1. Prologue
  2. Modi’s Iran Visit
  3. USA: JASTA, ADONIA, HSPD-6 and Global entry program
  4. UK: 1st  Muslim Mayor of London
  5. Pakistan: hum nahi sudhrenge
  6. Bilateral treaties: May-2016
  7. International Organizations
  8. International: Misc. developments
  9. Terrorism and Internal security
  10. Defense: Risaldar Badlu Singh, VC
  11. Controversies in News
    1. Scams in News
    2. Awards and Degrees in News
    3. Controversies in News
    4. Intolerance in news

Prologue

  • So far, we saw polity and environment related to developments from May-2016.
  • Now comes the International relations and internal security related developments from May-2016 month.
  • This Coverage is brief and devoid of lengthy analysis, keeping in mind the MCQ related angles in CAPF/Banking/SSC exams

Modi’s Iran Visit

  • Last Indian PM to visit was Vajpayee. 15 years later Modi makes trip to Iran.
  • 2003: Vajpayee announced Chahbahar port development plan.
  • 2009: Delaram Zaranj Highway finished.
  • 2016, May: Modi visited Iran, signed agreement to spend $500 mil. To develop Chahbahar port infra. This will make it bigger than Iran’s biggest port – Bandar Abbas.
  • Chahbahar port will help India penetrate to Central Asian countries such as Turkemistan, Kazakhstan etc.
  • More about Chahbahar and Delaram – read this old article
  • Modi  signed deals with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for anti-terror intelligence sharing.
  • Earlier Iran use to give “Free-shipping” of crude oil, because of international sanction, it couldn’t find many buyers. But after Iran nuke deal, the sanctions are lifted, so now Iran said it’ wont give free shipping of crude oil to India, just like flipkart and amazon don’t give free shipping <Rs.500/- purchase.

USA: JASTA, ADONIA, HSPD-6 and Global entry program

  • Some of the US Congress opposed to sell F-16 at  $700 million discount to Pakistan. Pakistan says won’t pay higher price, may explore building JF-17 thunder jets on its own.
  • US-lower house passed  bill to stop aid to Pakistan, for its  failure to end Haqqani network.
  • JASTA: Justice against Sponsers of Terrorism Act. This bill allows 9/11 victims to sue Saudi government in USA. But Saudi thretened to pull out $750 billion investment from USA if this bill is passed. So, Obama ensured them he’ll Veto it, even if passed in both houses.
  • US Cruise ship Adonia: It’s the first US cruise ship to enter Cube, since the blockade of 1959 after Cuban Revolution.
  • During modi visit in June-2016, following agreements will be signed
  • HSPD-6 agreement for terrorist information exchange between US Homeland dept and India’s Intelligence Bureau.
  • Global Entry program agreement- whereby India’s VIP will be able to get out of the American airports without immigration hassles.
  • SelectUSA- it’s an investment summit in S.Carolina, similar to Vibrant Gujarat summit in India.

UK: 1st  Muslim Mayor of London

London Muslim Mayor Sadiq Khan and Badlu Singh Victoria Cross

  • Labour Party’s Sadiq Khan becomes first Muslim mayor of London. He replaced Conservative Party’s mayor Boris Johnson.
  • Boris now expected to run for PM candidacy after present conservative PM David Cameroon’s term is over.
  • Ex-Maldives President Mohd. Nasheed is given asylum in UK, after facing jail term in his home country on alleged terrorism charges.
  • According to new survey, 48.5% of Britons are atheists. Christians are now in minority.

Pakistan: hum nahi sudhrenge

  • Abdul Kadir Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear program, he was recently bragging about Pak’s readiness to nuke Delhi in 5 minutes.
  • Pakistan approaches UN saying India wrongly portraying Kashmir in its new Geospatial information regulation Bill.
  • Pak-Hindu girl Mashal Maheswari had secured 91% in CBSE exam but she couldn’t sit in the AIPMT because she didn’t have NRI or OCI card. But Shushma Swaraj helped her get admission in Karnataka Medical college.
  • India had not asked for reciprocal access while granting permission to Pak officials to visit Pathankot airbase. This was done so that Pakistan can’t delay investigation citing technical issues.
  • Pak PM Nawaz Sharif, underwent open heart surgery.

Bilateral treaties: May-2016

India-UK MLAT Enforcement directorate to use India-UK Multilateral legal assistance treaty to extradite Vijay Mallaya.
India-Mauritius
  • 1983: Double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) was signed.
  • May 2016, Modi government amended it to fix the problems of round tripping and Capital Gains tax avoidance. More covered in this lecture BES163-P2
India Morocco Our Vice President Hamid Ansari visited its capital Rabat. Pacts signed for culture-education exchanges.

International Organizations

NSG
  • Nuclear Suppliers Group. USA says India meets the requirements for getting NSG membership. Although China maintains that NPT (non-proliferation treaty) must be signed first.
G4
  • Group of four- India, Brazil, Germany and Japan. They’ve demanded expansion of UNSC permanent seats.
  • But Pakistan didn’t like it, not one bit. So, Pak diplomats in UN started criticizing.
G7
  • Summit of Finance ministers held at Sendal, Japan. They’re opposed to BREXIT (Britain’s plan to exit European Union).

International: Misc. developments

Parcel Islands
  • Disputed islands located in South China sea, and claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan. Now China to promote tourism
Africa Day Was to be celebrated on 26th May, but African envoys threatened to skip it because of the ‘Afro-Phobia’- after one of the Congolese youth was murdered in Delhi.
Nepal
  • Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Pranchanda Dhamal Dahal, first threatned to take back support from PM K.P.Sharma Oli’s party, but later, he took back his threat.
  • Nepal’s Ambassador to India Deepkumar Upadhyay sacked, for his involvement in destabilizing Oli’s government.
Turkey Capital Ankara. PM Ahmet Davutoglu resigned.
TATIP
  • NGO Greenpeace has released secret documents to prove US-EU agree to lower health and environment standards to boost Trans-Atlantic Partnership (TATIP) trade agreement.
Diaspora
  • 29 Indians from Kerala released from Libya. Both Union and state fighting to claim credit for their rescue.

Terrorism and Internal security

Social media and separatism
  • Social media is fuelling separatism in Srinagar, says Army.
  • Since separatists are unable to launch major terror attack because of Army’s strong presence on border, they’re now trying to use local youth for creating agitation and stone-pelting by provoking them thru social media.
Mehdi Masroor
  • Software engineer who was running a twitter handle for depending ISIS. Trial begins for cyberterrorism.
Haibatullah Akhundzada
  • He’s the new leader of Talibans after US drones killed the existing leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
ISIS
  • Released a video threatening to attack India to avenge Babri, Kashmir, Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar.
Egyptair
  • Its airplan was going from Paris to Cairo, but crashed in Mediterranean. Some believe it to be a terror attack.
FTII, Pune It’s new director Bhupendra Kainthola received letter bomb with warning – he should not invite Kanhaiya to this institute.
NIA
  • Director General Sharad Kumar.
  • NIA chargesheet skips Shadvi Pragya Singh Thakur’s name from 2008 Malegaon Blast, saying the Ex-Maharashtra ATS Chief Hemant Karkare’s investigation was flawed.
Jamat-I-Islami
  • Its chief Motiur Rahman Nizami hanged in Bangladesh for his role in 1971’s war crimes.
Ali Haider Gilani
  • Son of Ex-Pak PM Gilani. He was taken as a hostage 3 years ago, finally rescued.
Interpol Red corner notice
  • Issued against Jaish Chief Maulana Masood Azhar for his role in Pathankot airbase attack.

Defense: Risaldar Badlu Singh, VC (WW1)

Badlu Singh
  • Indian soldier who was awarded Victoria Cross for bravery during World War-1. He was a Risaldar in Jat Lancers, died while capturing a machine gun nest in Palestine.
  • His ashes returned from Egypt’s Cairo to Dhakla Village in, Jhajjar district, Haryana.
Assam Rifles
  • One of its Colonel and six jawans arrested for looting gold from smugglers on India-Myanmar border via Mizoram.
Army Depot
  • Blast at central ammunition depot in Pulgaon, Wardha, Maharashtra. 16 killed. Inquiry ordered.

 

Controversies in News

Scams in News
Defense scam
  • Defense ministry has found financial irregularities in the firms imparting skill training to retired defense personnel.
Madhya Pradesh
  • After Vyapam, there is another scam, wherein Government paid lakhs of rupees in advertisement to dodgy new websites which were not updated for a long time.

 

Award/Degree related Controversies
Padma awards
  • Indian express RTI revealed that many of the Padma awardees are selected outside the list of nominees, solely on the discretion of home ministry.
AAP
  • Claims PM Modi’s degrees are fake, BJP produces Modi’a BA (Delhi Uni) and MA (Guj.University) degrees and marksheets. He did MA with political science.

 

Controversies in News
Swamy
  • Demanded removal of RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, claiming his monetary policy led to collapse of industries and employment in India.
Dilma Rousseff
  • Facing impeachment in Brazil, for fudging with Budget process for electoral gains. In the meantime Michel Temer is acting president of Brail.

 

Intolerance in news
Road renaming
  • Aurungzeb road in Delhi renamed to Dr. APJ Kalam road.
  • Now Gen. VK Singh wants Akbar road renamed into Rana Pratap Road.
Yoga protocol
  • Government issued yoga protocol for International yoga day ( June 21)
  • It requires the participants to chant “Om” in the beginning. Hence secularists opposed.
Jadavpur University West Bengal Governor Kesari Natha said this university has become centre for disturbance- like JNU of Bengal.

Next part: Banking and Business-GK developments from May-2016