International affairs | Business Upturn

Money laundering and sanctions violations charges against tornado cash founders

Vanshika Lodhi — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 11:24:55 +0000

Two founders of Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixing service, have been charged by the US government for their involvement in a money laundering scheme. Roman Storm and Roman Semenov have been accused of conspiring to launder over $1 billion for clients, including a North Korean cybercrime organization. Tornado Cash claimed to offer untraceable and anonymous financial transactions using cryptocurrency. The US government’s action against Tornado Cash and its founders has sparked a conflict between efforts to combat illegal money flows and the desire for increased privacy in financial transactions among cryptocurrency advocates. According to US prosecutors in Manhattan, Storm and Semenov knew that their service was being used as “a haven for criminals to engage in large-scale money laundering and sanctions evasion.”

It is alleged that Tornado Cash received funds from the Lazarus Group, a North Korean organization, by accepting cryptocurrency from an Ethereum wallet publicly associated with Lazarus and designated as a blocked source by the US. Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, stated, “While publicly claiming to offer a technically sophisticated privacy service, Storm and Semenov in fact knew that they were helping hackers and fraudsters conceal the fruits of their crimes.” Storm, 34 years old, was arrested in Washington state and is expected to appear in court. Semenov, a 35-year-old Russian citizen, is not currently in custody. Storm’s lawyer, Brian Klein, stated that Storm has been cooperating with the government’s investigation and denies any criminal conduct.

Klein expressed disappointment with the charges, highlighting the potential implications for software developers under the novel legal theory being applied. In 2019, the US sanctioned both the Lazarus Group and Tornado Cash. The US Treasury Department stated that Tornado Cash was used by the Lazarus Group to conceal over $455 million stolen during a major cryptocurrency heist in March 2022—still the largest attack of its kind. Semenov has also been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for “providing material support” to Tornado Cash and the Lazarus Group.

The FBI issued a warning, stating that hackers are still attempting to cash out stolen assets through alternate methods, indicating ongoing criminal activity. However, critics, such as Peter Van Valkenburgh from Coin Center, a cryptocurrency policy organization, expressed concerns that the government’s actions may be stretching too far by potentially criminalizing software publication. Recently, a federal judge in Texas rejected a bid by Tornado Cash users to challenge the Treasury Department’s authority to sanction the service, ruling that the department had acted within its powers.

The case is ongoing and is filed as US v. Storm, 23-cr-00430, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan)

Japan and India: Spiritual and technological bonds strengthen friendship

Viditha Ganji — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 03:43:00 +0000

Japan and India, two nations rich in cultural heritage, have nurtured a deep and enduring friendship. Besides their flourishing economic ties, the spiritual connection rooted in Buddhism has played a significant role in strengthening the bond between these countries.

Buddhism, a spiritual tradition that originated in ancient India, found its way to Japan around the 6th century. This shared spiritual heritage has fostered a mutual understanding and respect, creating a strong foundation for collaboration and cooperation.

The relationship between Japan and India goes beyond economic transactions and technological exchanges. It encompasses a shared ethos of spiritual growth and the pursuit of knowledge. Buddhism’s expansion in Japan brought with it the teachings of peace, compassion, and harmony, which resonate deeply with the people of both countries.

This spiritual connection has paved the way for extensive cultural exchanges and the promotion of tourism between the two nations. Many Japanese pilgrims visit Buddhist sites in India, such as Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar, to pay homage to the birthplace and enlightenment of Lord Buddha. Similarly, Indian travelers explore the ancient temples, Zen gardens, and serene landscapes of Japan, immersing themselves in the rich Buddhist traditions that have flourished there.

Beyond the realm of spirituality, Japan and India have developed robust economic ties. In 2019, bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to $17.63 billion, a testament to their growing commercial partnership. India exports a diverse range of goods to Japan, including fish, apparel, textiles, iron and steel, chemical components, textile yarn, and petroleum products. In return, Japan supplies India with non-ferrous metals, organic chemicals, electrical equipment, and more.

Moreover, the technological collaboration between Japan and India has been instrumental in driving innovation and progress. The partnership between the two nations has seen the exchange of advanced technologies and research in various fields, including information and communication technology (ICT), automotive, and renewable energy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Digital India” initiative, launched in collaboration with Japan in 2018, has paved the way for the development of digital ICT technologies. This collaboration aims to leverage Japan’s expertise in technology and India’s vast market potential to foster innovation, create employment opportunities, and drive economic growth.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and Prime Minister Modi recently held discussions on the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” approach, further solidifying their shared vision for regional cooperation and stability.

The friendship between Japan and India continues to flourish, propelled by their shared cultural roots and a deep appreciation for each other’s traditions. The exchange of knowledge, technology, and ideas between these nations has created a dynamic partnership that extends beyond business and commerce.

As Japan and India strengthen their ties, they pave the way for a future marked by mutual growth, innovation, and prosperity. The spiritual connection fostered by Buddhism acts as a guiding force, reminding both countries of the importance of peace, compassion, and harmony in their collaborative endeavors.

In this era of global connectivity, the Japan-India friendship serves as a shining example of how shared values and cultural bonds can transcend geographical boundaries, fostering enduring relationships built on trust, respect, and a shared commitment to progress.

453 people from various departments are let go by Google India: Report

Sakshi Vats — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 06:18:06 +0000

According to reports, Google India has let go of 453 people from a variety of divisions. According to Business Line, Sanjay Gupta, the country head and vice president of Google India, informed staff of their dismissal through mail.

The business had earlier in January declared its intentions to reduce employment by more than 12,000, joining other software behemoths as Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon Inc., and Salesforce Inc. in curtailing operations in the face of a faltering global economy and rising prices. Whether the layoffs at Goggle India are a result of the previously disclosed downsizing or a brand-new wave of layoffs is not yet evident. There have also been rumours that CEO Sundar Pichai, who is facing layoffs and challenging macroeconomic conditions, is about to accept a significant pay cut. In a recent town hall meeting with Google employees, he even stated that all positions above the level of “senior vice president” will see a considerable cut in their annual bonus, according to India Today. Pichai stated in a blog post from January that the company will compensate employees affected by layoffs outside the US in accordance with local customs.

Speaking about Google India, a post made by some employees on LinkedIn corroborated the story as well.

An account manager at Google’s Gurugram branch, Kamal Dave, was fired yesterday. He posted the following on his LinkedIn page: “Hello everyone, Yesterday, I participated in the Google India Layoffs. As a Strategic Key Account Manager / Consultant at Google, I concentrated my efforts on achieving Digital Marketing Goals for various industries at the top of their food chain in India. I’d appreciate your assistance as I hunt for a new position. I appreciate any contacts, suggestions, or opportunities you may provide in advance.

Surabhi Sharma, another employee, wrote about the job cuts at the Gurugram office.

“This evening, we had lost some incredibly talented colleagues from the recent layoffs announcement at Google, India. For anyone who was laid off in my contact list and feeling like it turned life upside down, trust me you will land back on your feet, and will find yourself standing confident, and learning more about your full potential,” she stated in her post.

“In times like these I like to remind myself that we are human beings sharing so much of our experiences and building things together; this connection goes beyond just being Googlers or teammates under any org. This is true for my existing and departing colleagues. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that all of us are struggling with a mixture of feelings and all the emotions are valid, even if it’s Survivor’s Guilt,”she further wrote.

Earlier, approximately 250 workers from Zurich had left the building in protest of the company’s last month’s decision to reduce about 6% of its global workforce. According to union spokesman Dominik Fitze, the workers left their workstations before midday with the help of the Syndicom trade union and gathered outside one of the two Google offices in the Swiss city with placards.

EAM S Jaishankar: World recognises India’s ability to defend its interests

Yakita Somani — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 04:33:41 +0000

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that the world recognises India’s ability to defend its interests and that the country is unshaken in the face of border standoffs.

“When confronted in border areas, we have remained firm. We had China move forces in violation of the agreement in the middle of Covid two years ago. But we stood firm and have been negotiating without making any concessions. The world recognises that the country is capable of defending its interests “Jaishankar made the remarks while speaking at IIM Ahemdabad in Gujarat, where he was addressing and interacting with students about Indian foreign policy.

Jaishankar had previously stated on Monday that the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship between Beijing and New Delhi. The EAM stated at the launch of the Asia Society Policy Institute in the national capital that much of Asia’s future depends on how the two countries’ relations develop in the near future.

Ties must be based on the three mutuals: mutual sensitivity, mutual respect, and mutual interest in order to return to a positive trajectory and remain sustainable. Of course, you are all aware of their current situation. “All I can say is that the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship,” he said.

For over two years, India and China have been at odds in a number of conflicts in the region in eastern Ladakh. After violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020, the situation deteriorated. Both sides have held several high-level military talks since then.

Jashankar also emphasised the importance of rising Asia in the global order. “As the most dynamic region outside of the West, its achievements can serve as a model for the rest of the Global South. Through its efforts, it is, in fact, leading the process of global rebalancing. For this to have the greatest possible impact, India promotes a cooperative, inclusive, and consultative approach to international relations. We believe that Asia’s progress is advancing multipolarity, rebalancing, fairer globalisation, and reformed multilateralism. This belief shapes our diplomacy accordingly “he stated.

Myanmar court levied corruption charges against Nobel laureate Suu Kyi; Sentenced for 6 years

Yakita Somani — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:28:40 +0000

A court in military-ruled Myanmar sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to six years in prison on Monday after finding her guilty in four corruption cases.

The 77-year-old Nobel laureate and figurehead of Myanmar’s opposition to military rule has been charged with at least 18 offences ranging from graft to election violations, with maximum prison terms totalling nearly 190 years.

According to the source, she was found guilty on Monday of misusing funds from the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, an organisation she founded to promote health and education, to build a home and leasing government-owned land at a discounted rate.

Suu Kyi, who is being held in solitary confinement in the capital Naypyitaw, has previously been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since last year when the military deposed an elected government led by Suu Kyi’s party following a general election and launched a brutal crackdown on dissent.

Tens of thousands of people have been imprisoned, and many have been tortured, beaten, or killed in what the UN calls crimes against humanity.

The international community has sanctioned the military and called Suu Kyi’s secret trials farcical.

The daughter of the leader of Myanmar’s independence movement led the country for five years during a brief period of tentative reforms before being deposed in a February 2021 coup.

For five of the last six decades, the military has ruled the country.

Mehul Choksi’s wife rallies behind him, Here’s what happened

Govindraj Muttepawar — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 14:51:01 +0000

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Indian-born fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi and demands for his extradition, his wife Priti Choksi on Wednesday said the woman who is rumoured to be his girlfriend is known to her husband and to his other acquaintances.

“The woman was known to my husband and to his other acquaintances. She walked with my husband periodically when she was visiting Antigua. From what I have understood from people who have met her, the woman shown on media channels is not the same woman that they knew as Barbara,” said Priti Choksi. These remarks came after Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne last week had said Mehul Choksi may have taken his girlfriend on a romantic trip to Dominica, where he was busted.

On the reports that fugitive diamantaire was tortured in Dominica, Priti said, “What has brought most anguish to the family is the physical torture and total disregard for the human rights of my husband. If someone really wanted him back alive, why did they need to torture and abuse him physically and mentally? My husband has many health issues.” On the question of Mehul Choki’s deportation, his wife said, “He is 63 years old and he is an Antiguan citizen. He enjoys all the rights and protection that the Antigua and Barbuda constitution gives him. I have full faith in the rule of law and the justice system of the Caribbean nations. We await his safe and rightful return to Antigua at the earliest.”

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case. Choksi fled the country was granted citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in January 2018. Earlier today, Antigua Prime Minister had told ANI that his administration stands by its request for Dominica to extradite Mehul Choksi, directly back to India, “where he is still a citizen.” “Instead of subjecting himself to an inquiry as required by law, he (Mehul Choksi) used the courts to stay the revocation of his citizenship,” Antigua PM. “My administration stands by its request to Dominica to extradite Mehul Choksi directly back to India where he is still a citizen,” he added.

The Antigua Prime Minister told ANI that Mehul Choksi “changed his lawyer to a well-known member of the UPP who had promised him protection, for campaign funding”. “That’s why they want that he shouldn’t be deported to India, but back to Antigua where he could continue to hide behind constitutional protections,” Browne said. Associates Times citing sources had reported that Mehul Choksi’s brother, who is also a bank defaulter, allegedly promised election funding to Dominica’s Leader of the Opposition Lennox Linton in exchange for pushing Mehul Choksi’s abduction theory.

The sources said Chetan Chinu Bhai Choksi had met Linton on May 30, where they discussed several aspects related to Mehul Choksi’s arrest and agreed on the commitment that in exchange for token money and promise of election donation, the opposition leader will press the matter in Parliament. They also told Associates Times that Chetan disclosed during the conversation that Mehul had reached Dominica on his own, but they require the assistance of the opposition to tackle the matter in court and against the Dominica government to make them believe that he was abducted by Antiguan and Indian police.

Sources cited by Associates Times also said Chetan gave Linton token money of USD 200,000 and promised him more than a million-dollar of financial assistance in the upcoming general elections and in exchange Linton would issue statements favouring Mehul Choksi. Meanwhile, a team from India has arrived in Dominica, ahead of a Caribbean court hearing that will decide on whether fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi will be deported to India.

Canada’s Foreign Minister warns its citizens about travelling to China

Govindraj Muttepawar — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 07:19:46 +0000

Canada’s foreign minister Marc Garneau fears many nations that are doing business with Beijing could end up seeing their citizens in China getting detained in case there are major disagreements.

Canada has warned its citizens against travelling to the Chinese province of Xinjiang, saying they face the “risk of arbitrary detention” on doing so.

In an advisory on Saturday, Ottawa said, “Chinese authorities are increasingly detaining ethnic and Muslim minorities in the region without due process. There are reports of extrajudicial internment and forced labour camps. Family members of Canadian citizens with Chinese citizenship have been detained.”

The two Canadians were arrested in December 2018. They were later charged with spying in China and passing on sensitive information to entities outside the country.

In a statement issued earlier in the day by Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, Garneau said, “We are deeply troubled by the total lack of transparency surrounding these hearings and we continue to work towards an immediate end to their arbitrary detention.”

Canada also cautioned the people who undertake the line of research or journalism in China, particularly in Xinjiang or Tibet. “You should be particularly vigilant if researching or reporting on subjects critical of or sensitive to the government and in areas such as Tibet or Xinjiang,” says the advisory, pointing to instances of arrests of foreign journalists on grounds of national security violations.

In July 2020, Canada sent an advisory note with regard to Hong Kong, warning that Canadians going there “may be at increased risk of arbitrary detention on national security grounds and possible extradition to mainland China”.

India has longstanding partnership in nuclear space with Russia: MEA

Nitin Anand — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 10:26:30 +0000

On Tuesday, April 6, Indian Minister of External Affairs and Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs jointly held a press conference.

Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar told in the press conference, “Much of our discussions today cover the preparations for President Putin’s visit for the annual summit later this year. Our bilateral cooperation remains energetic & forward-looking. We talked about longstanding partnership in nuclear space & defence sectors,” as quoted by ANI.

S. Jaishankar also talked about new corridor, “We assess positively our economic cooperation noting new opportunities in the Russian far east. We spoke of connectivity including the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.”

Minister of External Affairs also talks about the defence sectors and also about India’s satellite program in cooperation with Russia and India’s cooperation with Russian federation.

Much of our discussions today cover the preparations for President Putin's visit for the annual summit later this year. Our bilateral cooperation remains energetic & forward-looking. We talked about longstanding partnership in nuclear space & defence sectors: EAM S Jaishankar pic.twitter.com/dnNDKrtMBs

— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021

He further added, “We note an appetite for greater investment in each other by both countries. Russian support for our Gaganyaan programme has progressed for which deeply appreciate. Our defence requirement in the past year was expeditiously addressed,” as quoted by ANI.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, arrived in New Delhi for his official visit on Monday, April 5.

Jaishankar also added that after meeting Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, “One question on which we spend some time is the unfolding developments in & around Afghanistan. For India, what happens in Afghanistan impacts its security directly,” as quoted by ANI.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reacted on being asked if Russia is planning to sign a military alliance with China with “Big No”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New Delhi said on relations with USA, “We didn’t discuss statements from USA. Instead, we confirmed that we are going to deepen our military cooperation. We have a governmental committee on military-technical cooperation that has its own plans.”

He also talked about Russian military equipment, “We also discussed prospective and additional manufacturing of Russian military equipment in India within the concept ‘Made in India’. So here, I didn’t see any changes from our Indian partners & friends”.

EAM S Jaishankar reacted on being asked if India considering possibility of acquiring additional S-400 regiments from Russia “We didn’t get into any specific discussion that is the responsibility of a different body headed by our defence ministers, which is due to meet at end of the year”, as quoted by ANI.

India asks US to restart annual India-US Trade Policy Forum

Devanshu Singla — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 10:16:30 +0000

India has asked the United States to restart the annual India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) soon so that a long list of pending bilateral trade issues can be solved as India is eager to secure a working relationship with the new Joe Biden administration from the start.

The TPF has not met since 2017 due to the lack of interest by the former administration, which had also escalated attacks against India at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

After an increasingly combative relationship with the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) office over the past four years, the Piyush Goyal-led Commerce Department took the decision to request the USTR to rekindle the dialogue soon after the US election, sources said.

Both the government bodies had repeatedly clashed as former USTR Robert Lighthizer sharpened criticism against India on a long list of issues, including India’s import duties for American goods, export subsidies and assistance given by New Delhi to exporters and market access for US goods.

“Most importantly, the new administration is keen to begin talks with India on the Modi government’s policies on data privacy, e-commerce and digitisation. The issue of server localisation, which had hit a wall in 2020, will also be taken up by Biden’s team,” a senior diplomat based in Washington DC said.

The US remains India’s largest export destination, with merchandise worth $53 billion shipped in 2019-20. Imports stood at $35 billion, making the US India’s biggest trade partner globally.

Kim Jong Un starts over with Joe Biden, after Donald Trump departs

Devanshu Singla — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:15:21 +0000

The year 2020 was a disaster for North Korea and its leader Kim Jong Un as its already battered economy decayed further amid pandemic border restrictions. Also, his made-for-TV summits with former President Donald Trump failed to lift crippling sanctions from his country.

Now he has to start all over again with President Joe Biden, who has previously called Kim a thug and accused Donald Trump of chasing spectacles instead of meaningful reductions of Kim’s nuclear arsenal.

In his recent political speeches, Kim has vowed to strengthen his nuclear weapons program and also added that fate of North Korea’s relations with the US depends on whether Washington discards what he calls hostile US policies. North Korea has a history of testing new US administrations with missile launches and other provocations with an aim to bring the Americans back to the negotiating table.

In recent military parades in Pyongyang, Kim showcased new weapons he may test, including solid-fuel ballistic systems designed to be fired from vehicles and submarines, and the North’s biggest intercontinental ballistic missile.

A revival of tensions would force the US and South Korea to reckon more deeply with the possibility that Kim may never voluntarily deal away from the weapons he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.

Kim’s arsenal emerged as a major threat to the United States and its Asian allies following tests in 2017 that included a detonation of a purported thermonuclear warhead and flight tests of ICBMs that demonstrated the potential to reach deep into the American homeland.

North Korea won’t likely be the top priority for Biden, who while facing mounting domestic issues is also gearing up for a push to get back into a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that Trump blew up in favour of what he called maximum pressure against Iran.

“The Biden administration’s sequence of policy attention will likely be: Get America’s own house in order, strengthen US alliances and align strategies toward China and Russia, and then address Iran and North Korea,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

But North Korea never likes to be ignored.

According to Easley, While sanctions, border closures and crop-killing natural disasters have created the toughest challenges of Kim’s nine-year rule, he won’t be in a hurry to offer concessions. Kim’s government has a high tolerance for domestic suffering and could expect extensive help from China, its only major ally.

North Korea’s first provocation under the Biden administration could possibly be related to submarine-launched ballistic systems, which Kim showcased in recent parades.

Kim’s ambitions for longer-range ICBMs and reconnaissance satellites that he expressed during the ruling party congress this month could lead to a space launch that would double as a test of long-range missile technology. That would be reminiscent of a 2009 launch that took place weeks into Obama’s first term.

“The North is capable of conducting tests that the US and its allies cannot ignore,” Easley said. “Kim is likely to exploit this.”

The North Korean leader is trying to move the diplomacy toward an arms reduction negotiation between nuclear states, rather than talks that would culminate in a full surrender of his weapons, according to Shin Beomchul, an analyst with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

But North Korea probably won’t test weapons until after Biden’s State of the Union address in February, where he could set the tone of his policy toward the North, Shin said. Kim may also want to see whether the United States and South Korea proceed with a major joint military exercise expected in March.

Although the allies have described their annual exercises as defensive in nature and downsized much of their combined training activity under Trump to make space for diplomacy, North Korea has called for a full stoppage of the drills, describing them as invasion rehearsals and proof of US hostility.

The North during the party congress has made clear it has no intentions of budging first, but it is also interested in hearing what the United States has to say, said Shin, who served as a South Korean diplomat during the Obama years.

Biden will not inherit Trump’s top-down diplomacy, but you could expect him to be more flexible about working-level negotiations, offering to talk with the North Koreans at any time and place and about anything, he said.

Shin expects Biden to eventually pursue a deal with North Korea that resembles the agreement with Iran that Trump pulled out of in 2018. It could provide North Korea with some level of compensation for freezing its nuclear and missile capabilities at their current level.

Trump’s account permanently locked from Twitter, supporter’s account gets suspended too

Sanah Shah — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 05:17:03 +0000

Twitter Inc. permanently suspends Donald Trump’s account (@realDonaldTrump), deletes his new tweets on the official government account (@POTUS) and lastly removes his presidential campaign account (@TeamTrump).

After being banned from his personal account, the U.S. President tried to get around the ban and continued to use other accounts such as the government account and his campaign account. He tweeted, “We will not be SILENCED!” from the @POTUS account which holds 33.4 million followers. Twitter said that these accounts could face permanent suspension under its “ban evasion” policies.

Agitated by the ban, he tweeted, “Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH.” This has now been deleted. He added that he is debating creating his own social media platform soon.

Trump’s presidential campaign was suspended after he released a statement on that account criticizing twitter of “banning free speech” and being an ally to “the Democrats and the Radical Left” to suppress him. Previously, this account directed its 2.3 million followers to an account on Parler which is popular with conservatives for its hands-off approach to content control. Alphabet Inc’s Google suspended Parler on 8th January 2021 citing that posts ignite violence, while Apple Inc gave the service 24 hours to submit a detailed moderation plan.

This the first time Twitter has banned a head of state, confirmed by the company. Social media companies have slowly attempted to crack down on Trump and some of his known right-wing allies and supporters. The turmoil and chaos in Washington D.C. on 6th January 2021 led to the death of 5 people; this event propelled social media companies blamed for spreading the word of the violence to take action.

Trump has repeatedly used Twitter and other platforms to claim that his defeat in the 3rd November 2020 election was due to voter fraud and other conspiracy theories. He persuaded his supporters and followers to come to Washington D.C. on 6th January 2021 and march the Capitol to protest the outcome of the elections.

In a blog post by Twitter, it said that two of the president’s tweets on 8th January 2021 were in violation of its policy against the glorification of violence. Twitter had blocked Trump’s account on 6th January 2021 following the siege of Capitol Hill. At that time, he was given a warning that further violations would lead to suspension of his account, permanently. He was required to delete three tweets that were in violation of company policy for it to be unlocked. The next day, 7th January 2021, he returned with a video admitting that Joe Biden would be the next president.

Trump said that he would not attend Biden’s inauguration, in accordance with his beliefs that the elections were rigged. His supporters viewed this as a confirmation that the November elections were illegitimate.

Another tweet praising “American Patriots” and saying Trump’s supporters “will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, the shape or form!!!” were interpreted as “further indication that President Trump does not plan to facilitate an orderly transition.”

Major social media critics who include high-ranking Democratic politicians praised Twitter’s decision and said it was long overdue. On the other hand, Trump’s followers were outraged.

Facebook Inc said that they were suspending Trump’s account “indefinitely.” According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the ban will not be lifted before Inauguration Day.

“The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden,” said Zuckerberg. “We are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete.” This decision to ban Trump’s account is an unprecedented elevation in the social media platform’s approach to controlling the president’s posts.

Donald Trump Jr, in a tweet on Friday denounced the ban by saying that dictators who threatened genocide continued to have Twitter accounts while not identifying anybody in particular.

The White House has not made any direct comment. While Trump’s campaign account criticized Twitter for “silencing” the president of the United States.

Trump has admitted to owing his presidential career to social media since his win in 2016. He has used @realDonaldTrump as his personal megaphone, which has sometimes tweeted more than 100 times a day, to engage with supporters, spread wrong information and even fire staff.

In an interview on Fox Business in 2017, Trump said, “I doubt I would be here if it weren’t for social media, to be honest with you.”

Trump has received special privileges from Facebook and Twitter due to being a world leader. Although his tweets have violated company policy, they weren’t removed on account of being in the public interest. These privileges have been terminated on leaving office.

Since last year, Twitter has been labelling and putting warnings on Trump’s tweet that broke their norms against glorifying violence, manipulated media or sharing potentially misleading information about voting processes.

President Donald Trump of the Republic party is due to hand over to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden on 20th January 2021.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vows to improve ties with outside world

Devanshu Singla — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 07:22:19 +0000

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a major political conference for the third consecutive day highlighted the need to drastically improve his nation’s ties with the outside world. State media said Kim also reviewed relations with rival South Korea but didn’t elaborate on what steps he said he wanted to take.

As the economic troubles for North Korea are increasing Kim Jong is expected to use the first congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in five years to send conciliatory gestures toward Seoul and Washington.

In his speech on the third day of the meeting Thursday, Kim “declared the general orientation and the policy stand of our party for comprehensively expanding and developing the external relations,” the Korean Central News Agency said Friday. Kim also examined relations with South Korea “as required by the prevailing situation and the changing times,” KCNA said.

The congress is the party’s top decision-making body which reviews past projects, layout new priorities and reshuffle top officials. This month’s congress was convened as Kim is struggling to overcome what he calls “multiple crises” caused by an economy battered by pandemic-related border closings, a series of natural disasters and US-led sanctions.

In his opening-day speech, Kim admitted his previous economic developmental plans had failed and vowed to lay out a new five-year development plan. On the second day of the meeting, he said he would bolster his country’s military capability.

India cautions Canada: Comments on farmers dissent will have ‘truly harming’ sway on ties

Shlok Arya — Sat, 05 Dec 2020 07:29:00 +0000

On Friday, Indians sent serious warnings to Canadian Administration, involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, over the remark made on the ongoing farmers’ protest in the country.

Apparently, the government summoned the Canadian high commissioner to inform their resentment over the whole ficado and said, “unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal affairs.

The Canadian diplomat was warned that such actions if continued, would have a “seriously damaging” impact on the bilateral ties.

Trudeau had previously expressed concern over the farmers’ agitation in India and has said that Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protesters.

The MEA said, “The Canadian High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today and informed that comments by the Canadian Prime Minister, some Cabinet Minister, and Members of Parliament on issues relating to Indian farmers constitute an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs.”

Earlier this week, the government had called the statements made by the Canadian leader “ill-informed” and “unwarranted”.

The Indian government has asked the Canadian leaders to stop commenting on India’s internal affairs and maintain the sanctity of diplomatic conversations.

India embraces International Initiations for resolutions to disputes in Libya through the Intra Libya Dialogue reported Ministry of External Affairs

Agatha Boustin — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 10:35:32 +0000

On Monday, India welcomed the cosmopolitan efforts focused on peaceful resolution of the dispute in Libya through the Intra-Libyan dialogue reckoning the licit objectives of citizens while preserving Libya’s territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty.

Anurag Srivastava, External Affairs Ministry spokesman, reported that India has been carefully observing Libya’s progressions. India has considered the development in intra-Libyan dialogue accelerated by Morocco, and the discussion in Montreux, Switzerland under the guidance of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

“We welcome these international efforts aimed at a peaceful settlement of the conflict through an intra-Libyan dialogue, taking into account the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people while preserving Libya’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity,’’ Srivastava said during a press conference.

Libya has been best by violent disputes between different militants and factions since 2011.

The vulnerability in the country has impacted the regional security in a negative way, neighboring countries and the entire region affected. Libya’s precariousness has been a weighty concern for the European Union.

In August, the clashing sides in the Libyan dispute settled to a ceasefire. At Montreux, discussions under United Nation auspices, brought a settlement on the creation of a unity government and ensuing elections. This has established peace in Libya after nearly a decade.