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          5 THINGS FIRST
          Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to visit India; Stock exchanges BSE and NSE set to introduce T+0 trade settlement cycle from today; Delhi HC to hear PIL seeking removal of Arvind Kejriwal from CM post; TMC's Mahua Moitra is to appear before the ED for the third summons in a FEMA case; IPL 2024 - Rajasthan Royals Vs Delhi Capitals in Rajasthan
          1. India rejects Western concern over Kejriwal’s arrest
          1. India rejects Western concern over Kejriwal’s arrest
          India summons US envoy
          • India on Wednesday summoned US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena and lodged a strong protest against Washington’s remarks regarding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.
          • A US State Department official had reportedly said that Washington “encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for Chief Minister Kejriwal.”
          • The development comes days after India on March 23 had summoned the German deputy chief of mission in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest against that country's foreign ministry's remarks on the arrest of the Delhi CM.
          No relief to Delhi CM
          • The Delhi High Court declined to grant interim relief to Kejriwal, who is currently in ED custody in connection with an excise policy case.
          Notice to ED
          • Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued a notice on Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest and asked the ED to respond by April 2.
          • The case is scheduled for final disposal on April 3, without any adjournments.
          Kejriwal’s plea
          • Kejriwal, arrested on March 21 and remanded in ED custody till March 28, sought immediate release, claiming his arrest was illegal. His counsel argued that arresting a sitting chief minister during elections violated the Constitution.
          • "Object of the arrest was not to find material but to disable me and my party. My prayer is, release me now," senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi argued on behalf of Kejriwal.
          ED’s response
          • Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the ED, requested sufficient time to respond to the voluminous petition served on them only a day prior.
          The case
          • The case involves allegations of corruption and money laundering in the now scrapped Delhi's 2021-22 excise policy.
          • Kejriwal is accused of favouritism and soliciting bribes from liquor businessmen in exchange for policy benefits.
          Meanwhile...
          • Stressing that no money was found in multiple raids by the ED, the Delhi CM’s wife Sunita Kejriwal said that her husband would do a "big expose" and also present the evidence on the alleged excise policy scam in court today. For more
          2. ‘No compromise on border issue with China’
          2. ‘No compromise on border issue with China’
          Jaishankar’s assertion
          • Normalcy in bilateral ties with China will only be achieved based on the traditional deployment of troops and that will be the prerequisite for the relationship going forward with Beijing, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
          • “My first duty to Indians is to secure the border. I can never compromise on that,” Jaishankar said while responding to a question on the current state of India’s relations with China during his interaction with the Indian diaspora in Kuala Lumpur.
          ‘Talks are on’
          • “We're still negotiating with the Chinese. I talk to my counterpart [Wang Yi]. We meet from time to time. Our military commanders negotiate with each other. But we are very clear that we had an agreement.
          • “There is a Line of Actual Control (LAC). We have a tradition of not bringing troops to that line. Both of us have bases some distance away, which is our traditional deployment place. And we want that normalcy," he said.
          • India shares a 3,488km de facto boundary, also known as LAC, with China.
          India-China ties
          • Ties between India and China nose-dived significantly following the deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in more than four decades.
          Beijing’s ‘South Tibet’ claim
          • China claims India’s Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, calling it South Tibet.
          • New Delhi says the northeastern state is an integral part of India and terms China’s claim as absurd.
          • Recently, the US said it recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as part of India and “strongly opposes” any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims over the Indian state that shares a border with China.
          3. Uddhav’s Sena leaves Congress seething
          3. Uddhav’s Sena leaves Congress seething
          Sena (UBT)'s first list
          • Days before the Lok Sabha polls, discontent is brewing within the opposition INDIA bloc in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena (UBT) left the Congress seething on Wednesday after it announced its first list of 17 candidates, with the ally saying talks were still on for Sangli and three Mumbai constituencies.
          • The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has named wrestler Chandrahar Patil for Sangli, Anil Desai for Mumbai South Central, Sanjay Dina Patil for Mumbai North East and Amol Kirtikar for Mumbai North West seats.
          • Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra assembly Vijay Wadettiwar asked their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partner to reconsider its decision, stressing that it did not suit “coalition dharma”.
          • Their party colleague Sanjay Nirupam, who was keen to contest from Mumbai North West, said those who agreed to the seat-sharing formula were preparing to bury the Congress in Mumbai. Nirupam said he was prepared for a “friendly fight” in the constituency.
          Another setback
          • In another setback for the MVA, Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) announced it had ended talks with the coalition. It also announced candidates for 8 of the LS seats
          • Ambedkar claimed to have spoken to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil and got his support.
          Why Maharashtra matters
          • With the highest number of seats after UP, Maharashtra is important for both BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc
          • While BJP is aiming to do well in north India and expecting a tough contest in south India, the 48 seats in Maharashtra could be a significant factor.
          • In the 2014 and 2019 elections, which was a straight fight between the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the Congress-NCP combine, the BJP-Sena had won 40-plus seats in Maharashtra.
          • In this election, the two alliances are again pitted against each other, but this time around, the Sena and NCP are vertically split, and most of their MLAs have defected to the NDA camp.
          4. Thailand’s big move on same sex marriage
          4. Thailand’s big move on same sex marriage
          Parliament passes bill
          • Thailand's lower house of parliament passed the same-sex marriage bill with overwhelming majority on Wednesday. However, it still awaits approval from the Senate before it can receive royal endorsement and be published in the Royal Gazette.
          • The new legislation, which was passed by 400 of 415 of lawmakers present, describes marriage as a partnership between two individuals, instead of between a man and woman.
          What it offers
          • The bill also gives LGBTQ+ couples equal rights to get marital tax savings, to inherit property, and to give medical treatment consent for partners who are incapacitated.
          • Under the law, married same-sex couples can also adopt children.
          A vibrant culture
          • Thailand has long been a draw for same-sex couples, with a vibrant LGBT social scene for locals and expatriates, and targeted campaigns to attract LGBT travellers.
          • The Southeast Asian nation already has laws that ban discrimination over gender identity and sexual orientation and is seen as one of Asia's most LGBTQ+ friendly nations.
          Elsewhere
          • There are currently 36 countries where same-sex marriage is legal. They include – the US, the UK, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil among others.
          In Asia
          • Only Taiwan and Nepal have formally recognised same-sex marriage. In India, the Supreme Court deferred the decision to Parliament.
          • The LGBTQ+ community has also been fighting for marriage equality in Japan, where district courts have ruled that the ban is unconstitutional.
          • Singapore scrapped a colonial-era law that banned gay sex in 2022, but also amended its constitution to prevent the courts from challenging the definition of marriage as one between a man and a woman.
          NEWS IN CLUES
          5. Can you identify this Union Territory?
          Clue 1: World’s lone floating post office is located here
          Clue 2: It is the largest saffron-producing region in India
          Clue 3: It’s also home to the world’s tallest railway bridge

          Scroll below for answer
          6. Millions go hungry, yet the world wastes 19% of food
          6. Millions go hungry, yet the world wastes 19% of food
          What
          • The world wasted an estimated 19% of the food produced globally in 2022, or about 1.05 billion metric tons, at a time when nearly 800 million people suffered from hunger according to the new UN’s Food Waste Index Report.
          • This marks a concerning increase from 2019's estimate of 17% or 931 million metric tons.
          Per capita food waste
          • Analysis of data from various countries indicates that each person contributes to approximately 79 kilograms (around 174 pounds) of food waste annually. This equates to over a billion meals being discarded every day worldwide.
          • The distribution of waste primarily originates from households (60%), followed by food services including restaurants (28%), and retailers (12%).
          Environmental and humanitarian impact
          • The report highlights the dual crisis of chronic hunger affecting 783 million people globally and the environmental toll of food production.
          • Food waste not only exacerbates food scarcity but also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, making it a critical concern in the fight against climate change.
          • Efforts to reduce food waste can lead to beneficial outcomes such as conservation of resources, mitigation of environmental damage, and enhanced food security.
          Response and solutions
          • The report notes a growing engagement in food waste issues, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
          • The report calls for global action to tackle food waste comprehensively, aiming to not only reduce environmental damage but also alleviate hunger and promote sustainable food systems worldwide.
          • It praises initiatives like public-private partnerships and food redistribution efforts, highlighting organisations like Food Banking Kenya that work to mitigate food waste and its impacts.
          About the report
          • The report, a collaborative effort between the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), emphasises the urgency in addressing food waste to meet the 2030 goal of halving it.
          7. How China’s pledges to Southeast Asia came up $50 bn short
          7. How China’s pledges to Southeast Asia came up $50 bn short
          Unfulfilled promises
          • Despite pledging billions of dollars to infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia, more than US$50 billion promised by Beijing since 2015 remains unallocated, with over half of the projects either cancelled, reduced in scale, or unlikely to proceed, a study by Sydney's Lowy Institute reveals.
          And the reasons…
          • According to the report, large-scale projects under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative encountered setbacks due to various factors, including political instability and the global energy transition, resulting in a total expenditure in the region of $29.6 billion between 2015 and 2021.
          • China's focus on financing ambitious mega-projects, political instability in partner countries, weak stakeholder consultation, and stranded fossil fuel projects are cited as reasons for the gap between pledged and disbursed funds.
          Cancelled projects
          • However, several projects, including railway projects in Thailand and the Philippines and a gas pipeline in Malaysia, have been cancelled or face uncertainties.
          • Notable among the cancelled projects was a 598-kilometre petroleum pipeline in Malaysia, whose demise was attributed to corruption allegations.
          • China, however, continues to lead infrastructure development in the region, being involved in 24 out of 34 megaprojects.
          Completion rate
          • Despite its involvement, Lowy Institute's findings reveal a modest 33 percent completion rate for China's projects.
          • There are a number of completed Chinese-backed mega-projects, from the $2.4 billion oil pipeline in Myanmar that went online in 2017 to a pair of power plants in Vietnam that together cost $2.7 billion, and a 142-kilometre high-speed rail line in Indonesia, the region’s first.
          • The money Beijing spent in the region from 2015-2021 exceeds that of other major investors like Japan, which spent $16.4 billion during that time, and the Asian Development Bank at $7.36 billion.
          Shift in approach
          • The report noted that China is “learning from experience,” and shifting toward smaller programs and lifting its focus on risk management, project preparation, financial due diligence, and higher environmental and social standards.
          8. US bridge collapse brings key port to grinding halt
          8. US bridge collapse brings key port to grinding halt
          Six feared dead
          • The Indian Embassy in the US has condoled the “unfortunate accident" in Baltimore where a cargo ship manned by a 22-member Indian crew, struck and demolished a key bridge, an accident that may have killed six people and brought one of the most important ports in the northeast US to a grinding halt.
          • US President Joe Biden praised the alertness of the crew aboard the Singaporean-flagged vessel, whose distress call allowed authorities to close the bridge to traffic, potentially preventing further casualties.
          Trade hub
          • About 35,000 people used the bridge every day. The annual value of goods going over is about $28 billion, according to the American Trucking Associations.
          • The bridge played a vital role in Baltimore's transformation into a logistics and e-commerce center after the decline of its steel industry, drawing investors due to its strategic location and infrastructure, including a deep-water port, shortline railway, and interstate highway.
          Supply chain crisis
          • The collapse of the bridge has sent shockwaves through global supply chains, with up to 2.5 million tons of coal, cars from Ford and General Motors, as well as lumber and gypsum, facing disruption.
          • The aftermath of the bridge’s collapse highlights global supply chain vulnerability, compounded by factors like drought in Panama and Red Sea shipping attacks.
          Global impact
          • While the full scope of the disaster's consequences remains unclear, Moody's Analytics warns of significant disruptions to the global coal market due to the collapse of the bridge.
          • The port's role in US coal exports, accounting for over a quarter of seaborne shipments, could affect around 1.5 percent of the global coal trade, with potential impacts on shipments to India.
          • Despite handling only 3% of all East Coast and Gulf Coast imports, Baltimore's port plays a crucial role in the automotive industry.
          Rebuilding and recovery
          • President Joe Biden has pledged federal support for rebuilding the bridge and reopening the port, emphasising the need to "move heaven and earth" to restore normalcy.
          • However, the reconstruction process is expected to be lengthy, with weeks potentially passing before port operations can resume.
          9. Taliban leader’s warning sparks concern
          9. Taliban leader’s warning sparks concern
          ‘Public stoning of women’
          • In a message to Western democracies, the Taliban's supreme leader reaffirmed the group's harsh policies towards women, specifically the punishment for adultery.
          • According to a voice message broadcast on state-controlled media and translated by The Telegraph, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada declared, “You say it’s a violation of women’s rights when we stone them to death. But we will soon implement the punishment for adultery. We will flog women in public. We will stone them to death in public.”
          Extreme policies
          • His remarks underscore the Taliban's intention to revert to the extreme policies that characterised its rule in Afghanistan during the 1990s.
          • Despite international condemnation and calls for the observance of human rights, particularly women’s rights, the Taliban has continued, and now officially confirmed, its commitment to these brutal practices, a Fox News report said.
          Global concern
          • The international community has watched with growing alarm as the Taliban, since their return to power in August 2021, have resumed capital punishments and public executions.
          • According to a UN report of May 2023, 175 individuals were sentenced under these draconian measures, including 37 people condemned to stoning.
          • It remains unclear how many of the sentenced individuals are women, Fox News reports. More here
          10. You share your b’day with…
          10. You share your b’day with…
          Source: Various
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          Answer to NEWS IN CLUES
          Answer to NEWS IN CLUES
          Jammu and Kashmir. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the central government plans to reduce military presence in the Union Territory and shift law and order responsibilities to the local police. In an interview with J&K-based Gulistan News, Shah mentioned the intention to gradually withdraw troops, as part of a seven-year strategy aimed at empowering the local police. Furthermore, Shah revealed that the government is also contemplating the revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA in specific parts of Kashmir, as part of efforts to normalise the situation in the region. Responding to Shah's proposal, political leaders such as Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti voiced their scepticism, suspecting it could be a tactic for the upcoming elections. Abdullah pointed to previous promises that were not kept, while Mufti expressed hope that the announcement would not turn out to be mere electioneering, akin to the BJP's unfulfilled promises of job creation.