By TNV Desk

This is a weekly foreign media digest that tells you how India has been covered in the global media from October 29 – November 04

Gulf News – Kerala’s Kozhikode, Gwalior of MP join UNESCO creative cities list from India

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated the people of Kozhikode and Gwalior, as they have been designated as UNESCO cities of literature and music respectively.
• Taking to X, the Prime Minister said, “India’s cultural vibrancy shines brighter on the global stage with Kozhikode’s rich literary legacy and Gwalior’s melodious heritage now joining the esteemed UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Congratulations to the people of Kozhikode and Gwalior on this remarkable achievement!”
• “As we celebrate this international recognition, our nation reaffirms its commitment to preserving and promoting our diverse cultural traditions. These accolades also reflect the collective efforts of every individual dedicated to nurturing and sharing our unique cultural narratives,” he added.
• Prime Minister Modi was responding to a post by culture and tourism minister G. Kishan Reddy, who informed about the two cities being accorded the honour by UNESCO.
• “It’s a proud moment for India. Kozhikode in Kerala has been designated as the UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ and Gwalior as the ‘City of Music’ in the latest @UNESCO List of Creative Cities Network. These cities get acknowledged & recognition for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity. Congratulations to all stakeholders!” Reddy posted on X.

(For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/keralas-kozhikode-gwalior-of-mp-join-unesco-creative-cities-list-from-india-1.1698851544801

BBC – Delhi air pollution: Schools shut as air quality turns severe

• Delhi’s air turns especially toxic in winter due to various factors, including burning of crop remains by farmers, low wind speeds and bursting of firecrackers during festivals.
• On Thursday evening, the concentration of PM2.5 – fine particulate matter that can clog lungs and cause a host of diseases – exceeded the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by a seven to eight times in several parts of the city and its suburbs, according to government data.
• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal soon announced that all government and private primary schools in the city would remain closed on Friday and Saturday.
• Polluted air causes severe health issues to Delhi residents every year. As part of the third phase of its Graded Response Action Plan to combat effects of increased pollution, a central pollution control panel ordered an immediate ban on non-essential construction work in the city.
• In the second phase implemented last week, all public transport services, including the Delhi metro and electric bus services, had been instructed to increase their frequency to curb vehicle emissions.

(For detailed report click on : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67305548)

DW – Toxic smog engulfs India’s capital

• A dangerous grey smog has covered the city of Delhi and is making life miserable for its 30 million inhabitants. Several schools have been shut for two days because of the pollutant haze.
• A thick layer of toxic smog covered India’s capital on Friday morning as the air quality index (AQI) entered the “severe” category in several parts of the city.
• The smog forms over Delhi every winter as the cold, heavy air traps construction dust, pollution from vehicles and smoke from the burning of crop stubble in neighboring states. As a result, millions of residents face respiratory illnesses every year.
• “Unfavorable meteorological conditions, sudden increase in the farm fire incidents and north-westerly winds moving the pollutants to Delhi are the major causes for sudden spike in AQI,” the region’s Commission for Air Quality Management said on Thursday.
• Videos on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, showed a grey haze over the city.

(For detailed report click on : https://www.dw.com/en/toxic-smog-engulfs-indias-capital/a-67292268)

New York Times – No Nation in the World Is Buying More Planes Than India. Here’s Why.

• While most Indians travel by road or rail, the country is engaged in a major expansion of its aviation industry to serve the needs of its middle class.
• No nation in the world is buying as many airplanes as India. Its largest airlines have ordered nearly 1,000 jets this year, committing tens of billions of dollars to a spending spree that is unparalleled in aviation. In New Delhi, Indira Gandhi International Airport will be ready for 109 million passengers next year, as it prepares to become the world’s second busiest, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States.
• And this is happening in a vast country still heavily reliant on trains — with 20 journeys by rail for every one by air.
• The enormous aviation build-out, with a surge of investment behind it, has pride of place in India’s case for a greater standing on the world stage. As it moves up the ranks of the world’s biggest economies, India is scrambling to meet the expanding ambitions of its ascendant middle class. Its airports present highly visible achievements.
• An estimated 3 percent of the country’s population flies on a regular basis. But in a nation of 1.4 billion people, that percentage represents 42 million — executives, students and engineers who yearn to get quickly from here to there inside India’s borders, and to gain easier access to destinations beyond, for both business and vacation.
• The bulk of the growth of Indian aviation has been among homegrown airlines, which have clocked a 36 percent increase in passengers since 2022.
• Like Delhi, Mumbai has new airport terminals that would be the envy of any city in America, not to mention the glorious new all-bamboo Terminal 2 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, a city in southern India.

(For detailed report click on : https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/business/india-aviation.html)

DW – Reviving handloom weaving in Tamil Nadu

• The Nurpu collective is helping to revive India’s traditional art of handloom weaving. The profits sustain families who might otherwise migrate for work — and the handloomed clothes are both comfortable and eco-friendly.

(For detailed report click on : https://www.dw.com/en/reviving-handloom-weaving-in-tamil-nadu/video-67231320)

DW – Going hyper-local to decolonize the menu

• A collective of traditional organic farmers in Karnataka are championing climate-resilient, healthy, native produce — reaping ecological benefits and a sustainable livelihood. For many city dwellers, it’s their first taste of these local products.

(For detailed report click on : https://www.dw.com/en/going-hyper-local-to-decolonize-the-menu/video-67231246)

The Himalayan Times : Bangladesh launches new India-assisted rail projects and thermal power unit amid opposition protests

• India and Bangladesh launched two new railway links and a thermal power plant unit Wednesday to strengthen connections and energy security in the region amid strong opposition protests in Bangladesh. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated the three Indian-assisted development projects via video conferencing.
• India provided $47.8 million for a cross-border train link and a $388.92 million concessional line of credit for the Khulna-Mongla port rail line in Bangladesh. India provided another $1.6 billion for Bangladesh’s 1,320-megawatt super thermal power project, according to India’s External Affairs Ministry.
• Hasina considers a partnership with India politically significant for regional peace and development
• India and Bangladesh share historical and cultural ties; Bengali, which is spoken in both countries, is a strong bond. Bilateral relations have improved since Hasina and her Awami League party came to power in 2009.During her September 2022 visit to India, the two countries signed a water-sharing agreement and six other pacts, including ones on space technology and scientific collaboration.Since Hasina became prime minister, her government has addressed India’s concerns about anti-India militant groups taking shelter on Bangladeshi soil.

(For detailed report click on : https://thehimalayantimes.com/world/bangladesh-launches-new-india-assisted-rail-projects-and-thermal-power-unit-amid-opposition-protests

(The report is curated by Dr Vinay Nalwa)