Current Affairs for IAS Exams

Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 29 January 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump has banned people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the nation for 90 days and suspended admission of refugees for 120 days through an executive order.
U.S. immigration authorities have started detaining travellers from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, and all refugees, though the order allowed exemption for those who were already in transit.
As the new measures take full shape over the next three to four months, the ban could be extended, more countries could be added to the list and doors could be shut for refugees, particularly Muslims, fleeing violence.
Mr. Trump has also ordered that religious minorities facing persecution in these countries shall be admitted to the U.S. Ahead of signing the executive order restricting entry into the country.

The multi-billion dollar deal between India and Russia for four stealth frigates has run into trouble over pricing and local construction with Transfer of Technology (ToT).
India and Russia had signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for four additional Krivak or Talwar class stealth frigates during bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in October.
As per the agreement, two ships are to be procured directly from Russia and two to be built in India with Russian assistance.
Russia has quoted about $990 million for the two ships to be directly imported.
For those to be built in India, the commercial offer quoted about $800 million for “supply of material to ensure construction of the two ships in India” and $51 million for “supply of project documentation” to ensure their construction.
The cost of construction of the two ships in an Indian yard — yet to be identified — was to be arrived at later.
Defence sources said this would steeply push up the overall cost of the two ships and it was seen as a way to ensure that all four ships were imported from Russia.
The basic structures of the two frigates are already ready at Yantar shipyard in Russia and will be finished once the contract is finalised.

Iraqi forces discovered a mustard chemical warfare agent in eastern Mosul alongside a cache of Russian surface-to-surface missiles, an Iraqi officer said.
Iraqi and U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of Islamic State (IS) group’s efforts to develop chemical weapons.
When Iraqi forces retook Mosul University earlier this month, they found chemistry labs they believed had been converted into makeshift chemical weapons labs.
The number of casualties due to IS chemical weapons is a small fraction compared to the hundreds of civilians killed in car and suicide bombings carried out by the group.
Experts say that is largely due to the low grade of the weapons and the group’s lack of access to efficient delivery systems.