Asian Games: Harmanpreet Singh and Lovlina Borgohain to be flag-bearers of Indian contingent in Hangzhou
Discussion underway in Rajya Sabha on Women's Reservation Bill
Mizoram: Govt appoints retired IPS officer John Neihlaia as State Chief Information Commissioner
Nepal Electricity Authority exports power worth over Rs 5.43 billion to India
Govt advises television channels to refrain from giving platform to terrorist
Nashik’s Guardian Minister Dada Bhuse urges traders to resume participation in onion auctions
Centre issues orders to Traders, Big Chain Retailers for mandatory disclosure of stock position of sugar
Pakistan’s General Elections to be held in last week of January 2024, announces Election Commission
Members across party lines in Lok Sabha laud success of Chandrayaan -3 Mission
Sri Lanka’s Transport Ministry signs contract with India’s IRCON International Limited for Signalling system
NAMASKAR! A warm welcome to 'World News: an Indian perspective on AKASHVANI.This is R.S RAGHU 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.
<><><>
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, India in the 21st century is moving forward with a clear roadmap on climate change and environmental protection. He said, India is focussing on the environment in a big way just like any other area for its growth. He said the government has emphasized a green and clean energy in the last nine years. The Prime Minister shared his thoughts on World Environment Day through a video message at an event in New Delhi.
The Prime Minister added that while India built 4 crore houses for the poor, there was a record increase in the number of Wildlife Sanctuaries as well as wildlife in India. Mr Modi talked about the Jal Jeevan Mission and the construction of 50 thousand Amrit Sarovars for water security. He also talked about joining the top 5 countries in renewable energy, increasing agricultural exports and also running a campaign for blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol. The Prime Minister stated that India has become the base of organizations like the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and the International Big Cat Alliance.
The Prime Minister said, India has been strongly raising the issue of climate justice with the developed countries. He said, for a long time, the model of development of advanced countries was contradictory, as the thinking of these countries was to develop themselves first and then think about the environment.
During the event, Amrit Dharohar Implementation Strategy and Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) were launched.
World Environment Day is observed to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth. This year the day marks the completion of 50 years of its establishment. The theme of the World Environment Day this year is 'Beat Plastic Pollution.'
<<<>>>
India's President Droupadi Murmu held talks with Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi on Monday. Three MoUs in Health and Agriculture sectors were signed between India and Suriname in Paramaribo.
President Droupadi Murmu reached Suriname capital Paramaribo on a three day visit. She was received at the Presidential Palace by President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. The first lady of Suriname, Mellisa Santokhi-Seenacherry, was also present at the occasion.
President Murmu is invited as a chief guest of celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, on the 5th of June 1973. Our correspondent covering the visit has filed this report:
The first Indians came to Suriname on 5th of June 1873, as indentured labourers. They arrived via the sea route, in the vessel Lalla Rookh. Today, a re-enactment of that historic moment was presented before President Murmu.
President Murmu also inaugurated a simulated village that showcases how the Indian diaspora has conserved their culture in Suriname.
Paying her respect to the immigrated community, President Murmu garlanded the statues of Baba & Mai. The monument depicts a man and a woman who had just arrived in Suriname, after a long journey from Calcutta. It is a powerful reminder of the challenges faced by immigrants and their resilience.
Later in the day, President Murmu will witness the Ceremonial procession from the balcony of the Presidential Palace. For Akashvani News, from Paramaribo, Suriname…Himani Rana.
US DEFENCE SECY
India's Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on Monday held talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in New Delhi. The meeting between the two leaders revolved around enhancing defence cooperation in several areas including convergence of strategic interests and enhanced security cooperation. Mr Singh emphasised that the India-US partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-bound Indo-Pacific region. He said India is looking forward to closely working with the US across the domains for capacity building and further consolidating their strategic partnership. The two Ministers also explored ways of building resilient supply chains. Both sides will identify opportunities for the co-development of new technologies and the co-production of existing and new systems and facilitate increased collaboration between the defence start-up ecosystems of the two countries. Towards these objectives, they concluded a roadmap for US-India Defence Industrial Cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years. Both sides reviewed the robust and multifaceted bilateral defence cooperation activities and agreed to maintain the momentum of engagement. They welcomed the inaugural dialogues held recently focusing on Defence Artificial Intelligence and Defence Space. They also discussed the regional security issues given their shared interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The US Secretary of Defence arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a two-day visit.
India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also met US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. The two leaders highlighted cooperation in specific niche technologies in maritime, military and aerospace domains to boost capabilities. They also discussed cooperation in the greater transfer of technology, co-production and building indigenous capacities in line with India’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. Another point of discussion between them was ensuring that countries in different regions - West Asia, South Asia and South East Asia and Indo-Pacific retain their freedom of action in line with their national priorities and are not coerced into poor choices. They also agreed to focus on trusted sources of supply, resilient supply chains and greater industry-to-industry partnerships. <>
In today's hotspot section, we bring you a commentary on a new high in India-Nepal Ties. It has been scripted by Manjeev Singh Puri, former Indian Ambassador to Nepal.
Saudi Arabia has announced to cut oil production by one million barrels per day in July. The announcement came after a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna. However, the extra cuts announced by Saudi Arabia are being done unilaterally. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said that the cut, which is announced for the month of July could be extended. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy said that it will now produce 9 million barrels of crude oil per day which is 1.5 million barrels less than it was producing per day earlier this year. The move is considered to be an attempt to prop up oil prices in response to global economic uncertainty and concerns that international demand could drop.
The UAE announced that it will extend its voluntary oil output cut by 144,000 barrels per day until the end of 2024. This decision was made in accordance with the agreement reached at the thirty-fifth ministerial meeting of OPEC Plus held on June 4th .In a statement, the participating countries of OPEC and non-OPEC countries in the Declaration of Cooperation agreed to adjust the overall crude oil production level for these countries to 40.46 million barrels per day from the 1st of January, 2024, until the 31st of December, 2024.
India's Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande reached Dhaka on Monday for a two-day visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of his counterpart General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed.
After his arrival in Dhaka COAS General Manoj Pande was given a ceremonial guard of honour. He paid tributes to members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces who made the supreme sacrifice during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 by laying a wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban in Dhaka Cantonment.
General Pande called on Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed where issues of bilateral defence relations were discussed to further strengthen the defence ties between the two countries. COAS General Manoj Pandy also held formal interaction with the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh Army.
Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that in the last nine years, 389 foreign satellites have been launched by India. In an interview with DD News, Dr Singh said, India’s Space sector is fast gaining a pre-eminent position in the world. He said, the countries which started their Space programmes long before India, they now are seeking India's services and facilities to launch their satellites.
He said, apart from the core functioning of Rocket launching, India’s Space Applications have become a big source of livelihood opportunities through 130-odd Start-ups after the opening up of the Space Sector in June 2020.
An MP-MLA court in Varanasi gave life imprisonment to the jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari for the murder of former MLA Avdhesh Rai. The Court also imposed a penalty of one lakh rupees on the five-time MLA.
On 3rd August in 1991, Congress leader Awadhesh Rai was shot dead outside his brother and former MLA Ajay Rai's house in Varanasi. Mukhtar Ansari was not an MLA when he committed the crime.
The Sensex climbed 240 points or 0.38 per cent to finish at 62,787. The Nifty advanced 60 points or 0.32 per cent to end at 18,594.
Asian stock markets rose fuelled by the positive outlook for the US economy, and the possibility of a pause in rate hikes by the Federal Reserve this month after a mixed US jobs report. Japan's Nikkei-225 jumped 2.2 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 0.8 per cent while Singapore's Straits Times index climbed 0.7 per cent. South Korea's Kospi rose 0.5 per cent while China's Shanghai Composite index appreciated 0.07 per cent. European Markets were mixed in intra-day trade.
Oil prices rose following Saudi Arabia’s decision to cut production by one million barrels per day in July. In intra-day trade, Brent crude was trading at 77 dollars and 48 cents a barrel.
Back Home, Gold prices, at Multi Commodity Exchange for August contracts, were trading at around 59,390 rupees per 10 gram. On the other hand, silver was trading at 71,470 rupees per kilogram for July Contracts when reports last came in.
And, In the forex market, the rupee close at 82 rupees and 67 paise against the US dollar Lalima Aneja Dang for World News, AKASHVANI.
Dhanush Srikanth has won the Men's 10 metre Air Rifle on Day 3 of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Junior, giving India their third gold of the competition so far. Dhanush posted 249.4 in the 24-shot final to leave Swede Pontus Kallin, a clear 1.3 points behind in a clinical display. India also bagged a bronze in the Skeet Mixed Team competition, when Harmehar Lally and Sanjana Sood defeated Swedish pair of David Jonsson and Felicia Ros.
India lead the medal tally with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals, ahead of the USA which has two gold medals and one silver thus far.
Abhinav Shaw and Gautami Bhanot had won second gold for India. They defeated French pair of Oceanne Mueller and Romain Aufrere in the final of 10 meter Air Rifle Mixed Team event. On Saturday, Chandigarh youngster Sainyam had a golden start in Suhl, by finishing atop the podium in the individual women’s 10-meter air pistol competition. Sainyam and Abhinav Chaudhary got Silver after losing to the Korean pair of Kim Juri and Kim Kanghyun in the final of 10 meter Air Rifle Mixed Team event. Suruchi Inder Singh and Shubham Bisla had won their bronze medal match over Uzebkistan’s Nigina Saidkulova and. Mukhammad Kamalov.
In the French Open, tennis stars Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka have advanced to the quarters at Roland Garros. World number one Iga Swiatek is facing Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko in the fourth round.
In the fourth round of men's singles, Serbian third seed Djokovic defeated Peru's Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3 6-2 6-2 to reach a record 17th French Open men's quarter-final, moving ahead of Rafael Nadal. Djokovic is also aiming to overtake Nadal by winning a record 23rd Grand Slam men's singles title. He will face Russian Karen Khachanov in the final eight in Paris.
11th-seeded Khachanov progressed to his third consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final by registering victory over unseeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego 1-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-1.
World No.5 Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Austria’s Sebastian Ofner in straight sets 7-5, 6-3, 6-0. He will now face World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Spain's Alcaraz has won against 17th seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
In women's singles' fourth round, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina beat Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to reach the last eight.
She will play second seed Aryna Sablenka after the Belarussian beat American Sloane Stephens 7-6, 6-4.
Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova fought back from a set down to beat Belgian 28th seed Elise Mertens 3-6, 7-6, 6-3. Pavlyuchenkova will play Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals.
US sixth seed Coco Gauff and Tunisian seventh seed Ons Jabeur will also aim for a place in the last eight.
Now let us take a look at the major developments around the world, as reported in the Foreign Press.
The US Navy has released a video of what it called an "unsafe interaction" in the Taiwan Strait, in which a Chinese warship crossed in front of a US destroyer in the sensitive waterway, a risky incident amid deteriorating Sino-US ties.
The encounter comes as both countries have traded blame for not holding military talks - with disagreements between the two over everything from trade and Taiwan to Ukraine - and raises the spectre of future face-offs that could spiral out of control.
The US military said the USS Chung-Hoon, a destroyer; and Canada's HSMC Montreal, a frigate, were conducting a "routine" transit of the strait on Saturday when the Chinese ship cut in front of the US vessel, coming within 150 yards (137 metres).
In the video, released by the US Navy on Sunday, a Chinese warship can clearly be seen sailing across the path of the Chung-Hoon in calm waters. The Chung-Hoon does not change course.
China's imports are expected to have contracted in May, despite a low base last year as a lockdown in Shanghai brought the country's biggest port to a standstill, while exports likely fell for the first time in three months.