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PM Modi launches the Global Biofuels Alliance at the G20 Summit, 19 countries stand with India as initiating members

ANI
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PM Modi launches the Global Biofuels Alliance at the G20 Summit, 19 countries stand with India as initiating members

PM Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the Global Biofuels Alliance in the presence of US President Joe Biden, President of Brazil Luiz Inacio, President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández and Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni.

The Global Biofuel Alliance is one of the priorities under India’s G20 Presidency.

Brazil, India, and the United States, as leading biofuel producers and consumers, will work together during the next few months towards the development of a Global Biofuels Alliance along with other interested countries.

This Alliance will be aimed at facilitating cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, including in the transportation sector. It will place emphasis on strengthening markets, facilitating global biofuels trade, developing concrete policy lesson-sharing and providing technical support for national biofuels programs worldwide.

It will also emphasize the already implemented best practices and success cases.

The Alliance shall work in collaboration with and complement the relevant existing regional and international agencies as well as initiatives in the bioenergy, bioeconomy, and energy transition fields more broadly, including the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Platform, the Mission Innovation Bioenergy initiatives, and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP).

GBA will be a competent organisation that will set technical standards for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) business in collaboration with relevant industry bodies.

The alliance will have a three-category membership structure bringing together member countries, partner organisations and industries.

The alliance will work towards enhancing global collaboration and cooperation for the accelerated adoption of biofuels by identifying global best practices for the development and deployment of sustainable biofuels and bioproducts.

Nineteen countries agreed to stand with India as initiating members of the Global Biofuels Alliance.

The International Energy Agency estimates in a July report that global sustainable biofuel production would need to triple by 2030 to put the world’s energy system on track towards net zero emissions by 2050.

India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, imports about 85 per cent of its crude needs and is gradually building capacity to increase its output of biofuels.

India is targeting to become carbon neutral by 2070 and is expanding the use of biofuel in its transport sector. It has advanced the deadline by five years to 2025 for doubling nationwide ethanol blending in gasoline to 20 per cent.

The alliance will help by encouraging global biofuels trade, developing concrete policies on lesson-sharing and promoting the provision of technical support for national biofuels programmes worldwide.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that the G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration adopted on Saturday focuses on promoting strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.

Addressing a joint press conference, Jaishankar said the Declaration seeks to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goals and has come up with an action plan accordingly.

“The declaration the leaders have agreed on today focuses on promoting strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. It seeks to accelerate progress on SDGs and has come up with an action plan accordingly,” the minister said.  

“It envisages a green development pact for a sustainable future, it endorses high-level principles on lifestyle for sustainable development, voluntary principles of hydrogen, the Chennai principles for a sustainable resilient blue economy and the Deccan principles on food security and nutrition among others,” he added.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

First session of the G20 Summit in Delhi was ‘One Earth’: Read details of various initiatives discussed under it

OpIndia Staff
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First session of the G20 Summit in Delhi was ‘One Earth’: Read details of various initiatives discussed under it

On 9th September 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the first session of the G20 Summit on the subject of “One Earth.” In his speech, he highlighted the need for human-centric development and stressed that India has always emphasised this in its culture. He also mentioned the various initiatives and missions that India has undertaken to protect the environment, including the LiFE Mission, the International Year of Millets, the Green Grids Initiative – ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’, solar power, natural farming, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Let us briefly see what all these initiatives are all about.

LiFE Mission

The LiFE Mission, or Lifestyle for Environment, is a global initiative launched by PM Modi at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). The mission aims to promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle that focuses on “mindful and deliberate utilization” instead of “mindless and destructive consumption.” The four pillars of the LiFE Mission are as follows.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle: This pillar encourages people to reduce their consumption of goods and services, reuse items whenever possible, and recycle materials whenever possible.

Circular economy: This pillar promotes the design of products and services that can be reused, repaired, or recycled at the end of their life.

Sustainable consumption and production: This pillar encourages people to make choices about the goods and services they consume that are more sustainable for the environment.

Sustainable lifestyles: This pillar encourages people to adopt habits and lifestyles that are more sustainable for the environment, such as walking or biking instead of driving, eating less meat, and conserving water.

International Year of Millets

The International Year of Millets (IYM) is a UN-recognised year that is being celebrated in 2023. The year has been dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of millets, which are a group of small, gluten-free grains that are grown in dry and semi-arid regions. Millets are a good source of protein, fibre, and vitamins, and they are also a sustainable crop that requires less water than other grains.

India was the lead country in proposing the IYM to the United Nations. The government of India has taken a number of initiatives to promote millet including organising awareness campaigns and events, providing financial assistance to farmers, developing new varieties of millets, and promoting research on millets.

India is also a major producer and exporter of millet. The IYM has helped to raise awareness of the nutritional and environmental benefits of millets, and it is expected to boost the demand for millets in India and around the world.

Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid

The idea for the One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative was put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the First Assembly of the International Solar Alliance in October 2018. The initiative aims at connecting energy supply across borders. The vision behind the OSOWOG initiative is the mantra that “the sun never sets”. The OSOWOG initiative aims to connect different regional grids through a common grid that will be used to transfer renewable energy power and, thus, realize the potential of renewable energy sources, especially solar energy.

The Green Grids Initiative – One Sun, One World, One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, during the ‘Accelerating Innovation and Clean Technology Deployment’ event at the World Leaders Summit held on 2 November 2021 during COP26. In addition to the launch of the initiative, this event also included the launch of the ‘One Sun Declaration’ as approved by the Fourth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance.

India is a founding member of the GGI-OSOWOG and has been a strong supporter of the initiative. The country has contributed to the initiative by sharing its expertise in solar energy and grid technology, investing in research and development on GGI-OSOWOG technologies, and working with other countries to develop pilot projects.

India is also committed to implementing GGI-OSOWOG at the national level. The country has set a target of generating 450 gigawatts of solar power by 2030, and it is working to develop a national grid that can integrate solar power from different parts of the country. The GGI-OSOWOG is a promising initiative that has the potential to transform the global energy landscape. India’s participation and contribution to the initiative is a major step forward in the fight against climate change.

Natural Farming

India is a leading proponent of natural farming. The country has a long history of traditional farming practices that are based on the principles of natural farming. In recent years, the government of India has been promoting natural farming as a way to improve soil health, reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and increase crop yields.

India’s participation and contribution to natural farming is a major step forward in the fight against climate change. Natural farming is a sustainable way of farming that can help to improve soil health, reduce pollution, and conserve water. The government of India has launched a national program called the Natural Farming Mission. The program provides financial assistance to farmers who adopt natural farming practices. The program also provides training and technical support to farmers.

India has made significant progress in promoting natural farming. The country has trained over 1 million farmers in natural farming practices and has set a target of converting 100 million hectares of farmland to natural farming by 2030.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

The National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) is a government initiative that aims to promote the production and use of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. It is a clean and emissions-free fuel that can be used to power vehicles, heat homes, and generate electricity. India is a major player in the global green hydrogen market. The country has a vast renewable energy potential, and it is committed to making green hydrogen a major part of its energy mix.

NGHM includes setting ambitious targets for the production and use of green hydrogen, investing in research and development on green hydrogen technologies, developing a national hydrogen infrastructure, and promoting international cooperation on green hydrogen. The government of India has set a target of producing 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030. India is investing $5 billion in research and development on green hydrogen technologies. India’s participation and contribution to the NGHM is a major step forward in the fight against climate change. Green hydrogen is a clean and emissions-free fuel that can help reduce India’s reliance on fossil fuels and achieve its climate goals.

These are just some of the initiatives and missions that India has undertaken to protect the environment. PM Modi’s speech at the G20 Summit highlighted India’s commitment to sustainable development and its leadership in the fight against climate change.

Rajasthan: Govt school teacher hurls casteist slurs and assaults Dalit student for drinking water from staff cooler, angry mob beat up teacher

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Govt school teacher hurls casteist slurs and assaults Dalit student for drinking water from staff cooler, angry mob beat up teacher

On Friday (September 8), a government school teacher in Rajasthan allegedly abused and assaulted a Dalit class 7 student for drinking water from a water cooler meant for school teachers and staff. Following the incident, enraged family members of the Dalit student and villagers barged into the school on Saturday (September 9) morning and beat up the accused teacher in front of the police.

The incident reportedly took place in the Government Higher Primary School located at Bhimnagar in the Bayana police station area in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Ran Singh, the victim’s brother, has filed a complaint against the teacher at the Bayana police station, accusing him of assault.

Complaint filed by victim’s brother (Source: NDTV Hindi)
Image source: Bhaskar

Brother singled out because of his caste, principal offered Rs 2 lakh to withdraw the complaint: Brother of Dalit student tells police

In his complaint, the victim’s brother alleged that the tutor did not object to the other students drinking from the same cooler and singled out his brother because he belonged to a lower caste.

He further alleged that the school’s principal, Rajkumar Sharma, and another instructor, Naval Kishore, attempted to bribe him into withdrawing his complaint against him. According to the victim, the two teachers arrived at his house at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, and offered him Rs 2 lakh if he dropped the charge against Gangaram Gujar. They also warned him of severe repercussions if he did not comply with their demands.

Image source: Bhaskar

The incident

According to the complaint filed by the victim’s brother Ran Singh, on Friday during recess hours, he went to the water cooler to have water after finishing his tiffin, but the water cooler was empty. When he was returning, he saw two students drinking water from the pitcher kept exclusively for the school teachers and staff members. Since he was very thirsty, he too drank water from that pitcher.

When Gangaram Gurjar saw this, he became furious and started hurling casteist abuses at the student and beating him up.

The student went back home and shared his ordeal with his brother and relatives. Infuriated by the discrimination and inhumane treatment meted out by the teacher, the family members along with other villagers barged into the school at around 10 am on Saturday and created a ruckus at the campus, demanding strict action against the accused teacher.

Villagers gathered inside school premises demanding action against the accused teacher (source: Bhaskar)

Seeing the crowd gather at the premises, the school authorities informed the police. The police arrived within no time but before it could intervene, the victim’s family members and villagers caught hold of the accused teacher and thrashed him up in front of the police.

The cops eventually managed to rescue the teacher from the clutches of the angry mob and took him to the police station.

In response, the enraged villagers tried to block the Bayana State Highway. The cops, however, dispersed the crowd. Following this, members of the Bhim Army went to the police station to voice their outrage over the occurrence. The police filed an FIR against the accused and began investigating the case.

Only I was beaten out of the three students who took water: Dalit student tells police

The victim stated, “I arrived at school at 7 a.m. yesterday (Friday). I sat in class after praying. The water van arrived shortly. Some students spilt water while transporting water for the teachers from the van. The school water cooler was completely dry. As a result, two pupils filled water bottles from the cooler reserved for teachers. When I saw them doing that, I also filled my bottle from the staff water cooler. Following this, Sir (Gangaram Gurjar) directed all three of us who drank water from the staff cooler to stand up. The next minute, he instructed the other children to sit and directed a classmate to hit me with a stick. After that, sir also started abusing me and hitting me.

“He only scolded”: Principal of the state-run school in Bharatpur, Rajasthan defends the accused teacher

The school’s principal, Rajkumar Sharma, defended the accused teacher, claiming that the student had deliberately spilt water. As a result, the teacher merely scolded him. The villagers are causing a commotion for no apparent cause, he said, adding that the kins of the student and other villagers came to the school and assaulted the teacher.

He further stated that his school has up to 200 students from kindergarten to the eighth grade.

Meanwhile, the Chief block educational officer (CBEO) Ramlakhan Khatana said that a committee has been formed to investigate the matter. Whatever facts surface in the committee report, action will be taken in accordance with them, he said, adding that the higher officials have been informed about the incident.

Dalit kid in Rajasthan succumbs to injuries after being beaten by teacher for touching drinking water pot

Last year, a nine-year-old Dalit child Indra Meghwal succumbed to his injuries after reportedly being beaten up by a teacher in a private school in the Jalore district of Rajasthan for touching a drinking water pot.

According to a complaint letter handed to the Saila police station by the victim’s father, Devaram Meghwal, Singh beat up Indra on July 20 while taunting him with casteist insults for drinking water from an earthen pot intended for upper caste people. Indra’s father also stated that he suffered damage to his right ear and eye as a result of Singh’s thrashing and eventually became unconscious. The kid was taken to the district hospital, from where he was referred to a hospital in Udaipur.

According to the father, Indra was hospitalised in the hospital in Udaipur for almost a week but his health did not improve. He was subsequently transferred to Ahmedabad, where he died.

‘India is laundering Russian oil’: Far-left ‘activist’ Kavita Krishnan defames India amid G20 Summit, casts aspersions on her foreign policy decisions

OpIndia Staff
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‘India is laundering Russian oil’: Far-left ‘activist’ Kavita Krishnan defames India amid G20 Summit, casts aspersions on her foreign policy decisions

On Friday, September 8, far-left ‘activist’ Kavita Krishnan in an exclusive interview with a French international news channel, FRANCE 24 English raised questions over India’s strategic autonomy and defamed the country causing and seeking ‘benefits’ out of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“We know that Ukraine is a sticking point. The foreign policy, the so-called strategic autonomy, and the domestic policy which includes ideology and political economy here.. the foreign policy decision that the Modi government has made has actually benefitted two companies- one is a ‘crony capitalist’ company of Modis and another is a Russian state-owned company. It is a graft scandal and it is worth investigating,” Krishnan said.

She also attacked PM Modi and said that India has now been divided and that the aspirations of all Indians are not represented by PM Modi on the global stage. She also said that the US has been appeasing Russian President Vladamir Putin and the Indian PM and that the country is bypassing its own sanctions imposed against Russia by buying the Russian oil that is laundered by India.

“This raises concerns about democracy all over the world. This is not just a remote issue about Ukraine. It has to do with the democracy in this world,” she said.

The Biden administration prohibited the purchase of crude oil and other petroleum products directly from Russia in March of last year, shortly following the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. However, both the US and the EU continue to purchase Russian oil that has been refined in other nations into petrol, fuel oil, and other products.

Kavita Krishnan, an avowed communist, a group of people that idolise mass murderers such as Mao Zedong and Stalin, wants Indians to believe that buying cheap Russian oil whose refined version is in huge demand in Europe and the Western market, is not an act of economical prudence and delicate diplomatic balancing, but ‘laundering’ of the fossil fuel.

The ‘activist’ also reiterated that the “Hindu supremacist aspirations are not shared by all Indians.” She added that the opposition in India is ‘bravely’ defending democracy but stated that by giving a free pass to PM Modi’s foreign policy, it is undermining its fight for democracy.

Speaking at G20, Krishnan said that the world can look differently at geopolitics, climate change economy, and internal democracy. “The world needs to come together. Our internal democracies are in danger and the same forces that are undermining internal democracy like in India are the same ones that are pushing for undermining the world order in which certain standards of democracy are taken for granted,” she added.

The ‘activist’ while further talking to FRANCE 24 English also said that in India women’s rights, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and that of the transgenders are in danger. She also indicated that the minority communities in India are unsafe and that they are treated like second-grade citizens. “It is soon going to be non-citizens. We should be paying attention to this,” she added.

Krishnan in the meantime also alleged that the BJP leaders were speaking the language of folks and were trying to impress them but were not actually providing them with what is needed. “People who support Modi and the BJP are not yet realizing the upcoming threat. The ruling party is undermining the Indian Constitution and saying that instead of individual rights being at the centre, community rights will be superseded. They say that caste councils will rule and women do not have space in the caste councils. This is the dangerous path where the government is trending,” she said.

The anti-Hindu and pro-Islamist antecedents of Kavita Krishnan

Kavita Krishnan is known for her anti-India and anti-Hindu views. In the past, she has attacked the Modi government calling it a ‘fascist’ government. She also has compared Hindutva to the Taliban and the Ku Klux Klan and denied the existence of “Love Jihad” (Grooming Jihad) which has claimed the lives of several Hindu women. Over the last few years, Kavita Krishnan has been caught several times for peddling fake news, however, she continues to do so with impunity.

Besides expressing solidarity with anti-national elements, Kavita Krishnan has a history of backing radical Islamists, fake news peddlers, and pro-Pakistan propagandists. In 2021, she was exposed for standing in support of a notorious fake news peddler Mohammad Asif Khan, who has a history of propagating communally sensitive fake news.

No restrictions on movements of governors and chief ministers: Union Home Ministry refutes allegations by Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel

OpIndia Staff
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No restrictions on movements of governors and chief ministers: Union Home Ministry refutes allegations by Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel

The centre on 9 September rejected Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s accusation that he would skip the G20 dinner scheduled for the same day due to air restrictions in and around the national capital and clarified that movement of governors and CMs on their state aircraft was not prohibited.

While a high-tech security air cover has been deployed for the G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi from September 8 to 11, the home ministry made it clear to the states that the movement of Governors and Chief Ministers on their official aircraft is permitted.

On 8 September, Bhupesh Baghel claimed that he would not be attending the President’s G20 dinner as there were no non-scheduled flights going in and out of Delhi due to security measures for the ongoing summit on 9 and 10 September. “Delhi has become a no-fly zone now. How do I go,” he asked.

The MHA also responded to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s allegation that the ministry on 8 September did not allow his helicopter to go from Udaipur to Sikar following which his programme was cancelled. He was set to visit Sangliya Peeth in Sikar as part of the death anniversary programme of Baba Shri Khinwadas Ji Maharaj.

The ministry spokesperson affirmed, “Four requests were received from CM Rajasthan for flight permissions, including for Sikar, and all were approved by the MHA. No request from CM Rajasthan has been denied.” It was also reiterated that private chartered flights need explicit MHA approval whereas all regularly scheduled commercial aircraft flights and the transfer of governors and state chief ministers aboard state aircraft are authorised.

The veteran Congressman reacted to the clarification and remarked, “Yesterday I had a plan to go from Udaipur to Jaipur by plane and from Jaipur to Sikar and from Sikar to Niwai by helicopter. For this, the helicopter had to reach Jaipur from Udaipur in advance, but it was said that due to the protocol of G-20, the helicopter or plane can travel only when the CM himself is on board.”

He continued, “Permission to fly the helicopter was sought through e-mail at 10.48 AM but permission was not received till 2.50 PM. To give information to the public waiting there, I tweeted at 2:52 PM and explained the reason for not being able to come and also called Shri Om Das Maharaj at Sangliya Peeth and informed him. After this, permission came at 3.58 PM but by then I had left from Udaipur for Jaipur by plane and after reaching Jaipur, I was cleared by road.”

He alleged, “I did not want to create any controversy in the name of G-20, hence did not condemn it and only informed the public about the facts. But now I am sad that the Home Ministry has made an unsuccessful attempt to spread confusion among the public by giving wrong information.”

The Rajasthan chief minister had earlier wrote, “Today, there was a planned visit to Sanglia Peeth, Sikar in the programme of death anniversary of Baba Shri Khinwadas Ji Maharaj, but due to G-20 meeting, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India did not allow helicopter to go from Udaipur to Sikar in the airspace, because of which today I am not able to reach Sangliya Peeth.

He further added, “Spoke to the Peethadhishwar Shri Om Das Maharaj of Sangliya Peeth on the phone and informed him. I will soon visit Sangliya Peeth to seek blessings.”

President Droupadi Murmu is set to hold a G20 dinner for world leaders and the chief ministers of states ruled by Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance like Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath, Assam’s Himanta Biswa Sarma, Haryana’s Manohar Lal Khattar, Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde, Gujarat’s Bhupendra Patel and Uttarakhand’s Pushkar Singh Dhami are going to be a part of it.

Many opposition leaders have boycotted the event and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh is the only Congress chief minister who has so far confirmed his attendance.

G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration released after it was adopted with consensus at G20 Summit: Read details and full text

OpIndia Staff
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G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration released after it was adopted with consensus at G20 Summit: Read details and full text

Defying speculations that the G20 Leaders’s Summit in Delhi under India’s presidency would end without a joint statement due to differences over a range of issues, the summit today adopted the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration. PM Narendra Modi announced that consensus has been arrived at on the Delhi declaration, calling it good news.

The preamble of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration says, “We are One Earth, One Family, and we share One Future.” Climate and energy issues are the major focus of the declaration, along with conflicts and health issues.

The G20 leaders have committed to accelerate strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, accelerate the full and effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, pursue low greenhouse gas and low carbon emissions, enhance efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement and improve access to medical countermeasures. On the financial angle, the leaders resolved to promote resilient growth by urgently and effectively addressing debt vulnerabilities in developing countries and scaling up financing for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Delhi Declaration also talks about reforms in Multilateral Development Banks, improving access to digital services, promoting sustainable, quality, healthy, safe and gainful employment, closing gender gaps, and better integrating the perspectives of developing countries.

The declaration expresses concern over human suffering and adverse impacts of wars and conflicts around the world, and mentions the Ukraine war. The G20 leaders reiterated their positions on the issue, adding that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter.

In a clear warning to G20 member Russia, the declaration states, “all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.” It is notable that Russian president Putin is not attending the summit.

On global economic situation, the Delhi Declaration commits to protect the vulnerable, through promoting equitable growth and enhancing macroeconomic and financial stability. It states, “such an approach will help resolve the cost-of-living crisis and unlock strong, sustainable, balanced, and inclusive growth.” The G20 leaders also resolved to work with the private sector to accelerate growth and driving sustainable economic transformations.

On the issue of global trade, the G20 joint declaration said that a rules-based, non-discriminatory, fair, open, inclusive, equitable, sustainable and transparent multilateral trading system, with WTO at its core, is indispensable.

The leaders committed to work on skill gap, promoting decent work and ensuring inclusive social protection policies for all on the work front. The Delhi Declaration talks about advancing financial inclusion and fighting corruption.

On the subject of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the declaration notes that the progress has been slow and only 12% work has been completed in the Decade of Action till 2030. The G20 leaders resolved to accelerate this work.

The declaration resolves to take measures to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, and to work on macroeconomic impacts of food and energy insecurity.

The declaration states that the G20 leaders remain committed to strengthening the global health architecture, with the World Health Organization (WHO) at its core, and building more resilient, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage, implement One Health approach, enhance pandemic preparedness and strengthen existing infectious diseases surveillance systems.

It also talks about Finance-Health Collaboration, saying that they remain committed to strengthening the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) through enhanced collaboration between Finance and Health Ministries under the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF).

The Delhi Declaration has given a lot of importance on Green Development Pact for Sustainable Future. It talks about macroeconomic risks stemming from climate change and transition pathways, mainstreaming Lifestyles for Sustainable Development (LiFE), designing a Circular Economy World, implementing clean, sustainable, just, affordable & inclusive energy transitions.

It also has detailed discussions on delivering on climate and sustainable finance, conserving, protecting, sustainably using and restoring ecosystems, harnessing and preserving the ocean-based economy, ending plastic pollution, financing cities of tomorrow, reducing disaster risk and building resilient infrastructure.

The New Delhi Declaration has stressed on reinvigorating multilateralism, saying that the global order has undergone dramatic changes since the second world war due to various reasons. it talks about reforming international financial institutions and managing global debt vulnerabilities.

It also has a section on technological transformation and digital public infrastructure, including topics like building digital public infrastructure, building safety, security, resilience and trust in the digital economy, policy and regulation of crypto-assets, central bank digital currency, digital ecosystems, Artificial Intelligence etc.

The G20 Leaders’ Declaration then talks about International taxation, Gender Equality, Financial Sector Issues, Terrorism and Money laundering, and talks about creating a more inclusive world.

In conclusion, the declaration thanks India for successfully hosting the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi, for its warm welcome to delegates, and for its valuable contributions to the strengthening of the G20. “We appreciate the successful conclusion of various G20 Working Groups and

Ministerial meetings and welcome their outcomes as annexed. We also congratulate India on the successful landing on the moon on 23 August 2023,” it says.

The declaration adds, “Recalling our collective actions to stem earlier global crises, we are determined to steer the world out of its current challenges and build a safer, stronger, more resilient, inclusive and healthier future for our people and the planet.”

The full text of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration can be viewed below:

G20-New-Delhi-Leaders-Declaration FullDownload

US: California State passes bill penalising parents with losing custody of their children for opposing their gender transition

OpIndia Staff
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US: California State passes bill penalising parents with losing custody of their children for opposing their gender transition

The California State Assembly has passed a bill that would penalise parents with losing their children’s custody if they resisted their gender transition.

The Bill, AB 957, which was passed with a decisive vote of 57-16 on Friday, incorporates gender affirmation as a significant factor to be taken into account in child custody proceedings. Prior to this, the California Senate also gave its approval with a vote of 30-9.

The recently passed law, known as the Transgender, Gender-Diverse, and Intersex Youth Empowerment Act, plans to accord paramount importance to the “well-being, safety, and overall welfare” of children by emphasising the affirmation of their gender identity. Originally introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson on February 24, the bill underwent revisions in the Assembly on March 13 and underwent additional changes in the Senate on June 5 prior to its ultimate passage.

In a nutshell, the Bill will require judges to take into account whether a parent “affirms” a child’s “gender identity or gender expression” in determining custody.

According to the proposed laws, parents who do not recognise and provide support for their child’s gender transition may encounter potential repercussions, such as losing custody rights to another parent or even the state. Advocates of the bill contend that it serves the well-being of children by striving to establish a more inclusive and validating atmosphere for gender-diverse youth.

The Democratic legislators who led this bill claim that it reflects a crucial measure to protect the welfare of transgender and gender-diverse youngsters. Their argument highlights that while judges currently possess discretion in assessing gender affirmation, enshrining it in law offers explicit guidance for judicial decision-making.

However, it saw stern opposition from Republicans, who expressed reservations, claiming that this legislation might encroach upon parental rights and independence. The critics contend that it could potentially result in scenarios where parents face repercussions for not conforming to their child’s gender transition, a situation they perceive as an overextension of government authority.

Elon Musk, a California-based entrepreneur and the owner of the social media platform X, and who is known for not mincing his words in his criticism, castigated the bill and described it as misleading in its implications. Musk suggested that in a situation where parents disagree with sterilisation procedures, they could risk losing the custody of their children. He vehemently disagreed with this notion, labelling it as “utter madness.”

Michael Seifert, the CEO of Public Square, also conveyed his profound disapproval of the bill passed by the California State Assembly, calling it a “legislated evil.” He further noted that he is content with his decision to relocate from the state, as he perceives it to have undergone such significant transformation that it no longer resembles the place he once called home.

Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, who authored the bill, previously claimed that the legislation does not compel judges to place gender affirmation above all other considerations.

As per Wilson’s explanation, gender affirmation might involve permitting children to engage with toys aligned with their gender identity, exploring activities such as nail painting, or selecting hairstyles that align with their personal comfort.

Critically, the bill refrains from specifying any particular mandates regarding gender-affirming surgeries, recognizing that such significant decisions for minors in California continue to require parental consent.

Indian Defence exports reach an all time high breaching Rs 16000 crore mark with a 23-fold increase in FY 22-23

ANI
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Indian Defence exports reach an all time high breaching Rs 16000 crore mark with a 23-fold increase in FY 22-23

Looking to expand the Make in India in defence sector, India’s defence exports have skyrocketed to an all-time high, touching nearly the Rs 16,000 cr mark in FY 2022-23, Defence Ministry said on Friday. 

“With a 23-fold increase in exports, Indian design and development capabilities are reaching over 85 countries,” the Defence Ministry announced.

The Indian indigenous defence industry has achieved the success in expanding exports with sale of major defence systems including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Akash air defence systems and artillery guns to a friendly country.

The Indian export strategy includes identifying newer markets for countries who are friendly and are looking at long lasting relationship for military hardware.

The Indian industry is now competing with global firms for exporting their military hardware and have been in competition in multiple countries including South East Aisa and Africa.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

G20 Leaders’ Summit: PM Modi announces consensus on New Delhi Declaration; Wire, India Today and others had claimed there would be no joint statement

OpIndia Staff
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G20 Leaders’ Summit: PM Modi announces consensus on New Delhi Declaration; Wire, India Today and others had claimed there would be no joint statement

During session 2 of the first day of the G20 Summit being held in Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the leaders of the bloc have arrived at a consensus on a leaders’ declaration. Addressing the session, PM Modi said that consensus on the New Delhi G20 Leaders Summit Declaration has been reached, calling it good news.

He said that the consensus was achieved with the hard work of the teams and the cooperation of all the participants. PM Modi then proposed to adopt the declaration, and the G20 leaders adopted the declaration.

“I congratulate my ministers, Sherpa, all officials who worked hard for it and made it possible,” PM Modi added. The PM further said, “India’s G20 Presidency has been the most ambitious in the history of G-20. With 112 outcomes and presidency documents, we have more than doubled the substantive work from previous presidencies.”

Reportedly, the G20 under India’s presidency have achieved 73 outcomes or lines of effort and 39 annexed presidency documents, totalling 112. This is the highest number of outcomes and presidency documents in the G20 history and is substantially more than previous presidencies.

Talking about the development, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said that with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, “today’s era must be marked as the golden age of human-centric globalisation”. He added that India’s G20 Presidency under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi has worked tirelessly towards this goal.

Media had claimed there would be no joint statement

The consensus on the Delhi Declaration was significant because there were speculations in the media that the G20 Leaders’ Summit would end without a joint statement. Several media reports had claimed that a joint communique was unlikely due to differences between member nations, especially disagreements between Russia and Western countries over the war in Ukraine.

Notorious fake news peddler, The Wire had claimed that there would be no Delhi Declaration as the West had rejected India’s compromise text on contentious matters. It had said that the text drafted by India on the Ukraine war did “not go far enough” to be accepted by G7 and EU members.

Similarly, the Mint had said that India’s G20 Presidency could be the first to not issue a joint declaration at the end of the summit. The report stated that Russia and China were opposing use of strong language over the Ukraine war issue. Similarly India Today had predicted that the absence of Putin and Jinping at the Summit would mean there would be no joint statement.

There were other issues with disagreements, like climate issues and the reduction in the use of fossil fuels. Several earlier G20 meetings, including ministerial meetings and the meeting of the Sherpas, failed to arrive at a consensus on these issues, fuelling the speculation that a joint declaration would not be possible. It was reported that the drafts prepared by India were not found sufficient by several nations.

However, at the end, Indian officials worked hard and were able to prepare a draft acceptable to all. The details of the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration have not been made public yet.

BBC ‘fact checker’, who had dubbed delta strain of Covid-19 as ‘Indian variant’, had lied on her CV to get the job

Dibakar Dutta
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BBC ‘fact checker’, who had dubbed delta strain of Covid-19 as ‘Indian variant’, had lied on her CV to get the job

On Wednesday (September 6), the ‘disinformation correspondent‘ of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Marianna Spring, came under scanner after it came to light that the supposed ‘fact checker’ lied on her CV to land a job in 2018.

The revelations were first made in an article published by a weekly newspaper, The New European. Titled ‘When the BBC’s disinformation correspondent lied on her CV’, the article exposed how Marianna Spring had fabricated her own Curriculum vitae. 

“…The high standard of integrity and honesty Spring today demands of others has not always been entirely consistent with her own behaviour,” it emphasised.

Screengrab of the news article by The New European

The New European informed that Spring was eyeing the job as a Moscow stringer for the US-based news portal, Coda Story, in 2018. At that time, she lied in her CV and falsely claimed that she worked with BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford and covered the 2018 FIFA World Cup for the news channel in Russia.

The fabricated CV was part of Spring’s application to Coda Story’s Editor-in-Chief, Natalia Antelava. “June 2018: Reported on International News during the World Cup, specifically the perception of Russia, with BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford,” the BBC disinformation correspondent claimed in her CV.

“This claim was, unfortunately, pure disinformation. In reality, she had merely met Rainsford in a couple of social situations. The claim was a lie. A simple check by Antelava with Rainsford resulted in the latter admonishing Spring for the embellishment in her CV,” The New European said in its article on September 6.

Marianna Spring downplays CV fraud as ‘awful misjudgment’

The BBC’s disinformation correspondent later downplayed her fraudulent behaviour in an apology email written to Sarah Rainsford. “Awful misjudgment,” she attempted to trivialise her dishonest behaviour.

“I’ve only bumped into Sarah whilst she’s working and chatted to her at various points, but nothing more. Everything else on my CV is entirely true…There’s absolute no excuse at all, and I’m really sorry again,” Marianna Spring conceded before boasting of her ‘brilliance’ as a reporter.

“Telling me you are a brilliant reporter who exercises integrity and honesty when you have literally demonstrated the opposite was a terrible idea…I am sure if you use this as a lesson, things will work out,” the Editor-in-Chief of Coda Story had cautioned.

Disinformation correspondent of BBC dubbed delta strain of Covid-19 as ‘Indian variant’

At a time when India was struggling with the second wave of the pandemic, Marianna Spring was busy targeting the Indian community over the ‘delta variant’ of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

In a tweet on May 18, 2021, she had claimed, “Concerns over vaccine hesitancy leading to hospitalisations in Bolton – where the India variant has spiked – have raised questions about the impact of online anti-vaccine content.“

Screengrab of the tweet by Marianna Spring

Despite being well aware that dubbing the delta strain as ‘Indian variant’ can encourage prejudice against the Indian community, the BBC’s disinformation correspondent was unabashed in its usage.

It is interesting to note that the left-liberal ecosystem opposed the labelling of COVID-19 as ‘Chinese virus’, despite the fact that the pathogen originated in the Wuhan province of China. But somehow, it is acceptable for the same coterie to dub the delta strain of the same virus as the ‘Indian variant.’

BBC downplays allegations against Marianna Spring, The Guardian hails her

Despite her checkered past, Marianna Spring was hailed by the leftist British newspaper ‘The Guardian‘ as a supposed crusader against ‘disinformation and hate’ on social media.

The British Broadcasting Corporation has so far not commented on the development. Interestingly, the Head of Communications for BBC Radio, Philly Spurr, was seen defending Marianna Spring.

“Thank you for being an absolutely lying hypocrite with ZERO credibility. Sack NOW! @BBCNews,” remarked an X user. Instead of admonishing her colleague, Spurr came to the rescue of Springs, who is now accused of CV manipulation.

“You’ve sent 5 consecutive tweets saying this now. How is ‘Be kind to each other!’ on your profile working out for you?” the BBC employee resorted to whataboutery.

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