LEGAL NEWS

SC Pushes for Stronger Safeguards for Persons with Disabilities

• The Supreme Court urged the Central government to evaluate the need for a stricter law to curb derogatory remarks targeting persons with disabilities.

• The bench stressed that dignity and respect for individuals with disabilities must be firmly protected.

• On 27 November, the Court suggested considering a law on the lines of the SC/ST Act, making mocking or insulting people with disabilities or rare genetic conditions a punishable offence.

• Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that an independent regulatory body is essential to monitor obscene or unlawful online content.

• The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is currently drafting updated content regulation guidelines.

• Solicitor General Tushar Mehta noted that humour should never come at the cost of violating someone’s dignity.

• The Court was responding to a petition by the SMA Cure Foundation, which flagged offensive jokes by several influencers, prompting the bench to caution comics like Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Tanwar.

• The judges proposed hosting two monthly programmes to showcase achievements of persons with disabilities and raise funds for Spinal Muscular Atrophy treatment.

RANKING AND REPORTS

UN Report on Femicide 2025

• A UN assessment reveals a grim statistic: every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed somewhere in the world.

• The 2025 Femicide Report by UNODC and UN Women estimates that 83,000 females were intentionally murdered in 2024.

• Nearly 60% of these killings were committed by intimate partners or family members, highlighting the danger within households.

• The UN warns that digital spaces have amplified risks through cyberstalking, coercive behaviour and misuse of images.

• Africa recorded the highest femicide rate globally, followed by the Americas, Oceania, Asia and Europe.

• The findings were published on 25 November, observed as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

• The 2025 theme—“UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls”—focuses on tackling online abuse.

• The day also launched the annual 16-day UNiTE campaign, running from 25 November to 10 December, concluding on International Human Rights Day.

NATIONAL NEWS

President Murmu’s Two-Day Visit to Odisha and Uttar Pradesh

• President Droupadi Murmu began her November 27–28, 2025 visit with an address to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in Bhubaneswar.

• Her speech was historic, as no Indian President had ever addressed the Odisha Assembly before.

• The event was especially meaningful for her, marking a return to the institution where she started her political career.

• She revisited Room No. 11, the chamber she occupied during her tenure as an MLA from Rairangpur in 2000 and 2004.

• On November 28, she will travel to Lucknow to participate in the launch of the Brahma Kumaris’ 2025–26 theme, “Meditation for World Unity and Trust.”

• The President will also join the concluding ceremony of the Bharat Scouts and Guides’ diamond jubilee celebrations.

• During the visit, she is scheduled to address the 19th National Jamboree of the Bharat Scouts and Guides.

• The Bharat Scouts and Guides—established on 7 November 1950 and headquartered in New Delhi—is a voluntary, non-political youth movement focused on character and leadership development.

SPORTS

Ahmedabad Wins Hosting Rights for 2030 Commonwealth Games

• Ahmedabad has officially been chosen to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games during the General Assembly held in Glasgow.

• The proposal received approval from delegates representing 74 Commonwealth nations, marking India’s second time hosting the event after 2010.

• This selection strengthens India’s broader goal of presenting a strong bid for the 2036 Olympic Games.

• Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called the decision a major step in India’s journey to becoming a global sporting hub by 2047.

• Commonwealth Sport President Dr. Donald Rukare praised India for its scale, youthful energy, cultural depth, and rising sporting influence.

• Over the past decade, Ahmedabad has rapidly modernised its sports facilities and is also being considered for future Olympic opportunities.

• The 2030 edition is expected to include around 15–17 sports disciplines, with the final lineup to be finalised next year.

• The city’s vision reflects lessons from Glasgow 2026 and aims to showcase India’s cultural identity while bringing athletes and communities together for the Games’ centenary year.

AWARDS

Lok Nayak Foundation Literary Awards 2025

• Noted Telugu author Velamala Simmanna, with over 100 published works, has been selected for the 2025 Lok Nayak Foundation literary honour.

• The award carries a cash prize of ₹2 lakh and will be presented on January 18, 2026.

• The ceremony coincides with the death anniversaries of N. T. Rama Rao and poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, which the foundation commemorates annually.

• The foundation is also conferring Lifetime Achievement Awards on four distinguished individuals for their contributions to Telugu culture and service.

• The awardees include oncologist Nori Dattatreyudu, cultural promoter Thotakura Prasad from Dallas, Detroit-based physician Vemulapalli Raghavendra Choudhary, and Kensington–Chelsea Deputy Mayor Aarien Uday Areti.

• Each Lifetime Achievement Award comes with a ₹1 lakh cash reward.

• Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker Raghu Ramakrishna Raju will attend the event as a special guest.

DEFENCE

Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025

• The Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 was inaugurated on 27 November at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, hosted by the Indian Army.

• President Droupadi Murmu attended the opening session, underscoring the significance of the event.

• Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi delivered the keynote address, outlining India’s evolving defence and security landscape.

• The Indian Army organised the dialogue with CLAWS, centring discussions on the vision of a Sashakt, Surakshit and Viksit Bharat.

• Key elements of the Army’s long-term transformation plan were showcased, including HOP 2032, STEP 2037, and JUMP 2047 for building a next-generation force.

• The President highlighted the need for preparedness in emerging warfare domains such as cyber, space and cognitive conflict, calling for agile and tech-driven forces.

• India now allocates 75% of its capital defence procurement to domestic manufacturers, speeding up indigenisation and boosting defence exports.

• CDD 2025 seeks to create a strategic platform to shape India’s future security framework, built on technological strength, moral clarity and self-reliance.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

Indian Coast Guard’s First Shipbuilding & Indigenisation Conference

• The Indian Coast Guard organised its first-ever Shipbuilding, Indigenisation & IT Conference on 27 November in Madikeri, Karnataka, marking a major step in maritime capability enhancement.

• A MoU was signed with the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association and the Defence Innovation & Atal Incubation Centre to boost defence innovation and local manufacturing.

• The collaboration aims to strengthen the Defence Innovation Hub in Coimbatore, accelerating India’s indigenisation push.

• DG ICG Paramesh Sivamani stressed the growing need for self-reliance in shipbuilding, citing substantial progress in indigenous projects.

• He noted that the 200th indigenously built vessel, the 4th Pollution Control Ship, is currently completing sea trials.

• The conference showcased Project Digital Coast Guard, envisioned as a secure and scalable digital network for all Coast Guard units.

• Three key documents were launched—an e-book teaser on the History of Shipbuilding in ICG, the AI Roadmap for the Coast Guard, and the Cyber Crisis Management Plan 2025.

• These releases highlight the organisation’s commitment to technological advancement, digital strengthening, and building a future-ready maritime force.