General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2017

May 2017

Aug 24, 2019

PM Narendra Modi's Speech In France

PM Narendra Modi addresed the Indian diaspora at the UNESCO headquarters.

KEY POINTS:

1) The India-France alliance

"Nowadays we talk of 21st century 'INFRA'. That is 'IN' plus 'FRA' is the alliance of 'INDIA' and 'FRANCE'."

- "From Solar Infra to Social Infra, from Technical Infra to Space Infra, from Digital Infra to Defense Infra, the alliance of India and France is moving strongly."

- "I am told that the Ganpati Festival has become the main feature of the Parisian cultural calendar. On this day, Paris transforms into mini India. That is, a few days from now, the echo of Ganpati Bappa Maurya will also be heard here."

- "Indians living in France have a relationship with India, so you have a relationship with France. Your successes are a matter of pride for France, as well as they make India proud."

2) On climate change

3) Fighting terrorism

Sri Lanka Ends Emergency Rule

Sri Lanka ended four months of emergency rule imposed after suicide attacks on Easter Sunday killed more than 260 people.
The president's office said President Maithripala Sirisena allowed the emergency rule to lapse by not signing a decree extending it for another month.
The emergency laws gave the military and police sweeping powers to detain suspects.

Pakistan Blacklisted By FATF

The Asia-Pacific Group of the global watchdog for terror financing and money laundering has put Pakistan in the Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List (Blacklist) for its failure to meet its standards.
The Asia Pacific Group (APG) of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has also found that Pakistan was non-compliant on 32 of the 40 compliance parameters of terror financing and money laundering. FATF APG meeting was held in Canberra, Australia.
On 11 effectiveness parameters of terror financing and money laundering, Pakistan was adjudged as low on 10. Pakistan could not convince the 41-member plenary to upgrade it on any parameter.
Now, Pakistan has to focus on avoiding the blacklist in October 2019, when the 15-month timeline ends on the FATF's 27-point action plan.

PM Modi Inaugurates Memorial In Honour Of Victims Of Two Air India Crashes In France

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a memorial in the honour of the victims of two Air India crashes at the foothills of the Mont Blanc mountain in France in which several Indians, including Homi J. Bhabha, regarded as the father of India's nuclear programme, were killed.
The memorial at Nid d'Aigle, at the foot of Mount Blanc, was dedicated to Bhabha and several other Indians who were among the passengers and crew of the two Air India planes that crashed in 1950 and 1966.

Aug 23, 2019

Trump Looking To End Birthright Citizenship

US President Donald Trump said his administration was "seriously" looking to end the citizenship right for babies born to non-citizens - a 140-year-old constitutionally mandated law, that has been abused by undocumented immigrants and those involved in so-called "birth tourism."
Ending the law is a long-shot proposition as it was established by the US constitution's 14th amendment in 1868, which was enacted in the aftermath of the civil war to grant citizenship rights to African-Americans.
"All persons born or naturalised in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the US and of the State wherein they reside," it reads.

Communist Party Of China's Youth League Hires Train To Get Singles Hitched

The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) is taking its vow to play matchmaker to millions of singles in the country quite passionately.
10 compartments of a train from Chongqing in southwestern China to Qianjiang in Hubei province were hired solely for 1,000 single young men and women to spend a two-day, one-night journey.
Since its launch three years ago, the train, on its third trip and known as the 'Y999 Love-Pursuit Train', has set up a platform for more than 3,000 single youths in China's Sichuan province and Chongqing to make friends.The journey also involved celebrating 70 years of the founding of New China and "reliving" the history.
China had more than 200 million singles in 2018.
Their predetermined destination: love or the pursuit of it. The train was appropriately named the "love pursuit train" for the particular journey.
Those on the train were chosen through recommendations of other CYLC members. They mingled freely with others besides solving "love puzzles" and playing games related to relationships and friendship.

India, Pak Will Have To Fight Terrorism In Afghanistan: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said that countries like India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia and Turkey would have to fight against terrorists in Afghanistan at some point of time.
It could not be ascertained if the US president has raised the matter with India because this marks a significant shift in the American strategy, and his own 2017 South Asia Strategy, that envisaged a role for India only in reconstruction and development works in Afghanistan.
Though nearly decimated in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State has been gaining ground in Afghanistan where it killed 63 people in a suicide bombing.
The US has been fighting the war in Afghanistan since 2001 and Trump said, it does not want to spend "another 19 years" there; and that other countries need to step up and contribute.

India, France Conclude Path Breaking Roadmap On Digital Technology Partnership

India and France concluded a path breaking road-map to make digital technology a transformative factor in their societies, to fight terror, to foster economic growth, sustainable development and secure enhanced internet access which is essential to bridge digital divide.
France and India affirm their commitment to an open, reliable, secure, stable and peaceful cyberspace. International law, and in particular the Charter of the United Nations, is applicable and is essential to maintaining peace and stability and promoting an open, secure, peaceful and accessible Digital environment.
They reaffirm the importance of promoting, and implementing voluntary norms of responsible State behaviour in cyberspace as well as confidence and capacity-building measures developed within the framework of the United Nations.
This ensemble is the foundation of peace and security in cyberspace.
France and India recognise that the rapid development of digital technology and its use must be accompanied by a cooperative, coherent, determined and resolute action by the international community, aimed at guaranteeing the sovereignty of States over the Digital Infrastructure located within the territory of the States as well as the protection of online human rights and freedom of expression.

US and Taliban Resume Talks On Ending America's Longest War

A United States envoy and the Taliban resumed negotiations on ending America's longest war.
U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad also met one-on-one with the Taliban's lead negotiator, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
Baradar is one of the Taliban's founders and has perhaps the strongest influence on the insurgent group's rank-and-file members.
Some in Afghanistan fear that Taliban fighters who reject a deal with the U.S. could migrate to other militant groups such as the brutal local affiliate of the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Kabul wedding over the weekend that killed at least 80 people.

Aug 22, 2019

PAK To Raise J&K Issue At UNHRC

Pakistan plans to raise the Kashmir issue at the UN Human Rights Council.
Briefing the Senate Committee on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, Faisal said that consultation was going on various options including to use the forum of the UN Human Rights Council.
Another platform available for Pakistan was to raise the issue in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's foreign ministers' meeting.

India, Estonia To Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation In Trade And Commerce

India and Estonia agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade and commerce, especially in the areas of IT, e-governance and cybersecurity as Vice President Venkaiah Naidu held wide-ranging talks with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid.
Naidu, who is here on the final leg of his five-day three-nation tour to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, held delegation-level talks with President Kaljulaid and reviewed bilateral relations and potential areas of cooperation.
The two leaders exchanged views about regional, multilateral global issues of common interest amid New Delhi's efforts to bolster ties with Baltic countries.

Zambian Prez In India

Edgar Chagwa Lungu visited Hyderabad House in New Delhi . India and Zambia signed six agreements in key sectors such as mineral resources and defence.
PM Modi announced that the Indian military training teams will be deployed in the African nation to help enhance the capabilities Zambian armed forces.
The MoU signed on defence cooperation would strengthen military cooperation.
Lungu is the first head of an African country to visit India after the formation of the new government.

China's Says 'No' To Same-Sex Marriage

Limiting marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman will remain China's legal position, ruling out following neighbouring Taiwan in allowing same-sex marriage, despite pressure from activists.
Taiwan's parliament passed a bill that endorsed same sex marriage, after years of heated debate over marriage equality that has divided the self-ruled and democratic island.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has a thriving gay scene in major cities, but there has been little sign the ruling Communist Party will legalise same-sex marriage.

India, Russia Agree On 'Territorial Integrity'

India and Russia reiterated their position of mutual support for "principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties" during a meeting between national security adviser Ajit Doval and his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev in Moscow.
The statement is significant as it came a day after US president Donald Trump repeated his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
India and Russia also reaffirmed their intention to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation during the meeting of the two officials.
Both sides reiterated their "longstanding position" on the importance of bilateral consultations and mutual support for principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference of third parties.

Aug 21, 2019

Jaishankar Meets B'desh PM

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar called on the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said India is looking forward to hosting her in October, 2019.
Jaishankar who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh met his counterpart A K Abdul Momen.
Jaishankar described India-Bangladesh relations as a role model for other South Asian countries.

MoU On Maldivian Civil Servants Training And Capacity Building Operationalised

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Maldives on Training and Capacity Building Programme for Maldivian Civil Servants became operational.
This comes following discussions between senior officials of National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Department of AdministrativeReforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) from India and Maldives Civil Service Commission at Male (capital of Maldives).
PM Modi had emphasised India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and assured India's full support to Maldives in realising its aspirations for broad based socio-economic development and strengthening of democratic and independent institutions.

Aug 20, 2019

Jaishankar To Hold Bilateral Talks On Nepal, B'desh Trips

External affairs minister S Jaishankar began a four-day visit to Nepal and Bangladesh aimed at reviewing bilateral relations and charting the course for future cooperation.
The visits to both countries are the first by Jaishankar and are in line with the government's "neighbourhood first" policy.
Jaishankar, who will be in Dhaka during August 19-20, 2019, will review the status of bilateral ties and ongoing development projects during a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen.Bangladeshi side is expected to raise two issues that are key for Dhaka – the sharing of the waters of 54 rivers, including the Teesta, and India's support for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
Bangladeshi leaders have also expressed concerns about reports that people left out of the National Register of Citizens in Assam could be deported to Bangladesh.

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