General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - September 2016

Sep 2016

Apr 19, 2021

Woman Who Could be Germany's Next Chancellor

For the first time in their party's four-decade history, the German Greens have announced a candidate to run as chancellor.
Equally historic is the central role the Greens will play in September's general election.
The Green Party announced that Annalena Baerbock would be its choice to take over from Angela Merkel after September's election. Ms. Baerbock is likely to be the only woman in the race.
Once seen as a chaotic bunch of bearded hippies in sandals, the Greens are now likely to enter the next government.
With the conservatives in chaos amid rows over their candidate, the Green Party could even end up the largest in the new coalition. That would mean Annalena Baerbock would be Germany's next chancellor.
She's already being compared to young female leaders in New Zealand or Finland.

UN Suspends Operations in Northern Nigeria

The UN has suspended humanitarian operations in Dikwa and Damasak towns in Nigeria's north-eastern Borno State, after recent attacks by the Boko Haram jihadist group.
"We have temporarily suspended operations in these areas in order to safely relocate humanitarian staff and are closely monitoring the situation," said Edward Kallon, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria.
The UN intends to resume operations as soon as possible, so that civilians affected by the conflict are assisted.
Humanitarian aid facilities have in the past been targeted with the latest attack being on 10 April when three facilities were attacked and four people died.
The UN said that the attack would affect support to 8,800 internally displaced persons and 76,000 people in the host community receiving humanitarian assistance and protection.

China's Population to Enter Negative Growth after 2025

The demographics of the world's most populous country is set to change as China will experience a negative growth after 2025, which will result in shortage of consumer demand, a well-known Chinese economist has cautioned.
China's population is set to peak in just four years' time and the milestone will be marked by a significant downturn in consumer demand, said Cai Fang, a member of the monetary policy committee of the People's Bank of China, the central bank.
When the total population enters negative growth (after 2025), there will be a shortage of demand, Cai was quoted as saying by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on Sunday.
We need to pay attention to the impact of demographics on future consumption, he said.
Cai's comments came as China is due to release its latest census later this month.
According to a PBOC study released a few days ago, China should immediately liberalise its birth policies or face a scenario in which it has a lower share of workers and higher burden of elderly care than the United States by 2050.

Syria to Hold Election in May

Syria is to hold a presidential election next month, the country's parliament says - a move likely to maintain President Bashar al-Assad's grip on power.
Mr. Assad is not expected to face serious opposition despite continuing conflict and a growing economic crisis.
After 10 years of war the Syrian government controls most of the big population centres in the country.
About 400,000 people have been killed and over half of Syrians displaced.
As per Speaker Hamouda Sabbagh, the election for a President who will serve a seven-year-term will take place on 26 May. Prospective candidates for the election would be able to register from 19 April while Syrians abroad would be able to vote at embassies on 20 May.

Apr 18, 2021

Raúl Castro Steps Down as Cuban Communist Party Leader

Raúl Castro said that he is resigning as Cuban Communist Party leader, ending his family's six decades in power.
Mr. Castro is handing over the leadership to a younger generation "full of passion and anti-imperialist spirit".
His successor will be voted in at the end of the four-day congress.
The move, which was expected, ends the era of formal leadership by him and his brother Fidel Castro, which began with the 1959 revolution.
Although Mr. Castro has not endorsed a successor, it is widely believed the party leadership will pass to Miguel Díaz-Canel, who took over as the island's president in 2018.

Pakistan PM Appoints Shaukat Tareen as New Finance Minister

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Shaukat Tareen as the new Finance Minister of the country, the fourth to don the mantle, in another cabinet reshuffle.
A banker by profession, Tareen served in the same capacity in the government of Pakistan Peoples Party (2009-10) for a short period before he decided to step down to raise capital for his Silk Bank.
Tareen was facing corruption charges and had initially refused to accept the post until his name was cleared.
Shaukat Tareen is replacing Hammad Azhar, who was appointed towards the end of the last month after Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was removed for failure to control raging inflation in the country.
Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry was appointed Information Minister while his predecessor Shibli Faraz was appointed as Minister for Science.

Russia Bans Top Biden Officials as Tensions Soar

Russia banned top officials from US President Joe Biden's administration from entering the country and announced a wave of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats, as tensions soar between the rivals.
The Russian action comes a day after Washington announced sanctions against Moscow and the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats, in retaliation for what it says was interference by the Kremlin in US elections, a massive cyber attack and other hostile activity.

Apr 17, 2021

Turkey Bans Cryptocurrency Payments

Turkey's central bank has banned the use of cryptocurrencies and crypto assets including Bitcoin to purchase goods and services, citing possible irreparable damage and significant transaction risks. The bank published a legislation, saying that cryptocurrencies and other such digital assets based on distributed ledger technology could not be used, directly or indirectly, as an instrument of payment.
In a statement, the central bank said that crypto assets were neither subject to any regulation and supervision mechanisms nor a central regulatory authority, among other security risks.
Payment service providers will not be able to develop business models in a way that crypto assets are used directly or indirectly in the provision of payment services and electronic money issuance, and will not provide any services.
Turkey's decision comes after Royal Motors, which distributes Rolls-Royce and Lotus cars in the country became the first to announce that it would accept payments in cryptocurrencies. Globally, giants such as Apple, Amazon and Expedia also accept such payments. In India, no company has officially announced that it will accept cryptocurrencies as payment.

Iran Starts Enriching Uranium to 60% Purity

Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity, its highest level ever, after an attack targeted its Natanz nuclear site.
However, it is likely to raise tensions even as Iran negotiates with world powers in Vienna over a way to allow the US back into the agreement and lift the crushing economic sanctions it faces.
The announcement also marks a significant escalation after the sabotage that damaged centrifuges, an attack this past weekend suspected of having been carried out by Israel.

European Union-UK Talks over Brexit Fail to Reach a Breakthrough

Top European Union and British officials failed to get a breakthrough at talks on Northern Ireland trade rules and said that contact would continue over the coming weeks.
The meeting between European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic and U.K. Brexit minister David Frost took place a month after the EU started legal action against its former member country, arguing that the UK had not respected the conditions of the Brexit agreement and violated international law.
The two sides are trying to find common ground on trade rules in Northern Ireland, where Britain's exit from the EU has unsettled a delicate political balance.
Northern Ireland is part of the U.K. but remained part of the EU's single market for goods after Brexit to avoid checks at the territory's border with EU member Ireland.

United Nations Population Fund's Flagship State of World Population Report 2021

Nearly half the women from 57 developing countries do not have the right to make decisions regarding their bodies, including using contraception, seeking healthcare or even on their sexuality, according to the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) flagship State of World Population Report 2021 titled 'My Body is My Own'.
This is the first time a United Nations report has focused on bodily autonomy, defined as the power and agency to make choices about your body without fear of violence or having someone else decide for you.
The report shows that in countries where data is available, only 55% of women are fully empowered to make choices over healthcare, contraception and the ability to say yes or no to sex. It also highlights that only 75% of countries legally ensure full and equal access to contraception.

Apr 16, 2021

China's Official in Hong Kong Warns of Retaliation against Foreign Meddling

Beijing's top official in Hong Kong warned foreign forces not to interfere with the bottom line of national security in the city, threatening retaliation amid tensions between China and Western powers.
The US, Britain and their allies have condemned China's tightening control over Hong Kong's freedoms, including the sweeping national security law and electoral reforms that have all but silenced the once-vibrant opposition in the semi-autonomous territory.

Apr 15, 2021

US Poised to Impose Sanctions on Russia for Cyber-attacks

As per reports, the US government is set to issue a wide range of sanctions against Russia.
The move would be retaliation for cyber-attacks aimed at the US, including alleged interference in the 2020 presidential elections.
The sanctions, expected, target more than 30 Russian entities and include the expulsion of at least 10 individuals from the US.
Diplomats will reportedly be among those targeted.

Vienna Offer on N-deal Not Worth Looking at: Iran

Iran's supreme leader dismissed initial offers being made at talks in Vienna aimed at saving Tehran's tattered nuclear deal with world powers. He described them as "not worth looking at" after an attack on an atomic site in his country.
The comments come as informal talks in Vienna continue ahead of a planned formal round of negotiations.
The talks already have been thrown into disarray by a weekend power outage at Iran's main nuclear enrichment site suspected to have been engineered by Israel.

Haiti Prime Minister Resigns

Haitian Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe announced that he has resigned as the country faces a spike in killings and kidnappings and prepares for an upcoming constitutional referendum and general election later this year.
Jouthe had served as Prime Minister since March 2020. He did not provide an explanation for his resignation.
Jouthe previously had tried to submit his resignation, but President Jovenel Moïse at the time had rejected it.
This time, Moïse accepted it and nominated Claude Joseph as Haiti's new Prime Minister. Joseph previously served as Foreign Minister.

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