Junior Digest

New Delhi, Mar 20,2024: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre on the plea to stay the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) rules of 2024 and asked it to file its reply by April 2.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra directed that the center should file its reply by April 2, and the submissions on the stay application to be filed before the court should not be more than five pages. The court also directed the respondents to file a 5-page reply to the government’s application by April 8.

The bench fixed April 9 as the next date of the hearing.

After the bench directed both parties to file their replies, heated arguments started in court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought four weeks to file the Central Government’s response. To this, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal argued that four weeks is far too much time to file the reply. Sibal argued that if, by then, the government grants citizenship to some people under the CAA rules, then there are chances it cannot be reversed. Sibal argued that under international law, once citizenship is granted, you cannot take it back.

Sibal also asked the Solicitor General,” What was the sudden urgency to notify the rules nearly four years after the CAA was passed?”

Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, also appearing for the petitioners, pressed that there should be a stay on the said Act and the government should undertake that it will not grant any citizenship under the rules while the matter is pending before the Court.

The SG replied, “Whether citizenship is granted or not, petitioners will not be impacted.”

Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar argued that if a Hindu from. Balochistan is granted citizenship, how is the petitioner affected?

“They will get the right to vote!” Senior Advocate Jaising responded and asked the court to grant an interim stay on the implementation of the CAA Act.

The CJI DY Chandrachud said, “But the infrastructure of the state-level committee is not yet ready.

It then directed that the matter be heard next on April 9.

The bench was hearing a batch of around 236 petitions concerning the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) and the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.

The bench directed that the proceedings be listed after three weeks and directed the central government to file the reply only in one case. Responses are not needed in all petitions, the court said. A reply can oppose the interim prayer. We will keep this on April 9,” the court ordered.

The CAA was passed by the parliament on December 11, 2019, and got the president’s assent the following day.

On the same day, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Act. Subsequently, a large number of petitions came before the Apex Court.

The CAA and Rules aim to grant citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The CAA amends Section 2 of the Citizenship Act of 1955, which defines “illegal migrants.”

It added a new proviso to Section 2(1)(b) of the Citizenship Act. As per the same, persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan and who have been exempted by the Central government under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, or the Foreigners Act, 1946, shall not be treated as “illegal migrants.” Consequently, such persons shall be eligible to apply for citizenship under the 1955 Act.

However, the law excluded the Muslim community from the proviso, triggering protests across the country and a slew of petitions before the Supreme Court.

The petitioners challenging the law submitted that the CAA discriminates against Muslims based on religion. Such religious segregation is without any reasonable differentiation and violates the right to quality under Article 14, it was contended.

On December 18, 2019, the apex court issued a notice to the Union of India on that challenge.

But the court had not stayed the law since the rules were not notified, which meant that the act remained in limbo.

However, in a sudden move, the Central government notified the rules last week, on March 11, which effectively brought into force the CAA.

This led to a slew of applications before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the Act and Rules, including those by the IUML, Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The Court, however, refused to grant an interim stay on the CAA Act and the rules.

New Delhi, Mar 11,2024: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the application of State Bank of India (SBI) seeking an extension till June 30 to disclose details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties and directed SBI to file the details by March 12.

The Supreme Court also directed ECI to put the information of each electoral bond encashed by political parties on its website by 5 pm on March 15.

CJI D Y Chandrachud questions the delay in revealing the details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties.

CJI lashed out at SBI and said, “We passed the judgement on February 15, and today is March 11. What steps you have taken in the past 26 days? Nothing is stated by You, We expect some candour from the State Bank of India.’

Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the SBI told the Supreme Court, ‘We need a little more time to comply with your lordships’ order. We are having to collate all the information. Our process made sure that there was no correlation between the KYC and bond numbers.’

‘ We have not told you to match donor KYC with political parties. We have only asked that you disclose the available details to the EC. SBI can simply comply with the judgement by disclosing available information,’ the CJI said.

CJI further added that grounds for seeking an extension do not exist. SBI has KYC details, all details are available in the main branch of SBI.

SBI can simply open up the sealed covers and correlate the information, CJI said.

Harish Salve argued that we need to be able to match donor details with the political parties.

CJI asked Salve in the last 26 days, what progress had been made on matching.

SBI should have disclosed the extent of progress made with matching. We are given to understand that there is a number assigned to electoral bonds.

Harish Salve replied that the number is kept a secret, and to generate the number, you need to match the details. The bond number was not allowed into the core banking system, otherwise, senior bank officers could have sourced information.

CJI said it is a very serious matter for SBI to apply for an extension in this manner. And directed SBI to comply with their orders and file the details of each electoral bond by the close of business hours on March 12.

Sarajevo, Mar 12,2024: The European Commission may approve on Tuesday the start of formal negotiations on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to the European Union, Politico reported, citing two EU officials and one diplomat.

The European Commission will propose the so-called negotiating frameworks that will establish the basic principles and guidelines for discussions on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to the EU, the report said on Monday.

An agreement to start negotiations, which must be approved by all 27 EU member states, is unlikely to happen before the European Parliament elections in June, the report added.

At the same time, for a number of countries, including Austria, it is necessary that progress in Bosnia’s accession process keep pace with the accession of Moldova and Ukraine, the newspaper reported.

At their summit in Brussels on December 15, 2022, the EU leaders officially granted candidature status to Bosnia and Herzegovina, following a relevant recommendation from the European Commission. However, at the summit in December 2023, the EU leaders failed to agree on the immediate launch of accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying that the country should first achieve “the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria.”

Chandigarh, Mar 12,2024: In a dramatic turn of events, Nayab Singh Saini took over as the new Haryana Chief Minister on Tuesday, hours after Manohar Lal Khattar stepped down from the post, as the five-year-old BJP-JJP coalition crumbled amidst speculation of a tussle over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls.

Fifty-four-year Saini, the state president of the BJP, took the oath of office and secrecy from Governor Bandaru Dattatreya at the Raj Bhawan along with five other ministers in the evening.

Khattar, who resigned earlier in the day, senior state BJP leaders, top officials and other dignitaries were present at the swearing-in.

On a day of fast-paced political developments, Khattar put in his papers, ending the BJP-Jannayak Janata Party alliance, which had been ruling the state since the 2019 Assembly election results.

According to sources, the dispute was triggered by the JJP’s demand for two of the ten Lok Sabha seats in the state – Hisar (from where BJP MP Brijendra Singh recently quit the party and joined the Congress) and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh. The BJP was not inclined to give a single seat to the JJP.

Soon after the 69-year-old Khattar went to the Raj Bhawan and submitted his papers, the BJP legislature party met and elected Saini – the Lok Sabha member from Kurukshetra and an OBC leader – unanimously as its leader.

Saini then met the Governor and staked his claim to form the government.

“I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, (BJP) National President JP Nadda, BJP Haryana state in-charge Biplab Deb and former Chief Minister ML Khattar, all the MLAs and independent MLAs on being elected leader of the BJP Legislative Party unanimously.” Saini posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The ministers who took oath after Saini are Kunwarpal Gujjar, Moolchan Sharma, Ranjit Singh Chautala, Jaiprakash Dalal and Banwari Lal.

“I am very happy that Saini has been given this responsibility. I have known him closely for a long time. Haryana has got a young chief minister. I am sure he will do well,” said Khattar after the swearing-in ceremony. There is speculation that the BJP may pit the veteran leader as its candidate from the Karnal LS seat.

The BJP has 41 seats in the 90-member Haryana Assembly and is likely to bank on some independents to get a majority in the Assembly. There are also speculations that there could be a split in the 10-member JJP legislature party.

Mar 11,2024:The following is a complete list of Oscar winners at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday, presented at a live, televised ceremony from Hollywood.

Best picture
Oppenheimer

Best actor in a leading role
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Best actress in a leading role
Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best director
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Best supporting actor
Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer

Best supporting actress
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best adapted screenplay
American Fiction

Best original screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall

Best animated featured film
The Boy and the Heron
Best animated short
War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko

Best international feature
The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom

Best documentary feature
20 Days in Mariupol

Best documentary short
The Last Repair Shop

Best original score
Oppenheimer

Best original song
What Was I Made For?, Barbie

Best sound
The Zone of Interest

Best production design
Poor Things

Best live action short
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Best cinematography
Oppenheimer

Best makeup and hairstyling
Poor Things

Best costume design
Poor Things

Best visual effects
Godzilla Minus One

Best film editing
Oppenheimer

New Delhi, Feb 29,2024: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant permission to Vedanta, to reopen its Sterlite copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin saying the company has committed ‘repeated breaches’ and ‘serious violations.’
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra dismissed the special leave petition filed by Vedanta Limited against the Madras High Court order which dismissed a batch of pleas by the company against the closure of its copper plant in Tuticorin and the orders of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
The Supreme Court said, “. Although the unit has been contributing to the productive assets of the nation and providing employment and revenue in the area, the well-settled principles of environmental jurisprudence must be remembered.” Reminding the company of the principles of sustainable development, The apex court held that the health and welfare of the residents of the area are of utmost concern, and in the ultimate analysis, the state government is responsible for preserving and protecting their concerns.

The Supreme Court held that “After capable evaluation, we have concluded that the special leave petition by the industrial unit does not warrant interference under Article 136. The special leave petition stands dismissed.”

The court was hearing the Vedanta’s plea where it challenged the Madras High Court orders which had refused to grant renewal permissions for their plant at Tuticorin.

The Tamil Nadu Government had ordered the closure of the unit because the company was violating environmental norms. The Madras High Court had agreed to look into all aspects of the matter to decide on both the closure and renewal of the plant. The petitioner consented to this. If the orders were set aside, the government and board could ask the high court to send the case back for a fresh decision, but the petitioner agreed to let the high court decide everything.

The High Court after long deliberations rejected Vedanta’s plea challenging the Tamil Nadu government decision which had refused.to renew the Sterlite copper plant’s permission to operate.

On the Pollution Board’s behalf, Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan emphatically argued that the facility had been closed due to extensive pollution in the surrounding area. Despite recommendations from several committees urging the company to take corrective actions, these measures were not implemented, he alleged.

The High Court ultimately ruled against the Indian multinational mining company, holding that the company had committed many violations.

Moscow,Mar 02,2024: The funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been held on Friday morning in Moscow, an event seen by many as representing a struggle between the country’s marginalized protest movement and President Vladimir Putin’s will to silence it.
Thousands of mourners defied heavy security to greet Navalny’s coffin with applause and chants at the church and cemetery where he was buried. Allies of the Putin critic accused the Kremlin of trying to derail the event, saying they struggled to secure a venue and find a hearse willing to carry his body.
Navalny, 47, died last month in an Arctic penal colony. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, paid tribute to her late husband this morning and thanked him for “26 years of absolute happiness.” She has pointed the finger at Putin for his death, but the Kremlin has denied the accusations. A deal to free Navalny was in the works, and his allies have said the timing was no coincidence.
The funeral was live-streamed, allowing those outside Russia who saw hope in Navalny’s struggle to follow the event online. A number of foreign diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador, were seen at the event.

Chennai, Mar 5,2024: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed and validated an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM-3) Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) product that determines the intricacies of air quality dynamics over the Indian sub-continent like never before.
In an update, ISRO said researchers are invited to unlock the power of this open data and generate unprecedented insights into aerosol dynamics.
This data product enables determining the intricacies of air quality dynamics over the landmass of the Indian subcontinent.
It is developed using the SAC Aerosol Retrieval (SAER) algorithm, an innovative tool. It utilises EOS-6 satellite data.

“The product is accessible for researchers and students through MOSDAC after the formal registration. This data repository beckons researchers to unravel air quality intricacies like never before. The data serves as a benchmarking air quality simulation model, providing valuable insights for scholars and policymakers towards a cleaner and healthier future,” ISRO said.

This advancement is enabled by the 1 km spatial resolution of the OCM-3 onboard EOS-6. The satellite EOS-6, launched in November 2022, is equipped with a state-of-the-art OCM sensor, marking a significant leap in the ability to monitor atmospheric aerosols.

OCM-3 AOD product data provides unprecedented insights into aerosol concentrations across the Indian landmass. It delves deep into the particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere, empowering researchers to navigate the complexities of air quality dynamics with precision.

Its high-resolution data reveals the dynamics of particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10), offering insights into their distribution and transport over metropolitan areas.

Beyond the Indian skies, the OCM-3 AOD product serves as a global resource for monitoring aerosols worldwide, offering insights into aerosol blankets from diverse sources such as South Asian fires and Canadian wildfires.
As case studies, the recent investigation unveils a notable increase in AOD values post-October 13, 2023, particularly over the Indo-Gangetic plain. Delhi consistently exhibits high AOD values, spotlighting the enduring impact of pollution during and after Deepavali. Mid-December witnessed some improvement in air quality, followed by another spike in AOD levels during mid-January 2024,” ISRO said.

The AOD and fire products, coupled with trajectory modelling, corroborate extensive fire activities, underscoring the role of agricultural residue burning in severe air pollution.

New Delhi, March 19,2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reaffirmed India’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.
His remarks came in response to a message from Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, expressing gratitude for the safe return of seven Bulgarian nationals.
On Monday, the Bulgarian President expressed his gratitude to the Indian Navy for successfully carrying out a rescue operation on the hijacked Bulgarian ship, MV Ruen.
PM Modi expressed appreciation for the President of Bulgaria Radev, and conveyed India’s satisfaction that the seven Bulgarian nationals were safe and would soon be returning home.
“Appreciate your message President @PresidentOfBg. We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region,” said PM Modi in a post on X.
The “Rouen” ship with eight Bulgarians, nine Myanmarese and one Angolan citizen on board was captured by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.
In an official post on X, the Bulgarian President said, “My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship “Ruen” and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens.”
Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s foreign minister Mariya Gabriel in a Facebook post said on Saturday that she held a conversation with the Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria Sanjay Rana for the Indian Navy’s Operation on MV Ruen and thanked him for rescuing Bulgarian nationals.
In a recent post on Facebook Bulgaria’s foreign minister Mariya Gabriel said, “Today, March 16, with the help of the Indian Navy, the crew of the ship “Rouen” hijacked on December 14, 2023, including seven Bulgarian citizens, was released.”
“Thanks to the efforts of the Indian military, the entire crew of the ship was freed. All sailors are in good health and efforts are currently being made for their timely return to Bulgaria,” she added.
Speaking regarding the incident, she stated that the ship “Rouen” with eight Bulgarians, nine Myanmar and one Angolan citizen on board was captured by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close cooperation with all competent institutions, the overseas representations of the Republic of Bulgaria in the region and international partners is actively involved in the efforts to release the Bulgarian crew.”
On March 16, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a conversation was also held with the Indian ambassador in Sofia, Ambassador Sanjay Rana and an additional request was made to the Indian side for assistance and to take all possible actions to protect the life and health of the crew.
She added in her statement, “I am extremely grateful for the assistance of the Indian side in the process of releasing the Bulgarian sailors.”

Sanaa, Mar 19,2024: Fighter jets of the U.S. and British naval forces stationing in the Red Sea waged ten airstrikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen’s Hodeidah port city on Monday, residents and the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

According to the Houthi television, six strikes hit the area of al-Jabbanah in the western part of the city, while the four others hit the al-Fazah coast of the At-Tuhayat district, to the south of the city. No casualties were specified.

Residents across the coastal city said on social media platforms that, the strikes were very powerful in Houthi-controlled sites.

There were no comments from the U.S.-British coalition yet.

Since November last year, the Houthis have initiated attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing retaliation for Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip as their motive.

In response, the United States and Britain have conducted air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-January. However, instead of deterring the Houthi group or weakening its capabilities, these strikes appear to have led to further escalation of attacks by the Houthi forces.

The Houthi attacks have already disrupted international shipping in one of the world’s busiest waterways, forcing many companies to re-route around Africa, resulting in extended transit times and elevated costs.

Ahmedabad, Mar 12,2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of Rs 85,000 crore railway projects.

He also flagged off 10 new Vande Bharat trains virtually from Ahmedabad, taking the total number of semi-high-speed trains across the country to over 50.

The railway is currently running 41 Vande Bharat trains spanning 24 states.

The 10 new Vande Bharat trains are between Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central, Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam, Mysuru-Dr. MGR Central (Chennai), Patna-Lucknow, New Jalpaiguri-Patna, Puri-Visakhapatnam, Lucknow-DDehradun, Kalaburagi-SSir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Ranchi-Varanasi, Khajuraho-Delhi (Nizamuddin).

The Prime Minister also flagged off the extension of four Vande Bharat trains, including Ahmedabad-Jamnagar. Vande Bharat is being extended to Dwarka, Ajmer, and Delhi. Sarai Rohilla Vande Bharat is being extended till Chandigarh; Gorakhpur-Lucknow Vande Bharat is being extended till Prayagraj; and Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod Vande Bharat is being extended till Mangaluru; and two new passenger trains between Asansol and Hatia and Tirupati and Kollam stations.

He also flagged off freight trains on the dedicated Freight Corridor from various locations, including New Khurja Junction, Sahnewal, New Rewari, New Kishangarh, New Gholvad, and New Makarpura.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “The network of Vande Bharat trains has reached over 250 districts, and the government is consistently expanding the route of Vande Bharat trains.”.

“We are working towards 100% electrification of railways. We are also planning for railway stations to run on electricity generated by using solar power,” he said.

PM Modi noted that the development of railways is one of the top priorities of our government, saying the average railway budget in the last 10 years increased by six times”.

He further added that the government has completely transformed the landscape of the railway sector, and we increased the average railway budget six times as compared to the budget before 2014.

Talking about the development work carried out by the government, PM Modi said the new construction for developed India is continuously expanding, and in the year 2024, projects worth more than Rs 11 lakh crore have been inaugurated and the foundation stone has been laid.

“In the last 10–12 days alone, projects worth more than Rs 7 lakh crore have been inaugurated and foundation stones laid,” he added.

The prime minister also assured that in the next 5 years you will see a transformation of Indian Railways that you would not have even imagined.

Calling the rejuvenation of railways a guarantee of a developed India, PM Modi said, “Today, new reforms are taking place in railways at an unprecedented pace.”.

“Rapid construction of new railway tracks, modernization of more than 1300 railway stations, next-generation trains like Vande Bharat, Namo Bharat, and Amrit Bharat, modern railway engines, and coach factories—all these are changing the picture of Indian Railways in the 21st century,” he added.

Krishnanagar, Mar 2,2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled development projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in West Bengal on Saturday. The prime minister unveiled the projects at an official function in Krishnanagar in Nadia district.

He said the projects would help Bengal to be self-reliant, and more investments would come. He said that for modernization, a state needs to be self-reliant on power, which helps industrial development, railway networks, and technologies.

Modi said he was expecting an investment of Rs 11,000 in Bengal. Once highly developed, Bengal gradually lost its importance following negligence immediately after India became independent.

Modi said he inaugurated and laid foundation stones worth over Rs 7,000 crore for the development of the state on Friday. He said the state is the gateway to eastern India. Among others, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station Phase II (2×660 MW), located at Raghunathpur in Purulia district. This coal-based thermal power project of the Damodar Valley Corporation employs highly efficient, critical technology.

The new plant will be a step towards strengthening the energy security of the country.

Besides, the flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) system of Units 7 and 8 of Mejia Thermal Power Station. Developed at a cost of about Rs 650 crore, the FGD system will remove sulfur dioxide from flue gases, produce clean flue gas, and form gypsum, which can be used in the cement industry.

He also unveiled the road project for four laning of the Farakka-Raiganj Section of NH-12 (100 km). Developed at a cost of about Rs 1986 crore, the project will reduce traffic congestion, improve connectivity, and contribute to socio socio-economic development of North Bengal and the Northeast region.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation four rail projects worth more than Rs 940 crore, including the project for the doubling of the Damodar-Mohishila rail line; the third line between Rampurhat and Murarai; doubling of the Bazarsau-Azimganj rail line; and a new line connecting Azimganj and Murshidabad. These projects will improve rail connectivity, facilitate freight movement, and contribute to economic and industrial growth in the region.

Mar 12,2024:India joined a select club of countries on Monday, with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announcing the first successful flight test of an Agni-V ballistic missile carrying multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).

The PM congratulated scientists at the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) for the flight test, named Mission Divyastra, which was carried out from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.

Various telemetry and radar stations tracked and monitored multiple re-entry vehicles. The mission accomplished the designed parameters.

Breaking the news on the microblogging site X, Modi posted, “Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of the indigenously developed Agni-V missile with MIRV technology.”

A surface-to-surface, nuclear-capable ballistic missile, the Agni-V can strike targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometre with a very high degree of accuracy. The Agni-V uses a three-stage, solid-fuelled engine and is a component of India’s policy to have “credible minimum deterrence”, which underpins New Delhi’s commitment to “no first use”.

Developed by DRDO, the range of Agni-V places it in the family of intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, and it is meant to primarily provide nuclear deterrence against China.

According to agency reports, the MIRV system tested on Monday is equipped with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages, ensuring that the re-entry vehicles reach their targets with the desired accuracy.

The MIRV technology was originally developed in the early 1960s. Unlike a traditional missile, which carries only one warhead and can strike only one target, MIRV technology permits a single missile to deliver multiple nuclear warheads to different targets. Each warhead is carried in a separate re-entry vehicle and can be programmed to hit a separate target.

Missiles with MIRV technology can release these warheads at different speeds and in different directions.

According to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the US, the UK, France, China, and Russia have deployed MIRV technology on their missiles to date.

With Monday’s flight test, India is set to join this club. Pakistan is also trying to develop MIRV technology.

Agni-V fast facts

– Surface-to-surface ballistic missile
-Up to 5,000 km range
– Nuclear capable warhead
– Three-stage, solid-fuelled propulsion engine
– Developed by Defence Research & Development Organisation

MOSCOW, Feb 29,2024: President Vladimir Putin told Western countries on Thursday they risked provoking a nuclear war if they sent troops to fight in Ukraine, warning that Moscow had the weapons to strike targets in the West.

The war in Ukraine has triggered the worst crisis in Moscow’s relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Putin has previously spoken of the dangers of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, but his nuclear warning on Thursday was one of his most explicit.

Addressing lawmakers and other members of the country’s elite, Putin, 71, repeated his accusation that the West was bent on weakening Russia, and he suggested Western leaders did not understand how dangerous their meddling could be in what he cast as Russia’s own internal affairs.

He prefaced his nuclear warning with a specific reference to an idea, floated by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, of European NATO members sending ground troops to Ukraine – a suggestion that was quickly rejected by the United States, Germany, Britain and others.

“(Western nations) must realise that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory. All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilisation. Don’t they get that?!” said Putin.

Speaking ahead of a March 15-17 presidential election when he is certain to be re-elected for another six-year term, he lauded what he said was Russia’s vastly modernised nuclear arsenal, the largest in the world.

“Strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness,” he said, noting that new-generation hypersonic nuclear weapons he first spoke about in 2018 had either been deployed or were at a stage where development and testing were being completed.

Visibly angry, Putin suggested Western politicians recall the fate of those like Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler and France’s Napoleon Bonaparte who had unsuccessfully invaded Russia in the past.

“But now the consequences will be far more tragic,” said Putin. “They think it (war) is a cartoon,” he said, accusing Western politicians of forgetting what real war meant because they had not faced the same security challenges as Russians had in the last three decades.
MORE TROOPS FOR WESTERN BORDER

Russian forces now had the initiative on the battlefield in Ukraine and were advancing in several places, Putin said. Russia must also boost the troops it has deployed along its western borders with the European Union after Finland and Sweden decided to join the NATO military alliance, he added.

The veteran Kremlin leader dismissed Western suggestions that Russian forces might go beyond Ukraine and attack European countries as “nonsense”. He also said Moscow would not repeat the mistake of the Soviet Union and allow the West to “drag” it into an arms race that would eat up too much of its budget.

“Therefore, our task is to develop the defence-industrial complex in such a way as to increase the scientific, technological and industrial potential of the country,” he said.

Putin said Moscow was open to discussions on nuclear strategic stability with the United States but suggested that Washington had no genuine interest in such talks and was more focused on making false claims about Moscow’s alleged aims.

“Recently there have been more and more unsubstantiated accusations against Russia, for example that we are allegedly going to deploy nuclear weapons in space. Such innuendo… is a ploy to draw us into negotiations on their terms, which are favourable only to the United States,” he said.

“…On the eve of the U.S. presidential election, they simply want to show their citizens and everyone else that they still rule the world.”

Gaza, Mar 19,2024: The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 31,726, with 73,792 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Monday.
The Israeli army killed 81 Palestinians and wounded 116 others during the past 24 hours, according to the ministry.
The statement noted that some victims remained under the rubble amid heavy Israeli bombardment and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews.
Israel launched a large-scale offensive against the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.