STATE NEWS

Major Reshuffle in UP Judiciary: 582 Judicial Officers Transferred by Allahabad High Court

• Allahabad High Court has ordered the transfer of 582 judicial officers across Uttar Pradesh.

• The list includes 443 judges, with several Additional District & Sessions Judges, Civil Judges (Senior Division), and Civil Judges (Junior Division).

• Kanpur saw the highest reshuffle with 13 judges moved, followed by Aligarh (11) and Bareilly (5).

• As per Article 235 of the Constitution, High Courts hold administrative control over district and subordinate judiciary in the states.

• The use of Hindi or regional languages in lower courts is decided jointly by the High Court and State Government.

• Article 222 allows the President to transfer judges between High Courts, after consulting the Chief Justice of India.

‘Hnatlangpui’ Year-Long Cleanliness Drive Kicks Off in Aizawl, Mizoram

• ‘Hnatlangpui’, a state-wide cleanliness campaign, was launched in Aizawl and will run till March 2025.

• The drive is jointly led by the Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation Department, Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC), and Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA).

• Minister K. Sapdanga emphasized a Comprehensive Plan for Municipal Waste Management aimed at keeping Aizawl clean year-round.

• The plan includes setting up a Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility to manage waste from hospitals and healthcare centers.

• The initiative reflects the government's strong push towards maintaining a clean and healthy environment in the state capital.

DEFENCE

4th Edition of Indo-US Exercise Tiger Triumph (2025)

• The fourth edition of Exercise Tiger Triumph, a bilateral tri-service HADR drill between India and the USA, commenced on 1 April 2025.

• Scheduled from 01 to 13 April, the exercise is being conducted off India's Eastern Seaboard.

• Focused on enhancing interoperability for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions.

• A key goal is to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for setting up a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC).

• It aims to streamline crisis response and facilitate swift coordination between both nations' Joint Task Forces (JTFs).

• Indian participation includes naval ships Jalashwa, Gharial, Mumbai, and Shakti.

• Indian forces also contribute P-8I patrol aircraft, Army units from the 91 Infantry Brigade and 12 Mech Infantry Battalion, C-130 transport aircraft, Mi-17 helicopters, and the Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT).

• The US side is represented by naval ships USS Comstock and USS Ralph Johnson, carrying US Marine Division troops.

• The Harbour Phase takes place from April 1 to April 7 in Visakhapatnam.

• A Joint Command and Control Centre will be established at Kakinada Naval Enclave during the exercise.

• The inaugural edition of Tiger Triumph was held in 2019.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Strengthening Bilateral Ties: High-Level Visits from Chile and Netherlands to India (April 2025)

• Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font began his first official visit to India on 1 April 2025, lasting five days.

• Scheduled meetings include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu.

• President Murmu will host a banquet in his honour.

• His itinerary covers visits to Agra, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

• President Boric is set to return to Chile on 5 April.

• India and Chile marked 60 years of diplomatic ties in 2009.

• Chile ranks as India’s 5th largest trading partner in the LAC region.

• Santiago is the capital of Chile and the Chilean peso is its currency.

• Caspar Veldkamp, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, arrived in New Delhi on a two-day visit.

• This marks his first official trip to India, aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.

• India and the Netherlands celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2022.

• The Netherlands is India's 4th largest European trading partner (2021–22).

• The capital is Amsterdam and the currency is the Euro.

Pakistan's Decision on Afghan Refugees and International Refugee Laws

• The Pakistani government has instructed law enforcement agencies to arrest and deport Afghan refugees, with the deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country expiring soon.

• Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are required to depart as per the government's policy.

• Historical Context: Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in Pakistan. The situation escalated further after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, prompting additional refugees to flee.

• International Refugee Law – 1951 Refugee Convention: The 1951 Refugee Convention, also known as the Geneva Convention, defines the term "refugee" and outlines their rights, such as the right to housing, work, and education.

• Refugee Rights and Protection: According to the Convention, refugees should not be forcibly returned to countries where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.

• UNHCR’s Role: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is responsible for upholding the principles of the Refugee Convention.

• India’s Position on Refugee Convention: India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 protocol.

NATIONAL NEWS

India Marks 62nd National Maritime Day and Merchant Navy Week (2025)

• Maharashtra Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 62nd National Maritime Day and Merchant Navy Week.

• He stressed the crucial role of the maritime sector in realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat.

• The Governor also underlined the importance of modernizing ports to boost national progress.

• Director General of Shipping, Shyam Jagannathan, presented a memento and a Coffee Table Book to the Governor.

• National Maritime Day is observed annually on 5 April to raise awareness about the sector’s support to global trade and economy.

• The celebration was first held on 5 April 1964.

Launch of NITI NCAER States Economic Forum Portal

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the NITI NCAER States Economic Forum Portal in New Delhi.

• The portal was developed by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in partnership with NITI Aayog.

• The platform serves as a comprehensive repository of data, research, and expert analysis on social, economic, and fiscal aspects of state finances, covering a span of over 30 years (1990-91 to 2022-23).

• The portal includes four main components:

• State Reports
• Data Repository
• State Fiscal and Economic Dashboard
• Research and Commentary

• NCAER, founded in 1956 in New Delhi, is India’s oldest and largest independent economic policy research institute.

• NITI Aayog, established on January 1, 2015, is the premier public policy think tank of the Indian government, with the Prime Minister serving as its ex-officio chairperson.

SPORTS

Rajgir Gears Up to Host Hero Asia Cup Hockey 2025

• Hero Asia Cup Hockey 2025 will be held in Rajgir, Bihar from 29 August to 7 September.

• An MoU for the event was signed between Hockey India and the Bihar State Sports Authority at Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna.

• Matches will take place at the newly built Rajgir Hockey Stadium.

• This will be Rajgir’s second international sporting event, after hosting the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in November 2024, where India clinched the title.

• A total of eight teams will compete, including India, Pakistan, Japan, Korea, China, and Malaysia.

• The remaining two teams will qualify through the AHF Cup.

• South Korea leads the Asia Cup record with five titles, while India and Pakistan have three titles each.

• Rajgir, historically known as Rajagriha, was the first capital of Magadha and holds deep ties to Buddhism and Jainism.