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Convicted Islamic terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika stripped of his Australian citizenship
Featured, Oceania, World

Convicted Islamic terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika stripped of his Australian citizenship

Islamic terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika convicted of being involved in terrorist attacks in Australia has been stripped of his citizenship, as per Australian news reports. He is slated to be released from the Victorian prison where he was imprisoned since 2008. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the news that Australian passport of the terrorist […]

3-day visit of US Admiral to Taiwan rankles China; Vows to make a ‘legitimate’ and necessary response
Asia, World

3-day visit of US Admiral to Taiwan rankles China; Vows to make a ‘legitimate’ and necessary response

The visit of Rear Admiral Michael Studeman to Taiwan, a top US admiral who heads intelligence at the U.S. military’s Indo-Pacific Command, has rankled China. Rear Admiral Studeman arrived in Taipei on Sunday. The visit would make Studeman one of the highest-ranking U.S. military officers to have visited Taiwan in recent years, says a report in the Singapore based news channel CNA.

Why didn’t India sign the RCEP agreement?
Asia, Featured

Why didn’t India sign the RCEP agreement?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “The present form of the RCEP Agreement does not fully reflect the basic spirit and the agreed guiding principles of RCEP. It also does not address satisfactorily India’s outstanding issues and concerns. In such a situation, it is not possible for India to join the RCEP agreement.”

What happens during US Presidential transition?
Featured, North America, World

What happens during US Presidential transition?

Though the transition means the handover of important information and duties from one administration to the next, in the United States the transition has a long history due to which each of the dates and activities in the run-up to the oath taking are important to understand. The 11 weeks at present is much shorter than the 20 weeks of transition period which was the practice till 1952 when Dwight D. Eisenhower took over from Harry S. Truman.

India blocks another set of 43 mobile apps for engaging in activities detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of India
National

India blocks another set of 43 mobile apps for engaging in activities detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of India

MEITY issues orders for blocking apps under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act PIB: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GOI today issued an order under section 69A of the Information Technology Act blocking access to 43 mobile apps. In a press release, the government said that the “action was taken based on the […]

Chinese Chang’e-5 spacecraft lifts off for moon; Set to bring back lunar rock and soil
Science & Technology, World

Chinese Chang’e-5 spacecraft lifts off for moon; Set to bring back lunar rock and soil

Said to be its most ambitious lunar mission, China’s Chang’e-5 spacecraft lifted off from the Wenchang launch complex on a Long March 5 rocket on Tuesday, 24th November. The lunar mission aims to bring back lunar rock and soil and if everything goes as planned, the spacecraft should return by mid-December. Chang’e-5 is going to […]

Geopolitics of Global Battery Supply Chain: China’s domination, Economic Security and India’s Role
Analysis, Featured, World

Geopolitics of Global Battery Supply Chain: China’s domination, Economic Security and India’s Role

China now dominates the world’s production of new generation batteries that are key to transitioning away from fossil fuels. These new batteries are essential for electric vehicles, power grids, mobile phones and laptop computers to name few.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if current trends continue, most of them will likely use Chinese batteries, a key element for transitioning away from fossil fuels, and most of those batteries will be lithium Ion because of their high energy per unit mass relative to other electrical energy storage systems.

For the foreseeable future, world will likely need to depend on Chinese supply chains to produce the batteries.  Chinese chemical companies accounted for 80% of the world’s total output of raw materials for advanced batteries.

China is focused on controlling the world’s production of lithium ion batteries. Beijing government subsidies and quotas for EV sales appear to have incentivized efforts to corner the electric vehicle supply chain. Chinese entities now control nearly half of global lithium production and 60 percent of the electric battery production capacity. By 2030, Goldman Sachs predicts China could supply 60 percent of the world’s EVs.

Battery metals are becoming the new oil and supply chains the new pipelines. It is still early in this new energy era, and the victors are yet to be determined in the battery arms race. For now Bharat has to take the final lead as world resources are not for domination but for peaceful coexistence which is embedded in Bharat Culture and ethos of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ (World is one Family).

Former French president Sarkozy stands trial for corruption and influencing  judiciary
Europe, World

Former French president Sarkozy stands trial for corruption and influencing judiciary

Sarkozy is accused of trying to influence judiciary in the case of illegally receiving millions from Libyan Dictator Gaddafi and Billionaires. The trial of Former French president Sarkozy for attempting to bribe a judge and influence the hearing in a case of illegally receiving millions of euros begins on Monday, 23rd November. France24 reports that […]