The Russian invasion: The latest update
- The Russian defence minister accused NATO of pursuing a “proxy war” by arming Ukraine—and warned that the risks of nuclear conflict were now “considerable.”
- As if on cue, Germany announced that it will deliver anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine—breaking a post-World War policy of never sending weapons to a conflict zone. Deutsche Welle explains why this is a big deal.
- Sweden and Finland are planning to file their applications for NATO membership as early as May.
Related things to see: A video of a seemingly unsteady President Putin went viral—fuelling rumours of Parkinson’s disease. (Newsweek)
Editor’s note: If you need more context, we highly recommend reading our Big Story on the historical roots of the conflict, effectiveness of economic sanctions, return of the Cold War, what is driving Vladimir Putin, India’s “balancing act” and the looming oil crisis.
Prashant Kishor says ‘no’ to Congress
The latest instalment of the ongoing ‘save Congress’ soap opera featured extensive negotiations with the political strategist—including a leaked powerpoint of his big plans to revamp the not-so-grand old party. After weeks of breathless speculation, it all ended in a whimper. Kishor declined to join the newly constituted ‘Empowered Action Group 2024’—which is supposed to figure out a way to save the party in time for the next national election.
What went wrong: Some Congress sources claim he was never really committed to the cause—and was busy flirting with its rivals. The Telegraph’s reporting indicates the real problem was that Kishor wanted a high-ranking position within the party—and was not interested in being hired as an expert. Check out our Big Story on Kishor if you want to know more about him.
Get ready for a tsunami of disasters
A new United Nations report warned that the planet will be hit by an exponential number of disasters in the near future—rising from 400 a year in 2015 to 560 by 2030. Example: there will be 3X more extreme heat waves as well as 30% more droughts in 2030—as compared to 2001. What’s notable: The report isn’t just talking about natural disasters like floods etc—but also pandemics, economic meltdowns and food shortages. Why we need to pay attention:
“That means society needs to rethink how it finances, handles and talks about the risk of disasters and what it values the most, the report said. About 90% of the spending on disasters currently is emergency relief with only 6% on reconstruction and 4% on prevention.”
Associated Press has more. Also read: Mongabay on the rising number of heat wave days in India.
Two key Supreme Court headlines
One: A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana agreed to hear two petitions challenging the constitutionality of the sedition law. Why this is significant: Ramana recently singled out the law for strong criticism: “Sedition is a colonial law. It suppresses freedoms. It was used against Mahatma Gandhi, Tilak... Is this law necessary after 75 years of Independence?” (The Hindu)
Two: The Court dismissed a petition seeking a judicial inquiry into incidents of communal violence across the country—and the demolitions that followed. It also refused to club the petition with the others related to the Jahangirpuri case (explained here). What’s notable is the language used by the justices:
“What sort of relief is being prayed for in this petition. You want a judicial commission inquiry against these incidents and that too headed by a former Chief Justice of India (CJI). Do not ask us to pass such directions. Do you think any former CJI would be free for this?”
Point to note: Even in the Jahangirpuri case, the Court refused to issue a stay on demolitions around the country—with a new wave kicking off in Gujarat. (Hindustan Times)
Three health stories of note
One: Health authorities have approved three vaccines for kids: Covaxin for kids aged 6-12, Corbevax for the 5-12 and a two-dose Zydus Cadila for 12 and above. (Indian Express)
Two: A new study shows that even moderate exercise can vastly lower the risk of depression. Even just half the recommended amount—2.5 hours of brisk walking a week—lowered the risk by 18%. What’s interesting: fulfilling the weekly quota only lowers the risk by 25%—and only “minor additional benefits” were seen in people who exercised more. (Gizmodo)
Three: Bangalore researchers have found that an asthma drug called Montelukast prevents hospitalisation in Covid patients—by blocking a key protein produced by the virus which weakens the immune system. (New Indian Express)
Swiggy does good
The food delivery company has started a new program called ‘Step Ahead’—to help its delivery workers transition to management positions. The biggest upside: Unlike gig work, these come with benefits and a fixed salary. Business Insider has more details on how the program will work.
A Netflix X Government collab
The streaming platform unveiled two-minute videos on seven women changemakers, titled ‘Azadi ki Amrit Kahaniyan’—created in partnership with the government. Coming soon: 25 short videos on other topics. FYI: this is part of the grand celebration of 75 years of freedom—which the government has dubbed ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. (The Hindu)
In other ‘patriotic’ news: The Ministry of Culture announced that India has entered the Guinness World Records for the greatest number of flags waved at the same time. The exact record-breaking number: 78,220 tricolours—which made history at an event presided over by none other than Amit Shah. (The Hindu)
Five things to see
One: General Motors announced plans to launch a “fully electric” Corvette sometime in the future. But the hybrid version—seen below—will be out by 2023. Car nerds please note: This version is no longer just a rear-wheel drive. Why this is a big deal: the ‘Vette is the ultimate American muscle car—and it will soon be a poster child for EVs. (Engadget)
Two: Here’s something very pretty—an image that captures the merging of two galaxies far, far away. Captured by the Hubble telescope, it shows them right in the middle of a collision—and they have been nicknamed The Angel Wing. (The Hindu)
Three: Is that Boris Johnson in ‘Bridgerton’? Everyone is talking about a scene—which features a mural on the ceiling. One of the faces bears a remarkable and amusing resemblance to BoJo. (Daily Mail)
Four: For the very first time, scientists have captured a ten-foot giant squid which washed ashore in Japan. Even sightings of these creatures are rare—and little is known about them. FYI: this one is on the small side—given that the largest known specimen measured 60 feet long. We’d be more excited—except we’re not sure whether it can survive in an aquarium:( (Futurism)
Five: Melting ice in Norway has revealed a wonderfully preserved 1,700-year-old sandal—which was likely worn by a Roman tourist who, btw, doesn’t seem to have packed the right footwear for the freezing northern weather. See? Happens to the best of us. (Smithsonian Magazine)
Good stuff to check out!
On the latest episode of the splainer podcast ‘Press Decode’, the splainer team looks at the politics of culture—be it at Coachella in the US or veganism in India. Be sure to head over to the IVM website, Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen to it.
