USA
Trump, at Putin’s side, questions US Intelligence on 2016 Election, 16 July 2016
President Trump stood next to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Monday and publicly challenged the conclusion of his own intelligence agencies that Moscow interfered in the 2016 presidential election, wrapping up what he called a “deeply productive” summit meeting with an extraordinary show of trust for a leader accused of attacking American democracy.
In a remarkable news conference, Mr. Trump did not name a single action for which Mr. Putin should be held accountable. Instead, he saved his sharpest criticism for the United States and the special counsel investigation into the election interference, calling it a “ridiculous” probe and a “witch hunt” that has kept the two countries apart. Click here to read...
Donald Trump backtracks on Russia election meddling comments, says he misspoke in Helsinki, 18 July 2018
US President Donald Trump, grappling with a torrent of criticism over his performance at a Helsinki Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, now says he misspoke at their joint news conference and meant to say he saw no reason why it was not Russia that interfered in the 2016 US election. The sentence should have been, 'I don't see any reason why I wouldn't, or why it wouldn't be Russia' instead of 'why it would'," Mr Trump said.
"I accept our intelligence community's conclusion that Russia's meddling in the 2016 election took place." But he added: "It could be other people also. A lot of people out there. There was no collusion at all." Click here to read...
Trump's 'disgraceful' performance doesn't spell beginning of the end, 17 July 2018
Ailing Republican Senator John McCain called it “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory”. President Trump on Monday accepted Vladimir Putin’s denial of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election, siding with an autocratic adversary over the shared assessment of the CIA, FBI and other US intelligence agencies at the nadir of a cringeworthy press conference with the Russian President.
Republicans issued widespread denunciations of President Trump. Yet this is highly unlikely to be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency. Click here to read...
US, India have complementary interests: Kissinger, 17 July 2018
The US and India have complementary interests, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger has said even as he expressed admiration for New Delhi's strategic policy. "When I think about India, I admire their strategy," Kissinger said during a rare appearance in Washington to attend the first annual leadership summit of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) last week.
"The US and India have complementary interests. The beauty of that is that we don't need to make an alignment because it is already there," Kissinger said during his participation in a chat with USISPF chairman John Chambers. Click here to read...
India keen to join Russia in WTO case against US on metal tariffs, 17 July 2018
India has expressed its willingness join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute consultation requested by Russia as a third party against the US decision to impose high duties on certain steel and aluminium imports. In a communication to the WTO, India has stated that it has substantial trade interests in the sector.
In May, India dragged the US to the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of these import duties. “India hereby notifies its desire to join consultations requested by the government of the Russian Federation... concerning the measures that the US introduced to adjust imports of steel and aluminium into the US, including imposing additional ad valorem import duties on certain steel and aluminium products and exempting certain WTO members from these measures,” the WTO said. Click here to read...
Trade war: US hikes anti-dumping duty on Indian shrimps by 60 per cent, 16 July 2018
Amidst uncertainty in global trade, United States of America has enhanced the final anti-dumping duty on Indian shrimps to 1.35 per cent, a hike of more than 60 per cent.
The US Department of Commerce (DoC) has determined that certain frozen warm water shrimps from India is being sold in the United States at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), February 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017. This review covered 231 producers and/or exporters. Previously, the levy was 0.84 per cent duty. Click here to read...
India a 'huge priority' for US: Top Diplomat, 18 July 2018
India remains a "huge priority" for the US and it is a "force for good" in the world, a senior American diplomat has said, as the ties between the two countries are witnessing some strain.
Tom Vajda, acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia said, as India plays a larger role in the world, there is a sense in the Trump administration that this benefits the US. "I think I can confirm here with really no shadow of a doubt that India remains a huge priority for the US," Vajda said in his key note address to the Indiaspora's Philanthropy Summit here yesterday. Click here to read...
India and US hold meeting to further defence cooperation, 18 July 2018
At a time when the India-US military relationship appears to have taken a hit because of American sanctions against Russia, senior defence officials from both sides met here on Wednesday to strengthen defence cooperation.
India and the US held the seventh meeting of the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) that seeks to overcome bureaucratic obstacles to cooperation and identify opportunities for sharing of defence technologies. The DTTI meeting was co-chaired Ajay Kumar, secretary (defence production) and Ellen M Lord, US undersecretary of defence for acquisition and sustainment. “The meetings are held twice a year, alternately in India and the US, with the aim to bring sustained leadership focus to the bilateral defence trade relationship and create opportunities for co-production and co-development of defence equipment,” a defence ministry release said. Click here to read...
Mattis, Pompeo to travel to India in September for 2+2, 18 July 2018
The first 2+2 dialogue between Defence and Foreign Ministers of India and the US will take place in September first week in New Delhi. An official announcement on this will be likely in the next few days, The Hindu has learnt.
The dialogue was scheduled for July 6 in Washington, but was postponed due to changes in Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s schedule. Mr. Pompeo was in Pyongyang for denuclearisation talks with the North Korean regime on July 6. Defense Secretary James Mattis had offered to host Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the same day, but India did not warm up to the idea of a truncated meeting. Click here to read...
US Offers India Armed Version of Guardian Drone: Report, 18 July 2018
The United States has offered India the armed version of Guardian drones that were originally authorised for sale as unarmed for surveillance purposes, a senior US official and an industry source told Reuters. If the deal comes to fruition, it would be the first time Washington has sold a large armed drone to a country outside the NATO alliance. It would also be the first high-tech unmanned aircraft in the region, where tensions between India and Pakistan run high.
In April, President Donald Trump's administration rolled out a long-awaited overhaul of US arms export policy aimed at expanding sales to allies, saying it would bolster the American defence industry and create jobs at home. The plan included a new drone export policy that allowed lethal drones that can fire missiles, and surveillance drones of all sizes, to be more widely available to allies. One administrative hurdle to the deal is that Washington is requiring India to sign up to a communications framework that some in New Delhi worry might be too intrusive, the US official said. Click here to read...
Very positive momentum against US sanctions on India: Advocacy Group, 17 July 2018
India is unlikely to face punitive American sanctions imposed on countries dealing with Russia and Iran as there is a bipartisan support for India among US lawmakers who will find out a positive solution, the head of a top American business advocacy group has said.
Provisions of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) threaten India and several other close friends and allies of the US with sanctions for engaging in significant transactions with Russia's defence and intelligence sectors. Click here to read...
Iran oil sanctions: India, US hold talks as Washington hints at exemptions, 18 July 2018
A high-level delegation from the US on Tuesday held crucial talks with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale over the US sanctions on the import of Iranian oil amid indications that Washington may offer an exemption to some countries from the restrictions. The delegation led by Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Marshall Billingslea also held separate talks with top officials of the Finance Ministry.
Official sources said the issue of US sanctions on the import of Iranian oil figured in the talks the delegation had with Gokhale who explained to it India's position on the matter. Click here to read...
Trump says getting along with Russia a good thing, India agrees, 17 July 2018
Amid trade wars with China, peace talks with North Korea and a pullout from the Iran nuclear deal, the United States summit-level meeting with Russia is an indication of the realignment of America's foreign policy, one that could be greatly advantageous to India.
The meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended on a positive note where both leaders supported each other despite many back home and many European nations wishing a failure.
While it might not be good news for Europe which is having a very strained relation with Russia post the Salisbury incident, the thaw is welcome to all the keen foreign policy hands in South Block who are following developments very closely. Click here to read...
Senators reaffirm challenge to Trump’s tariffs as White House doubles down, 18 July 2018
While the US media focus on bipartisan backlash in Washington to President Donald Trump’s comments in Helsinki, a battle to define America’s trade policy rages on.
Republican Senator Orrin Hatch warned the White House on Tuesday that Congress would act to rein in Trump if he moves forward on tariffs. “If the administration continues forward with its misguided and reckless reliance on tariffs, I will work to advance trade legislation to curtail presidential trade authority,” Hatch, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said in remarks on the US Senate floor. Click here to read...
US in talks to sell Patriot missiles to Turkey, 17 July 2018
Discussions are under way between the US government and Turkish officials about a potential deal to supply Ankara with Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, The Drive reported this week. Such a deal could smooth over tensions that surfaced when Turkey agreed to buy a Russian S-400 missile system, a move that prompted US lawmakers to consider blocking the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the NATO ally. Congress has yet to pass legislation that would prevent F-35s from being sent to Turkey, and the first delivery was already received on US soil.
Tina Kaidanow, acting US assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, revealed at an airshow in London this week that the talks were ongoing. Leading a delegation at the event, Kaidanow has reportedly been tasked with promoting US arms sales abroad. Click here to read...
AFRICA
Obama Visits Kenyan family, to launch Youth Centre: Times Live, 16 July 2018
Former US president Barack Obama paid a visit to his extended family in Kenya Monday, on his first trip to the country since 2015 during which he will open a youth centre. Obama arrived in his father's native Kenya on Sunday, where he paid courtesy calls on President Uhuru Kenyatta and main opposition leader Raila Odinga.
On Monday he flew to the west of the country, where under extremely tight security he paid a visit to the home of his step-grandmother Sarah Obama in the village of Kogelo, an AFP reporter said. He was expected to meet a number of members of his extended family, before launching the Sauti Kuu (Swahili for "Strong Voices") centre set up by his half-sister Auma Obama. Click here to read...
Nigeria to need up to $300 mn for new National Carrier: Reuters, 19 July 2018
Nigeria’s new national airline will require initial capital of between $150 million and $300 million, and the government is seeking a strategic partner to operate the carrier, the government stated in a document seen by Reuters on Thursday. The West African country’s previous national carrier, Nigeria Airways, was founded in 1958 and wholly owned by the government. It ceased to operate in 2003.
Hadi Sirika, minister of state for aviation, on Wednesday said the government would not own more than five percent of the new carrier, called Nigeria Air. He made the comments while providing details of the airline at the Farnborough air show in England. Click here to read...
PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa: The Indian Express, 20 July 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Rwanda and Uganda before heading to South Africa to attend the 10th addition of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg. TS Tirumurti, secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while speaking to reporters at a media briefing in New Delhi said the Prime Minister will visit the three nations between June 23-27. Briefing the media about PM’s schedule, Tirumurti said that the first stop is Rwanda for a two-day ‘historic’ visit, the first by an Indian premier. He heads to Uganda on July 24 and from there to South Africa.
The leaders at the summit are expected to deliberate on global hot-spot issues, international peace and security, global governance and trade issues among others, Tirumurti said. On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister is also expected to meet some leaders bilaterally, he said. Click here to read...
Eritrea appoints first ambassador to Ethiopia in two decades: africanews, 21 July 2018
Two days after Ethiopia named an ambassador to Eritrea, the latter’s President, Isaias Afwerki, has appointed its first ambassador to its neighbour in two decades, the government said on Saturday.
Since signing an agreement in Asmara on July 9 to restore ties, Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders have moved swiftly to sweep away two decades of hostility since conflict erupted between the two neighbours in the Horn of Africa in 1998. Click here to read...
China's Xi welcomed in Senegal at start of Africa trip: Aljazeera, 22 July 2018
China's President Xi Jinping has arrived in Senegal for a two-day visit, the first leg of an Africa tour that will also see him head to Rwanda, South Africa and Mauritius. Senegalese President Macky Sall on Saturday welcomed his counterpart to the capital, Dakar. The two leaders, who are meeting for the third time, are expected to sign a number of bilateral deals.
Xi is also expected to formally hand Sall the keys to a Chinese-built wrestling venue, a hugely popular sport in Senegal. Click here to read...
Mali: 12 killed in 'terrorist ambush': africanews, 23 July 2018
Eleven jihadists were killed Sunday in central Mali, in an ambush by Islamist fighters linked to the Malian army, the defense ministry said. One soldier was also killed in the attack. He was part of a reconnaissance and security patrol, a statement from the Malian Ministry of Defence said.
The “attackers proceeded to summarily execute more than 20 people including elderly people and at the same time some members of the security post of the coalition”, the statement said. Click here to read...
'China Relates to Africa as An Equal' - Paul: Africa news, 23 July 2018
Rwandan president Paul Kagame has defended China’s relations with Africa stating that the global economic giant treats Africa as equals in dealings between the two parties. “I also want to say a few words from the heart. The growing relationship with China is based as much on mutual respect as on mutual interests. That is evident in your personal commitment to our continent, Mr. President.
“More generally, China relates to Africa as an equal. We see ourselves as a people on the road to prosperity. China’s actions demonstrate, that you see us in the same way. This is a revolutionary posture in world affairs, and it is more precious than money,” Kagame stressed. Click here to read...
