Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2023
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a multilateral organisation established on June 15, 2001. It is a regional grouping of eight countries that aims to promote cooperation in various fields. India, which joined the SCO in 2017, hosted the SCO summit 2023 on...
Coup in Niger: Factors, Impacts, and Implications in the Region
Introduction Recently, Niger, a landlocked country in West Africa, witnessed a complex interplay of political turbulence. The military in Niger detained Mohamed Bazoum, the country’s president, and his family. A group of soldiers appeared on the State-run television...
Navigation Satellite, NVS-01, Successfully Launched
The navigation satellite, NVS-01, was successfully launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on May 29, 2023 from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The satellite, weighing about 2,232 kg, was...
Statement on Climate of India 2022 by IMD
According to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Statement on Climate of India during 2022, the annual mean land surface air temperature in India was 0.51 °C above the long-term average for the period of 1981–2010 in 2022. The nationwide records commenced in...
National Mission on Natural Farming: Some Aspects
In order to promote natural farming across the nation, Government of India has launched the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) by upscaling the Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) scheme, sub-scheme under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVK), from...
Apple to Adopt MicroLED Technology
Apple is considering a big transition in display technology from Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) to microLED display for its watch models starting from 2024. It is planning to gradually shift to microLED to its other devices including iPhones and Macs. MicroLEDs...
Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria: Some Aspects
A severe earthquake of 7.8 magnitude hit south-eastern Turkey and Syria leading to a widespread destruction of property and huge loss of lives. The quake was followed by a 7.5 magnitude quake a few hours later, and so far nearly 300 aftershocks have followed...
Appointment of Judges by Collegium: Some Aspects
The Supreme Court (SC) has stated that ‘suitability’ of a candidate cleared by the SC Collegium for appointment as a judge in a constitutional court cannot be a subject of judicial review, while pronouncing reasons for dismissing petitions which claimed that advocate...
Oxfam Report 2023: Some Highlights
Oxfam International released its annual inequality report of 2023, titled Survival of the Richest in the opening day of the World Economic Forum 2023 in Davos, Switzerland. According to the report, the very richest became dramatically richer and corporate profits hit...
Inferred Resources of Lithium Found in Jammu and Kashmir
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has discovered lithium inferred resources of about 5.9 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of Reasi District in Jammu and Kashmir on February 9, 2023. These resources have been established as part of the ‘Reasi...
Rare Green Comet Passes by the Earth
The rare Green Comet, C/2022 E3 (ZTF), discovered in March 2022, at the Zwicky Transient Facility, in California, USA made its closest approach to the Earth on February 2, 2023. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Green Comet...
Project Lion, Lion @47: Vision for Amrutkal, Launched
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had launched the document ‘Lion @ 47: Vision for Amrutkal’ as a part of the Project Lion on December 22, 2022, with the aim of conserving the Asiatic Lions in Gir, Gujarat. Project Lion envisages ecology-based...
Centre Approves National Green Hydrogen Mission
The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore on January 4, 2023 which was launched by PM Modi on August 15, 2021. The Government aims to make India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen and a big exporter...
Kirit Parikh Committee Recommendations on Gas Pricing
The Kirit Parikh committee, on gas pricing, recommended that India should have free market-determined prices for natural gas and remove all caps by January 1, 2027. The committee, formed by the Government of India with Dr Kirit Parikh as its chairman in September...
‘Right to Repair’ Portal
An initiative was taken by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to launch the Right to Repair portal for empowering the consumers, also introducing the NTH mobile application and new premises of the National Consumer Helpline Centre in Delhi, in...
The Great Lakes of the US Turn Acidic
The Associated Press reported on December 19, 2022, that aquatic scientists were developing a system that would be capable of measuring the carbon dioxide and pH levels (the measure to gauge acidity) of Great Lakes of North America over several years. The Great Lakes...
Digital Attendance for All MGNREGA Workers Mandatory
From January 1, 2023, the Ministry of Rural Development has mandated digital capturing attendance of the workers employed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) through the mobile application—National Mobile Monitoring System (NHMS)....
Prehistoric Rock Art in Ratnagiri under Threat
Conservationists and experts have raised concerns over a proposed mega oil refinery to be set up in the Barsu village of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra because the refinery might damage the prehistoric rock art, geoglyphs or petroglyphs, found in the area. These...
Indo-China Border Dispute: Some Aspects
India and China have held several rounds of military talks to resolve the dispute over Line of Actual Control (LAC), but both the countries have not been yet successful. The crux of the problem is the undefined nature of the Himalayan border. There was a clash between...
Conference of the Parties (COP)15
In Montreal, Canada, representatives from 188 governments met to agree on a new set of goals to guide global action through 2030 to halt and reverse nature loss at the Conference of the Parties 15 (COP 15) summit, held in December 2022. This was the second part of COP...