Global Crises and Summit Diplomacy: A World on Edge
By Expert Geopolitical Analysis Team | Johannesburg, Geneva, and Beirut | November 23, 2025
The world on November 23, 2025, was defined by a fragile interplay of diplomatic breakthroughs, simmering conflicts, and humanitarian crises. This date encapsulated the G20’s role as a forum for the Global South, even as international tensions threatened multilateralism. Urgent peace negotiations in Ukraine coincided with battlefield escalations, while targeted military actions in the Middle East risked broader war. Meanwhile, rampant insecurity plagued Africa, and natural disasters in Asia amplified calls for resilient infrastructure.
G20 Summit in Johannesburg: A Milestone for the Global South
The 2025 G-20 Leaders’ Summit, hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, marked the first time the summit was held on African soil. South Africa achieved the adoption of the G-20 Leaders’ Declaration by consensus, an achievement celebrated despite the U.S. boycott and attempts by the U.S. to block the text.
Affirming Multilateralism Despite U.S. Opposition
The Declaration was adopted unusually early—at the start of the Summit, rather than the end—an unprecedented step. South Africa declared this early adoption an "affirmation of multilateralism". Host President Cyril Ramaphosa asserted that the G20 cannot be paralyzed by the absence of any single country, including the U.S.. The U.S. did not participate due to deteriorating Washington–Pretoria ties and attempted to block the Declaration. President Donald Trump had ordered the boycott over claims that South Africa is pursuing racist and anti-White policies and persecuting its Afrikaner White minority, a narrative Ramaphosa dismissed as baseless.
Tensions also peaked over the presidency handover, where South Africa refused to pass the gavel to a "junior U.S. official," opting instead for a symbolic close. Despite the absence of about one-third of the leaders, consensus was reached on the declaration. Ramaphosa praised the "G20 South Africa Leaders’ Declaration" as a "renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation," stressing that shared goals outweigh differences.
Key Priorities and Themes
South Africa used its Presidency to place the priorities of Africa and the Global South firmly at the heart of the G20 agenda, building on the developmental agenda of previous Presidencies (Indonesia, India, and Brazil).
Key themes and priorities affirmed in the Declaration included:
- Multilateralism and global cooperation: Reiterating commitment to the UN Charter, international law, and peaceful settlement of disputes. The declaration also emphasized the African philosophy Ubuntu: “I am because we are”.
- Global South Issues: Strong emphasis was placed on debt sustainability, development financing, inequality, and African priorities. The G20 pledged to extend support to low- and middle-income countries confronting debt vulnerabilities. South Africa highlighted the challenge of risk-parity, noting that countries with the same risk profile face unequal interest rates, limiting their developmental capacity.
- UN Security Council (UNSC) reform: The Declaration called for “transformative reform” of the UNSC, seeking increased representation for Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America & Caribbean.
- Critical Minerals Framework: Emphasis was placed on creating a G20 Critical Minerals Framework to ensure that resources drive prosperity and sustainable development across the globe. The goal is to ensure producer countries, especially in the Global South, derive maximum benefit from these resources.
- Climate Finance: Leaders pledged to increase the quality and quantity of climate finance to developing economies. The declaration highlighted the need to “rapidly and substantially” scale up climate finance “from billions to trillions globally”.
India's Contributions and Vision
India played a crucial role in embedding developmental, gender, and sustainability priorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi argued for reconsidering global parameters of growth, noting that current economic models have left many deprived of resources and caused over-exploitation of nature, especially affecting Africa. He stressed the need to rethink development.
PM Modi pitched a six-point agenda built on India’s vision:
- G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus: Highlighting the threats posed by fentanyl, drug trafficking, and terror financing.
- G20 Global Healthcare Response Team: A team of trained medical professionals ready for deployment from member countries.
- G20–Africa Skills Multiplier initiative: India committed to training 1 million Africans in skill sectors.
- Global Traditional Knowledge Repository: For sustainable, culturally rooted, eco-balanced lifestyles.
- G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership: Sharing agriculture, fishing, and disaster data from G20 space agencies to developing nations.
- G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative: Focused on recycling, sustainable mining, and strategic minerals.
India also promoted Integral Humanism—a holistic development philosophy advocated by Deen Dayal Upadhyay—as an alternative to Western ideologies like individualism and secularism. Additionally, India launched the ACITI Partnership (Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation framework) for AI, clean energy, and supply chain resilience.
The Ukraine Peace Conundrum: Talks, Tensions, and Trump
High-level peace talks are currently underway in Geneva between U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials, centered on a controversial U.S. draft peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.
The Controversial 28-Point Plan
The core of the discussion is the Trump administration’s 28-point plan, which was drafted with Russian input and reportedly without initial consultation with Kyiv or the EU. The plan, which has a Thursday deadline, is seen by critics as heavily favoring Russian demands.
Key provisions reportedly include:
- Requiring Kyiv to cede Ukrainian territory (e.g., Donbas) to the Russian invaders.
- Drastically cutting the size of Ukraine’s military (the U.S. plan suggests a blanket cap of 600,000, while a European counter-proposal suggests 800,000 in peacetime).
- Forgoing NATO ambitions and restricting weaponry.
Critics, including Crisis Group experts, warn that the plan violates international principles of aggression and victim’s rights by attempting to equate the aggressor and the victim. Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik stated that capitulation was never a choice in 2022, and it will not be now.
Diplomacy and Dissent
While a U.S. official described the talks as "productive," Europe and Ukraine are working up counter-proposals. European leaders met to try and buy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy time to come up with a counter-proposal. French defense official Alice Rufo decried the proposed restrictions on the Ukrainian army as a "limitation on its sovereignty".
Trump’s Stance and Criticism: President Trump lashed out on social media, accusing Ukraine's "LEADERSHIP" of expressing "ZERO GRATITUDE" for U.S. efforts. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy stated there is an understanding that the American peace plan may "include a number of elements based on Ukrainian perspectives and critical for Ukrainian national interests".
The G20 Declaration, reflecting constraints in consensus-building, contained minimal references to the Russia–Ukraine war, making it one of the weakest declarations in G20 history on geopolitical issues.
Middle East Volatility: Beirut Strike and Gaza Crisis
The fragile geopolitical environment was heightened by a significant escalation in Lebanon, coinciding with ongoing humanitarian distress in Gaza.
Israeli Strike in Beirut
Israel conducted an air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs today, marking the first such attack without warning since last year’s ceasefire with Hezbollah. The strike targeted an apartment building in the densely populated Haret Hreik area of Dahiyeh.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the strike targeted what he described as "Hezbollah’s chief of staff" in the heart of Beirut. Israeli media identified the target as Haytham Ali Tabatabai, claiming he was the group’s de facto military chief and second-in-command after Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem. The attack resulted in one person killed and 21 wounded, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Other sources reported five killed, including two civilians, and 28 injured.
The strike risks unraveling the U.S.-French-brokered truce, which was signed in November 2024 following an escalation into full-scale war. Israel has routinely violated this ceasefire, having killed at least 331 people and wounded around 1,000 since it took effect. Hezbollah has not launched any retaliatory attacks for nearly a year.
Gaza Crisis and Ceasefire Fragility
The Gaza conflict remains a major geopolitical challenge. Hospitals in Gaza report critical shortages as airstrikes continue, with over 50 people killed and more than 100 injured in recent days. Thousands of Palestinians, who were in Israel on October 7, 2023, remain stranded between exile and war, unable to reunite with families in Gaza due to closed borders.
A U.S.-sponsored UN Security Council resolution was recently approved, endorsing a plan to establish a Board of Peace to administer Gaza and an international force to maintain security. However, Hamas rejected the resolution, calling the proposed international force a tool of continued Israeli occupation and saying its mandate to disarm Palestinian groups violates the "right to resistance".
The fragile Gaza ceasefire offers immediate security improvements for businesses in the region, but complex issues like governance, border controls, and reconstruction remain unresolved. Gaza’s reconstruction is estimated to require $70 billion.
Climate and Development: COP30 Mixed Results
The COP30 United Nations climate summit concluded in Belem, Brazil, leaving a mix of hope and frustration.
Adaptation Funding vs. Fossil Fuel Impasse
One key agreement was a pledge by wealthy nations to triple their funding to help poorer nations adapt to climate change. This commitment is vital for countries facing rising seas, extreme weather, and food insecurity.
However, the summit largely sidestepped the urgent demands to curb fossil fuel use. Oil-rich nations and fossil fuel-dependent economies blocked any binding commitments, resulting in only a voluntary framework. The final agreement was criticized for "watering down" language regarding the phase-out of fossil fuels, opting for a "transition away" narrative. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned during the summit that global demand for coal, oil, and gas is expected to continue rising until 2050.
Furthermore, ambitious proposals for mandatory emission cuts were abandoned. For the first time, the final agreement did not label the IPCC reports as the “best available science”.
Environmental and Humanitarian Crises
The significance of forests and Indigenous rights was highlighted by hosting COP30 in an Amazon city, yet meaningful engagement was lacking. While countries pledged about $9.5 billion in forest funding (including $7 billion for Brazil's initiatives), efforts to create a roadmap for zero deforestation by 2030 were dropped.
The immediate impact of climate vulnerability was tragically illustrated by floods in central Vietnam. Relentless rains since October have claimed 90 lives, with 12 still missing. The disaster devastated agriculture and infrastructure in Dak Lak province, resulting in $343 million in losses, 80,000 hectares of crops ruined, and 3.2 million livestock lost.
Geopolitical Flashpoints: Arctic, Asia, and European Resilience
Beyond the summits, geopolitical rivalry is accelerating in new strategic domains, including the Arctic and East Asia.
Intensifying Arctic Rivalry
Geopolitical rivalries in the Arctic are accelerating in tandem with economic opportunities. NATO announced its first successful exercise on Jan Mayen, signaling its goal of enhancing Arctic capabilities. The U.S. and Finland signed a $6.1 billion memorandum of understanding to co-develop 11 icebreakers to modernize Arctic operational capability.
Competition is driven by new logistics possibilities, particularly the Northern Sea Route (NSR)—a coastal corridor along Russia’s Arctic shore. China announced the completion of its first scheduled container service via the NSR, which reduces transit time from East Asia to Northern Europe by nearly half compared to the Cape of Good Hope passage. If the NSR proves commercially viable, China and Russia are likely to seize early mover advantage, potentially making the NSR an alternative to chokepoints like the Suez and Panama canals. This military competition is driving investment in Arctic defense equipment, patrol, surveillance, and subsea cable protection.
China-Japan Tensions Escalate
The diplomatic feud between China and Japan over Taiwan has intensified, reaching its lowest point since 2023. The conflict began when Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October, commented on how Japan would respond to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan.
China escalated the dispute by raising its concerns with the United Nations. China's Permanent Representative Fu Cong wrote to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, stating that if Japan "dares to intervene with arms" in the cross-strait situation, "it will be an attack". Furthermore, a Chinese consul general in Osaka reportedly threatened, "We have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has pounced on us without hesitation," leading Japan to demand the diplomat's expulsion. China has also issued a no-travel advisory for Japan, canceled cultural meetings, and banned Japanese seafood imports.
Europe’s Infrastructure Under Hybrid Attack
European critical infrastructure resilience is being severely tested by hybrid warfare, climate stress, and rising AI-driven power demand. Physical attacks on infrastructure have quadrupled since 2023, and cyberattacks continued to increase between 2024 and 2025. The EU has responded by extending sanctions against Russian entities involved in hybrid activities and advancing resilience initiatives like the Baltic Sentry. Intensifying competition over advanced technology will drive cyber espionage and IP theft, adding urgency for infrastructure companies to prove preparedness through stress-testing and robust data-governance measures.
African and Economic Security Challenges
Nigerian Kidnappings
Nigeria’s northwest region has descended into deeper chaos, highlighted by the abduction of 303 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger state, on November 21. This was the second such raid in a week. Armed bandits, exploiting weak security, demand ransoms, though 50 children have reportedly escaped. President Bola Tinubu canceled G20 travel to oversee rescue efforts, and Pope Leo XIV appealed for their release.
Separately, the security situation in the Sahel remains critical, with Bamako (Mali's capital) reportedly besieged by JNIM (an Al-Qaeda branch) and facing potential loss due to fuel shortages, despite the presence of the Wagner group.
Economic and Energy Stability
In Europe, the electricity market saw wholesale prices drop significantly to €82/MWh in 2024 from a peak of €227/MWh in 2022, largely due to higher shares of clean and renewable sources, which accounted for 72% of electricity generation. However, regional price spikes and market volatility persist. To stabilize the market and unlock the energy transition, Eurelectric emphasized the need to accelerate electrification across transport, heating, and industry, and invest heavily in grids, storage, and flexibility. Sluggish electricity demand growth (only 1% in 2024) remains a barrier to sustained investment.
On the financial front, the IMF flagged corruption and eroding public trust in Pakistan, warning that its system continues to favor elites.
Conclusion
The events of November 23, 2025, illustrate a global landscape marked by profound geopolitical fragmentation. While the Johannesburg G20 Declaration offered a symbolically strong commitment to multilateralism and Global South priorities despite the U.S. boycott, the ability of global bodies to address hard security issues like Ukraine and Gaza remains weak. The core challenges ahead include weak consensus on global conflicts, debt sustainability for developing nations, inequality spurred by unsustainable growth models, and slow collective climate action. The future trajectory hinges on the resolution of urgent diplomatic impasses, such as the Ukraine peace deadline, and the capacity of international solidarity to match the scale of interconnected challenges. The push for resilient infrastructure and sustainable development, guided by principles like India's Integral Humanism, remains the critical way forward for securing a more just and prosperous world.
100 Question and Answer Pairs on World News 23 November 2025
I. G20 Summit (Johannesburg) and Global Governance
- Q. Where was the 2025 G-20 Leaders’ Summit held?
A. The summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Q. What historic milestone did the 2025 G-20 Summit mark?
A. It was the first G-20 Summit held in Africa.
- Q. What was the outcome regarding the adoption of the G-20 Leaders’ Declaration?
A. The host, South Africa, achieved the adoption of the Declaration by consensus.
- Q. What major action did the U.S. take regarding the 2025 G-20 Summit?
A. The U.S. did not participate in the summit and attempted to block the Declaration.
- Q. How did South Africa describe the unusual early adoption of the Declaration?
A. As an “affirmation of multilateralism”.
- Q. What stance did President Cyril Ramaphosa take regarding the absence of a country like the U.S.?
A. He asserted that the G20 cannot be paralyzed due to the absence of any single country.
- Q. What African philosophy was emphasized in the G-20 Declaration?
A. The African philosophy Ubuntu, meaning “I am because we are”.
- Q. What core priorities of the Global South did the Declaration emphasize?
A. Debt sustainability, development financing, inequality, and African priorities.
- Q. What specific problem did South Africa highlight regarding debt sustainability?
A. The challenge of risk-parity, where countries with the same risk profile face unequal interest rates.
- Q. What reform did the G20 Declaration call for regarding the UN Security Council (UNSC)?
A. “Transformative reform” seeking increased representation for Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America & Caribbean.
- Q. What framework did the G20 reaffirm support for to drive prosperity from resources?
A. The G20 Critical Minerals Framework.
- Q. Why were the contents of the 2025 G-20 Declaration criticized?
A. It contained minimal references to the Russia–Ukraine war and Gaza conflict, making it one of the weakest G-20 declarations on geopolitical issues.
- Q. What kind of conflict condemnation did the Declaration include?
A. A single-line condemnation of terrorism – “Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”.
- Q. What key principle regarding force was still included in the Declaration?
A. States must refrain from the use of force for territorial acquisition.
- Q. What specific action was taken by South Africa during the presidency handover?
A. South Africa refused to pass the gavel to a "junior U.S. official".
- Q. What were the major geopolitical challenges noted in the backdrop of the summit?
A. Rising geopolitical fragmentation, trade wars (US tariff wars under Trump), geoeconomic competition, and conflicts.
- Q. What was the G20 committed to regarding climate finance for developing economies?
A. To increase the quality and quantity of climate finance.
- Q. What was the estimated budget for the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg?
A. It was budgeted at R691 million (~$38.7 million).
- Q. What was the final declaration praised for reflecting?
A. A renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation and recognition that shared goals outweigh differences.
II. India's Initiatives and Priorities at G20
- Q. What Indian philosophical concept did PM Modi promote at the G20 Summit?
A. Integral Humanism, a concept advocated by Deen Dayal Upadhyay.
- Q. What does Integral Humanism offer an alternative to?
A. Western ideologies such as individualism, secularism, and communism.
- Q. Why did PM Modi stress the need to "rethink development"?
A. He argued that current economic models have left many deprived of resources and caused over-exploitation of nature, especially affecting Africa.
- Q. What was the goal of the G20–Africa Skills Multiplier initiative proposed by India?
A. India committed to train 1 million Africans in skill sectors.
- Q. What initiative did India propose for addressing drug trafficking and terror financing?
A. A G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus, highlighting threats like fentanyl.
- Q. What was India’s proposal regarding global healthcare preparedness?
A. The creation of a G20 Global Healthcare Response Team with trained medical professionals ready for deployment.
- Q. What partnership did India launch with Australia and Canada (ACITI)?
A. The Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation framework.
- Q. What areas does the ACITI Partnership focus on?
A. AI, clean energy, and supply chain resilience.
- Q. What was the purpose of the G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership proposed by India?
A. Sharing agriculture, fishing, and disaster data from G20 space agencies to developing nations.
- Q. What was the focus of India’s Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative?
A. Recycling, sustainable mining, and strategic minerals.
- Q. What bilateral trade target did Indian PM Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney set?
A. A target of $50 billion by 2030.
III. Ukraine Peace Talks and European Response
- Q. What controversial document is currently the subject of high-level peace talks in Geneva?
A. The Trump administration’s 28-point plan to end the war in Ukraine.
- Q. Who were the key U.S. and Ukrainian officials involved in the Geneva talks?
A. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met Ukrainian chief of staff Andrii Yermak.
- Q. What is a primary requirement of the U.S. peace plan concerning Ukrainian territory?
A. It would require Kyiv to cede Ukrainian territory to the Russian invaders.
- Q. What restriction does the U.S. plan place on the size of Ukraine's military?
A. It requires Ukraine to drastically cut its military size, suggesting a blanket cap of 600,000.
- Q. How did the European counter-proposal differ on the military cap?
A. It suggested capping Ukraine’s military at 800,000 in "peacetime".
- Q. What did the European counter-proposal suggest regarding financial compensation for Ukraine?
A. Kyiv would be compensated financially, including through Russian assets that would remain frozen until Moscow pays for damages.
- Q. What did Crisis Group experts identify as the basic flaw of the Trump peace plan?
A. It is an attempt to equate the aggressor and the victim and violates international principles of aggression and victim’s rights.
- Q. What deadline is reportedly approaching for the peace plan discussions?
A. A Thursday deadline (U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, November 27).
- Q. How did President Trump characterize Ukraine's attitude toward the U.S. efforts?
A. He posted on social media saying Ukraine’s "LEADERSHIP" has expressed "ZERO GRATITUDE" for U.S. efforts.
- Q. What concern did French defense official Alice Rufo raise about the military restrictions?
A. She described them as a "limitation on its sovereignty".
- Q. What did Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik state regarding capitulation?
A. She said, "We didn't choose to capitulate in 2022. We do not intend to do this right now".
- Q. What was the assessment of the talks by an unnamed U.S. official?
A. The talks were claimed to be "productive and even conclusive in some areas".
- Q. What was the focus of the G20 statement regarding Ukraine, Sudan, and the Occupied Palestinian Territory?
A. The call for "just, comprehensive, and lasting peace".
- Q. Who were some of the European leaders who met to work up counter proposals to the U.S.-Russia plan?
A. European allies included representatives from the UK, France, and Germany.
- Q. What did President Zelenskyy suggest the American peace plan might include?
A. Elements based on Ukrainian perspectives and critical for Ukrainian national interests.
IV. Middle East Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises
- Q. What action did Israel take in Beirut on November 23, 2025?
A. Israel conducted an air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
- Q. What made the Beirut strike significant regarding the existing truce?
A. It was the first such attack without warning since last year’s ceasefire with Hezbollah.
- Q. Who did Israeli media identify the target of the strike as?
A. Haytham Ali Tabatabai, described as Hezbollah’s de facto military chief and second-in-command.
- Q. How many people were killed and wounded according to the Lebanese health ministry report on the Beirut strike?
A. One person was killed and 21 were wounded. (Note: Other sources report 5 killed and 28 injured).
- Q. When did the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah take effect?
A. November 2024.
- Q. How many people has Israel killed in air strikes since the 2024 ceasefire took effect, according to the Lebanese health ministry?
A. At least 331 people.
- Q. What was the result of the UN Security Council vote regarding Gaza?
A. It approved a U.S.-sponsored resolution endorsing a plan to establish a Board of Peace to administer Gaza and an international force to maintain security.
- Q. Why did Hamas reject the UN Security Council resolution on Gaza?
A. They said the proposed international force's mandate to disarm Palestinian groups violates the "right of resistance" and would serve as a tool of occupation.
- Q. What is the estimated cost required for the reconstruction of Gaza?
A. $70 billion.
- Q. What medical crisis is ongoing in Gaza?
A. Hospitals report critical shortages as airstrikes continue.
- Q. Where are Palestinians who were in Israel on October 7, 2023, currently stranded?
A. They are stuck between exile and war, such as in a refugee camp at Nablus stadium.
V. Arctic Geopolitical Rivalry
- Q. What is the top geopolitical development concerning the Arctic, according to the November 2025 Geostrategic Analysis?
A. Arctic geopolitical rivalries are accelerating in tandem with economic opportunities.
- Q. What body conducted its first successful exercise on Jan Mayen island?
A. NATO, signaling its goal of enhancing Arctic capabilities.
- Q. What specific agreement did the U.S. and Finland sign related to naval assets?
A. A $6.1 billion memorandum of understanding to co-develop 11 icebreakers.
- Q. What new logistics possibility did China recently complete a scheduled container service through?
A. The Northern Sea Route (NSR).
- Q. What advantage does the NSR offer compared to the Cape of Good Hope passage?
A. It reduces transit time from East Asia to Northern Europe by nearly half.
- Q. What long-term strategic significance could the NSR gain?
A. It could become an alternative to maritime chokepoints like the Suez and Panama canals.
- Q. What specific areas are seeing increased military investment due to Arctic competition?
A. Patrol and surveillance equipment, seabed surveillance, and underwater mine-clearing.
- Q. What type of market is forecast to reach US$5.2 billion by 2033 due to Arctic demand for connectivity?
A. The polar satellite market.
- Q. What type of risk must executives mitigate regarding Indigenous communities in Arctic projects?
A. Reputational risks stemming from concerns about "green colonialism".
VI. China-Japan Tensions and Asia-Pacific
- Q. Since what year have relations between China and Japan hit their lowest point?
A. 2023.
- Q. What action by Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi started the diplomatic feud?
A. Her comments on how Japan would respond to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan.
- Q. What did China’s Permanent Representative Fu Cong write in his letter to the UN Secretary-General?
A. That if Japan "dares to intervene with arms" in the cross-strait situation, "it will be an attack".
- Q. What extreme threat was made by a Chinese Consul General in Osaka?
A. "We have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has pounced on us without hesitation".
- Q. What immediate consequence did China impose on Japan's tourism sector?
A. It issued a no-travel advisory for Japan.
- Q. What is the name Japan uses for the disputed islands in the East China Sea?
A. Senkaku Islands.
- Q. What major historical event fuels China's lasting resentment toward Japan?
A. Imperial Japan's massive invasion during the Second Sino-Japanese War starting in 1937.
VII. COP30 Climate Summit and Environment
- Q. Where was the COP30 United Nations climate summit held?
A. Belem, Brazil.
- Q. What crucial financial commitment was made by wealthy nations at COP30?
A. They pledged to triple their funding to help poorer nations adapt to climate change.
- Q. What progress was blocked by oil-rich and fossil fuel-dependent nations at COP30?
A. Binding commitments to curb fossil fuel use.
- Q. What did the International Energy Agency (IEA) warn about regarding fossil fuels during the summit?
A. Global demand for coal, oil, and gas is expected to continue rising until 2050.
- Q. What scientific benchmark was missing from the final COP30 agreement?
A. For the first time, the final agreement did not label the IPCC reports as the “best available science”.
- Q. What plan related to the Amazon forest was dropped at the summit?
A. Efforts to create a roadmap for zero deforestation by 2030.
- Q. How much funding was pledged toward forest initiatives at COP30?
A. Around $9.5 billion.
- Q. What was the cause of tragic losses in central Vietnam since October?
A. Severe floods and landslides caused by relentless rains.
- Q. How high was the death toll from the floods in central Vietnam?
A. The death toll rose to 90 people.
- Q. What level of rainfall was recorded in the affected region of Vietnam?
A. Rainfall hit 1,900mm, a level unseen since 1993.
VIII. European Energy and Infrastructure
- Q. How much did the EU average wholesale electricity price drop in 2024?
A. It dropped to €82/MWh in 2024, down from €227/MWh in 2022.
- Q. What proportion of EU electricity generation was covered by renewables and nuclear in 2024?
A. 72%.
- Q. Why does Eurelectric argue that Europe must accelerate electrification?
A. To address market volatility and overcome sluggish demand, which grew by only 1% in 2024.
- Q. What percentage lower was electricity demand in 2024 compared to 2021 levels?
A. 7% lower.
- Q. Since 2023, what is the reported change in physical attacks on critical infrastructure in Europe?
A. They have quadrupled.
- Q. What non-physical threats are testing Europe’s infrastructure resilience?
A. Cyberattacks, sabotage, and disinformation.
- Q. What action did the EU take in October 2025 regarding hybrid activities?
A. Extended sanctions against Russian individuals and entities involved in hybrid activities abroad.
- Q. What is the name of the NATO resilience initiative aimed at strengthening infrastructure?
A. The Baltic Sentry initiative.
IX. Other Global and Domestic Developments
- Q. What major security incident occurred at St. Mary's Catholic School in Nigeria on November 21?
A. The abduction of 303 students and 12 teachers.
- Q. Who appealed for the release of the abducted students and teachers in Nigeria?
A. Pope Leo XIV.
- Q. What did the IMF report flag as persistent problems in Pakistan?
A. Corruption and eroding public trust, warning that its system continues to favor elites.
- Q. What armed group is reportedly besieging Mali's capital, Bamako?
A. JNIM (an Al-Qaeda branch in the Sahel).
- Q. What was the result of Cameroon’s election?
A. 92-year-old Paul Biya secured re-election amid low turnout.
- Q. What historical victory did the Indian Blind Women’s Cricket Team achieve?
A. They won the inaugural T20 World Cup, defeating Nepal.
- Q. What was the fate of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on November 23?
A. He was taken into preventive custody in Brasília.
- Q. Who was confirmed as the UPSC AIR 1 Topper for 2024?
A. Shakti Dubey.
- Q. What bill was listed for India’s upcoming Winter Session regarding energy?
A. A new bill on the civil nuclear sector.
- Q. What strategic shift are nearly 75% of CEOs implementing in their operations?
A. Localizing some part of their production within the country of sale, viewing it as a long-term strategic shift in response to geopolitical risks.
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