General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - February 2016

Feb 2016

Jun 09, 2024

UN Adds Israel to List of Militaries Committing Violations against Children

The UN added the Israeli military to a list of offenders failing to protect children last year (2023), Israel's ambassador to the UN said.
A spokesman for the Palestinian President said that the decision was a step closer to holding Israel accountable for what he called its crimes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the UN had added itself to the "blacklist of history" and that the Israeli military was the "most moral army in the world".

Jun 08, 2024

Bonn Climate Conference 2024: Stage Set for New Climate Finance Goal Enroute to Baku

The 60th Session of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Bodies, also called the Bonn Climate Change Conference, commenced on June 3, 2024, and expectedly, all eyes this year (2024) are on climate finance. With a new climate finance goal to be decided at the 29th Conference of Parties (COP 29) to the UNFCCC in Baku, Azerbaijan later this year (2024), the progress made at this mid-way mark is instrumental for an ambitious outcome.
The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Simon Stiell, reiterated the urgency of the discussions on the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance (NCQG), reminding country leaders: "We cannot afford to reach Baku with too much work left to do."
The 60th Session of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Bodies concludes on June 13, 2024.

Jun 07, 2024

King Charles III Currency Notes Introduced in UK

Banknotes featuring King Charles III entered circulation in the United Kingdom.
According to the Bank of England, Charles is only the second monarch, after his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to appear on banknotes issued by the BoE. It's also the first time the bank has changed the monarch on its notes.
Charles' portrait appears on notes of £5, £10, £20 and £50. Meanwhile, the rest of the design remains the same as the current notes that feature the late Queen Elizabeth II on their fronts.

Somalia with UN Security Council Seat

Somalia won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council - hailed as a significant step for the worn-torn nation.
It will be the first time the country, which descended into civil war more than 30 years ago, has held the position since the 1970s.
The top table at the UN determines how the organisation should respond to conflicts around the world.
There are 10 rotating non-permanent members on the council, along with the five permanent members - the US, the UK, France, China and Russia.
To win a seat, which carries much influence in world affairs, a country needs to secure the support of at least two thirds of the General Assembly delegations that are voting.
Somalia was elected along with Denmark, Greece, Pakistan and Panama to serve for two years from January next year (2025).
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security,[2] recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly,[3] and approving any changes to the UN Charter.
It officially came into existence on October 24, 1945 upon ratification of the Charter by the five then-permanent members of the Security Council and by a majority of the other 46 signatories.
It has its headquarters in New York City, U.S.

Delhi to Sign IPEF Pact on Clean Economy after Domestic Nod

The government said that 13 members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) members have signed the fair and clean economy agreements while India will ink the pacts after getting domestic approval. "India did not formally sign these agreements as domestic approval processes are still underway and will be completed after the formation of the new government.
These agreements will enter into force after at least five IPEF partners complete their internal legal procedures for ratification, acceptance or approval. IPEF members signed these agreements which are first-of-their-kind approaches to addressing 21st-century challenges and strengthening economic engagement across a critical region. India actively participated in the signing proceedings and the ministerial deliberations.

Kuwait's Emir Names Sheikh Sabah as New Crown Prince

Kuwait's emir named a new Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, just six months after taking over the throne and weeks after suspending parliament.
The 71-year-old sheikh was the Gulf state's Foreign Minister from 2011 to 2019 and then Prime Minister until 2022.

Jun 06, 2024

Slovenia Becomes Latest EU Country to Recognise Palestinian State

Slovenia became the latest European Union country to recognise an independent Palestinian state after its parliament approved the move with majority vote, dismissing a call for a referendum on the issue by the largest opposition party.
The government last week decided to recognise Palestine as an independent and sovereign state following in the steps of Spain, Ireland and Norway as part of a wider effort to coordinate pressure on Israel to end the conflict in Gaza.
Palestine is a semi-presidential country. The country consists of the institutions that are associated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which includes President of the State of Palestine – appointed by the Palestinian Central Council.
The current (as in June 2024) President is Mahmoud Abbas.

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.

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