🌿 Environment & Ecology

🔷 World Soil Day Observed with Urban Focus

World Soil Day (WSD) is observed globally every year on December 5 to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil.
Theme 2025: The global theme for 2025 is "Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities," focusing on the role of soil in urban planning and climate resilience.
FAO Initiative: The day is officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Indian Context: ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) institutes across India marked the day by promoting the Soil Health Card scheme and sustainable farming practices among farmers and students.

📢 PIB / Government Reports & Schemes

🔷 Centre Approves Sustainable Aviation Fuel Target

The Union Minister of State (MoS) for Civil Aviation announced a formal approval for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending targets.
Target: The Government of India (GoI) has approved a 5% SAF blend target in traditional jet fuel by 2030.
Initial Scope: The initial blending targets will be mandatory for international flights departing from India.
Significance: This move aligns India with global safety standards and is a major step toward reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation sector, promoting energy security.

🔷 PMO Complex Renamed to 'Seva Teerth'

The Government of India (GoI) has renamed the new Prime Minister's Office (PMO) complex as 'Seva Teerth'.
Location: The new complex, which is part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, houses the PMO, Cabinet Secretariat, and National Security Council Secretariat.
Objective: The renaming is intended to highlight the government's focus on service-oriented, citizen-centric governance, shifting emphasis from 'power' to 'service' (Seva).

🏛️ Polity & Governance

🔷 New Cess Introduced on Demerit Goods

The Union Finance Ministry introduced the Health Security Se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, in Parliament.
Purpose: This proposed Cess (tax) will replace the GST Compensation Cess on specified "sin goods" like pan masala.
Funding Goal: The cess aims to create a dedicated funding stream for public health programmes and national security infrastructure.
Overall Tax Burden: The move is designed to ensure that the overall tax burden on these demerit goods remains unchanged even after the GST compensation cess ends.

🔷 Karnataka Passes Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Bill

The Karnataka State Cabinet has approved the Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025.
Aim: The bill is designed to effectively curb, prevent, and punish the publication or promotion of hate speech and hate crimes.
Mandate: It seeks to bring about social harmony and prevent the dissemination of content that causes disharmony and hatred in society.

🔬 Science & Technology

🔷 India Adopts Stricter Flight Duty Time Limitation Rules

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation safety regulator, has introduced stricter Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) Rules.
Impact: The new rules limit pilots' duty hours to 100 hours in 28 days, which aligns India with global safety standards like those set by the FAA (US) and EASA (Europe).
Goal: To enhance aviation safety by reducing pilot fatigue and mitigating the risks associated with excessive duty periods.

🎭 Culture & Important Events

🔷 International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development

International Volunteer Day (IVD) is observed globally on December 5 every year.
UN Program: The day is mandated by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate the contribution of volunteers and raise awareness about the important role of volunteerism in development.
Global Significance: The UN has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives with the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” often linked with the spirit of volunteerism.

📌 December 5, 2025 General Knowledge

World Soil Day: Observed annually on December 5 since 2014, proposed by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.
Indian Navy Day: The day is celebrated one day earlier, on December 4, to commemorate Operation Trident during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
Thailand’s King Bhumibol: December 5 was chosen for WSD as it is the official birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, a strong supporter of soil science.
Walt Disney's Birthday (1901): Birth anniversary of Walter Elias Disney, the famous American film producer and pioneer of animation.
Mahad Satyagraha (1927): On this day, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar announced the plan to burn the Manusmriti after leading the Mahad Satyagraha (March 20, 1927) for the right of Dalits to access public water.