1. India and Netherlands hold 11th Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi
Tags: International News
India and Netherlands held 11th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on 19th December.
Important facts
The Indian delegation was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs and the Dutch side was led by Paul Huijts, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Both sides discussed ways forward in important areas such as Water, Agriculture and Health (WAH Agenda), science and technology, climate innovation and renewable technologies.
Noting that the Netherlands is India's third largest export partner in Europe, the two sides are looking to strengthen their trade ties through the Joint Trade and Investment Committee meeting next year.
The two countries have also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Indo-Pacific, European Union, United Nations and climate action.
Free trade agreement negotiations between India and the European Union and resumption of the connectivity partnership were acknowledged by both sides as key drivers.
Both countries are also committed to early implementation of the outcome of the India-EU Leaders' Meeting in May 2021.
This year the two countries are celebrating 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
About Netherlands
The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe.
Monarch: King Willem-Alexander
Prime Minister: Mark Rutte
Capital: Amsterdam
Currency: euro
2. Over 190 nations adopt landmark biodiversity pact to restore natural ecosystems
Tags: Environment International News
Chaired by China and hosted by Canada, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the "Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework" (GBF), which sets four goals and 23 targets for 2030.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework" (GBF)
Over 190 nations of the world on 19 December agreed on a historic package of measures deemed critical to addressing the dangerous loss of biodiversity and restoring natural ecosystems.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides a global roadmap for the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems for the next decade.
The objective of the Framework is to catalyze, enable and inspire urgent and transformative action by governments and local governments, with civil society participation, to prevent biodiversity loss.
In this, four goals and 23 targets have been set which are to be achieved by 2030.
Four global goals
Goal 1
Maintain, enhance or restore the integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems, while significantly increasing the area of natural ecosystems by 2050.
Stop human-induced extinction of known threatened species and reduce the extinction rate and risk of all species tenfold by 2050.
Goal 2
By 2050, the sustainable use and management of biodiversity for the benefit of present and future generations and the valuing and promotion of nature's contribution to people, including ecosystem functions and services.
Goal 3
Monetary and non-monetary benefits from the use of genetic resources, and digital sequence information on genetic resources, and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, to be shared fairly and equitably with indigenous peoples and local communities.
Goal 4
Adequate means of implementation, including financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access and transfer of technology to fully implement the Kunmin-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in a safe and secure way for all parties, especially developing countries be equally accessible.
Global targets
Effective conservation and management of at least 30 per cent of the world's lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. At present, only about 17% of land and 7% of oceans are protected.
3. Latvia host Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit at Riga
Tags: place in news Summits International News
-summit-at-Riga.jpg)
Latvia hosted the 3rd summit meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) on 19 December 2022 in Riga. The summit meeting has been convened on the Initiative of the Prime Minister of Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš, with the support of the United Kingdom.
The JEF was founded in 2015 after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit meeting in Wales in 2014. It comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The JEF has been set up to prepare a high readiness force which can respond to crises in the High North and Northern Europe (caused by Russian aggression).
The summit meeting of the JFF was held virtually on 25 February 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The second Summit was hosted by the United Kingdom in London on 15 March 2022.
The third summit was dominated by the aggressive war of Russia in Ukraine and consequent changes in the security climate in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea and the High North regions. They agreed to provide further assistance to Ukraine in its fight with the Russians.
Latvia
Latvia lies in North Eastern Europe and is one of the three Baltic countries. The other Baltic countries are Lithuania and Estonia.
It is called Baltic country as it lies along the Baltic Sea.
Latvia was occupied by the Soviet Union and it became Independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Capital: Riga
Currency: Euro
Prime Minister: Krisjanis Kariņs
4. Leo Varadkar re-elected as the Prime Minister of Ireland
Tags: Person in news International News
Indian origin Leo Varadkar was elected as the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland for the second time on 17 December 2022. He took over from Michael Martin under an arrangement struck between their two parties under a 2020 coalition pact. Michael Martin has become the deputy Prime minister and Foreign minister.
Earlier in a special session in the lower house of the Irish parliament, Dail voted to approve Leo Varadkar’s nomination as the prime minister. It was later also confirmed by the Irish President Michael D. Higgins.
After the 2020 general election Martin’s Fianna Fail party and Varadkar's Fine Gael party entered into a coalition deal under which powers were to be shared between the two parties.
Leo Varadkar was earlier Prime Minister of Ireland from 2017 to 2020.
Republic Of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland is a western European country which shares a boundary with Great Britain.
The Parliament of Ireland is called the Oireachtas. The lower house of the parliament is called Dail and the upper house is called Seanad Éireann (Senate).
The term of Dail is five years.
President of Ireland: Michael D. Higgins
Currency: Euro
Capital: Dublin
5. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar host a millet based lunch in New York for Top UN diplomats
Tags: place in news Person in news International News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted a millets based lunch in New York on 15 December 2022 for the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other top diplomats of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) member states to commemorate the International Year of Millets 2023 (IYM 2023).
The External Affairs minister was in New York to chair two key UNSC debates being held under the Presidency of India. India is the President of the UNSC for the month of December 2022. India’s 2 year term as the non -permanent member of the UNSC ends on 31 December 2022.
The United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021, had adopted an Indian sponsored resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
In his message at the opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets at Rome, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that “India will steer the IYM 2023 celebrations worldwide and organise campaigns to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets,"
Millet is one of the oldest known foods to humans .They are called a superfood as they are rich in nutrients such as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. They are low on glycaemic index.
6. Opening Ceremony of International Year of Millets 2023 held in Rome, Italy
Tags: place in news International News
The United Nations agency Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) hosted an opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets – 2023 (IYM2023) in Rome, Italy on 6 December 2022 in a hybrid mode.
An Indian delegation led by Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare along with other senior officials were present at the opening ceremony.
Shobha Karandlaje conveyed PM Modi’s compliments to the United Nations for declaring the Year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. PM, through his message, thanked the global community for supporting India’s proposal to mark the International Year of Millets (IYM).
PM Modi said that “India will steer the IYM2023 celebrations worldwide and organise campaigns to promote the cultivation and consumption of Millets, both in India and abroad during the next year.”
Speaking on the occasion, Director General, FAO Mr. QU Dongyu said the IYM2023 will provide us with a unique opportunity to give visibility to crops that have great potential to strengthen global nutrition, food security.
Millets and India
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India is the largest producer of millet in the world.
- The total production of millets in India in 2020-21 was 17.96 million tonnes which was nearly 41% of the world production.
- Rajasthan was the largest millet producing state in India.
- Millets are grown in about 21 states in the country including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.
- India was the 5th largest exporter of millet in the world in 2020 .
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation)
- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
- It was founded in 1945.
- Its headquarters is in Rome (Italy).
- It was conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020
Director General: QU Dongyu
7. NASA launches international mission ‘SWOT’ to survey Earth’s water
Tags: Science and Technology International News
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) have jointly launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission to track nearly all the water on Earth’s surface.
The SWOT mission was launched through a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States of America on 16 December 2022. The mission has a lifespan of three years.
Feature of the Mission
- According to NASA SWOT will cover the entire Earth’s surface between 78 degrees south and 78 degrees north latitude at least once every 21 days.
- It will provide data on more than 95 per cent of the world’s lakes larger than 15 acres (62,500 square meters) and rivers wider than 330 feet (100 meters) across.
- Currently, freshwater researchers have reliable measurements for only a few thousand lakes around the world.
- The satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean on more than 90 per cent of Earth’s surface.
- This information will provide insights into how the ocean influences climate change; how a warming world affects lakes, rivers, and reservoirs; and how communities can better prepare for disasters, such as floods.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
It is an American government’s premier space agency which was set up in 1958 to promote research and development in the exploration of outer space and Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA mainly launches its rockets from its two primary spaceports. One is John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida, United States and from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States of America.
Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C
Administrator of NASA: Bill Nelson
8. Iran is suspended from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women
Tags: International News
Iran has been expelled from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), in which India abstained from voting.
Important facts
The US proposal at the UN Economic and Social Council to remove Iran from the panel received 29 votes.
Out of a total of 54 members, eight votes were against and 16 were absent.
There have been widespread protests in Iran against the order forcing women to wear the hijab, with Iran voting to suspend it after vigorous lobbying by the US.
The Economic and Social Council has expressed serious concern over the actions taken by the Government of Iran since September 2022 through the draft to remove Iran from the remaining 2022-2026 term of the 'Commission on the Status of Women'.
The draft said that Iran continued to violate women's human rights, including freedom of expression.
Through the resolution, it was decided to remove Iran "with immediate effect" from the remaining term of 2022-2026 of the 'Commission on the Status of Women'.
About UN Commission on the Status of Women
It is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the main organs within the United Nations.
It has been described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Every year, representatives gather at UN Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.
India is a member of this commission from 2021 to 2025.
9. Tokyo Makes Solar Panels Mandatory for New Homes Built After 2025
Tags: International News
On December 15, the Japanese capital's local assembly passed a new rule mandating that all new homes in Tokyo built by large-scale home builders after April 2025 must install solar power panels to cut household carbon emissions.
Important facts
This new rule for newly built homes mandates about 50 major builders to equip homes of up to 2,000 square metres (21,500 sq ft) with renewable energy sources, mainly solar panels.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 2,000 levels.
Japan is the fifth largest carbon emitter in the world. It has committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Meanwhile, scientists at the California Institute of Technology also launched a space solar program in 2013 following a $100 million grant, while teams from countries including Japan, Russia and India are also studying the possibilities.
10. US President Joe Biden signed gay marriage legislation
Tags: International News
United States (US) President Joe Biden signed gay marriage law. On the occasion, the President said that "the law that protects love strikes a chord against hate in all its forms".
Important facts
This law establishes statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.
The House of Representatives passed the law on December 8 by a vote of 258-169-1.
The new law officially repeals the Marriage Act of 1996, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court in its decision legalized same-sex unions nationwide.
States would not be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples if the court overturns its 2015 ruling. But they will be required to recognize marriages conducted elsewhere in the country.
Status of Same-Sex marriage around the world
Same-sex marriage is the marriage of two people of the same gender.
As of 2022, marriage between same-sex couples is legally recognized in 33 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc.
This does not usually include adoption rights, although most countries with same-sex marriage allow those couples to adopt jointly, as can other married couples.
The first law providing for marriage equality between same-sex and opposite-sex couples was passed by the Netherlands in 2000.
The right to marry is a fundamental right under article 21. However, same-sex marriage is not legalized in India.
