International News

International Olympic Day 2022: Theme, history, significance

International Olympic Day 2022: International Olympic Day is observed annually on June 23 across the globe to celebrate sport, health and being and together. Key Points: The main reason for celebrating this day is also to commemorate the beginning of the modern Olympic Games. The day mark ...

Khuvsgul lake of Mongolia added to UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves

Khuvsgul Lake National Park: UNESCO recently added the Khuvsgul Lake National Park of Mongolia to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves along with 10 more new biosphere reserves in 8 countries, including three countries for the first time: Chad, Georgia and Zambia. Two existing biosphere reserv ...

Union Cabinet approves proposal for signing of an agreement between India and UN on a ‘Way Finding Application’

Way Finding Application: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently approved the proposal for signing of an agreement between the Government of India and the United Nations on a ‘Way Finding Application’ to be used in the Palais des Nations, United Nations Office ...

India leaps 6 places to 37th rank on IMD's World Competitiveness Index

IMD's World Competitiveness Index 2022: The annual World Competitive Index (WCI) was recently released by the Institute for Management Development (IMD). Key Highlight: India witnessed the sharpest rise among Asian countries with a six-position jump from 43rd to 37th rank on the annual ...

India, Israel, UAE And US Form New I2U2 Grouping, 1st Summit Next Month

I2U2 Summit: The new I2U2 grouping of India, Israel, UAE and the US will soon hold its first-ever I2U2 virtual summit in July 2022. Key Details: The United States is the latest addition to the grouping which is now being termed I2U2 (India, Israel, US and UAE). As per the White House, the ...

United States Department of State launches Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative

Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative: The United States (US) Department of State recently launched the Gandhi King Scholarly exchange initiative. Key Details: This initiative announced by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is a first-of-its-kind ...

Summit of the Americas 2022

Summit of the Americas 2022: The ninth Summit of the Americas 2022 recently took place from June 6 to June 10, 2022, in Los Angeles (L.A.), United States (US). Key Highlights: This year, the main focus of discussion was on immigration, including discussions on what can be done to prevent illeg ...

Colombia Discovers 2 Other Historical Shipwrecks Near San Jose Galleon

Colombian naval officials conducting underwater monitoring of the long-sunken San Jose galleon have discovered two other historical shipwrecks nearby, President Ivan Duque said on Monday. Key Details The San Jose galleon, thought by historians to be carrying treasure that would be worth bil ...

Google Ordered To Pay $515,000 To Politician Over Defamatory Videos

The Federal Court found that Google, which owns YouTube, earned thousands of dollars by hosting two videos attacking the former Australian lawmaker. Google to Pay Penalty An Australian court ordered Google to pay A$715,000 ($515,000) to a former senior lawmaker on Monday after finding that ...

"100 Days Of War": Russia Now Holds 20% Of Ukraine As Assault Intensifies

President Volodymyr Zelensky told Luxembourg lawmakers about 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory was now in Russian hands. Ukraine War Status Ukraine marked 100 days since Russia's invasion on Friday with fighting raging across the east of the country, where Moscow's forces are tight ...

70 Years On Throne, Queen Elizabeth's Celebration of Her Past Jubilees

Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria, who ruled from 1837 to 1901, have had silver, golden and diamond events to mark their 25th, 50th and 60th years as monarch. But Elizabeth is the only one to celebrate her 70th year on the throne. 1977 Silver Jubilee The festivities saw nationwide stree ...

EU Supports Ukraine Strongly

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels have agreed to send Ukraine nine billion euros to support its economy in the face of Russia's invasion, EU chief Charles Michel announced on May 30th. Strong and concrete support to Ukraine EU will continue helping Ukraine with its immedia ...

Bodies Of All 22 Nepal Air Crash Victims, Including 4 Indians, Recovered

The Nepal plane was carrying four Indians, two Germans and 13 Nepali passengers, besides a three-member Nepali crew. Air crash key details The Tara Air plane was crashed in Nepal's mountainous Mustang district on Sunday with 22 people on board, including four Indians, minutes after taki ...

Lithuanians Raise Funds To Buy Drone For Ukraine

Some 3 million euros have been raised in just three days - out of the 5 million euros needed - largely in small amounts Ukraine's support from ordinary people Hundreds of Lithuanians are clubbing together to buy an advanced military drone for Ukraine in its war against Russia. Some 3 ...

Shooting at Texas elementary school kills at least 21

Texas police faced angry questions Thursday over why it took an hour to neutralize the gunman who murdered 19 small children and two teachers in Uvalde, as video emerged of desperate parents begging officers to storm the school. Facing rapid-fire questioning by journalists on the police response, ...

Elon Musk To Provide $6.25 Billion More In Equity To Fund Twitter Deal

Elon Musk on Wednesday pledged an additional $6.25 billion in equity financing to fund the $44-billion offer for Twitter Inc, reducing the billionaire's margin loan against his Tesla Inc shares to zero. Musk in working to complete the deal with Twitter Musk said on May 25th, he was ...

Is Monkeypox Sexually Transmitted? Is There A Vaccine?

The World Health Organization has revealed that there are now 131 confirmed cases of monkeypox, and a further 106 suspected cases, in 19 countries. Experts describe the event as "random" but "containable". What is monkeypox? It's an orthopoxvirus, like other well-kno ...

Russia Says Working On China Ties, Slams West's "Dictator's Position"

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov said, "If they (the West) want to offer something in terms of resuming relations, then we will seriously consider whether we will need it or not." Russia's decision Russia's Foreign Minister said on Monday that Moscow will consider offe ...

PM Modi in Tokyo for the Summit.

PM Modi in Tokyo for the Summit. PM Modi In Japan: PM Modi arrived in Tokyo at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. His visit includes the Quad Summit, meeting fellow Quad leaders, interaction with Japanese business leaders and the vibrant Indian community. What is Quad Summi ...

US Confirms 1st Case Of Monkeypox - Man Who Recently Travelled To Canada

US Confirms 1st Case Of Monkeypox - Man Who Recently Travelled To Canada The United States on May 18th 2022 confirmed a case of monkeypox in a man who had recently traveled to Canada, after European health officials confirmed dozens of cases earlier this week. "The case poses no risk ...

US Preps $500 Million Package To Wean India From Russian Weapons: Report

US Preps $500 Million Package To Wean India From Russian Weapons: Report The package under consideration would include foreign military financing of as much as $500 million, according to one person, which would make India one of the largest recipients of such aid behind Israel and Egypt. The U ...

Process All Green Cards Within 6 Months, US Presidential Panel Recommends

Process All Green Cards Within 6 Months, US Presidential Panel Recommends   To be sent to the White House now for approval, recommendations of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, if adopted is likely to bring cheers to tens of thousands of Indian-Americans and thos ...

US Hopes India Would "Reconsider" Its Decision To Restrict Wheat Exports

US Hopes India Would "Reconsider" Its Decision To Restrict Wheat Exports India, the world's second-biggest wheat producer, has banned wheat exports in a bid to check high domestic prices amid concerns of wheat output being hit by scorching heat waves New York:  The US hop ...

India elected as Chair of Association of Asian Election Authorities for 2022-24

Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA): India has been unanimously elected as the new Chair of the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) for 2022-2024. Key Points: India was appointed as the new Chair of AAEA at the meeting of the Executive Board and General Assembly in ...

Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: Ranil Wickremesinghe Returns As PM, Protests Continue

Ranil Wickremesinghe: Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka’s veteran political leader, has been appointed as the next Prime Minister of Sri Lanka amid the ongoing protests in the country. Key Points: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed , 73-years old,  Ranil Wickremesinghe after th ...

International Day of Plant Health

International Day of Plant Health: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated 12 May the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic deve ...

Hong Kong's Ex-security chief Ex-security chief becomes new leader

New Leader of Hong Kong - John Lee: John Lee Ka-chiu, a former security chief who oversaw the crackdown on Hong Kong's democracy movement has recently been elected with 99.2% of the vote from the election committee as the next leader of Hong Kong. Key Highlights: This is widely interpre ...

Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa Resigns Amid Massive Clashes

Sri Lanka Economic Crisis: The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on May 9, 2022, from his position amid the ongoing economic crisis in the country. Key Details: The resignation was accepted, according to a gazette notification, and consequently, the Cabinet stands disso ...

Abortion Rights Bill Will Be Put On Vote In US Senate. Why It Could Fail

Abortion Rights Bill Will Be Put On Vote In US Senate. Why It Could Fail US Abortion Bill: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has called the draft ruling an "abomination," said he has teed up the vote on codifying the right to abortion in America, which the conservative-majority ...

US Assurances To Sweden, Finland Over NATO Membership Amid Ukraine War

US' Assurances To Sweden, Finland Over NATO Membership Amid Ukraine War Sweden and Finland are concerned they would be vulnerable to Russian threats during an application process, which could take up to a year to be approved by all 30 NATO members. Washington:  The United States is ...