General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2018

Oct 2018

Dec 25, 2021

South Korea Will Grant Special Pardon to Former President Park Geun-hye

The South Korean government said that it will grant a special pardon to former President Park Geun-hye, who is serving a lengthy prison term for bribery and other crimes.
The Justice Ministry said that Park's pardon is aimed at overcoming past divisions and promoting national unity in the face of difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Park was among 3,094 people who are to be pardoned on December 31.
Park was arrested and sent to prison in 2017, after being removed from office following a corruption scandal that prompted months of massive street protests. Her ouster marked a stunning fall from grace for the country's first female president and conservative icon.

South Korea Joins Europol Law Enforcement Cooperation Agency

South Korea became the 10th country outside of Europe to join the European Union (EU) law enforcement cooperation agency that fights terrorism and other international crimes.
The National Police Agency (NPA) joined Europol by signing a working-level agreement that was approved unanimously by the 27 EU nations on October 6. The accession is an outcome of efforts by police to strengthen cooperation with Europe since 2017.
Under the agreement, police can now exchange information on crime and cooperate with member states of Europol -- 17 European and nine non-European countries -- as well as international organisations and research institutes collaborating with the agency.
The agreement is expected to enhance police response capabilities against global crimes through sharing expertise and training programs, and working together with Europol officers.
Europol, established in 1992, is EU's law enforcement agency supporting the fight against terrorism, international drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

Dec 23, 2021

Germany's Nuclear Phase-out to Continue Permanent Closure by Year End

Germany's nuclear phase-out will continue with the permanent closure of the country's last three nuclear reactors at the end of the year.
The operating licenses for the three nuclear power plants expire at the end of 2021, and will not be renewed. The plants will therefore go off-grid by the end of 2022 at the latest.
In the wake of the Fukushima disaster in 2011, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched safety inspections of all nuclear power plants. This led to an acceleration of Germany's phase-out of nuclear energy.

Dec 22, 2021

Kim Jong-un is 3rd most Searched Politician Online

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ranked the third most searched politician by internet users worldwide this year.
Online searches for Kim totaled a monthly average of 1.9 million, behind US President Joe Biden, who topped the list with 7 million searches, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson with 2 million, according to German data analytics firm Statista.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranked fourth with 1.4 million searches.
The most searched keyword related to the North Korean leader this year was "weight loss", separate analysis by Google Trends found.

Uzra Zeya is America's Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues

The US has designated Indian-origin diplomat Uzra Zeya as its Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues and she has been tasked with promoting substantive dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives, in support of a negotiated agreement on Tibet.
She will retain her current position as the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
As the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Zeya will coordinate the US government policies, programmes and projects concerning Tibetan issues, consistent with the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, as amended by the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020.

Dec 20, 2021

Gabriel Boric to Become Chile's Next President

A leftist millennial who rose to prominence during anti-government protests was elected Chile's next President after a bruising campaign against a free-market firebrand likened to Donald Trump.
With 56% of the votes, Gabriel Boric handily defeated by more than 10 points lawmaker José Antonio Kast, who tried unsuccessfully to scare voters that his young, inexperienced opponent would upend Chile's vaunted record as Latin America's most stable, advanced economy.
Outgoing President Sebastian Pinera, a conservative billionaire, held a video conference with Mr. Boric to offer his government's full support during the three month transition.

Taiwan and Singapore Resume Military Cooperation

Taiwan and Singapore resumed military cooperation following a long hiatus.
In October 2019, Taiwan and Singapore signed the "National Defense Exchange and Security Cooperation Agreement."
However, as the pandemic raged on, and Singapore began engaging in exchanges with China's People's Liberation Army, Taiwan suspended military cooperation with the city-state.
Taiwan-Singapore military cooperation first began in 1975, when Premier Chiang Ching-kuo and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew signed an agreement to launch "Project Starlight.

Johnson Appoints Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as Brexit Negotiator

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the appointment of Britain's foreign secretary to become the country's lead negotiator with the European Union, after long-time ally David Frost resigned after a week political upheaval in the Conservative Party.
Liz Truss will have ministerial responsibility with the EU and will lead negotiations to resolve problems arising from provisions of the Brexit agreement covering trade with Northern Ireland.

Dec 19, 2021

Saudi's Prince Mohammed Becomes Uncrowned King

From greeting foreign leaders to heading regional summits, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking over the reins from his elderly father and becoming Saudi Arabia's uncrowned king.
With increased concerns over the 86-year-old King Salman's health, Prince Mohammed is taking charge of presidential meetings and reception of dignitaries, with the king rarely making public appearances.
While Prince Mohammed has been considered the de facto leader since his appointment as heir to the throne in June 2017, his growing prominence has never been more apparent than when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in early December, and led the Gulf Cooperation Council summit.

UK Signs Free Trade Deal with Australia

The UK signed a free trade deal with Australia which it says will benefit consumers and businesses.
It is described as the first post-Brexit deal negotiated from scratch and not rolled over from trade terms that the UK enjoyed while in the EU.
The government estimated it would unlock £10.4bn of additional trade while ending tariffs on all UK exports.
However, some UK farmers have expressed concern that they could be undercut by cheap imports.
As per the government, the deal was also a gateway into the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region and would boost the UK's bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of the largest free trade areas in the world.
Australia has also praised the deal, its second-largest trade contract with another country.

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