General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - March 2016

Mar 2016

Dec 03, 2020

Court Strikes Down Trump's H-1B Rules

A US judge threw out two rules proposed by the Trump administration to narrow eligibility for H-1B visa aspirants and raise their salaries in an effort to make it tougher for companies, mostly in IT, to use this short-term employment programme to hire foreigner workers instead of local Americans.
US district judge Jeffrey S. White of the Northern District of California ruled that the changes were introduced in a hurry and did not abide by the usual transparency obligations: provide notice and sufficient time for public comments.

PoK Govt. Signs Agreements with Chinese Firm to Build Hydropower Project

The government in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has signed agreements with a Chinese company and a local renewable energy firm for the construction of 700MW hydropower project at an estimated cost of USD 1.35 billion in the region as part of the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
China Gezhouba Group and its local partner Laraib Group Pakistan are the shareholders of the 'Azad Pattan Hydropower Project', which is located on Jhelum River in Sadhanoti district of PoK.
The consortium of lenders consists of China Development Bank, China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China.
The implementation agreement and water use charges agreement for construction of the project were signed by PoK Electricity Secretary Zafar Mahmood Khan and Azad Pattan Power Private Limited CEO Li Xiaota.

Thai PM Acquitted, Retains Post

Thailand's highest court acquitted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of breaching ethics clauses in the country's constitution, allowing him to stay in his job.
The Constitutional Court ruled on a complaint brought by the Pheu Thai Party that Prayuth had violated the law by continuing to live in his military residence after he retired as an army commander in September 2014.

Kabul and Taliban Reach 1st Written Peace Deal

The Afghan Government and Taliban representatives reached a preliminary deal to press on with peace talks, their first written agreement in 19 years of war and welcomed by the United States as a chance to halt the violence.
The agreement lays out the way forward for discussion but is considered a breakthrough because it will allow negotiators to move on to more substantive issues, including talks on a ceasefire, even as Taliban attacks on Afghan government forces have continued unabated.
"The procedure, including its preamble of the negotiation, has been finalised and from now on, the negotiation will begin on the agenda," Nader Nadery, a member of the Afghan Government's negotiating team, said.

Dec 02, 2020

China Drafts Rules on Mobile Apps' Collection of Personal Data

China unveiled draft guidelines seeking to limit the scope of mobile apps' collection of personal data in the latest attempt to curb the sprawling technology sector.
The set of draft rules published by the Cyberspace Administration of China covers 38 types of apps from online shopping and instant messaging to ride-hailing and bike sharing.
China has increased scrutiny of its technology sector in recent weeks, last month drafting anti-monopoly rules for tech firms.
It has also expressed concerns about data protection and consumer rights, while authorities have on a number of occasions ordered apps to be suspended for mishandling user information.

France will Not Accept Brexit Deal if Not in Long Term Interests

French President Emmanuel Macron said that France was paying particular attention to negotiations around trade conditions and fisheries in talks over a Brexit deal, adding that the country's long term interests were at stake.
France will not accept a Brexit deal that does not respect our long term interests.

Iran's Parliament Advances Bill to Stop Nuclear Inspections

Iran's Parliament advanced a Bill that would end UN inspections of its nuclear facilities and require the government to boost its uranium enrichment if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions.
The vote to debate the Bill, which would need to pass through several other stages before becoming a law, was a show of defiance after the killing of a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist last month.
As per reports, 251 lawmakers in the 290-seat chamber voted in favour of the Bill.
The Bill will commission new centrifuges at nuclear facilities at Natanz and the underground Fordo site. It will require another parliamentary vote to pass as well as approval by the Guardian Council, a constitutional watchdog.

Dec 01, 2020

India Refuses to Support China's Mega Connectivity Project at SCO

Reiterating its stance yet again, India refused to extend support to China's mega connectivity project One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). India was the only country in the 8 member grouping, which refused to support the project that has often been in news for its lack of transparency and whooping cost for the host country.
The Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, reaffirming their support for China's One Belt, One Road" (OBOR) Initiative (BRI).
India had become a member of the Beijing headquartered grouping in 2017.

Biden Names Top Economic Advisers

President-elect Joe Biden unveiled his picks for several top economic positions, including former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen as his nominee for Treasury Secretary, setting the stage for a more diverse White House.
Biden named leading members of an economic team that will have to combat the crushing blows to United States workers and businesses from the Covid pandemic.
Indian-origin Neera Tanden has been named for the position of Director of the Office of Management and Budget. State Department ex-spokesperson Jen Psaki has been named White House press secretary. Cecilia Rouse, will be the Chair of the Council of Economic Adviser.
In contrast to Trump, who largely picked white men for key positions, Biden's early appointments were shaping up to be highly diverse, including an all-women communications team unveiled earlier.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Benazir Bhutto's Daughter, Makes Political Debut in Multan

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the youngest daughter of Pakistan's slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, made her political debut in Multan at a rally of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the 11-party opposition alliance.
In her speech, Aseefa called on the crowd to remember her mother's sacrifices for democracy and urged them to support her brother Bilawal Bhutto in his fight for true democracy in the country.

China's Proposed Hydropower Project in Brahmaputra, Tibet

Under the 14th five-year plan that is to be implemented from 2021, China has proposed hydropower project on Brahmaputra River in Tibet. The project has been proposed by the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of China. The Committee prepared the fourteenth five-year plan, 2021 to 2025 and the long-term goals through 2035 of China.
The riparian states of the Brahmaputra River such as Bangladesh and India have raised concerns against the proposal.
The Brahmaputra is called Yarlung Zangpo in the region. According to the Chinese, the river has the richest water resources in the Tibet autonomous region. It has a potential to generate 80 million kilowatt hours. On the other hand, the 50-kilometre section of the river's Grand Canyon alone has potential to develop 70 million kilowatt hours which could be easily generated with just 2000 metres drop. This equals more than 3 gorgeous power stations installed in the Hubei province.

Nov 30, 2020

India, Sri Lanka, Maldives Agree to Improve Intel Sharing

Top security officials of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives agreed to further strengthen cooperation and ensure peace for common benefit as they took stock of the current maritime security environment in the region during the high-level trilateral dialogue held here after a gap of six years.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took part in the dialogue along with Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Major Gen (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne and Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Didi.
Sri Lanka hosted the fourth National Security Adviser-level trilateral meeting on maritime security cooperation with India and the Maldives. It took place after six years. The last meeting was held in New Delhi in 2014.
According to a joint statement issued by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence, the three countries — recognising the significance of the forum for promoting meaningful cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region on common issues pertaining to maritime security — took stock of the current maritime security environment in the region.
They discussed mutual cooperation in the areas of Maritime Domain Awareness, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Joint Exercises, Capacity Building, Maritime Security and Threats, Marine Pollution, and Maritime Underwater Heritage, it said.

China's First Domestically Made Nuclear Reactor Goes Online

Reducing its dependence on Western allies in critical high-tech sectors such as power generation is a key goal in Beijing's "Made in China 2025" plan.
Billions of dollars in state subsidies have been given to Chinese companies to speed the process — a move that has angered China's trade partners and sparked a protracted trade row with Washington.
Work on the Hualong One reactor started in 2015 and there are currently six other reactors under construction at home and abroad, state-owned plant operator CNNC said.
The Hualong One, deployed at a plant in east China's Fujian province, will be put into commercial use by the end of the year after undergoing tests.
China has 47 nuclear plants with a total generation capacity of 48.75 million kilowatts — the world's third highest after the U.S. and France.

Ethiopia PM says Tigray Operation over after Army Seizes Mekelle

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced the end of military operations in the northern Tigray region after the army said it was in "full control" of the regional capital, Mekelle.
Since November 4, the Ethiopian government has been trying to quell a rebellion by a powerful ethnic faction, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in a war that has shaken the Horn of Africa. Thousands of people are believed to have died and nearly one million forced from their homes, including some 43,000 refugees who fled to neighbouring Sudan.

Nov 29, 2020

Pakistan Cabinet Approves Chemical Castration of Rapists

As per reports, Pakistan's Cabinet has approved two anti-rape ordinances which called for the chemical castration of rapists with the consent of the convict and setting up of special courts for rape trials.
A meeting of the Cabinet committee on legislative cases chaired by federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem approved the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Ordinance 2020 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2020. The ordinances have already been approved in-principle by the federal Cabinet.
The concept of chemical castration for first or repeated offenders has been introduced mainly as a form of rehabilitation, and subject to consent of the convict.

President Kaboré Wins Second Term in Burkina Faso

Roch Christian Marc Kaboré has been re-elected for a second five-year term as the President of Burkina Faso.
According to results released by the Electoral Commission, he took 58% of the vote.
His nearest rival, Eddie Komboïgo of the former ruling Congress for Democracy and Progress, got 16% of the vote.
This marks a comeback of sorts for the party of Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in 2014 after 27 years in power.
Official turnout figures show that just over half of those registered to vote took part in the poll, which was marred by threats of violence from Islamist militant groups, meaning many polling stations were unable to open.
These provisional results now need to be confirmed by the Constitutional Court.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

September GK, August GK, July 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