INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2013

INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2013

• The High Court in the northwestern city of Peshawar on 30 April 2013 imposed a lifetime ban on former President Pervez Musharraf from contesting elections. It was the first time a court in Pakistan had declared a citizen ineligible from contesting elections for life. Musharraf returned in March 2013 after nearly four years of self-imposed exile to contest May 11 general election. The court observed that Musharraf abrogated the Constitution twice. The first was when he carried out a coup to oust a democratically elected government. The second time when he declared emergency in 2007 and detained 60 judges.
  
• Bangladesh got its first woman Speaker with the election of Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury by the Jatiya Sangsad on 30 April. Dr. Chaudhury, State Minister in the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, was nominated by the ruling Awami League’s parliamentary party. Born in 1966, Dr. Chaudhury is also the country’s youngest Speaker. She will succeed Abdul Hamid who assumed presidency last week following the death of President Md. Zillur Rahman.Women now occupy many of the top posts, with the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of Parliament, Foreign Minister and Agriculture Minister, all being women. A lawyer by profession, Dr. Chaaudhury entered Parliament for the first time as an MP from one of the reserved seats for women. She holds a Ph.D. from Essex University in the United Kingdom.
  
• The Federal Investigation Agency in Pakistan arrested former President, Pervez Musharraf in relation to the Benazir Bhutto murder case. He was arrested formally by the FIA Deputy Director from his farmhouse in Chak Shahzad. On 26 April 2013, he would be produced in the Anti Terrorism court in Rawalpindi. Musharraf is under the two-week house arrest because of his decision to sack the judges when in November 2007, he imposed emergency rule. The second case in which he has been facing allegations is in Bhutto murder case. Overall, there are three cases for which he is facing allegations, all of which date back to 1999-2008 rule of Musharraf as the Pakistani President.
  
• Turkey on 26 April 2013 joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as its dialogue partner. Turkey and SCO signed a memorandum of understanding in the Kazakh city of Almaty. This partnership between the SCO members and Turkey with strengthen the ties between them especially in fields like transportation and Economy. This would also provide maximum opportunities to fight against the threats making a collective effort. SCO was formed in 2001 as a regional security bloc to fight against the threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from Afghanistan by China, Russia and four Central Asian nations - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
  
• The Serbian government on 22 April, approved a landmark agreement to normalise relations with breakaway Kosovo, but thousands of Kosovo Serb demonstrators rejected the deal. Up to 10,000 flag-waving protesters gathered in the divided northern Kosovo town of Mitrovica, demanding that the EU-brokered agreement be annulled and branding the Serbian officials who endorsed it “traitors”. The Serbian government approved the deal unanimously at an extraordinary session and ordered ministries to implement it, said government spokesman Milivoje Mihajlovic. The agreement could end years of tensions and put the Balkan rivals on a path to EU membership. The Prime Ministers of Serbia and Kosovo reached a tentative EU-mediated deal in Brussels on 18 April that would give Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian leadership authority over rebel Kosovo Serbs. In return, the minority Serbs would get wide autonomy within Kosovo.
  
• Italian Centre Left Politician, Enrico Letta on 27 April 2013 formed a new coalition Government in Italy by winning the support of other parties. He will be the new Prime Minister of Italy. The newly formed Government will include former Prime Minister’s Silvio Berlusconi's closest allies as deputy prime minister. The two months of political stalemate, since the general elections in Italy ended with this coalition. Enrico Letta met Giorgio Napolitano, the President of Italy to inform him about the coalition agreement reached with the leaders of the centre-right People of Freedom (PDL) party. With this agreement for coalition, the two parties Democratic Party (PD) and the People of Freedom party (PDL) came together for the formation of the Government. The new Cabinet and Prime Minister of Italy will be sworn in at the presidential Quirinal Palace in Rome.
  
• NASA has successfully launched three smart phones into space to snap images of Earth and the handsets may prove to be the lowest-cost satellites ever flown into space. Each Smartphone is housed in a standard cubesat structure, measuring about four inches square. The Smartphone acts as the satellite’s onboard computer. Its sensors are used for attitude determination and its camera for Earth observation. The smart phones destined to become low-cost satellites rode to space on 21 April, aboard the maiden flight of Orbital Science Corporation’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia. The trio of “PhoneSats” is operating in orbit, and may prove to be the lowest-cost satellites ever flown in space. The goal of NASA’s PhoneSat mission is to determine whether a consumer-grade Smartphone can be used as the main flight avionics of a capable, yet very inexpensive, satellite. Transmissions from all three PhoneSats have been received at multiple ground stations on Earth, indicating they are operating normally. The PhoneSat team at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, will continue to monitor the satellites in the coming days. The satellites are expected to remain in orbit for as long as two weeks. The spacecraft also will attempt to take pictures of Earth using their cameras. The hardware for this mission is the Google-HTC Nexus One Smartphone running the Android operating system.
  
• International experts probing China’s deadly H7N9 bird flu virus said on 24 April, it was “one of the most lethal influenza viruses” seen so far as Taiwan reported the first case outside China. China has confirmed 108 cases and 22 deaths since the first infections were announced on March 31 and Taiwan on 24 April, confirmed its first infection in a man who had recently returned from working in eastern China where most cases have been reported.“This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses we have seen so far,” said Keiji Fukuda, one of the leading flu experts for the World Health Organization, which has led a team on a week-long visit to China to study H7N9.Mr. Fukuda told a news conference that the H7N9 virus was more easily transmissible than the more common H5N1 strain of bird flu. Experts had previously remarked on the “affinity” of H7N9 for humans. Taiwanese health authorities said their first case, a 53-year-old man who had been working in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, showed symptoms three days after returning to Taiwan via Shanghai. The WTO team, however, said poultry were the likely source of the H7N9 outbreak as chickens, ducks and pigeons from markets had tested positive, but nevertheless warned over the potential for human-to-human transmission.
  
• French lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage on 23 April, despite vocal protests from some conservatives opposed to the step. The nation's lower house approved a marriage bill, which would also give same-sex couples the right to adopt, in a 331-to-225 final vote. They cast their votes after impassioned speeches by lawmakers for and against the legislation. President Francois Hollande, who pledged his support for same-sex marriage on the campaign trail last year, will have to sign the bill before it becomes law. After lower house vote, a group of senators filed a legal challenge with the country's Constitutional Council, according to a statement published on the UMP conservative opposition party's senate website. The court has a month to rule on the challenge filed by conservative and centrist senators. The measure had been expected to pass on 23 April since the left, which includes Hollande's governing Socialist Party, dominates the National Assembly, or lower house. The legislation was approved in the Senate earlier this month. If the measure is enacted, France would be the ninth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriage.
  
• South-East Asian leaders were upbeat on 25 April about progress made on an ambitious plan to weld the region into a European Union-style economic community as a counterweight to Asian powerhouse China, while efforts were stalling on South China Sea disputes. Leaders attending the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Brunei had hoped China would soon agree to start talks on a nonaggression pact to prevent a major clash in the disputed territories that could smoke out their region’s robust economies. But China has given no clear indication when it would agree to negotiate such a stopgap accord, known in ASEAN parlance as a “code of conduct.” The ASEAN leaders said in a joint statement after the summit that they have asked their foreign ministers “to continue to work actively with China on the way forward for the early conclusion of a code of conduct.” “We all agreed to encourage continuing discussions, dialogues and consultations at all levels, especially claimant countries, and to keep the lines of communication open,” said Brunei’s leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, host of this year’s ASEAN summits. During the summit, ASEAN leaders also expressed concern about North Korea’s latest threats. Although overshadowed by security issues, an ambitious plan by ASEAN to transform itself into an EU-like community of more than 600 million people by the end of 2015 has sparked more optimism, with diplomats saying the bloc was on track to meet the deadline.
  
• Turkey Treasury Under secretariat on 26 April 2013 announced that it would close the debt chapter with IMF (International Monetary Fund) by refunding 422.1 million US dollars of capital as part of its 19th Stand-by. This will end Turkey’s 52 years long indebter category from IMF. IMF was established in 1944 for economic cooperation at the UN meeting in the United States. At present IMF has 188 members registered with it. Turkey became the part of IMF in 1947 and till date has been successful in completing only two of the 19 stand-by deals. As per the new IMF regulation that was agreed in 2010, Turkey’s quota was increased to 4.6 billion SDRs and will now be the 20th country in the highest quota share within IMF. At present Turkey is ranked 32nd in the listing. Turkey will be performing as the Director within IMF from 2014 to 2016 and 2018 to 2020.
  
• Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn-in as the new President of Kenya on 9 April 2013. He is the fourth president of Kenya. Kenyatta won in a tightly fought race for Kenya's presidency on 9 March 2013 against Raila Odinga. He won with 50.07 percent votes in the election. Uhuru Kenyatta is Jomo Kenyatta’s son. Jomo Kenyatta was the first President of Kenya. He also served as the Deputy Prime Minister (2008 to 2013), Finance Minister (2009 to 2012) under President Mwai Kibaki as well as Minister for Trade (in April 2008). Jubilee Alliance coalition nominated Uhuru for presidential race against Raila Odinga. Uhuru Kenyatta needed over 50 percent of the national vote to avoid a run-off. He received 50.07 percent in the election and became the President of Kenya. Uhuru Kenyatta's party, The National Alliance (Kenya) (TNA) formed alliance with United Republican Party (URP) of William Ruto, National Rainbow Coalition party of Charity Ngilu and Republican Congress Party (RCP) of Najib Balala. This coalition was called Jubilee Alliance coalition.
  
• Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad has resigned on 13 April, following a dispute with President Mahmoud Abbas over the limits of the former's authority. The president accepted Fayyad's resignation after they met in person, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said. But Abbas has asked Fayyad, 61, to remain in his post until a new government can be formed. Fayyad has served since mid-2007 as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, the self-rule government that administers roughly 40 percent of the Israeli-controlled West Bank.His resignation is the climax of long-running and increasingly bitter dispute between the prime minister and the president. Both have been at odds over economic policy since finance minister Nabil Kassis quit last month, and rumours about Fayyad's stepping down were rife. Fayyad had accepted Kassis's resignation. But he was subsequently overruled by Abbas, challenging his authority.
  
• 25th Joint Meeting of UNWTO Commissions for South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific was inaugurated by Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on 13 April 2013 at Hyderabad. The event will enable India to showcase the rich heritage to world. In the year 2012, Asia and the Pacific region saw the highest growth with a rate of over 7 percent. The sub-region of South East Asia recorded the maximum number of arrivals within these regions with a growth of 9 percent. The Indian tourism growth of 5.4 percent in terms of foreign tourist arrivals was higher than the world average of 4 percent. During the joint meeting, the delegates shared the market trends of the region in the year 2012 and tourism prospects for the year 2013. Various bilateral meetings took place for developing intra-regional and inter-regional strategies. Apart from this, the issue of development of UNWTO Convention for the protection of tourists and tourism service providers and implementation of Global code of ethics for Tourism was also discussed. The meeting identified Visa, Taxation and Connectivity as three important determinants for the growth of tourism. The 25th Joint Meeting of UNWTO Commissions for South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific was attended by delegates from 21 countries, eight UNWTO affiliate members, two regional organizations as well as industry organizations. The next Joint Meeting would be held in Philippines and the 21st Session of General Assembly of UNWTO will be held in Cambodia.
  
• The International Monetary Fund announced on 12 April that it is recognizing Somalia's new government after a 22-year break in relations with the once-chaotic country, part of a general push by the United States, United Nations and the West toward encouraging rehabilitation there. The US formally recognized the African nation's new government in January, ie. The first time the US had recognized a Somali government since 1991, when warlords overthrew longtime dictator Siad Barre and then turned on one another. The UN Security Council in March voted unanimously to partially suspend an arms embargo on Somalia for 12 months for military equipment intended solely to develop the country's security forces and provide security for the Somali people. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama cleared the way for the US to arm and train Somali forces. The International Monetary Fund on 12 April, announced it was recognizing the Somali government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who took office last September. The move will allow the IMF to offer Somalia technical assistance and policy advice. But the IMF said Somalia will not be able to borrow IMF funds until it repays some $352 million in arrears that it owes the agency. A relative peace has returned to Somalia's war-battered capital of Mogadishu since African Union forces ousted al-Shabab - a militant group loosely associated with al-Qaida - from the city over 18 months ago. But al-Shabab rebels are not yet defeated, and the US remains concerned about the threat the group could pose to the region's stability.
  
• Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first woman Prime Minister who led the Conservative party for more than a decade through one of the most tumultuous periods in modern British history and became a deeply divisive political figure, died on 8 april following a stroke.She was 87 and was suffering from Alzheimer’s. Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1979 to 1990 from Conservative party of Britain and was the first lady to hold the post of Prime Minister. She succeeded James Callaghan from Labour Party and a Member of Parliament from Cardiff South East.She resigned from her office in 1990 after she returned from the Euro Summit in Rome, after her policies and her style of government led to the growth of rebellion inside her party. John Major succeeded her in the office of the prime Minister. Margaret Thatcher was also known as the Iron Lady of Britain.
  
• United Nations World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO) Commission’s Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development and 25th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia, Pacific and South Asia will be held at Hyderabad from 12th to 14th of April. Announcing this in New Delhi on 4 April, Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi said the need of the hour is not the tourism growth alone but development of tourism in sustainable manner. He said in this meeting, International experts; delegates from the member countries of the UNWTO Commissions for South Asia and East Asia and Pacific, UNWTO, various state governments of India and tourism industry will participate. During the conference exchange of ideas will take place on the way forward to develop tourism in a sustainable manner. He said the UNWTO will be represented by Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secetary General and his team.This meeting will also be attended by the Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The tourism Minister said that for the first time Ministry of Tourism will be sending an electronic invitation and itinerary in form of a short film to all delegates and invitees welcoming them to the city of Hyderabad.This film shows them in advance the venues of the meetings, dinners and tours. The film is being uploaded on the promotional website of the Ministry www.incredibleindia.orgThe Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh is hosting the joint meeting and the conference. The UNWTO is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth and development and advocates its inclusion as a priority in national and international policies. India is currently the chairperson of the UNWTO Regional Commission for South Asia. India accords great importance to the issue of Sustainable Tourism. As a commitment to Safe and Sustainable Tourism Development, India has developed a code for “Safe & Honorable Tourism” and Sustainable Tourism Criteria for the Accommodation and Tour Operators sectors. The UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development will include a global review on sustainable tourism development and sustainable practices as well an industry and media perspective on sustainable criteria for tourism. Over 250 delegates are expected to participate in the Sustainable Tourism Conference.
  
• The Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina rejected the demands of Islamists for new anti-blasphemy law, according to which the people who defame Islam or Prophet Muhammad would be punished. Sheikh Hasina declared that the laws which were existing earlier were sufficient for punishing people who insulted the religion. In recent times, a lot of Islamists in Bangladesh rallied in Dhaka for demanding the death penalty for people who were guilty of blasphemy. The Islamists gave three-week ultimatum to Bangladeshi Government for meeting the demands which included tough punishments to the atheist bloggers too. Bangladesh was a secular state in 1971 and became the Islamist state in 1988. However, the secular penal code is used in Bangladesh since 1980.
  
• In a move that could exacerbate tensions with its neighbors, China has announced plans to allow tourist cruises to disputed islands in the South China Sea, also claimed by Vietnam. China is scheduled to let tourists visit the Xisha Islands, called by Vietnamas Parcel Islands in the South China Sea ahead of the forthcoming May Day holiday. People will be allowed to visit the islands on cruise tours. The announcement came as China's new President Xi Jinpin in a speech called for peace and stability in the Asian region. Since last year, China has been asserting its rights on the oil-rich islands which it has controlled since a short war with South Vietnam in 1974.China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and the claims have been strongly countered by Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia. Recently, even Thailand objected to maps on the Chinese passports with a U-shaped mark claiming swathe of the sea running in counter to exclusive economic zones under UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) by other claimants.
  
• The Supreme Court of Pakistan on 8 April 2013 directed the authorities of the nation to not allow the former President, Pervez Musharraf to leave the country. The Court is hearing petitions against the former military ruler and President Pervez Musharraf for challenging the Constitution and declaring an emergency in 2007. The petitions against the ex-military ruler by a two-judge bench led by Justice Jawad S Khwaja and the petitioners have challenged Musharraf’s decision of obstructing access to Justice and detention of the Judges during the Emergency. The petitions have also targeted the decision of substituting the judges, who were appointed unconstitutionally. Before the hearing was scheduled to begin, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikar Chaudhary withdrew his name from the bench of three-judge bench that was constituted for hearing up the petitions. Musharraf, returned back to Pakistan on 24 March 2013 after completing a self-declared exile of four years to lead his All Pakistan Muslim League Party for the elections set to be held on 11 May 2013.
  
• The third SAARC Ministerial Level Meet on Poverty concluded in Nepal on 5 April 2013. The representatives from all the eight members of SAARC attended the meet and pledged to reduce regional poverty through strategic cooperation with each other. The meet that started on 5 April 2013 was inaugurated by the chairman of the Interim Election Government of Nepal Khil Raj Regmi. Before the Ministerial level meet, fifth SAARC secretary-level meet was held on 4 April 2013. The decision had taken that the formulation of a Common Poverty Reduction Strategy following the end of UN Millennium Development Goals in 2015.