1. Prologue to six part Article series
  2. PIN: Heads of States
  3. Chief Guest in 26th January Republic Day Parade
  4. India’s Ranks (2013)
  5. International Summits
  6. National Summits
  7. Ukraine crisis
  8. International Organizations
  9. International places in news

Prologue to six part Article series

Total six parts covering December 2013 to 8th June 2014- nearly six months that is the usual time span for current affairs most competitive exams below UPSC Civil service exam.

  1. [PIN-2014] Part 1/6: National- Official Posts, Committees, Stamps-2014, Defense, Telengana & more
  2. [PIN-2014] Part 2/6: International- Presidents, Prime ministers, Summits, bodies & Ukraine Crisis
  3. [PIN-2014] Part 3/6: Sports, Mascots, Athletes, Awards, FIFA-2014, Sochi-2014, Grand Slams, Hockey, Kabbadi, Cricket & more
  4. [PIN-2014] Part 4/6: Economic Regulators, Banking Sector CMDs, RBI monetary policy, RBI Committees, Business GK CEOs
  5. [PIN-2014] Part 5/6: Books, Authors, Movies awards & Beauty Pageants
  6. [PIN-2014] Part 6/6: Diaspora, Civilian awards & Dead in News, Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, Padma 2014, Able Prize & more

Persons in News: Heads of States

Every month some new pm/President gets elected somewhere. given the bad cost benefit, I’ve only listed important ones and ignored many chillar parties for example Chile new President Michelle Bachelet, because Chile is not in news otherwise.

Afghanistan
  • President Hamid Karzai served two consecutive term hence can no longer contest election.
  • Right now Presidential race between Abdullah Abdullah and Asraf Ghani.
  • Parliament called shoora.
Australia
  • PM Tony Abbott. capital Canberra (not Perth or Sydney)
  • 1st member of south Asian descent to be member of Parliament – Lisa Maria Singh (awardee Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2014)
Bangladesh
  • President Abdul Hamid
  • PM Sheikh Hasina (Awami league).
  • Opposition Khalida Zia (nationalist party)
  • Parliament called Jatiya parliament.
Bhutan
  • King Jigme Wangchuck
  • PM Tshering Tobgay
  • parliament called Tasongadu
China
  • President XI Jinping
  • Premier (PM) Li keqiang
  • ADIZ: Air defence idenfication zone aove East China sea.
  • Foreign minister Wang Yi met Modi in June 2013.
Cuba President Raul Castro (not Fidel Castro)
Egypt
  • President Abdel Fattah El sisi (Ex-Army general)
  • PM Ibrahim mehliv
Fiji
  • President Epeli Nailaukitau (Fiji has largest Indian diaspora in Asia Pacific)
  • Former president of Indian origin Mahindra Chaudhary (1999-2000)
  • Ram Krishna Mission of Fiji has been awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2014
France President Francis Hollande; PM Manuel Valls. Anne Hidalg-first female mayor of Paris
Germany
  • President Joachim Gauck
  • Chancellor Angela Markel
  • Lok Sabha: Bundestag
Iran President Hussan Rouhani, Accepts peaceful nuclear technology use
Iraq PM Nur Al Maliki
Israel
  • President Reuven Rivlin (hardliner, he is against creation of Palestine.)
  • PM Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Ex israli PM Ehud Olmert jailed for corruption.
  • parliament called Knesset
Italy Youngest PM Matteorenzi
Japan Emperor Akihito, PM Shinzo Abe. Parliament called DIET.
Jordan Joined non-permanent member of UNSC in Dec 2013. King Abdulla. Capital Amman
Kazakstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev; PM Karim Massimov
Latvia Officially joined Eurozone. 18th Member of Euzozone. PM: Straujuma. Parliament: Saeima. Capital Riga.Donot confuse EU vs Eurozone. EU (european union) has 28 members as of now. Croatia became the 28th member of EU in july 2013.
Lebanon PM Tammam Salam. Capital Beirut. Country In news because Hezbulla from Lebanon participating in Syrian civil war.
Libya PM Abdulla al Thani- he quits after family attacked. Capital Tripoli.
Lithuania President Dalia Grybushaite (Iron lady). Only person to win twice.
Malaysia PM Najib Razak
Maldives President Abdulla Yameen – after defeating Moh. Nasheed in run off vote. Parliament : Majilis
Marshall Islands
  • Capital Majuro.
  • President: Christopher Loeak
  • Parliament called Nitijela
  • In news because they filled a case in ICJ against nuclear power
Mauritius President Rajkeshwar Purryag. PM Navin Ramgoolam
Myanmar President Thein SeinOpposition leader Aung su kyi
Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav. PM Sushil koiralaParliament : Rahstriya Panchayat
Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan. in news because an extremist group Boko Haram kidnapped schoolgirls to get their prisoners released. Capital: Abuja
North Korea Kim Jong- un got 100% votes. Held high level talks with south korea at Pan mun jom. Jang Song Thaek: he was Kim’s uncle, but Kim got him killed for “gaddari”.
Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain and PM Nawaz Sharif both belong to PML-N party. Parliament called “Majlis-e-shoora”.Abul Basit: Paki Ambassador to India
Palestine Unity govt. under Moh. Abbas (Fatah) and Ismail Haniyeh (Hamas)
Papua New Guinea
  • First Indian origin to be member of Parliament – Sasindran Muthuvel
  • Pravasi Bharatiya samman 2014
Philippines Prez Beningo Aquino. New law to legalize birth control methods Until now birth control was prohibited due to opposition from Christians
S.Africa Jacob Zuma wins Presidential election. (Party African national congress). Capital: Johannesburg.Indian origin – Ela Gandhi – Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2014
South Korea President female Park Park Geun-hye. PM Chung Hong won resigned after Ferry sinking incident which killed 300+people
South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit
Spain King Juan Carlos abdicated throne for his son. PM Rajoy. Capital Madrid. Parliament
Syria President Bashar al assad – ready for election under international pressure
Thailand
  • acting Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan after  court removed Prime Minister Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra for power abuse
  • Later General Prayuth stages a military coup and detained Ms. Yingluck and her family.
Turkey
  • President Abdulla Gul
  • PM Recep Tayyip Erdogen. In news because arbitrarily bans twitter, facebook etc.
  • Soma coal mine explosion killed 280+
Uganda
  • Signed a law under husband can be jailed for 10 years for infecting wife with HIV (and vice versa) + mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women.
  • Capital Kampala.
  • PM/President not important.
Ukraine
  • President Petro Poroshenko, Chocolate businessman
  • PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk
  • parliament : RADA
  • Capital: Kiev
Uruguay Legalized marijuana trade. Capital Montevideo. PM/President not important.
Vatican Pope Francis (Jorge Bergoglio) became TIME person of the year for 2013. He replaced Pope Benedict XVI.
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro (and NOT Hugo Chavez- He is dead)
Vietnam President Truong Tan SangPM Nguyen Tan Dung

UK

  • David Cameron. Queen Elizabeth ruled for 62 years.
  • Recently David said Sikhs can head UK army and judiciary.
  • UK  parliament honored Tagore in 2014
  • Operation Trojan horse: to prevent spread of extremism in schools.
  • Banned sale of non-native aquatic plants to prevent entry of invasive species.
  • Scotland referendum to be held in September 2014.

USA

  • President Barak Hussain Obama ; VP Joe Biden both democrat party
  • Jeb Bush (Republican) He is yyounger brother of George Bush, he may fight next Presidential election (perhaps) against Hillary Clinton (democrate).
  • Secretary of State John Kerry (not Hillary Clinton)
  • Speaker of house of representatives: John Boehner (not Nancy Pelosi)
  • Nancy Powell was first women US Ambassador to India. She was made to resign in May 2014 because she was close to Congis and Obama knew Modi will become next PM. in other words, her “boore din” had started even before election result!
  • Peter Haas: US Cousul general in India, opened new trade office in Ahmedabad in June 2014.
  • FBI: James Comey
  • CIA: John O. Brennan
  • Sergeant Bow Bergdahl: American soldier captured by Talibans in 2009. Obama freed some Taliban prisoners to secure Bow’s release.

Chief Guest in 26th January Republic Day Parade

  • 2013- King of Bhutan, Jigme Wangchuck
  • 2014- Japanese PM, Shinzo Abe

India’s Ranks (2013)

Doing Business (world bank) 134. Singapore tops
Gender Gap (WEF) 101, even Bangladesh, SriLanka and China better.
Global hunger index 63rd. Even Paki and Bangla better
Global Slavery Index India first rank! China 2nd, Paki 3rd
Human Capital index(WEF) 78.
Human development index (UNDP) 136.
Standard and Poors BBB minus rating
Standard Charters by 2030, India will be third largest economy after US and China
Transparency International’s corruption perception index
  • India 94th. Even Pakistan better!
  • Cleanest = NZ and Denmark. Most bogus: Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia

*WEF= World Economic Forum.

Ukraine crisis

For non-UPSC exams, this topic is pretty much irrelevant. Even for the interviews, you don’t need to know more than just basic geography and power angles. Crux of the matter is= Ukraine crisis happened because Russia wants to control (Crimea+ Black sea) & counter NATO/US influence in this region.

Observe the map:
Map-Ukrain Crisis

  • Crimea’s port city  Sevastopol=>
  • Black sea=>
  • Straight of Bosporus =>
  • Mediterranean Sea =>
    • Strait of Gibraltar => Atlantic Ocean
    • Suez Canal => Red Sea => Gulf of Aden => Arabian ocean.

Thus IF Russia controls Crimea, it can control Black sea. Result?

  1. Russia can ship its products to major economics of the world
  2. Russia can fight against invading NATO armies and counter USA’s “missile shield”.

Timeline of Ukraine Crisis

Before 1991 Both Ukraine+ Crimea were part of erstwhile USSR.
1st December 1991, Ukraine held referendum to declare independence from USSR, also takes away Crimea. This was one of the major reasons for the fall of USSR.
2012
  • Ukraine and European Union (EU) sign free trade agreement and political association. Putin doesn’t like it, not one bit.
  • There was chance of Ukraine joining EU. But then agreements could not be ratified because PM Yulia imprisoned, protests and political instability.
2013
  • Russia offered $15 billion and Cheap gas supply to Ukraine (to counter EU influence).
  • November 2013: Ukraine President Yanukovich refused to EU FTA deal and favoured Russian deal=> Juntaa already angry with economic slowdown, corruption=> protests => Brutal supression => crisis worsen.
Feb 2014
  • More protests. President Yanukovich leaves his country like Dawood Ibraim and hides in Pakistan Russia.
  • Speaker was made interim President. (Putin blames Obama for installing this puppet regime).
  • this new government removed Russian as “second official language”.
  • Russian President Putin becomes active to protect the Russian speaking junta in the Crimea. He sends military to the border. (But ordered them not to cross the border OR shoot at anyone).
March 2014
  • Crimean parliament held junta’s referendum.
  • 92% Junta votes to join Russia.
  • Crimean parliament passes resolution to secede from Ukraine to Russia.
  • Putin passes law to include Crimea in Russia. His excuse: in past Kosovo also separated from Serbia in the same manner, but at that time USA did not oppose.
April-May After this, other parts of Eastern Ukraine also started similar movements to join Russia.
June 2014 Chocolate businessman Petro Poroshenko becomes the new President of Ukraine.

G8 suspended Russia. Obama wants world powers to boycott Russia, just like Iran. BUT….

  1. BRICS nations refused to join US-EU backed sanction against Russia
  2. Japan also refused to cancel investment plans in Russia
  3. India also not going to back any US sanction against Russia.
  4. Russia has world’s largest energy resources, therefore, energy-hungry China also silent.

Beyond this, day to day ball by ball commentary keep coming in newspaper. But like I said earlier, no need to do PhD on this topic, for non-UPSC exams.

International Summits

17th NAM Venezuela 2015
ASEAN
  • 2014 chair of ASEAN – Myanmar
  • Theme “Moving forward in unity to a peaceful and prosperous community”
BIMSTEC
  • Nay Pyi Tao, Myanmar
  • March 2014, 3rd summit
  • “Partnership for Harmony and Prosperity”
  • MoU was sign to establish permanent secretariat
BRICS Fortaleza, Brazil- 2014; Ufa, Russia 2015
CHOGM Commonwealth heads of government  22nd meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka (Nov 2013)
ending sexual violence in conflict
  • to find practical solution on how to end sexual violence during wars, help victims and punish the criminals.
  • first summit @London June 2014
  • organizer: Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and British foreign Secretary William Hague
G-20
  • 2013: St.Petersburg, Russia (8th)
  • 2014: Brisbane, Australia 9th
G-7 summit
  • 40th Brussels, Belgium (EU HQ)
  • June 2014
  • 1st time EU hosted G7 summit
  • Earlier scheduled to be hosted in Sochi, Russia
  • But after Ukraine issue, Russia withdrawn from membership G8 -> G7 + hosted in Brussels
GENEVA 2
  • On Syrian crisis. Geneva in Switzerland.
  • Geneva Agreement is different- between USA and Iran on Iranian Nuclear program
IBSA  2013, DelhiMilitary cooperation- joint military exercise “IBSAMAR”
SAARC Kathmandu, NepalNov 2014, 18th
UNFCC 2013: COP 19 in Warsaw Poland.2014: COP 20 in Lima, Peru
WTO
  • Ministerial conference After every 2 years
  • Bali in 2013 – “Bali Package” Trade Facilitation agreement signed
  • Yemen to become 140th WTO member in June 2014

National Summits

1st International summit on HIV AIDS New Delhi
28th Suryakund international artisan Fair Faridabad Harayana
Asia Gas partnership Summit Delhi, Dec 2013.
National Science Congress 101th session was held in Jammu on Feb 2014
PETROTECH 2014 Noida, International oil & gas summit
Rann Utsav Cultural festival of Katch dist Gujarat
Suryakumbh Solar cooking initiative in Mumbai
TECNOTEX 2014 International summit on clothes , Mumbai

International Organizations

without their structure or mandate for GS2 hahaha

in CDS, CAPF, they sometimes ask “match the pairs” question from this topic.

African development bank Donald kaberukaHQ Abidjan, Ivory coast
African Union B.N.AmadiHQ Addis Ababa
ASEAN Le Luong MinhHQ Jakarta, Indonesia
Asian development bank President Takehiko NakaoHQ Manila, Philippines
IMF Christine LagardeHQ Washington
EU
  • Head of European commission –Jose Emanuel Barroso
  • HQ Brussels, Belgium
  • European Central Bank – Frankfurt, Germany
FAO DG- Jose Graziano de silvaHQ Rome, Italy
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Formal PM of Norway)
OECD Sec-gen Jose Angel GurriaHQ Paris, France
ICC (International CriminalCourt) HQ Hague, Netherland
ICJ (International Court ofJustice) HQ Hague, Netherland
PCA (permanent court ofArbitration) HQ Hague, Netherland
IUCN (International UnionFor Conservation of Nature) President Zhang XinshengFormer Ashok Khosla
IAEA DG Yukiya AmanoHQ Vienna, Austria
ILO DG Guy RyderHQ Geneva, Switzerland
UN General Assembly
  • President John Ashe, visited India, raised Italian marine issue.
  • Secretary Gen. Ban Ki moon
  • HQ New York
  • UN declared 2014 as International year of family farming.
ITU Sec-gen Hamadoun ToureHQ Geneva, Switzerland
UNHRC Navi PillaiHQ Geneva, Switzerland
UNFCC Christina FigueresHQ Bonn, Germany
UNCTRAL Chairperson Hrvoje SikiricHQ New York
OPCW (Organization forPrevention of ChemicalWeapons) DG Ahmet UzumcuHQ Hague, NetherlandOPCW won Nobel prize 2013
US federal Reserve JENETYELLN
WHO DG Dr. Margaret ChanHQ Geneva, Switzerland
WIPO DG Francis Gurry, re-elected for 2nd termHQ Geneva, Switzerland
World bank DG Jim Yong KimHQ Washington
WTO DG Roberto AzevedoHQ Geneva, Switzerland
WWF (world wild fund forNature) CEO Carter RobertsHQ Gland, Vaud, Switzerland
FAO Food and Agri. organization. HQ Rome. José Graziano da Silva
International Maritime organization HQ London. Sec General Koji Sekimizu

International places in news

Barbary lions Extinct. In Atlas mountain range from Morroco to Tunisia. Indian lions have genetic linkages with them.
Bushehr Province Iran earthquake in april
Herat In Afghanistan. Terrorists attacked Indian consulate before Modi oath.
Jinnah Airport Karachi. Biggest terrorist attack in June 2014.
Latvia Officially joined Eurozone. 18th Member
Malta Next CHOGM summit in 2015
Mauratia Ancient Microcontinent. Its evidence found in W.Indian ocean.
Mosul 2nd largest city in Iraq after Bagdad. The Sunni militants took control over this city while Iraqi army ran away.
Mount Fuji, Japan World Heritage status under UNESCO. In Honhu Island
Peshawar World’s largest reservoir of Polio (WHO statement)
Popocatépetl  volcano Mexico
Samoa Airline First airline to charge passengers based on their weight
Serbia Agreed to cede some areas to its former province Kosovo.Under EU accord. Serbia-Capital Belgrade. Kosovo-Capital Pristina-Uses Euro as Currency.
Shanghai Started visa-free transit scheme with Beijing.
Shenzhen Province China Launched its first carbon trading scheme here
Sichuan Province China earthquake of ritchers scale-7.
suma Turkey coal mine. explosion killed 280+
Titanosaur Biggest dinosaurs, found in Argentina.
West Qurna-2 One of the largest oilfield in Iraq. Russian company started exploration.
Xisha Disputed islands in South China sea. China is offering tourists rides while Vietnam opposes.
Sevastopol port city  in Crimea, Russia wanted to control Blacksea via this port city, hence the Ukrain crisis.

For more current affairs, visit Mrunal.org/Current

Any updates, corrections please do post in the comments but with reference except wikipedia

Inputs from Mr. Chandradeo and Ms. Rajtanil