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(Current Affairs) International Events | December: 2016
International Events
- US Presidential candidate Clinton concerned over Nuclear weapon in Pak (Free Available)
- European Union ratifies Climate deal (Free Available)
- US warns Pakistan about Nuclear posturing (Free Available)
- YoshinoriOhsumi won the Medicine Prize Nobel (Only for Online Coaching Members)
- EU struck deal with Afghanistan to take back migrants (Only for Online Coaching Members)
- After EU vote Paris climate deal set to come into force (Only for Online Coaching Members)
US Presidential candidate Clinton concerned over Nuclear weapon in Pak
- U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has expressed concern over the possibility of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons falling into the hands of jihadists, which she said was “a threatening scenario,” according to a media report.
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“Pakistan is running full speed to develop tactical nukes in their continuing hostility with India,” the former Secretary of State told a close door fundraiser in Virginia in February, The New York Times reported.
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Such remarks from the former secretary of state gains significance in view of an interview of Pakistani Defence Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif to the local TV channel in which he threatened to unleash nukes against India.
European Union ratifies Climate deal
- European Union ministers approved the ratification of the Paris Agreement at a historic meeting of the Environment Council in Brussels. This decision brings the Paris Agreement closer to entering into force.
- The 28 EU member nations together account for close to 12 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Their addition will take the cumulative emissions of ratifying parties well beyond the 55 per cent minimum required for the treaty to enter into force.
- The Paris treaty had already crossed the first condition of 55 countries ratifying the treaty to enable its entry into force on September 21 at the UN Secretary-General’s special ratification ceremony organised at the UN headquarters.
- Thirty one countries submitted their ratification instruments during that ceremony.
- As of now, 61 countries, accounting for almost 48 per cent of global emissions have ratified the deal. India, which accounts for 4.1 per cent of global emissions, has agreed to ratify the deal on October 2.
- Together with the EU, the total global emissions covered by ratifying parties will make the treaty ready to enter into force, 30 days after all the agreed parties submit their ratification instruments.
US warns Pakistan about Nuclear posturing
- The United States has conveyed to Pakistan that nuclear threats are not acceptable, a senior State Department official, who did not want to be named, said.
- The message was conveyed after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said twice in the span of a week that his country could use tactical nuclear weapons against India.
- The U.S is concerned about the safety of Pakistani nuclear weapons otherwise also, the official said “The safety of these weapons is always a concern for us. So we are always monitoring it, regardless of what they said on this particular occasion,”.
- Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said the U.S Secretary of State John Kerry is talking to the Indian leadership to ensure that the situation does not escalate.
- “we’re very concerned about the situation there. We don’t want to see it escalate any further. And as part of that concern, the Secretary is certainly engaged and talking to Indian leadership – senior Indian leadership,” Mr. Toner said.
- Mr. Toner said: “I would just say nuclear-capable states have a very clear responsibility to exercise restraint regarding nuclear weapons and missile capabilities. And that’s my message publicly and that’s certainly our message directly to the Pakistani authorities.”