Authored by: K Shiva
Venezuela Crisis Developments: Following his capture by U.S. forces, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges in a New York court, claiming he was "kidnapped". Meanwhile, the Cuban government confirmed that 32 of its officers were killed during the U.S. military operation in Venezuela.
China-Pakistan Ties: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, particularly in light of growing signs of reapprochement between Islamabad and Washington.
Iran Protest Warning: Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, warned that "rioters" would face no leniency, following more than a week of political and economic demonstrations in the country.
Yemen Conflict: Saudi-backed National Shield Forces successfully retook the port city of Mukalla in Hadramout province from southern separatists after several days of airstrikes.
India-U.S. Oil Dispute: U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that India cut its oil imports from Russia recently to "make him happy". However, records show that while imports dipped between June and October, they rose to a seven-month high in November 2025.
ICGS Samudra Pratap Commissioned: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned India’s first indigenously designed Pollution Control Vessel (PCV), ICGS Samudra Pratap, in Goa to enhance maritime safety and environmental protection.
EPFO Wage Ceiling Petition: The Supreme Court permitted a petitioner to approach the Central government regarding the revision of the ₹15,000 monthly wage ceiling for the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme (EPFO), which has not been adjusted in over a decade.
New Visa for Chinese Nationals: India has introduced the "e-B-4 Visa," an e-production investment business visa specifically for Chinese businessmen to facilitate activities like equipment installation.
SHANTI Bill Explainers: New legislative details on the SHANTI Bill reveal fixed liability caps for nuclear plant operators: ₹3,000 crore for large plants and ₹1,500 crore for medium plants, while removing supplier accountability entirely.
Space-Based Resource Mapping: Advancements in remote-sensing technology are being used to map land, water, and minerals from space by detecting spectral signatures that reveal the health of natural resources.
Aviation Safety Analysis: Aviation experts raised concerns over the delay in the full report of the June 2025 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, noting that friction between Indian and U.S. (NTSB) investigators has hindered the process.
World Telugu Mahasabhalu Concludes: A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made a strong pitch for Telugu unity and river interlinking at the concluding day of the third World Telugu Mahasabhalu in Guntur. He also announced a new Telugu University at Rajamahendravaram.
Telangana Medical Council Dispute: Doctors' associations across Telangana are protesting G.O. Ms. No. 229, which they claim allows "backdoor entry" for non-doctors and IAS officers into the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC).
Siddipet Political Shift: Following her exit from the BRS, MLC K. Kavitha has reportedly set her sights on the Siddipet constituency, a traditional stronghold of T. Harish Rao.
A.P. Power Relief: The A.P. government took a historic step by bearing electricity dues worth ₹4,498 crore and reducing tariffs by 13 paise per unit via the true-down mechanism.
ONGC Gas Well Blowout: A major blowout occurred at an ONGC gas well (Mori-5) in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, resulting in a 25-meter tall jet of fire and the evacuation of residents within a 1km radius.
Gachibowli LIG Housing: The Telangana Housing Board conducted a lottery for 111 Low-Income Group (LIG) flats in Gachibowli, having received 2,685 applications.
Chinese Manja Ban: Hyderabad officials have directed strict measures to curb the sale of Chinese manja ahead of the Sankranti festival to protect birds and human lives.
IPL Telecast Ban in Bangladesh: Bangladesh has banned the telecast of the upcoming IPL season, citing "hurt public sentiments" after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Ashes Update: England was bowled out for 384 in the first innings of the final Test at the SCG, with Joe Root scoring 160. Australia replied strongly, ending the day at 166/2, led by Travis Head's unbeaten 91.
World Champion Passes Away: Former World Billiards champion and national coach Manoj Kothari passed away at age 67 following a cardiac arrest.
Siddhartha Academy Golden Jubilee: A.P. CM N. Chandrababu Naidu will participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of Siddhartha Academy in Vijayawada on January 7.
Mahila Utsavalu: The women’s organization 'Taruni Tarangalu' is set to organize its sixth 'Mahila Utsavalu' in Vijayawada featuring cultural competitions and "Manusolu Maata" talks.
When is World Hypnotism Day observed? - 4 January
On which date is World Braille Day observed? - 4 January
Which state constituted India’s first 8th State Pay Commission? - Assam
The Indian Army declared 2026 as the year of which initiative? - Year of Networking & Data-Centricity
Who won the Men’s title of the World Blitz Championship 2025? - Magnus Carlsen
Who won the Women’s title of the World Blitz Championship 2025? - Bibisara Assaubayeva
How many broadband subscribers were there in India by November 2025? - More than 1 billion
When is Global Family Day observed? - 1 January
Who became the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force on 1 January 2026? - Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor
Who became AOC-in-C of the Training Command of the Indian Air Force? - Air Marshal Seethepalli Shrinivas (Tippalli Srinivas)
World's Heaviest Reactors: Recently featured at the HPCL Visakh Refinery's new Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF).
Meaning of SOS: Originally a radiotelegraph signal in Morse code chosen for its ease of transmission; often mistakenly back-formed as "Save Our Souls" or "Save Our Ship".
Julian vs. Gregorian Calendar: The Gregorian calendar was instituted in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII to correct inaccuracies in the length of the year compared to the Julian calendar.
IIT Hyderabad Placements: IITH reported a 62.42% placement rate for B.Tech students in Phase 1, with an average CTC of over ₹30 lakh per annum.
Army Recruitment Rally: A recruitment rally for various 'Agniveer' categories will be held at Secunderabad from February 2 to May 10, 2026.
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