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Daily Current Affairs 18th December 2025 Daily GK Update
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National News
Lionel Messi Virtually Unveiled 70-Foot Statue in Kolkata during GOAT India Tour 2025
- Argentine football legend Lionel Messi virtually unveiled a towering 70-foot statue of himself in Lake Town, Kolkata, as part of the kickoff to his GOAT India Tour 2025, marking a grand tribute to his iconic career.
- The statue, depicting Messi and celebrating his achievements, including the FIFA World Cup, was commissioned at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club and revealed remotely by the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner ahead of his arrival in the city.
- The unveiling event in Kolkata, which also featured appearances from celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and fellow football stars, served as the opening highlight of Messi’s three-day tour across major Indian cities.
India Unveils DHRUV64, Its First Fully Indigenous 64-Bit Microprocessor
- India launched DHRUV64, the country’s first fully indigenous microprocessor, developed by C-DAC under the Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP), marking a major milestone in India’s semiconductor journey.
- The DHRUV64 is a 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core processor capable of supporting strategic and commercial applications, with higher efficiency, enhanced multitasking, and improved reliability.
- The processor’s advanced design allows seamless integration with a wide range of external hardware systems, and its modern fabrication uses technologies similar to high-performance chips.
- DHRUV64 is suitable for multiple sectors, including 5G infrastructure, automotive systems, consumer electronics, industrial automation, and the Internet of Things (IoT), strengthening India’s indigenous processor pipeline.
- Before DHRUV64, India had already begun expanding its indigenous microprocessor development ecosystem in recent years, including SHAKTI (2018, IIT Madras), AJIT (2018, IIT Bombay), VIKRAM (2025, ISRO–SCL), and THEJAS64 (2025, C-DAC).
Jyotiraditya Scindia Unveils 25-Foot Statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Belagavi, Karnataka
- Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia unveiled a 25-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Athani in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, calling it a historic moment that celebrates India’s spirit of courage, self-respect, and national duty.
- The unveiling symbolizes a resolve to carry forward the ideals of Hindavi Swaraj, inspiring future generations with Shivaji Maharaj’s values of fearlessness, strategic brilliance, and visionary leadership.
- The event highlighted the historical and strategic significance of Belagavi and Athani, linking Shivaji Maharaj’s southern campaigns to contemporary India’s vision of self-reliance, good governance, and cultural pride under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India and Liberia Sign MoU on Pharmacopoeia to Enhance Access to Safe and Affordable Medicines
- India and Liberia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on pharmacopoeia, aimed at promoting shared quality standards, regulatory alignment, and improving access to safe and affordable medicines.
- The MoU was signed by India’s Ambassador to Liberia, Manoj Bihari Verma, and Liberia’s Health Minister, Louise M. Kpoto, allowing Liberia to adopt the Indian Pharmacopoeia as a reference for medicine quality standards.
- The agreement is expected to strengthen regulatory collaboration, enhance global health cooperation, and ensure the availability of safe, effective, and affordable medicines in Liberia through standardized pharmacopoeial practices and advanced analytical techniques.
Recently India signed MoUs with others countries
- Hub71 and UAE–India CEPA Council Sign Pact to Boost Cross-Border Startup Expansion
- India and Saudi Arabia Sign MoU to Boost Cultural Cooperation and Heritage Exchange
- India and Ecuador Sign MoU on Diplomatic Training Cooperation
- India and Morocco Sign Defence Cooperation MoU to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
- Adani Group and Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) have signed an MoU to jointly develop 5,000 MW of hydropower projects in Bhutan.
Kavita Chand Scales Mount Vinson, Becomes First Woman from Uttarakhand to Summit Antarctica’s Highest Peak’
- Kavita Chand, a native of Almora, Uttarakhand, successfully summited Mount Vinson (4,892 m) in Antarctica, marking a major milestone in her Seven Summits quest.
- Considered one of the world’s most unforgiving peaks, Mount Vinson tested the climbers with extreme cold, isolation and unpredictable Antarctic weather, requiring meticulous planning and acclimatisation.
- The expedition was led by renowned guide Mingma David Sherpa, with support from Bharath Thammineni and Boots and Crampon, as a nine-member Indian team successfully reached the summit.
University of Patanjali Declared India’s First Yoga and Ayurveda-Based Cluster Centre under Gyan Bharatam Mission
- The University of Patanjali has been designated as India’s first Yoga and Ayurveda-based Cluster Centre under the Gyan Bharatam Mission of the Ministry of Culture, aimed at preserving and promoting ancient Indian knowledge systems.
- As a Cluster Centre, the university will mentor 20 institutions nationwide and lead efforts in research, education, digitisation, and dissemination of manuscripts related to Yoga, Ayurveda, and allied traditions.
- The recognition highlights the government’s push to safeguard India’s intellectual and cultural heritage, with the University of Patanjali becoming the first institution exclusively focused on Yoga and Ayurveda to receive this status under the mission.
NLC India Awarded 110 MW Solar PV Project by NCRTC in Uttar Pradesh
- NLC India Ltd. (NLCIL) has received a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from NCRTC to develop a 110 MW grid-connected solar PV power project in Uttar Pradesh under captive mode.
- The project aims to power NCRTC’s entire Regional Rapid Transit System corridor, involving setting up, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the solar plant, with completion expected within 24 months.
- The initiative will fulfill captive power requirements for NCRTC and promote the use of clean and sustainable energy in large-scale infrastructure projects.
Banking & Financial News
India’s WPI Inflation Remains Negative at -0.32% in November 2025
- India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation remained in negative territory at -0.32% in November 2025, indicating continued deflation in wholesale prices compared to the same month last year.
- The negative WPI inflation in November was an improvement from October’s -1.21%, showing a slower pace of decline as some prices, especially food items, began rising month-on-month.
- Deflation in wholesale prices was driven by declines in key components such as food articles, mineral oils, and crude petroleum & natural gas, despite some moderation in the rate of fall.
Recent WPI-based Wholesale inflation in India
- July 2025 – (-) 0.6%
- August 2025 –52%
- September 2025 – 0.13%
- October 2025 – (-)1.21%
Mizoram to Sign USD 108 Million ADB Loan to Strengthen Public Healthcare System
- The Mizoram government will sign a USD 108 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen the state’s public healthcare system under the project “Supporting Public Healthcare System Strengthening to Achieve Universal Healthcare for Mizoram.”
- Of the total loan amount, 90% will be repaid by the Central Government and 10% by the Mizoram government within 15 years, significantly reducing the financial burden on the state.
- The loan will support the Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS), launched in March, which provides ₹5 lakh cashless treatment cover per family at government and empanelled private/church-run hospitals.
- Mizoram has already spent over ₹100 crore under MUHCS, benefiting nearly 60,000 beneficiaries, while major healthcare infrastructure upgrades are underway, including expansion of Zoram Medical College & Hospital and strengthening of Aizawl Civil Hospital.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB)
- Founded – 19 December 1966
- Headquarters – Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
- President – Masato Kanda (replace Masatsugu Asakawa)
- Member Countries – 69 (Israel)
ADB Approves USD 240 Million Second Tranche for Chennai Metro Rail Expansion
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a USD 240 million loan as the second tranche of the Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project to expand metro connectivity and promote cleaner, safer, and more reliable urban transport in the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
- This funding is part of ADB’s USD 780 million multitranche financing facility (approved in 2022) and will support the development of Metro Lines 3, 4, and 5, covering 20 km of elevated and underground corridors along with 18 new stations.
- The project includes universal access features and disaster-resilient infrastructure, aligning with Chennai’s low-carbon development goals and improving mobility amid growing urban transport demand.
World Bank Sanctions USD 600 Million to Combat Air Pollution in UP and Haryana
- The World Bank has approved nearly USD 600 million for two large clean-air programmes in Uttar Pradesh (USD 299.66 million) and Haryana (USD 300 million), aiming to improve air quality for around 270 million people in the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
- The Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Program (UPCAMP) focuses on reducing pollution from transport, agriculture, and industry, promoting clean energy transitions, e-mobility, and greener jobs, and helping 3.9 million households access clean cooking.
- Haryana’s Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development Operation targets emissions in transport, agriculture, industry, and urban development, including expansion of electric buses and e-three-wheelers, while also setting up ARJUN, a special purpose vehicle for coordination and monitoring.
Appointments
Retired IAS Officer Raj Kumar Goyal Sworn In as Chief Information Commissioner
- Retired IAS officer Raj Kumar Goyal (1990 batch) was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of the Central Information Commission, with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- Raj Kumar Goyal has earlier served as Secretary, Department of Justice (Ministry of Law and Justice) and as Secretary (Border Management) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, before his superannuation.
- He succeeded Heeralal Samariya as the Chief Information Commissioner and was appointed with effect from December 15, under the provisions of Section 12 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Jose Antonio Kast Wins Chile Presidential Election
- Far-right candidate José Antonio Kast of Chile’s Republican Party won the 2025 presidential election, securing about 58% of the vote in the runoff and defeating leftist Jeannette Jara.
- Kast’s victory represents Chile’s most significant turn to the right since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship in 1990, driven by voter concerns over rising crime, migration and economic issues.
About Chile
- Capital- Santiago
- Official language- Spanish
- President- José Antonio Kast
- Continent- South America
Sairam Appointed as New Chairman and Managing Director of Coal India
- State-owned miner Coal India appointed Sairam as its new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), succeeding Sanoj Kumar Jha, who was holding interim charge after P.M. Prasad’s superannuation.
- Prior to this role, B. Sairam served as CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited and earlier as Director (Technical) at Coal India’s subsidiary Central Coalfields Limited.
Science and Tech
Completion of India’s Maitri II Antarctic Research Station Pushed to 2032
- The completion of Maitri II, India’s next-generation research station in East Antarctica, has been delayed to 2032, with scientific operations expected to start later than initially planned, instead of the earlier target of January 2029.
- The project is estimated to cost ₹2,000 crore over seven years, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences has approved ₹29.2 crore for pre-investment work, including architectural design and preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
- Maitri II will strengthen India’s multidisciplinary scientific research in Antarctica, supporting studies in biology, earth sciences, glaciology, atmospheric sciences, climate research, and long-term environmental monitoring.
- Replacing Maitri I (operational since 1989), the upgraded station will feature modern laboratories, advanced ice-core storage and processing systems, expanded atmospheric observation facilities, and improved logistics to ensure year-round scientific operations.
Important Days
18 Deecmber – Minorities Rights Day
- Minorities Rights Day is observed in India on 18 December every year to recognise and uphold the rights of religious and linguistic minorities in the country.
- Theme 2025 – Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials
- The day emphasises protection, promotion, and awareness of the rights of minority communities as guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
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