World Current Affairs December 2011-Burning topics

Read here on this page the World  Current Affairs for the month of December 2011

In our previous post on Current Affairs for December 2011,we have published the National Current Affairs for the month of December 2011.In this article we have covered the important events of the world for the month of December 2011.The articles for the world December 2011 Current Affairs are precise and to the point.In the upcoming articles we are going to publish current affairs that includes current GK for the month of December 2011.If our missed our previous post on National Current Affairs for December 2011 then you must go through it as it will help you in your preparation for the forth coming competitive exams.

World Current Affairs December 2011

Hillary Clinton's Historic Visit to Myanmar:

US Secretary of state Ms Hillary Cinton wrapped her much publicized Myanmar visit on December 1,2011.This is the first visit to the nation by a US Secretary of State in more than 50 years.During the high profile visit,Ms Clinton urged the leaders of Myanmar to continue and expand upon recent reforms,ailing for the release of all political prisoners and end to violent campaigns against the ethnic minorities and breaking off military ties with North Korea

Highlights

• During her meeting with the Myanmar President Thein Sein Ms Clinton offered a package of rewards for the progressive steps the nation had already taken.
• Ms Clinton hand delivered to Mr Sein a letter from the US President Mr Barack Obama in which Mr Obama hoped that bilateral relations between the US and Myanmar would improve
• During her visit,Ms Clinton also had a meeting with celebrated democracy campaigner Ms Aung San Suu Kyi,who hailed the formers visit to the isolated nation as "Historic Moment" 

UN Blocks New Cluster Munition Protocol

The United Nations had thwarted a move by a group of Nations spearheaded by the US to put in place a contentious new protocol on Cluster Munitions.The US led group which included China,Russia,Israel and India sought to promote an improvement to the existing treaty on cluster munitions,one of the most dangerous conventional weapon systems in the world.

Highlights:

• The proposed improvement backed by the group sought to ban the use of cluster munitions produced before 1980.
• This would have resulted in a dilution of the existing, and far more comprehensive agreement-the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.
• The UN said that the munitions sought to be banned had either already reached or are nearing the end of their shelf life and would have to be destroyed anyway

Arab States impose sanctions on Syria

In a significant development,the Arab States voted on Nov 27,2011 to impose economic sanctions on Syria with immediate effect following Syrian President Mr Bashar-al-Assad's failure to halt a crackdown on an eighth month uprising against his rule

Highlights

• The sanctions include measures like travel ban,asset freeze,stopping investment etc.
• The Arab League had already suspended Syria for failing to end violence in the country.
• 19 of the Arab League's 22 members have voted in favor of sanctions.

China Secures Access To More of Turkmenistan Gas

According to reports released on 24th November 2011,China has taken a major step towards securing access to the vast gas reserves of the Central Asian Nation Turkmenistan.Mr Gurbanguly,the president of Turkmenistan said in this regard that his government has agreed to increase its planned supply of natural gas to China by 25 billion cubic meters

Highlights

• China has secured access to vast gas reserves of Central Asian nation Turkmenistan
• The two sides have also agreed to properly implement the development plans for natural gas blocks along the Amu Darya river
• Turkmenistan which was world's 4th largest gas reserves, already supplies with china with 40 billion cubic meters of gas every year.

China's Rural Poverty Falls

As per a white paper released by the Chinese Government on November 20,2011,the number of rural poor in China has fallen by a whooping 70 million over the last decade.The Paper-the first released on poverty since 2001_ attributed the steep decline to the effectiveness of a series of subsidies for China's farmers.

Highlights

• The number of rural poor had declined from 94.22 million in 2000 to 26.88 million in 2010 or 2.8 percent of rural population
• The paper attributed the steep decline to the effectiveness of a series of subsides for China's farmers.
• Another Kay reason for the decline was setting up of a nationwide rural social assistance system in 2007.It now covers 35 million rural Chinese.

Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan Form Eurasian Union

Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan agreed on Nov 18, 2011 to create a Eurasian Union, and economic body designed to re-integrate the former-Soviet economies.The decision was reached at a Moscow meeting among Russian President Mr Dimitry Medvedev, Kazakh President Mr Nursultan and Belarus President Mr Alexander Lukashenko

Highlights

• The Eurasian Union is an economic body designed to re-integrate the three former Soviet economies.
• The Eurasian Unions will have its own executive body, and it will mark a further step in economic integration on the lines of the European Union.
• Russian Prime Minister Mr. Vladimir Putin who first mooted the idea, said that other countries are free to join the Union.

US tests new Hyper sonic Weapon

The US army on November 17,2011 conducted its first flight test of a new hypersonic weapon .It launched the advanced weapon from the pacific Missile range facility on Kauai, USA.The weapon's "Glide Vehicle" reached Kwajalein Atoll some3,700 Km away in less than half an hour

Highlights:

• The advanced Hypersonic weapon is part of the US military programme to develop"prompt global strike" weapons.
• It will allow US to strike targets anywhere in the world with conventional weapons in as little as an hour.
• The weapon is designed to fly long range with in the Earth's atmosphere at speeds that are at least five times the speed of the sound.

Australia Enacts Landmark Carbon Tax Legislation

In a significant development Australia's Parliament on November 8, 2011 passed a landmark carbon tax legislation named the "Clean Energy Act".Australian Prime Minister Ms. Julia Gillard said that the targeted emission reduction would be met "by putting a price on pollution, fostering renewable energy technologies, encouraging energy efficiency and creating opportunities to reduce the pollution of the land.

Highlights:

• The new law will force the the top 500 polluting companies to pay Australian $ 24 per tonne for carbon emissions from July 1, 2012.
• The law will result in the continent country cutting its carbon emissions by 160 million tonnes by 2020-equivalent to taking 45 million cards off the road.
• By 2015,the tax would be flexibly priced under a market based emission trading scheme

Pakistan,Afghanistan to get Power from Russian Plant

Russia on 7th November,2011 offered to invest at least $ 500 million in a central Asian Electricity Project that will provide energy to Pakistan and Afghanistan.Russian Prime Minister Mr. Vladimir Putin made this offer at a one day meeting of the Prime Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Highlights:

• Russia will invest $ 500 million in a central Asian Power project that will provide power to energy starved Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Under the Project, CASA 1000, hydro power rich Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will export 1000 MW of Electricity to the two countries.
• CASA 1000 is one of the projects that may be undertaken by a proposed energy club of the SCO

Way Cleared for Russia to Join WTO

According to report released on November 3, 2011, in a significant development , Russia had cleared the last barrier on its way to joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).The final obstacle in the Russia's a8 year long road to the WTO was removed after it signed a bilateral trade deal with Georgia.

Highlights

• Russia with a GDP of $ 1.9 trillion, is currently by far the largest economy outside the WTO.
• Its entry will mark the biggest step in World trade Liberalization since China joined the organization 10 years ago.
• WTO membership could add 3 % to Russia's economy in the medium term and up to 11 percent in the long term.

Landmark 520 day "Mars Mission" comes to an end

The landmark much publicized "Mars Mission" which had been underway in Moscow,Russia for the last one year and a half (520 days), ended successfully on November 4,2011 when the six volunteers stepped out of the module into the real world.

Highlights:

• The duration of the landmark mission was 520 days.
• The experiment was conducted to stimulate the specifics of a Mars return trip
• The experiment saw six scientists locked up in the isolation module for the entire duration
• The team comprised three Russians,One Chinese,One Italian and One Frenchman.
• The experiment even included 'walks' on a replica of the Martian surface and 20 minute time gaps in the communication with the outside world.

A crucial Landmark for China's space programme

China achieved a rare feat on November 3,2011 when it successfully conducted its first ever docking exercise in outer space.The Docking, performed by an unmanned space craft with a space laboratory module, was hailed as a crucial landmark along China's road to launching its own space station in the next decade.

Highlights

• China's first ever docking exercise in outer space.
• China has become only the third country in the world to accomplish a docking exercise in space, after US and Russia.
• It hopes to be third nation to put into orbit its own space station by 2020.

Latest UN Development Index of Nations

The United Nations released its latest inequality adjusted Human Development Index of Nations on November 2, 2011.The UN published this specific index for the second time in 2011 after first introducing it in 2010, and aims to make it a significant component of its Annual Human Development report alongside its main, unadjusted index.

Highlights

• The inequality-adjusted index is a gauge of well-being that combines economic prosperity with education levels and life expectancy.
• The top three nations in the inequality-adjusted index are Norway, Australia and Sweden, in that order.
• The nations at the bottom included the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Burundi, Chad, etc.

Nepal Witnesses Historic Peace Deal

Bringing the curtains down on an over three year dead-lock, the political parties of Nepal on November 3, 2011 arrived at a historic agreement on the peace process, Constitution writing and Power Sharing

Highlights

• Under the deal, a maximum of 6,500 fighters will be integrated into the Nepal Army,and rehabilitation and cash packages will be provided to the rest.
• Those Combatants who opt for voluntary retirement will get between $ 6,300 and $ 10,000 approximately, depending on their rank.
• There will be packages of between $  7,600 and $ 11,400 for those who prefer rehabilitation
• Maoist weapons will come under the government.