Daily Current Affairs – 08-12-2025
Tamil Nadu News
CM inaugurates Veeramangai Velu Nachiyar Flyover in Madurai
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the newly constructed Veeramangai Velu Nachiyar Flyover at the Melamadai Apollo Junction in Madurai. This flyover connects key junctions such as Anna Nagar, Mattuthavani, Avin Bridge, and Pandi Kovil, areas that were previously affected by severe traffic congestion due to the presence of hospitals, private hostels, and companies. The public, including government officials and students, faced delays and frequent accidents due to the narrow road. In response to requests, the government decided to construct the flyover and allocated ₹150 crore under the Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme. The flyover, with a length of 1,100 meters and supported by 28 pillars, also features a rainwater harvesting system. This project aims to reduce traffic congestion, prevent accidents, and save time for commuters in Madurai. The inauguration event was attended by Ministers E.V. Velu, K.N. Nehru, P. Moorthy, and Palanivel Thiagarajan, along with other officials and the public.
Hyundai signs shipbuilding project agreement with Tamil Nadu government
Hyundai Motors signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government for its shipbuilding project. The company has chosen Thoothukudi as the location for the project. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin stated that this investment would position Tamil Nadu as a leader in the shipbuilding industry and would not only encourage other companies but also attract manufacturers of spare parts. This project is expected to bring significant growth to the state, similar to the development created by Hyundai Motors in the automotive sector. The shipbuilding initiative by Hyundai will further boost Tamil Nadu's industrial growth.
91 MoUs worth ₹36,660 cr. inked at T.N. Rising Summit in Madurai
At the T.N. Rising Summit held in Madurai, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin highlighted the government's focus on regionally balanced development. He announced that Tamil Nadu had attracted ₹11.38 lakh crore in committed investments over the past four years, creating 34 lakh jobs. The summit saw the signing of 91 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), with a total investment of ₹36,660 crore, aimed at boosting industrial growth in the southern districts of the state. Key projects include the PM MITRA Integrated Textile Park in Virudhunagar with an investment of ₹1,894 crore, expected to create nearly 1 lakh jobs. The government is also focusing on establishing industrial parks and infrastructure, including a TIDEL Park in Madurai and TIDEL NEO Parks in various districts. An airport proposal in Ramanathapuram is also in the works. Taiwanese company Pei Hai plans to set up a non-leather footwear unit in Madurai under the SIPCOT Industrial Park, generating 15,000 jobs. The summit also led to the signing of a significant MoU with Hyundai for a shipbuilding project in Thoothukudi, positioning Tamil Nadu as a leader in the sector. In the education sector, a Tamil Nadu University Research Park is being established with an initial fund of ₹13 crore to promote industry-academia collaboration. Additionally, the Madurai Master Plan 2044, with a projected population of 42 lakh, was released.
Personalities, Awards and Events
Professor Y. Manikandan to receive ‘Sathanai Tamizhar’ award
Professor Y. Manikandan, Head of the Tamil Language Department at the University of Madras, will be awarded the 'Sathanai Tamizhar' (Achiever Tamilian) award by the Kolkata Bharathi Tamil Sangam. The award will be presented during the birth anniversary celebrations of Mahakavi Bharathiyar, which will take place on December 13 and 14 at the National High School in Kolkata. On December 11, a ceremony will be held to pay respects to Bharathiyar by garlanding his statue at Vivekananda Park, Kolkata. On December 13, at 6 PM, the Bharathi festival will be held at the National High School auditorium, where Professor Y. Manikandan will deliver a special address on 'The Known Bharathi and the Unknown Bharathi'. The Sathanai Tamizhar Award will be presented to Professor Y. Manikandan on December 14 at 6 PM. The ceremony will be presided over by J. Benny, Superintendent of Police, Seaward Railway, with felicitation speeches from G.V. Subramanian (Chairman of Kolkata Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan) and Venkatraman Ramasethu (Optometrist at Sankara Nethralaya, Kolkata). Following the award ceremony, Professor Y. Manikandan will release a research edition titled 'Jeeva Vakku - A Study and Edition', which contains the speech of Jagadish Chandra Bose translated by Bharathi.
Sports News
Saraswath wins Guwahati Masters Badminton tournament
Saraswath of India won the Guwahati Masters Badminton tournament, held in Assam, on December 7. In the men's singles final, he defeated fellow Indian Mithun Manjunath with scores of 21-11, 17-21, 21-13, in a match lasting 50 minutes. This is Saraswath's first victory in this 100-ranking point tournament. In the women's singles final, Tanvi Sharma, seeded 8th, lost to Sung Shuo-yun from Chinese Taipei, who was seeded 6th, with scores of 18-21, 18-21 in a match lasting 47 minutes. In the men's doubles final, the top-seeded pair of Pruthvi Krishnamurthy and Sai Pratheek lost to the 6th-seeded pair of Kang Kai Xing and Aaron Tai from Malaysia, with scores of 13-21, 18-21 in 29 minutes. In the women's doubles, the 3rd-seeded pair of Siana Shey Ri and Robjani National from Indonesia emerged champions. In the mixed doubles, the pair of Marwan Faza and Apriya Salsabila from Indonesia won the title.
Inter Miami wins first Major League Soccer championship
Inter Miami CF, led by Lionel Messi, won their first Major League Soccer (MLS) championship on December 7, 2023, in the final match held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the match, Inter Miami defeated Vancouver 3-1. The first goal of the match came in the 8th minute, when Vancouver's Ediuer Achamiyo accidentally scored an own goal while attempting to block a shot. The first half ended with Inter Miami in the lead. In the second half, Ali Ahmed of Vancouver scored in the 60th minute, leveling the match at 1-1. In response, Rodrigo De Paul of Inter Miami scored in the 71st minute. In the final minute of the match (90+6), Tadeo Allende scored for Inter Miami, securing their victory. This victory marks the first championship for Inter Miami and the 47th championship for Lionel Messi in his career. The team received a cash prize of ₹2.69 crore, and one of the team's owners is former England football star David Beckham.
Simranpreet Kaur wins gold at ISSF World Cup Final
At the ISSF World Cup Final shooting competition held in Doha, Qatar, on December 7, Simranpreet Kaur Brar won the gold medal in the women's 25m pistol final with a score of 41 points. Qianxun Yang from China secured the silver with 36 points, and Doreen Vennekamp from Germany won the bronze with 30 points. In the same event, Rhythm Sangwan finished 7th with 15 points, and Manu Bhaker was eliminated in the qualification round. In the men's category, Anish Bhanwala won the silver medal with 31 points, and Vijayveer Sidhu finished 4th with 21 points. In the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won the silver with 413.3 points, while Jiri Privratsky of the Czech Republic won the gold with 414.2 points, and Yujun Liu from China secured the bronze with 388.9 points. Aishwary Pratap finished 2nd in the qualification round with 595 points. In the women’s category, Sift Kaur Samra finished 10th with 584 points and was eliminated in the qualification round. India is currently in 2nd place in the medal tally with 2 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze.
Lando Norris crowned F1 World Champion
Lando Norris, the British driver for McLaren, was crowned the Formula One World Champion on December 7, after winning the 2023 F1 season. In the final race, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen from Red Bull finished in first place, while Oscar Piastri, also from McLaren, secured second place, and Norris finished third. Despite finishing third in this race, Norris, who was already leading the points table, clinched the title with a total of 423 points. Max Verstappen, the reigning champion, finished second with 421 points, and Piastri secured third with 410 points. This marks Norris' first F1 title, making him the first British driver to win the championship in five years. Previously, Lewis Hamilton held the title for four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020, and Verstappen won the title for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2024. In the 2023 season, there were a total of 24 races, with Verstappen winning eight of them, while Norris and Piastri won seven races each.
FC Goa defends AIFF Super Cup title
FC Goa won the AIFF Super Cup for the third time, defeating East Bengal 6-5 in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in regulation and extra time at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao. With this victory, FC Goa secured a spot in the AFC Champions League 2 for the next season. The match ended in a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes, and Sahil Tavora scored the decisive penalty in sudden death, securing the win for Goa. Mohammad Rashid and P.V. Vishnu missed their penalties for East Bengal, and Borja Herrera, a key player for Goa, also missed his. The final saw East Bengal frustrate Goa's attacking rhythm, but missed opportunities from Hiroshi Ibusuki and Brison Fernandes left the match goalless. This marks the third Super Cup title for Manolo Marquez's FC Goa.