Friday, January 31

Diplomacy

The GER covers diplomacy, international organizations, and meetings. Looking beyond our individual political systems we find people and organizations working to make life better for people in both conflict-ridden places as well as secure, developed countries. It is not enough to focus on the end results of international relations. It’s worth focusing on the day-to-day work of diplomacy. Often, that’s where breakthroughs occur.

State Department Tells Businesses: Stay Away From Xinjiang, China
13Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Communism, Dictatorship, Diplomacy, Global Trade, Human rights, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

State Department Tells Businesses: Stay Away From Xinjiang, China

July 14, 2021—The U.S. State Department and six other Cabinet departments warned Americans against doing business with any person or entity connected to China's Xinjiang Province. It comes a day after the State Department formally accused China along with four other countries and a terrorist network of committing genocide. In China, the reputed human rights abuse is taking place against the primarily Muslim Uyghur population as well as other minorities. A Warning On Business Relations U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken - By U.S. Department of State The departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, Treasury, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative warned Americans of the risks of breaking U.S. law for doing business with anyone connected ...
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G20 Finance Ministers Back Carbon Taxes To Fight Climate Change
12Jul By Steve BerlinNo Comments
Climate Action, ESG, Sustainable Finance, Diplomacy, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Types of News: Brief

G20 Finance Ministers Back Carbon Taxes To Fight Climate Change

July 12, 2021—G20 finance ministers last week agreed carbon pricing could be an effective tool to help fight global climate change. During their meetings at the G20 High Level Tax Symposium on Tax Policy and Climate Change in Venice, Italy, the ministers also reaffirmed a 2050 target for net zero emissions of greenhouse gases, using carbon taxes as a way to get there. Photo by veeterzy on Unsplash Tools At Their Disposal While the ministers did not approve a carbon tax proposal, they acknowledged that different countries had many tools at their disposal to reduce emissions, but international cooperation is ultimately critical. Carbon Pricing, Explained Carbon pricing is a fee or tax on companies to cover the external costs of greenhouse gas emissions, such as...
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Biden Extends Sanctions Over China’s Actions in Hong Kong
8Jul By Steve BerlinNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

Biden Extends Sanctions Over China’s Actions in Hong Kong

July 8, 2021—President Joe Biden today extended the national emergency declared related to how China is governing Hong Kong. Continuing crackdowns by Beijing against pro-democracy advocates and media underline Biden’s decision. “The situation with respect to Hong Kong, including recent actions taken by the People’s Republic of China to fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” the extension stated. The order led to sanctions against individuals involved in the clampdown, including the freezing of economic assets in the U.S. and barring them from entering the country. Biden’s move continues for one year President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13936 of...
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U.S. Bans Solar-Industry Product Made in Xinjiang, China Over Concerns of ‘Modern-Day Slavery’
5Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Global Trade, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Human rights, Types of News: Brief

U.S. Bans Solar-Industry Product Made in Xinjiang, China Over Concerns of ‘Modern-Day Slavery’

July 5, 2021-- In the latest move to identify and prohibit products produced by "state-sponsored forced labor," the U.S. government banned imports of a material made in Xinjiang, China. The product, polysilicon, is a key component in the supply chain of solar panels. As a result of the ban, U.S. Customs officials must intercept imports of the product at U.S. ports. The decision is likely to have an impact not only on consumer and manufacture prices but also on foreign relations between the two countries. 'Modern-Day Slavery' Alejandro N. Mayorkas, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, announced the order against Hoshine Silicon Industry in late June. The decision followed discussions among leaders from G7 countries about the use of forced labor global supply chains. It also comes on t...
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Afghanistan: A “Ticking Clock” as U.S. Military, NATO Exit
1Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Diplomacy, Geopolitics, UN Security Council

Afghanistan: A “Ticking Clock” as U.S. Military, NATO Exit

July 1, 2021-As the U.S. and NATO military forces leave Afghanistan, a tumultuous unraveling of society is taking place in the country. Afghans are facing human rights violations, corruption, and economic threats, a panel of experts told the UN Security Council last week. Meanwhile, new clashes between the government and Taliban forces are breaking out.  U.S. and NATO troops are pulling out of Afghanistan earlier than the expected September 11, 2021 withdraw. That's causing a “seismic tremor” in Afghanistan, according to Deborah Lyons, Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission. “The withdrawal decision was expected, but its speed — with the majority of troops already withdrawn — was not,” a UN News publication quoted her as saying. Lyons briefed the co...
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Syrians Face Dire Situation as Clashes Continue And UN Security Council Preps for Key Decision
1Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

Syrians Face Dire Situation as Clashes Continue And UN Security Council Preps for Key Decision

Photo: UN file photo Humanitarian Aid Convoys At Risk of Losing Access to the Last Cross-Point Available July 1, 2021-UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an extension of the measure that allows humanitarian aid to reach refugees living in Syria. UN Security Council's Mandate 2533, which expires in July, allows for aid to cross the Turkey-Syria border to 13.4 million people dependent on the assistance. As the Global Economic Report previously reported, the aid is a lifeline for refugees in northwest Syria. According to a UN press release, the decade of war in Syria has left 13.4 million dependent on aid relief. Now, the conditions for the Syrians are worse than any time since the war began, the UN reported late last week. Meanwhile, the situation in northwest Syri...
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In the Wake of Sanctions, Ties between Belarus and Russia Strengthen
25Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

In the Wake of Sanctions, Ties between Belarus and Russia Strengthen

June 24, 2021 -- In response to new human-rights related sanctions by Western countries, Belarus is strengthening its relationship with Russia.  “We are categorically against sanctions. Recently, unfortunately, politicians in the West have shown a lowered level of political responsibility and literacy. They assumed the right to say what is right and what is wrong, to promote ‘lofty values’ and force everyone to comply with these ‘values’,” said Vladimir Makei, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, told BELTA, a state-run news agency in Belarus. Earlier this week, the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, and Canada announced new rounds of sanctions against individuals and entities close to the Alexander Lukashenko regime. It comes in response to worsening political repre...
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Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections
24Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Sanctions

Nicaragua Cracks Down on Political Speech, Opposition Ahead of Elections

June 24, 2021--Ahead of elections scheduled for November, the Nicaraguan government is arresting opposition leaders and potential presidential candidates who pose political opposition to their current leader, President Daniel Ortega.  Locals say the current repression dates back to the government's crackdown on political speech after the uprising against the president in 2018. Lesther Aleman, a university student leader, suggested that the current round-up of opposition leaders is to prevent any challenge to the election in November. "The strategy is to demoralize Nicaraguans, to delegitimize the electoral process to the point that the majority of people will abstain because there is no opposition. That is Ortega’s goal," Aleman told a reporter with Al Jazeera. "That way he can ...
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US, EU, UK and Canada Target Belarus Officials with New Sanctions
21Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

US, EU, UK and Canada Target Belarus Officials with New Sanctions

June 21, 2021- In a coordinated effort to counter an escalation of human rights violations and repression by Belarus, the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, and Canada announced today a new round of sanctions against individuals and entities close to the Alexander Lukashenko regime. "Today's actions, taken on both sides of the Atlantic, hold accountable those who continue to suppress the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people through abuses of human rights, attacks on the free press, and disregard for other fundamental freedoms," said Andrea Gackju, Director of U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to a press release. EU Sanctions List of Individuals Grows The EU's sanctions now include 78 more people and eight more entities. In total, th...
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Beijing Strikes Back Against Western Sanctions
17Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Diplomacy, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Human rights, Sanctions, Types of News: Brief

Beijing Strikes Back Against Western Sanctions

June 17, 2021--China's National People's Congress passed sweeping legislation last week to retaliate against Western sanctions and those who enact them. The Anti-foreign Sanctions Law gives China's authority to blacklist individuals and organizations who create or implement discriminating measures against China or its citizens or interfere with China's internal affairs, according to a Reuters analysis of the legislation. If targeted and placed on a blacklist, individuals and organizations could face the following consequences: Deportation from ChinaBanned from travel to China.Chinese assets dissolved or frozen.Transaction within China restricted. Western Sanctions The new law comes in response to sanctions that the European Union, United States, Canada and Britain issued ag...
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