Current Affairs

May 2013
International Events

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relands government on 1 May 2013 unveiled the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill. It explains when life-saving abortions can be performed. Moreover, its a clarification of rights within the ambit of Current law. The bill mentioned clearly that anyone illegally involved in abortion could face a maximum 14-year prison sentence whether he is a doctor or a patient. The bill was unveiled following the death of an Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar in 2012.
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aryland, the U.S. state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, on 2nd May 2013 became the first southern US state to abolish the death penalty. The measure on it was signed by Democratic Governor Martin OMalley on 2 May 2013. The person who was attended was former Maryland death row inmate Kirk Bloodsworth. He will be the first person in the country freed from death penalty because of DNA evidence after being convicted in a death penalty case. On the global level, Maryland is the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. The Governor can commute the death sentences of intimates to life without parole. The Governor OMalley has asserted that he will consider them on a case-by-case basis. The states last execution was in 2005.

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lmost 260,000 people, half of them young children, died of hunger during the last famine in Somalia, according to a U.N. report on 1 May, which admitted the world body should have done more to prevent the tragedy. The toll is much higher than was feared at the time of the 2010-2012 food crisis in the troubled Horn of Africa country and also exceeds the 220,000 who starved to death in the 1992 famine. Half of those who died were children under five, according to the joint report by the U.N.s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the U.S.-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network.Famine and severe food insecurity in Somalia claimed the lives of about 258,000 people between October 2010 and April 2012, including 133,000 children under five, said the report, the first scientific estimate of how many died. Somalia was the hardest hit by extreme drought in 2011 that affected over 13 million people across the Horn of Africa.

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hina, on 2 May 2013, successfully launched a communications satellite called Zhongxing-11 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest Sichuan province. The satellite was launched into its present orbit from Long March-3B rocket. Zhongxing-11 is mainly to provide services for the commercial communications and broadcasting. The satellite is also responsible for meeting needs of digital broadband multimedia, streaming media for clients, Direct-toHome as well as data transmission for the Asia-Pacific region.

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ays ahead of Indias external affairs Minister Salman Khurshids planned visit to Beijing, Official sources said on 5 May, India and China pulled back their troops from the face-off point at Daulat Beg Oldi sector in Ladakh, where the Chinese forces had intruded nearly three weeks ago. A group of Chinese troops estimated at around 50 and accompanied by vehicles and dogs had intruded 19 km inside the Indian Territory across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Daulat Beg Oldi sector on 15 April and set up five tents. Indian troops had also established tented posts facing the Chinese forces at a distance of 300 meters. The troops of the two sides held four flag meetings, the last one being yesterday. However, there was no positive outcome from these meetings, which went handFor more Current Affairs updates visit us at www.Gr8AmbitionZ.com

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ibyas parliament on 5 May 2013 passed a comprehensive law, which bans anyone who served as a senior official under Muammar Gaddafi during his 42 year-long rule from working in government. The passing of such Political Isolation Law possibly will lead to the dismissal of many current leaders, some of whom had defected to the rebel side during the countrys 2011 civil war or had been elected to office since Gaddafis ouster and killing. The move is also likely to further stall the countrys already unsteady transition to democracy by ousting elected lawmakers. The General National Congress, Libyas elected parliament, voted overpoweringly in favour of the law.

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ussia and the US on 8 May, have agreed to work together to bring the warring sides in Syria to the negotiating table, raising hopes for an end to carnage in the wartorn country and a thaw in frosty relations between Moscow and Washington. Emerging from hours-long talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the sides agreed to convene as soon as possible, maybe at the end of this month an international conference on Syria. The meet will be a follow-up to the Geneva Peace Conference in June 2012, which called for the Syrian government and the opposition to create a transitional government to steer the peace process in Syria. The Geneva plan got

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rab countries on 1 May, have collectively agreed to accept an arrangement that would allow Israelis and Palestinians to go ahead with land swaps to resolve differences, rather than strictly sticking to the pre-1967-war position. Speaking on behalf of the 22-nation Arab League (AL), Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Al Thani, appeared to concede land swaps following a meeting in Washington of Arab officials and John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, to promote IsraeliPalestinian peace. The Israeli establishment seemed elated by the development. The perceptible shift in the Arab position seemed to have the approval of the Palestinian Authority (PA), whose Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki was present at the meeting. Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar also participated in the talks along with officials from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. Joe Biden, the U.S. Vice-President, also attended part of the meeting. The ALs proposal in its original form was pegged around a full Arab recognition of an Israeli state, in case it gave up land captured in the 1967 war, and accepted a just solution for Palestinian refugees. The Israelis had earlier rejected the plan, which was proposed in 2002 at the AL summit in Beirut. Israel objects to the return to 1967 borders, the return of Palestinian refugees displaced in earlier wars, and the inclusion of East Jerusalem in a future Palestinian state.

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in-hand with high-level diplomatic efforts to break the impasse. But an agreement was reached on 4 May, for both sides to pull back their troops simultaneously from the face-off point. The face-off in Ladakh had cast a shadow over the visit of Mr Khurshid to China on 9 May to prepare the ground for the new Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang's visit to India from 20 May.

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he Election Commission of Pakistan on 14 May 2013 announced results of 272 National Assembly seats, with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML (N)) heading the count with 126 seats, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 31 seats. The voting took place for all parliamentary constituencies of Pakistan to elect 342 members for the National assembly, including 60 seats reserved for women and 10 for non-Muslims, simultaneously voting took place for the four Provincial Assemblies of Punjab, KPK, Sindh and Balochistan as well. Pakistan Election 2013 was intended to elect members for its lower house Majlis-e-Shoora. Pakistan's opposition parties, Imran Khan`s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
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The ruling camp won the election with a minority vote. Barisan won 133 seats in the 222-member Parliament. The opposition alliance won 89 seats, an increase of 14, largely at the expense of nonaligned candidates. This makes Mr. Najib the first leader in four decades to win with a minority of the ballots according to Malaysian media. Mr. Najib (59), who had promised free and fair polls and has since brushed off numerous allegations of irregularities, was sworn in by the king in Kuala Lumpur.

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alaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak began a second term on 6 May, after his Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition, which has ruled for 56 years, held on to power in elections branded as fraudulent by a bitter opposition. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim terming the victory worst electoral fraud in our history called for a protest rally.

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stalled because the U.S. demanded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down as a precondition for peace talks.

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n the eve of a major international donors conference, the European Union on 14 May, announced that it was pledging 520 million (US $ 674.8 million) over the next two years to help rebuild the west African country of Mali as a functioning state. The announcement was made by Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, the EUs executive branch, who said the investment would benefit Europe as well as Africa. Until a military intervention by France, followed by the engagement of other African countries, many international officials were concerned that Malis vast, ungoverned north was a haven for terrorist groups that, unhindered by government control, could feel free to plot attacks anywhere in the world. Officials in Mali have come up with a $4.3-billion-euro ($5.58-billion) multifaceted plan for what EU officials are calling a total relaunch of the country. The plan includes rebuilding government institutions and the military, staging elections in July, holding dialogues with rebels in the north, rebuilding roads and schools, reviving the moribund economy so that people get paid for working, among others.

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(PTI), and PML (N) were the major contenders for the general Election. The 63-year-old Sharif, the Chief of PML (N) had twice served as premier.The party attained an overpowering lead with 130 seats. The first runner up is Imran Khan`s PTI with 37 seats and the last is the PPP with 31 seats. To have a majority in the 342-member National Assembly, a party or coalition would need 172 seats. The Senate or upper house of the parliament is currently controlled by the PPP.

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ndias bid for observer status in the Arctic Council was successful on 15 May 2013, along with that of five other countries China, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Singapore at a meeting in Kiruna, Sweden. Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, welcomed Indias admission. An MEA official spokesperson said India would contribute its scientific expertise, particularly in polar research capabilities, to the work of the Arctic Council to support its objectives. However, at the level of realpolitik, India will be looking at the opportunities for hydrocarbon exploration offered in the Arctic circle by joining hands with either of the five countries gearing up for the purpose the US, Canada, Norway, Russia and Denmark. When geography is considered Russia emerges as the most attractive partner. But for that to happen, India will have to take a firm political stand on the Lomonosov Ridge and the Mendeleev Ridge which Russia claims are an extension of its continental shelf. By supporting Moscows position, India could get access to the rich deposits and also utilize the North Sea Route. India has its Arctic research station named
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he International Monetary Fund on 15 May 2013 approved a three-year, $ 1.3 billion loan for supporting Cyprus attempts to stabilize its financial sector and to bring the Governments deficit under control and restore economic growth. The IMF loan to Cyprus is basically a part of a rescue package of 10 billion Euros (US $ 12.9 billion) counterfeit in March 2013 with the Eurozones bailout fund. The loan was approved by IMFs Executive Board which also includes an immediate disbursement of US $ 110.7 million. Counting the IMF disbursement, Cyprus has received about US $ 2.7 billion in the third week of May from its international lenders. The Luxembourg-based European Stability Mechanism, which is a Eurozone bailout fund, on 13 May, announced that it had approved its first bailout tranche for Cyprus and transferred an initial 2 billion euros (US $ 2.6 billion). The rest of the tranche up to 1 billion Euros will be transferred by 30 June 2013.

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he first phase of Sri Lankas northern railway project, funded by a line of credit facilitated by India, was commissioned on 14 May. Coaches in chugged along from Medawachchiya in Anuradhapura, the North Central Province, to Madhu Road, marking the return of a crucial transportation link .Tracks along the 43 km-stretch were reconstructed as part of the $800 million-project, being executed by the Indian Railway Ministrys IRCON International Limited to restore the 252 km-railway line that would connect different parts of the country. Commissioning the service, Minister for Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa said India had been with Sri Lanka at every stage of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the north.

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hinese authorities on 16 May, have granted approval for an environmental assessment of a controversial 2 GW dam project slated to be the countrys tallest dam despite concerns voiced by a number of environmental groups. The Ministry of Environmental Protection this week said it had approved a year-long assessment of the Shuangjiangkou project on the Dadu River in the southwestern Sichuan province. Even as it gave the go-ahead, the Ministry acknowledged the project would affect the
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he United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 16 May passed a non-binding resolution condemning the government of Syria and calling for political transition. The vote passed with 107 of 193 nations in favour, 12 against and 59 abstentions, including India, representing a sharp fall in support compared to a similar resolution passed last August with 133 votes in favour, 12 against and 31 abstentions. Discomfort over signals of growing extremism within the ranks of Syrias rebel groups was apparent, with Indias Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ashoke Kumar Mukherji warning that, Unilateral action of any kind will not resolve the crisis... It will only exacerbate the problem and cause greater instability and violence even beyond Syrias borders.

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Himadri since 2008 that is located at the International Arctic Research base, Ny-Alesund at Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway. The station is operated by the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research. Indias approach in the Arctic Circle since 2008 has always been purely scientific. China became the first Asian country to navigate the area with a three-month sea voyage in an ice breaker across the Arctic Circle.

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rance's President Francois Hollande on 17 May 2013 signed the bill to legalize gay marriage. It makes France the ninth in Europe, and 14th in the world to do so. The move was opposed by many conservatives and the Catholic Church in France. As of May 2013, thirteen countries (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Spain, South Africa, Sweden), and several sub-national jurisdictions (parts of Mexico and the USA), allow same-sex couples to marry.
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The Shuangjiangkou dam will have an installed capacity of 2 GW and will generate 7.93 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. The project will cost $ 4 billion. At 314 metres, it will be Chinas tallest dam, surpassing the nearly 300-metre-tall Xiaowan dam on the Mekong river. The Shuangjiangkou dam will be 180-metre taller than Three Gorges dam.

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spawning and movement of rare fish species, as well as the growth of endangered plants, including the Chinese yew, which is under first-class state protection. The Ministry reasoned that countermeasures would help mitigate the impact. It called for protecting fish habitats and constructing seed banks for rare plants but did not say how it would enforce the measures.

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he Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 19 May 2013 declared that it will start the work on worlds biggest hydroelectric Inga dam on Congo River in October 2015. DRC made the announcement on the construction of the dam in Paris after the talks between the DRC and International officials ended. The meet on the development of the dam involved multilateral lending institutions. The planned Inga dam project will produce 40,000 MW power and provide electricity to half the African Continent. Whereas, the World Bank has estimated that DR Congos total hydropower resources can generate up to 1,00,000 MWs. As per the World Bank estimates if the project is completed at full its capacity than it will be capable of providing power to about 500 million African households. During the first phase the Inga 3 Basse Chute project will have a capacity of 4,800 megawatts. The Paris meet of the DR Congo and the international officials followed the deal signed on 7 May 2013 between South Africa and DR Congo for cooperation in the energy sector. As per the 7 May 2013 deal, South Africa will buy some of the electricity produced by the project. The project will be developed on the powerful Inga Falls that lie is a narrow strip of DR Congo Territory, through which the Congo river runs down to the Atlantic Coast. At present, Three Gorges
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orth Korea on 19 May 2013 test-fired a short-range missile off its east coast, counted as fourth test firing in two days. The missile was fired into the Sea of Japan. Earlier on 18 May, the country fired three short-range missiles off its east coast, considered as part of a military drill. The launching of missile by North Korea is not usual but it came at a time of sensitive alert on the peninsula followed by the Pyongyangs nuclear test in February 2013 which had led to tougher UN Sanctions. The launch of missile by North Korea was to demonstrate its military ambitions in rebelliousness of international sanctions and diplomatic efforts to convince the totalitarian state to return to talks.

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PA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and India-origin PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi figure among the top 10 in the global list of most powerful women, in the league of leaders like Angela Merkel, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. Gandhi is ranked ninth while Nooyi is at the 10th place in the global list of world's 100 most powerful women leaders compiled by Forbes magazine for 2013. German Chancellor Angela Merkel tops the list for the the third consecutive year, followed by Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, Melinda Gates of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, US First lady Michelle Obama and philanthropist Hillary Clinton. Private sector lender ICICI Bank Managing Director and CEO Chanda Kochhar is ranked 65th and Biocon Founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has secured the 85th
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ormer US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton honored with the 2013 Helen Keller Humanitarian Award from Helen Keller International. During the awards speech she praised the efforts of a group combating malnutrition and blindness. Clinton continues to be spoken of as a possible presidential candidate in 2016. But earlier this month, former President Bill Clinton said speculating on his wife's political future is a waste of time and that the nation should be more focused on fixing its problems. He also said she is "having a little fun being a private citizen for the first time in 20 years."

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ally Ride, the United States' first woman in space, will be posthumously honored with the country's highest civilian commendation and the renaming of a high-flying camera. President Barack Obama announced on 20th May 2013 that Ride will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedomat the White House later this year. NASA further paid tribute to the late astronaut by creating a new internship program in her name and renaming a science instrument on board the International Space Station. Ride, who after flying in space twice went on to become a leading advocate for science education, died on July 23, 2012, 17 months after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was 61.

Dam on the Yangtze River of China is the world's largest hydropower complex, with a capacity of 22,500 MWs.

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he 50th anniversary celebration of the organization now known as the African Union has opened on 25th May 2013 at the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, in the presence of foreign dignitaries including heads of state from outside the continent. It began in 1963 as the Organisation for African Unity (OAU), born out of the struggle of many countries for independence from their colonial masters. It became known as the African Union (AU) in 2002.

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apanese climber Yuichiro Miura broke the record for the oldest person to climb Mt. Everest when the 80year-old reached the summit Thursday at 9 a.m., according to his website. But the octogenarian may not be able to bask in the limelight long. There are reports that Nepalese climber Min Bahadur Sherchan, 81, is planning an assault on the worlds highest peak next week, despite some recent intestinal problems. Sherchan frustrated Miuras record-setting ambitions once before when, in May 2008, Miura conquered the mountain at the age of 75, only to arrive a day after Sherchan's ascent at age 76 years and 340 days. This is Miuras third ascent of the 29,028-foot peak. He also earned the oldest climber title in 2003, at age 70, a milestone broken four years later when fellow Japanese climber Katsusuke Yanagisawa ascended at age 71. But at least for now, Miura is expressing nothing but satisfaction at his

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spot in the global list. Cisco Systems Chief Technology and Strategy Officer India-born Padmasree Warrior is ranked 57th. The global list includes influential women from a wide arena such as politics, media, entertainment, entrepreneurs, technology and philanthropy.

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he Bulgarian Parliament on 29th narrowly voted in a new technocratic government to be led by Plamen Oresharski, a 53-year-old former finance minister who is regarded as competent and nonpartisan, in an attempt to move Bulgaria forward after inconclusive elections this month. The new prime minister, who is best known perhaps for introducing a 10 percent flat tax, called for more social solidarity, urgent measures to stabilize the economy and government. The country is in a deep institutional crisis, continuing economic depression and worsening disintegration of society, Mr. Oresharski told the plenary hall of Parliament during the four-hour debate before the vote on his government.

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