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01-2-2012 08:48 PM 2012 UPSC Civil Services Prelim Exam will be notified on 04.02.2012 and to be conduc Home Free Online Tests Resources Exam Results Publications Current Affairs Jeywin Blog Recent Posts Controversy on Antrix-Devas agreement on S-band spectrum 2012 Jaipur Literature Festival - A ray of hope Figures bust myth India's bureaucracy is bloated 57th Filmfare Awards 2012 Winners India showcased military might, cultural heritage on 63rd Republic Day US Presidential Election 2012 Republican Candidates Who should judge the judges? RBI cuts cash reserve ratio (CRR) to spur growth India and the sex selection A year after Jasmine and Tahrir Chinmaya R. Gharekhan It is still early to come to any conclusion about the dnouement of the churning in West Asia. Things are far from settled. The euphoria generated by the Jasmine and Tahrir revolutions has all but dissipated during the past year. The unrealistic expectations, the hype built up mainly by the western governments and the media have given way to doubt, disappointment and even despair over the fate of Arab Spring. The concern of most observers in the international community is now focussed on the direction in which peoples movements in various countries will proceed, and on the loss of lives that occurred in Libya, Yemen and, to a less extent, Egypt, and that is continuing in Syria and can be expected to happen in some other countries in the region in the coming months. It is a sad commentary on the rest of the international community that it unhesitatingly adopts the terminology coined by the West to describe the historic events in West Asia. Arab Spring or Arab Awakening is a condescending description; it suggests that the people of West Asia have been sleeping all these decades, not caring for freedoms enjoyed by people elsewhere. The fact is that non-regional governments have been supporting the authoritarian regimes through massive supply of deadly weapons and technology, which were used to suppress the people.

Increased Shia-Sunni Tensions

There are some who would like the Egyptians to believe that their revolution would not have happened but for the speech of President Barack Obama in their capital two years ago. The fact is that the people of Tunisia, followed by the people of Egypt, owe their revolutions to no one except themselves; they are the owners of their revolutions. If anything, the intervention of external powers, as in Libya, has complicated matters for the most part, created space for more extreme forms of Islamic thought to gain ascendance and, perhaps unwittingly, greatly accentuated the tensions between Shias and Sunnis. It is still early days to come to any

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conundrum conclusions about the dnouement of the churning in the region. Things are far from 2012 UPSC Civil settled, except to some extent in Tunisia where it all began a year ago. Some broad Services trends, however, may be attempted. Preliminary Exam Notification Strengthening of Islamist Groups Governing our Governors In all countries which have witnessed some degree of protests, Islamist groups have Age row of Indian gained significant ground. In Tunisia, a moderate Islamic party has won plurality of Army chief Gen the vote. In Libya, where regional forces are refusing to give up their arms or Vijay Kumar Singh disband their militias, hard-line Islamists, including loyalists of the al Qaeda, have A year after secured influential positions. Egypt has surprised most observers, including Jasmine and Tahrir knowledgeable Egyptians, by giving a huge electoral mandate to the Muslim Pereira hit and Brotherhood and, more ominously, to Salafists; together, the two Islamist groups run case will control about 70 per cent seats in Parliament, to the great disappointment of the U.S. broadens rape secular forces. Similarly, in Yemen, the extremists have gained ground and will definition, includes emerge as the most influential force as and when President Saleh leaves the country. male victims The same phenomenon is evident in Syria in an acuter form. Bahrain is possibly an The saga of the exception in the sense that the conflict there is between the minority Sunni ruling Lokpal Bill family and the majority Shia community. Irans blockade of supply of Crude The success of the Islamists by itself need not be seen as a negative outcome, except Oil perhaps by Israel. Their success is an indication of the disillusionment of people The Bhagavad with the secular authoritarian regimes as well as the reward for the socially useful Gita Controversy work they have been doing such as running hospitals and schools. Whatever the 116-year-old nature of the new governments, people will enjoy more freedoms and will have a Mullaperiyar dam greater say in running the affairs of the state. The most amazing phenomenon of is as good as new 2011 is the shedding of fear by the people, first in the Arab world and, subsequently Syria Uprising of almost everywhere else, including Russia and China. (This does not apply much to 2011 India since we always were free and unafraid to protest and demonstrate, although Yemen Uprising of Tahrir Square could have provided some inspiration.) The Time magazine is 2011 absolutely right in naming the unnamed Protester as the person of the year. This Libya Revolt of means the Islamists, as and when they occupy positions of power, will not be able to 2011 manipulate people in any way they like. In the medium term, the Islamists-led Mullaperiyar Dam regimes will insist, at the least, on all legislation being compliant with the Sharia, - Two States and a whatever it means in practice. Water Issue Egypt Uprising of Security forces, the army and police, will continue to wield significant, even decisive, influence in the stability of governments. The Turkish model will not be 2011 Russian Elections followed consciously given past history but some variation of it should be expected to emerge at some stage. Libya has to go through the difficult process of creating an 2011 and its army out of disparate armed militias and will take longer to achieve stability. In aftermath Tragedies across Egypt, the armed forces, which have been used to wielding power for nearly five the World, 2011 decades, will hold on to it for quite some time, especially since they also have significant vested interests in the economy. Occupy Wall Street the root cause and present More Attention on Palestine scenario 2011 Royal The Palestinian issue will receive much more attention and focus from the new Wedding of Prince regimes, which probably would mean more support for Hamas. Israel, which already William of feels threatened by Irans nuclear programme, will be under increased pressure to England suspend settlement building. Israels posture will harden and its military spending

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Exam-centric will increase. The U.S. is in no position to bring effective pressure on Israel, system of especially in an election year, but it might appeal to Israel to be more reasonable on Education will go: the Palestinian track in return for tightening the screws on Iran. Kapil Sibal National Food Syrian Issue Security Bill Effects and Syria is a complex case but certain facts are clear. (1) There is genuine popular Defects demand for reform. (2) There is repression and use of ruthless force by the regime 2011 Year in at the same time, it continues to enjoy the support of the security forces and Review - Top significant sections. (3) There is open intervention by external powers and groups News Makers of such as the Brotherhood as well as elements subscribing to the al-Qaeda ideology, if the Year not the al-Qaeda itself. (4) Many dissident groups are well armed and have killed a 2011 Year in number of security forces. (5) Western powers are determined to bring about regime Review 10 Most change. (6) Israel is greatly interested in seeing Bashar Assad removed even if the Fond Farewells alternative will be a fundamentalist regime. Its priority is Iran and whatever Lokpal Bill weakens Iran in the region is considered to be in Israels interest. Bashars removal Controversies and will greatly diminish the Hezbollahs ability to threaten Israel and also reduce the present Hamas clout. (7) Unless a solution is found soon, the country will be headed scenario towards a bloody civil war. French breast implant fears The Shia-Sunni tensions and Saudi-Iranian rivalry will intensify. Iraq presents a most spread around discouraging example in this respect. After so many years of American shepherding, world society in Iraq remains deeply divided on sectarian fault lines. Prime Minister Japan earthquake Maliki, now that he is liberated from whatever moderating influence American and tsunami of presence might have exercised on him, is dealing with the Sunni community in 2011 exactly the wrong way. The sectarian violence seems all set to return to the horrors Steve Jobs to get of the 2005-07 period. Iraqs Sunni neighbours, especially Saudi Arabia, will Grammy for definitely intervene to protect their Sunni brethren across the border. It is not a revolutionizing coincidence that Iraqs Shia government has been voting against the Arab Leagues Music decisions on the Alawite Shia-led Syrian regime. The Saudi hostility to Damascus Large Hadron has everything to do with the Shia-Sunni divide. Turkeys current antagonism to Collider (LHC) Syria has many explanations and the Shia-Sunni factor is one of them. The TurkeyMedical exams Syria-Iraq triangle offers quite a few fertile grounds for conflict water, the need to be as Kurdish problem, Shia-Sunni hatred, etc. There is a tendency to downplay the rigorous as in U.K Shia-Sunni tension but it is very much a fact of the Muslim life and it is better to North Korean recognise it. leader Kim Jong-il In sum, the region is likely to remain unstable for quite some time. It would become is dead destabilised should the Iranian nuclear issue lead to extremely harsh sanctions Vaclav Havel, leader of "Velvet and the process has begun or worse, military action. Revolution", Some Indian experts would like India to take a more proactive role on the former Czech President, is dead happenings in West Asia, to be on the right side of the forces of history. It is no doubt good to feel self-righteous and earn an occasional pat on the back from the Withdrawal of American troops in western or any other government. But it is more important to think of our national interests. Compared to our friends in the West, we are more dependent on the Iraq Killing of Osama energy resources of West Asia. Most importantly, unlike other countries, we have to Bin Laden voted worry about 6 million of our compatriots who are working there and sending billions Top News Story of of dollars to their families back home. It makes sense to take a cautious stance, make as thorough an analysis as possible of the evolving situation and try to be on 2011 the winning side. That is our challenge. That challenge is coming sooner that we AIMA opposes

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Centre's move on would like, in Iran. CMAT Courtesy: The Hindu 17.12.2011 Indian Government to lay Dream Dare Win guidelines for www.jeywin.com Hospital Safety Indian Prime Ministers visit to Russia, December 2011 Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant the Issues Mullaperiyar Dam Issues and current Scenario Impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on Indian Economy A Law that thwarts Justice Investigating the investigation Let us amend the Law, it is only fair to women Euthanasia Indias call NY becomes 6th U.S. state to legalize Gay Marriage UP has lowest rape rate among all states- NCRB Prime Minister's Independence Day speech, 2011 Let us amend the Law, it is only fair to women India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement, July, 2011 Aadhaar Project on a platform of Myths UPSC aspirants

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can now choose Indian languages for Interview South Sudan, the new Nation A Law that thwarts Justice NY becomes 6th U.S. state to legalize Gay Marriage The Libyan Crisis Euthanasia Indias call Bill seeks to let 12-yr-olds have non-penetrative sex 56th Idea Fimfare Awards 2011 Mandela's and his life times Why Egypt matters after Tunisian Revolution Tunisian revolution and its fallout 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards, 2011 Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska is Miss America 2011 2010 - 2011 Tunisian Jasmine Revolution 2010 Sports News in brief Top 10 global weather events in 2010 PIO and OCI Cards An overview on merger Archives January 2012

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(19) December 2011 (35) August 2011 (1) July 2011 (5) June 2011 (4) February 2011 (1) January 2011 (14) December 2010 (20) November 2010 (10) October 2010 (19) September 2010 (21) August 2010 (18) July 2010 (11) June 2010 (15) May 2010 (12) April 2010 (19) November 2009 (1)

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