Expunction in Parliament
Certain portions of speech from opposition leaders were expunged from the record of parliament.
- Expunction refers to deletion of words, phrases or expressions from the proceedings or records for being defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified.
- Expunction in Parliament – As decided by the Presiding officer of the house (Speaker in Lok Sabha and Chairman in Rajya Sabha)
- Objective – To prevent misuse of freedom of speech guaranteed inside Parliament.
- Provided under – Rules of Procedure in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
- Article 105(2) of the Constitution – Protects Members of Parliament from any court proceeding for anything said in parliament
Mars Odyssey Orbiter
Recently, NASA’s Mars Odyssey Orbiter captured the view of largest volcano in our solar system, Olympus Mons, located on Mars.
- Launched in – 2001
- Longest continually active orbital mission.
- 1st spacecraft to make a global map of chemical elements and minerals that make up Martian surface.
- Objectives –
- Determine abundance of hydrogen in shallow subsurface.
- Acquire high spatial and spectral resolution images of surface mineralogy.
Syntrichia Caninervis
Scientists have found a desert moss which is able to withstand Mars-like environment conditions.
- A type of desert moss
- Widespread in – Earth’s harshest locations including Antarctica and the Mojave Desert.
- Significance – Could be the 1st possible pioneer species for the colonization of Mars.
- Mosses – Small, non-vascular flowerless plants that are commonly found in moist-shady locations and are distributed throughout the world except in salt water.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN-CRPD)
17th session of the Conference of State Parties to UN-CRPD took place in New York
- Adopted in – New York in 2006
- Entered into force in – 2008.
- Objective – To promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
- Members – 164 Signatories (including India).
Exercises in news
Exercise Nomadic Elephant and MAITREE held recently.
- Nomadic Elephant – Joint Military Exercise between armies of India and Mongolia
- Exercise MAITREE – Joint military Exercise between India and Thailand