Courtesy: Shutterstock
The extradition bill for Hong Kong, which drew massive protests, has been put into suspension. The bill is not just a matter of concern for the island state, but a global signal too. The people of Hong Kong want it to withdrawn completely and are pushing for the issue to be raised at the G20 Osaka summit on 28-29 June 2019
Courtesy: MEA/Flickr
India’s foreign minister S. Jaishankar and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have sorted through the India-US niggles and minutae, so that the substance of the bilateral can be advanced by their leaders who are meeting in Osaka this week
Courtesy: Presidency, Kenya
Kenya, the jewel of East Africa in many respects, has not made optimal progress due to a range of factors. But Uhuru Kenyatta, who is serving his second term as the country’s fourth president, has dedicated himself to a path of unity and more inclusive economic development. An analysis of Kenya’s ‘African destiny’
Courtesy: World Trade Organisation
The imminent expiration of the terms of some members of the WTO Appellate Body, with neither any signs of their extension nor appointments being made afresh, suggests that this crisis will intensify. An analysis of all that ails the WTO Appellate Body, and the implications this has for India and the multilateral trading system
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The results of the European Parliament elections, held late last month, served as an eye-opener for individual member states, such as Germany. A former ambassador to Germany offers an analysis of the leadership changes afoot, shifting coalitions – and also the prospect of stability amidst all the flux
Japan hosts the 2019 G20 Osaka summit on June 28-29. India’s priorities at the G20 are similar to those of all developing countries, but it is significantly aligned with Japan in its emphasis on infrastructure, the silver economy and countering corruption, among others, says Suresh Reddy, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Economic Relations), ministry of external affairs, government of India, in this interview with Gateway House
Courtesy: Twitter/@MaithripalaS
India is subtly adding four new elements in the policy matrix
Courtesy: Egypt Today
The inaugural Russia-Africa summit in Sochi in October is President Putin’s way of proclaiming a new phase in Russia’s relationship with the continent while increasing its relevance among countries with an established presence. The aim is to strengthen cooperation in the nuclear power, mining and security sectors
Courtesy: IEEE Spectrum
The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geospatial Cooperation (BECA), the last of the India-U.S. foundational agreements, will enable India to avail of U.S. expertise on geospatial intelligence and to sharpen the accuracy of weapons and automated hardware systems used for military purposes. But the over-emphasis on imaging in the agreement overlooks the likelihood of a clash between the telecom and meteorological technologies, which can hurt India’s crucial capabilities in space-based weather forecasting and disaster management
Courtesy: The Wall Street Journal
The Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy, which has been in power for three years, has shown a modest score card, winning more censure than praise. Suu Kyi’s civilian-military equation has been good, but not her reluctance on the Rohingya issue. What chances does her party have of winning in Myanmar’s elections in 2020?
