June 2013 Current Affairs Study Material INTERNATIONAL Egypt’s Top Court Rules Parliament Invalid On 2 June Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court invalidated the nation’s upper house of parliament and a panel that drew up the constitution.The upper house, or Shura Council, holds legislative powers. It will be dissolved after a new lower house is elected.The court dissolved the lower house of parliament 2012 June.The constitution was drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly in 2012 November and approved by voters in December. Nigeria’s Parliament Passed a Bill Criminalising Gay Marriage On 2 June Nigeria’s parliament has passed a bill criminalising gay marriage, making it punishable with a 14-year prison term.The country’s lower house, House of Representatives, followed the action of the Senate and endorsed the bill. UN Finds Evidence Of Toxic Chemicals and a Worsening War in Syria On 3 June A United Nation’s (UN) human rights investigation report ,finds some kind of chemical has probably been used on Syria’s battlefield.Paulo Pinheiro, chairperson of the UN commission of inquiry submitted their latest report at the UN in Geneva . Obesity and Poor Nutrition Report Released by UN FAO On 4 June According to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) report ,obesity and poor nutrition weigh heavily on the global economy and told governments that investing in food health would bring big economic as well as social returns.Lost productivity and spiralling health care bills linked to malnutrition “could account for as much as five per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP),” equivalent to US$3.5 trillion (S$4.4 trillion) a year.In its yearly report, the Rome-based agency said 12.5 percent of the world’s population (some 868 million people) are undernourished in terms of energy intake, while 26 percent of children worldwide are stunted by malnutrition.Some two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies and 1.4 billion people are overweight – of which 500 million are obese. US Slapped Economic Sanction on Iran On 4 June The US has slapped new sanctions on Iran ,targetting the country’s already-devalued currency and automobile industry.This is the ninth set of sanctions that the Obama administration has imposed against Iran.The executive order also empower the imposition of new sanctions against those who intentionally engage in major financial or other transactions for the sale, supply, or transfer to Iran of significant goods or services used in connection with Iran’s automotive sector. Similar sanctions were earlier imposed on Iran’s shipping, shipbuilding, and energy sectors.It is for the first time that the US has directly targeted the Iranian currency. U.S. and China Hold Bilateral Talks On 7 June The U.S. President Barack Obama and China President Xi Jinping concluded their latest round of high-level trade talks.In the meeting both countries agreed to inject new vitality to bilateral trade and economic relations.The US and China will work together and with other countries to use the expertise and institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), among other forms of multilateral cooperation.Both nations agreed to work together on the crucial cyber security issues that have spiraled tensions between the two nations. 1 | P a g e Bangladesh Amends Anti-Terror Law On 12 June Bangladesh’s parliament amended the tough anti-terrorism law re-defining terrorism and allowing courts to accept internet.The (anti-terror) bill suggests provisions to effectively control terrorism through inter-state cooperation.It offers the central bank the authority to freeze suspicious accounts without court orders.The law was first enacted in 2009 after the December 2008 elections while it was amended last year incorporating some provisions.The law was first enacted in 2009 when the incumbent Awami League assumed office after the December 2008 elections while it was amended last year incorporating some provisions. EU Launched New Nuclear Safety Rules On 12 June The European Commission released a new set of nuclear power safety rules aimed at eliminating the risk of a Fukushima-type disaster in the region.The directive will require countries to submit to an international review of their nuclear power systems every six years, and fix any shortcomings discovered.There are 132 nuclear reactors in operation in Europe. Hasan Rowhani Elected As Iran’s New President On 15 June moderate cleric Hasan Rowhani elected as Iran’s new President.Rowhani has won the country’s presidential election.Rowhani won with 50.7 percent of the more than 36 million votes cast.Other contenders such as Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf got 16.5 percent and Hard- line nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili came in third with 11.3 percent of votes. Another conservative Mohsen Rezaei got 10.6 percent votes. Kuwait’s Constitutional Court Dissolved Parliament On 16 June The Kuwait Constitutional Court has dissolved the Kuwaiti parliament and ordered new elections.The Constitutional Court had decided not to make a ruling on the constitutionality of the Emir Sheik Al-Sabah’s change to the electoral laws after they had examined and rejected the challenge. Afghanistan Rejects Talks With Taliban And U.S On 19 June Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai rejected peace talks with the Taliban in a new office in Qatar .Karzai also suspended talks on a new U.S.-Afghan security deal that would allow some American troops to remain in the country after the international combat mission ends in 2014 to protest the fact that his government was being left out of the initial process. China – Russia “Cooperation 2013″ Held in Beijing Chinese Armed Police Force and the Russian internal security force’s “Cooperation -2013″ Joint training was held from 11th to 20th June in Beijing at Armed Special Police Academy.46 personnel from the Snow Leopard Commandoes, an elite anti-terrorism force under the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force (PAPF), and 29 from a special task force unit of Russia’s domestic security force.Before this joint training held in Beijing, the two sides previously conducted a joint anti-terrorism drill, “Cooperation 2007,” in Moscow . Russia and China Signed $270bn Oil Deal On 21 June Russia’s oil giant Rosneft and Chinese state firm CNPC signed a agreement to supply China with $270bn worth of oil over the next 25 years.The agreement was signed by Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin and CNPC head Zhou Jiping in the presence of Putin and visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli. UK and China Signed Currency Swap Agreement 2 | P a g e On 23 June UK and China have signed a three-year agreement worth 200bn to establish a renminbi currency swap to promote trade between the two countries.The agreement was signed by The Bank of England and the People’s Bank of China.Currency-swap agreements basically allow central banks to swap currencies which can be used by firms to settle trade in local currencies rather than in US dollars. Kevin Rudd Re-elected As Australian PM On 26 June Kevin Rudd re-elected as Australian Prime Minister.In these election Kevin Rudd defeated the present Leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.Kevin Rudd won 57 and Julia Gillard got 45 votes.Before three years Julia Gillard became a Prime Minister of Australia in place Kevin Rudd is the first Woman Prime Minister of Australia.Now Kevin Michael Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia, as well as Leader of the Labor Party.He was previously Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, and Labor Leader from 2006 to 2010. Qatar’s Emir Transfers Power To Son On 25 June Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has handed power to his son, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim.On 26 June Qatar’s new Emir formed a government from which he excluded powerful former Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani , replaced him with the former minister of state for internal affairs.Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani was named both the Prime Minister and Interior Minister.Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani is a Qatari politician.In 2005,Nasser Al-Thani he became the minister of state for internal affairs. INDIA & WORLD China, Pakistan, India Increased Nuclear Arsenals On 3 June According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute annual report ,China, India, and Pakistan have increased their nuclear arsenals over the past year.India and Pakistan have each added around 10 new warheads to bring their totals to between 90 and 110 and between 100 and 120 respectively. China now has 250 nuclear warheads, compared to 240 in 2012.Only the two old superpowers have cut their arsenals, with the United States reducing its warheads from 8000 to 7700, and Russia from 10,000 to 8,500. 65 Countries Signed Arms Trade Treaty On 3 June More than 65 countries of the world signed signed the Arms Trade Treaty and the United States announced it will sign soon. key arms exporters including Russia and China and major importers including India, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Egypt abstained and have given no indication yet that they will sign it.The treaty will require countries that ratify it to establish national regulations to control the transfer of conventional arms and components and to regulate arms brokers, but it will not control the domestic use of weapons in any country. It prohibits the transfer of conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes or if they promote acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.