Akashvani , National news, All India Radio News

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

• Condolences keep pouring from around the world on the Balasore train tragedy in Odisha.

• India's President Draupadi Murmu embarks on a state visit to Suriname and Serbia; focus on encouraging business and people to people ties.

• US Defence Minister arrives in New Delhi; will discuss expansion of bilateral strategic ties.

• India-Maldives ties deepening; says India's Minister of State for External Affairs, V.Muraleedharan.

• The third G20 Health Working Group Meeting under India's presidency begins in Hyderabad.

• Japan, US and South Korea agree to upgrade their security relationship to enable real-time monitoring of missiles launched by North Korea.

• Wrestlers bring glory to India; clinch 3 medals in UWW Ranking Series event in Bishkek.

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HYDERABAD G-20

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar called for integrating and strengthening One Health-based surveillance system, as the threat of pandemics is far from over. She was addressing the inaugural session of the 3rd G20 Health Working Group Meeting in Hyderabad on Saturday. The Minister said the concept of One Health (OH) promotes the decompartmentalisation of human, animal, and ecosystem health for the more efficient and sustainable governance of complex health issues to stem the spike of Covid like pandemic. Underlining the importance of global collaboration and partnerships, She stated that the partnership we share as G20 members is vital and facilitates in building trust, sharing knowledge, creating networks and working together to achieve meaningful impact and results.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said that the government is committed to universal health care for all by 2030. He added there cannot be a better platform than the G20 to support, harness, and facilitate the power of Universal Health care to build a healthy and motivated world.

The three day meeting will voice the challenges of the Global South and discuss the solutions. Separate sessions will focus on the initiatives on Health Emergencies Prevention, Preparedness and Response and Strengthening Cooperation in Pharmaceutical Sector with Focus on Access and Availability to Safe, Effective, Quality and Affordable Medical Counter-measures will be discussed besides bilateral meetings. In addition, the meeting will focus on Research and Development and Innovation in its side events. Representatives of 180 member countries, 10 invitees, and 22 international organizations are attending the three-day event.

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PRESIDENT SURINAME & SERBIA

The President of India, Mrs. Droupadi Murmu has departed for her maiden state visit to Suriname in the late hours of Saturday. The President will be on a state visit to Suriname and Serbia from 4th to 9th of this month. During the first leg of her visit, Mrs. Murmu will be visiting Suriname from 4th to 6th June, at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi. The visit assumes historical significance as Mrs.

Murmu will be the Chief Guest at the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, to be celebrated on 5th of June. The President is accompanied by Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Ministry of Rural Development and Smt. Rama Devi, Member of Parliament. The visit comes within 6 months of President Santokhi’s visit to India in January to attend the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas as a special guest of honour. He was also felicitated by the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award in 2021. In the second leg of her visit, the President will visit Serbia from 7th to 9th June, at the invitation of President Aleksandar Vučić. This will be the first-ever state visit of the Head of State between the two countries. The focus of the visit will be on encouraging the business communities of both countries to explore possibilities and prospects of business opportunities.

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US-GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTERS VISIT

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in New Delhi on Saturday on a two-day visit to India to discuss ways to further expand bilateral strategic engagement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Washington. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will discuss a number of new defence cooperation projects with Mr Austin on Monday. It will be Secretary Austin’s second visit to India, the previous one being in March 2021. Separately, German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius is arriving in New Delhi on a four-day visit to India on Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also hold bilateral talks with his German counterpart. Apart from his meeting with Mr Singh, Mr Pistorius is likely to meet a few defence start-ups during an event organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) in New Delhi. On Wednesday, he will travel to Mumbai where he is likely to visit Headquarters, Western Naval Command and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. The Defence Ministry said, a host of bilateral defence cooperation issues, with a focus on industrial cooperation, are likely to be discussed during the two meetings.

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MOS VISIT TO MALDIVES

Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, underscored the deepening cooperation between India and the Maldives across multiple sectors. The minister who is on his maiden visit to Maldives, addressed the media in Male after signing 10 agreements for implementing High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) in 11 atolls. He said that India is happy to see the success of the HICDP model expand its footprint and increase its developmental impact on an exponential scale.

The visit highlighted the progress made in bilateral relations, showcasing the importance of the growing partnership.

Mr. Muraleedharan commended the strides taken in the bilateral relations under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. He said the comprehensive development partnership between the two nations encompasses grants, concessional credit, budgetary support, capacity building, and training assistance.

The minister highlighted several noteworthy projects, including the imminent completion of water and sanitation initiatives on 34 islands, the ongoing construction of 4,000 housing units in Hulhumale, and the commencement of the Addu Development Project for roads and reclamation. The prestigious Greater Male Connectivity Project, valued at $500 million, was mentioned as a key catalyst for the Maldivian economy.

Further, Mr. Muraleedharan highlighted the progress of infrastructure projects like the Hanimaadhoo international airport redevelopment and the upcoming Gan International Airport redevelopment. Emphasising the importance of human development, he said that over 1,000 Maldivian participants have recently benefited from various in-person training programs in India.

Mr. Muraleedharan handed over a batch of Tuberculosis medicines to Maldives upon the request from the Archipelago nation. The minister later paid a courtesy visit to Maldives' President Ibrahim Solih and exchanged views on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

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REV GLOBAL CONDOLENCES

Condolences message continue to pour in from around the world after Balasore train mishap. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed sadness at the loss of lives in the tragic train accident in Odisha. In a Statement, Mr. Guterres extended his deep condolences to the families of the victims, as well as the people and Government of India. He wished a swift and full recovery to those who were injured. US President Joe Biden said he is heartbroken by train crash in India. In a statement he said the United States and India share deep bonds rooted in the ties of family and culture that unite two nations, He said people all across America mourn alongside the people of India. Pope Francis expressed grief over the tragedy and said he is praying for the families of the dead and the injured.

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RAILWAY- SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Indian Railways has made special arrangements at helpline number 139 to facilitate family, friends and relatives of deceased persons and passengers stranded in the tragic Train accident in Odisha. A team of senior officers is manning the helpline 24X7 to provide all the relevant details to the callers after coordinating with the Zonal Railways and State Government. This service will ensure prompt disbursal of enhanced ex-gratia announced by Railways Minister.

Ten lakh rupees each enhanced ex gratia has been announced for next of kin of those killed, two lakh rupees each for grievous injuried and fifty thousand rupees each for those with minor injuries. The Railways is paying the ex-gratia amount at 7 locations. These are Soro, Kharagpur, Balasore, Khantapara, Bhadrak, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The aim of the Helpline is to provide a helping hand and to give correct and satisfactory information to the aggrieved passengers and their kins in this trying time.

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SECURITY RELATIONSHIP

Japan, the United States and South Korea have agreed to upgrade their security relationship to enable real-time monitoring of missiles launched by North Korea. The countries will activate the new data-sharing mechanism by the end of the year. The trilateral agreement came during a one-hour meeting in Singapore on Saturday attended by Japanese Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup. The Defense Chiefs met on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.

A joint statement released after the talks said the three condemned North Korea's recent claimed space launchusing ballistic missile technology, as it constitutes a serious violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Pyongyang announced after the failed launch that it will conduct another launch soon.

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JAISHANKAR - TURKIYE FM

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has congratulated Dr. Hakan Fidan on his appointment as the Foreign Minister of Türkiye. In a tweet, he said that he is looking forward to working for stronger India-Turkiye relations.

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SRILANKA-FESTIVAL

Poson Poya festivities continue in Sri Lanka. The festival celebrated in the full moon of June, marks the arrival of Buddhism in the country over 2,000 years ago. The High Commission of India on the occasion has organised an exhibition on Indian Buddhist heritage in Homagama, about 20 kilometres from Colombo. The event was inaugurated by Sri Lanka’s Minister for Mass Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardane. The exhibition also showcases a special lantern depicting the arrival of Arahant Mahinda to Sri Lanka with Buddhist teachings from India.

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HOTSPOT

In today's hotspot section, we bring you a commentary on Health Priorities under India's G-20 Presidency.

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CHINA-US

China's defense minister General Li Shangfu said that war with the US would be an unbearable disaster for the world in his first major speech at a security summit since assuming office. He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the Asia-Pacific region's only annual security meeting. He added that some countries were intensifying an arms race in Asia. He also said that the two superpowers should seek common ground. This comes in the wake of the allegations made by the US on Saturday over a Chinese destroyer near a US warship as it transited the Taiwan Strait with Canadian vessels. China criticized both countries for deliberately provoking risk. on the other hand, both the US and Canada said they were sailing where international law allows. Beijing had earlier rejected a US request for direct military talks in protest against the sanctions placed on Gen Li by the US in 2018 over weapons purchases from Russia. At the Summit, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin rebuked China for refusing to hold military discussions. Despite the diplomatic spat, a top US state department official has arrived in Beijing for a week of wide-ranging talks. It is well known that the relations between Washington and Beijing have been strained in recent years over several issues, including China's claim over Taiwan, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

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TIANANMEN SQUARE ARREST

Dozens of pro-democracy activists have been arrested on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre by the Hong Kong Police. The leader of one of Hong Kong's main opposition parties has been detained and placed in a police van, according to the AFP news agency. Among the other detainees was 67-year-old campaigner Alexandra Wong, widely known as Grandma Wong. She was arrested while carrying flowers near Victoria Park, where vigils had been held for decades. Earlier Hong Kong was previously the only Chinese city where these commemorations were allowed, under the city's semi-autonomous economic, political and legal setup - known as one country, two systems - established when the city was handed over to China by the UK in 1997. But public events to mark the anniversary have since been outlawed after the Chinese government imposed a strict national security law outlawing many forms of dissent. The annual commemorations have not been held since 2020, after being initially banned under Hong Kong's Covid regulations.

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WOMEN'S HOCKEY

The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team kicked off their Women's Junior Asia Cup 2023 campaign in emphatic fashion as they defeated Uzbekistan 22-0 in their first game of the tournament in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, Japan on Saturday. India will next play against Malaysia in their second Pool game on 5th June.

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WRESTLING

Indian wrestlers have signed off with three medals in the UWW Ranking Series event in Bishkek on Saturday, with Manisha grabbing Gold, Reetika finishing second-best and Sarita Mor clinching the Bronze. Improvising with the small sized-draws, Manisha bagged Gold in the 65 kg weight category, while India's tally in the series is four medals including 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze. Manisha won four matches in the four rounds; which helped her win the gold medal. In the tournament, the wrestler with the most number of victories will be ranked first. Earlier, Manjeet won a bronze in the men's Greco Roman 55kg category on Thursday, opening India's medal account in the series.

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ISRAEL-EGYPT CLASH

Three Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack near Egypt’s border after a gunman wearing an Egyptian police uniform opened fire on Saturday. It is the first deadly exchange between two countries along the demarcation in more than a decade. The Israeli military said an Egyptian policeman shot and killed two soldiers while they secured a military post at the Egyptian border. It said the Egyptian officer and a third Israeli soldier were killed in a confrontation inside Israeli territory hours later. Meanwhile, the Egyptian military said, an Egyptian border guard crossed the border security barrier and exchanged fire with Israeli forces while he was chasing drug traffickers. The incident took place near the Nitzana and Al-Awja border crossing between Israel and Egypt.

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BIDEN-DEBT SIGN

President Joe Biden has signed legislation that lifts the nation’s debt ceiling, averting an economically disastrous default on the federal government’s debt. The signing of the Fiscal Responsibility Act suspends the debt limit to renew borrowing and avoid a default that would have likely had damaging implications for the American and global economies.

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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, Biden Leans on Deal-Making Skills to Avoid Crises as Poll Numbers Remain Stalled.

• The Guardian writes, Sardinian town invokes Arnie link to give population a US boost.

• Le Monde reports, In China, repression is becoming more and more aggressive.

• The Japan Times reports, World's spy chiefs meet in secret conclave in Singapore.

• Washington Post reports, Taliban moving senior officials to Kandahar. Will it mean a harder line?

• South China Morning Post writes, Hong Kong police detain 10 people as security tightened at park that once hosted June 4 anniversary of Tiananmen Square crackdown.

• Financial Times writes, US cancer drug shortage forces doctors to ration life-saving treatments.

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A QUICK LOOK AT THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:

• Condolences keep pouring from around the world on the Balasore train tragedy in Odisha.

• India's President Draupadi Murmu embarks on a state visit to Suriname and Serbia; focus on encouraging business and people to people ties.

• US Defence Minister arrives in New Delhi; will discuss expansion of bilateral strategic ties.

• India-Maldives ties deepening; says India's Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan.

• The third G20 Health Working Group Meeting under India's presidency begins in Hyderabad.

• Japan, US and South Korea agree to upgrade their security relationship to enable real-time monitoring of missiles launched by North Korea

• Wrestlers bring glory to India; clinch 3 medals in UWW Ranking Series event in Bishkek.

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