Barefoot College, located in the rural state of Rajasthan, India, offers technical skills training to illiterate and low-status villagers, particularly women and Dalits, so that they can earn a living and bring reliable electricity to their communities. Founded by activist Bunker Roy in 1972, the college also runs literacy classes, health campaigns, and water resource programs, among others. Barefoot College’s success in empowering marginalized people has led to international and local funding, with the Indian government bringing in women from Africa and other regions to study solar engineering at the college.

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has responded to the controversy surrounding his upcoming film “Bheed,” which chronicles the plight of migrants during the Covid-induced lockdown of 2020. The film’s teaser drew parallels with the horrors of Partition, juxtaposing grim visuals of 1947 with heartbreaking images of the 2020 lockdown. However, the teaser drew criticism from some Twitter users, who dubbed the film “anti-India.” Producer and presenter Bhushan Kumar reportedly distanced himself from the project, and even the film’s trailer was edited to remove a voiceover by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In response, Sinha said he is focused on the story of “Bheed” and that every film goes through challenges. He added that he is used to being labeled “anti-national” after having directed other socio-political dramas. “Bheed” is set to release on March 24 and stars Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza, Pankaj Kapur, Ashutosh Rana, Kritika Kamra, and Kumud Mishra.

On March 22, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin announced an enduring economic partnership that aims to bring more Russian energy to China and more Chinese companies to Russia. The partnership comes at a time of war in Ukraine, and the economic pledges are intended to protect both countries from Western sanctions and other consequences of the conflict. China and Russia have grown closer economically in recent years, with China using its significant reserves to purchase Russian assets and the two countries collaborating on large infrastructure projects and scientific and technological development. The partnership has geopolitical implications, with the two countries circling their wagons against potential punitive measures from the United States and Europe. This growing alliance also has ramifications for Japan, which has taken a clear stance on the war in Ukraine and aligned itself with NATO members.

In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Japan defeated Team USA to win the title with Shohei Ohtani pitching the top of the ninth and striking out his Los Angeles Angels teammate, Mike Trout, to end the game. The tournament featured eight former MVPs from Major League Baseball, including Trout, who was the captain of Team USA. Trout had a groin injury during the season and his status for the rest of the Angels’ season was uncertain.

Climate change is a critical issue that demands urgent attention. The burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrialization have released greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, causing the Earth’s temperature to rise and leading to severe environmental consequences. The IPCC has warned that the current decade is crucial in terms of climate change, and the work done now will have an impact for thousands of years. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the highest it has been in at least two million years, and the rate of temperature increase in the last 50 years has been the highest since 2000. The consequences of inaction are severe, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the loss of biodiversity. Immediate action needs to be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further damage to the climate. This requires a rapid transition to renewable energy sources and a reduction in the use of fossil fuels. We must act now to prevent irreversible damage to the climate.

Kiran Patel, a notorious conman, was produced before a court in Jammu and Kashmir on 17th March 2023, accused of falsely presenting himself as an additional secretary at the PMO to obtain VIP treatment from the local administration. Patel has a history of fraud, having been previously jailed in a 2019 fraud case. His crimes include cheating farmers and attempting to defraud people out of lakhs of rupees by pretending to be associated with prominent leaders and organizations.

President Joe Biden has issued his first veto, blocking a measure that would nullify a new administration rule for retirement plans. The rule allows for certain retirement plans to weigh environmental, social, and corporate governance factors when selecting investments, instead of making decisions based solely on the best rate of return. The veto comes after the Senate voted 50-46 to pass the resolution to block the Labor Department rule. This is a newly divided Congress, after two years of unified Democratic control.

The stock market and cryptocurrency have been in the spotlight in recent times. While both investment avenues can offer significant returns, they are also subject to market risks. The recent fall in the stock market has left retail and small investors wary, and they are now exploring opportunities in cryptocurrency to avoid further losses and increase their accumulated capital. Despite Bitcoin’s current value being half of its highest level, it has maintained its position and moved slowly, which may be why investors are turning to it. However, investing in either the stock market or cryptocurrency requires thorough research, professional advice, and risk management strategies to minimize potential losses.

The US and its partners have been conducting annual military exercises, including air and sea drills involving US B-1B strategic bombers, while Japan and South Korea have been strengthening their alliance against China and North Korea. North Korea has repeatedly condemned these exercises, seeing them as a threat to their sovereignty.

The article reports that the Punjab police have launched a massive manhunt to arrest Amritpal Singh, a self-styled radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser, who is currently on the run. Security has been tightened in many places across the state, and police have been deployed outside Singh’s house. So far, 78 people have been arrested, including six to seven gunmen of Amritpal. According to the police, 13 rifles, along with one revolver and 373 live cartridges, have been seized during the state-wide operation. The article also provides updates on the ongoing manhunt, including allegations that Amritpal Singh is an ISI agent, the notice issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on a plea seeking the release of Amritpal Singh, and the suspension of internet and SMS services in Punjab until Monday noon.