APPOINTMENT

Andrej Babiš Returns as Czech Prime Minister

• Andrej Babiš was sworn in as Czech Prime Minister again on 9 December 2025, marking his return to power after previously serving from 2017–2021.

• The October parliamentary elections saw Babiš’s ANO (YES) movement emerge as the leading party, securing a clear victory.

• Following the results, President Petr Pavel formally invited Babiš to form the next government.

• Babiš confirmed that he would lead a coalition government consisting of three parties.

• The coalition partners have jointly decided to create a 16-member cabinet, holding a majority with 108 out of 200 seats in the lower house.

• However, the exact schedule for announcing and appointing the entire cabinet remains undecided.

• The Czech Republic, historically known as Bohemia, is a Central European landlocked nation with Prague as its capital and uses the Czech koruna as its currency.

• Before Babiš’s return, Petr Fiala served as the Prime Minister from 2021 to 2025, completing his term in the country’s unitary parliamentary republic system.

STATE NEWS

Mission Watershed PUNARUTTHAN Launched in Nagaland

• Mission Watershed PUNARUTTHAN was inaugurated in Kohima alongside the State-Level Watershed Mahotsav 2025 at Naga Solidarity Park.

• The initiative aims to revive traditional water bodies, restore degraded lands, and strengthen water-harvesting systems in Nagaland.

• Implementation involves community participation and integration with schemes like MGNREGA for effective convergence.

• Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, highlighted water security as a critical national security concern.

• Under PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, 14 watershed projects have been approved, with ₹140 crore sanctioned and ₹80 crore released.

• As part of development efforts, 555 water-harvesting structures were renovated and 120 springs restored across the state.

• Dr. Chandra Sekhar noted that Northeastern states receive 90% central funding, compared to the usual 60:40 ratio, emphasizing India’s 4% share of global freshwater for 18% of the world population.

Maharashtra Public Trusts Act Amendment Bill

• The Maharashtra government introduced a bill to amend the Public Trusts Act to streamline trust governance, reduce disputes, and ensure regular oversight of trust boards.

• The bill adds Section 30A, allowing the appointment of tenure and perpetual trustees when the trust deed lacks specific provisions.

• Perpetual trustees, appointed for life, cannot exceed 25% of the total Board of Trustees.

• Trustees with unspecified terms in the trust deed will be considered tenure trustees, typically serving for up to five years.

• The bill amends subsection (6) of Section 18, strengthening regulatory compliance within trusts.

• It increases penalties for violations under the Act to ensure better adherence by trustees.

• Public trusts, including major temples and charitable organizations, are allowed to invest up to 50% of their corpus in approved market-linked securities without seeking individual approvals from the Charity Commissioner.

DEFENCE

India–Brunei Defence Cooperation: Key Highlights of the 1st Joint Working Group Meeting

• India and Brunei held their first-ever Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on defence cooperation in New Delhi on 9 December.

• The session aimed at broadening and strengthening bilateral defence engagement between the two nations.

• Both sides discussed enhanced military-to-military interactions, including more frequent exchanges and joint activities.

• Plans were explored to expand training collaborations and boost maritime security coordination.

• The meeting also emphasised cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

• Opportunities in defence industry partnerships, capability development, and technological collaboration were assessed.

• The dialogue was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad (India) and Poh Kui Choon (Brunei), who also signed the Terms of Reference to formalise the JWG mechanism.

• The newly established JWG will act as a structured platform for regular review and future expansion of defence cooperation.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES

Rising Global Summit 2025

• Telangana is hosting the Rising Global Summit 2025 in Hyderabad, with the event taking place at Bharat Future City from 8 December for two days.

• The summit was officially opened by Governor Jishnu Dev Verma, marking the beginning of a major international gathering.

• Around 27 expert-led sessions are planned, covering fields like energy, information technology, healthcare innovation, and the startup ecosystem.

• Major global institutions—including WHO, World Bank, ADB, and UNICEF—are participating, reflecting the summit’s global significance.

• Telangana will unveil its “Rising 2047 Vision Document,” outlining ambitions to create a 3-trillion-dollar state economy by 2047.

• Distinguished personalities such as P.V. Sindhu, Anil Kumble, and leading film stars have been invited to the event.

• The summit is expected to witness investment agreements worth nearly ₹3 lakh crore, boosting industry growth and job creation.

• Over 150 international representatives from 44 nations, including a significant US delegation, are attending, with curated tourism visits planned to sites like Buddhavanam, the world’s largest Buddhist heritage theme park.

SPORTS

2025 Guwahati Masters

• Sanskar Saraswat clinched the Men’s Singles title, defeating fellow Indian shuttler Mithun Manjunath in a three-game final.

• His win—21-11, 17-21, 21-13—gave him the first Super 100 championship of his career.

• In Men’s Doubles, the Indian duo Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and K. Sai Pratheek fell short in the final.

• Malaysia’s pair Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing secured the doubles crown with a straight-game win 21-13, 21-18.

• The tournament was hosted at the Sarju Sarai Indoor Sports Complex in Guwahati, showcasing top international and domestic talent.

• The event ran from 2–7 December 2025, drawing strong participation across categories.

• The championship was also referred to as the Yonex-Sunrise Guwahati Masters 2025, reflecting its official sponsorship.

• This edition marked the third time the Guwahati Masters tournament was organised, adding to its growing reputation.

Lando Norris Wins 2025 Formula One World Championship

• Lando Norris claimed his maiden F1 world title after a controlled third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

• His podium ensured McLaren’s first drivers’ championship in more than a decade.

• Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi race—his eighth victory of the season—but remained behind Norris in overall points.

• Oscar Piastri boosted McLaren’s campaign, securing second place and strengthening the team’s championship effort.

• Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc posed no threat to Norris’ stable points advantage in the final standings.

• George Russell ended the race in fifth, far from influencing the title outcome.

• Norris’ win breaks a long chain of Verstappen titles from 2021–2024, marking a shift in F1 dominance.

• The recent champions list includes Hamilton (2020), Verstappen (2021–2024), and Norris (2025), showing the evolving competitive landscape.

Squash World Cup 2025

• India is set to host the Squash World Cup for the third year in a row, with matches scheduled at Chennai’s SDAT Stadium from 9–14 December.

• A total of 12 international teams are competing, including host nation India and reigning champions Egypt.

• Each participating side comprises four players—two men and two women, reflecting the mixed-team format.

• The tournament uses the short-format scoring system introduced in 2023, featuring seven-point games with sudden-death at 6–6.

• India has announced a balanced squad blending senior expertise with emerging talent.

• In the men’s lineup, Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar will take the court for India.

• Former World No. 10 Joshna Chinappa returns, adding strong experience to the women’s contingent.

• Rising star Anahat Singh makes her World Cup debut, as India targets an improvement on its 2023 third-place finish.

ISSF World Cup Final 2025

• Simranpreet Kaur Brar clinched gold in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup Final 2025, registering 41 hits out of 50 in Doha.

• Her score matches the Junior World Record earlier set by South Korea’s Olympic champion Yang Ji-In.

• In the men’s 50m rifle 3-positions final, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar secured silver with a score of 413.3, missing gold by just 0.9 points.

• Jiri Privratsky of Czechia claimed the top podium spot with 414.2, under the ISSF’s revised 40-shot final format.

• China’s Olympic gold medallist Liu Yukun finished third, earning the bronze medal.

• With five medals—two gold, two silver, and one bronze—India currently stands second on the overall medal tally.

• The championship is being hosted in Doha, Qatar, from 4 to 9 December 2025, featuring rifle, pistol, and shotgun categories.

• The ISSF World Cup Final is an annual international shooting event overseen by the International Shooting Sport Federation.