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Current Affairs 09th December 2025
1. Kerala's First Gen-Z Post Office Opened
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Youth-Centric Design Philosophy: Conceived under the motto "Of the students, by the students, for the students," the space was co-created by CMS College students and India Post officials. It features a nature-inspired design with a vertical garden, picnic-table seating, and furniture made from refurbished tires.
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Multi-Functional Hub: Moving beyond traditional transaction counters, the facility functions as a work café, a green corner, and a community hub. It includes a counter ledge with charging points for laptops and mobile devices, encouraging students to sit and work between classes.
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Integrated Leisure Facilities: To break the "formal" image of post offices, it includes a recreation and relaxation corner equipped with a bookshelf and board games, alongside a cozy indoor reading nook for quiet reflection.
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Tech-Driven Postal Services: While aesthetically modern, it remains a fully functional post office equipped with a Multi-Purpose Counter Machine (MPCM). It offers digital-friendly features like QR-code-enabled parcel booking and a "MyStamp" printer, which allows users to print personalized stamps.
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Part of a National Modernization Goal: This launch is part of a broader national initiative to revamp 46 post offices within educational campuses across India to make them vibrant, tech-enabled spaces that resonate with contemporary student lifestyles.
2. India Opens World’s Highest War Memorial at Galwan
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Tribute to Galwan Martyrs: The memorial is dedicated to the 20 Indian soldiers (the "Gallants of Galwan") who were killed in the fierce hand-to-hand clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley, Eastern Ladakh, on June 15, 2020. It is a solemn tribute to their supreme sacrifice.
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World's Highest War Memorial: It has been constructed at a very high altitude, around 14,500 feet (approx. 4,420 meters) above sea level, making it the highest memorial of its kind in the world.
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Strategic Location: The memorial is located near the KM-120 post along the strategically vital Durbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie (DS-DBO) Road, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Its location underscores India's resolve and presence in this crucial border area.
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Part of "Bharat RanbhoomiDarshan": The memorial was unveiled as part of the 'Bharat RanbhoomiDarshan' initiative, which aims to open key battlegrounds to the public to honor fallen soldiers and allow citizens to understand the magnitude of their sacrifice and the challenging conditions under which the forces operate.
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Design and Features: The structure is built with red and black granite, symbolizing valor and sacrifice. The design is said to be inspired by a trishul and damru, reflecting divine energy and the Himalayan landscape.
3. National EMRS Cultural & Literary Festival ‘Udbhavam 2025’ concluded
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Platform for Tribal Students: The festival, organized by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, served as the 6th National EMRS Cultural & Literary Fest and Kala Utsav. Its primary aim is to provide a national platform for tribal students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) to showcase their artistic and literary talents.
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Massive Participation: The three-day event, hosted in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, saw the participation of over 1,500 to 1,800 tribal students from approximately 22 States and Union Territories across India, representing a "mini-India of tribal culture."
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Holistic Development & Cultural Preservation: The festival featured extensive competitions in around 49 distinct events, including Vocal/Instrumental Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Literary competitions. This focus is part of the EMRS mission to ensure the holistic development of tribal youth and preserve their rich, diverse indigenous cultural heritage.
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Pathway to National Competition: The winners of 'Udbhavam 2025' in identified categories will go on to represent the EMRSs at the National Kala Utsav, scheduled to be held in Pune, providing further national exposure and opportunities for the students.
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Overall Championship: At the conclusion, the overall champion of the 6th edition of the festival, based on the medal tally across the various competitions, was Telangana, followed by Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
4. Rajasthan Becomes First Indian State to Fully Digitise Voter Rolls Under SIR
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First State to Achieve Full Digitisation: Rajasthan was the first state among those participating in the second phase of the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to achieve 100% digitisation of the data collected during the enumeration process. This marked a significant milestone for the ECI's push for error-free digital electoral rolls.
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SIR Initiative's Goal: The SIR is a comprehensive, house-to-house enumeration and verification process conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to cleanse and update electoral rolls. The primary goal is to ensure the purity and accuracy of the voter list by removing duplicate, deceased, and permanently shifted voters, and adding all eligible, newly-qualified citizens.
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Basis for Draft Rolls: The fully digitised data forms the basis for the Draft Electoral Roll publication. Achieving 100% digitisation quickly allows for a more efficient and transparent process for the subsequent phases, which include the period for Claims and Objections from the public.
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Enhanced Transparency and Efficiency: Full digitisation enhances transparency for the voter, who can often check the status of their submitted form online, and improves administrative efficiency for the Election Commission by providing a verified, digital database for elections, reducing the chances of fraud or disenfranchisement due to inaccurate paper records.
5. Amit Shah Inaugurates Banas Dairy’s Bio-CNG Plant
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Circular Economy Model: The Bio-CNG and Fertilizer Plant is central to Banas Dairy's "Circular Dairy Economy" model. This model converts cow dung and other organic waste from farmers into Bio-CNG (bio-fuel) and organic manure (branded as 'BhoomiAmrit'), creating a closed-loop system for sustainability and waste management.
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Boosting Farmer Income: The initiative provides a new, significant income stream for livestock farmers by purchasing cow dung (typically at ₹1 per kg). The government stated that this circular economy model is projected to increase farmers' income by at least 20% even without an increase in milk volume, promoting rural prosperity.
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Green Energy Production: The plant (developed jointly by Banas Dairy and Suzuki India) uses cattle dung to produce renewable Bio-CNG fuel for vehicles, and the process also generates electricity and organic fertilizer. This contributes substantially to India's goals for cleaner energy and reducing carbon emissions (estimated at 6,750 tonnes annually).
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Inspiration for Cooperatives (White Revolution 2.0):Amit Shah, as the Minister of Cooperation, highlighted the Banas model as an inspiration for cooperatives nationwide under the vision of White Revolution 2.0. The Bio-CNG tradition started by Banas Dairy is intended to be replicated across the country to modernize the dairy sector and promote self-reliance.
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Part of Major Expansion: The inauguration of the Bio-CNG plant was part of a larger set of projects, including the laying of the foundation stone for a 150-ton milk powder plant and the dedication of a protein plant and an automated paneer plant.
6. AishwaryaPratap Singh Tomar Wins Silver in 50m Rifle 3-Positions at ISSF World Cup
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Event and Venue: The medal was won in the Men's 50m Rifle 3-Positions (3P) event at the ISSF World Cup Final held in Doha, Qatar.
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Podium Finish: Aishwary finished with a silver medal, scoring 413.3 in the final. The gold medal was clinched by Jiri Privratsky of Czechia, and the bronze went to Olympic champion Liu Yukun of China.
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Significant Milestone: This silver medal, won on his World Cup Final debut, completed a significant milestone for Tomar: securing a full set of medals (gold, silver, or bronze) at all possible World and Continental Championships (including World Championship, Asian Games, and Asian Championships).
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Strong Performance: Tomar showed exceptional form throughout the competition, finishing second in the qualification round with a score of 595. He was just 0.9 points behind the Gold medalist in the final.
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India's Medal Tally: His silver medal contributed to India's overall performance, being the fourth medal for the country at the Doha ISSF World Cup Final.
7. Lando Norris Wins 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Dramatic Abu Dhabi Finale
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Maiden World Championship Title: Lando Norris, driving for McLaren, clinched his first-ever Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship, becoming the sport's 35th World Champion and the 11th British champion. He is also the first McLaren driver to win the title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
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Dramatic Two-Point Victory: The title fight went down to the final lap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Norris secured the championship by only two points over runner-up Max Verstappen (Red Bull), with the final standings being: Norris (423 pts) to Verstappen (421 pts).
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Needed P3 Finish: Norris entered the final race with a 12-point advantage and knew that a podium finish (P3 or better) would guarantee him the title, regardless of Max Verstappen's result. He finished the race in third place, just enough to claim the crown.
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Race Results and Rivals: While Norris took the title, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race itself was won by his closest rival, Max Verstappen, who did everything he could by taking the maximum points. Norris's McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, finished second in the race, placing him third overall in the final standings.
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Overcoming Adversity: The championship win followed a season of intense pressure and swings. Norris bounced back from a 34-point deficit midway through the season and had to overcome late-season drama, including a double disqualification for McLaren in Las Vegas.
8. UPI Recognized as World’s Largest Real-Time Payment System
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Global Dominance by Volume: UPI has been recognized by institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the ACI Worldwide report as the world's largest retail fast-payment system (FPS) by transaction volume. As per the ACI Worldwide report, UPI accounts for approximately 49% of the global real-time payment system transaction volume, making India the clear global leader.
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Unprecedented Scale: The platform processes an enormous number of transactions, exceeding 129 billion transactions (as per the ACI Worldwide 2024 report data presented in the LokSabha) annually. This scale is so large that UPI has surpassed established global card networks like Visa in daily transaction volume, achieving this milestone in less than a decade since its launch.
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Foundation of Financial Inclusion: The success of UPI is attributed to its design—being instant (24x7), interoperable (one app works across all banks and merchants), and largely free for end-users. This has led to widespread adoption by both individuals and small-scale merchants, effectively formalizing the economy and driving financial inclusion across all tiers of Indian society.
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Government and Regulatory Support: The massive expansion is backed by targeted government and regulatory efforts from the RBI and the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). Key initiatives include the Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).
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Global Replication and Expansion: UPI’s model of open architecture and interoperability is now considered a global benchmark for digital payments. The technology is actively being expanded and adopted internationally, with UPI already operational in several countries
9. International Anti-Corruption Day: 09th December
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Commemoration of UNCAC: The day was established by the UN General Assembly to mark the adoption of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) on October 31, 2003. UNCAC is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument, committing member states to promote, facilitate, and support international cooperation to prevent and combat corruption.
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Raising Global Awareness: The core purpose of the day is to raise public awareness about corruption, defined as the "abuse of entrusted power for private gain." It highlights the severe socio-economic and political threat corruption poses to the stability of societies, the rule of law, and sustainable development.
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2025 Theme (Focus on Youth): The theme for International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 is "Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity." This theme emphasizes the crucial role of young people as innovators, leaders, and "guardians of integrity" in building a transparent and accountable future.
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Impact on Development and SDGs: The observance underscores that fighting corruption is essential for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16, which aims to promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies and significantly reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms. Corruption diverts funds from crucial services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
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Collective Responsibility: The day promotes the message that combating corruption is a shared responsibility involving governments, the private sector, civil society, media, and citizens.
10. Frank Gehry, Iconic Architect Behind Guggenheim Bilbao passed away
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Date of Passing and Age: Frank Gehry, the Canadian-American architect, passed away on December 5, 2025, at the age of 96 in Santa Monica, California, following a brief respiratory illness.
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The "Bilbao Effect" and Defining Work: His most famous and defining work is the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (completed in 1997) in Spain. Its spectacular, shimmering, titanium-clad curves transformed the industrial city's economy and reputation, giving rise to the term "The Bilbao Effect," which describes the power of signature architecture to revitalize urban areas.
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Signature Deconstructivist Style: Gehry was a leading figure in the Deconstructivist architectural movement, although he resisted being strictly categorized. His signature style is characterized by bold, sculptural, dynamic forms, often achieved through complex, undulating metallic surfaces (like titanium and steel) and a sense of movement.
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Technological Pioneer: The highly complex, non-rectilinear shapes in his work (like the Guggenheim and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles) were made possible through the pioneering use of advanced aerospace engineering software (CATIA), which allowed his team to translate intricate physical models into buildable digital designs.
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Major Awards and Legacy: He was one of the most celebrated architects of his generation, receiving the highest honors in the field, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1989 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
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