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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 11 April 2014

Plea to reconstitute SIT on Gujarat riots

The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea questioning the clean chit given to Narendra Modi by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in its probe in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots.
A bench comprising justices H.L. Dattu and S.A. Bobde also declined the plea for reconstituting the SIT involving retired judges of the apex court, including a person from the minority community.
“Reconstitution of SIT at this stage is not good,” the bench said, referring the plea questioning the SIT clean chit given to Mr. Modi.
After the bench’s remark, advocate Fatima, who had filed the petition, decided to withdraw it, which was allowed.

BJP strongly condemned the statement made by Yadav on women, on rape-related mater and on his suggestion that if by chance he becomes part of the government in 2014, he would make sure that the rape law would be amended.
In a controversial statement, the SP leader had yesterday questioned the death penalty for rape, saying "mistakes" by boys happen sometime.

The US, which received more than 172,000 applications for the H-1B visas, has conducted a computerised draw of lots to determine who all would be given the most sought after work visas that are highly popular among IT professionals from countries like India.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted the computerised draw of lots to select the Congressionally mandated 65,000 applicants, who would receive the H-1B visas.
The USCIS, in a statement, said it also conducted draw of lots for Congressional mandated 20,000 H-1B petitions filed under the advanced degree exemption.
The USCIS conducted the selection process for the advanced degree exemption first.
All advanced degree petitions not selected then became part of the random selection process for the 65,000 limit.
However, the USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap.
Petitions filed on behalf of current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap will not be counted towards the congressionally mandated fiscal 2015 H-1B cap.

Israeli and Palestinian officials held fresh US-mediated talks, but the crisis-hit peace process was dealt a new blow as Israel unveiled sanctions against the Palestinians.
Israel, which collects about €80 million (Dh408 million) in taxes on behalf of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) — two-thirds of its revenues — has decided to freeze the transfer of that money.
Israel was also suspending its participation with the Palestinians in developing a gasfield off the Gaza Strip and putting a cap on Palestinian deposits in its banks, the Israeli official said, asking not to be named.
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat lashed out at the move, calling it an act of “Israeli hijacking and the theft of the Palestinian people’s money.
Washington remains in “intensive negotiations” with both sides.
The talks hit a new impasse last week after Israel refused to release a final batch of Palestinian prisoners and the Palestinians retaliated by seeking accession to several international treaties.
The Israelis have repeatedly asked Barack Obama and previous US presidents to release Pollard, sentenced to life in 1987 for passing US secrets on Arab and Pakistani weapons to Israel.
Psaki revealed that Indyk would return to Washington this week for consultations with Kerry and the White House.
The Palestinians responded by abandoning their own commitment not to seek international recognition until the nine months of talks ended, applying for accession to 15 treaties.