JANUARY

JANUARY

 INTERNATIONAL   

Ø  1st Syria Peace Congress begins in Sochi:

Ø  The Syrian National Dialogue Congress began in the Russian city Sochi. The first Syrian peace talks have been sponsored by Russia, Iran and Turkey. Authorities from Syria’s Kurdish autonomous region will not be participating the talks. One of the main aims of the congress is to bring Syria closer to creating a post-war constitution.  

Ø  US lifts ban on refugees from 11 ‘high risk’ nations

Ø  The United States has announced that it is lifting the ban that it had imposed ban on refugees from 11 nations, which it termed as high-risk countries. Despite resuming the process of accepting the refugees, the US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen stated that those seeking to enter the US would have to come under much tougher scrutiny than in the past. The new screening measures include additional interviews of applicants ‘family members and close scrutiny of potential ties to organized crime. The move comes as President Donald Trump presses for sharp turn in overall US immigration policy.

Ø  Sauli Niinisto re-elected President of Finland

Ø  Finnish President Sauli Niinisto was re-elected to the position following a landslide election victory over his closest challenger Pekka Haavisto. With all ballots counted, Niinisto had 62.7 percent of the vote, while his leading rival, Pekka Haavisto of the Greens, had 12.4 percent. Niinisto, 69 is a former finance minister and parliament speaker. He has been a highly popular president since he took office in 2012.

Ø  Miloš Zeman wins another term as Czech President

Ø  Czech President Miloš Zeman has won a second 5 year term as head of state after beating his opponent Jirí Drahoš with a thin margin. Zeman, in 2013, became the first president of the country, which was formed only 2 decades ago, to be elected by the voters & not politicians. Overall, he is the third president of the country, which was formed following the division of Czechoslovakia in 1993.

Ø  Juan Orlando Hernandez sworn-in as President of Honduras

Ø  Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was sworn in for a second term amid protests over what the opposition calls electoral fraud. At a ceremony in capital Tegucigalpa, the President promised to begin a process of reconciliation to unite the Honduran family. Hernandez, a 49-year-old lawyer, is Honduras’ first President to be re-elected, a key point in the protests against him. The country’s 1982 constitution bars presidents from seeking a new term and conservative politicians deposed a leftist president in 2009 for allegedly even considering re-election. But Hernandez won a Supreme Court ruling in 2015 to get around that prohibition.

Ø  Doomsday Clock set to 2 mins to midnight closest since 1953

Ø  The Doomsday Clock close the planet is to an apocalypse was set at 2 minutes to midnight, the closest since 1953 during the Cold War. The Clock was moved 30 seconds forward compared to 2017, citing growing nuclear risks and climate dangers. The Clock is maintained since 1947 by scientists worldwide including 15 Nobel Laureates.

Ø  US Senate confirms Jerome H Powell as Chairman of Federal Reserve

Ø  The United States Senate on January 24, 2018 confirmed the appointment of Jerome H Powell as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve System, the Central banking system of the United State. Powell’s appointment was approved by the Senate by vote of 85 to 12, as he was supported by a majority of Democrats and nearly all republicans. Powell was nominated for the post in November 2017 by President Donald trump. Powell will replace Janet Yellen, whose term will end in February 2018. Yellen was appointed by President Obama in 2014 and has been the first woman to hold the position.

Ø  George Weah sworn-in as Liberian President

Ø  Former football star George Weah was sworn in as president of Liberia, completing the country’s first transition between democratically-elected leaders in three generations. In his inauguration speech, Mr Weah said he couldn’t offer any “quick fixes” but rather steady progress towards the goals of Liberians. his biggest priorities, would be to fight corruption and pay civil servants “a living wage”, and show the private sector that Liberia was “open for business”.

Ø  Malta’s Valletta becomes Europe’s Capital of Culture

Ø  Valletta, the capital of Malta, was officially named European Capital of Culture 2018. Valletta will share the title with Leeuwarden, a city in the Netherlands. Notably, the ‘European Capitals of Culture’ initiative aims to highlight the diversity of European culture and to increase the citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area.

Ø  Romania names MEP Viorica Dancila as first female PM

Ø  European lawmaker Viorica Dancila has been named as Prime Minister-designate in Romania making her the country’s third head of government in a year and its first female premier. It was announced after the sudden resignation of former Prime Minister Mihai Tudose.

Ø  UK appoints ‘Minister for loneliness’

Ø  The Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Theresa May has announced the appointment of Sports minister Tracey Crouch as the Country’s first ‘Minister for loneliness’. The move has been made to tackle the isolation felt b more than one in ten people in the UK. In her additional role, Tracey Crouch would be required to develop a strategy to address loneliness in the nation.

Ø  China builds World’s Biggest Air Purifier

Ø  China constructed a 330-foot tall air purifying tower dubbed the “world’s biggest air purifier”. The tower, which is being tested by researchers, has produced more than 10 million cubic meters of clean air since it was launched. The air purification system works through greenhouses covering about half the size of a soccer field around the base of the tower.

Ø  Assange given Ecuadorian citizenship

Ø  Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Maria announced that the country has granted citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. In 2012, Assange, an Australian-Ecuadoran, had sought refuge at Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced an investigation over rape allegations. He was granted asylum, and has been staying at Ecuadorian Embassy in London since then.

Ø  Sri Lanka reimposes ban on women buying alcohol

Ø  Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered to reimpose ban on women buying alcohol or working in places that sell or manufacture liquor. The 1979 law prohibiting the sale of any type of alcohol to women was overturned in an effort to restore gender neutrality. However, the move was opposed by hardline sections of the majority-Buddhist nation forcing the President to reimpose the ban.

Ø  China became second internet service provider for Nepal

Ø  The Hong Kong and Beijing based China Telecom Global (CTG) – a company formed in 2012 – has teamed up with Nepal Telecom to provide alternate cyber-connectivity to Nepal. So far, Nepal had been linked to the global internet network through Indian telecom operators, using optical fiber connections in Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Birgunj, among others. But a new terrestrial fiber cable launched in 2016 by CTG will now connect Nepal and China through the Jilong (Rasuwagadhi) border gateway.

Ø  Saudi Arabia allows women to visit the country without a male companion

Ø  Women aged 25 and above will now be allowed to visit Saudi Arabia alone, without being accompanied by a male companion. The move is a part of Saudi Arabia’s broader plans to issue tourist visas.

Ø  ‘IRON FIST’- US, Japan joint Military Drill begins

Ø  American and Japanese military forces have launched joint exercise named Iron Fist. The 13th annual Iron Fist exercises kicked off in the U.S. western state of California. More than 500 U.S. Marines and sailors are partnering with about 350 members of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force to train in fire support operations and amphibious assaults.

Ø  Iran bans teaching of English language in primary schools to block cultural invasion

Ø  Iran has banned the teaching of English in primary schools after Islamic leaders warned that early learning of the language opened the way to a Western “cultural invasion”. According to the Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it does not mean opposition to learning a foreign language, but a promotion of a foreign culture in the country and among children, young adults, and youths. The teaching of English in Iran usually starts between the ages of 12 to 14 but some primary schools below that age also hold language classes.

Ø  East Jerusalem for Palestinian capital

Arab states will push for the international community to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state. This announcement comes a month after US President Donald Trump recognized the city as Israel’s capital. Many Arabs consider the eastern part of Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Ø  US lists Pakistan with ten other nations for Religious Freedom Violations

Ø  The United States has placed Pakistan on ‘Special Watch List’ for “severe violations” of religious freedom. It is only country to be put under the newly-formed list. Moreover, US also re-designated about 10 countries as ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ under its International Religious Freedom (IRF) Act. They are Burma (Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Ø  Himalayan Hydro Expo 2018 kicked off at Kathmandu

Ø  The Himalayan Hydro Expo 2018 kicked off at Kathmandu, the capital Nepal. President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari inaugurated the exhibition. Delegates from various countries including India, China, Austria, Czech Republic and Norway are participating in the expo. The basic objective of Expo is to unleash massive hydropower potential of Nepal and bring all stakeholders under one roof.

Ø  Iceland becomes first country to legalise equal pay

Ø  A new law making it illegal to pay men more than women has taken effect in Iceland. The legislation makes Iceland the first country in the world to legalise equal pay between men and women. Under the new rules, companies and government agencies employing at least 25 people will have to obtain government certification of their equal-pay policies. Those that fail to prove pay parity will face fines.

Ø  Israel passes law requiring super-majority to relinquish control over Jerusalem

Ø  Israel’s parliament passed a law requiring a supermajority to relinquish control over any part of Jerusalem, a move that could hamstring the city’s division in any future peace deal. The amendment bars the government from ceding Israeli sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem without approval of at least 80 of the legislature’s 120 members. But the law itself can be overturned with a simple majority, making it largely symbolic. The law also permits the government to remove outlying Palestinian neighborhoods from the city.

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Ø  Six countries enter UN Security Council

Ø  Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, Peru, Poland and the Netherlands formally joined the ranks of the non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to make a difference. The six new countries, voted on by the 193-member General assembly for two-year terms, will have a strong voice in matters dealing with international peace and security during their time on the U.N.’s most powerful body. The UN Security Council has 15 members, including five with permanent seats who have the power to veto resolutions – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The six countries who left the UN Security Council recently are Egypt, Italy, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay.

Ø  California’s new law on cannabis use

Ø  California has become the largest state in the US to legalise recreational cannabis use. As of 1 January 2018, adults aged over 21 can possess up to an ounce (28 grams) of the drug and can grow up to six marijuana plants at home. Sacramento is California’s capital. Democrat Hillary Clinton is the president of California.

Ø  Bulgaria takes over revolving EU presidency

Ø  Bulgaria, has taken over the European Union’s six-month revolving presidency with the ongoing migrant crisis and Brexit among the top items on its agenda. It takes over from Estonia. The presidency, which rotates between different EU member states, will give an opportunity to improve its image as the bloc’s most corrupt country. Bulgaria will have to manage a June deadline for EU leaders to agree an overhaul of the so-called Dublin Regulation, under which the country where an asylum seeker arrives is responsible for them.

Ø  No more aid to Pakistan: Trump

Ø  Showing zero tolerance towards terrorism, the US President issued a tough warning to Pakistan and said that United States will no longer give any fund to Pakistan. The statement comes soon after the recent talks that the Trump administration was considering cutting off aid to Pakistan. In this changing scenario the US President Donald Trump slammed the Pakistan, saying that this South asian country has given nothing but the lies and deceit to US. It has provided safe heaven to terrorists.

Ø  China shuts down its legal Ivory Trade

Ø  Two years after a joint pledge with the United States to ban the domestic trade in ivory, all of China’s government-licensed carving factories and ivory retailers are about to close. China is one of the world’s biggest consumers of ivory products. By the end of 2017, it has imposed a near-complete ban on buying and selling ivory.

Ø  Venezuela raises minimum wage 40%

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced a 40 percent increase to the minimum wage. New wage level would protect workers against, Washington’s economic war to sabotage socialism. The government is in fact fomenting a vicious cycle in a country already wrestling with the world’s fastest inflation. To counter those price increases, Maduro has been raising the minimum wage, but quickening inflation coupled with a depreciating bolivar currency has plunged millions into poverty. Venezuelans will now earn some 797, 510 bolivars a month, factoring in food tickets, or just over 7 Dollars on the widely used black market index.