General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - September 2016

Sep 2016

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.

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).

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