AFRICAN GROUP
Things can be quite tame in the great wildlife
The author humorously reflects on various encounters with wildlife, expressing mixed feelings towards pandas, noting their laziness and reproductive challenges despite being endangered. The narrative extends to underwhelming experiences with animals in various settings: from a lackluster safari in Kruger Park to a quest for man-eating tigers in Sundarbans.
Integrate and mainstream African continent into the G20 system: Experts
Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General of CUTS International, emphasized that integrating the African continent into the G20 and other global governance systems should be a collaborative effort involving both the African Union Commission and other stakeholders, not just India. He shared this perspective during a high-level roundtable titled "Mainstreaming the African Union into the G20," organized by CUTS International and the Vivekananda International Foundation.
Pope Francis becomes the first pontiff to address the Group of Seven nations, talking about AI
Francis addressed the G7 and other invited countries at their annual summit in southern Italy. When he arrived, the room, which had been boisterous with delegations, went quiet as he greeted each of the G7 members and the expanded guest list.
ICC T20 World Cup: Scenarios that need to play out for every team for Super 8 qualification
The ICC Men's T20I World Cup in West Indies and USA has been a thrilling event, featuring rising stars, big guns, blockbuster matches, Super Overs, and wild upsets. Eight out of 20 teams will reach the Super Eight stage of competition. In Group A, India is well on their way to progress through to the second round with a positive result against either the USA or Canada.
Traders stunned by election surprises from Mexico to India
The world witnessed unexpected outcomes in the Mexican elections and Narendra Modi's victory, impacting markets globally. Claudia Sheinbaum's landslide win also played a significant role in reshaping market dynamics.
"We must see Bharat's development in global context:" Prime Minister Narendra Modi says need to dream new dreams
Speaking about his thoughts during his three-day meditation, the PM wrote, "Amidst this detachment, amidst the peace and silence, my mind was constantly thinking about the bright future of Bharat, the goals of Bharat." Citing Swami Vivekananda's message that, 'Every nation has a message to deliver, a mission to fulfil, a destiny to reach.' the Prime Minister wrote "For thousands of years, Bharat has been moving forward with this sense of meaningful purpose. Bharat has been a cradle of ideas for thousands of years."
- Go To Page 1
PM Modi: Reflections and new Sankalp from my Sadhana at Kanniyakumari
From Kashmir to Kanniyakumari... this is a common identity that is deeply ingrained in the heart of every citizen of the country. This is the ‘Shakti Peeth’ (seat of Shakti) where Maa Shakti incarnated as Kanya Kumari. At this Southern tip, Maa Shakti performed penance and waited for Bhagwan Shiva, who was residing in the Himalayas at the northernmost parts of Bharat, writes PM Modi on his time meditating at Kanniyakumari's Vivekananda Rock Memorial
US military completes major exercise in Africa and works to deepen partnerships
The U.S. and top African allies conducted the African Lion military exercise in Morocco, addressing new challenges in volatile regions. The exercise showcased joint military operations and emphasized a holistic approach to instability issues beyond military solutions.
Anand Mahindra enjoys tug-of-war between India & China!
A video posted by the news agency ANI depicted troops from India and China participating in a tug-of-war game. According to the agency, Army officials confirmed the authenticity of the viral video, which allegedly captures a friendly league match held on Monday as part of the UN Peacekeeping Mission. Tug of War is a competitive sport where two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope, with the goal of pulling the opposing team across a central line.
GX Group to make telecom gear in India for the world
GX Group plans to establish a new Rs 100-crore manufacturing facility in India to export FTTH equipment globally, supporting the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. This will be their second plant, following a 2021 Haryana unit. The new facility will produce Wi-Fi routers and GPON equipment for Indian and international markets, including Europe and Africa.
Ajay Gupta's arrest shot in the arm for President Ramaphosa as South Africa votes
ANC is seeking re-election in Wednesday's parliamentary polls and the arrest of Ajay Gupta will enable the current ANC leadership to target former president Jacob Zuma under whose rule the Gupta brothers ran a controversial business empire in South Africa.
Time up: BHP gives up plan to take over its rival Anglo American
BHP's aim was to secure Anglo's prized copper assets in Latin America and increase access to a metal central to the global shift towards clean energy and electric vehicles. But the structure of BHP's deal, which required Anglo to unbundle its South African platinum and iron ore businesses, was a major reason for its collapse.
Another Ambani vs Mittal battle? A look into Airtel's African empire
Bharti Airtel's African venture has been a rollercoaster ride, starting with a bold move by chairman Sunil Mittal in 2008. Despite initial struggles, Airtel Africa has managed to establish a strong presence in 14 countries. Meanwhile, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries is making inroads into the African telecom market with 5G infrastructure solutions. As Airtel Africa faces currency woes, the stage is set for a potential showdown between the two telecom giants.
Infrastructural projects helping improve India's relationship with Africa: Indian corporate executive
Indian infrastructure projects in Africa have significantly enhanced ties between the two regions, according to S Kuppuswamy, a senior executive from the Shapoorji Pallonji group. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between Indian and US development finance institutions to ensure the swift execution of such projects and to counter China's influence in the region. Kuppuswamy highlighted the pride African nations take in Indian-built infrastructure, citing examples like Ghana's presidential palace.
India committed to strengthening African role in global security, development
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council, Ruchira Kamboj, emphasised India's steadfast support for bolstering African states in global security and development during an open debate. She highlighted the importance of peace and development interdependence. She advocated for sustainable economic growth through partnerships. Kamboj called for UN Security Council reform to grant permanent African representation and combat terrorism in Africa. She also highlighted the need for enhanced resources and support for peacekeeping missions.
Gold edges higher as markets count on Fed rate-cut hopes
Financial markets expect the U.S. central bank to start its easing cycle in September. Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding gold.
India expands strategic presence; to have defence attaches in more countries in Africa, Asia
New Delhi is also appointing a new defence attache to the tiny African nation of Djibouti that serves as a major maritime gateway around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and is considered as a prized location for military bases, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Mauritius most suitable gateway for Indian investors to Africa: Minister
Soomilduth Bholah, Mauritius' Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, recently visited India to encourage Indian investors to utilize Mauritius as a gateway to access emerging African markets. During his 'India Business Mission' covering major cities, Bholah emphasized Mauritius' expertise in African markets and urged Indian companies to set up offices there for operations in Africa.
Cheetah Gamini gives birth to record six cubs at Kuno National Park, India's conservation efforts see major milestone
Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav announced that South African cheetah Gamini has given birth to six cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, contrary to earlier reports of five cubs. The news marks a significant achievement in India's cheetah conservation project, with Kuno now home to 27 cheetahs, half of which are cubs. This is the fourth cheetah litter in India and the first by a cheetah brought from South Africa.
View: Poor little Gemini, it tries, tries, tries
Google's AI image generation tool Gemini was pulled last week due to its ability to generate surreal images of Black vikings, Black and East Asian 1930s German soldiers, and an African-American founding father of America. These images are surreal and have no bearing in real life, making them seem strange and unfunny. Gemini and other Learning Machines (LLMs) don't think up these images themselves, but they create them from what they are told by their human overlords and their vast training datasets.
G-33 ministers call for meaninful outcome on agri negotiations at World Trade conference in Abu Dhabi
Ahead of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi, the G-33 group, including India, has urged members to achieve an outcome on public stockholding for food security purposes. The G-33, representing 47 developing and least developed countries, emphasized the need for a rules-based, non-discriminatory, and transparent trading environment to address global food security challenges.
South Africa eyes 1 lakh tourists from India in 2024
"We hosted over 79,000 Indian travellers in 2023, which is 82 per cent of the pre-Covid levels. In 2019, 95,000 Indian visitors travelled to South Africa, and this year, we are expecting the footfalls from India to cross 1,00,000 tourists.
Africa's birds of prey are in decline, a new study finds
New research reveals that 88 per cent of African raptor species have declined over the past 20 to 40 years, with 69% now meeting the criteria for being threatened with extinction. Raptors, such as eagles and vultures, play crucial ecological roles as apex predators and scavengers. Habitat loss is the biggest threat to their survival, along with poaching, poisoning, and climate change. Even national parks are not safe, with significant population losses observed. To address this crisis, the researchers have launched an initiative to engage more Africans in raptor research and conservation.
Oscar Pistorius, Olympic athlete convicted of girlfriend's murder, released from jail
Pistorius, now a parolee, was granted parole in November, having served half of a 15-year sentence for fatally shooting Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door in 2013. The court case, which captivated global audiences, spanned seven months and highlighted the tragic end to Pistorius's remarkable athletic career.
The need for a Global Green Bank
As with 'global south' vaccine deployment, the climate crisis can't be solved by markets alone. Policy interventions are required - to shape and unleash markets. A private sector-oriented GGB is necessary for mobilising 'global north' capital to the best decarbonisation investment opportunities in the 'global south'.
India, 20 others to talk agriculture subsidies at WTO tomorrow
Around 80 WTO members opposed this proposal by the Cairns Group, which has 19 members including Argentina, Australia, Brazil and Canada. Last month, the European Union had shown willingness to negotiate the public stockholding issue with India. The move was seen as a significant breakthrough on the issue which has been deadlocked for the past 10 years.
'No proof our wheat exports harming others'
India has defended its wheat exports at a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), stating that there is no evidence of harm to food security or trade distortion. The country called for a food security package at the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference, emphasizing the need for a solution on public stockholding. India's request has gained support from around 80 countries, including China and South Africa. The European Union has also expressed its support for finding a permanent solution to the public stockholding issue.
India, 79 others seek support for WTO food security deal
The alliance of G33, African Group and the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) group at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has proposed a new method to calculate subsidies given to purchase, stockpile and distribute food to ensure food security for developing and poor nations.
WTO reform, food security, ecomm among issues for 2024 ministers' meet: WTO DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Public stockholding is a policy tool used by governments to purchase, stockpile and distribute food when needed. Developing countries' food subsidies are protected by an interim peace clause which shields food procurement programmes against action from WTO members.
Load More
