General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2019

May 2019

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.

Aug 06, 2019

Bill to Scrap Executions is Illegal

Sri Lanka's attorney general informed President Maithripala Sirisena said that a bill presented to Parliament seeking to abolish the death penalty is illegal.
Lawmaker Bandula Lal Bandarigoda presented a bill in Parliament seeking to abolish the death penalty and commute the sentences of those already on death row to life imprisonment.
The move came after President Maithripala Sirisena signed the death warrants of four prisoners convicted of drug offenses and is seen as an effort by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to stall the planned executions.
Despite the attorney general's opinion, the bill can still be taken up for a vote in 14 days unless it is challenged in the Supreme Court.

US and South Korea Start Joint Drills

Defying warnings from Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington began annual joint military exercises.
The drills come after Pyongyang tested a series of short-range projectiles in recent days, calling one of them a "solemn warning" to Seoul against pursuing the mainly computer-simulated drills with Washington.
Under the US-South Korea security treaty, an American general will take command of their combined forces in the event of armed conflict, but Seoul has long sought to reverse the position.

Russia to Follow Suit if US Develops N - Missiles

President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would be forced to start developing short and intermediate-range land-based nuclear missiles if the US started doing so after the demise of a landmark arms control treaty. The US formally left the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia after determining that Moscow was violating the treaty and had already deployed at least one banned type of missile, an accusation the Kremlin denies. Putinheld a meeting with his Security Council after which he ordered the defence and foreign ministries and Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service to closely monitor any steps the US took to develop, produce or deploy missiles banned under the defunct treaty.

North Korea Launches more Missiles

As Pyongyang protested that joint US-South Korea military drills violated diplomatic agreements, North Korea fired missiles into the sea off its east coast for the fourth time in less than two weeks.
Trump has played down the tests by saying they did not break any agreement he had with Kim but the talks have yet to resume. Analysts believe the tests are designed both to improve North Korean military capabilities and to pressure Washington to offer more concessions.

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