Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills 1,400, Demands Global Response Despite Politics
NB, News Briefings, September 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, September 2025 Vishal Arora

Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills 1,400, Demands Global Response Despite Politics

At least 1,400 people have died and more than 3,100 have been injured in a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck northeastern Afghanistan on the night of Aug. 31. The scale of devastation and the lack of timely global support indicate the growing tendency to let geopolitics override humanitarian imperatives.

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India’s Rollout of Ethanol-Blended Petrol Lacks Transparency and Fairness
NB, News Briefings, September 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, September 2025 Vishal Arora

India’s Rollout of Ethanol-Blended Petrol Lacks Transparency and Fairness

India’s nationwide rollout of 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol, known as E20, has expanded rapidly since early 2023. The policy is part of a larger plan to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, increase income for farmers and meet environmental targets. While these goals align with national interests, the implementation has created widespread confusion, raised costs for vehicle users and triggered public concerns about fairness, transparency and long-term consequences.

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University in Delhi Expels Bangladeshi Scholar, Harming India’s Academic Culture
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

University in Delhi Expels Bangladeshi Scholar, Harming India’s Academic Culture

South Asian University in New Delhi expelled a Bangladeshi Ph.D. scholar, Sudeepto Das, following an incident involving food restrictions on the Mahashivratri festival. The university’s decision involves far-reaching institutional failure and indicates a shift that will harm India’s academic and civic culture.

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UN Issues Fresh Warning of Widespread Starvation in Gaza
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

UN Issues Fresh Warning of Widespread Starvation in Gaza

Amid renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza City on Aug. 29, UN aid agencies repeated their warning that the territory is heading toward large-scale famine. A top UN humanitarian official said at least half a million people are already facing the worst levels of food insecurity, and 160,000 more could soon fall into the same category, as hunger and disease rise across the devastated enclave.

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Vice Presidential Contest is About Constitutional Values, Not Ex-Judges’ Opinions
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Vice Presidential Contest is About Constitutional Values, Not Ex-Judges’ Opinions

The opposition’s Vice Presidential nominee, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, has been accused of supporting Naxalism, or Maoism, for delivering a 2011 Supreme Court verdict that declared Chhattisgarh’s Salwa Judum militia unconstitutional. The charge has led to a public exchange between retired judges, but the real question is whether that ruling and the standards for selecting a Vice President align with constitutional principles and democratic theory.

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Government’s Own Data Indicates Deep Faults in School Education Policy
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Government’s Own Data Indicates Deep Faults in School Education Policy

The results of the central government’s education survey show that families continue to carry most of the financial burden of school education, with low government support despite high enrolment in public schools. The data also reveals stark differences in the quality of education and resources available to children, depending on their location, gender and type of school.

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What’s at Risk Now That US Is Imposing 50% Tariffs on Indian Exports
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

What’s at Risk Now That US Is Imposing 50% Tariffs on Indian Exports

The United States is going ahead with tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian exports after trade talks between the two countries broke down. This is expected to increase economic pressure on India due to its oil trade with Russia, and could lower export earnings, hurt export industries and slow overall economic growth.

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Supreme Court Order Shows No Verdict Carrying Death Sentence Can Be Final
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Supreme Court Order Shows No Verdict Carrying Death Sentence Can Be Final

The Supreme Court has ordered a fresh hearing on the punishment imposed on a man convicted for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, setting aside its 2017 judgment that upheld the death penalty. It sets a much-needed precedent where the top court will be willing to review irreversible penalties in light of evolving legal safeguards and human rights obligations.

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Arrest of Dharmasthala Complainant Indicates Legal Overreach
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Arrest of Dharmasthala Complainant Indicates Legal Overreach

The arrest of C.N. Chinnaiah, a former sanitation worker who alleged multiple murders, rapes and secret burials over two decades in and around the Dharmasthala temple area in Karnataka, appears legally premature. It raises serious concerns about the use of criminal charges against a complainant during an incomplete investigation, and about the conduct of the police and investigative authorities in cases involving powerful religious institutions.

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ECI Must Focus on Spirit of Its Mandate; SIR in Bihar Suggests Otherwise
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

ECI Must Focus on Spirit of Its Mandate; SIR in Bihar Suggests Otherwise

The Supreme Court has directed that voters excluded by the Election Commission of India (ECI) from Bihar’s draft electoral roll under a special revision exercise must be allowed to file objections using Aadhaar or any of 11 recognised documents. The order indicates that the Commission failed to design the revision process in a way that protects universal suffrage, which is central to its constitutional role.

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State and Centre Failed to Prevent Manipur Violence: Independent Tribunal
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

State and Centre Failed to Prevent Manipur Violence: Independent Tribunal

An independent inquiry into the ethnic violence that began in Manipur in May 2023, based on survivor testimonies and first-person accounts, finds consistent failures by state institutions, security forces and political leaders. The report holds both the state and central governments responsible for failing to uphold constitutional protections and deliver justice.

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India’s Shift to Russia–China Axis Damages Its Democratic, Economic Interests

India’s Shift to Russia–China Axis Damages Its Democratic, Economic Interests

India is moving closer to Russia and China, stepping away from its partnerships with Western democracies. This new direction weakens its position in global trade, technology and democratic cooperation, pulling India toward authoritarian governments and brings economic punishment and fewer reliable international ties.

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Three New Bills Seek to Allow Removal of PMs and CMs
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Three New Bills Seek to Allow Removal of PMs and CMs

Union home minister Amit Shah has tabled three bills in the Lok Sabha that empower the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and other ministers if they remain in jail for 30 consecutive days on serious criminal charges. The move appears to be an attempt by the government to expand executive powers over elected offices, including in Jammu and Kashmir where statehood had been expected.

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7 Psychological Tactics Politicians Use to Distract Us From Their Failures, Part 2
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

7 Psychological Tactics Politicians Use to Distract Us From Their Failures, Part 2

Political messaging affects what people believe, how they act and what they expect from their leaders. Some of the most common tactics used by politicians are meant to make people give up on asking questions, stop demanding better and accept poor performance without protest. In the first part of this series, we looked at four of the seven psychological tactics politicians use to shift public focus away from governance failures. This piece explains the remaining three.

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How Politicians Pull Four Mental Levers to Avoid Our Scrutiny
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

How Politicians Pull Four Mental Levers to Avoid Our Scrutiny

Politicians in India, as in many other countries, often rely on universal psychological tactics to divert public attention from their failures in governance, or from issues that could damage them politically or reduce their popularity. These tactics draw their strength from four mental levers deeply rooted in how the human mind responds to fear, identity, repetition and emotion.

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What SC’s Order to Election Commission to Publish 6.5 Million Voter Deletions Means
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

What SC’s Order to Election Commission to Publish 6.5 Million Voter Deletions Means

The Supreme Court’s order directing the Election Commission of India (EC) to publish detailed lists of 6.5 million (65 lakh) deleted voters in Bihar shows that the EC resisted transparency until compelled by the Court. A body constitutionally mandated to conduct free and fair elections should not need judicial intervention to carry out tasks that fall squarely within its mandate, including the protection of the integrity of the franchise.

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Independence Means Democracy That Respects Citizens’ Dignity
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Independence Means Democracy That Respects Citizens’ Dignity

We mark every August 15 with flag hoisting ceremonies, parades and speeches to remember the day India ceased to be under British colonial rule in 1947. These rituals have value, but the greater focus should be on the intended culmination of independence, which is a system of government that safeguards the dignity and autonomy of those it serves. It must be understood that democracy is inseparable from independence.

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Why India Could Learn Stray Dog Management from Armenia
NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, August 2025 Vishal Arora

Why India Could Learn Stray Dog Management from Armenia

When the Supreme Court of India is considering whether all stray dogs should be removed from Delhi-NCR because some believe they are dangerous for children, there is a country where the picture is very different. In Armenia’s capital Yerevan, street dogs are known for their calm temperaments and easy rapport with people, as a result of a deliberate management policy and a social environment that treats dogs as part of the public space rather than a threat to be eliminated.

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