Why are birth rates declining in developed countries?
In most industrialized nations, fertility is below the levels needed to repopulate the human race. Women may now avoid unintended pregnancies because of contraception's greater accessibility and efficacy. The desire for children has decreased due to issues with family life quality, rising employment rates for women, and a lack of dependence on children for stability in old age.The rise in infertility is due to several variables, including lifestyle factors, increased sexually transmitted illnesses, environmental issues associated with urbanization, and urban living. Additionally, socioeconomic reasons have also contributed to women and couples delaying parenthood. The low fertility/birth rates are partly due to a lack of affordable housing, flexible work schedules for women, and publicly sponsored child care. Besides, due to ovarian aging and other factors that lower the possibility of conception, couples and women are postponing having children, which has resulted in an actual drop in their fertility levels.Within any nation, social structures, religious convictions, and urbanization are likely to impact birth and abortion rates. Additionally, birth control is readily available and can be utilized everywhere. As a result, an economic and demographic problem may arise from this.Source: National Library of Medicine
The reason why new generation do not want kids - Low birth rate in South Korea
South Korea has break its own record for the lowest birth rate in the world. The Korean government has been attempting to promote more marriages and births for almost 20 years. There are several reasons why people choose not to become parents. The high cost of housing in greater Seoul, which is home to roughly half of the 52 million people in the country, the expense of raising a child in a hypercompetitive academic culture, and demanding workplace norms that are hostile to family life, especially for women who are still expected to handle the majority of housework and child care, are among the challenges cited by young Koreans.The Framework Act on Low Birth Rate in an Aging Society, whose versions have been revised every five years, was introduced in 2005 after the government recognized low fertility as a subject of national importance. The government has experimented with extending maternity leave and increasing rewards for expecting parents.
Discrimination on people and younger children leads to stress, anxiety and more
discrimination is so intricate and manifested in so many diverse ways, it can be challenging to identify the mechanism by which it impairs mental health. Interpersonal insults can result in unfair treatment based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other criteria. Even among children, stress connected to prejudice has been linked to mental health problems like anxiety and sadness. Young individuals who encounter discrimination because of their appearance, color, age, or sexual orientation are more likely to struggle with mental health issues than those who do not. Compared to those who were not subjected to discrimination, they can endure considerable psychological discomfort.
How can social media harm younger kids?
Kids' usage of social media can also have a detrimental impact on them by diverting their attention, preventing them from sleeping, and exposing them to bullying, rumors, unrealistic expectations of other people's lives, and peer pressure. The hazards could be tied to how frequently kids use social media.The hazards could be tied to how frequently kids use social media. Children who utilize media may also be subjected to cyberbullying, which has been associated with depression and suicide. Media use can also prevent children from completing critical chores, interfere with homework time, and lower academic performance. The lack of quality family time might cause children to feel isolated or lonely.
History of Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games)
The Southeast Asian Games, also referred to as the SEA Games, are a biannual multi-sport competition that draws athletes from the 11 Southeast Asian nations (ten ASEAN members plus East Timor). The Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, often known as the SEAP Games, were founded by Cambodia, Laos, Malaya, Burma, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Thailand's Bangkok hosted the inaugural SEAP Games in 1959.It was created with the goal of improving member nations' performance in the bigger Olympics and Asian Games and fostering better ties among the nations of peninsular Southeast Asia.The Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) are now a major celebration of Southeast Asia's athletic culture, taking place every two years with different ASEAN countries serving as host. The 2023 SEA Games are now being celebrated, and Cambodia is serving as the event's host nation for the first time since the SEA Games' founding.Source: visitsoutheastasia.travel
Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit rocket firm files for bankruptcy
Sir Richard Branson's rocket company, Virgin Orbit, has declared bankruptcy in the United States after failing to secure new investment.The satellite launch company ceased operations several weeks ago, but it is hoping to find a buyer.The California-based company announced last week that it would lay off 85% of its 750-person workforce.Earlier this year, the first satellite launch from UK soil was aborted by a Virgin Orbit rocket.
Why did Facebook fired 11,000 employees?
Facebook had fired 11,000 employees in the early year and why is that?One of the largest digital businesses in the world recently made an unusual decision and let 13% of its employees go. Facebook's parent company, Meta, revealed that it had given notice to 11,000 employees worldwide. The CEO of Meta stated that the revenue was "far lower" than he had anticipated due to the financial slump. The quarterly results for Meta didn't provide a positive picture, and the outlook for the following quarter isn't very upbeat either. The CEO of Meta also cited "increasing competition" and "advertising signal loss" such as Tiktok as other causes for revenue losses, which suggests that Apple's App Tracking Transparency actually caused Meta a serious blow.This year, a lot of tech organizations have followed Meta in making significant layoffs, and the pattern serves as a sobering reminder that, no matter how much you provide, your employer may not always return the favor.
What cause hyperinflation in Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe is a nation that has previously endured severe hyperinflation. Due to raging hyperinflation, the Zimbabwean dollar was formally stopped by the government and is no longer in use.Zimbabwe experienced the second-highest incidence of hyperinflation ever during a financial crisis ten years ago; the country's inflation rate for November 2008 was an astounding 79,600,000,000% (about a daily inflation rate of 98%).In Zimbabwe, prices practically doubled every day; the cost of goods and services increased by 50% the following day. Economic activity in Zimbabwe effectively stopped when the unemployment rate reached 70%, turning the country's economy into a barter system.Several economic shocks were blamed as the root cause of the hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. Due to the growing national debt, major reductions in economic output and exports, political corruption, and an overall sluggish economy, the national government expanded the money supply which lead to excess in money supply, and decrease in currency value.
Who Is TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew?
On March 23, a bipartisan US Congress interrogated TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew for around four and a half hours amid growing calls for a ban on the platform in the US due to worries about the Chinese government's influence on the business.The House Energy and Commerce Committee summoned Chew to testify regarding TikTok's "consumer privacy and data security policies, the platforms' effects on children, and their ties to the Chinese Communist Party" before the committee.Members of the committee from the Democratic and Republican parties grilled Chew hard while highlighting threats to national security posed by the video-sharing site.In his defense of TikTok, Chew claimed that the business is taking "serious action" to allay Washington's concerns that the 150 million American users of the network pose some sort of data security danger.Chew testified that neither the Chinese Communist Party nor the Chinese government receive data from TikTok, whose parent firm is China's ByteDance.Although Chew attempted to defend his business, he did acknowledge that ByteDance engineers in China have access to data, according to the BBC.The BBC reported him as adding, "We rely on global interoperability, Chinese technologists have access to data."Concerns over TikTok's users' data being spied on by the Chinese government have caused controversy in a number of nations and groups. The app has been outlawed on government-owned devices by Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, Taiwan, the UK, and the European Parliament. TikTok and numerous other Chinese apps were subject to a statewide ban in India in 2020.The government, under the direction of President Joe Biden, reportedly ordered that all federal employees remove the social media program from government-issued mobile devices within 30 days, according to a report in the US media on February 28. The Canadian government recently announced a similar prohibition.
Indian court sentences opposition leader to two years in prison for defamation
An Indian court has sentenced opposition leader Rahul Ghandi to two years in prison but allowed him to stay out of jail on charges of defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The case was repeated during the 2019 election, when leading member Ghandi said in a statement: "All thieves have Modi as their last name. In the years following his rise as Prime Minister, Modi's administration has been widely accused of using other parties to silence critics, especially in his home state of Gujarat.State Councilor Ravi Shakar Prasad said Ghandi's remarks were not only an insult to his prime minister, but also a disgrace to his people, Modi.But Ghandi's lawyer, BM Mangukiya, said his client had no intention of insulting anyone. "Ghandi's client told the judge that he was fighting corruption in the country and that his remarks were not meant to insult or harm the community," "None of that." he told reporters outside the court.
China discovers huge gold deposit worth $3 trillion
Read More: China recently made the discovery of a massive gold deposit with a reserve of around 50 tonnes, which, at the present market price, can be sold for about $3 trillion. According to the province's mineral resource authority, the deposit is in the remote Rushan City region of eastern China's Shandong Province. The deposit "covers a substantial area," according to Shandong Provincial Department of Geology and Mineral Resources. The ores are simple to mine and prepare. With a higher production over the previous 40 years than any other province in China, Shandong Province has abundant gold resources.The ores are simple to mine and process." Shandong Province is rich in gold resources with a larger production than any other provincial areas across China for the past four decades." Zhou Mingling, deputy commander of the 6th Geological Brigade at the agency, told the local newspaper Dazhong Daily, "The prospectors excavated more than 250 holes, some as deep as 1,400 meters, to find the deposit. 2,000 tonnes of gold ores can be produced by the deposit for at least 20 years, according to government analysis.
What is The World's Tallest Man height?
Sulemana Abdul Samed, 29, was recently examined by a small hospital in northern Ghana, which informed him that he had grown to a height of 9 feet 6 inches (2.89m).Given that he has never stopped growing, he was not astonished to learn that he was taller, but the staff was alarmed because they were unprepared for the situation.
New Zealand to ban TikTok on parliamentary equipment
New Zealand said on Friday it would ban TikTok on devices with access to the country's parliamentary network due to security concerns.The move follows similar steps taken in the United States, the European Union and Australia.The U.S. government recently reportedly demanded that TikTok's Chinese shareholders withdraw from the company in order for the program to avoid a nationwide ban.
US bank fears hit Asia stocks
In line with most Asian stock markets, the Thai stock exchange dropped more than 3%, or over 50 points, yesterday amid concerns that the failure of US banks could have a domino effect.Yesterday's trading volume totaled 103.8 billion baht, and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index closed at 1,523.99, down 49.18 points or -3.13%.The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the SET have prepared to deploy circuitbreaking measures in an effort to calm the situation after the SET noted that investors had overreacted to what had happened.According to SET president Pakorn Peetathawatchai, the decline affected stocks throughout Asia and Europe in addition to Thailand.The second-largest US bank failure in history, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), as well as rising interest rates, dwindling financial liquidities, and the falling price of Brent crude oil, according to him, were all contributing reasons.
Xi says China must build military 'Great Wall of Steel'
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared he will concentrate on enhancing security during the yearly meeting of the parliamentary body. In addition, he set a 5% economic growth goal, the lowest in decades.In order to build a "Great Wall of Steel," President Xi Jinping stated on Monday that China should improve its security and modernize its armed forces.Speaking at the conclusion of the annual parliament session was Xi, who recently began his third term as president of state."Security is the bedrock of development, while stability is a prerequisite for prosperity. We must fully promote the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, and build the people's armed forces into a Great Wall of steel that effectively safeguards national sovereignty, security, and development interests,"he stated.He vowed to "take the needs of the country as my mission, and the interests of the people as my yardstick."As the economy expanded by just 3% last year, China set a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth target of 5% percent at the start of the session. This is the lowest objective it has set in nearly three decades. The low sum, according to Li, "has been determined after a comprehensive consideration of various factors."
Xi Jinping has been elected President of China for the third consecutive term
China's National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday elected Xi Jinping as its third president, making him China's most influential leader since Mao Zedong.Xi Jinping's appointment comes after he was elected secretary general of the Communist Party of China and chief of the Chinese military for a five-year term in October 2022 for the third consecutive term after the repeal of the constitutional amendment. The termination of the mandate paves the way for Xi Jinping, 69 of age, to rule for life.
US Senate Agrees to Ban TikTok
United States: Two U.S. senators and political parties have unanimously agreed on a new law banning all federal officials from using China's TikTok program. The deal comes after Biden's government accused the bytedance company and its founder of sharing users' confidential information with the Chinese government.The new law will empower the US Department of Commerce to impose austerity measures as well as ban the full use of TikTok software, including certain electronic devices, at institutions or companies it deems to pose a threat to the United States national security. According to Democrat Senator Mark Warner, the new law will also apply to a number of key electronic devices made in Russia, Iran, Cuba and North Korea.He said the United States should be more vigilant about the risks to national security posed by the use of equipment under the guise of spy technology produced by rival countries.Source: Reuter Connect
Indian Supports IT Centre For Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University
Phnom Penh, February 22, 2023 --Preah Sihnaouk Raja Buddhist University (SBU), Phnom Penh held an opening ceremony for an IT Centre which has been established at the university as a Quick Impact Project under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation with a grant funding from the Government of India.The centre was inaugurated by H.E. Pen Vibol, Secretary of State, Ministry of Cults and Religious Affairs, and H.E. Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Ambassador of India to Cambodia.Dr. Ven. Yon Seng Yeat, Acting Rector of SBU, said the IT Centre at SBU will be beneficial for young Buddhist monks, students and staff as computer literacy is very important for the students for learning and research.H.E. Dr. Devyani Khobragade highlighted that SBU and Embassy of India are closest partners in the field of education and research and taking forth our common goals of spreading the ideals of Buddhism which is one of the strongest bonds between India and Cambodia.She added that SBU thus played a very important role in promoting India-Cambodia relations in modern contemporary times.
East Timor faces economic challenges ahead of ASEAN membership
Timor-Leste's accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has been gaining traction in diplomatic circles since November, when leaders from the bloc agreed in principle to recognize the island nation as Its 11th member. But experts warn that the tiny country of 1.3 million people still has a long way to go to meet the expectations of existing members."Even if East Timor is allowed to join ASEAN, I do not think it will be easy and it will take time," a diplomat from outside the ASEAN bloc told the Nikkei Asia earlier this month.ASEAN leaders at the November summit agreed to pave the way for East Timor, as Timor-Leste is officially known to join the bloc, and said a roadmap for full membership would be drawn up at At this year's summit in Indonesia. The ASEAN foreign ministers met on Saturday with the first delegation from East Timor. At the meeting, the foreign ministers of the current members adopted guidelines regarding the status of East Timor observers in ASEAN.Despite progress, some experts say East Timor has a long way to go before it can become a full member.Maria Ortuoste, a professor of political science at California East Bay State University, said: "East Timor is still an observer today, but if Indonesia manages to help East Timor enter ASEAN, it will face many challenges.”Each ASEAN member must contribute to the Group's operating budget through an equal annual contribution. In addition, there are other expenses, such as travel expenses for officials to attend their meetings abroad. Organizing the conference in East Timor itself will also cost.Mr Ortuoste said covering those expenditures was a major challenge for Timor-Leste, especially as its oil revenues fell and its GDP was declining. "They will need more support staff. There are also infrastructure issues. There are some improvements, but more needs to be done."An ASEAN diplomat, who asked not to be named, agreed with Ortuoste, saying East Timor still needs to develop the skills of its people, for example, by providing English translators for meetings. In East Timor, most people speak Tetum or Portuguese.Despite these challenges, the adoption of East Timor could benefit ASEAN, especially in the area of regional security. "Embracing East Timor for me has always been strategically important in the face of global competition between China and the United States, as well as Australia," said Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma, a researcher at the Indonesia branch. East Timor is building ties with countries, including Beijing. Chinese companies are heavily involved in building infrastructure there.
World Health Organization (WHO) estimates nearly 26 million people affected by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that nearly 26 million people have been affected by a devastating earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria this week and warned that dozens of hospitals had been damaged.As the death toll from the quake continued to rise to more than 28,000, the UN health agency launched an immediate appeal last Saturday asking for $ 42.8 million to help address a high level of urgent health needs.The World Health Organization (WHO), which has already released $ 16 million from its emergency fund, has previously said that up to 23 million people could be affected by the quake.