Daily Current Affairs- 15th May 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 15th May 2025

President Murmu Seeks Supreme Court's Advisory Opinion on Assent to State Bills

In the News: On May 14, 2025, President Droupadi Murmu invoked Article 143(1) of the Constitution to seek the Supreme Court's advisory opinion on 14 constitutional questions. This move follows the Court's April 8 ruling that set deadlines for the President and Governors to act on state bills, a decision the President contends lacks constitutional backing.

Key Points:

• Article 143(1) Invocation: President Murmu's referral is a rare exercise of Article 143(1), which allows the President to seek the Supreme Court's opinion on questions of law or fact of public importance. This is only the fourth such reference in the last 50 years.
• Challenge to April 8 Ruling: The Supreme Court's April 8 decision mandated that the President must decide on bills reserved by Governors within three months. President Murmu questions the Court's authority to impose such timelines, noting that the Constitution does not prescribe any specific timeframe for granting assent. 

India Rejects China's Renaming of 27 Places in Arunachal Pradesh

In the News: India firmly rejected China's latest attempt to rename 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, labeling the move as "vain and preposterous." This marks the fifth such renaming effort by China since 2017, which India views as an attempt to assert territorial claims over the northeastern state.

Key Points:

• China's Renaming Effort: China's Ministry of Civil Affairs released a list of 27 renamed locations in Arunachal Pradesh, including 15 mountains, 5 residential areas, 4 mountain passes, 2 rivers, and 1 lake.
• India's Response: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) categorically rejected China's renaming attempts, stating that such actions do not alter the reality that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that "creative naming will not alter the undeniable reality."
• Historical Context: This is the fifth time China has attempted to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, with previous efforts in 2017 (6 places), 2021 (15 places), 2023 (11 places), and 2024 (30 places).
• China's Claim: China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as "Zangnan" or "South Tibet" and claims it as part of its territory. The Chinese government asserts that standardizing names in the region is within its sovereign rights. 

Periodic Labour Force Survey Revamp (2025)

In the News: On May 15, 2025, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the first monthly bulletin under the revamped Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) system. This marks a significant policy shift toward more frequent and detailed monitoring of employment data in India. The Union Government has decided to revamp the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), started in 2017, to include employment and unemployment data from rural areas too, which were earlier excluded from quarterly estimates.

• Objective of the Reform: The government aims to provide more granular, timely, and representative data on employment trends across both urban and rural India. The updated survey mechanism supports improved policymaking in areas such as job creation, skill development, and social protection by tracking the evolving dynamics of the Indian labour market.
• Methodology and Execution: The new monthly PLFS uses a rotational panel sampling design, where selected households are surveyed four times over successive months. This design enhances data continuity and helps detect short-term labour market fluctuations. The sample size for April 2025 included 7,511 First Stage Units (FSUs), 89,434 households, and 380,838 individuals.
• Key Labour Market Findings (April 2025):
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) (15+ years): 55.6% (Rural: 58.0%, Urban: 50.7%)
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR): 52.8% (Rural: 55.4%, Urban: 47.4%)
• Unemployment Rate (UR): 5.1% (Rural: 4.5%, Urban: 6.5%)
• Youth Unemployment (15–29 years): 13.8%
• Female Participation: Rural female LFPR was 38.2%, and WPR was 36.8%.
• Expansion to Rural Areas: For the first time, quarterly estimates now include rural India, offering a holistic view of the country’s labour scenario. This is a key structural improvement over earlier rounds, where rural estimates were only available annually. 

U.S. Supreme Court Scrutinizes Trump’s Bid to Restrict Birthright Citizenship

In the News: On May 15, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. CASA, a pivotal case examining the legality of former President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14160. Issued on January 20, 2025, the order seeks to deny automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on American soil unless at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. This move challenges the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause.

Key Points:

• Executive Order 14160: Signed on Trump's first day of his second term, the order redefines eligibility for birthright citizenship, excluding children born to undocumented immigrants or those on temporary visas.
• Legal Challenges: The order faced immediate legal opposition. Federal judges in Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington, and New Hampshire issued nationwide injunctions, labeling the order as "blatantly unconstitutional" and likely in violation of the 14th Amendment.
• Supreme Court's Focus: While the constitutionality of the executive order is central, the Court is also deliberating on the broader issue of whether lower courts have the authority to issue nationwide injunctions against federal policies.
• Implications of Nationwide Injunctions: The Trump administration argues that such injunctions overstep judicial boundaries, suggesting that courts should limit relief to the plaintiffs involved. Conversely, opponents warn that restricting this tool could lead to inconsistent enforcement of federal policies across states.
• Potential Impact: If upheld, the executive order could affect an estimated 255,000 babies born annually to non-citizen parents, potentially creating a patchwork of citizenship statuses across the country.
• Historical Context: The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, guarantees citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. The Supreme Court's 1898 decision in United States v. Wong Kim Ark affirmed this right, even for children of non-citizen parents. 

UN Launches Inquiry into Reports of Rohingya Refugees Cast into Sea by Indian Naval Vessels

In the News: On May 15, 2025, the United Nations initiated an investigation into credible reports that Indian naval forces forcibly cast Rohingya refugees into the Andaman Sea. The incident has drawn international condemnation and raised serious concerns about potential violations of international law.

Key Points:

• Alleged Incident Details:
  • Approximately 40 Rohingya refugees, many holding UNHCR-issued refugee identification documents, were reportedly detained in New Delhi.
  • These individuals were allegedly blindfolded, flown to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and transferred onto an Indian naval vessel.
  • Once the vessel reached the Andaman Sea, the refugees were purportedly given life jackets and forced into the water to swim to an island within Myanmar territory.
• UN's Response:
  • Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, described the act as "outrageous" and "unconscionable."
  • He emphasized that such actions, if confirmed, would constitute a blatant violation of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.
  • The UN has called upon the Indian government to provide a full account of the events and to halt any further deportations of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
• Additional Reports:
  • Another group of approximately 100 Rohingya refugees was reportedly removed from a detention center in Assam and transferred to an area near the Bangladesh border, raising concerns about potential forced repatriations.
• India's Stance:
  • The Indian government has previously expressed concerns over national security and illegal immigration related to Rohingya refugees.
  • India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, and the Supreme Court has ruled that the right against deportation is not absolute for non-citizens. 

Brazilian Scientist Mariangela Hungria Wins 2025 World Food Prize for Sustainable Agriculture

In the News: On May 13, 2025, Brazilian microbiologist Dr. Mariangela Hungria was awarded the 2025 World Food Prize for her pioneering work in sustainable agriculture. Over her 40-year career at Brazil's agricultural research agency, Embrapa, Dr. Hungria developed biological alternatives to chemical fertilizers, significantly boosting Brazil's grain production, particularly soybeans.

Key Facts:

• Award Recognition: Hungria received the $500,000 World Food Prize for her advancements in biological nitrogen fixation, which have transformed soil health and crop nutrition in tropical agriculture.
• Career Highlights:
  • Over 40 years at Embrapa, she developed biological soil treatments enabling crops to extract nutrients more efficiently through natural microbial processes.
  • Her work increased Brazil's soybean production from approximately 15 million metric tons in the 1980s to more than 170 million tons today, positioning the country as the leading global producer and exporter.
• Scientific Contributions:
  • Isolated strains of rhizobia bacteria to inoculate soybean seeds, allowing plants to fix atmospheric nitrogen and reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
  • Developed biological treatments using Azospirillum brasilense to enhance root development in crops like corn, improving nutrient and moisture absorption.
• Environmental and Economic Impact:
  • Her innovations are applied across more than 40 million hectares in Brazil, contributing to significant increases in crop yields.
  • These practices have helped Brazil become the world's largest soybean producer, surpassing the United States and Argentina. 

 

India Successfully Tests Bhargavastra

In the News: On May 13, 2025, India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed counter-drone system, Bhargavastra, at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, Odisha. Developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries, Bhargavastra is designed to neutralize drone swarms and enhance India's air defence capabilities.

Key Features and Capabilities:

• Dual-Layer Defence Mechanism:
  • First Layer: Employs unguided micro-rockets with a lethal radius of 20 meters, capable of neutralizing drone swarms within a 2.5 km range.
  • Second Layer: Incorporates guided micro-missiles for precise targeting of individual drones, ensuring effective neutralization.
  • The system can launch up to 64 micro-rockets in a single salvo, enabling simultaneous engagement of multiple aerial threats.
• Advanced Detection and Tracking:
  • Equipped with radar capable of detecting drones with a radar cross-section as small as 0.01 square meters from distances exceeding 5 kilometers.
  • Features Electro-Optical Tracking Systems (EOTS) and Infrared (IR) sensors for accurate target identification and tracking.
• Artificial Intelligence Integration: Incorporates AI algorithms to enhance threat detection, decision-making, and targeting accuracy, allowing for autonomous operation in complex scenarios.
• Mobility and Deployment: Mounted on a mobile 4x4 platform, Bhargavastra is designed for deployment across diverse terrains, including high-altitude regions up to 5,000 meters.