Current Affairs - International

The UK government has initiated a rapid analytical sprint to review its counter-extremism strategy, focusing on monitoring trends and understanding effective measures to combat online and on-street extremism. This review will assess the effectiveness of existing measures, including the Prevent programme, to protect against radicalisation and violence in the UK. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper highlighted the need for urgent action amidst rising far-right ideologies and violent incidents like the Southport knife attack, emphasizing the importance of addressing extremism in various communities.

India, represented by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Voice of Global South Summit, emphasized the urgent reform of multilateral institutions to address global crises and inefficiencies within organizations like the United Nations. India advocates for economic resilience, climate action, digital transformation, and equitable access to financing and technology to empower the Global South. This advocacy reflects India's commitment to addressing global challenges and fostering inclusive development within the framework of international cooperation.

On August 2, 2024, Germany joined the United Nations Command (UNC) in South Korea, becoming the 18th member state. This membership marks the first expansion of the UNC since Italy was reinstated in 2013. The UNC, established in 1950, plays a crucial role in responding to North Korean aggression and supporting South Korea's defence, making Germany's inclusion significant for enhancing international oversight of the North Korean border.

A UN fact-finding team, led by Volker Turk, is set to be deployed to Bangladesh to investigate alleged human rights abuses during the political turmoil that led to former Prime Minister Hasina’s ousting. This move follows discussions with the interim government, which agreed to cooperate. The probe aims to scrutinize atrocities reported during the student-led protests, including the detention and alleged torture of hundreds in police custody. The UN's involvement underscores the international community's concern over human rights violations in Bangladesh during this period of political instability.

Sweden reported its first case outside Africa of a more dangerous variant of mpox, known as the Clade 1b subclade, which has been causing a severe global outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo since September 2023. The Swedish public health agency confirmed the case in Stockholm, which was contracted during a visit to Africa where the outbreak is concentrated. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers the risk of transmission in Sweden to be very low due to the country’s high vaccination rate against mpox.