General Awareness

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - May 2019

May 2019

Jul 13, 2019

China to Impose Sanctions on U.S. Firms

China said that it would impose sanctions on U.S. companies involved in a potential arms sale worth $2.2 billion to self-ruled Taiwan, a move that has infuriated Beijing.
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, the U.S. arms sale to Taiwan has severely violated the basic norms of international law and international relations.
In order to safeguard national interests, China would impose sanctions on U.S. enterprises participating in this sale of weapons to Taiwan.
The planned weapons sale, the first transfer of big-ticket United States military gear to democratically-governed Taiwan in decades, comes as ties between Washington and Beijing are already strained by a trade war.
China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

Pakistan Asks India to Pull Back Fighter Jets

As per Pakistan's Aviation Secretary Shahrukh Nusrat, Pakistan told India that it will not open its airspace for commercial flights until New Delhi removes its fighter jets from forward IAF airbases.
Pakistan fully closed its airspace on February 26, 2019 after the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir.
Aviation Secretary Nusrat, who is also the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), informed the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation that his department has intimated Indian officials that Pakistani airspace would remain unavailable for use by India until the country withdraws its fighter jets from forward positions.
This is probably the first time a senior Pakistani official has publicly stated Islamabad's precondition for reopening its airspace after the Balakot air strikes.

Jul 12, 2019

India Urges Commonwealth to Readmit Maldives as Member

India has urged the Commonwealth to expedite readmission of the Maldives as a member country.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conveyed India's stand at the 19 Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in London.
The support came weeks after Mr. Modi visited Male in his first overseas trip after his re-election.
The Maldives withdrew from the Commonwealth during the tenure of President Abdullah Yameen in 2016 after the Commonwealth expressed serious concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected President in a democratic wave against the rule of Mr. Yameen.

No-confidence Motion against Sri Lanka Govt. Defeated

A trust vote on the government presented by the opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in Sri Lankan Parliament was defeated with a majority of 119 legislators in the 225-member House voting against it.
The leftist JVP or Peoples' Liberation Front, an opposition party, had submitted a motion accusing the ruling coalition of failing to prevent the April 21 Easter terror attacks despite the fact that proper information had been made available regarding suicide terrorists.
Following a two-day debate, a total of 92 lawmakers from President Maithripala Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which pulled out of government in October 2018, the coalition backing former President and Leader of Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the JVP voted in favour of the no-confidence motion.
Muslim MPs, who had resigned protesting demonisation of the community following Easter attacks and the opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) voted in favour of the government.

Jul 11, 2019

Lankan Government Faces No-confidence Vote

Sri Lanka's Parliament began debating a no-confidence motion against the government for failing to prevent Easter suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people.
The Opposition Marxist Peoples' Liberation Front submitted a motion accusing the ruling coalition of failing to prevent the April 21 attacks despite the "fact that proper information had been made available regarding suicide terrorists."
Anura Dissanayaka, the leader of the Peoples' Liberation Front, said that the attacks occurred because the government failed to fulfil its responsibility. "People have no confidence in this government.

UK Ambassador to the US Resigns

Britain's ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, resigned after a series of leaked diplomatic cables revealed that he had told 10 Downing Street that the Trump administration was "inept" and "clumsy."
The resignation, announced by the UK Foreign, came after US President Donald Trump that the White House would no longer deal with Darroch.
The ambassador made his decision to step down after seeing that Boris Johnson, the current frontrunner to replace Theresa May as British Prime Minister, had refused to support him during a recent leadership debate.

Jul 10, 2019

Ministers Urge Iran to Revert to Upholding Nuclear Deal

The foreign ministers of Germany, France, Britain and the European Union were concerned about Iran scaling up its uranium enrichment and urged Tehran to revert to upholding the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran said that it would boost its uranium enrichment above a cap set by the nuclear deal, a move that could mean the return of all economic sanctions on Tehran. The foreign minister expressed deep concern that Iran is not meeting several of its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, referring to the nuclear deal`s formal name (JCPoA).
Iran stated that it wants to remain within the JCPoA. The ministers said that if Iran wants to remain within the JCPoA, it must act accordingly by reversing these activities and returning to full JCPoA compliance without delay.

First Expat to Get UAE's Permanent Residency

UAE-based Indian business tycoon Lalu Samuel became the first expat in Sharjah to get the gold card permanent residency.
Unlike the long-term visa of 5-10 years for businessmen and talented individuals, the gold card gives permanent residency of the UAE to the holder.
The Kingston Group chairman was handed over the gold residence card by Brigadier Arif Al Shamsi, Director-General of residency and foreigners affairs in Sharjah.
The Kingston Holdings owns one of the largest manufacturing companies in the Middle East that comprises several manufacturing units that process plastic and metal. Samuel was selected as one of the top 100 Most Influential Indian Business Leaders in the Arab World by the Forbes magazine continuously for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

China Furious as US Proposes Arms Deal with Taiwan

China urged Washington to immediately cancel the potential sale of $2.2 billion in weapons to Taiwan, including battle tanks and antiaircraft missiles.
The US state department's decision to green light the first big-ticket US military sale to the self-ruled democratic island in decades came amid already strained ties between Washington and Beijing.
As per foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, the sale of weapons by the United States to Taiwan seriously violates the one-China principle and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs and undermines China's sovereignty and security interests.
Geng said that China had already lodged formal complaints through diplomatic channels expressing strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the move. China urges the US to immediately cancel the planned arms sale and stop military relations with Taipei to avoid damaging Sino-US relations and harming peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Extradition Bill Dead

Hong Kong's embattled pro-Beijing leader said that a China extradition bill that sparked unprecedented political unrest is dead, but protesters immediately dismissed her comments, threatening more mass rallies.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam admitted her administration's attempt to introduce the bill was a complete failure, saying that her government would not seek to reactivate it in parliament.
But she once against refused to buckle to demands to completely withdraw the bill from the legislative agenda, provoking outcry from the anti-government camp.
As per leading democracy activist Joshua Wong, who was released from jail, Lam's words about the bill are another ridiculous lie.

Vote on Bill to Remove Country-cap on Green Card

The US lawmakers would decide on lifting the country-cap on issuing Green Cards through voting in Congress, a move which may benefit thousands of highly-skilled Indian IT professionals.
Having a Green Card allows a person to live and work permanently in the US.
Indian IT professionals, most of whom are highly skilled and come to the US mainly on the H-1B work visas, are the worst sufferers of the current immigration system which imposes a seven per cent per country quota on allotment of the coveted Green Cards or permanent legal residency.
Being supported by more than 310 lawmakers from both the Republican and the Democratic Party, the 'Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act' is all set to sail through the 435-member US House of Representatives.
Buoyed by the fact of 203 Democrats and 108 Republicans are co-sponsoring the bill, the proponents of the legislation are using a fast-track process which requires 290 votes to pass a bill without hearing and amendments.

Jul 09, 2019

Kobach Announces Candidacy for the U.S. Senate

Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate next year.
Kobach filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission forming a campaign committee and made his formal announcement in Leavenworth.
He is seeking the Republican nomination for four-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts' seat. Roberts is not seeking re-election in 2020.
Some Republicans do not want Kobach to run for the Senate because he lost the governor's race last year to Democrat Laura Kelly.
Kobach is an advocate for tough immigration policies. He was an early and vocal supporter of President Donald Trump in 2016 but had frequently alienated GOP moderates.
Kobach is joining a potentially crowded race. At least 16 prospective candidates have expressed an interest in running.

Peace Talks Resume

Dozens of powerful Afghans resumed talks with the Taliban in Doha, where a possible ceasefire is on the table along with key issues such as women's rights.
Stakes are high for the talks which follow a week of U.S.-Taliban negotiations, with both sides eyeing a resolution to the bloody 18-year conflict.
Washington said it wants to seal a political deal with the Taliban ahead of the Afghan presidential polls due in September to allow foreign forces to begin to withdraw.
Around 70 delegates are attending the two-day gathering which has been organised by Germany and Qatar.

Mitsotakis Becomes Greek PM

Conservative politician Kyriakos Mitsotakis took office as Greece's new Prime Minister and named his cabinet, after storming to victory on a pledge to create jobs and lure investment to the economically stricken nation.
Mitsotakis's New Democracy party won an outright majority with 158 seats in the 300-seat legislature. His pledges for more investments, well-paid jobs and fewer taxes won over Greeks worn out by years of EU-prescribed austerity and the euro zone's highest unemployment.

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