Very, very disturbing': SC stays Lokpal decision to probe HC judges

Calling it "something very, very disturbing", the Supreme Court Thursday stayed the Lokpal's January 27 order which held it had the power to look into complaints against sitting judges of High Courts. The top court had taken suomotu cognizance of the January 27 order and listed it for hearing before a bench headed by Justice BR Gavai and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and AS Oka.

Haryana to set up 24x7 helpdesk for runaway couples seeking protection

The Haryana government has initiated the process to set up a dedicated 24x7 helpdesk in every district to attend to the grievances of the runaway couples facing threat to life and liberty. A police officer, not below the rank of assistance sub-inspector, will look into the representation of such couples and will take a call regarding their complaints within three days. To prevent harm to such couples during the period of the inquiry, the police officer will be empowered to provide them shelter or protection at the preliminary stage itself too.

SQUEAKING IN TONGUES

NOVA1, a gene that produces a protein, is found in most mammals, but modern humans have a unique variant; one different from the version found in our closest relatives, Neanderthals and Denisovans. For this experiment, scientists used CRISPR gene editing to replace the NOVA1 variant found in mice with the human version. The result: The mice with the human variant squeaked differently. Baby mice produced different distress calls from their littermates when isolated from their mothers. And, particularly complex chat-up squeaks ensued when adult males saw females in heat.  

Remission without application: What Supreme Court held, why

THE SUPREME Court on Tuesday directed states to consider the premature release of prisoners, even if they themselves do not apply for remission beforehand. This marks a significant shift in the apex court's approach to the matter in two separate decisions in 2013, the SC had held that states cannot remit sentences suo motu (of their own volition), and that a prisoner must first make an application. A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan has now reversed the court's previous stand in its judgment in In Re: Policy Strategy for Grant of Bail, a suo motu case instituted by the SC in 2021 to tackle issues regarding the overcrowding of prisons.

What mineral resources does Ukraine have - and can the US take them?

Critical mineral deposits in Ukraine - lithium, cobalt, titanium, graphite, and some rare earths like scandium - are estimated to be worth up to $11.5 trillion.

These minerals are critical in the manufacture of a variety of products from high-end weapons systems to clean energy solutions like Electrical Vehicles to electronic gadgets and semiconductors. Much of this mineral wealth remains inadequately surveyed, and the quality of the deposits is unknown. But their promise appears lucrative to the US and the West, especially because China has vast resources of these minerals, Indeed, mineral resources are part of the reason Trump wants to take over Greenland.