CURRENT AFFAIRS
02 JULY 2020
TOP HEADLINES:
A) Modi quits Chinese social media site.
Shortly after the ban on 59 Chinese apps came into force, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exited the Chinese social media platform Weibo. His account on Weibo went blank on Wednesday after his photo, posts, and comments were removed from the handle. He had 115 posts there and 113 posts were deleted manually. The two posts which have the pictures of Indian PM Mr. Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were not deleted.
B) CRPF jawan, civilian killed in J&K’s Sopore.
A CRPF jawan was killed and three others were injured following a militant attack in north Kashmir’s Sopore area on Wednesday. A civilian also died in the attack. The militants had opened indiscriminate fire on a CRPF patrol party in Model Town area of Sopore in the morning. During the attack, a 3 year old boy who was the grandson of the civilian who was died in attack was also rescued. The daughter of the civilian who was died in the attack alleged the security forces for the death of his father.
C) Third round of talks on LAC promises more talks.
On the third round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China, both the sides have emphasized the need for an expeditious, phased, and step-wise deescalation as a priority in order to reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. They also agreed to hold more meetings to arrive at “a mutually agreeable” solution. This is in accordance with the agreement between the External Affairs Minister and the Chinese counterpart, during their conversation on June 17, as per which the overall situation can be handled in a very responsible manner, and both the sides would sincerely implement the disengagement understanding of June 6. More meetings are expected, both at the military and the diplomatic level.
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) No Chinese companies for highway projects: Gadkari
The Union Minister of India, Mr. Nitin Gadkari has said that India will not allow any Chinese company to work in highway projects, not even the companies with joint ventures. Gadakri also said the government will ensure that Chinese investors are not entertained in sectors critical for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Coming close on the heels of a ban on 59 Chinese mobile apps, the move seems to be another step toward a partial economic blockade. With regard to existing tenders and future bids, Gadkari said re-bidding would be done in the case of Chinese joint ventures. “We have taken a decision to relax norms for our companies to ensure that they qualify in the bidding for large projects. I have directed the Highways Secretary and NHAI Chairman to hold a meeting for relaxing technical and financial norms so that our companies can qualify.
B) Coronavirus Updates : Numbers and developments.
The number of coronavirus cases in the country stood at 6,03,533 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 17,831. India on Wednesday recorded the biggest one-day increase in coronavirus deaths, with 507 new casualties reported.
The most famous Ganpati idol of Mumbai, Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh Mandal, has also announced that the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration will be cancelled for this year because of the global pandemic of novel coronavirus. It is the first time this has happened in its 84-year history.
C) Six killed in another boiler blast at Neyveli.
Six persons were killed and 16 injured and 11 of them are critical after a boiler exploded at Unit V of the Thermal Power Station-II, in NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) in Neyveli on Wednesday. Contract workers and permanent staff were active at the 210 MW unit when the accident occurred. The blast happened at around 10 am. This is the second accident at TPS-II.
D) GST revenues plunge 41% in first quarter.
According to the Finance Ministry data, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for the April to June quarter stood at ₹1.86 lakh crore, a 41% drop in comparison to the ₹3.14 lakh crore collected in the same period last year. Revenues plunged during the lockdown but showed recovery by June.
E) Manohar steps down as ICC chief.
Shashank Manohar will step down as the first independent chairman of the International Cricket Council after his term came to an end on Wednesday. According to a media release sent by the ICC, Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja will take over as interim chairman till the election process is set in motion.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
A) Boris Johnson offers refuge for 2.9 million Hong Kongers.
Denouncing the new security law that has been passed in Hong Kong as a violation of China’s treaty with Britain, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in the House of Commons on Wednesday that he will introduce a new five-year visa scheme that could pave the way for British citizenship for as many as 2.9 million Hong Kong citizens who enjoy a British national (overseas) status. He asserts that the new security law imposed by China violates Hong Kong’s autonomy and threatens the freedoms and rights protected by the Sino-British joint declaration.
