CURRENT AFFAIRS
27 August 2020
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Loan moratorium: Don’t hide behind RBI, SC tells Centre.
On 26 August, the Supreme Court has criticized the Centre for hiding behind the RBI without making clear its stand on the loan moratorium scheme which was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic. The court wanted to know whether the deferment of EMIs during the moratorium period meant to help the borrowers to cope with the lockdown-induced financial crunch would lead to the accrual of further interest once the freeze is lifted on August 31. The government is yet to file its affidavit. The court said that the government is fully empowered to take an independent stand under the Disaster Management Act. Solicitor General of India, Mr. Tushar Mehta said that the government was working in tandem with the RBI and it was unfair to say that it did not have an independent view. The court gave the Centre time till September 1 to file a detailed affidavit by clarifying its stand.
B) Rahul urges Centre to “give money to the poor” to revive the economy
Slamming the government over its handling of the economy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the Centre needs to give money to the poor in order to revive consumption. He further said that distractions through media won’t help the poor or make the economic disaster disappear. His attack on the government follows an assessment by the RBI on Tuesday that demand will take a long time to mend and the shock to consumption is severe.
C) Mizoram complains to the Centre about Assam Rifles.
The Mizoram government has written to the Centre by accusing paramilitary force Assam Rifles of boycotting the Independence Day celebrations in the State. Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo on August 24 informed the Ministry of Home Affairs that the head of the Assam Rifles in the State boycotted the 1-Day celebration which was held on August 15. He also apprised the Ministry of Home Affairs violations of Covid-19 protocols by Assam Rifles personnel on the Assam-Mizoram border on August 18. He said that the personnel had barged into Mizoram in violation of the entry and safety protocols laid down by the State government to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
D) Transman can live-in with a woman partner: Orissa HC.
The High Court of Orissa has pronounced a Judgement by allowing a transman that he can stay with his woman live-in partner. The Court said that everyone has the right of self-determination of sex or gender and to enter into a live-in relationship with a person of his or her choice. A Division Bench of Justices S. K. Mishra and Savitri Ratho pronounced the judgment while hearing the petition of a transman who had sought the court’s intervention for restoration of a live-in relationship with a woman.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Phase 2 trials of Oxford Covid19 vaccine begins.
The phase 2 human clinical trial of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine candidate, which is to be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), began at Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital in Pune with two volunteers being administered the vaccine. SII has partnered with British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca for manufacturing the Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford. They have got all the approvals from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
B) The U.S. blacklists 24 Chinese firms amid South China Sea dispute.
On 26 August, the United States has blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and targeted a number of individuals. They said that this was a part of various actions of construction and military-related disputed islands in the South China Sea. The Commerce Department of the United States said that 24 companies have helped the Chinese military in construction and militarization of the internationally deplored artificial islands in the South China Sea. China was accused by the United States for the militarization of the South China Sea and also for intimidating the Asian Neighbors with a motive to exploit its reserves of Oil and Gas. Multiple freedom navigation operations have been conducted by the United States to ensure freedom of access to those waterways which are connected internationally.
C) Israel strikes Hezbollah’s posts.
On 26 July, Israel said that it had launched airstrikes against the Hezbollah observation posts in Lebanon. This decision was taken after shots were fired across the border towards their troops. The Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu has blamed the shooting on Shiite militant group Hezbollah because of a devastating long war in 2006 with them, which goes on for a month. It was said by the army of Israel that a security incident was unfolding near Manara which is a place near the UN-demarcated boundary between both the countries. The National News Agency of Lebanon has reported that gunfire and flares that belong to Israel have been found around a village which is across the border. The Supreme Defense Council of Lebanon has decided to file a complaint against the United States security Council for this attack.
