NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Ageas Federal Life Insurance Unveils New Brand
Identity with “Har Wada Mumkin” Promise: Ageas Federal Life Insurance unveiled
its refreshed brand identity with a new logo and the promise “Har Wada
Mumkin – Promises Made Possible,” launched by MD & CEO Jude Gomes along
with brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai.The new logo features two
unifying arcs symbolising protection and guidance, with orange representing optimism
and violet signifying trust, reflecting the company’s aim to simplify insurance
and expand financial protection across India.The rebranding highlights the
company’s strong performance—270% solvency ratio (4th among private life
insurers), 13% YoY growth in Individual APE, 100% claim settlement ratio, and a
growing presence with 19.71 lakh policies, ₹27,558 crore sum assured, and
₹18,956 crore AUM as of March 2025.
2. ADB Raises India’s FY26 Growth Forecast to 7.2% on
Strong Economic Momentum : ADB has raised India’s growth forecast for FY
2025-26 to 7.2%, up from 6.5%, citing strong economic performance in the
July–September quarter and improved prospects for the fiscal yearADB has kept
its FY 2026-27 growth projection for India unchanged at 6.5%, indicating
expectations of stable growth in the following year.For the Asia-Pacific
region, ADB now projects 5.1% growth, higher than the 4.8% forecast in
September, supported largely by stronger-than-expected growth in India.
3. Odisha
to Get Seven Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals To Further Strengthen Its Logistics
and Industrial Infrastructure: Odisha is
set to further strengthen its logistics and industrial infrastructure with the
development of seven new Gati Shakti Multi Modal Cargo Terminals. The move is
part of a nationwide push to improve freight efficiency, reduce logistics costs
and enhance multimodal connectivity under the PM Gati Shakti framework. The
announcement was made by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha on
December 12, 2025. He stated that seven additional Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals
have been approved for Odisha, building on the success of ten such
terminals already commissioned in the state. The expansion is expected to
improve freight movement and support industrial growth across multiple
districts. Officials said the new terminals will play a critical role in
strengthening Odisha’s industrial supply chain by enabling faster and more
cost-effective movement of goods. The existing terminals have already begun
benefiting sectors such as cement, steel, mining and manufacturing. With the
addition of seven more facilities, the state’s logistics ecosystem is expected
to gain greater capacity and efficiency.
4. Chhattisgarh
Gets Its First Ramsar Site with Kopra Reservoir Declaration: Chhattisgarh has marked a significant
environmental milestone with the declaration of the Kopra Reservoir in Bilaspur
district as the state’s first Ramsar Site. The recognition places Kopra on the
global list of wetlands of international importance, highlighting the state’s
growing role in biodiversity conservation and sustainable water management. The
Ramsar designation was officially announced on December 12, 2025, following
coordinated efforts by the State Wetland Authority, forest officials,
environmental experts, researchers and local communities. Officials described
Kopra Reservoir as a unique wetland system shaped by both natural and man-made
features. The reservoir is primarily rain-fed and supported by small seasonal
streams, making it a critical freshwater source in the region. Kopra Reservoir
plays a vital role in supporting nearby villages by supplying drinking water
and sustaining irrigation across fertile agricultural tracts in its catchment
area. Beyond its hydrological value, the wetland functions as a biodiversity
hotspot. It supports diverse aquatic life including fish, amphibians, reptiles,
insects and dense aquatic vegetation, underlining its ecological richness.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Andrej Babis Returns to Power as Czech Republic’s New
Prime Minister: Andrej Babis, a populist
billionaire and former Prime Minister (2017–2021), was sworn in again as
the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, after his party’s victory in the
October parliamentary elections.His new coalition commands 108 out of 200 seats
in the Lower House, pushing the four centre-right, pro-Western parties of
former PM Petr Fiala to the Opposition.
2. 10 December – Human Rights Day: Human Rights Day is observed every year
on 10 December to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.Theme 2025
– Human Rights, Our Everyday EssentialsThe day highlights the universal
rights and freedoms that every individual is entitled to, regardless of
nationality, gender, race, religion, or status.It aims to spread awareness
about protecting human dignity, ensuring equality, and promoting justice across
the world.
3. India
Advances Maritime Innovation with World’s First Autonomous Shipyard in Andhra
Pradesh: India has
taken a major step towards next-generation maritime technology with the
allotment of land to Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd for setting up the
world’s first autonomous maritime shipyard and systems centre in Andhra Pradesh. The project is expected to significantly strengthen indigenous
capabilities in defence and commercial maritime sectors while positioning India
as a global leader in autonomous ocean technologies. The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has allotted 29.58 acres of land at the Juvvaladinne
Fishing Harbour in Bogolu Mandal of SPSR Nellore district for the facility. The
coastal location offers direct access to marine testing environments, making it
suitable for the development and validation of autonomous surface and
subsurface platforms. The decision reflects the state’s intent to attract
high-technology defence manufacturing and advanced research investments.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian
Navy To Commission Indigenous Diving Support Craft DSC A20: The Indian Navy will
induct DSC A20, the first vessel of the indigenously designed Diving Support Craft
series, at Kochi on 16 December 2025. The commissioning under Southern Naval
Command marks a major boost to underwater operations and highlights growing
self-reliance in naval shipbuilding. DSC A20 is the lead ship in a five-vessel
series being built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited in Kolkata. The craft is
purpose-designed for a wide range of diving and underwater missions in coastal
waters. Its design meets Indian Naval Rules and Indian Register of Shipping
standards, with extensive model testing conducted at NSTL Visakhapatnam. The
vessel incorporates state-of-the-art diving systems to support inspection,
salvage and underwater maintenance tasks. Built on a catamaran hull form, it
offers enhanced stability, greater deck space and improved seakeeping. With a
displacement of about 390 tons, it delivers reliable performance across varied
operational conditions.
SPORTS
1. Venkatesh Prasad elected new KSCA president: Venkatesh Prasad was elected President of the
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), defeating K.N. Shanth Kumar
with 749 votes to 558, marking a major leadership change within the Karnataka
State Cricket Association.‘Team Game Changers’ dominates the elections, winning
four of the five key office-bearer positions, including vice-president Sujith
Somasundar, secretary Santosh Menon, and treasurer B.N. Madhukar.K. Ravi wins
joint secretary post, becoming the only office-bearer from Shanth’s ‘Team
Brijesh’ camp with 669-638 votes.
2. Raipur
Set to Make History with National Transgender Sports Meet: Raipur is set to host a
landmark national transgender sports meet later this month, marking a
significant step towards inclusion and equality in Indian sports. After nearly
a decade, transgender athletes will once again get a national platform to
showcase their sporting talent, resilience and discipline through a dedicated
multi-day sporting event. The National Transgender Sports Meet 2025, themed
‘Samta Ka Mahotsav’, will be held on December 19 and 20 in Raipur. Athletes
from several states including Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha are
expected to participate. The event is being organised by the Chhattisgarh Mitwa Sankalp Samiti, a community organisation working with
transgender and LGBTQ groups, with support from the state department of social
welfare. Organisers have emphasised that the meet is designed not only as a
competition but as a platform of dignity, identity and self-expression. Through
athletics and other sporting disciplines, transgender athletes will be able to
demonstrate their physical ability, commitment and competitive spirit. The
initiative aims to challenge stereotypes, increase visibility and build confidence
within the community at a national level.
3. Chandigarh
University Scripts History with Back-to-Back Khelo India University Games
Titles: Chandigarh
University has created sporting history by becoming the first university in
India to win the Khelo India University Games title for two consecutive years.
The university finished on top of the medal tally at the 5th Khelo India
University Games (KIUG) 2025, held in Rajasthan, with a record-breaking performance that reaffirmed its position as a
national powerhouse in university sports. At the 5th edition of KIUG,
Chandigarh University secured an unprecedented haul of 67 medals, including 42
gold, 14 silver and 11 bronze. This marked the highest number of gold medals
ever won by a single university in the history of the Games. The achievement
surpassed the university’s own performance at KIUG 2024, where it had won 71
medals with 32 golds, underlining consistent dominance across editions. KIUG
2025 was organised from 24 November to 5 December under the aegis of the Sports
Authority of India in collaboration with the Association of Indian
Universities. The event witnessed participation from nearly 5,000 athletes
representing 222 universities across the country. Competitions were held in 23
medal sports along with one demonstration sport, Kho-Kho, making the tournament
one of the largest multi-sport university events in India.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. SBI, BoB get RBI nod to set up fraud detection
platform: SBI and Bank of Baroda have received approval
from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to establish a new company
called Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) aimed at
enhancing fraud detection in digital transactions across public sector banks.The
new entity will be set up as a Section 8 (non-profit) company under the
Companies Act, 2013, and will focus on identifying and preventing fraudulent
digital payments to strengthen the security framework of India’s banking
system.The RBI’s approval is subject to an exemption by the Department of
Financial Services (Ministry of Finance), allowing the banks to hold over 30%
stake in the company—exceeding limits under Section 19(2) of the Banking
Regulation Act—valid till October 16, 2026.
2. MahaCrimeOS
AI Launched to Tackle Cybercrime: Maharashtra has taken a major leap in technology-driven
governance with the launch of ‘MahaCrimeOS AI’, an artificial intelligence
platform developed jointly by the state government and Microsoft. The
initiative aims to strengthen cybercrime investigation, accelerate justice
delivery and provide direct support to victims of online fraud across the
state. The Maharashtra government partnered with Microsoft to build
MahaCrimeOS AI as part of its push towards AI-enabled policing. The platform
has been designed to assist law enforcement
agencies in handling the rising volume and complexity of cybercrime cases.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the system as a transformative
innovation that will revolutionise the fight against cybercrime in the state.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SEBI Launches PaRRVA to Verify Past Returns and Curb
Misleading Financial Claims: SEBI launches PaRRVA
(Past Risk and Return Verification Agency) to verify past performance
claims of market intermediaries and curb misleading financial claims.Pilot
launched by Care Ratings in collaboration with NSE, aiming to provide investors
with independently validated past returns from SEBI-registered advisers,
analysts, and algorithmic brokers.Two-tier verification structure: a
SEBI-registered credit rating agency as PaRRVA and a recognised stock exchange
as the PaRRVA Data Centre, both independently verifying returns using a
transparent methodology.
Focus on transparency and investor protection, preventing
selective disclosure of favourable returns and monitored by an oversight
committee to ensure compliance.
2. Bank of Baroda Launches ‘Masterstroke’ Campaign
Featuring Sachin Tendulkar to Promote Key Retail Banking Products: Bank of Baroda launched a new advertising
campaign featuring Sachin Tendulkar as its global brand ambassador,
promoting four key retail products—home loans, car loans, MSME loans
via bob Digi Udyam, and the bob Masterstroke Lite Savings Account.The
campaign continues the “Play The Masterstroke” theme and uses four short films
to show how choosing the right financial partner helps customers achieve goals
like buying homes, cars, or expanding businesses.According to Shailendra Singh
(Chief General Manager, HRM & Marketing), the initiative positions Bank of
Baroda as a trusted financial partner and supports its retailization strategy
to boost customer acquisition and market reach.
3. Bank of Baroda Named ‘Best Bank in India’ at Bank of
the Year Awards 2025 by The Banker Magazine: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has been awarded the
title of ‘Best Bank in India’ at The Banker magazine’s “Bank of the Year Awards
2025 – Asia-Pacific,” a prestigious Financial Times publication.The recognition
highlights BoB’s enhanced customer experience through the expansion of its
phygital branches, which seamlessly integrate physical and digital banking
services.According to The Banker, these phygital branches allow customers to
quickly access key services such as obtaining statements, generating income tax
payment certificates, and updating nominees for bank accounts.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Neal Mohan Named TIME’s 2025 CEO of the Year for
Shaping Global Digital Culture: Neal Mohan, the
Indian-American CEO of YouTube, has been named TIME’s 2025 CEO of the
Year, with the magazine calling him a global culture shaper whose work
influences the daily content diet of billions.TIME describes the “surprisingly
mellow” Mohan as a “farmer” cultivating the cultural soil of the world, noting
that what YouTube produces becomes what people consume worldwide.
2. Anant Ambani Becomes Youngest Asian to Win Global
Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare: Anant Ambani received the Global
Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare, becoming the youngest
and first Asian to win this prestigious global honour presented by the
Global Humane Society.The award recognises his leadership in creating Vantara,
a large-scale conservation initiative using modern veterinary science, species
recovery programmes, and structured wildlife rehabilitation.
3. Raveena Tandon Honoured as PETA India’s 2025 Person of the Year for Wildlife and Animal Advocacy: Raveena Tandon was named PETA India’s 2025 Person of the Year for her commitment to a meat-free lifestyle, wildlife protection, and advocacy for community animals.Promoted empathy for all living beings, highlighting her compassionate efforts to protect animals and raise awareness about humane treatment.Collaborated with PETA India earlier this year to donate a life-sized mechanical elephant to Karnataka’s Thousand Pillars Jain Temple, supporting its decision not to use live elephants. Joins a prestigious list of past PETA India awardees, including Virat Kohli, Dia Mirza, Alia Bhatt, John Abraham, Anushka Sharma, and many other Bollywood stars and notable personalities.
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