On 20 August, the Democratic party concluded its four-day Democratic National Convention (DNC). Former US Vice-President Joe Biden took the centre stage by formally accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination for the post of President.
Kamala Harris made history with her formal nomination as the first black woman and person of Asian descent on a major party’s national ticket. This sets a definite tone to the US Presidential election in November, later this year, pitting Joe Biden against the sitting US President, Donald Trump.
The DNC has also put a nail in the coffin of other Presidential candidates by finalizing their presidential nominee. Several other candidates dropped out of the 2020 presidential race. This included former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey, former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana Pete Buttigieg, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
The Republican Convention will follow later, and President Trump will be its nominee. This clears the path for a straight fight between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Biden’s support has surged in the recent past, and closely allied Democratic groups raised $70 million during their four-day Convention. However, Trump’s campaign and closely allied groups pulled in $165 million during the political fundraising month of July.
The level of support for both candidates shows that the Presidential race is likely to go to the wire.
Greenland: The ice sheet melts at a record rate
According to a recent study, based on satellite data, the Greenland ice sheet melted at a record rate in 2019. The study shows that it melted the most in 2019, greater than any year previously recorded. The research also reveals that between 2003 and 2016, the ice sheet lost 255 billion tons of ice on an average annually, while 532 billion tons were lost in 2019 alone. It has the following implications:
First, reaching a point of no return. Until 2000, the ice sheet accumulated nearly the same amount of ice that is shed. But, in the past two decades, the rate of accumulation has been remarkably low. Greenland’s ice sheet may now have reached a point from where the melt is irreversible. It implies that the ice sheet will continue to contract even if the average temperature of the planet does not increase, which is far from reality.
Second, the rise of sea level. The Greenland ice sheet holds the second-largest amount of ice, after Antarctica, therefore crucial for maintaining the sea level. In 2019, this was the single biggest cause for the rise in sea level, about 1.5 metres. If the sheet melts completely, the sea level will rise by seven metres, capable of subsuming island countries and major coastal cities. It has an impact on how we look at the borders, habitations, biodiversity and economy.
Sri Lanka: Towards a new Constitution
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, while addressing the inaugural session of the ninth Parliament announced that Sri Lanka would get a new constitution in the coming days. The constitution will be formulated on the principle of “one country, one law for all the people”. The President said that repealing the 19th Amendment introduced by the previous government is the first step towards this. It curtailed Presidential powers, limited the Presidential terms for two times and gave more powers to independent agencies. The Rajapaksas who viewed this Amendment as an impediment to them coming to power, will now strengthen their iron grip over the Sri Lankan political scene.
India and China: Talks over disengagement at LAC
The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) met for the fourth time since the escalation of tensions between the two countries at the LAC. The talks aimed at breaking the impasse and facilitating the continuation of the dialogue at the military level. The disengagement process has been stalled for over a month, after making a slight progress in the first phase. China has not accepted India’s demand for a return to the pre-May 2020 positions along the LAC.
Pakistan: The PTI completes two years
On 18 August 2020, Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan presented its two-year performance report, reviewing its various achievements from different sectors including governance, economy and diplomatic affairs. The Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umar summed up the progress stating how the PTI government “stabilized economy after inheriting the worst external crises, faced down Indian threat after Balakot with courage” and managed the biggest global COVID threat by “successfully balancing lives and livelihoods.” However, the PML-N and PPP criticized the government’s performance with PML-N chief and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif terming it an “unmitigated disaster.”
China: The US suspends the Extradition Treaty with Hong Kong
The US State Department suspended the extradition treaty with Hong Kong. This move comes after the US has imposed sanctions on political leaders and Carrie Lam, ended preferential economic treatment and targeted Hong Kong journalists based in the US with visa delays in the past month. Hong Kong hit back at the US by issuing a reprimand for taking a unilateral decision in withdrawing from the treaty and stated that the US action could be seen as an attempt of the US to try and use Hong Kong as a pawn in the troubled US-China relations.
China: Multiple floods devastate the Yangtze Basin
Floods in the southern parts of China have caused the water from Yangtze River to rise and hit the Three Gorges dam. The authorities have chosen to open several outlets of the dam to discharge the water, making it the largest release since its construction. Between June and early August, over 30 billion cubic metres of floodwater was intercepted by dams and reservoirs on the Yangtze. Millions of people are affected by the floods in China which have killed hundreds of people, led to mass evacuations, submerged roads and laid high economic costs on the Chinese economy.
North Korea: Kim Jong Un delegates power to sister Kim Yo Jong
An announcement on the power-sharing arrangement was made during the week where Kim Yo Jong has now been appointed to deal on the relations with the US and South Korea and report back to her brother. The reports suggest that the explosion at the Inter-Korean liaison office in June might have been under her authority. The handing over of power comes at a crucial time when floods, the coronavirus and the international sanctions have laid a strain on the country’s economy.
Iran: The US’ push to punish Tehran finds resistance in the UNSC
The United States found resistance from the UNSC, including its closest allies, France and the United Kingdom after the Trump administration sought to extend the arms embargo against Iran. Barring one, the rest either rejected or abstained from voting against Iran. The European Union had particularly abstained on the ground that the US had unilaterally withdrawn from the JCPOA in May 2018 and as a result, cannot impose “snapback” sanctions. The EU was earlier unhappy with the US plan in the Middle East over the idea of a “Muslim NATO”, a military alliance between the Arab states. Russia and China had vetoed against the decision in full support extended to Iran. These developments indicate that the Trump administration miscalculated on possible support being received from allied states like the European Union. The resistance can also be a result of an emerging new order in the Middle East with a thaw expected between Israel and the GCC nations.
Alexei Navalny, a Putin critic, feared to be poisoned, reaches Berlin
A strong and open critic of the Russian President Putin, Alexei Navalny has been in a coma and is believed by his supporters to be poisoned. Last month, he was returning to Moscow from Tomsk, a town in Siberia, and is believed to be poisoned in the airport while having tea. The flight had to make an emergency landing at Omsk, another town in Siberia, where he was getting treated. The hospital officials did not allow Navlany’s doctor to attend to him. Initially, they stated that he was weak to be shifted when a German foundation sent a medical evacuation flight to bring him to Berlin. Finally, on Saturday morning, Navalny is brought to Berlin.
Tik Tok plans to file a lawsuit against Trump’s Executive Order
One of the leading Chinese social media applications – Tik Tok, along with WeChat was banned in the US, by an Executive Order issued by President Trump in early August. The order was to take place within 45 days in those areas that are subject to the US jurisdiction. For the Trump administration, the Tik Tok and a few other Chinese social media applications pose an economic and security threat to the US. For Tik Tok, the US administration did not follow the due process in issuing the Executive Order. On 22 August, the Tik Tok has said that it would file a lawsuit challenging the Presidential Order issued on 6 August.
About the Authors
Dr Vivek Mishra is Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi; Harini Madhusudan and Rashmi BR are PhD Scholars, NIAS; Sourina Bej and Abigail Miriam Fernandez are Project Associate and Research Assistant respectively, and Vibhav Kandlur is Research Intern, NIAS; and D. Suba Chandran is a Dean, NIAS and the Editor of TWTW.
*The report has been modified due to editorial considerations by INDIA NEWS