1. Nicaragua cut its diplomatic relation with Taiwan
Tags: International News
- The Central American countryNicaragua has become the latest country to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of China.
- The decision was praised by China, which demands that any country that wants diplomatic relations with it must cut existing ties with Taipei.
- Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland one day.
- However, Taiwan sees itself as a democratically-governed, independent country, though it has never formally declared independence from the mainland.
- Taiwan's list of international allies has dwindled from 21 down to 14 since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016.
- Before Nicaragua, the Pacific Island nations of Kiribati and the Solomon Islands were the latest countries to cut ties with Taiwan in favour of China in 2019.
Capital of Nicaragua: Managua
President of Nicaragua : Daniel Ortega
Capital of Taiwan : Taipei
2. Opening day of Summit for Democracy
Tags: International News
Theme of the Summit: “combating authoritarianism, fighting corruption and promoting human rights”
It has been organised by the State Department of the United States.
While inaugurating the summit the US President Joe Biden said that
“Democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to renew it with each generation,” in a message, which will bring together leaders of 100 countries, civil society and private sector representatives.
Sitting beside his Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and addressing over 50 Countries, Biden said, “We have to stand for justice and the rule of law for free speech, free assembly, a free press, freedom of religion, for all the inherent human rights of every individual,”.
- Biden announced plans for the U.S. to spend up to $424 millions around the world to support Independent media, anti-corruption work and more.
Indian Prime Minister Mr Narender Modi also participated in the summit virtually .
The PM said that the “four pillars of Indian democratic governments” are “sensitivity, accountability, participation and reform orientation”.
Major countries like Russia, China, Saudi Arabia have not been invited to the summit.
Pakistan was invited to the summit but it chose to back off from the summit over the fear that it will offend its close ally China.
Summit for Democracy This is a virtual summit hosted by the United States of America to “renew democracy at home and confront autocracy abroad”.
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3. India amongst the most unequal countries in the world
Tags: International News
As per the 'World Inequality Report 2022' by World Inequality Lab, which aims to promote research on global inequality dynamics., India is among the most unequal countries in the world, with rising poverty and an 'affluent elite'.
Highlights of the report:
- Distribution of Wealth:
- The average national income of the Indian adult population is Rs 2,04,200. Here, the bottom 50% earns Rs 53,610 while the top 10% earns Rs 11,66,520, over 20 times more. In India, the top 10% and top 1% hold 57% and 22% of the total national income respectively while the share of the bottom 50% has gone down to 13%.
- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are the most unequal regions in the world, whereas Europe has the lowest inequality levels.
- Gender inequality:
- in India is also considerably on the higher end of the spectrum. The share of female labour income share in India is equal to 18% which is significantly lower than the average in Asia (21%, excluding China) & is among the lowest in the world. Although, the number is slightly higher than the average share in the Middle East (15%).
- Women’s share of total incomes from work (labour income) was about 30% in 1990 and is less than 35% now
- Wealthy Countries Poor Governments:
- Countries across the world have become richer over the past 40 years, but their governments have become significantly poorer.
- Impact of COVID crisis:
- The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed hit all world regions, but it hit them with varying intensity.
- Europe, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia recorded the largest drops in national income in 2020 (between -6% and -7.6%) while East Asia (where the pandemic began) succeeded in stabilizing its 2020 income at the level of 2019.
World Inequality Lab
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4. UK, Canada joins diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Games
Tags: International News
Canada will join the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on December 8.
Highlights:
- The United States was the first to announce the boycott, saying its government officials would not attend February’s Beijing Olympics because of China’s human rights “atrocities”.
5. US to diplomatic boycott Beijing winter olympics
Tags: International News
The US has announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, a move that has been heavily criticised by Beijing.
The White House said no official delegation would be sent to the Games because of concerns about China's human rights record especially its treatment of Uighur muslim in Xinjinag provinces.
However American sports persons will participate in the winter olympic games.
Following the US announcement, New Zealand and Australia also announced a diplomatic boycott of the games though their athletes be participating in the games.
Winter Olympics Games The winter olympics games are organised every fours by the International Olympic Committee . The games include sports which are played on snow and ice. The Summer and Winter olympics were organised by the International Olympics Committee in the same year but in 1986 it was decided to hold the two games separately on separate four-year cycles in alternating even-numbered years. So after the 1992 winter games next was the Winter games held in 1994 while the Summer Olympics was held in 1996 after 1992. The first Winter Olympic Games was held in 1924 at Chamonix, France. 24th Games will be held in Beijing, China 2022. 25th games will be held in Milan–Cortina d'Ampezzo , Italy. |
6. Suu Kyi sentenced to four years in prison
Tags: International News
The military junta ruling Myanmar has sentenced the deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi for four years for incitement against the military and breaching COVID-19 rules,
Ms. Suu Kyi, 76, has been detained since the Generals staged a coup and ousted her Government on February 1, ending the Southeast Asian country’s brief period of democracy.
U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Monday denounced a four-year jail term handed down to Myanmar’s ousted leader Suu Kyi after a “sham trial” and called for her immediate release.
Western countries have demanded Ms. Suu Kyi’s release and condemned the violence since the coup in which some 1,300 people have been killed,
Myanmar was earlier called Burma.
Capital : Naypyidaw
Currency : Myanmar Kyat
President : Military leader Min Aung Hlaing
Aung San Suu Kyi She is the youngest daughter of the Burmese Father of the Nation Aung Sang. She studied in Delhi University and she rose to prominence for leading a democracy movement against the army rule in Myanmar. Her Party National League for Democracy(NLD) won the 1990 election but she was jailed and put in house arrest for almost 15 years She became the face of the Pro democracy movement in the world She got the Nobel Peace Prize 1991. Her Party won the 2015 General election and she became the State Counsellor(Prime Minister ). On 1 February 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested and deposed by the Myanmar military, along with other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, after the Myanmar military declared the November 2020 general election results fraudulent. |
7. Mount Semeru erupted in Indonesia
Tags: International News
- Mt Semeru (3676 m above sea level) is the biggest mountain on the island of Java.
- Semeru is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia
- The volcano is part of a chain of volcanic mountains stretching from northern Sumatra to the Lesser Sunda Islands.
- Volcanism in Indonesia is mainly associated with the offshore subduction of the Australian Plate beneath the Sunda Plate.
- The oldest record of an eruption of Mt Semeru was from 1818
- Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any other country in the world.. Indonesia is one of many places located within the world's most volcanically, and seismically, active zone, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
- The Only active volcano in India is found at Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Volcano A volcano is an opening in the earth’s crust through which gases, molten rocks materials (lava), ash, steam etc. are emitted outward in the course of an eruption. Such vents or openings occur in those parts of the earth’s crust where the rock strata are relatively weak. Volcanic activity is an example of an endogenic process. |
8. International News
Tags: International News
1. Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir to form the new government in Iceland
- Katrin Jakobsdottir has been chosen by the coalition parties in Iceland to be their leader and the Prime Minister of Iceland.
- She became the Prime minister of Iceland in 2017for the first time.
- Capital of Iceland: Reykjavík
2. Barbados becomes a Republic
The Caribbean island nation of Barbados declared itself a republic on 30 November, a move that coincides with the 55th anniversary of its independence from Britain.
Barbados capital Bridgetown
Currency: Barbados Dollar
Prime Minister: Mia Mottley
3. EU announces BRI alternative
- European Union (EU) plans 300 Billion Euro Infrastructure Fund to Counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by 2027.
- Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission calls it “The Global Gateway Plan” and describes it as “roadmap for major investment in infrastructure development around the world”
4. Sri Lanka Finance Minister Visit to India
India has agreed to help Sri Lanka to deal with its food and energy crisis .
This was agreed by the visiting Sri Lankan Finance Minister Mr. Basil Rajapaksa and the Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sithraman and External Affairs minister Mr. S. Jaishanker.
5. Russia warns US to stop NATO’s Eastward Expansion
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Moscow needed “long-term security guarantees” that would halt NATO’s eastward expansion.
Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Blinken was in Stockholm for a meeting of the ministerial level meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
9. Barbados becomes a Republic
Tags: International News
The Caribbean island nation of Barbadosdeclared itself a republic on 30 November,a move that coincides with the 55th anniversary of its independence from Britain.
The country of some 3,00,000 citizens is no longer a constitutional monarchy and will not pledge allegiance to the Queen of Britain.
On November 29, Barbados, once known as Little England, swore in its first President, Sandra Mason.
However, it will remain a part of the Commonwealth.
Barbados capital Bridgetown
Currency: Barbados Dollar
Prime Minister: Mia Mottley
Commonwealth of Nations or Commonwealth
Headquarters:London , England |
