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• Delhi High Court has observed that the property seized under PMLA, has to be returned if the probe goes without proceedings after 365 days.
• It also said such seizer violates Article 300 A of the Constitution. 
  • Article 300 A provides that no person shall be deprived of his property except by authority of law.

• About PMLA, 2002
  • It provides for confiscation of property derived from, or involved in, money-laundering and for matters connected therewith. 
  • Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) have been given the responsibility to enforce the provisions of the Act.  

• US has announced a steep increase in fees for various categories of non-immigrant visas like the H-1B, L-1 and EB-5, the most popular among Indians.
• H-1B visa allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.
• L-1 visa is a visa category in the US that is designed for intracompany transferees. 
  • It allows multinational companies to transfer certain employees from their foreign offices to work in the US temporarily.
• EB-5, or US golden visa, provides a special road for overseas investors and their families to seek permanent residency and Green Cards in the United States.

• Interim budget has proposed to mandatorily register for ISD for companies with branches in multiple cities to claim input tax credit.
  • Input Tax Credit is the tax that a business pays on a purchase and that it can use to reduce its tax liability when it makes a sale.
• ISD is a mechanism (office) that allows billing of common input services to one location of the company and permitting it to distribute it to its branches with separate GST registration.
• This recent move is expected to reduce disputes significantly.

• GHAR (GO Home and Re-Unite) Portal was launched earlier by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
  • The portal digitally monitor and track restoration and repatriation of children as per the protocols under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. 

• About NCPCR
  • Apex body for safeguarding children's rights.
  • Constituted under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
  • Consists of 1 chairperson and 6 members.
  • Present reports to central government annually.
  • NCPCR has responsibilities under POCSO Act (2012), RTE Act(2009) as well.

• Study of asteroid Ryugu samples has provided evidence that the organic molecules which gave rise to life to our planet were brought here by ancient comets.
  • Comets are frozen leftovers from the formation of the solar system composed of dust, rock, and ice.
  • Samples were brought by the Hayabusa2, asteroid-sampling spacecraft of Japan. 

•  About Asteroid Ryugu
  • It is a diamond-shaped space rock.
  • It orbits the sun between Earth and Mars and occasionally crosses Earth's orbit (therefore classified as potentially hazardous).
  • It is a carbonaceous or C-type asteroid, which means it contains a lot of carbon and water.

• Town of Luang Prabang in Laos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is facing the threat of losing its UNESCO status due to a dam project on Mekong river.
  • Town reflects the fusion of Lao traditional urban architecture with that of the colonial era.

• Mekong River:
  • Trans-boundary river in Southeast Asia originating in Glaciers of Tibet and drains in South China Sea.
  • River flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

• WWD 2024 was celebrated at Sirpur Lake Indore, Madhya Pradesh (MP) with theme- ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing’
• WWD is observed on 2nd February every year worldwide to commemorate the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971. 
  • India has been a party to the Convention since 1982.

• About Sirpur Lake
  • It is a human-made wetland.
  • Located in the city of Indore, MP.
  • Lake is shallow, alkaline, nutrient-rich and  prone to floods.

• The President inaugurated the 37th Surajkund International Crafts Mela at Surajkund, Haryana.

• About Surajkund Mela
  • It showcases the richness and diversity of the handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India.
  • Largest crafts fair in the world.
  • In 2013, the fair was upgraded to an international level.
  • Partner Nation: Tanzania 
  • Theme State: Gujarat
  • Cultural Partner: North-Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation.

Catalonia

• Catalonia has declared a state of emergency as it faces its worst drought on record.

• Political Features
  • An autonomous region of Spain. 
  • Located in north east of Iberian Peninsula. 
  • Shares boundary with France and Andorra (North) and Mediterranean Sea (East). 

• Geographical Features
  • The Pyrenees mountain range separates Catalonia from France. 
  • It falls under Mediterranean climate.
    • In this type of climate, summers are hot and dry whereas winters are rainy.
  • Major River: Ebro River