Current Affairs GK 26th to 31st May 2024

1. FAR-RIGHT SWING IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS –

• In the recent European Parliament elections, right-wing and far-right parties gained ground while left-leaning and liberal parties faced losses.
• Major Political Groups: Members of European Parliament align with Europe-wide political groups based on shared ideological beliefs.
• Major groups include the European People’s Party (EPP), Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Renew Europe, Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA), European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Identity and Democracy (ID), and the Left Group (GUE/NGL).
• In the latest elections, although the EPP remained the largest group, there was a notable rise in support for right-wing and far-right parties.
• The European Parliament (EP) is the only directly elected body of the EU, representing the citizens of its member states.

2. RECENTLY, INDIA HAS SLIPPED TWO PLACES ON THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM’S (WEF) GLOBAL GENDER GAP INDEX TO 129TH PLACE –

• This year, the 18th edition of the Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks gender parity across 146 economies, providing a basis for the analysis of gender parity developments across two-thirds of the world’s economies.
• As per WEF, at the current pace it would take another 134 years (equivalent to five generations) to achieve full gender parity.
• It annually benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity. It is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.
• Published by: The World Economic Forum

Four Key Dimensions-

• Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, Political Empowerment.
• Overall, India ranked 129 in this year’s index, scoring marginally lower than the previous edition. With a population of more than 140 crore, India has closed 64.1% of its gender gap in 2024 and the decline of two places from 127th last year.

1. India had the best rank (65) in the ‘Political Empowerment’ parameter
2. Economic Participation and Opportunity (142)
3. Health and Survival (142)
4. Educational Attainment (112)

• This slight regression is mainly the result of small declines in ‘Educational Attainment’ and ‘Political Empowerment’, while ‘Economic Participation and Opportunity’ slightly improved.
• Top Rankers: Iceland was followed by Finland, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden in the top five. The majority of the top 10 most gender-equal countries are in Europe, with Ireland and Spain re-entering the top 10 this year.

3. ACCORDING TO A GLOBAL ASSESSMENT OF NITROUS OXIDE (N2O) EMISSIONS, INDIA IS THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF IT THAT HEATS UP THE ATMOSPHERE FAR MORE THAN CARBON DIOXIDE –

• According to a global assessment of Nitrous Oxide (N2O) emissions, India is the world’s second largest source of it that heats up the atmosphere far more than carbon dioxide.
• Nitrous Oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, its emissions have grown by 40% between 1980 and 2020.
• India was responsible for nearly 11% of the global man-made Nitrous Oxide emissions in 2020, just after China (16.7%).
• The major source of these emissions comes from fertiliser usage, particularly nitrogen-based fertilisers, and animal manure in agriculture. On the other hand, the US (5.7%), Brazil (5.3%) and Russia (4.6%) were the top five emitters, along with China and India.
• However, the per capita emissions (Kg Nitrous Oxide/Person) in India have the lowest (0.8) in comparison to countries like China (1.3), US (1.7), Brazil (2.5) and Russia (3.3).
• The increase in greenhouse gases has already raised the Earth’s average surface temperature by 1.15°C compared to the 1850-1900 average.
• Anthropogenic Nitrous Oxide emissions contribute to about 0.1 degrees of this warming.
• High levels of N2O in the atmosphere can deplete the ozone layer and compound the effects of climate change.
• On the earth, excess nitrogen contributes to soil, water, and air pollution.

4. RECENTLY, AS THE 18TH LOK SABHA CONVENES, POLITICAL PARTIES OF THE COALITION ARE COMPETING FOR THE SPEAKER’S POST –

• Since India follows the Westminster Model of government, the parliamentary proceedings are headed by a presiding officer, who is called the Speaker.
• Office of speaker – Article 93 of the Indian Constitution provides for the offices of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
• He/She shall be elected as soon as may be after the commencement of the house.
• After a pro tem or temporary Speaker administers the oath to new members of the house, the Speaker is elected by a simple majority in the House.
• Usually by convention, a member belonging to the ruling party is elected Speaker.
• There are instances when members not belonging to the ruling party were elected to the office of the Speaker like GMC Balayogi and Manohar Joshi in the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha respectively.
• It is coterminous with the term of the Lok Sabha that is 5 years unless he/she resigns or is removed from office before that. When the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker remains in his office till the first meeting of the new assembly when the new speaker is elected.
• Article 94 provides that a motion of no-confidence can be moved against the Speaker with notice of 14 days. The Speaker can also be removed on getting disqualified from being a Lok Sabha member under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• A speaker can also tender his resignation to a Deputy Speaker. Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy is the only Speaker who resigned from the office. There are no specific qualifications for becoming Speaker, but he must be a member of the house.

5. WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT G7 SUMMIT? –

• The G7 Leaders’ Summit will take place in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13th to 15th. This is because Italy will be leading the group in 2023.
• The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. During times of global change, the group faces important problems such as geopolitical strife and major issues such as climate change and the effects of technology.
• Over the years, the G7 has moved its attention from economic policies to bigger problems facing the world. However, as the world economy changes, some are wondering if the G7 is still necessary. In contrast to the growth of economies like China and India, its share of world GDP has gone down. People have asked for a more fair grouping than the G7, maybe something like the G20, which was created during the 2008 financial crisis because it includes more people.
• Regulation of New Technologies: The summit will also talk about how to regulate new technologies so that they help the world grow in a good way. This includes making plans for how to handle how new technologies affect people’s lives and businesses.
• Role of the G7: The G7 continues to be important in shaping international policies and tackling global problems, even though its members and the way the global economy is changing are criticized. This shows that it is still relevant in the international arena.
• The G7 started with a very important meeting in Paris in 1973. The purpose of that meeting was to deal with the oil crisis, inflation, and the end of the Bretton Woods system, which set the value of the US dollar against gold. This meeting led to the creation of a forum for the world’s major industrial democracies to work together on economic strategy. In 1975, six countries met in Rambouillet, France, for the first official G7 meeting. In 1976, Canada joined, and starting in 1977, the European Union did too.

6. LT. GEN. UPENDRA DWIVEDI APPOINTED NEXT ARMY CHIEF –

• Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi was recently named by the Ministry of Defense as the next Chief of the Army Staff. His replacement will be Gen. Manoj Pande, and the change will happen on June 30, 2024. General Pande was given an extra month to leave before his original planned date.
• Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi was born on July 1, 1964. He joined the army as an infantryman in the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles on December 15, 1982, and rose through the ranks. During his long military service, he has held important leadership and strategic positions. He used to be the Vice Chief of the Army Staff before becoming the Army Chief.
• During his long and accomplished service, Lt. Gen. Dwivedi has held important leadership roles, such as being in charge of the 18th Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment and the 26th Sector Assam Rifles Brigade. He has also been the Inspector General of the Assam Rifles (East) and the 9th Corps. He has also been Director General of Infantry and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief at the Northern Command, which shows that he has a deep knowledge of military operations and the needs of infantry. Along with his real military knowledge, Lt. Gen. Dwivedi is also a graduate of the prestigious Sainik School, Rewa.

7. INDIA’S REFUSAL TO SIGN UKRAINE DECLARATION AT SWISS CONFERENCE –

• At the recent Summit on Peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland, India opted not to sign the final communique alongside several other nations. This decision stemmed from India’s strategic relationship with Russia, its primary defense supplier, and Moscow’s absence from the summit, which India deemed crucial for any lasting peace agreement involving Ukraine.
• India’s abstention was rooted in its belief that sustainable peace in Ukraine requires a solution acceptable to all parties involved, including Russia. With Russia absent from the summit, India expressed reservations about endorsing a communique that didn’t reflect Moscow’s perspective, crucial for achieving lasting stability in the region.
• Represented by Secretary (West) Pavan Kapoor from the Ministry of External Affairs, India emphasized the need for dialogue and diplomacy involving all stakeholders to resolve the Ukraine conflict effectively. This stance underscored India’s cautious diplomatic approach amidst the ongoing war and its broader geopolitical considerations.

8. INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICT 2024 –

• Every year, on June 19, we observe the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. This important day aims to raise awareness about the serious issue of sexual violence during wars and conflicts worldwide. It also focuses on finding ways to stop these terrible crimes.
• The United Nations declared June 19 as this special day in 2015, commemorating the adoption of a resolution that condemned sexual violence as a tactic of war and an impediment to building peace.
• The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is crucial for informing people about the atrocities happening globally. It also encourages everyone to speak up against these crimes.
• This day is about giving hope. It aims for people to work together for a future where everyone feels safe and secure. Each person can contribute today to make a better future.

9. US, INDIA TO LAUNCH NASA-ISRO SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE –

• India and the United States (US) are preparing to jointly launch NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar to combat climate change and other global challenges. Announced the White House as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is on a two-day visit to New Delhi.
• A new partnership between the US Space Force and the Indian startups, 114ai and 3rdiTech. Launching a new partnership between the U.S. Space Force and the Indian startups, 114ai and 3rdiTech, including on advancing space situational awareness, data fusion technologies, and infra-red sensor semiconductor manufacturing.
• As the world’s two oldest and largest democracies, the United States and India share a unique bond of friendship, and Mr. Sullivan’s trip will further deepen the already strong US-India partnership to create a safer and more prosperous Indo-Pacific.