Displacement’. In addition to the exhibition at the BSA, paintings from 42 master artists of Bangladesh will also be exhibited as part of the event.

The Biennale is dedicated to the memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who conceptualised BSA which has been holding the event for several years.

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CHINA-COVID

China has announced major rollback from its rigid approach to tackle COVID-19 that triggered nationwide protests and allowed people with mild or no symptoms to quarantine at home rather than at dreaded centralized quarantine centres. The directive announced on Wednesday by the National Health Commission (NHC) also instructed officials to halt temporary lockdowns and end testing and health code requirements for most places and for domestic travel. Mass COVID testing, a key feature of government efforts to quell even small outbreaks, will be largely abandoned.  The sweeping changes followed a meeting convened on Tuesday by the Politburo, the top policymaking body of the Communist Party, strongly indicating that China is finally moving away from its zero-Covid policy.  During briefing on Thursday, NHC officials also cautioned that the changes "do not mean a total easing and giving up on pandemic controls."

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RBI-MALDIVES

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed a Currency Swap Agreement with the Maldives Monetary Authority  under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework. This agreement will enable the Maldives authority to make drawals in multiple tranches up to a maximum of 200 million dollars from the RBI. The agreement will provide swap support as a backstop line of funding for short term foreign exchange liquidity requirements.

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WORLD NEWS CAPSULE

The domestic share markets on Thursday witnessed modest gains. Both indices rose amid mixed cues from global share markets. The BSE Sensex finished near 62,600 points while the Nifty settled above 18,600 level. A report from the business desk-

The Sensex rose 160 points to close at 62,571. The Nifty also added 49 points to end at 18,609.

At global stock markets traded mixed. Singapore's Straits Times index gained 0.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 4.4 percent. On the othe hand, South Korea's KOSPI declined half a percent, Japan's NIKKEI-225 fell 0.4 percent and China's Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.1 percent. European shares were down in intra-day trade.

Oil rebounded after four sessions of decline. The crude prices boosted by hopes that easing anti-COVID measures in China will revive demand. In intra-day trade, Brent crude was trading at 77 dollars and 90 cents per barrel. Back Home, At the Multi Commodity Exchange, Gold futures for February was trading at 54,090 rupees per ten grams. Silver futures for March was trading at 66,390 rupees per kilogram, when reports last came in In the forex market, the rupee appreciated five paise to closed at 82 rupees and 43 paise against the US dollar............. for World News, All India Radio.

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BCCI ANNOUNCEMENT

The BCCI on Thursday announced the schedule for the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy as well as the limited overs home series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia in January and February, 2023. The contest will start with a T20 match in Mumbai on January 3rd and will end with an ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on January 15. Pune, Rajkot, Guwahati and Kolkata are other venues for the series. The test series will be part of the World Test Championship cycle.

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FIFA

In FIFA World Cup 2022, Croatia to face Brazil in the first quarter-finals starting Friday. Croatia edged out Japan on penalties in their round of 16 match , to enter the quarterfinal.  Croatia's Marcelo Brozovic and Nikola Vlasic successfully converted the penalties while Japan's Takuma Asano was the lone scorer for the team during the shootout. Brazil are still the favorites to win the tournament and they’ll come into this match well-rested after switching out the majority of their team for the group stage finale against Cameroon. Five-time champions Brazil showcased a performance worthy of their favourites tag to storm into the quarter-finals. With their talisman Neymar back on the field, Brazil stormed into the quarterfinal in style, crushing South Korea 4-1 in their round of 16 match. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic described their quarter final opponent Brazil as terrifying.

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FPR

Now let us take a look at the major developments around the world, as reported in the Foreign Press.

⦁The Washington Post writes Ukraine live briefing: Brittney Griner freed from Russian detention, Biden says.

⦁The Financial Times reports that Beijing running out of fever medication as Covid outbreak spreads.

⦁The New York Times writes, Ukrainian Accused of Election Interference Charged With Money Laundering.

⦁Wall Street Journal  writes SEC Faces Calls to Boost Crypto-Exchange Enforcement After FTX Collapse.

⦁JAPAN TIMES reports that G7's Russian oil price cap evolves from revenue squeeze to market anchor.

⦁Le Monde observes that Sweden launches hunt for undocumented migrants.

⦁The Guardian writes that Former development secretaries urge Sunak to increase east Africa aid amid drought.

⦁Reuters reports that Iran holds first execution over anti-government protests.

⦁Kathmandu Post says Automobile dealers take to streets demanding conducive environment to run businesses.

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REPEAT HEADLINES

⦁ Landslide victory for BJP in Assembly polls in western state of Gujarat ; Congress set to form Government in hill state of Himachal Pradesh.

⦁ Prime Minster Narendra Modi says, public mandate received by BJP reflects aspirations of New India.

⦁ Ninth World Ayurveda Congress inaugurated at Panaji, Goa on Thursday.

⦁ Threat of Nuclear War increasing, says Russian President Vladimir Putin.

⦁ Dina Boluarte assumes office as the first female President in Peru.

⦁ BCCI announces schedule for upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy and limited-overs home series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia in January and February 2023.

⦁ FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter-final stage kicks off on Friday; Brazil to take on Croatia in the first match.

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And now, before we end, let us listen to Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajanVaishnav Jan, by artist from  TANZANIA.

AND WITH THAT, WE END THIS BULLETIN. WE'LL BE BACK AT THE SAME TIME TOMORROW WITH THE NEXT EDITION OF WORLD NEWS.

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