This is the current affairs of 18 & 19 November 2025. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. The former Prime Minister of which neighbouring country, convicted of “crimes against humanity” and sentenced to death, is living in exile in India?
a. Pakistan
b. Sri Lanka
c. Nepal
d. Bangladesh
Answer : d. Bangladesh (former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina)
– Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on November 17, 2025, of “crimes against humanity” and sentenced her to death.
– She herself established this tribunal in 2009.
– It is said that she established it to take action against political enemies.
– Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule in Bangladesh came to an abrupt end last July 2024, following months of protests over corruption allegations and the highly unpopular quota system for government jobs.
– She has been living in exile in India since then.
– The trial was conducted in her absence, leading to accusations of political vendetta.
Allegations against the former Prime Minister
– The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated in a report released in February 2025 that, over 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured during 46 days of protests in Bangladesh last year (2024).
– The report stated, “There are reasonable grounds to believe that officials of the former government, including its security and intelligence agencies, in collusion with violent elements associated with the former ruling party, committed serious and systematic human rights violations.”
– After Hasina was ousted from power, the current government led by Muhammad Yunus promised to deliver “justice” for crimes committed by the previous government.
In which case did the tribunal pronounce its verdict against Sheikh Hasina?
– Hasina was tried in absentia and five charges were leveled against her (and other accused):
* Making inflammatory speeches;
* Ordering the use of lethal weapons to suppress and eliminate protesters;
* Shooting death of Abu Sayeed, a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur;
* Shooting death of six protesters in the Chankharpul area of Dhaka; and
* Burning death of six people in Ashulia.
– Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death for the shooting death of six unarmed protesters in Chankharpul on August 5, 2024.
What did Sheikh Hasina say?
– Hasina has denied all allegations against her. In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, she blamed the current ruling government in Bangladesh for the protests.
– She said, “In the initial days of the protests, my government allowed students to demonstrate freely and safely… However, things took a turn for the worse when radical elements incited the crowd to violence… Foreign mercenaries were present and played a provocative role… I have no doubt that Yunus and his followers were involved in inciting the rebellion.”
Nothing has changed for Hasina for now.
– While this decision is significant, it will not have any immediate impact on the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
– Hasina, who has been living at an undisclosed location in Delhi since last year, will remain in India until New Delhi accepts Dhaka’s extradition request. And that is unlikely to happen in the near future, if at all.
– Hasina was a perennial ally of India. Under her leadership, economic, cultural, and human exchanges between New Delhi and Dhaka flourished. Furthermore, unlike her predecessor, Khaleda Zia, Hasina was fully committed to India’s security interests and cracked down on all militant organizations operating in the Northeast from safe havens in Bangladesh.
What India said:
-The Ministry of External Affairs said on November 17, 2025, that it had “taken note” of the decision delivered by the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka, and added that India would “engage constructively with all stakeholders” in Bangladesh.
India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty
– Article 8 of the India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty lists several grounds for rejecting an extradition request, including cases where the charge “has not been brought in good faith in the interests of justice” or in the case of military offenses that “are not offenses under ordinary criminal law.”
– This treaty gives India considerable scope for refusal. And since no formal successor government has yet been formed in Dhaka—Bangladesh is due to hold elections early next year—New Delhi is unlikely to bow to any Bangladeshi pressure to hand over Hasina.
Bangladesh
– Capital: Dhaka
– President: Mohammad Shahabuddin
– Chief Advisor: Muhammad Yunus
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2. Which Indian beach got the ‘Blue Flag’ status in November 2025, taking the total number to 13?
a. Kovalam
b. Sunapur Beach
c. Golden Beach
d. All of the above
Answer : d. All of the above (Kovalam, Sunapur Beach, Golden Beach)
India’s 13 Blue Flag Beaches (Beaches) (As of November 2025)
1. Shivrajpur Beach, Dwarka (Gujarat)
2. Ghogla Beach, Diu
3. Kasarkod Eco-Beach, Uttara Kannada District (Karnataka)
4. Padubidri Beach, Udupi (Karnataka)
5. Tannirbhavi Beach, Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka)
6. Chal Beach, Kannur (Kerala)
7. Kappad Beach, (Kerala)
8. Eden Beach (Puducherry)
9. Kovalam Beach, Chengalpattu District (Tamil Nadu)
10. Rushikonda Beach, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)
11. Sunapur Beach, Ganjam District (Odisha)
12. Golden Beach, Puri (Odisha)
13. Radhanagar Beach, Swarajdeep, Andaman
What is Blue Flag Certification?
– Blue Flag certification is an international eco-label awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Denmark.
– This organization thoroughly inspects beaches and then assigns them the Blue Flag.
– A total of 33 standards have been set for awarding a Blue Flag certification to a beach in any country, but some of them are key.
– These include certain water quality standards, waste disposal facilities, first aid equipment, and the prohibition of pets on the beach. Some of these standards are voluntary and some are mandatory.
– The Indian Ministry of Environment launched a pilot project in December 2017 to develop beaches in India according to the Blue Flag Beach standards.
Blue Flag Beaches in India
– India has 13 Blue Flag certified beaches.
– India aims to expand the Blue Flag certification network to 100 such beaches in the country over the next five years.
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3. Which state got the first prize in the Best State category of the 6th National Water Awards, 2024?
a. Gujarat
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Maharashtra
d. Bihar
Answer : c. Maharashtra (Gujarat placed second and Haryana third.)
– Hon’ble Union Minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil announced the list of winners of the 6th National Water Awards on 11 November 2025 at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi.
– President Smt. Draupadi Murmu presented the awards on 18 November 2025. Awards in 10 categories to 46 winners.
– Each awardee received a citation and a trophy, along with cash prizes in some categories.
– A total of 751 applications were received.
Best District
– East Zone: Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh)
– West Zone: Khargone (Madhya Pradesh)
– North Zone: Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh)
– South Zone: Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu)
– Northeast Zone: Sipahijala (Tripura)
Best Urban Local Body
– First Prize: Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra)
– Second Prize: Bhavnagar (Gujarat)
– Third Joint Winner: Nabadiganta Industrial Township (West Bengal) and Agra (Uttar Pradesh)
Awards in how many categories?
1. Best State
2. Best District
3. Best ULB
4. Best Institution other than School and College
5. Best Water Users Association
6. Best Civil Society
7. Best Gram Panchayat
8. Best School or College
9. Best Industry
10. Best Individual for Excellence in the Water Sector
National Water Awards (NWA)
– The National Water Awards (NWA) are given to honor individuals and organizations who have done excellent work to conserve and use water wisely in the country.
– The purpose of these awards is to make people understand the importance of water and inspire them to adopt good water-saving habits.
– This program provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations to work together to conserve and manage water.
– The first National Water Awards were instituted in 2018.
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4. Around 42 Indian citizens died in an accident between a tanker and a bus near Medina in which country in November 2025?
a. UAE
b. Saudi Arabia
c. Israel
d. Iran
Answer : b. Saudi Arabia
– A bus carrying Umrah pilgrims met with a horrific accident near Medina in November 2025.
– Location: On the way from Mecca to Medina, near Mufrihat.
– The bus was traveling from Mecca to Medina when it collided with a diesel tanker near the Mufrihat area. A massive fire broke out immediately after the collision, completely engulfing the bus.
– Approximately 42 Indian citizens died.
Saudi Arabia
– Capital: Riyadh
– King: Salman
– Crown Prince and Prime Minister: Mohammed bin Salman
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5. Which state was directed by the Supreme Court to declare 31,468.25 hectares of Saranda forest area as a wildlife sanctuary?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Jharkhand
c. Odisha
d. West Bengal
Answer : b. Jharkhand
– The Supreme Court directed the Jharkhand government to declare 31,468.25 hectares of the Saranda forest area as a wildlife sanctuary on November 13, 2025, which would strike a balance between biodiversity conservation and sustainable iron ore mining.
– A bench headed by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai said in the judgment that the state cannot shirk its duty to declare the Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary.
Saranda Forest Area
– Saranda means seven hundred hills, and is one of the most ancient forests in the world.
– This forest is located in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
– Covers an area of approximately 856 square kilometers.
– Of this, 816 square kilometers is reserved forest, and the rest is protected forest.
– Critically endangered species are found here, including the endemic Sal forest turtle, the four-horned deer, the Asian palm civet, and the wild elephant.
– For centuries, the area has been inhabited by the Ho, Munda, Oraon, and related tribal communities, whose livelihoods and cultural traditions are fundamentally linked to forest produce.
Impact on Mining
– The Saranda Forest Division holds 26% of India’s total iron ore reserves.
– SAIL and Tata steel plants are critically dependent on mining in this area.
– Senior advocate K. Parameshwara, amicus curiae (friend of the court), submitted to the court that the judicial order declaring the entire area a wildlife sanctuary would halt mining and impact employment opportunities.
Jharkhand
Capital: Ranchi
Governor: Santosh Kumar Gangwar
Chief Minister: Hemant Soren
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6. When is National Naturopathy Day celebrated?
a. November 18th
b. November 19th
c. November 20th
d. November 21st
Answer: a. November 18th
– The purpose of this day is to promote a drug-free system to prevent diseases by changing diet and lifestyle.
– Naturopathy Day is celebrated in India every year on November 18th since 2018.
– On this day, Mahatma Gandhi became a life member of the Nature Cure Foundation Trust and signed the deed.
– Gandhiji is considered the founding figure of naturopathy in India, as it was due to his efforts that this treatment system became popular in India.
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7. India signed an agreement in November 2025 to source about 10% of its LPG imports from which country by 2026?
a. Canada
b. USA
c. Russia
d. Cambodia
Answer : b. USA
– Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on November 17, 2025, that India’s public sector oil companies successfully completed a one-year agreement to import liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US Gulf Coast.
How much LPG will India buy for 2026?
– India will buy approximately 2.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LPG from the USA Gulf Coast for the 2026 contract year.
– This will represent 10% of India’s total annual imports during that time.
– This is India’s first official LPG contract from the US.
How much tax is there on exports from the US?
– This announcement comes at a time when India is paying a 50% tax (tariff) on exports from the US, which also includes a 25% penalty on purchasing Russian oil.
– Several Indian ministers have stated that India wants to import more energy from the US.
India is the third-largest consumer of crude oil
– India is the third-largest consumer of crude oil in the world.
– About 88% of India’s crude oil dependence is on imports.
– India is also the largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
– Nearly half of the country’s natural gas demand is met through imports.
– Over the past few years, the US has been India’s fifth-largest supplier of crude oil.
– The US is also India’s second-largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
– More than 60% of India’s LPG needs are met through imports.
World’s top crude oil consuming countries (2024-2025):
1. United States – largest consumer
2. China – second largest
3. India – third largest
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8. Where was the 15th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue held, in which an agreement was reached for mutual submarine search and rescue assistance and cooperation?
a. New Delhi
b. Hanoi
c. Ho Chi Minh City
d. Mumbai
Answer : b. Hanoi
– The talks were held in Hanoi on November 10, 2025.
– The two countries reached an agreement to assist and cooperate in the search and rescue of submarines.
– This agreement established a framework for working together in such activities.
What else was discussed in the talks
– Both sides expressed satisfaction with advances in hydrography (the science of mapping the depths of the sea), training, UN peacekeeping missions, increased port traffic, artificial intelligence (AI), and shipbuilding technology.
– Furthermore, both sides decided to further expand cooperation in new areas such as cybersecurity, rapid information sharing, military medicine, and the exchange of experts.
– They also shared views on issues related to regional security.
Note: The 16th Defence Policy Conference will be held in India in 2026.
Vietnam
– A country located in Southeast Asia.
– Capital: Hanoi
– Prime Minister: Pham Minh Chinh
– Currency: Dong
– Population: Approximately 11 million
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9. When is World Day for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence observed?
a. November 17th
b. November 18th
c. November 19th
d. November 20th
Answer: b. November 18th
– The purpose of this day is to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse and to help those who are affected.
– The proposal for this day was put forward by the African countries Sierra Leone and Nigeria and was supported by more than 110 countries.
– On November 21, 2022, the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) approved the celebration of this day.
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10. In which country the volcano ‘Sakurajima’ erupted with an explosion and its ash and smoke reached a height of 4400 meters?
a. America
b. Indonesia
c. India
d. Japan
Answer : d. Japan (This volcano is located in Kagoshima Prefecture on Japan’s westernmost island, Kyushu.)
– Kyushu: It is the third largest and southernmost of Japan’s four main islands.
– The Sakurajima volcano erupted on November 16, 2025.
– The eruption was so powerful that ash and smoke reached a height of 4,400 meters.
– Its ash and smoke caused the cancellation of 30 flights to and from Kagoshima Airport.
– In 2019, it spewed ash as high as 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles).
Sakurajima Volcano
– Sakurajima is a stratovolcano. Formerly an island, it is now a peninsula.
– Its summit is dominated by three peaks: Kita-dake (northern peak), Naka-dake (middle peak), and Minami-dake (southern peak), which are currently active.
– Only a few thousand people live here.
What is a volcano and how does it erupt?
– Before discussing volcanic eruptions, it’s important to understand what a volcano is.
– A volcano is an opening or rupture in the Earth’s surface through which magma—a hot liquid and semi-liquid rock—erupts, ejecting volcanic ash and gases.
– In other words, a volcano is a crack or vent on the Earth’s surface through which lava, ash, molten rock, and gases erupt from the Earth’s interior.
– The Earth’s mantle (one of Earth’s three layers) contains a weak zone called the asthenosphere, and magma is the material contained within it.
– Volcanic hotspots are locations where Earth’s tectonic plates meet.
– There are an estimated one million underwater volcanoes, and most of them are located near tectonic plates.
– When tectonic plates collide, it increases temperature and pressure. This then creates magma, which is molten material beneath Earth’s surface.
– When this magma erupts from Earth’s interior, it is called lava.
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