Daily News Mail - News of 08/06/2015

Following furore, IIT - M lifts ban on study circle

• The IIT-Madras management on June 7 reinstated unconditionally the recognition to the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC), the student body that was suspended on May 22 following an anonymous complaint to the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• The de-recognition had led to a political furore, with opposition parties, including the Congress, slamming the Centre for stifling dissent and “silencing” voices that were critical of the NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The decision to restore recognition of the APSC followed a marathon seven-hour discussion between the student representatives and IIT-Madras Director Bhaskar Ramamurthi. A joint public statement released later said the guidelines for student groups were publicised on the institute's website only on April 18 whereas the allegedly controversial APSC meeting , which had critical references to the MHRD’s policies and led to the anonymous complaint, was held on April 14.

RJD, JD(U) clinch alliance in Bihar

• The Janata Dal(U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal announced on June 7 that the two parties would jointly contest the Bihar Assembly elections due later this year, but the possibility and nature of a coalition of all parties ranged against the Bharatiya Janata Party remained uncertain as RJD chief Lalu Prasad held out on accepting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as its leader.
• The two parties reached the understanding after a two-hour meeting between Mr. Kumar and Mr. Prasad at the residence of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

NIA files case against NSCN(K) for ambush

• The National Investigation Agency registered a case on Sunday against the top leadership of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) and its affiliates for killing 18 Army personnel at Chandel in Manipur on June 4. The agency invoked various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code.

National Socialist Council of Nagaland

• The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) is a Christian Naga nationalist Militant group operating in Northeast India.The main aim of the organization is to establish a sovereign Christian state, "Nagalim" unifying all the areas inhabited by the Naga people in Northeast India and Burma. The organization's slogan is "Nagaland for Christ".
• However this group lacked people's support as Indian general election, 2014 recorded voters turnout of more than 87% in Nagaland which was highest in India which considered as faith of Naga people in democracy of India.

Cameron under pressure on EU talks

Key electoral promises made by the Conservatives include pledges to cut EU immigration

• As Prime Minister David Cameron prepares to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the European Union at a summit later this month, more than 50 Conservative party members of Parliament have said that they will vote to leave the EU if the Prime Minister does not achieve the autonomy from the EU they seek.
• In his election campaign, Mr. Cameron had promised far-reaching treaty change with the EU and an ‘in-out’ referendum on its membership of the European body to be held before 2017. 

Greater autonomy

• Mr. Cameron must now make good on his pledge of renegotiating the terms of Britain’s EU membership in the direction of greater autonomy for Parliament and the loosening of European regulations on the British economy and legal system.
• If he does not get the concessions he seeks, Mr. Cameron will have to decide on whether his government will throw its weight behind Brexit in the run up to the referendum.
• Key electoral promises made by the Conservative Party hang on the successful outcome of Mr. Cameron’s negotiations with Brussels. These include pledges to cut EU immigration into Britain, to replace the Human Rights Act with a tougher Bill of Rights, and regulation on businesses.
• Mr. Cameron is expected to face tough opposition during the negotiations from leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz among others who want the U.K. to remain in the EU but are willing to grant no special status.

‘Out’ sentiment

• Indeed, the ‘out’ sentiment on Europe is gaining traction within the Conservative party. Conservatives for Britain, a newly set up pressure group of Tory eurosceptics headed by the MP Steve Baker, claims that it will monitor the progress of talks and see if it is line with the party’s election pledges.
• Writing in The Telegraph on Sunday, Mr. Baker said the renegotiation must include “an end to ‘ever closer union’, reduced regulation for small businesses and start-ups, domestic control over social and employment law, protection for the City, exemption from eurozone intervention, fast-track trade deals, a reduced EU budget, greater transparency, migration controls for member states and the right for Britain to veto EU laws.
• Mr. Baker makes it clear that the MPs will seek an ‘out’ option in the referendum if these criteria are not met.
• “We wish David Cameron every success but, unless senior EU officials awake to the possibility that one of the EU’s largest members is serious about a fundamental change in our relationship, our recommendation to British voters seems likely to be exit,” Mr. Baker.

Wawrinka dashes Djokovic’s dream

Stuns world No. 1 Novak Djokovic for maiden French Open title

Becomes the oldest winner of the French Open in 25 years; Serbian’s hopes of career Slam still in limbo

• Stan Wawrinka spectacularly shattered Novak Djokovic’s dream of a career Grand Slam on June 7 when he became the oldest winner of the French Open in 25 years.
• The 30-year-old Swiss claimed a famous 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory to secure his second career major after the 2014 Australian Open.
• It ended world number one Djokovic’s bid to become only the eighth man to secure a career Slam as he slumped to his third defeat in a Roland Garros final in four years.
• Wawrinka became the oldest champion in Paris since Andres Gomez in 1990 after just his fourth win in 21 meetings against the Serb.
• “It’s really hard to believe but it has finally happened,” said Wawrinka, who fired 60 winners past the Serb.

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland posing with 

trophy after winning French Open

Tintu Luka’s long wait is finally over

• After years of waiting, Tintu Luka finally got an 800m gold when she won at the Asian athletics championships at Wuhan, China on June 7, a day when India added two silvers through Kerala’s Jinson Johnson in the men’s two-lapper and the women’s 4x400m relay team and two bronze medals to make it a happy finish.

Tintu Luka on her way to the 

women’s 800m gold at Wuhan, China