Current Affairs 18 November 2025

DAE Unveils ColoNoX & India’s First Rare-Earth CRM for Scientific Use.

• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) announced two breakthroughs in healthcare and rare-earth research.
• DAE launched ColoNoX, India’s first nitric-oxide-releasing wound dressing for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), developed by BARC.
• DAE also released Ferrocarbonatite (FC) – BARC B140, India’s first indigenously developed Certified Reference Material (CRM) for Rare Earth Elements (REEs).

India’s Labour Force Participation Hits 6-Month High at 55.4%.

• India’s Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for those aged 15+ rose for the fourth consecutive month to 55.4% in October, the highest in six months.
• In rural areas, LFPR increased to 57.8%, while urban LFPR dipped slightly to 50.5%. LFPR reflects people actively engaged in work under the Current Weekly Status (CWS).

India Signs One-Year Deal to Import 2.2 MT of LPG from the US.

• Indian public sector oil companies have finalized a one-year agreement to import 2.2 million tonnes per annum of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from the US Gulf Coast.
• Officials from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) travelled to the US in recent months to hold discussions with major American producers.

India Wins 10 Medals at Asian Archery Championships 2025.

• India finished with 10 medals at the Asian Archery Championships 2025 in Dhaka, Bangladesh — 6 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze.
• India’s five medals in compound events included the gold and silver in the women’s individual event, gold medals in women’s team and mixed team and a silver in the men’s compound team event.
• At the 2023 edition in Bangkok, India secured seven medals.

Bangladesh Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death by ICT.

• The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, in a verdict delivered in her absence.
• Hasina was ousted after a massive student uprising, which escalated into a nationwide movement, ultimately toppling her long-standing administration.