My Take 5 (Edition 48): China's stand on Ukraine war; Beijing's help to Pakistan- The week that was in international affairs
Welcome back to another edition of My Take 5, your weekly round-up of top international news. For this edition we again focus on the war in Ukraine, China's stand on that conflict as revealed by its foreign minister Wang Yi, Beijing's help to Pakistan during India's Operation Sindoor, Chinese agents' shocking plan to attack Taiwan's Vice-President in Prague last year, and Russia's recognition of the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
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Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
Evening news wrap: Shux returns to Earth; Tesla enters Indian market; Trump presses Ukraine to strike Russia, and more
There were major developments across space, politics, diplomacy, and business on Tuesday. India's astronaut returned safely from space, while Tesla finally opened its first showroom in Mumbai. In global affairs, Donald Trump made headlines for a sharp shift in his Ukraine policy amid the latter's war with Russia, and Rahul Gandhi took a dig at India's foreign minister over China talks. Back home, the government had to step in to clear confusion over warnings on popular Indian snacks. Here's a quick look at the top stories making news: Shux returns home as Grace splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla (Shux) has returned to Earth safely with Grace — the Dragon capsule the Axiom-4 crew members were travelling in — splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego in Southern California, around 3.02pm. Read full story No health warnings for Samosas, jalebis: PIB issues statement; calls claims fake The Press Information Bureau (PIB), the government's fact-checking wing, refuted claims that the Union health ministry directed vendors to carry warning labels on relished Indian snacks and desserts like samosas, jalebi, and laddoo. "The advisory of the Union Health Ministry does not carry any warning labels on food products sold by vendors, and has not been selective towards Indian snacks. Some media reports claim that the @MoHFW_INDIA has issued a health warning on food products such as samosas, jalebi, and laddoo," the PIB posted on X. Read full story Tesla drives into India: Elon Musk's EV giant opens first showroom in Mumbai; from prices to market strategy Elon Musk owned Tesla has officially entered the Indian market with the opening of its first showroom at Mumbai, marking a major milestone for the American EV maker, as it unveiled two Model Y vehicles on display. The move follows a teaser from Tesla's India-focused X handle last Friday, hinting at a July 2025 launch with a post that simply read 'Coming soon,' accompanied by a graphic referencing its India debut. Read full story 'Can you hit Moscow?' Trump asks Zelenskyy to strike deep inside Russia - report In a dramatic shift from his earlier hands-off rhetoric, US President Donald Trump privately urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to step up strikes inside Russian territory, even asking him directly if Ukraine could hit Moscow and St. Petersburg, if given the right weapons, reported the Financial Times. Read full story SCO meet: Rahul Gandhi takes dig at Jaishankar 'apprising' China's Xi; calls it 'full-blown circus' Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a sharp dig at external affairs minister S Jaishankar for apprising Chinese President Xi Jinping on bilateral ties, calling it a "full-blown circus" that, in his view, is "destroying India's foreign policy"."I guess the Chinese foreign minister will come and apprise Modi about recent developments in China-India ties. The EAM is now running a full blown circus aimed at destroying India's foreign policy," the Lok Sabha leader of the opposition posted on X. Read full story
Hans India
12 minutes ago
- Hans India
Rahul Gandhi Attacks Jaishankar Over Xi Jinping Meeting, Calls Foreign Policy A "Circus"
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a scathing attack on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing the minister of conducting a "full-blown circus" that undermines India's foreign policy interests. Gandhi's sharp criticism came in response to Jaishankar's diplomatic engagement with the Chinese leader, with the Congress MP expressing strong disapproval of the interaction. In his pointed remarks, Gandhi suggested that the External Affairs Minister's approach was fundamentally flawed and detrimental to India's international standing. The Congress party has seized upon the meeting to highlight what they perceive as inconsistencies in the government's China policy, particularly drawing attention to China's historical support for Pakistan during sensitive operations. Party leaders specifically referenced China's backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, using this as evidence of Beijing's unreliable partnership with India. Gandhi's tweet reflected his frustration with what he views as misguided diplomatic priorities, suggesting that the Chinese foreign minister would likely brief Prime Minister Modi about recent developments in China-India relations. He characterized Jaishankar's diplomatic efforts as a destructive spectacle that was actively harming India's foreign policy objectives. The Congress party's broader criticism centers on the timing and nature of high-level diplomatic engagement with China, given the complex history of bilateral relations between the two nations. Party members have questioned the wisdom of such meetings when China continues to maintain strategic partnerships with Pakistan, particularly in contexts that could be viewed as contrary to Indian interests. The attack on Jaishankar represents part of the opposition's ongoing critique of the government's foreign policy approach, with Congress leaders arguing that the current diplomatic strategy lacks coherence and fails to adequately protect India's strategic interests. They contend that engaging with Chinese leadership without addressing fundamental issues in the bilateral relationship sends mixed signals about India's position. Gandhi's characterization of the situation as a "circus" suggests his belief that the government's diplomatic efforts are more theatrical than substantive, lacking the serious strategic thinking required for effective international relations. This criticism reflects broader opposition concerns about the government's ability to navigate complex geopolitical relationships effectively. The Congress party's focus on China's support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor serves to remind the public of the historical context that complicates India-China relations. By highlighting this issue, the opposition aims to demonstrate what they see as the contradictions in engaging diplomatically with a nation that has previously acted against Indian interests. The political sparring over foreign policy reflects deeper disagreements about how India should approach its relationship with China, particularly in light of ongoing border tensions and strategic competition in the region. The opposition's criticism suggests they favor a more confrontational approach rather than diplomatic engagement with Beijing. This latest exchange between Gandhi and the government over China policy illustrates the polarized nature of foreign policy debates in Indian politics, where diplomatic initiatives often become subjects of intense political controversy and partisan criticism.
Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
UK launched secret scheme to relocate Afghans after data leak, documents show
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Britain set up a secret scheme to relocate thousands of Afghans to the UK after a soldier accidentally disclosed the personal details of more than 33,000 people, putting them at risk of reprisals from the Taliban, court documents showed on Tuesday.A judge at London's High Court said in a May 2024 judgment first made public on Tuesday that about 20,000 people may have to be offered relocation to Britain, a move that would likely cost "several billion pounds".Britain's current defence minister John Healey said that around 4,500 affected people "are in Britain or in transit ... at a cost of around 400 million pounds".The government is also facing lawsuits from those affected by the breach, further adding to the ultimate cost of the incident.A Ministry of Defence-commissioned review of the data breach, a summary of which was also published on Tuesday, said more than 16,000 people affected by it had been relocated to the UK as of May this British government was forced to act after the breach revealed the names of Afghans who had helped British forces in Afghanistan before they withdrew from the country in chaotic circumstances in details emerged on Tuesday after a legal ruling known as a superinjunction was lifted. The injunction had been granted in 2023 after the MoD argued that a public disclosure of the breach could put people at risk of extra-judicial killing or serious violence by the dataset contained personal information of nearly 19,000 Afghans who had applied to be relocated to Britain and their was released in error in early 2022, before the MoD spotted the breach in August 2023, when part of the dataset was published on former Conservative government obtained the injunction the following Minister Keir Starmer's centre-left government, which was elected last July, launched a review into the injunction, the breach and the relocation scheme, which found that although Afghanistan remains dangerous, there was little evidence of intent by the Taliban to conduct a campaign of retribution.
