Current Affairs from the Hindu DATE:28-06-15

Current Affairs from The Hindu DATE:28-06-15

S.NO. NEWS ITEM SYLLUBUS ESSENCE OF THE ARTICLE

1. a) I.R a) India and Thailand will sign a double taxation treaty India, Thailand to and an MoU for setting up an Ayurveda Chair in one of sign double the Thai Universities during the 3-day visit of External taxation avoidance Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. treaty (Page 8)

2. a) I.R Camps to settle a) With the aim of implementing the Land Boundary nationality of Agreement, officials of the Joint Border Working Group enclave dwellers of India and Bangladesh will hold camps in enclaves (Page 8) located in both the countries from July 6 to 16.

3. a) International a) Top diplomats warned of hard work ahead to seal a Iran n-talks: nuclear deal with Iran, as France insisted three key France puts conditions to put an atomic bomb out of Tehrans reach forward key still had to be met. conditions (Pg 12)

4. a) International Kurds oust IS a) Kurdish forces drove Islamic State group fighters from Kobane from the flashpoint Syrian border town of Kobane. (Page 12)

5. a) International a) Greek PM Alexis Tsipras called a referendum on Greek PM calls austerity demands from foreign creditors, rejecting an for referendum ultimatum from lenders and putting a deal that could (Page 12) determine Greeces future in Europe to a popular vote. 6. a) National a) Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Digital India to Digital India Week (to be inaugurated by PM Modi on bring investments July 1) is likely to see commitments of billions of dollars in billions (Pages of investments by foreign and domestic firms. 1 and 8)

7. a) National States must a) The government asked the States to strengthen strengthen urban urban local bodies by transferring funds and powers for local bodies, says successful implementation of new urban initiatives. Venkaiah (Page8)

8. a) National Nadia gets UN pat a) The district Magistrate of Nadia and chief of Nadia for achieving total b) Social issue Zilla Parishad in West Bengal was presented UN Public sanitation (Page 9) Services Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation in the district under a programme called Sabar Souchagar.

9. a) Economy Drop in exports a) Federation of Indian Export Organisation has warned may lead to job that the continuing decline in exports would result in lay offs and also put pressure on Current Account Deficit and

1 losses: FIEO has called for proactive response from the govt. (Page 13)

10. a) National INS Teg in a) As part of Indias deepening maritime security Seychelles for b) S&T cooperation with Indian Ocean littoral nations, INS Teg surveillance (Page is on a 2-month long deployment in the South Indian 9) Ocean has docked at Port Victoria in Seychelles.

S.NO. NEWS ITEM SYLLUBUS BACKGROUND IMPORTANT POINTS

1. a) I.R a) India – Thailand a) India and Thailand will India, Thailand to relations sign a DTAT and an MoU for sign double setting up an Ayurveda Chair in taxation b) Double Taxation one of Thai Universities during avoidance treaty Avoidance Treaty 3-day visit of External Affairs (Page 8) (DTAT) 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. a) I.R a) India – Bangladesh Camps to settle a) With aim of implementing relations nationality of the LBA, officials of the Joint enclave dwellers b) Land Boundary Border Working Group of India (Page 8) Agreement (LBA) 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. a) International a) Iran – P5+1 nuclear a) Top diplomats warned of Iran n-talks: deal hard work ahead to seal a France puts nuclear deal with Iran, as France forward key b) Irans nuclear insisted three key conditions to conditions (Page programme put an atomic bomb out of 12) c) P5+1 group 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. a) International a) Islamic State (IS) Kurds oust IS a) Kurdish forces drove IS from Kobane b) Kurdish forces group fighters from flashpoint (Page 12) Syrian border town of Kobane,

3 c) Syria and Iraq crisis after a killing spree by the d) Kobane jihadists left more than 200 civilians dead. e) Peoples Protection Units (YPG) 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. a) International a) Greece debt crisis a) Greek PM Alexis Tsipras Greek PM calls called a referendum on austerity for referendum b) European Union demands from foreign creditors, (Page 12) (EU) rejecting an ultimatum from lenders and putting a deal that c) International could determine Greeces future Monetary Fund (IMF) 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 Jan on 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. a) National a) Digital India a) Telecom Minister Ravi Digital India to programme Shankar Prasad said that Digital bring investments India Week (to be inaugurated in billions (Pages b) Digital Locker by PM Modi on July 1) is likely 1 and 8) to see commitments of billions c) e-education of dollars of investments by foreign and domestic firms. d) e-health 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. a) Urban Local Bodies 7. a) National a) The govt asked the States States must (ULBs) strengthen urban to strengthen ULBs by local bodies, says b) 74th Amendment transferring funds and powers Venkaiah (Page8) for successful implementation c) 13th Finance of new urban initiatives. Commission b) Without devolution of powers and funds to ULBs as d) 14th Finance per the 74th Amendment, he

5 Commission 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. a) National a) Sabar Souchagar Nadia gets UN a) The district Magistrate of (Toilets for All) pat for achieving b) Social issue Nadia along with chief of Nadia total sanitation b) Nirmal Bangla Divas Zilla Parishad in West Bengal (Page 9) c) United Nations was presented the United Public Services Award 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. a) Economy a) Indias imports and Drop in exports a) FIEO has warned that the exports may lead to job continuing decline in exports losses: FIEO b) Current Account would result in lay offs and also (Page 13) Deficit (CAD) put pressure on CAD and has c) Federation of Indian called for proactive response Export Organisation from the government. (FIEO) b) FIEOs reaction comes d) RBI after RBI Governor Raghuram e) Great Depression of Rajan said the global economy 1930 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. a) National a) INS Teg INS Teg in a) As part of Indias deepening Seychelles for b) S&T b) Maritime security maritime security cooperation surveillance (Page cooperation between Indiawith Indian Ocean littoral 9) and Indian Ocean littoral nations, INS Teg (a stealth nations frigate of the Indian Navy) is on c) Maritime Domain a 2-month long deployment in Awareness (MDA) South Indian Ocean has docked

7 d) Coastal Surveillance at Port Victoria in Seychelles. Radar System b) Official said this is part of e) Indian Ocean region its mission to carry out joint (IOR) surveillance in the Seychelles f) Port Victoria EEZ in areas selected by g) Exclusive Economic Seychelles Coast Guard, with Zone (EEZ) 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.