Author: Ritik Pal

The European parliament has declared natural gas and nuclear energy as green energy. Parliament approved the Taxonomy Delegated Act to include specific nuclear and gas energy activities under certain conditions. The measure was passed by 328 votes and 278 votes were cast in the opposition while absentees were 33. EU parliament needs 353 members absolute majority to veto any proposal. Now natural gas and nuclear energy are a part of Europe’s green taxonomy which will start next year and the Act will come into force on 1 January 2024. EU may face legal issues for implementing the proposals as Austria…

Common people to get relief on prices of edible oils. Ministry of Consumer Affairs has directed the leading Edible Oil Associations to guarantee the reduction in the MRP of edible oil by 15₹ with immediate effect on Friday. The Department of Food and Public Distribution took this decision in the meeting on 6 July 2022. The Central government has communicated to the refineries and the manufacturers of edible oils that they have to deliver the price reduction to the distributors with immediate effect. The Department also stressed that the price reduction should reach to the consumers as soon as it…

Three year long farmers protests and demonstrations in the Netherlands intensified during this week. Farmers are protesting by blocking roads outside the food distribution centre and govt buildings and on highways with their tractors. Protesters blocked the lorries from leaving the depots which deliver fresh stocks to supermarkets and fired hey bales on the highway. Although, several local authorities issued emergency orders to open the blockade from food distribution facilities in Geldermalsen, Haaksbergen and Raalte. Police arrested a 16-year boy on Tuesday after being shot at him. Friesland Police said that he was driving his tractor toward police personnel. However,…

The FBI director and MI5 director General first time shared a stage in London to alert the world about Chinese economic espionage on Wednesday. They warned business leaders that Beijing is trying to steal their technology for its competitive advantage. In the joint presser alongside MI5 director-general, Ken McCallum at MI5 London headquarters, Christopher Wray, the FBI director reiterated the old concern of hacking and economic espionage and crushed dissent on foreign land. FBI Chief Wray told China is the biggest economic and security challenge for Europe. He said that the “Chinese government that poses the biggest long-term threat to…

The Interim Prime Minister of Israel, Yair Lapid visited France on its first foreign visit on 5 July, Tuesday as Naftali Bannett quit the Prime Ministership following the power-sharing agreement. Yair Lapid urges President Macron to revisit stalled Iran nuclear deal. He said that the current situation will lead to the nuclear arms race in the middle east and threatens world peace. Israeli Prime Minister made his remarks in a joint press conference on Iran’s Nuclear deal and Hezbollah’s threats to Israel’s security. Israel intercepted Hezbollah drones recently which were coming to the Karish oil field. Yair did not mention…

Russia want to increase its strategic dominance in the East China Sea and Arctic Circle and it is often that Russian incursion is seen in Japanese water or near Japanese islands, but this time a new phenomenon is being seen when a Chinese ship chased a Russian warship near Senkaku islands in the East China Sea on 4 July 2022. The Senkaku Islands is a group of small inhabitants islands strategically located 186 kilometres northeast of Taiwan. Taiwan also claims their autonomy over islands with China and China calls Senkaku Diaoyu. The Russian frigate remains in Japanese water for around…

The Election Commission of India (ECI) released notification for the election of Vice president of India, as current Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu term of office is ending on 10 August. Election Commission notified the date of filing the candidature nomination till  19 July 2022 and candidates can withdraw their candidature till 22 July 2022 before 3 PM. The polling for the post will be scheduled on Saturday, 6 August 2022. As per Article 66 of the Constitution of India, Vice President is elected on the bases of the Electorate College System. The Electorate College consists of members of both the…

In New York, India emphasized the importance of the UN Programme of Action and International Tracing Instrument in dealing with terrorism during the 8th biennial meeting of the UN Programme of Action. The meeting adopted an outcome document for strengthening the implementation of the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument to control the illicit trafficking of SALW. India advised strengthening the implementation of the Tracing Instrument, through boosted national endeavours to control illicit trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), and to develop a mechanism for tracking illicit SALW. Sandeep Arya, Additional Secretary, MoEA said during the…

India’s external debt increased by 7.5 % from the end of March 2021. The externals debt amounted to 620.7 billion USD at the end of March 2022, which was 573.7 billion USD in March-end of 2021, as per the latest Central Bank assessment. The GDP-to-foreign debt ratio has also declined from 21.2 percent in March-end 2021 to 19.9 in March-end 2022. However, foreign debt has gained valuation appreciation of the US dollar against the domestic currency, Yen, Euro, and SDR. Valuation gain decreases the foreign debt amount. Excluding the valuation effect, external debt would have increased by 58.8 billion USD…

The India-EU Trade and Investment Agreements negotiation talks concluded on 1 July in New Delhi. The negotiations were also held on Geographical Indicators (GI). India and European Union resumed talks on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after a long period of 8 years on 17 June 2022. In the FTA negotiation, the Indian side was led by Negotiator Ms. Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, and the India-EU was represented by its Chief Negotiator, Mr. Christophe Kiener. The week-long session of the first round was held in hybrid mode, some of the teams met in Delhi and other officials…