Month: August 2023

Fukushima wastewater released into the ocean, China criticizes action as ‘selfish and irresponsible’

Manish Kumar

Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.  China to announce an immediate blanket ban on all aquatic products from Japan.  The Japanese government signed off on the plan two years ago and it was given a green light by the U.N. nuclear watchdog last month.  Japan exported about $600 million worth of aquatic products to China in 2022, making it the biggest market for Japanese exports.  China criticizes action as ‘selfish and irresponsible’  Japan and IAEA say radioactivity levels are…

Amarmani Tripathi, Jailed for Poet’s Murder, To Be Freed After 17 Years

Manish Kumar

Ex-UP minister Amarmani Tripathi, convicted for poet Madhumita Shukla’s murder, to be released from jail.  Tripathi and his wife, also to be released, have been serving a life term since 2007 but will be freed on the basis of ‘good conduct’ in prison, the UP government said in its order.  The Samajwadi Party has questioned his release and has mocked the ruling BJP, claiming he is being released as the BJP “needs” him for next year’s election.  Madhumita Shukla, a fiery poet, was murdered on May 9, 2003; was 24…

Vivek Ramaswamy garnered a lot of attention; Steals the Show at First Republican Debate

Manish Kumar

Indian-origin entrepreneur and US presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy was one of the main stars of the first Republican primary debate.  Vivek Ramaswamy garnered a lot of attention, particularly for his comments on the Ukraine war, Donald Trump, and climate change.  Mr. Ramaswamy’s comments were applauded by the audience several times as he literally took center stage during the debate.  Ramaswamy was the only candidate to oppose more funding for the war in Ukraine.  Donald Trump ‘was the best president of the 21st century’: Mr. Ramaswamy  He pledged to end teachers’…

Ex-US President Trump Arrested in Election Fraud Case, mug shot released after booking at Georgia jail

Manish Kumar

Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail on racketeering and conspiracy charges, during the 2020 election.  The ex-president was arrested on racketeering and conspiracy charges and released on a $200,000 bond.  Trump’s surrender in Georgia marks the fourth time this year.  Trump spent only about 20 minutes at the jail before heading back to his New Jersey golf club.  Former White House chief of staff Meadows surrenders  Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail on racketeering and conspiracy charges for trying to…

Tweet Claims Chandrayaan-3 Budget Less Than ‘Interstellar’, Elon Musk Reacts “Good for India”

Manish Kumar

India made history when Chandrayaan 3’s Vikram Lander Module successfully soft landed on the Moon’s south pole.  Tesla chief and the world’s richest man Elon Musk has reacted to it by responding to a post on X, saying the mission is “good for India”.  Elon Musk, the brain behind Tesla and SpaceX, couldn’t resist chiming in on the success of India’s lunar mission.  The X handle pointed out that the Chandrayaan 3 mission cost India about $75 million (approximately Rs 620 crore), which is considerably lower than the budget for…

US driving Ukraine crisis toward nuclear disaster: North Korea

Manish Kumar

North Korea says the US driving the Ukraine crisis toward nuclear disaster.  North Korea condemned Washington for supplying arms including cluster munitions to Ukraine.  The United States has “no legal right or moral justification to criticize normal cooperation between sovereign states in the defence field,” the North’s defence minister Kang Sun Nam said in a statement.  Pyongyang has sought to deepen relations with Russia.  Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, calling it a “special military operation” to eliminate security threats arising from Kyiv’s deepening ties with…

The ‘first BJP PM’ was not Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it was PV Narasimha Rao says Mani Shankar Aiyar

Manish Kumar

Mani Shankar Aiyar slams former PM PV Narasimha Rao, calls him ‘first BJP PM’  The first BJP prime minister was not Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the “first BJP PM” was Rao, the Congress leader said.  The former diplomat, whose autobiography “Memoirs of a Maverick — The First Fifty Years (1941-1991)” hit the stands.  In his remarks at the book launch, Aiyar said he discovered “how communal and how Hindu-oriented” P V Narasimha Rao was.  Congress leader and former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Wednesday alleged that former prime minister P…

Nearly two dozen countries have applied to join the bloc, and BRICS invited six new countries

Manish Kumar

BRICS invites six new countries to join the bloc, including Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.  “We have consensus on the first phase of this expansion process and other phases will follow.” South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, the current chair of the BRICS said.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Ramaphosa for the successful summit and said India has always fully supported the expansion of BRICS membership.  Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that BRICS, along with the new members, will be able to infuse new momentum and new energy…

84 held after police bust fake international call center; allegedly duping crores of rupees

Manish Kumar

The Police have detained 84 people, including women workers, after a raid at a call center allegedly involved in duping the gullible of crores of rupees.  Police said they seized 93 laptops, four computers, and two SUVs, in addition to ₹64.30 lakh cash, from the accused.  Police identified Mannu Singh Panwar, who is lodged in Haryana’s Bhiwani Jail for his alleged involvement in a murder case, as the brains behind the operation.  DCP Sathiyasundaram said that the fraudsters used to send a fictitious message to the mobile and e-mails of…

India is expected to ban mills from exporting sugar for the first time in 7 years

Manish Kumar

India is expected to ban mills from exporting sugar in the next season from October.  Due to low cane yields caused by a lack of rain, India is anticipated to forbid mills from exporting sugar.  Monsoon rains in the top cane-growing districts of the western state of Maharashtra and the southern state of Karnataka, have been as much as 50% below average so far this year.  India’s exclusion from the global market would probably push up benchmark prices in New York and London.  India’s sugar production could fall 3.3% to…