1. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval highlights role of Ulema in countering radicalization
Tags: National National News
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval participated in a conference on 'Role of Ulema in promoting a culture of interfaith peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia', in New Delhi on 29 November.
Important facts
He said that cross-border terrorism and ISIS-inspired terrorism continues to pose a threat.
He said, India and Indonesia are victims of terrorism and separatism.
He said scholars of Islam and Islamic law have a “vital role” to play in countering radicalisation and extremism by propagating progressive ideas and thought.
Role of Ulema in promoting a culture of interreligious peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia - will help bring scholars together to promote tolerance, harmony and peaceful co-operation and strengthen the fight against violent extremism, terrorism and radicalism.
The ulemas have a “leading role in educating the people on the original tolerant and moderate principles of Islam”.
Both countries need to build a consensus on de-radicalisation, and institutions need to come together to identify and address potential negative impacts.
The Indonesian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Mohd Mahfud MD is on a three-day visit to India.
About Indonesia
Indonesia is located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
It is the world's largest island country with more than 17,000 islands, it is the fourth most populous country in the world.
Indonesia ranks first, Pakistan second and India third in terms of Muslim population in the world.
The world's most populous island is Java, it is in Indonesia.
Indonesia was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement along with India.
Currency - Indonesian rupiah
- President - Joko Widodo
2. 4 US soldiers promoted high up on Nanda Devi during India-US military exercise
Tags: Defence International News
For the first time, four US Army officers from the 11th Airborne Division have been promoted to India's second highest Himalayan peak Nanda Devi during the 18th edition of Indo-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' in Uttarakhand.
Important facts
Capt. Cerruti, Lt. Russell, Lt. Brown and Lt. Hack became the first four USArmy Officers to be promoted in the Himalayas during Yudh Abhyas Exercise.
US soldiers from the 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the Assam Regiment are participating in a two-week joint military exercise.
Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and the US with the aim of exchanging best practices, tactics, techniques and procedures between the armies of the two nations.
The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and share expertise in peacekeeping and disaster relief operations between the two armies.
The joint exercise will also focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.
Nanda Devi Peak
Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain in India, after Kangchenjunga, and located entirely within India (Kangchenjunga is on the border of India and Nepal). It is in the state of Uttarakhand (Chamoli district).
It is the 23rd-highest peak in the world.
The Nanda Devi Peak is a part of the Garhwal Himalayas.
3. India provides $100 million financial assistance to Maldives
Tags: Economy/Finance International News
The Union External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar virtually handed over the assistance amount of $100 million to Maldives in a ceremony held on 29 November 2022.
The Indian government assistance is in the form of budgetary support to help Maldives deal with its economic problems. Maldivian economy which is heavily dependent on tourism is facing severe economic crisis as covid related restriction has badly affected its economy.
The assistance being extended to Maldives is without any terms and conditions and Maldives is free to use it in its economic recovery.
India and Maldives have a close political relationship. During the visit of the Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in August this year the Prime Minister had announced an additional $100 million loan to Maldives for construction of 2000 new social housing units there.
India has also provided $ 500 million loan to Maldives for the Greater Male Connectivity Project.
Republic of Maldives
Maldives is an archipelago consisting of around 1200 coral islands and atolls. It is part of South Asia and is situated in Indian Ocean
The 8 degree channel separates Maldives from India.
Capital: Male
Currency: Rufiyaa
President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
4. WHO has changed the name of Monkeypox disease to mpox
Tags: Science and Technology International News
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 28 November 2022 has announced that it will term “mpox” as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while “monkeypox” is phased out.
WHO said that the disease's original name was considered “racist and stigmatizing’ in certain countries of the world. After complaints from some member countries WHO decided to rename the disease.
Assigning names to new and, very exceptionally, to existing diseases is the responsibility of WHO under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared monkeypox disease as a "public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)", on 23 July 2022.It is the highest level of health alert which is issued by WHO.
Monkeypox disease
- Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa.
- It was first identified in monkeys in 1958 hence it is called Monkeypox. It was first identified in humans in 1970.
- Because it was transmitted from animal to human it is called zoonotic disease.
- The first case of Monkeypox in the country was also reported from Kollam district of Kerala on July 14.
World Health Organisation (WHO)
- The World Health Organisation is a specialised agency of the United Nations which was founded on 7 April, 1948.
- Headquarters of WHO : Geneva, Switzerland
- Director General of WHO: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia.
- Member Countries : 194
5. Russia postpones nuclear arms talks with US
Tags: International News
Russia has suspended nuclear arms talks with the United States under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) treaty on 28 November and neither side has given a reason for the postponement.
About New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
It is an arms control pact that limits both nations’ stockpiles of nuclear weapons, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles.
It was finalised in 2011 during the Obama administration and serves as the last key pact to limit nuclear arms between Washington and Moscow.
Last year, the US and Russia agreed to extend the pact till 2026.
Under the treaty, Washington and Moscow are permitted to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons sites, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, inspections have been halted since 2020.
6. World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022
Tags: Summits Important Days International News
The World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022 concluded on November 25, with the Muscat Ministerial Manifesto on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Important facts
The two-day summit, which began on November 24 in Oman's capital Muscat, follows two high-level summits held in the Netherlands in 2014 and 2019.
The theme of the meeting was - The AMR Pandemic: From Policy to One Health Action.
The Manifesto has been endorsed by 34 of the 45 countries that participated at the conference.
Muscat Ministerial Manifesto on AMR - three global targets
Reduce the total amount of antimicrobials used in the agri-food system at least by 30-50% by 2030 from the current level.
Zero use of Critically important antimicrobials (CIA).
Ensuring that 'access' group antibiotics (a class of antibiotics that are cheaper, safer and have a lower AMR risk) represent at least 60 per cent of total antibiotic consumption in humans by 2030.
About World Antimicrobial Awareness Week
It is a global campaign observed annually to improve awareness and understanding related to AMR.
It encourages best practices among the public, health stakeholders and policy makers to reduce the emergence and spread of AMR.
What is Antimicrobial Resistance?
It is the resistance acquired by any microorganism (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc.) against antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and anthelmintics) that are used to treat infections.
As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, the infection persists and can spread to others.
7. A UN panel has recommended that Australia's Great Barrier Reef be listed as a World Heritage Site
Tags: Environment International News
A United Nations panel recommended on November 29, 2022 that Australia's Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a World Heritage Site that is "in danger".
Important facts
The world's largest coral reef ecosystem has been greatly affected by climate change and ocean warming.
Frequent bleaching events and La Nina are threatening the reef.
Bleaching occurs when water gets too warm, causing corals to expel the colourful algae living in their tissues and turn white.
Australia's recently elected government has pledged to spend A$1.2 billion ($800 million) over the coming years to protect the reef.
What are Coral reefs?
Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on Earth.
They play an important role in marine ecosystems and support habitats for flora and fauna in the ocean.
Each coral is called a polyp and thousands of such polyps live together to form a colony.
About Great Barrier Reef
It extends for 1400 miles along the north-east coast of Queensland, Australia and is the world's most extensive and rich coral reef ecosystem.
It is made up of more than 2,900 reefs and more than 900 islands.
It is the largest single structure in the world made by living organisms.
This reef was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
8. Government of India allows the Enforcement Directorate to share information with 15 more government agencies
Tags: National Economy/Finance
The Ministry of Finance on 22 November 2022 issued a notification which amended the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to share information about economic offenders with 15 more agencies. Earlier the ED shared information with only 10 government agencies. Now it has to share information with 25 agencies.
This has been done by the government to expedite the cases involving cases related to economic offence and better coordination between agencies.
The ED investigates the case relating to economics offence under the Prevention of Money of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2022, the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act 2018 and the sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999.
New agencies with which ED has to share information
These 15 agencies with which now ED has to share information are National Investigation Agency (NIA), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), State Police Department, regulators under various Acts, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of External Affairs, and Competition Commission of India (CCI), National Intelligence Grid, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Defence Intelligence Agency, National Technical Research Organisation, Military Intelligence, inquiry authority under Central Civil Services Rules and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau..
Other 10 agencies with which ED shares information are;
The ED earlier used to share its information with Director (Financial Intelligence Unit, India, under the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue), Cabinet Secretariat (Research and Analysis Wing), Ministry of Home Affairs or National Security Council Secretariat or Intelligence Bureau, Economic Offenses Wing of Central Bureau of Investigation, Chief Secretaries of State Governments, Reserve Bank of India, Department of Company Affairs, Securities and Exchange Board of India.
The Enforcement Directorate was set up in 1956 under the Union Finance Ministry.
Director of Enforcement Directorate Sanjay Kumar Mishra
9. Coal Ministry to conduct Investor Conclave in Mumbai
Tags: Summits National News
In order to promote the participation of bidders in the commercial auction of coal mines, the Ministry of Coal will organise an Investors Meet on December 1, 2022 in Mumbai.
Important facts
Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi will preside over it and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be the chief guest.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be the Special Guest and Minister of State for Coal, Mines and Railways, Raosaheb Patil Danve and Minister of Mining for Maharashtra, Dadaji Bhuse will be the Guest of Honour of the function.
Amrit Lal Meena, Secretary, Ministry of Coal and Vivek Bhardwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Mines will also participate in the Conclave.
10. Merriam-Webster announces 'Gaslighting' as its Word of the Year for 2022
Tags: Popular International News
The world's renowned publisher 'Merriam Webster' has declared the word 'Gaslighting' as the Word of the Year for 2022.
Meaning of Gaslighting
The dictionary defines the term as: "The act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage."
Gaslighting refers to playing with someone on a psychological level for a long period of time, so that the victim begins to doubt the validity of their own thoughts and true sense of self.
Gaslighting can also be a corporate ploy to mislead the public.
Gaslighting, in simple language, is cheating psychologically with someone.
Psychological gaslighting is the questioning of reality while manipulating or dominating a person.
Talking to someone in a psychological way, questioning his existence, his truth, his decisions or his memories comes under the ambit of gaslighting.
This word is an emotional abuse. Such behaviour in love or in married life breaks a person completely. He feels himself mentally tortured.
This word came into existence in 1938
The term itself came into existence 80 years ago in 1938 through gas light, Gas Light is a play written by Patrick Hamilton. Two films were made on this play in the 1940s.
Top 5 words of the year 2022
Oligarch: A term derived from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It means high noble. It is also used for the officers of authoritarian regimes.
Omicron: This is a variant of the coronavirus. This letter is mentioned in the Greek alphabet. Alpha, Beta, Gamma etc are part of this alphabet. Areas in Greater Noida were also named on this basis.
Codify: Converting abortion rights into federal law.
Queen Consort: Camilla, wife of Maharaja Charles, is known by this name.
Raid: The search at Mar-a-Lago home of former President Donald Trump was in the news.
