Daily Current Affairs- 18th March 2025

Daily Current Affairs 18th March 2025

ECI sets the ball rolling on linking voter ID card with Aadhaar

In the News: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the process to link Voter ID cards (EPIC) with Aadhaar numbers, aiming to enhance the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls.

• Elimination of Duplicate Entries: By linking Aadhaar with Voter IDs, the ECI seeks to remove duplicate and ineligible voter registrations, ensuring cleaner electoral rolls.
• Enhanced Electoral Transparency: The initiative aims to bolster the transparency and credibility of the electoral process by accurately verifying voter identities.
• Technical Consultations: The ECI will collaborate with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and technical experts to develop a secure and efficient system for linking Aadhaar with Voter ID cards.
• Voluntary Participation: The ECI emphasizes that linking Aadhaar with Voter ID is voluntary. Voters who choose not to link their Aadhaar will not be removed from the electoral rolls.
• Background: This initiative follows the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) launched in 2015, which was halted due to a Supreme Court order. The current effort aligns with legal provisions, including Article 326 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

India asks US to list Sikh group “Sikh for Justice” as terrorist Organisation

In the News: The Indian government has formally requested that the United States designate the pro-Khalistan organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

Background on Sikhs for Justice (SFJ):

• Establishment and Objectives: Founded in 2007, SFJ is a U.S.-based group advocating for the creation of an independent Sikh state, Khalistan, separate from India.
• Activities: The organization has organized referendums and campaigns promoting the secession of Punjab from India.
• Unlawful Association: In 2019, India declared SFJ an "unlawful association" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) due to its support for extremist and secessionist activities.
• Designation of Leaders: Key figures, including SFJ's legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, were designated as "individual terrorists" by India in
• Assassination Plot: In November 2023, U.S. authorities revealed they had thwarted a plot to assassinate Pannun, allegedly orchestrated by a former Indian intelligence officer. This incident strained diplomatic relations between India and the U.S.
• Diplomatic Engagement: During discussions between India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, India reiterated its concerns about SFJ's activities and formally requested the U.S. to designate SFJ as a terrorist organization.
• Legal Consequences: An FTO designation by the U.S. would criminalize support for SFJ within U.S. jurisdiction, allowing for the freezing of assets and imposing travel bans on its members.
• Bilateral Relations: Such a designation could strengthen counterterrorism collaboration between India and the U.S., addressing mutual concerns over separatist movements and associated violence.

Trump claims Biden pardons for Jan. 6 committee 'void, vacant'

In the News: Former President Donald Trump has asserted that certain pardons issued by his predecessor, President Joe Biden, are invalid because they were authorized using an autopen—a device that replicates a person's signature mechanically. Trump contends that this method renders the pardons "void and vacant."

• Understanding the Autopen: The autopen is a mechanical device that reproduces signatures and has been employed by U.S. presidents for decades to sign various documents, including legislation and correspondence. Notably, Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama utilized the autopen for official purposes.
• Legal Perspective on Autopen Usage: Legal experts generally agree that documents signed with an autopen, when authorized by the president, are legally valid. A 2005 opinion from the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel supports the use of the autopen for signing bills into law, provided the president has given proper authorization. Therefore, the use of an autopen for signing pardons is considered legitimate under U.S. law.
• Revocation of Presidential Pardons: Once a presidential pardon is granted and delivered, it is generally considered final and cannot be revoked by a succeeding president. Legal scholars assert that attempting to invalidate a predecessor's pardons would likely be unsuccessful in court. Jeffrey Crouch, an expert on presidential pardons, notes that a validly issued pardon is final, and efforts to reverse such actions would face significant legal challenges.  

Trump Invokes Alien Enemies Act

In the News: U.S. President Donald Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act (1798) to deport individuals associated with the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua. This marks the first application of the Act since World War II and has raised significant legal and political debates.

• Tren de Aragua is a Venezuelan-origin transnational criminal organization that has gained notoriety for its involvement in various illicit activities across Latin America and, more recently, the United States.

Origins and Expansion:

• Formation: Established in 2014 in the state of Aragua, Venezuela, Tren de Aragua initially operated within the country's prison system before extending its influence beyond.
• Criminal Activities: The gang engages in a wide array of criminal enterprises, including extortion, human trafficking, drug trafficking, kidnapping, illegal mining, and arms smuggling.
• Geographical Reach: Beyond Venezuela, Tren de Aragua has established a presence in countries such as Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, and the United States.

Presence in the United States:

• Emergence: The gang began to surface in the S. during the early 2020s, coinciding with an increase in migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, particularly from Venezuela.
• Law Enforcement Actions: In January 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the gang's operations within the U.S. Subsequently, in July 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House announced sanctions against Tren de Aragua, designating it a "transnational criminal organization."
• Deportation of Alleged Members: In March 2025, the Trump administration deported over 250 individuals alleged to be members of Tren de Aragua to El Salvador, invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. This marked the first use of the act since World War II.
• Legal Controversies: These deportations occurred despite a court order blocking the use of this law, leading to legal challenges and debates over the administration's authority and the due process rights of the deportees. 

India and New Zealand Resume FTA Talks

In the News: India and New Zealand have officially resumed negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after a decade-long hiatus, aiming to strengthen economic ties and enhance bilateral trade.

• Initial Negotiations: The two countries began discussions on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in April 2010 to boost trade in goods, services, and investment. However, talks stalled after nine rounds, with the last round held in 2013, primarily due to disagreements over sensitive sectors like dairy and agriculture.
• Resumption of Talks: On March 17, 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the revival of FTA negotiations. This decision reflects a shared vision to deepen trade ties and expand economic opportunities.
• Trade Ministers' Meeting: Prior to the leaders' announcement, India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met with New Zealand's Trade Minister Todd McClay to discuss the framework for the renewed negotiations.
• Market Access: The agreement aims to improve market access for goods and services, addressing previous concerns in sectors such as agriculture and dairy.
• Supply Chain Integration: Enhancing supply chain integration to facilitate smoother trade flows between the two nations.
• Economic Growth: Fostering mutual growth and prosperity by unlocking new avenues for businesses and consumers.
• Bilateral Trade Volume: Bilateral trade between India and New Zealand surpassed $1 billion during April-January 2025, indicating steady growth in economic exchanges.
• Tariff Disparities: One of the significant challenges in the renewed talks is the disparity in tariff structures. New Zealand's average import tariff is approximately 2.3%, with over half of its tariff lines already duty-free, providing substantial access to its market. In contrast, India's average tariff stands at 8%, indicating the need for significant reductions to make a traditional FTA mutually beneficial. 

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams return to Earth after nine months in space

In the News: NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams have safely returned to Earth after an extended 286-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Mission Overview:

• Launch Details: Wilmore and Williams launched on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing's CST-100 Starliner as part of the Boeing Crew Flight Test (Boe-CFT). The mission was initially planned for eight days but was extended due to technical issues with the spacecraft's thrusters.
• Extended Stay: Due to the thruster malfunctions, NASA deemed it too risky for the astronauts to return aboard the Starliner. Consequently, Wilmore and Williams remained on the ISS, contributing to various scientific experiments and maintenance tasks.
• SpaceX Crew-9 Mission: The astronauts returned aboard SpaceX's Crew-9 Dragon capsule, which undocked from the ISS and safely splashed down off the coast of Florida on March 18, 2025.
• Health Assessments: Upon return, both astronauts underwent standard medical evaluations to assess their health after the prolonged microgravity exposure. Extended missions can lead to muscle atrophy, bone density loss, and other physiological changes.

Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman Chooses Assisted Suicide At 90

In the News: The recent revelation of Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman's decision to end his life through assisted suicide in Switzerland has reignited global discussions on the ethics and legality of assisted dying.

Kahneman's Decision:

• Personal Choice: At 90, Kahneman chose to end his life on his terms, despite being in relatively good health, to avoid the potential miseries and indignities associated with advanced age.
• Final Days: He spent his last days in Paris with family and friends before traveling to Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal under specific conditions.
• Nobel Prize Winner: Daniel Kahneman was an Israeli-American psychologist, was awarded the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for integrating psychological insights into economic science, particularly concerning human judgment and decision-making under uncertainty.
• His collaboration with Amos Tversky led to the development of prospect theory, which describes how people make decisions involving risk, challenging the traditional assumption of human rationality in economic theory.
• Known for: Kahneman's most renowned book is "Thinking, Fast and Slow," published in

India's Position on Assisted Dying:

• Legal Distinctions: India differentiates between active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia, involving deliberate actions to end a life, remains illegal. Passive euthanasia, which entails withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment, has been legal under specific circumstances since the Supreme Court's judgments in the Aruna Shanbaug case (2011) and the Common Cause case (2018).
• Advance Directives: The 2018 Supreme Court ruling recognized the right to die with dignity, allowing individuals to create advance medical directives (living wills) specifying their preferences for end-of-life care, including instructions for withdrawing life support if they become incapacitated.
• Recent Developments: In January 2023, the Supreme Court further streamlined the process for passive euthanasia, simplifying the guidelines for implementing advance directives.