Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS.
- ECOWAS – Regional group of 15 members (including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger)
- Established in – 1975, Treaty of Lagos.
- Headquarters – Abuja, Nigeria
- Other members – Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sénégal and Togo.
SADA TANSEEQ
Inaugural edition will be held from January 29 to February 10 in Rajasthan.
- Sada Tanseeq – Joint military exercise between India and Saudi Arabia.
- Aim – To train troops of both sides for Joint Operations in Semi Desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
- Benefit – Enable both the sides to share their best practices and facilitate developing interoperability.
Solid-State Batteries
Toyota Motor Corp is aiming to roll out next-generation solid-state batteries over next three years.
- Solid state batteries – Liquid electrolyte is replaced by solid-state material which acts as both separator and electrolyte.
- Significance – Higher energy density than a Lithium-ion battery that uses liquid electrolyte solution.
- Other Advantages – Safer, faster charging, longer life span, operability at extreme temperatures etc.
- Concerns – High capital expenditure; cracks in electrodes and electrolyte due to repeated charging etc.
Default Bail
Supreme Court recently held that statutory right to default bail cannot be availed once the charge-sheet is filed.
- Default Bail – Also known as compulsive or statutory bail
- Provided under – Section 167(2) of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
- Aim – To give protection to accused against detention due to inordinate delays in completion of investigation and filing of charge-sheet within timeframe stipulated by law.