General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2015

May 2015

Feb 15, 2021

US Senate Acquits Former President Donald Trump in Impeachment Trial

The US Senate has acquitted former President Donald Trump for a second time blocking the Democrat's attempt to punish him for the storming of the Capitol by his supporters. After a week of the impeachment trial, only 57 Senators, including seven Republicans voted to convict him last night.
The 57-43 tally fell 10 votes short of the two-third majority needed to convict him and to allow the Senate to move to disqualify him from holding future office.
Mr. Trump welcomed his second impeachment acquittal and said his movement has only just begun. He slammed the trial as yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of America.

Myanmar Amends Law on Protecting Citizens' Personal Freedom, Security

Myanmar's new military-led State Administration Council led by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing issued an order amending the Protection of the Citizens for the Personal Freedom and Personal Security Law.
According to the order issued, Sections 5, 7 and 8 of the law will be suspended during the state of emergency declared on February 1.

Mario Draghi Italy's New Prime Minister

The ex-head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, was sworn-in as Italy's Prime Minister.
Mr. Draghi put together a unity government of the main political parties, following the collapse of the previous administration last month.
It was thrown into chaos amid a row over how to spend EU coronavirus recovery funds.
Italy is still grappling with the pandemic and is also facing its worst economic crisis in decades.
The country has recorded more than 93,000 deaths, the sixth-highest death toll in the world.

Italy's New PM Mario Draghi Announces Composition of Government

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, and Health Ministers Roberto Speranza retained their mandates in the new government formed by Mario Draghi.
Former head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi officially accepted the post of prime minister after the meeting with President Sergio Mattarella, to whom he presented the list of ministers of the new government.

Karim Khan New International Criminal Court Prosecutor

Parties to the International Criminal Court elected Britain's Karim Khan as the new prosecutor for a nine-year term starting on June 16.
Mr. Khan won a secret ballot against three other candidates to replace lead prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.
The 123-member Hague-based court, which began work nearly 20 years ago, handles war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression.
British barrister Karim is best known for heading the United Nations' special investigative team looking into Islamic State crimes in Iraq.

Mexico's President Welcomes US Cancellation of Border Wall Construction

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador welcomed the decision by his US counterpart Joe Biden to cancel the construction of a border wall separating the two countries.
Lopez Obrador also welcomed Biden's proposal to set up a visa system for Mexican and Central American migrants. Both measures are among Biden's first actions since taking office in January.

Feb 14, 2021

EU Ready to Work with Biden Administration to Settle Trade Disputes

The European Union acknowledged a move by the new US government to refrain from imposing additional tariffs on EU goods in a long-running dispute over aircraft tariffs, and said that it was ready to work to resolve trade disputes.
The US Trade Representative's office said that it had agreed with US industry that it was unnecessary to revise existing tariffs on European goods at this time, refraining from changes that would have been possible during a periodic review.
The move came a day after USTR said it looked forward to working with European allies to resolve a 16-year-long battle over subsidies provided to Europe's Airbus and its US rival Boeing Co.

Biden Rescinds Donald Trump's Emergency Order on US-Mexico Border Wall

US President Joe Biden rescinded the emergency order used by former President Donald Trump to justify the construction of the US-Mexico border wall.
"I have determined that the declaration of a national emergency at our southern border was unwarranted," Biden wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, reported The Hill.
Trump had first floated the idea of a border wall on the campaign trail in 2016, repeatedly insisting that Mexico would pay for its construction. However, illegal immigration increased in Trump's four years.

Somalia Rejects Further Kenya Maritime Dispute Delays

The Somali government has rejected Kenya's fourth request to postpone for the hearing of a maritime case between the two countries at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
"Justice delayed is justice denied," Osman Dubbe tweeted, adding that they should all head to The Hague next month "come what may".
The dispute is over the ownership of a 100,000 sq-km triangle in the Indian Ocean thought to be rich in oil and gas reserves.
Somalia took the case to the ICJ in 2014, asking the global court to determine its maritime boundary with Kenya.

Feb 13, 2021

BBC World News Barred from Airing in China

British television channel BBC World News has been barred from airing in China, a week after Britain's media regulator revoked Chinese state television's broadcast licence.
In a statement issued on the stroke of the Lunar New Year, the administration said an investigation found BBC World News' China-related reports had "seriously violated" regulations, including that news should be "truthful and fair," had harmed China's national interests and undermined national unity.
The channel therefore does not meet requirements for foreign channels broadcasting in China and its application to air for another year will not be accepted, it added.
On Feb. 4, British media regulator Ofcom revoked China Global Television Network's (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the United Kingdom after an investigation found the licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd.

Russia Clashes with US and West over Conflict in Ukraine

Russia clashed with the United States and its Western allies over the nearly seven-year conflict in eastern Ukraine, and the UN warned that the current fragile cease-fire risks being reversed if peace negotiations become deadlocked.
Russia called the Security Council meeting to mark the sixth anniversary of the signing of the Minsk peace plan brokered by France and Germany. It aimed to resolve the conflict between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists that flared in April 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for the separatists in the mostly Russian-speaking industrial east called Donbass.
Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Ukraine of failing to implement the 2015 Minsk agreement saying.
The United States and European allies France, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Norway, Belgium and the United Kingdom blamed Russia for fuelling the conflict, which has killed more than 14,000 people, by providing financial and military support to the separatists.

Feb 12, 2021

Tanzania's President 'Will Not Be Seeking Third Term

The ruling party in Tanzania has dismissed growing calls from its MPs for President John Magufuli to extend his term in office.
The 61-year-old President, who won elections in October, is currently serving his second and final five-year term in office.
Humphrey Polepole, the CCM party's publicity secretary, has told parliament that Mr. Magufuli has no intentions of remaining in power beyond his current constitutional mandate.
Some ruling party MPs have been proposing the Constitution be changed to allow for a third term for him.

US Senators Revive Bill to Make Refugee Status Easier for Hong Kong Protesters

A bipartisan group of senior US senators reintroduced a bill to make it easier for people from Hong Kong fearing persecution after joining protests against China to obtain US refugee status.
The 12 senators, led by Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Bob Menendez, said the bill was a response to a Draconian national security law introduced by China in Hong Kong last year that was the focus of mass street protests.
The Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act would make "Hong Kongers who participated peacefully in the protest movement and have a well-founded fear of persecution" eligible for processing as refugees in Hong Kong or a third country.

Feb 11, 2021

New Zealand Severs Diplomatic, Military Ties with Naypyidaw

New Zealand has officially suspended all diplomatic ties with Myanmar as it does not recognise the legitimacy of the new military-led government.
According to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, these ties include aid and funds that were intended for the country.
Meanwhile, U Maung Maung Lay, the vice president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry raised concerns that New Zealand could impose economy-related sanctions and potential blocks in the exchange of payments, which might result in investors pulling out of Myanmar.

Biden Orders Sanctions against Myanmar after Military Coup

President Joe Biden ordered new sanctions against the military regime in Myanmar, taking action after the military this month staged a coup in the Southeast Asian country and arrested de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians.
Biden said he was issuing an executive order that will prevent Myanmar's generals from accessing USD 1 billion in assets in the United States. Biden added that more measures are to come. "The military must relinquish the power it seized and demonstrate respect for the will of the people of Burma," Biden said.
Biden said that the new sanctions will allow his administration to freeze US Assets that benefit Myanmar's military leaders while maintaining support for health care programs, civil society groups and other areas that benefit the country's people.

FATF Meets to Assess Pakistan's Actions on Countering Terror Financing

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will begin a series of meetings that will review Pakistan's actions to counter terror financing amid signs that Islamabad is yet to completely implement the multilateral watchdog's action plan.
There will be eight meetings of FATF's working groups between February 11 and 19 before the crucial plenary meeting during February 22-25 that will take a final call on Pakistan's case. All the meetings are being held virtually because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the conclusion of its last plenary in October, the FATF had given Pakistan time till February this year to address what it described as "very serious deficiencies" in efforts to counter terror financing. The watchdog also retained Pakistan in the "grey list", in which it was placed in June 2018.
FATF president Marcus Pleyer last year cautioned Pakistan that it would not be given a chance "forever" to address outstanding issues and that repeated failure to deliver on the action plan would result in a country being put in the "black list". Pleyer also said Pakistan had fully complied with 21 of 27 points in the action plan.

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