General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - August 2015

Aug 2015

Jul 26, 2024

The 2024 UN General Assembly Plenary Meeting on the Responsibility to Protect

The UN General Assembly held a plenary meeting on the "Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" as part of the formal agenda of its 78th session. The debate constituted the seventh time that the General Assembly formally considered R2P. During the meeting, 53 UN member states and the European Union (EU) spoke on behalf of 103 countries and one observer mission.
While the discussion broadly reflected widespread support for R2P, the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, representing 17 states and one observer mission, as well as some of the Group's members – Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria and Venezuela – challenged the application of the norm. The Group expressed their "categorical rejection of the commission of crimes against humanity, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocide, while emphasising the central role of States as guarantors of the safety, security and wellbeing of their respective populations."

World Bank Group Ramps up Fight against Global Hunger

The World Bank Group unveiled a comprehensive package of initiatives to address urgent poverty and hunger, and enable vulnerable people to increase earnings, enhance resilience against climate shocks, and promote empowerment for women and girls.
An ambitious plan to scale up social protection programs, working alongside partners to support at least 500 million people in developing countries by 2030—aiming for half of those to be women and girls. To reach this goal, we are utilizing innovative cash transfer systems that ensure those in need receive resources directly, while combatting corruption and waste.
The Bank Group will be the lead knowledge partner for the G20 Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, established by Brazil. This will generate hunger solutions and coordinate knowledge exchange alongside Brazil for the benefit of all countries.

Israeli Parliament Approves Bill to Label UNRWA as a Terror Organization

The Israeli Knesset approved a bill to designate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) as a terrorist organisation.
The vote against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) is the latest step in a Israeli push against the agency, which Israeli leaders have accused of collaborating with the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.
UNRWA provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had tense relations with Israel but relations have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to be disbanded.

Ronald L. Rowe Jr. Named Acting Chief of US Secret Service

Ronald L. Rowe Jr. was appointed as the acting chief of the US Secret Service following the resignation of Kimberly Cheatle. Cheatle stepped down after the Secret Service faced criticism for a significant security lapse during an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that Ronald L. Rowe Jr., previously the Deputy Director of the Secret Service, will serve as the acting director following Cheatle's resignation.

Jul 25, 2024

Moscow's 'Square of Europe' Renamed to 'Square of Eurasia'

Authorities in Moscow renamed the capital city's 'Square of Europe' as the 'Square of Eurasia' amid Russia's worsening relations with the West over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Square of Europe, located in front of the bustling Kievsky Railway Station, was unveiled in 2002 as part of a joint Russian-Belgian project symbolizing European unity.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's decision to rename the square came after the flags of 48 European countries were removed from the public space in March 2023, 13 months after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine.

World Leaders Summit 2024 at the House of Lords in the UK Parliament

The World Leaders Summit 2024 set the stage for global dialogue, uniting influential figures worldwide at a historic venue–the House of Lords in the UK Parliament. This prestigious gathering was not just another event; it symbolised hope and collaboration in addressing urgent international issues. As delegates converged in London and shared insights and strategies, the summit became a melting pot of ideas aimed at shaping a collective future. With pressing matters on the agenda, this year's summit promises to leave an indelible mark on how nations interact and address global challenges together.
The World Leaders Summit 2024 sparked vital conversations on pressing global issues. Economic growth emerged as a focal point for discussion, with leaders exploring ways to promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

Jul 24, 2024

US Secret Service Boss Resigns over Trump Shooting Failures

US Secret Service director Kim Cheatle resigned after security failures surrounding an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
She had faced calls from both Democrats and Republicans to step down after a contentious congressional hearing about the shooting.
The President had appointed Ms. Cheatle to head the Secret Service, which oversees the protection of current and former presidents and other officials, in 2022. She had previously served 27 years at the agency in various roles.

India, Bhutan Approve 61 Projects Worth Rs. 4,958 crore

During the India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks in Thimphu, co-chaired by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his Bhutanese counterpart Pema Choden, both nations approved 61 development projects valued at Rs. 4,958 crore. This initiative is part of Bhutan's 13th five-year plan, for which India is providing a substantial development support of Rs. 10,000 crore.
The Bhutanese side presented the Project Tied Assistance (PTA) proposals as well as the first tranche of the PTA projects to be implemented during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

Jul 23, 2024

AIM, WIPO Join Hands Boost Innovation in Global South

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) joined hands towards building joint innovation programmes in the Global South.
This pathbreaking partnership between AIM and WIPO will take the best of India's innovation models to countries that are on similar development trajectories, and will enhance understanding and awareness about IPR right from the school level and unlock the innovation potential of the world as well as foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth. According to Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director, WIPO Academy, intellectual property (IP) is a powerful catalyst for innovation and creativity, essential for addressing the development of youth and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is Government of India's flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country. AIM's objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platforms and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, and create an umbrella structure to oversee the innovation & entrepreneurship ecosystem of the country.

Six Swing States Set to Decide the 2024 US Election

About 240 million people are eligible to vote in this year's US election, but only a relatively small number of them are likely to settle the question of who becomes the next President.
Experts believe there are only a handful of states that could plausibly be won by either the Democratic candidate or his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump.
Six of them - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – appear to be on a knife edge and probably hold the key to who will take the White House.
So both parties are campaigning intensively to win over undecided voters in these states.

Jul 22, 2024

Biden Ends Re-election Bid

US President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate, in an extraordinary decision that upended an already dramatic race for the White House.
The last time an incumbent US president abandoned his campaign for re-election was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968.

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