- The Houthi forces’ consolidation in the south could have presented an opportunity for a new, more inclusive and legitimate government following a ceasefire, but that option is now ruled out as the conflict has been effectively regionalised with the Saudi intervention. Yemen increasingly appears to be heading towards Syria’s fate — a nation torn asunder into enclaves controlled by sectarian and fundamentalist groups and constantly at war among one another. What started as yet another promising chapter of the Arab Spring has now taken a turn that follows events elsewhere in the region — regression into a harsh Arab Winter.
Yemen worst country for women to live in:
- Current Affirs The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently published a report according to which Yemen is the worst country in the world for women to live in. The WEF`s Global Gender Gap Report 2014 measured economic and social disparities between men and women around 142 countries to arrive at the conclusion. The economic and educational opportunities, as well as political representation and health outcomes are far worse for women than for women in these worst scoring countries.
Take a look at 10 worst countries in the world for women to live in:
- Yemen
- Pakistan
- Chad
- Syria
- Mali
- Iran
- Ivory coast
- Lebanon
- Jordon
- Morocco
2) China releases details of Silk Road plans
- China has provided details about its proposed Silk Road initiatives, which would impact 4.4 billion people and, within a decade, could generate trade above 2.5 trillion dollars.
- A vision document jointly prepared by a composite team from the Ministries of Commerce, Foreign Affairs and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) — a top organization that steers the Chinese economy — has with precision revealed the geographic parameters of China’s “One belt One Road” initiative.
- The “belt and road” have two components — the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) that would be established along the Eurasian land corridor from the Pacific coast to the Baltic Sea, and the 21st century Maritime Silk Road (MSR).
- The “belt and road” run through the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, connecting the vibrant East Asia economic circle at one end and developed European economic circle at the other, says the government report.
- The SREB focuses on bringing together China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe (the Baltic); linking China with the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea through Central Asia and West Asia; and connecting China with Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Indian Ocean.
3) Myanmar govt, rebel groups sign draft cease-fire deal
- Myanmar`s President Thein Sein has witnessed the signing of a draft ceasefire agreement between the government and 16 rebel groups. The agreement, which came after seven rounds of talks, is a significant step towards ending decades of conflict. Negotiators from the armed rebel groups still have to consult with their leaders before giving final approval. Rebels from the newest and most active conflict in Kokang did not attend the talks. The United Nations said the move was a historic and significant achievement and provided a basis for genuine and lasting peace in the country.
4) Make food safety a priority: WHO
- The World Health Organisation(WHO) on 31st March urged each nation in the South-East Asia region to make food safety a priority. It stated that over 700,000 children die in the South-East Asia region every year due to diarrhoea and several other diseases caused by the impure food and water.
- Bacteria, viruses, parasites, chemicals, and other contaminants in our food can cause over 200 diseases ranging from diarrhoea to cancer. New and emerging threats such as climate change and its impact on food production; emerging biological and environmental contamination -- all Apose challenges to the safety of our food, according to Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia
- She said the countries must put in place comprehensive food safety policies and stringently implement it across the food chain. Food safety has been set as the theme for the upcoming World Health Day.
5) Iran, world powers reach n-accord
- Iran and world powers reached a framework agreement on 2nd April on curbing Iran`s nuclear program for at least a decade, a step toward a final pact that could end 12 years of brinkmanship, threats and confrontation.
- The tentative agreement, after eight days of marathon talks in Switzerland, clears the way for negotiations on a settlement aimed at allaying Western fears that Iran was seeking to build an atomic bomb and in return lift economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
- The framework is contingent on reaching an agreement by June 30. All sanctions on Iran remain in place until a final deal.
- Under the outline deal, Iran would shut more than two-thirds of its installed centrifuges capable of producing uranium that could be used to build a bomb, dismantle a reactor that could produce plutonium, and accept intrusive verification.
- The negotiations between Iran and six powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - blew past a self-imposed March 31 deadline with no certainty that they would not end in failure.
- Iran agreed to significantly reduce the number of installed uranium enrichment centrifuges it has to 6,104 from 19,000 and will only operate 5,060 for 10 years under the future agreement with the six powers, according to a U.S. fact sheet. Iran will only use first generation centrifuges during that time, it said. One of the most sensitive issues during the negotiations, Iran`s research and development work, will also be limited.
- High enriched uranium can be used to make a weapon, which they aim to prevent, while low enriched uranium is used in power plants. Iran has insisted it wants it only for a peaceful nuclear energy program and denies it aimed to build an atomic bomb.
- Under agreement, Iran will gradually receive relief from U.S. and European Union nuclear sanctions if it complies with the terms of a final deal. Some U.N. Security Council sanctions would be gradually lifted, though others would remain in place, specifically those relating to proliferation.
Other important points:
- The joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme is a significant breakthrough that will have long-lasting implications globally.
- The 18-month-long negotiations between the various parties finally bore fruit had much to do with the fact that Iran’s current regime is headed by a pragmatist in President Hassan Rouhani who was elected in 2013 on the premise of bringing about an entente with the West, among others.
- Iran has always maintained that its nuclear programme was meant only for peaceful purposes and that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it was entitled to enrichment of uranium for energy generation.
- But the unrelenting pressure from the West in the past decade, including recurring talk of open hostility from the U.S. and Israel, had led to defiance from the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad-led regime.
- Iran went on to expand its nuclear programme by furthering enrichment capabilities and building clandestine nuclear facilities.
- These actions had invited sanctions from not only the U.S. and the EU, but the UN as well, which had hurt Iran economically and also made it difficult for countries such as India to engage in trade with the country.
- India’s imports from Iran — particularly petroleum products — had been severely curtailed due to the sanctions.
- The nuclear agreement with Iran should also help ease the long-standing hostile ties between the U.S. and Iran eventually helping to change at least some equations in the conflict-ridden West Asian region.
6) 46 nations to join AIIB as founding members
- The number of countries applying to be founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank rose to 46 by the April 1stdeadline.
- The AIIB is a multilateral development bank proposed by China to provide financing to infrastructure projects in the Asia region.
- The growing infrastructure demand in cash-strapped Asian countries will necessitate the need for more than 700 billion dollars each year by 2020. More countries are urging Washington to approve IMF quota reforms to allow a better balance of power, but previous attempts to give greater weight to rising states have stalled out of national interests.Focused as it is on infrastructure development in Asia, the AIIB offers abundant trade and investment opportunities also for developed countries with advanced technology.