General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2019

May 2019

Oct 06, 2019

Scotland Becomes First UK Country To Ban Smacking

Scotland has become the first country in the UK to make it a criminal offence for parents to smack their children.
The ban on all physical punishment was backed overwhelmingly by 84 votes to 29 by the Scottish Parliament.
The move will give children in Scotland the same protection from assault as adults when it comes into force.
Parents and carers are currently allowed to use "reasonable" physical force to discipline their children.
The smacking ban bill was introduced by Scottish Greens MSP John Finnie, a former police officer, who won the support of the SNP, Labour and Lib Dems as well as his own party and many children's charities.

Modi And Hasina Sign 7 Pacts

India and Bangladesh inked seven pacts and launched three projects after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
One of the projects included import of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) from Bangladesh for distribution in the North Eastern states.
The pacts signed after Modi-Hasina talks provided for deeper cooperation between the two countries in areas of water resources, youth affairs, culture, education and coastal surveillance.
The two sides launched a total of 12 projects which reflected the intensity in ties between the two sides.

Oct 05, 2019

North Korea-US Nuclear Talks to Resume

As negotiators for the US and North Korea resume talks over Pyongyang's nuclear programme, analysts say that the leaders of both countries face increased incentives to strike a deal, but that it is far from clear they will find common ground after months of deadlock and increased tensions.
The meeting in Stockholm would be the first formal working-level talks since US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in June 2019, vowing to restart negotiations that had stalled after their failed summit in February 2019.
Since June 2019, however, American officials have struggled to persuade North Korea to return to the table.
North Korea now abruptly announced that it had agreed to hold talks.

In a First, U.S. Lawmakers Take a Step against India on Kashmir

In what could become the first step towards legislative action by American lawmakers against India on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations added an appeal to end what it calls a "humanitarian crisis" in Kashmir in its report ahead of the annual Foreign Appropriations Act for 2020.
The amendment was proposed by Senator Chris Van Hollen, who visited Delhi as a part of a congressional delegation that discussed the Kashmir situation as well as India-U.S. bilateral relations, trade ties and defence purchases with key officials.
According to the report, which was submitted to the Senate by Lindsey Graham, senior Senator and key Republican leader known for his close ties to President Donald Trump, the committee on Appropriations notes with concern, the current humanitarian crisis in Kashmir and calls on the Government of India to:

fully restore telecommunications and Internet services;
lift its lockdown and curfew;
release individuals detained pursuant to the Government's revocation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution.

Trump Aides Pushed Ukraine to Commit to Investigating Biden

Two top envoys of President Trump's to Ukraine worked on a statement for the country's new president in August 2019 that would have committed Ukraine to pursuing investigations sought by Mr. Trump into his political rivals.
Their work on the statement is new evidence of how Mr. Trump's fixation with conspiracy theories linked to Ukraine began driving senior diplomats to bend American foreign policy to the President's political agenda in the weeks after a July 25 (2019) call between the two leaders.
The statement was worked on by Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, and Kurt D. Volker, then the State Department's special envoy to Ukraine.

Oct 04, 2019

PM Modi Jointly Inaugurate Mauritius Metro Express

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart from Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated two landmark projects in Mauritius through video conference.
PM Modi inaugurated phase-1 of Mauritius Metro Express and a new ENT Hospital in the country.
PM Modi and Mauritius President Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory met on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
India is involved in various development works in Mauritius.

5 Ambassadors Present Credentials To President Kovind

Ambassadors of four countries and the European Union presented their credentials to President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Those who presented their credentials to the President include Ambassador of France Emannuel Lenain and Ambassador of the European Union Ugo Astuto, according to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Other envoys who presented their credentials to Kovind are: Freddy Svane, Federico Salas Lotfe and Yerlan Alimbayev, Ambassadors of Denmark, Mexico and Republic of Kazakhstan respectively.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Arrives In New Delhi On Four-Day Visit

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New Delhi on a four day visit to India. She will be attending the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum in Delhi.
This is the first visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after assuming office for the third consecutive term and in the second term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the visit Sheikh Hasina will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and call on President Ram Nath Kovind.
The two Prime Ministers will jointly inaugurate 3 bilateral projects via video link and exchange MOUs.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Congress President Sonia Gandhi will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

India and US To Launch New Initiative On Clean Energy

Even as India had recently indicated that it would increase energy imports from the United States beyond the current $4 billion, the US has despatched its assistant secretary of state for energy resources (ENR) Francis R. Fannon to India from September 30 to October 6, 2019.
The visit is to launch "the Flexible Resources Initiative (FRI) under the US-India Clean Energy Finance Task Force".
FRI will execute the United States and India's shared vision for Indo-Pacific economic growth fuelled by clean energy.
FRI is also a component of the broader US-led Asia Edge (Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy) Initiative, which is a whole-of-government effort to grow sustainable and secure energy markets throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Oct 03, 2019

Palestine Issues Commemorative Stamp To Honour Gandhi On 150th Birth Anniversary

Palestine has released a commemorative postage stamp on Mahatma Gandhi, honouring his legacy and values, to mark the 150 birth anniversary of the world leader.
Palestinian Authority's Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Ishaaq Seder released the stamp in Ramallah.
Indian Representative P.A. Sunil Kumar was present at the ceremony.

PM Modi Writes Op-Ed In New York

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written an op-ed in the New York Times on the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi.
In his op-ed, Mr Modi talked about how his government is trying to fulfill Bapu's dreams and why India and the world needs Mahatma Gandhi.
The op-ed talks about the ideals epitomised by Mahatma Gandhi and how he is "the best teacher to guide us". The op-ed begins with a reference to Martin Luther King Jr., the great American leader who led the civil rights movement in the United States.

India Shows Remarkable Resilience Amid Global Slowdown: WEF President

India has demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience amid global slowdown, as stated by World Economic Forum (WEF).
Besides, the country can play a crucial role in the development of South Asia and sustainability of global economic growth.
"India is one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world. The country is also a young economy with a lot of potential, and has shown a lot of strength and resilience amid an economic slowdown globally," WEF President Borge Brende said.

France Pays Homage To Mahatma Gandhi

France paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his 150th Birth Anniversary.
On this historic day 'Gandhi150', France joins India in paying tribute to the Mahatma.
His great legacy of non-violence and inclusiveness remain ever relevant guiding principles for dealing with global issues facing humanity such as inequality and climate change.

Nizam's £35M Belong To His Descendants, India, Says UK Court

The UK High Court has ruled that funds Hyderabad's Nizam Osman Ali Khan transferred to the high commissioner of Pakistan in Britain in 1948, now worth around 35 million pounds, belongs to India while dismissing Pakistan's claim over it.
The ruling, incidentally on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, ends over 70 years legal dispute over the beneficiary of the funds the Nizam sought back after his kingdom became part of India.
In his judgment at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Justice Marcus Smith ruled, "Nizam VII was beneficially entitled to the fund and those claiming in right of Nizam VII — the princes and India — are entitled to have the sum paid out to their order.
Pakistan's contentions of non-justiciability by reason of the foreign act of state doctrine and non-enforceability on grounds of illegality both fail."

150th Birth Anniversary Of Mahatma Gandhi Celebrated In Dhaka

The 150^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated in Dhaka. High Commission of India organised a programme in Dhaka in which renowned dancer and choreographer, ICCR scholar Sharmila Banerjee presented a dance drama on the life of Mahatma Gandhi.
High commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das presented a book Vaishnav Jan to Tene Kahiye to the renowned singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya on the occasion.

Ecuador To Leave OPEC In 2020 Due To Fiscal Problems - Ministry

Ecuador will withdraw from the 14-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from January 1, 2020 because of fiscal problems.
The Andean nation is attempting to increase its production of crude oil in a bid to raise more income and has on multiple occasions not complied with the output quota fixed by OPEC.
Ecuador rejoined the organization in 2007, after withdrawing in 1992.

Oct 02, 2019

Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey To Jointly Launch BBC Type Channel To Counter Islamophobia

The governments of Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia will launch a BBC type English television channel to highlight the issues of Muslims and fight Islamophobia in the West.
The channel proposal was discussed at a meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan premier Imran Khan on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

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