GS-II

The Supreme Court on October 8 issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission on a public interest litigation petition by a non-political forum seeking an exercise, similar to the one done in Assam, to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Tripura. Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, son …

Situated near the Great Rann of Kutch, Banni, the largest grassland of Asia, spread over 2,717 sq.km, is in the grip of a severe drought as winter sets in. While the area is known for its scarce rainfall and semi-drought conditions, it is for the first time in 13 years …

The situation in Kashmir is volatile and drifting into a negative sphere on two counts: rising violence and the shrinking space of regional mainstream parties after the four-phase urban local bodies elections on October 16. The spiral of violence showed no sign of let-up even after Governor Satya Pal Malik …

As work gets under way on one of India’s prize projects in the Indian Ocean to upgrade facilities on the Agalega islands in Mauritius, the government is watching a battle brewing in the Mauritius parliament over the project. After facing resistance over placing its helicopters in the Maldives’ Addu Atoll …

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put into action his promise made from the ramparts of the Red Fort to embrace Kashmiris with love. Speaking at a youth conclave here on Saturday, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said the leadership in New Delhi …

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday suspended Parliament, a day after he sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, plunging the island nation into political turmoil. Through an extraordinary gazette, President Sirisena said Parliament was prorogued until November 16. The announcement came just …

Mockingbirdis America’s best-loved novel To Kill a Mockingbird, a coming-of-age story about racism and injustice, overpowered wizards and time travellers to be voted America’s best-loved novel by readers nationwide. The 1960 book by Harper Lee emerged as No. 1 in PBS’ “The Great American Read” survey, whose results were announced …

The Maldives Opposition moved closer on Wednesday to impeaching the Speaker of Parliament, a staunch loyalist of outgoing strongman President Abdulla Yameen. An alliance of Opposition parties has collected signatures from 55 MPs, or roughly two-thirds of sitting lawmakers, for a petition to oust Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed. The Speaker has …

Pakistan has been offered aid worth $6 bn by Saudi Arabia Pakistan has not dropped the idea of seeking assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) despite Saudi Arabia offering a $6-billion aid package, officials said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month gave the green signal to …

Officials reach out to Huawei to recover data from a phone Sri Lankan authorities will seek Chinese assistance to tap evidence pertaining to an “assassination plot” said to be targeting President Maithripala Sirisena. On Tuesday, Sri Lankan police won permission from a magistrate court here to approach Chinese multinational Huawei …