Farm bills trigger massive uproar
The government introduced and passed two of three sweeping bills that will radically transform how agricultural produce is bought and sold.
Bill #1: allows farmers to sell their produce to private companies anywhere in the country—outside of government-controlled mandis. Until now, all transactions were restricted to mandis—and the government agencies who bought the produce paid fees to both the state government and the middlemen who sold the produce. While mandis will remain, they will likely become far less important.
Bill #2: creates a legal framework for direct contracts between farmers and large agri-businesses—where they agree to grow and harvest certain crops for a pre-agreed price.
Bill #3: hasn’t been passed as yet. But it mainly removes restrictions on stockpiling of produce that has been declared “essential commodities.” For example, cereals, potatoes, onions etc.
The problem: Farmers are worried about the many implications of privatising agriculture. But the most important: None of the bills mention a minimum support price—this is the minimum price mandated by the government. Independent small farmers—who constitute the vast majority—say that they will be left at the mercy of big business without such a guarantee.
The uproar: Rajya Sabha broke out in unprecedented chaos as Opposition members raised enraged objections to the bills. Both sides accuse each other of behaving very badly. The Print has that story. After the ruckus, 12 Opposition parties moved a no-confidence resolution against the Deputy Chairman.
Read more: Caravan offers a detailed and easy-to-understand report on why farmers are rising in rebellion. Times of India sums up the pros and cons of the bill. Mint offers a middle-of-the-road take.
An exposé of global financial corruption
Leading news outlets around the world published investigative scoops based on 2,100 “suspicious activity reports” generated by US banks—and shared with the US government. It shows how at least $2 trillion were laundered across the globe by financiers of terrorism, corrupt businessmen and drug kingpins.
- Indian Express offers a good explainer on these documents and why they matter.
- Buzzfeed News pulls together a global view.
- The Express also reports on key India findings on Dawood Ibrahim, a sponsor of an IPL team, and Jindal Steel.
TikTok survives in the US
After all the tamasha, President Trump did not ban the app in the United States. Nope, ByteDance did not sell its US operations either. Instead, TikTok will be owned by a new parent company called TikTok Global, and headquartered in the US. Oracle will only get a 12.5% stake, while Walmart will claim 7.5%. ByteDance will still have the greatest share, but the majority will be American-owned if you add all the other investor stakes together. But that’s good enough for Trump who’s given the deal his “blessing.” BBC News has more details on the deal.
Related reads: Bloomberg News has more on the company’s valuation—rumoured to be $60 billion. Quartz explains why TikTok India doesn’t have any buyers as yet—though many are interested. CNN reports on the fate of WeChat—which was indeed banned, but has won a temporary reprieve thanks to the courts.
A case of missing data
The head of India’s leading medical authority—Indian Council of Medical Research—asked his co-authors to remove key data from a scientific paper. The paper looked at the results of a Covid survey taken right after the end of the lockdown in early May. The data was collected from 70 districts and hotspots in 10 cities—Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Calcutta, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune and Surat. But critical data from areas with the highest infection rates were scrubbed:
“Under Bhargava’s directive, the researchers omitted from their paper the relatively high prevalence rates found in the hotspots—for instance, 36% in Dharavi, Mumbai; 48% in Ahmedabad; 30% in Calcutta.
Their paper, published this month in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, described only the lower prevalence rates in the other districts—ranging from 0.62% to 1.03%—and a national average of 0.73 per cent in early May.”
The likely reason: including the data would have shown that the lockdown had been less effective in containing the spread that the government claimed. The Telegraph has the exclusive. Related read: Mint explains why India failed to contain the virus despite the lockdown.
Anurag Kashyap accused of sexual assault
Actor Payal Ghosh first made the accusation in a tweet:
“@anuragkashyap72 has forced himself on me and extremely badly. @PMOIndia @narendramodi ji, kindly take action and let the country see the demon behind this creative guy. I am aware that it can harm me and my security is at risk. Pls help!”
And she pointed to her interview given to a Telugu channel. Kashyap has called the allegations “baseless.” A number of Bollywood celebs—including Radhika Apte—have spoken up in support. In Ghosh’s corner: Kangana Ranaut. Ghosh elaborated on the incident in an interview with Times of India.
The global pandemic: A quick update
- Europe is now officially in the midst of a second wave—with the EU plus the UK adding over 45,000 cases every day. UK PM Boris Johnson said: “There's no question, as I've said for weeks now, that we could (and) are now seeing a second wave coming in. We are seeing it in France, in Spain, across Europe. It has been absolutely inevitable we will see it in this country.”
- Speaking of the UK, people who refuse to self-isolate if they test positive—or have been exposed to the virus—will face fines up to 10,000 pounds ($13,000).
- Two new studies show that the threat of catching the disease on long-haul flights is real. But they both looked at data from flights early in the pandemic—when masks were not required. Hence, a very useful related read: NPR explains exactly what keeps you safe on a flight. Masks, yes. Those disposable coveralls: not so much.
- The Indian government has approved a Covid test nicknamed Feluda that uses a simple strip that changes colour—much like the pregnancy kind. Indian Express explains how it works. In related news: Canada has launched the first-of-its-kind gargle test that eliminates the need for uncomfortable nasal or throat swabs.
- New research points to a different culprit that triggers a ‘vicious cycle’ of inflammation—which in turn causes severe organ damage in serious patients. Vox offers a long and nerdy explanation of ‘Bradykinin storms’.
- Indian companies with less than 300 employees may soon be able to fire their employees at will—thanks to a proposed law that raises the threshold from 100 employees.
- An informative read from National Interest: The pros and cons of different vaccine technologies.
What really sank the Titanic?
The answer according to a new study: A solar flare. Researchers say a solar storm may have knocked out the ship’s navigation system and radio communications—which led it straight into the infamous iceberg. Popular Mechanics explains.
India Couture Week goes virtual
The first-ever digital edition kicked off over the weekend showcasing the work of 12 designers. Gaurav Gupta’s ‘My Name is Love’ collection offered signature designs worn—by a hearteningly diverse array of models. Watch them below. Indian Express has more on the show.