Daily Current Affairs – 09-12-2025
Sports News
Bangladesh Wins FIDE Challenger Trophy, Secures 17th Place
Bangladesh won the FIDE Challenger Trophy at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2025, defeating Austria 5-4. The victory, which secured Bangladesh the 17th place in the final rankings, was fueled by a hat-trick from Amirul Islam, who was the top scorer of the tournament, along with goals from Hozifa Hossain and Rakibul Hasan. Amirul Islam opened the scoring in the 15th minute with his second penalty corner. Austria fought back with a penalty corner conversion by Julian Kaiser and a penalty stroke by captain Mateusz Nyckowiak, but Bangladesh held on for the win. The match was part of the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2025, which took place in Madurai, with South Korea finishing 19th by defeating China.
Praggnanandhaa Wins FIDE Circuit, Qualifies for Candidates
R. Praggnanandhaa has qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament by winning the FIDE circuit. The Candidates Tournament will determine D. Gukesh's challenger for the next World Chess Championship match. Praggnanandhaa is the only Indian among the eight players in the field, while the Women’s Candidates Tournament will feature three Indian women players: Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh, and R. Vaishali.
World Cup Squash Tournament Begins in Chennai
The World Cup Squash tournament commenced on December 8, 2025, at the Express Avenue complex in Chennai. The tournament, which will take place from December 9 to 14, was officially inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. The event saw the participation of several prominent personalities, including World Squash Federation President Zena Wooldridge, SRFI President Anil Wadhwa, Additional Chief Secretary for Sports Atulya Misra, SRFI Vice President N. Ramachandran, European Squash President Thomas Troedsson, and SRFI Member Secretary J. Metha Rotti. In this tournament, each team consists of two male and two female players, and each match is a best-of-five games format, with each game played to 7 points. If the score is tied at 6-6, a sudden death rule will be applied. A total of 12 countries are participating, with the final match scheduled for December 14. The tournament was previously held in Chennai in April 2023, where India won the bronze medal.
Economy News
Crypto Transactions in India Cross ₹51,000 Crore in 2024-25
The value of cryptocurrency transactions in India crossed ₹51,000 crore in the 2024-25 financial year, representing a 41% increase compared to the previous year. According to data shared with Parliament by the Ministry of Finance, the government collected ₹511.8 crore as Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on crypto transactions during the period. Given the 1% TDS rate on every transaction, the total value of transactions that year amounted to ₹51,180 crore. This comes after the government introduced a provision under the Finance Act 2022, mandating a 1% TDS on the transfer of Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) and cryptocurrencies. In the previous years, the government had collected ₹221.3 crore as TDS in 2022-23 and ₹362.7 crore in 2023-24, indicating transactions worth ₹22,130 crore and ₹36,270 crore, respectively.
National News
University of New South Wales to Open Campus in Bengaluru
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) will become the seventh Australian university to open a campus in India, as announced by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The new campus will be located in Bengaluru. The announcement was made during the third Australia-India Education and Skills Council meeting held in New Delhi, where the University Grants Commission's letter of intent was handed over to the university. The UNSW campus will offer courses in various fields, including business, media, data science, and cybersecurity. The courses will begin in the next academic session, as confirmed by Minister Pradhan. In addition, ten new India-Australia research projects in areas such as AI, quantum, biodiversity, and MedTech were also announced, funded by the Scheme for Promotion of Academic Research Collaboration, with ₹9.84 crore (1.64 million AUD) allocated for the projects.
INDIA Bloc Plans Motion to Impeach HC Judge
The INDIA bloc plans to introduce a motion in Lok Sabha to impeach a Madras High Court judge following a controversy involving Justice Swaminathan. On December 1, 2025, Justice Swaminathan allowed a plea by Rama Ravikumar, founder of Hindu Tamilar Katchi, permitting devotees to light the Karthigai Deepam at the deepathoon. However, the police stopped the group on December 3, citing the government's appeal in the contempt case. Subsequently, Justice Swaminathan allowed the group to light the lamp and ordered them protection by the Central Industrial Security Force. The Tamil Nadu government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, which has been admitted, escalating the stand-off. The INDIA bloc aims to impeach the judge, but no judge has been successfully impeached in India so far. If the motion is passed, a committee will investigate the case, and both Houses will need to approve the motion by a special majority.
The process of impeachment of judges in India is governed by Article 124(4) of the Constitution of India, which allows the removal of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts through a motion passed by both Houses of Parliament with a special majority. This motion must be passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, along with the absolute majority of the total membership.
The only instance of a successful impeachment motion in India occurred in 1993, when Justice V. Ramaswami, a judge of the Supreme Court, faced impeachment. However, the motion failed due to insufficient support in the Lok Sabha, and Justice Ramaswami was not removed from office. To date, no judge has been successfully impeached in India under Article 124(4).
Bill to Levy Cess on Pan Masala Manufacturing Companies Passed in Parliament
A bill to impose a cess on pan masala manufacturing companies was passed in Parliament. The bill, which proposes a 40 percent GST tax on pan masala, along with an additional cess, was approved in the Lok Sabha on December 5 and then sent to the Rajya Sabha. During the debate in the Rajya Sabha, opposition parties criticized the bill, arguing that it would prevent state governments from receiving adequate funds to maintain their basic infrastructure. The bill specifies that the amount collected through the cess will be shared with state governments, although the ratio for this distribution is not mentioned. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the cess would be applied only to harmful products and that it aims to strengthen public health. The bill was subsequently approved by the Rajya Sabha and sent back to the Lok Sabha, where it was passed, completing the legislative process.
Shastra VC Provides Rs. 80 Lakh Grant to Researchers
Shastra Venture Capital (VC), associated with IIT Madras, will provide a grant of Rs. 80 lakh each to support the research of technology researchers from prominent institutions including the IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs, and IIITs. The Shastra Deep-Tech Excellence Fellowship (SDX) has been created to accelerate technological discoveries from the laboratories of these institutions. Shastra VC, which has supported around 30 new-age technology startups, is now selecting an additional 15 teams for the fellowship. The application deadline is January 31, and interested individuals can apply via the Shastra VC website: https://shastra.vc/.
Personalities, Awards and Events
Renowned Socialist Leader Baba Adhav, 95, Passes Away
Baba Adhav, a renowned socialist leader, passed away at the age of 95 at a hospital in Pune. He had been admitted to the ICU of Poona Hospital for the last 12 days, where he was initially responding to treatment, but his kidneys failed, and he suffered a cardiac arrest on the evening of December 8 at 8:25 p.m. Baba Adhav was a prominent figure in the socialist movement in Maharashtra and was known for his relentless fight against the caste system and his advocacy for the rights of labourers, head-loaders, waste-pickers, and street vendors. He had participated in the freedom movement, the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, protests against Emergency measures, and the one village-one water source movement. Baba Adhav also led a cycle rally from Pune to Delhi to demand social security for unorganised labourers. His efforts have been widely acknowledged, and he has been remembered as a champion of the rights of marginalised communities.
Tamil Nadu News
Tamil Nadu Government Revises Space Norms for Women in Hostels and Homes
Tamil Nadu government amended the Tamil Nadu Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Rules, 2015. The amendment reduces the space requirement for women in hostels and homes from 120 sq. ft per woman to 50 sq. ft per woman. The revised rules, which come under the Tamil Nadu Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Act, 2014, were modified in May 2025 to streamline the licensing procedure. These rules apply to licensed or registered institutions, such as government, non-governmental, private, or religious institutions, factories, and enterprises providing accommodation for women and children. The amendment mandates that applicants wishing to establish, maintain, or operate a hostel or lodging house for women and children must apply online to the District Collector with a ₹10,000 fee. Once the certificates submitted are verified, the license will be auto-generated in electronic form and will be valid for 10 years.
Denmark-Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Agreement for Offshore Wind Power Generation
An agreement was signed between the Danish Energy Agency and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board for a project to generate electricity by setting up offshore wind farms in Tamil Nadu's coastal region. India ranks 4th globally in wind power capacity, with the southern states contributing 50 percent of the country's total capacity of 54,000 MW. Experts had identified the potential for generating power by setting up offshore wind farms in the northern coastal regions of Tamil Nadu. However, the Green Energy Corporation lacked the technology to implement this project. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board decided to collaborate with Denmark's energy agency, which has successfully implemented such projects. A technical agreement was signed at the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board head office, with Rasmus Aystrup Oberg Kristensen, Ambassador of Denmark, and J. Radhakrishnan, Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, signing the agreement. The agreement includes the exchange of technology for setting up wind farms in coastal areas like Rameswaram, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, and Thoothukudi. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board will also acquire technology for maintenance, troubleshooting, storage, and distribution of the generated electricity. This collaboration will mark a significant achievement for the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation.
Election Commission Appoints 4 Special Observers for Electoral Roll Revision in Tamil Nadu
The Election Commission appointed four IAS officers as special observers to oversee the final phase of the electoral roll revision works (SSR) in Tamil Nadu. The appointed officers are Raman Kumar, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Cooperation, for districts including Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, and Kallakurichi; Kuldeep Narayan, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, for Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, and Dharmapuri districts; Neeraj Karwal, Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation, for Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, and Thanjavur districts; and Vijay Nehra, Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, for Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari districts. The Election Commission also reported that 99.27% of the enumeration forms in Tamil Nadu had been uploaded as of December 8, with a total of 6,36,44,038 forms uploaded out of 6,40,59,971 distributed forms. The special revision work for the electoral roll began on November 4, involving 68,470 booth-level officers. The draft electoral roll will be published on December 16, and the process of adding omitted voters will take place thereafter.
Tamil Nadu Government Forms Committee for Elephant Translocation Guidelines
Tamil Nadu government established an expert committee to create detailed guidelines for the translocation of elephants. This decision follows the recent deaths of two elephants: 'Rolex', which was moved from Thondamuthur, Coimbatore to the Kranji Zoological Park in Ariyalur district, and 'Rajakrishnan', which was relocated from the Nilgiris to the Kothaiyar forest area in Tirunelveli. The committee, headed by A. Udhayan, the Director of the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, will develop comprehensive guidelines for the safe relocation of elephants. The committee will also investigate the causes of the two elephant deaths and propose safety measures. The committee members include Athulya Misra, Special Secretary for Environment, N. Venkatesh, Nilgiris District Forest Officer, K.A.A. Subramanian, Professor at the University of Sharjah, A. Jesh, Zoology expert at Madurai Kamaraj University, and N. Baskaran, Assistant Professor at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. The committee is required to submit its report and recommendations within two months.
CM M.K. Stalin Inaugurates Fishing Harbours Worth Rs. 98 Crore
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated upgraded fishing harbours, a fish landing centre, and a new fish seed farm in Tamil Nadu, at a total cost of Rs. 98.92 crore. The inauguration, held via video conference from the Chennai Secretariat, marked the completion of four projects: the additional infrastructure at Thengapattanam fishing harbour in Kanyakumari district costing Rs. 60 crore, a fish landing centre at Periyanayagi Theru fishing village in Kanyakumari for Rs. 26 crore, an upgraded fishing harbour at Chandrapadi in Mayiladuthurai district for Rs. 10 crore, and a government fish seed farm at Kadana village in Tenkasi district for Rs. 2.92 crore. The infrastructure improvements at Thengapattanam fishing harbour, including a 375-meter long wharf, a 110-meter wharf wall, fish auction hall, fish processing unit, cold storage, canal bridge, and road, will benefit 68,300 fishermen and provide safe anchorage for 850 mechanized boats and 4,800 country boats. The Periyanayagi Theru fish landing centre will benefit 13,021 fishermen and accommodate 235 motorized boats and 6 country boats. The upgraded Tharangambadi fishing harbour in Mayiladuthurai includes a 350-meter long wharf, fish auction hall, additional net mending shed, fish drying yard, and road. The government fish seed farm in Kadana is expected to produce 5 lakh fingerlings annually, boosting inland fisheries. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Fisheries, Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, and other officials participated in the event.
Reports and Indices
Income Inequality Increases, Affecting 50% of Global Population
Over half of the world's population in 2023 was living in regions experiencing increasing income inequality. The study analyzed data from 151 countries over the last 30 years and found that while the gross national income has increased for 94% of the global population since 1990, income inequality continues to rise. Specifically, income inequality has increased for 46% to 59% of people, while it has decreased for only 31% to 36% of the population. The findings show that only one-third of the world’s population lives in areas with low income inequality, while 25% of people live in regions where both income and inequality have sharply increased since 1990. The study also highlighted the progress made in the southern states of India, noting that investments in economy, education, and infrastructure have led to significant improvements. The researchers emphasized the importance of identifying the root causes of inequality and recognizing inclusive growth. The study also pointed out that achieving the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goal to reduce inequality is not feasible, as the trend of rising income inequality is stronger than anticipated.