Current Affairs search results for tag: international-news
By admin: Dec. 31, 2021
1. “Israel”, first country to give 4 doses of COVID-19 vaccine
Tags: International News
- Israel approved a fourth dose of Covid vaccine for people with weakened immune systems.
- Israel’s Pandemic Expert Committee has recommended a fourth dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for all people aged over 60, medics and those with compromised immunity, at least four months after their third jab.
- The move was welcomed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who said it would help the country get through a potential wave of the Omicron variant.
By admin: Dec. 30, 2021
2. India welcomes Egypt as 4th new member of BRICS New Development Bank
Tags: International News
- India on 29th December 2021 welcomed Egypt’s entry as the fourth new member of the New Development Bank (NDB) that was established by the BRICS countries six years ago.
- The NDB admitted Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Uruguay as its new members in September 2021.
BRICS New Development Bank
The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
- Formed in: July 2014
- Headquarters: Shanghai, China
- President: Marcos Prado Troyjo
- Members: Egypt, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay
By admin: Dec. 28, 2021
3. United Arab Emirates issued its first civil marriage licence to a non-muslim couple
Tags: International News
- A Canadian couple were the first to marry under the new law on the personal status of non-Muslims in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi.
- UAE in November 2021 had announced that non-muslims would be allowed to marry, divorce and get joint child custody under civil law in Abu Dhabi according to a new decree issued by its ruler.
- The United Arab Emirates, where foreigners make up 90% of the approximately 10 million population has been amending its laws to present itself as a modernising force in a largely conservative region.
- In the United Arab Emirates personal status laws on marriage and divorce had formerly been based on Islamic sharia principles, as in other Gulf states.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham
President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Prime minister: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
About Abu Dhabi
- Abu Dhabi city in the emirate is the federal capital of the UAE.
- Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, occupying 84 per cent of the national landmass territory. It has 200 islands and a long coastline stretching 700km.
- It is an oil-rich emirate and the second-most populous city of UAE, after Dubai.
Starting on January 1, 2022, the Emirates will become the only Gulf country not to observe weekends from Friday, the Muslim day of prayer, to Saturday.
By admin: Dec. 28, 2021
4. UN Special Envoy calls for New Year’s ceasefire in Myanmar
Tags: International News
- United Nation’s special Envoy Noeleen Heyzer said she is deeply concerned by increased violence in Kayah state of Myanmar and other areas, which has displaced thousands of civilians, many of whom have fled the country for protection and assistance.
- “The people of Myanmar have already suffered tremendously and the socio-economic and humanitarian situation has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ms. Heyzer.
- Ms. Heyzer urged all parties to act in the greater interest of the nation and to fully respect their obligations under international law to protect civilians, ensure free movement towards safety, and allow humanitarian access to those in need.
- “To this end, she appeals for a New Year’s ceasefire throughout Myanmar,” the statement said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Ms. Heyzer as his Special Envoy on Myanmar back in October 2021. She succeeded Christine Shraner Burgener, who had served since April 2018.
Issue in Myanmar
Myanmar has been in sheer chaos since February 1, 2021, when the military junta overthrew the government and imprisoned the leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been sentenced to four years detention and faces multiple other criminal charges.
- At least 1,375 people have been killed and more than 8,000 jailed due to the protests and oppositions since the coup.
By admin: Dec. 28, 2021
5. UAE has lifted ban on import of Poultry products from India
Tags: International News
- The United Arab Emirates has lifted the ban on the import of eggs and other poultry products from India .
- The ban was lifted after India assured UAE that it will follow bio safety norms set by the World Health Organisations for Animal Health to prevent infection from Bird flu.
- UAE banned import of poultry products five years back on the concern over bird flu.
- UAE is the third largest trade partner of India after China and the United States with a bilateral trade of around USD60 billion last year.
- It is the third largest export market for India after the U.S and China
By admin: Dec. 27, 2021
6. India hand over relief material to Mozambique under Mission Sagar
Tags: International News
- Naval ship INS Kesari entered the Port of Maputo in Mozambique to deliver 500 tonnes of food aid as well as defence equipment, under the eight edition of Mission Sagar by the Navy to assist friendly foreign countries in the region.
- India handed over two Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) and other self-defence equipment to Mozambique to assist in its capacity building as the Central African nation battles growing terror threats of Islmaic state also called as Daesh.
Mission SAGAR
- Mission SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) was launched by the Government on May 10, 2020 to provide assistance to the countries in the Indian Ocean Region.
- It is being conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government agencies
Mozambique
It is a Southern African country along the Indian Ocean coast.
Capital: Maputo
Currency: Mozambican metical
President: Filipe Nyusi
By admin: Dec. 25, 2021
7. Japan to diplomatically boycott Beijing Olympics Games
Tags: International News
- Japan has announced that it will not send any government officials to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 to be held in China .
- Earlier its close western allies the United States , Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada have announced to diplomatically boycott the Beijing Winter Olympic games protesting against the human rights situation in China especially its treatment of Ugyher muslims .
- Japan, like other countries, will however send its players to the games.
- The games will be held in China from 4 to 20 February 2022
Japan
Capital of Japan: Tokyo
Currency of Japan : Yen
Prime Minister of Japan :Fumio Kishida
By admin: Dec. 25, 2021
8. Russian Court fines Meta and Google
Tags: International News
- A court in Moscow slapped Google with an unprecedented fine of nearly USD 98 million(7.2 billion rouble), while Meta (formerly Facebook) received a penalty of USD27 million(1.9 billion roubles) for not moderating their content properly and interfering in the country’s affairs.
- These Social media giants were held guilty of repeatedly failing to delete illegal content, remove materials that incite religious hatred and promote views of “extremist and terrorist organisations” from their sites
Russian Currency is Rouble.
Capital of Russia : Moscow
President of Russia : Vladimir Putin
By admin: Dec. 24, 2021
9. Hong Kong’s Tiananmen Square Statue removed
Tags: International News
- A famous statue which showed the piled-up corpses at the University of Hong Kong marking the Tiananmen Square massacre was removed on 23rd December.
- The Pillar of Shame was created by Danish artist Jens Galschiot as a tribute to the victims of China’s crackdown in Tiananmen Square in June 1989.
By admin: Dec. 24, 2021
10. US President Joe Biden bans import of goods from China's Xinjiang province to prevent use of forced labour
Tags: International News
- United States (US) President Joe Biden has signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act that bans import of goods from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China into the US made with forced labour.
What is the law
- The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, bans all imports from China’s Xinjiang region into the United States unless companies can show the U.S. government “clear and convincing evidence” their supply chains have not used the labor of ethnic Muslims enslaved in Chinese camps.
What is the issue
- United States accuses China of genocide against the Muslim Uyghur who are kept in a concentration camp by Chinese authorities violating their basic human rights and are forced to work without any labour rights .
- The Chinese government describes the camps as "re-education" facilities aimed at combating terrorism. The Chinese government accuses many Ughyer of being a part of radical Islmaic movement which threaten China .
- An East Turkestan Independence Movement led by the East Turkestan Liberation Organisation seeks to establish an Independent country for the Ugyhers in the Xinjiang region of China. To crush the separatist movement China has kept a large number of Uygher who it feels are sympathetic to the East Turkestan Movement in special camps denying them basic human rights .
- To put pressure on China on its human right issues the United States and its allies Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022.
- The players of these countries will participate in the Beijing Olympics but these governments will not send their official delegation to China to protest China's poor human rights record and its handling of minorities like Ugyer muslims and Tibetaines.
What is the Economic and Environmental cost to the US
- However many American companies are against the act as more than than 40% of the world’s polysilicon supply comes from Xinjiang. Polysilicon is used as a raw material by the solar photovoltaic and electronics industry. If it is banned from China then the prices of these products will rise in the United States leading to costly goods for the American consumer .
- It will also hamper US commitment to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels as the solar energy cost will rise. It will have an adverse effect on the US commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emission.
