CURRENT AFFAIRS

Recently, a report emerged from a collaborative investigation by journalists from around the world titled the ‘Pegasus Project’. Reports say that over “300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers, including those used by ministers, opposition leaders..

It has been six years now that the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.However, recently the Supreme Court termed its continued use by law enforcement agencies of various states as “a shocking state of affairs” and sought a response from the Centre.

G-7 leaders finally came around with the proposed Build Back Better World (B3W) to counter China’s rising influence across 100-plus countries through Belt Road Initiative (BRI) projects. 

As the Taliban push ahead with military offensives across Afghanistan, preparing to take over after the exit of US and NATO forces, India faces a situation in which it may have no role to play in that country, and in the worst case scenario, not even a diplomatic presence.

The provisional estimates of annual national income (2020-21), released recently by the National Statistical Office shows nothing encouraging in the numbers. Economic recovery and employment faces severe dent specially after second Covid wave.

The recent attempt of Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) to reintroduce into the wild an abandoned nine-month-old cub named Mangala after rearing it in ‘captivity’ for two years has once again brought the controversial concept of ‘re-wilding’ of abandoned or injured animals under the lens

Most schools in India have been closed since the national lockdown started in March 2020. Although it is risky to reopen schools, the costs of keeping schools closed also create wider socio-economic and psychological issues.

Signs of India’s growing centrality in the Indo-Pacific strategic architecture is reflected from its engagement with key western nations. Even countries which have been lackadaisical in their regional outreach so far have begun to approach the Indo-Pacific with a new seriousness and have been reaching out to New Delhi.

China’s developmental pathway over the last century has been spectacular and it successfully lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. But India’s developmental progress shows mixed records.

Recently, a High Court suggested that homeless persons with health conditions be branded with a permanent tattoo, when vaccinated against COVID-19, since tracking a ‘floating population’ may be cumbersome.