INTERNATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2014
- Democracy stir turns violent in Hong Kong
Thousands of people have remained on the streets of Hong Kong for another day of pro-democracy protests, defying tear gas and ignoring appeals to leave. Overnight, riot police advanced on crowds who ignored official warnings that the demonstrations were illegal. Protesters are angry at Chinese government plans to vet candidates in Hong Kong's 2017 elections.
Back ground:
Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back to China in 1997 following a 1984 agreement between China and Britain. China agreed to govern Hong Kong under the principle of "one country, two systems", where the city would enjoy "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years.
As a result, Hong Kong has its own legal system, and rights including freedom of assembly and free speech are protected. Its leader, the chief executive, is currently elected by a 1,200-member election committee. A majority of the representatives are viewed as pro-Beijing.
Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, says that "the ultimate aim" is to elect the chief executive "by universal suffrage". The Chinese government has promised direct elections for chief executive by 2017. But in August 2014 China's top legislative committee ruled that voters will only have a choice from a list of two or three candidates selected by a nominating committee.
This committee would be formed "in accordance with" Hong Kong's largely pro-Beijing election committee. Any candidate would have to secure the support of more than 50% of the nominating committee before being able to run in the election. Democracy activists believe China will use the committee to screen out candidates it disapproves of.
Occupy Central, led by academic Benny Tai, organised the unofficial referendum on political reform which was held from 20 to 29 June 2014. Voters were asked to choose from three proposals for the 2017 election, all of which involved allowing citizens to choose who to nominate as a candidate for the top job. A total of 792,808 voters cast ballots. Activists claimed the high turnout - about one in five registered voters - showed they had strong backing from the public.
Shortly after the vote, tens of thousands of protesters took part in what observers say was Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy rally in a decade. The demonstration took place on 1 July, which marked the day Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997
Pro-Beijing groups, such as Silent Majority for Hong Kong and Caring Hong Kong Power have emerged, criticising pro-democracy activists for "endangering" the city. They argue that continued civil disobedience and opposition to Beijing would only damage the city's reputation and economy, as well as its relationship with China. - Taiwan shoots down China’s merger plan
Taiwan has rejected Chinese president Xi Jinping's call for merger with mainland China. "Regarding mainland China's comments related to 'one country, two systems,' our government has no way of accepting them," Taiwan government's mainland affairs council said.
The council, which is apparently encouraged by the US, said more than 70% of Taiwanese people consider the Chinese Communist Party leader's idea "unfit" for their democratic, self-ruled island, it said. The US is a major supplier of arms, including missiles, to Taiwan.
Taiwan split from Mainland China amid civil war in 1949, and went on to practise a democratic system. But China continues to regard it as one of its provinces, and makes it difficult for any country to have a diplomatic mission in Taipei. - Transfer of power in Afghanistan
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was sworn in 29th September as Afghanistan's new president, replacing Hamid Karzai in the country's first democratic transfer of power since the 2001 US-led invasion toppled the Taliban. After a six-month election season that ended with marathon negotiations that gave the newly created position of chief executive to his challenger Abdullah Abdullah. Karzai had been Afghanistan's only leader since 2001.
US officials have said they expect Ghani Ahmadzai to sign a security agreement with the US shortly after his inauguration to allow about 10,000 American troops to stay in the country after the international combat mission ends on December 31.
About Ashraf Ghani- Previously an academic in the US, and worked for the World Bank
- Served as finance minister from 2002-2004 under President Hamid Karzai
- He fell out with President Karzai in 2004 and became Chancellor of Kabul University, where he was seen as an effective reformer
- He has been a vocal critic of the way international aid money has been wasted in Afghanistan
- A380 files world’s longest route
The world’s largest passenger aircraft on 29th September flew non-stop on the world’s longest route with Qantas, the Australian airlines, launching the A380 between Sydney and Dallas. The plane will fly for almost 16 hours. Of the increased services to the US planned by Qantas, about half are operated by the A380 and the other half by B747s with A380-style interiors.
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner, and the airports at which it operates have upgraded facilities to accommodate it. It was initially named Airbus A3XX and designed to challenge Boeing's monopoly in the large-aircraft market. The A380 made its first flight on 27 April 2005 and entered commercial service in October 2007 with Singapore Airlines. - Afghan and US security pact
Afghanistan and the United States signed a security pact on 30th September to allow U.S. forces to remain in the country past the end of year. The deal, will allow about 10,000 American troops to stay in the country after the international combat mission ends on December 31.
Newly appointed Afghan national security adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar and U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham signed the actual document. A second agreement allowing NATO troops to stay in the country was also signed during the same ceremony.
NATO’s follow-up mission, which will take over on January 1, will be made up of 9,800 U.S. troops and about 3,000 soldiers from Germany, Italy and other member nations. The new mission — named Resolute Support — will focus on training and assisting Afghan forces as they take on the Taliban, in parallel with U.S. counter-terrorism operations. - California bans plastic bags
California became the first U.S. state on 30th September to ban single-use plastic bags, as Governor Jerry Brown signed the measure into law. Under the legislation, single-use bags will disappear from grocery stores and pharmacies from July 1, 2015, and then from convenience and liquor stores from July 1, 2016. - Ghani is the next Afghan President
Afghanistan's election commission has named Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai as the winner of the country's presidential election. The commission's announcement on 21st September came hours after Ghani Ahmadzai signed a power sharing agreement with opponent Abdullah Abdullah, who will fill the newly created position of government chief executive.
Afghanistan's two presidential candidates signed a power-sharing deal on 21st September that makes one president and the other chief executive, ending months of political wrangling following a disputed runoff that threatened to plunge the country into turmoil and complicate the withdrawal of foreign troops.
The incoming president - Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai - and new Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah signed the national unity government deal as President Hamid Karzai - in power since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the Taliban - looked on. The deal creates the new role of chief executive following weeks of negotiations on a power-sharing arrangement, after accusations of fraud in the June runoff vote. The candidates signed the agreement at the presidential palace, then exchanged a hug and a handshake.
The power sharing contract says the relationship between president and chief executive - a position akin to prime minister - must be defined by "partnership, collegiality, collaboration, and, most importantly, responsibility to the people of Afghanistan."
It spells out the powers for the new chief executive position: participation with the president in bilateral meetings, carrying out administrative and executive affairs as determined by presidential decree, and parity in selection of key security and economic ministries.
The deal specifies that the president leads the Cabinet but that the chief executive manages the Cabinet's implementation of government policies. The chief executive will also chair regular meetings of a council of ministers.
About Ghani:
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is politician, economist and anthropologist. Usually referred to as Ashraf Ghani, he served as Finance Minister and as the chancellor of Kabul University. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002, Ghani, worked with the World Bank. As the Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery after the collapse of the Taliban government. - G20 finance chiefs bet on reforms to boost growth rate
The G20 group of leading nations have said they are tantalizingly close to adding an extra $2tn (£1.2tn) to the global economy and creating millions of new jobs, but Europe's extended stagnation remains a major stumbling block.
Finance ministers and central bank chiefs, gathered in the Australian city of Cairns on 21st September, and claimed progress on fireproofing the world's financial system and on closing tax loopholes exploited by giant multinationals. Almost 1,000 measures had been proposed that would boost global growth by 1.8% by 2018, nearing the ambitious goal of 2 percentage points adopted back in February.
The proposals to lift global growth will now go for formal approval at the summit of G20 leaders in Brisbane in November. Chief among them was a global initiative aimed at increasing private investment in infrastructure, a particular hobby horse of the Australians who head the G20 this year.
Tax info commitment: The G20 decided to put in place a mechanism for automatic exchange of tax information between various countries by 2017, a development which will help India in dealing with the menace of black money stashed abroad. The new framework would mark a significant forward movement from the current practice of information exchange mostly on the basis of requests and only in the cases of suspected tax evasion or other financial crimes.
The new global standard, as formulated by Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in July, would be common for all countries. It would facilitate a "systematic and periodic transmission of bulk taxpayer information by the source country of income to the country of residence of the taxpayer concerning various categories of income or asset information"
India has been at the forefront in raising the issues concerning tax avoidance and automatic exchange of information with a view to curbing tax evasion.
It further said that the G20 leaders are strongly committed to a global response to cross-border tax avoidance and evasion so that the tax system supports growth-enhancing fiscal strategies and economic resilience.
The development assumes significance in case of India, as it has been facing difficulties in getting information on cases of suspected tax evasion from other countries, specially Switzerland, which has been maintaining that such details cannot be shared without specific proof of financial irregularities by the concerned Indian client of Swiss banks.
G20:
The Group of Twenty is a forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members, shown highlighted on the map at right, include 19 individual countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States—and the European Union (EU). The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the ECB. - Key gets third term in New Zealand
New Zealand sitting Prime Minister John Key’s party secured majority in the elections. The 2014 New Zealand general election took place on 20 September 2014 to determine the membership of the 51st New Zealand Parliament.
Voters elected 121 members to the House of Representatives of New Zealand, with 71 from single-member electorates (an increase from 70 in 2011) and 50 from party lists. On preliminary election night counts, the centre-right National Party, led by Prime Minister John Key, gained the majority with 48.1% of the party vote and 61 of the 121 seats. It is the first time since 1994 that a single party has held a majority of seats in the House - U.S. launches air strikes in Syria against IS
The air strikes launched against Islamic State (Isis) thundered into northern Syria until on 23rd September. Large explosions were reported in the group’s stronghold of Raqqa, in eastern Syria, as well as in Idlib province. There were unconfirmed reports that attacks had also taken place near Deir Azzor and western Aleppo.
A Pentagon statement said the 14 strikes against Isis targets were carried out with Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Jordan confirmed it its airforce had “destroyed a number of targets that belong to some terrorist groups that sought to commit terror acts inside Jordan” without making explicit reference to Syria. - Unprecedented demand for food aid, says U.N.
According to Ertharin Cousin, executive director of World Food Programme the number of people who need food aid continues to grow and the demands are overwhelming the donor community (led by the U.S. which has given the WFP $1.6 billion) which has been “incredibly generous.”
There are currently four top-level humanitarian crises (Iraq, Syria, the Central African Republic and South Sudan) as well as hundreds of thousands of people caught up in the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and more than 50 million refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people scattered around the world
Because of funding shortages and increasing demands from the four crisis countries, refugees, and countries hit hardest by Ebola, WFP has been forced to cut some rations and distributions.
WFP is funded from donations and over 90 per cent of its budget comes from governments, many of whom have their own financial and domestic challenges.
Even in Syria, where WFP in August increased the number of people receiving food to 4.1 million after working for years to increase access
In the last two months that the Syrian government and the Opposition have begun to respond to WFP requests for more access which has led to increased aid deliveries across conflict lines in the country. Humanitarian convoys are also crossing into Syria through two checkpoints in Turkey and one in Jordan, as authorised by the U.N. Security Council
About World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. On average, the WFP provides food to 90 million people per year, of whom 58 million are children. From its headquarters in Rome and more than 80 country offices around the world, the WFP works to help people who are unable to produce or obtain enough food for themselves and their families. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive Committee and its head quarters is at Rome. - London new costliest city for firms
London has overtaken Hong Kong as the world’s most expensive city to live and work in, with a new study suggesting it is almost twice as pricey as Sydney, and four times more than Rio de Janeiro.
The estate agent Savills said that in London, rising rents and the strong pound had pushed up the typical cost per individual employee of renting somewhere to live and leasing office space to $120,000 (£73,800) a year.
That puts the UK capital well ahead of other global hubs such as New York and Paris which, aside from Hong Kong, are the only other locations where the combined annual costs of renting residential and office space top $100,000 per employee.
London’s rise to first place in the rankings was blamed in part on its soaring property prices, which have jumped by 18.4% in the past year, according to Savills. Office rents have also risen significantly. In its most recent quarterly report on the commercial property sector, the rival estate agent Knight Frank said that over the previous 12 months, prime office rents had raised by 9% in the City and by 8% in the West End area. Someone with €100m to spend would be able to buy just 2,700 square metres of prime office space in the West End, but would get 17,000 square metres or more for their money in Berlin or Amsterdam. - Obama called for coalition to defeat terrorism
President Barack Obama called on the world on 24th September to join the U.S.-led coalition to defeat jihadists in Iraq and Syria, branding them terrorists engaged in a “network of death.”
The U.S. President spoke as the United States, backed by its Arab allies, carried out a second wave of air strikes in Syria, the latest front in its campaign to destroy the Islamic State (IS) group. He has addressed the 193-nation Assembly of UN
Mr. Obama was among the first speakers at the podium of the week-long debate and is to chair a special U.N. Security Council meeting during which a resolution will be adopted on stemming the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria.
The U.S.-drafted resolution calls on all countries to “prevent and suppress” recruitment and all forms of assistance to foreign fighters, and would make it illegal to collect funds or help organize their travel. The resolution falls under Chapter 7 of the U.N. charter, which means the measures could be enforced by economic sanctions or military force.
Meanwhile, American warplane pounded IS positions in Syria for a second day at a strategic post on the Iraqi border, but the campaign did nothing to halt the fighters’ advance on a Kurdish town where refugees are fleeing. - Norwegians created record in travelling
A Norwegian trio has set a new world record for the most countries travelled in a day after passing through 19 nations in 24 hours. The new record was set by Gunnar Garfors, Tay-young Pak, and Oyvind Djupvik, after they made it to 19 countries in just 24 hours, surpassing the previous record of 17 countries. - Bamiyan SAARC cultural capital for 2015
Bamiyan, the Afghan town which shot into prominence when the Taliban blew up two ancient statues of the Buddha in 2001, has been selected to be the SAARC cultural capital for a year beginning April 2015. Dhaka will be the SAARC cultural capital in 2016-17.
This was decided at the SAARC Culture Ministers Conference which concluded on 25th September. Finalising the cultural capitals for the next two years was part of the Delhi Resolution which was adopted at the conference while preparing a road map on cultural ties till 2017.
The year 2016-17 will also be declared the SAARC Year of Cultural Heritage.
The SAARC countries also agreed to formulate proposals for transnational nominations for the World Heritage List and a regional list of heritage sites.
India’s Project Mausam got a fillip as the Delhi Resolution agrees to recognise the impact and contribution of maritime routes and the monsoon as also other inland relations through centuries of trade, migration and colonialism.
In a measure aimed at promoting literature produced in local languages of the region, the Ministers decided to make them accessible to readers across the world through translations in not just English but SAARC languages.
Other areas of cooperation decided upon include promoting traditions unique to the region, digital mapping of historic sites in member countries, preparing inventories of cultural assets, preservation of folklore and other oral traditions besides a common entrance rate to monuments in the region for people from SAARC countries.
SAARC
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and geopolitical organization of eight countries that are primarily located in South Asia. The SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The idea of regional political and economical cooperation in South Asia was first raised in 1980 and the first summit was held in Dhaka on 8 December 1985, when the organization was established by the governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Since then the organization has expanded by accepting one new full member, Afghanistan, and several observer members.
The 18th SAARC Summit is scheduled to be held in Kathmandu in November 2014 - Expanded U.S. ocean preserve to be world’s largest
Thousands of miles off America's shores, an ocean preserve flush with rare seabirds, turtles and marine mammals will grow to roughly three times the size of California under a memorandum that President Barack Obama signed on 25th September.
The expanded Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument will cover 490,000 square miles, making it the largest marine preserve in the world, the White House said. The move puts the remote waters surrounding a collection of islands off-limits to drilling and most fishing in a bid to protect fragile underwater life.
Millions of marine animals live in the bio-rich expanse included by the new monument, which will also add new protections for more than 130 "seamounts" — underwater mountains where rare or undiscovered species are frequently found. Commercial fishing, deep-sea mining and other extraction of underwater resources will be banned, but recreational fishing will still be allowed, in an attempt to preserve the public's access to federal areas.
Maritime law gives the U.S. control up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. Under Bush, the U.S. set aside waters extending about 50 miles from the shore of the remote, U.S.-administered islands in the south-central Pacific, thousands of miles from the American mainland.
The islands sit between Hawaii and American Samoa and are divided into five regions. Obama is extending the preserve to the full 200 miles — but only for three of the five regions. - U.K. Parliament votes to join air strikes against IS in Iraq
The UK Parliament has backed British participation in air strikes against Islamic State extremists in Iraq. After a seven-hour debate, MPs voted for military action by 524 votes to 43. The Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labor leaderships all backed air strikes although some MPs expressed concerns about where it would lead and the prospect of future engagement in Syria.
Back ground
The US began a series of air strikes in Iraq last month, and on 22nd September it began attacks on targets in Syria. Jets from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have joined US forces in the attacks, and the US says more than 40 countries have offered to join the anti-IS coalition.
The key success of the US-led coalition is to have so many Arab states as active participants.
But western military contributions are also vital; with France, Australia and the Netherlands already on board, Britain adds another weighty player.
All about Islamic State
Islamic State (IS) is a radical Islamist group that has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq. Its brutal tactics - including mass killings and abductions of members of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as the beheadings of soldiers and journalists - have sparked fear and outrage across the world and prompted US military intervention.
The group aims to establish a "caliphate", a state ruled by a single political and religious leader according to Islamic law, or Sharia.
Although currently limited to Iraq and Syria, IS has promised to "break the borders" of Jordan and Lebanon and to "free Palestine". It attracts support from Muslims across the world and demands that all swear allegiance to its leader - Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai, better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
IS can trace its roots back to the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian who set up Tawhid wa al-Jihad in 2002. A year after the US-led invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and formed al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which became a major force in the insurgency.
After Zarqawi's death in 2006, AQI created an umbrella organization, Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). ISI was steadily weakened by the US troop surge and the creation of Sahwa (Awakening) councils by Sunni Arab tribesmen who rejected its brutality. After becoming leader in 2010, Baghdadi rebuilt ISI's capabilities. By 2013, it was once again carrying out dozens of attacks a month in Iraq. It had also joined the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, setting up the al-Nusra Front.
In April 2013, Baghdadi announced the merger of his forces in Iraq and Syria and the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis). The leaders of al-Nusra and al-Qaeda rejected the move, but fighters loyal to Baghdadi split from al-Nusra and helped Isis remain in Syria At the end of December 2013, Isis shifted its focus back to Iraq and exploited a political stand-off between the Shia-led government and the minority Sunni Arab community. Aided by tribesmen, the group took control of the central city of Falluja.
In June 2014, Isis overran the northern city of Mosul, and then advanced southwards towards Baghdad. At the end of the month, after consolidating its hold over dozens of cities and towns, Isis declared the creation of a caliphate and changed its name to Islamic State.
Syrian conflict
A year ago, a deadly chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Syria's capital Damascus almost triggered US military strikes. Since then, the balance of power in the conflict has tipped in favor of President Bashar al-Assad, the death toll has mounted steadily, fighting has spilled into Lebanon, and jihadist militants from the Islamic State (IS) have formed a caliphate in a huge area straddling the border with Iraq.
Facing the prospect of US military intervention, on 14th September President Assad agreed to the complete removal or destruction of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal by a joint mission led by the UN and Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) by 30 June 2014.
In November 2013 Syrian government forces launch a large-scale air campaign on opposition-held parts of the northern city of Aleppo and its surrounding countryside. Unguided barrel bombs - typically constructed from oil drums, gas cylinders and water tanks, and filled with high explosives and scrap metal - are dropped indiscriminately from helicopters on densely-populated areas. The attacks kill hundreds of civilians.
On 29th April 2014 the OPCW launches a fact-finding mission to investigate allegations that chlorine gas has been used in more than a dozen attacks in rebel-held areas of Hama and Idlib provinces. In every case, barrel bombs were allegedly dropped from helicopters. After they exploded, casualties reportedly began displaying symptoms typical of chlorine poisoning. In June, the inspectors say they believe toxic chemicals such as chlorine are being used in a "systematic manner" in the Syrian conflict.
On 23rd June, 2014 he joint OPCW-UN mission announces that the removal of Syria's chemical weapons material is complete. It also says Syria has destroyed all declared production, mixing and filling equipment and munitions. In August, the US says all of the most hazardous chemical agents have been destroyed on board a cargo vessel, the MV Cape Ray. The remaining chemicals will be destroyed at Finnish and British facilities.
On 29th June Isis declares it has established a "caliphate" in the territory it controls, stretching from Aleppo in north-western Syria to the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala. The group says its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, will be known as Caliph Ibrahim and it will be renamed the Islamic State (IS).
In August 2014, s deadly battle erupted between the Lebanese army and jihadist militants from Syria after they seize the Lebanese border town of Arsal in response to the arrest of one of their commanders. Dozens of people are killed before a ceasefire is negotiated and the militants withdraw. Arsal is home to tens of thousands of the 1.1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
On 8th August the US launched air strikes against IS militants near Irbil and around Mount Sinjar, its first direct involvement in a military operation in Iraq since American troops withdrew in late 2011
Denmark to join in US led coalition
Denmark on 26th September joined the U.S.-led coalition that is launching airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Iraq. Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said her government would send four operational planes and three reserve jets along with 250 pilots and support staff in the fight. The deployment will last for 12 months. Lawmakers in Denmark must also approve, but that is considered a formality. - Egypt adjusts clock for the fourth time in 5 months
The Egypt has changed its clock fourth time in less than five months. The switch between summer and winter time was abandoned after the 2011 uprising toppled long-ruling autocrat Hosni Mubarak, but then was abruptly revived this past May, when clocks sprung forward in a move aimed at alleviating rolling power blackouts.
But just weeks later the clocks fell back again at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — which this year fell at the hottest point of the summer — to shorten the daily dawn-to-dusk fast.
The clocks returned to summer time when Ramadan ended in July, but now winter has come again, despite the fact that daytime temperatures still hover around 30 degree Celsius.
As of midnight on 25th September, Egypt is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. The initial switch in May caused widespread disruptions, particularly at the airport, when local flight times were changed at the last minute. - Government in Gaza strip
The two main Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, have reached a “comprehensive” agreement that would turn over the civil administration of Gaza immediately to officials of a Palestinian unity government led by President Mahmoud Abbas.
The agreement, negotiated in Cairo, is designed to ease the long blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt and open the way to reconstruction of the war-ravaged coastal entity. A recent Palestinian Authority study estimated the cost of reconstruction in Gaza following this summer’s 50-day conflict with Israel at $7.8bn (£4.8bn).
Palestinians said the agreement would allow the Palestinian Authority to take control over the border crossings of the Gaza Strip, including the crucial Rafah crossing into Egypt – a key demand of Egypt’s president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. The agreement made on 25th September.
The deal allows the Palestinian Authority headed by Rami Hamdallah to immediately assume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip and take control over the border crossings in the Gaza Strip, including the Rafah terminal.
Besides, it allows all Palestinian Authority civil servants to return to their jobs and salary will be paid by the PA government because they are all Palestinians. The PA has nearly 70000 civil servants who have not been working since Hamas seized control over the Gaza Strip. A committee comprised of all Palestinian parties will be formed to implement the agreement and resolve any further problems.
Background
The Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation agreement to end their difference and form a Palestinian Unity Government in Gaza Strip on 23 April 2014. Due to the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, Israeli suspended the peace talks with the Palestinians.
Israel believed Hamas as terror organisation and announced a series of sanctioned against the Palestinian. The Palestinian unity government of 2014 was formed on 2 June 2014 under Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. - Bimstec secretariat in Dhaka
Prime Minister Hasina inaugurated its first secretariat set up in Dhaka on 13th September. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an alliance of South and South East Asian countries. Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal are its members. The prime minister urged for more BIMSTEC initiatives in agriculture.
BIMSTEC is an abbreviation form, its full form is Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). It formed on 6 June 1997. The name was given in the first Summit on 31 July 2004. BIMSTEC has Fourteen priority sectors cover all areas of cooperation. Six priority sectors of cooperation were identified at the 2nd Ministerial Meeting in Dhaka on 19 November 1998. - Bangladesh: Law against child marriage
Bangladesh officials on 15th September approved the Child Marriage Prevention Act of 2014, a law that sets a two year jail term for any person who marries a girl under the age of 18. The act sets the minimum age of marriage for men at 21 and and for women at 18.
Ukraine ratifies landmark EU pact
Ukrainian lawmakers on 16th September ratified a landmark EU pact and adopted laws granting self-rule to the east in crucial votes that will shape the future of the splintered former Soviet state. But Russia signalled it had no intention of backing down in the most serious East-West standoff since the Cold War, announcing it plans to boost its troop presence in annexed Crimea.
The European and Ukrainian parliaments held simultaneous votes to approve the political and economic association agreement whose rejection by the former government triggered the country's worst crisis since independence in 1991.
Lawmakers in Kiev also voted to grant self-rule in eastern regions under the control of pro-Russian rebels and offer amnesty to fighters under a peace plan drawn up 11 days ago to halt the bloody five-month conflict. Poroshenko said the adoption of the 1,200-page EU deal was Ukraine's first step towards membership of the 28-nation bloc.
Back ground
The rejection of the broad EU pact by Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych in November set off the bloody chain of events that led to his ouster in February, Russia's subsequent seizure of Crimea and the unleashing of the revolt in the east. The conflict in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions has now killed almost 2,900 people and forced at least 600,000 from their homes, according to UN figures.
Russia's denials of involvement have not spared it from waves of punishing Western sanctions that have left President Vladimir Putin more isolated than at any stage of his 15-year rule.
NATO earlier this month also unveiled plans to boost its forces in eastern Europe in response to Russia's "aggression". Russia already has tens of thousands of soldiers in Crimea but denies NATO charges it sent more than 1,000 elite troops into eastern Ukraine to help the militias launch a surprise counter-offensive in August.
The truce signed on September 5 has offered the first significant glimmer of hope that the crisis may be abating, although up to 30 civilians and servicemen have since been killed, most in shelling around the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.
Under the terms of the truce, lawmakers adopted "special status" legislation that offers three years of limited self-rule to the coal and steel belt known as the Donbass that generates a quarter of Ukraine's exports.
The legislation calls for December polls in Donetsk and Lugansk and allows local legislatures to set up their own police forces and name judges and prosectors. Crucially, it also guarantees the right for Russian to be used in all state institutions -- a particularly sensitive issue in the mainly Russian-speaking regions.
Another law also grants amnesty to both the insurgents and Ukrainian government forces over their actions during the conflict, although rights groups have alleged abuses by both sides that could be considered war crimes. - World’s wild tiger population to be counted by 2016
Thirteen countries with wild tiger populations agreed on 16th September to take part in a global count to establish how many of the critically endangered big cats are left and improve policies to protect them. The pledge came at a global conference in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka where more than 140 people have converged for three days to discuss actions to save the tiger.
The world's wild tiger population fell to little over 3,200 in 2010 from 100,000 only a century ago and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has listed the animal as critically endangered. Poaching, encroachment on its habitat and the illegal wildlife trade are blamed for the declining numbers.
In 2010 the 13 countries with tiger populations -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam -- launched a plan to double their numbers by 2022.
But poaching continues to be a major problem. Statistics from TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, show that at least 1,590 tigers -- an average of two a week -- were seized between January 2000 and April 2014.
Bangladesh has come under fire for setting up a giant coal-fired power plant on the edge of the Sundarbans mangrove forest, home to one of the largest tiger populations. Experts fear the 1,320-megawatt power plant being built just 14 kilometres (nine miles) from the Sundarbans will pollute the water of the world's largest mangrove forest, jeopardising its delicate biodiversity and threatening the tiger population. - U.S. House approval Obama’s Syria plan
The US House of Representatives has approved President Barack Obama's plan to train and arm the moderate Syrian opposition taking on Islamic State. The vote passed by a large majority in the Republican-controlled House and is expected to be adopted in the Senate.
The endorsement came after President Obama repeated that he would not be committing American combat troops to ground operations in Iraq. The US has undertaken 174 air strikes against IS in Iraq since mid-August. The jihadist group controls large areas of Syria and northern Iraq.
In the most recent air strikes on 16th and 17th September, US forces destroyed two IS armed vehicles north-west of Irbil and several units south-west of Baghdad, according to US Central Command (Centcom). Mr Obama's new strategy plans similar attacks in Syria and calls on a coalition of 40 countries to confront the militant group.
Convinced International community
US Secretary of State John Kerry has completed a tour of the Middle East, trying to enlist allies in the fight against Islamic State (IS). During his campaign to recruit allies, he has managed to win the support of 10 Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The reasons for the toughness of US
The scale and scope of Islamic State (IS) marks it out from other jihadist groupings insofar as it already controls a significant swathe of territory across Syria and Iraq. IS has captured huge quantities of weaponry and has significant financial resources, giving it more of the character of a quasi-state rather than a cell-like terrorist organisation.
With its ambition to establish an Islamic caliphate expanding from the areas it already controls, it represents a clear threat to US allies in the region and, given the significant numbers of foreign fighters in its ranks, potentially to Western countries as well.
Support that US got
US Secretary of State John Kerry has received strong backing - at least on paper - from pro-Western states in the region. A declaration signed noted a range of measures that will be required - not just military action: controlling borders, clamping down on the funding of IS, efforts to counter its ideology and to constrain foreign fighters from joining it.
A number of Washington's Western allies are also stepping up to the mark, with Australia announcing that it will send 600 personnel, initially to the United Arab Emirates. (This is believed to include Special Forces soldiers to help train Iraqi and Kurdish units along with six FA-18 Super Hornet fighters, tankers and other support aircraft.)
All the signs from London are that Britain will join in although it is unclear when an announcement on military action might come and whether it would encompass just Iraq or extend to Syria, too. - Scotland to remain in UK
Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence. With the results in from all 32 council areas, the "No" side won with 2,001,926 votes over 1,617,989 for "Yes". The margin of victory for the Better Together campaign - 55% to 45% - was greater by about 3% than that anticipated by the final opinion polls. The winning total needed was 1,852,828.
Alex Salmond to quit
Alex Salmond is to step down as Scottish first minister after voters rejected independence. He will also resign as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which he has led for a total of 20 years. Scottish voters backed the country staying in the UK by 2,001,926 votes to 1,617,989 in 19th September referendum
About Scotland:
Scotland ispart of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It shares a border with England to the south, and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the south-west. In addition to the mainland, the country is made up of more than 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides. Edinburgh, the country's capital and second-largest city. Glasgow, Scotland's largest city. Scotland joined in UK in 1707 - Air strikes against IS by France
French planes have carried out air strikes on Islamic State (Isis) targets in Iraq. Less than 24 hours after President François Hollande announced he had approved a request from the government in Baghdad for air support, at least two French Rafale planes attacked the insurgents' positions. - UN chief sought Sri Lankan cooperation
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein of Jordan, on September 8th urged Sri Lanka to cooperate with the international probe mandated by the Human Rights Council. He took charge as UN High Commissioner for Human rights from Navi Pillay. He encouraged the Sri Lankan authorities to cooperate with this process in the interests of justice and reconciliation.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ravinatha Aryasinha responded reiterating Sri Lanka’s categorical rejection of the resolution and its call for a ‘comprehensive investigation’ by the OHCHR.
Sri Lanka has been in the spotlight ever since the Human Rights Council in March 2014 adopted a U.S.-backed resolution calling for a probe into the island’s rights record, where India abstained from voting. The Sri Lankan government however rejected the resolution, and said it would not offer any cooperation.
UN High Commission
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a United Nations agency that works to promote and protect the human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The office was established by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1993 in the wake of the 1993World Conference on Human Rights. - World Bank warns of global jobs crisis
The world is facing a global jobs crisis that is hurting the chances of re-igniting economic growth and there is no magic bullet to solve the problem, the World Bank warned on 8th September. In a study released at a G20 Labor and Employment Ministerial Meeting in Australia, the Bank said an extra 600 million jobs needed to be created worldwide by 2030 just to cope with the expanding population.
As this report makes clear, there is a shortage of jobs, and quality jobs. He said that overall emerging market economies had done better than advanced G20 countries in job creation, driven primarily by countries such as China and Brazil, but the outlook was bleak.
The report, compiled with the OECD and International Labor Organization, said more than 100 million people were unemployed in G20 economies and 447 million were considered "working poor", living on less than US$2 a day.
It said despite a modest economic recovery in 2013-14, global growth was expected to remain below trend with downside risks in the foreseeable future, while weak labour markets were constraining consumption and investment.
The persistent slow growth would continue to dampen employment prospects, it said, and warned that real wages had stagnated across many advanced G20 nations and even fallen in some. - Ukraine offered autonomy
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed on 10th September that Russia had withdrawn most of the troops it allegedly snuck across the border to bolster pro-Kremlin rebels, and vowed greater autonomy for the separatist east in order to sustain a fragile new truce. He also said that the recent ceasefire agreement, backed by both Kiev and Moscow since the conflict erupted five months ago — had dramatically improved security in the war-ravaged industrial rustbelt.
Back ground
Russia intervened in Ukraine on several fronts following the events of the February 2014 Ukrainian revolution and the success of the Euromaidan movement which led to the disputed impeachment of President Viktor Yanukovych. Following the ouster of Yanukovych government, a secession crisis erupted in the Ukrainian territory of Crimea. In late February, unmarked soldiers gradually took control of Crimea. The local population and the media referred to these men as "little green men". These men were identified as Russian Special Forces and other paramilitaries, although the Russian government initially denied involvement. After this take-over, Russia annexed Crimea following a disputed status referendum. Several months later, as Russian-backed separatist insurgents fought a war against Ukrainian forces in the Donbass region of Ukraine, unmarked troops and military vehicles from Russia crossed into Ukraine, reinforced the insurgents, and opened a new front on the coast of the Sea of Azov.
During the Crimean crisis, the Russian government insisted that the anti-Ukrainian government forces that took control of the autonomous republic did not include Russian troops stationed in the area, but local self-defence forces. Despite this, Russian president Vladimir Putin admitted on 17 April that Russian troops were active in Crimea during the status referendum, and said that this facilitated self-determination for the peninsula. In mid-April, the United States accused Russia of responsibility for unrest in eastern and southern Ukraine and the subsequent war in the Donbass region, which the Russian Foreign Ministry also denied. Many of the separatist insurgents are Russian citizens, and American and Ukrainian officials said they had evidence of Russian interference in Ukraine, including intercepted communications between Russian officials and Donbass insurgents.
There is also evidence that indicates the Buk missile system, widely believed to have been used to shoot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on the 17 July, came from Russia. The SBU claims key commanders of the rebel movement during this time, including Igor Strelkov and Igor Bezler are Russian agents. In late August NATO released satellite images which it said showed evidence of Russian operations inside Ukraine with sophisticated weaponry. After the heavy defeat of Ukrainian forces by early September it was evident Russia had sent soldiers and armour across the border and locals acknowledged the role of Putin and Russian soldiers in effecting a reversal of fortunes. - U.S., EU intensify sanctions on Russia
The US and the European Union have decided to "intensify" their coordinated sanctions on Russia in the defense, finance and energy sectors as punishment for its illegal actions in Ukraine, President Barack Obama said on 11th September.
The US and EU are implementing these new measures in light of Russia's actions to further destabilize Ukraine over the last month, including through the presence of heavily armed Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, he said. The new EU sanctions will also add 24 more Russian officials and rebel leaders to a blacklist, subjecting them to visa bans and asset freezes.
Western help to Ukraine
The US says it is supplying Ukraine with non-lethal military equipment, including radios, vehicles and "non-lethal individual tactical gear". The US is also sharing some intelligence information with Ukraine, the New York Times reports. But that does not include real-time data on potential targets, the paper's sources say. Ukraine is not in NATO - so that restricts the kind of military help the West can provide legally. There are unconfirmed reports that US military advisers have been helping Ukraine in its major offensive against the rebels in July-August.
The EU has put in place a wide-ranging economic support package for Ukraine, to help Kiev manage its debts and balance-of-payments problems. - Obama orders air strikes in Syria against IS
President Barack Obama told Americans on 10th September he had authorized U.S. airstrikes for the first time in Syria and more attacks in Iraq in a broad escalation of a campaign against the Islamic State militant group.
Obama's decision to launch attacks inside Syria, which is embroiled in a three-year civil war, marked a turnabout for the president, who shied away a year ago from airstrikes to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people.
Obama asked Congress to authorize $500 million to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels. The training would take place in Saudi Arabia. It is unclear whether more American weapons and training can shift the battlefield balance toward the U.S.-backed rebels, who are badly outgunned by Islamic State, other militant groups and Assad's forces.
Obama plans to expand the list of targets inside Iraq beyond several isolated areas. The U.S. military has launched more than 150 airstrikes in Iraq in the past month to help halt Islamic State advances.
The new target list will include Islamic State's "leadership, logistical and operational capability," as well as an attempt to "deny it sanctuary and resources to plan, prepare and execute attacks," the White House said.
Obama will send 475 more American advisers to help Iraqi forces, which will bring to 1,600 the number there. Obama, determined to avoid a repeat of the Iraq war, stressed they would not engage in combat.
The president laid out his emerging plan for tackling the group two weeks after coming under fire for saying: "We don't have a strategy yet" for the group in Syria and six months after declaring that groups like Islamic State were minor players.
What is IS?
Islamic State (IS) is a radical Islamist group that has seized large swathes of territory in eastern Syria and across northern and western Iraq. Its brutal tactics - including mass killings and abductions of members of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as the beheadings of soldiers and journalists - have sparked fear and outrage across the world and prompted US military intervention
What does IS want?
The group aims to establish a "caliphate", a state ruled by a single political and religious leader according to Islamic law, or Sharia. Although currently limited to Iraq and Syria, IS has promised to "break the borders" of Jordan and Lebanon and to "free Palestine". It attracts support from Muslims across the world and demands that all swear allegiance to its leader - Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai, better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
What are its origins?
IS can trace its roots back to the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian who set up Tawhid wa al-Jihad in 2002. A year after the US-led invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and formed al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), which became a major force in the insurgency.
After Zarqawi's death in 2006, AQI created an umbrella organization, Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). ISI was steadily weakened by the US troop surge and the creation of Sahwa (Awakening) councils by Sunni Arab tribesmen who rejected its brutality. After becoming leader in 2010, Baghdadi rebuilt ISI's capabilities. By 2013, it was once again carrying out dozens of attacks a month in Iraq. It had also joined the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, setting up the al-Nusra Front.
In April 2013, Baghdadi announced the merger of his forces in Iraq and Syria and the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis). The leaders of al-Nusra and al-Qaeda rejected the move, but fighters loyal to Baghdadi split from al-Nusra and helped Isis remain in Syria.
At the end of December 2013, Isis shifted its focus back to Iraq and exploited a political stand-off between the Shia-led government and the minority Sunni Arab community. Aided by tribesmen, the group took control of the central city of Falluja.
In June 2014, Isis overran the northern city of Mosul, and then advanced southwards towards Baghdad. At the end of the month, after consolidating its hold over dozens of cities and towns, Isis declared the creation of a caliphate and changed its name to Islamic State.
Back ground for Syria conflict
Over the past three years, more than 100,000 Syrians have lost their lives in the escalating conflict between forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule. The bloody internal conflict has destroyed whole neighborhoods and forced more than nine million people from their homes.
The conflict has its roots in protests that erupted in March 2011 in the southern city of Deraa after the arrest and torture of some teenagers who painted revolutionary slogans on a school wall. When security forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing several, more took to the streets. The unrest triggered nationwide protests demanding President Assad's resignation.
The government use of military force to crush the dissent merely hardened the protesters' resolve. By July 2011, hundreds of thousands were taking to the streets in towns and cities across the country
Opposition supporters eventually began to take up arms, first to defend themselves and later to expel security forces from their local areas. The country descended into civil war as rebel brigades battled government forces for control of cities, towns and the countryside. Fighting reached the capital Damascus and second city of Aleppo in 2012. In July 2013, the UN said more than 100,000 people had been killed. It has stopped updating the death toll, but activists say it now exceeds 140,000.
A UN commission of inquiry has been investigating all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011. It has evidence showing that both sides have committed war crimes including torture, hostage-taking, murder and execution
Before the uprising began, the Syrian military had one of the world's largest stockpiles of chemical weapons, comprising more than 1,000 tones of precursor chemicals and chemical agents, including sulphur mustard and sarin.
The government insisted the toxic arsenal was secure and would never be used "inside Syria", but reports of chemical attacks began to surface in early 2013.
Then on 21 August 2013, rockets filled with sarin were fired at several suburbs in the Ghouta agricultural belt around Damascus, killing between 300 and 1,430 people. The opposition and Western powers said it could only have been carried out by the government. President Assad blamed rebels for the deaths, but within weeks he agreed to a US and Russian deal that is hoped will see the removal and destruction of Syria's chemical weapons by the end of June 2013. - US urges Turkey to join anti-IS coalition
US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed confidence on 12th September of building a broad coalition including Arab and European nations against Islamic State jihadists, on a visit to Turkey which has refused to allow strikes on the extremists from its territory. The top US diplomat also voiced Washington's opposition to Iran joining a conference on the Iraq crisis in Paris
Kerry held talks in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of a push to establish a coalition of more than 40 countries to defeat the IS militants in Iraq and Syria.
But he added that while Turkey and the US stand together in regional challenges, Ankara's role in the anti-IS campaign would be determined later France meanwhile will host an international conference on Iraq aimed at coordinating actions against the IS militants. The decision to host the conference came after US President Barack Obama vowed this week to expand operations, including to Syria.
Turkey, a NATO member and Washington's key ally in the region, has been reluctant to take part in combat operations against IS militants, or allow a US-led coalition to use its airbases for strikes against the jihadists.
Turkey has been accused of indirectly encouraging the formation of IS with its wholehearted support of Islamist elements within the Syrian rebellion against Assad. IS militants now hold 49 Turks hostage, including diplomats and children, abducted from the Turkish consulate in Mosul in Iraq in June.
In this regard, Turkey will continue to share intelligence with the United States, give logistical support to the Syrian opposition and humanitarian aid to the victims of the war in Syria, it added.
Kerry's visit comes a day after 10 Arab states, including heavyweight Saudi Arabia, agreed in Jeddah to rally behind Washington in the fight against IS. Although Turkey was represented in the meeting by its foreign minister, it did not sign the communique.
On arriving in Ankara, Kerry said that the US would provide an additional $500 million (385 million euros) in humanitarian aid to victims of the war in Syria, bringing total US assistance to $2.9 billion since the start of the conflict in 2011.- So far, 10 states in the Middle East have declared a "shared commitment" to President Obama's plan to tackle the extremist group.
- So far, 10 states in the Middle East have declared a "shared commitment" to President Obama's plan to tackle the extremist group.
- Honor for Bangladesh and Timor-Leste
The World Health Organization (WHO) honored Bangladesh and Timor-Leste with South East Asia Regional Award for Excellence in Public Health. The newly instituted awards were presented to Saima Hossain of Bangladesh and National Malaria Control Programme of Timor-Leste in Dhaka on 10 September 2014.
Saima Hossain was conferred the Award in the individual category for leadership in advancing the cause of Autism in South East Asia and worldwide. She is a chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Neuro development and Autism in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of Bangladesh.
The National Malaria Control Programme of Timor-Leste was conferred the Award in the region category for its aggressive anti-malaria effort which has drastically reduced malaria cases in Timor-Leste. - Violence continues in Pakistan
The situation in Pakistan is tense. Anti-Government demonstrations are pitching high. The clashes broke out and demonstrators who have laid siege to the heart of the Pakistani establishment, housing the Presidency, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister’s Office, sought to storm Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence nearby after breaking through the police barricade. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan vowed to fight till death.
A brief back ground
On 14 August 2014, cricketer turned politician Imran Khan started his march at container. 7 hours after leaving from Zaman Park Lahore, the march reached Faisal Chowk where Khan addressed the marchers demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
On 15 August, Khan's convoy was attacked by stones PMLN supporters in Gujranwala. PMLN MPA from Gujranwala Imran Khalid's brother Poomi Butt was allegedly involved in this attack. Khan was reported to be attacked with guns which forced him to travel him in bullet-proof vehicle.
Khan's march reached Islamabad 38 hours after departing from Zaman Park Lahore. Addressing his supporters at Aabpara Chowk, Khan again demanded resignation of prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and re-election in Pakistan. - World’s largest duty-free shop opens in China
The world's largest duty-free shop (DFS) opened on 1st September in China’s city Sanya. This duty-free shopping center has attracted nearly 300 international brands. For several of them, including Prada, Rolex and Giorgio Armani, it is the first time they have appeared in a DFS on the Chinese mainland.
China International Travel Service Group (CITS) has invested 5 billion yuan (about 814 million US dollars) in the center, which is run by China Duty Free Group under CITS. Wang Weimin, chairman of CITS, said the new store excels in functions, the number of brands and shopping area compared with any others in the world, and called its opening is a milestone for China's duty-free market. - Russia and Ukraine agreement
Russian President Vladimir Putin on 3rd September called on both Ukrainian rebels and government forces to cease fire and agree to the broad terms of a truce ending their four-month war. Mr. Putin’s first direct appeal on the insurgents to lay down their weapons came hours after the beleaguered Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, said he and Mr. Putin had agreed on a ceasefire deal.
The announcements raised hopes of an end to fighting that has killed at least 2,600 people and driven relations between Russia and the West to their lowest ebb since the Cold War.
The Russian leader added that he expected a final agreement to be announced by the insurgents and Kiev representatives during European-mediated negotiations on Friday in the Belarussian capital Minsk.
Russia and Ukraine relations- Russia–Ukraine relations were established in 1991
- Governmental relations between the two countries are complex.
- After the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution when the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted on 21 February 2014 the relations between Russia and Ukraine deteriorated rapidly;
- The administration in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was swiftly replaced with one which demanded unification (of Crimea) with the Russian Federation and demonstrators seized or attempted to seize control of administrative buildings in the Donbass and southern Ukraine.
- In March 2014 a referendum was held in Crimea which facilitated the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. Throughout March and April 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine spread with pro-Russian "People's Republics" being proclaimed in Donetsk and Luhansk.
- Open fighting between pro-Russian "People's Militias" and the Armed Forces of Ukraine began in May 2014. As of July 2014 a state of war exists between Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels in the east.
- After the election of pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych as Ukrainian President in early 2010 the relations between the two nations had improved, then deteriorated in 2014 with the Crimean crisis and the Russian military intervention in the peninsula. Later, Ukraine suspended majority of ties with Russia including military cooperation and export of Defense equipments
- Violence part of life for world’s youth: UN
A new report from the United Nations’ children agency says that young people from around the world are routinely exposed to violence, ranging from homicide and forced sexual acts to bullying and abusive discipline from parents. The report found that in 2012 alone almost 95,000 children and adolescents were murdered, making it the leading cause of death among people under the age of 20. Most of them lived in low- and middle-income countries. The study also finds that about six in 10 children worldwide between the ages of two and 14 numbering almost one billion are subjected to physical punishment by their caregivers on a regular basis. The report drew on data from 190 countries and was released on 4th September. - NATO approves new force aimed at deterring Russia
NATO leaders approved plan on 5th September to create a rapid response force with a headquarters in Eastern Europe that could quickly mobilize if an alliance country in the region were to come under attack. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said a command headquarters would be set up in Eastern Europe with supplies and equipment stockpiled there, enabling the "spearhead" force to mobilize and deploy quickly.
NATO air patrol flights over the Baltic and other air, land and naval measures already in place will be extended indefinitely, Rasmussen said, as part of a readiness package that also calls for upgraded intelligence-sharing and more short-term military exercises.
NATO:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, one of the 28 member states across North America and Europe, the newest of which, Albania and Croatia, joined in April 2009. An additional 22 countries participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace program, with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programmes - Ukraine signs ceasefire agreement with rebels
Ukraine's government and separatist leaders signed a ceasefire deal on 5th September after talks in Belarus, raising hopes of an end to the nearly five-month conflict that has wracked eastern Ukraine.
The ceasefire talks in Minsk, Belarus, were brokered by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and involved a former Ukrainian president, leaders of the pro-Russian rebels, and a Russian delegate. Both sides agreed to stop fighting, and the OSCE said it would monitor the ceasefire. However, the full agreement has not been published.
Sanctions by EU
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement on 5th September that the EU had expanded the list of persons under an EU asset freeze and travel ban to include the new leadership in eastern Ukraine, the Crimean government and Russian decision-makers and oligarchs. The sanctions are due to be formally adopted on 1st September. However, quoted said the measures could be suspended if the ceasefire held and if Moscow withdrew forces from Ukraine. - Iran fails to meet deadline in probe
Iran has failed to meet a deadline to provide answers about its nuclear weapons program, the UN atomic watchdog says in a report.
Not answering the International Atomic Energy Agency's long-standing questions over the allegations could harm the chances of a potentially historic deal between Iran and world powers focused on Tehran's current activities.
New talks on this possible accord between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council are due to resume in New York on September 18 ahead of a November 24 deadline to cut a deal. In the new quarterly report the IAEA said that Iran missed a mutually agreed August 25 deadline to provide answers on two of these areas, saying merely they had 'begun discussions'.
The report also said that more construction work had been noticed at the Parchin military base, a key site in the nuclear weapons probe, making an investigation there more difficult.
The IAEA said it had 'observed through satellite imagery ongoing construction activity (at Parchin) ... These activities are likely to have further undermined the Agency's ability to conduct effective verification'. - Morsi charged for leaking secretes
Egypt charged ousted President Mohammad Morsi and several other people on 6th September with endangering national security by leaking state secrets and sensitive documents to Qatar, dealing a further blow to his outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.
Relations between Qatar and Egypt have been icy since July 2013, when then-Egyptian army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi toppled Morsi after mass unrest against his rule.
Qatar had supported Morsi, who is already in jail along with thousands of Brotherhood members, many of whom have been sentenced to death on separate charges.
The Cairo public prosecutor's office said that its secret investigation had unearthed enough evidence of espionage to charge Morsi in a criminal court.
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