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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - October 2017

Oct 2017

Aug 08, 2021

Louis Vuitton Overtakes Jeff Bezos as World's Richest Person

Bernard Arnault, Chairman of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), has become the richest person in the world after surpassing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The French businessman's net worth is estimated at $198.9 billion, as per the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List.
Arnault had earlier become the world's richest person in December 2019, January 2020 and May 2021.
As per the latest rankings, Bezos's net worth stood at $194.9 billion while Elon Musk is placed third. Tesla and SpaceX chief Musk's net worth is estimated at $185.5 billion.

Germany Becomes 5th Country to Sign ISA Framework Agreement

Germany became the 5th country to sign the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement after amendments to it entered into force on 8th January 2021, opening its Membership to all Member States of the United Nations. Ambassador of Germany to India Walter J. Lindner deposited signed copies of the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement with the Ministry of External Affairs, the depositary of the Agreement.
Membership to the ISA was earlier limited to 121 countries, which were partially or entirely located within the tropics. This didn't allow major solar energy economies such as Germany to join the alliance that is being increasingly seen as a foreign policy tool. The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India Africa Summit and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015. The framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016.

Aug 07, 2021

Nicaragua Opposition Party Barred from Elections

The main opposition party in Nicaragua has been disqualified ahead of the country's November elections.
The electoral council said the the president of the Citizens Alliance for Liberty Party (CXL) holds dual US and Nicaraguan citizenship in violation of the law.
President Daniel Ortega has been accused of silencing the opposition.
Earlier, the US imposed visa restrictions on dozens of Nicaraguans linked to the government.
Nicaragua's supreme electoral council accused CXL of carrying out "verbal acts that undermine independence, sovereignty and auto-determination".
The electoral council, which is tied to the ruling party, also revoked the citizenship of CXL's leader Carmella Rogers Amburn, also known as Kitty Monterrey, leaving her at risk of deportation.

India Not Invited to 'Extended Troika' Meeting on Afghanistan

India has not been invited to a key meeting next week convened by Russia on the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan that is expected to be attended by Pakistan, China and the US, even as New Delhi sought to downplay its absence, saying it engages with Russia on regular basis on Afghanistan.
As the Taliban continues its major offensive in Afghanistan, Russia has stepped up efforts to reach out to all key stakeholders in the war-torn country to stop the violence and push the Afghan peace process.
The 'extended Troika' meeting is scheduled to be held in Qatar on August 11. Talks under this framework were earlier held on March 18 and April 30.

Aug 06, 2021

US Urges Iran's New President Ebrahim Raisi to Resume Nuclear Talks

The US has called on Iran's new President to return to talks on reviving a historic nuclear deal.
The window for diplomacy would not remain open forever, a spokesman for the US state department warned.
Tensions between the US and Iran have soared since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal and restored sanctions.
Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in saying he would support "any diplomatic plans" to end sanctions on Iran.
"All illegal US sanctions against the Iranian nation must be lifted," he said.
Western countries accuse Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons - a charge Tehran denies.

No Plan to House Indian Military Base on Agalega Island

Mauritius has denied a report that it has allowed India to build a military base on the remote island of Agalega, with a government official telling AFP that no such agreement exists between the two nations. News broadcaster Al Jazeera had earlier reported on the construction of an airstrip and two jetties to house an Indian military base on Agalega, located about 1,000 km north of the archipelago's main island.
But the Mauritian government denied any plans to allow a military installation on the Agalega island, home to about 300 people.
Mr. Arian said that although work was under way on two projects agreed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2015 visit to Mauritius — a three-kilometre air strip and a jetty — they would not be used for military purposes.

Ebrahim Raisi Sworn in as New President of Iran

Ebrahim Raisi was officially sworn in as the new President of Iran on August 05, 2021. He won the 2021 Iranian presidential election in June, with 62 per cent of the vote. Raisi succeeded Hassan Rouhani to begin his four-year term. He is also been the Chief Justice of Iran since March 2019.
Raisi's inauguration comes at a pivotal time, with Iran currently in indirect negotiations with the United States over how to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement. Raisi will also face the task of reviving his country's economy, which has been battered in recent years by the previous US administration's "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions. Tensions in the region are also high following a string of maritime provocations blamed by the West on Tehran.

Aug 05, 2021

Joe Biden Nominates Mark Brzezinski as U.S. Ambassador to Poland

President Joe Biden has nominated Mark Brzezinski, an Obama-era diplomat with deep ties to Poland, to serve as his Ambassador to Warsaw.
If confirmed, Mr. Brzezinski would be dispatched to Poland at a moment when Central and Eastern European allies of the United States are closely watching the Biden administration's approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mr. Brzezinski served in Barack Obama's administration as the first executive director of the White House's Arctic Executive Steering Committee and as the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden.
He also served on the White House National Security Council during Bill Clinton's administration, first as a director for Russia and Eurasia and later as director for the Balkans.

Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin Refuses to Resign

Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin refused to resign after a key ally pulled support for him, but said that he will seek a vote of confidence in Parliament next month to prove his legitimacy to govern.
Shortly after a meeting with King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the palace, Muhyiddin said that he had been informed by the monarch that eight lawmakers from a key party in his ruling alliance had withdrawn support for him.
The party, the United Malays National Organization, is the largest in the alliance with 38 lawmakers, but it is split with some not backing the premier. UMNO's president declared that Muhyiddin had lost the right to govern with the withdrawal of support from some party lawmakers and after an UMNO minister resigned.
Muhyiddin took power in March 2020 after initiating the collapse of the former reformist government that won 2018 elections. His party joined hands with UMNO and several others to form a new government.

Aug 04, 2021

Afghan Foreign Minister Speaks to EAM Jaishankar on Escalating Violence by Taliban

Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammed Hanif Atmar spoke to his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar on August 3 to explore the possibility of convening an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) to discuss ways to stop the Taliban's violence and human rights abuses in Afghanistan.

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