J&K provides the maximum number of e-services to its citizens in the country
Our cooperative model is a human-centric model: Amit Shah
Mobile data service resumes from today In Manipur
Nagpur witnesses unprecedented rainfall this morning
Government is developing sports talent in the country: Anurag Thakur
19TH Asian Games, 2023 begins in Hangzhou, China in a colorful ceremony
Chess comeback after 13-year hiatus in 19th Asian Games at Hangzhou in China
US stocks ends marginally lower yesterday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share his thoughts in the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme on Akashvani at 11 AM tomorrow
India become No 1 ranked team in all formats after defeating Australia in 1st ODI
NAMASKAR! A warm welcome to 'World News: an Indian perspective on All India Radio. This is RAMYA 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:
⦁ India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils developmental projects worth about 50,000 crore rupees in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
⦁ New Delhi is taking synchronised policy action to develop low-carbon ecosystem, says New and Renewable Energy Minister R. K. Singh at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
⦁ New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern resigns.
⦁ New Delhi condemns and takes up vandalism of Hindu temples with Australian government.
⦁ India at UN says, reform of multilateral institutions is urgently required.
⦁ India and Oman to work together to fight menace of terrorism.
⦁ And, in FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, India defeat Wales 4-2 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
PM-KARNATAKA AND MAHArashtra VISIT
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stones of and dedicated various developmental projects worth about 50,000 crore rupees in Karnataka and Maharashtra on Thursday. Addressing a rally at the MMRDA Grounds at Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of projects worth nearly 40 thousand crore rupees, Mr Modi said BJP and the NDA have never created hurdles in the path of developmental works. He reassured the people of Mumbai that there is no scarcity of funds for developmental works in the city. Mr. Modi said, funds allocated for such works should be used appropriately.
The Prime Minister gave away SVAnidhi certificates to hawkers, and urged them to make digital payments.
In Karnataka, the Prime Minister declared Banjara tandas as Revenue villages at a function in Malkhed village of Kalburgi district. By giving the revenue village status to the tandas of Banjaras, the inhabitants will now get basic infrastructure like water, electricity, toilets and houses under several welfare schemes. Mr Modi said the empowerment and welfare of deprived sections of society has been the government's priority.
The Prime Minister also launched the distribution of title deeds for the houses of the Banjara and Lambani communities. In total, 52,072 title deeds were given to the community, living in over 3000 tandas in the districts of Kalburgi, Vijayapura, Yadgiri and Raichur.
Earlier in the day, Mr Modi inaugurated Narayanpur left bank canal, with a modern irrigation system at Yadgiri in North Karnataka. The project is implemented at a cost of 4699 crore rupees. It will help irrigate over five lakh hectares in the backward regions of Yadgir, Raichur and Kalburgi. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of four other road and multi village drinking water projects worth 10,863 crore rupees.
RK SINGH- WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister has stressed that India is taking synchronised policy action to develop a low-carbon ecosystem in the energy sector. He was speaking today at the 'Country Strategy Dialogue' organised by the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In the forum, Mr. Singh highlighted India's achievements in the power and renewable energy sectors. He described India's roadmap for Green Hydrogen and 500 renewable energy capacity by 2030. Mr. Singh also talked about the round-the-clock renewal of energy power, transmission augmentation and investment opportunities in these areas. The Minister said that India strongly placed the policy action being taken to reduce carbon emissions under India's voluntary commitment.
HOTSPOT
In today's Hotspot Section, we bring you a news commentory on India at World Economic Forum 2023.
G20-KERALA
Union Minister of State for Health Bharti Praveen Pawar said, India's aim during the G-20 presidency is to accelerate efforts towards increasing the pace of implementation of value-based healthcare and achieving the goal of Universal Health Coverage across the world. The Minister was speaking at the inaugural session on Medical Value Travel on the sidelines of the 1st Health Working Group meeting under the G-20 India Presidency in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on Thursday. Mrs. Pawar highlighted India's delivery of anti-covid drugs to 101 countries through the Vaccine Maitri mission. The Minister also said that the G-20 presidency is a great opportunity for India in this period when the country has entered into a golden age. On the second day of the G20 Health Working Group meeting, discussions on international travel for medical purposes and the synergy of various treatment methods including Ayurveda were held on Thursday. The three-day G20 Health Working Group meeting will conclude on Friday.
KARNATAKA-G20 WORKING GROUP
A sensitisation workshop on G-20 Environment and Climate Sustainability will be held in Bengaluru on Friday. The stakeholders involving the Forest departments of all the states, associated international organisations, Knowledge partners, local influential persons, media and community representatives will take part in the workshop. It will deliberate on the identified themes and sub-themes listed for discussion during the first G-20 working group meeting on Environment and Climate Sustainability. The first meeting of the G-20 Working Group on Environment and Climate Sustainability will be held in Bengaluru from the 9th to the 11th of February.
SRI LANKA-EAM JAISHANKAR
India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has reached Colombo on the second leg of his two-nation visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka. The visit to the island nation comes at a crucial time Sri Lanka has been making efforts to obtain an extended fund facility from the International Monetary Fund. Dr Jaishankar is scheduled to meet the Sri Lankan leadership and hold discussions with Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. Dr Jaishankar's visit to Maldives marked a significant milestone in strengthening the bilateral relations of the two countries. Three significant MoUs were also finalised during the visit.
MEA-BRIEFING
The External Affairs Ministry has strongly condemned the reported vandalism of Hindu temples in Australia. In a media briefing on Thursday, External Affairs Ministry's spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, India is aware that a couple of temples have recently been vandalised in Australia. He said, India strongly condemns these actions and these actions have also been publicly condemned by Australian leaders, community leaders and religious associations there. Mr. Bagchi informed that India's Consulate General in Melbourne has taken up the matter with the local Police and requested expeditious investigation against the perpetrators. He mentioned that the matter has also been taken up with the Australian government.
On the relations with Pakistan, Mr. Bagchi said, India has always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan but there should be a conducive atmosphere without any terror, hostility or violence. On listing four Pakistani terrorists as international terrorists in the United Nations Security Council's sanctions list, Mr. Bagchi said, India will continue to push the matter.
Mr. Bagchi said that the third Atal Bihari Vajpayee Memorial Lecture will be held on the 23rd of this month. He said External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will preside over the event.
MEA-PM BBC DOCUMENTARY
New Delhi has condemned the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi terming it a propaganda piece and an effort to push the discredited narrative. The External Affairs Ministry said, the bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible.
While briefing the media in New Delhi on Thursday, External Affairs Ministry's spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, this documentary is a reflection on the agency and individuals that are promoting this narrative. He expressed wonder over the purpose of this exercise and the agenda behind it.
INDIA OMAN
India and Oman have reaffirmed their commitment to the close strategic partnership between the two countries. During the eighth India-Oman Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on Wednesday, both sides highlighted the high priority accorded by the leadership of both countries to further enhance their bilateral strategic ties based on trust and mutual respect. The dialogue was led by Deputy National Security Adviser Vikram Misri and Oman's Secretary General of the National Security Council, Major General Idris Abdulrahman Al-Kindi. Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral strategic and security cooperation, defence and regional security. Both sides reiterated the importance of preserving maritime safety and security in the region. They condemned all forms and manifestations of terrorism and underscored the need to work collectively to fight this menace. Both sides also reiterated the importance of the Strategic Dialogue as an important mechanism of bilateral cooperation between India and Oman. The ninth Strategic Dialogue between the two countries will be held in Oman next year.
INDIA-UNGA
India has stressed on reforms of the multilateral institutions at the United Nations during an informal meeting of the General Assembly. Noting that the reform of the multilateral institutions is an urgent imperative, India said that these should focus on giving voice to the concerns of the developing world while reflecting the realities of the 21st century.
Speaking at the UN briefing, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj said New Delhi remains concerned about the increasing fragmentation of the international landscape. She also said as the chair of the G20, India will continue to engage proactively with the global south refactoring the priorities of the south into the G20 process.
Kamboj said the world is perhaps witnessing the most difficult phase since the Second World War and it is not an exaggeration but a reality. She said that the road ahead is challenging and urged the member countries to work collectively in a collaborative manner to find sustainable solutions to the development challenges.
NEW ZEALAND-PM STEP DOWN
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will step down by next month. Ms. Ardern will not also contest general elections set for14th of October. The Prime Minister told reporters that 7th of February will be her last day in office. She said that it had been a tough five and a half years as prime minister and that she was only human and needed to step aside. Ms Ardern said, she had taken time to consider her future over the summer break.Ms Jacinda Ardern became the youngest female head of government in the world when she was elected prime minister in 2017, aged 37. The ruling New Zealand Labour Party vote for a new leader will take place on Sunday, the party leader will be the prime minister until the next general election.
SONOWAL-MOU
Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, the whole world is now looking towards India for its leadership in almost all sectors. He said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people are witnessing great changes, particularly in the infrastructure and policy areas.
He was speaking during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Indian Ports Association and Research and Information System for Developing Countries for setting up a Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity in New Delhi on Thursday. The Minister said, Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries should also offer their expertise in policy formulations, so that policy decisions can be implemented by the Government.
SUGAR PRODUCTION
India has produced a record over five thousand Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) of sugarcane in the sugar season 2021-22. About three thousand 574 LMT of sugarcane was crushed to around 394 LMT of sugar. 36 LMT of sugar out of this was diverted to ethanol production and 359 LMT of sugar was produced by sugar mills. During 2021-22, the revenue of more than 20 thousand crore rupees was made by sugar mills from the sale of ethanol.
During the sugar season between October and September 2021-22, India has emerged as the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar. It has also become the world’s second-largest exporter of sugar after Brazil.
PACIFIC ISLAND FORUM
Pacific Island Forum (PIF) has said that Pacific island nations have urged Japan to postpone the release of water from the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant due to concerns that fisheries will be contaminated. The Japanese government announced last week that water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant could be released into the sea this spring or summer, alarmed island nations still dealing with the fallout from decades of nuclear testing. After treatment, Japan approved the release of more than 1 million tonnes of water from the site into the ocean in April 2021. The PIF, a regional bloc of 17 island nations, claims that releasing the water will have a significant impact on fishing grounds that are vital to island economies and supply up to half of the world's tuna fish.
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
During World Economic Forum Martin Wolf, Chief economics commentator at the Financial Times said, Over next 10-20 years, it is overwhelmingly certain that India will be the fastest growing economy.
BUSINESS
A report from business desk:
BUSINESS NEWS
At the stock markets, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange fell 187 points, or 0.3 per cent, to close at 60,858. The Nifty at the National Stock Exchange shed 58 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 18,108. Among other global stock markets, Asian Markets ended mixed. So, Japan's Nikkei-225 index dropped 1.5 per cent; Hong Kong'd Hang Seng index shed 0.1 percent and Singapore's Straits Times index fell 0.4 per cent. But China's Shanghai Composite index and South Korea's Kospi index rose 0.5 percent, each. In Europe, London's FTSE-100 had lost 0.6 per cent; France's CAC-40 had dropped 0.7 per cent and Germany's DAX had declined 0.8 per cent, in intra-day trade. Global crude oil futures fell by about one per cent, today, extending losses from the previous day, as a surprise jump in US crude stocks weighed on the market along with fears of a recession that were heightened by disappointing US retail sales and output data. So, the Brent crude oil futures lost 65 cents, to trade at 84.33 dollars a barrel. The US crude futures declined 79 cents, 78.69 dollars a barrel. Back Home, gold fell 52 rupees, to 56,475 rupees per ten grams at Delhi's bullion market, today, amid weak global cues. Silver lost 850 rupees, to 68,500 rupees per kilo. And At the forex market, the rupee depreciated 12 paise, to 81 rupees and 36 paise, against the dollar. Gouran Dhawan Lal for World News, All India Radio.
AFGHANISTAN-COLD
In Afghanistan, at least 70 people have died from cold amidst a freezing winter that swept the country. Afghanistan's State Ministry for Disasters Management said that over 70 thousand livestock have also died due to the harsh winter, reported Tolo News.
According to the report, people have termed the freezing weather conditions as unprecedented while blaming poverty and unemployment for the rise in casualties. The Afghans are finding it difficult to get a job due to freezing winters making it difficult for them to take care of their families.
HOCKEY
In the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, India defeated Wales 4-2 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. At half time India was leading 2-nil.
Earlier, while England beat Spain 4-nil, the Netherlands trounced Chile 14-nil. Malaysia beat New Zealand 3-2.
In Points Table of Pool-D, England is in first position and India in 2nd position with seven points each. Both the teams have played three games and won two each. But due to goals difference, England occupies the top position. Spain has three points and Wales yet to score points.
TABLE TENNIS
In Table Tennis, Indian mixed doubles duo of G. Sathiyan and Manika Batra stormed into the WTT Contender semifinals with a 3-nil win over World No. 9 Spanish pair of Maria Xiao and Alvaro Robles in Doha on Thursday.
Continuing its splendid run, the Indian duo took less than 24 minutes to wrap the proceedings 11-9, 11-9, 11-5 and set up a last-four clash against Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, the world No. 20 duo from Korea.
Sathiyan and Manika had won a silver at the WTT Contender Nova Gorica in Slovenia last November.
BADMINTON
In Badminton Men's Singles, India’s Lakshya Sen lost to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in a round of 16 fixture to exit the India Open tournament at New Delhi on Thursday. Lakshya dominated the early proceeding and won the first game 21-16. But the Dane fought back bravely in the second game 21-15, setting up a nervy final game, where he won 21-18.
Women's Singles challenge also ended with Saina Nehwal's defeat in the second round. Nehwal went down fighting 9-21, 12-21 against reigning Olympic Champion and world No. 3 Chen Yufei to suffer her third loss in succession against the Chinese shuttler.
SPORTS MINISTRY-WFI
The Sports Ministry has sought an explanation from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on allegations of sexual harassment by top wrestlers against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Taking cognizance of the protest by some wrestlers in New Delhi and their serious charges against the WFI President and coaches, the Ministry has directed the WFI to furnish a reply within the next 72 hours.
NASA-BOEING
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, has awarded 425 million dollars to Boeing Company for the agency's sustainable flight demonstrator project. Under the project, Boeing will work with NASA to build, test, and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions. The space agency said that over the next seven years, NASA will invest 425 million dollars, while Boeing and its partners will contribute the remainder of the agreement funding estimated at about 725 million dollars.
FPR
Now let us take a look at the major developments around the world, as reported in the Foreign Press.
⦁ The Global Times writes, China urges Japan to stop irresponsible plan of dumping nuclear-contaminated water amid wide criticism.
⦁ The Washington Post reports, U.S. defense chief in Berlin for talks as Germany stalls on tank deliveries.
⦁ The Guardian also writes, France hit by strikes over plan to raise retirement age to 64.
⦁ The Strait Times writes, Prime Minister Anwar launches new slogan for Malaysia, promises to be clean, help everyone.
⦁ Wall Street Journal writes, Iraq Economy Reels as U.S. Moves Against Money Flows to Iran.
⦁ The Financial Times writes, South African businesses turn to diesel and solar panels as Eskom crisis deepens.
REPEAT HEADLINES
And now, before we end, let us listen to Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajanVaishnav Jan, by artists from ECUADOR.
AND WITH THAT, WE END THIS BULLETIN. WE'LL BE BACK AT THE SAME TIME TOMORROW WITH THE NEXT EDITION OF WORLD NEWS.