INR | WESTERN EUROPE: WEEKLY UPDATES

Zelensky warns ‘millions will be killed’ without US aid to Kyiv, as Ukrainian troop deaths reach at least 31,000

• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says 31,000 of his country’s soldiers have been killed in the war with Russia, a rare admission by Kyiv of its military losses.

https://cnn.it/3uKixca

Hungary’s Parliament Approves Sweden’s NATO Bid After Stalling

• Hungary’s Parliament approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO after a delay that held up efforts to isolate Russia over its war in Ukraine. 

https://nyti.ms/49wwn10

Farmers clash with police near the European Union headquarters

• Farmers have been protesting for weeks across Europe against red tape and competition from cheap imports.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/gallery/2024/2/26/photos-farmers-clash-with-police-near-the-european-union-headquarters&ved=2ahUKEwj7mPPC78-EAxU63zgGHTmpBmcQ0PADKAB6BAgWEAE&usg=AOvVaw26sxRaBzBRx6YLPQzlSBUz

India-Middle East-Europe Corridor in doubt due to Israel-Hamas war

• The US and EU-backed corridor was billed as a potential rival to China's Belt & Road Initiative, but it's future looks bleak due to the war in the Middle East

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/amp/world/india-middle-east-europe-corridor-in-doubt-due-to-israel-hamas-war-dws/cid/2003495&ved=2ahUKEwj7mPPC78-EAxU63zgGHTmpBmcQ0PADKAB6BAgYEAE&usg=AOvVaw3A0jURZGZvSmrrWBzFzEh7

Russia’s invasion came in two phases, many Ukrainians say

• The first a decade ago, when it sent soldiers over the border in an unacknowledged military intervention, and the second when it began its full assault two years ago. 

https://nyti.ms/3URAMa5

Protesting Polish Farmers Block Much of Ukraine’s Western Border

• Polish farmers have for months been protesting an influx of Ukrainian products that they say is crowding the Polish market and undercutting their livelihood. On Tuesday, they obstructed check points for commercial transportation, halted the passage of about 3,000 Ukrainian trucks and opened some train cars containing Ukrainian grain, spilling it onto the rails. 

https://nyti.ms/48msbQ0

French Senate votes to enshrine abortion access in the constitution after US rollback

• French senators voted to enshrine access to abortion in the country's constitution on Wednesday. If the bill is approved by a three-fifths vote of both houses, expected on Monday, France will become the first country in the world to constitutionally ensure access to the procedure

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240228-%F0%9F%94%B4-french-senate-votes-to-enshrine-abortion-rights-in-constitution

MEA urges Indian citizens to avoid joining Russian army in Ukraine conflict

• India has issued a warning to its citizens, urging them to steer clear of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and to avoid joining the Russian army. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made this statement following reports that some Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian army in the conflict zone.

https://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/mea-urges-indian-citizens-to-avoid-joining-russian-army-in-ukraine-conflict/articleshow/107939223.cms

Putin says West sending troops to Ukraine could lead to nuclear war

• Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West of the risk of nuclear war if they send their own troops to fight for Ukraine, saying Moscow had the weapons to strike Western targets.

https://cnn.it/42VGIkw

No Western Troops for Ukraine, Despite Russian Threats and Macron’s Remarks

• Germany, Poland, and NATO rule out sending troops to Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.
• Russia warns of inevitable conflict if NATO intervenes militarily in Ukraine.
• Macron faces backlash for suggesting that Western ground troops should not be ruled out in the future.
• France clarifies that there was no agreement on de-mining and training operations in Ukraine at the Paris conference.

https://apnews.com/article/nato-stoltenberg-ukraine-troops-france-slovakia-5d4ed747861a3c0edb8f922fa36427c2

Kosovo Court Sentences Two Serbs for Attacking NATO Peacekeepers

• The court handed down six-month jail terms to Radosh Petrovic and Dusan Obrenovic, who were part of a crowd that attacked KFOR troops in Zvecan in May 2023.
• One of the defendants will be released for time served, and the other can avoid jail time if he pays a 6,000 euro fine.
•  The attack was part of a dispute over the validity of local elections in northern Kosovo, where most of the ethnic Serbs live.

https://apnews.com/article/kosovo-serbia-tension-kfor-ethnic-serbs-jail-bcf2521712ac212fcc9a6ff2ae9845a1

Germany mediates peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan

• Germany hosts two-day talks between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Berlin.
• The talks follow a meeting between the leaders of both countries and the German chancellor at the Munich Security Conference.
• Armenia and Azerbaijan face challenges in resolving their differences amid ongoing border clashes and humanitarian issues.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-armenia-azerbaijan-peace-talks-berlin-766b4d8176de30b3895624124500aaa3

EU watchdog urges reform of search and rescue rules after migrant boat disaster

• European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said current rules prevent the EU’s border and coast guard agency Frontex from fulfilling its obligations to protect the rights of migrants or act independently of national authorities when boats they use are in distress.
• Up to 750 people were believed to be crammed aboard the Adriana when it sank off Greece last June. Just 104 people were rescued — mostly migrants from Syria, Pakistan and Egypt — and 82 bodies were found.
• O’Reilly asked why reports of overcrowding, an apparent lack of life vests, children on board and possible fatalities failed to trigger timely rescue efforts that could have saved hundreds of lives.

https://apnews.com/article/migration-european-union-greece-sinking-adriana-c7e7b4a7f161d9a6a0d9ad1f3efd816d

Germany legalizes cannabis for limited recreational use amid opposition and criticism

• Germany's lower house of parliament passed a bill on Friday to allow adults to possess, grow and consume small amounts of cannabis for personal use, starting from April 1.
• Germany became the third country in Europe to legalize cannabis for recreational use, after Malta and Luxembourg, but the drug remains illegal for minors and highly restricted for young adults.
• The government said the aim was to reduce the black market, crime and drug use, and to protect children and youth, but the health minister warned that cannabis was still dangerous.
• The bill faced opposition from the conservative CDU party and criticism from the medical associations, who argued that legalization would increase consumption, trivialize risks and cause developmental damage.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/23/europe/germany-cannabis-legal-parliament-intl/index.html

Hungary opens a new phase with Sweden amid NATO expansion

• Hungary’s parliament voted on Monday to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
• The Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said it was a “historic day” and a “big step” for Sweden to abandon 200 years of neutrality and join NATO. He said Sweden was an outstanding country, but joined NATO to even better defend everything they are and everything they believe in.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/23/europe/hungary-viktor-orban-sweden-nato/index.html

France makes abortion a constitutional right amid global challenges

• France’s senate voted on Wednesday to amend Article 34 of the constitution to cite "the freedom of women to have recourse to an abortion, which is guaranteed".
• The French government, lawmakers and senators had argued that the right to abortion needed full constitutional protection as it comes under threat in the US and other countries in Europe.
• President Emmanuel Macron said he had promised to make women’s freedom to choose an abortion “irreversible” by inscribing it in the constitution.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/28/france-to-make-abortion-a-constitutional-right-after-senate-vote

News bits compiled by:

Ayushi Attri (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

Drafted by:

Sabika Owais (B.A. I.R., 3rd Year)

Deepanjali Singh (B.A. I.R., 2nd Year) 

Published by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

INR | APAC: Weekly Updates

As Beijing strengthens security connections around the Pacific to offset US influence, Chinese officers are working in Kiribati.

• Chinese police personnel are helping their local counterparts with community policing and a crime database system, according to Kiribati's acting police commissioner.
• Despite the absence of a Chinese police post on the island nation, Beijing's aspirations for regional security have caused alarm in the United States and Australia.

read more: https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3252940/chinese-police-work-kiribati-beijing-expands-pacific-security-ties-counter-us-influence?utm_source=cm&utm_medium=txn&utm_campaign=enlz-NOT-Follow&utm_content=20240224_daily5&d=cc746456-c1b4-4e10-b127-6fb00ecefc71

The Ravi water flow to Pakistan has completely ceased.

• According to media reports, the Shahpur Kandi barrier has fully stopped the flow of water from the Ravi river into Pakistan.
• The Shahpur Kandi barrage is located where Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab meet.
• This implies that the 1,150 cusecs of water that were previously allotted to Pakistan would now benefit the Jammu and Kashmir region. The Kathua and Samba districts will profit from the irrigation of more than 32,000 hectares of land thanks to the usage of the water.

read more: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/flow-of-ravi-water-to-pakistan-fully-stopped-report/articleshow/107970921.cms?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TOIDesktop?utm_source=wa_channel&utm_medium=notification

WTO MC13 | What is India's agenda?

• India will not only push for a permanent solution to public grain stock holding for food security and protection of fishermen's rights at the upcoming WTO ministerial meeting, but it will also vehemently oppose a proposal for an investment facilitation deal spearheaded by China.
• India emphasises the necessity of PSH for its sizable and susceptible population and requests a long-term resolution from the MC13. The distribution, storage, and acquisition of food are essential components of India's food security plan.

read more: https://newsth.live/eUUQKS

Indian visitors are granted a five-year multiple-entry visa to Dubai.

• To encourage more Indian travellers, Dubai now grants multiple entry visas for a period of five years. The following are the salient features of this five-year multiple-entry visa for Indian tourists that you should be aware of: Record visitor numbers, Long-standing relationship and Strategic initiative

to read more, visit https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/dubai-allows-five-year-multiple-entry-visa-for-indian-tourists-8-key-facts-you-need-to-know/articleshow/108003343.cms?utm_source=wa_channel&utm_medium=notification

On February 27, PM Modi will dedicate three ISRO facilities to the country.

• On February 27 (Tuesday), Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, where he will assess the status of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and dedicate three facilities of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to the country.
• It is also possible that Mr. Modi may reveal the identities of the Gaganyaan astronauts, one of whom is said to be a Keralite. Additionally, Mr. Modi will give them "mission patches." Gaganyaan, scheduled for launch in 2025, aims to send astronauts into orbit and safely return them to Earth as a demonstration of human spaceflight capability.

read more: https://newsth.live/lLzA5C

Several Indians were released from the Russian Army, according to MEA, after India "strongly took up the cases."

• On February 26, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that a number of Indian recruits to the Russian Army had already been released after their cases had been "strongly" pursued by the Russian government.
• "I have seen some incorrect reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian Army seeking help for discharge," the Ministry stated.

read more: https://newsth.live/ls8fgd

In a more multipolar world, India's diplomatic network is growing quickly, according to research.

• According to the Global Diplomacy Index, which was released on Sunday by the Lowy Institute in Sydney, India has the fastest-growing diplomatic network of any nation, having added 11 diplomatic posts worldwide since 2021.
• Due in part to India's goal of becoming the leader of the Global South and its expanding economic links with the continent, nearly three-quarters of the country's eight newly established diplomatic missions are located in Africa.

read more: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rising-middle-power-india-rapidly-expanding-diplomatic-network-in-more-multipolar-world-says-report/articleshow/107988643.cms?utm_source=wa_channel&utm_medium=notification

Is there a way to defuse tensions across the Taiwan Strait based on the Taiwan coastguard chase that ended fatally?

• Mainland In response to the deaths of two fishermen following a pursuit by the Taiwan coast guard, Chinese authorities traveled to Quemoy.
• While many believe that the tragedy may cause tensions to rise even further, they also believe that it may present an "opportunity" for communication to improve.

read more: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3252954/could-fatal-taiwan-coastguard-chase-could-be-used-chart-course-ease-cross-strait-tensions?utm_source=cm&utm_medium=txn&utm_campaign=enlz-NOT-Follow&utm_content=20240224_daily5&d=cc746456-c1b4-4e10-b127-6fb00ecefc71

75% of hate speech incidents in states under BJP rule

• A report published by India Hate Lab, a Washington, DC-based organization that tracks hate speech against India's religious minority, states that 668 documented hate speech incidents that targeted Muslims were reported in India in 2023. 
• While there were 255 incidents in the first half of 2023, "the number rose to 413 in the second half of the year, a 62% increase," according to the report, "Hate Speech Events in India.”

read more: https://newsth.live/wqRWdR

India was among the 23 people condemned by Uzbekistan for cough syrup deaths.

• 23 people were given prison sentences by Uzbekistan on Monday in connection with the deaths of 68 children who ingested tainted cough medication made in India.
• The director of a business that brought Doc-1 Max syrup into Uzbekistan, Singh Raghvendra Pratap, an Indian national, received the heaviest prison sentence—20 years—for his actions.

read more: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/uzbekistan-sentences-23-including-indian-citizen-over-cough-syrup-deaths/articleshow/108020519.cms?utm_source=wa_channel&utm_medium=notification

India expects action against the culprits involved in last year's attacks on its high commission in London 

•  Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar demands accountability for attacks on Indian missions in London and San Francisco, along with threats to diplomats in Canada. 

• He cites suspension of visa issuance due to safety concerns for diplomats in Canada, emphasizing the need for action against perpetrators. 

• Visa services resumed after India rejected allegations of involvement in a separatist's killing.

Read more at:https://newsth.live/gWDmjP

Vietnam has surged ahead in the smartphone exports race

• In contrast, India's smartphone export growth has been modest, despite ambitious targets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated India's phone export milestone in 2022, but the current figures fall short of the envisioned $110 billion goal by 2025.

•  India's focus on domestic consumption hampers its export potential. 

Read more at: https://newsth.live/CQSD0y

News bits drafted by:

Poulina Banerjee (B.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

Aditya Raj (B.A. I.R., 1st Year)

Published by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year) 

INR | EASTERN EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA

US prepares ‘major sanctions’ against Russia over Navalny’s death

• The Biden administration is preparing "major sanctions" against Moscow in response to the death of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, with President Biden blaming Vladimir Putin's government for Navalny's death.

• According to National Security Council spokesman John F. Kirby, the sanctions will be announced on Friday, and are intended to hold Russia accountable for Navalny's death and other actions during the ongoing conflict.

• Russian officials claim Navalny died after losing consciousness during a walk in prison, but the US remains skeptical, asserting Putin's responsibility regardless of the investigation's outcome.

• Navalny's death occurred as Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its second year, with billions in US aid stalled in Congress. Navalny was a vocal critic of Putin and condemned the invasion.

• Despite previous sanctions aimed at crippling Russia economically and militarily, they have not significantly impacted its ability to endure the conflict, with Russia's economy even growing faster than expected, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Link - https://nyti.ms/3UMMC5x

NATO allies Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria sign deal to clear Black Sea mines

• Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have signed an agreement to clear mines drifting in the Black Sea that have posed a threat to shipping since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

• On Thursday, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said the deal establishes a Mine Countermeasures Task Group among the three NATO allies to deal with the mines as he met in Istanbul with his Romanian counterpart, Angel Tilvar, and Bulgarian Deputy Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov.

• Zapryanov said mines pose a “danger to ports, communication networks and key water infrastructure” while Tilvar added that Russia’s “disdain for the norms of international law and its aggression in the Black Sea is not only a regional problem but also a problem with global consequences”. 

Link - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/11/nato-allies-turkey-romania-bulgaria-sign-deal-to-clear-black-sea-mines

Trudeau in Poland to discuss Ukraine, NATO commitments

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw for the first time since a political sea change in Poland ended eight years of national conservative rule. 

• Trudeau, who spent Saturday in Kyiv reaffirming Canada’s support for Ukraine, is meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda. 

• The talks are likely to focus on the Russian threat to Ukraine and the NATO alliance, the primary bulwark that stands between Russia and the rest of Europe.

• Canada is under renewed pressure to spend two per cent of its gross domestic product on defense — a NATO-mandated target most other allies are expected to hit by the end of the year. 

Link - https://rdnewsnow.com/2024/02/26/in-the-news-today-trudeau-in-poland-to-discuss-ukraine-nato-commitments/

U.S. Warns Allies Russia Could Put a Nuclear Weapon Into Orbit This Year

• American intelligence agencies have told their closest European allies that if Russia is going to launch a nuclear weapon into orbit, it will probably do so this year — but that it might instead launch a harmless “dummy” warhead into orbit to leave the West guessing about its capabilities.

• The assessment came as American intelligence officials conducted a series of rushed, classified briefings for their NATO and Asian allies, as details of the American assessment of Russia’s intentions began to leak out.

• The American intelligence agencies are sharply divided in their opinion about what President Vladimir V. Putin is planning, and on Tuesday Mr. Putin rejected the accusation that he intended to place a nuclear weapon in orbit and his defense minister said the intelligence warning was manufactured in an effort to get Congress to authorize more aid for Ukraine.

Link - https://nyti.ms/3UMGkma

Navalny’s Mother Says Authorities Are ‘Blackmailing’ Her Over Son’s Remains

• Russian authorities claim Navalny's death was natural but withhold his remains until his family agrees to a "secret funeral," sparking outrage.

• Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, accuses authorities of blackmail and restricting burial arrangements.

• President Biden meets with Navalny's family, praises Navalny's legacy, and vows sanctions against Putin, holding him responsible for Navalny's death.

• Putin remains silent on Navalny's death, instead engaging in a publicity stunt, flying on a supersonic bomber.

• Tensions escalate over Navalny's funeral arrangements, with authorities allegedly trying to limit choices and even blackmailing his mother.

Link- https://nyti.ms/49leP7K

For Many Ukrainians, It’s Been a 10-Year War, Not a 2-Year One

• Ukrainians honor protesters from the 2014 Maidan uprising as the first soldiers in the ongoing conflict with Russia, displaying their portraits at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

• Russia's unacknowledged military intervention in 2014 led to a simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine, culminating in the full-scale invasion in 2022, marking the second anniversary this week.

• Ukrainian soldiers, including Captain Oleh Voitsekhovsky, see their fight as part of a historical struggle against Moscow, with experiences ranging from Maidan protests to current trench warfare.

• The Maidan uprising influenced Russia's tactics, including deploying soldiers in Crimea without insignia, triggering Western debates and delaying a decisive response from.

Link - https://nyti.ms/3URAMa5

"Exercise Caution": India Govt Warns as Indians are Reported to Have Been Drafted into Private Armies for Russia

• Indian citizens reportedly drafted into private armies for Russia, prompting caution from the Indian government.

• Hyderabad resident Mohammad Sufiyan trapped; family seeks government intervention.

• AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi calls for engagement to rescue trapped individuals.

• Urgent plea for government assistance and diplomatic resolution to safeguard trapped Indian nationals.

              Link - https://toi.in/Execaua

Gujarat youth in Russian army killed on Ukraine front

• Hemil Ashwinbhai Mangukiya, killed on the Ukraine front, was not informed of his death until two days later, when his family received a call from a friend working with him.

• Initially skeptical, the family verified the news and organized a prayer session for Hemil in their Varachha neighborhood, where he grew up.

• Hemil, who had only completed Class 12, relocated with his family to Velanja village in Surat. Despite limited education, he sought job opportunities abroad after learning about the Russian army’s recruitment efforts on social media.

• Following guidance from recruitment agents, Hemil traveled to Russia for a job that offered promising compensation.

Link - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/gujarat-youth-in-russian-army-killed-on-ukraine-front/articleshow/107991877.cms?utm_source=wa_channel&utm_medium=notification

News bits proofread by:

Afifa Iqbal (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

Drafted by:

Jiah Malik (B.A. I.R. 1st Year)

Published by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)