Current Affairs - International

India has established AYUSH Chairs at universities in five countries - Bangladesh, Australia, Mauritius, Latvia, and Malaysia—to promote traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda, Yoga, and Homoeopathy globally. This initiative aims to enhance academic collaboration, research, and public awareness of AYUSH systems while fostering international recognition and market development of AYUSH products and services. It is part of India's broader strategy to increase global engagement with traditional Indian medicine.

Russia will permit Indian tourists to travel visa-free starting in March 2025, as part of bilateral efforts to simplify visa requirements. This decision comes after a notable increase in Indian visitors, with Moscow experiencing a 1.5x rise in Indian travellers in the first half of 2024 and over 60,000 Indian visitors in 2023, reflecting a 26% growth from 2022. The move highlights India's significance as a priority market for Russia and aims to boost tourism and strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

Italy granted citizenship to Argentine President Javier Milei due to his Italian ancestry, reflecting the country’s policy of offering citizenship to descendants of Italian emigrants. This decision has sparked debates about Italy’s citizenship laws, particularly their perceived unfairness toward children of immigrants born in Italy who often face difficulties in obtaining citizenship. Despite the criticism, the move aligns with Italy’s long-standing legal framework and has also fostered closer political and economic ties between Italy and Argentina, with leaders discussing a collaborative Action Plan for 2025-2030.

The United Kingdom introduced its first codes of practice for online safety, overseen by Ofcom. These regulations require social media platforms like Meta's Facebook to tackle criminal activities and improve safety features. The codes specifically address issues such as child sexual abuse and suicide-related content. Companies failing to comply face significant penalties, including fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global turnover. This initiative marks a pivotal step in creating a safer digital environment.

Cyclone Chido, a Category 4 storm, caused severe destruction in Mayotte with winds exceeding 220 km/h before making landfall in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province on December 15, 2024. The cyclone flattened entire neighbourhoods in Mayotte, marking it as the strongest cyclone to hit the region in over 90 years. After crossing the Mozambique Channel, Chido intensified and brought winds over 200 km/h along with heavy rainfall, severely affecting northern Mozambique. Around 1.7 million people were impacted, with significant risks of flash floods, heavy rains, and further destruction in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa.