General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2018

Jan 2018

Jul 03, 2023

Neeraj Chopra Clinches Lausanne Diamond League Title

Neeraj Chopra won his second successive Diamond League by finishing first at Lausanne, Switzerland. Neeraj's best attempt of 87.66 m helped him clinch the top spot.
Neeraj faced stiff competition from Germany's Julian Weber, who took an early lead following an 86.20m throw on the first attempt, and even came close to going past the Indian in his final attempt, throwing 87.03 m.

French President Emmanuel Macron holds emergency meeting after riots erupt

French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency meeting yesterday after riots erupted for the fifth night in a row across the country following the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed during a traffic stop by a French police officer. Other attendees included Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, and Justice Minister Éric Dupont-Moretti.
The French government said 719 people were arrested overnight, around half the figure of the previous night but with intense clashes still reported in several places, including the southern city of Marseille, but calmer elsewhere. Nahel's grandmother, Nadia, in a telephone interview to BFM television, said that the rioters were only using Nahel's, death as a pretext. She appealed people to stop and do not riot

'I ask forgiveness': Dutch king apologises for Netherlands' role in slavery

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands apologised on Saturday for his country's role in slavery and asked for forgiveness during a historic speech greeted by cheers and whoops at an event to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Dutch colonies.
The king's speech followed Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's apology late last year for the country's role in the slave trade and slavery. The public expressions of remorse are part of a wider reckoning with colonial histories in the West that the Black Lives Matter movement spurred in recent years.

Biden to host Swedish PM for talks on NATO, Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson next week to talk about transatlantic security cooperation and the war in Ukraine, the White House said on July 1.The two leaders "will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement about the July 5 meeting.Sweden asked to join NATO in May 2022, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, but its membership bid, which must be ratified by all 31 member states, has been blocked by Turkey and Hungary.
Western officials had hoped to formally welcome Sweden into the bloc by the time a NATO summit is held in Lithuania on July 11-12.
But earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced Sweden for allowing a protest during which a man burned pages from the Koran, further clouding the Nordic nation's chances of quickly joining the military alliance.

France and UAE Collaborate to Accelerate Shift towards Clean Energy amidst the trilateral initiat...

In an effort to combat the escalating threats of climate change, France and the United Arab Emirates have joined forces to expedite the transition to clean energy solutions. French Trade Minister Olivier Becht recently expressed the shared commitment of both nations to tackle climate change head-on and emphasized the importance of accelerating the shift towards sustainable energy sources.
Becht underscored the urgent need for global action to address the growing risks posed by global warming. He highlighted the increasing occurrence of natural disasters resulting from climate change as a compelling motivation to be more courageous and dedicated in driving the energy transition forward.
Becht lauded the strong partnership between France and the UAE in working together on various initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting environmentally friendly practices. Notably, the two countries are collaborating on projects in fields such as hydrogen and nuclear energy, both with peaceful purposes, to produce clean and renewable energy for the future.

Iran to Join Shanghai Alliance with China, Russia

As per Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iran will be formally approved as a member of the regional Shanghai Cooperation Organisation with China, Russia and Central Asian countries.
"At the meeting of heads of state on July 4, the full membership of Iran will be approved," Lavrov said at the opening of an SCO centre in Moscow.
Iran has intensified its diplomacy with friends and foes alike, seeking to reduce its isolation, improve its economy and project strength.
SCO membership was already on the cards and Iran is also hoping to be quickly accepted into another grouping that excludes Western countries -- the BRICS group with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The SCO, which has its headquarters in China, is a diplomatic organisation with eight members, including India and Pakistan.

Jul 02, 2023

Pakistan Reaches a Staff-level Agreement with the IMF for a USD 3 Billion Bailout Package

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached a staff-level pact with Pakistan on a $3 billion stand-by arrangement, a decision long awaited by the South Asian nation which is teetering on the brink of default.
The deal, subject to approval by the IMF board in July, came after an eight-month delay and offers some respite to Pakistan, which is battling an acute balance of payments crisis and falling foreign exchange reserves.

National Geographic Lays Off Its Last Remaining Staff Writers

One of the oldest science and natural world magazines, National Geographic, laid off the last of its 19 staff writers and will reportedly go off newsstands in the US from next year (2024).
Known for its iconic yellow-bordered cover, National Geographic had around 12 million US subscribers during its peak in the 1980s and millions more across the world. But, according to estimates made by the Alliance for Audited Media, the magazine had less than 1.8 million subscribers by the end of 2022.
This was the second round of terminations in the past nine months and the fourth since the 135-year-old magazine saw a series of ownership changes. The magazine was sold to 21st Century Fox in 2015 and came under The Walt Disney Company following its acquisition of the former in 2019.
In September 2023, the magazine had terminated its six top editors in a bid to reorganise editorial operations.

ADB Approves $50 Million Loan to Help Nepal in Making policy Reforms

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a USD 50 million loan to the Nepal government to support the implementation of policy reforms and help improve the Himalayan nation's domestic and international trade with its key economic partners like India and Bangladesh.
ADB South Asia Department's Director of Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination, Thiam Hee Ng, the development of the trade and industry sector will boost competitiveness and help steer the country toward sustainable economic growth.
Furthermore, improved trade facilitation can boost exports and help address Nepal's balance of payment.
According to the ADB, the programme will help implement the current customs reform and modernization plan by improving customs processes through the introduction of digital technologies, such as electronic payments of customs duties and fees, and electronic submission of export documents.
The ADB programme will expand the government's trade facilitation efforts to the logistics sector to promote more efficient movement of goods among producers, distributors, sellers, and buyers.

Jul 01, 2023

Turkmenistan Unveils a Futuristic City in Honour of Former President

Turkmenistan presented former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov with a special gesture, giving other nations a beautiful takeaway.
The country unveiled a new, futuristic smart
The city named Arkadag, an unofficial title given to Berdymukhamedov by the country's media, where 'Arka' means "behind" and "dag" means "protector."
This new, smart city can house 73,000 people.
It took a whopping $3.3 billion to establish it and the authorities are planning to spend more in a few years down the line.

Canada Launches 'Digital Nomad Strategy' for Foreign Workers

Canada took a proactive approach to address its shortage of skilled workers, particularly in the tech industry. During Collision's tech conference in Toronto, the country's immigration minister launched of a 'digital nomad strategy' aimed at attracting talented individuals from around the world.
Under the digital nomad strategy, foreign workers are permitted to stay in Canada for up to six months. If they receive job offers during their stay, they have the opportunity to extend their time in the country. This initiative is designed to alleviate the shortage of skilled professionals in Canada's tech sector.
Canada aims to strike a balance between labor demand and supply by allowing skilled workers to remain in the country, contributing to its economic growth, and making investments within local communities. In addition to addressing the current shortage, the government is focused on long-term solutions, such as extending visa permits for international workers in Canada.

Jun 30, 2023

India Ranks 67th on Energy Transition Index, Sweden on Top

The World Economic Forum ranked India at the 67th place globally on its Energy Transition Index and said that it is the only major economy with energy transition momentum accelerating across all dimensions.
Sweden topped the list and was followed by Denmark, Norway, Finland and Switzerland in the top five on the list of 120 countries.
The WEF said that out of 120 countries, 113 have made progress over the last decade but only 55, including India, have improved their scores by more than 10 percentage points.

UN Chief Appoints Xu of China as Deputy Head of UNDP

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Haoliang Xu of China as Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Xu will succeed Usha Rao-Monari of India, to whom the Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for her service and commitment during her tenure as Associate Administrator.
Xu has been serving as the Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP since 2019. His extensive background also includes his time as the UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, a position he held between 2013 and 2019.
Xu brings to the position nearly three decades of experience in the field of international development. He has fulfilled various roles within the organization, working in various field and headquarters assignments in Asia-Pacific, Europe and Central Asia. Before his career at the United Nations, Xu worked in the field of civil engineering in China and the United States.

Jun 29, 2023

India Removed from UNSG Report on Impact of Armed Conflict on Children

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres removed India from his annual report on the impact of armed conflict on children, citing measures taken by the government to better protect them.
In his latest report, he also called upon India to implement the remaining measures identified in consultation with his special representative and the United Nations.
These include the training of armed and security forces on child protection, prohibition of the use of lethal and non-lethal force on children, including ending the use of pellet guns, ensuring that children are detained as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.
Guterres also stressed the implementation of measures to prevent all forms of ill-treatment in detention and the full implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

World Bank Approves $391 Million for Assam, Tripura

The World Bank approved $391 million in financing to improve access to high-quality healthcare services and to economic opportunities for people in Assam and Tripura. The Assam State Secondary Healthcare Initiative for Service Delivery Transformation (ASSIST) Project, for which $251 million was approved, will improve access to high-quality secondary healthcare services in Assam and directly serve at least 1.8 million people.
The project will increase access to comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care services and improve treatment and management of non-communicable diseases. The project will also upgrade up to 10 lower-level facilities to district hospitals in essential districts and strengthen the capacity of nurses and healthcare managers for better service delivery.
For Tripura Rural Economic Growth and Service Delivery Project, USD 140 million was approved, intending to promote socioeconomic development and improve the quality of life of 142,000 households in select tribal blocks, territories where tribal communities live and work.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

August GK, July GK, June 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