News Of Today

July 22 – Pegasus Temptation, Byju’s Hunger

Toa, the orca calf is stuck in New Zealand after it got separated from its pod around 10 days ago. The New Zealand people are doing all they can to care for the killer whale even shifting him when the weather threatened. But experts are now concerned: Taking care of him takes a lot of resources and, in the long run, may not be good for the animal. What’s your take on wild animals in captivity? Read the story and let us know your take!

TOP NEWS:
➡️ NSO GROUP KNEW PEGASUS COULD BE MISUSED
➡️ LIVERPOOL LOSES ITS ‘WORLD HERITAGE’ TAG
➡️ Byju’s has acquired US-based reading platform for $500mN
➡️ Pharma majors to pay $26bn to the us for opiod crisis

July 21 – No Oxygen Deaths; Torrential Rain in China

The Olympics motto – Faster, Higher, Stronger – now has one more – ‘Together‘. In these times of isolation, perhaps it is fitting that the grandest show on earth where the best of the human race, well, races should not forget its humanity in individual success.

TOP NEWS:
➡️ Parliament saw little business as Oppn attacked govt over Pegasus
➡️ Govt says no Covid deaths due to lack of oxygen
➡️ 2 out of 3 Indians have antibodies against Covid
➡️ Another extreme weather event, this time in China

July 20 – More on Pegasus, Almost Nil in Parliament

Data can be used to explain everything in the world, and perhaps even twisted to misexplain. On Monday, the govt told parliament that India had the most number of women grads, percentage-wise, when compared to some developed countries. Some may have already figured out the problem with this: Using percentages to compare when absolute figures are unknown make little sense.

July 19 – Kerala’s Nonsense; A Crypto Bank?

Storms have been wreaking havoc in the world and another one is expected in Parliament – the Monsoon session begins today. Two previous sessions of the house were curtailed due to COVID-19. Whatever the storm, we will bring it to you.

TOP NEWS:
➡️ IMA slams Kerala decision to relax COVID norms for 3 days
➡️ Around 40 people spied upon in India
➡️ Afghanistan withdraws envoys from Pakistan
➡️ Blackstone acquires Simplilearn for $250mn

July 18 – Weather is Political

Weather is political, said Germany’s ARD public television. For many years now, the world has been seeing extreme weather events. With the rich now affected and even Ruport Murdoch creating a channel just for weather, what was a conversation starter is now truly a conversation.

Top News:
➡️ UP cancels Kanwar Yatra
➡️ Gujarat High Court begins live streaming of proceedings
➡️ Afghan envoy’s daughter abducted in Pak
➡️ Deaths of 12 people in a care home has shaken up Germany

A New Bird For Indian Navy

On July 17 morning, the US Navy formally handed over two MH-60R multi-mission naval helicopters, aka Seahawks, to the Indian Navy. There are 22 more in the offing. Here we look at the chopper, what it is used for and what it means to the Indian military.

July 17 – Listen Up, UP!

Today we have two ICMR studies that reiterate the importance of vaccines. We know we have been harping on vaccination studies for a while, but 182 days into the vaccination drive, we have just around 8% fully vaccinated and 44% of adults getting one dose of vaccination (assuming 900 mn adults), and these have to increase. Also, there is a story behind these numbers.

Top News:
➡️ SC tells UP to ensure no Kanwar Yatra, or else…
➡️ Western Europe struggles with flooding with over 100 deaths
➡️ Afghanistan president minces some words to Pakistan
➡️ The US has moved against China with a business advisory

Check out some of Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, killed in Afghanistan by Taliban bullets, in The Indian Express, India Today

July 16 – Long Covid’s Long List; Did Putin Fix It?

Have €600,000 lying around and have a dream of wanting to be Napoleon (or at least have his fashion sense? Sotheby’s is auctioning one of his iconic bicorne hats. Speaking of hats, Modiji is doffing his to Yogi Adityanath for his handling of Covid-19. Great.

Top News:
➡️ Soon, you could own/operate a drone easily in India
➡️ Supreme Court has said the sedition law has enormous power of misuse
➡️ Vladimir Putin may have been in on a 2016 plan on interfering in US Elections
➡️ Scientists have made a paralysed man ‘talk’

July 13 – Spending Much? Yep

Inflation is going up in India, thanks to edible oil and fuel prices. All eyes will be on the RBI on whether it will take a call on changing its rates next month as inflation has crossed its limit of 6% twice. Nepal has witnessed a “landmark” judgment from its SC on who gets to be PM and finally, scroll down for a “OH MY GOODNESS ROCKY (the goldfish) IS THAT YOU?” moment.

July 11 – Afghan Troubles, UP Bubbles

Taliban has extended its reach in Afghanistan and olive branch to China. The Uttar Pradesh local body polls have seen much violence – a primer to next year’s Assembly elections? Staying in the state, the govt has proposed a law that will essentially see it attempt to regulate population to save on resources rather than the other way around.