22022022: US announces financial sanctions against rebel regions of Eastern Ukraine

Morning Masala Tea
22 February, 2022

News Today:

US announces financial sanctions against rebel regions of Eastern Ukraine

The United States announced financial sanctions Monday against rebel territories in eastern Ukraine freshly recognized by Russia and warned that more were ready if necessary. President Joe Biden will issue an executive order to “prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by US persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, referring to the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.. HT

SC to hear Cyrus Mistry’s review petitions

In a relief to the Cyrus Mistry’s group, the Supreme Court has decided to hear review petitions against its March 26, 2021 judgement which had upheld the decision of Tata Sons to remove him as executive chairman in 2016 and director on the board of the company. Deccan Herald

India gets funding to develop COVID vaccine 

A global vaccine development coalition has agreed to fund an Indian academic-industry research effort to develop a broad-acting vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, and other closely related viruses to address future pandemics. The Oslo, Norway-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced on Monday that it would provide $12.5 million (Rs 93 crore) to the effort to create a novel vaccine designed to simultaneously protect people from multiple betacoronaviruses. Telegraph

RJD chief Lalu Yadav gets 5 year prison

A CBI court in Ranchi on Monday sentenced RJD chief Lalu Prasad to five years in prison in a fodder scam case pertaining to illegal withdrawal of Rs 139.35 crore from Doranda treasury in 1995-1996. A fine of Rs 60 lakh was also slapped on him. Indian Express

PM Modi 3 day trip to Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned three-day sojourn in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi between March 2 and 5, coinciding with the sixth and seventh phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, is being seen by the BJP as a trip that could make a critical difference to the party’s fortunes in the 111 seats of Eastern Uttar Pradesh in the fray. Hindu

 

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Andhra Minister dies of heart attack

Mekapati Goutham Reddy, the information and technology and industries minister in the Andhra Pradesh government, passed away on Monday after suffering a heart attack.

IIT Kgp released GATE 2022 answer key

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, On Monday, February 21 has released the GATE 2022 answer key. Candidates who took the GATE 2022 exam can check the answer key at gate.iitkgp.ac.in, the official GATE website.

 

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Twitter Trends 

  1. Ukraine: Putin recognises independence of pro-Russian territories
  2. Sonu Sood’s car seized at a polling booth in Punjab
  3. How do you join NATO and how close is Ukraine to becoming a member?

 

Compiled from Twitter

Startup
24 February, 2024

Byju’s, once heralded as a flagship in India’s edtech sector, is grappling with severe financial and operational challenges, marked by a dramatic valuation drop. The company, which sought to stabilize its operations and finances, is now raising funds at a valuation significantly lower than its peak. This development comes amid efforts to address a substantial debt burden, with Byju’s proposing a repayment plan for its $1.2 billion loan. Investor confidence appears shaken, with some stakeholders pushing for drastic changes in leadership to navigate the crisis effectively. The turmoil reflects broader sectoral pressures and raises questions about the sustainability of high-growth trajectories in the edtech industry

Energy
10 February, 2024

Australia’s energy market is witnessing significant transitions and investments aimed at bolstering renewable energy infrastructure and securing gas supplies. Key developments include a $179 million investment by the Queensland Government for community battery projects, Santos’ $5.7 billion gas pipeline project following a legal battle win, and a $206 million energy savings package for NSW households. Additionally, the Australian government has secured new gas supply deals to support the east coast market, emphasizing the role of gas in transitioning to a renewable grid.

India 2024
9 February, 2024

The latest opinion polls, including the Mood of the Nation survey by India Today, predict a comfortable victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with a projected win of 335 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections. This forecast suggests a slight decrease from the 2019 elections but still ensures a majority. The survey, involving interviews with over 149,000 respondents, reflects Modi’s enduring popularity based on his nationalist policies and economic reforms. Other polls echo these findings, although seat projections vary slightly. The opposition INDIA alliance is expected to secure a significant number of seats, yet not enough to challenge the NDA’s majority. These predictions highlight a political landscape that remains largely favorable to Modi and the BJP as the election approaches