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Tag Wise Current Affairs
Tag: International Events
Hindi made Abu Dhabi’s third official court language
Tags: International Events
Published on: 11 February 2019
Delhi Declaration on Digital Health
Tags: International Organizations, International Events
Published on: 27 February 2019
US President sign directive to create Military Space Force
Tags: International Events
Published on: 21 February 2019
Oman allows US military to use its Ports and airports
Tags: International Events
Published on: 25 March 2019
Italy becomes first G-7 country to join China's Belt and Road Initiative
Tags: International Organizations, International Events
Published on: 25 March 2019
US President sign proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over Golan Heights
Tags: International Events
Published on: 26 March 2019
UAE scraps profession criteria for expats to sponsor family
Tags: International Events
Published on: 02 April 2019
UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees
Tags: International Events
Published on: 01 April 2019
US to recognise Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorist organization
Tags: International Events
Published on: 06 April 2019
G7 calls for greater role for women in peace processes
Tags: International Events
Published on: 06 April 2019
Iran, Pakistan agree to set up joint border reaction force
Tags: International Events
Published on: 23 April 2019
US to end waivers to India, 7 other nations importing Iranian oil
Tags: International Events
Published on: 23 April 2019
UN, EU sign joint framework on Counter-Terrorism
Tags: International Events
Published on: 25 April 2019
China, Pakistan sign agreement on space exploration, manned missions
Tags: International Events
Published on: 30 April 2019
Russia President Vladimir Putin gives assent to sovereign internet bill
Tags: International Events
Published on: 02 May 2019
14th India-China border trade opened at Nathu La
Tags: International Events
Published on: 03 May 2019
China hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations
Tags: International Events
Published on: 14 May 2019
US places Chinese, Pakistani companies on entity list
Tags: International Events
Published on: 16 May 2019
Christchurch Call Initiative launched to curb online extremism
Tags: International Events
Published on: 16 May 2019
Taiwan: 1st Asian country to legalize Same-Sex Marriage
Tags: International Events
Published on: 18 May 2019
USMCA: US reaches deal to lift steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico
Tags: International Events
Published on: 18 May 2019
WHO declares Algeria, Argentina as malaria-free
Tags: International Events
Published on: 23 May 2019
UNGA passes resolution demanding UK to withdraw from Chagos Archipelago
Tags: International Events
Published on: 24 May 2019
Yousef Aldobeay appointed as OIC’s special envoy for Jammu & Kashmir
Tags: International Organizations, International Events
Published on: 04 June 2019
Russia not to unilaterally extend New START treaty
Tags: International Events, International Politics
Published on: 08 June 2019
Iran breaches limit of enriched uranium under JCPOA
Tags: International Events
Published on: 03 July 2019
Afghanistan launches new export route via Iran's Chabahar Port
Tags: India & World, International Events, Indian Foreign Policy
Published on: 26 February 2019
Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue – 2019 to be held in New Delhi
Tags: India & World, International Organizations, International Events
Published on: 04 March 2019
2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit held in Guwahati
Tags: International Organizations, International Events
Published on: 13 February 2019
Reko Diq case: US$5 billion penalty imposed on Pakistan
Tags: International Organizations, International Events
Published on: 15 July 2019
Pakistan opens its airspace for all civilian airlines
Tags: International Events
Published on: 17 July 2019
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo as Global Health Emergency
Tags: International Events
Published on: 18 July 2019
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<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">ADJD’s adoption of Hindi comes as part of its multilingua litigation system. Its first phase was launched in November 2018, through adoption of procedures requiring plaintiffs to translate case documents in civil and commercial lawsuits into English for foreigner defendants. This is aimed at promoting judicial services and increase the transparency of litigation procedures. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Abu Dhabi </span></strong></span></span></p>
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<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is capital and second most populous city of United Arab Emirates (most populous is Dubai), and also capital of Emirate of Abu Dhabi, largest of UAE's seven emirates (others are Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Of UAE’s total population of over 9 million people, 88.5% are expatriate workers and Indians account for 38% of the population.</span></span></span></li>
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'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The Delhi Declaration on Digital Health for Sustainable Development was adopted at concluding session of ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’ held in New Delhi. This declearation firmly aligns with Union Government’s vision of Digital India. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Delhi Declaration on Digital Health</span></strong></span></span></p>
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<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Digital Health involves use of digital technologies especially information and communication technologies (ICT) to track well-being and improve health indicators. Telemedicine, remote care and mobile health are some of its components.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This declaration calls World Health Organization’s (WHO) leadership in digital health and establish specific mechanism to centrally coordinate digital health to assist its member states. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also marks India’s commitment in maximizing digital health investments to ensure Universal Health Coverage and realize goals of Ayushman Bharat scheme.</span></span></span></li>
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<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was global intergovernmental meeting on digital health. It was hosted by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP). It was attended by ministers and government officials from over 34 countries to discuss the impact of digital technologies on health systems and health services delivery.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'US President sign directive to create Military Space Force',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Directive-4 (SPD-4) ordering Department of Defense (Pentagon) to establish Space Force under aegis of US Air Force. This directive need to be approved by US Congress to come into effect.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Military Space Force</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be new military service part of US Air Force (similar to Marines under US Navy). Currently, US air force has responsibility for US assets in space.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be dedicated to handling threats in space. Its main goal will be to secure and extend US’s dominance in space domain. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will <em>not deploy soldiers in space</em>, but will focus on national security and preserving satellites and vehicles that are dedicated to international communications and observation from space.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will have both combat and combat support functions to enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive space operations.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be responsible to deter and defeat threats in space and will organize, train, and equip military space forces.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will ensure unfettered access and freedom to operate in space and provide vital capabilities in space to joint and coalition forces.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be responsible for range of space-based US military capabilities, which include everything from satellites enabling Global Positioning System (GPS) to sensors that help track missile launches.</span></span></span></li>
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'title' => 'Oman allows US military to use its Ports and airports',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) has signed framework agreement with Oman that gives its navy and military forces access to two Arabian Sea ports of <strong>Duqm</strong> and<strong> Salalah</strong> located near strategic Strait of Hormuz. The framework agreement is aimed at bolstering Omani-American military relations. It will allow US warships, aircraft carriers and greater control over strategic international waterway threatened by Iran. It will allow US forces to take advantage of the facilities offered at some of Oman’s ports and airports during visits of US military vessels and aircraft. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Strategic Significance</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These two ports- <strong>Duqm</strong> and<strong> Salalah</strong> are located in southern Oman on Arabian Sea and around 500 kilometres away from Strait of Hormuz. This strait, a narrow outlet connects oil rich Persian Gulf region with Arabian Sea. It is crucial to global energy supplies as fifth of the world’s seaborne oil trade exits Persian Gulf.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran, the biggest advisory of US has often threaten to block channel (Strait of Hormuz) in retaliation for US sanctions that are hurting its economy and also during tensions with Sunni-ruled Gulf nations, including its main regional rival Saudi Arabia.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The narrow waterway is also international transit route where American forces routinely pass and has seen tense encounters between them and Iranian forces in the past. US has number of military bases across the Gulf -- the largest in Qatar with about 10,000 troops.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Note:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> In February 2018 during visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Oman, India had secured access to key strategic Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support. It was facilitated by signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Military Cooperation between India and Oman, which allows services of Duqm port and dry dock for maintenance of Indian naval vessels.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Italy becomes first G-7 country to join China's Belt and Road Initiative',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Italy signed "non-binding” agreement to take part in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to link China with Europe. With this, Italy became first Group of Seven (G7) major industrialised nations to endorse China’s global infrastructure-building scheme inspired by historic, centuries-old silk trade routes. The agreement was signed during official state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit Italy. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Italy, despite being one of top ten largest economies in world has slipped into recession in 2018 and its national debt levels is the highest in the eurozone. By joining BRI, China will open its market to Italy and also open prospect of new projects for Italian firms. It will help Italy to rebalance its trade deficit with China by substantial and gradual increase in exports to Chinese markets. It will help to address Italy’s financial woes strengthen its business and economic ties with China. Besides, China will get access to Italy’s northern ports of Trieste and Genoa.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) </span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">BRI is China’s ambitious development strategy and framework that aims to boost its connectivity and trade with 152 countries and international organisations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. It is basically investment and trade promotion scheme aiming to deepen economic connections between China and rest of the world.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It seeks to enhance regional connectivity. It is part of China’s revived 21st century Silk Road diplomacy that seeks to push it to take a bigger role in global affairs as major global power. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Critics of initiative see it as push for Chinese dominance in global affairs with a China-centered trading network. They also consider it is as predatory and it overwhelmingly favours only China and Chinese companies<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'US President sign proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over Golan Heights',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) President Donald Trump has signed proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It was signed during Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visit to US. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This marks reversal of decades of US policy, which has refused to condone Israeli occupation of Golan and urged that dispute must be resolved diplomatically. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This may create new wave of tensions in West Asia following the decision by US to recognise Israeli sovereignty over disputed Golan Heights, which are claimed by Syria. Besides, it ignores all international procedures. Syrian government has criticized the move calling it blatant attack on its sovereignty and has vowed to take back the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Earlier, US President Donald Trump had also recognised disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved US Embassy there from Tel Aviv and stopped aid to Palestinian refugees.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Golan Heights </span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is fertile plateau of around 1,300 sq km area bordered by Yarmouk River in south, Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in west, Mount Hermon in north and Wadi Raqqad in the east</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was captured by Israel from Syria during Six-Day War of 1967, and ever since it is under its control. In 1981, Israel parliament (Knesset) had passed Golan Heights Law, which extended Israel’s “laws, jurisdiction and administration” to the area.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">However, Israel’s sovereignty over territory is not recognized by international community. Even, UNSC resolution has declared imposition of Israel’s law “in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights as null and void and without international legal effect.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Israel argues that Golan is security buffer against war in Syria. Israeli and Syrian armies are separated by 400 sq km demilitarized zone which neither side can enter. United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) have camps and posts in the area. </span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'US cuts aid to Northern Triangle countries',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) Government under administration of President Donald Trump has decided to cut aid to three countries of Northern Triangle- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. These coutries are origin point for current unprecedented wave of family migration (Caravan migration) to US. It is estimated around $700 million in aid will be affected by this cutoff.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Reasons for aid cut</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">US has blamed these three Central American countries for sending migrants to the IS. These three countries are origin point for current unprecedented wave of family migration to US from Central America. Most migrants and asylum seekers to US’s southern border are from these countries.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is also in-line with US President’s anti-migration rhetoric which was highly polarized during 2016 Presidential elections. During his election campaigns, Trump had vowed t to stop illegal migration from Mexico border as it causes lots of problems, drugs and crime in US.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Northern Triangle</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It refers to the three Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras especially in regard to their economic integration.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These countries share aspects of classical cultures, history, society, and politics. They also share border tri-point at Trifinio biosphere reserve. and also</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">They have signed trade agreements as collective group with Colombia, United States, and Mexico. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Currently, it is most dangerous region in world outside of official war zone and it is mainly due to violence perpetuated by criminal gangs as well as security forces. This region also faces increasing economic inequality and poverty.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'UAE scraps profession criteria for expats to sponsor family ',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cabinet has approved new residency rule (criteria) for expats under which foreign workers will now be able to sponsor their family members based on certain income criteria. Earlier foreign workers were allowed to sponsor family members based on only criteria of profession. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance of new criteria</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is aimed at enhancing family stability of foreign workers and social cohesion, as well as attracting highly skilled workers while maintaining healthy balance between professional and personal lives. It also reaffirms UAE's position "as a hub for talents and land of opportunities.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will benefit mainly Indians as they constitute largest part of population of the gulf country. There are appproximately 3.3 million non-resident Indians living in UAE, accounting for about 30% of the total population of UAE.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Old Criteria</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Expatriates were able to sponsor their family members previously only if they were listed in certain 'professions'.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Male expats were able to sponsor their immediate family members such as wife and children if he earns monthly salary of Dh 4,000 (approximately Rs 75,000) or Dh 3,000 (Rs 56,000) plus accommodation provided by his company.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">He was eligible to sponsor his family if he was employed in certain categories. For example, domestic helpers and certain other categories are not entitled to sponsor their families irrespective of their monthly income<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Similarly, female resident was able to sponsor her family only if she was employed as teacher, engineer or health professional and earned Dh 4,000 per month. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">If she worked in any other sector that above, she was needed to have minimum monthly salary of Dh 10,000 (Rs 1.88 lakhs) and a special approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.</span></span></span></li>
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'title' => 'UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Education has agreed to issue equivalency for all Indian degrees both academic and professional that match set criteria. The decision comes as huge relief to the Indian expats who are living and struggling to get equivalence for their degrees and job in the gulf nation.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Equivalency of Indian degrees is mandatory for Indians to work in the UAE. Earlier UAE had rejected equivalency of some Indian degrees due to lack of clarity over both internal/external mark sheets by some of India universities as part of their degrees. This had created considerable difficulty for those seeking jobs in the nation and even for some teachers who were already working there, leading them to approach the Indian embassy for help.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Revived Decision of UAE Education Ministry</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It comes after Indian side issued clarification on the issue of the external and internal marks mentioned in mark lists.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It had reviewed information provided to it through ‘by University Grant Commission (UGC) under ‘Action Plan for Academic and Administrative Reforms’.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This action plan has clarified that word “external” in some of Indian mark sheets reflect method of evaluation and not place of study.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also has notified that it has no objection to equivalency of those degrees that meets all other certificate equivalency criteria.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also announced that applications which were rejected earlier will now be reviewed and equivalency letters will be issued after meeting all other certificate equivalency conditions.</span></span></span></li>
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'title' => 'US to recognise Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorist organization',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) Government is planning to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. It will be for first time US will formally declared another country's military as a terrorist group. Its announcement will come ahead of the first anniversary of US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of 2015 nuclear deal with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and to reimpose sanctions that had crippled Iran's economy.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran’s response</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran has warned of "crushing" response after US go ahead with the designation. IRGC commander in 2017 had warned that if US President goes ahead with the move then IRGC will consider US army to be like Islamic State all around the world.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Criticism</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Critics have warned that this could open US military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad. It also threatens regional stability in West Asia and threatens US forces, particularly placed in places such as Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shia militia are located in close proximity to US troops.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">US has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for affiliations with the IRGC, but the organization as a whole is not. In 2007, US Treasury had designated IRGC's Quds Force, its unit in charge of operations abroad for its support of terrorism and has described it as Iran's primary arm for executing its policy of supporting terrorist and insurgent groups. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was set up after 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect Shiite clerical ruling system. It is Iran's most powerful security organization. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has control over large sectors of Iranian economy and has huge influence in its political system.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has estimated 125,000-strong military with army, navy and air units and answers to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is in charge of Iran's ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. It armory has missiles with range of up to 2,000 km that can target Israel and US military bases in the region.</span></span></span></li>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'G7 calls for greater role for women in peace processes',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Foreign ministers from Group of Seven (G7) countries have called for greater role for women in solving conflicts. They held that peace settlements with female involvement were more likely to endure. It was reiterated at meeting of G7 Foreign ministers held in northern French resort of Dinard to prepare for leader summit under French presidency in August 2019.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Outcomes of meeting</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">G7 have agreed "roadmap" to adopt mechanism for greater mobilisation worldwide to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">They vowed to enhance coordination to support women's participation in peace processes including in their roles as negotiators, mediators and peacebuilders.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">They held that inclusion of women in peace negotiations will be meaningfully as they play influential role in peace processes. Moreover, peace agreements negotiated by them are more likely to last for long term.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The reiterated need for mobilizing international community to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict and also to help survivors and assist children born as result of sexual violence in conflict.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">According to UN Women's agency, between 1990 and 2017, women constituted only 2% of mediators, 8% of negotiators, and 5% of witnesses and signatories in all major peace process. France has placed gender inequality at heart of its presidency of G7 summit scheduled to be held in August 2019.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Group of Seven (G7) </span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is a group of seven major advanced economies as reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States. European Union is also represented at the G7 summit.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These seven countries collectively represent 58% of global net wealth ($317 trillion), more than 46% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) based on nominal values, and more than 32% global GDP based on purchasing power parity.</span></span></span></p>
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'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up joint border reaction force at their borders for combatting terrorism. This was announced after talks with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. This decision comes after relations between both countries had strained following number of deadly attacks in Iran’s southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan (bordering Pakistan) by militant groups based in Pakistan.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In March 2109, Iran had demanded Pakistan act decisively against anti-Iranian terrorists, following February 2019 attack that killed 27 members of elite Revolutionary Guards in Sistan-Baluchistan. Iran had reported that Pakistani suicide bomber was behind attack, claimed by Sunni jihadist group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which Iran says operates mostly out of bases in Pakistan. Islamist as well as ethnic Baloch separatists operate in Balochistan, Pakistan's poorest province which borders Iran. Iran had accused Pakistan for not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering on its side across the border.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'US to end waivers to India, 7 other nations importing Iranian oil',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) announced it will not renew six months sanction exemptions (known as Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs)) granted to eight countries including India for importing oil from Iran. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Purpose</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This decision of US to eliminate all SREs is aimed at achieving its national security objectives and pressurize Iran on complete denuclearization by squeezing Iran’s top export i.e. oil to zero and denying it its principal source of revenue.<strong> </strong>It also follows the designation of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as Foreign Terrorist Organization, another step towards putting pressure on Iran. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">US had re-imposed sanctions on Iran (kicked-in from November 2018) after it had withdrawn from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or P5+1-Iran nuclear deal in May 2019. These sanctions mainly were re-triggering of sanctions imposed prior to nuclear deal. They were aimed at targeting Iran’s oil exports and energy sectorm ability to purchase US Dollar notes & Trade in metals, besides other currency transactions. However, US had granted exemptions dubbed as <strong>Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs)</strong> from its sanctions for importing oil from Iran for 180-day period (to expire on May 2, 2019) for <strong>India and seven other countries (namely Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, China, Greece and Taiwan</strong>). The SREs were granted after these countries had made “significant reductions” in oil imports from Iran.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Impact on India</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is the world’s third-largest consumer of oil, with 85% of its crude oil and 34% of its natural gas requirements being fulfilled by imports. In 2016, India imported 215 million tonnes of crude oil and at 13</span>%<span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">, Iran stood third among India’s biggest oil suppliers, after Saudi Arabia and Iraq at 18% each.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is currently second biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China. But during six months exemption period, India was pushed by US to restrict its monthly crude oil purchase from Iran to 1.25 million tonnes in year (300,000 barrels per day) down from 22.6 million tonnes (452,000 barrels per day) bought in 2017-18 financial year. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Now pushed back on zero oil imports from Iran, it will have adverse impact on India’s economy as it will result in rise in price of crude oil in global market. It will hurt India’s economy because crude accounts for significant portion of India’s overall imports. If crude rises further, it will have impact the stability of the rupee and may also produce inflationary effect.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'UN, EU sign joint framework on Counter-Terrorism',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United Nations and European Union (EU) have signed joint framework<strong> on Counter-Terrorism</strong> aimed at strengthening partnership in counter-terrorism efforts. The framework was enacted on occasion of second EU-UN Leader’s Dialogue on Counter-Terrorism held in New York. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">UN-EU Framework on Counter-Terrorism</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It focuses on terrorism and violent extremism prevention in Africa, Middle East, and Asia and also supports victims and promote reintegration of terrorism offenders</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It proposes development of national and regional Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism (PCVE) action plans for promoting youth engagement and gender perspectives. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It ensures support to victims of terrorism and evolving threat of foreign terrorist fighters through establishment of Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Records (API/PNR) systems.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It encourages joint, effective and multilateral cooperation to improve safety of citizens in Europe and around globe and also strengthening respect for human rights and the rule of law.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'China, Pakistan sign agreement on space exploration, manned missions',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China and Pakistan have signed agreement for co-operation in space exploration. It was signed during visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to China for 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF). The agreement marks new phase in space science cooperation including manned missions between all-weather allies.</span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China-Pak Space agreement </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will serve as high-level foundation for cooperation in space science and exploration. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission will establish China-Pakistan space committee chaired by top officials from both sides to address future collaborative issues.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Both space agencies will conduct scientific and technological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned space applications and achievement transformation.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits of space cooperation </span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will help Pakistan in terms of satellite monitoring of agricultural production, land and resources surveying, natural disasters and waste handling in microgravity environment. It will also benefit China from cooperation, including for commercial applications of space technology, investment security and counter-terrorism.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Comment</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China has good track record of advanced space programme with successful manned missions besides exploration missions to Moon. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China is also building its space station which is expected to be ready by 2022. It has also unveiled plans to send spacecraft to Mars and Jupiter. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Since, Pakistan is China's all-weather friend, China is willing to provide know-how and technological support to foster Pakistan's technological development on peaceful use of outer space. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In 2018, China had sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit viz. PRSS-1 (Pakistan's first optical remote sensing satellite) and PakTES-1A (smaller observation crft) on-board Long March-2C carrier rocket. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This space agreement signifies that cooperation between China and Pakistan is not limited to infrastructure and resources, but it also concerns technology and innovation.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s ASAT Missile test</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The space agreement between China and Pakistan also comes close on heels of recent India's successful Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile test in March 2019. This successful test had made India fourth country in the world after US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. China had successfully tested its anti-satellite missile in January 2007 by destroying its ageing weather satellite.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Russia President Vladimir Putin gives assent to sovereign internet bill',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Russia President Vladimir Putin signed into law sovereign internet bill which will allow Russian authorities to isolate or firewall country's internet. The new law is named as <strong>The Digital Economy National Programme</strong>. Its text was published recently and will come into effect from November 2019. This law seeks to increase cyber security and stability of Russian internet in the event of foreign interference.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Feature of this law</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is aimed at isolating or firewalling Russia’s internet (Runet) from rest of the world to ensure it could remain available and secure in event of cyber-attack or other incident. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It mandates that data from Russia organisations and users will remain within Russia, rather than being distributed globally. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It calls for setting up Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (also known as Roskomnadzor) to regulate internet traffic routing. It will steer Russian internet traffic away from foreign servers.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Russian Internet access providers (ISPs) need to ensure that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It creates system that gives Russian authorities capacity to block access to parts of the Internet in the country. It also introduces internet pre-filtering centres.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Criticism</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Critics say that this law aims to restrict information and communication online. It gives new censorship powers to government to monitor its citizens and isolate them from outside world. It also creates system that gives authorities extrajudicial and non-transparen capacity to block access to parts of internet in Russia.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'UN declares Masood Azhar as global terrorist',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations (UN) has designated Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by listing him in UN Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Sanctions Committee. It is huge diplomatic win for India. It comes after China dropped its objection to the listing. The "global terrorist" designation or UN proscribed terrorist will subject Masood Azhar to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. It also demonstrates longstanding international community's resolve to fight against terrorism and its enablers.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Masood Azhar </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">He is the founder and leader of Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, active mainly in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He had founded JeM after he was released by India in 1999 in exchange for the crew and passengers of Indian Airlines plane IC814 hijacked and flown to Kandahar in then Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. He is masterminded of numerous terror attacks in India including 2001 Parliament Attack, Pathankot airbase attack, Uri attack and most recently Pulwama suicide attack in February 2019. His terror organization JeM already has been designated as a terror group by UNSC 1267 sanctions committee in 2001. Past attempts to designate Azar global terrorist had failed since India had initiated move in UN to list him as global terrorist in 2009. This was mainly because of hold of China on behest of all weather strategic friend China, a veto wielding member of UNSC. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established as al-Qaeda/Taliban sanctions committee through UNSC Resolution 1267 in 1999. It prescribes a sanctions regime against designated terrorists and terrorist groups. It was renamed it as “ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee” (UNSCR/2253) in 2015. The listing of individual terrorist or terror organisation under sanctions committee results in: </span></span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Assets freeze:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mandates all states to freeze without delay funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Travel ban:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It prevents entry of designated individuals into or transit by all states through their territories.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Arms embargo</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It requires all states to prevent direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals to designated individuals and entities. It also technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities under its ambit</span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => '14th India-China border trade opened at Nathu La',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The 14th edition of annual Sino-Indian (India-China) border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim. To mark this function was held at Nathu La and was attended by officials and traders of both the countries. With this, Indian and Chinese traders will start tarding across their borders. The three open trading border posts between India and China viz. Nathu La (Sikkim) Shipkila (Himachal Pradesh) and Lipulekh (or Lipulech) in Uttarakhand.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India-China border trade</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The bilateral border trade between the two countries at Nathu La is organised four days a week for six months, between May 1 and November 30, every year. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The trade through this passage begins in May and continues till November, after which it is discontinued due to extremely cold and harsh weather conditions.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was restarted in 2006 after gap of 44 years. Chinese traders come to Sherathang in India near Nathula Pass to sell their items, while Indians trade at Rienchengang in Tibetan Autonomous Region(TAR) of China.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Total 36 items ranging from dairy products to utensils are on India's export list. While, total of 20 items, including carpets, quilts and jackets among others, are in the on import list from the TAR.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Last year, export of goods from India through Nathu La stood at Rs 45.03 crore, while items worth Rs 3.23 crore were imported from the TAR. In 2017, trade through Nathiala had suffered setback due to Doklam crisis.</span></span></span></span></li>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'US unveils Global Health Security Strategy',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United States unveiled its first of its kind Global Health Security Strategy aimed at preventing, detecting and responding to biological threats from infectious diseases occurring naturally or accidentally. It specifically identifies combatting biological threats and pandemics as cornerstone of national security. It also seeks to help improve world's ability to stop deadly outbreaks before they spread between countries. </span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US’s Global Health Security Strategy </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It considers biological threats, like infectious disease outbreaks, are a national security priority for the United States government.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It defines the actions administration will take by adopting a whole-of-government approach to health security and leveraging the strengths of different federal departments.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It outlines coordinated US approach that focuses on three interrelated goals: strengthen partner country global health security capacities, increase international support for global health security and a homeland prepared and resilient against global health threats.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, US-Centre for Disease Control (CDC) will increase its ability to monitor threats globally and provide rapid response through deployment of staff across. For this, CDC has developed Global Emergency Alert and Response Service.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US and International Partners</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, US will work with international partners to help improve world's ability to stop and contain infectious disease outbreaks before they spread between countries. It will help to improve their performance in priority areas. US will also encourage countries to strengthen their technical capacities and support select partner countries in areas such as emergency preparedness and disease surveillance. It will work to ensure that every partner country has plan to achieve self-reliance in critical area of health security.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'China hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China is hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in its capital city Beijing form 15 to 22 May, 2019. It will be inaugurated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and also deliver a keynote speech. More than 2000 delegates from 47 Asian and world countries, including government officials, leaders from UNESCO and other international organizations, celebrities, educational institutions, film and television think tanks are participating in it. </span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Conference </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
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<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will focus on the exchange and mutual learning of Asia civilizations. It aims at boosting regional understanding and enhancing cooperation. It will focus on cultural diversity, exchanges and mutual learning. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will set into motion dialogue toward sharing experiences on Asian governance and Asian approaches to governance differing from Western one. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will be convened around three themes viz. Asian wisdom to promote political advancement, Asian community with a shared future and Asian solutions to benefit the people.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Asian civilization tours, cultural exhibitions, tourism fairs and food festivals will be held on the sidelines of this conference.</span></span></span></span></li>
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<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The idea of this conference was proposed by President Xi Jinping at Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia held in Shanghai in 2014. It aims at enhancing Asians' rich cultural lives and contribute to vibrant regional development. It seeks to achieve this by providing platform for interactions among young people, local communities and media and form cooperative network among think tanks, such as the Center for China and Globalization. This conference is seen in pursuance of fifth pillar (viz. people-to-people exchanges) of the China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'US places Chinese, Pakistani companies on entity list',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United States (US) has placed 12 foreign companies, including several entities from China and Pakistan in its entity list to ensure that sensitive technologies do not fall into wrong hands that will threaten its national security. The 12 entities that have blacklisted by US include four companies with locations in both China and Hong Kong along with two Chinese, one Pakistani and five Emirati persons.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Reasons for addition in Entity list</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
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<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Four new entities located in China and Hong Kong attempted to procure US origin commodities to support Iran’s nuclear programme, in violation of US export controls.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The two blacklisted Chinese entities participated in prohibited export of controlled technology and supplied it to organisations affiliated with People's Liberation Army (PLA).</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistani company was included in list for attempting to procure controlled technology on behalf of country's unsafeguarded nuclear activities.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Entity List</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is list of names of certain foreign persons, including businesses, government and private organizations, research institutions, individuals, and other types of legal persons that are subjected to specific license requirements for export, re-export or transfer (in-country) of specified items. It is maintained by Export Administration Regulations (EAR) of US. Persons placed on Entity List are subjected to licensing requirements and policies supplemental to those found elsewhere in EAR.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'UN imposes sanctions against ISIS-Khorasan',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee has imposed sanctions on terror group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) for its links with Al-Qaeda and involvement in several attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is South Asia branch of Islamic State (ISIS). </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was listed for being associated with ISIS or al-Qaida and for participating in financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating acts or activities by supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material. It will now be subject to assets being frozen, travel ban and arms embargo.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K)</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is also known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant - Khorasan (ISIL-K), ISIS South Asia Branch, Islamic State's Khorasan Province and South Asian Chapter of ISIL. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established in 2015 by a Pakistani national and former commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and former Taliban faction commanders who swore oath of allegiance to ISIS and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in both Afghanistan and Pakistan and has killed over 150 people. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has links with banned terror organisation Al-Qaeda and is engaged in other acts or activities indicating association with al-Qaeda, ISIS, or any cell, affiliate, splinter group of al-Qaeda in Iraq.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"> </p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established as al-Qaeda/Taliban sanctions committee through UNSC Resolution 1267 in 1999. It prescribes a sanctions regime against designated terrorists and terrorist groups. It was renamed it as “ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee” (UNSCR/2253) in 2015. The listing of individual terrorist or terror organisation under sanctions committee results in:</span></span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Assets freeze:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mandates all states to freeze without delay funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Travel ban:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It prevents entry of designated individuals into or transit by all states through their territories.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Arms embargo:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It requires all states to prevent direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals to designated individuals and entities. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It also includes technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities under its ambit.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Christchurch Call Initiative launched to curb online extremism',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern launched Christchurch Call Initative aimed at stopping abuse of the Internet by extremists. It was launched during Online Extremism Summit in Paris, France.</span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It outlines collective, voluntary commitments from governments, tech companies and internet service providers to address issue of terrorist and violent extremist content online and to prevent abuse of the internet.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Signatories: </span></span></span></span></strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Total 17 countries including </span></span></span></span><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India,</span></span></span></span></strong><span style="font-family:Quicksand,serif; font-size:10pt"> France, New Zealand, Canada, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Senegal, Indonesia and Norway etc </span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">and European Union.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Quicksand,serif; font-size:10pt"> Besides, it also has been signed by tech giants viz. Twitter, Facebook, Google, Mirosoft etc.</span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Christchurch Call Initiative</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is non-binding set of agreement aimed at to combat terrorism and extremism online and secure the internet. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is first of its type voluntary document open to both private companies and major governments.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has been named after New Zealand city Christchurch where 51 people were killed in an attack on mosques.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It asks signatory nations to pledge to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content on social media and other online platforms. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It asks them to adopt and enforce laws that ban objectionable material and set guidelines on for traditional media on reporting acts of terrorism without amplifying them.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It calls on tech companies to enforce their terms of service and re-evaluate their algorithms that direct users to extremist content by redirecting people looking for extremist material.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Limitations</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It does not define violent extremist content. It does not contain any enforcement or regulatory measures and leaves it up to each individual country and company to decide how it will honour its voluntary commitments. Moreover, it is up to individual companies to decide on what constituted objectionable material</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Christchurch attack on mosques in New Zealand on March 15, 2019 had highlighted urgent need for action and enhanced cooperation among wide range of actors with influence over this issue, including governments, civil society, and online service providers, such as social media companies, to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. In this terror attack 51 Muslims were killed while worshipping at two mosques and many more injured. The mass murder was livestreamed from head-mounted camera on Facebook and redistributed hundreds of thousands of times. </span></span></span></span></p>
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'metatitle' => 'Christchurch Call Initiative launched to curb online extremism',
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'title' => 'Taiwan: 1st Asian country to legalize Same-Sex Marriage',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Taiwan’s parliament has passed bill legalize same-sex marriage. It makes Taiwan first country in Asia to legalise same sex marriage. Now the Bill will require Presidential assent to become full fledge law.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Features of the Bill</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It allows same-sex couples to form 'exclusive permanent unions'. It also provides legal backing for them to apply for a 'marriage registration' with government agencies. It also includes provisions for limited adoption rights. It has some provisions for some tax and insurance benefits to same-sex married couples.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In 2017, Taiwan's Constitutional Court had ruled that same-sex couples had right to legally marry. It had given Parliament two-year deadline to incorporate changes by amending its laws, or same-sex marriage will automatically go into effect by May 24, 2019. But the debate over same-sex marriage was deeply contentious issues in both in parliament and in the public, In November 2018, Taiwanese voters had overwhelmingly rejected same-sex marriage in a referendum. However, the referendum was nonbinding and did not change Constitutional Court’s ruling.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Australia and New Zealand are the only two countries in wider Asia-Pacific region that have legalized same sex marriages by passing laws. Vietnam decriminalised gay marriage celebrations in 2015. It is still illegal in China but homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 and officially removed from its list of mental illnesses in 2000. Most recently in April 2019, Brunei had announced strict new Islamic laws that mage gay sex and adultery offences punishable by stoning to death. Elsewhere in Asia, laws are changing wrt to same sex marriages, reflecting more tolerant attitudes towards LGBT groups.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian Scenario:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Supreme Court in September 2018 had ruled that consensual gay sex is no longer criminal offence under IPC section 377.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'USMCA: US reaches deal to lift steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United States (US) has reached agreement with Canada and Mexico to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium and corresponding retaliatory tariffs. Elimination of these tariffs is expected to remove significant barrier to ratification of </span></span><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is sometimes referred to as "New NAFTA" in reference to previous trilateral agreement it is meant to supersede North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is new free trade agreement signed by US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November 2018. It is intended to last 16 years and will be reviewed every 6 years.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">As compared to NAFTA, it includes stronger protections for workers, tough environmental rules, updates trade relationship to cover digital economy and provides tougher intellectual property protections. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It also adds provisions to prevent “manipulation” of trade rules, including covering currency values, and controls over outside countries trying to take advantage of the duty-free market.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It gives US greater access to dairy markets of Canada. (Earlier Canada’s tariffs up to 275</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">% have kept most foreign milk out of its market). It empowers Canada and Mexico to have quota of 2.6 million cars they can export to US as protection for their car industry, if US imposes 25</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">%global tariff on car imports, </span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'UAE launches Golden Card scheme',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched 'Golden Card' scheme. It is permanent residency scheme aimed at wooing wealthy individuals and exceptional talents in the gulf state. Under it, first group of 6,800 investors from over 70 countries with investments totaling 100 billion dirhams (US $27 billion) already have given permanent residency.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Golden Card scheme </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It offers unprecedented benefits to cardholders and their families while creating an attractive environment for business and growth.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is open to investors and "exceptional talents" such as doctors, engineers, scientists, students and artists.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Purpose of scheme:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It seeks to attract greater foreign investment and stimulate local economy, making it more efficient and attractive for investors. It also seeks to increase UAE's competitiveness and reaffirms the country's position as a global incubator.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Golden Card visa categories</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It include general investors who will be granted 10-year visa, real estate investors, who can get visa for five years, along with entrepreneurs and talented professionals such as doctors, researchers and innovators 10 years. It also includes category for outstanding students, who will also be permitted residency visas for five years. In these all categories of visas, can be renewed upon expiry.</span></span></span></span></li>
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<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Impact on India</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This residency scheme will attract more Indian professionals and businessmen to the Gulf nation. The Indian expatriate community is reportedly largest ethnic community in the UAE, constituting roughly about 30</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of the country's population of around nine million. Though most of the Indians living in the UAE are employed, about 10</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of the Indian population constitutes dependent family members. It will result in diversion of wealth, talent from India to UAE.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'WHO declares Algeria, Argentina as malaria-free',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared Algeria and Argentina as malaria-free countries after no cases of indigenous transmission of disease were recorded. The certificates were presented on sidelines of the 72nd session of the World Health Assembly.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Criteria for WHO malaria-free certification</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Country has to prove that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of malaria for at least three consecutive years. So far total of 36 countries have received malaria free certification from WHO. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The last case of indigenous malaria reported from Algeria was in 2013 and fro, Argentina in 2010. With this, Algeria became second African country to be declared malaria-free, after Mauritius (certified in 1973). Argentina is second country in South America to be certified malaria after Paraguay (June 2018).</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Malaria </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is mosquito-borne infectious disease most commonly transmitted through the bite of infected <strong><em>female Anopheles mosquito</em></strong>. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It caused by parasitic protozoans (a group of single-celled microorganisms) belonging to Plasmodium type. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Its initial symptoms include fever, headache and chills which are difficult to detect as malaria. If these symptoms are not treated within 24 hours, they can lead to serious illness and death. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Children suffering from malaria may develop severe anaemia, respiratory distress or cerebral malaria. Adults who have malaria could experience multi-organ failure. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Prevention and Treatment</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: Early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to curb spread of this disease.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">According to WHO’s World malaria report 2018, Malaria remains one of world’s leading killers. In 2017, it accounted for estimated 219 million cases from 87 countries and over 400,000 deaths. Over 60</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> of fatalities were among children under 5 years and had caused 266,000 deaths worldwide.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Africa had highest share of the global malaria burden in 2017, accounting for 92</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of malaria cases and 93</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of malaria deaths. Four countries in Africa accounted for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide: Nigeria (25</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">), Democratic Republic of Congo (11</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">), Mozambique (5</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">), and Uganda (4</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">).</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'UNGA passes resolution demanding UK to withdraw from Chagos Archipelago',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a non-binding resolution asking United Kingdom (UK) to return to Mauritius Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean. The resolution also welcomed February 2019 advisory opinion of International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences of separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965. India was among 116 nations to vote in favour of this UNGA resolution.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What is the issue? </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chagos Archipelago is group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 islands in Indian Ocean about 500 km south of the Maldives.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It had been part of Mauritius since 18th century when the French first settled the islands. All of the islands of French colonial territory in region were ceded to British in 1810.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">However, UK had retained sovereignty over islands to form British Indian Ocean Territory after Mauritius gained its independence from Britain in 1968. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The islands have since been used for defence purposes by UK and United States, which established a military base on island of Diego Garcia (the largest of the islands). </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The entire population of Chagos islands was forcibly removed by UK from the territory between 1967 and 1973, and prevented from returning.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Mauritius claimes sovereignty over islands and states that Britain’s claim is violation of law and of UN resolutions especially one that bans dismemberment of colonial territories before independence.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">ICJ verdict</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In February 2019, ICJ, the principal judicial body of UN in its opinion had held UK Government is “under an obligation” to end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago “as rapidly as possible”.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">UNGA Resolution</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It affirms in accordance with advisory opinion of ICJ that Chagos Archipelago forms an integral part of the territory of Mauritius.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It demands UK withdraw its colonial administration from Chagos Archipelago unconditionally within six months and support Mauritius in its quest for restoration of sovereignty over the island chain.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s Position</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India voted in support of the resolution and hailed that is as part of its longstanding support to all peoples striving for decolonization. India has consistently supported Mauritius in its quest for restoration of its sovereignty over Chagos Archipelago. It urged concerned Governments to reach a mutually agreeable understanding as soon as possible</span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'Yousef Aldobeay appointed as OIC’s special envoy for Jammu & Kashmir',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has appointed Saudi Arabia’s Yousef Aldobeay as its special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). This decision was taken at the 14th Islamic Summit of the OIC held in holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Purpose of appointment</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">OIC held that it fully supports people of J&K’s achievement of their legitimate rights. It also called upon India to hold referendum in J&K under United Nations’ patronage.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">No support of all OIC countries</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The decision to appoint special envoy for Kashmir issue was primarily decision of few countries of OIC contact group on Kashmir and not all OIC members were party to the decision and maintained neutral stance on the issue. Some of the key OIC member states across continents have not been in favour of a strong position on Kashmir.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Why this decision was taken?</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is believed that complicated political situation in West Asia, particularly tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran coupled with dependence of some key nations in the region on Pakistan Army against Houthis and Iran, may have prompted OIC to appoint a special envoy for Kashmir.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The developments came within three months of the OIC foreign ministers’ meet in UAE where India for first time was invited as guest of honour for the plenary session. On that occasion,</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistan had tried to use every session to defame India but had failed to get Kashmir issue mentioned in the final joint declaration as the hosts and Saudi Arabia ensured that the guest (India) was not embarrassed.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">However, it is believed that role of Pakistan Army in support of Gulf states amid tensions with Iran may have played role in the decision to appoint special envoy in response to Pakistan Government’s request for such a post.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s position</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) spokesperson held that OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to state of J&K, which is an integral part of India.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is reiterated that OIC should refrain from making such unwarranted references. India categorically rejects yet another unacceptable reference to matters internal to India in Final Communiqe adopted at conclusion of the 14th Islamic Summit of OIC member states held at Makkah, Saudi Arabia. </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"><span style="color:#4f81bd">About Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)</span></span></span></h2>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is international organization that aims to provide collective voice to Muslim world and safeguard and protect interests of Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established in 1969. It has administrative centre (headquarters/ Secretariat) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is second largest inter-governmental organization after United Nations.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It consists of 56 member states spread over four continents with collective population of over 1.3 billion as of 2009 with 47 countries being Muslim Majority countries. It has five observer states.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has permanent delegations to UN and European Union. Its official languages are Arabic, English, and French.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Issues with India:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Over the past few decades, India had, at best, prickly relationship with OIC, largely because Pakistan frequently used this grouping to target India on Kashmir issue. OIC on behest of Pakistan regarded parts of Kashmir as “occupied by India”.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India was blocked country, though it is third largest country (after Indonesia and Pakistan) in terms of Muslim population (It has about 12% of world’s Muslim population).</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">OIC was seen as pro Pakistan and its allies in Arab world have also had blocked attempts to give observer status to India.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'id' => (int) 1387,
'title' => 'Russia not to unilaterally extend New START treaty',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia was prepared to drop New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the US. He said that Russia will not unilaterally extend New START with US as President Donald Trump administration has showed no genuine interest in conducting talks on extending the treaty.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> If New START falls, it will be second nuclear weapons treaty between US and Russia to collapse under leadership of US President Donald Trump. In February 2019, US had unilaterally withdrawn from the <a href="https://www.studyiq.com/currentaffairs/topics/international-affairs/us-suspends-intermediate-range-nuclear-forces-treaty-with-russia">1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF)</a>, accusing Russia of violating the agreement. Russia then followed the same suit.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is nuclear arms reduction treaty between signed between United States and Russia. Its formal name is Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was signed by US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in 2010. It had entered into force in February 2011 after ratification. It is expected to last at least until 2021.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It had replaced 1991 START I treaty, which expired December 2009, and superseded 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objective:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It was aimed at capping the number of nuclear warheads of US and Russia well below Cold War limits. Under terms of this treaty, number of strategic nuclear missile launchers were to be reduced by half and new inspection and verification regime was to be established, replacing SORT mechanism. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Significance:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It was first verifiable US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty to take effect since START I in 1994. It continued bipartisan process of verifiably reducing US and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals begun by former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
'keyword' => 'international-events',
'id' => (int) 1631,
'title' => 'Iran breaches limit of enriched uranium under JCPOA',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations’ atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran has breached uranium enrichment limit set out in 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It has exceeded 300-kilogramme limit on its enriched uranium reserves set under this agreement. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This marks first major departure by Iran from nuclear deal it had agreed with world powers (P5+1), a year after US unilaterally withdrew from it and imposed sanctions. European nations had warned that any violation by Iran will bring consequences, and deal allows for re-imposition of multilateral sanctions that were lifted in return for Iran limiting its nuclear activities.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Iran also has threatened it is planning to further increase its enrichment of uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and suspend its other commitments under JCPOA deal unless European powers take practical and tangible steps to implement their new mechanism for facilitating trade and shield Iranian economy from the effects of US sanctions.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is informally called as ‘Iran nuclear deal’. It is multilateral nuclear deal signed between Iran and P5+1 (five permanent members of United Nations Security Council- United States, Russia, China, France, and United Kingdom plus Germany and European Union) in Vienna, Austria in July 2015. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objective:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It was aimed at preventing Iran from building nuclear weapon, involved lifting of international sanctions in return for Iran curbs its nuclear programme.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Features:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mandated Iran to drastically reduce its uranium enriching capacity and levels, enriched stockpiles and centrifuges and allow stringent inspection and monitoring by international agencies including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In exchange for compliance, multilateral economic sanctions imposed on Iran were removed and allowed Iran to business deals. It also had allowed Iran to access billions of dollars it had overseas before multilateral sanctions were imposed.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Enrichment Limits:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Iran was only permitted to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU), which has a 3-4% concentration of U-235, and can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. It also restricted Iran to stockpiling no more than 300kg of the low-enriched uranium. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Enriching uranium to low level of 3.6% fissile material is first step in process that could eventually allow Iran to amass enough highly-enriched uranium to build a nuclear warhead.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What is enriched uranium?</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is produced by feeding uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas into centrifuges to separate out the most suitable isotope for nuclear fission, called U-235. Prior to enrichment, uranium ore concentrate must be converted into UF6. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% enriched or more.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Afghanistan launches new export route via Iran's Chabahar Port',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Landlocked Afghanistan has launched new export route that will allow it to export goods to India through Chabahar port in Iran. As part of it, first shipment of 570 tonnes goods comprising of dried fruits, textiles, carpets etc. in 23 trucks were dispatched from western Afghan city of Zaranj to Chabahar port. This consignment will be shipped to Indian city of Mumbai.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Zaranj-Chabahar route </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It connects Afghanistan’s national Highway 1 to Iranian border at Zarang (final Afghan town near Iran border crossing). </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It turns into Iranian highway A-71 across border, which runs westward to Zabol. From Zabol, it is connected to Chabahar port by Iranian national highways 99 and 95.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India has invested in this route’s major port facilities at Chabahar and additionally helped develop a road—Zaranj-Delaram highway. It also supported initial stages of railroad connect Chabahar to Iranian city of Zahedan.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help Afghanistan and India to bypass Pakistan (as Pakistan’s borders with both India and Afghanistan are tightly controlled, with minor land-based trade between the countries).</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help landlocked, war-torn Afghanistan to turn to overseas markets for exports to improve its economy. In long run it will give boost to regional connectivity.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will contribute significantly for Afghanistan’s economy and meet their needs of non-sanctionable goods such as food and medicines.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is Afghanistan’s largest export destination and its exports to India stood at $740 million in 2018. Both countries had established air corridor in 2017 to boost the trade relations. US also granted exception to India for development of Chabahar port under the reimposed of sanctions on Iran after withdrawal from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). India had sent 1.1 million tonnes of wheat and 2,000 tonnes of lentils to Afghanistan through Chabahar.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Chabbar Port</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is strategically located in Sistan-Balochistan province on energy-rich Iran’s southern coast in Gulf of Oman. It is less than 150km from Chinese built port of Gwadar in Pakistan. It is seen as golden gateway for India to access landlocked markets of Afghanistan and Central Asian markets bypassing Pakistan. India and Iran signed “historic” agreement for development of this port in May 2016. Shahid Beheshti port or phase 1 of Chabahar was made operational in February 2018. </span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue – 2019 to be held in New Delhi',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) - 2019 will be held at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. It will be held in continuation of process of engaging global strategic community in annual review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">IPRD - 2019</span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be organized by Indian Navy and its knowledge partner National Maritime Foundation.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will witness active participation of globally-renowned domain experts and policy-makers from thirteen countries of Indo-Pacific. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will build upon foundation laid by inaugural edition and will examine five new themes: (i) Practical solutions for achieving cohesion in region through maritime connectivity (ii) measures to attain and maintain free-and-open Indo-Pacific (iii) regional approach to region’s transition from ‘Brown’ to ‘Blue’ economy (iv) opportunities and challenges arising from maritime impact of ‘Industry 4.0’ (v) how twin conceptualisations of ‘SAGARMALA’ and ‘SAGAR’ might best be made mutually-reinforcing on a regional level. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its idea was first conceptualised and conducted in 2018, as apex level conference of Indian Navy. It was organised by National Maritime Foundation as its knowledge partner. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its permanent theme is review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its aim is to focus attention on Indo-Pacific, as maritime geographical-entity, while deliberating aspects of great relevance to regional geopolitics. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It provides platform for substantive and insightful discussions pertaining to geopolitical developments affecting maritime domain of Indo-Pacific and provides policy-relevant inputs to policy-makers and public at large.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => '2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit held in Guwahati',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The second edition of ASEAN-India Youth Summit was held in Guwahati, Assam from 5 February to 7 February 2019. It was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">ASEAN-India Youth Summit 2019</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was organised by India Foundation and Union Ministry of External Affairs.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its theme was “<em>Connectivity: Pathway to Shared Prosperity</em>”.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It had seen participation of over 100 youth delegates from 10 ASEAN countries viz. Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">ASEAN-India Youth Summit </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was launched in 2017 to commemorate 25th anniversary ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to provide platform for youth leaders of both India and ASEAN to engage with each other to develop a resilient and symbiotic relationship between countries.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The first India-ASEAN Youth Summit 2017 was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh with theme “<em>Shared Values, Common Destiny”</em>. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was organized by India Foundation, in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat and Ministry of External Affairs.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is regional intergovernmental organization comprising 10 countries in Southeast Asia viz. Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, sociocultural and educational integration among its members and other countries in Asia. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was established on August 8, 1967, after adaptation ASEAN declaration (also known as Bangkok Declaration). Its secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'WHO declares Sri Lanka measles-free nation',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that measles disease has been eradicated in the island nation of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is fifth country in WHO southeast Asia region to eliminate measles. The other countries in region to achieve this feat are Bhutan, Maldives, South Korea and Timor-Leste.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The elimination of disease means that there have been zero new cases of the disease in the last three years. Sri Lanka had reported its last case of measles caused by an indigenous virus in May 2016. Its elimination of measles comes year after it achieved rubella control. Rubella control is achieved when a country reduces the number of rubella cases by 95% as compared to cases in 2008. Sri Lanka’s achievement comes at time when measles cases are increasing globally,</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Measles</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is a highly contagious airborne viral disease transmitted orally, through mucus or saliva. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Transmission:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mainly affects children and can be spread rapidly through the air due to sneezing or a cough, making it is highly infectious airborne disease. The virus can live for up to two hours in air or on nearby surfaces. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Symptoms:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It begins with high fever, and several days later characteristic red rash appears on the face and then spreads over the body. Later it, causes debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis, severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Most patients affected by it recover within three weeks.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Fatality:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Most of those infected with this disease and who die are less than five years old. Annually Measles affects about 20 million people across the world and primarily in the developing areas of Asia and Africa.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Prevention:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is easily preventable by routine measles vaccination for children, combined with mass immunization campaigns in countries with low routine coverage.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s Progress:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India is still far from achieving this milestone. According to latest Global Measles and Rubella Update, India had 56,399 confirmed measles cases and 1,066 confirmed rubella cases in 2018.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Reko Diq case: US$5 billion penalty imposed on Pakistan',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has imposed US $5.976 billion penalty on cash strapped Pakistan for unlawful denial of mining lease to company for Reko Diq project in 2011. It is one of biggest penalty imposed on Pakistan in its history. In this case, ICSID awarded US $4.08 billion penalty and US $1.87 billion in interests.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Reko Diq mine </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Reko Diq, which means sandy peak in Balochi language is a small town in Chagai district in Balochis­tan, close to border with Iran and Afgha­nistan. Reko Diq mine is famous for its vast gold and copper reserves and is believed to have the world's fifth largest gold deposit.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What is the issue?</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) - a joint venture (JV) between Chilean mining company Antofagasta and Canada's Barrick Gold Corporation had completed extensive and detailed bankable feasibility study establishing basis for mine development at Reko Diq during August 2010 and submitted mining lease application in February 2011, along with environmental and social impact assessment report. Its mining project was stopped in November 2011, when Balochistan government summarily rejected application by TCC's local operating subsidiary for a mining lease in respect of Reko Diq. Besides, Pakistan’s Supreme Court also had in January 2013 declared Reko Diq agreement void and in conflict with the country's laws.TCC had filed claims for international arbitration before World Bank's ICSID in 2012 after Balochistan government rejected a leasing request from the company. It had claimed US $11.43 billion in damages. The case between Pakistan government and company continued for seven years.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is autonomous, multilateral specialized institution to encourage international flow of investment and mitigate non-commercial risks by treaty drafted by International Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (IBRD) executive directors and signed by member countries. It also serves as international arbitration institution for resolving legal dispute resolution and conciliation between international investors. It also performs advisory activities and maintains several publications.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is part of and funded by World Bank Group. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, in the United States. It was established in 1966 by Convention on Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (also known as ICSID Convention). 153 contracting member states agreed to enforce and uphold arbitral awards in accordance with ICSID Convention</span></span></p>
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'metatitle' => 'Reko Diq case: US$5 billion penalty imposed',
'metakeyword' => 'World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has imposed US $5.976 billion penalty on cash strapped Pakistan',
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'title' => 'Pakistan opens its airspace for all civilian airlines',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistan has opened its airspace for all civilian airlines for first time since February 26, 2019 Balakot air strike. This decision effectively removes ban on Indian flights that were not allowed to use majority of its airspace since the Balakot airstrikes. In this regard, Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) stating that Pakistan airspace is open for all type of civil traffic with immediate effect on published ATS (air traffic service) routes. The move is expected to result in reduction of flight times by around 70-80 minutes for flights that earlier used Pakistan’s airspace for transit.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 in response to non-military counter-terrorism airstrike conducted by Indian Air Force (IAF) against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist camps in Balakot in retaliation to the Pulwama attack on February 14. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Initially, Pakistan had completely closed its airspace. However, it later relaxed restrictions on overflying country partially. Out of total 11 air routes in Pakistan’s territory, it has opened up two since March 2019. One of these is westbound waypoint over Arabian Sea towards Karachi, Hingol, Gwadar, and other one is eastbound over Karachi, Badin into Gujarat, India towards Ahmedabad.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Impact of Ban:</span></span></strong> <span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The closure of routes affected hundreds of east-west flights flying over the subcontinent and westbound flights from airports in northern India were worst affected. Indian carriers together had lost over Rs 550 crore as restrictions had resulted in longer flight times as they were forced to take a longer route to avoid Pakistan airspace which resulted in higher fuel and operation bills.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo as Global Health Emergency',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”. This is for fifth time WHO has invoked emergency provision (PHEIC). It was earlier declared in <em>2009 H1N1 (or swine flu) pandemic, 2014 polio declaration, 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa </em>and <em>2015–16 Zika virus epidemic</em>.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is rare designation only used foe gravest epidemics by WHO. It is the highest level of emergency alarm the WHO can sound.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is extraordinary event which is determined to constitute public health risk to other States through international spread of disease. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It calls for coordinated international response that needs to be formulated when situation arises that is serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected, which carries implications for public health beyond affected State’s national border and requires immediate international action. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR) of WHO, States have a legal duty to respond promptly to PHEIC.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> PHEIC is not only confined to infectious diseases and may cover an emergency caused by chemical agent or a radio nuclear material. It is "call to action" and "last resort" measure.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in grip of its worst ever Ebola outbreak. According to WHO figures (as of 7 July 2019), there have been over 2,400 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola, of which more than 1,600 people have died. <strong><em>It is the second deadliest Ebola epidemic in history, behind only the 2014 West Africa outbreak.</em></strong> This outbreak in Congo had began in August 2018 and has mainly affected eastern DRC’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces– an area wracked by conflict involving various armed groups. Efforts to control virus in DRC are hampered by violence from insurgent groups, including attacks on treatment centres.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Ebola</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by Ebola viruses.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Virology of Ebola Virus:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is a member of family Filoviridae. The family has three members: Genus Ebolavirus Genus Cuevavirus and Genus Marburgvirus. Genus Ebolavirus is further classified into 5 viral species viz. Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Reston and Tai Forest. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Origin: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was first identified in 1976 in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a village near the Ebola River, from which it derives its name</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Transmission:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is transmitted to people from wild animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats and then spreads in human population through human-to-human transmission. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts. It spreads through contact with body fluids of inflected persons such as blood, urine and saliva. It also spreads through sexual contact.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Note:<span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is mainly transmitted by animal or insect bites or stings, blood products (unclean needles or unscreened blood), saliva (kissing or shared drinks) and touching contaminated surface.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Symptoms and Fatality rate:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> High fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage. It progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding. The average fatality rate is around 50%. In past outbreaks, case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks. Ebola patients tend to die from multiple organ failure and dehydration.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Treatment:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralize Ebola virus but range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development. Early supportive care with symptomatic treatment and rehydration improves survival chances of patient.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Previous Outbreaks:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> The 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa was worst-ever Ebola outbreak in history. It had killed more than 11,000 people in three West African countries <em>Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.</em></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 38 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'International Events',
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'title' => 'Iran test fires Shahab-3 medium-range missile',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Iran has successfully test fired medium-range ballistic missile named Shahab-3. It was launched from southern Iran and flew some 1,100 kilometers before landing east of capital city Tehran. It is widely believed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Shahab-3</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is single-stage, liquid-fueled, road-mobile, medium-range ballistic missile with range of approximately 1,280 km. It is capable of carrying 1,000-760 kilogram warhead, both conventional as well as nuclear. It is based on the North Korean Nodong-1. Its variant, sometimes called Shahab-4, has a range of more than 1930 km.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Comment </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This ballistic missile test comes in wake of recently strained relations between Iran and US. US has held this test in violation of UNSC resolutions. However, Iran claimed that this test was entirely defensive and is not against any country, and only to respond to possible aggression against its territorial integrity.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The relations between Iran and US have strained further recently after US President Donald Trump pulled out US from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme in 2018 and stepped up uniteral sanctions on Iran, crippling its economy and oil exports. European signatories have since been trying to save this deal. But, Iran has breached uranium enriching target set in deal.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Why US pullout out of JCPOA?</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> During pulling out, US President had said that it was flawed deal as it does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program and does not include curbs on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. US fears Iran could use its missile technology and space program to build nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Hong Kong Protests',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issue</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt">Hong Kong is facing </span></span><span style="color:#262626"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif"><span style="background-color:#fefefe; font-size:10pt">a major political crisis as it heads into a</span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:#ffffff; font-size:14.6667px"> 1oth week </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">of mass demonstrations.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Background</span></span></span></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The protest started as a movement against a controversial law has expanded into something much bigger.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Protest started from a </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">million of people marching towards public places <span style="color:#262626">and later developed into groups of yellow-hatted demonstrators storming into government headquarters, and now shutting down the city's international airport</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Reason for the Protests</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Hong Kong is a part of China, but it has its own currency, political system and cultural identity. Many Hong Kong residents don't see themselves as Chinese, but rather as Hong Kong citizens.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The issue goes back to Hong Kong’s history as a British colony for period of over 150 years.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626"> British handed it back over to China in 1997. Today, Hong Kong's legal system still mirrors the British model, prizing transparency and due process.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Hong Kong’s constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law, provides various features to its residents. It guarantees freedoms that are unavailable to Chinese mainlanders, such as the <strong><em>right to protest, the right to a free press and freedom of speech</em>.</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The Chinese government has provided Hong Kong the right to develop its own democracy, and pledged that the central government in Beijing will not interfere with that.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The Basic Law states that Hong Kong "shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents" for 50 years after the handover. But many claim that mainland China is already starting to encroach on those rights.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Demands of Protestors</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The residents are demanding permanent maintenance of status quo of Hong Kong’s independent governance structure.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">There is widespread demand to reduce Beijing’s interference in internal issues of Hong Kong.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">When rest of China is already reeling under iron chains on rights imposed by Chinese authorities Hong Kong protest is a small price to pay for larger independence</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Consequences of protest</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The protestors have targeted public institutions especially Hong Kong’s International Airport. The airport is one of the busiest airport in Asia and shutting it down has impacted trade and transport adversely.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The international airport is also a signifies a developing Hong Kong and has been used as a symbol of prosperity and independence. This has also been gaining coverage across the globe.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
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'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Saudi led coalition is on the blink of backing off from Yemen as the 4 year war on the Houthi rebels has not resulted in change in ground reality. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Saudi -led coalition had launched the Yemen offensive in March 2015, their common goal was to defeat the Shia Houthi rebels, who had captured the capital Sana’a. They are not even close to meeting this goal, and there are growing frictions within the anti-Houthi coalition.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The crown prince of Saudi, who was behind this decision, considered Yemen to be a cakewalk for the Saudi troops. The Houthis lacked real battleground experience and were considered nothing against Saudi Military Forces.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Saudis also enjoyed the support of the U.S, and had a coalition of Sunni Muslim countries backing them. The plan was to oust the Houthis quickly and restore a cherry-picked administration who would change their country’s policies to suit Saudi’s interests.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Saudi coalition was weak on the ground and the former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the troops loyal to him joined hands with the Houthis in a tactical alliance. This changed the ground situation quickly.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Houthis received support from Saudi’s arch adversary, Iran. They did not just prevent Sana’a from being recaptured, but also started attacking Saudi Arabia with short-range missiles and drones.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This created a big dilema for the Saudi alliance, which had its tasks multiplied. It had to recapture Yemeni capital from Houthis, protect their borders from attacks and also defeat Iran on international platform.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Current situation</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Yemeni government, backed by Saudi, is headquartered in the southern port city of Aden and is practically operating from Saudi Arabia where the Yemeni President is residing.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are three power centres and multiple militias in today’s Yemen: The Houthis, who control Sana’a and the northern towns, the southern separatists who are strong in and around Aden, and the internationally recognised government that is run from Saudi Arabia.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Way ahead</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The U.S. has signalled that it will facilitate talks among the multiple factions in Yemen through Oman, a neutral player.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prolonging the war is also not an option. Having no credible ally on the ground and no effective strategy to turn around the war, Saudi must realise that they have lost the war and need to back out as soon as possible.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
'keyword' => 'international-events',
'id' => (int) 2165,
'title' => 'West Bank and Jordan Valley',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge to annex the Jordan<strong> </strong>Valley in the occupied West Bank if re-elected in September 17 polls.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War in a move never recognised by the international community.The Israeli settlements there are considered illegal under international law and this is a major impediment in peace process as Palestenians consider these areas as part of their future state.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Jordan Valley accounts for around one-third of the West Bank and Israeli right-wing politicians have long viewed the strategic area as a part of the territory , seeing it as the country’s eastern border.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Israeli settlements are located in a place called Area C of the West Bank, which accounts for some 60% of the territory, including the vast majority of the Jordan Valley.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>West bank</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by the Green Line separating it and Israel on the south, west and north.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The chances of two state solution will die down if any hasty decisions are carried out. The area will be pushed forever into unrest.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Two state solution</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian which foresees an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River<span style="font-size:10.5pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><span style="color:#222222">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
'keyword' => 'international-events',
'id' => (int) 2228,
'title' => 'Tiananmen Square Protests',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Charlie Cole, one of the photographers who captured the famous Tank Man on film during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, has died aged 64.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tiananmen square protest and the photo depicting a man blocking convoy of military tank has been the defining image of the pro-democracy protest held in China in 1980’s.The photographer won the 1990 World Press Photo award for his picture.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The Tiananmen Square protests</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Tiananmen Square protests, commonly known in mainland China as the June Fourth Incident ,were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing during 1989.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The popular national movement inspired by the Beijing protests is sometimes called the '89 Democracy Movement .</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The protests started on April 15 and were forcibly suppressed on June 4 when the government declared martial law and sent the military to occupy central parts of Beijing, in what became known as the <strong>Tiananmen Square Massacre.</strong></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amid the backdrop of rapid economic development and social changes in post-Mao China, the protests reflected anxieties about the country's future in the popular consciousness and among the political elite.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Goals of the protest</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The students called for greater accountability, constitutional due process, democracy, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech, although they were highly disorganized and their goals varied.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications of the protest</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The suppression halted the policies of liberalization in the 1980s. The protests are considered a watershed event and set the limits on political expression in China up to the present day.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its memory is widely associated with questioning the legitimacy of Communist Party rule and remains one of the most sensitive and most widely censored topics in China.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
'keyword' => 'international-events',
'id' => (int) 2286,
'title' => 'US to send troops to Saudi Arabia ',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pentagon has announced that it will deploy additional U.S. troops and missile defense equipment to Saudi Arabia<strong> </strong>and the United Arab Emirates.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Saudi Arabia suffered the deadliest attack on its oil facilities in recently when a small army of drones attacked two major oil plants, destroying nearly 50 per cent of the country's global supply of crude.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The officials have told that the extra equipment and troops would give the Saudis a better chance of defending against unconventional aerial attacks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Iran has denied involvement and warned the U.S. that any attack will spark an “all-out war” with immediate retaliation from Tehran.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is alleged that Iran was responsible for the strikes on Saudi assets as the weapons had Iranian origin.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This is the second time Mr Trump had planned for a retalliatory attacks on Iran after the recent attack by Iran on US drones.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'International Events',
'keyword' => 'international-events',
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'title' => 'UK- EU Brexit deal',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Britain has secured a Brexit deal with the <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/tag/62894-1364-1349/european-union/?utm=bodytag" target="_blank">European Union </a>, more than three years after Britons voted to leave the bloc. But PM Boris Johnson still has to secure votes to get the agreement signed.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lack of co-ordination and consensus on several issues have prevented Britian to exit EU in a timely manner with a suitable package. This has resulted in a policy paralysis in political system of UK.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deal means there would be no need for further delay to Britain’s departure and negotiations on the future relationship between Britain and the EU would begin as soon as the deal gets approved by the U.K. and European Parliaments.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">But the main opposistion in the UK parliament, the Labour party has disagreed to vote in its favour and has demanded a public vote in this regard.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Brexit</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Brexit is the scheduled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union" title="Withdrawal from the European Union">withdrawal</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> (UK) from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> (EU). Following a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">June 2016 referendum</a>, in which 51.9% of participating voters voted to leave.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Union</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe.</span></span></p>
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<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The EU countries are: <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden</strong>.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Economic Area</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Economic Area, is an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to non-EU member parties.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Countries that belong to the EEA include <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.</strong></span></span></p>
</li>
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'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Britain has secured a Brexit deal with the <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/tag/62894-1364-1349/european-union/?utm=bodytag" target="_blank">European Union </a>, more than three years after Britons voted to leave the bloc. But PM Boris Johnson still has to secure votes to get the agreement signed.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lack of co-ordination and consensus on several issues have prevented Britian to exit EU in a timely manner with a suitable package. This has resulted in a policy paralysis in political system of UK.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deal means there would be no need for further delay to Britain’s departure and negotiations on the future relationship between Britain and the EU would begin as soon as the deal gets approved by the U.K. and European Parliaments.</span></span></p>
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<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">But the main opposistion in the UK parliament, the Labour party has disagreed to vote in its favour and has demanded a public vote in this regard.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Brexit</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Brexit is the scheduled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union" title="Withdrawal from the European Union">withdrawal</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> (UK) from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> (EU). Following a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">June 2016 referendum</a>, in which 51.9% of participating voters voted to leave.</span></span></p>
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<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The EU countries are: <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden</strong>.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Economic Area</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Economic Area, is an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to non-EU member parties.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Countries that belong to the EEA include <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.</strong></span></span></p>
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This decision is aimed at helping foreigners especially Hindi speakers to learn about litigation procedures, their rights and duties without language barrier.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">ADJD’s adoption of Hindi comes as part of its multilingua litigation system. Its first phase was launched in November 2018, through adoption of procedures requiring plaintiffs to translate case documents in civil and commercial lawsuits into English for foreigner defendants. This is aimed at promoting judicial services and increase the transparency of litigation procedures. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Abu Dhabi </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is capital and second most populous city of United Arab Emirates (most populous is Dubai), and also capital of Emirate of Abu Dhabi, largest of UAE's seven emirates (others are Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain).</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Of UAE’s total population of over 9 million people, 88.5% are expatriate workers and Indians account for 38% of the population.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'hindi-third-official-language-abu-dhabi', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/55ad/az3fyn32ycfnto36g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/55ad/az3fyn32ycfnto36g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Hindi made Abu Dhabi’s third official court language ', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Abu Dhabi made Hindi as third official language alongside Arabic and English', 'metadescription' => 'Abu Dhabi made Hindi as third official language alongside Arabic and English', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/vv8odkzzo2yrrcj/11FEBHindi_made_Abu_Dhabi%25E2%2580%2599s.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 275, 'title' => 'Delhi Declaration on Digital Health', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The Delhi Declaration on Digital Health for Sustainable Development was adopted at concluding session of ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’ held in New Delhi. This declearation firmly aligns with Union Government’s vision of Digital India. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Delhi Declaration on Digital Health</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Digital Health involves use of digital technologies especially information and communication technologies (ICT) to track well-being and improve health indicators. Telemedicine, remote care and mobile health are some of its components.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This declaration calls World Health Organization’s (WHO) leadership in digital health and establish specific mechanism to centrally coordinate digital health to assist its member states. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also marks India’s commitment in maximizing digital health investments to ensure Universal Health Coverage and realize goals of Ayushman Bharat scheme.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was global intergovernmental meeting on digital health. It was hosted by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP). It was attended by ministers and government officials from over 34 countries to discuss the impact of digital technologies on health systems and health services delivery.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'delhi-declaration-digital-health', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/304c/eyxci68oia2143s6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/304c/eyxci68oia2143s6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Delhi Declaration on Digital Health | STUDYIQ Current Affairs', 'metakeyword' => 'In Science and Technology Current Affairs, Delhi Declaration on Digital Health for Sustainable Development, adopted, 4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit, New Delhi', 'metadescription' => 'Delhi Declaration on Digital Health for Sustainable Development was adopted at concluding session of ‘4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit’', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/znxp6t5sa276ac5/27feb_Delhi_Declaration_on_Digital.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 2 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 216, 'title' => 'US President sign directive to create Military Space Force', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Directive-4 (SPD-4) ordering Department of Defense (Pentagon) to establish Space Force under aegis of US Air Force. This directive need to be approved by US Congress to come into effect.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Military Space Force</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be new military service part of US Air Force (similar to Marines under US Navy). Currently, US air force has responsibility for US assets in space.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be dedicated to handling threats in space. Its main goal will be to secure and extend US’s dominance in space domain. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will <em>not deploy soldiers in space</em>, but will focus on national security and preserving satellites and vehicles that are dedicated to international communications and observation from space.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will have both combat and combat support functions to enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive space operations.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be responsible to deter and defeat threats in space and will organize, train, and equip military space forces.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will ensure unfettered access and freedom to operate in space and provide vital capabilities in space to joint and coalition forces.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be responsible for range of space-based US military capabilities, which include everything from satellites enabling Global Positioning System (GPS) to sensors that help track missile launches.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-president-directive-military-space-force', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2b3a/nwo5b9e8jref5wf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2b3a/nwo5b9e8jref5wf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US President sign directive to create Military Space Force', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, United States President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Directive-4 (SPD-4) ordering Department of Defense (Pentagon) to establish Space Force under aegis of US Air Force', 'metadescription' => 'United States President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Directive-4 (SPD-4) ordering Department of Defense (Pentagon) to establish Space Force under aegis of US Air Force', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/j4strjwas1gudbd/21feb_US_President_sign_directive.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 3 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 541, 'title' => 'Oman allows US military to use its Ports and airports', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) has signed framework agreement with Oman that gives its navy and military forces access to two Arabian Sea ports of <strong>Duqm</strong> and<strong> Salalah</strong> located near strategic Strait of Hormuz. The framework agreement is aimed at bolstering Omani-American military relations. It will allow US warships, aircraft carriers and greater control over strategic international waterway threatened by Iran. It will allow US forces to take advantage of the facilities offered at some of Oman’s ports and airports during visits of US military vessels and aircraft. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Strategic Significance</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These two ports- <strong>Duqm</strong> and<strong> Salalah</strong> are located in southern Oman on Arabian Sea and around 500 kilometres away from Strait of Hormuz. This strait, a narrow outlet connects oil rich Persian Gulf region with Arabian Sea. It is crucial to global energy supplies as fifth of the world’s seaborne oil trade exits Persian Gulf.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran, the biggest advisory of US has often threaten to block channel (Strait of Hormuz) in retaliation for US sanctions that are hurting its economy and also during tensions with Sunni-ruled Gulf nations, including its main regional rival Saudi Arabia.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The narrow waterway is also international transit route where American forces routinely pass and has seen tense encounters between them and Iranian forces in the past. US has number of military bases across the Gulf -- the largest in Qatar with about 10,000 troops.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Note:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> In February 2018 during visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Oman, India had secured access to key strategic Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support. It was facilitated by signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Military Cooperation between India and Oman, which allows services of Duqm port and dry dock for maintenance of Indian naval vessels.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'oman-allows-us-military-to-use-ports-and-airports', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ff75/u79i88b9s6r83g06g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ff75/u79i88b9s6r83g06g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Oman allows US military to use its Ports and airports', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, United States, Oman,framework agreement, navy, access, Arabian Sea ports, Duqm, Salalah,Strait of Hormuz.', 'metadescription' => 'United States (US) has signed framework agreement with Oman that gives its navy and military forces access to two Arabian Sea ports of Duqm and Salalah located near strategic Strait of Hormuz.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ryd6n7b452m3rsp/Oman_allows_US_military.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 548, 'title' => 'Italy becomes first G-7 country to join China's Belt and Road Initiative', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Italy signed "non-binding” agreement to take part in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to link China with Europe. With this, Italy became first Group of Seven (G7) major industrialised nations to endorse China’s global infrastructure-building scheme inspired by historic, centuries-old silk trade routes. The agreement was signed during official state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit Italy. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Italy, despite being one of top ten largest economies in world has slipped into recession in 2018 and its national debt levels is the highest in the eurozone. By joining BRI, China will open its market to Italy and also open prospect of new projects for Italian firms. It will help Italy to rebalance its trade deficit with China by substantial and gradual increase in exports to Chinese markets. It will help to address Italy’s financial woes strengthen its business and economic ties with China. Besides, China will get access to Italy’s northern ports of Trieste and Genoa.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) </span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">BRI is China’s ambitious development strategy and framework that aims to boost its connectivity and trade with 152 countries and international organisations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. It is basically investment and trade promotion scheme aiming to deepen economic connections between China and rest of the world.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It seeks to enhance regional connectivity. It is part of China’s revived 21st century Silk Road diplomacy that seeks to push it to take a bigger role in global affairs as major global power. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Critics of initiative see it as push for Chinese dominance in global affairs with a China-centered trading network. They also consider it is as predatory and it overwhelmingly favours only China and Chinese companies<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'italy-first-g-7-country-to-join-chinas-bri', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/44f1/hju3md6cc66bgg66g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/44f1/hju3md6cc66bgg66g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Italy becomes first G-7 country to join China's BRI', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Italy, signs, non-binding agreement, take part, China’s Belt and Road Initiative,BRI which aims to link China with Europe.', 'metadescription' => 'Italy signed "non-binding†agreement to take part in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to link China with Europe.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/6gp8su5sn0387ah/Italy_becomes_first_G-7_country.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 555, 'title' => 'US President sign proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over Golan Heights', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) President Donald Trump has signed proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It was signed during Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visit to US. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This marks reversal of decades of US policy, which has refused to condone Israeli occupation of Golan and urged that dispute must be resolved diplomatically. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This may create new wave of tensions in West Asia following the decision by US to recognise Israeli sovereignty over disputed Golan Heights, which are claimed by Syria. Besides, it ignores all international procedures. Syrian government has criticized the move calling it blatant attack on its sovereignty and has vowed to take back the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Earlier, US President Donald Trump had also recognised disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved US Embassy there from Tel Aviv and stopped aid to Palestinian refugees.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Golan Heights </span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is fertile plateau of around 1,300 sq km area bordered by Yarmouk River in south, Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in west, Mount Hermon in north and Wadi Raqqad in the east</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was captured by Israel from Syria during Six-Day War of 1967, and ever since it is under its control. In 1981, Israel parliament (Knesset) had passed Golan Heights Law, which extended Israel’s “laws, jurisdiction and administration” to the area.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">However, Israel’s sovereignty over territory is not recognized by international community. Even, UNSC resolution has declared imposition of Israel’s law “in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights as null and void and without international legal effect.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Israel argues that Golan is security buffer against war in Syria. Israeli and Syrian armies are separated by 400 sq km demilitarized zone which neither side can enter. United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) have camps and posts in the area. </span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-recognises-israels-sovereignty-over-golan-heights', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/06e6/ik1gbci2oxfl1jj6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/06e6/ik1gbci2oxfl1jj6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US recognises Israel's sovereignty over Golan Heights', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs,US President, Donald Trump, signs proclamation, recognising Israel's sovereignty, Golan Heights, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visit to US.', 'metadescription' => 'US) President Donald Trump has signed proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It was signed during Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visit to US.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/lr5c0fea5uaebwr/US_President_sign_proclamation.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 664, 'title' => 'US cuts aid to Northern Triangle countries', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) Government under administration of President Donald Trump has decided to cut aid to three countries of Northern Triangle- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. These coutries are origin point for current unprecedented wave of family migration (Caravan migration) to US. It is estimated around $700 million in aid will be affected by this cutoff.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Reasons for aid cut</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">US has blamed these three Central American countries for sending migrants to the IS. These three countries are origin point for current unprecedented wave of family migration to US from Central America. Most migrants and asylum seekers to US’s southern border are from these countries.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is also in-line with US President’s anti-migration rhetoric which was highly polarized during 2016 Presidential elections. During his election campaigns, Trump had vowed t to stop illegal migration from Mexico border as it causes lots of problems, drugs and crime in US.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Northern Triangle</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It refers to the three Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras especially in regard to their economic integration.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These countries share aspects of classical cultures, history, society, and politics. They also share border tri-point at Trifinio biosphere reserve. and also</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">They have signed trade agreements as collective group with Colombia, United States, and Mexico. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Currently, it is most dangerous region in world outside of official war zone and it is mainly due to violence perpetuated by criminal gangs as well as security forces. This region also faces increasing economic inequality and poverty.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-cuts-aid-to-northern-triangle-countries', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/212e/pp2hvs2rybdkmho6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/212e/pp2hvs2rybdkmho6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US cuts aid to Northern Triangle countries | Current Affairs', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, US, cut aid, three countries, Northern Triangle, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hondura', 'metadescription' => 'US Government under administration of President Donald Trump has decided to cut aid to three countries of Northern Triangle- El Salvador, Guatemala and Hondura', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/5i85rfn39zr88c2/US_cuts_aid_to_Northern.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 662, 'title' => 'UAE scraps profession criteria for expats to sponsor family ', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cabinet has approved new residency rule (criteria) for expats under which foreign workers will now be able to sponsor their family members based on certain income criteria. Earlier foreign workers were allowed to sponsor family members based on only criteria of profession. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance of new criteria</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is aimed at enhancing family stability of foreign workers and social cohesion, as well as attracting highly skilled workers while maintaining healthy balance between professional and personal lives. It also reaffirms UAE's position "as a hub for talents and land of opportunities.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will benefit mainly Indians as they constitute largest part of population of the gulf country. There are appproximately 3.3 million non-resident Indians living in UAE, accounting for about 30% of the total population of UAE.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Old Criteria</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Expatriates were able to sponsor their family members previously only if they were listed in certain 'professions'.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Male expats were able to sponsor their immediate family members such as wife and children if he earns monthly salary of Dh 4,000 (approximately Rs 75,000) or Dh 3,000 (Rs 56,000) plus accommodation provided by his company.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">He was eligible to sponsor his family if he was employed in certain categories. For example, domestic helpers and certain other categories are not entitled to sponsor their families irrespective of their monthly income<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Similarly, female resident was able to sponsor her family only if she was employed as teacher, engineer or health professional and earned Dh 4,000 per month. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">If she worked in any other sector that above, she was needed to have minimum monthly salary of Dh 10,000 (Rs 1.88 lakhs) and a special approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'uae-scraps-profession-criteria-for-expats-to-sponsor-family ', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b594/ga5yi1a4akelvx66g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b594/ga5yi1a4akelvx66g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UAE scraps profession criteria for expats to sponsor family ', 'metakeyword' => 'UAE scraps profession criteria for expats to sponsor family ', 'metadescription' => 'United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cabinet has approved new residency rule (criteria) for expats under which foreign workers will now be able to sponsor their family ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/twqbj569abebeun/UAE_scraps_profession_criteria.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 651, 'title' => 'UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Education has agreed to issue equivalency for all Indian degrees both academic and professional that match set criteria. The decision comes as huge relief to the Indian expats who are living and struggling to get equivalence for their degrees and job in the gulf nation.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Equivalency of Indian degrees is mandatory for Indians to work in the UAE. Earlier UAE had rejected equivalency of some Indian degrees due to lack of clarity over both internal/external mark sheets by some of India universities as part of their degrees. This had created considerable difficulty for those seeking jobs in the nation and even for some teachers who were already working there, leading them to approach the Indian embassy for help.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Revived Decision of UAE Education Ministry</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It comes after Indian side issued clarification on the issue of the external and internal marks mentioned in mark lists.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It had reviewed information provided to it through ‘by University Grant Commission (UGC) under ‘Action Plan for Academic and Administrative Reforms’.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This action plan has clarified that word “external” in some of Indian mark sheets reflect method of evaluation and not place of study.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also has notified that it has no objection to equivalency of those degrees that meets all other certificate equivalency criteria.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also announced that applications which were rejected earlier will now be reviewed and equivalency letters will be issued after meeting all other certificate equivalency conditions.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'uae-to-issue-equivalency-to-all-indian-degrees', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/29c7/xyd019e6r498xzc6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/29c7/xyd019e6r498xzc6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UAE to issue equivalency to all Indian degrees', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, United Arab Emirates, UAE Ministry of Education, agreed, issue equivalency all Indian degrees, academic,professional match set criteria', 'metadescription' => 'United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Education has agreed to issue equivalency for all Indian degrees both academic and professional that match set criteria.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/o305wjr1moas80h/UAE_to_issue_equivalency.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 699, 'title' => 'US to recognise Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorist organization', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) Government is planning to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. It will be for first time US will formally declared another country's military as a terrorist group. Its announcement will come ahead of the first anniversary of US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of 2015 nuclear deal with Iran (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and to reimpose sanctions that had crippled Iran's economy.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran’s response</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran has warned of "crushing" response after US go ahead with the designation. IRGC commander in 2017 had warned that if US President goes ahead with the move then IRGC will consider US army to be like Islamic State all around the world.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Criticism</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Critics have warned that this could open US military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad. It also threatens regional stability in West Asia and threatens US forces, particularly placed in places such as Iraq, where Iran-aligned Shia militia are located in close proximity to US troops.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">US has already blacklisted dozens of entities and people for affiliations with the IRGC, but the organization as a whole is not. In 2007, US Treasury had designated IRGC's Quds Force, its unit in charge of operations abroad for its support of terrorism and has described it as Iran's primary arm for executing its policy of supporting terrorist and insurgent groups. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was set up after 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect Shiite clerical ruling system. It is Iran's most powerful security organization. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has control over large sectors of Iranian economy and has huge influence in its political system.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has estimated 125,000-strong military with army, navy and air units and answers to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is in charge of Iran's ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. It armory has missiles with range of up to 2,000 km that can target Israel and US military bases in the region.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-declare-iran-revolutionary-guards-terrorist-organization', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1a19/bej2ke7pxp6m8k86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1a19/bej2ke7pxp6m8k86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terror organization', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, United State, US Government, to designate, Iran's, Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), foreign terrorist organization. ', 'metadescription' => 'United States (US) Government is planning to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization. ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/q52z1226oe4bie6/US_to_recognise_Iran%27s.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 700, 'title' => 'G7 calls for greater role for women in peace processes', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Foreign ministers from Group of Seven (G7) countries have called for greater role for women in solving conflicts. They held that peace settlements with female involvement were more likely to endure. It was reiterated at meeting of G7 Foreign ministers held in northern French resort of Dinard to prepare for leader summit under French presidency in August 2019.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Outcomes of meeting</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">G7 have agreed "roadmap" to adopt mechanism for greater mobilisation worldwide to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">They vowed to enhance coordination to support women's participation in peace processes including in their roles as negotiators, mediators and peacebuilders.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">They held that inclusion of women in peace negotiations will be meaningfully as they play influential role in peace processes. Moreover, peace agreements negotiated by them are more likely to last for long term.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The reiterated need for mobilizing international community to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in conflict and also to help survivors and assist children born as result of sexual violence in conflict.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">According to UN Women's agency, between 1990 and 2017, women constituted only 2% of mediators, 8% of negotiators, and 5% of witnesses and signatories in all major peace process. France has placed gender inequality at heart of its presidency of G7 summit scheduled to be held in August 2019.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Group of Seven (G7) </span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is a group of seven major advanced economies as reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States. European Union is also represented at the G7 summit.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These seven countries collectively represent 58% of global net wealth ($317 trillion), more than 46% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) based on nominal values, and more than 32% global GDP based on purchasing power parity.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'g7-calls-greater-role-for-women-peace-processes', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/f34f/dh7w8w8sn4r18p76g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/f34f/dh7w8w8sn4r18p76g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'G7 calls for greater role for women in peace processes', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Foreign ministers,G7, Group of Seven, countries, greater role.r women, solving conflicts.', 'metadescription' => 'Foreign ministers from Group of Seven (G7) countries have called for greater role for women in solving conflicts.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/lq6d8zt2y3dvp9r/G7_calls_for_greater_role.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 819, 'title' => 'Iran, Pakistan agree to set up joint border reaction force', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up joint border reaction force at their borders for combatting terrorism. This was announced after talks with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. This decision comes after relations between both countries had strained following number of deadly attacks in Iran’s southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan (bordering Pakistan) by militant groups based in Pakistan.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In March 2109, Iran had demanded Pakistan act decisively against anti-Iranian terrorists, following February 2019 attack that killed 27 members of elite Revolutionary Guards in Sistan-Baluchistan. Iran had reported that Pakistani suicide bomber was behind attack, claimed by Sunni jihadist group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which Iran says operates mostly out of bases in Pakistan. Islamist as well as ethnic Baloch separatists operate in Balochistan, Pakistan's poorest province which borders Iran. Iran had accused Pakistan for not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering on its side across the border.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'iran-pakistan-agree-to-set-up-joint-border-reaction-force', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2e14/q5ngqee39aipxwn6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2e14/q5ngqee39aipxwn6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Iran, Pakistan agree to set up joint border reaction force', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Iran-Pakistan, agreed, set up, joint border reaction force, combatting terrorism', 'metadescription' => 'Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up joint border reaction force at their borders for combatting terrorism', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/kh3y4bv279ew436/Iran%2C_Pakistan_agree.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 823, 'title' => 'US to end waivers to India, 7 other nations importing Iranian oil', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United States (US) announced it will not renew six months sanction exemptions (known as Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs)) granted to eight countries including India for importing oil from Iran. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Purpose</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This decision of US to eliminate all SREs is aimed at achieving its national security objectives and pressurize Iran on complete denuclearization by squeezing Iran’s top export i.e. oil to zero and denying it its principal source of revenue.<strong> </strong>It also follows the designation of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as Foreign Terrorist Organization, another step towards putting pressure on Iran. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">US had re-imposed sanctions on Iran (kicked-in from November 2018) after it had withdrawn from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or P5+1-Iran nuclear deal in May 2019. These sanctions mainly were re-triggering of sanctions imposed prior to nuclear deal. They were aimed at targeting Iran’s oil exports and energy sectorm ability to purchase US Dollar notes & Trade in metals, besides other currency transactions. However, US had granted exemptions dubbed as <strong>Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs)</strong> from its sanctions for importing oil from Iran for 180-day period (to expire on May 2, 2019) for <strong>India and seven other countries (namely Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, China, Greece and Taiwan</strong>). The SREs were granted after these countries had made “significant reductions” in oil imports from Iran.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Impact on India</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is the world’s third-largest consumer of oil, with 85% of its crude oil and 34% of its natural gas requirements being fulfilled by imports. In 2016, India imported 215 million tonnes of crude oil and at 13</span>%<span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">, Iran stood third among India’s biggest oil suppliers, after Saudi Arabia and Iraq at 18% each.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is currently second biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China. But during six months exemption period, India was pushed by US to restrict its monthly crude oil purchase from Iran to 1.25 million tonnes in year (300,000 barrels per day) down from 22.6 million tonnes (452,000 barrels per day) bought in 2017-18 financial year. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Now pushed back on zero oil imports from Iran, it will have adverse impact on India’s economy as it will result in rise in price of crude oil in global market. It will hurt India’s economy because crude accounts for significant portion of India’s overall imports. If crude rises further, it will have impact the stability of the rupee and may also produce inflationary effect.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-end-waivers-on-importing-iranian-oil', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/eecf/ip7etv8ri6rs12e6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/eecf/ip7etv8ri6rs12e6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US to end waivers to India, 7 other nations importing Iranian oil', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, US,not, renewing, Significant Reduction Exceptions, eight countries, India,importing oil from Iran.', 'metadescription' => 'US will not renew six months sanction exemptions- Significant Reduction Exceptions (SREs) granted to eight countries including India for importing oil from Iran', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/uqgg39ymcw85e2r/US_to_end_waivers.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 839, 'title' => 'UN, EU sign joint framework on Counter-Terrorism', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">United Nations and European Union (EU) have signed joint framework<strong> on Counter-Terrorism</strong> aimed at strengthening partnership in counter-terrorism efforts. The framework was enacted on occasion of second EU-UN Leader’s Dialogue on Counter-Terrorism held in New York. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">UN-EU Framework on Counter-Terrorism</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It focuses on terrorism and violent extremism prevention in Africa, Middle East, and Asia and also supports victims and promote reintegration of terrorism offenders</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It proposes development of national and regional Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism (PCVE) action plans for promoting youth engagement and gender perspectives. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It ensures support to victims of terrorism and evolving threat of foreign terrorist fighters through establishment of Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Records (API/PNR) systems.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It encourages joint, effective and multilateral cooperation to improve safety of citizens in Europe and around globe and also strengthening respect for human rights and the rule of law.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'un-eu-sign-joint-framework-counter-Terrorism', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ec2e/ayhk22cxvi7847d6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ec2e/ayhk22cxvi7847d6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UN, EU sign joint framework on Counter-Terrorism', 'metakeyword' => 'UN, EU, sign, joint framework, Counter-Terrorism,strengthening partnership,counter-terrorism efforts', 'metadescription' => 'United Nations, European Union, sign, joint framework on Counter-Terrorism, strengthening partnership, counter-terrorism efforts', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/icicjmtbmlicdds/UN%2C_EU_sign.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 945, 'title' => 'China, Pakistan sign agreement on space exploration, manned missions', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China and Pakistan have signed agreement for co-operation in space exploration. It was signed during visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to China for 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF). The agreement marks new phase in space science cooperation including manned missions between all-weather allies.</span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China-Pak Space agreement </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will serve as high-level foundation for cooperation in space science and exploration. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission will establish China-Pakistan space committee chaired by top officials from both sides to address future collaborative issues.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Both space agencies will conduct scientific and technological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned space applications and achievement transformation.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Benefits of space cooperation </span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will help Pakistan in terms of satellite monitoring of agricultural production, land and resources surveying, natural disasters and waste handling in microgravity environment. It will also benefit China from cooperation, including for commercial applications of space technology, investment security and counter-terrorism.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Comment</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China has good track record of advanced space programme with successful manned missions besides exploration missions to Moon. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China is also building its space station which is expected to be ready by 2022. It has also unveiled plans to send spacecraft to Mars and Jupiter. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Since, Pakistan is China's all-weather friend, China is willing to provide know-how and technological support to foster Pakistan's technological development on peaceful use of outer space. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In 2018, China had sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit viz. PRSS-1 (Pakistan's first optical remote sensing satellite) and PakTES-1A (smaller observation crft) on-board Long March-2C carrier rocket. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This space agreement signifies that cooperation between China and Pakistan is not limited to infrastructure and resources, but it also concerns technology and innovation.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s ASAT Missile test</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The space agreement between China and Pakistan also comes close on heels of recent India's successful Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile test in March 2019. This successful test had made India fourth country in the world after US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. China had successfully tested its anti-satellite missile in January 2007 by destroying its ageing weather satellite.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'china-pakistan-space-co-operation-agreement', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/db29/73t2ds7494dkcxb6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/db29/73t2ds7494dkcxb6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'China, Pakistan sign agreement on space co-operation', 'metakeyword' => 'China-Pakistanm, agreement, space co-operation, 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF),manned missions ', 'metadescription' => 'China and Pakistan have signed agreement for co-operation in space exploration. It was signed during visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to China for 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF). ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/bovw6vt4m88tol0/China%2C_Pakistan_sign.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 981, 'title' => 'Russia President Vladimir Putin gives assent to sovereign internet bill', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Russia President Vladimir Putin signed into law sovereign internet bill which will allow Russian authorities to isolate or firewall country's internet. The new law is named as <strong>The Digital Economy National Programme</strong>. Its text was published recently and will come into effect from November 2019. This law seeks to increase cyber security and stability of Russian internet in the event of foreign interference.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Feature of this law</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is aimed at isolating or firewalling Russia’s internet (Runet) from rest of the world to ensure it could remain available and secure in event of cyber-attack or other incident. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It mandates that data from Russia organisations and users will remain within Russia, rather than being distributed globally. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It calls for setting up Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (also known as Roskomnadzor) to regulate internet traffic routing. It will steer Russian internet traffic away from foreign servers.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Russian Internet access providers (ISPs) need to ensure that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It creates system that gives Russian authorities capacity to block access to parts of the Internet in the country. It also introduces internet pre-filtering centres.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Criticism</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Critics say that this law aims to restrict information and communication online. It gives new censorship powers to government to monitor its citizens and isolate them from outside world. It also creates system that gives authorities extrajudicial and non-transparen capacity to block access to parts of internet in Russia.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'russia-sovereign-internet-bill', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cd0e/c5xhp79baqljhyc6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cd0e/c5xhp79baqljhyc6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Russia's sovereign internet bill | Russia's bill', 'metakeyword' => 'Russia President Vladimir Putin, signed into law, sovereign internet bill ,isolate or firewall,country's internet', 'metadescription' => 'Russia President Vladimir Putin signed into law sovereign internet bill which will allow Russian authorities to isolate or firewall country's internet', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/v11dseh9bo8fomm/Russia_President_Vladimir_Putin.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 980, 'title' => 'UN declares Masood Azhar as global terrorist', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations (UN) has designated Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by listing him in UN Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Sanctions Committee. It is huge diplomatic win for India. It comes after China dropped its objection to the listing. The "global terrorist" designation or UN proscribed terrorist will subject Masood Azhar to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. It also demonstrates longstanding international community's resolve to fight against terrorism and its enablers.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Masood Azhar </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">He is the founder and leader of Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, active mainly in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He had founded JeM after he was released by India in 1999 in exchange for the crew and passengers of Indian Airlines plane IC814 hijacked and flown to Kandahar in then Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. He is masterminded of numerous terror attacks in India including 2001 Parliament Attack, Pathankot airbase attack, Uri attack and most recently Pulwama suicide attack in February 2019. His terror organization JeM already has been designated as a terror group by UNSC 1267 sanctions committee in 2001. Past attempts to designate Azar global terrorist had failed since India had initiated move in UN to list him as global terrorist in 2009. This was mainly because of hold of China on behest of all weather strategic friend China, a veto wielding member of UNSC. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established as al-Qaeda/Taliban sanctions committee through UNSC Resolution 1267 in 1999. It prescribes a sanctions regime against designated terrorists and terrorist groups. It was renamed it as “ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee” (UNSCR/2253) in 2015. The listing of individual terrorist or terror organisation under sanctions committee results in: </span></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Assets freeze:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mandates all states to freeze without delay funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Travel ban:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It prevents entry of designated individuals into or transit by all states through their territories.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Arms embargo</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It requires all states to prevent direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals to designated individuals and entities. It also technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities under its ambit</span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'masood-azhar-global-terrorist', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c096/7chwejdgfv132o16g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c096/7chwejdgfv132o16g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UN declares Masood Azhar as global terrorist', 'metakeyword' => 'United Nations, designates, Masood Azhar, global terrorist,UN Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Sanctions Committee.', 'metadescription' => 'United Nations (UN) has designated Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by listing him in UN Security Council (UNSC) 1267 Sanctions Committee.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/xx0cyao8h1nint4/UN_declares_Masood.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 998, 'title' => '14th India-China border trade opened at Nathu La', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The 14th edition of annual Sino-Indian (India-China) border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim. To mark this function was held at Nathu La and was attended by officials and traders of both the countries. With this, Indian and Chinese traders will start tarding across their borders. The three open trading border posts between India and China viz. Nathu La (Sikkim) Shipkila (Himachal Pradesh) and Lipulekh (or Lipulech) in Uttarakhand.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India-China border trade</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The bilateral border trade between the two countries at Nathu La is organised four days a week for six months, between May 1 and November 30, every year. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The trade through this passage begins in May and continues till November, after which it is discontinued due to extremely cold and harsh weather conditions.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was restarted in 2006 after gap of 44 years. Chinese traders come to Sherathang in India near Nathula Pass to sell their items, while Indians trade at Rienchengang in Tibetan Autonomous Region(TAR) of China.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Total 36 items ranging from dairy products to utensils are on India's export list. While, total of 20 items, including carpets, quilts and jackets among others, are in the on import list from the TAR.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Last year, export of goods from India through Nathu La stood at Rs 45.03 crore, while items worth Rs 3.23 crore were imported from the TAR. In 2017, trade through Nathiala had suffered setback due to Doklam crisis.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => '14th-india-china-border-trade-nathu-la', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/746d/0zvx0uv6j7p1hdq6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/746d/0zvx0uv6j7p1hdq6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => '14th India-China border trade opened at Nathu La', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, 14th India-China border trade opened at Nathu La', 'metadescription' => '14th India-China border trade opened at Nathu La, The 14th edition of annual Sino-Indian (India-China) border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/v7s1g18trvx5y8b/14th_India-China.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1071, 'title' => 'US unveils Global Health Security Strategy', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United States unveiled its first of its kind Global Health Security Strategy aimed at preventing, detecting and responding to biological threats from infectious diseases occurring naturally or accidentally. It specifically identifies combatting biological threats and pandemics as cornerstone of national security. It also seeks to help improve world's ability to stop deadly outbreaks before they spread between countries. </span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US’s Global Health Security Strategy </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It considers biological threats, like infectious disease outbreaks, are a national security priority for the United States government.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It defines the actions administration will take by adopting a whole-of-government approach to health security and leveraging the strengths of different federal departments.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It outlines coordinated US approach that focuses on three interrelated goals: strengthen partner country global health security capacities, increase international support for global health security and a homeland prepared and resilient against global health threats.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, US-Centre for Disease Control (CDC) will increase its ability to monitor threats globally and provide rapid response through deployment of staff across. For this, CDC has developed Global Emergency Alert and Response Service.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US and International Partners</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under it, US will work with international partners to help improve world's ability to stop and contain infectious disease outbreaks before they spread between countries. It will help to improve their performance in priority areas. US will also encourage countries to strengthen their technical capacities and support select partner countries in areas such as emergency preparedness and disease surveillance. It will work to ensure that every partner country has plan to achieve self-reliance in critical area of health security.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-unveils-global-health-security-strategy', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d9e6/a1mb6ly7iyr29sl6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d9e6/a1mb6ly7iyr29sl6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US unveils Global Health Security Strategy', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, United States, unveils, Global Health Security Strategy, prevent, detect, respond bological threats, infectious diseases, naturally accidentally, ', 'metadescription' => 'In International Current Affairs, United States, unveils, Global Health Security Strategy, prevent, detect, respond bological threats, infectious diseases, naturally accidentally, ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/fh497eod43qovp8/US_unveils.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1090, 'title' => 'China hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">China is hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in its capital city Beijing form 15 to 22 May, 2019. It will be inaugurated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and also deliver a keynote speech. More than 2000 delegates from 47 Asian and world countries, including government officials, leaders from UNESCO and other international organizations, celebrities, educational institutions, film and television think tanks are participating in it. </span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Conference </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will focus on the exchange and mutual learning of Asia civilizations. It aims at boosting regional understanding and enhancing cooperation. It will focus on cultural diversity, exchanges and mutual learning. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will set into motion dialogue toward sharing experiences on Asian governance and Asian approaches to governance differing from Western one. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will be convened around three themes viz. Asian wisdom to promote political advancement, Asian community with a shared future and Asian solutions to benefit the people.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Asian civilization tours, cultural exhibitions, tourism fairs and food festivals will be held on the sidelines of this conference.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The idea of this conference was proposed by President Xi Jinping at Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia held in Shanghai in 2014. It aims at enhancing Asians' rich cultural lives and contribute to vibrant regional development. It seeks to achieve this by providing platform for interactions among young people, local communities and media and form cooperative network among think tanks, such as the Center for China and Globalization. This conference is seen in pursuance of fifth pillar (viz. people-to-people exchanges) of the China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'china-conference-dialogue-asian-civilizations', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ffbe/174a4yjtxda5oqo6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ffbe/174a4yjtxda5oqo6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'China hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations', 'metakeyword' => 'China is hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in its capital city Beijing form 15 to 22 May, 2019', 'metadescription' => 'China is hosting Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in its capital city Beijing form 15 to 22 May, 2019', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/isqa5e8isb221ez/China_hosting.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 20 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1105, 'title' => 'US places Chinese, Pakistani companies on entity list', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United States (US) has placed 12 foreign companies, including several entities from China and Pakistan in its entity list to ensure that sensitive technologies do not fall into wrong hands that will threaten its national security. The 12 entities that have blacklisted by US include four companies with locations in both China and Hong Kong along with two Chinese, one Pakistani and five Emirati persons.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Reasons for addition in Entity list</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Four new entities located in China and Hong Kong attempted to procure US origin commodities to support Iran’s nuclear programme, in violation of US export controls.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The two blacklisted Chinese entities participated in prohibited export of controlled technology and supplied it to organisations affiliated with People's Liberation Army (PLA).</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistani company was included in list for attempting to procure controlled technology on behalf of country's unsafeguarded nuclear activities.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Entity List</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is list of names of certain foreign persons, including businesses, government and private organizations, research institutions, individuals, and other types of legal persons that are subjected to specific license requirements for export, re-export or transfer (in-country) of specified items. It is maintained by Export Administration Regulations (EAR) of US. Persons placed on Entity List are subjected to licensing requirements and policies supplemental to those found elsewhere in EAR.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-chinese-pakistani-companies-entity-list', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/179b/d5p2rxoh9za8msw6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/179b/d5p2rxoh9za8msw6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US places Chinese, Pakistani companies on entity list', 'metakeyword' => 'US, placed, 12 foreign companies, China, Pakistan, entity list, ensure, sensitive technologies, do not fall, wrong hands, threaten national security', 'metadescription' => 'United States (US) has placed 12 foreign companies, including several entities from China and Pakistan in its entity list to ensure that sensitive technologies ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/gbuq9i6bspaks2k/US_places.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 21 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1112, 'title' => 'UN imposes sanctions against ISIS-Khorasan', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee has imposed sanctions on terror group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) for its links with Al-Qaeda and involvement in several attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is South Asia branch of Islamic State (ISIS). </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was listed for being associated with ISIS or al-Qaida and for participating in financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating acts or activities by supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material. It will now be subject to assets being frozen, travel ban and arms embargo.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K)</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is also known as Islamic State in Iraq and Levant - Khorasan (ISIL-K), ISIS South Asia Branch, Islamic State's Khorasan Province and South Asian Chapter of ISIL. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established in 2015 by a Pakistani national and former commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and former Taliban faction commanders who swore oath of allegiance to ISIS and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in both Afghanistan and Pakistan and has killed over 150 people. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has links with banned terror organisation Al-Qaeda and is engaged in other acts or activities indicating association with al-Qaeda, ISIS, or any cell, affiliate, splinter group of al-Qaeda in Iraq.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"> </p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established as al-Qaeda/Taliban sanctions committee through UNSC Resolution 1267 in 1999. It prescribes a sanctions regime against designated terrorists and terrorist groups. It was renamed it as “ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee” (UNSCR/2253) in 2015. The listing of individual terrorist or terror organisation under sanctions committee results in:</span></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Assets freeze:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mandates all states to freeze without delay funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Travel ban:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It prevents entry of designated individuals into or transit by all states through their territories.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Arms embargo:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It requires all states to prevent direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals to designated individuals and entities. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It also includes technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities under its ambit.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'un-sanctions-isis-khorasan', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a630/plby4nhukk8ycvm6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a630/plby4nhukk8ycvm6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UN imposes sanctions against ISIS-Khorasan', 'metakeyword' => 'United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee has imposed sanctions on terror group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K)', 'metadescription' => 'United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee has imposed sanctions on terror group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K)', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/4rpgd61udv1n0kn/UN_imposes.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 22 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1113, 'title' => 'Christchurch Call Initiative launched to curb online extremism', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern launched Christchurch Call Initative aimed at stopping abuse of the Internet by extremists. It was launched during Online Extremism Summit in Paris, France.</span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It outlines collective, voluntary commitments from governments, tech companies and internet service providers to address issue of terrorist and violent extremist content online and to prevent abuse of the internet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Signatories: </span></span></span></span></strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Total 17 countries including </span></span></span></span><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India,</span></span></span></span></strong><span style="font-family:Quicksand,serif; font-size:10pt"> France, New Zealand, Canada, Britain, Canada, Ireland, Senegal, Indonesia and Norway etc </span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">and European Union.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Quicksand,serif; font-size:10pt"> Besides, it also has been signed by tech giants viz. Twitter, Facebook, Google, Mirosoft etc.</span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Christchurch Call Initiative</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is non-binding set of agreement aimed at to combat terrorism and extremism online and secure the internet. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is first of its type voluntary document open to both private companies and major governments.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has been named after New Zealand city Christchurch where 51 people were killed in an attack on mosques.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It asks signatory nations to pledge to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content on social media and other online platforms. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It asks them to adopt and enforce laws that ban objectionable material and set guidelines on for traditional media on reporting acts of terrorism without amplifying them.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It calls on tech companies to enforce their terms of service and re-evaluate their algorithms that direct users to extremist content by redirecting people looking for extremist material.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Limitations</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It does not define violent extremist content. It does not contain any enforcement or regulatory measures and leaves it up to each individual country and company to decide how it will honour its voluntary commitments. Moreover, it is up to individual companies to decide on what constituted objectionable material</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Christchurch attack on mosques in New Zealand on March 15, 2019 had highlighted urgent need for action and enhanced cooperation among wide range of actors with influence over this issue, including governments, civil society, and online service providers, such as social media companies, to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. In this terror attack 51 Muslims were killed while worshipping at two mosques and many more injured. The mass murder was livestreamed from head-mounted camera on Facebook and redistributed hundreds of thousands of times. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'christchurch-call-initiative-curb-online-extremism', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d104/ezu1hak0hw9bp1l6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d104/ezu1hak0hw9bp1l6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Christchurch Call Initiative launched to curb online extremism', 'metakeyword' => 'Christchurch Call Initative,Launched, stop abuse of the Internet by extremists', 'metadescription' => 'Christchurch Call Initative launched aimed at stopping abuse of the Internet by extremists', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/5hh828yq9xdfozw/Christchurch_Call.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 23 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1120, 'title' => 'Taiwan: 1st Asian country to legalize Same-Sex Marriage', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Taiwan’s parliament has passed bill legalize same-sex marriage. It makes Taiwan first country in Asia to legalise same sex marriage. Now the Bill will require Presidential assent to become full fledge law.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Features of the Bill</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It allows same-sex couples to form 'exclusive permanent unions'. It also provides legal backing for them to apply for a 'marriage registration' with government agencies. It also includes provisions for limited adoption rights. It has some provisions for some tax and insurance benefits to same-sex married couples.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In 2017, Taiwan's Constitutional Court had ruled that same-sex couples had right to legally marry. It had given Parliament two-year deadline to incorporate changes by amending its laws, or same-sex marriage will automatically go into effect by May 24, 2019. But the debate over same-sex marriage was deeply contentious issues in both in parliament and in the public, In November 2018, Taiwanese voters had overwhelmingly rejected same-sex marriage in a referendum. However, the referendum was nonbinding and did not change Constitutional Court’s ruling.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Australia and New Zealand are the only two countries in wider Asia-Pacific region that have legalized same sex marriages by passing laws. Vietnam decriminalised gay marriage celebrations in 2015. It is still illegal in China but homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 and officially removed from its list of mental illnesses in 2000. Most recently in April 2019, Brunei had announced strict new Islamic laws that mage gay sex and adultery offences punishable by stoning to death. Elsewhere in Asia, laws are changing wrt to same sex marriages, reflecting more tolerant attitudes towards LGBT groups.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian Scenario:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Supreme Court in September 2018 had ruled that consensual gay sex is no longer criminal offence under IPC section 377.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'taiwan-1st-asian-country-legalize-same-sex-marriage', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e948/x36suuyxs94dp976g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e948/x36suuyxs94dp976g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Taiwan: 1st Asian country to legalize Same-Sex Marriage', 'metakeyword' => 'Taiwan’s parliament has passed bill legalize same-sex marriage. It makes Taiwan first country in Asia to legalise same sex marriage', 'metadescription' => 'Taiwan’s parliament has passed bill legalize same-sex marriage. It makes Taiwan first country in Asia to legalise same sex marriage', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/97q1xk2k6n27nn1/Taiwan.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 24 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1125, 'title' => 'USMCA: US reaches deal to lift steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United States (US) has reached agreement with Canada and Mexico to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium and corresponding retaliatory tariffs. Elimination of these tariffs is expected to remove significant barrier to ratification of </span></span><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is sometimes referred to as "New NAFTA" in reference to previous trilateral agreement it is meant to supersede North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is new free trade agreement signed by US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November 2018. It is intended to last 16 years and will be reviewed every 6 years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">As compared to NAFTA, it includes stronger protections for workers, tough environmental rules, updates trade relationship to cover digital economy and provides tougher intellectual property protections. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It also adds provisions to prevent “manipulation” of trade rules, including covering currency values, and controls over outside countries trying to take advantage of the duty-free market.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It gives US greater access to dairy markets of Canada. (Earlier Canada’s tariffs up to 275</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">% have kept most foreign milk out of its market). It empowers Canada and Mexico to have quota of 2.6 million cars they can export to US as protection for their car industry, if US imposes 25</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">%global tariff on car imports, </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-deal-lift-steel-aluminum-tariffs', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a48f/4n4yxb6lraghy3o6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a48f/4n4yxb6lraghy3o6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US reaches deal to lift steel and aluminum tariffs', 'metakeyword' => 'United States (US) has reached agreement with Canada and Mexico to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium and corresponding retaliatory tariffs. Elimination of these tariffs is expected to remove significant barrier to ratification of USMCA.', 'metadescription' => 'United States (US) has reached agreement with Canada and Mexico to lift tariffs on steel and aluminium and corresponding retaliatory tariffs. Elimination of these tariffs', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ygw78bv4cby7vua/USMCA.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 25 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1142, 'title' => 'UAE launches Golden Card scheme', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched 'Golden Card' scheme. It is permanent residency scheme aimed at wooing wealthy individuals and exceptional talents in the gulf state. Under it, first group of 6,800 investors from over 70 countries with investments totaling 100 billion dirhams (US $27 billion) already have given permanent residency.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Golden Card scheme </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It offers unprecedented benefits to cardholders and their families while creating an attractive environment for business and growth.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is open to investors and "exceptional talents" such as doctors, engineers, scientists, students and artists.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Purpose of scheme:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It seeks to attract greater foreign investment and stimulate local economy, making it more efficient and attractive for investors. It also seeks to increase UAE's competitiveness and reaffirms the country's position as a global incubator.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Golden Card visa categories</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It include general investors who will be granted 10-year visa, real estate investors, who can get visa for five years, along with entrepreneurs and talented professionals such as doctors, researchers and innovators 10 years. It also includes category for outstanding students, who will also be permitted residency visas for five years. In these all categories of visas, can be renewed upon expiry.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Impact on India</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This residency scheme will attract more Indian professionals and businessmen to the Gulf nation. The Indian expatriate community is reportedly largest ethnic community in the UAE, constituting roughly about 30</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of the country's population of around nine million. Though most of the Indians living in the UAE are employed, about 10</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of the Indian population constitutes dependent family members. It will result in diversion of wealth, talent from India to UAE.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'uae-launches-golden-card-scheme', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6602/8k3w0sug23souk86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6602/8k3w0sug23souk86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UAE launches Golden Card scheme | Golden Card ', 'metakeyword' => 'United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched 'Golden Card' scheme. It is permanent residency scheme aimed at wooing wealthy individuals and exceptional talents in the gulf state', 'metadescription' => 'United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched 'Golden Card' scheme. It is permanent residency scheme aimed at wooing wealthy individuals and exceptional talents in the gulf state', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/jifid0k28qxg0uy/UAE_launches.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 26 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1189, 'title' => 'WHO declares Algeria, Argentina as malaria-free', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared Algeria and Argentina as malaria-free countries after no cases of indigenous transmission of disease were recorded. The certificates were presented on sidelines of the 72nd session of the World Health Assembly.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Criteria for WHO malaria-free certification</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Country has to prove that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of malaria for at least three consecutive years. So far total of 36 countries have received malaria free certification from WHO. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The last case of indigenous malaria reported from Algeria was in 2013 and fro, Argentina in 2010. With this, Algeria became second African country to be declared malaria-free, after Mauritius (certified in 1973). Argentina is second country in South America to be certified malaria after Paraguay (June 2018).</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Malaria </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is mosquito-borne infectious disease most commonly transmitted through the bite of infected <strong><em>female Anopheles mosquito</em></strong>. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It caused by parasitic protozoans (a group of single-celled microorganisms) belonging to Plasmodium type. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Its initial symptoms include fever, headache and chills which are difficult to detect as malaria. If these symptoms are not treated within 24 hours, they can lead to serious illness and death. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Children suffering from malaria may develop severe anaemia, respiratory distress or cerebral malaria. Adults who have malaria could experience multi-organ failure. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Prevention and Treatment</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: Early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to curb spread of this disease.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">According to WHO’s World malaria report 2018, Malaria remains one of world’s leading killers. In 2017, it accounted for estimated 219 million cases from 87 countries and over 400,000 deaths. Over 60</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> of fatalities were among children under 5 years and had caused 266,000 deaths worldwide.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Africa had highest share of the global malaria burden in 2017, accounting for 92</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of malaria cases and 93</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">% </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">of malaria deaths. Four countries in Africa accounted for nearly half of all malaria cases worldwide: Nigeria (25</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">), Democratic Republic of Congo (11</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">), Mozambique (5</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">), and Uganda (4</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">%</span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">).</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'who-declares-algeria-argentina-malaria-free', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/06ab/2a9zoq4cgqgty1d6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/06ab/2a9zoq4cgqgty1d6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'WHO declares Algeria, Argentina as malaria-free', 'metakeyword' => 'The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared Algeria and Argentina as malaria-free countries after no cases of indigenous transmission of disease were recorded. ', 'metadescription' => 'The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared Algeria and Argentina as malaria-free countries after no cases of indigenous transmission of disease were recorded. ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ujhde01cumu4v28/WHO_declares.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 27 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1198, 'title' => 'UNGA passes resolution demanding UK to withdraw from Chagos Archipelago', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a non-binding resolution asking United Kingdom (UK) to return to Mauritius Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean. The resolution also welcomed February 2019 advisory opinion of International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences of separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965. India was among 116 nations to vote in favour of this UNGA resolution.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What is the issue? </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chagos Archipelago is group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 islands in Indian Ocean about 500 km south of the Maldives.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It had been part of Mauritius since 18th century when the French first settled the islands. All of the islands of French colonial territory in region were ceded to British in 1810.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">However, UK had retained sovereignty over islands to form British Indian Ocean Territory after Mauritius gained its independence from Britain in 1968. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The islands have since been used for defence purposes by UK and United States, which established a military base on island of Diego Garcia (the largest of the islands). </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The entire population of Chagos islands was forcibly removed by UK from the territory between 1967 and 1973, and prevented from returning.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Mauritius claimes sovereignty over islands and states that Britain’s claim is violation of law and of UN resolutions especially one that bans dismemberment of colonial territories before independence.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">ICJ verdict</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In February 2019, ICJ, the principal judicial body of UN in its opinion had held UK Government is “under an obligation” to end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago “as rapidly as possible”.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">UNGA Resolution</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It affirms in accordance with advisory opinion of ICJ that Chagos Archipelago forms an integral part of the territory of Mauritius.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It demands UK withdraw its colonial administration from Chagos Archipelago unconditionally within six months and support Mauritius in its quest for restoration of sovereignty over the island chain.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s Position</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India voted in support of the resolution and hailed that is as part of its longstanding support to all peoples striving for decolonization. India has consistently supported Mauritius in its quest for restoration of its sovereignty over Chagos Archipelago. It urged concerned Governments to reach a mutually agreeable understanding as soon as possible</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'un-asks-uk-to-withdraw-from-chagos-archipelago', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0b8f/3slaivzh1a79x936g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0b8f/3slaivzh1a79x936g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UN asks UK to withdraw from Chagos Archipelago', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, UNGA passed a non-binding resolution asking United Kingdom (UK) to return to Mauritius Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean.', 'metadescription' => 'UNGA passed a non-binding resolution asking United Kingdom (UK) to return to Mauritius Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/4n92pttl198rtk8/UNGA_passes.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 28 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1328, 'title' => 'Yousef Aldobeay appointed as OIC’s special envoy for Jammu & Kashmir', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has appointed Saudi Arabia’s Yousef Aldobeay as its special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). This decision was taken at the 14th Islamic Summit of the OIC held in holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Purpose of appointment</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">OIC held that it fully supports people of J&K’s achievement of their legitimate rights. It also called upon India to hold referendum in J&K under United Nations’ patronage.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">No support of all OIC countries</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The decision to appoint special envoy for Kashmir issue was primarily decision of few countries of OIC contact group on Kashmir and not all OIC members were party to the decision and maintained neutral stance on the issue. Some of the key OIC member states across continents have not been in favour of a strong position on Kashmir.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Why this decision was taken?</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is believed that complicated political situation in West Asia, particularly tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran coupled with dependence of some key nations in the region on Pakistan Army against Houthis and Iran, may have prompted OIC to appoint a special envoy for Kashmir.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The developments came within three months of the OIC foreign ministers’ meet in UAE where India for first time was invited as guest of honour for the plenary session. On that occasion,</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistan had tried to use every session to defame India but had failed to get Kashmir issue mentioned in the final joint declaration as the hosts and Saudi Arabia ensured that the guest (India) was not embarrassed.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">However, it is believed that role of Pakistan Army in support of Gulf states amid tensions with Iran may have played role in the decision to appoint special envoy in response to Pakistan Government’s request for such a post.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s position</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Union Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) spokesperson held that OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to state of J&K, which is an integral part of India.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is reiterated that OIC should refrain from making such unwarranted references. India categorically rejects yet another unacceptable reference to matters internal to India in Final Communiqe adopted at conclusion of the 14th Islamic Summit of OIC member states held at Makkah, Saudi Arabia. </span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:13pt"><span style="font-family:Cambria,serif"><span style="color:#4f81bd">About Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)</span></span></span></h2> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is international organization that aims to provide collective voice to Muslim world and safeguard and protect interests of Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was established in 1969. It has administrative centre (headquarters/ Secretariat) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is second largest inter-governmental organization after United Nations.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It consists of 56 member states spread over four continents with collective population of over 1.3 billion as of 2009 with 47 countries being Muslim Majority countries. It has five observer states.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It has permanent delegations to UN and European Union. Its official languages are Arabic, English, and French.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Issues with India:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Over the past few decades, India had, at best, prickly relationship with OIC, largely because Pakistan frequently used this grouping to target India on Kashmir issue. OIC on behest of Pakistan regarded parts of Kashmir as “occupied by India”.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India was blocked country, though it is third largest country (after Indonesia and Pakistan) in terms of Muslim population (It has about 12% of world’s Muslim population).</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">OIC was seen as pro Pakistan and its allies in Arab world have also had blocked attempts to give observer status to India.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'yousef-aldobeay-oic-special-envoy-kashmir', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6d5a/l9810t18rcaak7f6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6d5a/l9810t18rcaak7f6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Yousef Aldobeay appointed as OIC’s special envoy for J&K', 'metakeyword' => 'Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, Saudi Arabia, Yousef Aldobeay, special envoy, Jammu and Kashmir, 14th Islamic Summit, OIC, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.', 'metadescription' => 'Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has appointed Saudi Arabia’s Yousef Aldobeay as its special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). This decision was taken at the 14th Islamic Summit of the OIC held in holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/amkj0a3lhi44o3h/Yousef_Aldobeay_appointed_as_OIC%C6s_special_envoy_for_Jammu_%26_Kashmir.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 29 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1387, 'title' => 'Russia not to unilaterally extend New START treaty', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia was prepared to drop New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the US. He said that Russia will not unilaterally extend New START with US as President Donald Trump administration has showed no genuine interest in conducting talks on extending the treaty.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> If New START falls, it will be second nuclear weapons treaty between US and Russia to collapse under leadership of US President Donald Trump. In February 2019, US had unilaterally withdrawn from the <a href="https://www.studyiq.com/currentaffairs/topics/international-affairs/us-suspends-intermediate-range-nuclear-forces-treaty-with-russia">1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF)</a>, accusing Russia of violating the agreement. Russia then followed the same suit.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START)</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is nuclear arms reduction treaty between signed between United States and Russia. Its formal name is Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was signed by US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in 2010. It had entered into force in February 2011 after ratification. It is expected to last at least until 2021.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It had replaced 1991 START I treaty, which expired December 2009, and superseded 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objective:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It was aimed at capping the number of nuclear warheads of US and Russia well below Cold War limits. Under terms of this treaty, number of strategic nuclear missile launchers were to be reduced by half and new inspection and verification regime was to be established, replacing SORT mechanism. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Significance:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It was first verifiable US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty to take effect since START I in 1994. It continued bipartisan process of verifiably reducing US and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals begun by former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'russia-stops-new-start-treaty', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e465/d5dbbuh7p997kl86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e465/d5dbbuh7p997kl86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Russia not to unilaterally extend New START treaty', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia, prepared, drop, New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, New START, with US', 'metadescription' => 'Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia was prepared to drop New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the US.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/b9usrw6f2dwd2f9/Russia_not_to.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 30 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1631, 'title' => 'Iran breaches limit of enriched uranium under JCPOA', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">United Nations’ atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran has breached uranium enrichment limit set out in 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It has exceeded 300-kilogramme limit on its enriched uranium reserves set under this agreement. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This marks first major departure by Iran from nuclear deal it had agreed with world powers (P5+1), a year after US unilaterally withdrew from it and imposed sanctions. European nations had warned that any violation by Iran will bring consequences, and deal allows for re-imposition of multilateral sanctions that were lifted in return for Iran limiting its nuclear activities.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Iran also has threatened it is planning to further increase its enrichment of uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and suspend its other commitments under JCPOA deal unless European powers take practical and tangible steps to implement their new mechanism for facilitating trade and shield Iranian economy from the effects of US sanctions.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is informally called as ‘Iran nuclear deal’. It is multilateral nuclear deal signed between Iran and P5+1 (five permanent members of United Nations Security Council- United States, Russia, China, France, and United Kingdom plus Germany and European Union) in Vienna, Austria in July 2015. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Objective:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It was aimed at preventing Iran from building nuclear weapon, involved lifting of international sanctions in return for Iran curbs its nuclear programme.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Features:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mandated Iran to drastically reduce its uranium enriching capacity and levels, enriched stockpiles and centrifuges and allow stringent inspection and monitoring by international agencies including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">In exchange for compliance, multilateral economic sanctions imposed on Iran were removed and allowed Iran to business deals. It also had allowed Iran to access billions of dollars it had overseas before multilateral sanctions were imposed.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Enrichment Limits:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Iran was only permitted to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU), which has a 3-4% concentration of U-235, and can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants. It also restricted Iran to stockpiling no more than 300kg of the low-enriched uranium. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Enriching uranium to low level of 3.6% fissile material is first step in process that could eventually allow Iran to amass enough highly-enriched uranium to build a nuclear warhead.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What is enriched uranium?</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is produced by feeding uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas into centrifuges to separate out the most suitable isotope for nuclear fission, called U-235. Prior to enrichment, uranium ore concentrate must be converted into UF6. Weapons-grade uranium is 90% enriched or more.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'iran-breaches- enriched-uranium-limit', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cab9/8ydg4gbgdzaldu26g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cab9/8ydg4gbgdzaldu26g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'JCPOA: Iran breaches limit of enriched uranium', 'metakeyword' => 'IAEA has confirmed that Iran has breached uranium enrichment limit set out in 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)', 'metadescription' => 'IAEA has confirmed that Iran has breached uranium enrichment limit set out in 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/mzga5rjyymsdiij/Iran_breaches_limit.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 31 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 258, 'title' => 'Afghanistan launches new export route via Iran's Chabahar Port', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Landlocked Afghanistan has launched new export route that will allow it to export goods to India through Chabahar port in Iran. As part of it, first shipment of 570 tonnes goods comprising of dried fruits, textiles, carpets etc. in 23 trucks were dispatched from western Afghan city of Zaranj to Chabahar port. This consignment will be shipped to Indian city of Mumbai.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Zaranj-Chabahar route </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It connects Afghanistan’s national Highway 1 to Iranian border at Zarang (final Afghan town near Iran border crossing). </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It turns into Iranian highway A-71 across border, which runs westward to Zabol. From Zabol, it is connected to Chabahar port by Iranian national highways 99 and 95.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India has invested in this route’s major port facilities at Chabahar and additionally helped develop a road—Zaranj-Delaram highway. It also supported initial stages of railroad connect Chabahar to Iranian city of Zahedan.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help Afghanistan and India to bypass Pakistan (as Pakistan’s borders with both India and Afghanistan are tightly controlled, with minor land-based trade between the countries).</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will help landlocked, war-torn Afghanistan to turn to overseas markets for exports to improve its economy. In long run it will give boost to regional connectivity.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will contribute significantly for Afghanistan’s economy and meet their needs of non-sanctionable goods such as food and medicines.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India is Afghanistan’s largest export destination and its exports to India stood at $740 million in 2018. Both countries had established air corridor in 2017 to boost the trade relations. US also granted exception to India for development of Chabahar port under the reimposed of sanctions on Iran after withdrawal from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). India had sent 1.1 million tonnes of wheat and 2,000 tonnes of lentils to Afghanistan through Chabahar.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Chabbar Port</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is strategically located in Sistan-Balochistan province on energy-rich Iran’s southern coast in Gulf of Oman. It is less than 150km from Chinese built port of Gwadar in Pakistan. It is seen as golden gateway for India to access landlocked markets of Afghanistan and Central Asian markets bypassing Pakistan. India and Iran signed “historic” agreement for development of this port in May 2016. Shahid Beheshti port or phase 1 of Chabahar was made operational in February 2018. </span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'afghanistan-new-export-route-chabahar-port', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1afb/cka2z8lpunpb1d56g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1afb/cka2z8lpunpb1d56g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Afghanistan launches new export route via Iran's', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Afghanistan,launches,new export route, export goods,India,Chabahar port,Iran, India-Afghanistan', 'metadescription' => 'Landlocked Afghanistan has launched new export route that will allow it to export goods to India through Chabahar port in Iran. As part of it', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/998cc50ch37bqvf/26feb_Afghanistan_launches_new_export.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 32 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 334, 'title' => 'Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue – 2019 to be held in New Delhi', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) - 2019 will be held at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. It will be held in continuation of process of engaging global strategic community in annual review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">IPRD - 2019</span></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be organized by Indian Navy and its knowledge partner National Maritime Foundation.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will witness active participation of globally-renowned domain experts and policy-makers from thirteen countries of Indo-Pacific. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will build upon foundation laid by inaugural edition and will examine five new themes: (i) Practical solutions for achieving cohesion in region through maritime connectivity (ii) measures to attain and maintain free-and-open Indo-Pacific (iii) regional approach to region’s transition from ‘Brown’ to ‘Blue’ economy (iv) opportunities and challenges arising from maritime impact of ‘Industry 4.0’ (v) how twin conceptualisations of ‘SAGARMALA’ and ‘SAGAR’ might best be made mutually-reinforcing on a regional level. </span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its idea was first conceptualised and conducted in 2018, as apex level conference of Indian Navy. It was organised by National Maritime Foundation as its knowledge partner. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its permanent theme is review of India’s opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its aim is to focus attention on Indo-Pacific, as maritime geographical-entity, while deliberating aspects of great relevance to regional geopolitics. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It provides platform for substantive and insightful discussions pertaining to geopolitical developments affecting maritime domain of Indo-Pacific and provides policy-relevant inputs to policy-makers and public at large.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'indo-pacific-regiona-dialogue-2019-new-delhi', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cf0f/av6999fsbb9ktur6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/cf0f/av6999fsbb9ktur6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue – 2019 to be held in ND', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Second Edition, Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue, IPRD 2019, New Delhi', 'metadescription' => 'Second edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) - 2019 will be held at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/9k90i4s290azxxa/4Mar_Indo-Pacific_Regional_Dialogue.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 33 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 143, 'title' => '2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit held in Guwahati', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The second edition of ASEAN-India Youth Summit was held in Guwahati, Assam from 5 February to 7 February 2019. It was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">ASEAN-India Youth Summit 2019</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was organised by India Foundation and Union Ministry of External Affairs.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its theme was “<em>Connectivity: Pathway to Shared Prosperity</em>”.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It had seen participation of over 100 youth delegates from 10 ASEAN countries viz. Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">ASEAN-India Youth Summit </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was launched in 2017 to commemorate 25th anniversary ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It aims to provide platform for youth leaders of both India and ASEAN to engage with each other to develop a resilient and symbiotic relationship between countries.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The first India-ASEAN Youth Summit 2017 was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh with theme “<em>Shared Values, Common Destiny”</em>. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was organized by India Foundation, in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat and Ministry of External Affairs.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is regional intergovernmental organization comprising 10 countries in Southeast Asia viz. Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, sociocultural and educational integration among its members and other countries in Asia. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was established on August 8, 1967, after adaptation ASEAN declaration (also known as Bangkok Declaration). Its secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => '2nd-asean-india-youth-summit', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/468c/4ilm27ugrkuhipi6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/468c/4ilm27ugrkuhipi6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => '2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit held in Guwahati', 'metakeyword' => 'In International Current Affairs, Second, ASEAN-India Youth Summit, Guwahati, Assam ', 'metadescription' => 'Second edition of ASEAN-India Youth Summit was held in Guwahati, Assam from 5 February to 7 February 2019', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/lduoxlfy4y52b4t/13feb_2nd_ASEAN-India_Youth.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 34 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1682, 'title' => 'WHO declares Sri Lanka measles-free nation', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that measles disease has been eradicated in the island nation of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is fifth country in WHO southeast Asia region to eliminate measles. The other countries in region to achieve this feat are Bhutan, Maldives, South Korea and Timor-Leste.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The elimination of disease means that there have been zero new cases of the disease in the last three years. Sri Lanka had reported its last case of measles caused by an indigenous virus in May 2016. Its elimination of measles comes year after it achieved rubella control. Rubella control is achieved when a country reduces the number of rubella cases by 95% as compared to cases in 2008. Sri Lanka’s achievement comes at time when measles cases are increasing globally,</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Measles</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is a highly contagious airborne viral disease transmitted orally, through mucus or saliva. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Transmission:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It mainly affects children and can be spread rapidly through the air due to sneezing or a cough, making it is highly infectious airborne disease. The virus can live for up to two hours in air or on nearby surfaces. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Symptoms:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It begins with high fever, and several days later characteristic red rash appears on the face and then spreads over the body. Later it, causes debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis, severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Most patients affected by it recover within three weeks.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Fatality:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Most of those infected with this disease and who die are less than five years old. Annually Measles affects about 20 million people across the world and primarily in the developing areas of Asia and Africa.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Prevention:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is easily preventable by routine measles vaccination for children, combined with mass immunization campaigns in countries with low routine coverage.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India’s Progress:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India is still far from achieving this milestone. According to latest Global Measles and Rubella Update, India had 56,399 confirmed measles cases and 1,066 confirmed rubella cases in 2018.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'who-declares-sri-lanka-measles-free-nation', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ccaf/iabj3bxdjl5f5ld6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ccaf/iabj3bxdjl5f5ld6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'WHO declares Sri Lanka measles-free nation', 'metakeyword' => 'World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that measles disease has been eradicated in the island nation of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is fifth country in WHO southeast Asia region to eliminate measles', 'metadescription' => 'World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that measles disease has been eradicated in the island nation of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is fifth country in WHO ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/deflov1j4pnzffh/WHO_declares_Sri_Lanka_measles-free_nation.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 35 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1708, 'title' => 'Reko Diq case: US$5 billion penalty imposed on Pakistan', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has imposed US $5.976 billion penalty on cash strapped Pakistan for unlawful denial of mining lease to company for Reko Diq project in 2011. It is one of biggest penalty imposed on Pakistan in its history. In this case, ICSID awarded US $4.08 billion penalty and US $1.87 billion in interests.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Reko Diq mine </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Reko Diq, which means sandy peak in Balochi language is a small town in Chagai district in Balochis­tan, close to border with Iran and Afgha­nistan. Reko Diq mine is famous for its vast gold and copper reserves and is believed to have the world's fifth largest gold deposit.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What is the issue?</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) - a joint venture (JV) between Chilean mining company Antofagasta and Canada's Barrick Gold Corporation had completed extensive and detailed bankable feasibility study establishing basis for mine development at Reko Diq during August 2010 and submitted mining lease application in February 2011, along with environmental and social impact assessment report. Its mining project was stopped in November 2011, when Balochistan government summarily rejected application by TCC's local operating subsidiary for a mining lease in respect of Reko Diq. Besides, Pakistan’s Supreme Court also had in January 2013 declared Reko Diq agreement void and in conflict with the country's laws.TCC had filed claims for international arbitration before World Bank's ICSID in 2012 after Balochistan government rejected a leasing request from the company. It had claimed US $11.43 billion in damages. The case between Pakistan government and company continued for seven years.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is autonomous, multilateral specialized institution to encourage international flow of investment and mitigate non-commercial risks by treaty drafted by International Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (IBRD) executive directors and signed by member countries. It also serves as international arbitration institution for resolving legal dispute resolution and conciliation between international investors. It also performs advisory activities and maintains several publications.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is part of and funded by World Bank Group. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, in the United States. It was established in 1966 by Convention on Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (also known as ICSID Convention). 153 contracting member states agreed to enforce and uphold arbitral awards in accordance with ICSID Convention</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'reko-diq-case-pakistan-penalty', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/29d4/u8sdraypqskqtdj6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/29d4/u8sdraypqskqtdj6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Reko Diq case: US$5 billion penalty imposed', 'metakeyword' => 'World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has imposed US $5.976 billion penalty on cash strapped Pakistan', 'metadescription' => 'World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has imposed US $5.976 billion penalty on cash strapped Pakistan', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/le76fmksjvm6li2/Reko_Diq_case_US%245_billion_penalty_imposed_on_Pakistan.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 36 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1731, 'title' => 'Pakistan opens its airspace for all civilian airlines', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistan has opened its airspace for all civilian airlines for first time since February 26, 2019 Balakot air strike. This decision effectively removes ban on Indian flights that were not allowed to use majority of its airspace since the Balakot airstrikes. In this regard, Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) stating that Pakistan airspace is open for all type of civil traffic with immediate effect on published ATS (air traffic service) routes. The move is expected to result in reduction of flight times by around 70-80 minutes for flights that earlier used Pakistan’s airspace for transit.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 in response to non-military counter-terrorism airstrike conducted by Indian Air Force (IAF) against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist camps in Balakot in retaliation to the Pulwama attack on February 14. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Initially, Pakistan had completely closed its airspace. However, it later relaxed restrictions on overflying country partially. Out of total 11 air routes in Pakistan’s territory, it has opened up two since March 2019. One of these is westbound waypoint over Arabian Sea towards Karachi, Hingol, Gwadar, and other one is eastbound over Karachi, Badin into Gujarat, India towards Ahmedabad.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Impact of Ban:</span></span></strong> <span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The closure of routes affected hundreds of east-west flights flying over the subcontinent and westbound flights from airports in northern India were worst affected. Indian carriers together had lost over Rs 550 crore as restrictions had resulted in longer flight times as they were forced to take a longer route to avoid Pakistan airspace which resulted in higher fuel and operation bills.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'pakistan-opens-airspace-civilian-airlines', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c39c/7men6i0vnt7tq2i6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/c39c/7men6i0vnt7tq2i6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Pakistan opens its airspace for all civilian airlines', 'metakeyword' => 'Pakistan has opened its airspace for all civilian airlines for first time since February 26, 2019 Balakot air strike. ', 'metadescription' => 'Pakistan has opened its airspace for all civilian airlines for first time since February 26, 2019 Balakot air strike', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/39o9byt1n7pcy4b/Pakistan_opens_its_airspace.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 37 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1737, 'title' => 'WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo as Global Health Emergency', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”. This is for fifth time WHO has invoked emergency provision (PHEIC). It was earlier declared in <em>2009 H1N1 (or swine flu) pandemic, 2014 polio declaration, 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa </em>and <em>2015–16 Zika virus epidemic</em>.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is rare designation only used foe gravest epidemics by WHO. It is the highest level of emergency alarm the WHO can sound.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is extraordinary event which is determined to constitute public health risk to other States through international spread of disease. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It calls for coordinated international response that needs to be formulated when situation arises that is serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected, which carries implications for public health beyond affected State’s national border and requires immediate international action. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Under the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR) of WHO, States have a legal duty to respond promptly to PHEIC.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> PHEIC is not only confined to infectious diseases and may cover an emergency caused by chemical agent or a radio nuclear material. It is "call to action" and "last resort" measure.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in grip of its worst ever Ebola outbreak. According to WHO figures (as of 7 July 2019), there have been over 2,400 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola, of which more than 1,600 people have died. <strong><em>It is the second deadliest Ebola epidemic in history, behind only the 2014 West Africa outbreak.</em></strong> This outbreak in Congo had began in August 2018 and has mainly affected eastern DRC’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces– an area wracked by conflict involving various armed groups. Efforts to control virus in DRC are hampered by violence from insurgent groups, including attacks on treatment centres.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Ebola</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by Ebola viruses.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Virology of Ebola Virus:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is a member of family Filoviridae. The family has three members: Genus Ebolavirus Genus Cuevavirus and Genus Marburgvirus. Genus Ebolavirus is further classified into 5 viral species viz. Zaire, Bundibugyo, Sudan, Reston and Tai Forest. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Origin: </span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was first identified in 1976 in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a village near the Ebola River, from which it derives its name</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Transmission:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is transmitted to people from wild animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats and then spreads in human population through human-to-human transmission. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts. It spreads through contact with body fluids of inflected persons such as blood, urine and saliva. It also spreads through sexual contact.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Note:<span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It is mainly transmitted by animal or insect bites or stings, blood products (unclean needles or unscreened blood), saliva (kissing or shared drinks) and touching contaminated surface.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Symptoms and Fatality rate:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> High fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage. It progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding. The average fatality rate is around 50%. In past outbreaks, case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks. Ebola patients tend to die from multiple organ failure and dehydration.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Treatment:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralize Ebola virus but range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development. Early supportive care with symptomatic treatment and rehydration improves survival chances of patient.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Previous Outbreaks:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> The 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa was worst-ever Ebola outbreak in history. It had killed more than 11,000 people in three West African countries <em>Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.</em></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'congo-ebola-outbreak-global-health-emergency', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/533f/jznjvxvedm0b61c6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/533f/jznjvxvedm0b61c6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'outbreak in Congo as Global Health Emergency', 'metakeyword' => 'World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)', 'metadescription' => 'World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/e2tr7pn5peeav32/WHO_declares_Ebola_outbreak.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 38 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1795, 'title' => 'Iran test fires Shahab-3 medium-range missile', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Iran has successfully test fired medium-range ballistic missile named Shahab-3. It was launched from southern Iran and flew some 1,100 kilometers before landing east of capital city Tehran. It is widely believed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Shahab-3</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It is single-stage, liquid-fueled, road-mobile, medium-range ballistic missile with range of approximately 1,280 km. It is capable of carrying 1,000-760 kilogram warhead, both conventional as well as nuclear. It is based on the North Korean Nodong-1. Its variant, sometimes called Shahab-4, has a range of more than 1930 km.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Comment </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This ballistic missile test comes in wake of recently strained relations between Iran and US. US has held this test in violation of UNSC resolutions. However, Iran claimed that this test was entirely defensive and is not against any country, and only to respond to possible aggression against its territorial integrity.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Background</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The relations between Iran and US have strained further recently after US President Donald Trump pulled out US from Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme in 2018 and stepped up uniteral sanctions on Iran, crippling its economy and oil exports. European signatories have since been trying to save this deal. But, Iran has breached uranium enriching target set in deal.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Why US pullout out of JCPOA?</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> During pulling out, US President had said that it was flawed deal as it does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program and does not include curbs on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. US fears Iran could use its missile technology and space program to build nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'iran-shahab-3-medium-range-missile', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0a66/a3g6hq3r75iuztg6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0a66/a3g6hq3r75iuztg6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Iran test fires Shahab-3 medium-range missile', 'metakeyword' => 'Iran has successfully test fired medium-range ballistic missile named Shahab-3. It was launched from southern Iran and flew some 1,100 kilometers, landing east of capital city Tehran.', 'metadescription' => 'Iran has successfully test fired medium-range ballistic missile named Shahab-3. It was launched from southern Iran and flew some 1,100 kilometers, landing east of capital city Tehran.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/v8dn1o57b69g59m/Iran_test_fires_Shahab-3_medium-range_missile.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 39 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 1889, 'title' => 'Hong Kong Protests', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Issue</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt">Hong Kong is facing </span></span><span style="color:#262626"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,serif"><span style="background-color:#fefefe; font-size:10pt">a major political crisis as it heads into a</span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="background-color:#ffffff; font-size:14.6667px"> 1oth week </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; font-size:10pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">of mass demonstrations.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Background</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The protest started as a movement against a controversial law has expanded into something much bigger.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Protest started from a </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">million of people marching towards public places <span style="color:#262626">and later developed into groups of yellow-hatted demonstrators storming into government headquarters, and now shutting down the city's international airport</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Reason for the Protests</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Hong Kong is a part of China, but it has its own currency, political system and cultural identity. Many Hong Kong residents don't see themselves as Chinese, but rather as Hong Kong citizens.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The issue goes back to Hong Kong’s history as a British colony for period of over 150 years.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626"> British handed it back over to China in 1997. Today, Hong Kong's legal system still mirrors the British model, prizing transparency and due process.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Hong Kong’s constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law, provides various features to its residents. It guarantees freedoms that are unavailable to Chinese mainlanders, such as the <strong><em>right to protest, the right to a free press and freedom of speech</em>.</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The Chinese government has provided Hong Kong the right to develop its own democracy, and pledged that the central government in Beijing will not interfere with that.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The Basic Law states that Hong Kong "shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents" for 50 years after the handover. But many claim that mainland China is already starting to encroach on those rights.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Demands of Protestors</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The residents are demanding permanent maintenance of status quo of Hong Kong’s independent governance structure.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">There is widespread demand to reduce Beijing’s interference in internal issues of Hong Kong.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">When rest of China is already reeling under iron chains on rights imposed by Chinese authorities Hong Kong protest is a small price to pay for larger independence</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">Consequences of protest</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The protestors have targeted public institutions especially Hong Kong’s International Airport. The airport is one of the busiest airport in Asia and shutting it down has impacted trade and transport adversely.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="background-color:#fefefe"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="color:#262626">The international airport is also a signifies a developing Hong Kong and has been used as a symbol of prosperity and independence. This has also been gaining coverage across the globe.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'hong-kong-protests', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/744b/9utcebrm8rof2r36g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/744b/9utcebrm8rof2r36g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Hong Kong Protests | Hong Kong', 'metakeyword' => 'Hong Kong, Hong Kong Protests', 'metadescription' => 'Hong Kong is facing a major political crisis as it heads into a 1oth week of mass demonstrations.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/ax6lmgz1z24g93t/Hong_Kong_Protests.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 40 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 2144, 'title' => 'Saudi -Yemen crisis', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Saudi led coalition is on the blink of backing off from Yemen as the 4 year war on the Houthi rebels has not resulted in change in ground reality. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Saudi -led coalition had launched the Yemen offensive in March 2015, their common goal was to defeat the Shia Houthi rebels, who had captured the capital Sana’a. They are not even close to meeting this goal, and there are growing frictions within the anti-Houthi coalition.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The crown prince of Saudi, who was behind this decision, considered Yemen to be a cakewalk for the Saudi troops. The Houthis lacked real battleground experience and were considered nothing against Saudi Military Forces.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Saudis also enjoyed the support of the U.S, and had a coalition of Sunni Muslim countries backing them. The plan was to oust the Houthis quickly and restore a cherry-picked administration who would change their country’s policies to suit Saudi’s interests.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Saudi coalition was weak on the ground and the former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the troops loyal to him joined hands with the Houthis in a tactical alliance. This changed the ground situation quickly.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Houthis received support from Saudi’s arch adversary, Iran. They did not just prevent Sana’a from being recaptured, but also started attacking Saudi Arabia with short-range missiles and drones.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This created a big dilema for the Saudi alliance, which had its tasks multiplied. It had to recapture Yemeni capital from Houthis, protect their borders from attacks and also defeat Iran on international platform.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Current situation</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Yemeni government, backed by Saudi, is headquartered in the southern port city of Aden and is practically operating from Saudi Arabia where the Yemeni President is residing.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are three power centres and multiple militias in today’s Yemen: The Houthis, who control Sana’a and the northern towns, the southern separatists who are strong in and around Aden, and the internationally recognised government that is run from Saudi Arabia.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Way ahead</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The U.S. has signalled that it will facilitate talks among the multiple factions in Yemen through Oman, a neutral player.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prolonging the war is also not an option. Having no credible ally on the ground and no effective strategy to turn around the war, Saudi must realise that they have lost the war and need to back out as soon as possible.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'saudi-yemen-crisis', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d1e9/goppxg5jba6x4576g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d1e9/goppxg5jba6x4576g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Saudi -Yemen crisis', 'metakeyword' => 'Saudi -Yemen crisis', 'metadescription' => 'Saudi led coalition is on the blink of backing off from Yemen as the 4 year war on the Houthi rebels has not resulted in change in ground reality.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/58grcvdap278sgq/Saudi_-Yemen_crisis.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 41 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 2165, 'title' => 'West Bank and Jordan Valley', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge to annex the Jordan<strong> </strong>Valley in the occupied West Bank if re-elected in September 17 polls.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War in a move never recognised by the international community.The Israeli settlements there are considered illegal under international law and this is a major impediment in peace process as Palestenians consider these areas as part of their future state.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Jordan Valley accounts for around one-third of the West Bank and Israeli right-wing politicians have long viewed the strategic area as a part of the territory , seeing it as the country’s eastern border.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Israeli settlements are located in a place called Area C of the West Bank, which accounts for some 60% of the territory, including the vast majority of the Jordan Valley.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>West bank</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by the Green Line separating it and Israel on the south, west and north.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The chances of two state solution will die down if any hasty decisions are carried out. The area will be pushed forever into unrest.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Two state solution</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian which foresees an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River<span style="font-size:10.5pt"><span style="background-color:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><span style="color:#222222">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'west-bank-and-jordan-valley', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/95a2/nxhxmlxistlrylf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/95a2/nxhxmlxistlrylf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'West Bank and Jordan Valley', 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style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Charlie Cole, one of the photographers who captured the famous Tank Man on film during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, has died aged 64.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tiananmen square protest and the photo depicting a man blocking convoy of military tank has been the defining image of the pro-democracy protest held in China in 1980’s.The photographer won the 1990 World Press Photo award for his picture.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The Tiananmen Square protests</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Tiananmen Square protests, commonly known in mainland China as the June Fourth Incident ,were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing during 1989.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The popular national movement inspired by the Beijing protests is sometimes called the '89 Democracy Movement .</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The protests started on April 15 and were forcibly suppressed on June 4 when the government declared martial law and sent the military to occupy central parts of Beijing, in what became known as the <strong>Tiananmen Square Massacre.</strong></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amid the backdrop of rapid economic development and social changes in post-Mao China, the protests reflected anxieties about the country's future in the popular consciousness and among the political elite.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Goals of the protest</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The students called for greater accountability, constitutional due process, democracy, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech, although they were highly disorganized and their goals varied.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications of the protest</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The suppression halted the policies of liberalization in the 1980s. The protests are considered a watershed event and set the limits on political expression in China up to the present day.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its memory is widely associated with questioning the legitimacy of Communist Party rule and remains one of the most sensitive and most widely censored topics in China.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'tiananmen-square-protests', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/11ac/753e7s4v1trhoqu6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/11ac/753e7s4v1trhoqu6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Tiananmen Square Protests', 'metakeyword' => 'The Tiananmen Square protests, commonly known', 'metadescription' => 'The Tiananmen Square protests, commonly known in mainland China as the June Fourth Incident ,were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing during 1989.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/b61v79l2mwp8cd7/Tiananmen_Square_Protests.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 43 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'International Events', 'keyword' => 'international-events', 'id' => (int) 2286, 'title' => 'US to send troops to Saudi Arabia ', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pentagon has announced that it will deploy additional U.S. troops and missile defense equipment to Saudi Arabia<strong> </strong>and the United Arab Emirates.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Saudi Arabia suffered the deadliest attack on its oil facilities in recently when a small army of drones attacked two major oil plants, destroying nearly 50 per cent of the country's global supply of crude.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The officials have told that the extra equipment and troops would give the Saudis a better chance of defending against unconventional aerial attacks.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Iran has denied involvement and warned the U.S. that any attack will spark an “all-out war” with immediate retaliation from Tehran.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is alleged that Iran was responsible for the strikes on Saudi assets as the weapons had Iranian origin.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This is the second time Mr Trump had planned for a retalliatory attacks on Iran after the recent attack by Iran on US drones.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'US to send troops to Saudi Arabia ', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/89f7/x39mhxejgtemjgq6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/89f7/x39mhxejgtemjgq6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US to send troops to Saudi Arabia ', 'metakeyword' 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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Britain has secured a Brexit deal with the <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/tag/62894-1364-1349/european-union/?utm=bodytag" target="_blank">European Union </a>, more than three years after Britons voted to leave the bloc. But PM Boris Johnson still has to secure votes to get the agreement signed.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lack of co-ordination and consensus on several issues have prevented Britian to exit EU in a timely manner with a suitable package. This has resulted in a policy paralysis in political system of UK.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deal means there would be no need for further delay to Britain’s departure and negotiations on the future relationship between Britain and the EU would begin as soon as the deal gets approved by the U.K. and European Parliaments.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">But the main opposistion in the UK parliament, the Labour party has disagreed to vote in its favour and has demanded a public vote in this regard.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Brexit</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Brexit is the scheduled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union" title="Withdrawal from the European Union">withdrawal</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> (UK) from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> (EU). Following a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">June 2016 referendum</a>, in which 51.9% of participating voters voted to leave.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Union</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The EU countries are: <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden</strong>.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Economic Area</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Economic Area, is an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to non-EU member parties.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Countries that belong to the EEA include <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.</strong></span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'uk-eu-brexit-deal', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0791/ecy7r15dm7bjylf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0791/ecy7r15dm7bjylf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UK- EU Brexit deal', 'metakeyword' => 'Brexit is the scheduled withdrawal of the United ', 'metadescription' => 'Brexit is the scheduled withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). 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But PM Boris Johnson still has to secure votes to get the agreement signed.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lack of co-ordination and consensus on several issues have prevented Britian to exit EU in a timely manner with a suitable package. This has resulted in a policy paralysis in political system of UK.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The deal means there would be no need for further delay to Britain’s departure and negotiations on the future relationship between Britain and the EU would begin as soon as the deal gets approved by the U.K. and European Parliaments.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">But the main opposistion in the UK parliament, the Labour party has disagreed to vote in its favour and has demanded a public vote in this regard.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Brexit</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Brexit is the scheduled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union" title="Withdrawal from the European Union">withdrawal</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> (UK) from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> (EU). Following a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">June 2016 referendum</a>, in which 51.9% of participating voters voted to leave.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Union</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The EU countries are: <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden</strong>.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>European Economic Area</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The European Economic Area, is an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to non-EU member parties.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Countries that belong to the EEA include <strong>Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.</strong></span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'uk-eu-brexit-deal', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0791/ecy7r15dm7bjylf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0791/ecy7r15dm7bjylf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'UK- EU Brexit deal', 'metakeyword' => 'Brexit is the scheduled withdrawal of the United ', 'metadescription' => 'Brexit is the scheduled withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). 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