3 mn readMoscow terror attack renews ISIS fears. Gunmen kill 60 at concert hall. ISIS-K claims responsibility. Russia blames Ukraine. US warned, Russia ignored. Expert criticizes ISIS and Russia’s blame game. Putin alleges Ukrainian link.
3 mn readA tourist couple camping in Jharkhand’s Dumka district before heading to Nepal were brutally attacked. In a now-deleted Instagram video, they described being assaulted, robbed, and the woman raped by seven men. Police have arrested three suspects, with more sought after. The country’s poor record on women’s safety remains a concern, with reported cases of rape rising by 20% from 2021 to 2022.
3 mn readTravelling overseas to pursue higher studies has become a familiar concept among people. United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Netherlands, Australia are some of the top countries for students to enroll for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. But recently, Ireland is emerging as one of the preferences, when it comes to higher degree education. According to the information, country’s education system is considered as one of the best whereas Irish Universities rank in the top 3% world-wide. Simultaneously, in the top 1% of research institutions in the world. As per the statistics provided by Irish Universities Association, ‘there are now currently over 30,000 international students studying in Ireland availing of the extensive range of courses available.’
3 mn readIndia’s Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Budget 2024 on February 1st with significant focus over health, women and farmers along with an aim to boost the economy. She presented last budget under current administration before upcoming general elections. Factors such as youth and women empowerment, focus on farmers and poor, use of infrastructure and technology for productive outcomes and handling demographic challenges through high power committee, the budget included all possible segments. GDP is government, development and performance. We have delivered on development and have better managed the economy. We are bringing down the fiscal deficit despite very challenging times, she said. Simultaneously, the budget also hinted towards the India, Middle East, European Corridor (IMEC) project to be continued irrespective of trouble in Red Sea.
3 mn readInternational Court of Justice has rejected South Africa’s plea for immediate measures to protect Rafah, Southern Gaza, after Israel’s aggressive decision to target the region. Court refused to agree with the imposing of urgent measure, when it directed measure earlier, during the hearing in last month. According to the news reports, ICJ in a statement states, ‘the perilous situations in Rafah demanded immediate and effective implementation of the provisional measures that it ordered on 26 January.’ It also added, ‘No new order was necessary because the existing measures are applicable throughout the Gaza strip, including in Rafah’, quoted India Today.
3 mn readNepal has become first South Asian Country to register the same-sex marriage. On 14th of February, Trans woman Maya Gurung, 35 and Surendra Pandey, 27, a gay, got legally married at Dordi Rural Municipality of Lamjung district in Western Nepal, quoted Hindustan Times. same sex marriage is legal in Nepal since 2007, when Nepal’s Supreme Court stated that there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation whereas in 2015, constitution adopted clearly mentions the same. An organization called ‘Blue Diamond Society’ who is working for the rights of LGBTQ community in the country, released its statement via Press Trust of India. According to the information, President Sanjib Gurung said, ‘It’s a great pleasure to learn about this, it is a great achievement for us, the third gender community of Nepal. This is the first case not only in Nepal but also in the whole of South Asia, and we welcome the decision.’ Into the further addition, ‘There are many third gender couples living without their identities and rights and this is going to help them a lot’, reported PTI.
3 mn readIf reports are to be believed, rules under Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) is ready to be notified before 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Ever since the Act was passed at the end of 2019, it was under work due to extension of rules. The Act was passed on 10 December 2019 in Lok Sabha and days later in Rajya Sabha, after it was introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Upper House. The Act has been surrounded by controversies from the time it was out there. Described by The Wire, ‘The Act aims to provide citizenship to Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians purportedly fleeing persecution from India’s Muslim-majority neighbors; namely Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh’.
3 mn readIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not addressed a single press conference in last 10 years, despite completing two terms of his office. The news made headlines after, former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s addressal to press conference marked a decade, on 3rd January 2024.
3 mn readSave Culture Save Bharat Foundation in India, held a press conference on 27th December. The conference was on ‘Addressing the misconduct on OTT platforms and demand to Label abusive or sexually explicit content as Anti National activity’ at Prime Minister’s Museum & Library, New Delhi and was headed by former Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar. The aim of the conference is to bring key eminent people of society together and pass a resolution to unite the nation against those forces that are ruining the Bharat’s goal of becoming Vishwa Guru by remorselessly dishing out utterly obscene content and misleading the nation, especially the youth and children, said press invite. According to the information, the Swachh Cyber Bharat Campaign online campaign is launched, that urges people to send in their suggestions to the government for the draft Broadcasting Service (Regulation) Bill, Business Standard quoted.
3 mn readIndia’s first all-girls Sainik school was inaugurated by country’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 1st January. The school is located in the state, Uttar Pradesh and is called Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School. With a strength of around 870 students, it has been established under the initiative of starting 100 new Sainik schools in partnership with NGOs/private/state government schools in all states/Union Territories, according to Hindustan Times report. The drive is started for the girls, who aspire to join armed forces. The school has been added to the list of existing 33 Sainik schools in India, and is a part of the decided pattern.
