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Current Affairs

International Migrants Day

♦ International Migrants Day is annually observed on December 18. The day commemorates the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. On December 4, 2000, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) designated 18 December as International Migrants Day, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world.   ♦ The UNGA chose 18 December for the Day to mark the anniversary of the 1990 adoption by the UNGA of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. ♦ 2025 theme: My Great Story: Cultures and Development

Current Affairs

India and the United Arab Emirates

♦ India and the United Arab Emirates launched the second edition of their joint military exercise, Desert Cyclone II at Abu Dhabi on 18 December 2025. The exercise concludes on 30 December 2025. It focuses on enhancing joint operational capabilities in complex urban warfare environments.  ♦ The Indian contingent comprises 45 personnel, primarily from a battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment. The UAE Land Forces contingent, of similar strength, will be represented by the 53 Mechanised Infantry Battalion. ♦ The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and foster defence cooperation between the Indian Army and the UAE Land Forces through joint training in an urban environment, with a focus on sub-conventional operations under a United Nations mandate. This will enable both forces to operate together in peacekeeping, counter-terrorism and stability operations.

Current Affairs

Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission

♦ Parliament has passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Bill, 2025, with the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha approving it on 18 December 2025.  ♦ The Bill seeks to establish a rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Under the legislation, a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment will be provided in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work. ♦ The fund-sharing pattern between the Central and State governments will be 60:40 for all states, except the North-Eastern and Himalayan states, where the sharing arrangement will be 90:10. The State governments will continue to pay unemployment allowance and compensation. ♦ Since its enactment in 2005, MGNREGA has provided a legal guarantee of 100 days of wage employment to rural households, helping stabilise incomes, especially during economic stress. Over the years, the programme expanded digital payments, Aadhaar-based systems and geo-tagging of assets, while women’s participation rose steadily.

Current Affairs

Order of Oman (First Class) by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik

♦ Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on 18 December 2025 conferred with the Order of Oman (First Class) by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in recognition of his contribution to strengthening India-Oman ties and his leadership.  ♦ The conferment coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Oman and came during the Prime Minister’s official visit to Muscat, underscoring the depth of the strategic partnership between the two countries. ♦ Instituted in 1970 by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the Order of Oman (Civil Order) is among the Sultanate’s highest honours and has been awarded to select global leaders for contributions to public life and bilateral relations.

Current Affairs

India and Oman

♦ India and Oman signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on 18 December 2025, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to the Sultanate of Oman.  The pact was inked by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, reflecting the shared vision of both nations to deepen economic integration and unlock new growth opportunities. ♦ The agreement also marks a breakthrough in services trade. For the first time, Oman has made ambitious commitments across 127 services sub-sectors, including computer-related services, business and professional services, audio-visual services, research and development, education and health. These commitments are expected to unlock high-value opportunities for Indian service providers and drive skilled job creation. ♦ The agreement allows 100 per cent foreign direct investment by Indian companies in major services sectors in Oman, enabling Indian firms to establish and expand their commercial presence in the Gulf nation. ♦ The India-Oman CEPA is the second free trade agreement signed by India in the last six months, following the pact with the United Kingdom, and aligns with New Delhi’s broader strategy of forging trade agreements with complementary economies.

Current Affairs

The Rajya Sabha

♦ The Rajya Sabha on 18 Deember 2025 passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, completing its parliamentary approval after it was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences said the Bill consolidates and rationalises provisions from the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act. It also accords statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), bringing it under the parent legislation and strengthening regulatory oversight in line with global best practices. ♦ Outlining India’s nuclear energy roadmap, the Minister said the country has achieved nearly 9 GW of nuclear capacity and is targeting 22 GW by 2032, 47 GW by 2037, 67 GW by 2042 and 100 GW by 2047. Nuclear energy, he said, will be critical in meeting future power demands driven by artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, as it provides reliable, clean, round-the-clock power.

Current Affairs

The Union Government

♦ The Union Government has approved a Rs.887-crore plan to develop a world-class marina at Mumbai Harbour, a move aimed at boosting coastal shipping, maritime tourism and waterfront-led urban development in the country’s financial capital. The project will be developed over nearly 12 hectares of seawater area and will have the capacity to berth 424 yachts of up to 30 metres in length. ♦ The marina will be implemented through a hybrid development model. The Mumbai Port Authority will invest around Rs.470 crore to build the core marina infrastructure on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis, while a private operator will develop the onshore facilities with an estimated investment of Rs.417 crore. 

Current Affairs

వినియోగదారుల కమిషన్‌ అధ్యక్షురాలిగా జస్టిస్‌ రాధారాణి

తెలంగాణ వినియోగదారుల కమిషన్‌ అధ్యక్షురాలిగా జస్టిస్‌ డా.గురజాల రాధారాణి 2025, డిసెంబరు 18న నియమితులయ్యారు. జస్టిస్‌ జైశ్వాల్‌ పదవీ విరమణ చేసిన 22 నెలల అనంతరం రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వం తాజాగా ఆమెను ఈ పదవిలో నియమించింది. జస్టిస్‌ రాధారాణి తెలంగాణ హైకోర్టులో న్యాయమూర్తిగా పనిచేశారు.  రాష్ట్ర వినియోగదారుల కమిషన్‌ అధ్యక్షురాలిగా ఆమె పేరును ఎంపిక కమిటీ సిఫారసు చేయగా... హైకోర్టు ప్రధాన న్యాయమూర్తి ఆమోదించి ప్రభుత్వానికి పంపారు. దీంతో ఆమెను నియమిస్తూ ప్రభుత్వం ఉత్తర్వులు జారీ చేసింది. 

Current Affairs

ఎయిర్‌టెల్‌ ఎండీ, సీఈఓగా శాశ్వత్‌ శర్మ

భారతీ ఎయిర్‌టెల్‌ మేనేజింగ్‌ డైరెక్టరు (ఎండీ), ముఖ్య కార్యనిర్వహణ అధికారి (సీఈఓ)గా శాశ్వత్‌ శర్మ నియమితులయ్యారు. 2026 జనవరి 1న ఆయన బాధ్యతలు చేపట్టి, అయిదేళ్ల పాటు ఈ పదవిలో ఉంటారు. ప్రస్తుతం శాశ్వత్‌ శర్మ ఎయిర్‌టెల్‌ వినియోగదారు వ్యాపార విభాగానికి నేతృత్వం వహిస్తున్నారు. ప్రస్తుతం ఎండీ, వైస్‌ఛైర్మన్‌ హోదాలో ఉన్న గోపాల్‌ విత్తల్‌ 2026 జనవరి 1 నుంచి భారతీ ఎయిర్‌టెల్‌కు ఎగ్జిక్యూటివ్‌ వైస్‌ ఛైర్మన్‌గా వ్యవహరిస్తారు. 

Current Affairs

స్వేచ్ఛా వాణిజ్య ఒప్పందం

వ్యూహాత్మక భాగస్వామ్యాన్ని మరింత బలోపేతం చేసుకునే దిశగా భారత్, ఒమన్‌లు 2025, డిసెంబరు 18న చరిత్రాత్మక స్వేచ్ఛా వాణిజ్య ఒప్పందం (ఎఫ్‌టీఏ)పై సంతకాలు చేశాయి. ఉభయ దేశాల వృద్ధికి ఇది అనేక అవకాశాలు కల్పిస్తుందని ఒమన్‌ పర్యటనలో ప్రధానమంత్రి నరేంద్ర మోదీ ఉద్ఘాటించారు. ఆ దేశ సుల్తాన్‌ హైథమ్‌ బిన్‌ తారిక్‌తో ఆయన భేటీ అయ్యారు. రక్షణ, భద్రత, వాణిజ్యం-పెట్టుబడులు, ఇంధనం, వ్యవసాయం, సాంకేతికత, సంస్కృతి, ప్రజా సంబంధాల లాంటి రంగాల్లో పరస్పర సహకారం పెంపుపై వారిద్దరూ చర్చించారు.  ‘సమగ్ర ఆర్థిక భాగస్వామ్య ఒప్పందం (సెపా)’ పేరుతో కుదుర్చుకున్న ఎఫ్‌టీఏపై ప్రధాని మోదీ, సుల్తాన్‌ హైథమ్‌ల సమక్షంలో భారత వాణిజ్య మంత్రి పీయూష్‌ గోయల్, ఒమన్‌ వాణిజ్య మంత్రి కయిస్‌ బిన్‌ మొహమ్మద్‌ అల్‌ యూసెఫ్‌ సంతకాలు చేశారు.

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