China and Iran signed a 25-year “strategic cooperation pact” recently. It includes “political, strategic and economic” components. This document can be very effective in deepening relations It would establish a blueprint for “reciprocal investments in the fields of transport, ports, energy, industry and services”. The agreement comes amid a major …

The Bihar legislature witnessed noisy disorder inside and outside the Assembly on March 23-24 as Opposition parties opposed the government’s attempt to pass the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021. Protesting Opposition lawmakers were forcibly ousted by marshals and additional police forces called in by the Speaker’s office, with many …

Secretary, Ministry of Defence vs. Babita Puniya Case: The Supreme Court in February 2020 directed the government to ensure that women officers in the Army be granted permanent commission (PC) as well as command postings in all services other than combat. Appeal by Women questing implementation: Later, questioning the compliance …

Two new species of seaweed have been discovered by a group of marine biologists from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. Imporatant points: Named Hypnea indica (after India) and Hypnea bullata (because of the blisterlike marks on its body – bullate), the seaweeds are part of the genus Hypnea or red …

India and Bangladesh signed 5 MoUs in the fields of Disaster Management, trade, NCC, ICT and setting up of sports facilities recently. Foundation stone was laid for infrastructure development for power evacuation facilities from the Rooppur Nuclear power plant. The Bangladesh leg of the Banagabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition was inaugurated by …

NASA and ISRO are collaborating on developing a satellite called NISAR. It will detect movements of Earth’s surface as small as 0.4 inches over areas about half the size of a tennis court. It is an SUV-sized satellite. The name NISAR is short for NASA-ISRO-SAR. SAR here refers to the …

India delivered on its promise of 2,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF) worldwide, sending a shipment bound for Copenhagen. UN Peacekeeping: UN peacekeepers provide security and the political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace. Principles: …

As many as 27 migratory birds have been reported dead on account of avian influenza in the Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary area of Himachal Pradesh. Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary: The Pong Dam also called the Beas dam is an artificial embankment Dam constructed across the Beas river in Himachal Pradesh. …

Chairman of the Empowered Group on COVID-19 vaccination said that the Co-WIN platform, for COVID-19 vaccination registration, has been ramped up to accept one crore registrations and record vaccination of 50 lakh persons daily. COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (CoWIN) system is a digitalised platform to be used to effectively roll …

The five-judge Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi in M. Siddiq v. Mahant Suresh Das popularly known as Ram Janmabhoomi temple case had upheld the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 The Preamble of the Act …