Image for representational purposes only. | Photo credit: The Hindu
1. Karnataka hate speech, hate crime Bill introduced in assembly amid opposition from BJP
Karnataka’s Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, which prescribes punishment and imprisonment for hate crimes, was tabled in the Assembly on December 12 amid stiff opposition from opposition members. A total of 12 draft laws were presented in the House of Representatives.
Opposition members, especially from the BJP, vociferously opposed the bill and shouted “no” when Speaker UT Khader sought the consent of the House to introduce the bill. The entire opposition expressed displeasure and said they would not allow the bill to be passed by the House.
The bill introduced by Home Minister G. Parameshwara seeks to curb and prevent the spread, publication or promotion of hate speech and crimes that cause disharmony and hatred in society against any person or group of persons or organizations. Read our interpretation of the provisions of the law.
2. Uber passengers in Bengaluru can now book Namma Metro tickets on the app
Commuters of Bengaluru’s Namma Metro can now purchase tickets directly through the Uber app. On December 10, the ticketing company launched QR tickets based on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) technology. The app supports UPI payments. It also provides real-time metro information.
The feature has already been adopted in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, and Bengaluru is the latest metro city where Uber is integrating public transport into its ecosystem. Apart from metro ticketing, Uber also announced its entry into the B2B logistics space through Uber Direct, a service that runs on ONDC’s digital infrastructure.
3. Arecanut imported from LDEC accounted for 1.5% of India’s domestic production in 2024-25: Union Minister
India’s arecanut imports from least developed exporting countries (LDECs) have fallen from 32,238 tonnes in 2022-23 to 21,160 tonnes in 2024-25, according to Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This was mainly due to revision of minimum import price (MIP) for arecanut from ₹251 per kg to ₹351 per kg in February 2023, he said.
The amount of arecanuts imported from LDEC (Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan) during 2024-25 was only about 1.5% of India’s domestic production of 14 thousand tonnes, Lok Sabha was informed on December 9, 2025 in response to an unstarred question by Dakshina MP C. Kanjenada
Published – 10 Dec 2025 19:02 IST
