1. APEC Papua New Guinea 2018 is the year-long hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Papua New Guinea
- It was the first time Papua New Guinea is hosting the APEC meetings.
- Australia provided a quarter to a third of the cost to host the meetings and also helped with logistics and security (G4S).
- Three Cruise ships were chartered through an Australian company to cater to the some 10,000 delegates and guests.
- Many of the attendees and delegations had previously attended the 2018 East Asia Summit held from 11 November to 15 November in Singapore, hosted by the Chairperson Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of Singapore. Thereafter, many of the state leaders, including Prime Minister Lee of Singapore, flew from Singapore to Papua New Guinea.
2. President Kovind meets Australian PM Scott Morrison in Sydney; to unveil the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Parramatta
- President Ram Nath Kovind met Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney today. AIR correspondent, covering the President`s visit, reports that MoUs were exchanged in several fields in the presence of Foreign Minister of Australia Marise Payne and Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Anant Kumar Hegde.
- The President will also address the International Business Summit 2018 organised by Australian Financial Review on Australia-India economic engagement.
3. US suspends USD 1.66 bn security assistance to Pakistan
- The United States has suspended its 1.66 billion dollar security assistance to Pakistan. In an email response to questions, spokesman of the Department of Defense, Colonel Rob Manning told reporters that the decision has been taken on the directions of President Donald Trump.
- The blocking of military assistance, which began in January this year, is a strong signal of American frustration.
- Sedney was a part of the Pentagon when Osama bin Laden was killed in a raid by US commandoes in Abbottabad in Pakistan.
4. Final vote on Brexit deal with EU to be held on Dec 11 in Parliament
- British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the final vote on Brexit agreement with the European Union (EU) will be held on December 11
- May said at a parliament session that I`m looking ahead to 11 December and to when this House will be faced with the decision as to whether or not it wishes to deliver on the vote of the British people with a deal that not only delivers that vote but also protects their jobs.
- British Prime Minister told MPs that the deal finalised with the European Union (EU) over the weekend is the best one that honours the June 2016 referendum in favour of Brexit.
6. International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women is being observed in Nepal
- In Nepal, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is being observed in Nepal. A number of programmes are being organized across the country with the theme of "Gender-based violence and abuse: Not accepted to us".
- The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed on November 25 every year. This year’s United Nations theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is "Orange the World: #HearMeToo".
- President Bhandari has said that spreading education and awareness and making women economically independent is very necessary to end all forms of violence against women.
7. Nepal government launches Social Security Scheme
- Nepal government has launched a Social Security Scheme for formal sector workers of the country.
- Unveiling the scheme in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said, a new era of social security has begun in Nepal.
- The new social security scheme is contribution based and it will cover health and medical facilities, safe motherhood, accident and physical incapacity security, security to dependent family members and security at old age.
- The scheme will be compulsorily applicable to formal sector workers. The scheme will soon be extended to informal sector workers as well.
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