Etihad Airways suspend operations through Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The decision of the US Federal Aviation Administration to restrict US airline operations in Iranian-controlled airspace, Etihad Airways consulted closely with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and other UAE airlines to evaluate the US action.
Etihad Airways has subsequently suspended operations through Iranian airspace over the Straits of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, and will use alternative flight paths on a number of routes to and from Abu Dhabi until further notice.
Sri Lanka: India-assisted emergency ambulance service reaches its countrywide coverage.
India-assisted emergency ambulance service reached its countrywide coverage with the launch in the eastern province. The service is now available in all nine Provinces of Sri Lanka.
The emergency ambulance service was first announced during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka in March 2015. An additional grant amount of 15.02 million US dollars was provided by India to undertake island-wide expansion which covered the purchase of 209 ambulances, operational expenditure of the service for one year and training costs.
The emergency ambulance service which can be obtained by simply dialling toll-free no ‘1990’ on any network in Sri Lanka, is the largest Indian grant project in Sri Lanka after the Indian Housing Project.
Council of Europe restores Russias voting rights.
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has voted in favour of restoring Russia's voting rights, five years after they were revoked over its illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.
Russia extended its ban on food products from the European Union up to 31 December 2020
Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed for extending Moscow’s Embargo on food products from European Union (EU) upto 31 December 2020. This is due to Russia's retaliation against sanctions over Ukraine. The decree prohibits a number of imports from various countries for one year which includes agricultural products, raw materials and other food items.
Russia primarily targeted their restrictions on finance, energy and defence sectors of Russian economy. Russian economy is affected by pushing up the food products.
BIMSTEC Day celebrated in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Members of the 7 countries regional grouping Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) celebrated the BIMSTEC Day on 25 June, 2019 in Dhaka. BIMSTEC will be able to achieve further progress in various sectors of cooperation. The progress of BIMSTEC in 14 priority areas in the last 22 years of its existence.
International Macro Small and Medium Enterprises Day 2019 is observed every year on 27 June.
Indian MSMEs have stood the test of time, technology and labour. The theme would be 'Indian MSMEs, Global Aspirations'.
International MSME Day 2019 is not just recognised as a day to celebrate the growth of MSMEs, but also to identify the challenges and provide solutions for the sector. The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises is organizing an international convention in New Delhi.
New unprinting method to recycle paper. The new 'Unprinting' method, developed and led by a team of researchers at Rutgers University in the US, can work with the standard, coated paper used in home and office printers.
According to a study in the Journal of Cleaner Production, this innovation uses pulses of light from a xenon lamp. This method makes it possible to unprint and then reprint on the same paper at least five times.
Noida to issue 'red cards' for harassing women. In order to strengthen its 'anti-Romeo squads', Noida Police will issue red cards as warnings to men found harassing women in public by following them or passing comments. While issuing the red cards, the details of the men will be noted by the police. If the same person commits a similar offence again, strict action will be taken against him.
President Donald Trump has landed in South Korea for an imprompt meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas. Mr Trump earlier tweeted from Japan, where he was attending a G-20 summit, that he would be willing to meet Kim at the Demilitarized Zone just to shake hand and say Hello.
The two leaders first met in Singapore last year (2018), the first ever encounter between a leader of North Korea and a sitting US President. The summit produced a vaguely-worded pledge about denuclearisation. Their second meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam four months ago collapsed without any agreement.
US deploys F-22 stealth fighters to Qatar for 1st time. The United States has deployed F-22 stealth fighters to Qatar for the first time, its military said. The announcement adds to a buildup of US forces in the Gulf amid tensions with Iran. The US Air Forces Central Military Command stated that the Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have been deployed to defend American forces and interests. The number of hi-tech planes sent was not specified.
United States has allowed Iraq to import Iranian gas. The United States has allowed Iraq to import Iranian gas for its power grid for another three months by extending a waiver to sanctions. But the US insisted that Iraq finds an alternative measure for its need of electricity, including by harnessing gas energy and reducing flaring at oil production sites.
Iraq has had several extensions to the waiver first granted in 2018 after Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran’s oil sector forbidding countries from purchasing Iranian energy. The extension was given during a phone call between Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The United States continued to insist on diversifying energy imports away from Iran.
U.S. energy giant General Electric won a multibillion-dollar contracts to rebuild Iraq’s electricity system amid intense U.S. lobbying efforts. US reimposed sanctions on Iran’s oil industry in November, citing concerns about its nuclear programme and its meddling in the Middle East.
World Food India will be held in New Delhi from 1st of November, 2019. She said, the event which will continue till 4th November, will position India as Food Processing Destination of the World.
Mrs Kaur while chairing a meeting with various stakeholders of World Food India including the CEOs of major food processing companies and Industry Associations. the meetings discussed the investment opportunities available in India in the Food Processing Sector.
Indian Food Processing Industry has grown tremendously recording 11 per cent growth rate, which is twice the pace of Global Industry. The sector has recorded double digit growth rate across all major sub-segments of the sectors both in terms of value and volume.
The 48th DG conference was held between India's Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). It was concluded on 15 June at Dhaka, Bangladesh. A Joint Record of Discussion was signed by DG, BSF, Rajni Kant Mishra and DG, BGB, Major General Md Shafeenul Islam.
Both BSF abd BGB agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in vulnerable areas to cattle and narcotics smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of International Border (IB) and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.
Both sides also agreed to pursue and share real-time information including a preliminary questioning report as applicable about the persons apprehended with smuggled items. The two Border guard forces also agreed to declare new areas as crime free zone in phases of which proposed area within Sarail region or Tripura Frontier may be formalised in the first phase. The next DG level conference will be held in New Delhi during the first week of November 2019.
Donald Trump to hold extended talks with Xi Jinping on sidelines of G20
US President Donald Trump has said, he will hold an extended meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit. The move is seen as a major development amid the ongoing trade war between two of the world's largest economies.
Trump met with Xi at the previous G-20 at Buenos Aires in Argentina last December (2018). The two leaders discussed the trade dispute and tariffs besides other issues.
Their respective teams will begin talks prior to the meeting. Trump's tweet came after his telephonic conversation with Xi. Leaders of top 20 economies of the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the head of the European Union, are schedu
Victoria has become the first state in Australia to enact Euthanasia laws.
It would now allow terminally ill patients suffering from intolerable pain to legally ask their doctor for lethal drugs to end their lives. The state's historic laws were effective from 19 June 2019. Queensland and Western Australia are now considering enacting the legislation.
WHO launched a new tool to handle AMR named "AWaRe".
The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global campaign named "AWaRe" urging governments to adopt a tool to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), adverse events and costs. It is developed by the WHO Essential Medicines List. It is classified antibiotics into three groups - Access, Watch and Reserve.
The main aim to increase the proportion of global consumption of antibiotics in the Access group to at least 60% and to reduce the usage of the antibiotics from the Watch and Reserve groups. The AWaRe campaign - 'AdoptAWaRe, Handle antibiotics with care'.
Ireland plans to ban sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2030. Ireland decided to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 as part of a major strategy to protect the environment. It is one among the 180 measures of the Irish government published in the Climate Action Plan. They plan to have 950,000 electric vehicles on Irish roads supported by a network of charging stations.
This plan also includes the elimination of non-recyclable plastic and higher fees for plastic items which are difficult to recycle. To this, the government decided to invest in a nationwide charging network.
Their main objective is to transition to a low-carbon to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The ban of the sale of new fossil fuel cars, they would stop granting National Car Test (NCT) certificates to such vehicles by 2045.
US-China trade war, sea row in ASEAN summit spotlight.
Southeast Asian leaders will commit to conclude a long-delayed regional trade pact this year despite lingering odds to fend off risks from a protracted U.S.-China trade war when they gather for a weekend summit in Thailand.
The Chinese sinking of a Philippine boat, which endangered 22 Filipino fishermen, is also expected to put the South China Sea territorial conflicts under the spotlight in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings. The two-day summit gets underway in the Thai capital of Bangkok, where ASEAN was founded in 1967 in the Cold War era.
Other key issues include the planned repatriation of more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees, who have fled a military crackdown in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since August 2017 to neighboring Bangladesh in a crisis that has tested ASEAN.
US imposes sanctions on Syrian industrialist Samer Foz.
United States imposed sanctions on Samer Foz, a Syrian industrialist behind high-end developments for allegedly enriching President Bashar al-Assad.
US Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial intelligence, Sigal Mandelker, said this Syrian oligarch is directly supporting the Assad regime and building luxury developments on land stolen from those fleeing his brutality.
The US Treasury Department also blacklisted properties of Foz and his Aman Holding Company including the Four Seasons hotel.
‘UAE paid businessman to spy on Trump administration’.
A UAE businessman linked to a probe of illegal donations to Donald Trump’s political campaign was paid by his country’s intelligence agency to spy on the U.S. President’s administration.
Rashid al-Malik received tens of thousands of dollars a month for gleaning information on Trump administration policy toward West Asia in 2017.
UAE’s National Intelligence Service on topics of interest to the oil-producing Gulf state — including U.S. efforts to mediate a Gulf feud involving Qatar — as well as meetings between U.S. officials and Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Late last year, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. federal prosecutors were investigating whether foreigners illegally funnelled donations to Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee and a pro-Trump fundraising super PAC. Mr. Al-Malik, chairman of the investment firm Hayah Holdings, was interviewed by special counsel Robert Muller’s office as part of the probe, according to the New York Times.
Kassyam-Jomart Tokayev takes oath as new president of Kajakhastan.
In Kajakhastan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took oath as the new president of the country. He was acting president following the surprise resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev in March 2019.
The career diplomat became the country’s second elected president after succeeding 78-year-old Nursultan Nazarbayev. Mr Toqaev took the oath of office during a ceremony at the Palace of Independence in the capital, Nur-Sultan.
The 66-year-old took nearly 71 per cent of the ballots in the early presidential election this month. Mr Toqaev's landslide victory was widely expected after he received the blessing of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who officially stepped down as in March after almost 30 years in power. The transition comes amid rising dissent in Kazakhstan.
UAE and Germany reaffirm joint commitment to fight against terrorism.
United Arab Emirates and Germany have reaffirmed their joint commitment to fight against terrorism and violent extremism, in all its forms, at both regional and international levels.
In a joint statement issued in Berlin at the end of the two-day visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Germany, the two countries expressed their shared view that terrorism and violent extremism are threats to the international order.
The Emirates News Agency reported that the two sides also agreed on rallying efforts on counter-terrorism issues, exchanging of expertise and information on combating terrorism and strengthening individual training and capacity-building in that regard.
U.S. open to dialogue on GSP, says Michael Pompeo.
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo hinted that it was possible to reinstate the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a programme for preferential access to certain goods markets in the U.S., for India.
Mr. Pompeo is expected to discuss this as well as 5G network technology and data localisation while in New Delhi later this month on a visit.
In addition to GSP, data localisation regulations and proposed policies have been a source of friction between the two countries.
Also push for free flow of data across borders, not just to help American companies, but to protect data and secure consumers’ privacy”.
Japan to invest Rs. 13000 crore in north-east.
Japan has decided to invest about Rs 13,000 crore in several ongoing as well as new projects in different states of the north-eastern region.
New areas of collaboration will be sought which could possibly include bamboo-related projects.
Other projects in which Japan will collaborate include Guwahati water supply and sewage projects in Assam, and more.
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid signs US extradition order for Julian Assange.
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid has signed a request for Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange to be extradited to the US where he faces charges of computer hacking.
The final decision on WikiLeaks founder is now with the courts. Mr Javed signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts tomorrow
The 47-year-old Australian was too ill to appear last month at a hearing at Westminster magistrates court in relation to the US request.
The hearing has been rescheduled for tomorrow, and depending on Assange’s condition, may take place at Belmarsh prison where he is being held.
Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who presides over a number of high-profile Indian extradition requests including that of liquor baron Vijay Mallya and diamond merchant Nirav Modi will be hearing the case.
The charges against Assange under the US Espionage Act accuse him of soliciting and publishing classified information and conspiring to hack into a government computer.
UAE, GCC condemn terror attack targeting Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport
The UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have condemned the terrorist attack targeting Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport, allegedly by the Houthi rebels which have resulted in the injury of many civilians.
UAE strongly condemned this terrorist act which utilised military projectile capabilities and deemed it as new evidence of the Houthi's hostile and terrorist tendencies that seek to undermine security and stability in the region.
The security of the UAE and of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is indivisible, it noted and added that any threat or danger to the Kingdom's security is considered a threat to UAE's security and stability.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has also deplored the launch of Yemen's Houthi militias of a missile at Saudi Arabia's Abha airport that wounded 26 civilians.
In a press statement, GCC, Secretary General Abdulatif Al-Zayani described this act as a terrorist crime, which runs counter to the international humanitarian law. He denounced the targeting of the populated areas and civilian facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The GCC chief also urged the UN Security Council to put an end to continued attacks carried out by the Houthi militias on Saudi Arabia, saying this is a clear threat to regional security and peace.
Eight people with moderate injuries were transferred to a hospital for treatment, while 18 were treated at the site for minor injuries. There was also some physical damage to the airport lounge.
China summons US envoy over Hong Kong human rights bill.
China summoned the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Beijing Robert Forden and lodged a diplomatic protest objecting to a proposed bill that threatens to remove Hong Kong's status as a US special trading partner.
Beijing will not accept foreign forces meddling in Hong Kong affairs.
Hong Kong has been witnessing massive protests since 9th June with over a million people taking to the streets opposing the proposed extradition bill over fears that it would allow China to round up opponents to face trial on the mainland China, where the courts are under the Communist Party control.
China's warning came a day after US lawmakers reintroduced proposed legislation to reaffirm the US commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law at a time when these freedoms and Hong Kong's autonomy are being eroded through interference by the Chinese Government and Communist Party.
No trade action against India as of now: USTR
The United States had no announcement of a trade action at the moment but continued to raise market access concerns with India, reacting to media reports last week that the U.S. was considering launching a 301 probe against India.
U.S. exporters are encountering significant tariff and non-tariff barriers that impede U.S. access to the Indian market across sectors, including both goods and services. A 301 probe can be wide in scope and can result in the U.S. imposing tariffs or taking other trade action against its trading partners if the parties do not come to a settlement.
The USTR’s would take retaliatory action against the U.S.’s tariffs on steel and aluminium (from 2018), by imposing tariffs on 29 goods from June 16. The tariffs will cause the U.S. a tax burden of $220-$290 million.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal would have to show a willingness to fix trade issues and also have proposed fixes ready. In August 2017, the USTR initiated an investigation of China under Section 301 of the U.S.’s Trade Act of 1974 . In April 2018, the USTR official announced it made a determination based on its investigation and proposed tariff action. The first set of tariffs kicked off in July 2018.
Turkey rejected USs ultimatum to back down on Russian missile deal.
Turkey will not back down from its decision to buy Russian S-400 missile defense systems despite U.S.'s ultimatum. This has created tension between Ankara and Washington, the NATO allies.
The S-400s are not compatible with NATO’s defense systems. US said it would compromise its F-35s, which Turkey also plans to buy. Turkey has proposed that the allies form a working group to asses the impact of the S-400s, but has yet to receive a response from the United States.
U.S. urged Turkey to abandon its purchase of a Russian missile defence system. If Turkey does not end the deal, U.S. said that it would expel the Turkish pilots training on the F-35 fighter jet programme.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu suggested an offer to set up a joint working group to resolve U.S. concerns.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was conferred with Manas Order of the First Degree.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was conferred with Manas Order of the First Degree, the highest national award in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He was awarded during visit to Kyrgyzstan before the SCO summit. President Xi said that the honour has fully demonstrated the relationship between both the countries and people.
China plan to partner with Kyrgyzstan to deepen traditional friendship between the two countries and also towards pushing forward Kyrgyzstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership for new bilateral achievements.
Kyrgyzstan is hosting 19th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit starting 14 June 2019. SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security alliance in which China plays an influential role. The founding member of SCO includes China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. India and Pakistan were admitted to Beijing-based regional security grouping in 2017.
The US formally terminated Indias eligibility for a duty free import scheme.
The United States on formally terminated India’s eligibility for a duty-free import scheme for developing countries on 31 May.
It cited that India has not given assurances it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its markets to US companies as required under relevant American trade laws. The country would end its preferential trade treatment for India on June 5.
US house passes USD 19billion disaster relief bill. After months of negotiations and a week-long recess, the US House of Representatives cleared a USD 19.1 billion disaster relief bill aimed at providing funds to areas hit by earthquake, hurricanes, flooding and wildfire.
The bill,which passed in the House would provide approximately USD 900 mn for US unincorporated territory Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from 2017's Hurricane Maria.
Vietnam tops list from US-China trade war.
The Southeast Asian nation,which shares a border with China, gained orders from trade diversion on tariffed goods equal to 7.9% of GD in the year through the first quarter of 2019.
Taiwan is a distant second among the winners, with gains equivalent to 2.1% of GDP. American and Chinese orders for more than half of the 1,981 tariffed products in the U.S.-China trade.
The US has imposed major new travel restrictions on its citizens visiting Cuba, banning cruise ships and ending a heavily used form of educational travel as it seeks to further isolate the communist government. The Treasury Department has announced that the US will no longer allow cruises to Cuba or the group educational and cultural trips known as "people to people" travel to the island. Along with the cruise ships, the US will also now ban most private planes and boats from stopping the island.
The move could constitute a heavy hit on Cuba, which saw more than a quarter-million US visitors in the first four months of 2019, almost double the figure from a year earlier. The United States holds the Cuban regime accountable for its repression of the Cuban people, its interference in Venezuela, and its direct role in the man-made crisis led by Nicolas Maduro.
The Cuban government condemned the move, which could cost the country's economy tens of millions of dollars a year in lost income.
Nigeria's Ambassador to the United Nations Tijjani Muhammad-Bande was elected as President of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly.
The 193-member UNGA elected Muhammad-Bande, who had been nominated by Nigeria and endorsed by the African group, at the election by acclamation. In accordance with the rules, the President of the 74th session of the General Assembly should be elected from among the African States.
Muhammad-Bande was elected by acclamation and he will succeed Maria Fernanda Espinosa as the President of the next General Assembly session that will commence in September. He assumes charge as the world body gets ready to celebrate the 75th anniversary of its creation next year.
World Environment Day, celebrated every year on 5 June. Every year, the UN marks a different focus to commemorate the day. The country hosting the main event for the year chooses the theme for World Environment day.
World Environment Day 2019 will be hosted by China, with a theme of "Air Pollution". World Environment Day 2019 will urge governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together to explore renewable energy and green technologies, and improve air quality in cities and regions across the world.
Russia launches first Arctic train service. In Russia, the first tourist train traveling through Russia's Arctic region and on to Norway, set off from St. Petersburg station with 91 passengers aboard for the inaugural trial journey. The tourists came from seven countries including the US, Germany, Norway and Russia.
The train, named, Zarengold, complete with two restaurant cars will travel from Saint Petersburg through according to the organisers, the whole trip will take 11 days and allow passengers to discover areas difficult to access by other means.
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