General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2019

May 2019

May 22, 2020

US Announces Decision to Leave Open Skies Surveillance Treaty

The US will withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, a major accord that permits unarmed aerial surveillance flights over 34 participating countries, citing repeated Russian violations of its terms.
India is not a member of this treaty that came into force on January 1, 2002. Most of the participating countries are in North America Europe and Central Asia.
The Open Skies Treaty allows each state-party to carry out short-notice, unarmed, reconnaissance flights over the others'' territories to collect data on military forces and activities.
President Donald Trump blamed Russia''s non-compliance with the treaty for such a decision by the United States.

India-Bangladesh Sign Inland Water Transit and Trade Protocol

Tripura got its first ever international waterway as five new protocol routes were announced between India and its eastern neighbour Bangladesh, with Chief Minister Biplab Deb expressing hope that the state will emerge as 'gateway of Northeast' in future by tapping into bilateral connectivity and trade potential.
Sonamura-Daudkandi route on Tripura's River Gomti and Rajshahi-Dhulian-Rajshahi routes were added to the list of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) routes signed between the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and Bangladesh Shipping Secretary Md. Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury in Dhaka.
The Protocol on Transit and Trade (PTT) through inland waterways was first signed between People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India in 1972.

May 21, 2020

Palestinians Ending Accords with Israel and US' over Annexation Plan

Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas has said he is ending "all agreements" with Israel and the United States in response to Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Israel would now have to "bear all responsibilities... as an occupying power", Mr Abbas said.
Similar warnings in the past have ultimately not been followed through.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to apply Israeli sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley.

India, Bangladesh Sign Pact to Operationalise 5 More Ports of Call, 2 New Routes

India and Bangladesh on Wednesday signed an agreement to operationalise five new ports of call and two new protocol routes to boost the bilateral trade.
High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh, Riva Ganguly Das, and Bangladesh Shipping Secretary Mohammad Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury signed the 2nd Addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade in Dhaka.
With the signing of the pact, the ports of call between India and Bangladesh has increased to 11 from six earlier while two more extended ports of call have been added.

Venezuela Files Legal Claim with Bank of England Over Gold

Venezuela has launched legal proceedings against the Bank of England to try to force it to release €930m ($1bn; £820m) worth of Venezuelan gold.
The gold is being retained following British and US sanctions on Venezuela.
Venezuela says it wants the Bank of England to sell part of the Venezuelan gold reserves to use the funds to fight the spread of coronavirus.
It says it has agreed for the money to be sent directly to the UN to ensure it is not used for other purposes.

May 20, 2020

Nepal Approves New Map

The updated map of Nepal was presented by the Ministry of Land Management in Council of Ministers meeting.
The new map incorporates northern, southern, western and eastern International borderlines as well as includes the political and administrative arrangements.
The new map also incorporates Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani, territories claimed by Nepal.

Indian Gave Aid Of $2 Million For Palestinian Refugees To UNRWA

India has given USD 2 million in aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency working for the welfare of Palestinian refugees in support of its core programmes and services, including education and health, amidst the coronavirus crisis.
About 3.1 million Palestine refugees depend on health services provided by the UNRWA. At the same time, the agency's schools educate 526,000 students every year, of which half are female.
India had increased its annual contribution to the UNRWA from USD 1.25 million in 2016 to USD 5 million in 2019.
It pledged another USD 5 million for 2020 which opens its way to become a member of the agency's advisory commission.
The agency was created in December 1949 by the UN to support the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees.

May 19, 2020

Thomas Thabane Resigns as Lesotho Prime Minister

Thomas Thabane has announced he will step down as prime minister of Lesotho following months of pressure after he was named as a suspect in the murder of his ex-wife.
He did not say when he would leave office but his party said a new premier would be sworn in.
The 80-year-old's current wife, with whom he was living at the time of the murder, was charged in connection with the killing in February, 2020.
The pair have denied any involvement.

Leonardo DiCaprio Joins DR Congo Gorilla Park Campaign After Attack

Leonardo DiCaprio has joined a campaign to support Africa's oldest nature reserve after it came under a deadly attack.
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a popular tourist attraction and is known for its endangered mountain gorilla population.
In April 2020, 12 rangers at the park were killed in an ambush by a suspected Rwandan rebel group.
DiCaprio has now contributed to a new fund which aims to support the park.
Earth Alliance, a group co-founded by the actor, has donated part of the initial $2

Coronavirus has Japanese Businesses Mulling a Future Without Hanko

Amid government stay-at-home requests to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Japanese companies are increasingly trying to implement work-from-home policies. But some say the use of traditional seals, called hanko or inkan, as proof of agreement is hampering their efforts.
A hanko/inkan (used interchangeably) is a carved stamp that can be used in any situation where an individual, or an individual on behalf of a company, might otherwise use a signature or initials. Signing contracts, doing your banking (at a bank) or receiving a parcel are just three such cases.

May 18, 2020

Mysterious US Military Aircraft Launched

The US Air Force has successfully launched its Atlas V rocket, carrying a X-37B space plane for a secretive mission.
The rocket launched from Cape Canaveral. The aircraft, also known as an Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), will deploy a satellite into orbit and also test power-beaming technology.
It is the plane's sixth mission in space.
The launch was dedicated to front line workers and those affected by the pandemic. A message including the words "America Strong" was written on the rocket's payload fairing.

India Joins 61 Nations Seeking Probe Into Coronavirus Crisis

With the world battling hard to contain the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus, India has decided to join 61 nations calling for an independent inquiry into the World Health Organisation's (WHO) response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a draft resolution proposed for 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting.
The 62 nations have also called the organisation to "identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to human population, including possible role of intermediate hosts" and to enable this through "collaborative field missions."

Germany's Bundesliga Becomes World's First Major Sports Competition to Resume Post COVID-19 Lockdown

Germany's Bundesliga has become the world's first major sports competition to resume its season post nationwide lockdown imposed to contain coronavirus pandemic.
The European Football League's remaining matches from the 2019-20 season kickstarted from May 16, 2020.
Though football is back, the games during corona-era will not be played in the same way as before. The Bundesliga games resumed with empty stadiums, behind closed doors with no fans to minimise the risk of coronavirus infection.

Israel Swears in New Gov't as Netanyahu Pledges Annexation Push

Israel's parliament has sworn in a new government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz, ending the longest political crisis in the country's history.
After more than 500 days without a stable government and three inconclusive elections, lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset approved a three-year coalition, with 73 voting for and 49 against. One member was absent.

Afghan President and Rival Announce Power-Sharing Deal

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and political rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing agreement.
The political deal would see Ghani remain president of the war-torn. The deal also calls for Abdullah to lead the country's National Reconciliation High Council, and he will be able to appoint half of Ghani's Cabinet and issue executive orders.
The Reconciliation Council has been given the authority to handle and approve all affairs related to Afghanistan's peace process. The council will have five deputies from both leaders' teams.

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