World Affairs Current Affairs (Page : 1)
World Affairs Tidbits ( Jan 01, 1970 - Jan 01, 1970 )
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May 27, 2016
Beijing to adopt world’s strictest vehicle emission standards
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China's capital Beijing is all set to implement the world’s new strictest vehicle emission standards by next year to reduce hazardous hydrocarbon emissions by 5 per cent.By next year Beijing will implement newest standard, Beijing VI that will reduce vehicle hydrocarbon emissions by 5 percent. It is predicted that by 2022, overall vehicle emissions pollution in Beijing will be reduced by 20 to 30 percent.
Beijing took the lead in China in using unleaded gasoline 2007 and worked out Beijing II gasoline standard in 2004. Later, in 2005, 2008 and 2012, Beijing issued and implemented Beijing III, Beijing IV and Beijing V gasoline standards.
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Apr 26, 2016
World Malaria Day : 25 April
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World Malaria Day (WMD) is observed annually on 25 April across the world to recognise the global efforts to control malaria.Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. WMD is one of eight official global public health campaigns currently marked by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Theme for the year 2016 : “End Malaria For Good”. The theme reflects the vision of a malaria-free world set out in the Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030 which was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015.
World Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, to provide understanding and education of malaria and also spread information on year-long intensified implementation of national malaria-control strategies.
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Dec 11, 2015
Israel successfully tests Arrow ballistic missile interceptor
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Israel has successfully tested its advanced ballistic missile interceptor Arrow 3 as part of its defence upgradation measures in the face of regional threats. The Arrow system is a joint project between IAI and the US aviation giant Boeing. Each Arrow 3 missile costs about USD 2.2 million.
Key facts about Arrow 3
Arrow 3 is the top-tier system in Israel’s missile shield arsenal. The country’s lowest-tier defense is the short-range Iron Dome interceptor. Next year Israel will present David’s Sling – a system intended to intercept mid-range targets.
The missile flies into the atmosphere, where it splits up into ‘kamikaze’ satellites that lock onto and eliminate targets. It is also possible that the Arrow 3 could serve as an anti-satellite weapon.
It will measure the seeker's line-of-sight propagation relative to the vehicle's motion, the kill vehicle will use proportional navigation to divert its course and line up exactly with the target's flight path.
Arrow 3 is able to intercept ballistic missiles, especially those carrying weapons of mass destruction at altitudes of over 100 km (62 mi) and in greater ranges.
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Dec 02, 2015
Germany to support military campaign against IS
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The German cabinet has approved plans to send 1,200 strong force to support the international coalition fighting against Islamic State in Syria. The mandate requires parliamentary approval, which expected to get approaval as Angela Merkel’s governing coalition has a large majority. Germany decided to join the fight against IS after an appeal by French President Francois Hollande in the wake of the 13 November Paris attacks.
Significance of the military action:-
If this mandate gets approval it would become Germany's biggest current military operation abroad. Until now, Germany's biggest foreign mission has been in Afghanistan, in which it sent 1,000 fighters. Around 700 German soldiers are also part of the Nato-led K-For operation to stabilise Kosovo.
Key Facts :-
- Military action will initially last a year and will cost €134m (£94m; $142m). It will involve Tornado reconnaissance jets, refuelling aircraft and the naval frigate Sachsen, which will help support the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the eastern Mediterranean.
- Tornado reconnaissance jets can take high-resolution photos and infrared images at night and in bad weather and the refuelling aircraft will be used for refuelling of planes in mid-air.
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Aug 18, 2015
Egypt approves stringent new counter-terrorism laws
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Categories: Aug 2015 Current Affairs • Daily Current Affairs Quiz • Latest UPSC mains Articles • GK Articles • Latest Current Affairs Articles
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has approved stringent new counter-terrorism laws to fight a growing jihadist insurgency in the country. Jihadist groups have stepped up their attacks after the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi two years ago and launched a deadly crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.
Under the new laws :-
- Trials for suspected militants will be fast-tracked through special courts. Anyone found guilty of joining a militant group could face 10 years in prison
- Financing terrorist groups will also carry a penalty of life in prison (25 years)
- Inciting violence or creating websites deemed to spread terrorist messages will carry sentences of five to seven years
- Journalists can be fined between 200,000 and 500,000 Egyptian pounds (£16,300-£41,000; $25,550-$64,000) for contradicting official accounts of militant attacks.
Image source : bbc.com
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Aug 07, 2015
Islamic State group seizes central Syrian town of Qaryatain
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categories: July 2015 Current Affairs • Daily Current Affairs Quiz • Latest UPSC mains Articles • GK Articles • Latest Current Affairs Articles
- The Islamic State group have seized a key town in central Syria after heavy clashes with President Bashar Assad’s forces this is the most significant advance of ISIS since capturing the ancient city of Palmyra in May
- Qaryatain is home to 40,000 people many of them members of Syria's ancient Christian community it is home to towering Roman ruins. Its capture allows the IS group to link up areas under its control in and around Palmyra with areas in the eastern countryside of Qalamoun in Damascus province.
- ISIS seized the town earlier this morning after three suicide bombers targeted army checkpoints at the entrance to Qaryatain yesterday.
- Websites affiliated with the Islamic State group and its Facebook account on which the IS posts news of its military activities confirmed the militants had taken over Qaryatain.
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Jul 22, 2015
UN Security Council adopts resolution endorsing Iran nuclear deal
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- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) backed Iran's nuclear agreement with world powers and thus unanimously adopted a resolution establishing a monitoring system for Iran’s nuclear programme and "eventual removal” of all nuclear-related sanctions against the country.
- The resolution was supported by all 15 representatives of countries on the Security Council and opened path to lift nuclear-related economic sanctions on Iran.
- UNSC’s passed resolution marks the endorsement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which concluded in the form of historic deal on 14 july 2015 in Vienna between Iran and the six powers and Iran reaffirmed “that it will under no circumstances ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons" .
- The resolution provides for the eventual removal of all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran and guarantees that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue to verify Iran’s compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA
Image source: un.org
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Dec 08, 2014
Britain inks pact with Bahrain to set up a permanent naval base at Mina Salman Port, Bahrain.
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- The base will be in addition to the UK’s four-mine hunter warships permanently based in Bahrain that supports British destroyers and frigates in the Gulf region.
British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton has won the 2016 British Grand Prix title of Formula One.
Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy has been sworn in as acting Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has signed Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with IIT-Bombay and Madras to establish a bi-nodal 
Captain Radhika Menon, first woman captain of the Indian Merchant Navy recently became the first woman in the world to receive the Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for the year 2016 from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is now critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Nimi Sunilkumar, cookbook author and food blogger, has won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for 2015-16. Her book 4 o’clock Temptations of Kerala has been chosen for the award in the ‘Best Indian Cuisine Cookbook’ section. 
India and South Africa have inked four Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in four areas of co-operation including Information and Communication technology, 
A Bench of Supreme Court led by Justices Madan B. Lokur and U.U. Lalit said in an 85-page judgment that "every death caused by the armed forces in a disturbed area,