Politics

Islamabad's red-tapism has caused Pakistan a diplomatic embarrassment after the US State Department pulled a tax exemption for Pakistani diplomats. The reason for the action was the inability of Pakistan's tax officials to clear bills on time, and a spokesperson for the State Department said, “There are pending tax exemption issues related to the US diplomatic mission in Pakistan and we are in discussions with our counterparts in the Pakistan government in order to resolve them."

An updated list of federal ministers, ministers of state and advisers and special assistants to the prime minister issued by the Federal Cabinet on Friday still lists Asad Umar as the minister of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs. The list was issued a day after major reshuffling of the cabinet on Thursday.

Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has said that there is no evidence that an indigenous leader was killed by armed miners who raided a village. The death was decried by U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet and is currently being investigated by the local police. Under Bolsonaro deforestation and violence against indigenous people have gone up in Brazil.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said tensions between Pakistan and India had reduced and the threat of war was eliminated but cautioned that the situation on the borders was still tense. Khan said that the situation on the Line of Control (LoC) had improved and the government crackdown on the banned outfits has been an internal security initiative of Pakistan not the outside world.

After Theressa May's announcement regarding her resignation, conservative politicians began clashing with each other over Brexit. Since the next Prime Minister will be picked by the conservative party, the contenders have been making statements regarding their vision for Brexit. So far there are five candidates who intend to stand for the position.

The US has imposed sanctions on two Chinese companies that they claim helped North Korea evade US sanctions by transporting refined petroleum. These companies will not be able to do business with the US and any assets that they have within America will be frozen. These sanctions were placed after North Korea refused to reduce its nuclear capability.

Venezuelan congress head Juan Guaido has recently announced his plans to once again allow corporations to have a bigger part in the countries oil industry. This is a departure from the country's previous policy of nationalization. However, this move is purely symbolic so long as Maduro remains in power as he still controls the military and oil fields.

Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Sohail Mahmood, who was called back to his home country after the Pulwama attack, is now returning to New Delhi where he will continue to push for talks regarding the Kartarpur Corridor. The Foreign Office announced the move in a statement on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Sessions Court turned down the plea of PMLN leader Rana Sanaullah seeking the provision of homemade food in jail. Sanaullah's counsel said his client is ill and needs homemade food, but the court rejected the plea, telling the leader to contact the Jail Superintendent.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron took a hard line stance against a long delay to Brexit on Wednesday. The development comes as British Prime Minister Theresa May continues to lobby with the European leadership for more time to arrange an orderly exit from the union. Macron presented his stance against a long delay on Wednesday in the ongoing Brexit crisis talks in Brussels.