Headlines at a Glance – 14th January 2022
Bhupender Yadav releases India State of Forest Report 2021
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, today released the ‘India State of Forest Report 2021’ prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) which has been mandated to assess the forest and tree resources of the country. Sharing the findings, the Minister informed that the total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million hectare which is 24.62 percent of the geographical area of the country. As compared to the assessment of 2019, there is an increase of 2,261 sq km in the total forest and tree cover of the country. The Minister expressed happiness over the fact that the present assessment reveals that 17 states/UT’s have above 33 percent of the geographical area under forest cover.
SOURCE: The Hindu
RBI Governor-headed FSDC sub-committee reviews economic situation
The FSDC sub-committee headed by Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday reviewed the economic situation in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and resolved to keep a close watch on the unfolding developments with a view to ensure financial stability. The meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) Sub-Committee (FSDC-SC) was held via video conferencing and attended by all financial sector regulators including SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA and IBBI. The sub-committee reviewed the major developments in the global and domestic economy as well as in various segments of the financial system and discussed the assessments of members about the scenario emerging from the third wave of the pandemic.
SOURCE: Business Standard
India-UK launch negotiations for ambitious FTA
Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and U.K. Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan launched negotiations for an ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Thursday. Mr. Goyal said the negotiations are expected to be completed within a year. A joint statement issued after the launch of the negotiations referred to the Roadmap 2030 announced by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson in May 2021. The Roadmap 2030 aimed at doubling bilateral trade in the next decade. The joint statement clarified that both sides will consider the option of an “Interim Agreement” while conducting the negotiation for a comprehensive agreement.
SOURCE: The Hindu
NATO, Russia eye more talks despite tensions
Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that the military organisation and Russia have agreed to try to set up more meetings to ease tensions between them amid deep concern in the West about whether Moscow might order an invasion of Ukraine. Speaking after chairing a meeting of the Nato-Russia Council, Stoltenberg said both parties had “expressed the need to resume dialogue and to explore a schedule of future meetings.” He said that the 30 Nato countries want to discuss ways to prevent dangerous military incidents, reduce space and cyber threats, as well as arms control and disarmament, including setting agreed limits on missile deployments. But Stoltenberg said that any talks about Ukraine wouldn’t be easy.
SOURCE: Hindustan Times
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