CURRENT AFFAIRS 11 December, 2025

CURRENT AFFAIRS 11 December, 2025

1. INTERPOL ISSUES BLUE CORNER NOTICE –

• In the aftermath of the Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives, INTERPOL has issued a Blue Corner Notice against the absconding owners of the nightclub to help trace their location across borders.
• INTERPOL notices are issued by the General Secretariat upon request from a country’s National Central Bureau (NCB).
• Interpol publishes a Notice only if it meets legal standards under its Constitution and data protection rules, ensuring information quality and privacy.
• Blue Corner Notice: It is issued to collect information about a person’s identity, location, or activities linked to a criminal investigation.
• It is not an arrest warrant, unlike a Red Notice, but it helps law enforcement agencies across countries track suspects internationally.

2. NATIONAL MISSION ON EDIBLE OILS (NMEO) –

• The Government of India has launched the National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO) through two key initiatives namely NMEO-Oil Palm (2021) and NMEO-Oilseeds (2024), to reduce heavy dependence on edible oil imports—which met 56% of domestic edible oil demand in 2023-24.

What is the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)?

• About: NMEO-OP, approved in 2021 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, aims to boost domestic edible oil availability by expanding cultivation area and increasing Crude Palm Oil (CPO) production, backed by a financial outlay of Rs 11,040 crore.

Key Features:

• Price Assurance: First-time introduction of Viability Price (VP) to protect farmers from international CPO price fluctuations.
• Increased Subsidies: Substantially hikes assistance for planting material (from Rs. 12,000/ha to Rs. 29,000/ha) and maintenance.
• Rejuvenation Support: Special assistance of Rs. 250 per plant for old garden rejuvenation.
• Focus Regions: Special emphasis on the North-Eastern states and traditional growing states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• Key Targets:
• Area Expansion: Bring 6.5 lakh hectares under oil palm plantations by 2025-26.
• Production Targets: 11.20 lakh tonnes CPO by 2025-26 and 28 lakh tonnes CPO by 2029-30.
• Consumption Awareness: Maintain a consumption level of 19 kg per person per annum till 2025-26.

3. INDIAN RAILWAYS TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST HYDROGEN TRAIN SHOWCASING SELF-RELIANT INDIA –

• Indian Railways has started an important new project to run its first hydrogen-powered train. This train has been created as a pilot model to show how hydrogen can be used as a clean fuel for future rail travel. The project follows the standards prepared by the Research, Design & Standards Organisation (RDSO). The information about this new development was shared by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha.

India’s First Hydrogen Train

• The Minister informed that the making of India’s hydrogen train is now fully finished. To ensure smooth operation, a special hydrogen plant has also been planned in Jind. This plant will create hydrogen through electrolysis, which is an important method used to produce green and clean hydrogen fuel.

A Proud Step toward Atmanirbhar Bharat

• The new Hydrogen Train-set has been completely designed and developed in India. This shows the strong efforts of Indian Railways to promote self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. The train brings advanced technology created within the country.

World’s Longest and Most Powerful Hydrogen Train on Broad Gauge

• According to the Minister, this hydrogen train is currently the longest in the world with 10 coaches and also the most powerful, producing 2400 kW on a broad-gauge railway line. It includes two Driving Power Cars, each producing 1200 kW, and eight coaches for passengers.

4. AMRIT BHARAT STATION SCHEME ACCELERATES NATIONWIDE REDEVELOPMENT –

• The Ministry of Railways is pursuing large-scale modernisation through the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, a long-term initiative aimed at improving passenger experience and transforming stations into integrated urban centres. The scheme adopts phased master planning to ensure structured, sustainable development.

Core Features of Station Redevelopment

• Master plans include improved access roads, circulating areas and integration with both sides of cities. Upgrades cover waiting halls, toilets, platform surfaces, foot overbridges or air concourses and amenities such as lifts, escalators and ramps. Provision for kiosks under ‘One Station One Product’, enhanced parking, multimodal integration and facilities for Divyangjans form key components.

Progress and Funding Status

• A total of 1,337 stations have been selected so far, with redevelopment works completed at 155 locations. Funding is routed through Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’, with ₹12,118 crore allocated for 2025-26 and ₹7,253 crore spent up to October 2025. While works are primarily budget-supported, 15 stations are being explored for development under the PPP model.

5. US COMMITS $1.25 BILLION FOR PAKISTAN’S REKO DIQ CRITICAL MINERALS PROJECT –

• The United States has reinforced its strategic interest in Pakistan’s critical minerals by approving major financing for the Reko Diq mining project in Balochistan. The $1.25-billion support from the US Export-Import Bank marks one of Washington’s largest mineral-sector partnerships in Pakistan and signals a shift in regional geopolitical alignments.

Funding Package and Strategic Intent

• The financing aims to accelerate development of the Reko Diq copper and gold reserves, considered among the world’s largest untapped deposits. The initiative is expected to bring in up to $2 billion worth of US mining equipment and services, benefitting American exporters and supporting job creation in both countries. The first year of operations is projected to generate export potential of $2.8 billion.

Geopolitical Implications

• The move reflects a strengthened US–Pakistan relationship in President Donald Trump’s second term. Washington is positioning Pakistan as a central partner in its Asia policy, including in joint resource extraction. At the same time, US–India relations have cooled, with trade frictions contributing to diplomatic strain. The Reko Diq model is viewed by the administration as a template for future critical mineral partnerships.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.   What is the name of India’s first solar observatory mission launched to study the Sun ?

1. a) Chandrayaan-3
2. b) Aditya-L1
3. c) Astrosat
4. d) NISAR

Q2.   Sultanpur National Park is located in which state ?

1. a) Haryana
2. b) Gujarat
3. c) Rajasthan
4. d) Madhya Pradesh

Q3.   Which state hosted the ‘Charaichung Festival’ to revive Asia’s first protected royal bird sanctuary ?

1. a) Sikkim
2. b) Assam
3. c) Tripura
4. d) Mizoram

Q4.   Which of the following are grounds for disqualification under the Tenth Schedule ?

1. Voluntarily giving up party membership
2. Voting against party direction without permission
3. Defection of 2/3rd members in a party
4. Independent member joining a party after election
5. Nominated member joining a party within 6 months

          Choose the correct answer :

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 1,2, 3 and 4 only
3. c) 1 ,2,4 and 5 only
4. d) 1, 2, 3,4 and 5

Explanation-

• Grounds for disqualification include:

1. Giving up membership
2. Defying whip
3. Independent → joining a party
4. Nominated → joining after 6 months

• 3. 2/3 merger is NOT a ground for disqualification; it is an exception.Hence statement 3 is incorrect.

Q5.   Consider the following statements regarding the Shyok Tunnel:

1. It is located on the Darbuk–Shyok–Daulat Beg Oldie (DS-DBO) road.
2. It connects Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldi by bypassing a landslide-prone section.
3. It lies at an altitude of nearly 12,000 feet.

          Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 1 and 3 only
3. c) 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct. The tunnel is on the DS-DBO road
• Statement 2 is correct. It connects Durbuk and DBO, bypassing a vulnerable road stretch
• Statement 3 is correct. It is located at around 12,000 ft altitude

Answer Key