General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2017

May 2017

Feb 01, 2019

US to stop Complying with Nuclear Pact

As per reports, the United States will stop complying with a landmark nuclear pact with Russia after last-ditch talks with Moscow to save it fell flat.
Washington has long accused Russia of flouting the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), alleging that a new Russian missile, the Novator 9M729, called the SSC-8 by NATO, violates the pact, which bans either side from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe.

Venezuela's Acting President

The European Parliament voted to recognise Venezuela's Juan Guaidó as acting President and urged the European Union (EU) and its member states to follow suit.
The vote joins the growing international pressure on President Nicolás Maduro and his remaining backers to step aside and allow free elections.
It does not change EU policy, but adds to calls for the EU executive and its member states to join the United States, Canada and Brazil in backing Mr. Guaidó.
Four major European member states have told Mr. Maduro to call those elections by the weekend and warned that they will otherwise recognise Mr. Guaidó as leader.

Jan 31, 2019

US Switches to New H-1B System

The United States announced that starting April 1, it will switch to a new system for processing H-1B petitions that will give priority to foreign workers with advanced degrees from an American institution of higher education, over those hired abroad, in India, China and other countries.
The switch in the selection process is expected to increase the number of beneficiaries with advanced degrees from US institutions by an estimated 16% (or 5,340 workers). It is in line with President Donald Trump's repeated assertions in support of merit-based immigration.

MPs Back May to Renegotiate Brexit Deal

As per reports, British Prime Minister Theresa May will return to talks with the European Union (EU), and will attempt to renegotiate Britain's withdrawal agreement, after MPs narrowly voted to endorse a plan to renegotiate the controversial Irish backstop.
However, with the EU firmly insisting that the withdrawal agreement is not open to negotiation, the path ahead remains unclear.
The Labour Party has also agreed to hold talks with the government over Brexit after MPs supported a non-binding resolution that opposes Britain leaving the EU without a deal.

Jan 29, 2019

US, Taliban Agree in Principle to Afghan Peace Framework

American and Taliban officials have agreed in principle to the framework of a peace deal in which the insurgents guarantee to prevent Afghan territory from being used by militant outfits like al-Qaida and Islamic State, and that could lead to a full pullout of US troops in return for larger concessions from the Taliban.
The American envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, said those concessions must include the Taliban's agreeing to a ceasefire and to talk directly with the Afghan government, issues that the insurgents have doggedly opposed in the past.
After nine years of halting efforts to reach a peace deal with the Taliban, the draft framework, though preliminary, is the biggest tangible step toward ending a two-decade war that has cost tens of thousands of lives and profoundly changed American foreign policy.

Jan 28, 2019

British Museums To Relabel Colonial Treasures

Three British museums have embarked on an exercise to confront the colonial legacy of their artefacts by being more transparent about the items' provenance. British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum are reviewing the labels on thousands of objects, particularly those plundered during colonial times.
In 2017, Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) appointed its first provenance curator to coordinate V&A's provenance and spoliation research.

Jan 27, 2019

US to Resume Premium Processing of H-1B Visas

The US announced that premium processing of applications for H-1B visas in all categories subject to Congress-mandated caps will resume, after it was suspended temporarily to clear the backlog of applications for the work visas popular among Indian IT professionals.
Premium processing allows applicants, US employers, to seek fast-tracked adjudication of their applications, within 15 days, against payment of a fee.
It allows applicants to jump the queue by months, but it only guarantees early decision and not the visa itself.
US citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) announced that it will resume premium processing for all fiscal year 2019 H-1B cap petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.
Petitioners who have received requests for evidence (RFEs) for pending FY 2019 cap petitions should include their RFE response with any request for premium processing they may submit.
The US grants 85,000 visas every year under the H-1B programme to allow US companies to hire foreign professionals for high-skilled jobs to make good the shortage of local hands.
Indians have usually cornered more than 70% of these visas for foreigners hired mostly by companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and others.
A smaller number are hired by Indian outsourcing giants such as Infosys, TCS and Wipro.

Trump Signs Deal to End Shutdown for 3 Weeks

The US government shutdown is set to end for the time being, thanks to a deal signed between President Donald Trump and the Democrats.
The move reopens shuttered agencies for three weeks as discussions continue on funding a Mexico border wall - an issue that still remains unresolved.
The two chambers of the US Congress passed a legislation ending the shutdown which was to go into effect as soon as it was signed into law by Trump.
An estimated 800,000 federal employees can now return to work and they will receive their held-up pay.

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