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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - February 2017

Feb 2017

Mar 04, 2022

Europe's Largest Nuclear Plant in Ukraine on Fire after Russian Shelling

Russian troops shelled Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant accounts for about one quarter of Ukraine's power generation.
Shells fell directly on the Zaporizhzhia plant and set fire to one of the facility's six reactors. That reactor is under renovation and not operating, but there is nuclear fuel inside

Mar 03, 2022

UN General Assembly Draws Closer to Demanding Russia Withdraw from Ukraine

Two days after an emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly was convened - and over 100 countries gathered to discuss Russia's war on Ukraine - the global body is set to vote on a non-binding resolution demanding Moscow withdraws its troops. A draft resolution - seen by some diplomats as a key test of democracy in a world increasingly run by autocratic governments - was being prepared.
On paper the non-binding (and that is important) resolution would serve as a powerful rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin's 'sinister vision for the future of the world.
The resolution must be approved by a two-thirds majority to pass.
The good news for Ukraine is that the General Assembly resolution - unlike the one tabled by the Security Council - cannot be vetoed by Russia, and will likely be supported by an overwhelming majority of the 193-member strong body.

India Abstains on UNGA Resolution that Deplores Russia's Aggression against Ukraine

India supported the international community's call for an immediate ceasefire after abstaining on a UN General Assembly resolution that strongly deplored Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the third abstention in less than a week by the country in the world body on resolutions on the escalating crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.
The 193-member General Assembly voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and 'deplores in the strongest terms' Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
The resolution was adopted with 141 votes in favour, five Member States voting against and 35 abstentions. The General Assembly broke into applause as the resolution was adopted.

Viktor Yanukovych - Ex-Ukraine President Now Backed by Russia as New Head to Replace Zelenskyy

Fugitive former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych is currently in Minsk, and the Kremlin is currently preparing him for a special operation, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
The Kremlin will try to declare him the President of Ukraine.
As per reports, the Kremlin may be preparing an informational operation or action to return former President Yanukovych to Ukraine or to publish an appeal on his behalf to the Ukrainian people in the near future.
Viktor Yanukovych served as the fourth President of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014.

Mar 02, 2022

New Zealand Sign Free Trade Deal with Britain

New Zealand and Britain signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that unlocks unprecedented access to the British market and accelerates New Zealand's Covid-19 recovery.
According to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, virtually all our current trade will be duty-free from entry into force, including duty-free quotas for key products like meat, butter and cheese, helping to accelerate our economic recovery.
The deal will boost New Zealand's GDP by up to NZ$1 billion ($680 million), supporting business and jobs.
The FTA was signed in London by New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor and Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Ukraine Seeks Safe Zone as Russia Heads for Europe's Largest Nuclear Plant

The head of Ukraine's nuclear-power utility called on international monitors to intervene to ensure the safety of the country's 15 atomic reactors as an advancing Russian invasion nears Europe's largest nuclear plant.
The International Atomic Energy Agency convened an emergency session in Vienna to assess the situation. The watchdog has been warning for days that the war threatens to trigger a wider tragedy by damaging nuclear power infrastructure.
The chief of Ukraine's Energoatom utility, Petro Kotin, asked Grossi to erect a 30-kilometer (18.6-mile) safe zone around the country's four nuclear power plants. Russian columns of military equipment, artillery, and rocket launchers are regularly moving in the immediate vicinity of the plants.
Russian forces are close to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant -- Europe's largest with six reactors.
Ukraine is Europe's second-biggest generator of nuclear power after France. Energoatom, the utility which runs its reactors, has continued to operate its four plants housing 15 reactors even as Russia's military incursion unfolded. Atomic energy generates about half the country's power.

Five Key Russian Demands in War with Ukraine

Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its seventh day, with a huge deployment of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles surrounding the capital, Kyiv.
While the international community has announced several stringent measures to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has hit back saying, its key security demands have not been made by the West, especially the US that could have avoided the bloodshed.
The five demands are: Russian leader put forward a highly contentious list of security guarantees that Moscow wants the West to agree to in order to lower tensions in Europe and defuse the crisis over Ukraine. Another key demand from Russia is that NATO should limit its deployment of troops and weapons to the alliance's eastern flank, in effect returning the allied forces to where they were stationed in 1997. President Putin further said that Moscow wants a guarantee from Ukraine that it will not enter the US-led NATO. Russia has also demanded that NATO rule out further expansion, including the accession of Ukraine into the alliance, and that it does not hold drills without previous agreement from Russia in Ukraine, Eastern Europe, in Caucasus countries such as Georgia or in Central Asia. Moscow also calls for the two countries US & Russia - to pull back any short- or medium-range missile systems out of reach, replacing the previous intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) treaty that the US left in 2018. Vladimir Putin has demanded that the West provide Russia with "legal guarantees" of its security.

Mar 01, 2022

European Union Split over Expanding Bloc to Include Russia-hit Ukraine

After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the European Union for Kyiv's inclusion in the top European body, there are reports of split within the organisation over the speculated merger. Top European Union official Charles Michel said that there were disagreements among the 27 member states on enlarging the power bloc.
As per Michel, Ukraine would have to officially submit a request to join EU before its member states, who would have to approve the membership unanimously.
Zelensky had appealed for Ukraine to be included in the EU amid its defence against the Russian invasion.
Zelensky's appeal comes amid the first round of negotiations between delegations between Russia and Ukraine in Belarus. Ahead of the meet, the Ukrainian President had demanded 'immediate ceasefire' and the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian territory.

Russian Forces Destroy World's Biggest Cargo plane in Ukraine

The world's largest aircraft, the Antonov An-225, nicknamed 'Mriya' (Dream in Ukrainian), was destroyed in the battle of Antonov Airport during the ongoing Russian onslaught on Ukraine.
The Antonov An-225 Mriya aircraft took its first flight on December 21, 1988.
Designed as a shuttle carrier aircraft for the Soviet space program, the 84-metres long Mriya could carry ultra-heavy and oversized freight weighing up to 250,000 kg internally or 200,000 kg on the upper fuselage at a speed of 850 km per hour.
It held multiple records, including being the heaviest aircraft ever built and having the largest wingspan of any aircraft in operation service. It had the wingspan of almost the length of a cricket stadium.

UNGA President Shahid Calls for Immediate Ceasefire

Russia's military offensive is a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid said as he called for an immediate ceasefire and full return to diplomacy and dialogue.
Shahid, presiding over a rare emergency special session of the 193-member UN body on Ukraine, voiced grave concern about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military action in Ukraine.
The military offensive by the Russian Federation is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and is inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations.
As Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko hosted the first face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegation since Russia's special military operation in eastern Ukraine, Shahid said this rare window of opportunity has opened up for dialogue.

Feb 28, 2022

Biden Nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to Top Court

President Joe Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, calling her "one of the nation's brightest legal minds".
She will be the first black woman to serve in the court's 233-year history if confirmed.
She would replace liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer when he retires at the end of the court's term in June.
With the Senate divided 50-50 between the parties, Democrats have just enough votes to confirm President Biden's choice if they all back her.

Ukrainian President Moves International Court of Justice against Russia

Ukraine moved the International Court of Justice in The Hague over the Russian military operation that started in Ukraine and urged the top court to order Russia to cease hostilities.
Ukraine submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression.
Ukraine has officially filed a lawsuit against Russia in the UN International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Putin Puts Russia's Nuclear Deterrence on Alert Amid Tensions with West

President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces on alert amid tensions with the West over his invasion of Ukraine.
Putin asserted that leading NATO powers had made aggressive statements along with the West imposing hard-hitting financial sanctions against Russia, including the President himself.

Defiant Final Words as all Ukranian Soldiers on Snake Island are killed

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Zmiinyi Island – also known as Snake Island – has fallen to Russian forces, with all defenders killed in the desperate battle.
The tiny island, located in the Black Sea in the Odessa region, plays an important role in delimiting Ukrainian territorial waters.
However, there are also reports the defenders of the island may still be alive and are now prisoners of war.
Mr. Zelensky paid tribute to those he believed were killed in the invasion.

Guterres Appoints Amin Awad of Sudan UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Amin Awad of Sudan as Assistant Secretary-General to serve as United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine.
Awad, who has served in a range of senior roles with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), including as Director for the Bureau for the Middle East and North Africa and Director of Division of Emergency, Security and Supply, brings with him over 30 years of experience in the field of humanitarian affairs, strategic action, planning and development.
Awad has also served in leadership roles in complex field operations, including as UNHCR Representative in Sri Lanka, Regional Coordinator for the Iraq Operations and Humanitarian Coordinator and Representative in North Macedonia.

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