News in Brief 22.05.2025

1. Israel’s War on Gaza

• What’s happening? Israel is facing international criticism for its attacks on Gaza, which have killed over 3,000 people and worsened a humanitarian crisis.

• Why are countries upset? Nations like Canada, France, and the UK say Israel’s response is too harsh and are pausing trade talks. Even Donald Trump skipped visiting Israel.

• What’s Israel saying? Netanyahu insists the war is to eliminate Hamas and plans to take full military control of Gaza.

• Bottom line: The world is increasingly calling Israel’s actions unacceptable. India has stayed silent, likely due to its strategic ties with Israel.

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2. Banu Mushtaq Wins International Booker Prize

• What’s the big deal? Banu Mushtaq, writing in Kannada, won the 2025 Booker Prize for her short story collection “Heart Lamp” — a first for Kannada literature.

• What’s her work about? She writes with humor and honesty about Muslim women, showing how society mistreats them.

• Why it matters: This recognition can open doors for more Indian regional language writers to gain global attention.

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3. Urban Biodiversity Needs Protection

• What’s the concern? Cities are losing green areas due to development, which threatens biodiversity and public health.

• Why should we care? Green spaces reduce heat, control floods, purify air, and improve well-being.

• What’s the solution? Cities need more trees, protected water bodies, and community action to restore biodiversity. The UN’s 3-30-300 rule says: see 3 trees, live in areas with 30% tree cover, and be 300 meters from a green space.

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4. Marine Overfishing in India

• Problem: India’s fish catch has peaked, and small fishers are getting poorer. Huge fishing trawlers cause too much bycatch (unwanted fish) and damage marine life.

• Examples: Like Canada and California, India's fish species may collapse if overfishing continues.

• Fixes: Set legal size limits, better regulate bycatch, and follow global best practices like New Zealand’s quota system.

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5. Kashmiri Students Facing Backlash

• Trigger: After a terror attack in Pahalgam, innocent Kashmiri students across India were harassed.

• What’s wrong? They are blamed for actions they had no part in, facing threats and assaults.

• What’s needed: Schools and governments must protect them and create safe spaces. It’s unfair and dangerous to hold an entire community responsible for individual crimes.

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6. India’s Water Diplomacy with Pakistan

• Context: After a terror attack, India is reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.

• What’s at stake? Water is essential, and using it as a weapon could harm civilians and hurt India’s image.

• Takeaway: India should use its rights under the treaty but not abandon it. The IWT has helped avoid conflict for decades.

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7. India's Poverty Decline is Slowing

• New research says: Poverty fell quickly from 2005–2012 but has slowed down significantly since then.

• Why? Slower economic growth, fewer wage increases, and more people returning to agriculture are key reasons.

• What's needed: More focus and data to truly understand and reduce poverty.

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8. India’s Growing Defence Industry

• What’s new? Small private companies are playing a bigger role in making defence tech.

• Why it’s good: It boosts innovation and self-reliance.

• But... Government rules are outdated and slow, blocking start-ups from making progress.

9. Reviving India’s Manufacturing

• • Issue: India’s manufacturing is not growing fast enough.

  • Why it matters: Strong manufacturing means more jobs and higher exports.

  • Suggested fix: Focus on six key areas: better infrastructure, upskilling workers, easier business rules, innovation, reducing imports, and ensuring fair trade.

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  10. Arrest of Historian Ali Khan Mahmudabad

  • What happened? He was arrested for a social media post criticizing politics after a terror attack.

  • The problem: The charges seem vague and unsupported, raising free speech concerns.

  • Bigger issue: There’s a gap in how laws are applied — some people are arrested quickly, while others get away with hate speech.

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  11. Decolonizing India’s Legal System

  • Focus: India still uses many British-era laws that may not suit today’s needs.

  • Call to action: Rewrite laws in simpler language, focusing on justice and citizens' rights, not just order and punishment.

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  12. The Freebies Debate

  • Topic: Should governments offer free goods/services like electricity or water?

  • Concern: Some say it helps the poor, others warn it leads to financial trouble.

  • Middle path: Spend on welfare, but make sure it’s targeted and affordable.

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  13. Understanding Xi Jinping’s Rise (Xiopolitics Series)

  • About: This multi-part series examines China’s leader Xi Jinping, his leadership style, and its impact on the world and India.

  • Key point: Xi is centralizing power and pursuing an assertive foreign policy, which India must understand to respond wisely.

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  14. Reclaiming Urban Waterbodies

  • Issue: City lakes and wetlands are disappearing due to construction and pollution.

  • Why it’s bad: These waterbodies help in flood control, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity.

  • Solution: Legal protection, community involvement, and eco-restoration.

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  15. Book Review: The Great Conciliator (on Lal Bahadur Shastri)

  • Summary: The book explores Shastri’s leadership style — humble, firm, and ethical.

  • Takeaway: His approach could inspire today’s leaders in handling crises with calm and clarity.

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  16. Fowler and the Evolution of English

  • Topic: A tribute to H.W. Fowler, who shaped how English was written and spoken.

  • Why it matters: Shows how language evolves, and the need to adapt grammar and usage rules over time.