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Table Of Contents
1. US, European officials mulling to create ‘Asian NATO' to contain China's expansionist ambitions.
(1-2)

2. Russian man sentenced for LinkedIn, Dropbox data breaches. (2-3)

3. China celebrates 70th anniversary as Xi warns ‘no force can shake great nation’. (3-5)

4. US imposes sanctions on Cuba's Raul Castro's son-in-law. (6-8)

5. Tensions mount as Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces fight for fourth day. (8-15)

6. US judge blocks Donald Trump's H-1B visa ban. (15-17)

7. Northrop Grumman successfully launches 14th Cargo delivery mission to the International
Space Station. (18-19)

8. Over 6 % Indian-Americans living below poverty line: Report. (20-21)

9. US lawmakers introduce resolution to honour Mahatma Gandhi. (21-22)

10. UK offshore detention proposal could create ‘human rights disaster’, Australian experts warn.
(23-26)

11. U.S. commits $1.9 million to India to support informal sector workers, micro enterprises. (27-
28)

12. India-Bangladesh navies to carry out Exercise Bongosagar. (28-30)

13. UK PM optimistic about Brexit deal ahead of EU talks; claims 'good prospects'. (30-31)

14. Sudan govt, rebel groups sign landmark peace deal. (32-33)

15. ‘Best Germany yet’ marks 30th anniversary of reunification. (33-35)

16. New Caledonia referendum: South Pacific territory rejects independence from France. (36-40)

17. 25th Amendment of US Constitution. (40-43)

18. JUI-F chief named Prez of Pakistan opposition alliance. (43-44)

19. Egypt unveils 59 ancient coffins in major archaeological discovery. (45-46)

20. Scientists Develop New Tool To Detect Coronavirus Mutation Patterns. (47-49)

21. 2020 Nobel: Three scientists share Prize in Physiology or Medicine. (49-50)

22. Indo-French Satellites To Trace Illegal Spillage Of Oil By Ships: French Space Agency. (51-52)

23. Foreign Secretary, Army Chief Of India Visit Myanmar. (53-57)

24. NASA's Hubble telescope captures an exploding star 70-million light-years from Earth. (57-59)

25. Ready To Take China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership To New Heights: Xi Jinping, (60-63)
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26. 2020 Nobel prize in Physics. (64-66)

27. US court orders Iran to pay $1.4 bn damages to missing intelligence agent Robert Levinson's
family. (67-69)

28. India-US to sign BECA for geo-spatial cooperation. (69-70)

29. Cybersecurity pioneer John McAfee arrested for US tax evasion. (70-73)

30. Pakistan ex-president charged for corruption, ex-pm with sedition. (73-76)

31. Foreign powers step up push for Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire. (76-78)

32. New H-1B rules: A month before elections, Trump admin does a surgical strike – wage
parameters hiked and visa norms tightened. (78-82)

33. Head of Afghan Peace Council Abdullah Abdullah Arrives in India on 5-day Visit. (83-86)

34. India, Japan finalise pact for cooperation in 5G tech, AI and critical information infra. (86-90)

35. Mass surveillance permitted only for national security concerns, EU court says. (90-94)

36. US government to open Foreign Commercial Service Office in Bangladesh. (94-96)

37. Kuwait’s National Guard minister picked as next crown prince. (97-99)

38. Russia says it successfully tested, Tsirkon, a new hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile. (99-101)

39. Indonesia: Thousands protest against 'omnibus law' on jobs. (101-105)

40. Scissoring the DNA: On Chemistry Nobel. (106-108)

41. American poet Louise Gluck wins the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature. (108-111)

42. Indra Nooyi Listed As Member In Prince William’s Earth Prize Council. (112-113)

43. Taiwan releases new passport design to distinguish it from China. (113-116)

44. After Quad meet, China slams ‘closed and exclusive cliques’. (116-119)

45. Huawei's Meng Wanzhou denied documents access in extradition fight. (119-121)

46. Pakistan bans social media app TikTok for 'immoral and indecent content'. (122-123)

47. Nobel Peace Prize 2020. (123-128)

48. India and UK in final stages of signing defence logistic pact, will extend reach. (129-131)

49. Armenia, Azerbaijan agree on ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. (131-133)

50. Israel to bring over 2,000 Ethiopian Jews. (133-134)

51. Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed two explosive drones fired by Houthis. (134-135)

52. Divers discover French WWI submarine off Tunisia. (135-137)

53. China grants $90 mn to Sri Lanka after visit by top official. (137-139)
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54. China commemorates 110th birth anniversary of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis. (140-142)

55. Israel would oppose any U.S. F-35 sale to Qatar, Israeli minister says. (142-144)

56. China grants consular access to two Canadians detained for two years. (145-146)

57. China backs Iran nuclear deal, calls for new Middle East forum. (146-148)

58. U.S. strikes target Taliban in Afghanistan. (148-149)

59. Sri Lanka in talks to secure $500 mn in Chinese loans. (149-154)

60. ‘Pakistan action on terror funding insufficient’. (154-156)

61. Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s top aide steps down amid corruption allegations. (156-159)

62. Economics Nobel goes to Paul R. Milgrom, Robert B. Wilson for their work on auction theory.
(159-162)

63. Israel sees commercial aviation deal with UAE within days. (162-164)

64. China’s Foreign Minister says U.S. using Quad to build ‘Indo-Pacific NATO’. (164-166)

65. Taiwan dismisses latest China spying accusations. (167-169)

66. Philippine military chief says no major risk from China-backed towers. (169-172)

67. Japan protests to China for entering Japanese waters. (172-174)

68. India provides $1 million for palestinian refugees. (174-177)

69. China and Russia win seats on U.N. rights council, Saudi loses. (177-181)

70. Cyprus cancels maligned ‘golden passport’ scheme. (182-185)

71. Robert Destro appointed U.S. special envoy to Tibet. (185-187)

72. EU imposes sanctions on six Russian officials over Alexei Navalny poisoning (188-190)

73. Appointment of coordinator for Tibet by US aimed at destabilising it: China (190-192)

74. Kyrgyzstan’s president resigns, bringing political impasse to an end. (193-196)

75. India, France re-elected as President, Co-President of International Solar Alliance. (196-199)

76. European Union leaders divided over new climate goals for 2030. (199-201)

77. Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister becomes acting President. (202-203)

78. Israeli parliament formally approves UAE normalisation deal. (204-205)

79. Russia kicks off Caspian war games. (206)

80. Will defend rights in South China sea: Philippines. (207-208)

81. China defends Confucius Institutes now under fire from U.S. (208-210)

82. U.S. tech mogul Robert Brockman charged in biggest U.S. tax evasion scheme. (211-213)
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83. Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim faces police probe over bid to become PM. (213-215)

84. Turkey’s Black Sea gas find reaches 405bn cubic meters. (216-217)

85. NZ PM Ardern wins 2nd term in landslide. (217-219)

86. US Government to execute first woman since 1953. (219-221)

87. U.S., Israeli envoys fly to Bahrain to advance nascent ties. (221-223)

88. Decade-long UN arms embargo on Iran expires, US to sanction sellers. (224-225)

89. Pakistan fails to fulfil 6 key mandates of FATF; no action against Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed.
(225-228)

90. China beefs up laws to handle epidemics, protect whistleblowers. (228-231)

91. Pakistan removes names of over 5,000 individuals from travel blacklist. (231-232)

92. EU members call for long term plan to tackle 5G fake news. (233-234)

93. Taiwanese, Chinese staffers clash in Fiji. (235)

94. U..S. envoy warns new violence threatens Afghan peace process. (236-237)

95. First commercial passenger flight from UAE lands in Israel. (238-239)

96. Hackers pose as McAfee staff to trick users into installing malware, Google says. (240-241)

97. Irish regulator probes Facebook's handling of children's data on Instagram. (242-243)

98. Constitutional amendment needs referendum: Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court. (244-248)

99. Pakistan fails to protect religious minorities from forced conversions: Parliamentary
committee. (249-251)

100. Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google. (251-254)

101. Sweden bans Huawei and ZTE from 5G telecoms networks. (254-256)

102. Verizon signs up Microsoft, Nokia to help clients build private 5G networks. (257-258)

103. Bipartisan Senate letter backs India’s inclusion of Australia in Malabar naval exercise. (259-
261)

104. Australian watchdog considers its own Google antitrust case. (262-264)

105. Germany issues arrest warrants to founders of Panama Papers firm. (264-266)

106. India hands over Chinese soldier who crossed LAC. (266-268)

107. Need strong alliance to counter China, Russia: Esper. (268-269)

108. Pak parliamentary panel approves government’s bill to seek review of Kulbhushan Jadhav’s
conviction. (270-273)

109. Vatican, China extend bishop agreement over US opposition.(274-275)

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110. Latican, China extend bishop agreement over US opposition. (276-279)

111. Egypt: 49 executions carried out over 10 days in October. (279-282)

112. Sri Lanka: Controversial 20th Amendment passed. (282-284)

113. Japan, Britain ink post-Brexit free trade deal. (284-286)

114. China may not recognise British-issued Hong Kong passports. (286-288)

115. EU environment ministers strike deal on climate law, leave out 2030 target. (288-291)

116. Israel, Sudan Agree to Normalize Ties in U.S.-Brokered Deal. (291-294)

117. Libya Cease-Fire Raises Hopes for Full Peace Deal. (294-296)

118. Map controversy: It was distorted because of technical reasons, says Nepal. (296-298)

119. U.S. allies welcome Israel-Sudan deal; Iran, Palestine cry foul. (298-301)

120. Once U.S. leaves, Pakistan will gain more space in Afghanistan, says Ata Mohammad Noor.
(301-302)

121. Malaysia's king to consult with rulers, palace says, amid talk of emergency. (303-304)

122. Fresh clashes erupt in Nagorno-Karabakh after Washington talks. (305-307)

123. Afghan forces kill senior al Qaeda leader al-Masri who was on FBI most wanted list. (308-309)

124. Belarus and Russia will respond to external threats, Lukashenko tells Pompeo: agencies. (310-
311)

125. Treaty to ban nuclear weapons made official with 50th UN signatory. (312-315)

126. Yemen's Houthis targeted two airports and a base in Saudi Arabia, says spokesman. (315-316)

127. Malaysia’s king rejects PM Yassin’s proposal to declare emergency. (317-318)

128. Japan PM Suga sets 2050 deadline for carbon neutrality. (319-322)

129. China ‘to sanction’ U.S. companies. (322-324)

130. Turbaned Sikh among 8 Indo-Canadian winners in British Columbia assembly polls. (324-325)

131. Pakistani PM asks Facebook CEO to ban Islamophobic content. (326-328)

132. U.S. announces planned $2.37 billion weapon sale to Taiwan. (329-330)

133. Mike Pompeo to hold talks with Sri Lankan leadership during two-day Colombo visit. (331-
333)

134. India, US sign crucial BECA deal aimed at tackling threats from China, Pakistan. (334-339)

135. Poland’s PM defends abortion ruling, condemns protests. (340-341)

136. Hong Kong arrests 3 activists under national security law. (342-343)

137. Iran building at underground nuclear facility, confirms UN atomic watchdog. (344-350)
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138. Qatar apologises, investigates forced airport examinations of female passengers. (350-352)

139. U.S. rejection plunges WTO leadership into uncertainty. (352-355)

140. Spain doubts Gibraltar border deal possible without Brexit deal, source says. (355-357)

141. Trump admin proposes to scrap computerised lottery system to select H-1B visas, (357-361)

142. South Korea's top court upholds 17-year jail term on ex-leader Lee Myung-bak. (361-363)

143. Pakistan anti-terrorism court acquits PM Imran Khan in 2014 Parliament attack case . (363-
365)

144. FBI warns ransomware assault threatens US healthcare system. ( 365-368)

145. U.K.’s Labour party suspends ex-leader Jeremy Corbyn after anti-Semitism failings exposed.
(369-370)

146. DHS to gather public opinion on H-1B Visa allocation issue. (371-373)

147. New Zealand votes to legalize euthanasia but not marijuana. (373-375)

148. After twenty years, no equality for women in peace talks at UN. (376-380)

149. Tougher new rules for tech giants, more power to enforcers, Europe antitrust chief says. (380-
381)

150. ExxonMobil to lay off 1,900 U.S. employees; mostly at Houston offices. (382-383)

151. Earthquake kills at least 14 in Turkey and Greece. (384-386)

152. Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to defuse Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. (386-389)

153. Ukraine’s president moves to dissolve top court over ruling. (389-391)

154. First international, Chinese expert meeting on virus origin: WHO. (391-394)

155. Sri Lanka returns illegal waste to U.K. (394-395)

156. New Berlin airport opens 9 years late with little ceremony. (395-396)
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1. US, European officials mulling to create

‗Asian NATO' to contain China's
expansionist ambitions

 The United States and Europe an officials are mulling to

create an 'Asian NATO' of regional powers to contain
communist China's expansionist ambitions.
 Through previous efforts for East Asian security, alliance
have failed to gain lasting traction, NATO Secretary-
General Jens Stoltenberg has said China's emergence as a
rising superpower is "fundamentally shifting the global
balance of power" in ways should motivate NATO itself
to "become more global."
 Trump administration officials have gone further. Deputy
Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun recently suggested

that the informal defence alignment between the US,

Japan, Australia and India are already known as

[1]
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the Quad could be the beginning of a NATO-style

alliance in Asia.
 Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia program
at the Wilson Center has said that as countries in past
were worried about antagonizing China but not anymore.

Source: ANI

2.Russian man sentenced for LinkedIn, Dropbox

data breaches

 A Russian man Yevgeniy Nikulin,32, convicted of

hacking LinkedIn, Dropbox and Formspring and
stealing the personal information of more than 100
million customers was sentenced for seven years in
federal prison.

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 In 2012, Nikulin, working from Moscow, hacked the

computers of the San Francisco Bay Area companies.

 Nikulin was arrested in Prague 2016, and extradited to
United States in 2018 after a long extradition battle.
 After a six day trial, Nikulin was convicted of selling
stolen usernames and passwords,installing malware on
protected computers, conspiracy, computer intrusion
and aggravated identity theft.

Source: Times of India

3.China celebrates 70th anniversary as Xi

warns ‗no force can shake great nation‘

 China has celebrated 70 years of Communist party rule

and its rise to global superpower status with a military
parade showcasing the country‘s technology, and a
promise from President.

[3]
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 Huge and violent protest cast a long shadow over

Beijing‘s carefully-choreographed projection of national
unity and power.
 China‘s leadership past and present gathered on a
viewing platform over Tiananmen Square to watch the
military parade of 15,000 troops and weapons including
new hypersonic drones and intercontinental ballistic

missiles.
 It was followed by a civilian parade, featuring tributes to
national icons from founding leader Mao Zedong and the
bicycles China was known for before it became an
economic juggernaut.
 President Xi, launched the celebrations with a speech
that underlined China‘s economic rise and the party‘s
role in fostering it.

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 There is no force that can shake the status of this great

nation. No force can stop the Chinese people and the

Chinese nation forging ahead said the Chinese President.
 In 1949, China was so poor and battered by civil war that
some of its 17 war planes were reportedly ordered to fly
by twice, to make the airforce seem larger than it was.
This year‘s vast parade emphasised how much has
changed.
 Xi in his speech promised to ―maintain the long-term
prosperity and stability‖ of Hong Kong and said the
government was committed to the political template
which gives the city limited autonomy, ‗one country, two
systems‘.
 Activist Joshua Wong called on Twitter for international
support for Hong Kong protestors. ―No celebration, only
demonstration‖, he said, warning that China was using
Hong Kong to ―wave its claws at the free world to step
up its oppression

Source: The guardian

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4.US imposes sanctions on Cuba's Raul Castro's

son-in-law

 The Trump administration is targeting the son-in-law

of retired Cuban leader Raul Castro with sanctions as
it steps up its campaign against the communist island's
government ahead of the US presidential election in
November.
 The departments of State and Treasury announced
that Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, the
husband of Castro's daughter, Deborah, had been
added to the US list of ―specially designated nationals
and blocked persons‖.

 The agencies accused him of helping to fund human

rights abuses and working in concert with Venezuela
to suppress Cubans' freedoms.
 Lpez-Calleja is the head of the Cuban military‘s financial
arm, known as GAESA, which controls state-owned

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businesses including hotels, factories, stores and an

airline.
 The move freezes any assets he may have in U.S.
jurisdictions and bars Americans from doing business
with him.
 The revenue generated from the economic activities of
GAESA is used to oppress the Cuban people and to fund
Cuba‘s parasitic, colonial domination of Venezuela,
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

 The announcement is the administrations latest action

against Cuba and comes just two days after it imposed
sanctions on a debit card operation that allowed Cubans
to buy food, appliances and other items with money sent
by relatives in the United States.
 Pompeo announced that FINCIMEX, a Cuban state
company that processes remittances and issues the
American International Services debit card, had been
added to the sanctions list.

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 The administration has been steadily ramping up

pressure on both Cuba and Venezuela as November‘s
vote nears.

Source:Times of India

5.Tensions mount as Azerbaijan and ethnic

Armenian forces fight for fourth day
 NATO allies France and Turkey traded angry
recriminations on tensions mounted over the fiercest

clashes between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces.

 On the fourth day of fighting, Azerbaijan and the ethnic
Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh accused each
other of shelling along the line of contact that divides
them.
 Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded
in fighting.

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 The defence ministry of the breakaway region of

Nagorno-Karabakh said it could report 23 more
casualties.
 The skirmishes have raised concerns about stability in
the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines
carrying oil and gas to world markets, and raised fears
that regional powers Russia and Turkey could be drawn
in.
 Some of Turkey's NATO allies are increasingly alarmed
by Ankara's stance on Nagorno-Karabakh.
 President Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Mevlut
Cavusoglu said that Turkey would do what is necessary
when asked whether Ankara would offer military support
if Azerbaijan requested it.
 Cavusoglu also said French solidarity with Armenia
amounted to supporting Armenian occupation in
Azerbaijan.
 French President Emmanuel Macron, said France is
extremely concerned by ―warlike messages‖ from
Turkey.
New reports of fighting
 Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave, broke away
from Azerbaijan in the 1990s in a war that killed an
estimated 30,000 people and displaced hundreds of
thousands.
 In fourth day clashes, Armenian media said three
civilians had been killed and several wounded by
shelling in the town of Martakert in Nagorno-Karabakh.
 14 Azeri civilians had been killed since fighting began.
Azerbaijan said ethnic Armenian forces attempted to
recover lost ground by launching counter-attacks in the

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direction of Madagiz, but Azeri forces repelled the

attack.
 Armenia said the Azeri army had been shelling the whole
front line during the night and two Azeri drones were
shot down over Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh's
administrative centre.

 In the latest telephone diplomacy, Armenian Prime

Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke to Iranian President
Hassan Rouhani, whose country shares borders with both
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
 Rouhani expressed concern about the rising tensions, the
Armenian government said, but gave no further details.
 Pashinyan said he was not considering asking for
Russia's help at this point under a post-Soviet security
treaty, but did not rule out doing so.
 The Kremlin said that Russia's military was closely
following developments.
 Armenia's unified information centre, an online
governmental platform, posted pictures of the wreckage

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of what it said was a SU-25 warplane shot down by a

Turkish fighter jet on Tuesday
 Turkey denied downing the plane. A senior Azeri official
accused Armenia of lying, and said two Armenian SU-
25s had crashed into a mountain.
Why are they fighting?
 The largely mountainous and forested Nagorno-
Karabakh, home for some 150,000 people, is at the
centre of the conflict.
 Nagorno-Karabakh is located within Azerbaijan but is
populated, mostly, by those of Armenian ethnicity (and
mostly Christian compared to the Shia Muslim majority
Azerbaijan).
 The conflict can be traced back to the pre-Soviet era
when the region was at the meeting point of Ottoman,
Russian and the Persian empires.

 Once Azerbaijan and Armenia became Soviet Republics

in 1921, Moscow gave Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan
but offered autonomy to the contested region.
 In the 1980s, when the Soviet power was receding,
separatist currents picked up in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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 In 1988, the national assembly voted to dissolve the

region‘s autonomous status and join Armenia. But Baku
suppressed such calls, which led to a military conflict.
 When Armenia and Azerbaijan became independent
countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,
the clashes led to an open war in which tens of thousands
of people were killed.
 • The war lasted till 1994 when both sides reached a
ceasefire (they are yet to sign a peace treaty and the
border is not clearly demarcated).
 By that time, Armenia had taken control of Nagorno-
Karabakh and handed it to Armenian rebels.
 The rebels have declared independence, but have not
won recognition from any country.
 The region is still treated as a part of Azerbaijan by the
international community, and Baku wants to take it back.
What triggered the current clashes?
 Despite the ceasefire, there were occasional flare-ups on
the border.
 By July this year, at least 16 people were killed in
clashes.
 After violence, Azerbaijan and Armenia blamed each
other. Baku said it was forced to respond after Armenian
attacks killed and wounded Azeris.
 Armenia, on the other side, blamed Azerbaijan for
launching the ―large-scale‖ attack targeting peaceful
settlements

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What is the strategic significance of the region?

 The energy-rich Azerbaijan has built several gas and oil
pipelines across the Caucasus (the region between the
Black Sea and the Caspian Sea) to Turkey and Europe.
 This includes the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (with
a capacity of transporting 1.2 billion barrels a day), the
Western Route Export oil pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian
gas pipeline and the South Caucasus gas pipeline.
 Some of these pipelines pass close to the conflict zone
(within 16 km of the border).
 In an open war between the two countries, the pipelines
could be targeted, which would impact energy supplies.

What’s Turkey’s role?

 Turkey has historically supported Azerbaijan and has had
a troublesome relationship with Armenia.

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 In the 1990s, during the war, Turkey closed its border

with Armenia and it has no diplomatic relations with the
country.
 The main point of contention between the two was
Ankara‘s refusal to recognise the 1915 Armenian
genocide in which the Ottomans killed some 1.5 million
Armenians.
 On the other end, the Azeris and Turks share strong
cultural and historical links.
 Azerbaijanis are a Turkic ethnic group and their language
is from the Turkic family.
 After Azerbaijan became independent, Turkey
established strong relations with the country, which has
been ruled by a dynastic dictatorship.
 In July, after the border clashes, Turkey held a joint
military exercise with Azerbaijan.
 On September 28, Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan blamed Armenia for the most recent clashes and
offered support to Azerbaijan.
 There were reports that Turkey was recruiting
mercenaries from West Asia to fight for Azerbaijan in
the Caucasus.
Where does Russia stand?
 Moscow sees the Caucasus and Central Asian region as
its backyard.
 But the current clashes put President Vladimir Putin in a
difficult spot. Russia enjoys good ties with both
Azerbaijan and Armenia and supplies weapons to both.

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 But Armenia is more dependent on Russia than the

energy-rich, ambitious Azerbaijan.
 Russia also has a military base in Armenia.
 But Moscow, at least publicly, is trying to strike a
balance between the two. Like in the 1990s, its best
interest would be in mediating a ceasefire between the
warring sides.

Source: The Hindu

6. US judge blocks Donald Trump's H-1B

visa ban

 A federal judge has blocked the enforcement of the H-

1B visa ban issued by US President Donald Trump.
 The court said that the President exceeded his
constitutional authority.
 The order was issued by District Judge Jeffrey White
of Northern District of California.
 The lawsuit against the department of commerce and
department of homeland security was filed by

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companies represented by National Association of

Manufacturers, US Chamber of Commerce, National
Retail Federation and TechNet.
 The ruling places an immediate hold on a series of
visa restrictions.
 In June, Trump had issued an executive order that had
put temporary bar on issuing of new H-1B and other
foreign visas including H-2B, J and L visas, till the
end of the year.
 The President had argued that the United States needs
to save and protect jobs for its domestic work force.

 A number of IT companies and other US firms, and

those representing them had voiced their opposition to
the temporary ban.
 Manufacturers went to court to challenge the

administration's ban on certain visas because the

restrictions both undermined the industry at a critical
time and conflicted with the law.
 In his order the judge said the president exceeded his
authority in this matter.

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 Such a finding would render the President's Article II

powers all but superfluous,‖ Judge White wrote in his
25 pager order.
 The judge noted that the text of Article I and more
than two centuries of legislative practice and judicial
precedent make clear, the Constitution vests Congress,
not the President, with the power to set immigration
policy.
 The judge said that Indeed, there must be some
measure of constraint on the presidential authority in
the domestic sphere in order not to render the
executive an entirely monarchical power in the
immigration context, an area within clear legislative
prerogative. Such unrestricted authority would be
contrary to Congress' explicit delegation of powers in
foreign affairs and national security.
 The ruling by Judge White is in difference with a
order passed by District Judge Amit Mehta of the
District of Columbia in August who ruled that he does
not has the power to enjoin the ban while the litigation
is under way.

Source:Times of India

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7.Northrop Grumman successfully launches

14th Cargo delivery mission to the
International Space Station

 The Antares rocket carrying the cygnus aircraft launched

on 2nd October, at 9:16 p.m EDT from Wallops Island
Virginia.

 Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully launched

the company's cygnus cargo resupply spacecraft, the S.S
Kalpana Chawla, to the International Space Station.

 After the 9 minute ascent, the S.S Kalpana Chawla,

named for the first woman of Indian descent to fly in
space, was deployed into orbit.

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 Approximately two and half hours later, the vehicle's

ulfraflex solar arrays successfully deployed, and the
spacecraft is currently operating normally.

 Cygnus is scheduled to be grappled by the crew on the

International space station, on 5th of October at
approximately 5:20 a.m.

 The S.S Kalpana Chawla will remain docked to the

International Space Station for approximately three
months.

Source: blogs.nasa.gov

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8.Over 6 % Indian-Americans living below

poverty line: Report
 An estimated 6.5 per cent of the 4.2 million Indian-
Americans are living below the poverty line.
 The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to increase the poverty
among members of the community, according to a latest
research.
 Results of the research ―A Study of Poverty in the Indian

American Population,‖ conducted by Devesh Kapur and

Jashan Bajwaat of Johns Hopkins‘ Paul Nitze School of
Advanced International Studies, were released during the
Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit 2020 on 2nd October.
 The incident of poverty is greater among Bengali and
Punjabi speaking Indian Americans.
 About one-third are not in the labour force and about a
fifth of them are not American citizens.

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 According to Kapoor, while the study provides a detailed

analysis of the impoverished populations of the Indian
American community, Indian Americans are still less
likely to be living in poverty compared to white, Black
and Hispanic Americans.

Source: Hindustan times

9.US lawmakers introduce resolution to honour

Mahatma Gandhi
 A bipartisan group of six US lawmakers introduced a
resolution in the US House of Representatives
honouring the life of Mahatma Gandhi and his
enduring legacy in the present world on his 151st birth
anniversary.
 Gandhi's legacy has had a lasting impact on spreading
peace and promoting nonviolent protest as the best and
most effective method to remedy unjust social and
political conditions across India and the entire world,
said the resolution.
 The resolution was introduced by Congressman Raja
Krishnamoorthi, together with India Caucus Chairmen
Brad Sherman and George Holding, as well as
Representatives Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, and Ro
Khanna.

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 Despite facing tremendous hardship and injustice

throughout his life, Gandhi never wavered in his fight
for freedom, dignity and equality for all.
 The resolution encourages the people of the United
States to observe the International Day of Non-
Violence; supports freedom of religion around the
world; encourages individual and community self-

improvement and civic education; and recognises that

elections, democracy, and freedom are essential rights
for all people.
 Globally, Gandhi's birth anniversary is celebrated as
the International Day of Non-Violence. Several events
were held in India and across the world to mark the
occasion.

Source:Times of India

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10. UK offshore detention proposal could

create ‗human rights disaster‘, Australian
experts warn
What is offshore detention proposal:
Under Australia‘s Operation Sovereign Borders
policy, asylum seekers who arrive by boat are
not permitted to stay in Australia while their
claims are processed. Instead, they were
transferred to two purpose-built Australian-
government funded detention centres located
outside Australian territory: one on Nauru, 1000
kms from mainland Australia and the other on
Papua New Guinea‘s Manus Island, 3000 kms
away.

What Is The Controversy?

 Credible humanitarian organisations, refugee

advocates, the UN and media organisations have
continually criticised the brutality of Australia's
offshore detention policy and the psychological
damage inflicted on detainees as a result of their
isolated and unsupported situation.
 In October 2016, Amnesty International and
Save the Children released a comprehensive
report, exposing human rights abuses and
declaring a state of ―despair‖ at the Nauru
detention centre.

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 Amnesty International labelled the

implementation of the government‘s policy a
―regime of cruelty‖ that falls within the
definition of torture under the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights to which Australia
is a signatory.
 Another central criticism of the policy is the
total lack of transparency and accountability
surrounding the operation of the two centres.
 Information flow is highly restricted by the
government on the pretence of security
concerns.
 Gaining access to the centres is virtually
impossible.
 Personnel working in the centres and
representatives of humanitarian organisations
have up until a recent court decision, only been
permitted to operate there after signing total
non-disclosure agreements.
 In 2017, a class action brought against the
government by detainees on Manus Island
claiming mistreatment and human rights
breaches was settled out of court by the
government for AUD$70 million dollars.
 A recent attempt by the Federal Government to
ban the use of mobile phones by detainees in the
centres was overturned by court action.
 In late August this year, 400 refugees who had
been transferred to Australia in order to receive
medical treatment for a range of serious health

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conditions have had their support and housing

allowances removed without notice as a means
to pressure them to return to offshore detention.

Present status:
 A Downing Street plan to consider emulating
Australia‘s offshore detention system for asylum
seekers risks creating a fresh ―human rights
disaster‖.
 Documents from the Foreign Office
revealed Downing St had sought its advice on
―negotiating an offshore asylum processing facility
similar to the Australian model in Papua New

Guinea and Nauru‖.

 For more than eight years Australia sent all asylum
seekers who arrived in its territory by boat to

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purpose-built facilities in the two Pacific nations,

under financial agreements struck with their
governments.
 The policy has consistently drawn worldwide
condemnation from governments, legal groups,
United Nations bodies, and human rights NGOs for
its radical lack of transparency and documented
failures including human rights abuses and flouting
of international law.
 Experts said that what Australian government has
done damaged the reputation and credit and political
culture and democracy of Australia.
 There was a US deal [to take Australia‘s refugees],
but the UK aren‘t likely to get a US deal.
 This is the breach of International laws, says
experts.
 The arrangement with Australia – which was signed
by the former prime minister Peter O‘Neill – soon
became a sore point in the bilateral relationship.
 Legally, the UK would not be able to establish a
detention centre in the manner Australia did
initially.
 The closure and process of transferring detainees to
new accommodation blocks devolved into a brutal
24-day standoff which ended with PNG police
officers beating men who refused to leave.
Source: The Guardian

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11. U.S. commits $1.9 million to India to

support informal sector workers, micro
enterprises

 The U.S. has committed $1.9 million to support

vulnerable populations like informal sector workers
whose livelihoods have been disrupted due to COVID-
19.
 USAID funds will support the Revive alliance, founded
by the Samhita-Collective Good Foundation and co-
funded by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation,
Omidyar Network India, and the Ford Foundation, to

address challenges caused by unemployment and income

gaps faced by workers in the informal economy.
 Revive will launch a $6.85 million blended finance
facility in its first phase to provide accessible and
affordable capital in the form of returnable grants or
loans to self-employed workers and at-risk nano and

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micro enterprises to either sustain their work or find

alternative business opportunities.
 The facility is expected to reach between 60,000-100,000
workers and enterprises and will give preference to youth
and women.
 Revive will also undertake upskilling activities for laid-
off youth and informal labourers.
 Samhita-Collective Good Foundation will initiate shared-
value partnerships with a range of stakeholders,
including business chambers, non-banking financial
companies, private enterprises, and others.
 USAID support will further deepen Revives work by
augmenting its secretariat strengthening strategic
partnerships and offering technical assistance to partners.

Source: The Hindu

12. India-Bangladesh navies to carry out

Exercise Bongosagar

 The second edition of Indian Navy (IN) - Bangladesh

Navy (BN) Bilateral Exercise Bongosagar is scheduled
to commence in Northern Bay of Bengal on 3rd October.
 Exercise Bongosagar, whose first edition was held in
2019, is aimed at developing inter-operability and joint
operational skills through conduct of a wide spectrum of
maritime exercises and operations.

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 In the upcoming edition of Exercise Bongosagar, ships

from both navies will participate in surface warfare

drills, seamanship evolutions and helicopter operations

 This exercise will be followed by the 3rd edition of IN -
BN Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) in Northern Bay of
Bengal from 4 to 5 October 2020, wherein IN and BN
units will undertake joint patrolling along the
International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
 Conduct of CORPATs has strengthened understanding
between both the navies and instituted measures to stop
conduct of unlawful activities
 Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kiltan, an indigenously built
Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette and INS Khukri, an
indigenously built Guided-Missile Corvette are
participating.
 Bangladesh Naval Ship (BNS) Abu Bakr, a Guided-
Missile Frigate and BNS Prottoy, a Guided-Missile
Corvette. In addition to ships, Maritime Patrol Aircraft

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from both navies and integral helicopter(s) would also be

participating in the exercise.

Source: OneIndia.com

13. UK PM optimistic about Brexit deal

ahead of EU talks; claims 'good prospects'
 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that he
was 'pretty optimistic' that a successful Brexit deal could
be reached.
 As the UK negotiates a rudimentary free trade
agreement with European Union, Johnson opined that the
prospects of the deal were good, if people used 'common
sense'.
 His remarks came just before the October 3 talks with
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to
determine next step in fraught negotiations.
 However, Johnson has also asserted that he was prepared

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to walk away from the negotiations if there was no

agreement by the time of the next EU summit on October
15.

EU takes legal action against UK:

 Separately, the European Union took legal action against

Britain over its plans to pass legislation that would
breach parts of the legally binding divorce agreement the
two sides reached late last year.
 The EU action underscored the worsening relations with
Britain, which was a member of the bloc until January
31.
 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen,
on October 1, said that the British plan "by its very
nature is a breach of the obligation of good faith laid
down in the Withdrawal Agreement." "If adopted as is, it
will be in full contradiction to the protocol of Ireland-
Northern Ireland" in the withdrawal agreement.

Source: Republicworld.com

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14. Sudan govt, rebel groups sign

landmark peace deal
 Representatives from the transitional government
and rebel groups signed the deal, a year after the peace
talks began, at a ceremony in the South Sudanese capital
Juba.

 "Today we have reached a peace agreement. We are

happy. We have finished the mission," Tut Gatluak, head
of the South Sudanese mediating team said shortly before
the signing took place.
 Guarantors of the deal from Chad, Qatar, Egypt,
the African Union, European Union and United Nations
also put their names to the agreement.
 Sudanese paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan
Daglo - best known by his nickname "Hemeti"- signed
the deal on behalf of Khartoum.

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 A representative of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF)

and others from the groups making up the coalition, also
signed.
 The SRF comprises rebel groups from the war-ravaged
western Darfur region, as well as the southern states of
Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
 The peace agreement covers a number of tricky issues,
from land ownership, reparations and compensation, to
wealth and power sharing and the return of refugees and
internally displaced people.
 Under the deal, SRF fighters are to be slowly
incorporated into joint units with government security
forces.
 Two other well-established rebel groups did not sign,
reflecting the challenges still facing the peace process.

Source: Aljazeera

15. ‗Best Germany yet‘ marks 30th

anniversary of reunification

 Germany marked the 30th anniversary of its reunification

on 3rd October, drawing a generally positive picture of
the progress made in knitting together east and west.
 The country‘s president declared that today‘s is the best
Germany there has ever been and proposed a new
memorial to the peaceful revolutionaries who helped end
communist rule.

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 Germany was reunited on October 3, 1990, after four

decades of Cold War division. East Germany joined the
western federal republic less than a year after the east‘s
communist rulers - under pressure from growing protests
- opened the Berlin Wall and the rest of the highly
fortified border between the two States on Nov. 9, 1989.
 While much progress has been made since then,
economic and other differences between the west and the
less-prosperous east still persist.
 A long-lasting trend of more people leaving the east than
moving there has finally halted in recent years.
 Pensions in the east are nearing the level of those in the
west, though wages are lower.
 And Germany‘s biggest companies are still
headquartered in the west, while political polarization
has been most noticeable over recent years in the east,
where the far-right Alternative for Germany party is
particularly strong.
 The coronavirus pandemic meant that celebrations were
relatively low-key - as Chancellor Angela Merkel put it
this week, ―quieter than the occasion would actually
deserve.
 President Frank-Walter Steinmeier led the main
ceremony at a hall in Potsdam, just outside Berlin, with
230 guests - about one-fifth of the audience originally
planned.
 Eastern cities such as Leipzig and Rostock are now
economically stronger than parts of the western Ruhr
industrial region, and there are more and more eastern
success stories, said the President.

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Memorial:

 The President advocated creating a memorial to the

peaceful revolutionaries of East Germany whose efforts
brought the communist dictatorship to an end.
 That would add to existing memorials at remnants of the
Berlin Wall and former facilities run by the Stasi, East
Germany‘s secret police, and to an already-planned unity
memorial in Berlin.
Source: The Hindu

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16. New Caledonia referendum: South

Pacific territory rejects independence from
France

 The archipelago voted to remain French with 53.26% of

votes, according to final results Turnout - at 85.6% - was
high.
 In a similar vote two years ago, the margin was slightly
wider, with 56.7% voting to stay French.
 New Caledonia has been a French territory for nearly
170 years.
 French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the
result as a "sign of confidence in the republic", adding he
also felt "humility" in view of the results.

 The referendum was part of a series of votes agreed two

decades ago, following bouts of violence in the 1980s
over the issue of independence between the islands'
indigenous Kanak people and descendants of European
settlers.
 Kanaks represent around 40% of the population, while
Europeans, mostly born in the territory, make up about a
third. Others come from other Pacific islands or are of
mixed heritage.

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 Several agreements were signed including the 1998

Noumea Accord, which set out a roadmap for greater
autonomy for the territory.
 Under this agreement, New Caledonia is allowed up to
three referendums on independence.
 A third referendum can take place by 2022, if requested
by a third of the local assembly.
 New Caledonia has large deposits of nickel, a vital
component in manufacturing electronics, and is seen by
France as a strategic political and economic asset in the
region.
 It enjoys a large degree of autonomy but depends
heavily on France for matters like defence and education
and still receives large subsidies from Paris.
 It is one of the UN's 17 "non-self governing territories" -
where the process of decolonisation has not been
completed.
 France first claimed the islands, home to some 270,000
people, in 1853.
 The referendum passed peacefully but some unrest was
reported after polls closed.
 About 175,000 people were eligible to vote in
referendum New Caledonia, east of Australia, where
indigenous Kanaks make up 39.1% of the population.

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 French nationalism is strong among the territory's ethnic

Europeans - constituting 27.1% of the population - and
observers say even some Kanaks back staying part of

France.
 The remaining third of the population of New
Caledonia's 268,000 inhabitants are also largely said to
oppose independence.

New Caledonia profile

 The remote islands receive about €1.3bn (£1.1bn;

$1.5bn) from the French government every year.
 France first claimed the islands in 1853 and once used
them as a penal colony.
 In the 1980s there were deadly clashes between French
forces and Kanaks.

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 The climax of that conflict came when Kanak separatists

killed four French gendarmes and took another 23
hostage in a cave. The subsequent French assault cost the
lives of 19 Kanaks and two soldiers.
 In 1988 representatives from the both pro- and anti-
independence camps agreed to end the violence and
eventually hold a self-determination referendum.
 A No vote may not spell the end of the independence
drive. Two further referendums on independence can still
be held before 2022.

 A Yes vote would have made New Caledonia the first

French territory to break away since Djibouti (1977) and
Vanuatu (1980).
 New Caledonia is represented in the French parliament
by two deputies and two senators.

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 It has a congress which elects an executive with powers

over some policy areas - notably policing, education and
local laws.
Source: BBC

17. 25th Amendment of US Constitution

 The US President Donald Trump and the first lady
have tested positive to Covid-19.
 If his health deteriorates, the Vice-President will
take over his role.
 The provisions to the scenario are provided by the
25th amendment of US Constitution.
25 Amendment:
 The 25th Amendment proposed by congress and
ratified by the states in the aftermath of the
assassination of President John. F. Kennedy,
provides the procedure for replacing the President
or vice-president in the event of death, removal,
resignation, or incapacitation.
 The Watergate scandal of the 1970s saw the
application of these procedures first when Gerald
Ford replaced Spiro Agnew as Vice-president then
when he replaced Richard Nixon as President and
when Nelson Rockefeller filled the resulting
vacancy to become the vice-president.

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Amendment XXV:

 Section 1: In case of the removal of the President

from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice
President shall become President.

 Section 2: Whenever there is a vacancy in the

office of the Vice President, the President shall
nominate a Vice President who shall take office
upon confirmation by a majority vote of both
Houses of Congress.

 Section 3: Whenever the President transmits to the

President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives his written
declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers
and duties of his office, and until he transmits to
them a written declaration to the contrary, such
powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice
President as Acting President.

 Section 4: Whenever the Vice President and a

majority of either the principal officers of the
executive departments or of such other body as
Congress may by law provide, transmit to the
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives their written
declaration that the President is unable to discharge
the powers and duties of his office, the Vice

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President shall immediately assume the powers and

duties of the office as Acting President.

 Thereafter, when the President transmits to the

President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives his written
declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume
the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice
President and a majority of either the principal
officers of the executive department or of such other
body as Congress may by law provide, transmit
within four days to the President pro tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives their written declaration that the
President is unable to discharge the powers and
duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall
decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight
hours for that purpose if not in session. If the
Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of
the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not
in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is
required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote
of both Houses that the President is unable to
discharge the powers and duties of his office, the
Vice President shall continue to discharge the same
as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall
resume the powers and duties of his office.
Source: Washington Post

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18. JUI-F chief named Prez of Pakistan

opposition alliance
 Maulana Fazlur Rahman, the head of the Jamiat Ulema-
e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-Fazl) party, has been named the first
President of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM),
after unanimous nomination by the heads of all
constituent parties.
 He was named PDM President after the opposition
alliance‘s first formal meeting through video link on 4th
October.
 According to PDM‘s steering committee convenor Ahsan
Iqbal, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
supremo and deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
proposed Maulana‘s name and was backed by Pakistan
Peoples Party (PPP) president Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari
and others did.
 Sharif had initially proposed that Maulana Fazl should be
appointed as the president on a permanent basis.
 The sources said there was an agreement among the
leaders that the Maulana should lead the PDM in the first
phase as he had already led last year‘s ‗Azadi March‘
against the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)
government.

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 Maulana‘s nomination to lead the movement came a

week before the formal start of the anti-government
campaign by opposition parties, with the PDM‘s first
public meeting to be held in Quetta on 11 October.

 The final decision regarding the tenure of these offices

and nomination to other posts including Information
secretary will be made in the meeting of the steering
committee.

Source: Goa Chronicle

19. Egypt unveils 59 ancient coffins in

major archaeological discovery

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 Egypt on Saturday put on show dozens of coffins

belonging to priests and clerks from the 26th dynasty
nearly 2,500 years ago, with archaeologists saying tens
more were found in the vast Saqqara necropolis.

 The 59 coffins were discovered in August at the

UNESCO world heritage site south of Cairo, buried in
three 10-12 meter shafts along with 28 statues of the
ancient Egyptian God Seker, one of the most important
funerary deities.
 The Egyptian archaeological mission behind the

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discovery had been active since 2018 and previously

unveiled a cache of mummified animals and a well-
preserved tomb of a fifth dynasty royal priest called
'Wahtye' in the area.
 Mostafa al-Waziri, secretary-general of Egypts Supreme
Council of Antiquities explained the team had uncovered
the three shafts where the coffins were laid in ―perfect
condition‖ due to a protective seal that preserved them
from chemical reactions.
 The mission will continue opening the coffins and
studying their contents before their eventual display at
the Grand Egyptian Museum, expected to open next year.

Source:The Hindu

20. Scientists Develop New Tool To Detect

Coronavirus Mutation Patterns
 The new tool, described in the journal PLOS
Computational Biology, identifies patterns from
volumes of genetic information and can identify
whether the virus has genetically changed.

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 Scientists have developed a method to quickly identify

and label mutated versions of the novel coronavirus that
causes COVID-19 using information from a global
database of testing information, an advance that may aid
in the development of therapeutics against the deadly

disease.
 According to the researchers, including those from
Drexel University in the US, the method can be used to
categorize viruses with small genetic differences using
tags called Informative Subtype Markers (ISM).
 In the current study, they categorized slight genetic
variations in the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and
generated labels that are publicly available for scientists
worldwide.
 The ISM tool, according to the scientists, is particularly
useful because it does not require an analysis of the full
genetic sequence of the virus to identify its mutations.

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 It also identified certain positions in the viral genetic

sequence that changed together as the virus spread, the
study noted.
 According to the scientists, from early April to the end of
the summer, three positions in the SARS-CoV-2
sequence have been identified which are in different
parts of the genome mutated at the same time.
 One of these portions is associated with the formation of
the spike protein of the virus that enables its entry into
healthy cells.
 While more investigation is needed on how these
simultaneous mutations impact the transmission and
severity of the virus, researchers have said that sites that
change together can be used to consolidate the subtype
label into 11 base molecules.
 In addition to helping scientists understand how the virus
is changing and spreading, the scientists believe the
method can also reveal the portion of its genetic code
that appears to remain resistant to mutations - a
discovery that could be exploited by treatments to
combat the virus.
 The spike protein and the part of the virus responsible for
packaging its genetic material have developed a few
major mutations, but otherwise they are changing at a
slower rate said study.
 Importantly, both are key targets for understanding the
body's immune response, identifying antiviral
therapeutics, and designing vaccines.
Source: Outlook

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21. 2020 Nobel: Three scientists share

Prize in Physiology or Medicine
 Americans Harvey J Alter and Charles M Rice, and
British scientist Michael Houghton were awarded the
Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology on 5th October
for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.
 Their work make possible blood tests and new medicines
that have saved millions of lives.
 Their discovery also allowed the rapid development of
antiviral drugs directed at hepatitis C. For the first time
in history, the disease can now be cured, raising hopes of
eradicating hepatitis C virus from the world population.
 The World Health Organisation estimates there are over
70 million cases of hepatitis worldwide and 400,000
deaths each year. The disease is chronic and a major
cause of liver inflammation and cancer.
 The prestigious Nobel award comes with a gold medal

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and prize money of 10 million Swedish kronor (over

USD 1,118,000), courtesy of a bequest left 124 years ago
by the prize‘s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.
 The medicine prize carried particular significance this
year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has
highlighted the importance that medical research has for
societies and economies around the world.
 The Nobel Committee often recognizes basic science
that has laid the foundations for practical applications in
common use today.
 The award is the first of six prizes being announced
through October 12.
 The other prizes are for outstanding work in the fields of
physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics.

Source: The Hindu

22. Indo-French Satellites To Trace Illegal

Spillage Of Oil By Ships: French Space
Agency
 The constellation of maritime surveillance satellites for
the Indian Ocean Region, to be jointly launched by India
and France, will be able to trace illegal spillage of oil by
ships, a senior French space agency:CENS official.
 In August last year, CNES and ISRO committed to
developing and building a constellation of satellites
carrying telecommunications and radar and optical

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remote-sensing instruments, constituting the first space-

based system in the world capable of tracking ships
continuously.
 The monitoring centre will be based in India, With a
revisit capability (of the satellites), this makes possible to
task acquisitions several times a day. It will also be able
to detect oil slicks and trace their origin.
 The main purpose of this is to trace illegal spillage of oil
by ships.
 The Indian Ocean Region has several Sea Lanes of
Communication (SLOC) and used by many ships every
day.
 The satellites will be operated jointly by France and
India to monitor ships in the Indian Ocean.
 The system will also cover a wide belt around the globe,
benefiting a broad range of French economic interests.

 Parts of the satellites will be built in both the countries

and launched from India.

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 CNES and the Indian Space Research Organisation

(ISRO) are also operating a number of climate-
monitoring satellites together.
 ‗Trishna‘, a highly precise thermal infrared observer, will
also be part of the fleet of Indo-French satellites.
 After a successful design phase led by a joint team of
ISRO-CNES, the satellite is now set to enter its
development phases in the coming months.
 It will provide continuous thermal monitoring at high
resolution, its unmatched capabilities serving precious
applications ranging from sustainable agriculture to
drought forecasting and monitoring of urban heat islands.
 France and India are also collaborating on the
Gaganyaan, India‘s first manned space mission. France
will also be part of ISRO‘s mission to Venus.
Source: Economic Times

23. Foreign Secretary, Army Chief Of

India Visit Myanmar

 Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla is being accompanied

by Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on a
two-day visit to Myanmar.
 This is the first time that this has happened, perhaps in
deference to the cohabitation in Myanmar of the military
and civilian regime.

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 Though Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar‘s State

Counsellor, has appointed a Prime Minister, she is the
boss of the civilian administration.
 Shringla and Naravane both called on Aung San Suu Kyi
and the Commander in Chief of Defence Services
General Min Aung Hlaing.

 During the meeting with Suu Kyi, India handed over

3000 vials of Remdesivir to the State Counsellor,
symbolic of India‘s commitment to assist Myanmar in its
fight against the pandemic.
 Shringla also promised India‘s willingness to prioritize
Myanmar in sharing vaccines as and when these become
available.
 Myanmar appreciated India‘s decision to provide debt
service relief under the G-20 Debt Service Suspension
Initiative, for the period up to December 31, 2020.

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 The Indian Army Chief separately met the Vice Senior

General Soe Win, Deputy Commander-in-Chief,
Myanmar Armed Services.
 Foreign Secretary had a conversation with U Soe Han,
Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Myanmar.
 The two sides discussed maintenance of security and
stability in their border areas and reiterated their mutual
commitment not to allow their respective territories to be
used for activities inimical to each other.
 The Indian side expressed their appreciation to Myanmar
for handing over of 22 cadres of Indian Insurgent Groups
to India.
 Conscious of China‘s emergence as a major player in
India‘s neighbourhood, Delhi is now paying much more
attention to Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s
Neighbourhood First Policy.
 China‘s covert support to many of the ethnic groups that
have been fighting the Myanmar army has always been a
sore point with the military. So building ties with India
suits Myanmar as much as it helps India.
 Myanmar is pivotal to India‘s security with a 1,640-
kilometer border with India‘s insurgency hit north
eastern region.
 Myanmar is at the heart of India‘s infrastructure projects
aimed at connecting the isolated north eastern part of the
country, through Myanmar to the thriving economies of
the ASEAN group.
 The Look East policy of Congress Prime Minister
Narasimha Rao, now renamed Act East by Modi, hopes

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to bring development to the north east through

connectivity with ASEAN.
 The trilateral India-Myanmar-Thailand Asian highway
and the Kaladan-multi-modal transit transport projects
are part of the two big ticket connectivity projects India
is building in Myanmar.
 Kaladan hopes to connect the Kolkata port with the
Sittwe deep water port in Myanmar‘s troubled Rakhine
state by sea.
 Sittwe port had already been developed and modernised
by India, but the land connections remain to be
completed.
 Kaladan when conceived during the Vajpayee years
seemed an excellent idea. But the difficult terrain as well
as the fact that much of the area is not under Myanmar
army‘s control led to frequent halts with Burmese
insurgent groups often disrupting work.
 By next year the Sittwe port is expected to be
operational.
 According to a status report placed by foreign minister
Jaishankar on the trilateral highway in Parliament, India
has undertaken two projects in Myanmar under this.
 One starts from Moreh in India‘s Manipur state to Mae
Sot in Thailand through Myanmar.
 Then there is bringing the 120 Km Kalewa-Yagi road
sections to highway standards and upgrading 69 bridges
and approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa road
section of 150 Km.
 The work on 69 bridges including approach roads in the
Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa section (TKK) of the Trilateral

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Highway was held up after the contractor was terminated

in December 2018 due to unsatisfactory performance.
 There have been plenty of such hiccups during the
construction both on the Indian side in Manipur and in
Myanmar.
 But now some of this has been sorted and work on the
first bridge between Moreh and Tamu (Myanmar) is
expected to start soon. The remaining 68 bridges will be
taken up separately after revising the technical and cost
parameters.
 The Kalewa-Yagi road section is among the most
challenging of the stretches of the Trilateral Highway
with steep gradients and sharp curves.
 The construction of this road is underway and around
one-fourth of the road has been completed, the foreign
minister said.Once Kaladan and the trilateral highway is
operational, Delhi‘s hopes to transform its north eastern
region.
 With both these projects taking a long time to complete,
India is now concentrating on smaller ones that are much
more easily deliverable.
 India‘s development work under the Rakhine State
Development Programme (RSDP) on agriculture and
skill development are of this nature.
 India announced a grant of USD 2 million for the
construction of the border haat bridge at
Byanyu/Sarsichauk in Chin State that will provide
increased economic connectivity between Mizoram and
Myanmar.
Source: Outlook

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24. NASA's Hubble telescope captures an

exploding star 70-million light-years from
Earth
 NASA's Hubble telescope has captured a supernova from
a nearby galaxy as it shone brighter than other stars
before fading out completely.
 Now astronomers have stitched together the consecutive
photos taken over a year in a time lapse sequence.
 The Supernova2018gv was first detected in mid-January
by amateur astronomer Koichi Itagaki.
 A few weeks later in February, Hubble began observing
the Supernova.
 The supernova is located in the spiral galaxy NGC 2525,
which is 70 million light years away from Earth.

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 The supernova was observed by Hubble astronomers to

―precisely measure the expansion rate of the universe".
As supernova can serve as accurate markers of
measuring galaxy distances, these galactic blasts can give
a ―fundamental value needed for measuring the

expansion of space".
 This means that by knowing the ―actual brightness‖ of
the supernova, astronomers are able to calculate the
distances of their host galaxies. This in turn helps
astronomers to measure the expansion rate of the
universe.
 It was in January 2018, when initial blast took place.
 This blast was not recorded by Hubble but it captured
consecutive pictures of the 2018gv from 2018 to 2019 as

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supernova became brighter than the brightest stars of the

spiral galaxy to only loose it's light and fade out
ultimately.
 The report explained the particular case of supernova.
 The 2018gv had originated from the burned out white
dwarf that was part of a close binary system.
 When the white dwarf reaches a critical mass, it's core
becomes hot enough to ignite nuclear fusion, turning it
into a giant atomic bomb. This thermonuclear runaway
process tears the dwarf apart. The opulence is short lived
as the fireball fades away.
 Nobel laureate Adam Riess who is associated with the
Soace Telescope Science Institute, and John Hopkins
University said that no earthly fireworks can compete
with the supernova that was captured by the Hubble
Space Telescope even as it faded.
 Riess is also the leader of the High-z supernova search
team and the Supernovae H0 for the equation of state
team go measure the universe's expansion rate.

Source: firstpost.com

25.Ready To Take China-Bangladesh Strategic

Partnership To New Heights: Xi Jinping

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 Xi Jinping made the remarks in an exchange of

congratulatory messages with his Bangladesh
counterpart, Mohammad Abdul Hamid, on the 45th
anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral
diplomatic relationship.
 Chinese President Xi Jinping said he stands ready
with Bangladesh leaders to better align the two
countries' strategies and jointly promote the
construction of his multi-billion dollar Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) to take the strategic partnership of
the two countries to new heights.
 Xi made the remarks in an exchange of congratulatory
messages with his Bangladesh counterpart, Mohammad
Abdul Hamid, on the 45th anniversary of the
establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relationship.
 In his message, Xi hailed the steady and long-term
friendship saying he is ready to work with Hamid to
better align development strategies with Bangladesh, step
up cooperation under the framework of the BRI and push
forward the China-Bangladesh strategic, cooperative
partnership to a new level.

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 With over USD 26 billion Chinese investments and

USD 38 billion dollars funding commitments,
Bangladesh is one of the largest recipients of China's
massive infrastructure project.
 China has also offered zero-tariff treatment to 97 per cent
of Bangladesh's exports by adding 5,161 more items to
the existing list of 3,095 duty-free products.
 The BRI seeks to build rail, maritime and road links from
Asia to Europe and Africa in a revival of ancient Silk
Road trading routes.
 The issues related to BRI, earlier known as One Belt One
Road (OBOR), has been a major bone of contention
between India and China as one portion of the corridor
passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
 Besides Pakistan, where China initiated over USD 60
billion as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC), China has stepped up its huge infrastructure
investments in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and

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Maldives rising concerns of its growing influence in

India's immediate neighbourhood.
 The BRI is President Xi's top priority initiative, which
aims firm up China's global influence.
 The initiative has, however, attracted allegations,
especially from the US, of debt-diplomacy after Sri
Lanka handed over its Hambantota Port to a state-run
Chinese firm in 2017 for a 99 years' lease in a debt swap
amounting to USD 1.2 billion. Malaysia has also
deferred several projects under the BRI, citing cost
revaluation.
 Malaysia has also deferred several projects under the
BRI, citing cost revaluation.
 Xi, in his message to Hamid, also said the two countries
had worked jointly to fight against COVID-19.

 Earlier, China had sent medical team to Bangladesh to

share its experience of handling coronavirus, which had
emerged first in Wuhan in December last year.

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 Bangladesh also is among over a dozen countries where

the final phase of clinical trials of Chinese vaccine is
being conducted.
 In his message, Hamid said the Bangladesh-China
relationship is developing rapidly and has covered
cooperation in key areas, to which Dhaka attached great
importance.
 He expressed his deep appreciation for China's
continuous support for Bangladesh in its socio-economic
development progress, adding that he believes the close
and friendly relationship between the two countries will
continue to deepen in the future.
 Also, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang exchanged
congratulatory messages with Bangladeshi Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina.
 Li said in his message that China is willing to deepen
practical cooperation with Bangladesh in various fields
and promote the steady and sustainable development of
the China-Bangladesh strategic partnership of
cooperation to better benefit the two countries and their
people.
 For her part, Hasina said the strategic partnership of
cooperation between Bangladesh and China has been
developed from the two countries' time-tested friendship
and cooperation.
 The strengthened Bangladesh-China cooperation has
unleashed enormous potential in maintaining peace,
security and stability in the region and even around the
world, Hasina said.
Source : Press Trust Of India

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26. 2020 Nobel prize in Physics

 The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded with one
half to Roger Penrose and the other half jointly to
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez.
 With this award Professor Andrea Ghez becomes the
fourth woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
after Marie Curie (1903), Maria Goeppert-Meyer (1963)
and Donna Strickland (2018).
 What was Roger Penrose‘s contribution?
 Roger Penrose has been awarded the prize because of his
theoretical work which showed that black holes can form
and exist as solutions of Einstein‘s field equations.
 Albert Einstein published his general theory of relativity
on November 18, 1915. Soon after that (January 13,
1916) German astronomer Karl Schwarzschild found a
solution to these equations that showed a singularity – a
point where physical quantities take infinitely large or
infinitesimally small values and therefore are not
realisable physically.
 For a long time this was a bit of an embarrassment to
Einstein as it appeared his equations had unphysical
solutions and may not be correct.
 In 1939, Robert Oppenheimer and his student Hartland
Snyder came up with a paper where they identified and
interpreted Schwarzschild‘s result as a horizon beyond
which the star closes off and can only be felt by its
gravitational field. However, Einstein did not agree with
this yet.

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 Around the mid-1960s strange phenomena were being

discovered experimentally by astrophysicists that led

John Wheeler to reconsider the physics of gravitational
collapse. He suggested to Roger Penrose to revisit this
concept. Using novel mathematics and topology he built
up the mechanism by which such a collapse can occur
and a black hole can form.
 This was the theoretical discovery that made ―black
hole‖ an accepted concept in physics. The name was first
used by American physicist Robert Dicke in 1960, it was
popularised by John Wheeler.
 What was the work done by Reinhard Genzel and
Andrea Ghez?
 Two independent groups of observational astrophysicists
let by Prof Genzel and Prof Ghez respectively have been
monitoring the centre of the Milky Way for nearly three
decades. They were studying the compact radio source
Sagittarius A* near the galaxy‘s centre which we now
know to be a Supermassive Black hole. Saggittarius A*
is 25,000 light years away.
 The working hypothesis was this: The stars around the
galactic centre appeared to be moving in orbits around
some source.

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 If this source was pointlike, they will move in Keplerian

orbits – that is orbits similar to what planets like earth
mars etc have around their stars. If the mass at the centre
was spread out among many objects, the stars orbiting
them will not have perfect keplerian orbits.
 Just imagine their challenging experiment from this great
distance of 25,000 light years. They have to identify and
track individual stars and not be distracted by interstellar
dust.
 Yet they managed to keep tracking the stars using near
infrared light telescopes and successfully proved that the
mass was indeed concentrated at a centre - Sagittarius
A*.
 They spotted stars which the teams named S2 and So2
which orbited Sagittarius A* in 16 years, taking elliptical
orbit.
 The interpretation of this was that Sagittarius A* is
indeed a supermassive black hole.
 The imaging of the black hole silhouette by the Event
Horizon Telescope further establishes the existence of
supermassive black holes, thereby validating the prize
this year.
Source: The Hindu

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27. US court orders Iran to pay $1.4 bn

damages to missing intelligence agent
Robert Levinson's family

 A court in the United States has ordered Iran‘s

government to pay more than $1.4bn in punitive and
compensatory damages to the family of a former FBI
agent who disappeared during a visit to an Iranian island
in March 2007.
 In an order issued late last week, US District Judge
Timothy Kelly said he adopted a special expert‘s
recommendation that Robert Levinson‘s family be
awarded $107m in compensatory damages. The judge
awarded punitive damages of $1.3bn.
 The court cited the case of Otto Warmbier, an American
college student who died in 2017 shortly after being
freed from captivity in North Korea, in deciding to award
the significant amount of punitive damages to Levinson‘s
family.
 “Iran‘s conduct here is also unique, given that –

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astonishingly – it plucked a former FBI and DEA special

agent from the face of the earth without warning, tortured
him, held him captive for as long as 13 years, and to this
day refuses to admit its responsibility.
 His wife and children, and their spouses and children –
while keeping Levinson‘s memory alive – have had to
proceed with their lives without knowing his exact fate.
 In a statement, Levinson‘s family welcomed the ruling.
 A spokesman for Iran‘s mission to the United Nations
did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
 Tensions remain high between the US and Iran amid
President Donald Trump‘s maximalist pressure campaign
over Tehran‘s nuclear programme.
 Though the US and Iran have not had diplomatic
relations since the aftermath of the 1979 US embassy
hostage crisis in Tehran, the US stills holds billions of
dollars in frozen Iranian assets that could be used to pay
Levinson‘s family.
 Earlier this year, Levinson‘s family said they believed
he died in Iranian custody, based on information from
US officials.
 Iran denied that and said the former FBI agent had left
the country ―years ago‖.
 Levinson disappeared after flying from Dubai to Iran-
controlled Kish Island in the Gulf in March 2007.
 Months after he disappeared, US government sources
acknowledged that before his trip, Levinson had
maintained an unorthodox contractual relationship with
the analytical branch of the Central Intelligence Agency.

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 A handful of CIA officials were forced out of the agency

and several more were disciplined after an internal
investigation.
Source: Aljazeera

28. India-US to sign BECA for geo-spatial

cooperation

 India and the United States will sign the Basic Exchange
and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial
cooperation during the India-US plus two dialogue which
is expected to take place on October 26-27.
 BECA is important for India to acquire armed drones

such as the MQ-9B from the US. The UAV uses spatial
data for precise strikes on enemy targets. BECA is
significant as it would allow India to use global geo-

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spatial maps of the US for accuracy of cruise and

ballistic missiles.
 The two nations have already activated all three
foundational agreements with both using each others
facilities for replenishment and refuelling.
 The US ministers during the meeting will meet with
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security
Advisor, Ajit Doval. The agreement would also allow
both India and US to share military information about
threats on land and Indo-Pacific.
 During the meet, the Afghanistan issue too will be
discussed. Further the meeting would also take up the
Pakistan issue. India would address concerns about terror
groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-
Tayiba which continue to undertake acts of terror in
Jammu and Kashmir.
Source: Outlook

29. Cybersecurity pioneer John McAfee

arrested for US tax evasion
 Elusive cybersecurity pioneer John McAfee was arrested
in Spain for tax evasion in the U.S., the Justice
Department in Washington.
 McAfee is accused of failing to file US tax returns from
2014 to 2018 and hiding assets including real estate, a
vehicle and a yacht in the name of others.

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 Prosecutors claim McAfee earned millions of dollars

through the promotion of cryptocurrencies, speaking
engagements, consulting jobs and the sale of the rights to
his life story for a documentary, but never filed tax
returns.
 Instead, his income was paid into accounts held in the
names of others, prosecutors claim. He faces as long as
five years in prison if convicted of tax evasion and a year
if found guilty of failing to file taxes.
 It‘s the latest legal complication for the eccentric
software mogul, who was a person of interest in a murder
in Belize, though not charged with a crime.
 Last year he was detained in the Dominican Republic for
entering the country with a cache of firearms and

ammunition.
 He was also briefly a candidate for president in this
year‘s U.S. election, ending his run from abroad in
March.

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 The criminal charges were announced just hours after the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued McAfee
for promoting the sale of cryptocurrencies without
disclosing that he was being paid to do so.
 The commission claims McAfee recommended at least
seven initial coin offerings to his Twitter followers from
at least November 2017 to February 2018 without
revealing that he earned more than $23 million to boost
them. He‘s also accused of denying that he was being
paid when asked by investors.
 The SEC is seeking to force McAfee to disgorge all his
ill-gotten gains, and to prohibit him from taking part in
the issuance, purchase or sale of any digital asset
securities and unspecified monetary penalties.
 The commission also accused McAfee of claiming to be
an investor or technical advisor, ―creating the impression
that he had vetted these companies, that they were
benefiting from his technical expertise, and that he was
willing to invest in the ventures.‖
 When a blogger exposed that he was being paid, McAfee
was still holding ―virtually worthless‖ securities from the
offerings he promoted and encouraged investors to buy
them — without revealing that they were his own
securities and he had paid a third party to recommend
them, according to the complaint.
 McAfee also engaged in a practice called scalping, in
which he accumulated large amounts of digital securities
and promoted them on Twitter without disclosing his
intention to sell, the SEC said.

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 McAfee founded his epynonymous software firm in

1987. Intel Corp., seeking to build security features
directly into its chips, bought the company for $7.7
billion in 2010, with TPG and Thoma Bravo taking
stakes later.
 In 2016, Intel announced that it had signed a deal to
transfer a 51% stake in the business to TPG for $1.1
billion. The company filed to go public last month.

Source: Bloomberg

30. Pakistan ex-president charged for

corruption, ex-pm with sedition
 A Pakistani court has formally charged former President
Asif Ali Zardari in two corruption cases, while a
provincial government has admitted a case of sedition
against three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
and 40 others, including the premier of Pakistan-
administered Kashmir.
 The cases against these high-profile names come as
Zardari‘s Pakistan People‘s Party (PPP) and Sharif‘s
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party prepare
for a large anti-government rally targeting Prime
Minister Imran Khan.
 Sharif‘s PML-N is a leading member of the Pakistan
Democratic Movement (PDM), launched last month as
an alliance of opposition parties aimed at bringing down
Khan‘s government, which remains largely popular.

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 The corruption cases against Zardari escalate the legal

challenges facing the leading opposition member of
parliament who served as president of Pakistan from
2008 to 2013, after Pakistan‘s former military ruler
Pervez Musharraf was forced to resign.
 He is the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served twice
as prime minister before she was assassinated in 2007 in
an attack that saw her shot at by a gunman who also
detonated an explosive vest he was wearing.
 Zardari was released on bail on medical grounds last

December, six months after his arrest for corruption.

 During Monday‘s court appearance in the capital,
Islamabad, Zardari pleaded not guilty to money
laundering and other corruption charges. He later told
reporters he was not surprised by the indictment and that
he had been facing such charges for as long as he was in
the opposition.

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 He is accused of having dozens of bogus bank accounts,

a charge he denies, saying he has been politically
victimised by Khan‘s government.
 Since coming to power, Khan has vowed to make good
on his election campaign promise to eliminate
corruption. His government says the corruption cases
against Zardari began during Sharif‘s tenure.
Sedition case against Sharif:

 Meanwhile, Sharif‘s PML-N on Monday said police in

Punjab province had initiated a treason case against him
and other party leaders, including former Prime Minister
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and prime minister of Pakistan-
administered Kashmir, Raja Farooq Haider
 The sedition case against Sharif, filed by a private citizen
in Lahore, is based on speeches made by him and his
allies in which they attacked the country‘s powerful
military for alleged political interference.
 Last week, Sharif – speaking from his exile in London –
accused Pakistan‘s powerful military of rigging the 2018
election that brought Khan to power. Khan dismissed the
allegations as baseless, accusing Sharif of ―playing
India‘s game‖ and criticising the military to benefit the
country‘s enemies.
 Pakistan‘s military has directly ruled the country for
roughly half of its 73-year history since independence.
Since 2018, when Khan was elected in a controversial
election, the army has taken an increasingly active role in
governance in partnership with the civilian government.
 Under Pakistani laws, anyone charged for treason can be
sentenced to death if found guilty.

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 Article 19 of the Pakistani constitution, which deals with

freedom of expression.
 He was released on bail last year for four weeks to seek
medical treatment abroad and has been in London since
November.
 Last month, a court issued arrest warrants for Sharif, who
was previously sentenced to seven years in prison on
corruption and money laundering charges stemming from
disclosures in the Panama Papers.
Source:Aljazeera

31. Foreign powers step up push for

Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire

 NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for an

immediate ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as
fighting continues between the two countries over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 Commitments of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), a military alliance of six former
Soviet states, do not apply to the Upper Karabakh region,
Russia‘s presidential spokesman said.
 Azerbaijani authorities have accused Armenia of
launching missiles to target the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline that carries Azerbaijani crude to Turkey and on
to global markets.

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 They said the missile attack was repelled by the

Azerbaijani military.
 Shushan Stepanian, the spokeswoman for the Armenian
Defence Ministry, denied that the Armenian forces were
targeting oil and gas facilities.
 France accused Turkey of ―military involvement‖ on the

side of Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over the

breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 Greece‘s Foreign Ministry says it is recalling its
ambassador to Azerbaijan following what it says are
―completely unfounded and insulting allegations‖ by the
Azerbaijani government that it is tolerating the
preparation of terrorist acts.
 Using the Armenian name for the area – Artsakh – Nikol
Pashinyan said it was ―Armenia, land of Armenians‖. He
said the region was facing assault from the combined

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forces of Azerbaijan, Turkey and what he called

―terrorists‖ from Syria.
 Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad accused Turkey's
President Tayyip Erdogan of being the main instigator in
the deadliest fighting between Armenian and Azeri
forces for more than 25 years.

Source: Times of India

32.New H-1B rules: A month before elections,

Trump admin does a surgical strike – wage
parameters hiked and visa norms tightened
 Trump administration issued two interim final rules
(IFRs) relating to the H-1B visa program (skilled
worker visa), which significantly raise wage
parameters and tighten eligibility norms by narrowing
certain definitions ranging from ‗speciality
occupation‘ to ‗employer-employee relationship‘.
 New definitions such as third-party worksite have
been incorporated.
 The fraud detection force has also got more teeth to
conduct site visits and monitor compliance before,
during, and after an H1-B petition (application) is
approved.
 The biggest blow to the IT Services sectors is that the
new rules limit the H-1B visa tenure, where the

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employees are to be placed at third-party client sites to

a maximum of one-year, from the current maximum
tenure of three-years.
 These rules will result in more request for evidence
(requiring additional proof to be submitted by the
sponsoring employer) during the process of vetting of
visa applications, which in turn will lead to delayed
and costlier processing of H-1B visas and make it
hiring of H-1B workers more challenging.

 While the largest sponsoring employers of H-1B

beneficiaries include US companies, Indians, those in

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the technology sector, who form a significant chunk of

H-1B visa allottees will be disproportionally impacted,
by the new rules. It will dampen the American-dream
for many aspirants.

 In terms of numbers, according to the US Citizenship

and Immigration Services (USCIS), the immigration
agency of the US government, there are 5.83 lakh H-
1B workers in the US.
 While country-wise details are not available, there
were more than 3.50 lakh Indians stuck in the green-
card backlog in the employment category, as of
November 2019.
 During the fiscal ended September 30, 2019, 2.78 lakh
which translates to 72% of the total H-1B visas issued
(both new and extensions) were given to Indian
beneficiaries.
 The entire process of issue of the IFRs was put on a
fast track mode, while the avowed object is protection

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of American jobs in the backdrop of the pandemic, the

timing, makes it seem a tactic to pander to President
Trump‘s vote base. Law suits will inevitably follow,
say immigration attorneys.
 The interim final rule, issued by the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), also codifies a requirement
that the H-1B sponsoring employer submit evidence,
such as contracts, work orders or similar evidence to
establish that an employer-employee relationship
exists and that the H-1B beneficiary (individual who is
sponsored for the visa) will perform services in a
speciality occupation at third-party worksites.
 It may be recalled that the US Federal Court had
quashed a policy memo dealing with such a
requirement. Post which US Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) had entered into a
settlement with the plaintiff – IT Serve Alliance. This
order is now overturned.
 The DHS regulation will be published on October 8
and will take effect 60 days later – by December 6.
 On the other hand, the regulation on hiking the wage
requirement issued by the Department of Labour
(DOL) comes in to effect from October 8, itself.
 A press note issued by the DHS states that while the
H-1B program was intended to allow employers to fill
gaps in their workforce and remain competitive in the
global economy, it has now expanded far beyond that,
often to the detriment of U.S. workers.
 Data shows that the more than a half million H-1B
non-immigrants in the US have been used to displace
American workers.

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 This has led to reduced wages in a number of

industries in the US labour market and the stagnation
of wages in certain occupations, it adds.
 However, in a strongly worded statement, Linda
Moore, President and CEO at TechNet (an alliance of
tech CEOs) stated it will hurt American companies
that depend on H-1B workers.
 In its statement, NASSCOM pointed out that the
changes announced to the H-1B visa program will
restrict access to talent and will harm the American
economy, endanger U. jobs, put US interests at risk,
slowing down R&D into solutions to the COVID
crisis.

Source: Times of India

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33. Head of Afghan Peace Council

Abdullah Abdullah Arrives in India on 5-
day Visit
 Head of Afghanistan's peace council Abdullah Abdullah
arrived India on 6th October on a five-day visit.
 The visit of the influential Afghan leader to India comes
in the midst of peace talks between the Afghan
government and the Taliban in Doha.
 0Afghan officials said the visit is part of the efforts to
build a regional consensus and support for the Afghan
peace process.

 The Taliban and the Afghan government are holding

direct talks for the first time to end 19 years of war that
has killed tens of thousands of people and ravaged
various parts of the country.
 Before leaving for India, Abdullah said India's role in
establishing lasting peace in Afghanistan is vital. He also

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mentioned about India's continuous support to the

government and people of Afghanistan.
 Last month, another influential Afghan leader Marshal
Abdul Rashid Dostum had visited India.
 India has been a major stakeholder in peace and stability
of Afghanistan. It has already invested USD two billion
in aid and reconstruction activities in the country.

 India has been supporting a national peace and

reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-
owned and Afghan-controlled.
 On September 12, an Indian delegation attended the
inaugural ceremony of the intra-Afghan negotiations in
Doha while Jaishankar joined it through video
conference.
 In his first high-level political engagement in
Delhi, Chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for
National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah met India's
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on 7th October
evening at the Hyderabad House.

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 Dr Abdullah is the chief Afghan govt negotiator for the

intra-Afghan talks.
 During the meeting, Abdullah briefed about the ongoing
intra-Afghan talks between Afghan govt and the Taliban
in Doha, with India reiterating support for an "Afghan-
led, Afghan-owned, Afghan-controlled" peace process.
 Calling the talks "constructive", the senior Afghan
politician tweeted, "We discussed the Afghan Peace
Process & the talks in Doha. He assured me of India‘s
full support for the peace efforts, & that any peace
settlement acceptable to Afghans, will have the support
of India."
 In his first high-level political engagement in Delhi,
Chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National
Reconciliation (HCNR) Dr Abdullah Abdullah met
India's National Security Advisor.
 Present during the meeting, the other Afghan dignitaries
were -- Tahir Qadiry, charges d'affaires at the Afghan
embassy in Delhi, Mohammad Akram Khpalwak Deputy

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Chairman of HCNR, Nasrullah Arsalai Senior Adviser &

SR of the Chairman for Provincial Affairs, Farida
Momand, Member of the Leadership Board of HCNR,
Zeya Gul Rezaee Member of the Leadership Board of
HCNR, Roz Mohammad Noor Senior Advisor to
Chairman HCNR, Amir Mohammad Akhundzada Senior
Advisor to Chairman, HCNR, Ahmad Zahir Anwari
Special Assistant to Chairman of the HCNR.
 This is the first visit of Abdullah to India after the
formation of a new government in Afghanistan.

Source: DNA India

34.India, Japan finalise pact for cooperation in

5G tech, AI and critical information infra
 India and Japan have finalised an ambitious
agreement that provides for cooperation in 5G
technology, artificial intelligence and an array of other
critical areas as the two strategic partners vowed to
further broad base their ties including in the Indo-Pacific
region.
 After a meeting between external affairs minister S
Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu
Motegi in Tokyo, it was announced that Japan agreed
to be the lead partner in the connectivity pillar of the
Indo-Pacific Oceans' Initiative (IPOI).
 The IPOI is an India-backed framework aimed at
making meaningful efforts to create a safe and secure

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maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific, a region where

China has been expanding its military assertiveness
triggering global concerns.
 The agreement promotes cooperation in capacity
building, research and development, security and
resilience in the areas of Critical Information
Infrastructure, 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial

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Intelligence (AI), among others.

 The cooperation between India and Japan on 5G
technology comes in the backdrop of growing
reluctance by a significant number of countries
globally to allow Chinese telecommunications giant
Huawei to roll out 5G services in their territories.
 The US has already banned Huawei over concerns of
security, and Washington has been pressuring other
countries to restrict the operations of the Chinese
telecom major.
 The 5G is the next-generation cellular technology with
download speeds stated to be 10 to 100 times faster
than the current 4G LTE networks.
 In their talks, Jaishankar and Motegi deliberated on a
broad range of areas including maritime security, trade
and investment, manufacturing, connectivity and
infrastructure and reform of the United Nations, the
MEA said.

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 Emphasis on a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific

region must be premised on diversified and resilient
supply chains; and in this context, welcomed the
Supply Chain Resilience Initiative between India,
Japan, Australia and other like-minded countries.
 It said the two ministers also concurred that the Indo-
Pacific has acquired greater salience in recent times
and underscored the need for India and Japan to work
together for the benefit of the region.
 At the East Asia Summit in Bangkok last year, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi proposed setting up of the
Indo-Pacific Ocean's initiative to conserve and
sustainably use the maritime domain and to make
meaningful efforts to create a safe and secure maritime
domain.
 In the talks, the two ministers exchanged views on
regional and global issues of mutual interest and
agreed that the strong and enduring partnership
between the two countries will play a pivotal role in
overcoming challenges posed by the Covid-19.
 The Japanese foreign ministry, in a statement, referred
to the signing of exchanges of notes in late August for
Japan's Covid-19 measures for India, namely a 50
billion yen emergency assistance loan and a 1 billion
yen grant aid for the provision of medical equipment.
 It said Motegi expressed his hope that the assistance
will contribute to developing the health and medical
systems of India, including the Covid-19 response.
 The Japanese foreign ministry said Jaishankar and
Motegi exchanged views on cooperation for realising a

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"free and open Indo-Pacific" and affirmed their

intention to continue boosting the bilateral
cooperation, including the IPOI promoted by India.
Source: Times of India

35. Mass surveillance permitted only for

national security concerns, EU court says

 The European Court of Justice said that such practices

carried out by security agencies should be ‗limited to
what is strictly necessary‘ and must also be subject to a
review by a court of an independent administrative
authority.
 Under general conditions, however, the practice of EU
countries obliging services providers to snoop on
communications data contravenes the 2002 ePrivacy
directive and represents a ‗serious interference‘ with
protections outlined in the EU charter.

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 In this respect, in the absence of a valid national security

threat, the mass and indiscriminate surveillance of
communications networks is subject to EU law but does
not qualify for the national security exemption as
outlined in Article 15(1) of the ePrivacy directive, the
court found.
 The judgment came after several privacy groups had
raised the case in the UK, Belgium, and France, arguing
that data retention and processing regimes in those
countries violated European rights.

 The claimants in the case, UK-based charity Privacy

International, had originally taken umbrage at the
harvesting of bulk personal datasets and bulk
communications data by the UK security and intelligence
agencies

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 Privacy International applauded the ECJ‘s decision in

reaffirming the obligation of police agencies to conduct
surveillance programs only under specific national
security conditions.
 The European Court of Justice also warned on Tuesday
that any such data, collected as part of criminal
proceedings that had been harvested in ways that violate
EU law, would not be admissible in trials.
 However, Tuesday‘s ruling also made clear that member
states themselves are responsible for determining what
activity constitutes a national security threat. Moreover,
surveillance tools can continue to be applied beyond a
certain time limit, should the threat be judged to persist.
UK-EU data transfer worries:
 The court‘s reading comes at a testing time for EU-UK
data transfers, as the European Commission continues to
assess the adequacy of the UK‘s data protection
landscape in line with EU standards.

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 The conclusion that the UK‘s surveillance powers as

outlined in the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act should
have been subject to EU law for as long as the UK was a
member state of the EU, and, as a result, are not

compatible with EU law currently, will raise more

questions about the extent by which the UK‘s snooping
powers diverge from EU data protection law.
 Should those conducting the assessment within the
Commission deem the divergence too harsh, there is a
very real possibility that the UK may not be granted an
adequacy agreement that would allow for the unimpeded
transmission of data between the UK and the EU after
the transition period expires on 31 December.
 While the UK applies EU data protection rules during the
transition period, certain aspects of its system may
change in the future, such as rules on international
transfers.

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Source: Euractiv.com

35. US government to open Foreign

Commercial Service Office in Bangladesh

 The United States government has decided to open a

Foreign Commercial office in Dhaka in order to boost its
economic ties with Bangladesh.
 The announcement regarding the establishment of the
Foreign Commercial Office was made after a high-level
virtual meeting between Keith Krach, U.S. Under
Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the
Environment and Salman F. Rahman, Adviser for Private
Industry and Investment to the PM of Bangladesh.

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 The high-level meeting of the US with Bangladesh is

also considered to be an important step by the US as it
can be seen as a challenge to China‘s presence in the
region.

 Developing economic relations between the US and

Bangladesh:
 As per the press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the Government of Bangladesh, the high-level
economic partnership consultation noted the shared
vision of an inclusive, free, peaceful, and secure Indo-
Pacific region.
 The United States has also agreed to ask American
companies to invest in the key sectors such as IT, energy,
agriculture, and pharmaceutics.
 Both nations agreed to implement the reforms to improve
the investment climate for US-sourced FDI in
Bangladesh.
 While recognizing the importance of an innovative
digital ecosystem and secure internet to facilitate the

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cross-border flow of information and data, both the

nations also agreed to have a senior-level conversation to
move towards expanding 4G connectivity and
developing 5 G networks and services.

 Cooperation in the field of energy:

 The meeting between the US and Bangladesh also
discussed the issues relating to cooperation in the field of
energy. They both agreed to establish an energy sector
dialogue to facilitate commercial engagement with US
energy companies.
 It must be noted that the US Department of Commerce
has created a U.S.- Bangladesh Energy Industry Working
Group to connect US companies to regional market
opportunities.

 Connectivity between the US and Bangladesh:

 On connectivity, both the nations appreciated the signing
of the US-Bangladesh open skies air transport agreement
paving the way for the direct flights between the two
countries.
 The United States government also appreciated
Bangladesh for the financing agreement to purchase 70
locomotives for Bangladesh Railways to enhance
regional connectivity.

Source: Jagranjosh

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36. Kuwait‘s National Guard minister

picked as next crown prince

 Kuwait‘s deputy chief of the National Guard, who spent

years in the oil-rich country‘s security services, was
nominated as crown prince.
 The nomination makes Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmed Al
Jaber Al Sabah the possible heir apparent to the new
emir, 83-year-old Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah,
who was propelled to power a week ago, following the
death of his half-brother.
 Before Sheikh Meshal can be officially named crown
prince, lawmakers must approve the choice during their
final session ahead of the formation of a new
government, a rare vote for the region‘s Arab monarchies
in which the question of succession is typically decided
behind palace doors.
 Following the session, Kuwait‘s parliament will dissolve
itself ahead of elections tentatively set for late
November.
 At age 80, Sheikh Meshal, half-brother of the late Sheikh
Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah and the fourth sibling to
ascend from the same branch of the royal family, is
widely seen as a conventional and safe choice.

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 Given his career in the interior ministry, very little is

known about his policy preferences. Unlike other top
contenders for the post, he has steered clear of the
country‘s tumultuous politics and the royal family‘s
public feuds over corruption allegations.

 His selection delays any generational change in Kuwait,

reinforcing the contrast with Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates, now in effect led by powerful young
princes.
 Under the late Sheikh Sabah, who commanded great
respect as a seasoned diplomat in a region divided along
political and sectarian lines, Kuwait managed to pursue
independent foreign policies despite the pressures of
more belligerent regional heavyweights.
 A worsening coronavirus outbreak and plunging oil
prices have sharpened attention on Kuwait‘s domestic
grievances.
 Gridlock in parliament has blocked the passage of a
public debt law needed to raise $65 billion and mitigate

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the country‘s looming liquidity crisis, and calls are

growing for political reform.

Source: Indian Express

37. Russia says it successfully tested,

Tsirkon, a new hypersonic anti-ship cruise
missile
 Russia on Wednesday said it had successfully tested a
new hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile in a move hailed
by President Vladimir Putin as a "great event" for the
country.
 The military said that the Tsirkon missile was fired from
the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in the White Sea in the
Russian Arctic and successfully hit its target.
 Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military's
General Staff, told Putin -who turned 68 that it was the
first time the missile had successfully struck a target at
sea.
 "The tasks of the launch were carried out. The test-fire
was successful," he told Putin.
 Gerasimov said that the missile hit its target 450
kilometres away in the Barents Sea and hit a Mach 8
speed - eight times the speed of sound.
 Russia has in the last years touted the development of
futuristic new weapons which it hopes will give it the

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edge in any arms race with the United States at a time of

growing tensions with the West.
 Putin said that the test-firing of Tsirkon was a "great
event not just in the life of our armed forces but for all of
Russia".

 He said that such weapons, which Putin claimed have no

equivalent worldwide, "will without doubt in the long
term boost the defence capabilities of our state".
 The defence ministry said that the plan was to equip both
warships and submarines with the Tsirkon.
 Putin had revealed the development of the new weapon
in a state of the nation address in February 2019, saying
it could hit targets at sea and on land with a range of
1,000 kilometres and a speed of Mach 9.
 Russia boasts of developing a number of "invincible"
weapons that surpass existing systems and include
Sarmat intercontinental missiles and Burevestnik cruise
missiles.

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 The first Avangard hypersonic missiles were put into

service in December last year.
 The programme is not without risks and seven people
were killed in an explosion at a missile test site in August
2019. Western experts linked the blast to work on the
Burevestnik.
Source: Economic times

38. Indonesia: Thousands protest against

'omnibus law' on jobs

 Rallies took place around the country. Hundreds were

arrested in Jakarta. Hundreds more have been held in
strikes and protests in other cities this week.
 The so-called "omnibus" jobs creation bill became law.

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 The government says the changes are needed to help its

economy which has been hit hard by the Covid-19
pandemic.
 Demonstrations have gathered steam in the capital
Jakarta and other cities such as Bandung on Wednesday
and Thursday, after relatively peaceful protests earlier in
the week.
 Indonesian police detained at least 400 protesters,
including some who were allegedly armed with molotov
cocktails and sharp weapons.
 The bill, which is over 1,000 pages long and amends 79
existing laws, was passed with the support of seven out
of nine parties.
 Why enact the law?
 The bill is aimed at relaxing Indonesia's complex web of
business, labour and environmental laws in an attempt to
attract investment and stimulate the economy.
 In an interview in January, President Joko Widodo told
that the law is about removing red tape and opening the
economy to more foreign investment.
 "We want to simplify the licensing and bureaucracy
[process], we want speed, so a harmonisation of law is
needed to create speedy services, speedy policymaking,
so that Indonesia would be faster to respond to every
world change," he said.
 Indonesia's economy, which is the largest in South East
Asia, shrank by 5.3% in the second quarter of this year.
 What does the law do?
 In addition to removing red tape, the bill makes
significant changes to Indonesia's labour regulations.

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 It abolishes the sectoral minimum wage, in favour of

minimums set by regional governors.
 It will reduce severance pay to a maximum of 19 months
salary, depending on how long the employee has had the
job. Previously the maximum was 32 months pay.
 However, a new government fund will provide an
additional six months pay to the newly unemployed.
 Allowable overtime will be increased to a maximum of
four hours in one day and 18 hours a week. Businesses
will only be required to give workers one day off a week
instead of two.
 Restrictions on outsourcing have also been reduced, as
have restrictions on the jobs in which expatriates can
work.
 The law also relaxes environmental standards, only
forcing businesses to file an environmental impact
analysis if their projects are considered high risk.
 The so-called "omnibus law" is expected to create nearly
three million jobs for young people who start looking for
work and six million people who are unemployed
because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 While Indonesia's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of
Doing Business index has significantly improved in the
past five years, it remained stagnant at 73rd in 2019.
 It lags behind Vietnam and it is still far away from
meeting the government's target for Indonesia to be
ranked 40th.
 Mr Widodo has blamed it on complicated and lengthy
business permit issuance in Indonesia, which he said

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could take up to 13 days while in China it only took

around nine days.
 Keen on luring companies that want to move
manufacturing out of China, the government and
lawmakers appeared to speed up the law deliberation
process to tackle those investment problems.
 The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has
welcomed the law.
 Top economic minister Airlangga Hartarto sought to
calm protesters and said many of their concerns were
based on misinformation.
 ―I can assure you wages will not be cut,‖ he told a news
conference online.
 Who opposes the bill?
 A coalition of 15 activist groups, including trade unions,
condemned the bill and called on workers to join a
planned national strike.
 The protesters have demanded the government revoke
the bill and international unions and human rights groups
have condemned it.
 The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
said the bill would cut wages, remove sick leave
provisions and other protections, and undermine job
security.
 ―It is staggering that while Indonesia is, like other
countries, facing the devastation of the Covid-19
pandemic the government would seek to further
destabilise people‘s lives and ruin their livelihoods so
that foreign companies can extract wealth from the

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country,‖ said ITUC‘s General Secretary Sharan Burrow,

in a statement.
 In addition to unions, Indonesia‘s largest Islamic
organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has also voiced
opposition. NU‘s leader KH Said Aqil Siroj said it would
benefit only capitalists, investors and conglomerates and
would ―trample‖ on ordinary people.
 Separately, 35 investment firms who manage a total of
$4.1tn in assets wrote to the Indonesian government
raising environmental concerns over the bill.
 In a letter , the firms said the bill could have serious
repercussions that could ―impact the attractiveness of
Indonesian markets‖. Instead of rolling back
environmental regulations, they urged the Indonesian
government to do more to protect the country's forest and
peatlands and "adopt a 'green' recovery plan to address
the economic devastation caused by the pandemic".
 Environmentalists say the wide ranging bill eliminates
environmental protections for many new projects and
weakens laws aimed at stopping companies from using
fire to clear forests to make way for plantations.
 Phelim Kine, from the campaign group Mighty Earth,
said the Indonesian government had made a "tragic
miscalculation" and warned that the bill would
"effectively legitimise uncontrolled deforestation".

Source: BBC

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39. Scissoring the DNA: On Chemistry

Nobel
 That scientists who pioneered the revolutionary CRISPR-
Cas9 gene-editing technology, the biggest game-changer

in biology in recent years, will win the Nobel Prize was

never in doubt; it was only a question of when and who
would get recognised for the work done to develop the
tool.
 The Prize awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and
Jennifer A. Doudna, just eight years after they developed
the tool, has finally ended the speculation of who would
win it. But most importantly, this year‘s Prize for
chemistry has created history by honouring an all-woman
team.
 It all started when Dr. Charpentier discovered an RNA
molecule that is part of bacteria‘s ancient immune system

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— CRISPR-Cas — wherein clustered repeated sequences

produced by bacteria can remember and destroy viruses
by cleaving their DNA.
 Teaming with Dr. Doudna, she recreated the bacteria‘s
genetic scissors in a test tube and simplified the tool to
make it easier to programme the system to precisely cut
specific sites of interest in any DNA, including humans.
 While the tool is most often used to make a cut in the
DNA, newer approaches are being attempted to add or
make minor changes to the DNA.
 All these approaches may at some time in the future
make it easy to ―rewrite the code of life‖.
 The gene-editing technology has opened up a vast
window of opportunity. In the last six years, the tool has
enabled scientists to edit human DNA in a dish and
early-stage clinical trials are being attempted to use the
tool to treat a few diseases, including inherited
disorders/diseases and some types of cancer.
 Though in 2016 China began the first human clinical trial
to treat an aggressive form of lung cancer by introducing
cells that contain genes edited using CRISPR-Cas9, the
use of the tool has so far been limited to curing genetic
diseases in animal models.
 Last year, a Chinese researcher used the tool to modify a
particular gene in the embryo to make babies immune to
HIV infection, which led to international furore.
 Though no guidelines have been drawn up so far, there is
a general consensus in the scientific and ethics
communities that the gene-editing technique should not
be used clinically on embryos.

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 Unlike in the case of humans, the tool is being

extensively used in agriculture. It is being tried out in
agriculture primarily to increase plant yield, quality,
disease resistance, herbicide resistance and domestication
of wild species.
 The huge potential to edit genes using this tool has been
used to create a large number of crop varieties with
improved agronomic performance; it has also brought in
sweeping changes to breeding technologies.
 The gene-editing tool has indeed taken ―life sciences into
a new epoch‖.
Source: The Hindu

40. American poet Louise Gluck wins the

2020 Nobel Prize in Literature

 American poet Louise Gluck won the 2020 Nobel

Literature Prize on October 8, an unexpected choice
known for themes of childhood and family life that draw
inspiration from myths and classical motifs.
 Prof. Gluck, 77, was honoured "for her unmistakable
poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual
existence universal," the Academy said.

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 Prof. Gluck won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her

collection "The Wild Iris" and the National Book Award

for her latest collection, "Faithful and Virtuous Night", in
2014.
 The Academy's permanent secretary Mats Malm said he
had spoken to Prof. Gluck just before making the public
announcement.
 Prof. Gluck was not seen as a favourite for the Nobel in
the run-up to Thursday's announcement — though
betting sites' odds on her reportedly plunged just before
Thursday's announcement.
 The chair of the Academy's Nobel committee, Anders
Olsson, lamented that she was not more well-known, "at
least outside the U.S.' borders", and had not been
translated into many other languages.
 She is the fourth woman to win the Nobel Literature
Prize in the past decade — after Olga Tokarczuk,
Svetlana Alexievich and Alice Munro — and only the
16th since the Nobel prizes were first awarded in 1901.

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 A professor of English at Yale University, Louise Gluck

"seeks the universal, and in this she takes inspiration
from myths and classical motifs, present in most of her
works," the Academy said in its prize citation.
 "The voices of Dido, Persephone, and Eurydice — the
abandoned, the punished, the betrayed — are masks for a
self in transformation, as personal as it is universally
valid."
 Her collections "The Triumph of Achilles" (1985) and
"Ararat" (1990) address "almost brutally straightforward
images of painful family relations", the jury said, noting
that her use of a "deceptively natural tone is striking",
with "no trace of poetic ornament."
 Prof. Gluck is also a poet of radical change and rebirth,
describing in her poem "Snowdrops" the miraculous
return of life after winter, her work often marked by
"humour and biting wit".
 The jury said her 2006 collection "Averno" was a
"masterly collection, a visionary interpretation of the
myth of Persephone's descent into Hell in the captivity of
Hades, the god of death."
 "She writes oneiric, narrative poetry recalling memories
and travels, only to hesitate and pause for new insights.
The world is disenthralled, only to become magically
present once again," the Academy concluded.
 Last year, the Swedish Academy gave the nod to
Austrian novelist Peter Handke which unleashed a flood
of criticism, as many wondered how it could award a
writer known for supporting Serbian leader Slobodan

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Milosevic in the Balkan wars and playing down his

army's atrocities.
 The Academy defended that choice as being made solely
on literary merit without political considerations.
 The Nobel Prize comes with a medal and a prize sum of
10 million Swedish kronor (about $1.1 million).
 Prof. Gluck would normally receive the Nobel from King
Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on
December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of
scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last
will and testament.
 But the in-person ceremony has been cancelled this year
due to the coronavirus pandemic and replaced with a
televised ceremony showing the laureates receiving their
awards in their home countries.
 So far this year, four women have won Nobel prizes,
closing in on 2009's record of five female laureates.
 The four this year are, in addition to Prof. Gluck,
Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Jennifer Doudna
of the U.S. who shared the chemistry prize on
Wednesday, and Andrea Ghez of the U.S. who shared the
physics prize with two male colleagues on Tuesday.
Source: The Hindu

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41. Indra Nooyi Listed As Member In

Prince William‘s Earth Prize Council

 The Earthshot Prize Council includes some of the most

influential individuals from the environmental,
philanthropic, business, sporting and entertainment
worlds.

 Indra Nooyi, an Indian-American business executive

and former Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo will join
Prince William as a member of the prestigious Earthshot
Prize Council.
 The Earthshot Prize Council has been introduced by
Britain's Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge. It is a
£50 million global environment prize to recognise the

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most inspiring solutions to the world‘s greatest

environmental challenges.
 The Earthshot Prize Council includes some of the most
influential individuals from the environmental,
philanthropic, business, sporting and entertainment
worlds.
 It also includes Sir David Attenborough, Hindou
Oumarou Ibrahim, Jack Ma and Shakira, among other
influential individuals.
 The Duke‘s initiative is inspired by President John F.
Kennedy‘s initiative 'Moonshot' which united millions
of people around an organising goal to put man on the
moon and catalysed the development of new technology
in the 1960s.
 However, the £50 million prize is aimed at providing at
least 50 solutions to the world‘s greatest environmental
problems by 2030.
 Every year, from 2021 until 2030, The Earthshot Prize
Council will award The Earthshot Prize to five winners.

Source: Outlook
42. Taiwan releases new passport design to
distinguish it from China

 Taiwan has released a new design for the country's

passport highlighting the English word for ‗Taiwan‘
eyeing to draw a clearer distinction between Taiwan and
China.

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 The new cover repositions and significantly shrinks the

words Republic of China (ROC), the country's official
name, making them hard to see at first glance, while
enlarging and using a bold font for ‗Taiwan‘, according

to Taiwan‘s Central News Agency (CAN).

 The Chinese version of ROC remains at the top of the
cover, but the English version of the name originally
positioned below the Chinese now circles the national
emblem in the middle of the cover, reported CNA.
 Below the emblem, the word "Taiwan" has not only been
made noticeably larger but also been repositioned. The
current passport shows the word ‗Taiwan‘ the Chinese
word for ‗passport‘ under that, and the English word for
‗passport‘ under that, but the new version puts the

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Chinese word for ‗passport‘ at the top, with the next two
lines reading ‗Taiwan‘ and ‗passport‘.
 At a press conference announcing the new design
Wednesday, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said the
redesign was in response to a resolution passed by
lawmakers in July that asked the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA) to highlight Taiwan over China on the
passport cover.
 "The new cover keeps all the same elements we have on
the existing cover but we highlighted the English word
for 'Taiwan' and moved it close to the word 'passport' to
make it clear that the passport is a Taiwan passport," Wu
said.
 MOFA has notified the International Air Transport
Association, foreign governments, airports, airlines and
immigration authorities around the world about the
upcoming passport cover change and sent samples of the
new cover to them, Wu said.
 The passport with the new cover design is scheduled to
be issued on January 2021. People using existing
passports can continue to use them until they expire, Wu
said.
 In a resolution passed on July 22, lawmakers asked
MOFA to update the nation's passport to highlight
Taiwan over China and the Ministry of Transportation
and Communications (MOTC) to devise feasible ways to
rename state-run China Airlines Ltd. (CAL) to
differentiate it from its Chinese counterpart.

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 The word China in Taiwan's official name has resulted in

Taiwanese citizens being mistaken for nationals from
mainland China, lawmakers argued, according to CNA.

Source: Economic times

43. After Quad meet, China slams ‗closed

and exclusive cliques‘
 China on Friday said it was opposed to ―organising
closed and exclusive cliques‖, underlining its wary
response to this week‘s ministerial meeting of the Quad
grouping, or India, Australia, Japan and the United
States.
 At Tuesday‘s ministerial meet in Tokyo, U.S. Secretary
of State Mike Pompeo singled out China as a threat to
the region, although the three other foreign ministers,
including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, did not
directly mention China.

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 They did, however, express broad concerns about

maintaining a rules-based order, freedom of navigation
and the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region.

 ―As partners in this Quad, it is more critical now than

ever that we collaborate to protect our people and
partners from the Chinese Communist Party‘s
exploitation, corruption, and coercion,‖ Mr. Pompeo
said. ―We‘ve seen it in the South China Sea, in the East
China Sea, the Mekong, the Himalayas, the Taiwan
Straits. These are just a few examples.‖
 Speaking at a press briefing in Beijing, the first following
the week-long national holiday in China, Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in response to
a question on the Quad meet, ―This is now the 21st
century and we are living in an era of globalisation. The
interests of all the countries are so intertwined that
organising closed and exclusive cliques will not help to
build mutual trust and cooperation, especially when we
are faced with urgent tasks of fighting the pandemic and
reviving the world economy.‖

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 ―We hope countries will bear in mind the common

interest of all countries and focus on beating the virus
with collective efforts, while creating a peaceful
environment and cooperation opportunities for the
regional and global economic recovery,‖ she added.
 China‘s State media has been particularly critical of Mr.
Pompeo, and highlighted the fact that he was the only
one among the four ministers to directly mention China.
 ―Pompeo said it was critical now for the U.S.‘s regional
allies in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the
Communist Party of China‘s exploitation, coercion and
corruption in the South and East China seas, the Mekong,
the Himalayas, and the Taiwan Straits. Meanwhile, other
Quad members have been cautious,‖
 ―Such a result could be argued as predictable, as each of
the Quad members is calculating their own separate
interests,‖ Mr. Shen said. ―The U.S., which has signed
military alliance treaties with Japan and Australia, now
wants to rope India in to boost not only the alliance and
to gang up on China. However, such a goal is not easy to
realise. India is unlikely to take the U.S. side. It has been
buttering its bread on both sides of major power games
ever since the Cold War.‖
 Mr. Shen said ―the U.S. is hoping to formalise the Quad
into a NATO-like alliance‖ but the other members were
less enthusiastic.
 ―If the U.S. wants to count India in its ‗Asian NATO‘, it
would need to persuade India to give up its Russia-made
weapons and substantially invest to change the standards
of Indian firearms to the standards of the U.S.,‖ he said.

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―The U.S. has been barking aloud before and during the
Quad meeting. But will it bite with expected ‗unity‘ from
the Quad? The answer is no.‖

Source: The Hindu

44. Huawei's Meng Wanzhou denied

documents access in extradition fight
 A Canadian judge has refused Huawei executive Meng
Wanzhou's request to access a number of confidential
documents, dealing a fresh blow in her fight against
extradition to the United States.
 Meng, the Chinese telecom giant's chief financial officer,
was arrested on a US warrant in December 2018 during a
stopover in Vancouver.
 She is charged with bank fraud related to violations of
US sanctions against Iran, and has been fighting
extradition ever since.
 Late Thursday, the Canadian justice department
announced that British Columbia Supreme Court Justice
Holmes had "upheld a majority of Canada's privilege
claims" related to the documents request.

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 The judgement itself has not yet been released to the

public.
 Meng's lawyers had sought access to hundreds of
documents concerning mostly communications between
Canadian and US agencies prior to and after Meng's
arrest, arguing that they could contain proof of an alleged
conspiracy to collect evidence and interrogate her, in
violation of her rights.
 Specifically, they pointed to her detention and
questioning without a lawyer over the three hours after
she disembarked a flight from Hong Kong, but before
she was charged, as well as the seizure of her electronic
devices.
 If proven, the allegations could result in a stay of the
extradition proceedings.
 The Crown had released a slew of documents, but many
were heavily redacted. It denied any plot and claimed

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solicitor-client and litigation privilege in refusing to

handover more files.
 The case has added to severe strain in China-US ties and
created an unprecedented rift between Canada and China.
 Nine days after Meng's arrest, China detained former
Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman
Michael Spavor in what is widely viewed as retaliation
over Meng.
 Espionage charges were filed against the pair in June,
soon after Meng's first legal setback, when her bid to
have the case thrown out -- arguing that the US
accusations were not crimes in Canada -- was defeated.
 Meng currently remains under house arrest in Vancouver
while the extradition case, which is due to wrap up in
April 2021, is heard.
 She is expected to appear in court for the next leg of the
proceedings on October 26.
Source: EconomicTimes

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45. Pakistan bans social media app TikTok

for 'immoral and indecent content'

 Pakistan's Telecommunication Authority on Friday

blocked Chinese app TikTok after the company failed to
fully comply with instructions for ―development of an
effective mechanism for proactive moderation of

unlawful online content‖,.

 The PTA said the step was taken after the authority
received a number of complaints from different segments
of the society against immoral and indecent content on
the video-sharing application.
 The PTA in a statement said, ―Keeping in view the
complaints and nature of the content being consistently
posted on TikTok, PTA issued a final notice to the
application and gave considerable time to respond and

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comply with the Authority instructions for the

development of an effective mechanism for proactive
moderation of unlawful online content."
 It said that the application failed to fully comply with the
instructions, therefore, directions were issued for
blocking of TikTok application in the country.
Source: Indiatv

46. Nobel Peace Prize 2020

 On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to
award the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 to the United Nation‘s
(UN) World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to
combat hunger and for its contribution to bettering
conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for
preventing the use of hunger being weaponised in war
and conflict.
 About the Nobel Peace Prize
 In his will, signed by Alfred Nobel on November 27,
1985, he mentioned that one part of his fortune that went
towards the Nobel Prizes would be dedicated to ―the
person who shall have done the most or the best work for
fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction
of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of
peace congresses‖.

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 The Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded since 1901

and was not awarded on 19 occasions including 1914-

1916, 1918, 1939-1943 among some other years.

 This is because the statutes of the Nobel Foundation
mention, ―If none of the works under consideration is
found to be of the importance indicated in the first
paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the
following year. If, even then, the prize cannot be
awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation‘s
restricted funds.‖ Therefore, fewer awards were given
during the two World Wars.
 Overall, the prize has been awarded to 135 laureates,
including 107 individuals and 28 organisations. The
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees has been awarded the prize twice.
 So far, the youngest laureate is Malala Yousafzai, who
was 17 years old when she won in 2014 and the oldest

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recipient was Joseph Rotblat who was given the award at

the age of 87 in 1995.
 So what is the UN WFP and why did it win the prize?
 The WFP, which was established in 1961 at the behest of
the US president Dwight Eisenhower, is the world‘s
largest humanitarian organisation (certified as the largest
by the Guinness World Records in 2002) committed
towards its global goal of ending hunger by the year
2030. Eisenhower proposed to the UN General Assembly
on September 1, 1960, that a, ―workable scheme should

be devised for providing food aid through the UN

system.
 In 2015, eradication of world hunger became one of the
UN‘s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WFP
is the UN‘s primary instrument in achieving that goal.
Other UN agencies that work towards providing food
security include the World Bank, the Food and

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Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International

Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
 Other UN SDGs include ending poverty, gender equality,
clean water and sanitation, providing quality education
and affordable and clean energy among others.
 WFP was awarded the peace prize ―for its efforts to
combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering
conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for
acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of
hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.‖
 WFP runs entirely on public donations and was able to
raise over $8 billion last year. Its donors include
governments, corporations and individuals.
 How does WFP help people?
 WFP provides food assistance in two ways, either by
way of providing food or by meeting people‘s food-
needs by providing cash-based transfers. The cash-based
transfers were launched for the first time in 2005 in
response to the tsunami in Sri Lanka.
 In this Monday, Aug. 8, 2011 file photo, laborers unload
a consignment of food aid from the World Food Program
(WFP) in Mogadishu, Somalia. (AP)
 In 2019, WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million
people spread across 88 countries by supplying them
with over 4.2 million metric tonnes of food and $1.2
billion in cash and vouchers.
 In 1962, the WFP undertook its first emergency
operation after an earthquake in Iran killed over 12,000
people; in 1963, the organisation launched its first
development programme in Sudan.

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 In 1989, WFP staged the largest humanitarian airdrop in

history involving 20 cargo aircraft when it launched
―Operation Lifeline Sudan‖ to provide assistance to
millions of people affected by the civil war that played
out in the southern part of the country.
 More recently, the organisation has provided food aid to
over 4.5 million victims of the earthquake in Haiti in
2010, in 2011 to millions of people affected by the
Syrian conflict, in 2014 to people affected by the Ebola
outbreak and in 2015 to the Nepal earthquake survivors.
 How does WFP measure hunger?
 The organisation estimates hunger by the prevalence of
undernourishment. The UN defines undernourished or
food-deprived people as those individuals whose food
intake falls below the minimum level of dietary energy
requirements.
 These dietary energy requirements are set by sex and age
groups in consultation between the FAO, UN and WHO.
The energy requirement is the amount of energy from
food required to balance energy expenditure in order to
maintain body-weight, body composition and a level of
necessary and desirable physical activity that is
consistent with long-term good health, as per the UN.
 According to current estimates, about 8.9 per cent of the
world‘s population or about 690 million people are
hungry and as per WFP if the current trends continue, by
2030 there will be 840 million hungry people.
 Further, about 135 million suffer from acute hunger
mainly as a result of man-made conflicts, climate change

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and economic downturns. WFP estimates that the

COVID-19 pandemic could possibly double that figure.
 Does WFP work in India?
 Yes, WFP has been working in India since 1963 and has
transitioned from food distribution to providing technical
assistance as India became self-sufficient in cereal
production.
 One-fourth of the world‘s undernourished population is
in India and about 21 percent of the population live on
less than $1.90 a day.
 At the moment, WFP is working to improve the
government‘s targeted public distribution system (TPDS)
to ensure that food reaches those that need it the most. It
is also working with the government to improve the
nutritional value of the Midday Meal programme and is
using its own software called the Vulnerability and
Analysis Mapping to identify the most food insecure
groups in the country.
 Recently, WFP has partnered with the government of
Uttar Pradesh to set up over 200 supplementary nutrition
production units to support distribution under the
government‘s Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) scheme that provides nutrition services to
children below the age of six.
Source: Indian Express

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47. India and UK in final stages of signing

defence logistic pact, will extend reach

 India and the UK are in the final stages of signing a

defence logistics sharing pact, according to people aware

of the development, adding to a host of similar
agreements with other Indo-Pacific nations that can
expand the reach of Indian warships and aircraft in the
region.
 The logistics pact, which will enable reciprocal use of
bases and airfields for fuel, supplies and spares, has been
under discussion with the UK, besides an agreement on
joint training.
 India already has similar pacts with six nations that have
interest in the Indo-Pacific region.
 ―India‘s military logistics pacts have the potential to
substantially enhance the Indian Navy‘s operational
reach in the Indo-Pacific region. From Reunion to

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Djibouti and Salalah to Guam, India now has access to

the remote reaches of the Indo Pacific. A logistics
agreement with the UK will, for the first time, offer India
access to naval facilities in the distant Atlantic,‖ said
Abhijit Singh, who heads the maritime policy initiative at
the Observer Research Foundation.
 While the practical use will be determined in the coming
years, these pacts can give India access to a range of
ports and military bases in the region – from major
garrisons in the Gulf to the remote Keeling island in the
South Indian Ocean, and strategic military locations like
Okinawa and Busan.
 India has logistics sharing pacts with the US, France,
Singapore, South Korea, Australia and Japan. Advanced
discussions are also on with Russia to ink the pact soon –
possibly at the next bilateral meeting scheduled for this
month.
 ―The agreement with the UK in a way provides a
foundational access map for India across the Indo-
Pacific. Depending on political will, through these
logistics pacts India would not only have access to the
entry and exit points in the Indian Ocean, but reach and
presence at strategic locations in the Indo-Pacific,‖ said
Darshana Barua, non-resident scholar, Carnegie
Endowment.
 While India has been very careful in using these pacts –
occasional refuelling at sea and bases has taken place
with the US, Indian planes have used the Reunion islands
as a turnaround base and Singapore has acted as a hub –
the potential to leverage these should be visible in the

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coming years as the naval footprint increases in the

region to counter China‘s ambitions.
 China has started creating military bases in the Indian
Ocean Region – starting with Djibouti – while India has
opted for the more benign approach of entering into
logistics sharing pacts that ensure adequate reach for
forces, without any underlying territorial aspirations.
 Major military logistics sharing pacts signed by India
give access to warships and aircraft across the Indo-
Pacific region, a capability that never existed before.
From multiple options in the Gulf to the deep Indian
Ocean and the sensitive South China Sea, these pacts will
enable easy movement of the military, whenever the
need arises.

Source: Economic Times

48. Armenia, Azerbaijan agree on

ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh
 The top diplomats from the two countries said in a
statement that the truce is intended to exchange
prisoners and recover the dead, adding that specific
details will be agreed on later.

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 Armenia and Azerbaijan say they have agreed to a

ceasefire in Nagorno-Karbakh starting at noon

Saturday.
 The top diplomats from the two countries said in a
statement that the truce is intended to exchange
prisoners and recover the dead, adding that specific
details will be agreed on later.
 The announcement follows 10 hours of talks
between the diplomats in Moscow, which were
sponsored by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov. Lavrov said the ceasefire should pave way
for talks on settling the conflict.
 The latest outburst of fighting between Azerbaijani
and Armenian forces began Sept. 27 and left
hundreds of people dead in the biggest escalation of
the decades-old conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The region lies in Azerbaijan but has been under
control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by
Armenia since the end of a separatist war in 1994.

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 The talks between the foreign ministers of Armenia

and Azerbaijan were held on invitation from
Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Source: Indian Express

49. Israel to bring over 2,000 Ethiopian

Jews

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told his

Ethiopian counterpart that his country has the intention to
―immediately‖ bring over some 2,000 Ethiopian Jews.
The announcement came on Friday after a phone call
with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
 Mr. Netanyahu‘s office said the decision comes ―out of
his commitment to the continued aliyah of Jews to
Israel‖.
 Some 13,000 Ethiopian Jews are in the capital, Addis
Ababa, and in Gondar, most of them waiting to be taken
to Israel, which they call home. Most live in dire
conditions and have threatened to stage a hunger strike if
they‘re not allowed to travel to their ―homeland‖.
 ―Some 250 people have left for Israel within the past
year until COVID-19 came. Now the travel has stopped,
but Israeli officials are conducting interviews online,‖
Nigusie Alemu Eyasu, programme director for the
Ethiopian Jews Community, said.

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 Activists say Israel‘s government in 2015 pledged to

bring the remaining Ethiopian Jews to Israel. In 1991,
while Ethiopia was in the midst of a civil war, Israel
carried out the dramatic Operation Solomon, airlifting
some 14,500 Ethiopian Jews in less than two days.
 Jews are often referred to in Ethiopia as ―Falashas,‖ a
derogatory word which translates into ―strangers‖ or
―migrants‖.

Source: The Hindu

50. Saudi-led coalition says it destroyed

two explosive drones fired by Houthis

 The Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday it intercepted

and destroyed two explosive-laden drones launched
towards Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
 There was no comment from the Houthi movement about
the two incidents reported by the state-run Saudi Press
Agency, which cited a coalition spokesman.

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 Yemen has been locked in conflict since 2014 when the

Houthis seized Sanaa, the capital, and then much of the
country's north. Fighting escalated in March 2015 when
the Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the
government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Source: Indian Express

51. Divers discover French WWI

submarine off Tunisia
 Tunisian divers have discovered a French submarine
wreck from World War I, the Ariane, which was sunk by
a German submarine in 1917.

 .The craft was spotted off Cap Bon by the managers of a

diving club in the country's northeast as they were
exploring new sites to explore with their students.
 ―We knew they were wrecks but we didn't know what we
were going to find,‖ said the diving director of the Ras

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Adar club, Selim Baccar. ―On the first dive, we came

across the submarine.‖
 The almost intact wreck is covered in algae, its hatches
and periscope now home to fish and crustaceans.
 After questioning several experts, the club deduced it
could only be the Ariane, which was based in Bizerte, at
the time a French port in northern Tunisia.
 ―This is the third submarine found in Tunisia, and the
only one from the First World War. It's exciting, as if a
history book has come to life,‖ said Baccar. ―We came
across military reports detailing minute by minute
everything that was happening in the Mediterranean. And
when we go back to that situation, I say to myself that
I'm glad I didn't experience a war.‖
 During the First World War, German submarines
wreaked havoc off the Tunisian coast, where they were

initially deployed to cut the Allies off from their

reinforcements of men and provisions from the French
colonies, said historian Ali Ait Mihoub, from Manouba
university.

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 About 80,000 Tunisians were mobilised to fight or work

in French factories during WWI, he told AFP.
 The Ariane was torpedoed by a German U-Boat while
still on the surface, and only eight of the 29 crew could
be saved, according AGASM, a French association of
former submarine operators.
 ―It is not common to find wrecks of submarines,
especially from the First World War, because we don't
know exactly where they sank,‖ said Admiral Dominique
Salles, president of the group.
 Submarines, which played a decisive role for the first
time during WWI, then provided very basic comfort. The
French submarines, which originally had neither bunks
nor toilets, were submersibles that remained mostly on
the surface, says the Encyclopedia of French
Submarines. They would only dive for a few hours at a
time, for attacks, during which men and food were piled
up in a suffocating engine room.
Source: The Hindu

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52. China grants $90 mn to Sri Lanka after

visit by top official
 China announced on Sunday that it was providing a $90
million grant to Sri Lanka, two days after the island
nation‘s President sought help from a visiting Chinese
delegation in disproving a perception that China-funded
megaprojects are ―debt traps.‖
 Calling the financial assistance a ―timely grant,‖ the
Chinese Embassy in Colombo said that it would be used
for medical care, education and water supplies in Sri
Lanka‘s rural areas. and that it would ―contribute to the

well-being of (Sri Lankans) in a post-COVID era.‖

 The announcement follows a visit to the Indian Ocean
island nation on Friday by a Chinese delegation led by
Yang Jiechi, a Communist Party Politburo member and a
former Foreign Minister.

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 During talks with Mr. Yang, Sri Lankan President

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa asked China to help him in
disproving a perception that China-funded megaprojects
are ―debt traps‖ aimed at gaining influence in local
affairs.
 Crucial link
 China considers Sri Lanka to be a critical link in its
massive ―Belt and Road‖ global infrastructure building
initiative and has provided billions of dollars in loans for
Sri Lankan projects over the past decade. The projects
include a seaport, airport, port-city, highways and power
stations.
 Critics say that the Chinese-funded projects are not
financially viable and that Sri Lanka will face difficulties
in repaying the loans.
 In 2017, Sri Lanka leased out a Chinese-built port
located near busy shipping routes to a Chinese company
for 99 years to recover from the heavy burden of
repaying the Chinese loan the country received to build
it.
 The facility is part of Beijing‘s plan for a line of ports
stretching from Chinese waters to the Persian Gulf.
China has also agreed to provide a $989 million loan to
Sri Lanka to build an expressway that will connect its
tea-growing central region to the Chinese-run seaport.
 China‘s economic influence over Sri Lanka has worried
its closest neighbour, India, which considers the Indian
Ocean region to be its strategic backyard.
Source: The Hindu

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53. China commemorates 110th birth

anniversary of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis

 China on Sunday commemorated the 110th birth

anniversary of Indian doctor Dwarkanath Kotnis who
served in the country during the Chinese revolution
headed by Mao Zedong and the World War II.
 Dr. Kotnis, who hailed from Sholapur in Maharashtra,
came to China in 1938 as part of a five-member team of
doctors sent by the Indian National Congress to help the
Chinese during the World War II. He joined the
Communist Party of China in 1942 and died the same
year at the age of 32.

 The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with

Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), an official body of the

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Chinese government, held an online commemorative

event along with the Director of the Centre for South
Asian Studies of the Peking University.
 Ma Jia, a senior official from the Chinese Embassy in
India, as well as teachers, students and media
representatives from Chinese and Indian universities
attended the online event, a CPAFFC press release here
said.
 Chairman Lin Songtian of CPAFFC and teachers and
students of the universities of the two countries who
attended the event had a candid dialogue on promoting
the spirit of Kotnis, correctly understanding the current
Sino-Indian relations, and promoting Sino-Indian youth
and cultural exchanges, it said.
 Lin said this year marks the 70th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between China and
India.
 "At a time when the world has undergone major changes
unseen in a century and China-India relations are facing
temporary difficulties, we solemnly hold the Kotnis
commemorative event on the anniversary of Kotnis'
birthday, which is of great significance," he said,
apparently referring to the current border tensions
between the two countries.
 "Hope to cherish the memory of this good friend of the
Chinese people and an outstanding internationalist
fighter, and call on the Chinese and Indian people,
especially the younger generations of the two countries,
to further carry forward Kotnis' international

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humanitarian spirit, jointly maintain peace in Asia and

promote world prosperity and development," he said
 Kotnis' medical assistance during the difficult days of the
Chinese revolution was praised by Chinese leader Mao
Zedong. His status and memorials were also set in some
of the Chinese cities in recognition of his services. He
was married to Chinese national Guo Qinglan, who died
in 2012.
 A bronze statue of Dr. Kotnis, known in China as Ke
Dihua, was unveiled at the medical school at
Shijiazhuang in September.

 Apart from the school named after him as the

Shijiazhuang Ke Dihua Medical Science Secondary
Specialized School, there are memorials of Kotnis in
both Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, and
Tangxian county where he worked.

Source: Economic times

54.Israel would oppose any U.S. F-35 sale

to Qatar, Israeli minister says

 Israel would oppose any U.S. sale of advanced F-35

warplanes to Qatar, Israel's intelligence minister said on
Sunday, citing a need to maintain Israeli military
superiority in the region.

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 Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen made the comments in

response to a Reuters report that Qatar - whose Iran links
trouble Israel - had submitted a formal request to
Washington to buy the Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N)

stealth jet.
 The United States consults with Israel on proposed sales
of advanced arms to other countries in the region, under
a principle of preserving Israel's "qualitative military
edge". Some such sales have gone ahead over Israeli
objections.
 Asked whether Israel would oppose an F-35 sale to
Qatar, Cohen told Army Radio: "The answer is yes. Our
security and military superiority in the region are the
most significant things for us. Our region has still not
turned into Switzerland."

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 Qatar's F-35 request follows an August deal in which

Washington agreed to consider giving the United Arab
Emirates approval to buy the jets in a side deal to a U.S.-
brokered agreement normalising ties between Israel and
that Gulf power.
 Israel, which has bought and deployed the F-35, has
voiced discomfort at the prospect of UAE also getting
the warplane - though the two countries have played up
shared concerns about threats from Iran.
 Qatar, by contrast, maintains ties with Iran as well as
with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, against which
Israel has fought three wars in Gaza.
 But Qatar has also funnelled hundreds of millions of
dollars in aid to Gaza, payouts Israel has facilitated in
hope of heading off another conflict in the impoverished
enclave.
 That intervention has prompted some Israeli officials to
predict Qatar might also establish formal ties with Israel.
Doha has ruled this out in the absence of an Israeli-
Palestinian peace deal.
Source: Reuters

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55.China grants consular access to two

Canadians detained for two years
 China has granted consular access to two Canadians
detained in the country for the first time since January as
the diplomatic standoff between the two nations
continued.

 The Canadian government said on Saturday that Dominic

Barton, Canada‘s ambassador to China, was granted
virtual consular access to Michael Spavor on Friday and
virtual consular access to Michael Kovrig on Saturday.
 ―The Canadian government remains deeply concerned by
the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of these
two Canadians since December 2018 and continues to
call for their immediate release,‖ the government said in
a statement.
 Canada continues to press Beijing to release Kovrig and
Spavor, who were detained in December 2018 following

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Canada‘s arrest of Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese Huawei

official and the daughter of the company‘s founder.
 Canadian police detained Meng in Vancouver on a US
extradition request nine days before Kovrig and Spavor
were arrested.
 The US is seeking Meng‘s extradition on fraud charges
and her extradition case is before the Canadian courts.
Her arrest severely damaged relations between China and
Canada.
 Neither Kovrig, a former diplomat, nor Spavor, an
entrepreneur, were permitted visits from consular
officials amid the coronavirus pandemic.
 The Huawei case has strained relations between Canada
and China, and Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau,
and the US president, Donald Trump, discussed the
matter in a phone call on Saturday.
 Trudeau thanked Trump for the United States‘ support in
―seeking the immediate release of the two Canadian
citizens arbitrarily detained by China,‖ the Canadian
government said.
Source: The Guardian

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56.China backs Iran nuclear deal, calls for

new Middle East forum

 China‘s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for a new

forum to defuse tensions in the Middle East after a
meeting with his Iranian counterpart where he reiterated
Beijing‘s support for Tehran.

 Wang and Javid Zarif also reaffirmed their commitment

to Iran‘s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, according
to the Chinese foreign ministry, an implicit rebuke of the
United States for abandoning the accord during their
Saturday meeting in China‘s southwestern Tengchong
city.
 Iran has been locked in an acrimonious relationship with
Saudi Arabia, the other major Middle Eastern power,
over the war in Yemen, Iranian influence in Iraq and
Saudi support for Washington‘s sanctions on Tehran.

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 ―China proposes to build a regional multilateral dialogue

platform with equal participation of all stakeholders,‖
said the Chinese foreign ministry statement.
 The forum would ―enhance mutual understanding
through dialogue and explore political and diplomatic
solutions to security issues in the Middle East‖, the
statement added.
 Wang added that support for the Iranian nuclear deal,
negotiated by the Obama administration but ultimately
abandoned by Donald Trump, would be a precondition of
entry to the forum.
 Zarif said on Twitter his ―fruitful talks‖ with Wang
amounted to a rejection of ―US unilateralism‖ and had
also focused on strategic ties and collaboration on the
development of a coronavirus vaccine.

Source:The pioneer

57.U.S. strikes target Taliban in

Afghanistan

 U.S. air strikes targeted Taliban fighters outside a key

city in southern Afghanistan over the weekend, officials
said on Monday, with violence in the country surging
despite ongoing peace talks.
 Heavy fighting erupted on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah,
the capital of Helmand province, after the Taliban

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attacked several outposts. The U.S. ―conducted several

targeted strikes in Helmand‖ to defend Afghan troops as
they came under attack, said military spokesman Colonel
Sonny Leggett.
 Under a deal the Taliban signed with the U.S. in
February, the insurgents are not supposed to hit urban
areas and are meant to shun violence. The U.S. had
committed to pulling all foreign troops by next May in
return for Taliban security pledges.
Source: The Hindu

58.Sri Lanka in talks to secure $500 mn in

Chinese loans
 On the heels of a top Chinese delegation‘s visit to Sri
Lanka, Colombo is negotiating a $500 million loan with
Beijing, as it gears up to repay a daunting $4.5 billion of
its outstanding debt next year.

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 The Chinese Embassy tweeted on Sunday, ―a $500

million concessional loan‖ requested by Sri Lanka‘s
Ministry of Finance to a ―China financial institute‖ is
under negotiation, but yet to be finalised.
 This is in addition to Beijing‘s $90 million grant to Sri
Lanka, announced days after a Chinese delegation led by
Yang Jiechi, a top foreign policy official in the Beijing
administration.
 If sanctioned, the new loan would take Sri Lanka‘s total
borrowings from China over $1 billion, after the $500
million ―urgent financial assistance‖ that Beijing
extended to Colombo in March, to help Sri Lanka cope
with the economic impact of the pandemic.
 The negotiations come at a time when Sri Lanka is
mulling ways to repay its mounting foreign loans.
 State Minister of Money and Capital Market and State
Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal recently told
media that Sri Lanka is ―exploring all options‖, including
the $1 billion currency agreement with India — under
negotiation — greater investment in the securities
market, bonds, as well as a $700 million syndicated loan
from China.
 Debt freeze
 Diplomatic sources in Colombo told The Hindu that the
Sri Lankan government did not discuss a possible debt
freeze in talks with China‘s visiting officials, though
Colombo had earlier indicated that it was considering
making such a request. ―The focus now is on possible
investment from China, not just loans,‖ an official source
said, a fortnight after U.S.-based credit rating agency

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Moody‘s downgraded Sri Lanka‘s sovereign credit rating

by two notches, to the ―very high credit risk‖ category.
 Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his visit to
New Delhi in February, had sought a debt moratorium
from India, to help Sri Lanka tackle the debt repayment
schedule. The request, along with President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa‘s request for a $1 billion currency swap
facility, is ―being discussed at the official level‖, India
said, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s virtual
summit with PM Rajapaksa on September 26. India
sanctioned a $15 million grant for the promotion of
Buddhist cultural exchanges.
 Theatre of geopolitics
 Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is gearing up for yet another likely
―high-level visit‖ later this month, pointing to the
heightened geopolitical interest in the strategically
located island nation. U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo ―is expected to come‖, Foreign Secretary
Admiral Jayanath Colombage told the Sunday Times.
While the U.S. Embassy here told The Hindu ―no official
visit has been confirmed at this time‖, sources mentioned
October 27 as the likely date, around the time of the
scheduled visit of Mr. Pompeo and U.S. Defence
Secretary Mark Esper to India.
 Pompeo is also likely to visit Colombo later this month
 On the heels of a top Chinese delegation‘s visit to Sri
Lanka, Colombo is negotiating a $500 million loan with
Beijing, as it gears up to repay a daunting $4.5 billion of
its outstanding debt next year.

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 The Chinese Embassy tweeted on Sunday, ―a $500

million concessional loan‖ requested by Sri Lanka‘s
Ministry of Finance to a ―China financial institute‖ is
under negotiation, but yet to be finalised. This is in
addition to Beijing‘s $90 million grant to Sri Lanka,
announced days after a Chinese delegation led by Yang
Jiechi, a top foreign policy official in the Beijing
administration. If sanctioned, the new loan would take
Sri Lanka‘s total borrowings from China over $1 billion,
after the $500 million ―urgent financial assistance‖ that
Beijing extended to Colombo in March, to help Sri
Lanka cope with the economic impact of the pandemic.
 The negotiations come at a time when Sri Lanka is
mulling ways to repay its mounting foreign loans. State
Minister of Money and Capital Market and State
Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal recently told
media that Sri Lanka is ―exploring all options‖, including
the $1 billion currency agreement with India — under
negotiation — greater investment in the securities
market, bonds, as well as a $700 million syndicated loan
from China.
 Debt freeze
 Diplomatic sources in Colombo told The Hindu that the
Sri Lankan government did not discuss a possible debt
freeze in talks with China‘s visiting officials, though
Colombo had earlier indicated that it was considering
making such a request. ―The focus now is on possible
investment from China, not just loans,‖ an official source
said, a fortnight after U.S.-based credit rating agency

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Moody‘s downgraded Sri Lanka‘s sovereign credit rating

by two notches, to the ―very high credit risk‖ category.
 Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his visit to
New Delhi in February, had sought a debt moratorium
from India, to help Sri Lanka tackle the debt repayment
schedule. The request, along with President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa‘s request for a $1 billion currency swap
facility, is ―being discussed at the official level‖, India
said, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s virtual
summit with PM Rajapaksa on September 26. India
sanctioned a $15 million grant for the promotion of
Buddhist cultural exchanges.
 Theatre of geopolitics
 Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is gearing up for yet another likely
―high-level visit‖ later this month, pointing to the
heightened geopolitical interest in the strategically
located island nation. U.S. Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo ―is expected to come‖, Foreign Secretary
Admiral Jayanath Colombage told the Sunday Times.
While the U.S. Embassy here told The Hindu ―no official
visit has been confirmed at this time‖, sources mentioned
October 27 as the likely date, around the time of the
scheduled visit of Mr. Pompeo and U.S. Defence
Secretary Mark Esper to India.
 News of the visit assumes significance, coming a year
after Secretary Pompeo cancelled his scheduled visit to
Sri Lanka. Though the Embassy cited ―scheduling
conflicts‖ as reason last June, the development coincided
with considerable resistance here, to the then proposed
‗Visiting Forces Agreement‘ (VFA) with the US. The

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Rajapaksa administration has also opposed the

Millennium Challenge Corporation Agreement — for a
$480 million grant — negotiated by the former
government.
 Further, if Secretary Pompeo visits Sri Lanka, he would
be coming weeks after attending the Australia-India-
Japan-U.S. Quadrilateral (Quad) Foreign Minister‘s
meeting in Tokyo. Members of the Quad will be closely
watching the Rajapaksa administration‘s engagement
with Beijing for more reasons than one. Last month, Sri
Lanka ordered the termination of a $1.5-billion Japanese-
funded light rail project on grounds that it is not a ―cost-
effective solution‖ for Colombo and raising
―environmental‖ concerns. Moreover, the East Container
Terminal in Colombo that India and Japan agreed to
jointly develop with Sri Lanka last year, has run into
trouble with workers opposing ―foreign involvement‖ in
―national assets.

Source:The Hindu

59.‘Pakistan action on terror funding

insufficient’
 Noting that Pakistan‘s measures against money
laundering and terror financing ―are not yet
sufficient to justify a re-rating‖, a regional affiliate
of the Financial Action Task Force on Monday
retained the country on its ―Enhanced Follow-up‖
list, according to a media report.

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 The development came only a few weeks ahead of

the meeting of the FATF — the Paris-based global
money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog
— to decide on Pakistan‘s grey list status.
 The development came only a few weeks ahead of
the meeting of the FATF — the Paris-based global
money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog
— to decide on Pakistan‘s grey list status.
 The first Follow-Up Report on Mutual Evaluation
of Pakistan released by the Asia-Pacific Group
(APG) underlined that the country‘s progress on the
40 FATF recommendations on the effectiveness of
anti-money laundering and combating financing
terror (AML/CFT) system largely remained
unchanged — non-compliant on four counts,
partially compliant on 25 counts and largely
compliant on nine recommendations, the Dawn
News reported.
 Pakistan has improved its full compliance on only
two of the 40 FATF recommendations, the APG
report noted.
 Enhanced follow up
 Pakistan will remain in enhanced (expedited) follow
up and will continue to report back to the APG on
progress to strengthen its implementation of
AML/CFT measures, the APG concluded in its 12-
page report.

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 Pakistan had requested for re-ratings on three areas

declared partially compliant by the APG in October
last year. The request was accepted on one count
and rejected on two due to ‗insufficient‘ progress to
the satisfaction of international experts.
 The 41-member APG in August last year had
downgraded Pakistan‘s status to ―Enhanced Follow-
up‖ category from ―Regular Follow-up‖ over technical
deficiencies to meet normal international financial
standards by October 2018.

Source: Press Trust of India

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60.Pakistan PM Imran Khan‘s top aide

steps down amid corruption allegations

 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan‘s Special Assistant

on Information and Broadcasting Lt. Gen. (retd.) Asim

Saleem Bajwa resigned, amid allegations that he used his
offices to help family set up several off-shore businesses.
 ―I requested the honourable prime minister to relinquish
me from the additional portfolio of SAPM on Info &
broadcasting. He very kindly approved my request,‖ Mr.
Bajwa, the former Pakistan Army spokesman who also
served as Commander of the Southern Command,
tweeted.

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 However, he would continue working as chairman of the

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority,
Dawn newspaper reported.
 The development comes more than a month after Mr.
Bajwa submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Khan
following a report on a website that alleged that he had
used his offices in setting up off-shore businesses of his
wife, sons and brothers.
 However, Mr. Khan rejected his resignation at the time
and asked him to continue working as his special
assistant.
 The report alleged that Mr. Bajwa‘s younger brothers
opened their first Papa John‘s pizza restaurant in 2002,
the year he started working as a Lieutenant Colonel on
the General Pervez Musharraf‘s staff.
 It claimed that his brother Nadeem Bajwa, 53, who
started as a delivery driver for the pizza restaurant
franchise, another three brothers, his wife Farrukh Zeba
and three sons now own a business empire which set up
99 companies in four countries, including a pizza
franchise with 133 restaurants worth an estimated $39.9
million.
 Out of the total 99 firms, 66 are main companies, 33 are
branch companies of some of the main companies while
five firms are dead now.
 The Bajwa family‘s companies spent an estimated $52.2
million to develop their businesses and $14.5 million to
purchase properties in the United States, according to the
website report.

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 His wife was a shareholder in all the foreign businesses

and also associated with or is a shareholder in 85
companies including 82 foreign companies (71 in United
States, seven in UAE and four in Canada).
 The report showed that some of these American
companies (all jointly owned by Ms. Zeba) also have
investments in the real estate sector and own 13
commercial properties in the U.S., including two
shopping centres.
 Mr. Bajwa after joining the Cabinet declared his assets in
June this year which did not mention his wife‘s foreign
assets.
Source: The Hindu

61.Economics Nobel goes to Paul R.

Milgrom, Robert B. Wilson for their
work on auction theory

 U.S. economists Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson won

the Nobel Economics Prize for work on commercial
auctions, including for goods and services difficult to sell
in traditional ways such as radio frequencies, the Nobel
Committee said.
 The duo was honoured ―for improvements to auction
theory and inventions of new auction formats,‖ the jury
said.
 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences noted that the
discoveries by Mr. Milgrom, 72, and Mr. Wilson, 83,

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―have benefitted sellers, buyers and taxpayers around the

world,‖.
 Mr. Wilson, a professor at Stanford in the U.S., was
spotlighted for developing a theory for auctions with a
common value, ―a value which is uncertain beforehand
but, in the end, is the same for everyone.

 Mr. Wilson‘s work showed why rational bidders tend to

bid under their own estimate of the worth due to worries
over the ―winner‘s curse,‖ or winning the auction but
paying too much.
 Mr. Milgrom, also at Stanford, then came up with a more
general theory of auctions, by analysing bidding
strategies in different auction forms.
 The academy noted that while ―people have always sold
things to the highest bidder,‖ societies have also had to
allocate ―ever more complex objects... such as landing
slots and radio frequencies.‖
 Broad societal benefit

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 ―In response, Milgrom and Wilson invented new formats

for auctioning off many interrelated objects
simultaneously, on behalf of a seller motivated by broad
societal benefit rather than maximal revenue.
 The winners will share the prize sum of 10 million
Swedish kronor (about $1.1 million).
 Last year, the honour went to French-American Esther
Duflo, Indian-born Abhijit Banerjee of the U.S., and
American Michael Kremer for their experimental work
on alleviating poverty.
 Even if it might be the most prestigious prize an
economist can hope to receive, the Economics Prize has
not reached the same status as the awards originally
chosen by Alfred Nobel in his 1895, which included
medicine, physics, chemistry, literature and peace.
 It was instead created in 1968 through a donation from
the Swedish central bank and detractors have thus
dubbed it ―a false Nobel.‖
 The award closes the 2020 Nobel season, which saw the
closely-watched peace prize awarded to the U.N.‘s
World Food Programme.
Source: The Hindu

62.Israel sees commercial aviation deal

with UAE within days

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 Israel and the United Arab Emirates will sign a

commercial aviation deal imminently, an Israeli official
said on Tuesday, as the countries cemented newly
normalised relations ahead of reciprocal delegation visits
expected next week.
 Direct air traffic between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi or
Dubai would be a tourism and business boon for Israel
and the Gulf power, while also easing Israelis' travel to
Asia.
 Saudi Arabia has agreed to expedite such flights by
letting them pass over its territory. But Riyadh has
indicated it is not ready to establish formal ties with
Israel, as the UAE and Bahrain did at a Sept. 15
ceremony in Washington.
 Ofer Malka, director-general of Israel's Transportation
Ministry, said in an interview the UAE aviation deal is
"more or less ready, and we will sign it in the coming
days".
 Israel has also agreed to UAE commercial flights over its
soil to westward destinations and back, Malka told Army
Radio.

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 An Israeli delegation accompanied by senior U.S.

officials is due to fly out to Manama and Abu Dhabi on
Oct. 18-19, returning to Tel Aviv on Oct. 20 with UAE
delegates aboard making a first official visit to Israel
 El Al Israel Airlines would likely be used for the initial
legs of the trip and Etihad Airways for the last, marking
the first direct flight to Israel by a UAE airliner, said the
source, who requested anonymity as the planning was
not final.
 Israeli and UAE officials have yet to confirm those trips.
 Malka said security at UAE airports was being worked
on to enable Israelis to travel through them. He did not
elaborate.
 Israel generally requires that its carriers be provided with
extra security abroad. In some instances, measures have
included separate terminals and Israeli guards at foreign
airports.
Source: Reuters

63.China‘s Foreign Minister says U.S.

using Quad to build ‗Indo-Pacific
NATO‘

 In China‘s most high-profile criticism so far on the Quad,

its Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said
Washington was aiming to build an ―Indo-Pacific

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NATO‖ that would be founded on the U.S., India, Japan

and Australia grouping.
 Mr. Wang‘s remarks, during a visit to Malaysia,
underline how Chinese officials, who once sought to
downplay the Quad as an overhyped idea are now
highlighting it prominently, describing it as part of a
broader American effort in the region to ―contain‖ China,
as ties continue to worsen between Beijing and
Washington.
 In 2018, Mr. Wang dismissed the then recently-revived
Quad and the Indo-Pacific concept as a ―headline-
grabbing idea‖ that would ―dissipate like sea foam‖
 Mr. Wang‘s visit to Malaysia is the second stop of his
five-nation tour to southeast Asia. He arrived there
following a visit to Cambodia, and will later travel to
Laos and Thailand, and stop in Singapore.
 ―In essence, [the Indo-Pacific strategy] aims to build a
so-called Indo-Pacific NATO underpinned by the
quadrilateral mechanism involving the United States,
Japan, India and Australia,‖ he said, reported the South
China Morning Post.

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 ―What it pursues is to trumpet the Cold War mentality

and to stir up confrontation among different groups and
blocs and to stoke geopolitical competition. What it
maintains is the dominance and hegemonic system of the
United States,‖ he observed.
 ―In this sense, this strategy is itself a big underlying
security risk. If it is forced forward, it will wind back the
clock of history,‖ he added.
 The Tokyo meeting
 Last week, following the October 6 Quad ministerial
meeting in Tokyo, China said it was opposed to
―organising closed and exclusive cliques‖.
 At the Tokyo meet, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
singled out China as a threat to the region, although the
three other foreign ministers, including External Affairs
Minister S. Jaishankar, did not directly mention China.
They did, however, express broad concerns about
maintaining a rules-based order, freedom of navigation
and the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region.
 ―As partners in this Quad, it is more critical now than
ever that we collaborate to protect our people and
partners from the Chinese Communist Party‘s
exploitation, corruption, and coercion,‖ Mr. Pompeo
said. ―We‘ve seen it in the South China Sea, in the East
China Sea, the Mekong, the Himalayas, the Taiwan
Straits. These are just a few examples.‖
Sources: The Hindu

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64.Taiwan dismisses latest China spying

accusations

 Taiwan on Tuesday dismissed new spying allegations by

China as a further attempt to smear the government of
the self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims

as its own territory.

 The remarks follow a report Monday night by Chinese
broadcaster CCTV featuring a taped confession from a
man identified as Cheng Yu-chin, the second such report
in as many days.
 On Sunday, CCTV broadcast a confession by a man
identified as Li Mengju, whose name is also spelled Lee
Meng-chu, who like Cheng said he had been working to

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destabilize China and harm the ruling Communist Party‘s

reputation.
 In the same report, CCTV said security personnel had
solved more than 100 spying cases as part of an initiative
dubbed Operation Thunder 2020.
 Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang called the
accusations an attempt by Beijing to ―defame and create
fear,‖ while the foreign ministry‘s head of European
affairs, Johnson Chiang, called the allegations ―pure
defamation and calumny.‖
 CCTV‘s airing of videoed confessions have prompted
lawsuits abroad amid accusations that the accounts were
coerced and that the broadcaster is merely a propaganda
arm of the Communist Party.
 The latest reports come amid increasing Chinese
diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan aimed at
compelling the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen
to recognize Beijing‘s claim that the island is a part of
Chinese territory. While the sides share strong cultural
and economic links, a strong majority of Taiwanese
reject any moves toward political union with China, and
Tsai was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term this
year.
 In its report Monday night, CCTV said Cheng had been
detained by China‘s state security agency, which accused
him of using his academic post in the Czech Republic as
a cover to collect intelligence, recruit mainland personnel
and sow discord between China and other European
countries.

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 Chiang said the report was factually incorrect and had

―violated basic human rights.‖ Any discord in Chinese-
Czech relations was a result of China‘s aggressive
diplomacy and ―bullying,‖ he told reporters at a weekly
briefing.
Source: The Hindu

65.Philippine military chief says no major

risk from China-backed towers

 Philippine military chief said Tuesday there is virtually

no risk that towers and communications equipment to be
put up in military camps by a China-backed telecom firm
can be used for espionage.
 Gen. Gilbert Gapay said installing the towers and
equipment of Dito Telecommunity Corp., a Philippine
firm in which Beijing's China Telecom has a 40%
financial stake, in camps would allow the military to
better monitor its operations.
 We don't see any security risk, it's very low and we find
it better that they are inside because we could have
unannounced inspections. We could inspect them at
midnight, Gapay told reporters in a video news
conference.

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 Dito was accepted by the Philippine government as the

third major player in the local telecom industry. The
company is controlled by Filipino businessman Dennis
Uy, a supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, who has
long complained about poor internet connections and
cellphone services in the country.

 Critics and some lawmakers have raised concerns that

China may be able to spy on the Philippines through
Dito's communications equipment to be installed in
military camps given the long-raging territorial disputes
of the Asian neighbors in the South China Sea.
 The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States. The
Trump administration has wanted its allies to exclude
Chinese companies like telecommunications giant
Huawei Technologies Ltd., which Washington regards as
a security risk, as they upgrade to fifth-generation, or 5G,
technology.

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 Chinese officials have accused Washington of

discrediting and oppressing Chinese companies without
any evidence.
 Dito officials have said such fears over possible
espionage are misplaced, saying the Philippine company
has invested heavily on cybersecurity and would never
be a threat to the country's national security.
 Dito is negotiating to set up communication towers and
equipment at 22 sites in a proposal the military will
closely scrutinize, Gapay said. The two other major
Philippine telecom companies have set up towers and
equipment in military areas after hurdling the same
military review, he said.
 Telecommunication towers have been erected in
military-controlled areas in the past for security.
Communist and Muslim guerrillas have bombed and
toppled down such towers, including government-
maintained power transmission towers.
 The military uses a classified communication system to
link up units across the country, Gapay said, adding that
the military has established cybersecurity units to protect
its communication system.
 The Philippine military, meanwhile, plans to obtain
radars and drones from Japan, including some that would
be used in offshore areas to help monitor Manila-claimed
territories in the disputed South China Sea, Gapay said.
 The Philippines has struggled to carry out naval and air
patrols to protect its territorial interests in the contested
region, which Gapay said remains very tense.

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 He cited China's recent firing of a missile during an

exercise and its militia forces practically swarming many
areas of the strategic waterway. The U.S. military has
pressed its freedom of navigation campaign with a show
of force, he said.
 It is really a potential flashpoint in this part of the globe,
Gapay said.
Source: Reuters

66.Japan protests to China for entering

Japanese waters

 Tokyo has lodged protests to Beijing over the entry of

Chinese coast guard ships into Japan‘s territorial waters
off disputed East China Sea islands and their refusal to

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move out for a third day on Tuesday, Japanese officials

said.
 The two Chinese ships entered the Japanese-claimed
waters Sunday morning, appearing to approach a
Japanese fishing boat carrying three crew members. They
have remained there, while ignoring repeated warnings
and exit demands by the Japanese side, Japanese coast
guard officials said.
 Chinese coast guard vessels routinely violate territorial
waters around the Japanese-controlled southern islands
of Senkaku, which China calls Diaoyu and also claims.
 Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday
that it was ―extremely regrettable‖ that the two Chinese
coast guard ships were still in Japanese waters. Japan
―strictly protested‖ to the Chinese side and demanded
that the Chinese ships immediately move out of Japanese
waters, Kato said.
 He said Japan would firmly defend its territorial waters,
land and airspace ―with a sense of urgency.‖ Japanese
coast guard officials said the fishing boat with the three
crew members was safely protected, but declined to give
any other details.
 The Japanese government says Japan has had ownership
of the islands since the late 1890s under international
law. Tokyo also says Beijing started claiming its
ownership around 1970 when possible undersea oil
deposits near the islands were reported.
 Japan sees China‘s military development and
increasingly assertive stance in the East and South China
seas as a major security threat. Japan‘s military invasion

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of China in the 1930s and 1940s remains a sore spot

between the two sides.
 Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian
repeated China‘s position. The Diaoyu Islands and its
affiliated islands are China‘s inherent territory,‖ he said
at a regular news conference in Beijing on Monday. ―It is
China‘s inherent right to carry out law enforcement
patrol in the waters of the Diaoyu Islands, and the
Japanese side should respect this.
Source: Reuters

67.India provides $1 million for

palestinian refugees
 India on Wednesday contributed USD one million to the
United Nations Relief and Works Agencyto support
Palestinian refugees who have been facing extreme
challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move
hailed by the UN body as ―timely help‖.
 The Government of India handed over the contribution
cheque to the UN agency through its representative in
Palestine, Sunil Kumar.
 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has thanked India
for its ―timely help‖.
 ―India has been a solid and consistent supporter of
Palestinian refugees for decades. This contribution is

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even more significant as it comes at a critical time,‖

Sami Mshasha, Director of Communications at
UNRWA.
 ―India is facing a difficult situation at home due to the
pandemic and it has still not forgotten the Palestinian
refugees and stepped in to help stabilise basic services,
including education, health care, relief and social
services for Palestinian refugees. I would like to thank
the Government of India for its continued funding to
UNRWA and its backing of Palestine refugees across the
Middle East.

 Reiterating India‘s continued support for UNRWA

services, Mr. Kumar in a press release said, On behalf of
the Government of India, I would like to express my
appreciation for the remarkable efforts carried out by
UNRWA. India shall continue supporting the Agency‘s
activities in providing vital services and necessary
humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees .

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 During an Extraordinary Virtual Ministerial Pledging

Conference for UNRWA held on June 23 2020, Minister
of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, had
announced that India will contribute $10 million to
UNRWA over the next two years.
 India increased its annual financial contribution to
UNRWA from $1.25 million in 2016 to $5 million in
2018 and 2019. It had also contributed $2 million to the
agency in May 2020 which brings the total contribution
for this year to $three million so far.
 ―UNRWA has been facing a huge budgetary deficit and
with an overwhelming majority of the 5.6 million
refugees living under poverty line, the ongoing pandemic
has broken the backbone of the basic infrastructure in the
area they live. India‘s contribution seen in that
background is timely and much appreciated.
 India has also sent medicines and other supplies to the
Palestinian National Authority to help in dealing with the
COVID-19 situation.
 UNRWA is facing an increased demand for services
resulting from a growth in the number of registered
Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and
their deepening poverty.
 It is a United Nations agency established by the General
Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance
and protection to some 5.6 million Palestine refugees
registered with UNRWA across its five fields of
operation.
 Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan,
Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem

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and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development

potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their
plight.
 UNRWA services encompass education, health care,
relief and social services, camp infrastructure and
improvement, protection, and microfinance among
Palestinian refugees.
 Under an India-Palestine development partnership, India
is currently funding eight on-going developmental
projects worth 59 million US dollars, including building
a 215 Bed Super Specialty Hospital in Bethlehem,
Information Technology Park, National Printing Press,
Turathi-Women Empowerment Project, Diplomatic
Training Institute and three schools in various
governorates in Palestinian Territories
Source: The Hindu

68.China and Russia win seats on U.N.

rights council, Saudi loses
 China, Russia and Cuba won seats on the U.N.‘s
premiere human rights body on October 13 despite
opposition from activist groups over their abysmal
human rights records, but another target, Saudi Arabia,
lost.
 Russia and Cuba were running unopposed, but China and
Saudi Arabia were in a five-way race in the only
contested race for seats on the Human Rights Council.

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 In secret-ballot voting in the 193-member U.N. General

Assembly on that race, Pakistan received 169 votes,
Uzbekistan 164, Nepal 150, China 139 and Saudi Arabia
just 90 votes.
 Despite announced reform plans by Saudi Arabia,
Human Rights Watch and others strongly opposed its
candidacy saying the Middle East nation continues to
target human rights defenders, dissidents and women‘s
rights activists and has demonstrated little accountability
for past abuses, including the killing of Washington Post
columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi
consulate in Istanbul two years ago.
 Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy
for the Arab World Now, the organisation founded by
Khashoggi, said despite hundreds of millions of dollars
spent by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin on public
relations to cover his grotesque abuses, the international
community just isn‘t buying it.
 Unless Saudi Arabia undertakes dramatic reforms to
release political prisoners, end its disastrous war in
Yemen and allow its citizens meaningful political

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participation, it will remain a global pariah, Whitson

said.
 Under the Human Rights Council‘s rules, seats are
allocated to regions to ensure geographical
representation.
 Except for the Asia-Pacific contest, the election of 15
members to the 47-member Human Rights Council was
all but decided in advance because all the other regional
groups had uncontested slates.
 Four countries won four Africa seats: Ivory Coast,
Malawi, Gabon and Senegal. Russia and Ukraine won
the two East European seats. In the Latin American and
Caribbean group, Mexico, Cuba and Bolivia won the
three open seats. And Britain and France won the two
seats for the Western European and others group.
 ―Saudi Arabia‘s failure to win a seat on the Human
Rights Council is a welcome reminder of the need for
more competition in U.N. elections,‖ Human Rights
Watch‘s U.N. director, Louis Charbonneau, said after the
results were announced. ―Had there been additional
candidates, China, Cuba and Russia might have lost too,‖
he said.
 But the addition of these undeserving countries won‘t
prevent the council from shining a light on abuses and
speaking up for victims. In fact, by being on the council,
these abusers will be directly in the spotlight.
 Russia and Cuba were running unopposed, but China and
Saudi Arabia were in a five-way race in the only
contested race for seats on the Human Rights Council.

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 But the addition of these undeserving countries won‘t

prevent the council from shining a light on abuses and
speaking up for victims. In fact, by being on the council,
these abusers will be directly in the spotlight.
 Mr. Charbonneau earlier criticised U.N. member states,
including Western nations, saying: They don‘t want
competition. ... Essentially these are backroom deals that
are worked out among the regional groups.
 Last week, a coalition of human rights groups from
Europe, the United States and Canada called on U.N.
member states to oppose the election of China, Russia,
Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, saying
their human rights records make them unqualified.
 Electing these dictatorships as U.N. judges on human
rights is like making a gang of arsonists into the fire
brigade, said Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of U.N.
Watch.
 The Geneva-based rights organisation published a 30-
page joint report with the Human Rights Foundation and
the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
evaluating candidates for council seats.
 The report lists Bolivia, Ivory Coast, Nepal, Malawi,
Mexico, Senegal and Ukraine — all winners — as
having questionable credentials due to problematic
human rights and U.N. voting records that need
improvement. It gave qualified ratings only to the United
Kingdom and France.
 Human Rights Watch pointed to an unprecedented call
by 50 U.N. experts on June 26 for decisive measures to
protect fundamental freedoms in China, warning about

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its mass rights violations in Hong Kong and Tibet and

against ethnic Uighurs in the Chinese province of
Xinjiang as well as attacks on rights defenders,
journalists, lawyers and government critics. Their call
was echoed by over 400 civil society groups from more
than 60 countries.
 Of the four winners of seats in the Asia-Pacific group,
China got the lowest vote.
 The rights group said Russia‘s military operations with
the Syrian government have deliberately or
indiscriminately killed civilians and destroyed hospitals
and other protected civilian infrastructure in violation of
international humanitarian law, and noted Russia‘s veto
of U.N. Security Council resolutions on Syria, including
blocking Damascus‘ referral to the International Criminal
Court.
 The Geneva-based Human Rights Council can spotlight
abuses and has special monitors watching certain
countries and issues. It also periodically reviews human
rights in every U.N. member country.
 Created in 2006 to replace a commission discredited
because of some members‘ poor rights records, the new
council soon came to face similar criticism, including
that rights abusers sought seats to protect themselves and
their allies.
Source: The Hindu

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69.Cyprus cancels maligned ‗golden

passport‘ scheme

 Cyprus scrapped a lucrative programme granting

citizenship to wealthy investors amid new allegations
that a top state official and a veteran lawmaker were
implicated in attempts to bypass strict vetting rules and
issue a passport to a fictitious investor with a supposed
criminal record.
 Cyprus government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said

the Cabinet accepted a recommendation by the Minsters

of the Interior and Finance to cancel altogether the
golden passport program that has netted billions of euros
over several years.
 Mr. Koushos said the decision, which goes into effect
Nov. 1, was based on the Cyprus Investment Program‘s
long-standing weaknesses, but also the abuse of its
provisions.

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 The allegations surfaced in an hour-long undercover

report by Al Jazeera‘s investigative unit that used hidden
cameras to show Parliamentary Speaker Demetris
Syllouris and lawmaker Christakis Giovanis pledging full
support to granting a passport to a fictitious Chinese
investor, despite a money laundering conviction against
him.
 The report also showed lawyer Andreas Pittadjis, real
estate agents and others outlining to a man posing as a
representative for the Chinese investor different ways to
skirt background checks, including a name change or
granting citizenship through his wife.
 Both Pittadjis and Giovanis strongly denied the
allegations, saying they were fully aware that the
approach was bogus and that they only played along to
extract more information from the representative in order
to file a report with Cypriot law enforcement authorities.
 Giovanis resigned his seat in the Cypriot Parliament and
quit his duties as a member of the communist-rooted
AKEL party.
 Cypriot Attorney-General George Savvides said that he
instructed police to initiate an in-depth police
investigation‖ to determine if any criminal acts had been
committed.
 European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said
the bloc‘s executive body is looking into launching
infringement proceedings against Cyprus.
 We watched in disbelief how high-level officials were
trading European citizenship for financial gains, Wigand
told reporters in Brussels. European Commission

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President (Ursula) von der Leyen was clear when saying

European values are not for sale. Wigand said the
Commission had frequently raised concerns about such
investor citizenship schemes and also directly with
Cypriot authorities.
 Outraged Cypriots took to social media to heap scorn on
the officials, with many calling for Syllouris‘ resignation.
 Al Jazeera accused of smear campaign
 Cypriot officials had earlier accused Al Jazeera of an
orchestrated smear campaign against the ethnically split
island nation.
 The program has attracted many foreigner investors
because a Cyprus passport automatically grants its holder
citizenship access to the entire 27-member European
Union. Around 4,000 Cypriot passports have been issued
to investors under the program, generating more than 7
billion euros ($8.25 billion).
 The Cyprus government has conceded that mistakes were
made and has beefed up eligibility criteria in recent
years. The most recent changes that lawmakers approved
in August include new anti-money-laundering vetting
rules and making it easier to revoke the citizenship of
investors involved in or convicted of a serious crime.
 Despite the stricter rules, the program continued to be
hounded by allegations of corruption, kickbacks and
favoritism.
 Cyprus‘ Audit Office last month urged lawmakers to
rethink legislation that empowered the government to
grant citizenship to investors‘ family members.

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 Cyprus Security and Exchange Commission

recommended last month that authorities revoke
citizenship from seven individuals who submitted forged
documents in their application.
 An independent committee has been set up to probe
thousands of applications that were made since 2007.
The investment program had gathered pace after 2013,
when a financial crisis nearly brought Cyprus to
bankruptcy.

Source: The Hindu

70.Robert Destro appointed U.S. special

envoy to Tibet
 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the
concurrent designation of Assistant Secretary Robert A.
Destro of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and

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Labor to serve as the country‘s Coordinator for Tibetan

Issues.
 The appointment of Mr. Destro to the position —
established by the U.S.‘s Tibetan Policy Act (2002) —
was announced by Mr. Pompeo at a press briefing in
Washington
 The position has been vacant since January 20, 2017 and
lawmakers as well as the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had urged
the Trump administration to fill the position. The
coordinator is, by law, assigned to promote ―substantive
dialogue‖ between the government of China and the
Dalai Lama, coordinate U.S. policy and projects on Tibet
and help promote policies that protect the distinct
identity of Tibet and safeguard human rights in the
region.
 ―The United States remains concerned with the PRC‘s
[People‘s Republic of China] repression of the Tibetan
community, including the lack of meaningful autonomy,
the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas,
and severe restrictions on Tibetans‘ religious freedom
and cultural traditions within China,‖ a statement from
Mr. Pompeo said
 ―Special Coordinator Destro will engage Tibetan leaders
and international partners and experts to address these
issues. He also will carry forward the Department‘s
engagement with and support for Tibet‘s global diaspora
and their many courageous advocates for the protection
of human rights, including the freedom of religion or
belief,‖ he said.

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 Consistent with his obligations under the TPA, Mr.

Destro will ―lead U.S. efforts to promote dialogue
between the People‘s Republic of China (PRC) and the
Dalai Lama or his representatives; protect the unique
religious, cultural, and linguistic identity of Tibetans; and
press for their human rights to be respected‖, Mr.
Pompeo said.
 ―He also will support U.S. efforts to address the
humanitarian needs of Tibetan refugees and to promote
sustainable economic development and environmental
conservation in Tibetan communities on the plateau,‖ the
statement said.
 Last month Mr. Pompeo had urged Beijing to engage in
dialogue with the Dalai Lama and his representatives
―without preconditions‖. The comments come at a time
when U.S.-China relations are highly strained owing to
trade issues and Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: The Hindu

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71.EU imposes sanctions on six Russian

officials over Alexei Navalny poisoning

 The European Union on Thursday imposed sanctions on

six Russian officials and one organisation over the
poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
with a Soviet-era nerve agent.
 The move came a day after Russia‘s Foreign Minister
warned that Moscow might respond with similar
measures.
 The decision was agreed upon among the 27 EU envoys
to Brussels.

 The adopted restrictive measures consist of a travel ban

to the EU and an asset freeze for individuals, and an asset
freeze for the entity,‖ the EU said in a statement.
 The list includes two high level officials in the
Presidential Executive Office, a director of the federal

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security service and two deputy ministers in the Russian

defense ministry. The EU is also targeting the State
Scientific Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and
Technology.
 EU Foreign Ministers agreed on Monday to impose the
sanctions, following a push by France and Germany to
freeze the assets of those suspected of involvement and
ban them from traveling in Europe under sanctions to
combat the use and spread of chemical weapons.
 Mr. Navalny, an anti-corruption investigator and major
political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin,
fell ill on Aug. 20 during a domestic flight in Russia. He
was flown to Germany for treatment two days later and is
still recovering there.
 Last week, tests conducted at labs designated by the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
confirmed that Navalny was poisoned by a Novichok
nerve agent.
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an
interview on Wednesday that the Germans are not
planning to provide any facts, despite all international
and legal obligations. We respond in kind. This is
diplomatic practice. Mr. Lavrov suggested that Moscow
might even sever ties.
 Mr. Lavrov specifically pointed at European
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen‘s recent
statements ruling out a partnership with Russia, saying
that scenario will play out if that‘s what the EU wants.
 Russia wants to understand whether it‘s possible to do
any business with the EU in the current conditions, Mr.

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Lavrov said at a foreign policy conference attended by

experts in Moscow.
 In a phone call Tuesday with Mr. Lavrov, EU foreign
policy chief Josep Borrell insisted that the EU wishes to
maintain open channels of communication with Russia
and to enhance cooperation on issues of mutual interest,
according to a statement from Borrell‘s office.
 Mr. Borrell also underlined that Moscow must do its
utmost to investigate this crime thoroughly in full
transparency and to fully cooperate with the OPCW, and
that the EU will continue to defend its interests and
values, including respect for international law and
fundamental rights.

Source: The Hindu

72.Appointment of coordinator for Tibet

by US aimed at destabilising it: China

 China slammed the US for appointing a Special

Coordinator for Tibetan issues, describing Washington's
move as political manipulation aimed at destabilising
Tibet.
 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday
named Robert Destro, Assistant Secretary of State for
Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, as the Special
Coordinator for Tibetan issues.
 Destro will focus on advancing dialogue between the
Communist-run government in Beijing and the Dalai

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Lama, protecting the distinct religious cultural and

linguistic identity of Tibetans, improving respect for their
human rights and much, much more, Pompeo said.
 Reacting to Destro's appointment, Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing
here that the US move amounted to interference in
China's internal affairs.

 He said, "the setting up of the so-called special

coordinator for Tibetan issues is entirely out of political
manipulation to interfere in China's internal affairs and
destabilise Xizang", the Chinese name for Tibet.
 Unlike in the past, Chinese officials in recent times have
been referring to Tibet only as Xizang.
 China firmly opposes that and never recognise that.
People of ethnic groups in Xizang are part of the big
family of Chinese nation, Zhao said.
 Since, its peaceful liberation, Xizang enjoyed prosperous
economic growth, harmonious civil society and

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prosperous culture. People enjoyed solidarity and mutual

assistance and improved livelihood. All people in Tibet
enjoy their full religious freedoms and their rights are
fully respected and guaranteed," he said.
 Tibet's future will be better. The US should stop
interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of
Tibet or destabilising it. China will take all necessary
measures to uphold our interests.
 Last year, the Trump administration stepped up
criticisms of China's handling of Tibet especially the
issue of appointment of the Dalai Lama's successor.
 Last November, China objected to US plans to take up
the issue of a successor to the Dalai Lama to United
Nations, saying Washington is misusing the UN platform
to interfere in its internal affairs.
 China has been asserting that its assent to successor to
the present Dalai Lama is a must as the Tibetan spiritual
leader turned 85 this year.
 Relations between Washington and Beijing have
spiralled downward since the outbreak of the novel
coronavirus, which President Donald Trump has blamed
on China. The two countries have also sparred over
China imposing a new national security law in Hong
Kong, restrictions on American journalists, treatment of
Uyghur Muslims and security measures in Tibet.

Source: The Hindu

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73.Kyrgyzstan‘s president resigns,

bringing political impasse to an end
 President Sooronbay Jeenbekov of Kyrgyzstan
announced his resignation, after a former convict gained
the upper hand in a power struggle that followed the
annulling of parliamentary elections and was appointed
prime minister.

 Jeenbekov was forced out under pressure from Sadyr

Japarov, who emerged as the landlocked Central Asian
country‘s strongest political figure when he became
prime minister after an opaque parliamentary vote
marred by intimidation and threats of violence.
 Allegations of vote buying and fraud over parliamentary
elections triggered riots, leading to their annulment.
Amid the crisis, two jailed opposition leaders were
sprung from prison by rampaging supporters, resulting in
violent street clashes as each side fought for control.

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 Japarov, one of the freed leaders, had been serving an 11

1/2-year prison term for kidnapping a regional governor
in 2013.
 Jeenbekov, who went into hiding as the crisis unfolded,
ordered the army into the streets last week in an effort to
restore stability.
 In recent days, mobs of Japarov‘s supporters have
assaulted journalists and violently broken up peaceful
rallies by those who opposed him.
 Last Friday, political leaders, including Japarov‘s main
rival, former president Almazbek Atambayev, rallied in
Ala-Too Square in the capital, Bishkek, but thugs who
were armed with sticks and allied to Japarov attacked
and dispersed the crowd.
 Pistol shots were fired at Atambayev‘s car as he left the
scene. Atambayev, who like Japarov was freed from
prison in the unrest, was rearrested the following day.
 Parliament voted to appoint Japarov as prime minister on
Saturday, a vote rejected by Jeenbekov because it lacked
a quorum.
 Jeenbekov approved a second parliamentary vote
backing Japarov but initially resisted pressure to step
down, declaring he would remain until new elections are
held.
 Regretfully, the aggression is not over yet, and demands
of my immediate resignation are still being made.
 ―I do not hold onto power and do not want to go down in
Kyrgyzstan‘s history as the president who spilled blood
and fired at his own citizens. So, I have decided to

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resign,‖ Jeenbekov said. He called on Japarov to remove

his supporters from the capital and restore peace.
 New elections are to be held within three months, the
Central Elections Commission said.
 Western diplomats in Kyrgyzstan have expressed alarm
at the violent influence of what they describe as
organized crime in the political struggle in the Central
Asia‘s only democracy.
 In a strongly worded statement Tuesday, the U.S.
Embassy lamented the efforts by organized crime groups
to gain political control.
 ―The United States supports a peaceful and democratic
transition in the Kyrgyz Republic. It is clear that one of
the obstacles toward democratic progress is the attempt
by organized crime groups to exert influence over
politics and elections,‖ the statement said.
 ―This was evident with vote-buying during the October 4
elections, violence and intimidation in Ala-Too Square
on October 9, and irregularities in the parliament session
on October 10.
 ―The United States supports the efforts of President
Jeenbekov, political leaders, civil society, and legal
scholars to return the political life of the country to a
constitutional order.
 Citizens and their leaders must continue to fight against
the influence of organized crime and corruption in
politics. The ultimate goal must be to uphold the Kyrgyz
Constitution and rule of law.‖

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 The European Union also expressed concerns Tuesday

about procedural problems in Saturday‘s parliamentary
vote for the prime minister.
 Deputy Speaker Aida Kasymalieva told Kyrgyz
parliamentary colleagues on Tuesday that she had
received violent threats as the power struggle played out.

Source: The Hindu

74.India, France re-elected as President,

Co-President of International Solar
Alliance

 According to an official release, while speaking in the

plenary, the President of the ISA Assembly, India's
Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister, RK
Singh, appreciated the Alliance members coming
together to work for combating climate change and
welcomed the seventh initiative on heating and cooling
to be introduced for discussion in the Third Assembly.
 Singh said that solar energy has come a long way in last
5 years and is now the fastest-growing energy source
globally. He said, "Solar energy is already contributing
around 2.8 per cent of global electricity, and if trends
were to continue, by 2030, solar will become most
important source of energy for electricity production in a
large part of the world."

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 The ISA President also mentioned various activities and

programmes initiated by ISA since the 2nd Assembly.

 According to the release, the Co-President of the

Assembly, Barbara Pompili, France's Minister for
Ecological Transition underlined that ISA played an
essential role to help redirect funding towards renewable
energies, particularly in developing countries, and take
up the challenge of an energy at the service of all.
 She further reiterated France's involvement, pointing out
that of the 1.5 billion euros of financing France
committed for solar projects in ISA member states up
until 2022, 1.15 billion euros has been committed to
concrete projects.
 The Third Assembly of the ISA has been attended by 34
ISA Members ministers. As many as 53 member
countries and 5 signatory and prospective member
countries had participated in the Assembly, as per the
official release.

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 During the meeting, four new Vice-Presidents were also

chosen to represent the four regions of ISA. The
representatives of Fiji & Nauru for Asia Pacific Region;
Mauritius & Niger for Africa Region; UK & Netherlands
for Europe and others Region, and Cuba and Guyana for
Latin America and Caribbean Region assumed the vice
presidency.
 The Assembly also approved the initiatives of the ISA
Secretariat in institutionalising ISA's engagement with
the private and public corporate sector through the
Coalition for Sustainable Climate Action (CSCA). Ten
public sector organisations in India presented a cheque
for 1 million USD each at the assembly.
 The President of the 26th edition of United Nations
Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-26),
Alok Sharma, recalled the commitment of the United
Kingdom to fight climate change, and discussed key
priorities.
 For the first time since the inception of the framework
agreement of ISA, Solar awards were conferred on
countries of the region as well as institutions working for
solar.
 The ISA is an initiative that was launched by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and former France President
Francois Hollande on 30 November 2015 in Paris,
France on the side-lines of the COP-21.
 The overarching objective of the ISA is to collectively
address key common challenges to the scaling up of solar
energy in ISA member countries.

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 It also aims to undertake joint efforts required to reduce

the cost of finance and the cost of technology, mobilise
investments needed for massive deployment of solar
energy, and pave the way for future technologies adapted
to the needs.
Source: Economic times

75.European Union leaders divided over

new climate goals for 2030
 European Union leaders will not reach an agreement at
their summit as they remain divided about a more
ambitious target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
 What are EU's climate goals?
 Leaders at this summit will only start discussing the
proposal to reduce emissions by at least 55 per cent by
2030, as put forward by the EU's executive Commission.
This, according to a draft of the meeting's findings seen
by The Associated Press.
 The goal is to reach an agreement in December ahead of
the adoption of the first ever European climate law.
 Why are EU leaders divided?
 EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
predicted in September that proposing a reduction target
of at least 55 per cent by 2030 compared with the current
target of 40 per cent would be ―too much for some and
not enough for others.

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 Supported by Germany, Von der Leyen's revised target

needs to be endorsed by the 27 EU countries to make it
legally binding.
 a group of 11 countries including Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden embraced her
ambition in a joint statement published ahead of the
summit in Brussels.

 ―Let us, as a Union, deliver a strong and credible

response to the climate crisis and increase our 2030
climate target to at least 55 per cent, leading to climate
neutrality by 2050," they said in the statement.
 But officials told The Associated Press that there is no
agreement across the bloc.
 While the European Parliament pushes for an even
greater 60 per cent reduction in emissions, some eastern
EU countries that depends on coal for much of their
energy needs are less enthusiastic.

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 They worry about the social, environmental and

economic costs of the transition to a greener economy,
according to The Associated Press.
 Poland last year did not commit to the EU's 2050 climate
neutrality goal and is asking for more details about the
measures.
 Von der Leyen has said she wants 37 per cent of the 750
billion euros in the coronavirus recovery fund to be given
to EU countries to spend on environmental objectives,
while 30 per cent of the bloc''s regular budget should be
used to tackling climate change.
 World leaders agreed five years ago in Paris to keep
global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees
Fahrenheit), ideally no more than 1.5 degrees C (2.7 F)
by the end of the century, as per The Associated Press.
 Scientists tell The Associated Press that the countries
will miss both of those goals by a wide margin unless
drastic steps are taken to begin cutting greenhouse gas
emissions. Under the Paris Agreement, countries are due
to submit updated climate targets by the end of the year.

Source: The Hindu

76.Kyrgyzstan‘s Prime Minister becomes

acting President

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 Kyrgyzstan‘s Prime Minister became the acting head of

state on Friday in the wake of the President‘s resignation
amid turmoil sparked by a disputed parliamentary
election.
 Supporters of newly appointed Prime Minister Sadyr
Zhaparov, rallied in the capital, Bishkek, and threatened
to storm government buildings, forcing President
Sooronbai Jeenbekov to step down on Thursday. Under
the Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament would be
next in line, but he refused to serve as caretaker leader
under protesters‘ pressure, allowing Mr. Zhaparov to
claim the top office.
 The fast-moving developments mark the third time in 15
years that a leader of the Central Asian country has been
forced out by a popular uprising. The unrest that gripped
the country of 6.5 million people on the border with
China was triggered by the Oct. 4 parliamentary election
that was swept by pro-government parties.
 Supporters of opposition groups dismissed the results,
pointing at vote-buying and other irregularities, and took
over government buildings hours after the polls closed.
The protesters freed several opposition leaders, including
Mr. Zhaparov, who was serving an 11-year jail term.
 The Central Election Commission nullified the election
results and rival regional clans begun jockeying for
power, their supporters swarming the capital and
occasionally clashing with each other, hurling stones.
 President Jeenbekov, who had introduced a state of
emergency in Bishkek and deployed troops in the capital,

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first dismissed calls to resign, but he announced on

Thursday that he was stepping down to avoid bloodshed.
 Mr. Zhaparov‘s supporters quickly besieged the
Parliament to discourage its speaker, Kanat Isayev, from
taking over as acting President.

 Mr Isayev formally announced during Friday‘s

Parliament session that he wouldn‘t take the top office.

Source: The Hindu

77.Israeli parliament formally approves

UAE normalisation deal

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 Israel‘s parliament on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in

favor of formally ratifying the country‘s historic
agreement normalising diplomatic relations with the
United Arab Emirates.
 Israel and the UAE announced the U.S.-brokered
agreement in August, and signed a deal in a White House
ceremony last month. Thursday‘s approval by the 120-
seat Knesset, or parliament, which passed in a 80-13
vote, was largely a formality.
 The UAE has become just the third Arab country to
establish official ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan,
and the first to do so in a quarter century. Bahrain is also
in the process of formalising ties with Israel, and the
White House has suggested that other Arab countries will
follow suit.
 The deals reflect a shift in the Middle East as Arab
countries‘ shared concerns with Israel about Iran
outweigh their traditional support for the Palestinians.
 Many Arab and Muslim countries want to get close to us,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech.
They see our military and intelligence, technological and
economic power. They are changing their attitude toward
us. The Palestinians, who have long relied on unified
Arab support to boost them against Israel, have
condemned the deal and accused the UAE of betrayal.
 The Joint List, the main Arab-dominated faction in
parliament, cast the lone opposing votes on Thursday in
solidarity with their Palestinian brethren.

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 Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint List, said the only

deal that would bring peace and prosperity to the region
would be a peace agreement creating an independent
Palestinian state alongside Israel.

 ―The deal being signed today is part of U.S. President

Donald Trump‘s dangerous vision that ... will perpetuate
the military regime on millions of Palestinians, the
settlements and the outposts,‖ he wrote in a tweet before
the vote.
Source: The Hindu

78.Russia kicks off Caspian war games

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 Russia said its Navy had begun military exercises in the

central waters of the Caspian Sea north of the
Azerbaijani capital Baku, insisting there was no threat to
neighbouring states as Armenia and Azerbaijan battle
over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 The war games are taking place north of Azerbaijan‘s
Absheron peninsula, where Baku is located, and will
include artillery and rocket fire, the Defence Ministry
said in a statement.
 They involve six ships, seven planes and more than 400
servicemen, it added.
 ―The activities... do not pose any threat and do not
impose restrictions on the economic activities of the
Caspian littoral states,‖ it added.
 Russia has so far kept its distance from the conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Armenian-
controlled Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
 CSTO exercise
 But Armenia, unlike Azerbaijan, is a member of the
Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation
(CSTO) military alliance and Yerevan has made clear it
is hoping for Russian backing.
 With protests still pressuring Belarusian President
Alexander Lukashenko after disputed elections, CSTO
forces have also been taking part in joint military
exercises this week in Belarus. The exercises are called
―Indestructible Brotherhood‖.
Source: The Hindu

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79.Will defend rights in South China sea:

Philippines
 The Philippines is ready to defend the oil and gas
exploration it has decided to resume in its internationally
recognised waters in the disputed South China Sea and
will not cede that right to any nation, the energy chief
said on Friday.
 The Department of Energy announced on Thursday that
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved its
recommendation to lift a 6-year-old moratorium on
energy exploration in three offshore areas west of the
Philippines, including in potentially oil- and gas-rich
Reed Bank, which China also claims.
 Companies with government contracts have been notified
to resume their petroleum search, Energy Secretary
Alfonso Cusi said.
 Mr. Cusi told reporters in an online news conference on
Friday that China was not informed of the Philippine
government‘s decision to resume oil exploration in its
exclusive economic zone, a 320-km stretch of waters
where a coastal state can exclusively exploit maritime
resources under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of
the Sea.
 Reed Bank and two other exploration areas are within the
Philippines‘ exclusive zone but China is likely to assert
its claim, Mr. Cusi said. ―They will not just take it
without raising a word. I‘m sure they‘re going to write
us,‖ he said.

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 Asked how the Philippines will respond if China

protests, Mr. Cusi replied, ―We have to stand up for our
rights, that‘s what we are going to do.‖

Source: The Hindu

80.China defends Confucius Institutes now

under fire from U.S.
 Following scathing political attacks from the Trump
administration, China on Friday defended its Confucius
Institutes as apolitical facilitators of cultural and
language exchange.
 The U.S. administration last week urged schools and
colleges to rethink their ties to the institutes that bring
Chinese language classes to America but, according to
federal officials, also invite a malign influence from
China.
 Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian disputed that
characterisation and accused Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo and U.S. politicians of acting out of ideological
prejudice and personal political interests and having
deliberately undermined the cultural and educational
exchanges and cooperation between China and the U.S..
 ―The U.S. politicians should abandon the Cold War
mentality and zero-sum thinking ... and stop politicising
related programs of educational exchange, obstructing
normal cultural exchanges between the two sides, and

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damaging mutual trust and cooperation between China

and the U.S.,‖ Mr. Zhao said at a daily briefing.
 Patterned after the British Council and Alliance
Francaise, the Confucius Institutes are unique in that they
set up operations directly on U.S. campuses and schools,
drawing mounting scrutiny from U.S. officials amid
increased tensions with China.

 In letters to universities and state education officials, the

State Department and Education Department said the
program gives China‘s ruling Communist Party a
foothold on U.S. soil and threatens free speech. Schools
are being advised to examine the program‘s activities and
take action to safeguard its educational environments.
 More than 60 U.S. universities host Confucius Institutes
through partnerships with an affiliate of China‘s Ministry
of Education, though the number has lately been
dropping. China provides teachers and textbooks and
typically splits the cost with the university.
 The programme also brings Chinese language classes to
about 500 elementary and secondary classrooms.

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 In last week‘s letters, U.S. officials drew attention to

China‘s new national security law in Hong Kong, which
critics say curtails free expression and other liberties.
 The letters cite recent reports that some U.S. college
professors are allowing students to opt out of discussions
on Chinese politics amid fears that students from Hong
Kong or China could be prosecuted at home.
 Such fears are well justified, officials said, adding that at
least one student from China was recently jailed by
Chinese authorities over tweets he posted while studying
at a U.S. university.
 At least 39 universities have announced plans to shutter
Confucius Institute programs since the start of 2019,
according to a log published by the National Association
of Scholars, a conservative nonprofit group.
 Other nations have also sought to curb China‘s influence
in their schools, with regional educational departments in
Canada and Australia cutting ties with the institutes.

Source: The Hindu

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81.U.S. tech mogul Robert Brockman

charged in biggest U.S. tax evasion
scheme
 U.S technology executive Robert Brockman has been
charged in the biggest tax evasion case in U.S. history
after fellow billionaire Robert Smith turned against him
to avoid prosecution himself, the Justice Department
said.
 Brockman, the 79-year-old chief executive of Ohio-
based Reynolds and Reynolds Co, hid $2 billion in
income from the Internal Revenue Service over two
decades, using a web of off-shore companies in Bermuda
and St. Kitts and Nevis, according to an indictment
unsealed.

 Reynolds and Reynolds provides software used by auto

dealerships to help manage their business.

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 The indictment alleges Brockman appointed nominees to

manage the off-shore entities for him as a means of
hiding his involvement, saying he even went so far as to
establish a proprietary encrypted email system and use
code words such as ‖Permit,‖ ―Red fish‖ and ―Snapper‖
to communicate.
 At a press conference in San Francisco, U.S. Attorney
David Anderson said Brockman was also charged in a
securities fraud scheme, after he bought and sold debt
securities in his own company, ―breaking a promise to
investors that he would not buy or sell his own
company's debt.‖
 The debt was purchased thanks to inside information
Brockman possessed, Anderson added.
 He faces seven counts of tax evasion, six counts of
failing to file reports disclosing foreign bank accounts,
and numerous other counts including wire fraud, money
laundering and evidence tampering.
 Mr. Brockman has pled not guilty, and we look forward
to defending him against these charges,‖ Brockman's
attorney Kathryn Keneally said in an emailed statement.
 Anderson said Smith, who helped secure the charges
against Brockman and famously announced at last year's
Morehouse College commencement that he would pay
off the college debt of 2019 graduates, accepted
responsibility for his own crimes in the tax evasion
scheme.
 Brockman and Smith have a business relationship dating
back to the late 1990s, according to documents filed in
connection with Smith's non-prosecution agreement.

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 As part of his non-prosecution agreement, Smith

admitted to using a nominee trustee and corporate
manager to hide his control in four off-shore companies.
Some of his untaxed income was used to buy a vacation
home in Sonoma, California, and ski properties in the
Alps, and to fund charitable causes.
 He will pay $139 million in taxes and penalties, and will
abandon a $182 protective refund claim and pay interest
as part of the deal. ‖Although Smith willfully and
knowingly violated the law, Smith has accepted
responsibility and agreed to provide complete and
truthful cooperation,‖ Anderson said.
 Smith founded private equity firm Vista Equity Partners
and he is listed by Forbes as being the nation's wealthiest
Black investor.
Sources: The Hindu

82.Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim faces police

probe over bid to become PM
 Malaysia‘s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is set to be
questioned by police Friday over his claim that he has a
list of lawmakers supporting his bid to oust the
government.
 Anwar met the nation‘s king on Tuesday to show
evidence that he has majority support in Parliament to
form a new government and unseat Prime Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin, who only has a thin two-seat majority
in the house.

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 Police said in a statement Thursday they received 113

complaints over a list of 121 lawmakers allegedly
backing Anwar. They didn‘t disclose details of the
complains. The list has made rounds on social media.
 Police said they are investigating the complains under
provisions in the penal code covering statements of
public mischief and a multimedia law on the improper
use of network facilities to harass someone. Anwar has
been summoned to the police headquarters to give his
statement.
 Anwar, 73, has said the king will meet leaders of
political parties to verify his claim but hasn‘t commented
on the police investigation.

 Muhyiddin, who took power in March after causing the

collapse of Anwar‘s reformist alliance, has previously
dismissed Anwar‘s claim of having secured support of a
majority of lawmakers to unseat him but faced increasing
pressure this week.
 After Anwar‘s audience with the king, the key ally in
Muhyiddin‘s ruling coalition threatened to withdraw

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support for the government amid anger over being

sidelined despite being the biggest party.
 Several lawmakers, both in the ruling coalition and the
opposition, have also sought a vote of no confidence
against Muhyiddin when Parliament resumes Nov. 2. But
the motion may be thwarted by the house speaker, who is
aligned with the premier.
 Muhyiddin has said he would leave it to King Sultan
Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to decide on the political
tussle, which is likely to drag on as the monarch has
postponed meetings with party leaders due to restrictions
imposed in Kuala Lumpur this week to stem a surge in
coronavirus cases.
 The king Thursday advised political leaders to ―avoid
plunging the country into another political crisis‖ during
the pandemic. In a statement, he urged politicians to
settle their dispute through negotiations and under legal
processes based on the constitution.
 Anwar‘s Alliance of Hope was elected in 2018 but
collapsed after Muhyiddin withdrew his party and tied up
with the opposition to form a Malay-centric government
in March. Then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
resigned in protest, saying he wouldn‘t work with parties
accused of corruption that he ousted in the 2018 polls.
 If Anwar succeeds, it would mark a dramatic comeback
after his roller-coaster political journey since the 1990s.

Source: The Hindu

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83.Turkey‘s Black Sea gas find reaches

405bn cubic meters
 Turkey‘s president has announced the discovery of an
additional 85 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves
in the Black Sea.
 Speaking aboard the drill ship Fatih on Saturday,
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said explorations in the
Tuna-1 well were complete after reaching a depth of
4775 meters (5,222 yards).

 In August, Turkey announced the discovery 320 billion

cubic meters of natural gas reserves off the Black Sea
coast, which energy analysts considered notable but not
large enough to turn Turkey into a regional energy hub.
 Ankara says it plans to extract and use the gas by 2023,
hoping to eventually decrease its dependence on energy
imports. Last year‘s imports totaled more than $41
billion.

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 Turkey has increased its maritime search for

hydrocarbon resources, with several drill ships in waters
near the country. Its vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean
have been at the heart of a dispute with neighboring
Greece over the delimitation of continental shelves.
 ―We will continue our search for hydrocarbon resources
in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean,‖ Erdogan said.
 This week, Turkey redeployed its survey ship Oruc Reis
to disputed waters in an area among Greek islands,
Cyprus and Turkey's southern coast. Turkey pulled the
vessel to shore last month for maintenance and resupply,
saying the move would give diplomacy a chance, but the
military and diplomatic spat continues. Erdogan warned
that Turkey would use diplomacy and ―all its might‖ to
defend the energy rights for Turkey and Turkish
Cypriots.
Source: The Pioneer

84.NZ PM Ardern wins 2nd term in

landslide

 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won a

second term in office on Saturday in an election landslide
of historic proportions.
 With most votes counted, Ardern‘s liberal Labour Party
was winning 49% of the vote compared to 27% for its
main challenger, the conservative National Party.
 Labour was on target to win an outright majority of the
seats in Parliament, something that hasn‘t happened since

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New Zealand implemented a proportional voting system

24 years ago. Typically, parties must form alliances to
govern, but this time Ardern and Labour can go it alone.
 In a victory speech in front of hundreds of cheering
supporters in Auckland, Ardern said her party had gotten
more support from New Zealanders that at any time in at
least 50 years.

 ―This has not been an ordinary election, and it‘s not an

ordinary time,‖ she said. ―It‘s been full of uncertainty
and anxiety, and we set out to be an antidote to that.‖
Ardern promised not to take her new supporters for
granted and to govern for all New Zealanders.
 ―We are living in an increasingly polarized world, a
place where, more and more, people have lost the ability
to see one another‘s point of view,‖ she said. ―I think in
this election, New Zealanders have shown that this is not
who we are.‖ A record number of voters cast early
ballots in the two weeks leading up to the election.

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 On the campaign trail, Ardern was greeted like a rock

star by people who crammed into malls and spilled onto
streets to cheer her on and get selfies with her.
 Her popularity soared earlier this year after she led a
successful effort to stamp out the coronavirus. There is
currently no community spread of the virus in the nation
of 5 million and people are no longer required to wear
masks or social distance.
Source: The Pioneer

85.US Government to execute first woman

since 1953

 The US Government has set the dates of two more

executions this year which also includes that of the first
woman since 1953.
 Lisa Montgomery, who in 2004 was convicted of
strangling a Missouri woman who was eight months
pregnant, is expected to receive the lethal injection on
December 8, said the Department of Justice.

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 According to CNN, the last woman executed by the US

Government dates back to December 18, 1953, as per the
US Bureau of prisons records, for kidnapping and
murder. CNN further reported that Ethel Rosenberg was
famously executed for espionage, along with her
husband, Julius, which was also in 1953.
 "Montgomery's execution will be the Justice
Department's eighth this year after a 17-year hiatus,"
CNN reported. A convicted killer by the name of Daniel
Lewis Lee was executed in July. Lee's execution was the
first federal execution in 17 years after the Supreme
Court issued an overnight ruling.
 Montgomery is held at the federal prison in Terre Haute,
Indiana. The US Government has not executed anyone
since 2003 and just four people since 1960, according to
Bureau of Prisons records.

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 Lawyer Kelley Henry said her client Montgomery "is

mentally ill, suffered horrible childhood abuse, and had
poor representation at trial."
Source: Economic times

86.U.S., Israeli envoys fly to Bahrain to

advance nascent ties
 A joint American-Israeli delegation was set to fly to
Bahrain on Sunday on the first direct Israeli commercial
flight to the Gulf Arab state, where they‘ll be signing a
number of bilateral agreements following an
announcement last month to normalise relations.

 U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s national security
adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, are leading the delegation
that is flying out of Tel Aviv‘s Ben Gurion airport.
 El Al flight 973 - a nod to the international dialing code
for Bahrain - will fly through Saudi Arabia‘s airspace en

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route to Manama, where dignitaries from all three

countries will speak at a ceremony after landing.
 It will be the official establishment of the diplomatic
relations between the two countries,‖ an Israeli
diplomatic official said, speaking on condition of
anonymity pending the official announcement.
 The decision to establish ties with Israel has outraged the
Palestinians, whose leadership has blasted the Bahraini
move, and a similar Emirati deal, as a betrayal and an
undermining of the Arab stance that recognition of Israel
should come only after Palestinians achieve an
independent state of their own.
 As part of the deal to normalise relations, the two Gulf
Arab states and Israel will eventually establish embassies
and exchange ambassadors. The Israeli official said the
Israeli embassy was expected to open in Bahrain in the
coming months.
 Similar to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain is expected
to open its embassy at some point in the city of Tel Aviv,
where most foreign embassies are located because of
Jerusalem‘s contested status.
 Bahraini and Israeli officials have held numerous
conversations since announcing their intention to
establish full ties. Sunday‘s face-to-face meetings,
however, are seen as another step toward normalisation.
 Meanwhile, Israel and the UAE have already signed a
number of business, banking and intergovernmental
agreements.
 Bahrain and the UAE formally signed the agreement to
normalise relations with Israel in a ceremony at the

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White House on Septemer 15. Egypt and Jordan are the

only other two Arab states to sign diplomatic treaties
with Israel, in 1979 and 1994, respectively.
 The accords made public what had been a gradual
strengthening of quiet ties between Israel and several
Gulf states - forged in recent years over a shared concern
over regional rival Iran. Other Arab countries could
follow suit, with analysts and insiders pointing to Sudan,
Oman and Morocco as possibilities.
 The Israeli delegation is slated to fly back to Tel Aviv
later on Sunday, while the Americans will head to the
UAE before flying to Israel.

Source: The Hindu

87.Decade-long UN arms embargo on Iran

expires, US to sanction sellers

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 US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Sunday said arms

sales to Iran would breach UN resolutions and result in
sanctions, after Tehran said the decade-long UN embargo
on arms trade with the Islamic republic had expired.

 ―The US is prepared to use its domestic authorities to

sanction any individual or entity that materially
contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer of conventional
arms to or from Iran,‖ Pompeo said in a statement.
―Every nation that seeks peace and stability in the
Middle East and supports the fight against terrorism
should refrain from any arms transactions with Iran.‖
 The embargo on the sale of conventional arms to Iran
was due to begin expiring progressively from October 18
under terms of the United Nations resolution that
confirmed the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and
world powers.
 Israel, Bahrain poised to formalise diplomatic ties
 A high-level delegation of American and Israeli officials
landed in Bahrain on Sunday on a mission to cement a

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pact to establish formal diplomatic ties between Israel

and the Gulf Arab state.
 US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and Israel‘s
national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat led the
delegations. The sides will issue a statement that would
make Bahrain only the fourth Arab country to have full
diplomatic relations with Israel.
Source: Hindustan Times

88.Pakistan fails to fulfil 6 key mandates

of FATF; no action against Masood
Azhar, Hafiz Saeed
 Pakistan‘s failure to fulfil six key obligations of the
FATF, including action against two of India‘s most
wanted terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz

Saeed, and the sudden disappearance of more than 4,000

terrorists from its official list will most likely lead to its
continuation in the ‗grey list‘ of the Global money

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laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, officials

said.
 The virtual plenary of the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF), to be held on October 21-23, will take the final
call on Pakistan‘s continuation on its grey list after a
thorough review of Islamabad‘s performance in fulfilling
the global commitments and standards in the fight
against money laundering and terror financing.
 The FATF had given Pakistan a total of 27 action plan
obligations for completely checking terror financing of
which so far it has cleared 21 but has failed in some of
the key tasks, an official privy to the developments said.
 The mandates which Pakistan has failed include action
against all UN-designated terrorists like Jaish-e-
Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar, Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT)
founder Seed and the outfit‘s operational commander
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
 Besides, FATF has strongly noted the fact that there was
sudden disappearance of the names of more than 4,000
terrorists from its original list of 7,600 under Schedule
IV of its Anti Terrorism Act.
 Under these circumstances, it is almost certain that
Pakistan will continue in the FATF grey list, the official
said.
 Also, the four nominating countries — the United States,
Britain, France and Germany — are also not satisfied
with Islamabad‘s commitment to taking strong action
against the terror groups operating from its soil.
 Azhar, Saeed and Lakhvi are most wanted terrorists in
India for their involvement in numerous terrorist acts,

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including the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes and the

bombing of a CRPF bus at Pulwama in Jammu and
Kashmir last year.
 With Pakistan‘s continuation in the grey list, it is
increasingly becoming difficult for Islamabad to get
financial aid from the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
and the European Union, thus further enhancing
problems for the neighbouring country which is in a
precarious financial situation.
 The FATF will also judge if competent authorities in
Pakistan were cooperating and taking action to identify
and taking enforcement action against illegal money or
value transfer services and had proven implementation of
cross-border currency and bearer negotiable instruments
controls at all ports of entry, including applying
effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.
 The country‘s outstanding action areas also include
effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions
(supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against
all 1,267 and 1,373 designated terrorists and those acting
for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising
and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets
(movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to
funds and financial services, another official said.
 The FATF plenary was earlier scheduled in June, but
Pakistan got an unexpected breather after the global
watchdog against financial crimes temporarily postponed
all mutual evaluations and follow-up deadlines in the

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wake of grave health risk due to the COVID-19

pandemic.
 The watchdog also put a general pause in the review
process, thus giving additional four months to Pakistan to
meet the requirements.
 Pakistan needed 12 votes out of 39 to exit the grey list
and move to the white list. To avoid the blacklist, it
needs the support of three countries. China, Turkey and
Malaysia are its consistent supporters.
 Currently, North Korea and Iran are on the FATF
blacklist.
 Pakistan was placed on the grey list by the FATF in June
2018 and was given a plan of action to complete it by
October 2019. Since then, the country continues to be on
that list due to its failure to comply with the FATF
mandates.
 The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in
1989 to combat money laundering, terror financing and
other related threats to the integrity of the international
financial system.
 The FATF currently has 39 members, including two
regional organisations — the European Commission and
Gulf Cooperation Council.
 India is a member of the FATF consultations and its Asia
Pacific Group.
Source: The Hindu

89.China beefs up laws to handle

epidemics, protect whistleblowers

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 China has passed a new law to improve its handling of

disease outbreaks — including protecting whistleblowers
— following a cascade of criticism over its coronavirus
response and accusations of an early cover-up.
 The new biosecurity law, approved by lawmakers on
Saturday, flags the right to report ―acts that endanger
biosecurity‖ and calls for risk prevention systems,
ranging from active monitoring to emergency plans.
 It takes effect from April 15 next year.
 ―Any work unit or individual has the right to report acts
that endanger biosecurity,‖ the regulation said.
 ―When a report is required according to the law, no work
unit or individual shall conceal (it)... or hinder others
from making a report,‖ it added on infectious diseases
and epidemics.
 China's approval of the law comes in the face of Western
criticism on the coronavirus, over accusations that it
covered up the initial outbreak and silenced early

whistleblowers.

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 But China has been trying to reshape this narrative, with

authorities seeking instead to model the country as a
vanguard in the pandemic fight.
 Although doctor Li Wenliang who alerted colleagues to
the new coronavirus in late December was at first
reprimanded, a national outpouring of grief and anger
over his death prompted Beijing to redirect criticism to
local officials and subsequently paint him as a hero.
 President Xi Jinping in February raised the need to speed
up establishing the biosecurity law, urging for reforms of
mechanisms to prevent major outbreaks.
 Under the new law, those who conceal information, omit
making reports or prevent others from reporting
infectious diseases could be given warnings or
suspended.
 The new law also calls for systems including to regularly
monitor biosafety risks, and to trace the origins of
incidents.
 Disease prevention agencies are also to help predict the
occurrence and prevalence of emerging diseases.
 Based on these predictions, authorities should announce
warnings and adopt prevention measures.
 Although Beijing established an information system after
the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak that allowed for real-time
reports of outbreaks, provincial authorities came under
fire during the coronavirus outbreak for perceived
incompetence, including delays in announcing the public
health emergency.

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 The new biosecurity law also takes aim at the

management of research facilities, flagging the need for
emergency plans for biosafety incidents.

Source: The Hindu

90.Pakistan removes names of over 5,000

individuals from travel blacklist
 Pakistan authorities have removed the names of over
5,000 individuals from the travel blacklist after the
government took note of the problems faced by citizens
whose names have been blacklisted for a long time.
 Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, in a meeting held recently,
directed the review committee of the Directorate General
of Immigration and Passports to meet biannually to
review cases of blacklisted individuals.
 The meeting was held after a gap of almost four years.
The previous meeting was held in December 2016.
 Taking note of problems faced by the blacklisted
citizens, the minister directed the Immigration and
Passports director general to immediately convene a
meeting of the periodical review committee to consider
cases on merit and remove names from the blacklist after
the due process, according to a report in the Dawn
newspaper.
 The committee reviewed the names of citizens falling in
category B of the blacklist and removed the names of
5,807 individuals out of a list of 42,725 people.

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 The committee will consider rest of the cases in its

forthcoming periodic review, the report said.
 There are two main blacklist categories – Category ‗A‘
includes names of those involved in serious crimes like
terrorism, money laundering and anti-state activities,
whereas the ‗B‘ category mainly has names of deportees
who had either travelled abroad on forged documents or
were found involved in crime in the host country, it said.

Source: The Hindu

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91.EU members call for long term plan to

tackle 5G fake news
 The European Union needs to come up with a strategy to
counter disinformation about 5G technology or risk false
claims derailing its economic recovery and digital goals,
a group of 15 countries including Poland and Sweden
said.

 Conspiracy theories that the novel coronavirus may be

linked to the wireless technology have led to the torching
of mobile phone masts in 10 European countries and
assaults on maintenance workers in recent months.
 The 27-nation EU sees 5G as the linchpin of its
economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and
technology autonomy, with its promise to enable
everything from self-driving cars to remote surgery and
more automated manufacturing.

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 The 15 countries listed their concerns and proposals in a

joint letter to EU digital chief Margrethe Vestager,
internal market commissioner Thierry Breton and values
chief Vera Jourova that was seen by Reuters.
 ―It is clear ... that we are witnessing increasing activity of
the anti-5G movement across the European Union,‖ they
said, calling for the EU to ―take an active, long-term and
systemic approach‖ to tackling concerns about 5G and
electromagnetic fields (EMF).
 ―We, as Member States are willing to contribute to this
EU-wide initiative with our national expertise and best
practice to tackle the issue of 5G and EMF
disinformation,‖ the letter said.
 The countries urged more scientific research on the risks
to people‘s health, proposed an awareness-raising
campaign across Europe and also suggested a broad
debate taking into account the fears and worries of
opponents to 5G.
 Other signatories to the letter include Austria, Bulgaria,
Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland,
Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal and
Slovakia.
Source: Hindustan times

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92.Taiwanese, Chinese staffers clash in

Fiji
 China and Taiwan traded accusations over a violent
altercation that broke out between Chinese diplomats and
Taiwan government employees at a recent Taiwan
National Day reception in Fiji.
 Both China and Taiwan confirmed the October 8 incident
but each disputed the other‘s claim of what precipitated
the fight, which resulted in one Taiwanese staffer being
sent to a hospital with a head injury. One of the Chinese
diplomats also was injured.
 The confrontation, an extreme example of the tensions
between the rival governments, erupted when Taiwanese
at the gathering tried to stop Chinese diplomats from
taking photos of guests at the reception marking
Taiwan‘s National Day, a Taiwan Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman, Joanne Ou, said.
 "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the
Chinese Embassy in Fiji‘s staff‘s actions which severely
violates rule of law and norms of civilized behaviour,‖
said Ms. Ou. She said Taiwan had made a formal protest
to the Fiji government.
 China‘s Embassy in Fiji said in a statement released on
Monday that Taiwan‘s account was ―inconsistent with
the facts.‖ It said one of its staff also was injured.
 The Chinese side also criticised the celebration, saying it
―violates the one-China principle‖.

Source: The Hindu

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93.U.S. envoy warns new violence

threatens Afghan peace process
 The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan warned on
Monday that distressingly high levels of violence
threaten to derail the ongoing peace talks between the
Afghan government and the Taliban.

 Zalmay Khalilzad‘s comments come as renewed fighting

for days has plagued Afghanistan‘s southern Helmand
province, a longtime Taliban stronghold. The Taliban
this Friday agreed to halt its attacks on condition of the
U.S. stopping its air strikes in the area.
 But then came a suicide car bombing Sunday that killed
at least 13 people and wounded around 120 others in
Afghanistan‘s western Ghor province. Though no one
claimed responsibility for the bombing, suspicion
immediately fell on the Taliban.
 The Taliban offered no immediate reaction to Mr.
Khalilzad‘s tweets. However, it issued a statement
Sunday over the U.S. air strikes targeting Helmand

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province. The Taliban warned that all responsibility and

consequences from continuation of such actions shall fall
squarely on the shoulders of the American side.
 Omer Zwak, a spokesman for Helmand‘s provincial
governor, said on Monday there were still gun battles in
a few areas of the province‘s Nad Ali and Nawa districts.
The Afghan air force separately conducted limited air
strikes to support Afghan forces trying to retake Taliban-
held areas, Zwak said.
 The peace talks in Qatar between the Taliban and Afghan
government negotiators began in September, but after a
ceremonious start they became bogged down, mainly in
the minutiae of Islamic jurisprudence.
 This current round of negotiations come after a deal in
February between the U.S. and the Taliban that seeks to
end America‘s longest war.
 Despite the challenges, the ongoing talks represent the
most-serious effort yet at ending decades of war in
Afghanistan that followed the 2001 U.S.-led invasion
that toppled its Taliban government, which then was
hosting al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden who planned
the September 11 attacks.
Source: The Hindu

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94.First commercial passenger flight from

UAE lands in Israel
 The first commercial passenger flight to Israel by a
carrier from the United Arab Emirates landed near Tel
Aviv on Monday, further cementing a normalisation deal
between the two countries.
 Etihad Airways Flight No. 9607 landed at Israel‘s Ben-
Gurion international airport just after 7 a.m. The Boeing
787 Dreamliner departed for Abu Dhabi later Monday
with an Israeli travel and tourism delegation on board,
according to an Etihad statement.

 Etihad said it plans regular passenger flights between the

countries in the future and was launching a dedicated
Hebrew website.
 Etihad previously sent to Tel Aviv an unmarked cargo
plane flying aid to assist the Palestinians in fighting the
coronavirus. In August, a Star of David-adorned El Al
plane flew from Israel to Abu Dhabi, carrying a high-
ranking American and Israeli delegation in the first-ever

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direct commercial passenger flight between the two

countries.
 Israel and the UAE announced in August they had agreed
to normalise ties, setting off a flurry of business, banking
and intergovernmental agreements, along with an end to
a longstanding boycott by the UAE against Israel.
 Nearby Gulf monarchy Bahrain also signed an agreement
on September 15 at the White House alongside the UAE
to normalise relations with Israel. The UAE and Bahrain
are the third and fourth Arab states to establish ties with
Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties with Israel
in 1979 and 1994, respectively.
 An Israeli delegation flew to Bahrain on Sunday to
formalise that deal.
 The so-called Abraham Accords brought long-
clandestine ties between Israel and several Gulf states —
forged in recent years over a shared concern over
regional rival Iran — into the open.
 The US-brokered normalisation agreements have
outraged the Palestinians, whose leaders have called the
deals a betrayal of a longtime Arab stance that
recognition of Israel would come only after Palestinians
obtain an independent state of their own.

Source: The Hindu

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95.Hackers pose as McAfee staff to trick

users into installing malware, Google
says
 Chinese government-backed hackers impersonated as
security provider McAfee‘s staff to trick users into
installing malware on their devices, a Google blog post
stated.
 The hackers would prompt targets to install a legitimate
version of McAfee anti-virus software from GitHub,
while the malware was being surreptitiously installed
into the system.
 Google‘s Threat Analysis Group that works towards
thwarting cyberattacks identified the activity and sent
them a prominent warning.
 The findings were shared with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), Google said.
 The threats come ahead of the U.S. elections, with the
incidents of threats increasing over the months. Google
sent 10,316 warnings about ‗government-backed attacks‘
in the July to September quarter of 2020, it said.
 In June, Google said it spotted phishing attacks against
personal email accounts of staffers on the Biden and
Trump campaigns by Chinese and Iranian Advanced
Persistent Threats (APT).
 These attacker groups targeted campaign staffers‘
personal emails with credential phishing attacks and
emails containing tracking links.

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 Another Chinese malware campaign was based on

emailing links that would ultimately download malware
hosted on GitHub. The malware was a Python-based
implant using file sharing service Dropbox for command
and control. It would allow the attacker to upload and
download files as well as execute arbitrary commands.
 Every malicious piece of the attack was hosted on
legitimate services, making it harder for defenders to rely
on network signals for detection, Google stated.

 Earlier in September, Microsoft also noted the increase

in cyberattacks targeting people and organisations
involved in the U.S. Presidential elections.
 Russian cyber hacking group Strontium attacked more
than 200 organisations including political campaigns,
advocacy groups, parties and political consultants,
Microsoft stated.
 Other cyber espionage groups like Zirconium and
Phosphorus, operating from China and Iran respectively,
attacked high-profile users associated with the election.

Source: The Hindu

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96.Irish regulator probes Facebook's

handling of children's data on
Instagram
 Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has
launched two inquiries into Facebook Inc after concerns
were raised about the social network giant's handling of
children's personal data on Instagram.
 The DPC, the main data privacy regulator in the
European Union, received complaints from individuals
and had identified ‖potential concerns‖ in relation to the
processing of children's personal data on Instagram,
Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle told Reuters in an
emailed statement.
 Facebook did not immediately respond when contacted.
 The Telegraph, which first reported the inquiry, said
Instagram made the email addresses and phone numbers
of users under 18 public.
 The Irish regulator launched its probe following a
complaint by David Stier, a U.S. data scientist, the
Telegraph added.
 The first inquiry looks to establish if Facebook has the
legal basis to process the data and whether it employs
adequate protections and/or restrictions on Instagram.
 ―This inquiry will also consider whether Facebook meets
its obligations as a data controller with regard to
transparency requirements in its provision of Instagram
to children,‖ Doyle said.

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 Instagram's profile and account settings will be the focus

of the second inquiry, examining whether the social
media company is adhering to the regulator's data
protection requirements.

 Ireland hosts the European headquarters of a number of

U.S. technology firms, making the DPC the EU's lead
regulator under the bloc's General Data Protection
Regulation's ―One Stop Shop‖ regime introduced in
2018.
 The new rules give regulators the power to impose fines
for violations of up to 4% of a company's global revenue
or 20 million euros ($22 million), whichever is higher.

Source: The Hindu

97.Constitutional amendment needs

referendum: Sri Lanka‘s Supreme
Court

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 The controversial 20th Amendment aimed at enhancing

the Sri Lankan President‘s powers cleared its first hurdle
when the country‘s Supreme Court cleared it for passage.
However, it identified four clauses that is said would
require approval by the people at a referendum.
 0Informing Parliament of the top court‘s position on
Tuesday, the Speaker said the proposed sections,
including those exempting the President from being
answerable to Parliament and providing him immunity
from lawsuits, were against public sovereignty, and
therefore needed approval in a public referendum, unless
the sections are amended in line with the apex court‘s
determination.

 The Supreme Court‘s determination came consequent to

39 petitions filed by opposition parties and civil society
groups, challenging the 20th Amendment Bill, based on
arguments that ―it impacts the sovereignty of the people‖
and seeks to make the judiciary and legislature
―subservient‖ to the executive.
 Unbridled powers

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 Following up on its poll promise, the Rajapaksa

administration introduced the 20th Amendment Bill in
order to roll back the 19th Amendment, a 2015
legislation that clipped presidential powers and
empowered Parliament.
 As per the proposed Bill, the President will have
unbridled powers, while the Prime Minister‘s office will
be reduced to a ceremonial one. Though opposition
parties have expressed fear that the Bill threatens to
reduce the legislature to a ―rubberstamp Parliament‖,
wider Opposition emerged more recently, including from
members of the influential Buddhist clergy, Catholic
bishops and the National Christian Council.
 While it remains to be seen what amendments the
government might bring in, the Bill will be debated in
Parliament on Wednesday and Thursday. If the four
provisions cited by the Supreme Court are suitably
amended, the Bill can be passed with a two-thirds
majority.

 After the Rajapaksas‘ win in the November 2019

presidential polls and the August 2020 general election,

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the spotlight has fallen on two key legislations in Sri

Lanka‘s Constitution.
 One, the 19th Amendment, that was passed in 2015 to
curb powers of the Executive President, while
strengthening Parliament and independent commissions.
 The Rajapaksa government has already drafted and
gazetted the 20th Amendment. The other legislation
under sharp focus is the 13th Amendment passed in
1987, which mandates a measure of power devolution to
the provincial councils established to govern the island‘s
nine provinces.
 What is the legislation?
 It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987,
signed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and
President J.R. Jayawardene, in an attempt to resolve Sri
Lanka‘s ethnic conflict that had aggravated into a full-
fledged civil war, between the armed forces and the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which led the struggle
for Tamils‘ self-determination and sought a separate
state. The 13th Amendment, which led to the creation of
Provincial Councils, assured a power sharing
arrangement to enable all nine provinces in the country,
including Sinhala majority areas, to self-govern.
 Subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing,
land and police are devolved to the provincial
administrations, but because of restrictions on financial
powers and overriding powers given to the President, the
provincial administrations have not made much
headway.

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 In particular, the provisions relating to police and land

have never been implemented. Initially, the north and
eastern provinces were merged and had a North-Eastern
Provincial Council, but the two were de-merged in 2007
following a Supreme Court verdict.
 Why is it contentious?
 The 13th Amendment carries considerable baggage from
the country‘s civil war years. It was opposed
vociferously by both Sinhala nationalist parties and the
LTTE.
 The former thought it was too much power to share,
while the Tigers deemed it too little. A large section of
the Sinhala polity, including the leftist-nationalist
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which led an armed
insurrection opposing it, saw the Accord and the
consequent legislation as an imprint of Indian
intervention.
 Though signed by the powerful President Jayawardene, it
was widely perceived as an imposition by a neighbour
wielding hegemonic influence.
 The Tamil polity, especially its dominant nationalist
strain, does not find the 13th Amendment sufficient in its
ambit or substance. However, some including the Tamil
National Alliance (TNA) — which chiefly represented
the Tamils of the north and east in Parliament in the post-
war era until its setback in the recent polls — see it as an
important starting point, something to build upon.
 Why is the 13th Amendment significant?

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 Till date, the 13th Amendment represents the only

constitutional provision on the settlement of the long-
pending Tamil question.
 In addition to assuring a measure of devolution, it is
considered part of the few significant gains since the
1980s, in the face of growing Sinhala-Buddhist
majoritarianism from the time Sri Lanka became
independent in 1948.
 Who wants it abolished and why?
 From influential Cabinet ministers in the current
government to state ministers, including a former naval
officer who has been assigned the Provincial Councils &
Local Government portfolio, many have openly called
for the abolition of provincial councils after the new
government took charge.
 They deem the councils ―white elephants‖, and argue
that in a small country the provinces could be effectively
controlled by the Centre. The opposition camp also
includes those fundamentally opposed to sharing any
political power with the Tamil minority.
 The opposition camp also includes those fundamentally
opposed to sharing any political power with the Tamil
minority.
 All the same, all political camps that vehemently oppose
the system have themselves contested in provincial
council elections.
 The councils have over time also helped national parties
strengthen their grassroots presence and organisational
structures.
 What is the stand of the Rajapaksas?

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 Neither President Gotabaya Rajapaksa nor Prime

Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has commented on the
Amendment so far. During Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa‘s
two terms as President, for a decade from 2005, he gave
several assurances to implement the 13th Amendment
and go even beyond its provisions, popularly referred to
as his promise of ―13 plus‖.
 The conduct of the historic Northern Provincial Election
in 2013 was a welcome step, but his government was
reluctant to part with land and police powers.
 New Delhi‘s scepticism about past assurances is also no
secret —Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referenced
the Amendment more than once, especially during high-
level bilateral visits, but observers in Sri Lanka wonder
how far India can go on the Tamil question, amid
growing geopolitical insecurities.
Source: The Hindu

98.Pakistan fails to protect religious

minorities from forced conversions:
Parliamentary committee
 A parliamentary committee in Pakistan has said that the
country has not fulfilled its responsibility to protect
religious minorities from forced conversions, according
to a media report.

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 The parliamentary committee on forced religious

conversions headed by Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar
recently visited parts of Sindh where forced conversions
of young Hindu girls have been reported.
 During a media interaction on Monday, Mr. Kakar said
that ―the state has not fulfilled its responsibility to protect
religious minorities from forced conversions‖.
 Replying to a question, Mr. Kakar said there are several
definitions of forced conversion, and the subject was
debated by the committee at length.
 ―Although conversion to seek a better lifestyle is also
considered forced conversion, economic reasons can be
considered exploitation and not force, as eventually it is
after consent,‖ he said, adding that there is a thin line
between consent and exploitation.
 Mr. Kakar said people who ―encourage girls from the
Hindu community to move out and marry according to
their own wishes are not as liberal about their own
daughters‖.
 The worst part of the situation, he said, was that the
family‘s ―pain and shame‖ were not taken into
consideration.
 ―If we all start taking the families into confidence and
devise a mechanism to console them, the cases of forced
conversions will decline.
 Mr. Kakar suggested introducing a new marriage rule
that includes the mandatory presence of a ‗vali‘
(guardian) at the time of wedding and the establishment
of shelters managed by the district administration to

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house underage girls who wanted to get married, in order

to clear the confusion between force and consent.
 According to the report, the most vulnerable districts for
forced conversions are Sanghar, Ghotki, Sukkur,
Khairpur and Mirpurkhas. There have been negligible
reported cases from Balochistan and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, while a few cases involving Christians
have been reported in Punjab.
 There has to be a law stating that the minimum age for
religious conversion is 18, which is also the marriageable
age in Sindh. The courts too should take note of
marriages of girls below the age of 18 years.

Source: PTI
99.Justice Department Files Antitrust
Lawsuit Against Google
 The Justice Department accused Google of illegally
protecting its monopoly over search and search
advertising in a lawsuit filed, the government‘s most
significant legal challenge to a tech company‘s market
power in a generation.

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 In a 57-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court in

the District of Columbia, the agency accused Google of
locking out competition in search by obtaining several
exclusive business contracts and agreements. Google‘s
deals with Apple, mobile carriers and other handset
makers to place its search engine as the default option for
consumers accounted for most of its dominant market
share in search, the agency said, a figure that it put at
around 80 percent.
 ―For many years,‖ the suit said, ―Google has used
anticompetitive tactics to maintain and extend its
monopolies in the markets for general search services,
search advertising and general search text advertising —
the cornerstones of its empire.‖
 The suit reflects the pushback against the power of the
nation‘s largest corporations, and especially technology
giants like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple.
 Conservatives like President Trump and liberals like
Senator Elizabeth Warren have been highly critical of the
concentration of power in a handful of tech behemoths.
 Attorney General William P. Barr, who was appointed by
Mr. Trump, has played an unusually active role in the
investigation.
 He pushed career Justice Department attorneys to bring
the case by the end of September, prompting pushback
from lawyers who wanted more time and complained of
political influence.
 Mr. Barr has spoken publicly about the inquiry for
months and set tight deadlines for the prosecutors leading
the effort.

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 The lawsuit may stretch on for years and could set off a
cascade of other antitrust lawsuits from state attorneys
general.
 About four dozen states and jurisdictions have conducted
parallel investigations and are expected to bring separate
complaints against the company‘s grip on technology for
online advertising.
 Eleven state attorneys generals, all Republicans, signed
on to support the federal lawsuit.
 A victory for the government could remake one of
America‘s most recognizable companies and the internet
economy that it has helped define since it was founded
by two Stanford University graduate students in 1998.
 The Justice Department did not immediately put forward
remedies, such as selling off parts of the company, in the
lawsuit. Such actions are typically pursued in later stages
of a case.
 Ryan Shores, an associate deputy attorney general, said
―nothing is off the table‖ in terms of remedies.
 Google has long denied accusations of antitrust
violations, and the company is expected to fight the
government‘s efforts by using its global network of
lawyers, economists and lobbyists.
 Alphabet, valued at $1.04 trillion and with cash reserves
of $120 billion, has fought similar antitrust lawsuits in
Europe.
 The company spent $12.7 million lobbying in the United
States in 2019, making it one of the top corporate
spenders in Washington.

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 The company says it has strong competition in the search

market, with more people finding information on sites
like Amazon. It says its services have been a boon for
small businesses.
 ―Today‘s lawsuit by the Department of Justice is deeply
flawed,‖ Kent Walker, the company‘s chief legal officer,
said in a blog post. ―People use Google because they
choose to, not because they‘re forced to, or because they
can‘t find alternatives.‖
Source: New York Times

100. Sweden bans Huawei and ZTE

from 5G telecoms networks

 Sweden has become the latest country to ban Chinese

telecoms groups Huawei and ZTE from its 5G mobile
networks as it took aim at what it labelled Beijing‘s
spying and ―theft of technology‖.
 Sweden‘s telecoms regulator said that following advice
from the country‘s armed forces and security services it
had decided to ban Huawei and ZTE from new
installations ahead of next month‘s 5G spectrum
auctions. It had given telecoms operators until 2025 to
remove equipment made by the companies from their
existing infrastructure for core functions.

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 ―China is one of the biggest threats to Sweden,‖ said

Klas Friberg, head of Sweden‘s security services. He
added that China was aiding its economic development
and military capabilities by ―extensive intelligence
gathering and theft of technology, research and
development‖.
 ―This is what we must consider when building the 5G
network of the future. We cannot compromise with
Sweden‘s security,‖ Mr Friberg added.
 The ban in Sweden, which is home to Huawei‘s biggest
rival Ericsson, is the latest move in a geopolitical fight
over Huawei as the US pushes its allies to exclude
Chinese telecoms equipment from the planned new 5G
mobile networks.

 Anders Ygeman, Sweden‘s minister for energy and

digitalisation, said the new conditions would give a
―much more secure 5G network‖ but insisted they were
not targeted at any individual country or company,
despite only Huawei and ZTE being named.

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 Tele2, Sweden‘s second-largest telecoms operator, has

used Huawei as well as other suppliers in its early 5G
network launched in May.
 It said that it did not foresee any problem in fulfilling the
new security conditions ―in time‖ and instead hailed the
decision to proceed with auctions of 5G spectrum next
month after several delays. Tele2 and Norway‘s state
operator Telenor used Huawei in their 4G network in
Sweden.
 Sweden‘s post and telecoms authority said that four
groups, including partly state-owned Telia and a
consortium of Tele2 and Telenor, had been approved to
bid in the aauctions.
 It added that central functions — defined as the radio
access network, the transmission network, the core
network, and the service and maintenance network
necessary to provide communication services — could
not include products from Huawei or ZTE and had to be
controlled by staff and functions based in Sweden.
Employment of staff in foreign countries must be phased
out by 2025.
 Ericsson and Finland‘s Nokia are well placed to benefit
from a ban on Huawei, although South Korea‘s Samsung
has also won some 5G deals in Sweden.
 Sweden is already in a stand-off with China over the
detention and sentencing on charges of ―endangering
national security‖ of Gui Minhai, a Swedish citizen and
Hong Kong-based publisher of gossipy books about
Chinese political leaders.
Source: Financial Times

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101. Verizon signs up Microsoft, Nokia

to help clients build private 5G
networks
 Verizon said on Monday it has struck deals with
Microsoft and Nokia to improve the telecoms giant's
ability to target business customers by offering clients
the ability to automate factory floors, lower costs and
speed up data traffic through private 5G networks.
 Private 5G networks remove the need for businesses to
jostle for speed with others on a public network and help
enable data-intensive applications that use computer
vision, augmented reality and machine learning to
increase productivity.
 Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing business, will run on
top of Verizon's 5G network to processes the data
generated by machines at the local facility and use
artificial intelligence to automate operations. Microsoft
launched the new service late last month directed at

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telecom operators.
 U.S.-based logistics company Ice Mobility is the first
customer for the new partnership, allowing it to track
employees packing the products into the right boxes to
skip quality control.
 ―This is about creating a new business opportunity for
everyone,‖ Verizon's Chief Strategy Officer Rima
Qureshi said. She declined to disclose how the revenue
would be shared between Verizon and Microsoft.
 While 4G helped create multi-billion dollar businesses
ranging from music and video streaming to cab hailing
and food delivery, telecom operators seldom got a share
of that growth.
 Verizon is now keen on taking a share in new businesses
that 5G might enable, either by partnering with bigger
companies or by buying stakes in smaller ones such as
virtual reality company 8i to Swiftmile, which makes
charging systems for electric scooters.
 In international markets, where Verizon doesn't have its
own network, it is working with Nokia to build private
networks for manufacturing and logistics companies.
 ―Next year will be all about deploying private 5G and not
about commercial success and we will start seeing early
monetization from 2022 onwards,‖ Sowmyanarayan
Sampath, president of Verizon's global enterprise
business.
Source: Reuters

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102. Bipartisan Senate letter backs

India‘s inclusion of Australia in
Malabar naval exercise

 A bipartisan group of Senators has written to India‘s

Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu
backing India‘s decision to invite Australia to the annual
Malabar naval exercise.
 The letter also asks India to join the Blue Dot Network
— a U.S.-led collaboration with Australia and Japan that
supports private-sector led infrastructure financing
opportunities in response to China‘s Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI).
 The letter says strengthening the Quad — the group
comprising India, the U.S., Australia and Japan — has
become especially important in the face of China‘s
―rising military and economic assertiveness‖.

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 ―We write in strong support of India‘s decision to

formally invite Australia to participate in the annual
Exercise Malabar, which was made following the recent
2+2 ministerial meeting of the Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue [the Quad] in Tokyo,‖ the Senators wrote.
 India‘s invitation to Australia to join this year‘s exercise
comes three years after Canberra had asked to join the
programme.
 The Senators‘ letter called Australia a ―uniquely capable
and stalwart partner,‖ saying its addition to the Malabar
exercise would provide increased interoperability,
strengthen threat assessment abilities and enhance ―the
maritime roles and missions of the four naval powers‖.
 ―However, of equal importance is the symbolic nature of
Australia‘s inclusion in Malabar, marking the first time
that the United States, India, Japan and Australia will
engage collectively at the military level since the
formation of the Quad and the Quad-plus-Singapore
naval exercises held in September 2007,‖ the Senators
wrote.
 ―In the face of China‘s rising military and economic
assertiveness, strengthening of the Quad has become
increasingly important. As the world addresses the
fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, China has
opportunistically looked to expand its military footprint
across the Indo-Pacific. From the South China Sea to the
Himalayas, Beijing continues to use methods of
intimidation and territorial aggression to test the resolve
of regional actors,‖ the letter says.

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 The pandemic has exacerbated concerns about China‘s

BRI and debt-trap diplomacy as per the Senators‘ letter,
which calls for increased collaboration among Quad
partners on infrastructure financing.
 For instance, the Blue Dot Network (BDN), launched in
2019 by the U.S., Japan and Australia, is an initiative that
will bring together governments, the private sector and
civil society to certify projects that uphold global
infrastructure principles. Given that three Quad partners
are already involved in BDN, we encourage India‘s
participation in this promising initiative,‖ the Senators
wrote.
 Signatories of the letter include co–chairs of the Senate
India Caucus John Cornyn (Republican, Texas) and
Mark Warner (Democrat, Virgina). The list also includes
— as one of the lead signatories — David Perdue of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
 Mr. Perdue was in the news recently for mocking
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris‘s
first name, which is of Indian (Sanskrit). Mr. Perdue
faces re-election for his Senate seat in Georgia. Another
signatory is right wing Senator from Georgia Kelly
Loeffler, who has run a re-election campaign ad saying
she is more conservative than Attila the Hun and has
been endorsed by Georgia Congressional candidate
Marjorie Taylor Green who is a supporter of QAnon — a
group of right wing conspiracy theorists.

Source: The Hindu

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103. Australian watchdog considers its

own Google antitrust case
 Australia‘s competition watchdog will consider its own
antitrust case against Google, the commission chairman
said Wednesday after the U.S. Justice Department sued
the company for abusing its dominance in online search
and advertising.
 Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod
Sims described the U.S. case filed Tuesday as one of the
world‘s biggest antitrust cases in the past 20 years.
 ―I‘m delighted the D.o.J.‘s taking it on and we‘ll follow
it really closely,‖ Mr. Sims told the National Press Club,
referring to the U.S. Department of Justice.
 Separately, Mr. Sims is drafting legislation to address the
imbalance in bargaining power between Google and the
Australian media businesses that want the tech giant to
pay for journalism.
 The bills, that will be ready to be introduced to
Parliament by December, would empower an arbitrator
to make binding decisions on how much Google and
Facebook must pay media companies for news content.
 Mr. Sims said his commission had a lot of talk with the
U.S. Justice Department before he released a report in
July last year that recommended more government
regulation on the market power of Google and Facebook
that would ensure fair deals for other media businesses

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and more control for individuals on how their data was

used.
 Mr. Sims‘s commission launched Australian court action
against Google in July alleging the California-based
company misled account holders about its use of their
personal data.
 The commission alleges the Google misled millions of
Australians to obtain their consent and expand the scope
of personal information that Google collects about users‘
internet activity to target advertising. Google denies the
allegations.

 In October last year, the commission sued Google in an

Australian court alleging the company broke consumer
law by misleading Android users about how their
location data was collected and used. That case will be
heard by the Federal Court next month. Google also
denies that allegation.
 Mr. Sims said Google was lobbying every politician at
Parliament House ahead of draft legislation being
introduced to make it pay for news.

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 Google has said the proposed laws would result in

dramatically worse Google Search and YouTube, put
free services at risk and could lead to users‘ data being
handed over to big news businesses. Facebook has
warned it might block Australian news content rather
than pay for it.
Source: The Hindu

104. Germanyissues arrest warrants to

founders of Panama Papers firm
 The two founders of a Panama-based law firm at the
center of a tax haven scandal exposed by the so-called
Panama Papers are being sought on international arrest
warrants issued by Germany.
 Munich‘s Sueddeutsche Zeitung and broadcasters NDR
and WDR reported that German-born Juergen Mossack
and Ramon Fonseca are being sought by Cologne
prosecutors on charges of accessory to tax evasion and
forming a criminal organization.
 Cologne prosecutors confirmed to the outlets that they
had issued international arrest warrants for two people,
but would not give further details and did not pick up
their telephones for further comment.
 Mr. Fonseca said via Twitter that his firm had sold
corporations to a German bank, which had in turn resold
them to business people for tax purposes. He said the
firm was not involved in those subsequent transactions.
―In my opinion, they have included us to continue the

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discrediting attack of the European Union against

Panama,‖ he wrote.
 Panama‘s Attorney General‘s Office did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
 The Panama Papers include a collection of 11 million
secret financial documents that illustrated how some of
the world‘s richest people hide their money. The records
were first leaked to the Suddeutsche Zeitung, and were
shared with the International Consortium of Investigative
Journalists, which began publishing collaborative reports
with news organizations in 2016.
 The repercussions of the leaks were far-ranging,
prompting the resignation of the prime minister of
Iceland and bringing scrutiny to the leaders of Argentina
and Ukraine, Chinese politicians and Russian President
Vladimir Putin, among others.
 U.S. federal prosecutors have alleged that law firm
Mossack Fonseca conspired to circumvent American
laws to maintain the wealth of its clients and conceal tax
dollars owed to the IRS. They have alleged the scheme
dates to 2000 and involved sham foundations and shell
companies in Panama, Hong Kong and the British Virgin
Islands.
 Mr. Fonseca has said the firm, which closed in 2018, had
no control over how its clients might use offshore
vehicles created for them.
 Both Mr. Mossack and Mr. Fonseca have Panamanian
citizenship, NDR reported, and Panama does not
extradite its own citizens so it is unclear whether either
will ever be brought to Germany for trial.

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 Neither Mr. Mossack nor Mr. Fonseca responded to

Sueddeutsche Zeitung‘s requests for comment, the
newspaper said.
Source: The Hindu

105. India hands over Chinese soldier

who crossed LAC
 The Chinese soldier who strayed across the Line of
Actual Control (LAC) in Demchok sector on October 18
has been returned, both India and China confirmed while
both sides are preparing to hold another round of senior
military commander talks likely later this week.
 The People‘s Liberation Army (PLA) soldier was handed
over to Chinese side at Chushul-Moldo meeting point
late, a defence source said.
 The soldier had been handed over to PLA frontier troops
in the early hours on Wednesday (as per Beijing time),

the website of the PLA said, citing military media.

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 An official source said both sides are working out dates

for the eighth round of Corps Commander talks possibly
this week. The last round of talks was held on October 12
at Chushul and a joint statement issued later said both
sides held ―a sincere, in-depth and constructive exchange
of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual
Control in the Western Sector of India-China border
areas.‖ However, there has been no movement on
disengagement and de-escalation so far.
 China‘s military had said late on Monday that it was in
touch with India over the case of the Chinese soldier who
had strayed across the LAC in Demchok sector, and had
been apprehended.
 The Indian Army said the soldier, identified as Corporal
Wang Ya Long, had been provided medical assistance
including oxygen, food and warm clothes as protection
from the harsh climatic conditions. It also confirmed it
had received a request from the PLA on his whereabouts.
 The Army said as per established protocols, he would be
returned back to Chinese officials at the Chushul–Moldo
meeting point after completion of formalities.
 ―China hopes that India will hand over soon the Chinese
soldier who got lost in China-India border areas on the
evening of October 18 when helping local herdsmen
retrieve a yak at their request,‖ Senior Colonel Zhang
Shuili, spokesperson for the Western Theater Command
of the PLA,.
 The PLA, in its statement, said ―the PLA border troops
informed the Indian military right after the incident and
hoped the Indian side would aid in search and rescue,

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and the Indian side promised to offer help and return the
missing soldier timely after finding him.‖
 ―India's move is a goodwill gesture ahead of the eighth
round talks,‖ Sun Shihai, an expert at the South Asia
Research Center of Sichuan University, told the Global
Times newspaper, referring to the next round of Corps
Commander talks set to be held soon to take forward the
disengagement process.
Source; The Hindu

106. Need strong alliance to counter

China, Russia: Esper
 U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper revealed a fresh
drive to strengthen U.S. alliances with ―like-minded
democracies‖ in part through arms sales in an effort to
curb the global influence of Russia and China.
 Mr. Esper said the Pentagon would systematically
monitor and manage its relationships with partner
countries, aiming to find ways to coordinate militaries
and to advance U.S. arms sales.
 The initiative, called the Guidance for Development for
Alliances and Partnerships (GDAP), comes just two
weeks before the presidential election that, if President
Donald Trump loses, could see Mr. Esper replaced in
January.

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 He underscored the need to build closer ties to ―like-

minded democracies such as India and Indonesia‖ adding
―they all recognise what China is doing.‖
 Global order
 It also came after nearly four years of Mr. Trump‘s
efforts to restructure alliances, including threatening
NATO.
 ―America‘s network of allies and partners provides us an
asymmetric advantage our adversaries cannot match,‖
Mr. Esper said on Tuesday, calling the network ―the
backbone of the international rules-based order.‖
 ―China and Russia probably have fewer than 10 allies
combined,‖ he added.
 He said China uses coercion and financial entrapment to
build its alliances with weak countries such as Myanmar,
Cambodia and Laos. ―The smaller the nation and the
greater its needs, the heavier the pressure from Beijing,‖
he said.
 He cited visits he has made to build defence relations
with Malta, Mongolia and Palau, as well as U.S. plans
for a greater presence in Eastern Europe, including
basing troops in Poland.

Source: The Hindu

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107. Pak parliamentary panel approves

government‘s bill to seek review of
Kulbhushan Jadhav‘s conviction
 A Pakistani parliamentary panel has approved a
government bill that seeks a review of the conviction of
death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav, complying with
the directives of the International Court of Justice..
 The draft bill titled the International Court of Justice
(Review and Reconsideration) Ordinance was discussed
and approved by the National Assembly‘s Standing
Committee on Law and Justice on Wednesday despite
stiff resistance from the Opposition.
 Taking part in the debate, Federal Minister for Law and
Justice Farogh Naseem said the bill has been introduced
in compliance with directives of the International Court
of Justice (ICJ).
 He warned that in case the bill was not adopted by
Parliament, Pakistan could face sanctions for not
complying with the ICJ‘s verdict.
 Fifty-year-old retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan
Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military
court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April
2017.
 In 2017, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for
denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the
death sentence handed to him by a military court.
 The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July 2019 that Pakistan
must undertake an ―effective review and reconsideration‖

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of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to

grant consular access to India without further delay.
 However, the committee‘s members from the Opposition
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan
Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F)
requested its chairman Riaz Fatyana to reject the bill.

 However, Fatyana, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan

Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), decided to settle the matter
through voting. He also tried to stop two PTI members
from leaving the hall before voting.
 Eight members voted in favour of the bill, while five
opposed it.
 The Opposition members termed the bill as NRO for
Jadhav.
 The NRO is the National Reconciliation Ordinance
which former president and military dictator Gen (retd)
Pervez Musharraf offered to the-then exiled political
leadership and under which several corruption cases
against different politicians were dropped.

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 Aliya Kamran of the JUI-F accused the government of

misleading the country‘s establishment, saying that they
were not here to legislate for Jadhav and the bill should
be presented before the public and bar associations for a
public debate.
 The legislation is unnecessary since the judgement of
former chief justice of Pakistan Nasirul Mulk has already
said the constitutional courts can review the judgements
of the military courts, Mr. Kamran said.
 Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPP said that through the
legislation, the government was trying to give Jadhav
relief of appeal against the sentence of a military court
which is not even available to a Pakistani citizen.
 This is tantamount to giving an NRO to Jadhav and ―we
oppose this bill,‖ he said.
 The Law Minister said his ministry had sought to pre-
empt a possible Indian move of filing a contempt petition
against Pakistan in the ICJ by promulgating the said
ordinance.
 In such a scenario, the country could face sanctions if the
matter was referred to the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC), he said.
 The Minister pointed out that neither India nor Jadhav
had filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court to
seek relief permissible under the ICJ verdict.
 Subsequently, the law ministry had to file a petition for
the appointment of a lawyer for Jadhav which is pending
adjudication.
 A Pakistani court was informed on October 6 that India
failed to appoint a lawyer to represent Jadhav in the case

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of the review of his death sentence by a military court in

this country.
 Earlier, Pakistan had again rejected India‘s demand that
an Indian lawyer or a Queen‘s counsel should be
appointed for Jadhav to ensure a free and fair trial in the
case.
 On October 8, India said that Pakistan has failed to
address the core issues in Jadhav‘s case and pressed for
an ―unimpeded, unconditional and unhindered‖ consular
access to him as ordered by the ICJ.
 On October 8, India said that Pakistan has failed to
address the core issues in Jadhav‘s case and pressed for
an ―unimpeded, unconditional and unhindered‖ consular
access to him as ordered by the ICJ.
 ―The core issues need to be addressed if we have to have
effective review and reconsideration as ordered by the
international court of justice. Pakistan must show its
intention to deliver on the core issues,‖ External Affairs
Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said.

Source: The Hindu

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108. Vatican, China extend bishop

agreement over US opposition
 The Vatican and China extended a controversial accord
on bishop nominations over strong opposition from the
White House and conservative Catholics.

 The Holy See and Beijing government jointly announced

a two-year extension to the 2018 agreement, which
expired Thursday. The Vatican defended the extension
by saying the agreement was purely ecclesiastic and
pastoral in nature, and not political.
 The agreement, which hasn‘t ever been published,
envisages a process of dialogue in selecting bishops. The
Vatican signed it in 2018 in hopes it would help unite
China‘s Catholics, who for seven decades have been split
between those belonging to an official, state-sanctioned
church and an underground church loyal to Rome.
 The Vatican has defended the 2018 accord against
criticism that Pope Francis sold out the underground

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faithful, saying the deal was necessary to prevent an even

worse schism in the Chinese church after Beijing named
bishops without the pope‘s consent.
 The question of bishop nominations has long vexed
Vatican-China relations, with the Holy See insisting on
the pope‘s divine right to name the successors of the
apostles and Beijing considering such nominations
foreign infringement on its sovereignty.
 In a statement, the Chinese government said Beijing and
the Vatican decided to extend the agreement after
friendly consultations. The two sides will maintain close
communication and consultations and continue to
promote the process of improving relations.
 The Holy See for its part, issued a similarly terse
statement, written in Italian, English and Chinese.
 The Holy See considers the initial application of the
agreement — which is of great ecclesial and pastoral
value — to have been positive, thanks to good
communication and cooperation between the parties on
the matters agreed upon, and intends to pursue an open
and constructive dialogue for the benefit of the life of the
Catholic Church and the good of Chinese people, it said.

Source: The Hindu

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109. Lebanon's Hariri backs Aoun for

president, some allies opposed
 Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri intends
to endorse Michel Aoun for the vacant presidency, senior
political sources said, and the Hezbollah ally could be

elected head of state later this month.

 Long an opponent of the Iran-backed Shi'ite group
Hezbollah, Hariri would become prime minister again
under the plan that could reshape Lebanese politics. It
has drawn opposition in his party and a final decision has
not yet been taken, allies said.
 The presidency, which is reserved for a Maronite
Christian in the country's sectarian power-sharing
arrangements, has been vacant for 2 1/2 years due to
political conflicts. Aoun, a veteran politician in his 80s,
has long coveted the post.
 It was not immediately clear if Aoun's candidacy would
enjoy enough support among other politicians to secure

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the necessary two-thirds quorum for the vote in the 128-

seat parliament.
 The next scheduled parliamentary session to elect a
president is set for Oct. 31.
 Opponents of Aoun's candidacy include Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, head of the Shi'ite Amal Movement
and a close ally of Hezbollah, which itself has yet to
comment.
 Hariri, 46, led the "March 14" alliance against Hezbollah
and its allies, after the 2005 assassination of his father
Rafik al-Hariri. He remains a fierce critic of Hezbollah,
which is fighting in Syria in support of President Bashar
al-Assad.
 The proposal, unthinkable until recently, casts new light
on the predicament facing Hariri, whose standing as
Lebanon's most influential Sunni politician has been
shaken by a financial crisis at his Saudi-based
construction business.
 The troubles at Saudi Oger, which has been hit by falling
oil prices and cuts in Saudi state spending, have led to a
cash crunch in Hariri's Future Movement.
 Diplomats say Hariri has fallen from favor in Saudi
Arabia, which these days cares far more about
confronting Iranian influence in the Gulf and Syria than
about Lebanon.
 Opposition from within
 Two senior politicians told Reuters that Hariri had
expressed his intention to nominate Aoun for the
presidency as part of the power-sharing deal.

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 A third source, a member of Hariri's Future Movement,

confirmed Hariri had expressed this intention, but
members of his own parliamentary bloc opposed it.
 Fouad Siniora, a former prime minister and head of the
Future Movement's parliamentary bloc, told the
newspaper Daily Star that Hariri had told his MPs on
Tuesday that he had decided to support Aoun's
candidacy, but added that there was "no final decision yet
on this matter".
 One of the senior sources said Hariri would announce his
support for Aoun "within the coming few days".
 The current government of Prime Minister Tammam
Salam has been paralyzed by rivalries exacerbated by
regional conflict.
 Hariri became prime minister for the first time in 2009,
but his cabinet was toppled in 2011 when Hezbollah and
its allies resigned. Since then, he spent most of his time
abroad.
 Last year, he nominated Hezbollah ally Suleiman
Franjieh for the presidency, but Hezbollah stuck by
Aoun.
 Aoun, a former army commander, heads the largest
Christian bloc in parliament and has a large following in
the divided Christian community. He has been a political
ally of Hezbollah since 2006.
 A significant figure in Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war,
Aoun led one of two rival governments during the final
years of the conflict. In 1990, the Syrian army forced him
into exile.

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 He returned in 2005 after Syrian forces withdrew under

international pressure following the Hariri assassination.
 Aoun's main Christian rival, wartime enemy Samir
Geagea, earlier this year also endorsed Aoun's candidacy.

Source: The Hindu

110. Egypt: 49 executions carried out

over 10 days in October

 Egyptian authorities executed 49 people between 3 and

13 October, according to a report released by Human
Rights Watch.
 According to the report, 15 men were executed for their
alleged involvement in cases of political violence, and
the other 32 men and two women had been convicted in
criminal cases.
 The international organisation stated that 15 people were
executed on 3 October alone.
 Ten of those executed had been convicted in the Ajnad
Misr (Soldiers of Egypt) case, where authorities charged
defendants with involvement in armed attacks by Ajnad
Misr, a group which claimed responsibility for several
assaults that took place in South Giza in 2014 and 2015.
 Three of the executions were related to the Kerdasa case,
where Major General Nabil Farag, a senior interior
ministry official, was shot dead by gunmen during a
security raid on the town of Kerdasa in September 2013

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after clashes had erupted in the aftermath of the ousting

of President Mohamed Morsi.
 Two of the executions were linked to the East Alexandria
case of 2013, in which authorities charged 71 people
following violent protests near the library, where 16
people were killed.

 On 13 October, reports in the Egyptian media also

published the names of eight prisoners who had been
executed in the maximum security prison in the Minya
governorate, south of Cairo.
 Pro-government media stated that 11 executions were
carried out on 6 October, in Cairo‘s Istinaf Prison.
 Reports also stated that eight prisoners had been
executed on 3 October and another seven on 8 October,
related to rape and murder cases.
 'Outrageous'
 A spokesperson for We Record, an organisation tracking
and documenting the death penalty in Egypt, told earlier
this month that the executions had been ―unlawful‖,
since most of the detainees had been subjected to

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enforced disappearance and torture prior to their

conviction.
 Joe Stork, the deputy Middle East and North Africa
director at Human Rights Watch, called the executions
and trials a violation of the right to life.
 'The systematic absence of fair trials in Egypt, especially
in political cases, makes every death sentence a violation
of the right to life'
 ―Egypt‘s mass executions of scores of people in a matter
of days is outrageous… the systematic absence of fair
trials in Egypt, especially in political cases, makes every
death sentence a violation of the right to life.‖
 The report also stated that under Egypt‘s President Abdel
Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt had become one of the top 10
countries in the world for executions and death
sentences.
 "Those arrested for alleged political violence frequently
face a host of abuses including forced disappearances,
torture to extract confessions and no access to lawyers,"
the report stated.
 Earlier this week, over 200 European lawmakers sent a
letter to Sisi, publicly denouncing his government‘s
continued human rights abuses as a threat to the country's
security and stability.
 The letter, a copy of which was sent to Middle East Eye,
also urged Sisi to release human rights defenders held in
pre-trial detention, particularly with the risks to health
associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
 Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called for
authorities to halt executions and unfair trials, where they

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say authorities routinely round up groups of defendants

without justification, and carry out mass trials where
people do not have enough time to present a defence.
 Human rights groups estimate that there are around
60,000 political detainees in Egypt, including journalists,
bloggers, political dissidents, lawyers and activists.

Source: The Hindu

111. Sri Lanka: Controversial 20th

Amendment passed

 The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka‘s

Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater
immunity for the Executive President was passed in
Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-
day debate.

 The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa

administration‘s first big test in the legislature, since it

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triggered concern and resistance from not just the

political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist
clergy that Sri Lanka‘s southern polity venerates.
 As many as 156 MPs in the 225-member House voted for
it, while 65 legislators voted against the Bill.
 Significantly, eight opposition MPs voted in favour of
the legislation that their parties and leaders not only
vehemently opposed, but also challenged at the Supreme
Court. Following as many as 39 petitions filed by
opposition parties and civil society groups, the Supreme
Court determined that the passage of the legislation
required only a two-thirds majority, except for four
clauses that needed additional public approval through a
referendum, unless they were amended in line with the
determination.
 Ceremonial role
 The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka‘s 19th
Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support
from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that
sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening
Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime
Minister‘s role to a ceremonial one.
 In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued
that the Amendment threatened to take the country on the
path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled
powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for
centralised power for better governance.
 The 20th Amendment‘s passage comes at a time when
the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the
number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka

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contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028

cases and 14 deaths.

Source: The Hindu

112. Japan, Britain ink post-Brexit free

trade deal
 Japan and Britain formally signed a bilateral free trade
agreement that is set to kick in when the Brexit transition
period — and the UK‘s economic relationship with the
European Union — comes to an end.

 British International Trade Secretary Liz Truss hailed the

―landmark‖ deal as the UK‘s first major trade agreement
as it once again becomes ―an independent trading
nation.‖
 The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement (CEPA) covers a range of sectors, from food
and car parts to textiles and technology.

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 London has said the pact will boost trade with Japan by
15 billion pounds ($19.5 billion; €16.5 billion) annually
and make it easier for British companies to do business
in Japan.
 Deal still subject to lawmakers’ approval
 The CEPA, broadly agreed to last month, comes into
force on January 1. It is largely a copy of the existing
EU-Japan trade arrangement, which only applies to
Britain until the end of 2020. After that, at least as
currently scheduled, the UK will no longer be part of the
bloc‘s customs union and single market.
 Japan currently exports goods worth about 1.5 trillion
yen ($14 billion; €11.8 billion) to Britain each year,
mostly cars, auto parts and other machinery. At the same
time, it imports items worth nearly 1 trillion yen from
Britain, mainly pharmaceuticals, medical products and
cars, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
 Motegi said CEPA ensures continuity with the EU deal,
and adds new areas of cooperation, such as e-commerce
and financial services.
 Britain said the new deal meant 99% of its exports to
Japan would be tariff-free. CEPA also cuts tariffs on
Japanese cars gradually until 2026, when they‘ll be
eliminated altogether. That arrangement also stands in
the current Japan-EU trade agreement.
 The deal must still be approved by the parliaments of
both countries..
 Japan hopes for smooth Brexit transition
 Britain formally left the EU as a political institution on
January 31, four years after a referendum that saw voters

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decide to withdraw from the now-27-nation bloc. London

is still haggling with Brussels to try and reach an
agreement on what their new trade relationship will look
like after the Brexit transition period ends at the close of
the year. During the transition period, Britain is still
trading with Europe, and internationally, as if it were an
EU member.
 Motegi raised concerns about the impact of the UK
withdrawal on Japanese businesses, saying a smooth
transition was important for companies that see the UK
as a ―gateway to continental Europe.‖
 ―It is of paramount importance that the supply chains
between the UK and EU are maintained even after the
UK‘s withdrawal from the EU. Japan has high hopes that
an agreement is reached soon,‖.

Source: Indian Express

113. China may not recognise British-

issued Hong Kong passports

 China‘s foreign ministry said it may decide not to

recognise British-issued passports for Hong Kong
residents in retaliation for London‘s moves to open a
path to citizenship for those holding the documents.
 Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that Britain had
―violated its promises‖ and ―played up‖ the issue of the
British National (Overseas) passports.

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 Britain said in May that it would allow holders of such

passports extended stays and the possibility of
citizenship, prompting thousands of Hong Kongers to
rush to renew or apply for them as Beijing steps up
restriction on political expression.
 Hong Kong reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997
and the sides have increasingly feuded over civil rights in
the territory. Britain accuses China of failing to live up to
its pledges to maintain freedoms in the special
administrative region, while Beijing says London is
interfering in its internal affairs.

 Differences have sharpened since China in June imposed

a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong in
response to months of anti-government protests last year.
London suspended its extradition treaty with the territory
and has offered political asylum to persons targeted
under the new legislation.

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 ―The British side violated its promises, insisted on going

its own way and repeatedly played up the issue of BNO
Passports,‖ Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing.
 More than 300,000 of Hong Kong‘s 7 million residents
hold BNO passports, according to the U.K., more than
double the number four years earlier. Those who qualify
can apply for visas enabling them and their immediate
family members to live and work in the U.K. and
eventually apply for citizenship, the British government
says.
 However, they must show they have the means to
support themselves in the U.K. for six months, and will
not be entitled to public support.
Source: Indian Express

114. EU environment ministers strike

deal on climate law, leave out 2030
target

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 The landmark climate change law will form the basis for
Europe‘s plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which
will reshape all sectors, from transport to heavy industry,
and require hundreds of billions of euros in annual
investments.

 It will fix in law the EU target to reach net-zero

emissions by 2050 and define the rules for reviewing
progress towards climate targets.
 Ministers struck a deal on these parts of the law at a
meeting in Luxembourg. None of the 27 member
countries rejected the bill, although Bulgaria abstained.
 A decision on the most politically sensitive part of the
bill – a new 2030 emissions-cutting target – was left for
EU leaders to agree, unanimously, at a December
meeting.
 The law will give Brussels ―the legal possibility to act
when those who make promises don‘t deliver on the
promises,‖ said EU climate policy chief Frans
Timmermans at meeting. It was held in person, despite

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much of the continent restricting gatherings to curb

surging coronavirus infections.
 Ministers agreed to make the 2050 net-zero emissions
target an EU-wide goal, rather than a requirement for
individual countries, potentially letting some have higher
emissions if others make deeper cuts.

 The European Parliament, which together with EU

countries must agree the final law, wants to make it
legally-binding on each country. States including
Sweden, Denmark and Luxembourg on Friday also
supported this idea.
 Pascal Canfin, a French centrist lawmaker who chairs the
European Parliament‘s environment committee, will be

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heading the Parliament delegation during final talks with

the 27 EU member states. ―My objective is to obtain a
political agreement before 12 December and the 5 years
[anniversary] of the Paris Agreement,‖ he said in a
statement.
 Ministers also agreed the EU should set an emissions-
cutting goal for 2040, and invited the European
Commission to consider new legislative measures to cut
EU emissions if existing ones fall short.
 The price of permits in the EU carbon market climbed by
more than 5% on Friday morning in anticipation of the
ministers‘ deal. The EU‘s climate targets are expected to
tighten the supply of permits in the market.
 The European Parliament voted earlier this month on a
60% target for greenhouse gas reductions by 2030,
higher than the 55% proposed by the European
Commission.
 After today‘s ministerial meeting, environmentalists
applauded calls by some EU countries to upgrade the
bloc‘s climate objective for 2030. ―A large majority of
EU countries already backs increasing the climate target
to at least 55% cuts. Even better, the environment
ministers of Denmark and Sweden today voiced their
support for a 65% reduction in emissions in line with the
Paris Agreement, followed by Finland supporting a 60%
goal,‖ said Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action
Network (CAN) Europe.
Source: Reuters

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115. Israel, Sudan Agree to Normalize

Ties in U.S.-Brokered Deal
 Israel and Sudan have agreed to normalize their relations
and open economic and trade ties, the countries and the
U.S. announced Friday. The U.S. said earlier this week
that it would remove Sudan from the state sponsors of
terrorism list as part of the agreement.
 "This is an incredible deal for Israel and Sudan,"
President Trump said in the Oval Office, according to a
White House pool report. "For decades, Sudan has been
at a state of war with Israel. They have been in a state of
war and boycotted Israeli goods. There was no
relationship whatsoever."
 Sudan has had a transitional government since last year,
when the military ousted longtime dictator Omar al-
Bashir following a popular uprising. The country
recently agreed to pay $335 million into a fund for U.S.
terrorism victims and their families, as Trump announced
earlier this week.

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 "Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State

Sponsors of Terrorism list," Trump said.
 Sudan has been desperately trying to get out from under
U.S. sanctions tied to the terror list, taking steps such as
settling claims related to the bombing of the USS Cole
20 years ago and agreeing to payments over the 1998
U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi and Tanzania.
 But Sudan recently ran into a new hurdle in getting off
the terror list, after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told
the country it would also need to "sign on to the Trump
administration's Middle East agenda and normalize ties
with Israel," as NPR's Michele Kelemen reported early
this month.
 Trump's announcement of the payment agreement and
his promise to lift the terrorism-sponsor label quickly
increased speculation that Sudan would join Bahrain and
the United Arab Emirates in agreeing to establish ties
with Israel.
 Palestinian leaders have long asked Arab countries not to
establish ties with Israel until a mutual peace is reached
between Israel and the Palestinians. On Friday,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' office
condemned the Israel-Sudan deal.
 As part of the agreements reached this week, the U.S.
will also help Sudan address billions of dollars in
international debt.
 Trump promised that other nations will also want to
establish relations with Israel — perhaps even including
Iran.

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 "I could see Iran ultimately — it sounds, right now, it

doesn't sound like something that would happen, but I
see it happening," the president said.
 "Ultimately, they'll all be one unified family," Trump
added. "It'll be an amazing thing. Probably has never
happened in the Middle East, because the Middle East is
known for conflict and fighting."
 Leaders of the U.S., Israel and Sudan "spoke today to
discuss Sudan's historic progress toward democracy and
opportunities to advance peace in the region," the joint
statement released Friday says. It adds that the historic
shift will bolster regional security and open new
opportunities for people in Sudan and Israel as well as
their neighbors.
 Resolving the terrorism compensation claims against
Sudan could also give closure to a complicated and
painful legal process: In 2018, the Trump administration
sided with Sudan and against USS Cole survivors,
agreeing that the survivors' lawsuit seeking damages
should have been mailed to Sudan's foreign ministry in
Khartoum rather than to its embassy in Washington. The
U.S. Supreme Court threw out a $315 million judgment
last year, agreeing with Sudan and the U.S. government.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

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116. Libya Cease-Fire Raises Hopes for

Full Peace Deal
 The rival sides in Libya‘s conflict signed a ―permanent‖
ceasefire, a deal the United Nations billed as historic
after years of fighting that has split the North African
country in two. But scepticism over whether the
agreement would hold began emerging almost
immediately.
 The breakthrough, which among other things orders
foreign mercenaries out of the country, sets the stage for
political talks in November to find a lasting solution to
the chaos unleashed after a 2011 Nato-backed uprising
toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
 Previous diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict have
repeatedly collapsed - but the UN-brokered deal aims to
cement a months-long lull in fighting and gives a boost
to the political process.
 I am honoured to be among you today to witness a
moment that will go down in history,‖ Stephanie Turco
Williams, the top UN envoy for Libya who led mediation

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talks this week, said at the signing in Geneva. She did,

however, express some caution, noting that a ―long and
difficult‖ road remains ahead.
 It‘s not clear how the cease-fire will be enforced.

Source: Hindustan Times

117. Map controversy: It was distorted

because of technical reasons, says
Nepal

 The map used to convey Prime Minister K.P. Sharma

Oli‘s Vijaya Dasami greetings was distorted because of
technical reasons, the government of Nepal clarified.

 Rajan Bhattarai, Foreign Affairs Advisor to Prime

Minister Oli, said Nepal has not diluted its claim to the
Kalapani region which has been at the centre of a
territorial dispute.

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 ―Scaling down of the image for online usage created this

impression. It‘s a technical issue. We have not changed
our position at all on the territorial demand. The
government of Nepal is strongly committed to the map
that was passed by Parliament. It was the same map that
was actually used in the message by the honourable
Prime Minister,‖ said Mr. Bhattarai over phone from
Kathmandu.
 The response came after Mr. Oli‘s message showed an
old map which did not include the strategically located
Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura region of the
Pithoragardh district that Nepal has been claiming. Mr.
Bhattarai blamed the online media of Nepal for creating
‗confusion‘. ―We are using the new map and the revised
insignia for our festival greetings.‖
 The issue began when Mr. Oli sent out online greetings
for Vijaya Dasami or Dashain which is the biggest
festival of Nepal.
 The triangular piece of land in the extreme northwest of
Nepal is however shown as part of Nepalese sovereign
territory in the new map unveiled on May 20 and was
made part of the insignia of the Nepalese state by an
amendment on June 13. Mr. Oli‘s use of the national
insignia carrying the old map drew strong reaction from
the political class of Kathmandu with leaders expressing
surprise.
 ―Mr. Oli at his individual level can use any map of Nepal
that he wishes but as the Prime Minister he should have
used the national map that was passed by Parliament and
dedicated to the Nepalese people,‖ said Bishwaprakash

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Sharma, spokesperson of the Opposition Nepali

Congress. Mr. Sharma said Mr. Oli has undermined
Parliament as the map was passed in both the Houses.
 It also drew comments on social media with Nepalese
users connecting the move with discussion that he held
with Samant Kumar Goel, chief of the Research and
Analysis Wing (R&AW). The visit drew attention as it
came a fortnight before the scheduled visit of Army
Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
 Despite Saturday‘s clarification from Mr. Bhattarai, the
map had not been corrected on his social media pages.

Source: The Hindu

118. U.S. allies welcome Israel-Sudan

deal; Iran, Palestine cry foul

 Sudan and Israel have agreed to normalise relations in a

US-brokered deal to end decades of hostility. This was
on one hand, welcomed by the allies of the United States,
but on the other, stirred Palestinian anger.
 The announcement makes Sudan the fifth Arab country
to forge diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
 Sudan has technically been at war with Israel since its
1948 foundation.
 "HUGE win today for the United States and for peace in
the world," tweeted US President Donald Trump, who

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faces a November 3 election in which he is trailing in the

polls.
 "Sudan has agreed to a peace and normalisation
agreement with Israel! With the United Arab Emirates
and Bahrain, that‘s THREE Arab countries to have done
so in only a matter of weeks. More will follow!"
 Germany welcomed the deal as a boost to stability in the
Middle East and paid tribute to the US role in brokering
it.

 "The US has played a crucial role in mediating these

agreements, for which it deserves thanks and
recognition," the foreign ministry said.
 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a close US ally
whose country in 1979 became the first Arab state to
make peace with Israel, hailed the agreement.
 The United Arab Emirates, which signed a normalisation
deal with Israel in September, welcomed Sudan's
decision to establish relations too as "historic".
 "Sudan's decision to initiate relations with the state of
Israel is an important step to enhance security, and
prosperity in the region," foreign ministry.

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 Bahrain, which followed the UAE in striking a

normalisation deal with Israel, hailed the agreement
between Sudan and Israel.
 It underlined the kingdom's support for Sudan's efforts
"to exercise an active and constructive role in the
international community," a foreign ministry statement
said.
 Palestinian leaders, however, strongly condemned the
deal, echoing their rejection of Israel's normalisation
accords with the UAE and Bahrain signed in Washington
last month.
 "The State of Palestine expressed today its condemnation
and rejection of the deal to normalise ties with the Israeli
occupation country which usurps Palestinian land,"
president Mahmoud Abbas's office said in a statement.
 "No one has the right to speak on behalf of the
Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause," it said.
 The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza
Strip, said the deal was a "political sin" that benefited
only the Israeli premier.
 "It benefits only (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin)
Netanyahu," it said in a statement.
 Israel's agreements with Bahrain and the UAE broke with
longstanding Arab policy on the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and were condemned by the Palestinians as a
"betrayal".
 Iran, which has been a staunch supporter of the
Palestinian cause since the Islamic Revolution of 1979
and remains on the US blacklist of state sponsors of

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terrorism, said Sudan had paid a "shameful" price to be

removed from the "phony" blacklist.
 "Pay enough ransom, close your eyes on the crimes
against Palestinians, then you'll be taken off the so-called
'terrorism' blacklist. Obviously the list is as phony as the
US fight against terrorism. Shameful!" its foreign
ministry said.
Source: Wion

119. Once U.S. leaves, Pakistan will

gain more space in Afghanistan, says
Ata Mohammad Noor

 Ata Mohammad Noor, an Afghan leader who picked up a

rifle to save the lives of Indian diplomats during a
terrorist attack in 2016, wants New Delhi‘s help in the
ongoing Kabul-Taliban peace talks as the situation in
Afghanistan remains sensitive and tense.

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 Noor, who has fought the Taliban his entire life, is

currently in India to convince the government to play a
more ―proactive‖ role in the dialogue.
 The CEO of the Jamiat Party, Noor is the third prominent
leader of Afghanistan to visit India amid apprehensions
in New Delhi that the Taliban may once again assume
power in the country as it did in 1996.
 Over the past month, Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman
of the High Council for National Reconciliation
(HCNR), and former Afghan vice-president Marshal
Abdul Rashid Dostum have visited India as the talks
between the Taliban and Kabul have intensified.
 ―The situation in Afghanistan is currently quite
complicated. That‘s the reason I am here in India. I really
hope that India will be more proactive because India has
got power, it has got leverage, and it has got influence in
the region,‖ Noor .
 ―If India does not do that, then this will give more
ground to the Pakistanis. As the Americans are leaving,
the Pakistanis are finding more space in Afghanistan,‖
Noor said.
 While India was not directly part of the US-led peace
deal that was signed between the Donald Trump
administration and Taliban leaders on 29 February, New
Delhi has now become an active stakeholder in the intra-
Afghan dialogue that began last month in Doha.
However, it has been India‘s stated policy that it will not
engage with the Taliban, as it continues to see the
fundamentalist group as being aided by Pakistan.

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Source: The Print

120. Malaysia's king to consult with

rulers, palace says, amid talk of
emergency

 Malaysia's King Al-Sultan Abdullah will consult with

other senior royals on proposals by Prime Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin, the palace, after sources told the
premier had asked the king to declare a state of
emergency.
 Muhyiddin met with the king on Friday to present the
emergency proposals that include a suspension of
parliament, the sources with direct knowledge of the
matter said, a move that opposition leader Anwar
Ibrahim denounced as an attempt by the premier to retain
control amid a power struggle.

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 The proposal comes as Malaysia faces a resurgence in

coronavirus cases, a pandemic-battered economy and
doubts over Muhyiddin's ability to command a majority
in parliament and pass a budget for 2021.
 The palace did not identify the recommendations made
by Muhyiddin, but said the king would soon hold the
consultation with the heads of other royal households.
 "Al-Sultan Abdullah greatly understands the need for the
country's administration to continue to tackle the threat
of COVID-19," the palace said in a statement.
 Under the constitution, the king can decide if an
emergency should be declared based on the threat to
security, economy or public order. The Council of
Rulers, which groups the heads of Malaysia‘s nine royal
houses, can deliberate on questions of national policy
and has the power to withhold consent from any law.
 A source familiar with the matter said the rulers will
meet on Sunday. Muhyiddin's office has not commented
on the emergency proposal.
 Opposition politicians say there is no valid reason for the
government to impose an emergency and that it was
meant to avoid a showdown in parliament over the
support Muhyiddin commands.
 In the first official comments by the government on the
proposed emergency, trade minister Azmin Ali said
politicians should come together to protect public health
and the economy.
Source: Reuters

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121. Fresh clashes erupt in Nagorno-

Karabakh after Washington talks
 New clashes broke out between Azerbaijan and ethnic
Armenian forces over Nagorno-Karabakh a day after
talks in Washington to try to end the deadliest fighting in
the mountain enclave in more than a quarter of a century.
 Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry reported fighting in and
around Nagorno-Karabakh, a part of Azerbaijan
populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians.
 Local officials accused Azerbaijan's forces of shelling
buildings in Stepanakert, the largest city in the region,
which Baku denied.

 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met separately

with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia on
Friday in a new attempt to end nearly a month of
bloodshed that Russian President Vladimir Putin said
may have killed 5,000 people.

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 The collapse of two Russia-brokered ceasefires had

already dimmed the prospect of a quick end to fighting
that broke out on Sept. 27 over Nagorno-Karabakh.
 Azeri forces say they have made territorial gains,
including full control over the border with Iran, which
Armenia denies. Nagorno-Karabakh's ethnic Armenian
administration says its forces have repulsed attacks.
 Ready for talks, says Azerbaijan
 President Ilham Aliyev told French newspaper Le Figaro
that Azerbaijan was ready to sit down for negotiations
but blamed Armenia's actions for the continued
hostilities.
 ―We are ready to stop even today,‖ Aliyev was quoted as
saying. ―But, unfortunately, Armenia grossly violated the
ceasefire ...If they don't stop, we will go to the end with
the aim of liberating all the occupied territories.‖
 U.S. President Donald Trump said ―good progress‖ was
being made on the issue but did not elaborate and
declined to say if he had spoken with the leaders of either
country.
 Asked how his talks went, Armenian Foreign Minister
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan told reporters ―very good‖ as he
exited the U.S. State Department, and added that work on
a ceasefire would continue.
 World powers want to prevent a wider war that draws in
Turkey, which has voiced strong support for Azerbaijan,
and Russia, which has a defence pact with Armenia.
 Shortly before the Washington talks, Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul that he hoped

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Moscow and Ankara could work together on resolving

the conflict.
 Differences over the conflict have further strained
relations between Ankara and its NATO allies, with
Pompeo accusing Turkey of fuelling the conflict by
arming the Azeri side. Ankara denies it has inflamed the
conflict.
 Mr. Pompeo had said ahead of Friday's talks that he
hoped the ‖right path forward‖ could be found.
 But Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he
saw no diplomatic resolution of the conflict at this stage,
and Aliyev has described the prospects of a peace
settlement as ―very remote‖.
 About 30,000 people were killed in a 1991-94 war over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenians regard the enclave as
part of their historic homeland; Azeris consider it
illegally occupied land that must be returned to their
control.
Source: The Hindu

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122. Afghan forces kill senior al Qaeda

leader al-Masri who was on FBI most
wanted list

 Afghan security forces have killed Abu Muhsin al-Masri,

a senior al Qaeda leader who was on the Federal Bureau
of Investigation's Most Wanted Terrorists list,
Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS)
said.
 The head of the U.S. National Counter-Terrorism Center,
Chris Miller, confirmed al-Masri's death in a statement,
saying his "removal .. from the battlefield is a major
setback to a terrorist organization that is consistently
experiencing strategic losses facilitated by the United
States and its partners."
 Al Qaeda's loss of al-Masri, Miller continued, "highlights
the diminishing effectiveness of the terrorist
organization."
 Al-Masri has been charged in the United States with
having provided material support and resources to a
foreign terrorist organisation, and conspiracy to kill U.S.
nationals.
 Al-Masri, believed to be al Qaeda's second-in-command,
was killed during a special operation in Ghazni province,
the NDS said.
 The FBI declined to comment.
 The al Qaeda operative, who also went by the name
Husam Abd-al-Ra'uf, was an Egyptian national,
according to the FBI.

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 Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said

fewer than 200 al Qaeda operatives remain in
Afghanistan.
 This month marks 19 years since the United States
invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban rulers, who
had harboured al Qaeda militants who attacked the
United States on Sept. 11, 2001.
 The United States has been gradually drawing down its
troops from Afghanistan after striking a landmark deal
with the Taliban in February.
 That deal is set to see foreign forces leave Afghanistan
by May 2021 in exchange for counterterrorism
guarantees from the Taliban, which agreed to negotiate a
permanent ceasefire and a power sharing formula with
the Afghan government.
 The intra-Afghan peace process kicked off in Doha last
month. Despite the talks, fighting between Taliban and
Afghan government forces has raged in recent weeks.
 Last week, U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said the
Taliban had agreed to "re-set" their commitments under a
troop withdrawal deal and reduce the number of
casualties in the country.
Source: Reuters

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123. Belarus and Russia will respond to

external threats, Lukashenko tells
Pompeo: agencies

 Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko told U.S.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a phone call on
Saturday that Belarus and Russia were ready to respond
jointly to external threats.
 Lukashenko, who is holding on to power despite major
protests in recent weeks calling for him to resign, is
facing the prospect of a national strike that could begin
on Monday following an ultimatum set by opposition
leaders.
 Lukashenko has shown no sign he will heed the
ultimatum and step down. Protests against his 26-year
rule began following an Aug. 9 election victory his
opponents say was rigged.
 Lukashenko had sought to mend fences with the West in
recent years and Pompeo had travelled to Belarus in
February in a bid to ―normalise‖ ties. But the crisis after
the disputed election pushed Lukashenko back closer to
traditional ally Russia.
 A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed
Pompeo‘s call on Saturday. ―The Secretary called for the
full release and immediate departure from Belarus of
wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Vitali Shkliarov ?and
reaffirmed U.S. support for the democratic aspirations of
the people of Belarus,‖ the spokesperson.

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 Washington has imposed sanctions on Belarus officials

following violent crackdowns at demonstrations in
Minsk and across the country.
 Protesters shouting slogans and waving red-and-white
opposition flags marched through the streets of Minsk on
Saturday, footage taken by local media showed.
 ―Russia does not interfere in the internal affairs of
Belarus. At the same time, the countries are ready to
jointly respond to emerging external threats,‖ Russia‘s
Interfax news agency cited Belarus state television as
saying, describing the call.

 ―By mutual opinion, after Pompeo‘s February visit to

Minsk, the situation has changed dramatically, new
challenges have arisen and are emerging

Source: News18

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124. Treaty to ban nuclear weapons

made official with 50th UN signatory

 An international treaty banning nuclear weapons has

been ratified by a 50th country, the UN has said,
allowing the historic though essentially symbolic text to
enter into force after 90 days.
 While nuclear powers have not signed up to the treaty,
activists who have pushed for its enactment hold out
hope that it will prove to be more than symbolic and
have a gradual deterrent effect.
 Honduras became the 50th country to ratify.
 The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, called it
―the culmination of a worldwide movement to draw
attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences
of any use of nuclear weapons‖, according to a statement
from his spokesman.
 ―It represents a meaningful commitment towards the
total elimination of nuclear weapons, which remains the
highest disarmament priority of the United Nations.‖
 NGOs also welcomed the news, including the
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
(Ican), a coalition that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize
for its key role in bringing the treaty to fruition.
 ―Honduras just ratified the Treaty as the 50th state,
triggering entry into force and making history,‖ Ican
announced.

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 Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee

of the Red Cross, said in a statement: ―Today is a victory
for humanity, and a promise of a safer future.‖
 The 75th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Nagasaki
and Hiroshima, marked in August, saw a wave of
countries ratify the treaty.ol
 They included Nigeria, Malaysia, Ireland, Malta and
Tuvalu. Thailand, Mexico, South Africa, Bangladesh,
New Zealand, Vietnam and the Vatican are among the
countries that had already ratified it.

 The treaty would come into force on 22 January 2021,

the UN said.
 Declared nuclear-armed states including the US, Britain,
France, China and Russia have not signed the treaty.
 The US has written to treaty signatories saying the
Trump administration believes they made ―a strategic
error‖ and urging them to rescind their ratification.
 The letter, obtained by the Associated Press, said the five
original nuclear powers – the US, Russia, China, Britain

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and France – and America‘s NATO allies ―stand unified

in our opposition to the potential repercussions‖ of the
treaty.
 However campaigners hope the treaty will have the same
impact as previous international treaties on landmines
and cluster munitions, bringing a stigma to their
stockpiling and use, and thereby a change in behaviour
even in countries that did not sign up.
 Ican said in a statement that it expects ―companies to
stop producing nuclear weapons and financial institutions
to stop investing in nuclear weapon-producing
companies‖.
 The coalition‘s executive director, Beatrice Fihn, called
it ―a new chapter for nuclear disarmament‖.
 ―Decades of activism have achieved what many said was
impossible: nuclear weapons are banned.‖
 Saying his country had played a ―decisive role‖
alongside others, Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz
wrote on Twitter it was ―an important step toward our
goal of a world without nuclear arms‖.
 Nuclear-armed states argue their arsenals serve as a
deterrent and say they remain committed to the nuclear
non-proliferation treaty, which seeks to prevent the
spread of nuclear weapons.
 Separately, Russia and the US have been seeking to
break an impasse in long-running talks aimed at
extending a nuclear arms deal between them.
 The two sides have struggled to find common ground
over the fate of the New START treaty, which limits

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both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads but is due to

expire next February.
 While the US wants to rework the deal to include China
and cover new kinds of weapons, Russia is willing to
extend the agreement for five years without any new
conditions – and each side has repeatedly shot down the
other‘s proposals.
Source: The Guardian

125. Yemen's Houthis targeted two

airports and a base in Saudi Arabia,
says spokesman

 The military spokesman for Yemen's Houthi movement

said in a tweet on Saturday it had targeted the Jizan and
Abha airports and the Khamis Mushait base in Saudi
Arabia with drones.
 The Saudi-led coalition had said it had intercepted and
destroyed three explosive-laden drones from the Houthis
aimed towards the southern region of Saudi Arabia.
 Later, in the early hours of Sunday morning, the coalition
said it had intercepted another drone aimed for the same
region.
 The coalition's spokesman did not specify the targets of
the drones in the statements on Saudi state news agency
SPA.

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 "The hit was accurate," Houthi military spokesman

Yahia Sarea said on Twitter.
 The Saudis have regularly accused the Houthis of using
drones and missiles to attack Saudi Arabia.
 Yemen has been locked in conflict since 2014 when the
Houthis seized Sanaa, the capital, and then much of the
country's north.
 Fighting escalated in March 2015 when the Saudi-led
coalition intervened to restore the government of
President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Source: Reuters

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126. Malaysia‘s king rejects PM

Yassin‘s proposal to declare emergency

 Malaysia‘s king on Sunday rejected a proposal by

embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to declare a
state of emergency to fight a new outbreak of the
coronaleaders.

 The plan by Muhyiddin, which involves suspending

Parliament, has sparked national outrage, with critics
slamming the move as an undemocratic means for him to
hang on to power amid challenges to his leadership.
 The palace said in a statement that Sultan Abdullah
Sultan Ahmad Shah ―is of the opinion that there is
currently no need for His Majesty to declare a state of
emergency in this country or any part of Malaysia.‖
 Muhyiddin met with the monarch on Friday to seek royal
assent. Earlier Sunday, the king held a meeting with
other royal households to discuss the prime minister‘s
proposal.

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 He said in the statement that he believes in Muhyiddin‘s

ability to cope with the crisis and urged a halt to ?all
politicking‖ that could disrupt the government‘s stability.
 The king can declare a state of emergency that allows the
country to be governed through ordinances that cannot be
challenged in court.
 Muhyiddin took power in March after instigating the
cause of the former reformist alliance, but his
government is shaky, with only a two-seat majority in
Parliament.
 Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has alleged that he has
the support of a majority of lawmakers to topple
Muhyiddin, but hasn‘t managed to secure the monarch‘s
support.
 Still, Muhyiddin faces a key test early next month when
his government is due to seek approval for its 2021
budget in Parliament. If he is unable to pass the bill,
pressure will build for him to resign or call new
elections. A state of emergency could allow him to delay
that vote and consolidate support.
 Malaysia‘s coronavirus cases doubled to more than
26,000 in just three weeks following a new outbreak,
mainly in Sabah state on Borneo island.
 Muhyiddin met the king Friday but the palace said the
king will have to confer with the heads of the other royal
households on his proposals without giving details.

Source: IndianExpress

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127. Japan PM Suga sets 2050 deadline

for carbon neutrality

 Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Monday set a

2050 deadline for the world's third-largest economy to
become carbon neutral, significantly firming up the
country's climate change commitments.

 Delivering his first policy address since taking office,

Suga placed the environment front and centre as Japan
plays catch-up with climate pledges made by other major
economies.
 "We will bring the total amount of greenhouse gas
(emitted by Japan) to net zero by 2050, meaning carbon
neutral," Suga told parliament.
 "I declare we will aim to realise a decarbonised society,"
he added, to applause from Diet members.
 Tokyo had previously only aimed to achieve carbon
neutrality some time in the latter half of the century, a
goal that critics called vague.

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 The new target was praised by activists and welcomed by

the UN. It puts Japan on the same timeline as Europe and
Britain and a decade ahead of China, which last month
set a 2060 goal.
 Suga did not give precise details on how Japan, a country
still heavily reliant on coal, would meet the deadline but
said technology would be essential.
 "The key is innovation," he said, citing examples
including next-generation solar batteries.
 He added that Japan would also push the use of
renewable energy and nuclear power, stressing that
safety would be a priority -- a key point in a country that
suffered the Fukushima nuclear disaster nearly a decade
ago.
 Japan, a signatory to the Paris climate change agreement,
was the sixth-biggest contributor to global greenhouse
emissions in 2017, according to the International Energy
Agency.
 It has struggled to cut carbon emissions after shutting
down nuclear reactors following the 2011 meltdown in
Fukushima sparked by a devastating earthquake and
tsunami, which in turn increased its reliance on fossil
fuels such as coal.
 Japan's 140 coal-fired power plants provide nearly a third
of its total electricity generation, and coal is the second-
biggest power-generation method behind LNG-fired
plants.
 "It is a very ambitious target," said Daisuke Tanaka, a
specialist in socially responsible environmental, social
and governance investments at Daiwa Research Institute.

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 "He made a clear statement. Now Japan has to keep the

promise. There is no escape route,".
 Tanaka said the policy was likely to mean a boost for
renewable energy in Japan, with a focus on being
providing a consistent supply.
 Japan's ministry of economy and trade will compile an
action plan by the end of the year, offering tax incentives
and other policies to encourage investment in new
technologies.
 Takaharu Niimi, a climate change specialist at the Japan
Research Institute, told AFP that Suga's announcement
was in line with an international move towards stronger
commitments on the environment.
 In September, the world's largest greenhouse gas
polluter, China, announced it would be carbon neutral by
2060, a goal hailed by climate activists as a major step
forward.
 "Considering the international trend, I think the time is
right for Japan to declare the plan,".
 Suga's announcement was welcomed by activist groups
including Greenpeace, as well as world leaders, with the
EU's Ursula von der Leyen tweeting praise for Japan on
setting a goal "that all developed nations should set
themselves to stop climate change".
 The spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres called the pledge a "very significant positive
development", saying Japan had joined a "growing group
of major economies committed to lead by example".

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 Some details on how the goal will be achieved are

expected to be laid out in Japan's next energy plan,
currently under discussion.
 The most recent version, issued in 2018, aimed to have
22-24 percent of the country's energy needs met by
renewable sources including wind and solar by 2030, a
figure critics called unambitious based on current levels
of around 17 percent.
 That plan also called for nuclear to provide more than 20
percent of the country's energy needs by 2030.

Source: Economic Times

128. China ‗to sanction‘ U.S. companies

 China would impose sanctions on Lockheed Martin,
Boeing Defense, Raytheon and other United States‘
companies involved in Washington‘s arms sales to
Taiwan, a foreign ministry spokesman.
 Zhao Lijian said China was acting to protect its national
interest, but did not spell out what form the sanctions
would take.
 The US State Department has approved the potential sale
of three weapons systems to Taiwan, including sensors,
missiles and artillery that could have a total value of $1.8
billion, the Pentagon said last week.

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 Beijing considers Taiwan a wayward province it has

vowed to bring under control, by force if necessary. ―To
safeguard our national interests, China decided to take
necessary measures and levy sanctions on U.S.
companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defence,
and Raytheon, and those individuals and companies who
behaved badly in the process of the arms sales,‖ Zhao
said.

 China has imposed sanctions on Lockheed Martin and

other US companies in the past for selling weapons to
Taiwan, though it is unclear what form the penalties have
taken. The United States, like most countries, has no
official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but Washington is
bound by law to provide the island with the means to
defend itself.
 A spokesman for Boeing said in an emailed statement
that the company‘s partnership with China‘s aviation
community had long-term benefits and that Boeing
remained committed to it.

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 Lockheed Martin said in an emailed statement that all of

its international military sales are strictly regulated by the
US government, and that its presence in China is limited.

Source: The Hindu

129. Turbaned Sikh among 8 Indo-

Canadian winners in British Columbia
assembly polls

 Eight Indo-Canadians, including a turbaned Sikh, have

won elections in Canada's British Columbia province as
the ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) returned to
power with a majority in the snap polls.
 The NDP led by Jagmeet Singh, the first Indo-Canadian
to lead a major federal party in Canada, increased its 41-
seat minority into a 55-seat majority in the 87-member
assembly, according to preliminary results on Saturday
night, which did not include more than 500,000 mail-in
ballots.
 It is the largest NDP victory in British Columbia history,
the Vancouver Sun newspaper reported.
 Aman Singh, a turbaned Sikh, defeated Jas Johal of the
opposition Liberal Party in Richmond-Queensborough

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 Other prominent Indo-Canadian winners are Deputy

Speaker Raj Chouhan, Labour Minister Harry Bains,
Jagrup Brar and Ravi Kahlon. All are from the ruling
party.

 Three Indo-Canadian women - former minister Jinny

Sims, Niki Sharma and Rachna Singh - all from the
ruling NDP - emerged winners in the polls.
 Bains, who won from Surrey Newton, also thanked
people for his victory in the electionswho.
 Sims who served as minister of citizens services in
Horgan's government but resigned in October 2019,
defeated her fellow Punjabi Dr Gulzar Cheema. Sims,
who emigrated to England from Punjab at the age of
nine, and her husband moved to Canada in 1975.
 NDP leaders Kahlon and Brar won from Delta North and
Surrey-Fleetwood constituency, respectively.

Source: Times Now

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130. Pakistani PM asks Facebook CEO

to ban Islamophobic content

 In a letter, Mr Khan said "growing Islamophobia" was

encouraging "hate, extremism and violence... especially
through the use of social media".

 It comes a day after Mr Khan accused French President

Emmanuel Macron of "attacking Islam".
 Facebook already has a policy of removing hate speech
on its platforms.
 It defines hate speech as "a direct attack on people"
based on protected characteristics including race,
ethnicity, national origin and religious affiliation,
through "violent or dehumanising speech" or "harmful
stereotypes".
 In a letter which he published on Twitter , Mr Khan
referred to a recent decision by Facebook to ban any
content that denies or distorts the Holocaust.

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 He called for a similar policy to be put in place for anti-

Islam comments.
 "Given the rampant abuse and vilification of Muslims on
social media platforms, I would ask you to place a
similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam for
Facebook that you have put in place for the Holocaust,"
he said.
 "The message of hate must be banned in total - one
cannot send a message that while hate messages against
some are unacceptable, these are acceptable against
others."
 Mr Khan accused the French president of "attacking
Islam".
 His comments came after Mr Macron paid tribute to a
French history teacher who was murdered after he
showed cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in class.
 Mr Macron said the teacher "was killed because Islamists
want our future", but France would "not give up our
cartoons".
 In a tweet, Mr Khan responded: "It is unfortunate that
[Mr Macron] has chosen to encourage Islamophobia by
attacking Islam rather than the terrorists who carry out
violence."
 Mr Khan, who is currently under pressure from a
coalition of opposition parties, has been known to court
the religious vote to strengthen his base.
 Shops in several Middle Eastern countries have also
boycotted French goods in protests at Mr Macron's
defence of the right to show cartoons of the Prophet
Muhammad.

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 Depictions of the Prophet Muhammad are widely

regarded as taboo in Islam, and are offensive to Muslims.
 However, state secularism is central to France's national
identity, and the state argues freedom of expression
should not be curbed to protect the feelings of one
particular community.
 France's foreign ministry called the calls for boycott
"baseless", adding that they should "stop immediately".
 This is not the first time Pakistan has asked Facebook to
help investigate content on its site.
 In 2017, Mr Khan's predecessor Nawaz Sharif called on
the social media giant to investigate "blasphemous
content"- it is unclear what exactly this might have been,
but in the past, blasphemy accusations ranged from
depictions of the Prophet Muhammad to inappropriate
references to the Koran.
 But critics said then that blasphemy laws, which allow
the death penalty in some cases, are often misused to
oppress minorities.
Source: BBC

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131. U.S. announces planned $2.37

billion weapon sale to Taiwan

 The Trump administration on Monday notified Congress

of plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon missile

systems to Taiwan just hours after Beijing announced

sanctions on U.S. defense contractors, including Boeing,
the lead contractor on the Harpoon deal.
 ―The United States maintains an abiding interest in peace
and stability in the Taiwan Strait and considers the
security of Taiwan central to the security and stability of
the broader Indo-Pacific region,‖ the State Department
said. It said the sale would not alter the military balance
in the region.
 Harpoon missiles are capable of striking ships and land
targets. Boeing says the missile uses GPS-aided inertial
navigation and delivers a 500-pound blast warhead. It
can target coastal defense sites, surface-to-air missile
sites, exposed aircraft, ships in port, and port and
industrial facilities.

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 Earlier Monday, China said it was imposing sanctions on

Boeing, Lockheed Martin and other U.S. defense firms
for providing weapons to Taiwan.
 The ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan, which split
with the mainland in 1949 during a civil war, as part of
its territory and has threatened to invade. Washington
promised in the 1980s to reduce and eventually end
weapons sales to Taiwan but insists its dispute with
Beijing must be settled peacefully.
 Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, gave no
details on what penalties might be imposed or when.
 Chinese-U.S. relations have plunged to their lowest level
in decades amid disputes about security, technology, the
coronavirus pandemic and human rights.
 Taiwan has long been an irritant in relations. Washington
has no formal relations with the island‘s democratically
elected government but is its main ally. U.S. law requires
the government to ensure Taiwan can defend itself.
Weapons sales to the island have increased in quantity
and quality.
 Beijing regularly pressures American companies
including Boeing in an effort to influence U.S. policy.
China is one of Boeing‘s biggest markets for commercial
aircraft, which might make it vulnerable to a boycott, but
Zhao mentioned only Boeing‘s military arm, Boeing
Defense, not its civilian jetliner business.

Source: Indian Express

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132. Mike Pompeo to hold talks with Sri

Lankan leadership during two-day
Colombo visit

 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Sri

Lanka on Tuesday for a two-day visit during which he
will hold talks with the top Lankan leadership, as
America seeks to balance China's growing influence in
the region and to advance the common goals for a free
and open Indo-Pacific.

 Pompeo arrived in India on Monday along with Defence

Secretary Mark T Esper for the third edition of the US-
India 2+2 dialogue with their counterparts in New Delhi.
 After his India visit, Pompeo will travel to Sri Lanka
later Tuesday on an invitation extended by his Sri
Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena.
 Pompeo, the highest-level US official to visit Sri Lanka
during the tenure of President Donald Trump, will hold

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official discussions with the Lankan leadership covering

several areas of the multifaceted engagement between the
two countries.
 The top US diplomat will hold talks in Colombo on
October 28, Cabinet spokesman and minister Keheliya
Rambukwella said.
 The Chinese military has been flexing its muscles in the
strategically vital Indo Pacific region and is also engaged
in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South
China Sea (SCS) and the East China Sea (ECS).
 Early this month, India, the US, Japan and Australia
agreed to step up coordination in creating a free and open
Indo-Pacific.
 Pompeo's visit to Lanka comes two weeks after a high-
powered Chinese delegation led by ruling Communist
Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi visited Colombo.
 Just a day before Pompeo's visit to Colombo, the Chinese
Embassy here accused the US of interfering in the
relations between China and Sri Lanka.
 "We are firmly opposed to the United States taking the
opportunity of the State Secretary's visit to sow and
interfere in China-Sri Lanka relations, and to coerce and
bully Sri Lanka," the Embassy said in a statement on
Monday.
 It said that China and Sri Lanka have enough wisdom to
handle relations with each other and do not need a third
party to dictate.
 The statement hoped that the US will "correct the ugly
practices of arbitrarily interfering in other countries'
domestic and foreign affairs."

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 China is one of the biggest investors in various

infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka. But there has been
criticism, both locally and internationally, and growing
concerns that China has lured Sri Lanka into a debt trap.
 The previous Maithripala Sirisena government had
entered into a 99-year lease with China in 2017 as a
settlement of its debt by way of equity.
 Sri Lanka's economy, especially the tourism sector, has
been hit hard since last year - initially by the Easter
Sunday attacks, which killed over 250 people and later
by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
 The Reserve Bank of India in July this year signed
necessary documents for extending a USD 400 million
currency swap facility to Sri Lanka to boost the nation's
draining foreign exchange reserves due to the
coronavirus pandemic. The currency swap arrangement
will remain available till November 2022.

Source: Economic times

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133. India, US sign crucial BECA deal

aimed at tackling threats from China,
Pakistan
 The third annual US-India 2+2 ministerial dialogue was
held in New Delhi.
 The most important outcome of the visit was signing of
the crucial Indo-US Basic Exchange and Cooperation
Agreement (BECA), which pertains to geo-spatial
intelligence, sharing information on maps and satellite
images for defence purposes.

 The US delegation was led by US Secretary of State

Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper,
who were hosted by Defence Rajnath Singh and Minister
and External Affairs S Jaishankar.
 While both the sides covered many areas of bilateral,
regional and international issues in a post-Covid context,
the thrust of the talks was directed at China and fighting
cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

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 The talks concluded with the announcement of five

major agreements and Memorandum of Understanding
(MoUs) - Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement
(BECA); MoU for Technical Cooperation in Earth
Observations and Earth Sciences; Arrangement
extending the duration of the Memorandum of
Understanding for Nuclear Energy Partnership;
Agreement for the Electronic Exchange of Customs Data
between the Postal Operators; Letter of Intent for
cooperation in the field of Ayurveda and Cancer
Research.
 All the four leaders hailed the entry of Australia into the
Malabar naval exercises that would strengthen the
QUAD grouping in securing the Indo-Pacific.
 "India's recent decision to include Australia in the
upcoming Malabar Naval Exercise alongside American,
Indian, and Japanese forces reflects an acknowledgement
of the importance of working multilaterally together to
address global challenges," said Defence Secretary Mark
Esper at the press event.
 BECA is an important agreement on that front to ensure
real-time intelligence and data sharing.
 Talking about protecting territorial integrity and
sovereignty, Rajnath Singh said, "We held a
comprehensive discussion on a range of key issues.
Inking of BECA with the US is a significant move. Our
military to military cooperation with the US moving
forward very well. We identified projects for the joint
development of defence equipment. We reaffirmed our

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commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific

region."
 One of the important concerns raised by India was the
issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
 "Discussions also covered developments in our
neighbouring countries. We made clear that cross-border
terrorism is completely unacceptable. On Afghanistan,
India's stakes in its security and stability are evident, as is
our willingness to contribute to international efforts to
that end," Jaishankar said.
 The joint statement said that the two sides "denounced
the use of terrorist proxies and strongly condemned cross
border terrorism in all its forms. They emphasised the
need for concerted action against all terrorist networks,
including al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba
(LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizb-ul-
Mujahideen".
 "The Ministers called on Pakistan to take an immediate,
sustained and irreversible action to ensure that no
territory under its control is used for terrorist attacks, and
to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators and
planners of all such attacks, including 26/11 Mumbai,
Uri, and Pathankot," the statement added.
 While the two sides focused on strategic aspects, the
discussions were drawn to global supply chains and
finding an alternative to China. The "supply chain
resilience" was also discussed. India also pushed for
'Make In India' during the talks.
 "And we conveyed to the secretaries that creation of a
robust, equal system of defence industry in India through

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partnership and investment is the fundamental goal of the

Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision of Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi," said Rajnath Singh.
 BECA was not received well by Pakistan and China.
Both their foreign ministries have reacted strongly to the
Indo-US pact.
 The top US visiting dignitaries also called on PM Modi
who in a tweet said, "Pleasure meeting @SecPompeo
and @EsperDoD. Happy to see tremendous progress
made in India-US relations and the results of the third
2+2 dialogue. Our Comprehensive Global Strategic
Partnership stands on a firm foundation of shared
principles and common strategic interests."
 ndia will have access to US satellite data allowing access
to precise locations of military targets once the two
countries sign an agreement for sharing of geospatial
information on Tuesday. The agreement will be inked
during the '2+2' dialogue and comes as a boost to India-
US military cooperation.
 It is important to note that the pact in being inked amid
the ongoing India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh.
 Data related to ground and maritime locations, nautical
and aeronautical maps and charts and specific
coordinates will be shared as part of this agreement. This
will improve India's accuracy in targeting military
targets.
 US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper met Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday in Delhi during the
first leg of the 2+2 dialogue. "The two ministers
expressed satisfaction that agreement of BECA will be

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signed during the visit," a statement from the Ministry of

Defence said.
 BECA
 Both India and the US have long discussed the Basic
Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial
Cooperation (BECA) agreement. There was no
breakthrough owing to India's reservations about sharing
classified information.
 However, all such concerns have now been addressed.
India and the US are all set to ink BECA on Tuesday.
This will be the last of four foundational agreements
agreed upon by both countries for better military
cooperation.
 India and the US signed the Logistics Exchange
Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the
Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement
(COMCASA) in 2018 and the Industrial Security Annex
(ISA) in 2019. The General Security of Military
Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was signed in 2002
as a precursor to an extension of the existing GSOMIA.
 MALABAR 2020
 US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper has also welcomed
Australia's participation in the naval exercise
MALABAR 2020. Australia will be participating in the
Malabar Exercise in November along with the navies of
India, US and Japan.
 Until now, the US, Japan and India were part of the naval
exercise. Australia had participated in a similar naval
exercise, along with Singapore in 2007.
 2+2 dialogue

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 Secretary of State Mark Esper and Rajnath Singh on

Monday reviewed bilateral defence cooperation spanning
military to military cooperation, secure communication
systems and information sharing. Defence trade and
industrial issues were also discussed as measures to take
Indo-US bilateral ties forward.
 "Both the Ministers expressed satisfaction at the close
engagements between the respective Armed Forces.
They discussed potential new areas of cooperation, both
at Service to Service level and at the joint level," a
statement by the MoD said.
 The two ministers called for the continuation of existing
defence dialogue mechanisms during the Covid-19
pandemic, at all levels, particularly the Military
Cooperation Group (MCG). They also discussed the
requirements for expanding deployments of liaison
officers.
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh elaborated on the
initiatives under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' for self-
reliance to encourage investments in India's indigenous
defence industry. Singh also invited US companies to
make avail of India's liberalised policies and the
country's favorable Defence industry ecosystem.

Source: India Today

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134. Poland‘s PM defends abortion

ruling, condemns protests
 Poland‘s prime minister on Tuesday defended the
tightening of the country's abortion law and condemned
massive nationwide protests led by women's rights
activists, saying they shouldn't be happening amid
heightened coronavirus restrictions and decrying ―acts of
aggression.‖
 Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was reacting to five
days of massive protests across Poland against a ruling
Thursday by the country's top court that declared
abortions due to fetal congenital defects unconstitutional.
 Protesters led by women‘s rights activists blocked traffic
for hours in most cities and also gathered outside
churches, chanting obscenities against Poland‘s
influential Catholic Church leaders, who condemn
abortions. They called for the women to have the right of
choice.

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 ―In order to have the freedom of choice you first must be

alive,‖ Morawiecki, whose conservative government
backs tight restrictions, said in defending the court‘s
ruling.
 Morawiecki added that ―the situations that we are seeing
in the streets and which amount to acts of aggression,
vandalism, attacks, are absolutely inadmissible, should
not be taking place at all.‖
 The prime minister urged everyone to observe
restrictions that ban gatherings of more than five people
in an effort to fight a sudden spike in coronavirus cases.
 The Constitutional Tribunal‘s ruling tightened what was
already one of Europe‘s most restrictive abortion laws.
When it takes effect, abortion will be permitted only
when a pregnancy threatens the woman‘s health or is the
result of crime like rape or incest.

Source: The Hindu

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135. Hong Kong arrests 3 activists

under national security law

 Three members of a former student group advocating

independence for Hong Kong were arrested Tuesday
under the city‘s new national security law on suspicion
of publishing content inciting secession on social media
platforms.

 The three include former Studentlocalism leader Tony

Chung and former members William Chan and Yanni
Ho. The arrests of the three were confirmed on the now-
disbanded group‘s Facebook page.
 Police said they arrested two men and one woman
between the ages of 17 and 21 on secession charges, but
did not name them.
 Mr. Chung was arrested near the U.S. Consulate in Hong
Kong on Tuesday morning, a police official said on
condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to

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speak to the media. The other two were detained while

reporting to police stations, Studentlocalism said.
 The three had previously been arrested under the national
security law in July, on charges of inciting secession.
 Studentlocalism was a student group in the city that
advocated localism, and aimed to set up a Republic of
Hong Kong. Hong Kong, a former British colony, was
handed over to China in 1997 and now runs as a semi-
autonomous Chinese territory under the one country, two
systems framework that allows Hong Kong certain
freedoms not found on the mainland.
 In June, the group announced that it ceased activities in
the city in light of the national security legislation.
 The law, which was imposed on Hong Kong by the
central Chinese government and took effect on June 30,
is widely seen as a means to curb dissent after anti-
government protests rocked the city for months last year.
 The legislation outlaws secessionist, subversive and
terrorist acts, as well as collusion with foreign forces in
the city‘s internal affairs. The maximum punishment for
serious offenders is life imprisonment.
 Others who have been arrested under the legislation
include media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who founded the pro-
democracy tabloid Apple Daily, and prominent pro-
democracy activist Agnes Chow.

Source: The Hindu

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136. Iran building at underground

nuclear facility, confirms UN atomic
watchdog

 Inspectors from the UN‘s atomic watchdog have

confirmed Iran has started building an underground
centrifuge assembly plant after its previous one exploded
in what Tehran called a sabotage attack over the summer,

the agency‘s head.

 Iran also continues to stockpile greater amounts of low-
enriched uranium, but does not appear to possess enough
to produce a weapon, Rafael Grossi, director-general of
the International Atomic Energy Agency.
 Following the July explosion at the Natanz nuclear site,
Tehran said it would build a new, more secure, structure
in the mountains around the area. Satellite pictures of
Natanz analysed by experts have yet to show any
obvious signs of excavation at the site in Iran‘s central
Isfahan province.

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 They have started, but it‘s not completed, Mr. Grossi

said. It‘s a long process. He would not give further
details, saying it‘s confidential information. Iran‘s
mission to the United Nations did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
 Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran‘s nuclear department,
last month told state television the destroyed above-
ground facility was being replaced with one in the heart
of the mountains around Natanz. Natanz hosts the
country‘s main uranium enrichment facility. In its long
underground halls, centrifuges rapidly spin uranium
hexafluoride gas to enrich uranium.
 Natanz, again
 Natanz became a flashpoint for Western fears about
Iran‘s nuclear program in 2002, when satellite photos
showed Iran building an underground facility at the site,
some 200 kilometers south of the capital, Tehran.
 In 2003, the IAEA visited Natanz, which Iran said
would house centrifuges for its nuclear program, buried
under some 7.6 meters of concrete.
 That offers protection from potential airstrikes on the
site, which also is guarded by anti-aircraft positions.
 Natanz had been targeted by the Stuxnet computer virus
previously, which was believed to be a creation of the
U.S. and Israel. Iran has yet to say who it suspects of
carrying out the sabotage in the July incident. Suspicion
has fallen on Israel as well, despite a claim of
responsibility by a previously unheard-of group at the
time.

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 Under the provisions of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal

with world powers known as the Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action, Iran is allowed to produce a certain
amount of enriched uranium for non-military purposes.
 In return, Iran was offered economic incentives by the
countries involved.
 Since President Donald Trump pulled the U.S.
unilaterally out of the deal in 2018 and re-imposed
sanctions, however, the other signatories — Germany,
France, Britain, Russia and China — have been
struggling to keep the deal alive.
 Not enough uranium
 Meanwhile, Iran has been steadily exceeding the deal‘s
limits on how much uranium it can stockpile, the purity
to which it can enrich uranium and other restrictions to
pressure those countries to come up with a plan to offset
U.S. sanctions.
 Still though, Iran has continued to allow IAEA inspectors
full access to its nuclear facilities, including Natanz, Mr.
Grossi said.
 In the latest IAEA quarterly report, the agency reported
Iran as of August 25 had stockpiled 2,105.4 kilograms of
low-enriched uranium, well above the 202.8 kilograms
allowed under the JCPOA. It was also enriching uranium
to a purity of 4.5%, higher than the 3.67% allowed under
the deal.
 In the next report, due in coming weeks, Mr. Grossi said:
We continue to see the same trend that we have seen so
far. According to a widely cited analysis by the
Washington-based Arms Control Association, Iran would

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need roughly 1,050 kilograms of low-enriched uranium

— under 5% purity — in gas form and would then need
to enrich it further to weapons-grade, or more than 90%
purity, to make a nuclear weapon.
 The IAEA‘s current assessment is, however, that Iran
does not at the moment possess a significant quantity of
uranium — defined by the agency as enough to produce
a bomb — according to Mr. Grossi.
 At the moment, I‘m not in contact with my inspectors,
but by memory, I wouldn‘t say so, he said.
 Iran had enriched its uranium up to 20% purity, which is
just a short technical step away from the weapons-grade
level of 90%. And in 2013, Iran‘s stockpile of enriched
uranium was already more than 7,000 kilograms with
higher enrichment, but it didn‘t pursue a bomb.
 The idea of a ‗significant quantity‘ is a technical
parameter... that applies in the context of the safeguards
agreement to indicate amounts which could be
theoretically used for the development of a nuclear
weapon,‖ he said.
 The current state of the Iran nuclear deal
 Iran began enriching its stockpile of uranium to 4.5%
purity, breaching the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal that
Washington abandoned last year. This comes days after
Iran exceeded the 300-kg limit to its low-enriched
uranium stockpile, breaching another cap set by the
nuclear deal.
 These moves come as part of a series of aggressive
actions by the U.S. and Iran. It began last year when the
U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear deal and

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reimposed sanctions that have hit the Iranian economy.

Iranian oil exports have fallen drastically and it has put
its economy in a precarious situation. Oil exports
dropped from 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) to about
300,000 bpd in the first three weeks of June after the
U.S. withdrew the waivers it had granted to a few
countries, including India, to import oil from Iran.
 Iran has urged the remaining signatories of the deal to
come up with an effective solution to help it circumvent
U.S. sanctions. It had earlier threatened to exceed 20% in
enrichment of uranium if Europe had not made any
progress by July 7. Once 20% enrichment is reached,
enriching it to weapon-grade levels of 90% is only a
short step.
 Why did the deal fall apart?
 Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action (JCPOA) it was signed by Iran, the five countries
of the UNSC (the U.S., the U.K., France, China and
Russia), Germany and the EU. The Islamic Republic was
suspected of developing nuclear weapons surreptitiously;
a charge that it denied. Under the deal, Iran agreed to
limit its nuclear capabilities and, in return, international
sanctions would be lifted. As per the deal, Iran reduced
the number of its centrifuges used for enriching uranium
by two-thirds, restricted its uranium enrichment to
3.67%, and removed the core of its heavywater facility in
Arak.
 In May 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of
the deal stating it did not make an effort to curb Iran‘s
―sponsoring of terrorism‖ abroad and its ballistic missiles

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programme. Moreover, the Trump administration was

afraid that Iran still had the capability to develop a
nuclear weapon within a year and might do so once the
agreement ends, while also enjoying the benefits of
sanctions relief. Mr. Trump reinstated several sanctions
on Iran which had been lifted under the deal. This caused
a strain to Iran‘s economy and Iran attempted to push the
European signatories of the deal to make an effort to save
it.
 Did Europe try to save the deal?
 Unlike Mr. Trump, European leaders are keen on
keeping the nuclear deal alive. To this end, they have
made efforts to prevent Iran from scaling out of the
agreement. They launched a new trade mechanism called
Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) to
continue trade with Iran in a non-dollar basis. But
INSTEX covers only humanitarian goods such as
medicine, water, and food supplies, which are not
affected by the sanctions anyway. INSTEX does not help
in trading oil, which is the lifeline of the Iranian
economy. Iran and other signatories met in Vienna on
June 28 to work out a solution, but saw no breakthrough.
The European leaders declared INSTEX operational after
the conference, but Iran opines that although it is a
positive development, Europe can ‗do more‘.
 Circumventing U.S. sanctions via an alternative trade
mechanism is not very simple as it is the European
companies and not the government that have to trade
with Iran, in the face of U.S. antagonism.
 What’s Trump’s response?

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 Asked about Iran‘s recent violations of the nuclear deal,

Mr. Trump said Iran is ―playing with fire‖. Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John
Bolton are known for their hawkish stance vis a vis Iran.
 But Mr. Trump has also said that he doesn‘t want war
with Iran. Recently, he rescinded the permission he gave
to troops to attack Iran after the latter shot down an
American drone near the Strait of Hormuz. He cited the
casualty that might number in the hundreds as reason to
stop his forces from attacking Iran.

Source: The Hindu

137. Qatarapologises, investigates forced

airport examinations of female
passengers
 United Arab Emirates — Qatar apologized Wednesday
after authorities forcibly examined female passengers
from a Qatar Airways flight to Australia to try to identify
who might have given birth to a newborn baby found
abandoned at the airport earlier this month.
 Under pressure after Australia condemned the searches,
Qatar‘s government said it had begun an investigation
into the treatment of the women who were taking Qatar
Airways Flight 908 to Sydney on Oct. 2.
 Qatar offered no immediate explanation of how officials
decided to perform invasive vaginal examinations on the

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women. Human rights activists describe such

examinations conducted under duress as equivalent to
sexual assault.
 The small, energy-rich country on the Arabian Peninsula
is a major hub for East-West travel and host nation for
the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Hamad International Airport
is the main hub for state-owned long-haul carrier Qatar
Airways.
 In Qatar, like much of the Middle East, sex outside of
marriage is a criminal act. Migrant workers in the past
have hidden pregnancies and tried to travel abroad to
give birth, and others have abandoned their babies
anonymously to avoid prison.

 Qatar‘s Government Communications Office issued a

statement early Wednesday that authorities discovered
the newborn ―concealed in a plastic bag and buried under
garbage‖ at the airport.
 It called the discovery an ―egregious and life-threatening
violation of the law.‖ The statement said officials
searched for the baby‘s parents, ―including on flights in
the vicinity of where the newborn was found.‖

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 ―While the aim of the urgently decided search was to

prevent the perpetrators of the horrible crime from
escaping, the state of Qatar regrets any distress or
infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveller
caused by this action,‖ the government said in a
statement.
 Qatar said its investigation would be shared
internationally. Australia on Tuesday had described the
situation as inappropriate and beyond circumstances in
which the women could give free and informed consent.
Australian Federal Police also are examining the matter.
 Australia‘s Seven Network News reported the women
were examined in an ambulance on the tarmac. A male
passenger said the women were taken from the plane
regardless of their age and no explanation was given
afterward.
Source: The Hindu

138. U.S. rejection plunges WTO

leadership into uncertainty

 The World Trade Organization‘s bid to select a new

leader was plunged into uncertainty on Wednesday after
the United States rejected the Nigerian woman proposed
as the global watchdog‘s next director-general.
 Three WTO ambassadors, charged with finding a
successor to Brazilian Roberto Azevedo, had decided
that Nigerian former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-

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Iweala should be the next chief as she had secured wide

cross-regional backing.
 Their decision, which awaits approval from WTO
members, caps a more than four-month selection process
involving intensive lobbying which saw her square up
against South Korean trade minister Yoo Myung-hee in
the final round.
 The head of the ―troika‖ of ambassadors relayed their
recommendation to WTO members at a meeting.
 However, the United States then said they did not back
Okonjo-Iweala. The decision needs to be approved by
consensus, meaning any WTO member could block her
appointment.

 ―One delegation could not support the candidacy of Dr.

Ngozi and said they would continue to support South
Korean minister Yoo. That delegation was the United
States of America,‖ WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell
told reporters at the WTO‘s headquarters in Geneva after
the closed-door meeting.

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 The WTO has set a meeting to settle the matter for Nov.
9, less than a week after U.S. voters go to the polls for a
presidential election. It was not immediately clear if the
outcome of the vote would affect the U.S. position on
Okonjo-Iweala‘s appointment.
 Rockwell said there was likely to be ―frenzied activity‖
before the Nov. 9 meeting to secure the required
consensus.
 Many members such as China and the United States had
declined to name their preference publicly although some
African, Caribbean and other states had voiced support
for Okonjo-Iweala.
 The European Union endorsed Okonjo-Iweala on Oct.
26.
 However, three sources following the contest said that
Washington had privately indicated a preference for Yoo.
 The leadership void was created after outgoing WTO
chief Azevedo stepped down a year early in August. The
WTO is currently being steered by four deputies.
 Okonjo-Iweala, a 66-year-old former finance minister
and World Bank managing director, would face
considerable challenges with rival economies bickering
amid rising tensions and protectionism during a
coronavirus-induced trade plunge.
 Her inbox would also feature an overhaul of the WTO‘s
top appeals body - which U.S. President Donald Trump‘s
administration has brought to its knees by blocking judge
appointments - and a major trade conference in 2021.

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 Okonjo-Iweala, a development expert, has branded

herself a ‖do-er‖, saying she has the political clout to
command influence in capitals.
 ―I feel I can solve the problems. I‘m a known reformer,
not someone who talks about it. I‘ve actually done it both
at the World Bank and in my country,‖ she told Reuters.
 Currently chair of the of GAVI vaccine alliance board,
Okonjo-Iweala has also said the WTO should play a role
in helping poorer countries access COVID-19 drugs and
vaccines.
Source: The Hindu

139. Spain doubts Gibraltar border deal

possible without Brexit deal, source
says

 Spain and Gibraltar want to reach a side deal with Britain

to avoid having a hard EU border in southern Spain after
Brexit, but have stumbled on ―a lack of political will‖ in
London, a Spanish diplomatic source said.
 The source said any deal aimed at creating a ―shared
prosperity zone‖ in Gibraltar, a British territory over
which Spain claims sovereignty, was unlikely before a
full Brexit agreement.

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 That broader deal remains uncertain just two months

before Britain's post-Brexit transition period ends.
 ―We've made our suggestions, explored technical
solutions on how to get there. What is lacking is the
political will to close the deal. The ball is in the United
Kingdom's court,‖.

 Failure to reach a side deal on Gibraltar would carry a

heavy social, economic and political cost, the source
said.
 Britain's foreign office said it was committed to finding a
solution to support Gibraltar.
 ―The UK and Government of Gibraltar have held a
number of constructive discussions with Spain on this
issue,‖ a spokeswoman said. ―It is clearly in all parties
interests to find a solution, to ensure ongoing well-being
and prosperity in the region.
 Gibraltar has welcomed Spain's ―pragmatism‖ on its key
demand that their mutual border remains fully open, and
the source expressed hope that this spirit would
ultimately prevail.

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 About 15,000 people commute daily from Spain to

Gibraltar, which has a population of 32,000.
 The port at the northern tip of the Mediterranean, which
Spain ceded to Britain in 1713 after a war, also
welcomes some 10 million tourists per year, a sector
accounting for about a quarter of its economy.
 Spain has agreed to put the issue of its sovereignty claim
to one side to focus on the opportunity to keep the border
with Gibraltar open.
Source: The Hindu

140. Trump admin proposes to scrap

computerised lottery system to select
H-1B visas

 The Trump administration has proposed to scrap the

computerised lottery system to grant H-1B work visas to
foreign technology professionals and replace it with a
wage-level-based selection process, a move that is
expected to counter the downward pressure on the wages
of US workers.
 A notification on the new system is being published in
the Federal Register on Thursday. Stakeholders have 30
days to respond to the notification, the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), less than a week before the
US presidential election.

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 Replacing the computerised draw of lots to decide on the

successful H-1B applicants, the DHS said it is expected
to help counter the downward pressure on the wages of
American workers that is created by an annual influx of
relatively lower-paid, new cap-subject H-1B workers.

 The H-1B visa, most sought-after among Indian IT

professionals, is a non-immigrant visa that allows US
companies to employ foreign workers in speciality
occupations that require theoretical or technical
expertise.
 If finalised as proposed, US Citizenship and Immigration
Services would first select registrations (or petitions, if
the registration process is suspended) generally based on
the highest Occupational Employment Statistics
prevailing wage level that the offered wage equals or
exceeds for the relevant Standard Occupational
Classification code and areas of intended employment.

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 Prioritisation and selection based on wage levels better

balances the interests of petitioners, H-1B workers, and
U.S. workers, the DHS said.
 With this proposed rule, the Trump administration is
continuing to deliver on its promise to protect the
American worker while strengthening the economy. The
H-1B programme is often exploited and abused by U.S.
employers, and their U.S. clients, primarily seeking to
hire foreign workers and pay lower wages, said Acting
DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli.
 US President Donald Trump, keen to regulate the
country‘s immigration policies, on June 22, signed the
executive order temporarily banning issuing fresh H-1B
and L-1 visas till December 31. Reforming America‘s
immigration regime is a major election promise of the
Republican leader under his America First policy.
 The current use of random selection to allocate H-1B
visas makes it harder for businesses to plan their hiring,
fails to leverage the H-1B programme to truly compete
for the world‘s best and brightest, and hurts American
workers by bringing in relatively lower-paid foreign
labour at the expense of the American workforce, Mr.
Cuccinelli said.
 According to the DHS, modifying the H-1B cap selection
process by replacing the random selection process with a
wage-level-based selection process is a better way to
allocate H-1Bs when demand exceeds supply.
 This new selection process would incentivise employers
to offer higher wages or petition for positions requiring

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higher skills and higher-skilled workers instead of using

the programme to fill relatively lower-paid vacancies.
 The proposed changes would maintain the effective and
efficient administration of the H-1B cap selection
process while providing some prospective petitioners the
ability to potentially improve their chance of selection by
agreeing to pay H-1B beneficiaries higher wages that
equal or exceed higher prevailing wage levels, it said.
 This is necessary to further the administration‘s goal of
prioritising H-1B cap-subject registrations for petitioners
seeking to employ higher-skilled and higher paid
workers, which is more aligned with the general
congressional intent for the H-1B programme, the DHS
said.
 According to the federal notification, prioritising wage
levels in the registration selection process incentivises
employers to offer higher wages, or to petition for
positions requiring higher skills that commensurate with
higher wage levels, to increase the likelihood of selection
for an eventual petition.
 Similarly, it disincentivises abuse of the H-1B
programme to fill lower-paid, lower-skilled positions,
which is a significant problem under the present selection
system. With limited exceptions, H-1B petitioners are
not required to demonstrate a labour shortage as a
prerequisite for obtaining H-1B workers, it said.
 The number of H-1B cap-subject petitions, including
those filed for the advanced degree exemption, has
frequently exceeded the annual H-1B numerical
allocations.

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 For at least the last decade, USCIS has received more H-

1B petitions than the annual H-1B numerical allocation
in those respective years.
 Since the fiscal 2014 cap season (April 2013), USCIS
has received more H-1B petitions (or registrations) in the
first five days of filing (or the initial registration period)
than the annual H-1B numerical allocations.
 The congressionally-mandated H-1B visa has an annual
cap of 65,000 visas.

Source: The Hindu

141. South Korea's top court upholds

17-year jail term on ex-leader Lee
Myung-bak

 South Korea‘s top court upheld a 17-year sentence

imposed on former President Lee Myung-bak for a range
of corruption crimes in a final ruling that will send him
back to prison.
 Lee has been convicted of taking bribes worth millions
of dollars from big companies including Samsung,
embezzling corporate funds of a company that he owned
and misusing official funds of South Korea‘s spy agency.
The crimes occurred before and during his 2008-13
presidency.

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 The Supreme Court also confirmed a lower court ruling

that ordered Lee to pay 13 billion won ($10.9 million) in
fines and forfeit another 5.78 billion won ($4.6 million)
for his crimes, court officials said, ruling is final and
cannot be appealed.
 Lee was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2018.
He was bailed out of jail several months later but was
taken back into custody in February this year, after an
appellate court handed down a 17-year term and canceled
his bail. He was released again six days later after he
appealed that ruling on his bail cancellation.

 H was expected to return to prison later, according to the

Supreme Court.
 Lee, 78, was South Korea‘s first-ever President with a
business background and once symbolized the country‘s
economic rise. He began his business career with an
entry-level job at Hyundai Group‘s construction arm in
the mid-1960s, before he rose to CEO of 10 companies
under Hyundai Group and led the group‘s rapid rise at a

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time when South Korea‘s economy grew explosively

after the 1950-53 Korean War.
 Lee‘s corruption case erupted after his successor and
fellow conservative Park Geun-hye was ousted and sent
to jail over a separate 2016-17 scandal. The back-to-back
scandals badly wounded conservatives in South Korea
and deepened a national divide.

Source: The Hindu

142. Pakistan anti-terrorism court

acquits PM Imran Khan in 2014
Parliament attack case

 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was aquitted by an

anti-terrorism court on Thursday in the 2014 Parliament
attack case but other senior ministers, including Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were summoned for

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indictment.
 Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan,
however, halted proceedings against President Arif Alvi
due to the presidential immunity granted to him.
 On August 31, 2014, workers of the now ruling Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek
(PAT) marched towards the Parliament and Prime
Minister‘s House and clashed with police, killing 3
persons and injuring 26 others.
 Police had invoked sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act
against Mr. Khan and other PTI leaders.
 According to a report in the Dawn newspaper, Prime
Minister Khan‘s acquittal comes after he this week urged
the court to acquit him as the prosecution was no longer
interested in pursuing the case.
 The application filed by his lawyer stated that the
prosecution was ―not interested in prosecuting the
applicant (Imran Khan)‖.
 ―The applicant is maliciously implicated and dragged in
this false case. Further proceedings shall cause
harassment and political victimisation. Particularly, after
the prosecution stands in favour of the acquittal of the
applicant,‖ it said.
 According to the counsel, not a single witness of the
prosecution had linked the Prime Minister with the
offence, adding that there was no direct or indirect
evidence available on record against him, the report said.
 Prosecution lawyers are appointed by the government
and take instructions from it. The then prosecution team
under the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)

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government had fought the Parliament attack case but

with a new team under the PTI government, the situation
has changed.
 Judge Hassan summoned Foreign Minister Qureshi,
Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Education Minister
Shafqat Mehmood and Planning Minister Asad Umar at
the next hearing on November 12 for indictment.
 Provincial Ministers Aleem Khan and Shaukat Yousafzai
as well as PTI‘s former secretary general Jahangir Tareen
have also been summoned at the next hearing.
 Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) worker Mubashir Ali
has been acquitted in the case.
 Geo news reported that PAT chairman Tahirul Qadri has
been declared a fugitive.
Source: The Hindu

143. FBI warns ransomware assault

threatens US healthcare system

 Federal agencies warned that cybercriminals are

unleashing a wave of data-scrambling extortion attempts
against the US healthcare system designed to lock up
hospital information systems, which could hurt patient
care just as nationwide cases of COVID-19 are spiking.
 In a joint alert, the FBI and two federal agencies warned
that they had credible information of an increased and
imminent cybercrime threat to US hospitals and
healthcare providers. The alert said malicious groups are

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targeting the sector with attacks that produce data theft

and disruption of healthcare services.‖
 The cyberattacks involve ransomware, which scrambles
data into gibberish that can only be unlocked with
software keys provided once targets pay up. Independent
security experts say it has already hobbled at least five
US hospitals this week, and could potentially impact
hundreds more.

 The offensive by a Russian-speaking criminal gang

coincides with the US presidential election, although
there is no immediate indication they were motivated by
anything but profit. We are experiencing the most
significant cyber security threat we‘ve ever seen in the
United States, Charles Carmakal, chief technical officer
of the cybersecurity firm Mandiant, said in a statement.
 Alex Holden, CEO of Hold Security, which has been
closely tracking the ransomware in question for more
than a year, agreed that the unfolding offensive is
unprecedented in magnitude for the U.S. given its timing
in the heat of a contentions presidential election and the
worst global pandemic in a century.

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 The federal alert was co-authored by the Department of

Homeland Security and the Department of Health and
Human Services.
 The cybercriminals launching the attacks use a strain of
ransomware known as Ryuk, which is seeded through a
network of zombie computers called Trickbot that
Microsoft began trying to counter earlier in October.
U.S. Cyber Command has also reportedly taken action
against Trickbot. While Microsoft has had considerable
success knocking its command-and-control servers
offline through legal action, analysts say criminals have
still been finding ways to spread Ryuk.
 The U.S. has seen a plague of ransomware over the past
18 months or so, with major cities from Baltimore to
Atlanta hit and local governments and schools hit
especially hard.
 Holden said he alerted federal law enforcement Friday
after monitoring infection attempts at a number of
hospitals, some of which may have beaten back
infections. The FBI did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
 He said the group was demanding ransoms well above
$10 million per target and that criminals involved on the
dark web were discussing plans to try to infect more than
400 hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities.
 One of the comments from the bad guys is that they are
expecting to cause panic and, no, they are not hitting
election systems, Holden said. They are hitting where it
hurts even more and they know it. U.S. officials have
repeatedly expressed concern about major ransomware

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attacks affecting the presidential election, even if the

criminals are motivated chiefly by profit.
 Mandiant‘s Carmakal identified the criminal gang as
UNC1878, saying it is deliberately targeting and
disrupting U.S. hospitals, forcing them to divert patients
to other healthcare providers and producing prolonged
delays in critical care.
 Neither Holden nor Carmakal would identify the affected
hospitals. Four healthcare institutions have been reported
hit by ransomware so far this week, three belonging to
the St. Lawrence County Health System in upstate New
York and the Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath
Falls, Oregon.
 Sky Lakes acknowledged the ransomware attack in an
online statement, saying it had no evidence that patient
information was compromised. It said emergency and
urgent care remain available The St. Lawrence system
did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

Source: The Hindu

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144. U.K.‘s Labour party suspends ex-

leader Jeremy Corbyn after anti-
Semitism failings exposed

 Britain‘s Opposition Labour party suspended its former

leader Jeremy Corbyn on October 29 for seeking to
deflect blame away from himself after a report found that
under his leadership the party was responsible for
unlawful harassment and discrimination.
 Mr. Corbyn‘s successor, Keir Starmer, apologised and
said the Labour was facing a ―day of shame‖ after the
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found
serious failings in how the party had dealt with

allegations of anti-Semitism within its ranks.

 Mr. Corbyn‘s tenure was marred by persistent complaints
of anti-Semitism in the party and criticism of the leader‘s
response.

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 He was suspended after saying he did not accept all the

report‘s findings, that his attempts at reforming
complaints processes had been stalled by ―obstructive
party bureaucracy‖ and that the scale of the problem had
been overstated for political reasons.
 ―In light of his comments made today and his failure to
retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has
suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation,‖ the
Labour party said in a statement.
 The party added it had removed the Labour whip from
Mr. Corbyn, meaning that the former leader will no
longer be able to take part in House of Commons votes
as a Labour lawmaker.
 Mr. Starmer said he accepted the EHRC‘s report ―in full‖
and would implement all its recommendations.
 ―It is a day of shame for the Labour Party. We have
failed Jewish people... I am truly sorry for all the pain
and grief that has been caused,‖ said Mr. Starmer, who
held a senior role under Mr. Corbyn‘s leadership but has
tried to stamp out the problem since taking over.
 ―Never again will we fail to tackle anti-Semitism and
never again will we lose your trust.‖

Source: The Hindu

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145. DHS to gather public opinion on

H-1B Visa allocation issue

 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will

gather public opinion on the H-1B visa allocation issue
and interested parties will have 30 days to submit
comments relevant to the proposed rule and 60 days to
submit comments relevant to the proposed information
collection, as per a statement posted on its website.
 Indian techies have been one of the biggest beneficiaries
of the H-1B visa programme. Some 1.84 lakh or 67% of
the total H-1B highly-skilled work visas were granted to
Indians as of April this year, according to U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data.

 DHS will open a public comment period once the NPRM

is published in the Federal Register The Department will
review all properly submitted comments, consider them
carefully, and draft responses before issuing a final rule,
it said.

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 ―The current use of random selection to allocate H-1B

visas makes it harder for businesses to plan their hiring,
fails to leverage the H-1B programme to truly compete
for the world‘s best and brightest, and hurts American
workers by bringing in relatively lower-paid foreign
labour at the expense of the American workforce,‖ said
Ken Cuccinelli, Acting Deputy Secretary, the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
 DHS has announced the transmission to the Federal
Register of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
that would prioritise the selection of H-1B registrations
(or petitions, if the registration process is suspended)
based on corresponding wage levels in order to better
protect the economic interests of U.S. workers, while still
allowing U.S. employers to meet their personnel needs
and remain globally competitive, said the statement.
 Modifying the H-1B cap selection process by replacing
the random selection process with a wage-level-based
selection process is a better way to allocate H-1Bs when
demand exceeds supply, said DHS. If finalized as
proposed, this new selection process would incentivize
employers to offer higher wages or petition for positions
requiring higher skills and higher-skilled workers instead
of using the program to fill relatively lower-paid
vacancies, it further said.
 ―With this proposed rule, the Trump administration is
continuing to deliver on its promise to protect the
American worker while strengthening the economy. The
H-1B programme is often exploited and abused by U.S.
employers, and their U.S. clients, primarily seeking to

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hire foreign workers and pay lower wages,‖ added

Cuccinelli.
 This effort would only affect H-1B registrations
submitted by prospective petitioners seeking to file H-1B
cap-subject petitions. It would be implemented for both
the H-1B regular cap and the H-1B advanced degree
exemption, but would not change the order of selection
between the two as established by the H-1B registration
requirement final rule, DHS further said.

Source: The Hindu

146. New Zealand votes to legalize

euthanasia but not marijuana

 New Zealanders voted to legalize euthanasia in a binding

referendum, but preliminary results released showed they
likely would not legalize marijuana.

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 With about 83% of votes counted, New Zealanders

emphatically endorsed the euthanasia measure with 65%
voting in favor and 34% voting against.
 The ―No‖ vote on marijuana was much closer, with 53%
voting against legalizing the drug for recreational use and
46% voting in favor. That left open a slight chance the
measure could still pass once all special votes were
counted next week, although it would require a huge
swing.
 In past elections, special votes - which include those cast
by overseas voters - have tended to be more liberal than
general votes, giving proponents of marijuana
legalization some hope the measure could still pass.
 Proponents of marijuana legalization were frustrated that
popular Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wouldn‘t reveal
how she intended to vote ahead the Oct. 17 ballot, saying
she wanted to leave the decision to New Zealanders. Ms.
Ardern said Friday after the results were released that she
had voted in favor of both referendums.
 Conservative lawmaker Nick Smith, from the opposition
National Party, welcomed the preliminary marijuana
result.
 ―This is a victory for common sense. Research shows
cannabis causes mental health problems, reduced
motivation and educational achievement, and increased
road and workplace deaths,‖ he said. ―New Zealanders
have rightly concluded that legalizing recreational
cannabis would normalize it, make it more available,
increase its use and cause more harm.‖

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 But liberal lawmaker ChlŮe Swarbrick, from the Green

Party, said they had long assumed the vote would be
close and they needed to wait until the specials were
counted.
 ―We have said from the outset that this would always
come down to voter turnout. We‘ve had record numbers
of special votes, so I remain optimistic,‖ she said. ―New
Zealand has had a really mature and ever-evolving
conversation about drug laws in this country and we‘ve
come really far in the last three years.‖
 The euthanasia measure, which would also allow assisted
suicide and takes effect in November 2021, would apply
to adults who have terminal illnesses, are likely to die
within six months, and are enduring ―unbearable‖
suffering. Other countries that allow some form of
euthanasia include The Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Canada, Belgium and Colombia.
 The marijuana measure would allow people to buy up to
14 grams (0.5 ounce) a day and grow two plants. It was a
non-binding vote, so if voters approved it, legislation
would have to be passed to implement it. Ardern had
promised to respect the outcome and bring forward the
legislation, if it was necessary.

 Other countries that have legalized or decriminalized

recreational marijuana include Canada, South Africa,
Uruguay, Georgia plus a number of U.S. states.

Source: The Hindu

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147. After twenty years, no equality for

women in peace talks at UN

 The head of the UN agency promoting gender equality

told the 20th anniversary commemoration of a resolution
demanding equal participation for women in peace
negotiations that its implementation has failed, declaring
that women still remain systematically excluded from
talks to end conflicts where men make decisions
affecting their lives.
 Despite some good initiatives, UN Women‘s Executive
Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka told the Security
Council on Thursday that in peace negotiations from
1992 to 2019 only 13% of negotiators, 6% of mediators,
and 6% of signatories to peace agreements were women.
 She said negotiations elevated and empowered the actors
that have fueled the violence, instead of empowering
women and others who are peace-builders — and women
were either confined to informal processes or relegated to
the role of spectators.

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 Germany‘s Foreign Office Minister of State Michelle

Muntefering called the UN resolution adopted on
October 31, 2000 a little revolution because a united
Security Council made clear for the first time that
women‘s equal participation is required to maintain
world peace and security.
 It also affirmed that gender equality is also about security
and conflict prevention, and that sexual and gender-based
violence in war is a crime that must be punished and
abolished, she said.
 Plenty of ground to cover
 But Ms. Muntefering said: ―20 years and nine hard-won
Security Council resolutions later... women are still
excluded from peace processes, their rights and interests
continue to be ignored when building post-conflict
societies.‖
 She was blunt in pointing at who is responsible: ―As a
global community, we have not lived up to our
commitment.‖ Too often, the German minister said,
sexual and gender-based violence in conflicts remains
unpunished and even worse, in the past years we have
seen a global push-back on women‘s rights.
 And she expressed doubt that the principles in the
resolution on women, peace and security adopted in 2000
would be approved today.
 Let me be clear, Ms. Muntefering said: ―We have a joint
responsibility to implement what we have agreed upon.
And that is without watering down any of the
commitments we have signed up to.‖
 Russia’s backtracking

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 Last year, the Security Council unanimously adopted a

resolution urging all countries to implement the
provisions of all previous resolutions on women, peace
and security by ensuring and promoting the full, equal
and meaningful participation of women in all stages of
peace processes.
 This year, Russia which currently holds the council
presidency, has called a vote on a draft resolution which
some diplomats say weakens the previous resolutions,
especially on issues of human rights and the participation
of civil society organisations which have been key in
promoting gender equality and participation.
 The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because
email voting is taking place. The result is expected to be
announced on Friday afternoon and it‘s unclear whether
Russia will get the minimum nine yes votes required for
adoption.
 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated to the
council that gender equality is first and foremost a
question of power, and wherever we look, power
structures are dominated by men, starting at the top
where women lead only 7% of countries.
 Talks with Taliban
 He said women remain largely excluded from
delegations to peace talks and negotiations and said ―we
face serious obstacles‖ if they are not fairly represented,
for example, in the rooms where the future of
Afghanistan is being discussed between the Taliban and
the government, or in Mali, as it embarks on a political
transition.

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 Afghan women‘s rights advocate Zarqa Yaftali, who

spoke on behalf of non-governmental organizations that
work to put women at peace tables, said the presence of
four women on the government‘s negotiation team is a
positive development, but it is not enough.
 The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001
and refused to allow women to go to school, work
outside the home or leave their house without a male
escort, do not have any women in their delegation.
 Ms. Yaftali urged the international community to insist
that the parties, especially the Taliban, don‘t restrict
women‘s human rights, civil liberties or citizenship in
any way.
 Victims across the board
 ―We are not the only ones demanding action,‖ Ms.
Yaftali said, pointing to women caught in conflicts from
Yemen and Syria to Congo and Sudan who see
Afghanistan as the true test of the Security Council‘s
commitment to equality in peace negotiations, and an
indication of what they too can expect in similar
challenges in their own countries.
 Actress and playwright Danai Gurira, a UN Women
goodwill ambassador, retold the stories of women
affected by conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Somalia
and South Sudan who previously addressed the council,
saying she didn‘t want members to forget their words
about working for peace and pleas for women to be at
top tables.
 Ms. Gurira, who was born in Iowa but grew up in
Zimbabwe and has appeared in the Black Panther and

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Avenger movies, said one thing all those women have in

common is their insistence that equality between men
and women in decision-making is the only way we will
build peace.
 Male-dominated rooms in the 21st century should be
embarrassing to us all, Ms. Gurira told the council. And
just like (the women) keep showing up for peace, it is
your turn to show up for them.
Source: The Hindu

148. Tougher new rules for tech giants,

more power to enforcers, Europe
antitrust chief says

 Tech giants will have to do more to weed out illegal and

harmful content while online gatekeepers will be bound
by a list of dos and don'ts under new rules aimed at

reining in their power, Europe's antitrust chief.

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 European Competition Commissioner Margrethe

Vestager also proposed new powers for enforcers to
tackle market failures in digital markets and to stop new
ones from emerging.
 Under the proposed Digital Services Act, online
platforms will have to check sellers' identities before they
can use their services in a move aimed at countering
illegal and dangerous content.
 The tech companies will have to produce reports on their
actions and inform users who pays for the advertisements
that they see and why they have been targeted by certain
adverts, Vestager said.
 The second set of rules called the Digital Markets Act is
targeted at online gatekeepers.
 Practices not allowed include pushing one's own
services, known as unfair self-preferencing, making it
difficult for users to switch platforms or to use more than
one service.
 Vestager said the second pillar of the Digital Markets
Act was to set up a harmonised market investigation
framework across the 27-country bloc.
 ―That would give us a harmonised set of rules that would
allow us to investigate certain structural problems in
digital markets and, if necessary, we could take action to
make these markets contestable and competitive,‖ she
said.
 Vestager will announce the new draft rules on Dec. 2.
She will need to reconcile her proposal with those from
EU countries and the European Parliament before it can
become legislation.

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Source: The Hindu

149. ExxonMobil to lay off 1,900 U.S.

employees; mostly at Houston offices

 Global oil giant ExxonMobil has said it intends to reduce

its US workforce by around 1,900 employees, with
international staff reductions potentially rising to as
much as 15% over the next year, as the COVID-19
pandemic batters energy demand and prices.
 Earlier this month, the company announced reductions of
1,600 positions across its European affiliates.
 As of 2019, the Irving-based company has employed
about 74,900 workers.
 The layoffs of 1,900 employees in the U.S. will occur
through a ―voluntary and involuntary programmes‖, the

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company.
 Exxon said the job cuts, part of a global reorganisation,
will come mainly from its Houston, Texas office. The
company cites the pandemic‘s impact on its businesses as
the reason behind its move to ―improve efficiency and
reduce costs‖.
 ―The company recognises these decisions will impact
employees and their families and has put these
programmes in place only after comprehensive
evaluation and thoughtful deliberation,‖ the company
said.
 ―Employees who are separated through involuntary
programmes will be provided with support, including
severance and outplacement services,‖ it said.
 Exxon was once the largest US publicly-traded company
but has been cutting costs due to a collapse in oil demand
and ill-timed bets on new oilfields and expansions. It has
promised to shed more than USD 10 billion this year in
project spending and cut operating expenses by 15%.
 Just six years ago, Exxon opened a state-of-the art
campus in Spring, Texas, which houses four of its
offshoot companies.
 In addition, the company holds a Baytown complex,
which it touts as one of the ―largest integrated and most
technologically advanced refining and petrochemical
complexes in the world‖.
Source: The Hindu

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150. Earthquake kills at least 14 in

Turkey and Greece

 At least 14 people were killed in Turkey and Greece after

a strong earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on October
30, bringing buildings crashing down and setting off tidal
waves which slammed into coastal areas and islands.
 People ran onto streets in panic in the Turkish city of
Izmir, witnesses said, after the quake struck with a
magnitude of up to 7.0. Neighbourhoods were deluged
with surging seawater which swept debris inland and left
fish stranded as it receded.
 Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management
Presidency (AFAD) said 12 people died, one due to
drowning, while 419 people were injured. On the Greek
island of Samos two teenagers, a boy and a girl, were
found dead in an area where a wall had collapsed.
 Search and rescue operations continued at 17 collapsed
or damaged buildings, AFAD said. Izmir's Governor said
70 people had been rescued from under the rubble.

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 Ilke Cide, a doctoral student who was in Izmir's

Guzelbahce region during the earthquake, said he went
inland after waters rose after the earthquake.
 ―I am very used to earthquakes... so I didn't take it very
seriously at first but this time it was really scary,‖ he
said, adding the earthquake had lasted for at least 25-30
seconds.
 Crisscrossed by major fault lines, Turkey is among the
most earthquake-prone countries in the world. More than
17,000 people were killed in August 1999 when a 7.6
magnitude quake struck Izmit, a city southeast of
Istanbul. In 2011, a quake in the eastern city of Van
killed more than 500.
 Flooding
 Ismail Yetiskin, mayor of Izmir's Seferihisar, said sea
levels rose as a result of the quake. ―There seems to be a
small tsunami,‖ he told broadcaster NTV.
 Footage on social media showed debris including
refrigerators, chairs and tables floating through streets on
the deluge. TRT Haber showed cars in Izmir's Seferihisar
district had been dragged by the water and piled on top
of each other.
 Residents of the Greek island of Samos, which has a
population of about 45,000, were urged to stay away
from coastal areas, Eftyhmios Lekkas, head of Greece's
organisation for anti-seismic planning, told Greece's Skai
TV.
 ―It was a very big earthquake, it's difficult to have a
bigger one,‖ said Mr. Lekkas.

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 High tidal wave warnings were in place in Samos, where

eight people were lightly injured, according to a Greek
official.
 ―The Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Greece — which
have been caught up in a bitter dispute over ownership of
potential hydrocarbon resources in the eastern
Mediterranean — spoke by phone after the earthquake
and said they were ready to help one another, Ankara
said.
 AFAD put the magnitude of the earthquake at 6.6, while
the U.S. Geological Survey said it was 7.0. It struck at
around 11.50 a.m. GMT (5.20 p.m. IST) and was felt
along Turkey's Aegean coast and the northwestern
Marmara region, media said.
Source: The Hindu

151. Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to

defuse Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

 Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on Friday to refrain from

deliberately targeting civilians in a conflict over the
mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, where hundreds
have been killed in more than a month of fighting.
 The agreement, which falls short of what would have
been a fourth ceasefire, was reached during talks in
Geneva between the countries' foreign ministers and
envoys from France, Russia and the United States, co-
chairs of the group created to mediate.

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 The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group said in a

statement that Armenia and Azerbaijan had also agreed
to exchange the bodies of fighters and to provide within a
week lists of detained prisoners of war, with the aim of
an eventual exchange.
 Human rights groups called earlier for an immediate halt
to the use of banned weapons by both sides after
confirming the use of cluster munitions either fired or
supplied by Armenian forces in an attack this week on
the Azeri city of Barda.

 The worst fighting in the South Caucasus for more than

25 years has brought into sharp focus the increased
influence of Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, in a former
Soviet region considered by Russia to be within its
sphere of influence.
 Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part
of Azerbaijan, but is populated and controlled by ethnic
Armenians. About 30,000 people were killed in a 1991-
94 war in the region.
 Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said on Twitter the
country's troops had taken under their control nine more
settlements. The regions to which he referred are in the

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southern part of the conflict zone, close to the border

with Iran.
 Azerbaijan's military gains since fighting began on Sept.
27 make a negotiated settlement more difficult. Aliyev
has rejected any solution that would leave Armenians in
control of territory claimed by both countries as part of
their historic homeland.
 In comments published on the prime ministerial website,
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, responding
to questions from foreign media, said he believed ―the
principle of 'remedial secession' should be applied to
Nagorno-Karabakh‖.
 Remedial secession refers to the secession of a sub-group
from its parent state as a remedy of last resort.
 Three ceasefires have failed to halt the latest fighting, the
most recent brokered in Washington last Sunday by U.S.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
 Sporadic fighting continued on Friday. Azerbaijan's
defence ministry said military positions and settlements
in the Aghdere, Khojavend and Gubadli regions had
come under fire.
 The ethnic Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh
defence ministry said it had thwarted Azeri offensives
and that shelling of residential areas of towns in the
enclave had resumed. It also said it had captured a fighter
from Syria.
 Rights group Amnesty International and New York-
based Human Rights Watch said they had independently
confirmed the use of cluster munitions in an attack on
Barda. Azerbaijan has said 21 people were killed.

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 Both groups called for an immediate halt to the use of

banned weapons. A separate report by Human Rights
Watch on Oct. 23 found that Azerbaijan had used cluster
munitions in at least four separate incidents.

Source: The Hindu

152. Ukraine‘s president moves to

dissolve top court over ruling

 Ukraine faced a new political crisis as the president

moved to dissolve the nation‘s top court following its
decision to freeze the country‘s anti-corruption reforms.
 President Volodymyr Zelenskiy‘s action came after the
Constitutional Court ruled to annul key parts of anti-
corruption legislation that Ukraine approved under
persistent Western demands.

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 The court declared public access to officials‘ income

declarations unconstitutional and also outlawed criminal
punishment for providing false income information.
 The judges also ruled to strip the National Anti-
Corruption Agency of most of its key powers.
 Mr. Zelenskiy, a former comedian without prior political
experience, was elected in April 2019 on promises to
uproot endemic corruption. He sharply criticized the
court‘s ruling, warning that it could cost the country
Western support.
 ―We will have no money, no support,‖ the president said
during a meeting with officials. ―We will have a big hole
in the state budget, and, more importantly, we don‘t
know what kind of surprise the Constitutional Court will
present for us tomorrow.‖
 The court‘s decision also drew a negative reaction from
the ambassadors of the Group of Seven leading
industrialized nations.
 ―The G7 Ambassadors are alarmed by efforts to undo the
anti-corruption reforms that followed the Revolution of
Dignity,‖ they said in a statement, referring to the 2014
upheaval that led to the ouster of one of Mr. Zelenskiy‘s
predecessors. ―We stand with the Ukrainian people as
they continue to fight to realize their aspiration of a
prosperous and democratic Ukraine. Too much progress
has been made. Ukraine must not go back to the past.‖
 The Constitutional Court‘s ruling was made on appeal
from the Opposition Platform for Life, a pro-Russia
political grouping that has links with several top tycoons.

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 Several hundred protesters rallied outside the court

building, demanding the judges‘ ouster.

Source: The Hindu

153. First international, Chinese expert

meeting on virus origin: WHO

 The World Health Organization said that international

experts had held their first meeting, albeit virtually, with
their Chinese counterparts in order to investigate the
animal origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
 The WHO has for months been working to send a team
of international experts, including epidemiologists and
animal health specialists, to China to help probe the
animal origin of COVID-19 and how the virus first
crossed over to humans.
 WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual
press briefing Friday that the UN agency was continuing
―to establish the origins of the virus to prevent future
outbreaks.‖
 ―Today, a group of international experts had their first
virtual meeting with their Chinese counterparts,‖ he said.
 The UN health agency sent an advance team to Beijing in
July to lay the groundwork for the probe, but it has
remained unclear when the larger team of scientists
would be able to travel to China to begin epidemiological

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studies to try to identify the first human cases and their

source of infection.
 Scientists believe the killer virus jumped from animals to
humans, possibly from a market in the city of Wuhan
selling exotic animals for meat.
 It is widely assumed that the virus originally came from
bats, but the intermediate animal host that transmitted it
between bats and humans remains unknown.
 When asked why the first meeting between the experts
had not been face-to-face, WHO emergencies chief
Michael Ryan stressed Friday that ―it was certainly
always part of the plan that the teams would meet
virtually first.‖

 ‗Politically intoxicated environment’

 ―We fully expect the team to deploy on the ground.‖
 He said the teams needed to first review all the studies
already done ―so that the trip, the mission ultimately will
address the issues which are the gaps in knowledge.‖
 He cautioned though that such investigations are highly
complex and can take ―a very long time.‖

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 ―I cast my mind back to MERS and SARS and other

diseases, which have taken months and sometimes years
to establish animal origins, and sometimes years to get
fully fledged investigations carried out on the ground,‖
he said.
 The WHO has faced harsh criticism for not moving
quickly enough with the probe, especially from the
administration of US President Donald Trump, which has
accused the agency of kowtowing to China.
 Ryan acknowledged that there was a lot of political
pressure to move swiftly, but stressed it was important to
move forward in a way most likely to achieve the best
answers.
 ―That is what we need: ... the best answers. Not just any
answer that satisfies political needs of speed,‖ he said.
 ―We want the best possible scientific outcome,
generating the best possible evidence for the origin of
this disease, because it is important.‖
 Ryan emphasised that it was ―difficult to do this work in
a politically intoxicated environment.
 ―We are trying our best to ensure the best science in the
face of one of the most devastating epidemics we have
had to face together as a planet.‖
 Since the virus first surfaced in China late last year, it has
killed nearly 1.2 million people worldwide and infected
well over 45 million.
 WHO‘s emergency committee met this week to evaluate
the crisis nine months after declaring it a public health
emergency of international concern (PHEIC) — the UN
agency‘s highest level of international alarm.

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 The committee provided some new recommendations,

including urging the WHO to update its advice on
international air travel.
 ―It‘s very important that WHO produce an updated
guidance with regard to safe international air travel and
clearly the use of the tests is certainly now supposed to
have a much large place compare to quarantine,‖
committee chair Didier Houssin told in briefing, pointing
to ―efforts which have been made by airlines and by
airports.‖
Source: The Hindu

154. Sri Lanka returns illegal waste to

U.K.

 Sri Lanka has started shipping 242 containers of

hazardous waste, including body parts from mortuaries,
back to Britain after a two year court battle by an
environment watchdog, officials said.
 Several Asian countries have in recent years been
pushing back against an onslaught of international refuse
from wealthier nations and have started turning back the
unwanted shipments of garbage as they battle against
being used as the world‘s trash dump.
 The first 20 containers of medical waste, which included
body parts from mortuaries, were loaded on the MV
Texas Triumph on Friday and another 65 will be sent
within a week, customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said.

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Source: The Hindu

155. New Berlin airport opens 9 years

late with little ceremony

 Nine years late and far above its original budget, Berlin‘s
new airport is finally opening on Saturday with little
ceremony and, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, few
passengers.
 Construction of the Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy
Brandt, named after the former West German chancellor
though better known as BER, started in 2006 and it was
initially slated to open in October 2011. But a string of
technical and planning problems forced officials to
abandon six opening dates, most embarrassingly, in
2012, just four weeks before flights were supposed to
start.
 That propelled the project to the status of a national joke
as airport managers struggled to get a grip on various
problems, including a complex fire safety system that
long caused headaches.
 The airport has cost some €6 billion (USD 7 billion),
about three times what was originally planned. It is
finally opening at a time when air traffic has been
hobbled by the pandemic. The opening of the new
airport‘s Terminal 2 has been delayed until early next
year because it isn‘t currently needed.
 BER‘s opening spells the end of West Berlin‘s Cold
War-era Tegel airport, the busier of the two aging and

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increasingly cramped airports that so far served the

reunited German capital.
 Saturday‘s first landings at the new airport will kick off a
week-long transition, with the last flight from Tegel due
to depart on November 8. The former East Berlin‘s
Schoenefeld airport, which is located across the runways
from BER, is being incorporated into the new airport as
its ―Terminal 5‖.

 Tegel and Schoenefeld handled a total 35.6 million

passengers last year, putting Berlin in third place in
Germany behind the Frankfurt and Munich hubs.

Source: The Hindu

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