Top National and International Headlines of the Week transcript on 10 December 2023
In top national news: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to release in advance the second instalment of the Centre’s contribution to the SDRF of Rs 493.60 to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu given the floods caused by cyclone Michaung. In a post on X, Union Minister Amit Shah said the prime minister has also approved the first urban flood mitigation project of Rs 561.29 crore for ‘Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin Project’ under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund, which also includes central assistance of Rs 500 crore.
Political funding through anonymous electoral bonds shot up by over 400% during the recent Assembly elections in Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram as compared to the last polls in these states in 2018, according to State Bank of India (SBI) data. SBI data accessed by The Indian Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on Wednesday showed that electoral bonds worth Rs 1,006.03 crore were sold and encashed in the most recent (29th) tranche of sales that was held from November 6 to November 20. As much as 99 per cent of the total amount was raised through the sale of Rs 1 crore denomination bonds.
The Supreme Court has asked the Centre and Assam government to provide details on the “estimated inflow of illegal migrants” to Assam and other Northeastern states after the 25th of March 1971, and the status of border fencing. While hearing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, the apex court directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to file the affidavit on or before the 12th of December. The bench said, quote, “While the arguments raising the constitutional challenge form the core of the controversy, submissions have been urged before this court concerning the impact of illegal immigration into Assam both on the demographics and cultural fabric of state”.
The Supreme Court will pronounce on December 11, 2023, its verdict on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of changes made by the Centre in 2019 to Article 370 of the Constitution and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. A five-judge Constitution bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud had reserved its verdict on as many as 23 petitions in the matter on September 5 after hearing it for 16 days. The bench also comprised Justices S K Kaul, Sanjeev Khanna, B R Gavai and Surya Kant.
In top international news: The United States is running out of time and money to help Ukraine fight back against the Russian invasion unless Congress can approve a new spending package, the White House said on Monday. The Biden administration had asked Congress in October to approve a $106 billion (€98 billion) package to fund aid for Ukraine and Israel, as well as for border security, but it was voted down by the Republican-controlled House. In a letter to the speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, President Joe Biden’s budget director Shalanda Young said time was running out to help Ukraine.
In other news: A lawyer for Prince Harry on Tuesday challenged the British government’s decision to strip him of his security detail after he gave up his status as a working member of the royal family and moved to the United States. The Duke of Sussex has claimed that his safety is jeopardised in part because of hostility toward him and his family on social media and a relentless press that hounds him. Attorney Shaheed Fatima said the group that evaluated Harry’s security needs — known by the acronym of its former name, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) — acted irrationally and treated him unfairly by failing to follow its policies.
In news from China: Pressure is growing on Chinese government to halt the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees back to their homeland, where human rights organizations warn they face harsh punishment at the hands of a regime that considers defecting to be an act of treason. While Beijing holds fast to its position that repatriation is the correct course of action for people it regards as “economic migrants,” analysts say the refugees have become pawns in a deepening regional geopolitical conflict. South Korea’s National Assembly passed a resolution on November 30 calling on Beijing to halt the repatriation of North Koreans and to instead recognize them as refugees and permit them to travel on to South Korea or elsewhere.
Lastly: A defiant British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appealed to his Conservative Party on Thursday to unite behind his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, warning colleagues that if he toughened it any further the whole scheme could collapse. Sunak is facing the biggest challenge to his year-long tenure as he tries to stop lawmakers on the Conservative Party’s right-wing from rebelling over their demand that Britain should quit international treaties to set its migration policy. His immigration minister quit on Wednesday and he is facing questions as to whether he can get his key policy through a vote in parliament. Some Conservative lawmakers said on Thursday that Sunak could face a leadership challenge.
