1 India to host Global Big Cats Summit in 2026: Bhupendra Yadav
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, while reiterating India’s commitment at the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) High Level Ministerial Session at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP30 held in Belem , Brazil , announced that India will host the Global Big Cats Summit in New Delhi in the year 2026. Expressing gratitude to the Government of Brazil and the people of the Amazon region at the High Level Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP30 held in Belem, Brazil, he said that the Amazon is a living symbol of the Earth’s environmental wealth and this conference at such a place underlines the seriousness of global climate responsibility.
2 COP-30 climate summit urges all to halt deforestation by 2030
The World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace have urged everyone at the UN COP-30 climate summit to agree on a roadmap to halt deforestation by 2030. The UN Climate Change Conference, which began on November 10 in Brazil , will conclude on November 21. At the UN Climate Change Conference, Kirsten Schuit, International Director General of the World Wildlife Fund, and Carolina Pasquali, Executive Director of Greenpeace Brazil, said that COP-30 should present a concrete, time-bound plan to halt deforestation.
3 Nagaland government names UK as partner country for Hornbill Festival
The Nagaland government has designated the UK as the partner country for the Hornbill Festival . The festival will be held from December 1 to 10 at Kisama in Kohima. A formal agreement in this regard was signed in New Delhi by British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, and British Council India Country Director Alison Barrett. Nagaland also announced Air India Express as the official travel partner for the Hornbill Festival. The airline will offer a 15 percent discount on flights to and from Nagaland from November 20.
India re-elected to the Executive Committee for the Asia region at CAC-48
India has been re-elected to the Codex Executive Committee for the Asia Region at the 48th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC-48) . The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the Indian delegation at the session held in Rome was led by Rajit Punhani, Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India . India focused on updating and developing databases related to food additives, pesticide residues, veterinary drugs, analytical methods, and contaminants in food. At the session, India also supported the use of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve the efficiency of Codex operations, especially with regard to document translation. The Ministry stated that this election confirms India’s associate leadership role until the end of CAC-50 in 2027.
5 The Government of India launched ‘Yuva AI for All’ – a free national curriculum
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched ” Yuva AI for All,” under the India AI Mission . This first-of-its-kind, free course introduces all Indians, especially young people, to the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This short, 4.5-hour, self-paced course is designed to introduce students, professionals, and other curious learners to the basics of AI and demonstrate how it is changing the world. It is simple and practical, and packed with real-life Indian examples to make learning engaging and fun. The course is available for free on leading learning platforms – FutureSkills Prime, iGot Karmayogi, and other popular ed-tech portals. Every learner who completes this course will receive an official certificate from the Government of India.
6 Government launches National Action Plan 2.0 on Antimicrobial Resistance
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday launched the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) 2.0 to prevent and control antibiotic resistance . The plan will be effective from 2025 to 2029. Its first version was released in 2017. NAP-AMR 2.0 was launched on the first day of the World Health Organization ‘s (WHO) World AMR Awareness Week (November 18-24) . Speaking at the event, Health Minister J.P. Nadda stated that the new action plan will be based on a “One Health” approach to combating AMR, integrating human health, animal health, agriculture, and the environment. “With the participation of more than 20 ministries and a fixed timeline and budget, this plan is a major step towards protecting public health,” the Health Ministry stated. Nadda added that antimicrobial resistance is rapidly increasing due to overuse and misuse of antibiotics , which could significantly impact surgery, cancer treatment, and critical healthcare services. He warned that AMR has become a serious challenge that requires immediate action. The plan’s six key strategies :
- Strengthen awareness-raising, training and communication on AMR
- Strengthening lab capacity and surveillance of AMR
- Improved infection prevention and control measures
- Promote the correct and responsible use of antibiotics in the human, animal and food sectors
- Promoting research and innovation on AMR
- Better governance and cross-sectoral coordination on AMR
7 WTDC-25: India calls for global digital unity
India showcased the world’s largest digital inclusion initiative at the World Telecommunications Development Conference (WTDC-25) held in Baku on Monday and called on countries to enhance cooperation for a secure, inclusive, and sustainable digital future. Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development , addressed the high-level session of the conference, presenting India’s vision. India has been a trusted partner of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) since 1869. The World Telecommunications Development Conference (WTDC), a global platform organized by ITU-D , aims to set priorities for improving telecommunications and digital connectivity . It brings together governments, industry leaders, and experts to agree on new policies and strategies. WTDC-25, which began in Baku, will set the direction for global digital programs to ensure universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity.
8 Iran suspends visa-free entry for Indians
In a major move, the Iranian government has suspended its visa-free entry facility for Indian citizens . This move was taken by Iran in response to the case in which Indians were lured into Iran with the promise of jobs and later kidnapped for ransom. The suspension of visa-free entry by the Iranian government will be effective from November 22, 2025. All Indian citizens holding ordinary passports will be affected. Once this decision comes into effect, travelers will be required to obtain visas for both entry and transit in Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that this decision aims to prevent the misuse of visa exemption by organized criminal networks that exploit job seekers.
9 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will also cover losses due to wild animal attacks and waterlogging.
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will now cover crop losses due to wild animal attacks and flooding of paddy crops. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare stated that crop losses due to wild animal attacks will now be recognized as the fifth additional cover under the localized risk category. Meanwhile, flooding of paddy crops has been reinstated under localized disasters. The ministry stated that states will notify a list of wild animals responsible for crop damage and identify vulnerable districts or insurance units based on historical data. It stated that farmers will be required to report losses within 72 hours by uploading geotagged photographs using the crop insurance app. This decision will be effective from Kharif 2026. This is expected to significantly benefit farmers in states with high human-wildlife conflict. These states include Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand as well as Himalayan and North-Eastern states like Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
10 Telangana government launches Meeseva to improve access to citizen services
The Telangana government has launched Meeseva on WhatsApp to improve access to government-to-citizen services across nearly 40 departments . Meeseva is an advanced, conversational artificial intelligence-powered platform that will help citizens access government services through a simple chat interface. State Information Technology and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu launched the service. He said, “Our aim is to provide access to over 580 government-to-citizen services through a unified and intuitive chat-based interface.”
11 Indian Olympian Gurpreet Singh won the silver medal in the men’s 25m centre pistol fire event.
Indian Olympian Gurpreet Singh won the silver medal in the men’s 25m center pistol fire event at the ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Championships in Cairo , Egypt . He lost to Pavlo Korostylov of Ukraine . This is Gurpreet’s second individual medal at the World Championships. He first won a silver medal in the 25m standard pistol event in Changwon in 2018. India finished third in the World Championships campaign with 13 medals , including three gold, six silver, and four bronze . China finished first, and Korea second .
12 PM Modi congratulates Indian team for winning 10 medals including 6 gold at Asian Archery Championship 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the Indian team for its best ever performance at the Asian Archery Championships 2025 by winning 10 medals including six gold . India put up a stellar performance at the 24th Asian Archery Championships in Dhaka , winning a record 10 medals (6 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) and securing the top spot. This is a major shift in the balance of power in Asian archery, with Ankita Bhavgat and Dheeraj Bommadewara breaking South Korea’s long-held dominance by winning gold in the recurve individual events.
13 World COPD Day
World COPD Day is celebrated every year on the third Wednesday of November . This year, it falls on November 19th . It aims to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) . COPD is a very serious respiratory and lung disease . People often confuse it with asthma. Although both cause breathing difficulties, they are not the same disease . COPD is a progressive disease, meaning that lung function deteriorates over time, and this damage is often permanent. This is primarily caused by smoking or pollution. Asthma, on the other hand, is caused by temporary inflammation of the airways, which occurs when exposed to allergens or triggers. With proper treatment, lung function usually returns to normal.