GS-II

Pakistan politicising Kartarpur, says India

India on Thursday hit out at Pakistan alleging that Islamabad has tried to politicise the Kartarpur corridor. The Ministry of External Affairs also alleged that Pakistani authorities created difficulties for the two Indian Ministers who visited Kartarpur on November 28. “It was unfortunate that Pakistan has attempted to politicise a …

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Indian-origin woman appointed head of SAfrica’s prosecuting authority

Indian-origin lawyer Shamila Batohi has been appointed to head South Africa’s prosecuting authority, the first woman to head the agency. She will start her new role as the National Director of Public Prosecutions in February 2019. Source  : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/indian-origin-woman-appointed-head-of-safricas-prosecuting-authority/article25675657.ece

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‘We will also develop banned N-weapons’

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday dismissed U.S. claims that Russia is violating a major Cold War treaty limiting mid-range nuclear arms. The tense rhetoric comes a day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington would withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) within 60 days if Russia does …

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U.K. won’t revoke Article 50, says May

PM insists that the only way to avoid a crash out of the EU is her withdrawal deal Britain won’t revoke Article 50 the triggering of which started the two-year Brexit process, Prime Minister Theresa May insisted on Wednesday, as Opposition parties rounded on the government over the full and …

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India gets first witness protection scheme

The Supreme Court on Wednesday brought in place a witness protection regime in the country noting that one of the main reasons for witnesses turning hostile is that they are not given security by the State. A Bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and S. Abdul Nazeer said Witness Protection Scheme, …

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No step taken to fill posts in information panels: SC

Bench asks Centre and West Bengal, A.P., Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala and Karnataka to submit a status report The Supreme Court has said that posts in the Central Information Commission (CIC) and in State Information Commissions (SICs) are lying vacant and no effective steps have been taken to fill …

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Citizens may soon be able to leave Aadhaar

The government is in the last stages of finalising a proposal to amend the Aadhaar Act to give all citizens an option to withdraw their Aadhaar number, including biometrics and the data. This follows the Supreme Court judgment in September that upheld the validity of Aadhaar, however, with certain riders. …

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Manifesto of tribal rights issued

Charter of demands presented to all parties in Rajasthan for action by next govt. Tribal groups in Rajasthan have demanded that the next elected government in the State reveal the status of each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with reference to tribal communities and declare their status targets. …

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SC for more courts to try MPs, MLAs

To ensure effective trial of pending criminal cases involving former and sitting lawmakers in Bihar and Kerala, the Supreme Court Tuesday directed setting up of special designated courts in each district of these two States to try such cases. Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appointed as amicus curiae to assist the …

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