NAMASKAR! A warm welcome to 'World News: an Indian perspective on AKASHVANI.This is ABHINEET SHUKLA 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:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India a ray of hope for world when it comes to strengthening economy and battling poverty.

• India to generate 65 percent of its total power from non-fossil fuels by 2030.

• Sri Lanka's Power Minister submits proposal for slashing electricity tariff as Lankan rupee rebounds.

• Iran claims successful test-launch of ballistic missile with range up to 2,000-km.

• Chinese hackers spying on US critical infrastructure, says joint report by Microsoft and Western intelligence agencies.

• In Japan, three dead including two police officers following rare shooting and stabbing attack.

• Tributes pour in for legendary rock’n’roll singer Tina Turner.

• In sports, Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy sail into quarterfinals of Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur.

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PM VANDE BHARAT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said, India is being watched with great hope by the world today. He said, India has remarkably progressed in strengthening the economy, battling poverty and combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister said, people of the world want to come to India to see India, to understand the essence of India and in such a situation there are excellent opportunities for the country. Mr Modi's remarks came after he returned from a three-nation trip of Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. The Prime Minister said, India is unstoppable now. He said, it is and will continue to advance at a rapid pace.

Addressing people after flagging-off the inaugural run of state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Express connecting national capital Delhi to Dehradun in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Modi said the enhanced connectivity option will help the state take full advantage of the future opportunities. The introduction of the Vande Bharat train will herald a new era of comfortable travel experience, especially for the tourists travelling to the state. The train has been indigenously built and is equipped with advanced safety features including the indigenous anti-collision technology. The Prime Minister said, Uttarakhand will become the center of attraction for the spiritual consciousness of the whole world in the coming days and state's development should be as per future demands.

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JITENDRA-NET ZERO

India's Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said that international cooperation will play a key role in achieving the country’s net zero emissions target by the year 2070. He stressed that it is the collective responsibility of all to work together for a more secure and sustainable future. He was speaking during the website and logo launch event of the Joint 8th Mission Innovation Ministerial MI-8 and 14th Clean Energy Ministerial in New Delhi. India will host the MI-8 jointly with CEM-14 in July this year alongside the G20 Energy Transition Ministerial meeting in Goa.

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R K SINGH-POWER

India will have 65 percent of its power generation capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030. Addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry annual session in New Delhi, India's Power Minister R K Singh said that country per capita energy consumption and per capita carbon emission are one of lowest in the world. He said net zero is important but what is more important is that there is a need to provide enough electricity to make sure that the country does not run short of electricity when one wants to set up an industry. He added that it is non negotiable. He asserted there will be no compromise on ensuring round the clock energy supply even though it is a challenge. The Minister said the addition of capacity is a challenge, but also an opportunity because India is one of the fastest growing countries with one of the largest energy demands. Mr. Singh also said the government is giving a huge push to hydro energy. Mr Singh said India has launched the  National Green Hydrogen Mission because the country believes in the environment.

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HOTSPOT

In today's hotspot section, we bring you a discussion on India's Commitment to clean energy transition. In conversation are Mukul Sanwal, Environmentalist and S. Rangabashiam, Akashvani Correspondent:

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MUMBAI- DRRWG

G-20 Council’s Second Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG) meeting concluded in Mumbai on Thursday, with the technical and functional level officials coming to an understanding of the importance of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and Financing for Disaster Risk Reduction as the central theme of any discussion on Disaster Risk Reduction. Speaking to Akashwani News, the Member Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority said that India has received enthusiastic support on all priority areas from the G 20 countries.

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KARNATAKA- WORKING GROUP MEETING

The Second Trade and Investment Working Group meeting under G20, which concluded in Bengaluru on Thursday held an in-depth discussion on the way forward to integrate MSMEs with global trade, set up a Meta Information portal for MSMEs, establish resilient and diversified Global Value Chain, prepare a compendium on Mutual Recognition Agreements, digitise cross border trade and press for WTO reforms. Briefing the media persons after the conclusion of the Working Group meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal explained the nuances of the deliberations.

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BANGLADESH-US VISA POLICY

Following the announcement of the new visa policy on Wednesday which seeks to put visa restrictions on people trying to undermine a democratic election in Bangladesh, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas met with the representatives of the ruling Awami League, opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jatiya Party (JP) in Dhaka on Thursday. Confirming the meeting, the US embassy in a tweet said that the US supports free and fair elections. The new visa policy aims to restrict visas to those who undermine the democratic process and it applies to everyone.

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SRI LANKA- POWER TARIFF

Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has submitted a proposal to revise the electricity tariff to the Parliament. The revision will be effective from July this year. The reduction of tariffs will be a breather to the common man as the island nation had seen sharp increases in power tariffs over the last year. Earlier yesterday, the Parliament had voted on a resolution to remove the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission Janaka Ratnayake. More from our correspondent:

Speaking at the parliament Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said, over 17 lakh families will receive the benefit, while families in the lower slabs would receive a minimum of 23 per cent relief. The move comes as the Lankan rupee had appreciated since its lows in February this year. So far the rupee has appreciated by over 16 per cent against the dollar making imports cheaper. Earlier this month, the power minister tweeted that the government would revise the power tariff in line with the cost-reflective pricing that is being followed. Further, the slashing of the price will give some respite to the Ranil Government after a slew of unpopular reform measures had been implemented over the last year.

The power tariff was raised by 66 per cent in February this year after the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka had approved the proposal to hike the tariff, while the chairman had dissented on it. DR. AHMED MUYEEN FAROOQI/ COLOMBO

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IRAN-MISSILE

Iran on Thursday said that it has successfully test-launched a ballistic missile with a range of around 2,000-km range. The missiles are capable of carrying 1,500 kg of warheads. The state news agency IRNA said the liquid-fuel missile had been named the Kheibar, a reference to a Jewish castle overrun by Muslim warriors in the early days of Islam. Iran now claims that its weapons can reach the bases of Israel and the United States. Despite opposition from the United States and European countries, Iran has maintained that it will continue to develop its defensive missile programme.

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CHINA-US SPYING

Three Months after the Chinese spy balloon episode, a new report has claimed that cyber hackers backed by the Chinese government have been spying on several critical infrastructures of the United States. The report was released jointly by the Western intelligence agencies and Microsoft. According to the reports, the US infrastructure under Chinese surveillance includes telecommunications, transportation hubs and Guam island which is home to strategically important military bases among other installations. The US National Security Agency said it was working with partner nations like Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the UK to identify breaches. China, however, refuted the reports.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning termed the hacking allegations as a disinformation campaign by the Western nations.

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JAPAN SHOOTING

In Japan, three people died including a woman and two male police officers in a rare stabbing and shooting incident. The attack was carried out by a man using a hunting rifle in Japan's Nagano Prefecture. The first call that police received was of a stabbing and when officials reached the crime scene, the man fired something resembling a hunting rifle striking four people. The suspect fled the scene and holed himself up at a building in the city. The police spokesman added that its forces are investigating reports a gunshot-like sound was heard near the scene hours after the attack. Nakano City administration urged citizens to stay indoors.

Gun violence is extremely rare in Japan, a country of 125 million people. It has one of the lowest rates of gun crimes in the world due to its extremely strict gun control laws.

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TINA TURNER

Tributes have been pouring in for legendary singer Tina Turner who died in Switzerland on Wednesday following a prolonged illness. She was 83 years old. Turner was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and received a kidney transplant in 2017.

Popular celebrities including Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Mariah Carey, Mick Jagger, Bryan Adams, Rosario Dawson and Naomi Campbell paid tribute to her. Many politicians including US President Joe Biden, and former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also joined the world in paying tribute to the iconic singer.

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WORLD NEWS CAPSULE

The domestic benchmark indices ended on a positive note in a highly volatile session. A report from the business desk-

The Sensex appreciated 99 points, or 0.16 per cent, to finish at 61,873. The Nifty also climbed 36 points, or 0.2 per cent, to end at 18,321.

Asian shares except for Japan's Nikkei, fell to a two-month low, and the U.S. dollar rose as the impasse in negotiations to raise the U.S. debt ceiling kept investors wary of risky assets due to the hit, the global economy will take if the U.S. government defaults. Hong Kong's Hang Seng plunged two per cent and South Korea's Kospi ended half a per cent down.

Singapore's Straits Times index slipped 0.2 per cent and China's Shanghai Composite index declined 0.1 per cent. On the other hand, Japan's Nikkei-225 appreciated per cent 0.4 per cent. In intra-day trade, European Markets were also down.

Oil prices fell after the Russian Deputy Prime Minister played down the prospect of further OPEC production cuts at its meeting next week. Brent crude was trading at 76 dollars and 95 cents per barrel.

Back Home, Gold prices, at Multi Commodity Exchange for June contracts, were trading at around 59,897  rupees per 10 grams. On the other hand, silver was trading at 70,907 rupees per kilogram for July Contracts.

And In the forex market, the rupee closed at 82 rupees and 74 paise against the US dollar. S Rangabhasiyum  for World News, AKASHVANI.

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BADMINTON- MALAYSIA MASTERS

Top Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy sailed into the quarterfinals of Malaysia Masters in Kuala lumpur on Thursday. The two-time Olympic medalist, Sindhu defeated Japan's Aya Ohori, 21-16, 21-11 in the Women's Singles. Sindhu will lock horns with YM Zhang of China on Friday.

In Men's Singles, Kidambi ousted eighth seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 21-19, 21-19 while Prannoy overpowered All England Open champion Li Shi Feng of China, 13-21, 21-16, 21-11. On Friday, HS Prannoy will be up against Japan's K Nishimoto while Kidambi will take on C Adinata of Indonesia in the Men's Singles event.

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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 Wall Street Journal reports, Germany enters recession in blow to Europe’s Economy.

• The Guardian writes, Rwandan ex-police chief arrested in South Africa over 1994 genocide.

• Washington Post reports, Democrats’ worry grows over White House approach to debt talks.

• South China Morning Post writes, US and China have ‘irreconcilable differences’ but there’s hope they can coexist, says Singapore’s Lawrence Wong.

• The Globe and Mail writes, Amanda Gorman’s poem for Biden’s inauguration banned by Florida school.

• The Straits Times reports, United Kingdom losing out on tourism’s high spenders.

• Daily Star reports, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned to Bangladesh on Thursday morning after wrapping up her three-day official visit to Qatar. During the visit, Sheikh Hasina joined the Qatar Economic Forum, met with the amir at Amiri Diwan, held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and another meeting with President of Rwanda Paul Kagame.

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A QUICK LOOK AT THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India a ray of hope for world when it comes to strengthening economy and battling poverty.

• India to generate 65 percent of its total power from non-fossil fuels by 2030.

• Sri Lanka's Power Minister submits proposal for slashing electricity tariff as Lankan rupee rebounds.

• Iran claims successful test-launch of ballistic missile with range up to 2,000-km.

• Chinese hackers spying on US critical infrastructure, says joint report by Microsoft and Western intelligence agencies.

• In Japan, three dead including two police officers following rare shooting and stabbing attack.

• Tributes pour in for legendary rock’n’roll singer Tina Turner.

• In sports, Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy sail into quarterfinals of Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur.

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