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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - March 2016

Mar 2016

Mar 28, 2020

JICA, Govt Sign Rs 15,295-Cr Loan Pacts For Major Rail Projects For Public, Freight Transport

Japanese government funding agency JICA has signed agreements totalling Rs 15,295 crore with the Indian government for three mega rail infrastructure projects.
Under these agreements, JICA has granted Rs 8,553 crore for phase-1 of the Dedicated Freight Corridor; Rs 4,262 crore for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project (II) and Rs 2,480 crore for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 Project (III).
JICA said the Rs 8,553-crore loan for the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project (Phase 1) comes with the objective to cope up with the increase in freight transport demand in India by constructing new dedicated freight railway system between Delhi and Mumbai.
It will promote comprehensive regional economic development along the freight corridor as the backbone of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) development plan, said the funding agency that provides long-term low-cost loans for development projects to various countries.

After PM Boris Johnson, UK Health Minister Tests Positive For Covid-19

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock became the second high-ranking UK government member to confirm his Covid-19 diagnosis, soon after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus.
Matt Hancock, like Boris Johnson, said he has mild symptoms of the disease and has been working from home for the past few days in line with the UK government lockdown advice for people to stay at home as part of efforts to try and control the spread of the pandemic.

Mar 27, 2020

Extraordinary Virtual G20 Leaders' Summit

An Extraordinary Virtual G20 Leaders' Summit was convened on 26 March 2020 to discuss the challenges posed by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and to forge a global coordinated response. Earlier, PM had a telephonic conversation with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on this subject. The extraordinary G20 Summit was a culmination of the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting and G20 Sherpas Meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the meeting, G20 Leaders agreed to take all necessary measures to contain the pandemic and protect people. They also supported strengthening of the WHO's mandate in the fight against pandemics, including delivery of medical supplies, diagnostic tools, treatments, medicines and vaccines.
Leaders also committed to use all available policy tools to minimize the economic and social cost of the pandemic and to restore global growth, market stability and strengthening resilience. G20 countries committed to inject over USD 5 trillion into the global economy to counter the social and economic impact of COVID-19. Leaders also agreed to contribute to the WHO led COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund on a voluntary basis.

Mar 26, 2020

US Senate Passes $2tn Disaster Aid Bill

The US Senate has passed a $2 trillion (£1.7tn) coronavirus aid bill that is the largest economic stimulus in US history.
The vote was delayed by a last-minute row between Republican and Democratic senators over unemployment benefits.
The plan includes direct payments of $1,200 to most American adults and aid to help small businesses pay workers.
US coronavirus deaths are around the 1,000 mark and there have been nearly 70,000 confirmed infections.
More than 21,000 people with coronavirus have died across the world since it emerged in China's Hubei province in December, while the number of infections is racing towards half a million.
Southern Europe is now the centre of the pandemic, with Italy and Spain recording hundreds of new deaths every day.

UN Launches COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched a 2-billion-U.S.-dollar global humanitarian response plan to fight COVID-19 in some of the world's most vulnerable countries.
On March, 25, 2020 at the United Nations headquarters in New York participants attended the launch of the COVID-19 global humanitarian response plan via video teleconference.
The response plan will be implemented by UN agencies, with international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and NGO consortia playing a direct role in the response, said Mark Lowcock, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs.
The plan will be coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which Lowcock heads.
The plan will deliver essential laboratory equipment to test for the virus, and medical supplies to treat people; install handwashing stations in camps and settlements; launch public information campaigns on prevention; and establish airbridges and hubs across Africa, Asia and Latin America to move humanitarian workers and supplies to where they are needed most, said Lowcock.

Protecting Peatlands Can Help Attain Climate Goals: FAO-UN Report

In accordance with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) report, Peatlands are facing degradation and need to be urgently monitored. The report authored by 35 experts comprised information as well as recommendations to countries on restoring and managing peatland. Peatlands are wetlands with a thick layer of organic soil. Peatlands cover only 3% of the global land area, but they store 30% of the world's soil carbon.
When peatlands are drained, they become net sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute up to 1 Gigaton of GHG emissions per year through oxidation.
Countries can use System for Earth Observation Data Access, Processing and Analysis for Land Monitoring (SEPAL) platform developed by FAO for peatlands mapping which contains a number of tools for land use and land-use change monitoring.

Canada Backs $75bn Coronavirus Relief Bill

Canada has passed a multi-billion-dollar relief package to respond to the coronavirus slowdown.
It allows the government to spend C$107bn ($75bn, £64bn) in emergency aid and economic stimulus to assist Canadians struggling financially.
All parties supported the bill following amendments that removed provisions giving cabinet unprecedented powers.
It received rapid Royal Assent.
The government said Canadians made nearly one million claims for unemployment benefits, which is equivalent to about 5% of Canada's workforce.

Coronavirus Delays Russian Vote On Putin Staying In Power

Russian President Vladimir Putin has postponed a vote on constitutional change that would allow him to stay in power, because of coronavirus concerns.
He said the public vote - previously due to be held on 22 April, 2020 - would be delayed until a "later date".
The proposed changes include scrapping a ban on allowing Mr Putin to run for office again.
The changes have already been approved by parliament and Russia's constitutional court.
They would give Mr Putin - who is serving his fourth presidential term and has dominated Russian politics for two decades - the right to serve two more consecutive terms.

Mar 25, 2020

11 Killed In Terror Attack On Sikh Place Of Worship In Kabul

At least 11 people were killed and others injured when suspected suicide attackers stormed a Sikh place of worship in the Afghan capital.
The attackers targeted a 'dharamshala' in Shor Bazar area of Kabul, which has a sizeable population of the Hindu and Sikh minorities. Some reports said the attack began at 7.45 am Afghan time.

Afghan govt. and Taliban hold 1st discussion on arranging possible prisoner exchange

The Afghan government and the Taliban held their first discussion on arranging possible prisoner exchanges. The US special envoy for Afghanistan informed this on Twitter.
US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said that the US and Qatar facilitated the first Afghan government to Taliban technical talks on prisoner releases, via Skype video conferencing.
He had said on Wednesday that it was "urgent" to quickly conclude plans for such exchanges as the Coronavirus pandemic was complicating diplomatic contacts.

UN Telecommunications Agency Launches Global Platform To Fortify Countries' Networks

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations, has announced the launch of a 'global platform' to help protect telecommunication networks under strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao said in a statement that the Global Network Resiliency Platform will assist governments and the private sector in ensuring that networks are kept resilient and telecommunication services are available to all, as well as inform consumers on responsible network usage.
The platform set out by the ITU aims to assist policy-makers, regulators and telecommunication companies by sharing 'best practices and initiatives put in place during the COVID-19 crisis'.

Saudi Arabia Proposes To Hold Next Week 'Virtual Summit' Of G20 leaders on COVID-19

Saudi Arabia is set to convene next week a summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) leaders to discuss ways for countering the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's press service announced on Monday after his telephone talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, that Saudi Arabia would gather an emergency G20 meeting "without a personal attendance" to discuss the ongoing global spread of the novel coronavirus.

US Slashes Aid To Afghanistan After Mike Pompeo Visit To Kabul

The Trump administration is slashing $1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan and threatening further reductions in all forms of cooperation after the country's rival leaders failed to agree on forming a new government.
The decision to cut the aid was made by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after he made an unannounced, urgent visit to Kabul to meet with Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the rival Afghan politicians who have each declared themselves president of the country after disputed elections last year. Pompeo had hoped to break the deadlock but was unable to.
In an unusually harsh statement, Pompeo slammed the two men for being unable to work together and threatening a potential peace deal that could end America's longest-running conflict. The U.S. has been the prime backer of the Afghan government since it invaded the country in 2001 and overthrew the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks.

Mar 23, 2020

Earthquake Rocks Croatia's Capital Zagreb

An earthquake has rocked Croatia's capital Zagreb, damaging buildings and leaving cars crushed by falling chunks of masonry.
A teenager is in a critical condition after a roof collapsed. The spire of the city's cathedral also snapped off.
After tremor, Zagreb's mayor urged people to return to their homes given fears about the coronavirus.
The 5.3-magnitude quake is the largest to affect the city in 140 years.
Aside from the teenager, another sixteen people were injured.

UK Confirmed as 1st Co-Chair in India-Led Climate Change Initiative

The UK has been confirmed as the first co-chair of the Governing Council on the India-led global Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
The UK on March 23, 2020, was confirmed as the first co-chair of the Governing Council on the India-led global Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The coalition was established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is a voluntary international grouping, linking governments, UN agencies, banks, private sector groups, and academia to develop the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks.
The Governing Council is the highest policy-making body of the CDRI, co-chaired by India and a representative of another national government nominated by rotation every two years. The UK was represented at the first council meeting this week by UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Indian-origin minister participated remotely over a video link from the UK.

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