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Vanuatu's Coral Graveyards and Courtroom Battles: A Small Nation’s Fight Against a Global Climate Crisis
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, ravaged by rising seas, dying reefs, and increasingly destructive cyclones, is spearheading a groundbreaking climate justice initiative at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). As its ecosystems collapse and its people face existential threats, Vanuatu's case demands that major polluters be held accountable for the climate crisis. Though the ICJ opinion will be advisory, it could shape international legal standards and galvanize global climate action.
SC to Examine President and Governors’ Assent Powers: Notice Issued to Centre and All States
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
The Supreme Court has issued notices to all States and the Centre on a Presidential Reference concerning the powers of the President and Governors in granting assent to State Bills. The case, arising under Article 143, seeks to determine whether courts can impose timelines on constitutional authorities like the President and Governors under Articles 200 and 201. This could have far-reaching implications for Centre-State relations and legislative federalism.
Goa to File Contempt Petition Against Karnataka in Supreme Court Over Mhadei River Diversion
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced that his government will file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka for diverting Mhadei river water, despite the matter being under judicial consideration. The inter-state dispute involves the Kalasa-Banduri project, which Goa fears will harm its ecology and water security. The move underscores deepening tensions between the riparian States and raises important questions about compliance with tribunal directives and ecological sustainability.
A Beetle-Fungi Alliance Threatens Kerala’s Rubber Plantations: Alarming Invasion Sparks Call for Scientific and Policy Action
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
Rubber plantations in Kerala, India’s rubber heartland, are facing a serious ecological and economic threat from an invasive pest–fungi alliance. The ambrosia beetle (Euplatypus parallelus) and its newly identified fungal partners, Fusarium ambrosia and Fusarium solani, are causing rapid tree decay and latex loss. Scientists warn that this beetle-fungi relationship could intensify, possibly incorporating other pathogenic fungi, further endangering cash crops like rubber, cashew, coffee, and mango. The crisis underscores the urgent need for targeted pest control strategies, advanced research, and possibly even the use of genetically modified rubber to protect India’s rubber economy.
Powering the Future: Unlocking India’s Nuclear Energy Revolution by 2047
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
India has announced an ambitious goal of achieving 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, up from its current 8.18 GW. With the nuclear sector being largely a public monopoly since inception, this shift demands a dramatic overhaul of India’s legal, financial, and regulatory frameworks. Central to the new plan are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), domestic and foreign private participation, and structural reforms in the Atomic Energy Act and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act. This article explores India’s nuclear journey, current roadblocks, the need for reform, and why nuclear energy is poised to become a critical pillar in India's energy transition toward “Viksit Bharat” and net-zero emissions by 2070.
Seeds of Discord: Why Agriculture Remains the Sticking Point in India-U.S. Trade Talks
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
With the August 1 deadline nearing, the India-U.S. trade deal remains mired in a deadlock—agriculture emerging as the central stumbling block. India’s protection of its farmers and the U.S.’s strategic interest in liberalizing agricultural trade for global precedence have led to entrenched positions. While talks continue, the possibility of an unexpected breakthrough, especially from President Trump’s side, mirrors past surprises in Vietnam and Indonesia. This article explores the underlying concerns, the politics of precedence, and the broader implications of unresolved trade frictions in agriculture and auto components.
U.S. Announces UNESCO Exit Over Alleged Anti-Israel Bias: A Recurring Rift
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
In a significant diplomatic move, the United States has once again decided to withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), citing national interest concerns and accusations of the agency promoting anti-Israel rhetoric. This marks the third such exit, and the second under a Trump administration. The decision, effective December 2026, raises fresh questions about U.S. commitment to multilateralism, and could weaken UNESCO financially and diplomatically.
PKK’s Disarmament Sparks Hopes and Fears in a Fractured Kurdish Struggle
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), long at the centre of armed Kurdish resistance in Türkiye, has announced disarmament and self-dissolution following appeals by its founder Abdullah Ocalan. The move, seen as a critical juncture in the decades-long Kurdish struggle, has stirred cautious optimism about a peaceful political resolution in Türkiye. However, resistance from PKK-linked groups in Syria and Iran, along with regional uncertainties and recent drone attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan, point to lingering tensions. The Kurdish cause now stands at a crossroads between democratic engagement and renewed instability.
Vanuatu's Coral Graveyards and Courtroom Battles: A Small Nation’s Fight Against a Global Climate Crisis
The Hindu | Published on: 23-Jul-2025
The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, ravaged by rising seas, dying reefs, and increasingly destructive cyclones, is spearheading a groundbreaking climate justice initiative at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). As its ecosystems collapse and its people face existential threats, Vanuatu's case demands that major polluters be held accountable for the climate crisis. Though the ICJ opinion will be advisory, it could shape international legal standards and galvanize global climate action.
