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US extends $39 million military finance to Sri Lanka to boost maritime security

 United States has announced to grant $39 million as part its foreign military financing to Sri Lanka to boost maritime security. The US funding for Sri Lanka is part of its $300 million set aside for South and Southeast Asia to ensure free, open, and rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • Key Facts
The foreign military financing to Sri Lanka will be subject to approval by US Congress. It is viewed latest move by US to counter China’s increasing strategic influence on Indian Ocean island. This contribution will also support Bay of Bengal initiative and Sri Lanka’s humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) priorities. This will be first US grant to Sri Lanka since 2009, after US had stopped arms sales to Sri Lanka during height of its Tamil separatist war that ended in 2009. During this time, US was highly critical of human-rights record of Sri Lankan Government led by then President Mahinda Rajapakse. This had led Sri Lanka to seek China as its alternative partner.
  • Background
China (world’s second-largest economy) in recent has raised its investments in major ports in Sri Lanka, which are key to its ambitious ‘Belt and Road’ infrastructure initiative. Under it, China has vowed to keep providing financial help, including loans to Sri Lanka despite warnings about its mounting debt. Sri Lanka has already handed over control of Hambantota sea port to China on 99-year lease in 2017, after its inability to repay Chinese loans for the $1.4 billion project. The port in Hambantota straddles world’s busiest east-west shipping route and also gives strategic foothold to China in region, threating long dominance of India in the region. International Monetary Fund (IMF) also has warned Sri Lanka over its heavy debt after it bailed out island nation in June 2016 with $1.5 billion loan.
Catgeory: International

2018 Global Liveability Index: Vienna named world’s most liveable city

 Austrian capital Vienna was ranked as world’s most liveable city among 140 major cities in 2018 Global Liveability Index released by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It is first time that European city has topped rankings of EIU annual survey.
  • Global Liveability Index
Global Liveability Index released by EIU compares world cities with each other in terms of security, affordability, education, healthcare, its urban lifestyle and infrastructure. It scores 140 major cities of the world on scale ranging from 0 (least liveable city) to 100 (most liveable city) based on these above parameters.
  • Key Highlights of 2018 Global Liveability Index
10 most liveable cities’ list includes Vienna, Austria (rank: 1st, with total score of 99.1), Melbourne, Australia (2nd, 98.4); Osaka, Japan (3rd, 97.7); Calgary, Canada (4th, 97.5); Sydney, Australia (5th, 97.4); Vancouver, Canada (6th, 97.3); Toronto, Canada (7th, 97.2); Tokyo, Japan (8th, 97.2); Copenhagen, Denmark (9th, 96.8); and Adelaide, Australia (96.6). Three Canadian cities made it into top 10 viz. Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. No Indian cities were ranked in the top ten or bottom ten of this edition of index. New Delhi had figured at 112th and Mumbai 117th position in list. South Asian cities were also ranked low in The 10 least liveable cities are Dakar, Senegal (131st); Algiers, Algeria (132nd); Douala, Cameroon (133rd); Tripoli, Libya (134th); Harare, Zimbabwe (135th); Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (136th); Karachi, Pakistan (137th); Lagos, Nigeria (138th); Dhaka, Bangladesh (139th) and Damascus, Syria (140th).
Catgeory: International

Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 Begins In Birgunj

 Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 has begun in Birgunj, Nepal. The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Province 2 Mohammad Lalbabu Raut. The festival is aimed at strengthening Indo-Nepal ties. On this occasion, eminent writers from both the countries were also felicitated. Around 250 participants from India and Nepal attending the two-day festival. The event is organised by Nepal India Co-operation Forum. 
Source- DD News
Catgeory: International

Meeting Of Senior Officials Of BIMSTEC Held

 A special meeting of Senior Officials of the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multi-Sectoral, Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was held in Kathmandu today. The meeting also agreed to recommend a theme "Towards a peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region" for the Summit.
Source- DD NEWS
Catgeory: International

Exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018 To Be Conducted In Russia

 As part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) initiatives, SCO Peace Mission Exercise is conducted biennially for SCO member states. The joint exercise for the year 2018 will be conducted by Central Military Commission of Russia from 22 August to 29 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk, Russia. This will be a historic occasion due to the maiden participation of India post becoming a full member of the SCO in June 2017. This exercise marks a major milestone in the multilateral relations of SCO member nations. 
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)
Catgeory: International

Ivan Duque Sworn In As Colombia’s Next President

 Ivan Duque was sworn in as the newly elected President of Colombia. He pledged to unite the country and improve economic growth.  He pledged changes to tackle corruption and invigorate the economy and vowed to change the peace deal with the FARC rebel group. 
Source- DD News
Catgeory: International

Pakistan, Russia sign agreement to allow Pakistani troops to receive training at Russian military training institutes

 Pakistan and Russia have signed contract on admission of service members of Pakistan in Russia’s Military Training Institutes. The agreement was signed at conclusion of first meeting of Russia-Pakistan Joint Military Consultative Committee (JMCC), the highest forum of defence collaboration between both countries held in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This will be for first time, Pakistani soldiers will undergo training at Russian military institutes. This agreement is considered as sign of further strengthening defence ties between Russia and Paksitan.
  • Russia-Pakistan Joint Military Consultative Committee (JMCC)
During inaugural JMCC meeting, both sides discussed present status of their defence relations with aim to further strengthen, expand and diversify mutual cooperation. They exchanged views on bilateral and major international issues, including situation in West Asia and Afghanistan. They also expressed requirement of greater cooperative and collaborative approach among global community to defeat extremism. Moreover, comprehensive issue-based review was also carried out during which both countries expressed satisfaction on milestones achieved since signing of defence cooperation agreement in 2014. They also discussed regional security situation and matters of mutual interest, including enhancement of bilateral defence and security cooperation.
  • Background
Pakistan’s defence ties with Russia have moved past bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years, mostly after chill in Pakistan’s relations with US. This has further pushed Pakistan close towards Russia and China. Russia and Pakistan had defence cooperation agreement in 2014. This has further enhance their bilateral relations. Both countries also have initiative military exercise DRUZBA (Friendship) in 2016.
Catgeory: International

Saudi Arabia Freezes Trade Ties With Canada

 Saudi Arabia has announced that it is freezing all new trade and investment with Canada over its interference in its internal affairs.  The Saudi foreign ministry expelled the Canadian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in Canada. 
Source- AIR World Service
Catgeory: International

UK Announces New Organ Donation Plan To Address Indian-Origin Shortages

  The UK government has announced new plans to change the law for organ and tissue donation to address the urgent need for organs within the Indian-origin communities in the country. The proposed new system of consent for organ and tissue donation is expected to come into effect in England in 2020, as part of a drive to help Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people desperately waiting for a life-saving transplant. The announcement comes as a recent report called on the National Health Service (NHS) to take more proactive action to address the high death rate among Indian-origin people in Britain due to low levels of organ donation within the community. 
Source- AIR World Service
Catgeory: International

UK unveils new organ donation plan to address Indian-origin shortages

 United Kingdom Government has announced new plans to change law for organ and tissue donation to address urgent need for organs within Indian-origin communities in the country. The amendment in existing law will propose new system of consent for organ and tissue donation. This will be known as Max’s Law after Max Johnson, a 10-year-old boy who was saved by a heart transplant.
  • Key Facts
The changes in law will try to incorporate opt-in system similar to India, whereby families’ decision to donate organs of their loved one after death is discretionary. This will come into effect in England in 2020 as part of a drive to help black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people desperately waiting for a life-saving transplant. Under this new presumed consent system, those who do not want to donate their organs will be able to record their decision on state-funded National Health Service (NHS) Organ Donor Register (ODR).
  • Background
The announcement comes as recent report titled ‘Organ Donation: Breaking Taboos Amongst British BAME Communities’ had called on NHS to take more proactive action to address high death rate among Indian-origin people in Britain due to low levels of organ donation within community. The report was commissioned by Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and was aimed at studying low levels of donation among BAME communities in the UK. According to this report, BAME communities are seen as generally less inclined to opt for organ donation, largely due to deeply-entrenched cultural and religious beliefs discouraging organ donation. In another report by NHS, it was found that 21% of people who died on organ donation waiting list in UK in 2017 were from BAME background. It also held that family refusal continues to be biggest obstacle to organ donation among UK’s Asian communities
Catgeory: International

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