India displays indigenous arms and women power
Summary:
The 74th Republic Day parade in India showcased the country's drive for self-sufficiency in military strength, with a focus on women's empowerment and the use of indigenous military equipment. The parade featured a 21-gun salute presented for the first time by Indian-made 105-mm field guns, and showcased various Made-in-India equipment such as the Arjun main battle tank, the NAG missile system, and the BrahMos missile. Women also played a prominent role, with the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy marching contingents led by women officers for the first time, and other all-female contingents in the parade.
EPFO’s plan to review high pension payout cases sparks concern
Summary:
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) of India has issued a circular stating that it will re-examine cases of higher pension for those who retired prior to September 1, 2014 and may stop the payment of higher pensions from January for those who did not exercise an option under paragraph 11(3) of the pre-amended Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995, but were still granted a pension on higher wages. The pensions will now be revised based on the salary ceiling of INR 5,000 or INR 6,500. Activists for pensioners' rights have criticized the move and claim it will affect thousands of pensioners.
Minor rape victim allowed to terminate 25-week pregnancy
Summary:
The Delhi High Court has issued guidelines for cases where victims of sexual assault are over 24 weeks pregnant and has allowed a minor rape victim to terminate her 25-week pregnancy. Indian law currently stipulates a ceiling of 24 weeks for the termination of pregnancy in certain cases, including rape survivors, victims of incest, and other vulnerable women such as differently-abled women and minors. The court has also directed that a mandatory urine pregnancy test be conducted during the medical examination of all sexual assault victims. If the victim is pregnant and wants to terminate the pregnancy, she should be produced before a medical board the same day in one of the four government hospitals in the Capital. The court has directed the Delhi government to ensure that such boards are constituted in all government hospitals in compliance with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.
Farmer unions to gherao Parliament in March in support of their demands
Summary:
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella front of hundreds of farmer organizations that spearheaded the agitation against the three farm laws, announced that it would lay siege to Parliament in March to press for its demands, including a guarantee for Minimum Support Price and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022, among others. The announcement was made at a farmers’ rally in Haryana's Jind with a pledge to intensify the movement at the national level in support of the demands on which the Central government has allegedly backed out despite written assurances. The SKM had decided to take its fight forward and lay siege to Parliament in the third week of March.
Leopard that killed a boy trapped in Mysuru
Summary:
A leopard that killed an 11-year-old boy in T. Narsipur taluk of Mysuru, India on Saturday was trapped on Thursday. The Chief Conservator of Forests said that it appeared to be the same leopard that killed the boy, and that the Forest Department had installed camera traps around the spot where the boy's body was found. The leopard is five-years-old, and scat samples are being sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, to determine if the animal had preyed on humans. The Karnataka Chief Minister announced that a directive will be issued to constitute a leopard task force similar to the elephant task force.
Editorial
A betrayal of the very idea of the Mahatma
Summary:
The article discusses the 75th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination and how his legacy is being challenged by the current ideological currents in India. It notes that members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have criticized Gandhi for being too weak, too pro-Muslim, and for his pacifism, which is seen by the Hindutva movement as unmanly. The article also mentions that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly embraced Gandhi, members and supporters of the BJP have not hidden their view that his assassination was a patriotic act. The article concludes by stating that Gandhi's vision of Hinduism as an inclusive and universal religion differs greatly from the vision of the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), the principal ideologues of the BJP.
A ‘Holocaust education’ for India to create a just present
Summary:
The article discusses the importance of remembering and educating about the Holocaust on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It highlights the danger of hate crimes and antisemitism, particularly when used for power-related purposes or during times of crisis. The article also mentions that the world is still struggling with issues of inequality, intolerance, and injustice and that there has been a recent increase in antisemitic incidents. The author argues that remembering the past and educating about the Holocaust is a moral imperative in order to understand the processes and factors that lead to the erosion of human rights and democratic values. Additionally, the article mentions UNESCO initiatives like the International Program on Holocaust and Genocide Education as a step towards fostering reparative justice and equipping the youth with the skills, values, and dispositions to address future challenges. The author emphasizes that coming to terms with the past is important for all countries, not just those directly affected by Nazism and antisemitism, and that teachers need to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to teach about the Holocaust in a way that resonates with today's world.
The U.S. seems unable to bring tight controls on assault weapons
Summary:
Two mass shootings in California earlier this month claimed 18 lives and have been a reminder of the ongoing problem of gun violence in the United States. Despite repeated mass shootings, the US still does not have strong national-level gun control laws. The Second Amendment guarantees citizens the right to bear arms and the US has 120 firearms for every 100 residents. Every time a mass shooting takes place, the President calls for legislative action, but these calls fall on deaf ears. The deep-pocketed and influential National Rifle Association and the powerful gun manufacturing industry have consistently opposed gun control measures, despite polls showing a desire for stricter controls. The article suggests that it is surprising and tragic that a democracy that prides itself on its values and a superpower that has gone to war in the name of protecting its citizens, seems helpless when it comes to enacting stricter gun controls.
India and Egypt reiterate support for Non-Aligned Movement
Summary:
India and Egypt have reiterated support for the Non-Aligned Movement and announced plans for increased military-to-military engagement and joint exercises between the armed forces of the two countries. The two countries also expressed a desire for exchange of technology between their defense industries and reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and the principles of the United Nations Charter. The leaders of both countries also expressed concern over the spread of terrorism across the world and agreed that it poses one of the most serious security threats to humanity.
Strong and steady down Kartavya Path
Summary:
Thousands turned up on the newly renovated and renamed Kartavya Path in New Delhi on a cold and cloudy winter morning to witness the Republic Day parade on Thursday. The parade that always has something for everyone did not disappoint this year’s gathering, a mix of men and women, senior citizens and children, students and working professionals, and vendors and daily wagers. Vashisth Singh, 90, a retired assistant engineer from Ranchi, who had seen the parade on TV for years, said it felt “surreal” to experience it sitting at Kartavya Path for the first time. However, the crowd was left disappointed as they could not witness the various maneuvers in the sky above Kartavya Path by the Rafale, MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI fighters.
Russia downplays West’s decision on tanks, strikes Ukraine again
Summary:
The United States and Germany have announced plans to send battle tanks to Ukraine, a move that has been met with strong condemnation by Moscow. The Kremlin has warned that such a move would be a dangerous escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, but insists that it will not prevent Russia from achieving its goals in the region. The tanks will be relatively limited in number and could take months to reach the front. In response, Russia has launched a new wave of missiles and self-exploding drones across Ukraine. Russian military bloggers and commentators say that such attacks involve meticulous preparation and were likely planned in advance, and not necessarily linked to the tank announcement.
U.S. economic growth beat forecasts in Q4 as consumers raised spending
Summary:
The US economy has maintained a strong pace of growth in the fourth quarter, boosted by consumers spending on goods, but momentum appears to have slowed considerably towards the end of the year. The Gross Domestic Product increased at a 2.9% annualised rate last quarter, with the economy growing 3.2% in the third quarter. However, higher interest rates are eroding demand, and most economists expect a recession by the second half of 2023. The Fed last year raised its policy rate by 425 basis points from near zero to a 4.25%-4.50% range, the highest since late 2007.