Researched by: Aarthi Ramnath, Anannya Parekh & Aakriti Anand
Our experiments with YouTube: A new format!
We’ve been playing with different formats for our YouTube show. We recently tried a daily news wrap—which didn’t quite work with the platform—where discovery happens days later. So we’ve switched to a twice-weekly version—that’s more like a newsmagazine.
It’s a great option when you don’t have time to read us every day. You get a video version of our best stories twice a week. Do check it out and—most importantly—share it with your friends, fam, colleagues and more. It’s a great cost-free way to introduce someone to splainer—especially if they are text-averse. The Tuesday edition is below.
Rishi makes a big election move
The UK PM has called for snap elections on July 4—months earlier than expected. It was all a bit dramatic—with Sunak standing in the pouring rain—declaring, “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future.” Except for this:
But he battled heavy rain that soaked his suit in just minutes, and he was almost drowned out by a loudspeaker outside the Downing Street gates, through which a protester blared D:Ream’s “Things Can Only Get Better,” the theme song of Labour’s big election win in 1997.
Haw. It pretty much sums up the state of affairs for the Tories—as Labour leader Keir Starmer soars in the opinion polls. Watch the announcement below. (CNN)
In happier news about Sunak: He has abandoned his plan to scrap the graduate visa program—which allowed Indian students to work in the UK after graduation. Reminder: Indians account for more than 40% of these visas. (The Guardian)
Another Adani scam: Coal fraud in Tamil Nadu
The context: In 2016, India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) opened an investigation into inflated coal prices charged by the Adani Group to Indian utility companies. In 2019, the probe was blocked by a Bombay High Court ruling—which stopped the DRI from accessing information on the company’s shipments. DRI filed a Supreme Court appeal—which will finally be heard on August 6.
What happened now: Documents accessed by a global reporting project shows that
the Adani Group scammed Tamil Nadu’s power company—Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution company (Tangedco):
Adani sourced the coal in Indonesia from a mining group known for its low-calorie output, at prices consistent with low-grade fuel. It delivered the coal to India’s southernmost state for power generation, fulfilling a contract that specified expensive high-quality fuel.
It fraudulently sold at least 23 such shipments—of 1.5 million tonnes of coal. The price of one such shipment tripled to $91.91 per metric ton over the course of a two-week voyage from Indonesia to Ennore in Tamil Nadu. As to why this matters, energy experts say:
The implications are that you have overpaid for the fuel, the second implication is that you need to burn more coal for every unit of electricity you produce, which results in more fly ash, and more pollution. More pollution and more energy poverty for the poorest people in India.
You can read the detailed report over at OCCRP website—or the Financial Times (splainer gift link) story.
War on Gaza: The latest update
Key support for Palestine state: Three European allies of Israel—Spain, Norway, and Ireland—have announced that they will recognise Palestine as an independent state. They also emphasised the “equal right to security, dignity, and self-determination for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples." Slovenia and Malta are expected to follow suit.
While it is unlikely to change the situation on the ground, Tel Aviv views any support for Palestinian independence as betrayal. Hence, this reaction:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the move by Ireland, Norway and Spain as a "reward for terrorism" and said it would not bring peace. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was ordering the immediate return of the Israeli ambassadors to all three countries for "consultations". "Israel will not go over this in silence - there will be other serious consequences," he said.
CNN argues that for all the drama, support from these countries is purely symbolic—and they don’t speak for the EU. (BBC News)
No food in Rafah: The United Nations has stopped distributing food due to a lack of supplies—which have been blocked by Israeli occupation of the border crossings. Tel Aviv is blaming it on the “lack of logistical capabilities and manpower gaps” among aid groups. Meanwhile, the greatly hyped floating pier constructed by the US to deliver aid by sea isn’t working all that well. (Associated Press)
Rajasthan eliminates Bangalore from the IPL
In a thrilling Eliminator match that went down to the wire, the Rajasthan Royals defeated the Royal Challengers Bangalore to advance in the playoffs for the IPL trophy. RCB set a below-par target of 172, with R Ashwin bowling a tight spell for RR (4-0-19-2), where he didn’t concede a single boundary, and got two wickets. They’ll be facing Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai for a shot at the final. The Hindu has the match report.
Outrage over Pune Porsche accident
A 17-year-old boy was allegedly drunk and speeding in a Porsche—when he hit a motorcycle. Two IT employees were killed. The Juvenile Justice Board took a shockingly lenient attitude:
The minor was taken into custody and later presented to the Juvenile Justice Board, where he was released on bail and given 15 days of community service. He was also asked to write an essay about road safety.
Everyone was outraged—including all the netas since this is election time. The board has cancelled the boy’s bail—and he has been sent to a remand home. The politics aside, do note the required length of the essay was only 300 words—and the bail amount: Rs 7,500. That’s the price of Indian life these days. (The Hindu)
Funded by taxpayer paisa: BJP election ads
Last year, the budget of the Central Bureau of Communications (CBC)—the union government’s advertising agency—got an unexpected and hefty boost. It skyrocketed by 275%—from Rs 2 billion ($24 million) to about Rs 7.5 billion ($90 million). Then the government adopted a new policy that allows CBC to run digital ads—along with traditional print campaigns.
Thanks to this excellent prep work, the CBC has spent Rs 387 million ($4.65 million) on Google ads—between November and March. What kinds of ads could these possibly be?
In one such advertisement, aired on February 23, an actor portraying a young entrepreneur reassures a father apprehensive about his son’s career choice by telling him, “Papa, there is Modi’s guarantee. Modi ji has promised that he will make India one of the places with the most unicorn startups.” Towards the end, he confidently asserts that “thanks to Modi’s guarantee, every startup will start in India”.
Colour us shocked. FYI: the ad spends were revealed by an Al Jazeera investigation.
Google Pixel’s gonna make in India
Following Apple and Samsung’s lead, Alphabet has struck a deal with Indian manufacturer Dixon Technologies to make Google Pixel 8 smartphones in the country.
Why this is big for Google: It allows the company to take on Apple and Samsung in the higher end of the smartphone market in India. Right now, Apple owns 68% of the Rs 50,000-plus tier—followed by Samsung at 21%. All Pixel variants put together only have a 1% share. Dixon plans to make 100,000 smartphones per month—of which estimated 25-30% will be exported. (Economic Times)
Microplastics in testicles? Really?
Let’s review: Until now, microplastics have been found in human blood, placenta, breast milk—even baby poo. A new study shows they have infiltrated human testicles—and could impact fertility. The scientists looked at samples from both humans and dogs. If you’re wondering why:
Dogs can function as "sentinel" animals for disease and harmful chemical exposure because they're so embedded in the human environment, plus canine spermatogenesis is more similar to the human process of producing sperm than lab rats.
And they found the concentration of microplastics in humans was 3X higher than dogs. The plastic found: Polyethylene—which is found in plastic bags and bottles. We don’t know what this means—since the effect of microplastics is still unknown. But the dog samples (taken from vets) showed lower sperm counts. The human samples (taken from dead bodies) could not be tested for fertility. (NPR)
The International Booker Prize goes to…
Jenny Erpenbeck’s ‘Kairos’—which has been translated from German by Michael Hofmann. The book follows a love affair between a student and a 50-year-old before the fall of the Berlin Wall—and “their descent into a destructive vortex.” This is the first time a German novelist has won the award—and Hofmann is the first male translator to score a Booker, as well. The award website has lots more on Erpenbeck and Hofmann. Scroll has a handy list of reviews for the shortlist.
Takshashila: A doorway to public policy
Editor’s note: Takshashila Institution—a splainer partner—is one of India’s foremost think-tanks on public policy. They also run valuable courses that teach students how to tackle complex policy challenges–bringing together academic experts and policy practitioners from across the world. We will be showcasing their courses in splainer. Please do note: This is not paid content.
Over to Takshashila… If you’re looking for a way to distil complex and confusing public policy discourse and learn more about the functioning of a government then Takshashila Institution’s Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy (PGP) course might be for you. This 48-week online adventure is your gateway to mastering the art and science of public policy.
From constitutional frameworks to the nitty-gritty of economic policy, each module in the course is a step towards becoming the policy architect of tomorrow. With workshops that bring your online learning to life and a capstone project that tests your skills, Takshashila doesn't just teach policy; it immerses you in it. Whether you want to pivot your career or deepen your expertise, our program is tailored for the working professional, offering flexibility without compromising rigour.
How to apply: Apply over at the Takshashila website. Check out their brochure here. The application deadline is May 31.
Two things to see
One: Ri-Ri cooked a crepe in Shanghai—to promote her beauty brand Fenty—and looked awesome doing it. (CNN)
Two: Get ready for driverless trucks. No, we don’t mean chota tempos—but big-ass lorries. This one is a collab between Volvo and Aurora—the self-driving tech company founded by former executives from Google, Uber, and Tesla. The company plans to put 20 vehicles on the road today. That’s a seriously good-looking truck. (The Verge)
