# Indian airforce

• With rapid technological advances in stand off weapons and armed drones changing the very nature of warfare, the IAF will now raise a separate specialised cadre of officers to handle advanced missiles, space based systems, Surveillance and combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• The first lot of new officers for this new weapons systems branch (WSB) in the IAF, cleared by the PM led cabinet committee on Security, will inducted by end 2023.
• This branch will essentially be for Manning of four specialised streams of surface to surface missiles, surface to air missiles, remotely piloted aircraft and weapon systems operators.

# Supreme Court

• CJI UU Lalit’s proposal to recommend the appointment of three HC chief justices and a senior advocate as SC judges has been opposed by two collegium judges and received concurrence from two, thus taking the members supporting the proposal to three.
• But that wafer thin majority is legally inadequate. The SC in its 1998 judgement in a presidential reference case on ‘appointments and transfers of judges’ has said that 4:1 majority is needed.

# US-China

• The United States announced new export controls on Friday aimed at restricting China’s ability to buy and manufacture high end chips with military applications.
• The moves complicate Beijing’s push to further its own semi conductor industry and develop advanced military systems.

# India

• India hit out at Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal bhutto for raising the J&K issue in Germany.
• German foreign minister said that a constructive approach and confidence building measures between India and Pakistan are must for improvement of their bilateral ties.