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Good evening, It’s Friday evening (TGIF, as they say!) and, as you hit the bottles this weekend (hopefully after reading this newsletter), there will be more reasons to raise that glass or two. Among other things, the India-UK trade deal will reduce tariffs on Scotch whiskey and gin imports by half, from 150% currently to 75% immediately. That figure is expected to fall further to 40% over the decade, bringing good news for various British alcohol brands such as Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and Johnnie Walker (Scotch whisky), as well as premium gin producers like Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Beefeater, and Sipsmith, among others. This effectively opens up market access to the world’s largest whisky market by volume, as well as a small but rapidly growing gin market. Unsurprisingly, these concessions haven’t exactly pleased India’s alcohol industry. They were pushing for a minimum import price to be imposed to counteract dumping, which the agreement doesn’t mention. Also read: The story of Scotch whiskey. On that note, let’s dive in 👇🏽
📝 The Debrief
Why did France decide to recognise Palestine?
Come September, France will become the first G7 nation to officially recognise a Palestinian state. In a post on X on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote, “True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine.” Macron added that he will make the “solemn announcement” before the United Nations General Assembly in September. France joins fellow European Union countries, including Ireland, Norway, and Spain, among others, in recognising Palestine. France’s move comes as the West (and other nations) are growing increasingly critical of Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza, particularly Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s restrictions on delivering humanitarian aid into the territory. Israel blocked aid deliveries between March and May this year, after it ended a ceasefire with Hamas. “Walking corpses”: Since then, reports of multiple crises, including starvation, have emerged. Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), painted a dire picture of Gaza’s humanitarian situation on X, describing people in the besieged enclave as “walking corpses.” This comes after at least 113 people were reported to have died of hunger, including 45 in the past four days. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called for an emergency call with his French and German counterparts today to discuss possible moves to urgently “stop the killing,” while also hinting that a ceasefire would “put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution.” “Reckless”: While the Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia have welcomed France’s decision, it hasn’t gone down well with Netanyahu and his staunch ally, the United States. Netanyahu condemned the move on X, stating that a Palestinian state “in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it.” He added, “Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel.” The United States’ Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, described Macron’s move as “reckless.” He wrote on X that the “decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace,” adding that it was “a slap on the face to the victims of October 7th.” Growing frustration: Macron’s announcement follows a Monday joint statement by a group of 25 countries, including France, accusing Israel of the “inhumane killing” of Palestinians and condemning the “drip feeding of aid” in Gaza. The statement followed reports that several hundred Palestinian civilians were killed while seeking aid.
✍️ From our newsroom
The Westarctica con: This is a stunner. Earlier this week, the Uttar Pradesh STF arrested Harsh Vardhan Jain, a shadowy businessman involved in a surreal international racket, from a bungalow in Ghaziabad. The 47-year-old was posing as the Ambassador of Westarctica, a fictional country, and operating its fake embassy, while claiming connections to shady figures such as godman Chandraswami and arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi. He allegedly established a network of shell companies, including East India Company UK Ltd. and Indira Overseas Ltd., and bank accounts across the UAE, the UK, Mauritius, and India. Jain’s origins in marble export trace back to family mines in Rajasthan. However, his actual operations began in Dubai, where he peddled fake job offers, eventually evolving into an international broker of illusions. Using forged passports, fake diplomatic plates, and honorary titles from fictional micronations such as Seborga and Lodonia, he convinced businessmen of his global reach. The case unravelled after links emerged to Ehsan Ali Syed, a convicted fraudster in Switzerland, revealing a two-decade trail of hawala and fraud. If you are a streaming giant reading this, here’s your next thriller in waiting.
🔎 Need to know
Booked: Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketer Yash Dayal has been booked on charges of allegedly raping a minor in Jaipur. The latest charges come weeks after the 27-year-old was booked on rape charges following a complaint by a Ghaziabad woman. The FIR in the case was lodged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Sworn in: Actor Kamal Hassan took oath as a Rajya Sabha member on Friday. Hassan’s nomination as a Member of Parliament followed his party, the Makkal Needhi Mandram (MNM)'s support for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Ready to go: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch three navigation satellites by 2026. The satellites will serve the Indian Regional Satellite Service System. The first of the three will be the NVS-03 (to be launched by year-end), with the NVS-04 and the NVS-05 to follow in 2026.
🎙️Expresso Playlist
In today’s Playlist, I’ll recommend a must-listen episode from Vox’s Today Explained on the long and controversial history of revoking US citizenship from Americans born elsewhere (or denaturalisation, as it’s known).
✋🏽 One last thing
I’ll leave you with this excellent Guardian long-read on Qatar’s rise as the world’s diplomatic capital.
Have a great weekend! Until next time, Venkat Ananth |
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