This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
Today is the 30th of January and here are the headlines.
The Indian government has announced its plan to create a domestic large language model under the IndiaAI Mission, a Rs 10,370 crore initiative. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the development today. To support this, 10 companies, including Yotta, Jio Platforms, and Tata Communications, will supply 18,693 GPUs. Yotta alone will provide nearly half of these chips, totaling 9,216 units, to help build the AI model.
Arvind Kejriwal has challenged BJP and Congress leaders to drink Yamuna river water after the Election Commission intervened in his claims about river poisoning. The EC had asked Kejriwal to clarify his accusations of ammonia pollution and provide factual evidence of the alleged poisoning. The commission is also seeking more specific details about the nature, quantity, and source of contamination, with Kejriwal facing scrutiny for his allegations.
A Canadian report dismissed claims of foreign involvement in the disinformation campaign surrounding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar. Relations between India and Canada soured after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being behind Nijjar's murder in June 2023. India strongly rejected the accusations, calling them politically motivated, which led to the expulsion of diplomats from both countries, further damaging bilateral ties.
A political controversy erupted in Goa after the BJP government ordered South Goa SP Sunita Sawant to relinquish her charge. The Congress party accused the transfer of being politically motivated due to Sawant’s inquiry about Bajrang Dal leaders. The government has temporarily assigned Tikam Singh Verma, SP of the anti-narcotics cell, to oversee South Goa. Sawant was appointed in February 2024, and an official transfer order has yet to be issued.
A tragic collision occurred between an American Airlines plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C. on Wednesday night. The plane, carrying 64 people, collided with the helicopter, which had three soldiers aboard. President Trump was briefed on the accident, and emergency operations were launched. All flights were suspended, and rescue teams, including firefighters, were engaged in operations on the Potomac River. 18 fatalities were confirmed, though details remain unclear.
This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express.
