General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - June 2022

Jun 2022

Apr 24, 2023

Indian-American Radha Iyengar Plumb Becomes US's Deputy under Secretary of Defence

The US Senate confirmed Radha Iyengar Plumb, a national security expert, as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment, the latest Indian-American to be named by the Biden administration for a key position.
President Joe Biden had nominated Radha Iyengar Plumb, currently serving as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Defence, to this prestigious position in June 2022.
By a vote of 68-30, the Senate confirmed Radha Iyengar Plumb to be the Deputy Under Secretary of Defence.

Oliver Dowden Named UK Deputy PM

The British government named Oliver Dowden deputy prime minister, replacing Dominic Raab who resigned following a report into claims he bullied colleagues.
As deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab had no formal powers but stepped in for the prime minister if he was away from parliament or incapacitated.
Lawmaker Alex Chalk was appointed new Justice Minister, a position which was previously held by Raab.

India Climbs 6 Places on World Bank's Logistic Performance Index

India climbed six places on the World Bank's Logistic Performance Index (LPI) 2023, now ranking 38th in the 139 countries index, as a result of significant investments in both soft and hard infrastructure as well as technology.
India was ranked 44th on the index in 2018 and has now climbed to 38th in the 2023 listing. India's performance drastically improved from 2014, when it was ranked 54th on the LPI.

Apr 22, 2023

India, Armenia, Iran Hold First-Ever Trilateral Talks

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Armenia and Iran held the first trilateral political consultations in Yerevan, Armenia.
The three countries had a wide range of discussions, particularly on economic issues and regional communication.
Trilateral cooperation in various fields was also discussed during the meeting.
Armenia and India celebrated 30 years of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2022. Armenia and India maintain active political ties. Effective cooperation exists between the two nations within international bodies.
After Armenia's independence in 1991, Armenian-Indian relations were re-established in 1992.

Apr 21, 2023

Top National Security Adviser to Brazilian President Lula Resigns

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's top national security adviser resigned, amid a scandal related to the aide's presence during the storming of government buildings in the capital.
The resignation of General Marcos Goncalves Dias, which the President accepted, followed a report from CNN Brasil that included footage of him walking around the presidential palace while a mob ransacked government buildings in Brasilia in January.

Apr 20, 2023

South Asia Home to World's Highest Number of Child Brides

According to new estimates released by UNICEF, South Asia is home to highest number of child brides in the world as increased financial pressures and school closures due to Covid-19 forced families to marry off their young daughters.
There were 290 million child brides in the region, accounting for 45% of the global total, the children's agency of the United Nations said, calling for more efforts to end the practice.
Child marriage locks girls out of learning, puts their health and wellbeing at risk and compromises their future.
A new study by the agency that also included interviews and discussions across 16 locations in Bangladesh, India and Nepal found that many parents saw marriage as the best option for daughters who had limited options to study during COVID lockdowns.
The legal age of marriage for females is 20 in Nepal, 18 in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and 16 in Afghanistan. It is 16 in Pakistan except for Sindh province, where the minimum age is 18.

Nephew of Former US President John F. Kennedy Announces Presidential Bid

Robert Kennedy Jr. a noted anti-vaccine advocate whose uncle "JFK" was the 35th US President, formally announced his own White House bid.
Robert Kennedy Jr. intends to compete for the Democratic Party's nomination against incumbent President Joe Biden, who has yet to announce his re-election bid but has repeatedly said he plans to run.
Kennedy's father "RFK" served as attorney general under Democratic President John F. Kennedy and later as a US senator from New York.
The assassinations of both brothers, JFK in 1963 and RFK in 1968 during his own presidential campaign, are viewed as among the most significant events in 20th century US politics.

Chennai Ranks among Top 5 in Digital Payment Transactions in 2022

Chennai emerged as one of the top digital payment transactions cities in 2022 in the country, according to a report by payment services firm Worldline India.
The capital city in terms of volume made 14.3 million transactions with a value of USD 35.5 billion.
Bengaluru emerged on top with 29 million transactions worth USD 65 billion followed by New Delhi 19.6 million transactions worth USD 50 billion, Mumbai (18.7 million transactions worth USD 49.5 billion), Pune (15 million transactions valued at USD 32.8 billion).
According to the report, in 2022, frequently visited physical merchant categories like grocery stores, restaurants, clothing and apparel, pharmacey, household appliances together accounted for over 43 per cent in terms of volume and about 40 per cent in terms of value, across the country.

Cuba's First Non-Castro Leader Re-elected as President

Cuba will have Miguel Diaz-Canel as its President for another five years. The development came after Diaz-Canel clinched a second five-year term in a parliamentary vote that had him as the sole candidate.
Diaz-Canel's bid to serve as the most powerful man in Havana's corridors of power was confirmed by 97.66 per cent of votes cast in the Communist Party of Cuba-aligned National Assembly, its president Esteban Lazo announced in the chamber.
Díaz-Canel succeeded the brothers Fidel and Raúl Castro, making him the first non-Castro leader of Cuba since the revolution.

Apr 19, 2023

ADB Provides USD 230 Million for Flood Rehabilitation in Bangladesh

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided a loan of USD 230 million to Bangladesh to help the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the north-eastern part of the country affected by devastating floods in May–June 2022. The agreement between ADB and the government of Bangladesh was signed in Dhaka.
Record rainfall in north-eastern Bangladesh in May–June 2022 caused massive flooding, especially in the low-lying Haor region, affecting 7.2 million people.
The assistance under the Flood Reconstruction Emergency Assistance Project will help in the reconstruction, improvement of resilience, and economic recovery of north-eastern districts of Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Moulvibazar, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, Sunamganj, and Sylhet.

World's Richest City Has Over 3 Lakh Millionaires

According to global wealth tracker Henley & Partners, New York took the crown of being the world's richest city, yet again, with the most millionaires in 2023, according to The report - World's Wealthiest Cities Report 2023. The city has 3,40,000 millionaires.
The city is followed by Tokyo and San Francisco Bay Area with resident millionaire populations of 290,300 and 285,000, respectively.
The report - World's Wealthiest Cities Report 2023 - covered 97 cities across nine regions worldwide (Africa, Australasia, CIS, East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia) and included most of the world's top wealth hubs.
The US dominated the list with four of its cities - New York, The Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago - making it to the list. China has two of its cities (Beijing and Shanghai) in the list.

WTO Rules India Violated Global Trade Rules in IT Dispute

The World Trade Organization (WTO) found that India breached global trading regulations in a dispute over import duties on IT products with the European Union (EU), Japan, and Taiwan. The WTO panel's report recommended that India should modify the measures to conform with its obligations. The dispute began in 2019 when the EU objected to India's introduction of import duties of between 7.5% and 20% on various IT products, including mobile phones, integrated circuits, and components, stating that the tariffs exceeded the maximum rate. Japan and Taiwan also lodged similar complaints that year.
The EU is India's third-largest trading partner, and its exports worth up to 600 million euros ($654.66 million) are directly affected by India's tariffs on an annual basis.
The ruling has significant implications for India's IT industry, which is a vital sector of the country's economy. It remains to be seen whether India will accept the panel's decision and bring its import duties into line with global trading rules or challenge the ruling.

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