Today's Brief 12/08/2025

Youtube: https://youtu.be/sq2Rb4KywuQ?si=sdrJkgeDGrXsLa3b

1 .The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad, are scheduled to take place from July 14 to July 30, 2028.

Marking the third time Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympics, the city aims to showcase a sustainable and cost-effective model by utilizing existing, world-class venues.

A significant highlight for the games is the inclusion of several new and returning sports, which is a key topic for current affairs.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the addition of flag football and squash, while also bringing back cricket (T20 format), baseball/softball, and lacrosse (sixes format).

The venue strategy is particularly notable, as the opening ceremony will be a unique dual-venue event held at both the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium.

Furthermore, the games are committed to achieving full gender parity, with an equal or greater number of female athletes compared to male athletes.

These elements collectively make the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics a significant event, blending tradition with modern innovation and global appeal.

2 .WHO Pandemic Treaty Talks – Nations struggle to finalize a global agreement on pandemic response rules. been the subject of intensive and often difficult negotiations, has been formally adopted. 

The World Health Organization's 194 member states, after more than three years of talks, adopted the new global agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025.

While the agreement has been adopted, the process wasn't without its struggles, which is likely what your query is referring to.

The primary points of contention during the negotiation process centered on issues of equity and sovereignty, particularly a system for "Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing" (PABS). 

Developing nations advocated for a legally binding mechanism that would ensure they receive a fair share of vaccines, treatments, and technology in the event of a future pandemic, in exchange for sharing pathogen samples. 

Wealthy nations, often home to major pharmaceutical companies, were hesitant to agree to mandatory technology transfers or intellectual property waivers, raising concerns about undermining innovation.

Ultimately, the adopted agreement includes provisions to strengthen global cooperation, but the most contentious element the PABS system was not finalized in the main text.

Instead, a new Intergovernmental Working Group was established to continue negotiating a separate Annex on PABS, which will be considered for adoption at the next World Health Assembly

3 .Armenia–Azerbaijan peace deal: In a major development for the South Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed a peace agreement at the White House, brokered by the United States, to end their long-standing conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

A central feature of the agreement is the establishment of a transit corridor through southern Armenia, which will connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave.

This route, which the White House has named the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity," will be developed by the U.S. for 99 years, significantly boosting regional trade and connectivity while also reducing Russia's traditional influence in the region.

Insights:

The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is one of the world's most protracted territorial disputes, centered on Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), a mountainous region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians.

The roots of the conflict trace back to the early 20th century, but it escalated during the dissolution of the USSR (1988–1994), when ethnic clashes led to a full-scale war.

Armenia-backed forces captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts, displacing hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis.

First Karabakh War (1988–1994): Armenian victory; ceasefire established but no peace treaty

Nestled in the mountainous South Caucasus region, Armenia is a rugged, landlocked country characterized by its dramatic highland terrain and rich natural diversity.

Bordered by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey, this compact nation (29,743 sq km) is often called the "Mountainous Republic," with 90% of its land lying above 1,000 meters in elevation.

The Lesser Caucasus Mountains dominate the landscape, crowned by Mount Aragats (4,090 m), Armenia’s highest peak and an extinct volcano.

The country’s jewel is Lake Sevan, one of the largest high-altitude freshwater lakes globally, situated 1,900 meters above sea level and covering 5% of Armenia’s territory.

Armenia’s climate varies from continental to alpine, with scorching summers in the Ararat Valley (reaching 40°C) and frigid winters in the highlands (plunging to -30°C).

The terrain ranges from semi-deserts in the south to lush alpine meadows in the north, supporting unique biodiversity, including over 3,800 plant species. However, Armenia is also seismically vulnerable, lying on the Alpine-Himalayan earthquake belt, as tragically demonstrated by the 1988 Spitak earthquake that killed over 25,000 people.

Key waterways like the Araks and Hrazdan rivers sustain agriculture and hydropower, though only 10% of the land is arable due to the mountainous topography.

The fertile Ararat Plain, framed by the symbolic (though now Turkish-held) Mount Ararat, is the agricultural heartland.

Armenia’s striking landscapes also feature deep canyons like Noravank and ancient protected forests such as Khosrov, established in the 4th century CE.

Azerbaijan, strategically positioned at the junction of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, presents a fascinating tapestry of diverse landscapes and climatic zones.

This oil-rich nation, often called the "Land of Fire" due to its natural gas flares and ancient Zoroastrian heritage, encompasses three distinct geographical regions: the rugged Greater Caucasus Mountains in the north, featuring snow-capped peaks like Mount Bazardüzü (4,466 m); the fertile central plains watered by the Kura and Aras rivers; and the dynamic Caspian Sea coastline stretching 550 km along its eastern border.

The country's varied terrain includes everything from alpine meadows to semi-arid plains, with unique natural phenomena such as over 400 mud volcanoes - more than anywhere else in the world and the perpetually burning Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain).

The climate ranges dramatically from subtropical along the Lankaran lowlands to alpine conditions in the high Caucasus, with the Caspian Sea exerting a moderating influence on coastal areas.

Water resources are dominated by the Kura River system and the mineral-rich Caspian Sea, which together sustain agriculture, industry, and the famous caviar trade.

Azerbaijan's geography has profoundly shaped its economy and global role.

The Absheron Peninsula, jutting into the Caspian, hosts the capital Baku and has been an oil production center since the 19th century.

Today, pipelines like Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan make Azerbaijan a crucial energy supplier to Europe, while its position astride East-West trade routes underpins ambitious infrastructure projects like the Middle Corridor transport initiative.

Thanks For Visiting!!