General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - August 2016

Aug 2016

Sep 06, 2022

One of the World's Most Twisted Towers, 180-Metre-Tall 'Dance of Light', Unveiled in China

One of the world's most twisted towers was unveiled in Chongqing, a megacity in western China. The 180-metre-tall 'Dance of Light' skyscraper has been inspired by northern lights, according to architectural company Aedas, which designed it. The tower, situated on Xingfu Plaza in Chongqing's Jiangbei district, features two double-curved sides that give the sense that the structure is twisting.
The Dance of Light tower, designed by architecture firm Aedas is 590 feet tall and features a twisted facade that emulates the shape of northern lights.
The unique 39-story building is meant to serve as a landmark in the business district, where each structure has been inspired by stars and other celestial phenomena.

Goan-origin Suella Fernandes Braverman to be Next UK Home Secretary

Indian origin UK Attorney General Suella Braverman is tipped to replace Priti Patel as UK Home Secretary in the Liz Truss cabinet.
Braverman would become the third minority home secretary, after Priti Patel and Sajid Javid. Suella Fernandes Braverman traces her roots to Goa.
Braverman stood against Truss in the leadership contest but her 'anti-woke' stance and opposition to the European Convention on Human Rights is set to see her promoted from Attorney General to Home Secretary.

Priti Patel Resigns as UK Home Secretary

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel resigned from the Cabinet in a letter to the outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson and said that she plans to support his successor Liz Truss from the backbenches of Parliament.
The Indian-origin senior minister, a close ally of Johnson, was widely expected not to be included in the top line-up of Prime Minister elect Truss' top team.

Liz Truss Britain's Next PM, Defeats Indian-origin Rishi Sunak

Liz Truss was named leader of the governing Conservative Party and Britain's next Prime Minister, taking power at a time when the country faces a cost of living crisis, industrial unrest and a recession.
Truss was declared the winner of the Conservative Party leadership election with 81,326 votes, defeating Rishi Sunak, who received 60,399 votes.
Long the front-runner in the race to replace Johnson, Truss became the Conservatives' fourth prime minister since a 2015 election. Over that period the country has been buffeted from crisis to crisis, and now faces what is forecast to be a long recession triggered by sky-rocketing inflation which hit 10.1 per cent in July.
Truss is set to become Britain's 56th Prime Minister and the third woman to hold the position. She will travel to Balmoral Castle, Scotland where she will be invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government.

Sep 05, 2022

UN Chief Appoints Former Kyrgyzstan President as New Afghan Envoy

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres appointed former Kyrgyzstan President Roza Otunbayeva as his new envoy to Afghanistan.
Otunbayeva succeeded Deborah Lyons of Canada, to whom the Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for her dedicated service. Otunbayeva brings to the position over 35 years of professional experience in leadership, diplomacy, civic engagement, and international cooperation.

Rishi Sunak Signs off Campaign for UK PM

Rishi Sunak, who has made history as the first Indian-origin Member of Parliament to compete for the post of British Prime Minister, signed off his Ready for Rishi campaign with a thank you note for his team and supporters.
Most surveys of Conservative Party members with a vote in the leadership election to replace Boris Johnson, and even most UK media reports, have concluded that Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will be the winning candidate when the result is declared.

India, UAE sign MoU to Set up Cultural Forum to Strengthen Ties between Two Countries

India and UAE have reiterated their commitment to achieving the goal of 100 billion US dollars of bilateral trade in the next five years. Both countries also noted the possibility of linking instant payment platforms, such as through the United Payment Interface of India. These issues were discussed in the 14th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting which was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of UAE Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. Two MoUs were signed between both sides in the presence of the Ministers. One MoU was signed between the Wildlife Institute of India and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation for the Conservation of the Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican. Another MoU was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of UAE and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on the establishment of the India-UAE Cultural Council Forum.

Piyush Goyal to Attend IPEF Ministerial, Strengthen Trade Ties with the US

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal would attend the first Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) ministerial meet during his visit to the United States.
Goyal will visit the US from September 5-10 to attend the India-US Strategic Partnership Forum conference and IPEF. He will also engage with industry leaders and entrepreneurs to strengthen trade and investment, giving further impetus to the Indo-US strategic partnership.

Sep 04, 2022

India, UAE Working on Joint Health Projects in Kenya and Tanzania

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are working on a joint initiative to establish health projects in Kenya and Tanzania and taking forward cooperation in food security within the I2U2 framework that includes the US and Israel.
These issues figured in the India-UAE joint commission meeting that was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
A team comprising representatives of the Indian and UAE governments had visited Kenya and Tanzania to identify opportunities for joint projects in the health sector.

Sep 03, 2022

Iran demands Stronger US Guarantees of Lifting Sanctions to Reach Nuke Deal

The Iranian Foreign Minister demanded a stronger text from the US over its guarantees of lifting sanctions in order to reach an agreement to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
If America acts realistically and strengthens the existing text, an agreement will be within reach.
The Iranian top diplomat also demanded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) refrain from "political behaviour," noting Iran won't accept any continued accusation made by IAEA when all the parties return to the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Sep 02, 2022

Biden Appoints Two Indian-Americans to His Infrastructure Advisory Council

US President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint Indian-Americans Manu Asthana and Madhu Beriwal to his National Infrastructure Advisory Council.
The President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) advises the White House on how to reduce physical and cyber risks, and improve security and resilience of the nation's critical infrastructure sectors.

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