General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2015

Jan 2015

Oct 01, 2024

Far Right in Austria 'Opens New Era' with Election Victory

A far-right party founded by former Nazis won the most votes in Austria's election, in a result that could reshape Europe's political landscape and help tilt the balance of power between Russia and the West.
The pro-Russia, anti-immigration Freedom Party, or FPÖ, finished first with 29.2% of the vote, according to near-complete results.
It appears to have knocked the ruling conservative Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP), or Austrian People's Party, into second place, with 26.5% of the vote. The Social Democratic Party of Austria finished third, scoring its worst ever result with 21%.
Austria joined a long list of countries across Europe where the far-right now wields considerable power after making gains this summer in Germany, France and the Netherlands.
The FPÖ's victory, its first ever, is the latest sign that a movement characterised by anti-immigrant and anti-Islam sentiment has made a breakthrough in the continent.

Sep 30, 2024

India Elected to GlobE Network Steering Committee

India was elected to the fifteen-member steering committee of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) during a plenary session in Beijing, as announced by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This election follows a multi-stage voting process and underscores India's commitment to addressing international corruption and financial crime.
As a member of the steering committee, India will play a pivotal role in shaping the global agenda for anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts.
The GlobE Network serves as a platform for international cooperation, enabling member countries to tackle cross-border corruption and financial crime effectively. Currently, the network includes 121 member countries and 219 member authorities. In India, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) acts as the Central Authority, while the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) represent the country as member authorities.

Nirmala Sitharaman Attends 9th AIIB Board of Governors Meeting in Samarkand

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman represented India at the 9th Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Board of Governors meeting held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. During her visit, she also engaged in discussions with Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the meeting.
The theme for this year's (2024) AIIB Board of Governors meeting was 'Building Resilient Infrastructure for All', which emphasises the bank's focus on developing financial tools that enable member countries to withstand climate-induced shocks. In June 2024, AIIB introduced Climate Policy-Based Financing (CPBF) to mobilise private capital, supporting member countries in fulfilling their national climate action plans.
During the meeting, the Board of Governors approved the Republic of Nauru's application to join the AIIB, bringing the total membership to 110.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), operational since 2016, is a multilateral bank with China as its largest shareholder (29.9%) and India as the second largest (7.74%). AIIB provides both sovereign and non-sovereign loans, with sovereign loans guaranteed by governments and non-sovereign loans directed toward the private sector. The bank focuses on funding projects that contribute to sustainable and environmentally sound infrastructure development.

Shigeru Ishiba Set to Become Japan's Next Prime Minister

Shigeru Ishiba is set to become the next Prime Minister of Japan after winning the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which has ruled the country for the past seven decades.
In 1986, Ishiba became the youngest member of the House of Representatives as a candidate from the LDP. Despite his long affiliation, he often clashed with party views, even defecting to the Japan Renewal Party (1993-1996) before rejoining the LDP. Over his career, he held portfolios including defence minister and minister for revitalising the local economy. This leadership victory marks his fifth attempt to lead the LDP.

Sep 29, 2024

IMF Approves $7bn Loan to Cash-strapped Pakistan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $7bn (£5.25bn) loan to cash-strapped Pakistan.
The country is due to receive the first $1bn of the loan immediately, with the balance to be paid out over the next three years.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the decision and thanked the head of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, and her team.
Pakistan has taken more than 20 loans from the IMF since 1958 and is currently its fifth-largest debtor.

Sep 28, 2024

IBSA Nations Press for Actions against UN-listed Terror Outfits LeT, JeM & other Proxy Groups

Foreign Ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa pressed for concerted actions against all UN-listed terrorists and terror entities, including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and other proxy groups and their facilitators.
In a meeting held under the framework of the three-nation grouping IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa), the ministers recalled the responsibility of all states to prevent and counter-terrorism, including the cross-border movement of terrorists.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and it was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira and South Africa's Ronald Lamola.

Sep 27, 2024

World Talent Ranking 2024: Switzerland Leads, India Drops to 58th Position

The IMD's World Talent Ranking 2024 shows that Switzerland ranks first, followed by Singapore; India finds itself ranked 58th globally, with a talent score of 40.47. The IMD World Talent Ranking 2024 shows the overall ranking for 67 economies. The economies are ranked from the most to the least competitive, and the change from the Previous year's rankings are also shown.
Switzerland excels in investment, development, and appeal factors while maintaining high standards in quality of life, health infrastructure, educational attainment, statutory minimum wage, and foreign personnel attraction.

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