(1) Thailand is third in Asia to enact same-sex marriage
Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples in Thailand made their wedded status legal on Thursday (January 23, 2025), the first day a law took effect granting them the same rights as heterosexual couples. The enactment of the Marriage Equality Act makes Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia and the third place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, after Taiwan and Nepal.
The marriage equality bill, which sailed through both houses of Parliament, amended the Civil and Commercial Code to change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners.” It is supposed to open up access to full legal, financial and medical rights for LGBTQ+ couples.
Partners will have equal rights and responsibilities in dealing with joint assets, tax obligations and deductions, inheritance rights and survivor benefits.
Thailand has a reputation for acceptance and inclusivity, and thousands of people from around the world attend the annual Bangkok Pride parade. But rights advocates have struggled for decades to pass a marriage equality law in a largely conservative society where members of the LGBTQ+ community say they face discrimination in everyday life, although they note that things have improved greatly in recent years.
Couples interviewed earlier this month by The Associated Press expressed happiness with the new law, even those already settled in contented long-term relationships.
(2) Trump’s Day One Executive Orders
Making good on a several of his campaign promises, U.S. President Donald Trump signed off on a batch of Executive Orders involving immigration, U.S. support to multilateral organisations and agreements, inclusive gender policies, energy and more.
He initiated a crackdown on unauthorised immigration into the country by facilitating deportations across the borders with the help of military aircraft, fortifying the U.S.-Mexico border and allowing arrests of illegal immigrants in an expanded manner.
As for support to international organisations, Trump said the country will exit the Paris climate agreement, withdraw funding to World Health Organisation and freeze most foreign aid outflows. The country is the largest funder for WHO, and the lack of such funds will impact health initiatives in Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.
All foreign aid programmes will be frozen until after a government review, except those for Israel and those providing necessary food supplies to countries like Sudan. The move will stop funding for the acclaimed anti-HIV initiative PEPFAR, started by former President George W. Bush.
Also read:What do Trump’s early decrees signal?
(3) R.G. Kar case convict gets life imprisonment
Just over four months after a woman doctor was sexually assaulted and murdered in a West Bengal hospital, a sessions court in Kolkata sentenced the convict Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment. However, that was not the end of the case that triggered massive protests in the State.
The Central Bureau of Investigation filed an appeal in the High Court seeking a death penalty for the convict after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government would appeal against the decision.
Hundreds of doctors stopped work in protest against the lack of safety to doctors, and poor work conditions. Investigation expanded to cover more sinister actions underneath the rape and murder, including a ruling party leader being probed for money laundering. Eventually, the government was forced to introduce reforms of workplace safety to appease the protestors.
The timeline below shows how the case has evolved, the questions asked and suspicions raised against the investigation, hospital authorities and the police.
Also read:Kolkata doctor rape and murder case: The complete coverage
(4) Tahawwur Rana to be extradited to India
The U.S. Supreme court cleared the way for Tahawwur Rana, convicted for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to be extradited to India. Rana was one of the key conspirators that India was seeking to extradite in relation to investigating the terror attacks case. Hafiz Saeed, one of the masterminds of the attack, is also sought for extradition.
Co-ordinated terror attacks in several locations in Mumbai killed 166 people and injured more than 200, almost leading to a war between Pakistan and India. Since then, a few of the terrorists involved have been designated as Global Terrorists by the U.S. and the United Nations.
However, Pakistan has been slow in taking action against LeT leaders within its borders. For instance, India noted that Saeed’s son standing for elections had “serious implications for the security of the region.” Arrests of some LeT leaders shortly before FATF (a counter-terror financing body) plenary meetings suggest that the country was aware of the leaders’ locations beforehand.
Also read:Explained | The significance of Sajid Mir’s conviction in Pakistan
(5) Southern California rain aids firefighters
After weeks of windy and dry weather, rain has fallen in parched Southern California and is expected to aid firefighters who are mopping up multiple wildfires. But potentially heavy downpours on charred hillsides could bring new troubles such as toxic ash runoff.
Los Angeles County crews spent much of the past week removing vegetation, shoring up slopes and reinforcing roads in devastated areas of the Palisades and Eaton fires, which reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble and ash after breaking out during powerful winds Jan. 7.
The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning (January 22, 2025) and in less than a day had charred nearly 41 sqkm (16 square miles) of trees and brush near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 64 km (40 miles) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week.
The fires have resulted in more than 50,000 people being put under evacuation orders or warnings and have burned more urban area than any other fire in the State since at least the mid-1980s.
Published – January 27, 2025 04:21 pm IST