National Political News:
1. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan suspends 25 Congress MP’s for 5 consecutive days on account of disorderly Lok Sabha. 9 opposition parties boycott the Lok Sabha in protest against the Speaker’s action.
2. The Government has signed a peace accord with Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak – Muivah) party to resolve the 60 year old Naga conflict. The NSCN (IM) has been in a ceasefire agreement with the Government. NSCN (Khaplang) a breakaway faction of NSCN (IM) is not a signatory to the peace accord and is responsible for killing of 20 Army men in an ambush on June 4 this year.
3. Terror strikes again in J & K as 2 Pakistani militants target a BSF convoy on the Jammu – Srinagar highway near Udhampur. One of the terrorists is gunned down in the encounter with BSF while the other one is captured alive by the villagers of the area. Army and Amarnath Yatra convoys had passed through the route 10 minutes before the terrorists had lobbed grenades and opened fire.
4. 29 persons were killed as 2 trains got derailed while crossing a bridge in Harda distt. of Madhya Pradesh sending 17 coaches and an engine tumbling into a rain swollen river. Varanasi bound Kamayani Express from Mumbai and Mumbai bound Janta express from Patna moving in opposite directions were involved in the accident.
International Political News:
1. United States and Egypt are to engage in a strategic dialogue for the first time after former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in 2013 by the military in a coup. US President has lifted a ban on supply of weapons to the tune of $1.3 billion to Egypt.8 number F -16 combat aircraft have also been delivered to Egypt by US. The US Egypt thaw comes after the massacre of Coptic Egyptian Christians in Libya by ISIS.
2. Dreaded Taliban leader and founder Mullah Omar is finally dead as funeral prayers are being held for him in Pakistan. He had been given as dead 3 times previously by Pakistan’s ISI. Mullah Akhtar Mansour is the new leader of Taliban and is under challenge from a parallel ‘Shura’ or council declaring itself as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
3. Egypt’s President Abdal Fattah al- Sisi inaugurates a major extension to Suez Canal connecting Mediterranean ocean to Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean. This is the shortest sea route connecting East to the West.
4. 51 people dead in a blood bath by Taliban in Kabul. Barrage of bombings were directed at Afghan Army, Police and the US special forces.
Business News:
1. Reserve Bank of India warns banks against fudging numbers of bad loans and review of debts under 5/25 plan, as it is apprehended that stressed assets may be concealed. The 5/25 plan stands for repayment of bank loans spread over a 25 year period with a review every 5 years.
Gross NPA’s with the banks as per RBI stood at Rs. 3.1 lakh crore in FY 15 as against 1.85 lakh crores in FY13.
The most stressed sector are Power 16.1%, Iron and Steel 10.2%, Textile 7.3%, Aviation 2.4% and Telecom 2.2%.
RBI has kept interest rate unchanged in its bi- monthly credit policy statement.
Science and Technology:
1. The climatic changes that have taken place over the last 100 years :–
(i) Global average temperature rose 0.85°C between the year 1880 and 2012.
(ii) Global average sea level rose 7.5/8.3 inches between 1901 and 2010.
(iii) 2014 was the hottest year on record and 2015 may break that record.
(iv) All the 10 warmest years on record are between 1998 and now.
2. The leading carbon dioxide emitter nations of the World are China 23.4%, US 14.7%, India 5.7%, Brazil 4.2%, Russia 4.9%, Japan 3.6%, Germany 2.2%, Indonesia 2.3% and South Korea 1.8%.
Miscellaneous
1. E cigarettes are battery powered and vaporise liquid solution at their tip, which when inhaled simulate feeling of smoking. The simulatedflavour may range from any fragrance to root beer and rum. It was first developed in Beijing in 2003 by Hon Lik a 52 year old pharmacist/ inventor and smoker.
Using E cigarettes is called “Vaping”.
The US FDA in 2009 has issued a press release discouraging the use of E cigarettes as they may contain toxic chemicals and carcinogen.
Sports:
1.In the World Archery Championships at Copenhagen, Denmark. Indian women’s recurve team have bagged a silver medal.
2. World Swimming Championships in Kazan Russia. Some prominent winners there:-
(i) 18 year old US school girl Kate Ledecky wins the women’s 200 meters and 500 meters freestyle gold.
(ii) Sun Yang of China wins 800 meters freestyle gold.
(iii) Britain’s Adam Peaty wins 3 gold medals viz men’s 50 meter breast stroke, 100 meter breast stroke and was a part of Britain’s 4 × 100 meter medley event winning team.
(iv) Britain’s James Guy wins the goldin 200 meter freestyle.
(v) Ryan Lochte, 31 year old wins 200 meter men’s individual medley. This was his 4th consecutive win. Lochte’s 24th world championship medal is second only to Michael Phelps career total of 33 medals.
(vi) Ning Zetao of China wins 100 meter freestyle men’s gold.
(vii) Natsumi Hoshi of Japan wins women’s 200 meters butterfly gold.
(viii) Bronte Champbell wins 100 meters freestyle gold.
Indian swimmers Sandeep Sejwal and Sajan Prakash fail to qualify for semifinals of their respective categories.
3. Cricket
Australia lose the Ashes trophy to England at Nottingham.
England scored 391 for 9 declared in their first innings. Australia replied with 60 runs all out in the first innings and 253 runs all out in the second innings. They thus conceded defeat by an innings and 78 runs within 3 days of the match.
Stuart Broad, the English fast bowler took 8 wickets for 15 runs in the Australian first innings.
