It’s like deja vu. Although for scientists this may seem like fears coming true. More fires are being reported in Europe as Italy, Spain and Greece fall victim. And the EU says this year’s fires have been more destructive than before. In Afghanistan, after the Taliban, it’s the floods that is killing more people – 113 in the last count (maybe a little dramatic here, but you get the point). Climate crisis, indeed.
TOP NEWS ➡️ Another Hotline between India and China ➡️ Myanmar’s coup leader appoints himself as PM ➡️ Belarusian Olympian fears for her safety at home ➡️ Sign of recovery: GST collection at record high
The police is one of the most visible arms of government. But it’s also a fact that they do not inspire confidence with their political linkage. PM Modi stressed on ridding the force of this “negative perception”. But former top cop Prakash Singh pointed out that the Centre too could have done its bit for this.
TOP NEWS ➡️ No let up in Assam-Mizoram tension ➡️ Jharkhand recommends CBI probe judge’s death ➡️ Fire has ravaged important Turkey cities
How old is animal life? What did it look like? A new paper published in the journal Nature says it may have found an answer – in an 890 million years old fossil of a sponge. Yes, your bath sponge could be a descendant of one of them! Of course, this has generated debate and it may well be proved otherwise later. But a sponge, imagine!
TOP NEWS ➡️ Assam’s advisory against travel to Mizoram ➡️ Centre introduces OBC, EWS quota in med education ➡️ Cabinet OKs move to privatise one general insurer ➡️ Russian space module pushes at Int’l Space Station
The US love affair with guns is a strange thing for the rest of the world (so too is their preference for “soccer” over football and “Farenheit” over “Celsius”). Remington, a gun maker facing bankruptcy and the country’s oldest, is offering $3mn to each of the nine families who lost a member in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. Wouldn’t it be easier on everyone to bring in more restrictions on use of guns? Apparently, not.
TOP NEWS ➡️ US says Taliban will make Afghanistan a pariah state; Taliban calls China a friend ➡️ Assam and Mizoram agree to pull back their police from border area ➡️ China is building nuclear missile silos ➡️ Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity found right again
When ace gymnast and 30-time Olympic and World Championship medallist Simone Biles, 24, was faced with a choice – her mental health or Olympic glory, she chose her self. Of the many inspiring stories that have come out from this year’s Olympics (or 2020 Olympics), this is among them. Even the best among us need empathy. We are human, after all.
TOP NEWS ➡️ Assam-Mizoram border continues to be tense, Centre deploys more CRPF troops ➡️ India may start vaccinating kids against Covid in Sept ➡️ Koreans agree to restart hotline ➡️ Salmon are dying as water heats up
Nikola Tesla is famous for inventing alternating current, which is supplied to all our homes. Thomas Edissons’s spat with him is legendary. And now there is a spat between Serbia and Croatia over him. Croatia wants his face – Tesla was born there- on the Euro when it adopts the currency in 2023, but Serbia where the currency is a Dinar says Tesla was a Serb and not for Croatia to “usurp”. Talk about immorality!
TOP NEWS ➡️ Two bills passed in Parliament ➡️ Violence on the Assam-Mizoram border kills 6 ➡️ Vaccination pace in India drops ➡️ China and Pak tie up to stop terrorism in Afghanistan
IN PARLIAMENT
Lok Sabha: Two bills passed – Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill to help MSMEs tide over delayed payment, and the National Institute of Food Tech, Entreupreneurship and Management Bill to declare certain institutes as of national importance.
Rajya Sabha: Hardly any business here. However, some questions were replied. The Govt says there is no definition for “forest” but said the area under forest is over 700,000 sq km.
INDIA NEWS
Pegasus Row: West Bengal became the first state to order an investigation into the controversy, which on Monday included the aide of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Bengal govt has formed a committee led by former Supreme Court judge M B Lokur.
Violence: Six Assam policemen were killed in violence at the border with Mizoram over allegations of encroachment. The chief ministers of both states publicly blamed each other forcing Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene.
Coronavirus News: India may have underestimated its deaths due to Covid-19 with a new study reporting that there had been 2.7mn to 3mn deaths during the first two waves. (THIS STUDY IS YET TO UNDERGO SCIENTIFIC SCRUTINY). The pace of vaccinations has dropped to such an extent that the country may miss target for July.
Conflict of Interest: The Chhattisgarh govt is planning to pass a law through which it will acquire a cash-strapped medical college owned by the chief minister’s daughter’s in-laws. Bureaucrats pointed to three issues with the college: 1. Its Rs 125 crore liabilities were largely unsecured 2. the IMA had accused it of fraudulent activities and 3. It has not been recognised since 2017.
Conspiracy: There is a plot to destabilise the government, claims Jharkhand where a police case has been registered and arrested three persons. According to the alleged statements given by two of the suspects, ruling coalition MLAs had met certain BJP MLAs at a hotel as part of the conspiracy. The BJP has denied any plot.
WORLD NEWS
Joint Action: China and Pakistan are tying up to drive out terrorists and stop Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed of terrorism in the region. The two countries resolved to pursue peace in the war-torn nation and said they will prevent the spread of war.
US to Leave Iraq: The foreign troops, just over 2,500 of them, will leave the middle east nation by the end of the year. While largely symbolic, this is seen as and advantage to Iran, which could have greater influence on the region now.
“The US wants to reignite the sense of national purpose by establishing China as an imaginary enemy.”
Xie Feng, Chinese vice foreign minister
We’ll Decide What’s Fair: Myanmar’s Junta has cancelled the verdict of the 2020 national elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party alleging that it was neither free nor fair.
Yay… wait a min: After almost a year, Lebanon finally has a prime minister – billionaire Najib Miqati. He had twice earlier led the country but with “little success” and was even accused of embezzlement.
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
Work For Food: Joblessness is increasing in India’s rural and urbab areas with the unemployment rate touching 7.14% on July 25.
Byju’s Insatiable: The ed-tech company has acquired its 14th and 15th company in Singapore-based Great Learning for $600mn and Toppr for $150mn. Total acquistions at $3bn.
Jeff Bezos has offered $2bn to Nasa to be back in the race to build a moon lander. Nasa was to give the contract to two companies but it did not get the $3bn funding from the govt for it. (Pic: Blue Origins)
Today is Kargil Vijay Diwas, the day India pushed back Pakistani aggressors, while commentators in Pakistan too have earlier described it as a “misadventure”, in India, it is claimed to have been a “costly” victory. Politicians still speak on it and shower praises on the sacrifices made. And yet, the border remains warm.
TOP NEWS ➡️ Over 150 people have died in Maharashtra in rain-related incidents ➡️ Rudreswar Temple in Telangana becomes India’s 39th Unesco World Heritage Site ➡️ Tunisia PM sacked over handling of Covid-19
Exactly 30 years ago, India liberalised its economy. Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, one of its main architects, said the road ahead is more daunting than the one in 1991. Just how daunting? Read the news everyday!
TOP NEWS ➡️ Govt’s confusing numbers in Parliament ➡️ Heavy rain in western India. Likely to continue today ➡️ Taliban wants Ghani gone ➡️ India improves score in UN survey
Just days to go for the Olympics, and it is quite clear that this will be remembered for not just athletes’ performance, but also for the “nil” supporters in stadiums. Will this translate to better performance? Closer to home, Parliamentarians’ performance are for all to see as “ruckus” seems to be the favoured by the media to describe proceedings.
TOP NEWS ➡️ Ruckus in Parliament over Pegasus ➡️ IT raids Dainik Bhaskar offices, group claims govt backlash for Covid coverage ➡️ WHO renewed attempt at Covid origin story ➡️ Scientists map the inside of Mars
