1) Isis claims to mint gold and silver coins for currency free from "satanic" global economy.
- Isis claims it is ready to start issuing its own currency in the form of gold and silver coins for use in its "caliphate".
- Supporters of the so-called Islamic State have released pictures of new gold dinars on social media, amid a propaganda drive by the group as it approaches its one-year anniversary.
- Abu Ibrahim Raqqawi, an anti-Isis activist who reports on events in the extremists Syrian stronghold for his website Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, shared photos of one and five dinar coins.
- The coins are imprinted with Islamic symbols and aware completely void of human and animal images in accordance with Shariah law.
2) Canada`s economy falls into a recession.
- Canada`s economy has fallen into a recession for first time after global financial crisis of 2009.
- Statistics Canada, nodal national statistical agency of Canada has reported that its economy i.e. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has retreated at an annual pace of 0.5 per cent.
- In earlier quarter first three months of the year 2015, the economic slowdown had appeared which had felled to 0.8 per cent. Technically, two consecutive negative quarters leads to recession.
3) India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Becomes Operational.
- The Myawaddy-Thinggan Nyenaung-Kawkareik section of the Asian highway linking India, Myanmar and Thailand has been put into service.
- With the 25.6-km-long section becoming operational, travel time between Thinggan Nyenaung and Kawkareik will be reduced from three hours to 45 minutes.
- Myanmar Vice President U Nyan Tun, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and Chairman of the Kayin National Union General Saw Mutu Sae Po attended an inaugural ceremony of the service.
- The construction of the Asian highway section started in 2012 with the assistance of Thailand. The Asian highway runs from Moreh (a town in India-Myanmar border) in India to Thailand’s Maesot via Myanmar’s Tamu, Mandalay and Myawaddy.
Facts about Thailand:
- Thailand is home to the worlds largest gold Buddha and the largest crocodile farm.
- One of the country most unusual festivals is the annual Monkey Buffet. More than 600 monkeys are invited to feast on over two tonnes of grilled sausage, fresh fruit, ice cream and other treats.
- Buddhism is the country main religion it is practiced by 95 per cent of the population.
- Thailand has one of the worst child sex trafficking records in the world.
4) India, UAE agree to increase bilateral trade by 60% in next 5 years.
- India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to enhance cooperation in different areas including trade, commerce, energy, defence, space, investments, security and combating Crime.
- Both sides reached to these agreements at the 11th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission meeting held in New Delhi.
- It was co-chaired by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her visiting counterpart, Foreign Minister of UAE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
Key decisions:
- Both sides will increase the bilateral trade by 60 per cent over the next 5 years. India will encourage UAE’s investment institutions to raise investments in India.
- Both countries agreed to work for early establishment of the planned India-UAE Joint Fund for investments in the infrastructure sector in India.
- Two sides also signed MoUs on cooperation in the areas of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Telecommunication and Tourism.
- MoU between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICC) and Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry was also signed.
5) India, Australia agree to deepen bilateral Defence Partnership.
- India and Australia have agreed to deepen their bilateral defence partnership based on their shared strategic interests by setting up of a joint working group on defence research and material cooperation.
- This decision was taken after the delegation-level talks between Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his visiting Australian counterpart Kevin Andrews in New Delhi.
- Focus on maritime security ties in the Indian Ocean region and acknowledged the importance of freedom of maritime navigation.
- First-ever bilateral Maritime exercise AUSINDEX between both countries is scheduled to be held in September 2015.
- Agreed that maritime security should remain a key component of the bilateral defence relationship between both countries.
6) Qatar deploys troops in Yemen for first time.
- For the first time, Qatar has deployed ground troops in Yemen to counter the Shia Houthi rebels who have taken over the country.
- In this regard, Qatar has deployed around one thousand ground troops, supported by armoured vehicles and military helicopters in Marib province of Yemen.
- Qatar along with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members (expect Oman) had signed a joint statement with Saudi Arabia to form coalition in order to take military action against the rebels in order to bring regional stability in the Gulf region.
Yemeni Crisis: Background
- Yemeni Crisis began after security situation in the country deteriorated after the Shia Houthis rebels had seized power by dissolving Yemeni government and parliament.
- The rebels have taken the control of key government buildings in Yemeni capital Sanaa including Presidential Palace.
- The conflict in the country is mainly between Yemeni government along with their allies, southern separatist forces loyal to the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, Houthi forces and forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
- Saudi Arabia led coalition includes gulf countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Kuwait (all GCC members). While, United States is providing logistical and intelligence support.
7) South Korea and United States launch joint drills against biological threats.
- South Korea and United States have launched a joint anti-biological exercise to step up their combined response to potential biological attacks.
- The three-day Able Response 15 exercise will involve the defence departments of both the countries as well as the local health ministry and dozens of other institutions.
- The countries have been conducting the anti-bio exercise every year since 2011 amid increasing potential threats from North Korea biochemical weapons.
- North Korea has condemned the drills deeming it as a war rehearsal for invasion against Pyongyang, consistently calling on the US to withdraw its 28,500 forces stationed in South Korea.
Facts About South Korea:
- The name Korea is derived from the Kingdom of Goryeo, also spelled as Koryo.
- South Korea is East Asia most developed country in the Human Development Index. Its citizens enjoy a very high standard of living.
- South Korea was named the worlds most innovative country in the Bloomberg Innovation Index, ranking first in research and development spent per GDP and patents filed per GDP.