General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2017

May 2017

May 04, 2019

Malaysia Frees Vietnamese Woman Accused in Killing

A Vietnamese woman who spent more than two years in a Malaysian prison on suspicion of killing the half-brother of North Korea's leader was freed.
Doan Thi Huong was charged along with an Indonesian woman of poisoning Kim Jong Nam by smearing his face with liquid VX, a banned chemical weapon, at Kuala Lumpur airport in February 2017.

North Korea Fires Short-range Missile

As per the Soth Korean military, North Korea fired several short-range projectiles from its east coast.
Analysts said that the country is stepping up pressure against the United States after February`s failed nuclear summit in Bangkok.
The South Korean military initially described it as a missile launch, but subsequently gave a more vague description.
If the unidentified projectiles were missiles, it would be the first missile launch since the North fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017.
Soon after that missile test, the North declared that its nuclear force was complete, after which Pyongyang extended an olive branch to the South and the United States.

Labour and Tories Suffer Losses

Britain's two major political parties suffered heavy losses in local elections that took place across England and Northern Ireland, in a development that some attributed to their stance on Brexit, while others saw it as a continuation of the fragmentation of politics that had been under way before the Brexit referendum, but saw a temporary halt after it.
The heaviest losses were suffered by the Conservatives, who had lost over 510 Councillors in seats up and down the country, while Labour had lost over 70. Substantial gains were made by both the Liberal Democrat and Green parties, which have gained over 300 and 60, respectively.

May 03, 2019

Voters Set to Punish PM May's Conservatives

English voters are expected to use local government elections to punish Prime Minister Theresa May`s Conservative Party over its failure to deliver Brexit, revealing a divided and dissatisfied electorate.
More than 8,000 seats on English councils - administrative bodies responsible for day-to-day decisions on local policy from education to waste management - are up for grabs in the first elections since Britain missed its March 29 Brexit date.

Abe Ready to Meet Kim Unconditionally

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has offered to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a bid to restore diplomatic ties between the historic foes.
Abe, seen as a foreign policy hawk, has recently softened his rhetoric toward Pyongyang, calling for a summit with Kim to resolve an emotional row over past kidnappings of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents.
Tokyo has been one of the most hawkish of the major powers on reclusive North Korea, and has been on the receiving end of some of Pyongyang's harshest rhetoric — as well as missiles launched over its territory.

May 02, 2019

Putin Fast-tracks Citizenship for Ukrainians

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new decree fast-tracking Russian citizenship for some Ukrainians despite concerns the move will exacerbate the crisis between the countries. Under a decree, several categories of Ukrainian nationals will have the right to a simplified nationality process, including those who already have Russian residence permits.

U.K. Defense Secretary Fired

British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson was fired after an investigation into leaks from a secret government meeting about Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei.
Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, has been appointed as Mr. Williamson's replacement. She becomes the first woman to hold the post.

Assange Sentenced to 50 Weeks in Jail

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks who took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 to avoid being extradited to Sweden over sexual assault charges, has been sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for flouting bail conditions by a court in London.
It comes ahead of a hearing due to take place later this week at Westminster Magistrates Court as part of efforts to extradite him to the U.S.

Thailand's King Marries Bodyguard

Just days before his official coronation, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn married the deputy head of his personal guard force and gave her the title Queen Suthida.
Vajiralongkorn also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016.
In 2014, Vajiralongkorn appointed Suthida Tidjai, a former flight attendant for Thai Airways, as a deputy commander of his bodyguard unit.

May 01, 2019

China Defends Crackdown

China rejected any interference in its internal affairs after U.N. chief Antonio Guterres raised the plight of ethnic Uighurs in the restive Xinjiang region during a visit to Beijing.
Mr. Guterres had been under pressure from rights groups to publicly confront Beijing over the mass detention of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
As per Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, China was willing to discuss human rights issues with all parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

Changes to Asylum Case Handling

U.S. President Donald Trump has directed his administration to charge fees for asylum claims and handle cases within 180 days.
The memo outlined other changes including charging asylum seekers to file work permit applications and barring people who enter the U.S. illegally, or attempt to, from receiving temporary work permits before being approved for relief.
It also directed officials to revoke the work permits of immigrants who receive final deportation orders.

Apr 30, 2019

Sirisena Replaces Police Chief

President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a former Army commander to the post of Defence Secretary, and named a new police chief, as part of his promised effort to overhaul Sri Lanka's security establishment in the wake of the Easter blasts that killed over 250 people.
General S. H. S Kottegoda was appointed the Secretary of Defence, after Hemasiri Fernando resigned from the post.
President Sirisena also named Deputy Inspector-General Chandana Wickramaratne as the acting police chief. The incumbent Pujith Jayasundara, who Mr. Sirisena had earlier asked to resign, was asked to go on compulsory leave after he refused to resign.
As per Sri Lankan law, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) can be removed from the post only with a parliamentary resolution backed by a majority and based on a subsequent inquiry by a committee.

China and Pakistan Sign Agreement on Space Cooperation

China and Pakistan have signed an agreement on joint space exploration including manned missions. This agreement marks a new phase of cooperation between the two all weather allies.
The agreement will serve as a high-level foundation for cooperation in space science and exploration. Both nations will conduct scientific and technological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned space applications and achievement transformation.

Socialist Party of Spain Wins Election

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialists have won snap elections, without the necessary majority to govern solo, in a fragmented political landscape marked by the far-right's entry into parliament. The results raise the spectre of another period of instability for Spain, with Mr. Sánchez depending on alliances with hostile rivals in an environment that has soured since Catalonia's failed secession bid in 2017.

Ultimatum to Netanyahu

Israel's Attorney-General has given Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a week's time to confirm that he wants a formal hearing to defend himself before corruption charges are filed against him.
Avichai Mandelblit said that Mr. Netanyahu's lawyers that if he wants to exercise his right to defend himself before possible indictment, he must notify authorities by May 10. The hearing itself must then take place no later than July 10. Mr. Netanyahu's lawyers have been protesting non-payment of their fees and are refusing to collect the case files until they are paid, the letter said. Mr. Netanyahu, who won a fifth term in office, faces the prospect of becoming the first sitting Premier to be indicted.

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