General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2017

Oct 2017

May 07, 2022

Robert Piper Becomes Guterres' Special Adviser on Internal Displacement

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Robert Piper of Australia as his special adviser on solutions to internal displacement.
The appointment of a special adviser on solutions to internal displacement is a key component of the secretary-general's Action Agenda on Internal Displacement.
The action agenda, developed in response to the September 2021 report of the High-Level Panel on Internal Displacement, will help mobilize collective action and advance solutions for the millions of people who today find themselves displaced within their own countries, with a focus on root causes anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Sitharaman, 3 CMs among 300 Leaders Expected to Attend WEF Davos Summit

Nearly 300 government leaders including 50 heads of state or government are expected to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting later this month in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos and the Indian participants would include Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as well as three Chief Ministers and over 100 CEOs.
Geneva-based WEF, which describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation, has been hosting its annual meeting in Davos every January for nearly 50 years, but it could not take place in a physical format in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2022 edition had to be postponed from January to May.

May 06, 2022

US Intents to Appoint Ex-US Ambassador to India Richard Verma to Advisory Board

US President Joe Biden intents to appoint Indian-American lawyer diplomat Richard Verma, also a former US ambassador to India, as a member of his Intelligence Advisory Board.
The President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) is an independent element within his Executive Office.
Verma is currently the general counsel and head of Global Public Policy for Mastercard. In this role, he oversees the company's law and policy functions in the United States and around the world.
Verma, a member of Biden's Democratic Party, was the US Ambassador to India from 2014 to 2017.

Taliban Stops Issuing Driving Licence to Women in Kabul & other Provinces in Afghanistan

The Taliban regime in Afghanistan stopped issuing driving licenses to women in Kabul and other provinces. The ban comes at a time when the country suffers from a devastating humanitarian crisis, with an acute shortage of food and other essential supplies.
Notably, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. Serious human rights violations continue unabated, especially against women since taliban took over the country.
Afghanistan is grappling with a serious humanitarian crisis as according to international assessments. Afghanistan has now the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world, with more than 23 million in need of assistance. Approximately 95 per cent of the population having insufficient food consumption.

May 05, 2022

Myanmar Supreme Court Rejects Suu Kyi Appeal

The Myanmar Supreme court summarily rejected the appeal filed by the former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi against her conviction by a lower court in a corruption case.
The lower court in April 2022 had sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to five years of imprisonment on the charge of accepting 11.4 kg of gold and cash payments worth USD 6 lakh from her protege Phyo Min Thein who was the Chief M
minister of the city of Yangon. This was the first of the 18 offences brought against her which could carry a combined maximum of 190 years of jail sentence if found guilty.
Earlier, In December 2021 and January 2022 she was handed over six years of jail term for breaking a telecommunication law relating to import of equipment, breaching COVID 19 law and incitement against the military.

May 04, 2022

Prime Minister Modi Participates in India-Denmark Business Forum in Copenhagen

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly participated with Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, in the India- Denmark Business Forum at the Confederation of Danish Industry.
Prime Minister emphasized the complemetary skillsets of the two economies and invited Danish companies to take advantage of India's enormous opportunities in areas like green technologies, cold chains, waste to wealth, shipping and ports, among others. He highlighted the business-friendly approach of India and exhorted business communities of both sides to explore collaboration opportunities.
Prime Minister Frederiksen highlighted the role of the business communities in forming a bridge between the two countries.

India Falls 8 Places to 150th Position in World Press Freedom Ranking

According to a report by a global media watchdog, India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index fell down to 150th position from 2021's 142nd rank out of 180 countries. The ranking of India's neighbours, except that of Nepal, have also slid down, with the index placing Pakistan at 157th position, Sri Lanka 146th, Bangladesh 162nd and Maynmar at 176th position, the report released by Reporters Without Borders said. According to the RSF 2022 World Press Freedom Index, Nepal has climbed up by 30 points in the global ranking at 76th position. In 2021, the Himalayan nation had been placed at 106th position, Pakistan at 145th, Sri Lanka 127th, Bangladesh 152nd and Myanmar at 140th position in the index.
In 2022, Norway (1st) Denmark (2nd), Sweden (3rd) Estonia (4th) and Finland (5th) grabbed the top positions, while North Korea remained at the bottom of the list of the 180 countries and territories.

May 03, 2022

India to Receive 10 bn Euros for Green Projects from Germany until 2030

Germany made an advance commitment to provide 10 billion euros of new and additional developmental assistance in India until 2030 under the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership signed between the two countries. The JDI provides "a long term strategic perspective" to the development cooperation agenda between India and Germany.
A total of nine agreements in multiple areas were signed between India and Germany on the occasion of the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).
PM Modi received a ceremonial guard of honour followed by a bilateral meeting with the German chancellor Olaf Scholz. This was their first engagement since Chancellor Scholz assumed office in December 2021.

Bangladesh Discovers a New Gas Field of 20 MMCFD Capacity

Bangladesh discovered a new gas field with the capacity to produce 20 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD) at the Koilastila Gas field. The announcement was made by the State Minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid. The production capacity of the well will last for several years.
Koilastila Gas Field is one of the five gas fields purchased from the Shell Oil company by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 for just 4.5 million pounds.
The first gas field in Bangladesh was made in Sylhet in 1955. Bangladesh currently produces 2370 MMCFD from its 26 commercial gas fields out of which 85 percent comes from the top 4 gas fields. Bibiyana Gas Field and Titas Gas field are its major locations for production of gas. It is estimated that Bangladesh has a remaining gas reserve of 11 trillion cubic feet.

Indian-origin Nand Mulchandani is 1st-ever Chief Technology Officer of CIA

Nand Mulchandani, an Indian-origin man with more than 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley as well as the Department of Defense (DoD), was appointed by Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as the first-ever Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Mulchandani brings substantial private sector, startup, and government expertise to the Agency. In his new role, Mulchandani will ensure the Agency is leveraging cutting-edge innovations and scanning the horizon for tomorrow's innovations to further the CIA's mission.
Mulchandani holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Cornell University, a Master's in Science and Management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

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