TODAY NEWS ON 30 MARCH 2022

News Headlines

Ahead of Lavrov’s arrival, U.S. to send Deputy NSA to India

Just ahead of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to India this week, the Biden administration is sending its chief strategist on sanctions against Russia for the war in Ukraine, Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh. Mr. Singh is due to be in Delhi for meetings on Thursday, while Mr. Lavrov will hold meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other officials on Friday, after arriving from Beijing where he is attending a conference on Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka’s media clarification reveals two recent defence pacts with India

A media clarification issued by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence has brought to light two recent defence pacts it has signed with India that neither side officially announced. “The recently signed maritime security pacts with the Government of India will not result in hindrance or threat to the national security of Sri Lanka,” said a media statement issued by the Ministry on Tuesday. It referred to the “the receipt of Floating Dock Facility from the Government of India at no cost” and the provision of “Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft” by India to Sri Lanka “free of charge”.

Parliamentary panel grills Facebook on ‘politically motivated’ algorithm

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology on Monday questioned Facebook officials over allegations that the algorithm used for its advertising platform unfairly promotes one political party in the country. The U.S.-headquartered social media giant was also questioned over claims that hate content is rewarded on the platform as well as the company’s lack of Indian language experts for quality check. The committee met on Monday on the subject — ‘Safeguarding citizens’ rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms, including special emphasis on women security in the digital space’.

Not pleased with India’s votes on Ukraine, but confident we share same values: EU envoy

The European Union (EU) was “not pleased” by India’s votes of abstention at the United Nations on Ukraine resolutions, but believes that India and the EU continue to share the same values on the global order, says the EU’s special envoy on the Indo-Pacific  Gabriele Visentin, one of several western visitors to Delhi during the current crisis, who are seeking support for sanctions against Russia.

Journalist Rana Ayyub stopped at Mumbai airport

Journalist Rana Ayyub was on Tuesday stopped by immigration officials at Mumbai airport while she was on her way to board a flight to London, on the basis of a Look-out Circular (LoC) issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as she allegedly failed to comply with the agency’s summons. “I was stopped today at the Indian immigration while I was about to board my flight to London to deliver my speech on the intimidation of journalists with @ICFJ . I was to travel to Italy right after to deliver the keynote address at the @journalismfest on the Indian democracy,” Ms. Ayyub tweeted.

Environment or other rights: Supreme Court differs in 4 days

The Supreme Court has expressed, in the course of four days, divergent views on whether preservation of the environment should take a backseat when other rights are at stake. On Tuesday, Justice Khanwilkar orally said environment ‘must prevail’ over other rights.

34 ‘outsiders’ bought land in J&K after August 2019: Centre

As many as 34 persons from outside Jammu and Kashmir have purchased properties in the newly created Union Territory (UT) post- abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

India seeks closer BIMSTEC partnership

The world is passing through one of the most difficult phases in recent history as the war in Ukraine has erupted even before the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, said External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Tuesday in Colombo. Addressing the ministerial of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi–Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), he urged closer cooperation and connectivity among the members . The BIMSTEC summit scheduled for Wednesday has drawn global attention because of participation from Myanmar which was isolated internationally following the military takeover in February 2021.

J&K delimitation exercise unconstitutional, says plea in Supreme Court

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the Centre’s decision to constitute a Delimitation Commission for redrawing Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The petition, filed by Srinagar residents, Haji Abdul Gani Khan and Dr. Mohammad Ayub Mattoo , urged the court to declare the increase in the number of seats from 107 to 114 (including 24 seats in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) in Jammu & Kashmir as unconstitutional and ultra vires of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

Priyanka writes to Rajnath on delays in armed forces recruitment process

Flagging delays in the recruitment process of the armed forces, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, urging him to take necessary steps to ensure that the hard work of aspirants is respected. In her letter, she mentioned that an exam for recruitment of soldiers into the Air Force was held in November 2020 and the results were out the same month. Despite the completion of all the tests and the provisional selection list being out, she quoted job aspirants to say that the final enrollment list had not been released yet.

Moscow insists on payment in rouble for gas deliveries

Russia reiterated Tuesday that it will only be accepting payment for gas deliveries to the EU in rubles after G7 ministers called this arrangement “unacceptable”. “Nobody will supply gas for free. This is just impossible. And it can only be paid for in rubles,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters .“Companies must understand the completely changed environment that has arisen in the conditions of the economic war waged against Russia,” he said.

Shivpal stays away from meeting of SP allies

Faultlines have resurfaced in the Yadav clan as Shivpal Yadav didn’t attend the meetings of the allies with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday. Mr. Shivpal chose to spend the day listening to Bhagavat in Etawah. The tension in the family became apparent when the uncle was not invited by the nephew to the meeting of the SP’s legislatures where Mr. Yadav was appointed as the leader of the legislative group.

Parliament proceedings | Opposition MPs voice support for trade union strike

Expressing solidarity with the trade unions that had given a call for two-day nationwide strike against the Narendra Modi government’s privatisation plans, Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday sought a discussion on the issue. But the strike call by the central trade unions (CTUs) also saw sharp political differences between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress on the floor of the House.

China, U.S., Russia, Pakistan to hold talks on Afghanistan

A top U.S. diplomat will meet this week in China to discuss issues in Afghanistan with his Chinese, Russian and Pakistani counterparts, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the State Department said on Tuesday. The United States understands that China has invited Taliban representatives to the talks in Tunxi, a State Department spokesperson said. Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan Yue Xiaoyong will host the meeting, said Wang Wenbin, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Saudi-led coalition declares unilateral ceasefire in Yemen

Saudi Arabia announced that the kingdom and its allies will observe a unilateral cease-fire in the war in Yemen starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said the move was aimed at creating a productive environment for Yemeni political talks about the war taking place in Riyadh. The gesture also is meant to provide a “positive environment” during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan to jumpstart peacemaking efforts, it added. However, the announcement raised immediate doubts because Yemen’s rebel Houthis are boycotting the Yemeni talks in Saudi Arabia.

Indian Premier League 2022 | New-look Rajasthan Royals crush SRH by 61 runs, start campaign on rousing note

A new-look and re-energised Rajasthan Royals attacked from the outset and inflicted on Sunrisers Hyderabad a 61-run hammering to begin their campaign in IPL-15 on a rousing note here on Tuesday. RR got the better of SRH in every department after skipper Sanju Samson led from the front with a scintillating 27-ball 55 to power his team to an imposing 210 for six. Smarting from the pounding in the first half of their opening fixture, SRH failed to pose any serious threat to RR after a disastrous start to their innings, which saw them slip to 9/3 and then 29/4. In the end, Kane Williamson’s (2) team was stopped at 149 for seven, with the captain himself enduring a bad day in office.

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