Read Current Affairs
- Why in News?
- At the All India Speakers’ Conference in New Delhi on August 24, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stressed that “debate must take place in a democracy” — an undeniable truth.
- Key Provisions:-
- Yet, frequent disruptions in Parliament and Assemblies reveal a system in distress. Government–Opposition hostility has eroded consensus, reducing proceedings to political confrontation.
- The recent session saw 15 Bills passed in 21 sittings over 32 days, with minimal debate. PRS Legislative Research noted Lok Sabha functioned for only 29% of scheduled time, Rajya Sabha for 34% — the lowest in the 18th Lok Sabha.
- Question Hour was largely ineffective, with oral replies on just a fraction of questions. State legislatures show similar decline, averaging only 20 sitting days in 2024.
- The absence of Deputy Speakers and weakening of committees have deepened the malaise. Calls for debate will carry weight only if the government engages meaningfully with the Opposition, starting with consensus on key parliamentary posts.
- Why in News?
- In a first in 13 years, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Dhaka to meet interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Minister Touhid Hossain.
- Key Provisions:-
- Relations had soured under Sheikh Hasina, strained by prosecutions of 1971 war collaborators and the 2015 diplomatic row over executions linked to the liberation war.
- Ties began thawing after Hasina’s ouster last August, aided by China’s trilateral mechanism with both nations. Agreements in Dhaka included restoring visa facilitation, direct flights, scholarships, and boosting trade.
- However, Bangladesh maintained demands for reparations, an apology for the 1971 genocide, and repatriation of “Stranded Pakistanis.”
- Yunus also urged revival of SAARC. India, wary of the rapprochement, remains concerned over past Pakistani support to Jamaat-e-Islaami activists and military links.
- With Bangladesh elections due in February, New Delhi must recalibrate engagement, broaden political outreach, and encourage inclusive governance to retain influence amid shifting regional alignments.
- Why in News?
- Reports indicate that a Ukrainian drone strike caused a brief fire at Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, though the situation was brought under control quickly.
- Key Provisions:-
- The incident occurred in the Kursk region, located in the European part of Russia and sharing its western border with Ukraine. Historically, the region is renowned for the 1943 Battle of Kursk — the largest tank battle ever fought and a decisive turning point in World War II.
- Geographically, it lies within the basins of the Dnieper and Don rivers, giving it strategic importance and fertile agricultural land.
- The region is also notable for the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly, the largest magnetic anomaly in the world, which holds one of the richest iron ore deposits globally.
- This combination of historical, geographical, and mineral significance makes Kursk both a strategic asset and a sensitive location, heightening concerns when incidents occur near its critical infrastructure.