General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - June 2018

Jun 2018

Aug 13, 2019

New Rule Likely To Hit Indians Eyeing US Green Cards

Under a new rule that goes into effect, the United States will start denying Green Cards and extensions of other temporary-stay visas to foreigners who have either used government assistance such as food stamps and housing rent or are likely to become someone who relies on "public benefits".
Experts estimate that this rule, called the "Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds", is the most significant of the Trump administration's immigration moves and could cut legal immigration by half -- also affecting Indians.

S Korea To Remove Japan From Preferred Trade List

South Korea has decided to remove Japan from a list of nations receiving preferential treatment in trade in what was seen as a tit-for-tat move following Tokyo's recent decision to downgrade Seoul's trade status amid a diplomatic row.
It wasn't immediately clear how South Korea's tightened export controls would impact bilateral trade. Seoul said some South Korean companies exporting to Japan will be able to receive exceptions from case-by-case inspections that are normally applied on sensitive shipments to nations with lower trade status and go through the same fast-track approval process that they currently enjoy.

Hong Kong Airport Grinds To a Halt

Hong Kong's airport halted flights , blaming demonstrators for the disruption. The airport authority said it was working with airlines to resume flights from 6am on August 13, 2019 but the developments raised the stakes sharply after a weekend of skirmishes during which both activists and police toughened their stances.
The protests began in opposition to a bill allowing extraditions to the mainland for trial in Communist-controlled courts, but have widened to highlight other grievances.

DTC Suspends Bus Service Between Delhi And Lahore

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has cancelled the bus between Delhi and Lahore as Pakistan informed it that the service was suspended in the wake of India revoking Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
The Delhi-Lahore bus service was first started in February 1999 but suspended after the 2001 Parliament attack.
It was restarted in July 2003. The ridership of the bus had drastically reduced post the Pulwama terrorist attack and the Balakot surgical strikes in February, 2019 which strained Indo-Pak relations.

Aug 12, 2019

Germany To Freeze Support For Brazil Forest Projects

The German government plans to stop supporting forest and biodiversity projects in Brazil because of what it sees as evidence of the South American country's lack of commitment to curbing deforestation in the Amazon region, since the election of Jair Bolsonaro as the president.

Jaishankar Begins China Visit

Jaishankar's three-day visit to China was finalised before New Delhi revoked the special status to J&K and bifurcated the state into two union territories on August 5, 2019.
Beijing is nevertheless expected to raise its concerns about the situation, especially because its all-weather ally, Pakistan, already sent its foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi to discuss the issue with Wang. China has called India's decision to change Ladakh's status to a union territory (UT) "unacceptable".
During their meeting, Jaishankar and Wang are expected to finalise details about President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to India in October,2019 for his second "informal summit" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi — the first one in Wuhan in central China in April 2018 thawed the chill in bilateral ties after the Doklam military standoff the year before.
It will be Jaishankar's first visit as foreign minister to China where he served as India's ambassador between 2009 and 2013, the longest by an Indian diplomat.

Aug 10, 2019

Pak To Suspend Jodhpur-Karachi Thar Express Train

Pakistan announced that it will suspend the Thar Express train service with India which links the two countries across the Rajasthan border.
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced the suspension of the services.
The Thar Express has been running between Jodhpur's Bhagat ki Kothi station to Karachi every Friday night since services resumed on February 18, 2006 after a 41-year suspension.

India In US List On Drug Transit

US President Donald Trump has designated India among about 20 major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries.
Apart from India, the countries identified in the list are Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru and Venezuela
Combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to transit or be produced, even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control measures, are the reasons countries are placed on the list
Trump designated Bolivia and the "illegitimate regime" of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela as having failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international counter-narcotics agreements

On 74th Anniversary Of Nagasaki Bombing, Mayor Urges Govt To Sign Nuke Ban Treaty

Nagasaki marked the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing on 9th August, 2019 as the city's mayor criticised nuclear states including the US and Russia for challenging survivors' efforts towards a nuclear-free world.
Nagasaki mayor Tomihisa Taue lamented in his peace declaration that the opinion that nuclear weapons are useful is gaining traction.
He said both the US and Russia are returning to development and deployment of nuclear weapons after the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was dissolved.

Aug 09, 2019

Pak Stops Samjhauta Express and Stalls Talks On Jadhav

Pakistan took more retaliatory actions in response to India's decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status, halting the main cross-border train service and snapping talks on consular access to former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court for alleged espionage.
A ban on the screening of Indian movies was also among actions announced by Pakistani authorities against the backdrop of tensions between the two sides.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan does not want war but will give a befitting response if India imposes it.
Pakistan railways minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told that the Samjhauta Express – a bi-weekly train service started in 1976 and whose name means "agreement" – would be stopped.

Kyrgyzstan's Ex-President Arrested After Violent Clashes

Police in Kyrgyzstan detained the Central Asian nation's ex-president following violent clashes with his supporters.
The violence has raised the threat of a new round of turmoil in the ex-Soviet nation, which borders China and hosts a Russian military air base.
Kyrgyzstan's first two presidents after independence were both driven from office by riots.
Almazbek Atambayev, who was in office from 2011 to 2017, accused his successor and one-time protege Sooronbai Jeenbekov of fabricating false criminal charges against him to stifle criticism.

Iran Hits Out At Bahrain For Hosting 'Provocative' Talks

Iran hit out at Bahrain for hosting a "provocative" conference on Gulf maritime security and for its "anti-Iran" rhetoric accusing Tehran of attacking tankers in sensitive waters.
According to Bahrain, meeting was to discuss the "current regional situation" and blasted "the repeated attacks and unacceptable practices of Iran and the terrorist groups linked to it".

Aug 08, 2019

Pakistan Expels India's Envoy, To Suspend Bilateral Trade

Pakistan expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, minutes after it decided to downgrade diplomatic ties with India over what it called New Delhi's "unilateral and illegal" move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
This announcement came after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), attended by top civil and military leadership. This meeting also decided to suspend bilateral trade and review the "bilateral arrangements".
"Our ambassadors will no longer be in New Delhi and their counterparts here will also be sent back," Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in televised comments soon after the NSC meeting.
The NSC also decided to take up the issue with the UN Security Council.

Turkey, US Agree On Safe Zone

Turkey and the US have reached a long-sought agreement to distance American-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters from the Turkish border, removing a major point of contention between the NATO allies.
Turkish and American officials in Ankara agreed to set up a joint operation centre to coordinate efforts to carve out a buffer zone in northern Syria.
The area would be off-limits to the Kurdish forces, which Turkey regards as a threat to its territorial integrity.

China Blocks Films, Stars From Taiwan Film Awards

China's film regulator said it was blocking the mainland movie industry from participating in Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards without giving a reason, in the latest sign of rising tensions between Beijing and the selfruled island.
The China Film News, a magazine published by the China Film Administration, made the announcement.
China Film Administration says that it will suspend mainland movies and their personnel from participating in 2019' 56th Golden Horse Awards.

US Formalizes Ban On Govt Contracts To China's Huawei

The United States unveiled rules formally banning technology giant Huawei and other Chinese firms from government contracts.
The move is a part of the escalating trade war between the two countries. The interim rule will preclude any US federal agency from purchasing telecom or technology equipment from the firms as a substantial or essential component, or as critical technology as part of any system.
The new rules are part of a sweeping effort by President Donald Trump's administration to restrict Huawei, which is linked to Chinese intelligence.

China: Biggest Crisis Since 1997 Handover

Hong Kong is facing its biggest crisis since it returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997, as more anti-government protests rocked the Asian financial hub.
Hong Kong's crisis has continued for 60 days, and is getting worse and worse. Violent activities are intensifying and the impact on society is spreading wider.
Hong Kong has faced months of sometimes violent protests that began with opposition to a now-suspended extradition law and which have evolved into a direct challenge to the government of embattled leader Carrie Lam and calls for full democracy.
Hong Kong's protests pose a major challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping who is grappling with a trade war with the United States and a slowing economy.
Zhang held a forum on Wednesday to discuss the political crisis in Hong Kong which included Hong Kong delegates to China's parliament, the National People's Congress and China's main consultative body, the CPPCC. No opposition democratic figures or protest representatives were invited.

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