Current Affairs - Dec 12, 2025

Explanation:

The Supreme Court clarified that contempt powers exist to safeguard the authority of the judiciary as an institution, not the personal reputation of individual judges. The Court emphasised that the power to punish must naturally include the power to forgive. This ensures judicial restraint and proportionality when dealing with contempt cases. The purpose is to maintain order, dignity, and respect in the justice system, preventing actions that may hamper court functioning. These powers come from Articles 129 and 215 of the Constitution, which recognise the Supreme Court and High Courts as 'courts of record'. The Contempt of Courts Act 1971 further codifies categories, procedures, and limitations of contempt jurisdiction. Historically, contempt evolved from English common law to protect courts from disruption and disrespect. India retained these principles to ensure smooth functioning of an independent judiciary.

Explanation:

The Contempt of Courts Act 1971 provides the statutory basis for defining civil and criminal contempt in India. It offers clarity on what actions constitute contempt and outlines procedures for punishment. Civil contempt refers to wilful disobedience of court orders, decrees, or directions. It ensures that judgments are followed properly and the authority of judicial pronouncements is upheld. Criminal contempt includes actions that scandalize the court, interfere with judicial proceedings, or obstruct justice. This form protects the judiciary from external attacks that might affect fairness or public confidence. The Act incorporates several safeguards, such as permitting fair criticism of judicial acts and accepting truth as a valid defence (added under the 2006 amendment). It complements constitutional powers under Articles 129 and 215.

Explanation:

Article 129 declares the Supreme Court as a 'court of record', which automatically grants it the inherent authority to punish for contempt. This status ensures the Court can enforce respect, maintain discipline in proceedings, and uphold the administration of justice. Being a court of record means that its judgments serve as authoritative precedents and that records of its proceedings carry unquestionable legal validity. High Courts have identical powers through Article 215. These provisions maintain the independence of the judiciary by empowering courts to take corrective action against behaviour that threatens judicial functioning. Contempt powers are essential for preventing interference, safeguarding justice delivery, and maintaining public confidence in the legal system.

Explanation:

The Delhi Ridge acts as a crucial green barrier that prevents hot desert winds from Rajasthan from entering Delhi, thereby moderating the city's climate. Part of the ancient Aravalli Range, the ridge is among the oldest mountain systems in the world. It is a significant ecological asset for Delhi and often called the 'lungs of the capital' due to its pollution-absorbing capacity. The ridge spans nearly 8,000 hectares and supports diverse flora and fauna, including numerous bird species, jackals, porcupines, and rich dry-deciduous vegetation. Environmental experts stress that protecting the ridge is essential to mitigate Delhi's pollution crisis, prevent soil erosion, and maintain groundwater recharge zones.

Explanation:

Delhi Ridge is classified into four zones: Northern Ridge, Southern Ridge, Central Ridge, and South-Central Ridge. This division helps environmental authorities adopt zone-wise conservation strategies. The Northern Ridge is noted for biodiversity and historical sites; the Southern Ridge includes the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary; the Central Ridge covers areas near New Delhi’s administrative zones; and the South-Central Ridge supports scattered urban forests. Each zone has unique ecological importance in maintaining Delhi's environmental health. Rapid urban expansion has degraded parts of the ridge, making zone-based monitoring crucial for conservation. This classification also helps in legal protection and urban planning to preserve remaining forest habitats.

Explanation:

ADB’s headquarters is located in Manila, Philippines. Established in 1966, the institution aims to foster social and economic development across Asia and the Pacific. The choice of Manila symbolised ADB’s commitment to being headquartered within a developing Asian economy instead of a major Western city, unlike institutions such as the IMF or World Bank. ADB supports member nations through loans, grants, policy consultations, and infrastructure funding. India, a founding member, is one of ADB’s largest borrowers and beneficiaries. Its projects include transportation networks, water supply, clean energy transitions, and social sector development.

Explanation:

ADB upgraded India's FY26 growth projection to 7.2%, citing strong domestic demand, structural reforms, and resilient macroeconomic fundamentals. Earlier forecasts estimated 6.5%, but revised data on investment, consumption, and manufacturing output indicated stronger-than-expected performance. India’s service sector continues to expand rapidly, while sectors like digital infrastructure, renewable energy, and logistics are gaining momentum. ADB noted that prudent fiscal management and reforms in land, labour, and capital markets boosted confidence. India remains one of the fastest-growing major economies globally in ADB’s 2025-26 outlook.

Explanation:

Japan and the United States each hold a 15.6% share in ADB, making them its two largest shareholders. Japan also traditionally nominates ADB’s President. This reflects Japan's role as a leading economic power in Asia and its longstanding interest in regional development. China and India follow with significant shares but remain behind Japan and the US in voting power. The shareholder structure influences ADB’s decision-making system, funding allocation, and project development priorities across Asia.

Explanation:

RAMBHA-LP is a Langmuir Probe designed to measure plasma properties near the lunar surface. It detected active plasma in the south polar region during Chandrayaan-3’s mission. Plasma behaviour on the Moon is influenced by solar radiation, solar wind, and interactions with the lunar regolith. Understanding plasma distribution helps scientists predict dust movement, electrostatic charging, and surface interactions. The findings support long-term lunar exploration goals, especially for setting up future human or robotic bases in polar regions. RAMBHA-LP contributes to global scientific knowledge of exosphere–surface dynamics on airless bodies like the Moon.

Explanation:

RAMBHA-LP primarily studies electron density and electron temperature near the Moon’s surface. These measurements reveal variations in the lunar plasma layer, which is extremely thin but constantly influenced by solar activity. Understanding such plasma is crucial for designing electronics, landers, and habitats for future lunar missions. This probe helps scientists evaluate dust transport mechanisms, surface charging, and plasma-solar wind interaction. The data also enrich India’s contributions to global lunar science following Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2.

Explanation:

The Great Barrier Reef stretches across the northeastern coastline of Queensland in the Coral Sea. It is the world's largest coral reef system, comprising nearly 3,000 individual reefs and over 900 islands. It spans more than 2,300 km and is visible from space. The reef supports rich biodiversity, including corals, fish, sharks, turtles, and marine mammals. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site due to its ecological significance. Challenges such as coral bleaching, warming oceans, pollution, and invasive species threaten its long-term survival.

Explanation:

Goniopora corals were severely affected, with almost three-quarters of colonies dying due to abnormal heat exposure and a rare coral disease outbreak. These corals are known for their flower-like polyps and are sensitive to thermal stress. Rising sea temperatures disturb the symbiotic algae inside corals, causing bleaching and weakening immunity. Once weakened, corals become vulnerable to infections, pathogens, and structural collapse. The observed mortality highlights how escalating climate change is accelerating reef degradation. The study warns that if global warming continues, mass coral die-offs may become more frequent and irreversible.

Explanation:

GlowCas9 emits light during gene-editing activity because it is fused with a bioluminescent enzyme derived from deep-sea shrimp. This feature allows scientists to visually track gene-editing processes in real-time inside living tissues without damaging cells. It improves accuracy, monitoring, and safety during CRISPR experiments. GlowCas9 also helps in studying off-target activity, cellular responses, and gene-repair pathways, which are essential for medical applications. The technology represents a major advance in CRISPR research, combining precision gene editing with real-time luminescent feedback.

Explanation:

IIT Madras launched the National Hub for Quantum Communication under India's National Quantum Mission. The hub focuses on developing secure quantum communication systems, quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum memory, and long-distance entanglement distribution technologies. India aims to build hybrid terrestrial–satellite quantum networks protecting national security, banking, and strategic communications. The initiative brings together academia, industry, defence agencies, and start-ups to accelerate India's leadership in quantum technologies.

Explanation:

The Yellow Line marks the redeployment zone defined under the 2025 US-brokered ceasefire agreement in Gaza. It separates Gaza into two sectors: an Israeli-controlled eastern corridor and a Palestinian-administered western sector. This geographical division influences civilian movement, aid distribution, and security monitoring. The line reflects ongoing negotiations surrounding long-term security arrangements, demilitarised zones, and humanitarian access. This terminology is now widely used in diplomatic reports, UN briefings, and conflict-monitoring documents related to Gaza.

Explanation:

Rajaji was India's last and only Indian Governor-General, serving from 1948 until the office was abolished in 1950 after India became a republic. He was a key freedom fighter, statesman, and close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Rajaji played a central role in India's constitutional transition and consolidating administrative systems post-Independence. He was also known for his intellectual contributions, Tamil literary works, and the founding of the Swatantra Party in 1959. His statesmanship influenced early economic policy debates, federalism, and democratic values in India.

Explanation:

Rajaji received the Bharat Ratna in 1954, the year the award was instituted. He was among the first recipients along with C. V. Raman and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. His contributions spanned politics, freedom struggle, literature, social reform, education, and moral philosophy. Rajaji was also a noted writer, producing works such as 'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharata' retellings in English and Tamil, which remain widely read. His liberal political ideas influenced economic discourse in independent India.

Explanation:

Nuclear energy contributes about 3% to India's total electricity generation as of July 2025. Despite having 24 reactors across several states, India’s share remains small due to long gestation periods, high capital costs, and land acquisition challenges. The government aims to scale nuclear capacity through 700 MW PHWRs, fast breeder reactors, and collaborations with global partners. Nuclear energy is crucial for India’s clean-energy transition because it provides reliable baseload power with near-zero carbon emissions.

Explanation:

Deepavali was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The list recognizes cultural traditions, rituals, festivals, community practices, and knowledge systems passed across generations. Deepavali’s inclusion highlights its universal message of light overcoming darkness and celebrates its social bonding, artistic expressions, and regional diversity. This recognition helps preserve cultural heritage and promotes global awareness of Indian traditions.

Explanation:

The World Inequality Report 2026 highlighted that the top 1% in India holds around 40% of total national wealth. The report, prepared by global economists, analyses income and wealth disparities across countries. It underscores widening inequality in both developed and developing nations. For India, the report recommended stronger progressive taxation, social security expansion, and reforms to reduce wealth concentration. It also emphasised structural imbalances between the Global North and Global South, calling for international cooperation to address inequality.