1. Israel-Palestine War: ‘Barbaric Terrorists’ Attacked Gaza Hospital, Not IDF, Says Netanyahu
2. India aims to set up own space station by 2035, send astronaut to Moon by 2040: PM Modi
3. At least 16 killed in explosion at two firecracker units in Tamil Nadu
4. “Day not far when India will be among top 3 economies”: PM Modi at GMIS
5. ‘No impact on military ties’: Canada amid diplomatic standoff with India

What Else

6. SC refuses to recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, says it’s for Parliament to decide
7. BRF: Xi Jinping unveiled new action plan for BRI, Putin gave first international address since Ukraine war
8. US secures Marshall Islands military deal, keeps China at bay in strategically vital Pacific region
9. Nepal engulfed in China’s debt trap over Pokhara airport deal: NYT Report
10. PIA cancels 48 flights amid fuel shortage
11. SHO among 5 rescued in Rangers-police operation in Sindh’s Shikarpur

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Israel-Palestine War: ‘Barbaric Terrorists’ Attacked Gaza Hospital, Not IDF, Says Netanyahu

• At least 500 people are feared dead after a deadly blast at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza for which Hamas and Israel traded charges holding each other responsible for it.
• The explosion has derailed diplomatic efforts led by the US to mobilize support for “Israel’s right to defend itself” with the summit between US President Biden and Arab leaders in Jordan’s Amman being called off.
• Biden is scheduled to arrive in Israel today.
• Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt and other Arab nations also condemned the attack. Protests have erupted in some Arab cities over the attack.
• The Deadly Blast at a Gaza City Hospital: In the dark of early evening in Gaza, reports emerged of an explosion at Gaza City’s al-Ahli hospital.
• Al-Ahli was crowded both with victims of 10 days of Israeli airstrikes and with families and others who have taken refuge on hospital grounds.
• Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry blamed an Israeli airstrike and said it killed at least 500 people.
• Israeli authorities soon after denied involvement, saying a misfired Palestinian rocket appeared to blame.
• Outraged over the hospital blast, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II announced they were pulling out of a planned Arab summit Wed with President Joe Biden.
• The White House and Jordan’s govt announced within hours of the attack that Biden’s meeting with Arab leaders was off. (here)
• Grateful to PM Modi for robust statement of support to Israel, says Indian-American Jew leader
• Nissim Rubin, Assistant Director of the American Jewish Committee’s Asia Pacific Institute based in Washington DC pointed out that the Indian Jewish community in Israel, like other inhabitants of the country, has been “severely affected” by Hamas’ brutal attack on Oct 7 that killed over 1,300 people.
• “We are very grateful to PM Modi for the robust statement of support, within a few hours of the attacks on Oct 7.
• And Prime Minister Netanyahu, on the following day, spoke with him, which shows the bond between the two countries and the two persons,” he said (here)
• Pakistan: Army Chief Gen Asim Munir on Tue said the Palestinian people have “unequivocal diplomatic, moral and political support of the Pakistani nation” and vowed to support the end to “unlawful occupation of their territories”. (here)

India aims to set up own space station by 2035, send astronaut to Moon by 2040: PM Modi

• India said on Tue that it aims to send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040, as PM Modi issued instructions to the department that include plans for a space station by 2035.
• PM Modi also called on scientists to work on missions to Venus and Mars.
• In a statement by the PM’s Office, the PM on Tue addressed a high-level meeting to assess the progress of Mission and to outline the future of the country’s space endeavors.
• During the meeting, the Department of Space presented a comprehensive overview of the Gaganyaan Mission, including various technologies developed so far such as human-rated launch vehicles and system qualification. (here)
• Major Indian space projects that have been approved: Orbiter to Venus; Lander/Rover to Mars; Lunar sample return missions; Indian Space Station with lab; Indian manned mission to the moon; Next-Gen Launch Vehicles; New launch and labs for manned missions.

• Gaganyaan’s first test flight on October 21: ISRO: The maiden test flight of an unmanned crew module of the Gaganyaan, India’s human space flight project, will be launched from Sriharikota on Oct 21, ISRO said on Mon.
• The Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), to be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, will demonstrate the performance of the crew escape system.
• The test involves launching a crew module to outer space bringing it back to earth and recovering it after a touchdown in the Bay of Bengal, the science minister said.
• It will be a crucial part of India’s Gaganyaan mission, resulting in unmanned and manned missions to outer space by 2024, he said. (here)

At least 16 killed in explosion at two firecracker units in Tamil Nadu

• At least 16 people were killed after two explosions occurred at two different places in in southern Tamil Nadu state of Virudhunagar district.
• The first fire accident took place at a firecracker factory in Sivakasi, in which 7 people lost their lives.
• The 2^nd accident happened in Kammapatti village at a firework unit which left 9 dead.
• The police expect the casualties to go up as more fire officials are being pressed into service to douse the flames.
• Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin condoled the deaths and announced a compensation of 3,600 approx for the families of the victims. (here)

“Day not far when India will be among top 3 economies”: PM Modi at GMIS

• PM Modi on Tue said the day is not far when India will be among the top 3 global economies, adding that everyone was looking at India in the hope that it will lead the efforts for a new world order.
• Inaugurating the 3-day Global Maritime India Summit in New Delhi on Tue PM said, “In this changing world order, the whole world is looking towards India with new aspirations“.
• He underscored, “History bears witness that whenever India’s maritime capability has been strong, the country and the world have benefited greatly from it.”
• PM Modi stated further that the maritime industry will be boosted to no end once the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is implemented. (here)
• Union Minister for Ports, Sarbananda Sonowal on Tue said that the 3^rd GMIS is going to begin in Mumbai under the guidance of PM and expected investment of Rs 10 lakh crore and more than 300 MoUs are likely to be signed during the Summit. (here)

‘No impact on military ties’: Canada amid diplomatic standoff with India

• A top Canadian navy official said there’s no sign the diplomatic standoff between India and Canada over the killing of a Sikh separatist has impacted military-to-military cooperation between the two nations.
• Speaking during a port call to Singapore on Mon, the Comdr of Canadian Fleet Pacific, said he held “friendly meetings” with Indian officials on the sidelines of a maritime conference in Sri Lanka last week.
• The discussions involved regional security matters as well as priorities for their respective navies, he said.
• “From defense diplomacy and security there hasn’t been an impact,” he told reporters.
• “There are diplomatic and govt-to-govt challenges being faced right now, but the big part is for us to maintain communications and we find different ways of doing that.”
• Ties between Canada and India turned acrimonious last month after PM Justin Trudeau alleged New Delhi had orchestrated the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. (here)
• All Canadian diplomats remain in India; Ottawa, New Delhi talking privately: Canadian media reported on Oct 12^th that “almost all” Canadian diplomats are still posted in India even as the Oct 10 deadline set by New Delhi for some of them to leave has passed. (here)
• In Canada, 3 pernicious forces have come together — terrorism, Hinduphobia, and separatism, said TS Tirumurti ex diplomate.
• As India said, Canada nurtures “politically condoned hate crimes”. quoted
• This has serious implications for a multicultural, pluralistic, and democratic country like India.

SC refuses to recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, says it’s for Parliament to decide

• The Supreme Court on Tue refused to recognize the right of same-sex couples to enter into marriages or have civil unions and left it to the Parliament to decide the issue.
• A five-judge Constitution bench unanimously said it cannot strike down the provisions of the Special Marriage Act [SC
• The majority judges by 3:2 held that non-heterosexual couples cannot be granted the right to jointly adopt a child.
• However, CJI and Justice Kaul said that these couples have the right to adopt a child.
• While the minority judges batted for legal recognition of civil unions for non-heterosexuals, the majority held that there cannot be a right to civil unions that can be legally enforceable.
• All the five judges agreed that there is no fundamental right to marry.
• The verdict of the apex court came on a batch of petitions seeking the right to marriage for members of the LGBTQIA community under the Special Marriage Act, of 1954.
• Following a marathon hearing that lasted ten days of arguments from both sides in Mar and Apr, the Constitution bench on May 11 reserved its verdict on the pleas. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

BRF: Xi Jinping unveiled new action plan for BRI, Putin gave first international address since Ukraine war

• Chinese President Xi Jinping’s address at Wed’s opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be closely watched for any new light he may shed on the future of the global infrastructure initiative.
• Representatives from 140 countries and 30 global organizations are attending the forum, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative.
• Among them is Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who will speak after Xi, as well as leaders and businesspeople from across the developing world.
• The forum is also intended to position China as a leader among less developed countries and as a global power. (here)
• Xi also met leaders of Uzbekistan, Serbia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hungary, Ethiopia, Serbia, Chile, and Kazakhstan.
• Russian President Putin, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly, Pakistani PM Kakar, and leaders from Sri Lanka, the Republic of Congo, and Nigeria are attending the forum.
• With more than 200 cooperation agreements spread across 150 countries and 30 international organizations, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and the partner countries has reached $19.1 trillion, with an average annual growth rate of 6.4% from 2013 until 2022. (here)

US secures Marshall Islands military deal, keeps China at bay in strategically vital Pacific region

• The WH scored a big win late on Mon, keeping China and other nations out of the strategically significant western Pacific region by securing a deal with a long-time Washington partner in Oceania.
• After months of haggling, the Marshall Islands agreed to renew a strategic pact granting the US military access to its land, air, and sea in exchange for economic help for decades.
• Washington “sought the relationship to continue its ability to deny forces of other nations access to an area of the Pacific west of Hawaii as large as Alaska, California and Florida combined”, according to Phillip Muller, chief negotiator for the Marshall Islands, in a statement issued after the new deal was signed in Hawaii.
• The total assistance was four times the amount the Biden administration had “initially insisted would be the maximum”, Muller said. The renewal offers US$2.3 billion for 20 years but does not allocate additional funds for specific demands. (here)

Nepal engulfed in China’s debt trap over Pokhara airport deal: NYT Report

• In the shadow of the magnificent, Pokhara, Nepal’s scenic paradise, welcomed a Sichuan Airlines from China in Jun, marking a momentous occasion for the city.
• The newly constructed international terminal at Pokhara’s airport, a project largely financed and executed by Chinese companies, had finally become operational.
• However, beneath the surface – one that highlighted China’s controversial infrastructure influence and its geopolitical rivalry with India, The NYT reported.
• For over 4 decades, Nepal had aspired to establish an international airport in Pokhara, envisioning it as a catalyst for transforming the city into a global tourist destination.
• Unfortunately, the project had languished due to political instability, bureaucratic challenges, and financial difficulties.
• That was until China stepped in to fill the void, furthering its quest to create an alternative sphere of influence, challenging American dominance on the global stage.
• Chinese CAMC initially submitted a bid for $305 million, nearly double Nepal’s cost estimate for the airport, which drew criticism from Nepali politicians
• Following the outcry, CAMC lowered its bid to $216 million, reducing the cost by approximately 30%.
• In 2016, China and Nepal formalized a 20-year agreement for the project, with a quarter of the funding provided as an interest-free loan.
• Nepal intended to borrow the remainder from China’s Export-Import Bank at a 2% interest rate, with repayment scheduled to begin in 2026. (here)

PIA cancels 48 flights amid fuel shortage

• The restrictions on fuel supply owing to non-payment of dues as well as certain operational issues continued to affect the flight operations of the Pakistan International Airlines on Tue, forcing the loss-making state-owned entity to cancel at least 24 domestic and international flig­hts and delay 12 others.
• Among the 24 canceled flights, 11 were international and 13 were domestic.
• The PIA also canceled over 2 dozen flights — 16 international and 8 domestic flights — for Wed as well while some flights are expected to be delayed.
• He said that 13 domestic flights and 11 international flights were canceled on Tue due to the non-availability of fuel, while 12 flights were delayed. (here)

SHO among 5 rescued in Rangers-police operation in Sindh’s Shikarpur

• A police officer, his son, and 3 other policemen, who were kidnapped by armed bandits were recovered in a joint operation in Sindh’s Shikarpur district, an official said on Tue.
• On Oct 11, over 30 armed dacoits, belonging to the Budhani Jatoi gang stormed the Kot Shahu police station in the katcha (riverine) area of Khanpur and abducted 5 policemen, including SHO.
• Officials believed the brazen abduction occurred to pressure police into releasing Mahar Budhani Jatoi, who was arrested from Qambar-Shahdadkot.
• A massive operation is underway against the gangs operating in the northern Sindh and southern Punjab regions. (here)