International Current Affairs July 2016

International Current Affairs July 2016

Four Countries got UNSC Membership

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elect Ethiopia, Bolivia, Sweden and Kazakhstan as non-permanent UNSC members to serve on the world body’s Security Council for a period of two years, on June 28, 2016.
• Only one non-permanent Council seat remains to be filled. Italy and the Netherlands had been vying for the remaining seat, but the voting yielded no dear winner.
• The Security Council consists of fifteen members. Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China and the USA serve as the body’s five permanent members. These permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member States or candidates for Secretary-General.

United Kingdom in Historic Referendum Votes to Exit European Union

• The people of United Kingdom (UK) in a historic Brexit referendum have voted in favour of leaving European Union (EU). In the Brexit referendum, the ‘Leave’ side won decisively by securing 51.9% of the total votes overturning ‘Remain’ side which secured 48.1% votes.
• This is the second referendum on UK’s relationship with the EU. In 1975, in a referendum on whether the UK should stay or leave the EU, the country voted for staying with 67.2% votes.
• After results were declared UK Prime Minister David Cameron, the architect of the referendum and a passionate supporter of UK within the EU, announced stepping down as Prime Minister in October, 2016.

2nd International Day of Yoga Celebrated

• The Second International Day of Yoga was observed across the world with the theme Conned the Youth on June 21, 2016.
• This yen’ s observance of the Day highlights the important role healthy living plays in the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015 by all 193 UN Member States.
• In India, the Union government had organised National Event of Mass Yog a Demonstration at the Capital Complex in Chandigarh. In this event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had performed yoga.

Cambodia’s Vast Medieval Cities Hidden Beneath the Jungle Revealed

• Unprecedented new details of medieval cities hidden under jungle in Cambodia near Angkor Wai revealed using lasers, gives new knowledge about the civilisation behind the world’s largest religious complex.
• Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage site seen as among the must important in South-East Asia, is considered one of the ant lent wonders of the world,
• It was constructed from the early to mid 1100s by King Suryavarman II at the height of the Khmer empire’s political and military power and was among the largest pre-industrial cities in life world.

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UN General Assembly Adopted Political Declaration to Fast Progress on Ending AIDS

• The Member States of United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) on Jane 8, 2016 adopted a new political declaration that includes a set of time-bound targets to fast- track the pace of progress towards combating the worldwide scourge of HIY and AIDS over the next five years and end the epidemic as a public hr aids rhea by 2030.
• The Fast-Track approach of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/A1DS (UN AIDS) aims to achieve such targets as fewer than 500000 people newly infected with HIY fewer than 500000 people dying bon AlDS-relaied illnesses and eliminating HIV-related discrimination.
• Activities in the Meeting includes a series of panel discussions and side events, including on leveraging the end of AIDS for social transformation and sustainable development, financing and sustaining the end of AIDS and stopping HIV infections.

Shangri-La Dialogue Opened

• Asia’s largest annual security forum opened on June 3, 2016 in Singapore. It will resolve the issues like territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
• The Shangri-La Dialogue, organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
• Singapore government along with British think tank international institute of strategic strategies launched it in 2002.

Thailand became the First Country in Asia to Eliminate Mother-to-baby HIV

• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Thailand became the first Asian country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV on June 7, 2016.
• Elimination of transmission is defined as a reduction of transmission to such a low level that it no longer constitutes a public health problem.
• In the 1980s and 1990s, Thailand struggled with a huge HIV epidemic, with an estimated 143000 new infections in 1991. Over the decades, it has conducted awareness and condom use campaigns, and provided free antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for all Thais, cutting the estimated number of new infections to 8100 in 2013.
• Mother-to-child transmission has dropped to 85 children infected with HIV in 2015, from about 1000 children infected in 2000.
• Previously, Cuba was the only other country to have eliminated mother-to-child transmission under the WHO’s criteria back in July, 2015.

Agreement with Tanzania

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) between India and Tanzania for bilateral cooperation in water resources management and development on June 29, 2016.
• The two sides discussed the issue of water harvesting and management practices and decided to have a MoU after mutual consultations.
• The signing of a MoU between the Union Public Service Commission and the Royal Civil Service Commission of Bhutan was also approved.

India became 35th Member of Missile Technology Control Regime

• India joined the multilateral export control group. Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), as a 35th full member on June 27, 2016.
• The MTCR aims at restricting the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems; unmanned air vehicles and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kg payload for at least 300 km, as well as systems intended for the delivery of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
• The MTCR membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia.
• The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is amultilateral export control regime. It is an informal and voluntary partnership among 35 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying above 500 kg payload for more than 300 km.

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