Daily Current Affairs

India is set to organize the 20th session of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Committee from 8–13 December at Red Fort, New Delhi.

The announcement was made by Union Culture & Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

The session will evaluate global nominations for ICH recognition, review heritage elements already on the ICH list, and discuss international cooperation for preserving intangible cultural heritage.

Amit Shah inaugurated the EARTH Summit 2025 on 5 December 2025 in Gandhinagar.

The event marked the launch of Sahakar Sarathi, a significant digital modernization initiative for India’s cooperative and rural banking ecosystem.

The summit also announced Sahakar Taxi, a cooperative-driven taxi service with 51,000+ drivers, and a new Cooperative Insurance Scheme for rural social security.

These initiatives advance India’s mission of empowering over 50 crore cooperative members through technology-driven rural development.

India and Malaysia commenced the 5th edition of Exercise Harimau Shakti from 5–18 December 2025 at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan.

The joint exercise focuses on sub-conventional operations under UN Chapter VII.

Key Training Components: Heliborne missions, cordon-and-search operations, combat reflex shooting, endurance training with AMAR techniques and yoga.

This edition represents a shift from earlier jungle-warfare focus to semi-arid and desert combat strategies.

Fino Payments Bank has become the first payments bank in India to secure the RBI’s in-principle approval to convert into a Small Finance Bank (SFB).

Announced on 5 December 2025, this marks a major milestone for the bank, which began operations in 2017.

The approval under the ‘on tap’ licensing system supports Fino’s mission to advance financial inclusion, particularly in rural India.

Netflix has finalized a $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery’s studios and streaming operations as announced on 5 December 2025.

Netflix outbid Paramount Skydance, offering $28 per share. The acquisition transitions Netflix from simply distributing content to becoming a full-fledged studio owner.

Benefits: Permanent rights to major content, expanded production capacity, improved global competitiveness. Netflix plans to retain theatrical releases.

India and Russia strengthened their Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership during the 2025 State Visit.

A 2030 Economic Cooperation Roadmap was unveiled.

Major Highlights:

• Russia becoming a member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)
• Free 30-day e-tourist visa for Russian travelers
• Enhanced Arctic training programs for navigation
• Sustained cooperation in defence, energy, and customs modernization

Donald Trump was presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on 5 December 2025 during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, D.C.

The award cited his supposed contributions to global peace efforts, though many claims were seen as disputed or exaggerated.

Dr Renuka Iyer has been selected as the next Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), effective 26 February 2026.

Her appointment marks a notable leadership shift in the international cancer care community.

Major General Roman Gofman has been chosen as the next Director of Mossad, expected to assume office in June 2026.

His leadership begins at a time of heightened regional security tensions involving Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas.

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Perplexity AI as both an investor and brand ambassador, announced on 4 December 2025.

The partnership aligns with Perplexity’s goal of making knowledge more accessible through conversational AI. Ronaldo’s participation enhances Perplexity’s global outreach, especially in emerging markets.

Google has launched the Gemini 3 Deep Think mode exclusively for AI Ultra subscribers, offering advanced reasoning abilities.

Performance Scores:

• 41% on Humanity’s Last Exam
• 45.1% on ARC-AGI-2

The upgrade is particularly helpful for STEM fields, research activities, and professional tasks, reducing the need for frequent follow-up queries.

The Microsoft Store Awards 2025 honored leading apps across categories like AI, business solutions, creativity, education, and gaming.

The awards emphasize high standards in technical performance, customer experience, and contributions to the Windows ecosystem.

Simone Tata, a transformative leader in India’s beauty and retail sectors, passed away at the age of 95.

She passed away at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, after battling Parkinson’s disease.