(1) Roger Federer retires
After 24 years, 1500 matches and 103 career titles, tennis legend Roger Federer announced he will retire after next week’s Laver Cup in London. Federer, who dominated men’s tennis for several years after winning his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003 and who forged thrilling rivalries with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, has been plagued by injuries in recent years. Coupled with Serena Williams likely seeking retirement after the 2022 US Open, it seems like a golden era of tennis is drawing to a close.
The following heatmap details Federer’s Grand Slam wins over the years:
(2) Siddique Kappan granted bail after two years
"Every person has a right to free expression. He may be trying to propagate an idea that there is something and the victim requires justice and so 'let us be a common voice'... Will that be a crime in the eyes of the law?" Chief Justice Lalit asked the State of Uttar Pradesh at the bail trial of journalist Siddique Kappan, who has been in custody for nearly two years and is accused of offences under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). While he has been granted bail under the UAPA, he is yet to get relief in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The following graphic is an explainer on Siddique Kappan:
(3) India-China Border Clashes
Marking a step forward in the bid to end an ongoing standoff since May 2020, India and China confirmed the withdrawal of their respective troops from Patrolling Point (PP) 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of Eastern Ladakh. India recognised the complete disengagement from this area as “one problem less” along the India-China frontier. Beijing welcomed the disengagement at PP15 as “a positive development”, but reiterated that it would not accept India’s demand for restoration of status quo ante prior to the standoff.
The following interactive map shows the skirmishes along the India-China border:
(4) Sweden’s conservatives to form new government
“I now begin the work of forming a new and strong government,” Ulf Kristersson, the leader of Sweden’s conservatives said after a narrow election win in the Swedish Riksdag elections. “Now we will restore order in Sweden!” Never before has a Swedish government relied on the support of the anti-immigration and nationalist Sweden Democrats, who emerged as the big winners of the vote.
Sweden’s conservative coalition consists of the Sweden Democrats, the Moderates, the Christian Democrats, and the Liberals, totalling 176 seats, a slight majority compared to the 173 seats of the left, which consists of the Social Democrats, the Left and Centre parties, and the Green Party.
The following graphic details the changes in party seats in the Swedish Riksdag over the years:
(5) India wants a permanent seat at the UN Security Council
India has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the United Nations Security Council, saying it rightly deserves a place as a permanent member of the Council, which in its current form does not represent the geo-political realities of the 21st Century.
Currently, the permanent members of the UNSC are the USA, the UK, China, Russia, and France, based on their “importance in the aftermath of World War II.” There have been discussions to include Japan, Brazil, India, and Germany as permanent members.
The following graphic shows the frequency of nations appointed as non-permanent members of the UNSC since its formation in 1945.
