CURRENT AFFAIRS
17 August 2020
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Changes afoot for Monsoon session of Parliament.
The pending Monsoon session of the Indian Parliament will include the use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation system and polycarbonate separators. These arrangements are done by following the norms of social distancing under the restrictions induced by Covid-19. The Parliament has to meet by September 23. In keeping with the requirements, four large display screens in the chamber of the Rajya Sabha, six small screens in its four galleries, audio consoles in the galleries, etc. are being installed. It was decided that chambers and galleries of both the Houses would be used for conducting the session under the prevailing restrictions.
B) Airlines shift focus from passengers to stay airborne.
Our Aviation Correspondent has a report today on the measures being taken by various Indian airlines as they struggle to stay afloat after their business was severely hit by months of lockdown. Except for IndiGo, most of the airline companies have run out of cash. They are totally dependent on their promoters. Airlines have to recapitalize and fund the next two years of operations and without massive recapitalization.
C) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments
The number of coronavirus cases reported from India stands at 26,39,603 with the death toll at 50,938. India on Friday recorded 63,490 new cases. The ministry added that the recovery rate in 32 states and Union Territories have exceeded 50% and more than 18 lakh people in the country have recovered from the disease so far.
Former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh Minister Chetan Chauhan died on 16 August. He was 73. Mr. Chauhan was admitted to hospital on July 17 after he had tested positive for COVID-19. He succumbed to COVID-19 around 5 p.m, hospital sources said. Mr. Chauhan was put on a ventilator after he had developed kidney and blood pressure problems and his condition deteriorated.
D) Detention of Kafeel Khan has increased.
The Uttar Pradesh government has extended the detention of DrKafeel Khan under the National Security Act by three months. Khan has been in jail since January 29 for delivering an allegedly provocative speech at a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act on December 10. Khan was arrested on January 29 and granted bail in the case by a court in Aligarh district on February 10. However, he was not released from the Mathura jail. Instead, the NSA was invoked against him three days later and his detention continued.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Telephone services resume between UAE and Israel after the peace agreement.
The Telephone service between the United Arab Emirates and Israel began working on 16 August as both the countries have opened diplomatic ties. The Press journalists in both countries were able to call each other both from landline and cellular phones as well. Also on 16 August, Israeli news websites that were previously blocked by the UAE authorities could be accessed without using means to bypass internet filtering in the Emirates. The connection of phone service represents the first sign of the deal between UAE and Israel.
B) Chinese Minister makes a rare visit to Tibet border.
The Foreign Minister and State Councillor of China Wang Yi have made a rare visit in order to inspect the border infrastructure in Tibet. The Chinese media has linked this visit to the recent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India. Mr. Wang on 14 August had met with the top Communist Party official in Tibet, along with the chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government. He urged them to safeguard national security.
C) Influenza vaccine firms make a record number of doses.
The makers of the Global influenza vaccine have produced a record number of doses for dealing with the upcoming flu season. This was done because the authorities try to reduce the burden on hospitals because they are already overburdened with lots of patients of covid19. The pharmaceutical companies in the US have planned to produce approximately 196 million doses so as to serve a population of 330 million. Vaccine maker Seqirus plans to increase production by roughly 15% in the U.S.from 52 million to 60 million doses. The vaccination of this Widespread flu can help free hospital beds, which is a vital public health measure in order to combat the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
