General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2017

May 2017

Jan 09, 2019

Vote on Bretix

British MPs are set to hold a critical vote on January 15 on the Brexit agreement negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May with the European Union.
The House of Commons will resume a debate on the deal that was halted in December when Ms. May postponed the vote in the face of opposition.

Jan 08, 2019

UK Visas Get Costlier

The overall cost of a UK visa for Indian and non-EU citizens will rise from January 8 as part of plans to raise the immigration health surcharge (IHS), which is payable when students, professionals and family members apply for the visa.
The IHS, introduced in 2015, enables migrants to access the National Health Service (NHS) during their stay in the UK. Since 2015, the surcharge has raised over £600 million from Indian and non-EU citizens with UK visas valid for over six months.
The surcharge will rise from £200 to £400 per year, with the discounted rate for students and those on the Youth Mobility Scheme increasing from £150 to £300.
The hike will affect all visa applicants from India: professionals, students as well as family members.

Syria Pullout

President Donald Trump sought to end fears of an abrupt U.S. pullout from Syria, and said that the fight against the Islamic State group was not over and that withdrawal would be done in a prudent manner.
The President has come under withering pressure both at home and in allied capitals after previous statements indicating that he considered the IS group vanquished and that he wanted U.S. troops out of Syria imminently.
Mr. Trump's new statement follows a trip by his National Security Adviser John Bolton to Israel in which he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the withdrawal would not happen before the ISIS is defeated and not able to revive itself.

Third Consecutive Term for Hassina

Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as Bangladesh's Prime Minister for a record fourth term after her Awami League registered a landslide victory in the recent election.
President Md. Abdul Hamid administered the oath of office to Ms. Hasina at the Bangabhaban for a record third consecutive term. Ms. Hasina was first elected Prime Minister in 1996 and then again in 2008 and 2014.
The President then administered the oaths for the new Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers who will form the Cabinet.
Ms. Hasina, who had included representatives from the Awami League's allied parties in the previous cabinets, has not picked any of them in her new Cabinet.

Jan 07, 2019

Trump Considering National Emergency

US President Donald Trump said that he was considering declaring a national emergency to find funding for the border wall after a White House meeting with Democrats that both sides described as contentious.
The President also told Democrats that the partial shutdown of the federal government caused by the funding stalemate could go on for a very long period of time, months or even years. But he was hoping it would end sooner.
The two sides remain where they have been for days. President wants $5.6 billion for a wall along the border with Mexico and the Democrats are not willing to allocate anything from $1.3 billion, and that too only for boosting border security measures, and not for the wall.
But they are willing to negotiate and want the President and Republicans to agree to reopen the government as they continue to discuss funding for the wall.

Malaysia's King Abdicated

Malaysia's King has abdicated, in a historic first for the country that ended weeks of speculation about his future after he took medical leave.
Sultan Muhammad V's decision marks the first time a King has abdicated in the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1957.
There had been a question mark over the reign of the King, who ascended to the throne in December 2016, since he took a leave of absence for medical treatment in November.
Reports then circulated online that he had married a former Miss Moscow in Russia.
Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with a unique arrangement where the throne changes hands every five years between rulers of the nine Malaysian States headed by centuries-old Islamic royalty.

Saudi Women to be Texted on Divorce

As per reports, Saudi courts will notify women by text message when they get divorced, in a new regulation.
The measure, approved by the Justice Ministry, is aimed at curbing seemingly rampant cases of men secretly ending marriages without informing their wives.
Women will be notified of any changes to their marital status via text message.
Women in the kingdom will be able to view documents related to the termination of their marriage contracts through the Ministry's website.

Jan 06, 2019

Pakistan Seeking Extradition of Haqqani

As per reports, Pakistan has initiated a process of seeking the extradition of its former envoy Hussain Haqqani on embezzlement charges.
The Interior Ministry has transferred a 355-page extradition dossier to the Foreign Office, to be sent to the U.S. State Department.

China Preparing for War

According to President Xi Jinping, China's armed forces must strengthen their sense of urgency and do everything they can to prepare for battle.
China is keen to beef up its armed forces amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea and escalating tension with the U.S. over issues ranging from trade to the status of Taiwan.
Mr. Xi said that China faced increasing risks and challenges, and the armed forces must work to secure its security and development needs.
He also said that the armed forces must devise strategies for the new era and take on responsibilities for preparing and waging war.

Jan 05, 2019

Norway Sees India as a Key Partner

According to Norwegian ambassador Nils Ragnar Kamsvåg, Norway sees India as a key partner for upholding international law and norms as part of a rules-based order for sea lanes of communication and sea-based trade.
Speaking ahead of the first visit to India by a Norwegian premier in a decade, Kamsvag said that there is considerable potential for boosting bilateral trade from the current level of $1.2 billion.
India could particularly benefit from Norway's development of environment-friendly technologies in transport, construction and waste recycling.
Norway is very much dependent on trade and has the fifth biggest merchant fleet. It is very much dependent on international law and norms being upheld.

US Shutdown Continues

In a sign of how far apart Republicans and Democrats remained on the border wall funding, the White House has announced that President Donald Trump will even not sign the bills that the newly constituted Democratic-controlled House of Representatives had passed for the reopening of the shuttered federal agencies.
According to a statement by the White House, if either of the two legislative measures "were presented to the President, his advisors would recommend that he veto the bill", hours before the House passed two separate legislative measures to end the partial shutdown and reopen the affected departments.

Peace Treaty with Russia

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe intends to push forward towards a World War Two peace treaty with Russia, which has been stymied for decades by a territorial row, during a summit in Russia later this month.
Abe will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for discussions aimed at ending the row over a group of windswept islands seized by Soviet troops in the final days of the war.
As per Abe, reaching an agreement would be difficult, he wanted to make as much progress as possible.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

October GK, September GK, August GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services and Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26