The Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the selection of Muslim writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festival. The Court emphasized that the Preamble enshrines secularism, liberty of thought, and equality as cardinal ideals. It reiterated that the State of Karnataka is secular and maintains no religion of its own. The bench noted that while the inaugural pooja is a religious activity, the "ribbon-cutting" is a secular state event. The judgment referenced landmark cases to affirm that secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution, preventing the State from discriminating between religions.
The Supreme Court ruled that the State cannot distinguish between religions for public events like the Mysuru Dasara.
Secularism was reaffirmed as a 'basic feature' of the Indian Constitution, as established in the Kesavananda Bharati and S.R. Bommai cases.
The Court distinguished between secular state activities (like inauguration) and specific religious rituals performed before a deity.
Exam Points
M. Ismail Faruqui case (1994) regarding the validity of the Ayodhya Act.
42nd Constitution Amendment (1976) which inserted the term 'secular' into the Preamble.
Article 25 of the Constitution protects essential religious practices.
At the 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health in Brazil, India’s welfare initiatives were highlighted as models for integrating climate and health goals. Programs like PM-POSHAN, Swachh Bharat, MNREGA, and PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) demonstrate how non-health interventions can generate significant health and climate co-benefits. For instance, PMUY reduces indoor air pollution while cutting carbon emissions. The article advocates for a framework of institutionalized, health-anchored climate governance built on strategic prioritization, procedural integration (like health impact assessments), and participatory implementation using health as a mobilizing force for community engagement.
The Belem Health Action Plan, to be launched at COP30, aims to define the global agenda on climate and health.
India's PM-POSHAN scheme addresses malnutrition while building climate-resilient food systems through millet promotion.
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has successfully linked clean energy access to improved respiratory health and lower emissions.
Exam Points
PM-POSHAN is India's flagship nutrition scheme covering over 11 crore children.
The 2025 Global Conference on Climate and Health was hosted by Brazil with delegates from 90 countries.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan recently signed a mutual defense agreement, institutionalizing their long-standing security relationship. This move comes amid shifting security landscapes in the Persian Gulf, characterized by a perceived reduction in U.S. security guarantees and increased regional volatility following the Gaza war. For Saudi Arabia, the pact signals a diversification of security alliances. For Pakistan, it offers financial assistance and a role as a security provider. This development complicates India’s "pro-Israel" tilt, as Arab monarchies hedge their bets. India must now navigate these "shifting sands" by maintaining a strategic balance among all regional pillars.
The agreement declares that any aggression against one party shall be considered an aggression against both.
The pact reflects a realignment in the Persian Gulf as traditional U.S. security guarantees are increasingly questioned by regional monarchies.
The Abraham Accords, which aimed to bridge Arab-Israel ties against Iran, have been derailed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Exam Points
The Abraham Accords were signed by four Arab countries, including the UAE.
Saudi Arabia is the custodian of Islam’s two holiest mosques (Mecca and Medina).
The European Commission has proposed its 19th sanctions package against Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These sanctions aim to restrict Russia's access to advanced technologies, including AI and geospatial data, and critical resources for weapons production. Significantly, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas suggested that Indian entities might be impacted by these measures. The package also targets Russia's "shadow fleet" of vessels used to bypass existing sanctions and proposes a total ban on Russian LNG imports by January 2027. This move occurs shortly after the EU announced plans to upgrade its strategic relationship with India.
The new EU sanctions focus on squeezing Russia's access to AI, geospatial data, and critical industrial resources.
The proposal includes a ban on transactions with certain banks in Russia and third parties, as well as sanctions on crypto platforms.
The EU aims to sanction 118 additional vessels part of Russia's "shadow fleet" used for illicit trade.
Exam Points
The proposed package is the 19th set of sanctions since February 2022.
The EU aims for a total ban on Russian LNG imports by January 2027.
The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has simplified the process for Indian citizens to obtain attestation and apostilles for their documents via the e-Sanad portal. Previously, documents often required physical processing in New Delhi, but the new digital system allows for virtual applications. The process involves profile registration, document upload, and payment through Bharatkosh. Once the issuing authority (like a university) and the State government verify the document, the MEA issues a digital attestation within seven working days. This integration aims to assist Indians seeking foreign employment or education.
The e-Sanad portal (https://esanad.nic.in) centralizes the attestation process for personal, educational, and commercial documents.
The simplified process eliminates the need for applicants to travel to New Delhi for document processing.
Digital attestations are now issued within a target timeframe of seven working days after state-level verification.
Exam Points
The e-Sanad portal is managed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Payments for the service are made through the Bharatkosh portal.
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