Daily Current Affairs (26 – Nov – 25)

Daily Current Affairs  (26 – Nov – 25)

1. G20 Johannesburg Summit 2025 –

• The 20th G20 Summit 2025, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, became the first-ever G20 summit hosted on the African continent. Under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” the summit centred Global South priorities and secured the adoption of the G20 Johannesburg Leaders’ Declaration. 

What are the Key Highlights of the G20 Summit 2025 ?

• G20 Johannesburg Leaders’ Declaration: Member nations reached consensus on a 122-paragraph declaration including references to climate action, multilateral reform, and equitable global governance.
• Spirit of Ubuntu and Multilateralism: The declaration emphasises the African philosophy of Ubuntu (recognising shared global responsibility and interconnectedness).
• Leaders called for stronger multilateral cooperation to address conflicts, inequality, and humanitarian suffering.
• UN Security Council Reform: The declaration supports transforming the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities, calling for expanded representation for underrepresented regions such as Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
• Condemnation of Terrorism: The declaration unequivocally condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations, reflecting India’s longstanding position.
• Expanded Climate Action Commitments: Members agreed to scale global climate finance toward a “billions-to-trillions” shift and operationalise a more equitable transition under the Paris Agreement.
• Empowerment of Women: The declaration stressed women’s empowerment, calling for removing barriers, ensuring equal participation in decision-making, and recognising women as agents of peace.
• Debt Crisis and Global Financial Reform: A Cost of Capital Commission was launched to reform global credit rating practices and reduce the unfair “African risk premium.”
• The summit highlighted Africa’s growing debt burden (now at USD 1.8 trillion) with over half its population living in countries spending more on debt interest than on public services.
• Mission 300: Summit highlighted Mission 300, an initiative led by the World Bank and African Development Bank to provide electricity to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
• Critical Minerals Framework: Welcomed G20 Critical Minerals Framework to secure sustainable value chains. Focus on investment in mineral exploration and local beneficiation in developing countries.
• Youth & Gender Targets:Adopted Nelson Mandela Bay Target to reduce the rate of youth Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET)  by 5% by 2030. Committed to 25% gender parity in labour force participation by 2030.
• Troika:The current G20 “troika” is Brazil (previous presidency), South Africa (current presidency), and the United States (next presidency).

2. Nationwide Implementation of India’s Four Labour Codes –

• India has announced the implementation of the four Labour Codes  (the Code on Wages, 2019, Industrial Relations Code, 2020, Code on Social Security, 2020, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020) replacing 29 earlier labour laws. 
• The reform aims to modernise labour regulation, strengthen worker protections and create a simpler, future-ready framework supporting a resilient workforce and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• The four labour codes were enacted based on the 2nd National Commission on Labour (2002), which recommended merging multiple labour laws into four functional codes.

What are the Key Provisions of the Four Labour Codes?

• Labour Code: A labour code is a consolidated set of laws regulating employer–employee relations, including wages, social security, industrial relations, and workplace safety.

India’s Four Labour Codes 

• The Code of Wages, 2019: It merges four key laws (The Payment of Wages Act, 1936; The Minimum Wages Act, 1948; The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965; and The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976) into a single framework.
• It brings uniformity in wage rules, ensures fair and timely payment, promotes gender equality and simplifies compliance for employers while strengthening workers’ rights.
• The Industrial Relations Code, 2020:It combines and simplifies provisions from earlier laws like the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
• It seeks to balance worker rights with industrial stability by streamlining rules on union recognition, employment terms and dispute resolution.
• The Code on Social Security, 2020:It merges nine existing laws like The Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923, The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, The Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 into one unified framework and extends benefits to all workers, including those in the unorganised, gig and platform sectors.
• It covers maternity, health, life insurance and provident fund benefits while promoting digital processes and easier compliance.
• The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020:It consolidates 13 labour laws such as Factories Act, 1948, Plantations Labour Act, 1951, and Mines Act, 1952.
• The Code aims to ensure safer working conditions while simplifying compliance for businesses, creating a more efficient, fair and future-ready labour framework.

3. Rohit Sharma Named Brand Ambassador for ICC T20 World Cup 2026 –

• Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma has been appointed the brand ambassador for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The announcement was made by ICC chairman Jay Shah during the tournament’s schedule reveal, marking a historic moment as Rohit becomes the first active cricketer to hold this ambassadorial role.

Announcement and Significance

• Jay Shah highlighted Rohit’s long-standing influence in T20 cricket, noting his presence in all nine editions of the tournament and his leadership during India’s title-winning campaign in 2024. The decision underscores Rohit’s stature as one of the sport’s most accomplished and recognisable figures.

Rohit’s Reaction to the Honour

• Rohit expressed deep gratitude, calling the role a major privilege and honour. He emphasised the uniqueness of being named an ICC ambassador while still an active player, recognising the trust placed in him by global cricketing authorities.

India’s Group and Match Schedule

• For the 2026 edition, India has been placed in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, the USA and Pakistan. India will open its campaign on 7 February against the USA, followed by matches with Namibia in New Delhi and Pakistan in Colombo on 15 February. The final league-stage fixture against the Netherlands is scheduled for 18 February in Ahmedabad.

4. India-France Defence Deal to Produce HAMMER Smart Weapons in India –

• India and France have advanced their defence partnership with a new agreement to co-produce the HAMMER air-to-ground precision weapon system in India. The move strengthens New Delhi’s strategy of boosting domestic capability in high-technology armaments while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

Joint Production Agreement

• Bharat Electronics Limited and Safran Electronics & Defence have signed a pact to manufacture the HAMMER weapon system in India. The collaboration focuses on localisation of production, supply chains and long-term maintenance support. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the system will be adapted for different mission profiles and operated from multiple fighter platforms.

Platforms and Operational Role

• The HAMMER system will be integrated with India’s Rafale fighters as well as the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft. Designed to provide stand-off capability, the weapon allows precision strike on fortified targets while keeping the aircraft outside hostile air-defence envelopes. Its modular design enables flexible deployment, making it suitable for varied combat scenarios.

5. Army To Officially Honour Operation Pawan Martyrs After 38 Years –

• The Indian Army will, for the first time, formally commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives in Operation Pawan, the country’s first major overseas military mission after Independence. Conducted in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990, the operation resulted in 1,171 personnel killed and more than 3,500 injured, marking one of the heaviest wartime losses in India’s modern military history.

The Operation And Its Objectives

• Operation Pawan began in 1987 when the Indian Peace Keeping Force was deployed to Sri Lanka to curb escalating violence during the Tamil–Sinhala conflict. The mission aimed to disarm militant groups, including the LTTE, under the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord. However, the LTTE rejected the agreement, leading to intense combat in difficult forested terrain. Many soldiers lost their lives in ambushes, close-quarter battles and surprise attacks.

Heavy Losses And Notable Sacrifices

• The magnitude of casualties made the operation one of the most challenging India ever undertook abroad. Among the martyrs was Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously for exceptional bravery during an encounter on 25 November 1987. Numerous units across the armed forces faced sustained hostilities, often without the chance to recover the bodies of fallen comrades.

Decades Without Official Remembrance

• Despite the scale of sacrifice, India never observed an official remembrance day for Operation Pawan. Former soldiers, widows and families privately gathered each year at memorials to honour the fallen, with no institutional ceremony. In contrast, Sri Lanka constructed an IPKF memorial in Colombo, acknowledging the mission’s significance.

MCQ Quiz

Q1. The Pazhayar River, that was recently seen in news, flows through which state ?

1. a) Tamil Nadu
2. b) Andhra Pradesh
3. c) Karnataka
4. d) Kerala

Q2. Hayli Gubbi volcano, that was recently seen in news, is located in which country ?

1. a) Japan
2. b) Ethiopia
3. c) Philippines
4. d) Japan

Q3. The Mangsir Bagwal festival is celebrated in which state ?

1. a) Haryana
2. b) Uttarakhand
3. c) Madhya Pradesh
4. d) Odisha

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Hayli Gubbi Volcano, which recently erupted for the first time in recorded history:

• It is a shield volcano located within the Afar Rift, a part of the East African Rift System.
• The Hayli Gubbi Volcano lies at a triple junction where the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates meet.
• Its recent eruption sent ash plumes into the stratosphere, reaching heights of about 14 km.

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.
  Hayli Gubbi is a shield volcanoin northeastern Ethiopia. Shield volcanoes are broad, gently sloping structures formed by fluid lava flows. It lies in the Afar Rift, which is a segment of the East African Rift System, one of the most tectonically active regions in the world.
• Statement 2 is correct.
  The Afar Rift forms a triple junction where the Nubian Plate, Somali Plate, and Arabian Plate diverge. This tectonic configuration makes the region highly unstable and prone to volcanic activity.
• Statement 3 is correct.
  The November 2025 eruption produced ash plumes reaching 14 km into the atmosphere, which is within the lower stratosphere. The ash cloud dispersed across the Red Sea, affecting Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, and northern India.

Q5. With reference to Article 240 of the Constitution, consider the following statements:

1. Article 240 empowers the President to make regulations for certain Union Territories, which have the same force as Acts of Parliament.
2. Presidential regulations under Article 240 can amend or repeal any existing Central law as applicable to that Union Territory.
3. Chandigarh is currently governed under Article 240.
4. Puducherry always falls under Article 240 since it is a Union Territory with a legislature.

How many of the above statements are correct ?

1. a) Only one
2. b) Only two
3. c) Only three
4. d) All four

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct.
  Article 240 empowers the President to make regulations for specified UTs such as Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu.
  These regulations carry the same legal force as Acts of Parliament.
• Statement 2 is correct.
  Presidential regulations under Article 240 can amend or repeal any existing parliamentary law as applicable to that UT—an unusually strong executive law-making power.
• Statement 3 is incorrect.
  Chandigarh isnot currently governed under Article 240.
  It is administered by the Governor of Punjab, who serves as its Administrator.
  Reports suggested that the 131st Amendment Bill might bring Chandigarh under Article 240, but no such change has occurred.
• Statement 4 is incorrect.
  Puducherrydoes not always fall under Article 240.
  Article 239A governs its elected legislature.
  Article 240 applies only when the assembly is suspended or dissolved.