US Senate to begin impeachment trial against President Trump on January 21:
The United States Senate is likely to begin the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump on 21st of January after the House of Representatives last month impeached him for pressuring Ukraine to investigate a political rival
After holding it on for weeks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to send its impeachment to the Senate sometime this week and that could be as early as today.
The impeachment in the Senate is unlikely to pass through given that Republican Party has majority in the 100-member Senate. Following submission of the articles of impeachment, the Senate is likely to take a few days to deal with logistics of the trial.
The Senate will also pass a resolution establishing the trial rules.
The 435-member House of Representatives, where Democrats enjoy a majority, last month charged Trump with high crimes and misdemeanours and impeached in the vote that was based on bitter political divide.
China reports 9 deaths due to Noval Coronavirus infection:
China has confirmed 9 deaths due to novel coronavirus which has spread to many cities in China including Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai and southern Guondong province. A total of 440 cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in China and neighbouring countries. 3 cases confirmed in Thailand and 1 each in Japan and South Korea. Authorities stepped up efforts to control the outbreak by discouraging public gatherings in Hubei province where outbreak started.
Meanwhile, Emergency Committee of World Health Organisation has convened a meeting today under in Geneva to determine whether the outbreak constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern”.
"As transmission of virus between humans is confirmed it has become a major cause of concern for the health officials. Among the major challenges, first is to find out the origin of the virus which is yet to be identified. And second is the new virus was adapting and mutating which has increased the challenges in controlling the outbreak. There are no medication or vaccine available for it as of now. China has shared the genome sequence to the WHO and scientists worldwide to get a probable vaccine for this. All eyes are now on WHO emergency meeting which will take place in few hours from now as to how the experts across the world see this problem and what kind of steps are needed.
Guyana took over the G77 chairmanship from Palestine:
Guyana under Ambassador Rudolph Ten-Pow took over the chairmanship of G77. It assumed the chairmanship of the Group from the State of Palestine. In 2020, Group of 77 will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
Group of 77:
♦ The Group of 77 (G77) is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations.
♦ India is a member of the G77.
♦ G77 was established by 77 developing countries in 1964. It is located in Geneva. The group aims to provide the means for the countries of the South to articulate. It ensures to promote the collective economic interests and enhance the joint negotiating capacity on all major economic issues within the UN system. It also promotes South-South cooperation for development. G77 has played a pivotal role in shaping priorities and driving change on many challenges.
Guyana:
President: David A. Granger
Prime Minister: Moses V. Nagamootoo
Capital: Georgetown
Currency: Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Guyana is bordered by:
♦ The Atlantic Ocean to the north
♦ Brazil to the south and southwest
♦ Venezuela to the west
♦ Suriname to the east.
World leaders agree new push for Libya peace:
World leaders committed to ending all foreign meddling in Libya`s war and to uphold a weapons embargo at a Berlin summit on 19 January, 2020. This was part of a broader plan to end the spiralling conflict. The presidents of Russia, Turkey and France were among global chiefs signing up to the plan to stop interfering in the war. This includes through weapons, troops or financing.
But the talks failed to deliver serious dialogue between the warring parties strongman Khalifa Haftar and the head of Tripoli`s UN-recognised government Fayez al-Sarraj. It also failed to get both sides to sign up to a permanent truce.Berlin Summit host Chancellor Angela Merkel said that they have a very disparate situation in Libya, where ensuring that a ceasefire is immediately respected is simply not easy to guarantee.Libya has been torn by fighting between rival armed factions since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
World Bank predicts Sri Lanka’s economic growth at 3.3 percent for 2020:
The World Bank has forecast Sri Lanka’s economic growth at 3.3 per cent for 2020 saying the growth is likely to remain below four per cent in next three years. The bank said, in its latest report of World Bank’s January 2020 Global Economic Prospects, that for 2021 and 2022, it maintains the same forecast of 3.7 per cent of economic growth in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s new government headed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said recently that one of its targets include achieving a 6.5 per cent economic growth per annum from 2020 and a GDP growth of 6,500 U.S. dollars per capita.
Sri Lanka’s growth had dipped below 3 per cent last year which was attributed to Easter attacks and policy uncertainty during the previous government.
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