Authored by: K Shiva
Myanmar’s First Post-Junta Election: Myanmar held the initial phase of its first general election in five years under the supervision of its military government. Critics, including UN experts, have labeled the polls a "sham" due to the exclusion of formerly popular opposition parties.
Trump-Zelenskyy Peace Talks: U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago estate for critical talks on ending the war with Russia. Hours earlier, Trump reported having a "productive" call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire Mediation: China is hosting two days of talks in Yunnan province to solidify a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia following weeks of border fighting that displaced over half a million people.
Russian Warning to Europe: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that while Russia does not intend to attack Europe, its response to any European strike would be "devastating".
President's Submarine Sortie: President Droupadi Murmu became only the second Indian President to undertake a dive sortie aboard an Indian Navy submarine, embarking on the indigenous Kalvari-class INS Vaghsheer at Karwar.
PM's Year-Ending Mann Ki Baat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed 2025 as a year of "proud achievements," citing milestones like Operation Sindoor, the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram, and the success of Indian athletes in global tournaments.
Voter Roll Revisions in U.P. & Bengal: * Uttar Pradesh: Nearly 2.89 crore names have been deleted from the draft electoral rolls scheduled for publication on December 31.
West Bengal: The Election Commission conditionally halted voter hearings for "unmapped" electors whose names or ancestral links are present on the 2002 list following widespread criticism.
National Anti-Malaria Success: Home Minister Amit Shah announced a 97% reduction in malaria cases in India, stating the country will be free of the disease in a "short time".
Telangana Assembly Winter Session: The winter session begins today amid high tension, with a major focus on the public challenge issued by CM Revanth Reddy to BRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao regarding Krishna river water sharing.
Andhra Pradesh 'Ram Rajya' Benchmark: CM N. Chandrababu Naidu visited Ayodhya, stating that "Ram Rajya" remains the ultimate benchmark for exemplary, ethical, and people-centric governance.
Skill Census and Al Hubs: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Cyient Al & Future Skills Hub in West Godavari, emphasizing that education is the only true pathway to development.
Electric Mobility Boost: Under the PM E-DRIVE scheme, Hyderabad is set to receive 2,000 electric buses, while Andhra Pradesh will receive 750, including 150 specifically for Visakhapatnam.
Hyderabad Industrial Exhibition (Numaish): The 85th edition of the "Numaish" is scheduled to open at the Exhibition Grounds on January 1, 2026, featuring over 1,050 manufacturers.
Vijayawada Real Estate: Industry experts reported that Vijayawada's real estate saw only moderate progress in 2025, falling slightly short of expectations despite the shift in focus to the Amaravati capital region.
Visakhapatnam Tourism: TDP State president Palla Srinivasa Rao advocated for retaining the Rushikonda buildings as a tourism-oriented asset to ensure regular revenue for the State.
Badminton Senior Nationals: Surya Charishma Tamiri and Rithvik Sanjeevi clinched the women's and men's titles respectively at the senior National badminton championships in Vijayawada.
Cricket Milestone: Smriti Mandhana became the fourth woman globally to complete 10,000 international runs during India's fourth T20I win against Sri Lanka.
Cricket Partnership Record: Mandhana and Shafali Verma registered a 162-run opening stand, the highest partnership for India in women's T20Is.
Women’s Hockey India League: SG Pipers defeated Ranchi Royals 2-0 in the opening match of the league in Ranchi.
Brigitte Bardot Passes Away: Legendary French film icon and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot died at the age of 91.
S. Krishnaswamy Passes Away: Acclaimed documentary filmmaker S. Krishnaswamy, known for his magnum opus Indus Valley to Indira Gandhi, passed away in Chennai at 88.
Trikarana Suddhi: A threefold discipline in Indian philosophy referring to purity of thought, word, and deed (manasa, vacha, karmana).
Frequency Comb: A specialized laser light used as a stable reference to measure light frequencies with extreme precision, often described as having a spectrum that resembles the teeth of a comb.
Alaknanda Galaxy: An "implausibly old" spiral galaxy discovered by Indian astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope; it existed when the universe was only 1.5 billion years old.
Chillai Kalan: The traditional name for the harshest 40-day winter period in the Kashmir valley.
Do you know that nearly 10% of India's population is currently concentrated in the state of Uttar Pradesh?
Do you know that a "Frequency Comb" is essential for calibrating atomic clocks and measuring shifts in light caused by gravity?
Do you know why humans get goosebumps? It is a vestigial reflex called "piloerection" where muscles at the base of hair follicles contract to make hair stand up, originally used by our ancestors for insulation or to look larger to predators.
PES University 2026 Admissions: Registrations are now open for various streams including Engineering, Medicine, and Management.
Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue: PM Modi highlighted this platform as a key way for youth to contribute directly to nation-building.
H-1B Visa Vetting: New U.S. vetting processes now include deep scrutiny of applicants' social media history, contributing to recent interview cancellations.
🎗️ Indian National Congress Foundation Day
History: The Indian National Congress (INC) celebrated its 141st Foundation Day on December 28, 2025.
Significance: Founded in 1885 in Bombay, the party played a pivotal role in India’s independence movement and post-independence nation-building.
Celebrations: Events were held across the country, including at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad, where floral tributes were paid to leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
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