Daily Current Affairs Brief: December 22, 2025

Autor: K Shiva

1. International News

Syria Retaliation (Operation Hawkeye Strike): In a major military response to the killing of two American soldiers, U.S. forces struck over 70 Islamic State targets in central Syria. The operation involved fighter jets and attack helicopters firing over 100 munitions.

Trump Signs NDAA 2026: U.S. President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which specifically calls for the alignment of India’s domestic nuclear liability rules with international norms.

U.S. Blockade on Venezuela: U.S. forces stopped a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in two weeks as part of a "total blockade" against the Maduro government.

Chile’s Presidential Election: José Antonio Kast won the presidential runoff with 58% of the vote, promising a platform of "order and security".

Unrest in Bangladesh: India is keeping a "close watch" on the evolving situation following the lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, while dismissng Dhaka's claims of threats to its diplomats in India.

2. National Current Affairs

Presidential Assent for Rural Jobs Bill: President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which officially replaces MGNREGA.

Railways Fare Hike: The Indian Railways announced a fare increase effective December 26, aimed at mobilising ₹600 crore. Fares will rise by one paisa per km for ordinary class and two paise for AC classes.

Nuclear Reform Approval: President Murmu also granted assent to the SHANTI Bill, 2025, which opens the civil nuclear sector to private participation and eases liability norms.

Supreme Court Pendency Drive: In a break from tradition, CJI Surya Kant called for a Special Vacation Sitting on Monday to hear urgent matters and reduce the court's 90,000-case backlog.

Aravalli Protection: The Centre rejected claims that a new definition of the Aravalli range would allow large-scale mining, asserting that 90% of the region remains protected under a Supreme Court-approved framework.

3. State Current Affairs (Andhra Pradesh)

Plastic & Garbage Free Mission: CM N. Chandrababu Naidu set a target to make the State garbage-free by Jan 26, 2026, and plastic-free by June 2026.

Water Grid Project Bhumi Puja: Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan performed the bhumi puja for the ₹3,050-crore 'Amarajeevi Jaladhaara' water grid project in Peravali, intending to provide drinking water to 67 lakh people.

IT Ecosystem Expansion: IT major TCS is likely to commence operations at its delivery centre in Visakhapatnam in January 2026 with an initial workforce of 2,000.

BIE Milestone: The Board of Intermediate Education, AP, became the first school board in India recognized as a national awarding body for vocational skills.

4. District News

Vijayawada (Child Trafficking): Police busted a major child trafficking network, rescuing 11 babies and arresting 15 traffickers, including the alleged kingpin Balagam Sarojini.

Visakhapatnam (PESA Mahotsav): A two-day national tribal festival, 'PESA Mahotsav', is set to begin in the city to celebrate tribal cultural heritage.

Eluru (Police Convictions): Police secured convictions for 51 accused in 41 cases through the Dharma Nyaya Sahayak App.

Tirupati (Safety Tech): TTD donated 20 hand-held breath analysers to the district police to curb drunken driving among pilgrims.

5. Sports and Games

U-19 Asia Cup: Pakistan defeated India by 191 runs in the final held in Dubai, lifting their second title.

Women’s T20I (India vs SL): India defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the series opener at Visakhapatnam. Jemimah Rodrigues scored a match-winning 69*.

Cricket Milestone: Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian woman to reach 4,000 runs in T20Is.

T20 World Cup 2026: Ishan Kishan has returned to the Indian squad for the upcoming World Cup, while Shubman Gill was notably dropped.

6. Cinema

Malayalam Satirist Passes Away: Renowned actor-director Sreenivasan (69), known for his piercing political satire and films like Sandesham, passed away.

Sundance Selection: The Telugu short film Osey Balamma has been officially selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

Oscar Campaign: Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound made it to the 98th Academy Awards shortlist for Best International Feature Film.

7. General Knowledge Points

DHRUV64 Chip: India’s first fully indigenous microprocessor developed by C-DAC.

Capsaicin & Runny Noses: Spicy food causes the nose to run because capsaicin triggers neurogenic inflammation, stimulating mucus glands to wash away the irritant.

Word of the Day: Trounce – To beat severely with a whip or rod; to defeat decisively in a competition.

8. Do You Know?

Thorium-229 Clock: Researchers are developing a nuclear clock using Thorium-229, which would be significantly more precise than current atomic clocks.

Child Trafficking "Injured Witness": The Supreme Court ruled that a trafficked child must be treated as an "injured witness," and their testimony shouldn't be dismissed for minor inconsistencies.

9. Job-Related Topics

Skill Development: The APSSDC is conducting IndiaSkills 2025-26 competitions across 48 trades to select youth for the WorldSkills competition in Shanghai.

Admissions Notice: PES University and Tribhuvan Sahkari University (IRMA) have opened registrations for the 2026 academic sessions.

10. Day Special: 22 December

📐 National Mathematics Day

• Historical Significance: Celebrated to commemorate the 138th birth anniversary of ace mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, born in 1887.

• 2025 Award Highlights:

  • Abel Prize: Won by Masaki Kashiwara.

  • ICTP Ramanujan Prize: Awarded to Claudio Muñoz (Chile) for work on dispersive PDEs.

  • SASTRA Ramanujan Prize: Won by Dr. Alexander Smith.

• Fact: The International Day of Mathematics is observed on 14 March.