General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - August 2015

Aug 2015

Jun 05, 2024

Iceland Elects Businesswoman Tomasdottir as President

Halla Tomasdottir, an entrepreneur, won Iceland's presidential election and will take over the mostly ceremonial role from incumbent Gudni Johannesson.
Tomasdottir received 34% of the votes cast in the election in the North Atlantic nation, and beat former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, who stepped down as Premier in April 2024 to run for President.
The President, who is elected for a four-year term, carries limited political powers but often acts as a uniting figure in the island nation of almost 400,000 people, which is a NATO member.
Tomasdottir, who will be the seventh President of Iceland since the foundation of the republic in 1944, also ran for president eight years ago when she came in second behind Johannesson. She will be sworn in on August 1.
Tomasdottir was the previous head of Iceland's Chamber of Commerce and in 2007 founded financial services company Audur Capital, aiming to incorporate social responsibility and women's perspectives into finance.
Iceland has been ranked the best country in the world for gender equality for the last 14 years, according to the World Economic Forum.

Seoul to Suspend Military Deal amid North Korea's Balloon Provocations

South Korea's government approved the suspension of a contentious military agreement with North Korea, a step that would allow it to take tougher responses to North Korean provocations.
The development came as animosities between the rival Koreas rose sharply after North Korea launched trash-carrying balloons across the border in reaction to previous South Korean civilian leafleting campaigns.
South Korea's Cabinet Council passed a proposal aimed at suspending the 2018 inter-Korean agreement on lowering down frontline military tensions. The proposal will formally take effect when it's signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Jun 04, 2024

Claudia Sheinbaum Becomes Mexico's First Female President

Claudia Sheinbaum from the ruling leftist Morena party made history by becoming the Mexico's first female President in a landslide victory. She defeated Xochitl Gálvez from the conservative PAN party.
Marred by violence, the election that was the largest in Mexico's history was also its bloodiest. Several political candidates and applicants were killed by criminal organisations trying to influence those in power.
Claudia Sheinbaum defeated Xochitl Gálvez from the conservative PAN party, who represented a coalition of opposition parties. The third candidate was Jorge Alvarez Maynez, the youngest in the poll race, who represented the centre-left Citizens' Movement.

Australian Army to Allow Recruits from Four Nations

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will allow recruits from a handful of foreign countries, including the UK, to help grow its ranks.
Australia has been struggling with recruitment shortfalls, as it seeks to beef up its armed forces in the face of what it says are growing regional threats.
From July, New Zealand nationals who are permanent residents of Australia can apply to join, and from January that will expand to recruits from the UK, US and Canada.

"India Played Constructive Role": Centre on Historic World Health Assembly Move

India played a key role in helping countries agree to the adoption of International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) to protect against future pandemics, said Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary.
In a historic move, the 77th WHA agreed to the amendments to the IHR 2005, based on 300 proposals made by member countries after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the negotiation process for the amendments witnessed several deadlocks by various countries.
In a bid to finalise the package of amendments to IHR, Apurva Chandra, who led the Indian delegation in Geneva, put forward a proposal in the form of a White Paper "to establish a single drafting group".
It called the group to "be co-chaired by one Bureau member from the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) and the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR) respectively, to consider the matters related to some of the most critical agenda items -- the proposed amendments to the IHR (2005), followed by consideration of procedural matters on way forward related to INB negotiations on the Pandemic treaty".
The proposal was approved by all member states by consensus, leading to the adoption of the amendment of IHR (2005).
The amendments include improving countries' ability to prepare for and respond to Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC) and Pandemic Emergencies (PE).
It also targets provisions for facilitating equitable access to relevant health products during PHEIC and PE, as well as mobilising financial resources to support developing countries in building, strengthening, and maintaining the core capacities required under the IHR (2005).

The 21st Shangri-La Dialogue Ends in Singapore

The 21st edition of the Asia Pacific premier defence meet, the Shangri-La Dialogue or the Asian Security Summit, concluded in Singapore on June 2, 2024. Held at the Shangri-La Hotel from May 31 to June 2, the Dialogue saw participation from over a hundred delegates worldwide, discussing pressing security challenges and exploring fresh approaches.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in collaboration with the Singapore government. The event is permanently hosted at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, a venue inspired by the mythical utopia of peace, Shangri-La, from James Hilton's novel 'Lost Horizon'.

Jun 03, 2024

Emmanuelle Soubeyran New Director General of WOAH

France applauded the election of Emmanuelle Soubeyran as Director General of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) for the 2024-2029 term. She was elected to this position at the World Assembly of Delegates, which was held in Paris, and extended her thanks to all the member countries and territories for their show of confidence. Her candidacy reflected France's commitment to the organization's goal of promoting animal health and well-being. France, which worked to establish the WOAH, is one of its leading contributors and hosts the organization's headquarters in Paris.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), formerly the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1924, coordinating, supporting and promoting animal disease control.
It has 1083 members at present (as in June 2024).

Jun 02, 2024

Donald Trump Becomes First Former US President to be Convicted of Felony (02)

Donald Trump became the first former US President to be convicted of a felony as a grand jury in New York found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The Biden Harris Campaign said no one is above the law while Trump said the verdict is a result of a rigged political system.
Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate against incumbent Joe Biden in the November elections.

Apurva Chandra Appointed as Chairperson of Committee A of 77TH WHA Event

Apurva Chandra, Union health secretary, Government of India, was appointed as the Chairperson of the Committee A at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The Committee A of WHA, the event held from May 27 to June 1 held at Geneva, was chaired by India.
Committee A is tasked with facilitating crucial discussions on a range of programmatic topics. These include universal health coverage, public health emergency preparedness and response, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and sustainable financing for the World Health Organization (WHO).

Jun 01, 2024

Poland Unveils 'East Shield': Massive Defence Barrier to Fortify Borders with Russia and Belarus

Poland revealed plans to build a line of minefields, bunkers, and anti-tank trenches along its borders with Russia and Belarus.
Poland's defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, stated that the 'East Shield' deterrent and defence strategy is the greatest operation to secure Poland's eastern border and NATO's eastern flank since 1945. It will be a mix of contemporary technologies, fortifications, and topography.

Pak Admits Violating Pact with India, Nawaz Sharif Says "Was Our Fault"

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif admitted that Islamabad had violated an agreement with India signed by him and ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999, in an apparent reference to the Kargil misadventure by Gen Pervez Musharraf.
"On May 28, 1998, Pakistan carried out five nuclear tests. After that Vajpayee Saheb came here and made an agreement with us. But we violated that agreement" said Sharif.
After a historic summit here, Nawaz Sharif and Ata Bihari Vajpayee signed the Lahore Declaration on February 21, 1999. The agreement that talked about a vision of peace and stability between the two countries signalled a breakthrough.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, June GK, May GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26