Researched and collated by: Vagda Galhotra, Prafula Grace Busi & Elisha Benny

India joins US-led bloc against China

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is the name of a new economic partnership of 13 nations—allied to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The other countries include the US, Japan, Australia, Brunei, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. While the announcement did not mention China, the US Commerce Secretary indicated that the aim was to counter Beijing’s control over the global economy. And that works nicely for India which wants to position itself as a desirable alternative for global companies currently manufacturing in China. Indian Express and The Telegraph have more. 

A big blow to Wimbledon

A player’s performance in the prestigious tournament will not count toward their global rankings. The decision was made by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). The reason: Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian athletes:

“The ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to our tour. The decision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the UK this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP ranking system.”

What this means: “It is a significant rebuke of the sport's oldest Grand Slam and, in a technical sense, renders the tournament an exhibition without any ranking points at stake.” (ESPN)

In other Ukraine-related news: 21-year-old Sgt Vadim Shishimarin became the first Russian soldier convicted of war crimes in a Ukrainian court. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment. (Al Jazeera)

Also related: While all eyes have been on Ukrainian refugees, the UN announced that the number of people forcibly displaced from their homes—due to conflict, violence and persecution—has crossed 100 million. Syria accounts for the world’s largest refugee population, followed by Venezuela and Afghanistan. (The Guardian)

WHO honours ASHA workers 

These community health workers are the first—and often only—source of assistance for millions of Indians living in rural areas. And they take care of everything from promoting immunisation to monitoring malnutrition and creating awareness about family planning. These Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) have been recognised for their critical work during the pandemic—and received the WHO’s Global Health Leaders Award. Important point to note:

“ASHA workers across India have held protests in recent years in connection with a range of demands, including a better pay, pensions and status as government employees. Currently, they get task-based incentives under the National Health Mission as well as honorariums from state governments.”

In other health-related news: Health experts are baffled by a mysterious illness that is causing severe liver damage among young children across the world. The latest evidence suggests that a common stomach bug—adenovirus type 41—may be the culprit. But it usually does not cause hepatitis in kids. Scientists suspect a link with Covid. For example, an Indian preprint study revealed a rise in pediatric hepatitis cases after asymptomatic Covid. But it is far too early to reach any definitive conclusion. There have been 600 cases detected in 20 countries. Mint has more on the various hypotheses. 

Karan Johar’s plagiarism drama

Pakistani politician and singer Abrar Ul Haq has accused KJo of stealing his song ‘Nach Punjaban’ for the upcoming Dharma Production flick ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’. While Johar has not responded, the music production company T-series insists the rights were “legally acquired.” You can hear a snatch of the song in the trailer below. (Indian Express)

Three unhappy animal stories

Well, you can’t say we didn’t warn you right up in the headline…

One: A 60-foot carcass of a sperm whale washed ashore in the Philippines—the second this year. Three others have been spotted in Tel Aviv and Florida Keys earlier this month. Scientists are still trying to figure out the cause for this string of deaths—but many of them had plastic trash in their stomachs. FYI: sperm whales are listed as “vulnerable” and at a “high risk of extinction in the wild.” (CNN)

Two: Closer home, a six-year study has documented the terrible abuse of the slender loris—a small monkey—in India. They “examined 139 slender lorises brought into rescue and rehabilitation centres in Bangalore over the past 18 years and found that 116 (83%) had some human-inflicted injury—burns, needle pricks or cuts inflicted with knives.” The reason: These monkeys are often used in black magic rituals and for traditional medicinal treatments. FYI: The Wildlife Protection Act offers slender lorises the highest level of protection, similar to rhinos, lions and tigers—and they have been classified as “near threatened.” (The Telegraph)

Three: A new research paper has revealed a booming online trade in 1,200 species of arachnids—think spiders, scorpions etc. Worse, two-thirds of arachnids appear to be caught in the wild rather than bred in captivity: “They’re just being removed willy-nilly in large numbers.” The findings mirror the rising popularity of arachnids as pets—and people are just wandering out in search of something new and eye-catching to sell—including species that haven’t yet been identified. (New York Times)

Three things to see

One: Feminist protesters stormed the Cannes festival, filling the space with hand-held smoke devices—and a banner listing “129 feminicides in France since the last Cannes festival.” A femicide is when a woman is killed because of her gender. What’s amusing is that no one seemed to be fazed—and the protesters were left free to be filmed and photographed. Deadline has more details. See the scene below:

Two: It’s not just our Ola EVs that catch fire (explained here). An eight-month old Tesla suddenly shut down and self-ignited—trapping the driver inside as neither the windows or door buttons were responsive. He eventually escaped by kicking through a window. FYI: There is a mechanical option available for use in an emergency but it is not easy to figure out, especially when panicked. Ah, makes us nostalgic for old-fashioned door handles. (CTV News)

Three: Akasa Air released this picture of its first-ever aircraft. The ultra low-cost airline—owned by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala—is set to take off this July with a fleet of 70 planes. For more context: Check out our Big Story on the changing landscape of the Indian airlines industry. (Quartz) 

Good stuff to check out! 

On the latest episode of the splainer podcast ‘Press Decode’, the splainer team looks at mental health issues—be it in the army where suicides are rising—or among parents suing their kids for not giving them a grandchild. Be sure to head over to the IVM website, Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen to it.