Akashvani , National news, All India Radio News

• Russia launches fresh waves of missile attacks across Ukraine on Saturday.

• WHO urges South-East Asian nations for urgent action to combat measles.

• Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, India and the Global South not only have a common future but also a common past.

•  In Cricket, third and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka to play at  Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.  

<><><>

RUSSIA-UKRAINE: Russia launched fresh waves of missile attacks across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least five people in a strike on an apartment block in the eastern city of Dnipro. A number of other cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa, were also hit. Much of Ukraine is now under an emergency blackout after missiles hit power infrastructure in several cities. Earlier, the UK said it would send Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine to help the country's defence. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Challengers, the British army's main battle tank, would help Kyiv's forces "push Russian troops back". Russia responded by saying that providing more weapons to Ukraine would lead to intensified Russian operations and more civilian casualties.

<><><>

LANKA-COVID PROTOCAL: Sri Lanka’s Director General of Health Services has said that Covid-19 protocol issued on Friday for all inbound tourists by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, are void. In a tweet, the Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said there is no change in entry protocol and it remains unchanged. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has said that entry protocol issued yesterday stands deferred until 20th of this month. In a clarification issued today, the tourism authority said the decision has been taken considering travellers who have already made arrangements to visit Sri Lanka. It further said detailed guidelines will be issued next week after discussing with relevant authorities.

<><><>

JAISHANKAR - GLOBAL SOUTH: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said India and the Global South not only have a common future but also a common past. He said India and the Global South shoulder burdens of a colonial past, even while facing face inequities of the current world order. He was addressing the Foreign Ministers’ Session on G20 at the Voice of Global South Summit being held virtually. The Minister stressed that global conversations of current times should reflect the concerns and challenges of these nations. He added that challenges of unsustainable debt, unviable projects, trade barriers, contracting financial flows and climate pressure have been compounded by covid pandemic and the knock-on effects of the Ukraine conflict. Dr Jaishankar stated that during its G20 Presidency, India will articulate an agenda that will prioritize a new globalization paradigm focused on vulnerable populations and decentralization. It will also focus on bringing down walls in accessing opportunities around the world. Taking collective efforts to address challenges of food and energy security and driving consensus on Green Development Pact of G20 Leaders are the other focus areas. He pointed out that from decolonization to resisting alignment, the Global South has always chosen the middle path, where diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation take primacy over competition, conflict and divisions. He further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared that this is not an era of war and the need to give up the ‘us vs them’ mindset and to work collectively as one human family.

<>

JAPAN-G7: Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has highlighted the agreement with other Group of Seven leaders that they will closely cooperate to protect the rules-based international order. Kishida held a news conference in Washington yesterday, the last leg of his tour of five G7 nations. Recalling talks with leaders of France, Italy, Britain, Canada and the United States, Kishida said that he exchanged candid views with each leader on bilateral issues and cooperation, as well as uncertain security situation worldwide. Kishida said that he explained Japan's role as the chair of this year's G7 summit in Hiroshima, and discussed with them the G7's activity through the year. The Prime Minister said that he and other leaders reaffirmed the group's unity in efforts to protect the international order based on the rule of law. With regard to his meeting with US President Joe Biden, Kishida said that the President expressed full support for Japan's decision to make a major shift in its national security strategy, including a decision to boost defense spending and acquire the ability to launch counter strikes.

<>

<><><>

WHO-MEASLES: World Health Organization (WHO) has urged all nations in South-East Asia to take urgent and accelerated measures against measles. The disease is on the rise with nearly nine million children having missed vaccination against it in the past two years. Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said, there is an urgent need to stop and prevent measles outbreaks and accelerate efforts to eliminate the disease.

<><><>

<>

BANGLADESH-DIFF: The 21st Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) kicked off to a colourful start on Saturday in the capital city Dhaka. The festival was inaugurated at the National Museum auditorium by  Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen. The biggest film festival of Bangladesh will show 252 films from 71 countries during the festival between 14-22 January at multiple venues in Dhaka. Acclaimed actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty, who is greatly admired for playing the role of Feluda in Satyajit Ray’s movies, was the special guest on the occasion. The inaugural programme began with traditional dance performances by the artists of Shilpakala Academy. Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen spoke about the role of Bngabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a Minister in pre-liberation days of Bangladesh in promoting film culture. State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chief patron of Rainbow Society which organises this festival, felicitated it for organising this festival without interruption even during the Covid-19 pandemic. Large number of foreign delegates and filmmakers from various countries are participating in the DIFF. Students and cinema lovers were present in large numbers during the inaugural function. 

<><>

WN-HOCKEY: In FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, on second day, New Zealand defeated Chile 3-1, while Netherlands beat Malaysia 4-nil Rourkela. In Pool B, Belgium thrashed Korea 5-nil.  and  Germany  outsmarted  Japan 3-nil  in  Bhubaneswar.

<><><>

THIRD  INDIA SL ODI: In Cricket, third and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka will be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The match will start at 1.30pm The Indian team has clinched the series with wins in Guwahati and Kolkata ODIs. They will be looking to clean sweep the ODI series. India earlier won the three-match T20I series 2-1 against the Sri Lankan team.

<><>

WN-WOMEN'S CRICKET: In Women's Cricket, opener Shweta Sehrawat smashed an unbeaten 92 after skipper Shafali Verma blazed away to a 16-ball 45 as India crushed South Africa by seven wickets to begin their campaign in the inaugural U-19 T20 World Cup on a rousing note at Benoni in South Africa today. Set a challenging target of 167 after South Africa opted to bat first, India were off to a blazing start with the opening duo of Shafali and Sehrawat adding 77 runs in just seven overs and made 170 for the loss of three wickets in 16.3 overs. Shafali, who has already played 51 T20Is, 21 ODIs and two Test matches for the senior team at the international level, looked in excellent touch as she toyed with the South African bowlers and put her side on course for a big win.

<><>

WN-TENNIS: In Tennis, the top-seeded Indian team of Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni came from behind to win the Bangkok Open title, as they beat Christopher Rungkat and Akira Santillan at Nonthaburi, Thailand  today. Playing their seventh final together, the Indians beat the Indonesian-Australian combo 2-6 7-6, 14-12 in an exciting and close final, that lasted one hour and 50 minutes. The win on Saturday is likely to give the 28-year-old Yuki his career-high doubles rank of 90 while the big-serving Myneni, 35, should also touch a career-best 74 in the ATP doubles chart. They will next compete in the Australian Open the season’s first Grand Slam -- where they have been given a wild card entry.

<><>