Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 02 April 2017
:: National ::
In a major crackdown, ED conducted searches on 300 shell companies
In a major crackdown, the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches on 300 shell companies across 16 States on suspicion of large-scale money laundering and foreign exchange violations.
The premises of some professionals, the “brains” behind the operation of such companies, were also searched.
The searches were conducted at 110 locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, among other places.
Some of the companies searched were allegedly involved in major money-laundering cases related to the former Maharashtra Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal, the Andhra Pradesh Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Galaxy Impex, Snowcity & Co, B.K. Electro Tool products, Green International, Metal Tradus and Horizon Trading were the six firms searched.
Financial assistance of 3,000 crore from NDRF to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
The Central government will provide financial assistance of around Rs. 3,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for drought and cyclone relief.
“Based on approval of the High Level Committee (HLC), the Central government has sanctioned Rs. 1,793 crore to Tamil Nadu and Rs. 1,782 crore to Karnataka for drought relief from NDRF,” the statement said.
Parity between military officers and their civilian counterparts to come (Register and Login to read Full News)
China asked India to exercise “restraint” (Register and Login to read Full News)
:: International ::
U.S. not pressing for Bashar Al-Assad of Syria to leave power
U.S. President Donald Trump has abandoned the goal of pressing President Bashar Al-Assad of Syria to leave power, marking a sharp departure from the policy that guided the Obama administration for more than five years.
“The United States has profound priorities in Syria and Iraq, and we’ve made it clear that counterterrorism, particularly the defeat of ISIS, is foremost among those priorities,” the White House press secretary said.
In a sense, Mr. Spicer’s comments — and similar comments by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Nikki R. Haley, have merely made explicit an assumption that has guided the Trump administration’s policy toward the region in recent months.
During the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump had said that while he did not like Mr. Assad, he was glad the Syrian leader was “killing ISIS”.
Since taking office, however, Mr. Trump has shied away from forging a military alliance in Syria with Russia, let alone with Mr. Assad.
Instead, the administration’s single-minded focus has been to help Syrian fighters oust the IS from the northern city of Raqqa.
:: India and World ::
India and Malaysia agreed to cooperate to defeat Islamic State
India and Malaysia agreed to cooperate to defeat Islamic State militants and the growing threat of radicalisation and extremism.
Visiting Malaysian PM Najib Razak held talks here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sealed six agreements, while extending support to India for a greater role in the maritime security of the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr. Razak, expressed support for greater synergy with India on the security front, especially in the maritime domain, and said, “We appreciate the greater role of India in the maritime security of the Asia-Pacific region.”
The visiting delegation’s comments on the maritime issue is significant as both the countries have been demanding freedom of navigation in the South East Asian region, where China has been flexing muscles and has claimed most of the South China Sea.
Both sides signed agreements on air services, sports, human resources, palm oil production and research, and technological development. An agreement that will allow India to build a fertilizer plant in Malaysia was also signed.
A bilateral joint statement issued by the India-Malaysia CEOs Forum emphasised the need for visa-free travel for Indians and Malaysians as travel and tourism in both countries contribute to their economic growth.
Both sides also highlighted that Malaysia would allow Indian Ayurveda and Siddha practitioners to serve in that country.
As part of the move to popularise courses in Ayurveda, the government of Malaysia and the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman would provide courses in Ayurveda.