What Prime Minister Modi learned from his trip to Ukraine

This week, India celebrated its first National Space Day to commemorate the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface at the south pole, a feat that no other country has accomplished. India’s giant leap to the moon brought recognition to India and its space agency across the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also toured two European countries. After visiting Poland, he arrived in war-torn Ukraine with a message of peace.

A report on sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry has shocked Kerala. The Hema Commission report has triggered strong reactions in the state, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan promising action.

You can read all this and much more in our weekly overview of explanations from India.

1Indian Prime Minister Modi paid a two-day visit to Poland, where he met his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk. It was the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the European country in 45 years. The two countries, which are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations, have upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership.

From Poland, Modi travelled 10 hours by train to Ukraine. He held bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the famous Mariinskyi Palace in Kiev. The two leaders also shared a solemn moment during their visit to the Children’s Martyrs exhibition at the National History Museum.

The museum was set up as a tribute to the children who died in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Modi reiterated India’s consistent stand to resolve the conflict through “dialogue and diplomacy”. What else happened during Modi’s crucial trip to Ukraine? Read our explainer to find out.

2On August 23, India made history by landing its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the lunar surface, becoming the fourth nation to do so. To mark the first anniversary of this achievement, India observed National Space Day on Friday.

India has emerged as a force to reckon with in the global space sector with the success of Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3. From transporting rocket cones on bicycles to achieving a feat that no other country has achieved, ISRO has come a long way. We take a look at the journey of the Indian space agency in this article.

3Under pressure from the Opposition and its allies, the Centre has withdrawn the last advertisement for lateral recruitment to fill posts at various levels of the Union government. The move comes after voices within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) opposed the lateral entry into the bureaucracy.

The Opposition has also targeted the NDA government, calling for reservations on the lateral recruitment system. Days after the announcement created a huge controversy, Union Minister Jitendra Singh sent a letter to the chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), recommending the cancellation of the lateral recruitment system. Read our article to know how the announcement created a political storm.

4The Hema Committee report has exposed the rampant sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry. It has documented disturbing cases of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse of women in the industry. From casting to harassment, men in the film industry make the workplace unsafe for women.

The report also highlights the existence of a powerful lobby group of 10-15 men, who exercise considerable control and decision-making in the Kerala film industry. The findings of the report have elicited strong reactions from film stars, politicians and the women’s panel. We provide details of this important report in our article.

5The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has revealed some disturbing details. The psychoanalytic test of the prime suspect, Sanjay Roy, revealed that he was a pervert and severely addicted to pornography.

According to a CBI official, the prime suspect had animal instincts and showed no remorse for the gruesome rape and murder of the 31-year-old medical resident during interrogation. What is a psychoanalysis test and what does it reveal about the accused? We explain in this report.

6A new drug has entered the party circuit in New Delhi. Mescaline, a widely used party drug, has been seized in the national capital. The Delhi Police have arrested a Nigerian woman on charges of smuggling and supplying psychotropic substances and 3.87 kilograms of mescaline worth around Rs 15 crore.

What drug gets Delhi high? Read our explanation to find out.

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