General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

May 28, 2023

Joe Biden Names Gen C. Q. Brown Jr, as Next Joint Chiefs Chairman

President Joe Biden named Gen Charles "CQ" Brown Jr to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top military officer in the US.
Gen Brown, currently the Air Force chief of staff, would replace Gen Mark Milley, whose term ends in September 2023.
If confirmed, he would be the only other black officer holding this top post in US history besides General Colin Powell, who served from 1989-93.
The chairman is the president's top military adviser.
Since Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is also black, it would be the first time ever that two African American men simultaneously held the most senior civil and military positions at the Pentagon.

May 27, 2023

Japan Seals deal for Defense Equipment, Technology Transfers with UAE

Japan and the United Arab Emirates agreed a deal on defense equipment and technology transfers, in a move that enables joint research, development and production.
While Tokyo has sealed about a dozen similar bilateral deals, including with the US, the UK and Australia, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is considering loosening the strict limits on Japanese arms exports more generally.
The UAE is the world's 11th largest arms importer, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The agreement came as Japan works on a next-generation fighter aircraft with the UK and Italy, which is likely to be marketed beyond the three countries.

Germany Enters Recession as Energy Prices Soared after Ukraine War

Germany suffered its first recession since the start of pandemic, extinguishing hopes that Europe's top economy could escape such a fate after the war in Ukraine sent energy prices soaring.
First-quarter output shrank 0.3% from the previous three months following a 0.5% drop between October and December, the statistics office said. Its initial estimate, last month, was for stagnation.
The result is a setback for Germany, which despite escaping the bleakest scenarios feared in the aftermath of Russia's invasion has nevertheless succumbed to a recession that Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared to rule out in January.

Russia to Shut Swedish Consulate and Expel Diplomats

Russia said that it would shut Sweden's consulate in St Petersburg and its own mission in Sweden's second-biggest city Gothenburg, and expelled five Swedish diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after Stockholm expelled five Russians last month.
Stockholm last month it had expelled the diplomats over espionage concerns. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the expulsions an openly hostile step.
Relations between the two countries have worsened since Sweden last year (2022) announced its intention to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russia said that ties had reached an unprecedented low.

May 26, 2023

China Appoints New Envoy to U.S.

Xie Feng, China's new Ambassador to the United States finally filled a post that unusually remained vacant for close to five months and heralding what some observers see as a possible sign of a limited thaw in the frosty relations.
Veteran diplomat Xie Feng has spent much of his career dealing with the U.S.
Mr. Xie succeeded Qin Gang, who was promoted as China's new Foreign Minister, after a close to five month gap, leaving a key post vacant during tense relations.

May 25, 2023

NATO: Ukraine Cannot Join Alliance amidst War

Ukraine will not be able to join NATO as long as the war against Russia rages on, bloc's chief Jens Stoltenberg said.
In September 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a bid for fast-track membership of NATO after Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed four partially occupied regions of Ukraine as annexed Russian land.
NATO allies have not acceded to Zelenskyy's request, with Western governments wary of moves that they fear could take NATO closer to entering an active war with Russia.

WHO Appoints Artists Renée Fleming and Pretty Yende as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Arts and Health

WHO announce the appointments of internationally acclaimed artists Renée Fleming and Pretty Yende as Goodwill Ambassadors for Arts and Health. This prestigious announcement was made as part of WHO's 75th Anniversary commemoration during the seventy-sixth World Health Assembly.
Renée Fleming, one of the most celebrated singers of our time, and Pretty Yende, an extraordinary soprano known for her dazzling performances, were selected for their artistic achievement and advocacy for improved health outcomes through creative means.
The appointments of Fleming and Yende underscore the profound link between arts and health. Engagement in creative activities, such as music, art, and dance, positively impacts physical, mental health, social well-being, and overall quality of life. Through their roles as Goodwill Ambassadors, Fleming and Yende will promote the integration of arts into health-care systems, advocate for access to creative arts therapies, and champion the importance of artistic expression in improving health outcomes globally.

Indian-Origin Sikh Becomes First Turban-Wearing Lord Mayor of UK City Coventry

Jaswant Singh Birdi, a local British Sikh councillor based in Coventry made history for the central England city by becoming its first turban-wearing Lord Mayor.
Birdi, who was born in Punjab and spent some time as a child in Calcutta in West Bengal, moved to Coventry 60 years ago and has served as a local councillor in the city for 16 years.
He served as Deputy Lord Mayor for the past 12 months and was presented with the Chains of Office at the Annual General Meeting at Coventry Cathedral last week, a ceremony attended by members of his family. He succeeded Councillor Kevin Maton in the role of Lord Mayor and Councillor Mal Mutton was named as the Deputy Lord Mayor for the coming year.

May 24, 2023

Tim Scott Joins 2024 Presidential Race

In a bid to secure the Republican nomination and prevent Donald Trump from facing off against Joe Biden once again, sole Black Republican Senator Tim Scott formally launched his presidential campaign. Speaking at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina, Scott expressed concerns about the current state of the nation under President Biden and the radical left.
The announcement added Scott's name to the growing list of candidates vying for the top post, signalling an intensifying race for the 2024 presidential election.

PM Modi, Australian Counterpart Rename Sydney Suburb as 'Little India'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese renamed the Sydney suburb as 'Little India' during the mega community event at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.
Both Prime Ministers jointly unveiled the foundation stone for a 'Little India' Gateway to be built in Harris Park in Parramatta, Western Sydney, which is home to a large Indian community.

France Bans Domestic Flights on Short Routes

In a bid to cut carbon emissions, France formally imposed a ban on domestic flights on short routes that can be covered by train. Under the new law, any journeys that are possible in less than two-and-a-half hours by train cannot be taken as a flight.
The change will mostly rule out air trips between Paris and regional hubs such as Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, with connecting flights unaffected.
Clement Beaune, France's Transport Minister said that this is an essential step and a strong symbol in the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The law specifies that train services on the same route must be frequent, timely, and well-connected enough to meet the needs of passengers who would otherwise travel by air. People making such trips should also be able to make outbound and return train journeys on the same day, having spent eight hours at their destination.
The country is also cracking down on the use of private jets for short journeys in a bid to make transport greener and fairer for the population.
However, the move has irked the aviation industry.

Zimbabwe World's most Miserable Country

Zimbabwe emerged as the most miserable country on renowned economist Steve Hanke's Annual Misery Index (HAMI), released in May 2023, which judges nations on mainly economic conditions. The African country that has surpassed war-torn nations like Ukraine, Syria, and Sudan, has majorly been plagued with skyrocketing inflation, which touched 243.8 per cent in 2022. A total of 157 countries were analysed for the rankings.
Venezuela, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Argentina, Yemen, Ukraine, Cuba, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Angola, Tonga and Ghana are the other countries in the top 15 list of most miserable nations.
Meanwhile, Switzerland had the lowest HAMI score, meaning its citizens are the happiest.
The second-happiest country was Kuwait, followed by Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Niger, Thailand, Togo and Malta.
India, on the other hand, ranked 103 on the list, with the contributing factor to the misery being unemployment, according to the index.

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