General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Jun 01, 2022

Canada Introduces Bill to Freeze Handgun Sales

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government introduced a legislation that would put a freeze on importing, buying or selling handguns. Canada already has plans to ban 1,500 types of military-style firearms and offer a mandatory buyback programme that will begin at the end of 2022. Trudeau has long had plans to enact tougher gun laws but the introduction of the new measure comes after mass shootings in Texas, and Buffalo, NY. The regulations to halt the growth of personally owned handguns are expected to be enacted this fall.
Canada has had far fewer mass shootings than the US in part because of a lack of easy access to guns, though the US population also is far larger than Canada's. Blair noted guns were often smuggled illegally from the US, which he noted has one of the largest small arms arsenals in the world.

India, Pakistan Sign Permanent Indus Commission Annual Report

India and Pakistan finalised and signed the annual report of the Permanent Indus Commission for the year which ended on March 31, 2022. The report was finalised at the two-day 118th Permanent Indus Commission meeting between the two countries. The meeting was held in a cordial manner and the Commission appreciated the commitment of the two sides to interact frequently and resolve issues through bilateral discussions under the Indus Water Treaty. It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the PIC in Pakistan on mutually convenient dates.
The Indian delegation was led by AK Pal, the Commissioner for Indus Waters and the visiting Pakistan delegation was led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters.
The Indus Water Treaty survived the wars between the two countries and the freeze in bilateral relations.

Pakistan's Fuel Supply Threatened as Foreign Banks Refuse Financing

Amid rising subsidy allocations, the Pakistan oil industry is now facing challenges in arranging international finances for import of crude and oil products. Arrangements of oil imports were getting tough by the day as foreign banks were not providing financing against Letters of Credit (LCs) opened by oil marketing companies (OMCs) and refineries with the local banks. Except two large corporations, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (Parco), all OMCs and refineries were struggling to arrange import of petroleum products and crude.
About six-seven cargos worth $50-75 million each ($350-500 million cumulative) depending on size and product were held up at present because of the increased risk following some critical statements from the relevant ministries about the tough fiscal and foreign exchange position.

May 31, 2022

India, UAE Sign MoU to Establish Framework to Facilitate & Enhance Bilateral Cooperation on Clima...

India and United Arab Emirates signed an MoU to establish a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation on climate action. The agreement was signed between Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav and UAE Climate Envoy and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan Al Jaber in New Delhi. The basic objective of this MoU is to establish a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation on climate action, and also contributes towards implementing the Paris Agreement.
Mr. Yadav stressed that the issues of climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, need more focus in the road beyond COP26. He acknowledged and appreciated the UAE's climate actions, and also shared India's concrete climate actions.

Russia Takes Full Control of Lyman in East Ukraine

Eastern Ukrainian town of Lyman fell under the full control of Russian and Russian-backed forces in the region. Pro-Russian separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic had fully captured the town, a railway hub west of Sievierodonetsk.
In a daily update, Russia said it had used missile strikes to destroy Ukrainian command posts in Bakhmut and Soledar. Both towns lie on a strategically important road running southwest from Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk, where the main Russian offensive is now concentrated. The ministry also said it had destroyed five command and observation posts, hit areas where Ukrainian soldiers and equipment were located and destroyed four ammunition depots near the towns of Nyrkove, Bakhmut and Myronivka.

May 30, 2022

Sri Lanka's Only Refinery Resumes Operations after more than Two Months; Begins Receiving Russian...

Sri Lanka's only refinery, which was shut down more in March 2022, commenced operations and has begun receiving Russian crude, as the crisis-hit island nation tried to overcome its worst economic crisis since independence.
The more than five-decade-old Iran-built Sapugaskanda oil refinery, which boasts of 50,000 barrel-per-day capacity, was temporarily shut down on March 20 following the non-availability of crude oil supplies due to the ongoing foreign exchange crisis that has crippled the country. Sri Lanka became the latest Asian country to accept Russian crude after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 prompted a slew of crippling sanctions on Moscow.A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas, and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices heaped misery on the people.

May 29, 2022

Leaders of Quad Nations Launch First-of-its-kind QUAD Fellowship

Leaders of Quad countries launched the QUAD Fellowship - a first-of-its-kind scholarship programme designed to build ties among the next generation of scientists and technologists from the four member nations. US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterparts Anthony Albanese and Fumio Kishida from Australia and Japan respectively launched the fellowship that will sponsor 25 students per year from each Quad country to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) universities in the US.
The Fellowship will sponsor 100 students per year - 25 from each Quad country - to pursue masters and doctoral degrees at leading STEM graduate universities in the United States.

Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghe Appointed as Finance Minister

Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe doubled up as finance minister leading bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. Wickremesinghe, who was appointed following violent unrest, was sworn in by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as Minister of Finance and Economic Stabilization and National Policies.
Wickremesinghe held talks with foreign envoys, including from India, China and the U.S., and discussed with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and World Bank ways to replenish food, fertilizer and medicine supplies. Sri Lanka needs $4 billion over the next eight months to pay for essential imports.
As a member of the opposition, Wickeremesinghe had criticized the president's policies, pointing to falling foreign-currency reserves and flagging early on that the government should seek help from the IMF.

May 28, 2022

India Joins First Movers Coalition to Decarbonise Carbon-heavy Sectors

India joined the First Movers Coalition, a global initiative aimed at decarbonising the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors responsible for 30 per cent of global emissions. Launched by US President Joe Biden and the WEF at COP26 as a flagship public-private partnership to clean up the most carbon-intensive sectors, also saw 50 new corporate members with collective market cap of USD 8.5 trillion joining the force.
Besides India, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom have also joined the US as government partners to create early markets for clean technologies through policy measures and private sector engagements.

Hungary Amends Constitution to Extend Govt's State of Emergency Powers

Hungary's Parliament amended the country's Constitution to enable the government to introduce a special legal order and declare a state of emergency in case of an armed conflict, war or humanitarian disaster in a neighbouring country. The legislation was approved with 136 votes for and 36 against.
The government will have the power to suspend some laws or deviate from their stipulations to ensure the security of residents, their assets, as well as the stability of the national economy. The Constitutional Court, if requested, must review the measures taken by the government. The 10th amendment of the country's Constitution was initiated by Justice Minister Judit Varga and will enter into force on November 1, 2022.

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