1 January, 2025

HEADLINES OF THE DAY

• Dissent is essential in both Indian and U.S. democracies,
The Hindu-GS2(Governance)Page10 reflecting opinionated judiciaries in their supreme
courts.
SCOTUS Dissents: Often politically inclined due to
presidential appointments and Senate confirmations.
• Indian SC Dissents
• Political Dissent: Indian judges are selected through a
collegium, not politically appointed.
Example: Justice H.R. Khanna's dissent in ADM Jabalpur
(1976) opposed the suspension of fundamental rights
during a national emergency
• Social Dissent: Reflects different social understandings or
implications of legal issues.
Example: Justices J.S. Khehar and Abdul Nazeer dissented
in Shayara Bano (2017), supporting triple talaq as integral
to Sunni personal law.
• Intellectual Critique: Based on constitutional
interpretation.
Example: Justice B.V. Nagarathna's dissent in Lalta Prasad
Vaish (2024) on the taxation of industrial alcohol,
interpreting 'intoxicating liquor' differently from the
majority.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
The Hindu-GS2(IR)-Page 12 • India and other Quad member-nations reaffirmed the
grouping’s steadfast commitment to work towards a
free, open, and peaceful Indo-Pacific amid China’s
increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.
• India, the U.S., Australia and Japan came together 20
years ago to extend assistance in response to the 2004
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, and that coalition
subsequently took the form of the Quad.
• In the last few years, the Quad has rolled out a number
of initiatives addressing some of the most pressing needs
and challenges of the Indo-Pacific region, including in
areas of maritime security, infrastructure and
connectivity.
• India is scheduled to host the next Quad Summit likely in
the second half of 2025.
• The Quad Foreign Ministers also talked about the
centrality of 10-nation grouping Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Indo-Pacific.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
The Hindu –GS3(Space)-Page 14 • The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization
Centre (IN-SPACe) announced the successful
operationalisation of 10 hosted payloads from non-
government entities (NGEs) on the POEM-4 module of
the PSLV-C60/SpaDeX mission launched by ISRO.
• This mission conducted in-orbit scientific experiments at
an altitude of 350 km.
• IN-SPACe, an autonomous nodal agency under the
Department of Space, promotes NGE participation in
space activities, reducing entry barriers for startups,
academic institutions, and research organizations.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
PIB –GS3(Economy)- • The combined Index of Eight Core Industries
(ICI) increased by 4.3 per cent (provisional) in November,
2024 as compared to the Index in November, 2023. The
production of Cement, Coal, Steel, Electricity, Refinery
Products and Fertilizers recorded positive growth in
November 2024.
• The ICI measures the combined and individual
performance of production of eight core industries viz.
Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products,
Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity. The Eight Core
Industries comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of items
included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
Air-Governance (GSII) • 2024 significant legislative reforms were introduced or
enacted to modernise India’s legal framework and align it
with global standards. These reforms aim to catalyse
various sectors, including shipbuilding, banking, railways,
aviation, and others. The year 2024 witnessed the
passage of bills that replaced century-old laws, such as
the New Bharatiya Criminal Laws, the Vayuyan Vidheyak
Bill replacing the Aircraft Act of 1934, and the Carriage of
Goods by Sea Bill replacing the century-old Carriage of
Goods by Sea Act of 1925.
• The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replaced the Indian Penal
Code, which included outdated provisions such as the
sedition law. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam replaces
the Indian Evidence Act and modernises evidence
handling, including provisions for electronic evidence.
The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita replaces the
Code of Criminal Procedure and introduces changes in
police custody durations and procedures for handling
suspects.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
Air-Governance(GSII) • In Tamil Nadu, the iconic tourist destination Kanyakumari
had added another jewel to its crown. India’s first glass
bridge over sea was inaugurated here yesterday. Tamil
Nadu Chief minister MK Stalin unveiled the classic glass
bridge that connects the 133 ft tall Saint Tiruvalluvar
statue and the Vivekananda rock Memorial.
• The bridge would allow the tourists to enjoy a breezy
walk between the landmarks while seeing through the
wavy sea underneath. Constructed at 37 crores, the 77
metres bridge was inaugurated as part of silver jubilee
celebration of the Tiruvalluvar statue, now renamed as
statue of Wisdom by the state government.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
DD News-Geography(GSI) • IRAN REJECTS INVOLVEMENT IN ESCALATING RED SEA
TENSION
• The Red Sea is a semi-enclosed inlet of the Indian Ocean,
located between Africa and Asia. It connects to the
Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean through the Gulf of
Aden and the Bab el Mandeb Strait. The eastern borders
of the Red Sea are formed by Yemen and Saudi Arabia,
while the northern and western borders are shared by
Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
HEADLINES OF THE DAY
DD News-Economy(GSIII) • India has achieved a tenfold increase in banana exports
over the past decade and aims to reach $1 billion in
exports within the next five years, according to the
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority (APEDA).
• The surge in exports follows the successful trial
shipments to the Netherlands via sea routes, which are
expected to open new markets. Russia is anticipated to
emerge as a significant importer of Indian bananas
• . The government’s initiatives, including financial
support, modern farming techniques, and improved
infrastructure, have been instrumental in transforming
India into a prominent banana exporter. States like Uttar
Pradesh have also stepped up efforts, designating
banana cultivation as a priority under the One District
One Product (ODOP) initiative in Kushinagar.