Biden Picks China Expert Tai as Top US Trade Representative
President-elect Joe Biden roped in Katherine Tai as US Trade Representative as he named former national security advisor Susan Rice for top domestic policy job at the White House and Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture.
Biden also named Congresswoman Marcia Fudge as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Morocco Latest Arab Country to Normalise Ties with Israel
Morocco has become the latest Arab League country to agree to normalise relations with Israel in a deal brokered with US help.
As part of the deal, the US has agreed to recognise Morocco's claim over the disputed Western Sahara region.
It is the subject of a dispute between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which has been seeking to establish an independent state.
Morocco is the fourth state to make such a deal with Israel since August.
Agreements have also been struck recently with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
Along with Egypt and Jordan, Morocco becomes the sixth Arab League member to normalise ties with Israel.
DR Congo Parliament Votes to Remove Speaker
Lawmakers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have voted to remove the parliament's speaker.
The result is a victory for President Félix Tshisekedi, who's been involved in a power struggle with supporters of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila.
Earlier this week police had to intervene to break up fights between rival politicians.
The speaker, Jeanine Mabunda, was an ally of Mr. Kabila. She was impeached after being accused of "partisan leadership" by President Tshisekedi's supporters - allegations she denied.
The vote also saw the majority in parliament swing in favour of President Tshisekedi.
He can now put into motion plans that he put forward earlier. They include forming a government which he said would allow him to deliver more to the Congolese people.
The removal of the speaker is a major blow to former President Kabila, who stepped down last year after leading the central African country for 18 years.
He had full control of both national and provincial assemblies.
Dec 10, 2020
France Unveils Draft Law to Fight Islamist Radical Enemy
A draft law aimed at arming France against Islamist radicalism was unveiled, a measure promoted by President Emmanuel Macron to rout out what he calls "separatists" undermining the nation.
Parliament is expected to open what is likely to be a lively debate on the draft law in the months ahead. The measure, long in the making and refined until days before its presentation, has gone through various name changes and is now known by the delicate title "Supporting Republican Principles".
Prime Minister Jean Castex and others insist that neither Islam as a religion nor regular Muslims are targeted by the draft law.
Neither is named in the text made up of about 50 articles aimed at enabling better oversight of mosques, associations, public services and schools.
Pakistan Lawmakers to Resign en Masse
The political crisis in Pakistan has deepened after an 11-party Opposition alliance announced that their lawmakers would resign en masse by the end of this month from parliament to paralyse the government and force Prime Minister Imran Khan to call early snap polls.
The decision was taken after the Pakistan Democratic Movement, a group of 11 opposition parties, held a meeting in Islamabad.
Major Blow to Pakistan and China
In a major blow to Pakistan and China, the US has placed them on violators of religious freedom list along with eight other nations.
The United States designated Pakistan, China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Eritrea and Myanmar, as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
The US also placed the Comoros, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Russia on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom.
Sudan and Uzbekistan have been removed from the Special Watch List based on significant, concrete progress undertaken by their respective governments over the past year.
Dec 09, 2020
Biden Picks Retired Army General to Run Pentagon
US President-elect Joe Biden has selected retired Army General Lloyd Austin to run the Pentagon as Secretary of Defence. If confirmed by the Senate, the 67-year-old career military officer would be the first African-American to lead the Department of Defence.
Forbes 2020 List of 100 most Powerful Women
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Biocon Founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and HCL Enterprise CEO Roshni Nadar Malhotra have been named among the world's 100 most powerful women by Forbes, a list topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the 10th year in a row.
The women on the 17th annual Forbes Power List hail from 30 countries and were born across four generations.
Sitharaman is ranked 41st on the list, Nadar Malhotra comes in at the 55th spot, Mazumdar-Shaw is ranked 68th and chairwoman of Landmark Group Renuka Jagtiani is ranked 98th.
Romanian PM Ludovic Orban Resigns
Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has resigned after his party's disappointing performance in parliamentary elections.
Despite losing to the opposition Social Democrats (PSD), Mr. Orban said that he still hoped that his National Liberal Party (NLP) could put together a majority coalition to choose his successor.
With 95% of ballots counted, the PSD had 30% of the vote to the NLP's 25%.
Despite winning, it is unlikely that the opposition PSD will take charge, as the NLP has more potential allies.
Several smaller parties will hold the balance of power, which appears to favour a Liberal-led coalition.
EU and Burundi Agree to Resume Dialogue
Burundi and the European Union have agreed to relaunch a political dialogue with hopes of normalising diplomatic ties after a five-year suspension, the presidency has announced.
President Evariste Ndayishimiye hosted the EU representative in Burundi together with ambassadors of European countries.
The two sides agreed to break free from the past and look to the future by rebuilding their relationship.
Burundi had accused the EU of "sponsoring instability" in the country following a failed coup in May 2015. The EU subsequently cut off budgetary support to the government citing concerns of human rights violations.
Dec 08, 2020
Liberians Vote on How Long a President Should Serve
Liberians voted in a referendum about shortening presidential terms from six to five years and allowing citizens to have dual nationality.
Some of President George Weah's critics were concerned that he could use the constitutional change to extend the number of terms that he serves.
Liberian Presidents are limited to two terms, but constitutional changes in neighbouring Guinea and Ivory Coast meant that the heads of state there could run for third terms despite the term limit still being in place.
EU Weighs New Dawn for Trans-Atlantic Ties under Biden
The European Union Foreign Ministers debated ways to work together more closely with the United States on global diplomacy, with the bloc hopeful that the arrival of President-elect Joe Biden will breathe new life into trans-Atlantic relations.
Trans-Atlantic ties have eroded over the past four years under President Donald Trump. He has slapped tariffs on European exports and pulled the United States out of a number of security agreements that they hold dear, notably the Iran nuclear deal.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is chairing the meeting, said that the aim was to establish a new, refreshed start of our engagement with the US. The bloc's leaders will also discuss trans-Atlantic ties this week at a two-day summit.
China Suggests Dialogue with US
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Beijing and the US should initiate dialogue at all levels. This comes after reports suggesting that US President-elect Joe Biden may take a tough stance on China-related issues such as the South China Sea. Also, Biden is likely to come through with his pledge to mobilise America's allies in determination to stand up to China.
As per a report by ANI, Sputnik quoted Wang saying that "China and the US should initiate dialogue at all levels, any issue can be discussed at the negotiating table. Thus, it is possible to keep in touch on strategic and long-term issues". He added, "The Chinese side is always ready to negotiate, the sides can draft a list [of topics] to promote dialogue, cooperation and to settle differences". He said this at the meeting with the US-China Business Council's Board of Directors.
Dec 07, 2020
US Ends Five Cultural Programmes with China
The departing Trump administration has ended five cultural-exchange programmes with China that it says were being used for Chinese propaganda and had no benefit to the United States.
The terminations follow new visa restrictions announced by Washington limiting stays in the US by members of China's Communist Party and signal further erosion in relations with Beijing in the final weeks of President Donald Trump's time in office.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the exchange programmes he ended were fully paid for and operated by the Chinese Government "as soft power propaganda tools".
The State Department terminated the Policymakers Educational China Trip Program, the US-China Friendship Program, the US-China Leadership Exchange Program, the US-China Transpacific Exchange Program and the Hong Kong Educational and Cultural Program.
Each program allowed US officials to travel in China at Beijing's expense.
Mali's Malick Diaw to Head National Transition Council
One of the key figures behind the August coup in Mali has been chosen for a top post despite concern over the military's continued influence in the country.
Colonel Malick Diaw was unanimously elected to lead the interim legislative body, the National Transition Council.
This is supposed to play a crucial role in the transition to civilian rule within 18 months.
One of the country's main opposition groups is boycotting the body.
The opposition group, known as the June 5 Movement, organised massive street protests against the man who was ousted from power, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.
Venezuela Holds National Assembly Poll Amid Opposition Boycott
Votes are being counted in Venezuela's legislative elections, which are set to hand socialist President Nicolás Maduro control of the only official body still controlled by the opposition.
Most opposition parties are boycotting the polls for the National Assembly.
The boycott is being led by opposition leader Juan Guaidó who has been in a two-year power struggle with Mr. Maduro.
The US and more than 50 other countries recognise Mr. Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate leader.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has described Sunday's poll as "a fraud and a sham".
The results announced by the illegitimate Maduro regime will not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people.
The Organization of American States (OAS) has also said that it will not recognise the result.
Bangladesh Relocates First Batch of Rohingyas to Isolated Island
Bangladesh relocated the first batch of 1,600 Rohingyas to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal for a better abode amid reservation from rights groups fearing the place's vulnerability to tropical cyclones and climate change.
Rohingyas, who are Myanmar's ethnic minority Muslim community, fled their homeland to evade a ruthless military clampdown since August 25, 2017 and after initial reluctance Bangladesh offered them the refuge on humanitarian grounds.
A batch of 1,600 Rohingyas were the first group of people who agreed to move to a better abode, while 19 more ships were kept ready to ferry fellow refugees to the island in the next few days.
Aid agencies and rights groups, however, expressed their reservation against the relocation campaign fearing the vulnerability of the island to tropical cyclones and climate change.
+91-85588-96644
