General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - February 2016

Feb 2016

Jul 08, 2023

Iceland is the Most Peaceful Country in the World

The 2023 Global Peace Index released its annual ranking of the most peaceful countries in the world.
The Institute for Economics and Peace 2023 study measured a country's level of negative peace using three domains of peacefulness: Ongoing domestic and international conflict, Societal safety and security, Militarization/
Overall the index found that the world is a little less safe than last year, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is unchanged from the 2022 survey results.
While the United States ranked 131 on the list, seven out of the top 10 most peaceful countries in the world are in Europe.
Iceland remained the most peaceful country in the world since the study was first released in 2008.
It also ranked as the third happiest country in the world, after Finland and Denmark.
The top 10 most peaceful countries in the world are: Iceland, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Singapore, Portugal, Slovenia, Japan and Switzerland.

Jul 06, 2023

Scotland Marks Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Scotland marked the coronation of King Charles and his wife Camilla with a grand procession full of pageantry and a solemn church service where he was presented with the 'Honours of Scotland', Britain's oldest crown jewels. Charles and Camilla were crowned in London's Westminster Abbey in May in front of about 100 world leaders in Britain's biggest ceremonial event for seven decades.

UAE Establishes New Ministry of Investment to Boost Economic Competitiveness

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) established of a new Ministry of Investment, which is aimed at developing the investment vision of the country and enhancing its competitiveness in the global market.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting, where the decision was made.
Under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Cabinet approved the establishment of the Ministry of Investment and appointed Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi as the minister.
The ministry's main responsibilities include proposing investment policies, preparing strategies and legislation, and implementing national programs to promote the investment environment and enhance its competitiveness.
The establishment of the Ministry of Investment reflects the UAE's commitment to attracting investments in various sectors and leveraging its world-class infrastructure as a global platform.

Jul 05, 2023

NATO Agrees to Extend Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's Tenure

NATO's members extended the tenure of alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg for one year, after struggling to find a replacement in the shadow of Russia's war in Ukraine.
The announcement came one week ahead of a summit of NATO leaders in Lithuania that will be dominated by the Western military alliance's response to the war and Ukraine's push for membership.
NATO countries made the call to extend the tenure of the former Norwegian Prime Minister, at the helm of the alliance since 2014, after failing to agree an obvious replacement.
Others seen as potential candidates, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and British Defence Minister Ben Wallace, had dropped out of contention.

China's Qu-Dongyu Re-elected Unopposed as Head of FAO

At the 43rd session of conference of United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held at FAO's headquarter, Rome Qu-Dongyu was re-elected as a Director General of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
In 2019, Qu-Dongyu was elected as the head of the UN agency and he is the first Chinese national to serve in the position.
Since assuming office, Qu-Dongyu had actively led the FAO to address the challenges in global food security and contribute to the food and agriculture development of all countries, especially developing countries.
His efforts were recognised by FAO member nations and re-elected him as the Director General of the FAO by getting 168 votes out of 182 votes.

Jul 04, 2023

Senegal President Macky Sall Ends Speculation, Rules Out Re-election Bid

Putting an end to all speculations, Senegal President Macky Sall announced that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming elections scheduled for February 2024. Speculations had been circulating that Sall would attempt to extend his time in office, which led to unrest and violence in the country since 2021. Critics argued that a third term would be illegal, causing concerns about a potential democratic decline in Senegal.
By declaring his intention not to run for another term, President Sall's announcement is expected to alleviate fears of a democratic regression in Senegal.

Canada's First Turbaned Police Officer Baltej Singh Dhillon Appointed Chair of WorkSafeBC Board o...

Baltej Singh Dhillon, the first turbaned Sikh officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), was appointed Chair of WorkSafeBC's Board of Directors, making him the first South Asian to hold the top post.
Dhillon, a member of the Board since 2017, was appointed for a three-year term effective after an announcement by Minister of Labour, Harry Bains.
He will be committed to WorkSafeBC's role in investigating serious workplace incidents to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
The WorkSafeBC is a provincial agency dedicated to promoting safe and healthy workplaces across British Columbia.
Dhillon retired from the police force in 2019 after a three-decade-long career working in intelligence, special enforcement, protection services, and in investigations for the 1985 Air India bombing task force and the Pickton case.

Jul 03, 2023

Neeraj Chopra Clinches Lausanne Diamond League Title

Neeraj Chopra won his second successive Diamond League by finishing first at Lausanne, Switzerland. Neeraj's best attempt of 87.66 m helped him clinch the top spot.
Neeraj faced stiff competition from Germany's Julian Weber, who took an early lead following an 86.20m throw on the first attempt, and even came close to going past the Indian in his final attempt, throwing 87.03 m.

French President Emmanuel Macron holds emergency meeting after riots erupt

French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency meeting yesterday after riots erupted for the fifth night in a row across the country following the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed during a traffic stop by a French police officer. Other attendees included Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, and Justice Minister Éric Dupont-Moretti.
The French government said 719 people were arrested overnight, around half the figure of the previous night but with intense clashes still reported in several places, including the southern city of Marseille, but calmer elsewhere. Nahel's grandmother, Nadia, in a telephone interview to BFM television, said that the rioters were only using Nahel's, death as a pretext. She appealed people to stop and do not riot

'I ask forgiveness': Dutch king apologises for Netherlands' role in slavery

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands apologised on Saturday for his country's role in slavery and asked for forgiveness during a historic speech greeted by cheers and whoops at an event to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Dutch colonies.
The king's speech followed Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's apology late last year for the country's role in the slave trade and slavery. The public expressions of remorse are part of a wider reckoning with colonial histories in the West that the Black Lives Matter movement spurred in recent years.

Biden to host Swedish PM for talks on NATO, Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week to talk about transatlantic security cooperation and the war in Ukraine, the White House said on July 1.The two leaders "will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement about the July 5 meeting.Sweden asked to join NATO in May 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, but its membership bid, which must be ratified by all 31 member states, has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary.
Western officials had hoped to formally welcome Sweden into the bloc by the time a NATO summit is held in Lithuania on July 11-12.
But earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Sweden for allowing a protest during which a man burned pages from the Koran, further clouding the Nordic nation's chances of quickly joining the military alliance.

France and UAE Collaborate to Accelerate Shift towards Clean Energy amidst the trilateral initiat...

In an effort to combat the escalating threats of climate change, France and the United Arab Emirates have joined forces to expedite the transition to clean energy solutions. French Trade Minister Olivier Becht recently expressed the shared commitment of both nations to tackle climate change head-on and emphasized the importance of accelerating the shift towards sustainable energy sources.
Becht underscored the urgent need for global action to address the growing risks posed by global warming. He highlighted the increasing occurrence of natural disasters resulting from climate change as a compelling motivation to be more courageous and dedicated in driving the energy transition forward.
Becht lauded the strong partnership between France and the UAE in working together on various initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting environmentally friendly practices. Notably, the two countries are collaborating on projects in fields such as hydrogen and nuclear energy, both with peaceful purposes, to produce clean and renewable energy for the future.

Iran to Join Shanghai Alliance with China, Russia

As per Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iran will be formally approved as a member of the regional Shanghai Cooperation Organisation with China, Russia and Central Asian countries.
"At the meeting of heads of state on July 4, the full membership of Iran will be approved," Lavrov said at the opening of an SCO centre in Moscow.
Iran has intensified its diplomacy with friends and foes alike, seeking to reduce its isolation, improve its economy and project strength.
SCO membership was already on the cards and Iran is also hoping to be quickly accepted into another grouping that excludes Western countries -- the BRICS group with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The SCO, which has its headquarters in China, is a diplomatic organisation with eight members, including India and Pakistan.

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