International Relations

International Affairs
oct 2020
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Boycott France campaign in Muslim world
Issue
Comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron in the aftermath of
the beheading of a local schoolteacher this month by a teenaged extremist
have caused a uproar in many parts of the Muslim world.
Background
The remarks have been perceived as “anti-Islam” and have led to calls for
boycotting French brands, and hashtags such as #BoycottFrenchProducts,
#MacronApologizeToMuslims and #NeverTheProphet have been trending on
social media.
Details
 Even before the teacher’s killing, Macron had defended the Charlie
Hebdo magazine, saying that the right to free speech included the “right to
blaspheme”, and pledged to fight against what he described as “Islamic
separatism” in France.
 Macron had also said the Islam was “in crisis” all over the world, and
announced a drive to separate religion from education and the public sector
in the country.
 The first nation whose leadership openly challenged Macron’s
comments was Turkey, a country which has bickered with France over
multiple issues in the recent past, including Libya, the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute and drilling rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
 Erdogan upped the ante by calling on Turks to boycott French goods.
The rhetoric reverberated in other Muslim-majority countries, and many
decided to follow suit.
www.studyiq.com Page 1
International Affairs oct 2020
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 In Kuwait, some supermarkets removed French products from their

shelves, and there were calls in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to boycott the
Carrefour grocery chain.
 Jordan and Pakistan summoned the French ambassadors to their
countries for voicing displeasure. The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top
cleric, also condemned France.
 Saudi Arabia also condemned the cartoons, but did not echo calls for
taking action against the images being displayed.
 Protests against France were organised in a number of other places,
including Syria, Libya, Gaza, Iraq and Bangladesh.
 Macron faces re-election in 2022, and experts say that the leader is
appealing to France’s rightwing voters, given a series of electoral losses this
year.
www.studyiq.com
Page 2
oct 2020
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Pakistan Democratic Movement
Issue
A huge domestic instability is brewing in Pakistan with coming together of all
major political parties to form Pakistan Democratic Movement. The movement
has been trying to oust Imran Khan from his position and undermine the
army.
Details
 The PDM was formed in September by the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-
e-Islam, Fazal-ur-Rehman, but constituted by 11 political parties,
representing virtually the country’s entire political spectrum in Pakistan.
 It has brought together the two mainstream but rival political parties,
the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto and the Pakistan
Muslim League (PML) led by the exiled Nawaz Sharif, but currently headed by
his daughter Maryam.
 The PDM has also given a national platform to regional parties and
provincial leaders from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who have been
targeted by the Pakistani military for demanding regional autonomy and an
end to repression.
 The PDM has so far held three massive political rallies, in Pakistani
Punjab’s Gujranwala on October 18, in Karachi two days later, and in Quetta
on October 25.
 A certain political momentum has been generated and is gathering
strength and this could trigger significant changes in the nature of the
Pakistani state.
 PDM has politically isolated Prime Minister Imran Khan and, therefore,
undermined the credibility of his powerful military backers.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 Former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif explicitly accused the Army Chief
Qamar Javed Bajwa and the ISI chief Faiz Hameed as responsible for rigging
the last elections and installing Imran Khan as prime minister.
 This move is a huge development in domestic politics as it has the
potential of eroding its overpowering influence in the country’s politic.
www.studyiq.com
Page 4
oct 2020
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Interim relief to Amazon
Issue
A tribunal in Singapore has restrained Future Group and Reliance Industries
Limited from proceeding with Rs 24,713-crore deal signed in August.
Background
The emergency order by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre
(SIAC) came on a plea from global e-commerce giant Amazon.
Details
 The arbitral institution administering the arbitration, the applicable
rules and the seat of arbitration is decided as per the contractual agreement
between the parties.
 In this case Amazon and Future Group have under their agreement
agreed to refer their disputes to SIAC, with Singapore presumably being the
contractual choice for the seat/place of arbitration.
 Under the rules of SIAC, parties can move SIAC to appoint an
emergency arbitrator to get urgent interim relief, even as the process of
appointment of the main arbitral tribunal is underway.
 If the parties don’t comply with the order voluntarily, then the party
which has won the emergency award can move the High Court in India under
Section 9 of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996, to get similar reliefs as
granted by the Emergency Arbitrator.
 Singapore has emerged as the preferred location for international
arbitration involving Indian companies as foreign investors typically want to
avoid the delays in Indian courts.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 India now has its own international arbitration centre in Mumbai. But in
context of arbitration, this is a recent development.
 There is no specific requirement under the regulations that requires the
CCI to defer its decision due this order of the Emergency Arbitrator.
www.studyiq.com
Page 6
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Polish women protest against abortion law
Issue
Over the last four days, thousands of women have stormed the streets of
Poland, protesting a recent court ruling that drastically restricts their right to
access safe and legal abortions.
Background
Carrying banners and placards the demonstrators are demanding the
reversal of the ruling by Poland’s highest court.
Details
 Clashes broke out when law enforcement authorities began to use
pepper spray to disperse crowds of more than a hundred protestors in
Warsaw.
 Human rights activists and groups across the world, including Amnesty
International, have widely condemned the Polish court’s ruling, calling it an
attack on women’s basic human rights.
 Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled that an existing law allowing
abortions of malformed foetuses was unconstitutional, immediately
provoking an outcry from women and pro-choice activists across the country.
 Last year, MPs from the ruling nationalist Law and Justice party first
launched a legal challenge against the country’s 1993 abortion law, which
so far permitted the termination of pregnancy on the grounds of foetal
defects.
 Poland’s abortion laws were already considered some of the strictest in
Europe. Now, once the court’s decision is enacted, abortions will only be
permitted in cases of rape, incest, or if there is a threat to the mother’s life.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 Despite Poland being one of the most staunchly Catholic countries in

Europe, a number of opinion polls have shown that a majority of its
citizenry has been against a more restrictive abortion law over the years.
 If the draft law was to be enacted, women who were found to have
had abortions could have faced a jail term of up to five years. Doctors who
carried out or assisted in abortions would also be liable for jail time.
www.studyiq.com
Page 8
oct 2020
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Libya ceasefire agreement
Issue
Rival parties in Libya have announced a historic ceasefire followed by five
days of the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission (JMC) talks in Geneva.
Background
Libya has been embroiled in a tussle for power between rival militias ever
since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted from power by NATO-backed forces.
Details
 In the wake of Gaddafi’s ouster, dozens of militias led by multiple
warlords scrambled to occupy the power vacuum.
 As a result, Libya turned into a war zone with different militant
leaders claiming control of the North African nation.
 Some of the issues of dispute among the warring factions include
control of the oil infrastructure, governance, national finances and the
military.
 The UN-backed internationally recognised government called the
Government of National Accord (GNA) is led by Fayez al-Sarraj, whose
Tripoli-based government is supported by allies Qatar and Turkey.
 The eastern part of Libya is controlled by rebel forces under the
Libyan National Army (LNA) that is led by General Khalifa Haftar who are
supported by Russian military contractors.
 Between 2014-2019, the LNA has conducted military operations
against the Islamic State in the east. The spread of the Islamic State has
further complicated the situation and is also one reason the US is one of
the foreign states that has intervened.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 As per this new agreement facilitated by the UN, all foreign

mercenaries and armed forces will have to withdraw within the next 90
days and the parties also agreed that any violations in the ceasefire will be
dealt by a joint military force.
 The ceasefire, however, does not apply to UN-designated terrorist
groups. The agreement has also established a Joint Police Operations
room that will implement and propose special arrangements to secure the
areas that are cleared of military units and armed groups.
 Further, the 5+5 have also agreed to open the land and air routes
that connect the regions and cities of Libya.
 Significantly, Libya has Africa’s largest oil and gas reserves and with
regards to oil production, the different parties have agreed that the
commanders of the petroleum facilities from the east and west will work
directly with a representative who will be appointed by the National Oil
Corporation (NOC).
 This is a significant development since control of the oil infrastructure
is one the elements of competition between the GNA and LNA.
www.studyiq.com
Page 10
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Proud Boys
Issue
A US-based far-right group called the Proud Boys was brought to the world’s
attention after President Donald Trump urged the group to “stand back and
stand by” during his first presidential debate.
Background
Trump’s refusal to explicitly denounce the violence caused by white
supremacist and militia groups during debate sparked widespread outrage
across the US.
Details
 The all-male neo-fascist group was founded in 2016 by Vice Media co-
founder and Canadian-British right-wing activist Gavin McInnes.
 The Proud Boys are known for their “anti-Muslim and misogynistic
rhetoric” and have been classified as an ‘extremist group’ by the FBI.
 To be inducted into the fold, a Proud Boy must first proclaim that he is a
“a Western chauvinist who refuses to apologise for creating the modern
world”.
 According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the group is also
known for anti-transgender, anti-immigration and anti-Semitic views.
 They claim that they do not support white supremacists, and merely
banded together to oppose the activities of the anti-fascist movement known
as Antifa.
 But members of the group are often seen at rallies carrying guns and
bats and a few have even been convicted of violent crimes against left-wing
groups and activists.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 The group is known to show up bearing arms at right-wing and liberal
leaning protests across the United States.
 The Proud Boys have become a regular feature at protest marches
across the country. They have been known to intimidate anti-racism
protesters and in some places have incited violence and fighting.
 Even before the recent spate of protests across the United States, the
group has been known to show up wherever they may be able to confront
far-left activists.
www.studyiq.com
Page 12
CURRENT AFFAIRS
25th amendment of US
Issue
With weeks to go before the US presidential election, President Donald
Trump announced that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive
for Covid-19.
Background
Trump is 74 years old and overweight, which places him in a potentially
higher risk category for complications associated with the deadly infection.
Details
 The 25th amendment of the US constitution lays down a clear
succession plan if a president suddenly dies, resigns or is incapacitated while
still in office.
 The amendment was ratified by Congress in 1963 following the
assassination of former President John F Kennedy.
 As per Section 3 of the 25th amendment, if Trump’s condition were to
deteriorate to a point where he is unable to carry out his responsibilities as
President, his Vice President Mike Pence can temporarily assume office. Once
Trump recovers, he can then reclaim his position.
 Under Section 4 of the 25th amendment, the Vice President and a
majority of either the Cabinet or any other body established by law, can also
declare the president as “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his
office” by sending a written declaration to senate.
 In such a situation, Pence will immediately assume the powers of the
president until Trump responds in writing that he is not, in fact, disabled. The
Vice President and the Cabinet or review body then has four days to respond.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 In a highly unlikely scenario where both the President and Vice
President were to contract the illness and pass away, the constitution also
lays down a clear line of succession.
 According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, if both Trump
and Pence are suddenly incapacitated, US House of Representatives Speaker
will take over as commander-in-chief of the United States.
 If Donald Trump or any other candidate were to pass away before the
election then it would be up to their political party to choose their successor.
 While the party is highly likely to choose the vice presidential candidate
as the new presidential nominee, the procedure is not set in stone and the
party also has the option of choosing someone else entirely.
www.studyiq.com
Page 14
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Kyrgyzstan’s worst political crisis
Issue
Over the past few days, Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia has seen violent protests.
Thousands of participants clashed with police forces in the country’s capital,
Bishkek.
Background
Often referred to as the only democracy in the region, the country is
witnessing one of its worst political crises in decades.
Details
 Kyrgyzstan president, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, declared a state of
emergency in the capital till October 21, giving permission to the military to
step in after a fresh set of clashes broke out between supporters of rival
politicians.
 Jeenbekov went into hiding after protestors took over government
buildings, including the presidential house.
 Protests erupted after the results of the parliamentary elections were
declared earlier this month, with the Opposition and demonstrators alleging
that the results were rigged.
 Parliamentary elections, which were held in the country on October 4,
gave pro-government parties the required numbers to enter Parliament.
 This meant that the parties allied with the government won nearly all
the seats in the 120-seat chamber.
 In total, 16 parties were contesting the elections. The opposition
parties have made allegations that the winning parties indulged in vote-
buying.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 Since the protests started, the elections have been annulled and will be
re-held. The protestors took over most of the government apparatus after the
elections, halting some foreign gold mining operations that have evoked an
expression of concern from Russia, Kyrgyzstan’s ally.
 On October 6, members of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament unanimously
approved Sadyr Japarov as the country’s new prime minister, who was in
detention but was freed by protestors.
www.studyiq.com
Page 16
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Geopolitics of Azerbaijan and Armenia conflict
Issue
Military action in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region disputed between Armenia
and Azerbaijan, has resulted in the death of at least 100 civilians and
Armenian combatants.
Background
While the two countries have fought over the region for decades, the
current conflict is being seen as one of the most serious in recent years.
Details
 Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of
Azerbaijan, but most of the region is controlled by Armenian separatists.
 Nagorno-Karabakh has been part of Azerbaijan territory since the
Soviet era. When the Soviet Union began to collapse in the late 1980s,
Armenia’s regional parliament voted for the region’s transfer to Armenia,
which was turned down by Soviet.
 Years of clashes followed between Azerbaijan forces and Armenian
separatists. The violence lasted into the 1990s, leaving tens and thousands
dead and displacing hundreds of thousands. In 1994, Russia brokered a
ceasefire, by which time ethnic Armenians had taken control of the region.
 While the area remains in Azerbaijan, it is today governed by
separatist Armenians who have declared it a republic called the “Nagorno-
Karabakh Autonomous Oblast”.
 While the Armenian government does not recognise Nagorno-
Karabakh as independent, it supports the region politically and militarily.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 What’s different about the current flare-up is that this is the first time
that both countries have proclaimed martial law.
 The conflict is getting worldwide attention because of the involvement
of regional rivals Turkey and Russia.
 Muslim-majority Turkey backs Azerbaijan, and recently condemned
Christian-majority Armenia for not resolving the issue through peaceful
negotiations. Turkey recently declared unconditional support to Muslim-
majority Azerbaijan.
 Russia and Turkey also back opposite sides in the civil wars playing out
in Syria and Libya and Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan may be seen as an
attempt to counter Russia’s influence in the region of South Caucasus.
 Other countries, including the US, have limited their participation to
appeals for maintaining peace so far. For all countries, the region is an
important transit route for the supply of oil and natural gas to the European
Union.
www.studyiq.com
Page 18
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Insects terrorising US cities
Issue
Months after the Asian giant hornet was first spotted in the US state of
Washington, health officials in Virginia are now warning residents to watch
out for the highly venomous furry puss caterpillar.
Background
Several Virginia residents have said that were stung by the dangerous insect
in recent days, which is unusual since this type of caterpillar is usually found
in southern US states like Texas and Missouri.
Details
 The state of Washington has been grappling with its own bug
infestation. Ever since the first murder hornet was spotted in the state late last
year, these insects have destroyed entire beehives and decapitated tens of
thousands of bees, threatening crops that rely on pollination.
 These ferocious creatures have also been known to kill about 50 people
in Japan every year, mostly as a result of allergic reactions.
 Officials at the Washington State Department of Agriculture are now
making desperate efforts to track down their nests and kill them before they
enter their destructive ‘slaughter phase’.
 The furry puss caterpillar is widely regarded as one of the most
poisonous of its kind in the United States. Touching or accidentally brushing
against the hairy coat of these insects could cause a painful reaction and
trigger symptoms such as fever, muscle cramps or swollen glands.
 The bristly hair that coats it, hides small and toxic spines that can get
lodged in a person’s skin and cause immediate and intensely burning pain.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 The Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest wasps, which are known
to grow up to nearly two inches in length.
 While nobody has been able to figure out how the hornets first arrived
on US soil, some speculate that they may have accidentally been brought in
by container ships docking at one of Washington’s ports.
 Native to East Asia and Japan, these predators are infamous for
ruthlessly ripping apart honeybees and decimating their hives. However, they
also pose a threat to human beings.
 Researchers and foresters fear the impact of these insects on the
country’s agriculture that is dependent on honey bee pollination.
 Climate change has a significant role to play in the sudden appearance
and subsequent rise in population of several different insects over the last
decade.
www.studyiq.com
Page 20
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Pakistan’s opposition on streets
Issue
Two back-to-back joint opposition rallies in Pakistan with tens of thousands
taking part despite the pandemic, have set the stage for a new season of
political clash.
Background
Four big opposition parties have come together to channelize public
discontent at rising prices, power cuts, closure of businesses and other
economic misery. Their alliance is called Pakistan Democratic Movement
(PDM).
Details
 The PDM has also launched Gen Next leaders of political dynasties: Nawaz
Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, and Asif Ali Zardari’s son Bilawal Bhutto.
 The counterintuitive choice of Maulana Fazlur Rahman, head of the JUI(F)
as president of PDM, sidestepped a possible leadership tussle between the
Sharifs and the Bhutto-Zardaris.
 The Islamist maulana also brings to the PDM a sizeable Pashtun following,
a substantial hardline right wing element, and a national character, pre-
empting government criticism of a foreign hand in these protests.
 Its main demand is that the Imran Khan government must go. It has
alleged he was not so much elected as “selected” in the 2018 election by the
Pakistan Army.
 Imran has hit out at the opposition for playing India and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s game, in trying to weaken Pakistan by trying to topple his
government.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
 The 2013 Sharif government was India’s best chance for rapprochement
with Pakistan. Sharif’s overtures to India made the Pakistan Army jumpy.
 The Army’s reaction will depend on the momentum the opposition is able
to gather. As the final arbiter, it will decide how much leeway to allow the
protestors.
 The Pakistan Army craves public legitimacy. It would be worried at being
identified too closely with a government that has proved inept from the get
go. It would rather sacrifice individuals than the institution.
www.studyiq.com
Page 22
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Strategic implications of Bangladesh’s economic rise
Issue
The International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook published
last week has triggered much outrage in India. The provocation was the
IMF’s prediction that Bangladesh’s per capita GDP will overtake that of India
this year.
Background
By using Bangladesh’s economic performance to attack Delhi’s government,
India is missing the bigger story about the strategic consequences of
Bangladesh’s economic rise.
Details
 First, rapid and sustained economic growth in Bangladesh has begun to
alter the world’s mental maps of the subcontinent. Over the last five decades
and more, South Asia, for most purposes, has meant India and Pakistan. The
economic rise of Bangladesh is changing some of that.
 The second implication is about the changing economic weights of
Bangladesh and Pakistan in South Asia. A decade ago, Pakistan’s economy
was $60 billion larger than Bangladesh. Today, Bangladesh’s weight is bigger
than Pakistan by the same margin.
 The trend line is unlikely to change in the near future — for Bangladesh has
controlled its population growth and Pakistan has not. Dhaka has a grip over
its inflation and Islamabad does not.
 Third, Bangladesh’s economic growth can accelerate regional integration in
the eastern subcontinent. Instead of merely praying for the revival of SAARC,
Delhi could usefully focus on promoting regionalism among Bangladesh,
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Bhutan, India and Nepal.
 Fourth, the economic success of Bangladesh is drawing attention from a
range of countries in East Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea, and
Singapore.
 The US, which traditionally focused on India and Pakistan, has woken up
to the possibilities in Bangladesh.
 Finally, the economic rise of Bangladesh could boost India’s national
plans to accelerate the development of its eastern and north-eastern states.
www.studyiq.com
Page 24
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International Relations

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International Relations

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International Affairs

 In Kuwait, some supermarkets removed French products from their

 Despite Poland being one of the most staunchly Catholic countries in

 As per this new agreement facilitated by the UN, all foreign

UPSC/IAS All Govt SSC & Bank

UPSC Prelims Madhya Pradesh

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