General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2018

Oct 2018

Jul 26, 2023

China Names Wang Yi as New Foreign Minister, Replaces 'Missing' Qin Gang

China named veteran diplomat Wang Yi its new Foreign Minister, removing former rising star Qin Gang after a mysterious one-month absence from duties.
Qin a former aide to President Xi Jinping and envoy to the United States, took over the ministry in December 2022 but has not been seen in public since June 25, 2023 when he met visiting diplomats in Beijing.
The ministry has said that he was off work for health reasons without giving details, sparking speculation and drawing attention to the secrecy often surrounding China's Communist leadership and decision making.
Qin's successor Wang was also his predecessor, holding the post from 2013-2022 as ties frayed with rival superpower the United States to a point Beijing described as an all-time low.

Russia Bans Sex Change and Transgender Marriages

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed new legislation, which marked the final step in outlawing gender-affirming procedures, a crippling blow to Russia's already embattled LGBTQ+ community.
The bill, which was approved unanimously by both houses of parliament, bans any medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person, as well as changing one's gender in official documents and public records. The only exception will be medical intervention to treat congenital anomalies.
It also annuls marriages in which one person has changed gender and bars transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents.
The ban is said to stem from the Kremlin's crusade to protect what it views as the country's traditional values. Lawmakers say the legislation is to safeguard Russia against Western anti-family ideology," with some describing gender transitioning as pure satanism.

Jill Biden in Paris to Mark US Return to UN Educational and Scientific Agency

U.S. first lady Jill Biden attended a flag-raising ceremony at UNESCO in Paris on July 25, marking Washington's official re-entry into the U.N. agency after a controversial five-year hiatus.
The Stars and Stripes was hoisted up outside UNESCO's headquarters with the Eiffel Tower on the skyline to rousing applause and a rendition of the national anthem. Before the flag-raising, Biden made remarks about the importance of American leadership in preserving cultural heritage and empowering education and science across the globe.
The U.S. decision to return to Paris-based UNESCO was based mainly on concerns that China has filled a leadership gap since Washington withdrew during the Trump administration. This development underscores the broader geopolitical dynamics at play, particularly the growing influence of China in international institutions. The U.S. exit from UNESCO in 2017 cited an alleged anti-Israel bias within the organization. The decision followed a 2011 move by UNESCO to include Palestine as a member state, which led the U.S. and Israel to cease financing the agency. The U.S. withdrawal became official a year later in 2018.
This is the second time the U.S. has returned to UNESCO after a period of withdrawal. The country previously left the organization in 1984 under the Reagan administration, citing mismanagement, corruption and perceived advancement of Soviet interests. It rejoined in 2003 under George W. Bush's presidency.

Jul 25, 2023

Hun Sen's Ruling Party Claims Landslide Win in Cambodian Election

The ruling party of Cambodia's long time Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed a landslide victory in the general election, an outcome that was virtually assured after the suppression and intimidation of the opposition in a vote called a farce of democracy.
The European Union, the United States and other Western countries had refused to send observers to the polls, saying the election lacked the conditions to be considered free and fair.
The longest-serving leader in Asia, Hun Sen has steadily consolidated power with strong-arm tactics over the last 38 years. But, at age 70, he has suggested he will hand off the premiership during the upcoming five-year term to his oldest son, Hun Manet, perhaps as early as the first month after the elections.

Israeli Parliament Clears Bill to Curtail SC Powers

The Israeli Parliament approved the contentious reasonableness law that prevents judicial checks on political power after weeks of unprecedented protests that crippled the country.
The Bill passed with 64 votes in favour and zero against it, with opposition boycotting the final vote on the Bill in protest. It is the first major Bill to pass in the government's judicial overhaul.
Multiple last-minute attempts within the Knesset to amend the Bill or to come to a broader procedural compromise with the opposition failed.

Thani Al Zeyoudi Elected as Chair of WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference

Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, was elected as the chair of the World Trade Organisation's 13th Ministerial Conference that will be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.
The announcement was made during the WTO general council in Geneva, where Al Zeyoudi met with the WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The conference will be attended by representatives from the 164 countries and customs blocs that make up the WTO.
It will review the performance of the trading system, make decisions on future work and set up the road map for the next conference.

Jul 24, 2023

Russian Strikes on Odesa Damage Orthodox Cathedral

Russian missiles badly damaged a historic Orthodox cathedral in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, sparking outrage and prompting President Zelensky to vow retaliation.
The Transfiguration Cathedral is Odesa's largest church building. It was consecrated in 1809, destroyed during the Soviet era in 1936 before being rebuilt when Ukraine became an independent nation.
The cathedral lies in Odesa's city centre, which UNESCO named a World Heritage Site amid the threat of Russia's invasion.
Odesa is a key cultural centre, and has long links with Russia. It was founded under Catherine the Great and was once Russia's second most important port.

Indian-origin Doctor S. Vincent Rajkumar New Chairman of International Myeloma Foundation

Renowned scientist, clinician and researcher, S. Vincent Rajkumar, was appointed as chairman-elect of the Board of Directors of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF).
He took over from the current chairman, Brian G.M. Durie, who did not seek re-election to the post.
Durie, the co-founder and chairman of the Board of Directors for 33 years, has said that he will not seek re-election as chairman when his current term ends in spring 2024. He will, however, remain a member of the Board, hold the position of Chairman Emeritus and continue to perform his current activities.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells — white blood cells that make antibodies. A cancerous or malignant plasma cell is called a myeloma cell. Myeloma is called 'multiple' because there are frequently multiple patches or areas in the bone where it grows. It can appear as both a tumor and/or an area of bone loss, and it affects the places where bone marrow is active in an adult: the hollow area within the bones of the spine, skull, pelvis, rib cage, and the areas around the shoulders and hips.
The IMF was founded in 1999 and is the first, largest global foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation's reach extends to more than 5,25,000 members in 140 countries.

Algeria Applies to Join BRICS Bank

Algeria formally applied to join the BRICS group and submitted a request to become a shareholder member of the BRICS Bank. The Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, revealed this development during his visit to China, where he expressed Algeria's eagerness to open new economic opportunities and strengthen its partnerships with countries like China.
The BRICS group, which currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, represents a significant portion of the global population and economy, accounting for more than 40 per cent of the world's population and approximately 26 per cent of the global economy.
Algeria's bid came in the midst of what some have called a worldwide eagerness for a geopolitical reconfiguration, with many in the Global South having shown signs of displeasure with the West's dominance over global affairs.

Jul 22, 2023

In a First, Brazilian Constitution Gets Translated into Indigenous Language

The Brazilian Constitution made history as it received its first-ever official translation into an indigenous language, marking a significant moment for the country and its native populations.
The ceremony, held in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, a town in the Amazon, was attended by esteemed Brazilian authorities and indigenous leaders.
Chief Justice Rosa Weber of the Supreme Court, the guardian of the Constitution, expressed the significance of the event, calling it a milestone in the constitutional history of Brazil.
The 1988 Constitution, drafted during the transition from a two-decades-long military dictatorship, recognised and protected the culture and way of life of Indigenous Brazilians, owing to the active involvement of the Indigenous movement.
This historic translation into Nheengatu, also known as the Amazonian general language, bridges that gap, being the only living modern version of Tupi and serving as a lingua franca among different Amazonian groups.

Jul 21, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin to Skip BRICS Summit in South Africa Due to Arrest Threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa from August 22 to 24, 2023. Putin will be the only BRICS leader to attend the summit virtually while all other leaders will join the event in person in South Africa.
The move is seen as a major setback for Putin, who has touted his relations with the BRICS countries - India, China, Brazil and South Africa - as evidence that the US and European efforts to isolate him over the war in Ukraine have failed.
The International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin in March 2023, linking him to the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children. Putin could be arrested under the warrant if he leaves Russian soil.
South Africa is a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and is bound by the court's decisions. However, the African country drew international criticism in 2015 when it refused to execute an ICC arrest warrant against then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during the African Summit.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

July GK, July GK, May 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