Anthony Albanese Sworn in as Australia's New Prime Minister
Australia's Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese was sworn in as the country's new Prime Minister. Albanese ended his wait for power after nine years as he became the country's 31st Prime Minister.
Congratulating Australia's Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese for his party's victory in the country's federal election, PM Narendra Modi said that he was looking forward to working towards further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two allies.
May 22, 2022
G7 Nations Approve to Provide Financial Support to Ukraine
Group of Seven (G7) nations agreed to provide financial support to Ukraine. The US Senate approved a 40 billion US dollar aid package of military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Out of this, 7.5 billion US dollar is earmarked for filling gaps in Kyiv's budget.
Germany currently hosts the G7's rotating presidency. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner announced a contribution of 1.1 billion US dollars to Ukraine's budget. It came during a summit of finance ministers from the G7 industrialized nations being held near the German city of Bonn.
The European Commission said it would pledge up to 9.5 billion US dollar of macro-financial assistance in the form of loans, to be complemented by support from international partners including the G7.
PM Modi to Attend Quad Summit in Japan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Tokyo to attend the third Quad Leaders' Summit on May 24. The Summit in Tokyo is the fourth interaction of Quad Leaders since their first virtual meeting in March 2021, in-person Summit in Washington D.C. in September 2021 and virtual meeting in March 2022. The forthcoming Quad Summit provides an opportunity for the Leaders to exchange views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest.
The leaders will review progress of Quad initiatives and Working Groups, identify new areas of cooperation and provide strategic guidance and vision for future collaboration.
The PM is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Australian PM Scott Morrison to review the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
India Hosts SCO-RATS (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation-Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist Struct...
Counter-terrorism experts from India, Pakistan and other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) deliberated on boosting cooperation in combating various regional security challenges at a meeting hosted by New Delhi. The meeting took place under the framework of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure.
A major focus of the discussions was to be on the situation in Afghanistan, especially in dealing with the threat from terrorist groups active in the Taliban-ruled country. Pakistan sent a three-member team for the meeting.
India assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of SCO (RATS SCO) on October 28, 2021 for a period of one year.
May 21, 2022
India, Jamaica Sign MoU for Cooperation in Diplomatic Training
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness held a meeting to enhance cooperation between India and Jamaica in trade and investment, services, sports as well as cooperation in regional and multilateral fora. Following the meeting, both the leaders witnessed the signing and exchange of an MoU between Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSFSI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica on cooperation in the field of diplomatic training. President Ram Nath Kovind is on a state visit to Caribbean nations.
Addressing the gathering, the President said that Jamaican-Indians strengthen the deep root of our cultural linkages and enrich our multifaceted partnership.
Dr. Kamal Bawa Elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
The chief of Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Dr Kamal Bawa was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences. The election is the reaffirmation of his important work on the ecology, conservation, and management of tropical forests that are declining all over the world but are critical to humanity's well-being. He was also an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical Society.
Dr Bawa had brought together a few scientists from India's leading institutions to develop the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing under the banner of the Biodiversity Collaborative which got the backing of the office of the principal scientific adviser to the Government of India and is currently funded by the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.
Afghan Taliban Order Women TV Anchors to Cover their Faces
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers ordered all female presenters on TV channels to cover their faces on air. The order came in a statement from the Taliban's Virtue and Vice Ministry, tasked with enforcing the group's rulings, as well as from the Information and Culture Ministry. The statement called the order "final and non-negotiable".
Several female anchors and presenters posted their photos on social media showing them with their faces covered with face masks during presenting programs.
Earlier in May 2022, the Taliban ordered all women in public to wear head-to-toe clothing that leaves only their eyes visible. The decree said women should leave the home only when necessary and that male relatives would face punishment for women's dress code violations, starting with a summons and escalating to court hearings and jail time.
May 20, 2022
Sri Lankan: PM Ranil Wickremesinghe Declares Country Bankrupt amid Fuel Crisis and Food Shortages
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared the country bankrupt as it faces a fuel crisis and food shortages.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's central bank has secured foreign exchange to pay for fuel and cooking gas shipments that will ease crippling shortages.
Most of Sri Lanka's petrol stations have run dry as the island nation battles its most devastating economic crisis since independence in 1948. At some pumps in the commercial capital, Colombo, dozens of people stood in lines holding plastic cans, as troops in combat gear and armed with assault rifles patrolled the streets.
Senate Confirms Bridget Brink as New US Ambassador to Ukraine
The Senate confirmed Bridget Brink as the US ambassador to Ukraine, filling the post as officials plan to return American diplomats to Kyiv during the nation's continuing battle against the Russian invasion. The veteran foreign service officer, who has spent most of her career in the shadow of the former Soviet Union, was nominated to the position by President Joe Biden. She was confirmed unanimously by the Senate without a formal roll call vote.
The ambassador's post has been vacant since former president Donald Trump abruptly forced out ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in 2019. She later became a key figure in the first impeachment proceedings against Trump.
China to Hosts BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting through Video Conference
China hosted the meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs through video conference. The meeting was hosted by China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and attended by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor, Brazil's Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Alberto Franco França and Russia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov.
The meeting prepared the ground for the 14th BRICS summit. India has handed over the BRICS Chairmanship to China from January 2022. The theme for BRICS 2022 is 'Foster High-Quality BRICS Partnership Usher in a New Era for Global Development'. A total of 25 events have been planned. India will host five events this year as part of BRICS Science Technology Innovation Steering Committee.
BRICS is a significant alliance that brings together the world's largest growing economies, accounting for 41% of the global population, 24% of global GDP, and over 16 % of global trade. Over the years, the BRICS countries have been the key engines of global economic growth.
May 19, 2022
No-trust Motion against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Defeated
A no-confidence motion tabled by the Opposition against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was defeated in Parliament, in a comfortable win for the embattled President amid nationwide protests demanding his resignation due to the country's worst-ever economic crisis. The motion by Opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP MA Sumanthiran to suspend Parliament's standing orders in order to debate an expression of displeasure over President Rajapaksa was defeated with 119 MPs voting against it. Only 68 MPs voted in favour of the motion giving the 72-year-old President a comfortable victory.
With the motion, the Opposition sought to demonstrate how nationwide calls for President's resignation are reflected in the country's legislature. The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Lakshman Kiriella had supported the motion.
MoS External Affairs V. Muraleedharan Leads Indian Delegation for First International Migration R...
Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan led the Indian delegation for the First International Migration Review Forum held under the auspices of the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York from 17th to 20th May. The International Migration Review Forum serve as the primary inter-governmental global platform to discuss and share progress on the implementation of all aspects pertaining to migration and its intersection with the Sustainable Development Goals. It will consist of four interactive multi-stakeholder round tables, a policy dialogue and a plenary. It will result in adoption of a Progress Declaration.
He also met a wide cross-section of Indian diaspora in New York, Los Angeles and Houston including those working in areas of community welfare, business, health, culture and education.
Sri Lankan Govt. to Sell its National Airline to Stem Losses
Sri Lanka's new government plans to sell its national airline to stem losses, part of efforts to stabilize the nation's finances even as authorities are forced to print money to pay government salaries. The new administration plans to privatize Sri Lankan Airlines, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a televised address to the nation. The carrier lost 45 billion rupees ($124 million) in the year ending March 2021.
Sir Lanka was forced to print money to pay salaries, which will pressure the nation's currency. The nation has only one day's stock of gasoline and the government is working to obtain dollars in the open market to pay for three ships with crude oil and furnace oil that have been anchored in Sri Lankan waters.
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