NAMASKAR! A warm welcome to 'World News: an Indian perspective on All India Radio. This is anita anand 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 and Russia agree to work together to unlock full potential of bilateral trade and economic relations including market access issues.

⦁ India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh exhorts Navy to continue focusing on futuristic capability development to effectively overcome emerging security challenges in maritime domain.

⦁ Nine policemen killed in suicide bombing in Balochistan province of Pakistan.

⦁ 15 people killed and dozens missing as landslide hits Indonesia.

⦁ South Korea announces plan to compensate victims of forced labor under Japan's colonization.

⦁ And, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wins general election.

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JAISHANKAR-RUSSIA

India and Russia have agreed to work together to unlock full potential of bilateral trade and economic relations including market access issues. External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar on Mondayt co-chaired a virtual meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Denis Manturov. The External Affairs Ministry of India said, both the leaders reviewed the progress achieved under the IRIGC-TEC framework. They gave guidance to prepare ground for the next meeting of IRIGC-TEC which will be held in New Delhi. The two sides agreed to work together to unlock the full potential of India-Russia bilateral trade and economic relations including addressing the trade deficit and market access issues. The Inter-governmental Commission is a mechanism for regularly monitoring bilateral progress across the sectors of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. It was set up by an agreement on inter-governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed in 1992.

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NAVAL CONFERENCE

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has exhorted the Navy to continue focussing on futuristic capability development to effectively overcome the emerging security challenges in the maritime domain. Mr Singh reviewed the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy during the Naval Commanders’ Conference held aboard India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant on Monday. He interacted with the Naval Commanders and witnessed the operational demonstrations at sea, highlighting the Navy’s capability to undertake multi-dimensional missions towards safeguarding the maritime interests of the country. In his address to the Commanders, the Defence Minister lauded the Navy for standing firm and protecting national interests with courage and dedication. He said that constant vigil on the Northern and Western borders as well as the entire coastline must be maintained. He said, the country needs to be ready to deal with all future challenges. Emphasising that economic prosperity and security scenario go hand-in-hand, Mr Singh pointed out that the Defence sector has emerged as a major demand creator, which has been boosting the economy and ensuring the country’s development. He also made special mention of the credible and responsive presence of the Navy in the Indian Ocean Region. The Defence Minister reiterated the need for a huge country like India to be completely self-reliant and not dependent on others for its security.

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PM ROJGAR MELA

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, the Government is working on a concrete strategy to generate direct and indirect employment in the country. Addressing an event at Gandhinagar in Gujarat through a video message on Monday, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to providing jobs to the youths. Mr. Modi said, the Government is focusing on generating employment through the manufacturing sector, infrastructure, and developmental projects and by encouraging self-employment. He stated that India will soon become a manufacturing hub and the youths will lead the new manufacturing revolution.

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PM-WEBINAR

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has asserted that making treatment affordable in the country has been the top priority of the government. Highlighting the growing confidence of the world in the pharma sector of India, Mr. Modi emphasized the need to capitalize on this and work towards protecting this image. Mr. Modi stated this while addressing the post-Budget webinar on Health and Medical Research on Monday.

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HOTSPOT

In today's Hotspot Section, we bring you a News Commentary: Prime Minister’s Post Budget Webinar on Health and Medical Research.

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CENTRE- SOCIAL MEDIA ADS

The government of India has released a set of guidelines for celebrities, influencers, and virtual influencers on social media platforms. The guidelines called 'Endorsements Know-hows' aims at ensuring that individuals do not mislead their audiences when endorsing products and services and that they are in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act. The guidelines stated that endorsements must be made in simple, clear language, and terms including advertisement, sponsored, collaboration and paid promotion can be used. The guidelines advise celebrities and influencers to always review and satisfy themselves that the advertiser is in a position to substantiate the claims made in the advertisement. It is also recommended that the product and service must have been actually used and experienced by the endorser.

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PAKISTAN-BLAST

In Pakistan, nine policemen killed while several others were injured in a bomb blast in Balochistan province on Monday. According to reports, the incident took place on Kambri bridge in Bolan area of Balochistan. Due to the impact of the blast, the vehicle in which the policemen of the Balochistan Constabulary were travelling, overturned affecting the security personnel on board. Inquiries are underway in the matter, however, initial investigations suspect this to be a suicide attack.

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UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has extended emergency support to more than 12,000 Rohingya refugees whose shelters were gutted in a devastating fire in Bangladesh on Saturday. Expressing sympathy for the refugees, UNICEF representative in Bangladesh Sheldon Yett said that children were affected by the fire which destroyed close to 6000 shelters of Rohingya refugees in the Cox’s Bazar area in Bangladesh, urgently need emergency support. He commended UNICEF and its partners who worked throughout the night to protect and support traumatised children and their families in the refugee camp. UNICEF in a statement said, two mobile medical units have been deployed to provide emergency medical aid to the injured children and adults. At the same time, children are receiving psychosocial support with special attention to those who may have been separated from their families in the chaos.

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INDONESIA LANDSLIDE

In Indonesia, at least 15 people were killed and dozens feared missing after torrential rains and landslides battered one of country's outermost islands bordering the South China Sea.

Officials said, the remoteness of the village where the landslide struck in the Natuna region of Riau province, combined with poor weather conditions and poor telecommunication access in the affected area have hampered the rescue operation.

Natuna Search and Rescue Agency’s head said, 50 people were missing while 15 bodies were retrieved.

Pictures provided by the National Disaster Mitigation agency showed mud and debris from the landslides inundating houses near a cliff on the remote Serasan island. Bits of metal torn off roofs and fallen trees were visible.

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SOUTH KOREA-JAPAN

South Korea announced on Monday a plan to compensate victims of forced labor under Japan's colonization through a government foundation with funds from South Korean companies. Foreign Minister Park Jin said, the foundation under the Interior Ministry will collect voluntary donations and pay the compensations in place of Japanese companies that used South Korean labor. Reparations for forced labor during the 1910-45 colonial period is one of many historical issues that have strained the relationship between the key US allies in Asia. The plan reflects South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s determination to mend frayed ties with Japan and solidify security cooperation among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington to better cope with North Korea’s nuclear threats. During a televised news conference, Foreign Minister Park Jin said, South Korea and Japan were at a new window of opportunity to overcome their conflicts and build future-oriented relations. In January, Shim Kyu-sun, chairperson of the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilisation by Imperial Japan, which would be handling the reparations, said, the funds would come from South Korean companies that benefited from a 1965 Seoul-Tokyo treaty that normalised their relations.

US President Joe Biden hailed the plan as a new chapter of cooperation and partnership between two of the United States’ closest allies. In a statement, President Biden said, Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are taking a critical step to forge a future for the Korean and Japanese people that is safer, more secure, and more prosperous. The 1965 accord was accompanied by hundreds of millions of dollars in economic aid and loans from Tokyo to Seoul that were used in development projects carried out by major South Korean companies, including POSCO, now a global steel giant. Ties between Seoul and Tokyo have long been complicated by grievances related to Japan’s rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945 when hundreds of thousands of Koreans were mobilised as forced labourers for Japanese companies during the World War II. Their disputes intensified after South Korea’s Supreme Court in 2018 ordered two Japanese companies --- Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries -- to compensate former Korean forced labourers or their relatives.

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ESTONIA-POLL RESULTS

In Estonia, Reform Party of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas overwhelmingly won the Baltic country’s general election. Preliminary returns from a completed ballot count showed the Reform Party, the senior partner in the outgoing three-party coalition government, received 31.2 percent of the vote - the biggest share in election held on Sunday that focused on national security and the economy. That translates into 37 seats at Estonia's 101-seat Parliament, or Riigikogu, an increase of three seats from the 2019 election. Addressing her party colleagues and jubilant supporters min the capital, Tallinn, Ms Kallas said, the result gives them a strong mandate to put together a good government. Ms Kallas, Prime Minister since 2021, faced a challenge from the EKRE party, which seeks to limit the Baltic nation’s exposure to Russia-Ukraine conflict, and blames the current government for Estonia’s high inflation rate. EKRE took second place with 16.1 percent of votes and 17 seats in the legislature, a decrease of two seats compared to four years ago. The Center Party, which is traditionally favored by Estonia's sizable ethnic Russian minority, was third with 15.3 percent of the vote. The biggest surprise of the election was the emergence of Eesti 200, a small party, which won 14 seats and 13.3 percent of the vote.

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INDIA FRANCE EXERCISE

The maiden Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX-23 between Indian Army and French Army will be conducted at Pangode Military Station at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala on 7th and 8th of this month. For the first time, both the armies are engaging in this format with each contingent comprising a Company Group each from the Thiruvananthapuram based Indian Army troops and French 6th Light Armoured Brigade. The exercise is aimed at enhancing inter-operability, coordination and cooperation between both forces at tactical level.

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INS TRIKAND

The Indian warship INS Trikand reached Bahrain for its participation for the first time in the International Maritime Exercise (IMX-23), organised by the US-led Combined Maritime Forces, a 34-nation naval group. IMX 23 is one of the world's largest multinational maritime exercises. During the stay in Mina Salman seaport, the Captain of INS Trikand also called on Ambassador of India to Qatar, Piyush Srivastava. INS Trikand is taking part in the International Maritime Exercise, which is currently underway in the Gulf region till the 16th of March. She will participate in the exercise alongside participants from over 50 nations and international maritime agencies, with the common goal of improving maritime security and keeping the region's sea lanes safe for maritime commerce.

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NEPAL-HOLI CELEBRATION

In Nepal, lakhs of people today celebrated Holi, the festival of colors at Basantapur Durbar Square, a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kathmandu. The festival was observed in the hilly and mountainous districts of the Himalayan nation today while it will be celebrated in the other districts tomorrow. The Holi festival, which is celebrated for two days in the country, indicates the beginning of spring in Nepal. The festival is about colours, love, joy, and excitement. Our correspondent has the details:

"Lakhs of people have gathered at Basantapur Durbar Square since morning to celebrate Holi in Kathmandu. A ritualistic wooden pole with tufts of colourful strips of cloth known as 'chir' on its top end was installed in the Basantapur Durbar Square a week back, heralding the start of the Phagu (Holi) festival. It was pulled down and burnt. This tradition symbolises the end of Holika. The ashes of the chir are considered a talisman, and people scramble to get hold of the ashes. Amid ongoing music concerts in Basantapur Durbar square people sprayed colour on each other marking the arrival of spring in Nepal. Nepal Police has said 27 thousand police personnel have been mobilised throughout the country to maintain law and order during the Holi festival this year. This number is apart from that personnel mobilised for regular peacekeeping. No untoward incidents have been reported in the course of the festival throughout the country so far today. Security has been beefed up in the big cities across the country, including in Kathmandu. Sweta Singh for world News, Kathmandu."

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PM-WEATHER

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness to deal with hot weather conditions in the coming summer season. The Prime Minister was briefed by the India Meteorological Department on the weather forecast and upcoming monsoon season. He was also briefed about the impact of weather on Rabi crops and expected yield of major crops. The efforts made to monitor irrigation water supply, fodder and drinking water supply were also reviewed during the meeting. The Prime Minister was briefed about the preparedness of States and hospital infrastructure in terms of availability of required supplies and preparedness for emergencies.

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WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE- RESULT

In the Women's Premier League, Mumbai Indians have defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 9 wickets at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Chasing a target of 156 runs set by Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians overhauled the score, posting 159 runs for the loss of one wicket in 14.2 overs. Hayley Matthews was the top scorer with unbeaten knock of 77 runs followed by Nat Sciver-Brunt with unbeaten 55 runs. Yastika Bhatia made 23 runs. From Royal Challengers Bangalore, the lone wicket was picked by Preeti Bose.

Earlier, opting to bat after winning the toss, Royal Challengers Bangalore were all out for 155 in 18.4 overs.

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ANURAG-OLYMPIC MEETING

India's Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur chaired the first high-level committee meeting for upcoming Paris Olympics in New Delhi today. The meeting, which was attended by representatives from the Ministry, Sports Authority of India, and the Indian Olympic Association, discussed in detail the roadmap to Paris Olympics that is to take place next year. They also took an update on the preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou this year. Our Correspondent reports that the Asian Games are set to take place from the 23rd of September to the 8th of October at Hangzhou in China this year, while the Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from the 26th of July to 11th of August at Paris in France next year.

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PM YOGA AWARDS

The Ministry of Ayush has invited applications or nominations for Prime Minister’s Awards for Yoga 2023. The award recognises exemplary contribution of the individuals towards the development and promotion of Yoga both at national and international level. Two national awards will be given to entities of Indian origin and two International awards will be given to entities of Indian or foreign origin. Winners will be announced on the 21st of June this year on the occasion of 9th International Day of Yoga.

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WORLD NEWS CAPSULE

At the stock markets, key indices rose for the second straight day, today, and posted modest gains; while the rupee strengthened against the dollar. A report from the business desk-  

At the stock markets, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange climbed 415  points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 60,224. The Nifty at the National Stock Exchange advanced 117 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 17,711. In other global bourses, Asian markets ended mostly higher. So, Japan's Nikkei-225 index climbed 1.1 per cent; Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged up 0.2 per cent; South Korea's Kospi index advanced 1.2 per cent and Singapore's Straits Times index rose 0.4 per cent, But China's Shanghai Composite index shed 0.2 per cent. In Europe, London's FTSE-100 had traded marginally lower but France's CAC-40 had risen 0.5 per cent and Germany's DAX had inched up 0.3 per cent, in intra-day trade. Global crude oil prices slipped, today, after China set a lower-than-expected target for economic growth this year at around 5 per cent; and as investors cautiously awaited US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony this week. So, the Brent crude futures fell 71 cents, to trade at 85.12 dollars a barrel. US crude futures shed 59 cents,to 79.09 dollars a barrel. Back Home, gold rose 25 rupees, to 55,900 rupees per ten grams at Delhi's bullion market, today, amid positive cues from overseas markets. Silver gained 160 rupees, to 65,000 rupees per kilo. And at the forex market, the rupee gained 6 paise, to 81 rupees and 91 paise, against the dollar. Gouran Dhawan Lal for World News, All India Radio."

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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, Fire rips through Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, displacing 12,000.

⦁ The Financial Times reports, China sets 5 per cent growth target to drive economic recovery.

⦁ The Straits Times reports, French strikes over pension reform plans to disrupt public transport on Tuesday.

⦁ The Japan Times reports, Climate change is launching a mutant seed space race.

⦁ The Globe and Mail reports, African migrants evacuated from Tunisia after surge of racial violence stoked by president.

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THE HEADLINES:

⦁ India and Russia agree to work together to unlock full potential of bilateral trade and economic relations including market access issues.

⦁ India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh exhorts Navy to continue focusing on futuristic capability development to effectively overcome emerging security challenges in maritime domain.

⦁ Nine policemen killed in suicide bombing in Balochistan province of Pakistan.

⦁ 15 people killed and dozens missing as landslide hits Indonesia

⦁ South Korea announces plan to compensate victims of forced labor under Japan's colonization.

⦁ Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wins general election.

⦁ And, in Women's Premier League Mumbai Indians beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 9 wickets in Mumbai.

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

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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