clataffairs

The United States conducted a military airstrike in eastern Syria along the border with Iraq night targeting Iranian-backed militias.  This was done in retaliation for a recent rocket strike in Erbil in northern Iraq that left several Americans injured. The airstrike targeted structures in the eastern Syrian town of Al Bukamal that belong to two Iranian-backed militias that have launched rocket attacks in the past against American facilities in Iraq, including the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, according to a U.S. official. The strike was conducted on the orders of US President Joe Biden. The strikes destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups, including Kait'ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kait'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).

The Nepal Supreme Court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives.  It ordered the government to summon the House session within the next 13 days. A five-member constitutional bench, headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, in a unanimous judgement said that the provisions of the Constitution cited by Oli and Bhandari were not relevant as Nepal’s Constitution has made a special provision against the dissolution of Parliament mid-term without exhausting all options to forming an alternative government. DISSOLVING HOUSE Nepal plunged into a political crisis after President Bidhya Devi Bhandari had on December 20 dissolved the 275-member lower House. It announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Oli.  This happened amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) between factions led by the Prime Minister and by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Madhav Kumar Nepal.

The WHO has identified 3 major new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which are more lethal and faster spreaders than the original version. 1.  UK STRAIN The UK variant (B.1.1.7) – Originated in UK in September 2020 and increased the risk of death.  It is 70% more contagious than the original Wuhan strain.  SOUTH AFRICA STRAIN The South Africa variant (B.1.351 or 20H/501Y.V2) – First identified in South Africa.  It was reported in the US at the end of January 2021.  It carries a mutation called N501Y, that appears to make it 50% more contagious or easy to spread.  It is less susceptible to antibody action. The South Africa variant is showing unusually large number of mutations, especially in the ‘Spike protein’ of the virus. BRAZIL VARIANT The Brazil variant (P.1) – Emerged in Manaus, Brazil.  It is known to have 17 unique mutations.  Three of these, mutations are in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein.

The Narendra Modi government unveiled its plan to enact greater oversight over social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and also bring digital media and streaming platforms into a stricter regulatory net.  The rules are called the ‘Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021′. They will supersede some parts of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2011. Prasad added that the rules will come into effect the day they are notified for most applicable entities. However, an extra three-month window would be given to ‘significant social media intermediaries’. PROVISIONS The new rules will require big social media companies to take down unlawful content within a specific time-frame of being served either a court order or notice by an appropriate government agency.  The rules also carve out a separate category for sexual content – under which an intermediary shall within 24 hours remove the offending con...

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) plans to launch the World Solar Bank (WSB) at the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November 2021.  This will help India’s attempt to lead global climate action and the development of a green economy.  The ISA is the first treaty-based international government organization headquartered in India.  ISA It is an alliance of 121 countries.  It was formed in 2015 at Paris, France. It aims to work for efficient consumption of solar energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  Headquarters: Gurugram, India.  Credit Partners – European Investment Bank (EIB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB). OSOWOG ISA is the nodal agency for implementing India’s global electricity grid plan – One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG).  It seeks to transfer solar power generated in one region to feed the electricity demands of others. COP26 PLANS Green Grid Initiative – a joint effort of ISA and Climate Parliament t...

The Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.  OFFENCES CATEGORY Heinous offence: where there is a minimum punishment of 7 years imprisonment under any existing law.  Serious offence: where imprisonment of 3 to 7 years.  Petty offence: where there is a maximum of 3 years imprisonment. CHANGES BY THE 2015 LAW Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 defined a juvenile or a child as – any person below 18 years of age. Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act, 2015 defines a juvenile or child as – any person below 18 years of age. In 2015, the central government enacted a new version of the law, which provided a special provisions to deal with children in the age group of 16-18 years in cases of heinous offences. The 2015 act provides for minors in the age group of 16 to 18, to be treated as adults by the law, in case of heinous crimes. THE CURRENT AMENDMENT The new amendment lays down the eligib...

Recently, India and the Maldives signed a defence Line of Credit agreement worth USD 50 million. The agreement was signed during the visit by the External Affairs Minister of India to Maldives.  It was signed pursuant to the request by the Government of Maldives in April 2013 for India’s support and cooperation in enhancing the capability of the Maldives Defence Forces in maritime surveillance, and subsequent requests in October 2015 and March 2016. OTHER KEY POINTS A dockyard will be developed at the Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) Naval Base with Indian assistance, a few miles northwest of Male. The agreement is part of the defence action plan signed in 2016 by then Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom during a visit to India. An agreement to develop, support and maintain a Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Harbour at Sifavaru was also signed. The Maldivian side assured India of its support for permanent membership of India at the “expanded and reformed” UN Security...