1. 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.
2. 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.
3. World's largest active volcano Mauna Loa erupts in Hawaii
Tags: Environment place in news International News
The world’s largest active volcano, Hawaii's Mauna Loa, has erupted after 40 years. The US Geological Service (USGS) has upgraded the situation from advisory to “warning” which is the highest classification for a volcanic eruption. At present the lava flow is mostly contained within the summit, but residents have been placed on alert.
Mauna Loa is located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which covers half of the US state's Big Island. The volcano rises 13,679ft (4,169m) above sea level and spans an area of more than 2,000 sq miles (5,179 sq km).
The eruption began on 27 November 2022 night at Moku'āweoweo, the volcano's summit caldera. Calderas are hollows that form beneath the summit at the end of an eruption.
According to the USGS, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since its first documented eruption in 1843. The previous eruption in 1984 sent lava flows within 5 miles of the city of Hilo, the island's most populous town.
4. First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation held in China, India not invited
Tags: Summits International News
According to the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) a meeting of the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation took place on 21 November 2022, in which 19 countries took part. India was not invited by the Chinese.
The meeting was held in a hybrid manner under the theme of “Shared Development: Theory and Practice from the Perspective of the Blue Economy” in Kunming, Yunnan Province of China.
According to CIDCA at the November 21 meeting, China has proposed to establish a marine disaster prevention and mitigation cooperation mechanism between China and countries in the Indian Ocean region.
Countries which participated in the Chinese forum
The following 19 countries participated in the meeting; Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, Australia and representatives of 3 international organisations.
Maldives denies participating in the meeting
The Maldives Foreign ministry in a statement issued on 27 November 2022 has denied participating in the meeting .It said that it had officially communicated to the Chinese government its inability to participate in the forum.
Chinese attempt to counter Indian influence in the region
According to experts, the Chinese forum is apparently aimed at countering India’s strong influence in the Indian Ocean region where India-backed organisations like the 23 members Indian Ocean Rim Association, (IORA) have taken strong roots. China is a dialogue partner in the IORA formed in 1997.
The Indian Navy-backed Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), established in 2007, is a premier forum for cooperation and collaboration among navies of littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Chinese effort to increase its influence in the Indian Ocean region
China is trying its influence in the strategic Indian Ocean region with substantial investments in ports and infrastructure investments in several countries, including Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
China has established a full-fledged naval base in Djibouti, its first outside the country. Beijing has acquired the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka on a 99-year lease besides building the port at Pakistan’s Gwadar in the Arabian Sea opposite India’s western coast.
5. US bans the use of Chinese companies Huawei, ZTE telecom equipment sales, citing national security risk
Tags: International News
The United States government has banned the use of telecommunication equipment from China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE because they pose "an unacceptable risk" to U.S. national security.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission in its order on 26 November 2022 also banned the sale or import of equipment made by Chinese surveillance equipment maker Dahua Technology Co ,video surveillance firm Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co Ltd and telecoms firm Hytera Communications Corp Ltd.
In March 2021 the American government had designated five Chinese companies Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp Hikvision and Dahua on the "covered list" as posing a threat to national security under a 2019 law aimed at protecting U.S. communications networks.
Chinese companies dominate the telecom equipment market in the world and many countries fear that the use of Chinese equipment will comprise its national security.
US security officials have warned that equipment from Chinese brands such as Huawei could be used to interfere with fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks and collect sensitive information.
India has also indirectly banned the use of Chinese telecom equipment in the country.
6. Former ISI chief Asim Munir appointed new chief of Pakistan Army
Tags: Person in news International News
Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency chief Lt Gen Asim Munir has been appointed as the new chief of the Pakistan Army on 24 November by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, succeeding Gen Qamar Bajwa.
Important facts
He replaced outgoing General Qamar Javed Bajwa on 29 November.
Bajwa was appointed army chief in 2016 for three years. In the year 2019, he was given a three-year extension.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote to President Alvi to appoint Lt. Gen. Munir as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Lt. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
With the approval of Munir's name by the President, the process of appointment was completed.
Lt Gen Munir has served as the chief of the two most powerful intelligence agencies Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI).
However, his tenure as ISI chief was the shortest ever and within eight months he was replaced by Lt Gen Faiz Hameed in 2019 at the behest of the then Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The CJCSC is the highest authority in the hierarchy of the armed forces, but major powers, including deployment, appointments and transfers of troops, rest with the Chief of Army Staff. Because of these powers, the army chief is the most powerful.
Pakistan has been in existence for more than 75 years and the country has been under military rule for more than half of that time. In such a situation, the army has been interfering a lot in the security and foreign policy matters of the country.
7. India expresses commitment to peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region
Tags: Summits International News
India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers's meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held at Dhaka in Bangladesh on 23 November, 2022.
Important facts
India voiced its strong commitment to the strengthening of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region and in the Indo-Pacific.
The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
He also highlighted India's contribution as coordinator of IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and science, technology and innovation for capacity building and strengthening of IORA Secretariat.
On the challenges posed by climate change, the Minister highlighted the initiatives of LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023.
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
It is an international organisation consisting of coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.
It has been formed with the aim of increasing cooperation among the countries of the Indian Ocean Region and making joint efforts for sustainable development.
It includes 21 countries along the coast of the Indian Ocean including India and 7 dialogue partners.
These 21 countries include India, Australia, Iran, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman.
It was formed in 1997 and its secretariat is in Mauritius.
8. Anwar Ibrahim sworn in as the country's new prime minister in Malaysia
Tags: Person in news International News
Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as the country's tenth Prime Minister on 24 November.
Important facts
The new leader was appointed by King Al-Sultan Abdullah.
With this, the political uncertainty that continued for several days after the general elections with a fractured mandate in Malaysia has come to an end. Anwar took oath in a simple ceremony at the National Palace.
Anwar's Alliance of Hope won the election with 82 seats but fell short of the 112 seats needed for a majority.
Former Prime Minister Muhyiddin's Malay-centric Perikatan Nasional (National Alliance) managed to win 72 seats due to unprecedented support from the Malay community in the election.
The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party emerged as the largest party in the coalition, winning 49 seats.
The coalition led by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which won 30 seats in the election, agreed to support the coalition led by Anwar.
About Malaysia
Capital : Kuala Lumpur
Currency : Malaysian ringgit
9. Sher Bahadur Deuba elected for consecutive 7th time from Dadeldhura district
Tags: Person in news International News
Prime Minister and President of the Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba on 23 November was elected for the consecutive 7th time from the home district of Dhankuta.
Important facts
The counting of votes continues for parliamentary and provincial elections in the country.
Senior Nepali Congress leader Deuba defeated an independent candidate Sagar Dhakal by a margin of over 12 thousand votes.
The parliamentary and provincial elections were held on 20th of November in Nepal.
It was the second general election since the promulgation of the constitution in 2015.
The first round of elections held in 2017 did not live up to the expectations of Nepalese voters as the government did not last long.
10. Europe announces name of world's first disabled astronauts
Tags: Science and Technology International News
The European Space Agency announced the name of the first "parastronaut" on 23 November in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space.
Important facts
The 22-nation European Space Agency said it selected former British Paralympic runner John McFall as part of a new generation of 17 recruits selected for astronaut training.
He will participate in a feasibility study designed to allow ESA to assess the conditions needed for people with disabilities to participate in future missions.
Five new astronauts have been roped in to take part in the training after ESA replenished its astronaut ranks for the first time since 2009.
The EAS received 257 applications for the role of an astronaut with a disability, designated a "parastronaut".
McFall, who lost his right leg due to a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, won a bronze medal in the 100 metres at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.
