Current Affairs from the Hindu DATE:28-06-15
Current Affairs from The Hindu DATE:28-06-15
1. / India, Thailand to sign double taxation avoidance treaty (Page 8) / a) I.R / a) India and Thailand will sign a double taxation treaty and an MoU for setting up an Ayurveda Chair in one of the Thai Universities during the 3-day visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
2. / Camps to settle nationality of enclave dwellers (Page 8) / a) I.R / a) With the aim of implementing the Land Boundary Agreement, officials of the Joint Border Working Group of India and Bangladesh will hold camps in enclaves located in both the countries from July 6 to 16.
3. / Iran n-talks: France puts forward key conditions (Pg 12) / a) International / a) Top diplomats warned of hard work ahead to seal a nuclear deal with Iran, as France insisted three key conditions to put an atomic bomb out of Tehrans reach still had to be met.
4. / Kurds oust IS from Kobane (Page 12) / a) International / a) Kurdish forces drove Islamic State group fighters from the flashpoint Syrian border town of Kobane.
5. / Greek PM calls for referendum (Page 12) / a) International / a) Greek PM Alexis Tsipras called a referendum on austerity demands from foreign creditors, rejecting an ultimatum from lenders and putting a deal that could determine Greeces future in Europe to a popular vote.
6. / Digital India to bring investments in billions (Pages 1 and 8) / a) National / a) Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Digital India Week (to be inaugurated by PM Modi on July 1) is likely to see commitments of billions of dollars of investments by foreign and domestic firms.
7. / States must strengthen urban local bodies, says Venkaiah (Page8) / a) National / a) The government asked the States to strengthen urban local bodies by transferring funds and powers for successful implementation of new urban initiatives.
8. / Nadia gets UN pat for achieving total sanitation (Page 9) / a) National
b) Social issue / a) The district Magistrate of Nadia and chief of Nadia Zilla Parishad in West Bengal was presented UN Public Services Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation in the district under a programme called Sabar Souchagar.
9. / Drop in exports may lead to job losses: FIEO (Page 13) / a) Economy / a) Federation of Indian Export Organisation has warned that the continuing decline in exports would result in lay offs and also put pressure on Current Account Deficit and has called for proactive response from the govt.
10. / INS Teg in Seychelles for surveillance (Page 9) / a) National
b) S&T / a) As part of Indias deepening maritime security cooperation with Indian Ocean littoral nations, INS Teg is on a 2-month long deployment in the South Indian Ocean has docked at Port Victoria in Seychelles.
S.NO. / NEWS ITEM / SYLLUBUS / BACKGROUND / IMPORTANT POINTS
1. / India, Thailand to sign double taxation avoidance treaty (Page 8) / a) I.R / a) India – Thailand relations
b) Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty (DTAT) / a) India and Thailand will sign a DTAT and an MoU for setting up an Ayurveda Chair in one of Thai Universities during 3-day visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
b) She will co-chair India-Thailand Joint Commission meeting during which the two countries will sign a DTAT and exchange instruments of ratification on extradition treaty signed between them in 2013.
2. / Camps to settle nationality of enclave dwellers (Page 8) / a) I.R / a) India – Bangladesh relations
b) Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) / a) With aim of implementing the LBA, officials of the Joint Border Working Group of India and Bangladesh will hold camps in enclaves located in both the countries from July 6 to 16. Through this exercise, the views of enclave dwellers on the nationality they wish to hold will be taken.
b) The decision was taken at a meeting in which officials from four bordering districts (Kurigram, Lalmonirhaat, Nilphamari and Panchagarh) of Bangladesh and Cooch Behar of West Bengal participated. At meeting held at Changrabandha border outpost, modalities of the joint visit to Indian and Bangladeshi enclaves were discussed in detail.
c) In the letter exchanged between the foreign secretaries of both the govts during the visit of PM Modi to Dhaka, it was clearly mentioned that the entry, stay and secure functioning of representatives of the joint visit, and setting up of camps shall be facilitated by both the governments.
3. / Iran n-talks: France puts forward key conditions (Page 12) / a) International / a) Iran – P5+1 nuclear deal
b) Irans nuclear programme
c) P5+1 group / a) Top diplomats warned of hard work ahead to seal a nuclear deal with Iran, as France insisted three key conditions to put an atomic bomb out of Tehrans reach still had to be met.
b) US Secretary of State John Kerry and Irans Foreign Minister met first in Vienna, for what is set to be the final push for an accord after almost two years of negotiations.
c) Kerry said we have a lot of hard work to do, with a June 30 deadline appearing. There are some very tough issues and we all look forward to getting down to the final efforts to see whether or not deal is possible.
4. / Kurds oust IS from Kobane (Page 12) / a) International / a) Islamic State (IS)
b) Kurdish forces
c) Syria and Iraq crisis
d) Kobane
e) Peoples Protection Units (YPG) / a) Kurdish forces drove ISgroup fighters from flashpoint Syrian border town of Kobane, after a killing spree by the jihadists left more than 200 civilians dead.
b) Fighters of Kurdish YPG stormed ISs last remaining position, taking full control of Kobane, a powerful symbol of Kurdish resistance.
c) IS operation was widely seen as revenge for a series of defeats at the hands of Kurdish militia, particularly the jihadists loss of Tal Abyad on June 16.
5. / Greek PM calls for referendum (Page 12) / a) International / a) Greece debt crisis
b) European Union (EU)
c) International Monetary Fund (IMF) / a) Greek PM Alexis Tsipras called a referendum on austerity demands from foreign creditors, rejecting an ultimatum from lenders and putting a deal that could determine Greeces future in Europe to a popular vote.
b) The surprise call marked the most dramatic twist yet in 5-month negotiations between Greece and its lenders, pushing the cash-strapped nation into uncharted waters and risking a default and capital controls as hopes for an agreement faded.
c) The Eurozone had offered to release billions in frozen aid if Greece accepted and implemented pension and tax reforms that are offensive to its Leftist govt, elected in Janon a promise to end austerity.
d) Without the bailout funds, Athens is due to default on €1.6 billion in repayments to the IMF, pushing Greece closer to being forced out of the Euro, causing disorder for its economy and financial markets.
6. / Digital India to bring investments in billions (Pages 1 and 8) / a) National / a) Digital India programme
b) Digital Locker
c) e-education
d) e-health / a) Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Digital India Week (to be inaugurated by PM Modi on July 1) is likely to see commitments of billions of dollars of investments by foreign and domestic firms.
b) He said a number of MoUs for investment proposals will be signed. We except large-scale investments in electronic manufacturing and Digital India should be billions of dollars. It will also generate employment for lakhs of people.
c) He said the Digital India programme can help India make rapid strides in business and technology. Private participation is one of factors that will determine its success.
d) PM Modi (while sharing the roadmap for Digital India) will unveil various e-governance schemes such as Digital Locker, e-education and e-health at the Digital India Week, beginning on July 1.
7. / States must strengthen urban local bodies, says Venkaiah (Page8) / a) National / a) Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
b) 74th Amendment
c) 13th Finance Commission
d) 14th Finance Commission / a) The govt asked the States to strengthen ULBs by transferring funds and powers for successful implementation of new urban initiatives.
b) Without devolution of powers and funds to ULBs as per the 74th Amendment, he said that urban schemes cannot be successfully implemented.
c) He said the 14th Finance Commission had granted Rs. 87,143 crore against Rs.23,111 crore by the 13th Finance Commission, which was a substantial increase of four times for ULBs. However, he lamented that many States were yet to transfer power and funds as required by law.
8. / Nadia gets UN pat for achieving total sanitation (Page 9) / a) National
b) Social issue / a) Sabar Souchagar (Toilets for All)
b) Nirmal Bangla Divas
c) United Nations Public Services Award / a) The district Magistrate of Nadia along with chief of Nadia Zilla Parishad in West Bengal was presented the United Nations Public Services Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation in the district.
b) Nadia district (located in south Bengal) had half of its population defecating in open till Oct 2013. The district administration (under a programme called Sabar Souchagar) built 3.56 lakh toilets in the district. As a result, the number of people continuing with the practice dropped to just 0.2 percent.
c) The UN has described Sabar Shouchagar (Toilets for All) as a unique model developed to generate awareness, improve access to sanitary toilets, and bring substantial health improvement through improved sanitation.
d) West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had on April 30 held a programme in Nadia district highlighting the success of the scheme and announced that Nirmal Bangla Divas will be observed across the State every year.
9. / Drop in exports may lead to job losses: FIEO (Page 13) / a) Economy / a) Indias imports and exports
b) Current Account Deficit (CAD)
c) Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO)
d) RBI
e) Great Depression of 1930 / a) FIEO has warned that the continuing decline in exports would result in lay offs and also put pressure on CAD and has called for proactive response from the government.
b) FIEOs reaction comes after RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said the global economy is slipping into problems reminiscent of the Great Depression of 1930.
c) Indias exports fell over 20 percent in May to $22.3 billion, for the sixth straight month in a row.
d) He said if exports continue to move in negative territory, it will sooner or later put pressure on CAD also and may obstruct the rebuilding of economy which the new government is keen to do as forex reserves will not provide the cushion which the exports provide.
10. / INS Teg in Seychelles for surveillance (Page 9) / a) National
b) S&T / a) INS Teg
b) Maritime security cooperation between India and Indian Ocean littoral nations
c) Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)
d) Coastal Surveillance Radar System
e) Indian Ocean region (IOR)
f) Port Victoria
g) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) / a) As part of Indias deepening maritime security cooperation with Indian Ocean littoral nations, INS Teg (a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy) is on a 2-month long deployment in South Indian Ocean has docked at Port Victoria in Seychelles.
b) Official said this is part of its mission to carry out joint surveillance in the Seychelles EEZ in areas selected by Seychelles Coast Guard, with SCG personnel.
c) The defence cooperation between two nations includes cooperation in field of training, hydrography and MDA. India had provided fast attack craft and Dornier aircraft to Seychelles as part of its capability enhancement.
d) PM Modi has laid strong emphasis on comprehensive cooperation in the IOR as a way to counter growing Chinese activity in the region and position India as the net security provider in the IOR.
e) In his visit to Seychelles in March as part of a 3-nation tour in the region, Modi called Seychelles a vital partner in the neighbourhood and called upon the nation to become a full partner in the maritime security cooperation between India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
f) India is setting up Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems in several IOR states which will eventually be integrated into Indias coastal monitoring network.
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