‘Snooping’ row: Sisodia breaks silence, BJP steps up attack
Summary:
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been accused by the BJP of snooping on political opponents through a specially designed feedback unit. The allegations have led to a political controversy and the Lieutenant-Governor has given permission for the CBI to conduct a case against Sisodia. The Delhi government denies the charges, which arose from a preliminary inquiry conducted by the CBI in 2016. The BJP has continued to attack the Aam Aadmi Party over the "snooping" and members of the Delhi unit of the BJP staged a protest, demanding the arrests of Sisodia and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly called for them to be in jail instead of at the Secretariat.
A macabre murder in a ‘sacrifice forsuperpower’
Summary:
A 9-year-old boy went missing in Sayli, India, after playing football with friends. The police launched an investigation and registered a kidnapping case against unidentified persons, as the boy was a minor. Two days later, the police received a call from the Gujarat police that a child's body had been found in a canal. The boy's father identified the body from a mauli on the child's wrist, but the police are awaiting a DNA report to confirm it is the missing child. The child was found murdered and it is believed that the child was a victim of witchcraft. The police have detained a 16-year-old boy who worked at a local chicken shop for questioning and he has confessed to the crime.
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle-D2 will lift off from Sriharikota today
Summary:
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will carry out its second development flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) on Friday. The SSLV-D2 is set to launch at 9:18 a.m. from the Sriharikota Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The vehicle's purpose is to place three satellites into a 450-km circular orbit during its 15-minute flight, including the ISRO's EOS-07, Antaris' Janus-1, and Space Kidz' AzaadiSAT-2. The SSLV is designed to launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg to low earth orbits and offers low-cost, low-turnaround access to space while accommodating multiple satellites with minimal launch infrastructure. The vehicle is configured with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module.
EDITORIAL
Exploring the blue in the India-France partnership
Summary:
India and France celebrated 25 years of their strategic partnership, which was signed in 1998 and has grown in strength over the years due to shared values of peace, stability, and strategic autonomy. France has become an important trading and defense partner for India, with a cumulative investment of $10.31 billion and becoming India's second-largest defense supplier from 2017 to 2021. The two nations also have a strong network of military dialogues and regularly held joint exercises. France has supported India's bid for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council and its entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Climate change is another area of cooperation, with the two nations launching the International Solar Alliance in 2015. The strategic partnership has also deepened in maritime cooperation, with both nations being resident powers of the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific and forming a trilateral grouping with the UAE to ensure maritime domain awareness and security. Both countries share concerns over China's aggressive behavior and have committed to working together to maintain balance in the Indo-Pacific region.
Reporting on loss, grief and resilience during a tragedy
Summary:
The article reflects on the role of journalists in covering humanitarian tragedies and the challenges they face. The writer, a journalist, recounts his experience covering the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and highlights the various phases of a humanitarian crisis, from search and rescue to rehabilitation and reconstruction. He also reflects on the emotional difficulty of leaving the scene at the end of an assignment and the importance of following up on stories. The writer also mentions the parallel role of journalists and rescue workers, whose job is to inform the world of a tragedy, and how the world's quick response often results in aid being sent.
Locating China in the Russia-Ukraine war
Summary:
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has continued for over a year, with Western powers providing offensive weapons to Ukraine and Russia threatening consequences. Western sanctions on Russia have tightened, leading the country to become increasingly reliant on China. China's official stance on the conflict has been neutral, but it is often seen as pro-Russian due to its relationship with Russia. China has voted against three and abstained from four of the seven UN resolutions put to vote against Russia by the West, only voting in favor of one proposal raised by Russia on humanitarian aid. However, China's attitude towards the conflict has become less pro-Russia and more neutral in recent times, with top leadership suggesting this. China is indirectly involved in the conflict, having benefited from buying cheap Russian oil and gas, with Russia replacing Saudi Arabia as China's largest supplier of crude oil. The growing collaboration between China and Russia extends beyond hydrocarbons to materials and technology, with recent reports suggesting China has provided navigation equipment, jamming technology, radar systems, and fighter aircraft to Russia.
SC Collegium recommends five new Chief Justices for High Courts
Summary:
The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended five new Chief Justices for the High Courts of Calcutta, Allahabad, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Manipur to replace those who have either retired or been elevated as top court judges. The recommendations are based on seniority, experience, regional representation, and inclusivity. The collegium recommended Justice T.S. Sivagnanam as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court and Justice Pritinker Diwaker as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. The collegium also provided for the vacancy in Gujarat with the recommendation of Justice Sonia G. Gokani as the Chief Justice, and recommended Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur as the Manipur Chief Justice and Justice Ramesh Sinha as the Chhattisgarh Chief Justice.
U.S. will not sanction India for buyingRussian oil: senior American officials
Summary:
The United States has no plans to impose sanctions on India for its purchases of Russian oil. This is due to the fact that India has effectively negotiated lower prices for the Russian Urals crude oil it imports, with prices below the $60 cap set by the G-7 countries. India has been able to do this by leveraging its negotiating power, derived from the price cap and the fact that large portions of the global oil market are now inaccessible to Russia. The U.S. sees India as one of its most “consequential” partners, and while the two countries do not always share the same policy approaches, they share a commitment to upholding the international rules-based order.