1. Peru govt announces nationwide emergency amid fiery protests
Tags: International News
The Peruvian government declared a nationwide state of emergency on 14 December amid raging protests.
Important facts
Peru's Defense Minister removed President Pedro Castillo from office on 7 December by impeaching him. Due to which protests are going on in the country.
Amid political turmoil, protests are taking place in the country demanding general elections. Meanwhile, 8 people have died during the violent protests.
Peru has gone through years of political turmoil that have seen corruption, repeated impeachment attempts on several leaders, and curtailment of presidential terms.
About Peru
Peru is the third largest country in South America, after Brazil and Argentina.
President: Dina Boluarte
Capital: Lima
Currency : Nuevo Sol
Major Mountain Ranges: Andes
Major Rivers: Amazon, Ucayali, Madre de Dios
2. G-7 agrees $15.5B energy deal with Vietnam to cut emissions
Tags: International News
The Group of Seven (G-7) rich industrialised nations has approved an agreement to provide $15.5 billion to Vietnam.
Important facts
This will help the Southeast Asian nation rapidly move from coal-fired power to renewable energy, thereby reducing its climate-damaging pollution.
The Group of Seven major economies, along with Norway and Denmark, said that the aim is to help Vietnam reduce its emissions to “net zero” by 2050, a goal which experts say needs to be met globally to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Just Energy Transition Partnership with Vietnam is among a series of agreements that developing and rich nations are negotiating.
The first such deal was signed with South Africa last year, and a similar agreement was reached with Indonesia last month.
The $15.5 billion of funding will come from public and private sources over the coming three to five years.
About G7
The G7 or the Group of Seven is a group of the seven most advanced economies.
The seven countries are Canada, the USA, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Italy.
It was formed in 1975.
G7 countries meet annually to discuss issues of common interest like global economic governance, international security and energy policy.
All the G7 countries and India are a part of G20.
The G7 does not have a fixed headquarters.
The UK currently chairs the G7 and has invited India along with Australia, the Republic of Korea and South Africa as guest countries for the G7 summit.
3. UK, France, and UAE extend support for India's permanent membership at UNSC
Tags: International News
The UK, France and UAE on 14 December extended support for India's permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Important facts
India is holding the presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of December 2022.
The United Arab Emirates has also supported India's bid for permanent membership of a reformed Security Council.
There is a need for reform in UNSC, due to the undemocratic nature of UNSC, barring two regions (North America and Europe), other regions are either underrepresented (like Asia) or not represented at all (Africa, Latin America and the Small Island developing states).
Veto power is also misused in UNSC. Veto power is used by the P-5 countries to serve their own and their allies' strategic interests.
India being the largest democracy and second most populous country in the world, is the primary reason for granting it permanent membership in the UNSC.
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
It was established in 1945 by the United Nations Charter.
It is one of the six major organs of the United Nations.
The other 5 organs of the United Nations are - the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat.
It has five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, collectively known as the P5.
India is currently a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a two-year term, which expires in December.
Any one of them can veto a resolution.
Headquarters - New York
4. New Zealand passes world's first tobacco law to ban smoking
Tags: International News
The New Zealand government on 13 December passed a law to completely end tobacco smoking by banning youth from buying cigarettes for life.
Important facts
The Smoke Free Environments and Regulated Products (Smoking Tobacco) Amendment Bill has been passed in New Zealand which aims to make New Zealand smoke free by 2025.
The bill aims to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009, and reduce the number of cigarette retailers in the country.
The bill has received bipartisan support in New Zealand's parliament and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also plans to reduce the amount of nicotine allowed in smokeless tobacco products.
Passage of the bill would reduce the number of tobacco retailers nationwide to about one-tenth of the current number of 6,000.
This will lead to thousands of lives longer and an additional $5 billion less burden on the health system as there will be no need to treat diseases caused by smoking, such as many types of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, amputations.
The legislation aims to prevent the high number of deaths caused by tobacco consumption in New Zealand which disproportionately affects the native Māori population.
About New Zealand
Prime Minister: Jacinda Ardern
Capital: Wellington
Currency : New Zealand dollar
5. US announces historic nuclear fusion breakthrough
Tags: Science and Technology International News
US researchers announced a historic nuclear fusion breakthrough on December 13, marking a "landmark achievement" toward a source of unlimited, clean energy and an end to dependence on fossil fuels.
Important facts
This breakthrough in nuclear fusion could bring unlimited clean energy and could help in the fight against climate change.
For the first time in history, American scientists have carried out a nuclear fusion reaction at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, USA, due to which pure energy (carbon free energy) was produced just like the Sun.
According to scientists, if everything goes right, America's dependence on fossil energy like gas, petrol and diesel can be reduced.
What is Nuclear fusion?
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.
It is the process that powers the Sun and other stars. This light works by taking pairs of atoms and forcing them together and generates enormous amounts of energy.
6. Rajeev Chandrasekhar attends the India Global Forum at Dubai
Tags: Economy/Finance Summits International News
Union Minister of state for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended the India Global Forum at Dubai on 13-15 December, 2022.
Important facts
He attended the ministerial roundtable – globalization of Indian tech and innovation talent.
He put forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on creating reliable corridors of technologies and innovation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision is to build credible corridors for technologies and innovation with various countries in collaboration with young Indian innovators.
The objective of these discussions is to assess avenues of collaborations with entrepreneurs who are aspirational of expanding their footprint in India.
About India Global Forum
It is the agenda-setting forum for international business and global leaders.
It selects platforms that international corporate and policy makers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their sectors and geographies of strategic importance.
7. India, Poland hold 10th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Warsaw
Tags: International Relations International News
India and Poland held the 10th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Warsaw on December 12.
Important facts
During the meeting, the two sides discussed regional and international issues, including developments in the Indo-Pacific, India's neighbourhood, the Ukraine conflict, cooperation in multilateral fora including the United Nations, and United Nations Security Council reforms.
During the meeting, India and Poland identified agriculture, food processing, information technology and green transformation as areas of interest to further enhance bilateral ties.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the discussions at the sixth round of the India-Poland Joint Commission Meeting on Economic Cooperation to be held in October 2022.
The Indian side in the meeting was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs.
Both countries agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations on mutually convenient dates in New Delhi.
Bilateral Trade
The two nations noted the potential of bilateral trade and investment ties.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bilateral trade between India and Poland has witnessed steady growth in recent years and it stood at USD 4.3 billion in 2021.
Indian companies have invested over USD 3 billion in Poland while Polish investments in India stand at USD 700 million.
About Poland
Prime Minister - Mateusz Morawiecki
President - Andrzej Duda
Capital - Warsaw
Currency - Polish zloty
8. UAE successfully launches first ever Arab-Built lunar spacecraft
Tags: Science and Technology International News
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 11 December carried into space the first ever Arab-built lunar spacecraft. It was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Important facts
Named as Rashid Rover was built by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and is being delivered by the HAKUTO-R lander, engineered by Japanese lunar exploration company ispace.
If the landing is successful, HAKUTO-R will also become the first commercial spacecraft ever to make a controlled landing on the moon.
Rashid rover will provide 'novel and highly valued data, images, and insights,' as well as 'collect scientific data on matters relating to the origin of the solar system, our planet and life.'
Its rover weighs just 22 pounds (10 kg) and will work on the surface for about 10 days.
9. Nepal organises 19th Handicraft Trade Fair and 17th Craft Competition in Kathmandu
Tags: International News
The Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) organised 19th Handicraft Trade Fair and 17th Craft Competition in Kathmandu from December 9 to 13.
Important facts
The objective of this trade fair is to promote the development and market of handicraft products.
The basic objective of the event is to emphasise the need to preserve and protect the traditional arts, which are in danger of disappearing with the advent of modern technology.
Businessmen and sculptors from 17 districts, including the Kathmandu Valley, participated in the fair, in which about 150 stalls were set up.
This trade fair is attracting local people as well as foreign tourists.
10. US prints first banknotes with women's signatures
Tags: Economy/Finance Person in news International News
The U.S. The Treasury (United States of America's Finance Ministry) has printed the first US banknotes (currency notes) with two women's signatures. The new currency notes of $1 and $5 value carry the signature of the Secretary of Treasury (American Finance Minister) Janet Yellen and Lynn Malerba. The United States currency notes are popularly called as Greenback.
Lynn Malerba is Native American and is the chief of the Mohegan Tribe, who holds the position of Treasurer of the United States within the Department of Treasury, United States government.
Janet Yellen is a former chairman of the United States Central Bank, Federal Reserve of New York. She was the first female head of the Federal Reserve.
In the United States the currency notes are printed by the Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the Federal Reserve decides how much currency notes will be printed.
The Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing has note printing facilities at Fort Worth, Texas and another in Washington.
India
In India the government of India issues currency notes of one Rupees and the Coins under the Coinage act 1906(as amended in 2011).
Notes in the denomination of Rs 2 to Rs 10,000 are issued by the Reserve Bank of India under the Reserve Bank of India act 1934.
In India Currency notes issued by the RBI are called bank notes. The Bank notes are signed by the governor of RBI. Till date there has been no women governor in RBI.
The One rupee note is signed by the Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Printing of notes in India
Bank notes are printed at four currency presses, two of which are owned by the Government of India through its Corporation, Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd. (SPMCIL) and two are owned by the Reserve Bank, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Ltd. (BRBNMPL).
The currency presses of SPMCIL are at Nasik (Maharashtra) and Dewas (Madhya Pradesh).
The two presses of BRBNMPL are at Mysuru (Karnataka) and Salboni (West Bengal).
