The World

                Israeli PM Netanyahu Addresses US Congress On Iran Issue

★           US Brigade Of 4,000 Soldiers Headed To Kuwait

★           US To Provide Work Permits To Spouses Of H-1B Visa Holders

                Australia To Send 300 Additional Troops To Iraq

                Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia To Test New Flight Tracking System

                Ukraine Talks End With Peace Deal In Minsk

Ar China Backs Bigger Role For India, Brazil At UNSC

★           Over 6,000 Killed In Ukraine Conflict : UN

★           Sri Lanka Will Work In Cooperation With UN On Human Rights Issue

~k China Launches $80 Billion Silk Road Infrastructure Project

                Sri Lanka Passes Bill To Protect Victims Of Crimes, Witnesses

★           More Than 200 Killed In Afghanistan Avalanches

Israeli Prime Minister Mr Benjamin Netanyahu declared on March 3, 2015 that the deal being negotiated between the world powers and Iran would leave Tehran free to develop nuclear weapons In an impassioned address to the US Congress, conducted even as Secretary of State Mr John Kerry was in nuclear talks in Switzerland with his Iranian counterpart, Mr Netanyahu branded Iran a global threat He said that the deal would not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, placing himself in stark opposition to the US President Mr Barack ()bamas policy of containing Iranian ambitions through a diplomatic accord

Mr Netanyahu said that it would all but guarantee that Iran got the weapons, dismissing promises from the US and European leaders that the planned accord would block Irans path to the bomb Around 50 Democratic members stayed away from the event, but many more lawmakers from both sides of the aisle did attend, and Mr Netanyahu was welcomed with a warm standing ovation and left to cheers and raucous applause

Before this, Mr Netanyahu warned the US, addressing American Israel Public

Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Conference in Washington on March 2, that the nuclear deal it was negotiating with Iran could threaten Israels survival and insisted he had a moral obligation to speak up about deep differences with President Mr Barack Obama on the issue

He said that as the Prime Minister of Israel, he had a moral obligation to speak up in the face of these dangers while-there was still time to avert them Mr Netanyahu addressed a cheering audience at the annual conference of the AIPAC, the largest US pro-Israel lobby Mr Netanyahu said that the relationship between his country and the United States was stronger than ever and not in crisis

The tense personal relationship between Mr Obama and Mr Netanyahu sunk to a new low over the Israeli leaders planned speech to Congress just weeks before an end-of-March deadline for a framework nuclear accord with Iran The invitation to Mr Netanyahu was orchestrated by Republican congressional leaders with the Israeli ambassador without advance word to the White House, a breach of protocol that issued during December 2014 was 14,083 The online visa facility is applicable to visitors travelling to India for recreation, short-duration medical treatment and business visits for a stay of 30 days It is available at nine airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram

[ Highlights  )     

fr Citizens from China, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy and Malaysia will soon be able to get online visa to India

                India introduced electronic visa for 44 countries in November 2014

                It is applicable to visitors travelling to India for recreation, short-duration medical treatment and business visits for a stay of 30 days

Government Approves Construction Of 7 Stealth Frigates, 6 Nuclear-powered Submarines

In a major step towards building a formidable blue-water Navy for the future, the Modi government on February 18, 2015 cleared the indigenous construction of seven stealth frigates and six nuclear-powered attack submarines, which together will cost well upwards of Rs 1 lakh crore The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) took these decisions in tune with the critical necessity for India to bolster its overall deterrence capability in the entire Indian Ocean Region (IOR), especially its primary area of strategic interest stretching from the Persian Gulf to Malacca Strait

Under the over Rs 50,000 crore Project-17A for stealth frigates, four will be constructed at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai and three in Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata Both the defence shipyards are already geared up for the project because it is a follow-on to the three 6,100-tonne stealth frigates built by MDL—INS Shivalik, INS Satpura and INS Sahyadari—which were inducted in 2010-12

The new multi-mission frigates will be larger, faster and stealthier than the Shivaliks as well as packed with more weapons and sensors to operate in a multi-threat environment But it could take a decade to build all the seven frigates The complex project for the nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) will take longer After the CCS approval, technical parameters or naval staff qualitative requirements (NSQRs) will now be drafted for the over 6,000-tonne submarines

The SSNs are likely to be constructed at the secretive ship-building centre (SBC) in Vizag, where Indias first three SSBNs (nuclear-powered submarines with nuclear ballistic missiles) are being built to complete the countrys nuclear weapons triad

( Highlights  )     

                The Modi Government approves construction of 7 stealth frigates, 6 nuclear-powered submarines

                The Project-17A is worth over Rs 50,000 crore

                It could take a decade to build all the seven frigates

Reconverted Dalits Must Get Quota Benefits : SC

In a landmark judgment on February 26, 2015, the Supreme Court has ruled that if a person with Dalit ancestry reconverts to Hinduism, he

In a landmark judgment on February 26, 2015, the Supreme Court has ruled that if a person with Dalit ancestry reconverts to Hinduism, he would get back his caste status and benefit of reservation

would get back his caste status and benefit of reservation A person who is born to Christian parents who had converted to Christianity from Scheduled Caste Hindu can avail himself of the benefit of caste certificate after his/her embracing Hinduism, subject to other qualifications, a Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and V Gopala Gowda ruled Justice Misra, who authored the judgment for the Bench, said that there cannot be any soundness of logic that he cannot avail the similar benefit because his grandparents were converted and he was born to parents who were Christian

The Bench laid down a threefold criterion for a re-converted person to get back his caste status and consequential benefits accruing to tha caste for employment and education Tb only caveat is that on reconversion, thi Dalit community must accept him/he as a member of the community Th< Bench said that there must be absolutel; clear cut proof that he belongs to th< caste that has been recognised by th< Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950; there has been reconversion to th< original religion to which the parents anc earlier generations had belonged; anc there has to be evidence establishing the acceptance by the community

The case related to refusal ol Scheduled Caste certificate to one Mr KP Manu, whose great grandfathei belonged to Hindu Pulaya community in Kerala Mr Manus father had embraced Christianity and married a woman converted to Christianity from Hinduism Mr Manu was born in 1960 and in 1984, converted to Hindu religion He was granted caste certificate from Akhila Bharata Ayyappa Seva Sangam and the tehsildar But on some ones complaint, the certificate was cancelled by the scrutiny committee The Kerala HC upheld the cancellation of caste certificate saying reconversion did not allow him to get back the original caste of his forefathers as his father was not part of the same community

The Apex Court directed authorities to reinstate Mr Manu in service with all benefits relating to seniority and 75% of back wages

( Highlights  )     

                SC has ruled that if a person with Dalit ancestry reconverts to Hinduism, he would get back his caste status and benefit of reservation

                On reconversion, the Dalit community must accept him/her as a member of the community

                There must be absolutely clear-cut proof that he belongs to the caste that has been recognised by the Constitution

I PM Modi Flags Off I Arunachal-Delhi Train

Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi, who went to Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar on February 20, 2015 to participate in the States 29th foundation day, flagged off the first-ever express train from Naharlagun to New Delhi

Mr Modi said that a big impediment in the Northeasts development was connectivity be it rail, roads or air The more connectivity increases, better it is He said that with the rail connectivity, the tourism would increase and people would see the beauty of this land Railways would emerge as a strength for Arunachal Pradeshs development, he said Mr Modi also said that the railway network would bring prosperity to the hill State Mr Modi was accompanied by Union Railway Minister Mr Suresh Prabhu, Minister of State for Railways Mr Manoj Sinha and Minister of State for Home Mr Kiren Rijiju

[ Highlights  )     

                PM Mr Modi flagged off first-ever express train from Naharlagun to New Delhi

                Mr Modi said that a big impediment in the Northeasts development was connectivity

k He said that Railways would emerge as a strength for Arunachal Pradeshs development

PM Launches Soil Health Card Scheme

In an attempt to check deteriorating soil quality and spruce up farm productivity, Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi on February 19, 2015 launched the soil health card scheme in Suratgarh, Rajasthan The scheme will provide all 145 million farm owners in the country with a soil health card in the next three years The ambitious scheme was announced in the First Budget presented by Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaidey in July 2014 The budget allotted was Rs 100 crore for issuing cards and an additional Rs 56 crore to set up 100 mobile soil-testing laboratories across the country The soil health card details existing nutrient status of the soil and crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilisers required, making it easier for farmers to improve productivity by using appropriate inputs

Mr Modi said while launching the scheme, that starting soil health laboratories could be an employment avenue for rural youth In Gujarat where every farmer has a soil health card, unnecessary expenses on inputs have come down and farmers have saved a lot of money Mr Modi urged State governments and the newly formed NITI Aayog, the successor to the Planning Commission, to set up expert committees on agriculture, so that States and the Centre together could draw up a common minimum programme on agriculture for nationwide implementation

Between May and December 2014, the Agriculture Ministry released Rs 86 crore for the soil health card scheme In comparison, between 2007-08 and April

2014,     the Ministry had spent Rs 112

crore on the scheme The flagship

scheme of the Ministry has been

sanctioned Rs 568 crore for the next

three years A similar scheme, the

National Project for Management of Soil

Health and Fertility, was launched during

2008-09 by the previous UPA

Government

Imbalanced use of fertilisers has led to declining crop productivity in the country, further fuelled by a skewed fertiliser policy where urea is heavily subsided, leading to overuse While urea consumption increased from 59% to 66% of total consumption in 2012-13 over 2010-11, per hectare consumption of fertiliser declined from 140 kg to 128 kg over the same period, noted the Economic Survey 2014-2015 Current trends in farm output reveal that the marginal productivity of soil in relation to the application of fertilisers is declining

( Highlights  )      1             

ir PM launches soil health card scheme-to check deteriorating soil quality and spruce up farm productivity

 The scheme will provide all 145 million farm owners in the country with a soil health card in the next three years

~k The soil health card details existing nutrient status of the soil and crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilisers required

Indian Air Force To Get 38 More Pilatus Basic Trainers

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar, on February 28,

2015,     cleared a follow-on order for 38

Pilatus basic trainer aircraft for the Air

Force in addition to appointing the Goa

Shipyard limited as the lead agency to

build 12 Mine Counter-Measure Vessels

(MCMV) for the Navy The Air Force

has projected a requirement of 181 basic

trainer aircraft 75 Pilatus aircraft were

procured from Switzerland in 2012 and

38 cleared on February 28, 2015 The

remaining 68 will be supplied by the

Hindustan Aeronautic limited (HAL) by

the indigenous development of HTT-40

aircraft

The earlier global tender for eight MCMVs was scrapped after allegations of corruption The process would start from scratch now There would be a Buy and Make category under the procurement procedure and the GSL would build the ships under transfer of technology with a foreign vendor in a deal worth about Rs 32,000 crore The

GSL had already invested Rs 500 crore to develop the required facilities One C-130 would be acquired at the cost of Rs 533 crore from the US to replace the one that crashed in 2014 The crash killed five personnel, including four officers Other deals cleared include 21 low-level light weight radars for the Air Force and a repeat order of rockets for the Army

( Highlights  )     

 DAC cleared order for Indian Air

Force to get 38 more Pilatus basic

trainers aircraft ir The Air Force has projected a

requirement of 181 basic trainers

aircraft

k Other deals cleared include 21 low-level light weight radars for the Air Force and a repeat order of rockets for the Army

Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Sworn In As Chief Minister Of J&K

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mr Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on March 1, 2015 was sworn in as the 12th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader

Mr Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on March 1, 2015 was sworn in as the 12 th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

His oath of office and secrecy was administered by the State Governor, Mr NN Vohra, at Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu University This is the second time that Mr Sayeed will be-heading a coalition government in the State Earlier in 2002, he led a PDP-Congress alliance government and was Chief Minister for three years Mr Nirmal Singh of BJP was made the Deputy Chief Minister of the State Apart from Mr Sayeed and Mr Singh, 23 other leaders from both PDP and

BJP were sworn in as Ministers Ms Priya Sethi (BJP) and Ms Aasiya Naqqash (PDP) were the two women legislators who took oath as Ministers

This is the first time that BJP has become a part of the government in Jammu and Kashmir after PDP and BJP agreed to form a coalition government as no party secured an absolute majority in the J&K Assembly elections in December 2014 After the swearing-in ceremony, Mr Mufti released the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the PDP-BJP alliance The CMP promised to maintain the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the Article 370 of the Constitution and examine the need for de-notifying the disturbed areas in the State to enable the Union Government to take a final view on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958

( Highlights  )     

                PDP leader Mr Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was sworn in as the 12th Chief Minister of J&K

                Mr Nirmal Singh of B)P was made the Deputy Chief Minister of the State

                The CMP of the PDP-BJP alliance promised to maintain the special status of J&K in accordance with the Article 370 of the Constitution

Prithvi-II Missile Successfully Test-Fired

India, on February 19, 2015 successfully test-fired indigenously-developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off Odisha coast as part of a user trial by the Army With a strike range of 350 km, it is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads The short-range surface-to-surface missile was tested from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the ITR The missile covered 300 km within seven minutes and met all parameters The launch of the sophisticated missile was a success, said ITR Director Mr MVKV Prasad

The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock The launch was carried out by Strategic Force Command (SFC) and monitored by scientists of DRDC) as part of training exercise The missile trajectory was tracked by DRD() radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry stations located at Wheeler Island and along coast of Odisha

Inducted into SFC in 2003, Prithvi-II, the first missile developed by DRDO under Indias prestigious IGMDP

(Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme), is now a proven technology The twin-engine Prithvi-II is 856 metre in length, 11 metre in width and weighs 4,600 kg Prithvi-II has been designed to operate with both liquid and solid fuels and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear payload The last user trial was successfully carried out from the same base on November 14, 2014

( Highlights  >

                India successfully test-fired indigenously-developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile

                With a strike range of 350 km, it is capable of earning 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads

                Prithvi-II has been designed to operate with both liquid and solid fuels and is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear payload

India Improves Press Freedom Rank

India was ranked 136 out of 180 nations worldwide in terms of press freedom in 2015, which marks an improvement from its rank of 140 in

2014, even though its absolute score declined from 4034 to 4049 In the annual World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) produced by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Indias abuse score, which reflects the intensity of violent harassment faced by journalists was 5958, which is higher than Sri I-ankas score of 406 but below Pakistans score of 6491 and Chinas score of 8964 Regarding the countrys performance, the WPFI report said One journalist and no net citizens were killed

The WPFI ranks the performance of countries according to a range of criteria that include media pluralism and independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, and the legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment in which the media operate, according to its producers While the top of the list was this year and in previous years dominated by Scandinavian nations such as Finland, Norway and Denmark, at the other end of the scale, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eiritrea, were the worst performers Russia, Iran and China also performed poorly, ranking respectively at 152, 173 and 176 places The US was down three places at 49 in 2015, which according to reports was due to the US governments persecution of New York limes reporter Mr |im Risen, as well as the fact that the US continues its war on information in others, such as WikiLeaks

( Highlights y

                According to WPFI report, India ranked 136 out of 180 nations worldwide in terms of press freedom in 2015

                It marks an improvement from its rank of 140 in 2014

                WPFI ranks the performance of countries according to criteria that include media pluralism and independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists

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infuriated the Obama administration and the Presidents fellow Democrats Mr Obama said that he would not meet with Mr Netanyahu during the visit, on the grounds that doing so only two weeks before Israeli elections could be seen as interference The high-profile visit had divided Israelis, driven a wedge between Jewish American groups and alienated manv Democrats, including Jewish Democratic lawmakers

( Highlights  )     

★           Israeli PM Mr Netanyahu addressed US Congress on Iran nuclear issue

★           Netanyahu said that the deal would not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons

★           Mr Netanyahu was welcomed with a warm standing ovation and left to cheers and raucous applause

US Brigade Of 4,000 Soldiers Headed To Kuwait

More than 4,000 US soldiers based at Fort Carson, Colorado have headed to Kuwait, where they will take over as one of Americas largest ground forces in the region after President Mr Barack Obama asked Congress to authorise military action against Islamic State militants Mr Obama ruled out large-scale US ground combat operations similar to those in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he asked for the option to use military force against Islamic State fighters for three years The fight could be extended to any closely related successor entity to the Islamic State group that has overrun parts of Iraq and Syria, imposed an extreme form of Sharia law and killed hostages it has taken, including several Americans

The US Army has kept a brigade in Kuwait since the end of the Iraq war in 2011 Those soldiers, including two units from Fort Carson, have worked to train local troops from throughout the Middle East In its most recent deployment to Kuwait, a combat team from Fort Carson conducted training missions with allies including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, which have joined the coalition against Islamic State fighters The unit headed to Kuwait is Fort Carsons heaviest force, armed with tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles Many of its soldiers are veterans of one or more of the brigades previous combat tours in Iraq

According to the brigades commander, Colonel Greg Sierra, the brigade has trained more than a year for the Kuwait mission The soldiers practised combat skills last used in the 2003 invasion of Iraq The brigades training regimen readied soldiers for a range of missions from humanitarian relief to nonstop combat

( Highlights )      

                More than 4,000 US soldiers have headed to Kuwait

                They will be authorised for military action against Islamic State militants

                The US Army has kept a brigade in Kuwait since the end of the Iraq war in 2011

|US To Provide World Permits To Spouses Of H-1B Visa Holders

The US on February 25, 2015, announced that it would provide work permits to spouses of H-1B visa holders beginning May 26, a move that is expected to benefit thousands of talented and professional Indian spouses who come to America, but are unable to work Under existing laws, spouses of H-1B visa holders, many of whom are Indians, are not eligible to work The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting applications for work visas from H-1B spouses on May 26

Once USCIS approves the Form 1-765 and the H-4 dependent spouse receives an Employment Authorisation Card, he or she may begin working in the United States USCIS estimates the number of individuals eligible to apply for employment authorisation under this rule could be as high as 179,600 in the first year and 55,000 annually in subsequent years The move has been welcomed by Indian-Americans The USCIS, in a statement, said that the Department of Homeland Security was extending the eligibility for employment-authorisation (EAD) to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B non¬immigrants who are seeking employment-based Permanent Residency Eligible individuals include certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B non¬immigrants (principal H1B worker) who are the beneficiaries of an approved Form 1-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, or satisfy at least one or more of the three conditions The conditions include that the principal H1B worker has an approved 1-140 or is currendy on an extended H1B status beyond the 6-year limitation based upon an 1-140 petition application pending for at least 365 days (one calendar year) Recent State Department figures show that approximately 76 percent of those who received H-4 status in 2013 were from South Asian countries

[ Highlights  )     

★           The US will provide work permits to spouses of H-1B visa holders

★           Under existing laws, spouses of H-1B visa holders are not eligible to work

★           The conditions include that the principal H1B worker has an approved 1-140

Australia To Send 300 Additional Troops To Iraq

Australia will send an additional 300 troops to Iraq to train specialist Iraqi soldiers in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants, Prime Minister Mr Tony

Australian PM Mr Tony Abbott announced on March 3, 2015 that his country would send an additional 300 troops to Iraq to train Iraqi soldiers

Abbott announced on March 3, 2015 As part of a joint training mission with New Zealand, the 300 new arrivals will join a 200-strong Australian contingent already present in Iraq

Mr Abbott said that Australian forces had already enjoyed success in their fight against IS militants, but more aid was needed to continue training Iraqi troops He said that Australia had slowed ISISs advance, but Iraqs regular forces required support to build their capacity to reclaim and to hold territory The troops, who will be based in northern Baghdad, are expected to be overseas for two years as per the governments timeline of their involvement in Iraq Mr Abbott also revealed that the decision to send more-troops abroad had come with the support of Iraq Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, but that Iraq do not want foreign combat troops on the ground Therefore, just like the 200 Australians already in Iraq, the new group will occupy strictly advisory roles The Prime Minister also suggested that security could only be guaranteed domestically by providing international support

                Australia will send additional 300 troops to Iraq to train specialist Iraqi soldiers in fight against ISIS

                The 300 new arrivals will join a 200-strong Australian contingent already present in Iraq

                The troops, who will be based in northern Baghdad, are expected to be overseas for two years

Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia To Test

New Flight Tracking System

Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia will lead a trial to enhance the tracking of aircraft over remote oceans, Australias Transport Minister said on March 1, 2015 The announcement came ahead of the anniversary of the disappearance of flight MH370, which vanished last year on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board No trace of the plane has been found so far

Airservices Australia, a government-owned agency that manages the countrys airspace, will work with its Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts to test the new method, which would enable planes to be tracked every 15 minutes, rather than the previous rate of 30 to 40 minutes The trial is expected to use satellite-based positioning technology already on board 90 percent of long-haul aircraft that transmits the planes current position and its next two planned positions, said Airservices Australia Chairman Mr Angus Houston, who helped lead the search for MH370 The trial would boost the frequency in which planes would automatically report their position, allowing air traffic controllers to better track them Mr Houston said that it was an important step in delivering immediate improvements to the way they currently track aircraft while more comprehensive solutions are developed There is no requirement for real-time tracking of commercial aircraft and ever since flight 370 disappeared, air safety regulators and airlines have been trying to agree on how extensively planes should be tracked

( Highlights   >

                Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia will lead a trial to enhance the tracking of aircraft over remote oceans

                The new method would enable planes to be tracked every 15 minutes, rather than the previous rate of 30 to 40 minutes

 The trial is expected to use satellite-based positioning technology already on board

Ukraine Talks End With Peace Deal In Minsk

A peace deal was hammered between Russia and Ukraine on February 12 in Minsk, Belarus in all-night negotiations among Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany According to the deal, Ukraine will trade a broad autonomy for the east

for control of the Russian border by the end of 2015 The deal was full of potential pitfalls, however, that could derail its implementation

In announcing the plan, Russia and Ukraine disagreed over what exactly they had agreed to in marathon 16-hour talks, including the status of a key town under rebel siege Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin said that the agreement envisaged a ceasefire that was effective from February 15, 2015 as well as a special status for the rebel regions, provisions on border controls and humanitarian issues Ukrainian President Mr Petro Poroshenko said that there was no agreement on any autonomy or federalisation for eastern Ukraine, a longtime demand of Russia that wants it to maintain leverage over its neighbour and prevent it from ever joining NATO The deal, however, requires the Ukrainian parliament to give wide powers to the eastern regions as a condition for restoring Ukraines full control over the border—a provision that would be certain to trigger heated political debate in Ukraine The agreement is a complex compromise that allows both Russia and Ukraine to claim victory, but it is full of potential pitfalls that may derail its implementation Uncertainty remained even regarding the declared cease-fire, as Mr Putin admitted that he and

Poroshenko disagreed on assessing the situation in a key flashpoint, the government-held town of Debaltseve

In a win for Ukraine, the rebel regions, which held their own elections are obliged to hold a new local vote under the Lkrainian law But in a key concession to Russia, the deal says the restoration of Ukrainian control over the border with Russia in rebel-controlled areas could be completed only by the end of 2015 on condition that Ukraine conducted a constitutional reform granting wide powers to the eastern regions, including the right to form their

own police force and trade freely with Russia

German Chancellor Ms Angela Merkel, who brokered the talks in the Belarusian capital together with French President Mr Francois Hollande said that they now had a glimmer of hope, but the concrete steps of course had to be taken, and major obstacles were still to be faced The deal envisages a buffer zone to be created by pulling back the heavy artillery and rocket systems from 50 to 140 kilometres (31 to 87 miles) away from the frontline depending on their calibre Hailing the deal as a relief to Europe, Mr Hollande said that global settlement would include all issues, from the cease-fire to the control of the border, to decentralisation, the pullback of heavy weapons and resuming economic relations

[ Highlights  )     

                A peace deal hammered between Russia and Ukraine in Minsk, Belarus

                The negotiations were done among Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany

                The deal envisages a buffer zone to be created by pulling back the heavy artillery and rocket systems from 50 to 140 kilometres away from the frontline

                Australia will send additional 300 troops to Iraq to train specialist Iraqi soldiers in fight against ISIS

                The 300 new arrivals will join a 200-strong Australian contingent already present in Iraq

                The troops, who will be based in northern Baghdad, are expected to be overseas for two years

Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia To Test

New Flight Tracking System

Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia will lead a trial to enhance the tracking of aircraft over remote oceans, Australias Transport Minister said on March 1, 2015 The announcement came ahead of the anniversary of the disappearance of flight MH370, which vanished last year on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board No trace of the plane has been found so far

Airservices Australia, a government-owned agency that manages the countrys airspace, will work with its Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts to test the new method, which would enable planes to be tracked every 15 minutes, rather than the previous rate of 30 to 40 minutes The trial is expected to use satellite-based positioning technology already on board 90 percent of long-haul aircraft that transmits the planes current position and its next two planned positions, said Airservices Australia Chairman Mr Angus Houston, who helped le