01South Korean President's Office Chief and Chief Secretary ResignationAccording to Xinhua News Agency,On December 4th, the leadership of South Korea's ruling party, the National Power Party, held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures after President Yoon Suk yeol announced the lifting of emergency martial law. According to multiple attendees, the leadership of the National Power Party reached partial consensus on issues such as Yoon Seok yeol's withdrawal from the party, the demand for the cabinet to resign collectively, and the demand for the dismissal of the Minister of National Defense, Kim Jong hyun, at a non-public meeting of the Supreme Council held in parliament.
According to previous reports,The largest opposition party in South Korea, the United Democratic Party, urges President Yoon Suk yeol to step down immediately. The Democratic Party also stated that if Yoon Suk yeol does not resign voluntarily, the impeachment process will be pushed forward.
02Philippine civil society demands impeachment of Vice President SarahManila News: On December 2nd, Filipino civil society groups submitted an impeachment appeal against Vice President Sarah to the House of Representatives, accusing her of violating the constitution, engaging in corruption, bribery, betraying public trust, and committing other serious crimes. The groups that jointly filed the appeal include civic organizations, religious leaders, and anti former President Duterte activists. The opposition party also supports this civil appeal.
It is reported that the lawsuit alleges that Sarah violated the Constitution and engaged in serious misconduct, including failing to properly disclose the use of confidential funds in the Vice President's Office and suspected abuse of confidential funds. The lawsuit also accuses her of unpaid cash advances and bid manipulation during her tenure as Minister of Education, and accuses her of serious incompetence and dereliction of duty. Previously, Philippine President Marcos Jr. opposed the impeachment of Sarah. He said that the dispute between himself and Sarah should not be exaggerated, and impeachment would only distract the attention of Congress and not help the people. This statement has been criticized by some legislators.
01Russian President Putin approves record breaking defense budgetAccording to Russian news,At the beginning of December,Russian President Putin has approved a record breaking defense budget of up to approximately126 billion US dollars，One third of the total government expenditure is used to support the war in UkraineThis budget has been approved by the legislative bodies of both houses of Russia.
It is reported that it has been ongoing for nearlyDuring the 33 month Russo Ukrainian War,Although Russia has advantages in weapons, ammunition, and military strength, its economic and social pressures are constantly intensifying. In the past two years, Russia has faced economic overheating issues such as high inflation and labor shortages in enterprises due to a significant increase in military spending. In response to this situation, the Russian central bank isIn October, the interest rate was raised to 21%, the highest level in decades.
01The United States plans to impose a 271.2% tariff on solar panels in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia
Washington, D.C. - Recently, the US Department of Trade announced plans to impose tariffs of up to 271.2% on solar panels from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. This is the second preliminary assessment of taxation by the US Department of Commerce on solar panels imported from Southeast Asia. The first assessment released on October 1st this year set the tariff rate between 2.85% and 23.06%, lower than market expectations. The Ministry of Commerce is expected to make a final ruling on April 18th next year, and the International Trade Administration is expected to issue a final order on June 9th next year.
It is reported that most of the solar panels installed by Americans come from overseas, about80% of imports come from the four countries of Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. US solar panel manufacturers are appealing that cheap goods from Southeast Asian countries harm their interests and undermine government investments aimed at cultivating domestic supply chains. The American Solar Manufacturers Alliance Trade Commission submitted a petition in April this year, requesting the Department of Commerce to conduct an investigation.
01About one-third of the global population still lacks internet access
According to the Xinhua News Agency, the annual report of Facts and Figures 2024 released by ITU in Geneva recently shows that 5.5 billion people worldwide will use the Internet in 2024, 227 million more than the previous year, accounting for 68% of the total population. By contrast, the estimated population without internet access in 2024 is 2.6 billion, accounting for 32% of the total population, with the majority living in rural areas.
The report also shows that Internet use is closely related to the level of development.In 2024, it is estimated that 93% of the population in high-income countries will use the Internet, while this ratio is only 27% in low-income countries. In terms of fifth generation communication network (5G) coverage, it is estimated that the coverage rate in high-income countries will reach 84% by 2024, while in low-income countries it will only be 4%. ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan Martin stated that the most vulnerable groups have difficulty accessing information, education, and employment opportunities online.
02Mudslides occur in Uganda, with 113 people missing
According to Reuters, a mudslide disaster has hit the Blanbury area in eastern Uganda recently, resulting in at least 15 deaths and 113 missing people. Officials in the Blanbury region, Tuvala, said that the area has recently experienced continuous heavy rainfall, with mudslides causing about 40 houses to be buried. The bodies of 15 victims have been found, and 15 injured people have been rescued and sent to health centers for treatment.
The police stated that they have joined forces with multiple departments to strengthen rescue efforts with the assistance of the local community. However, due to poor traffic, rescue vehicles were unable to approach the scene, which hindered the rescue work. The Uganda Red Cross and other emergency rescue agencies are providing assistance to the disaster victims.
01Thailand's Winter Shade Ceremony may be listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanityBangkok Post News: Recently, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO held a meeting in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Thailand's Dong Yin Gong is expected to be listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
It is reported that Dong Yin Gong, also known as Thai style Sour Shrimp Soup, is a river delicacy that can be caught from rivers or canals. Other main ingredients such as galangal, lemongrass, bodhi leaves, chili, and lime are grown in most Thai households' gardens. In addition to Dongyin Gong, UNESCO has listed four cultural heritages in Thailand on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including the Kong Mask Dance, Nora Dance, Thai Massage, and Water Splashing Festival.
According to Caixin News Agency, the spot exchange rate of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar recently fell below 7.24 at the opening, and then fell below the 7.25 and 7.26 levels, with a intraday low of 7.2675, a drop of nearly 200 points from the previous trading day and a four month low since July 25th.
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