Prelims Focus- 6th December 2023

1.Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023

In News: Recently, the Lok Sabha passed an Advocates (Amendment) Bill.

• The bill was presented by the Ministry of Law and Justice.  
• The bill amends the Advocates Act, 1961, which consolidates legislation relating to the legal profession, creates Bar Councils and constitutes the All India Bar. 
• The Bill repeals certain clauses relating to the regulations of the Advocates Act, 1879. 
• The Bill  provides that any High Court, District Judge, Sessions Judge, District Magistrate and Revenue Officer (not below the rank of District Collector) may prepare and publish lists of petitions. 
• The court or judge may exclude from the courtroom all persons whose names are entered in the list of persons. 
• Authorities authorized to compile and publish lists of criminals may order lower courts to conduct inquiries into the conduct of suspected or suspected criminals. 
• Any person acting as an advertiser holding his name shall be liable to imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, to fine which may extend to Rs.500, or to both.

2.Nepal: First South Asian Nation to Register same-sex marriage

In News: Nepal formally registered the first case of same-sex marriage.

• • The Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, explicitly states that there shall be no discrimination based on  sexual orientation.  
  • In June 2023, the Supreme Court of Nepal issued an interim order allowing same-sex couples to register their marriage pending a final decision.  

• Scenario in India   

• • In October 2023, the five-judge constitutional panel of the Supreme Court refused to legalize same-sex marriage, leaving it to parliament to decide.  
  • The court found that there is no fundamental right to marry and the court cannot interfere.

3.Climate Club

In News: The leaders of UNFCCC COP28 officially launched the Climate Club, an initiative aimed at cooperation between countries to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the industrial sector.

• Led by Germany and Chile, the club has received support from 36 member states, including Kenya, the European Union, Switzerland and others.  
• India is not a member.  The club is said to now represent 55 percent of the world economy. 
• The main priorities of the club: emission calculations for the carbon dioxide (CO2) intensity of certain products are standardized, Strategic discussions on  steel and cement zero emission definitions and  a platform will be created to meet the needs of members through existing public and private financial instruments. 
• A Secretariat will be created to implement the work program.  Currently, the OECD and the IEA are  joint temporary heads of the Secretariat.

4.India re-elected to International Maritime Organisation

Recent news: India was re-elected to the IMO Council with the most votes during the IMO assembly for the 2024-25 term.

Details:

• India is one of the top 10 countries with a significant stake in international maritime trade. 
• It has been re-elected to the IMO Council, which oversees the organisation’s activities.
• As part of the Maritime India Vision 2030, India plans to increase its presence in the IMO by selecting permanent representatives and recommending candidates for the Junior Professional Officer Program.
• The IMO is a specialised agency of the UN that aims to enhance the safety and security of global shipping. 
• It strives to foster cooperation in order to promote sustainable, efficient, environmentally friendly, and secure shipping practices.

5.Bio-vision

Recent news: During the first-ever gathering of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) Society, great emphasis was placed on the necessity of establishing a clear and comprehensive “Bio-vision” for the nation of India.

Details:

• The BRIC Society brings together 14 science institutions to maximise the impact of biotech. 
• They aim to collaborate with private and public organisations, receive funding from non-government sources, and maintain separate research goals for each institution. 
• They have also launched a program called “Zero Waste Life on Campus” to promote sustainability through waste management. 
• This initiative aligns with the Mission LiFE movement and is expected to strengthen collaborations among institutions and serve as a waste management model for the community.

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