General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - June 2018

Jun 2018

Nov 21, 2018

Indian-American Women Honoured in US

Indian-American women have been honoured in the US in recognition of their achievements in diverse fields ranging from politics and business to civil rights activism and astrophysics.

The awardees are: Sheela Murthy, Jagruti Panwala, Madhulika Guhathakurta, Aruna Miller, Manisha Gaekwad, Ann Ramakumaran, and Suman Raghunathan.

They were honoured at the inaugural American Bazaar Women Entrepreneurs and Leaders Gala.

UN Environment Chief Resigns

UN environment chief Erik Solheim resigned after an audit questioning his huge travel expenses triggered an outcry.

The former environment minister of Norway had been at the helm of the Nairobi-based UN Environment since June 2016.

Nov 20, 2018

May Wins Business Backing

British Prime Minister Theresa May won support from big business for her draft Brexit deal ahead of intense negotiations with Brussels in the coming week.

May told the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) that she was determined to deliver her Brexit deal as she prepares for the European Council summit to sign Britain's divorce papers.

Maldives to Pull Out of China FTA

As per reports, the Maldives' new government will pull out of a free trade agreement (FTA) with China because it was a mistake for the tiny nation to strike such a pact with the world's second biggest economy.

According to Mohamed Nasheed chief of the Maldivian Democratic Party, China is not buying anything from Maldives. It is a one-way treaty.

The new President of the Maldives has decided that the country will rejoin the Commonwealth group of former British colonies following a two-year absence.

Lankan Parties to Form Select Committee

Political parties in Sri Lanka decided to form a select committee to conduct parliamentary affairs following amidst a power struggle set off by President Maithripapala Sirisena's controversial decision to remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe last month.

The decision came a day after an all-party meeting called by President Sirisena to resolve the crisis ended inconclusively.

Nov 19, 2018

Peace Deal with Taliban

The US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to Afghanistan is in Kabul to lead talks between the United States, the Taliban and the Afghan government and hopes to cement a peace deal with insurgents by April 2019.

Interpol to Select New President

Police chiefs from around the world gathered in Dubai for Interpol's general assembly to select a new president after the agency's former official in the post was detained in China.

Pakistan's Economic Woes Not Over

Though the Pakistan government has managed to secure a breather for the economy with Saudi help, larger challenges which include raising tax revenues remain to be addressed.

The International Monetary Fund has asked Pakistan to slap new taxes worth nearly Rs. 160 billion including raising the standard general sales tax to 18%, but Finance Minister Asad Umar insists that signing an agreement with the IMF is one of many options given the help we have received from friendly states.

A deal with the IMF is inevitable. Pakistan and the IMF have been negotiating a bailout package to avoid defaulting on international payments.

Nov 18, 2018

Thomas Kurian to Head Google Cloud

Oracle's ex-product chief Thomas Kurian will head Google's Cloud division, replacing Diane Greene.

Kurian will join Google Cloud later this month and transition into the leadership role in early 2019.

Submarine ARA San Juan Found

Argentina's navy found the missing submarine ARA San Juan deep in the Atlantic a year after it disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard.

The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.

The German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in the mid-1980s and was most recently refitted between 2008 and 2014.

Nov 17, 2018

North Korea tests new weapon

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed the successful test of an unspecified "newly developed ultra-modern tactical weapon", in an apparent bid to apply pressure on the US and South Korea.

It didn't appear to be a test of a nuclear device or a long-range missile with the potential to target the US. A string of such tests last year had many fearing war before the North turned to engagement and diplomacy. Still, any mention of weapons testing could influence the direction of stalled diplomatic efforts spearheaded by Washington and aimed at ridding the North of its nuclear weapons.

The North hasn't publicly tested any weapons since November 2017, but in recent days Pyongyang reportedly expressed anger at US-led international sanctions and ongoing small-scale military drills between South Korea and the United States.

Fresh No-confidence Motion against New PM

Sri Lanka's President urged the speaker of parliament and some political parties to seek a fresh no-confidence motion against a Prime Minister he appointed last month, creating political instability in the south Asian country.

Earlier the parliament passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government with the backing of 122 of the 225 lawmakers in a voice vote, followed by a signed document.

President Maithripala Sirisena has rejected the view of the parliament that Rajapaksa's appointment was unconstitutional and has called for a new motion.

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