As per reports, Russia’s military has begun scaling down its deployment to Syria, as the regime intensified its bombardment of a rebel-held district home to the capital’s main water source.
Russia, along with fellow regime ally Iran and rebel backer Turkey, is pushing for peace talks to be held later this month.
Russia’s military said a naval group headed by aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov would be the first to leave the area under a drawdown ordered by President Vladimir Putin in December.
Tokyo Recalls Seoul Envoy
Japan recalled its Ambassador to South Korea to protest the placing of a statue symbolising victims of Japanese wartime sex slavery outside its consulate in the city of Busan.
Japan also announced that Japan is ordering home its consul-general in Busan and suspending discussions over a Japan-South Korea currency swap.
The Centre will sell 26 per cent stake in defence equipment manufacturer BEML, making it the first major PSU to be sold through strategic disinvestment, which may fetch the exchequer over Rs. 1,000 crore.
Hindustan Zinc Gets Green Nod
Vedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) has got environment clearance for its Rs. 1,200 crore Zawar Mines expansion project in Rajasthan.
The world’s second largest zinc producer wants to expand the production capacity of lead-zinc and ore beneficiation at its Zawar Group of underground mines located in Sarada district.
India and Kazakhstan Agree to Amend Tax Treaty
India and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to amend the two-decade old bilateral tax treaty under which information exchanged between the two can be shared with other law enforcement agencies.
The protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) between the two countries provides internationally–accepted standards for effective exchange of information on tax matters.