Explore the Daily Current Affairs 8 September 2025, focusing on recent events. Download quick REVISION NOTES.
Brain Eating Amoeba
Source: Down to Earth, The Hindu newspaper
Context: A 38-year-old man from Kerala, died from suspected amoebic meningoencephalitis, a deadly infection caused by the ‘brain‑eating’ amoeba Naegleria fowleri.
What is Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)?
- Cause: A microscopic amoeba called Naegleria fowleri
- Infection Type: Acute, rapidly fatal brain infection
- Fatality Rate: Over 97% globally (very few survivors)
- Cure: No Vaccine available
- This amoeba thrives in warm temperatures. Found in freshwater sources: Warm lakes, ponds, rivers Geothermal springs, Poorly chlorinated swimming pools. Not found in saltwater (seas/oceans).
How Does It Infect Humans?
- Entry: Through the nose (not by drinking).
- Trigger: Activities like: Swimming or diving in warm, stagnant freshwater, Using contaminated water for nasal irrigation or ablution (e.g., via neti pots)
- Invasion: The amoeba travels via the olfactory nerve to the brain. It destroys brain tissue, causing severe inflammation.
| Area | Relevance |
| Public Health | Disease surveillance, rare disease management |
| Environment | Link between rising temperatures and microbial emergence |
| Science & Tech | Diagnostic innovation (PCR, rapid detection) |
| Ethics | Right to health, government response |
| Disaster Management | Health emergency preparedness and response |
Great Nicobar Island mega‑development project
Context: Great Nicobar Island development project is being cited as threat to environment and tribal rights.
The Great Nicobar Island mega‑development project, conceptualized by NITI Aayog and planned by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO), envisages a massive transformation of the region.
Concerns:
1. Environmental Costs
Forest & Biodiversity Loss: Approximately 130 sq km of primary tropical rainforest will be cleared—equivalent to about 1 million trees. Initial estimates of 8.5–9.6 lakh trees may be vastly understated.
A significant biodiversity hotspot: home to endemic species such as the Nicobar Megapode, Nicobar crab-eating macaque, leatherback sea turtle, Nicobar tree shrew, and unique coral ecosystems.
Galathea Bay, previously a marine turtle sanctuary, was denotified in 2021 to accommodate the project—contradicting India’s Marine Turtle Action Plan.
Coral reefs risk irreparable damage; their translocation effectiveness is questionable.
2. Coastal & Geological Vulnerability
- The island sits in a seismically active zone—the “Ring of Fire”—and endured a 15 ft coastal subsidence post-2004 tsunami.
- Geological makeup (sandstone, shale over volcanic layers) increases earthquake risk and liquefaction potential, magnifying disaster vulnerability.
3. Indigenous Rights & Cultural Erosion
- The island is home to the Shompen, one of India’s most vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG), with a population possibly as low as 100–400.
- Experts warn that the influx of outsiders will expose the Shompen to infectious diseases—potentially leading to cultural and physical extinction. Terms like “death sentence” and even “genocide” are used by academics.
- Legal requirements, such as Forest Rights Act provisions, and mandatory tribal consultations appear ignored or superficially handled.
4. Legal & Governance Challenges
- Compensatory afforestation is planned in Haryana, failing to replicate Nicobar’s biodiversity or ecological value.
- The Shekhar Singh Commission (2002) mandated no felling in tribal reserves and prior afforestation, yet, these protections appear sidestepped.
- Environmentalists, including Jairam Ramesh, have labeled the plan a “maha ecological disaster” and demanded independent reviews.
- A sealed report from a 2023 high‑powered committee review was submitted to the National Green Tribunal, but remains confidential, citing national security.
- Youth groups and activists have urged MPs to stop the project, calling for transparent EIA processes and genuine tribal consent.
Mains Question: “Discuss the strategic importance of the Great Nicobar Island Development Project in the context of India’s maritime security and Indo-Pacific policy. How can India balance developmental goals with ecological and tribal rights in this sensitive region? (15 marks, 250 words)
Indian Citizenship
Source: The Hindu, ToI
Context: Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have remained ineligible for long-term visas or an expedited path to Indian citizenship under existing laws.
Notably, they were excluded from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), which offers accelerated citizenship only to select religious minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Christians) from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—not Sri Lanka.
Perhaps, GOI has provided a temporary exemption from prosecution for Sri Lankan Tamils who arrived in India on or before January 9, 2015.
Sri Lanka refugees who came to India in July 1983 or after should be naturalised/registered under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955, and Citizenship Rules, 1956.
Read in Detail: Indian Citizenship Act, 1955.
Death of Infants from Rat bites
Source: ToI
Context: At Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) in Indore, two newborns were reportedly bitten by rats in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Relevance:
- Governance & Accountability: Highlights failure in basic public health infrastructure and need for systems to ensure cleanliness, routine audits, and staff responsibility in hospitals.
- Policymaking & Implementation: Calls into focus gaps between policy (healthcare protocols) and on-ground implementation, especially in tertiary care hospitals in tier‑2 cities.
- Rights-Based Approach to Health: Raises questions on the state’s responsibility towards citizens’ right to health and life (Articles 21). This is vital, given the Supreme Court’s recognition of health as a fundamental right.
4. State vs Private Healthcare: Sparked debate on the quality of public vs private healthcare, elitism in access, and the consequences for underprivileged populations.
5. Human Rights & Public Service Delivery: Triggered oversight by human rights institutions—demonstrating a legal and ethical accountability framework beyond just administration.
Daily Current Affairs – 8 September 2025
Places in News:
Kyiv (Capital of Ukraine)
- Kyiv is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine, ranking as the seventh most populous city in Europe.
- It is located in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River, situated on the border of the Polesia woodland ecological zone and the East European forest steppe biome.
- Kyiv holds a unique status with double jurisdiction: the Head of City State Administration, appointed by the President of Ukraine, oversees state administration, while the Mayor, elected by popular vote, leads the City Council.
- Kyiv is also a major cultural, scientific, educational, and transport hub.
- The city has been a focal point in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with its energy infrastructure targeted in large-scale attacks since 2022, leading to widespread blackouts and freezing conditions.