General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - June 2018

Jun 2018

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.

Nov 16, 2018

Undeclared War between Afghanistan and Pakistan

According to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Islamabad's support to violence has not benefitted either Pakistan or Afghanistan; hence the undeclared war between the two neighbours must end.

Ghani said that the spectre of violence needs to be removed and that Pakistan needs to support direct discussions between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

New Ultramodern Tactical Weapon Tested

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the testing of a newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon in a move that will raise the temperature over denuclearisation talks.

It marked the first official report of a weapons test by North Korea in nearly a year since it launched a delicate diplomacy with Washington over its nuclear and missile programme.

The use of the word 'tactical' in the KCNA report suggests that no long-range ballistic rocket or nuclear device was involved, and there were no immediate indications any such test had been detected by the South.

Nov 15, 2018

Neomi Rao to Replace Brett Kavanaugh

President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American Neomi Rao to replace Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

The powerful US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit is considered next to the US Supreme Court.

Rao would be the second Indian American judge after Sree Srinivasan on the DC Circuit, which has jurisdiction over important regulatory, national security, and separation of powers questions. Rao is currently the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

According to reports from the White House, President Donald Trump intends to nominate John Abizaid, a retired Army general, to be the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Abizaid's career included tours as a commandant of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and as commander of the U.S. Central Command.

He is now a security consultant and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

Nov 14, 2018

Maithripala Sirisena's Order Overturned

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court overruled President Maithripala Sirisena's dissolution of parliament and ordered a halt to preparations for snap elections next year.

The Indian Ocean Island has been gripped by a constitutional crisis since Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in October and replaced him with former strongman President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Visa-free Travel for Britons after Brexit

The European Union's executive proposed that Britons be allowed to visit the bloc without visas after Brexit and stepped up preparations in case of a no-deal divorce.

The Commission said Britons would need no visas for stays of up to 90 days.

This proposal is entirely conditional upon the UK also granting reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel for all EU member states, in line with the principle of visa reciprocity.

Amazon's Split Second Headquarters

As per reports, Amazon.com Inc has selected New York and Northern Virginia as locations for its second headquarters.

The company was planning to split its second headquarters, dubbed "HQ2", evenly between two cities, and among the finalists that Amazon was holding advanced talks with were Dallas, Long Island City in New York and Arlington near Washington, DC., citing sources. Amazon sparked a bidding frenzy in September 2017 when it announced it would invest over $5 billion to create an "HQ2" in addition to its home base in Seattle and hire up to 50,000 people.

Thailand Looking at India for Major Defence Hardware

According to Thai ambassador Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Thailand is looking at the acquisition of coastal radars and patrol vessels from India as the two sides ramp up cooperation in maritime security.

Defence cooperation between the two countries currently includes joint exercises, training of personnel at each other's military training institutions and exchange of visits.

Nov 13, 2018

Creator of a Galaxy of Marvel Superheroes Dies

Stan Lee, the creative dynamo who revolutionized the comic book and helped make billions for Hollywood by introducing human frailties in Marvel superheroes such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk died. He was 95.

Lee was widely considered the architect of the contemporary comic book.

Nepal's Ambassador to India

The Nepal government nominated former law minister and senior politician Nilambar Acharya as ambassador to India.

The position of Nepalese ambassador to India was vacant for about a year after Deep Kumar Upadhyay resigned on October last year to join politics.

Aung San Suu Kyi Stripped of Highest Honour

Amnesty International stripped Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour over the de facto Myanmar leader's "indifference" to the atrocities committed by the military against Rohingya Muslims.

The London-based global human rights organisation said that it was revoking the Ambassador of Conscience Award it gave Suu Kyi in 2009 while she was still under house arrest.

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