Are you preparing for legal competitive exams?
Most legal competitive exams require awareness of current affairs in the legal field and beyond.
To help your preparation journey, Team YLCC has prepared an overview of all the important developments that have taken place in January 2023. Happy Reading!
International
- India assumed Chairmanship of Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) for one year from January 1st.
- India was ranked 77th out of 140 countries, in the Rule of Law Index.
- India and Saudi Arabia will sign the MLAT to obtain formal assistance from each other in investigations related to criminal cases.
- The Maldives criminal court has sentenced former President Abdulla Yameen to 11 years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption and money laundering charges.
- India and Austria have signed the “Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement”.
- India will take over the charge of Secretary General of Asian Pacific Postal Union(APPU) for a tenure of 4 years.
- India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) hosts the 36th session of the Annual Indo-French strategic dialogue.
- Gujarat Harappan site reveals death rituals of 5000 years ago.
- Kevin McCarthy elected as U.S. House of Representatives Speaker.
- Ozone Layer recovery is on track, helping avoid global warming by 0.5°C
- Union India-Myanmar-Thailand interconnection plan is in line with One Sun One World One Grid programme under International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- Inaugural Leaders Session of the Voice of Global South Summit 2023 held virtually.
- Uganda declares an end to the deadly Ebola outbreak.
- NASA’s James Webb telescope has found a star formation (Called NGC 346) in a dynamic cluster that lies within SMC.
- ISRO’s Venus mission Shukrayaan- I could be shifted from 2024 to 2031.
- Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day.
- A recent report by the World Economic Forum highlighted that its FireAId initiative was helpful in managing wildfire in several regions of Turkey.
- Backing Sri Lanka, India sends financing assurances to the International Monetary Fund.
- UNGA adopted India-supported resolution ‘Education for Democracy’ that reaffirms the right of everyone to education.
- Switzerland became first WTO member to formally accept new agreement on fisheries subsidies
- ChatGPT popularity raises cybersecurity concerns.
- 8th India-Oman strategic dialogue was held in New Delhi.
- India and Maldives have signed pacts on development projects in Maldives.
- China is building a new dam in Tibet near the Indian border.
- The UNSC 1267 Committee listed Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist. Makki is a Pakistani national.
- 53 rd meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held at Davos, Switzerland.
- WEF will consider the participation of women at panchayat level to rank countries in its future Global Gender Gap reports.
- Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has longstanding ties with the Afghan Taliban, became active once again in Pakistan after the Afghan Taliban captured Kabul.
- Uzbekistan reported the death of 18 children from taking excessive doses of a cough syrup, Doc-1 Max.
- Recently, an increased rate of coral deaths has been observed on the Eastern coast of Thailand due to Yellow Band Disease.
- United Nations Development Programme India launches campaign to drive inclusive circular economy
- Russia expelled Estonia’s Ambassador and downgraded their diplomatic relations.
- South Africa inks MOU to send 12 cheetahs to Kuno National Park
- New York based doctor stated that smartphones and laptops like tech tools have given rise to a new physical condition called ‘tech neck’.
- India issues notice to Pakistan seeking modification to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
- World Leprosy Day was observed on January 30.
- Novak Djokovic wins Australian Open title to reach 22nd career Grand Slam.
National
- Blockchain to be used to push farm exports.
- NCW issues advisory to ensure safety of women in educational institutions.
- Prajjwala Challenge- launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, to invite ideas, solutions and actions that can transform the rural economy.
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed the Lumpi-ProVacInd vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
- Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change refused to suspend Forest Conservation Rules (FCR), 2022
- SMART program for Ayurveda professionals to boost R&D in Ayurveda in the country launched.
- First case of XBB.I .5 variant is detected in Gujarat.
- Reserve Bank of India’s Medium-term Strategy Framework- Utkarsh 2.0- for period 2023- 2025 was launched.
- NTPC starts India’s first green hydrogen blending operation in piped natural gas (PNG) network in Surat.
- Defence Minister inaugurated a 100-metre-long bridge over Siyom river, close to Arunachal’s northern border with China.
- PM inaugurated 108th Indian Science Congress at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reviewed the elimination of Kala-azar.
- Punjab- Haryana failed to reach consensus on Sutlej- Yamuna Link canal issue.
- Delhi police used DNA Mitochondrial Profiling to establish the victim’s identity.
- Varanasi Cantt Railway Station was awarded, ‘Eat Right Station’ with a 5-star rating certification, by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
- Centre puts on hold tourist activities at Jain religious sites in Jharkhand.
- Anthropogenic and Geological reasons among many for Joshimath sinking.
- 1st All India Annual States’ Ministers Conference On “Water Vision@2047” held in Bhopal.
- PM inaugurated 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention in Indore.
- DRDO carried out a successful test launch of tactical ballistic missile Prithvi-II.
- Archeological Survey of India discovered two 1200-year-old miniature votive stupas at Nalanda.
- Kollam district (Kerala) has become India’s first constitution literate district.
- India’s first solar mission is likely to be launched by mid- 2023.
Legal
- In 4:1 verdict, SC upheld Central government’s 2016 notification of demonetisation of ₹1,000 and ₹500 denomination notes under Section 26(2) of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act 1934.
- CJI announced the launch of e-SCR project to provide access to judgements to the common public.
- UNGA seeks ICJ opinion on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.
- SC directs panel to evolve framework on guidelines for road safety. It will be headed by former apex court judge, Justice A.M. Sapre.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has banned the group named People’s Anti-Fascist-Front (PAFF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (UAPA Act).
- SC dismisses plea challenging panels in Gujarat, Uttarakhand for UCC.
- SC granted time till 15 March 2023, to Centre to implement One Rank One Pension payout to nearly 25 lakh army pensioners.
- NCPCR frames draft guidelines on assessing if minors can be tried as adults.
- Uttarakhand government gave nod to 30% horizontal reservation in government jobs for Uttarakhand women
- SC to hear plea seeking National Heritage Status for Ram Setu.
- The Ministry of Law and Justice has written to CJI, expressing the need for Search-cum-Evaluation Committee (SEC) to bring transparency in judicial appointments through collegium system.
- SC Constitution bench questions utility of Advance Medical Directive or living will.
- In a major ruling, SC declined to stay Competition Commission of India (CCI)’s directions to Google to correct its anti- competitive practices
- Centre issues guidelines to social media influencers to regulate promotions.
- SC declines to entertain petitions against caste-based census in Bihar.
- SC held that charge sheet by probing agency is not a “public document”.
- Rural folks have equal Rights to Healthcare as city dwellers: SC
- CJI stated that judgments delivered by the SC will now be translated into four languages- Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati and Odia.
- SC altered the existing guidelines for ‘living wills’, as laid down in Common Cause vs. Union of India & Anr (2018), which allowed passive euthanasia.
YLCC would like to thank Udita Miyan for her valuable insights in this article.
