Daily Current Affairs- 13th July 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 13th July 2025

Kashmir leaders under house arrest: What is the row over ‘Martyrs’ Day’

In the News: Jammu & Kashmir's administration imposed house arrests and “no-permission” restrictions on political leaders—including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Sajad Gani Lone, and others—preventing them from participating in Martyrs’ Day commemorations on July 13 near the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar.

Key Points

• Historical Context: Martyrs’ Day commemorates the July 13, 1931 killings of 22 Kashmiris by Dogra forces protesting for justice. It was observed as an official holiday until 2019, before being discontinued following the revocation of Article 370.
• Recent Restrictions: Authorities sealed off the Martyrs’ Graveyard, checked bridges, imposed partial lockdowns in Srinagar, and placed leaders under detention or house arrest to block public or political tributes.
• Political Uproar: Leaders like Omar Abdullah criticized these actions as “blatantly undemocratic,” equating the 1931 fire with Jallianwala Bagh and condemning the preventive detentions as suppressive of historical memory.
• Opposition’s Message: Mehbooba Mufti, Sajad Lone, and NC spokespersons condemned the state's actions, stating that locking leaders inside homes to block them from paying tribute undermines Kashmir’s collective history and identity. 

4 new members nominated to Rajya Sabha

In the News: President Droupadi Murmu, exercising powers under Article 80(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, nominated four distinguished individuals to the Rajya Sabha to fill vacancies left by retiring nominated members.

Key Points

• Nominees & Their Contributions
  1. Ujjwal Deorao Nikam – Renowned public prosecutor known for handling high-profile cases such as the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the Gulshan Kumar murder, and the Pramod Mahajan assassination trial.
  2. Harsh Vardhan Shringla – Former Foreign Secretary, former Ambassador to the S., Bangladesh, and Thailand, and served as Chief Coordinator of India’s G20 Presidency (2023).
  3. Meenakshi Jain – Historian and former Associate Professor at Gargi College, authored key textbooks on medieval India and received the Padma Shri in 2020.
  4.  Sadanandan Master – Kerala-based teacher and social worker, a BJP leader who survived a brutal political attack in 1994, known for grassroots youth and social empowerment.
• Constitutional Basis & Term: Nominations made under Article 80(1)(a), which allows up to 12 presidentially nominated members in the Rajya Sabha based on notable contributions in fields like literature, science, art, and social service. Each nomination carries a six-year term, and nominees may join a political party within six months.
• Prime Minister’s Praise: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all four nominees: acknowledging Nikam's contribution to constitutional values, Shringla's foreign policy leadership, Jain’s academic scholarship, and Sadanandan Master’s resilience and social service 

Enforcement Crackdown in ‘U.S. Donkey Route’ Case

In the News: The Enforcement Directorate (ED)—in coordination with the National Investigation Agency (NIA)—launched a major crackdown on the human trafficking and money laundering network known as the “Donkey Route” (also called “Dunki Route”). This illicit network has been facilitating illegal migration of Indians to the U.S. via circuitous and dangerous international paths through Latin America. The operations included raids at dozens of locations across Punjab and Haryana, seizing passports, financial assets, and hawala transaction evidence

Key Points

• Scope of Raids: ED conducted multiple raids across 18 locations in Punjab (Amritsar, Moga, Bathinda, etc.) and Haryana (Kurukshetra, Karnal, etc.), targeting travel agents and middlemen involved in smuggling individuals via the Donkey Route.
• Seizures & Financial Trail: Investigators recovered 30 original Indian passports, incriminating documents, digital devices, and uncovered hawala transactions worth several crores of rupees.
• Money Laundering Charges: The ED is prosecuting key suspects under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in relation to hawala activities and the financing of the illegal immigration racket.
• Complex Networks & Roles: The probe has revealed a layered gang: local travel agents, second-tier traffickers (“donkers”) arranging transit through countries like Ecuador, Colombia, and Panama via the Darién Gap, and international crime syndicates managing final U.S. entry 

World Population Day 2025 and India’s Youth

In the News: World Population Day is observed annually on July 11 to raise awareness on global population issues and reproductive health. The 2025 theme is “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world”.

Key Insights

• India’s Massive Youth Cohort: India has the world’s largest youth population, with around 371 million aged 15–29 years, comprising 2% of the total population in 2021. Moreover, approximately 65% of Indians are under 35.
• Demographic Dividend Potential: A youthful demographic offers a demographic dividend—a boost in economic productivity if youth are equipped with quality education, health, and employment opportunities.
• Policy Reforms & Implementation: The National Youth Policy 2024, aligned with NEP 2020 and SDGs, emphasizes career skills, leadership, volunteering, and digital empowerment. Programs like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, NSS, and Startup India further support youth development initiatives.
• Thematic Imperatives of WPD 2025: The theme underscores ensuring youth have access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, helping them make free, informed life choices while advancing gender equality and social justice.
• State-Level Imperatives: Experts—especially from Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh—are calling for state-specific population strategies that focus not just on fertility rates but on overall well-being, such as childcare, healthy ageing, and support for working adults.
• Economic Goals & Growth Imperatives: To fully benefit from this demographic window, India must sustain ~7.8% GDP growth over the next 22 years (till 2047), necessitating improvements in health infrastructure, education, employability, and public health services

  

Harikrishnan A Becomes India’s 87th Grandmaster

In the News: On July 12, 2025, A. Ra Harikrishnan, a 23-year-old chess prodigy from Chennai, became India's 87th Grandmaster after securing his third and final GM norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival in France. Key Points

• Norm Achievement Timeline: Harikrishnan earned his first GM norm in Switzerland, followed by his second at the Andújar Open in Spain, and clinched the final one at La Plagne, completing the GM title requirements.
• Promise to Coach: Three months ago, Harikrishnan informed his coach, GM Shyam Sundar Mohanraj, that he would return from his European tour only if he secured the GM title—and he fulfilled that promise.
• Chennai’s Chess Factory: He is the 32nd Grandmaster from Tamil Nadu, strengthening the state’s reputation as the nation's top chess talent hub.
• Playing Style & Training Ethic: Known for his strong calculation prowess, Harikrishnan competes in 9–10 tournaments back‑to‑back—an approach that helped him find form and consistency. His coach noted his dedication and minimal distractions.
• Goal Ahead: Rating Milestones: Now that he’s a Grandmaster, Harikrishnan is aiming to surpass the 2550–2600 FIDE rating mark, as advised by his coach. 

3I/Atlas: How do scientists determine if an object is interstellar?

In the News: On July 1, 2025, the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile detected 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1), the third confirmed interstellar object to be observed passing through our solar system—joining 1I/ʻOumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). Scientists confirmed its interstellar origin by analysing its hyperbolic orbital path and extremely high inbound velocity, far exceeding solar escape velocity.

Key Points

• Interstellar Trajectory: The object follows a hyperbolic path, meaning the Sun's gravity cannot bind it—direct evidence it originated outside our solar system.
• Exceptional Speed: Traveling at about 58–61 km/s (~130,000 mph), 3I/ATLAS exceeds solar escape velocity, confirming its interstellar status.
• Cometary Nature: Telescopes—including NASA’s Deep Random Survey and the VLT—observed coma formation and a short tail, indicating active sublimation as the object approached the Sun.
• Ancient Origins: Kinematic modelling suggests it originated from the Milky Way’s old thick disk, possibly making it over 7 billion years old, predating our solar system.
• Scientific Opportunity: Despite its brief visit—perihelion expected around October 29, 2025—global observatories, including Vera C. Rubin Observatory and JWST, are gearing up to study its composition, trajectory, and outgassing to gain insights into planetary formation elsewhere.