Liverpool forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain
Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota, a forward for Liverpool, has died in a car crash in Spain at the age of 28, just days after his wedding....
Trump’s nominee for secretary of state supports lifting the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Central Asia, a move that could reshape U.S. trade and diplomatic relations in the region. The policy shift signals a potential change in Washington’s approach to post-Soviet economies.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state says the Jackson-Vanik amendment, a 50-year-old law imposing some restrictions on trade with several countries in Central Asia, is “a relic of an era that’s past” and needs to be lifted.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who spoke during a confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday said that the permanent removal will require legislative action.
“There are some that argue that we should use that as leverage for human rights concessions or leverage to get them to go stronger in our way as opposed to Russia and the like. But I think in some cases it’s an absurd relic of the past…. So, we will work on this cause I think it’s important,” - he said answering to Senator Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, highlighting Central Asia region as “a part of the world that is often neglected, but has such strategic importance.” Rubio added that Department of Commerce recognized Kazakhstan “a market economy”, and the country had already met the conditions.
Senator Chris Murphy stressed the strategic importance of Central Asia in U.S. foreign policy. He argued that repealing the amendment would signal Washington’s serious commitment to the region. While the amendment’s sanctions were effective in the past, Murphy noted they are now irrelevant to Kazakhstan, which fully complies with international norms.
Background
The Jackson-Vanik Amendment, originally designed to withhold permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with non-market economies (NME) – primarily former republics of the Soviet Union - for its refusal to allow Jewish emigration, still applies to several US strategic partners in Central Asia, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, despite its irrelevance.
In passing the measure in 1974, congress gave the president the authority to waive Jackson-Vanik restrictions for any given country on a yearly basis. Removing a country permanently from the Jackson-Vanik list requires an act of Congress.
Since 1991, Congress has passed legislation authorizing the President to determine that Jackson-Vanik should no longer apply to Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia, Georgia, Hungary, the Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Russia’s PNTR status was suspended in response to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are certified as compliant and receive conditional NTR status, subject to annual review.
Turkmenistan receives temporary NTR status via a presidential waiver. Belarus previously received temporary NTR status under the waiver provision, but it was suspended in response to Belarus’s involvement in Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Cuba and North Korea currently do not receive NTR status.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
The European Commission is set to propose allowing carbon credits from other countries to count towards the EU’s 2040 climate target, according to a leaked internal document.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Xiaomi will consider selling its electric vehicles outside China starting in 2027, CEO Lei Jun said, citing strong local demand for its SU7 sedan and newly launched YU7 SUV.
A bus operated by Kern Transit overturned on Tuesday morning, after hitting railway tracks alongside Sierra Highway in Lancaster, California, according to authorities. Approximately 20 people, including an eight-year-old boy, were reported injured in the accident, according to emergency services.
Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev jointly inaugurated the new embassy of Uzbekistan in Baku, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral strategic partnership on 2 July.
The Türkiye-China Media Forum was held in Ankara on 2 July. Organised by the Communications Directorate of the Turkish Presidency, the event marked the fourth in a series of international media forums conducted within the framework of Türkiye’s Communications Model.
On 2 July, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ali Asadov, held a meeting with the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment