Tag: latest Current Affairs

CURRENT AFFAIRS
31 October 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Centre asks States to form committees for smooth Covid-19 vaccination drive. 

The Centre has asked States to constitute committees for coordinating and overseeing the Covid-19 vaccination drive so that disruptions in other routine healthcare services remain minimal. It also stressed the early tracking of social media to dispel rumours which could impact the community acceptance of coronavirus inoculation. Stating that the vaccination drive will span over a year with multiple groups being included sequentially starting from health care workers, the Health Ministry has sought the constitution of committees at state and district levels to review preparatory activities in terms of cold chain preparedness, operational planning, and strategies for state-specific challenges such as geographical terrain and hard-to-reach areas. In a letter to States and Union Territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has suggested the setting up of State steering committees (SSC) chaired by the chief secretary, a State task force (STF) led by additional Chief Secretary or principal secretary (health), and a district task force (DTF) to be headed by the district magistrate.

B) Self-reliance mission is not ‘protectionist’ says Niti Aayog, proposes more PLIs to boost manufacturing.

Any tariff protection to promote local manufacturing in India will come with an in-built sunset clause, Niti Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Friday, asserting that the country’s self-reliance mission must not be equated to it becoming a ‘protectionist’ closed economy. He also said that the government is set to extend the production-linked incentive scheme (PLIs) for manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and electronics announced under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, to six more sectors, Kumar said. Explaining the rationale for the PLI schemes that he said will soon become valid for ‘nine to ten’ sectors from four at present, the Niti Aayog vice chairman said they were meant to incentivise investors already in the country to put up globally comparable capacities in scale and competitiveness. He emphasised that India’s efforts towards self-reliance are not dissimilar to what other nations are doing to insulate themselves from global supply chain shocks and revive the economy.

C) Parliamentary panel questions Paytm about Chinese investment, storing of data in servers abroad.

A parliamentary panel on 29 October has questioned Paytm representatives about the quantum of Chinese investment in the company and told them that the servers on which customer data is stored should be in India. Top officials of Paytm appeared before the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Personal Data Protection Bill and submitted their suggestions on key aspects of the proposed legislation, including the management and transfer abroad of sensitive personal data. Members of the panel from different political parties asked Paytm why its servers that store customer data are located abroad when it claims to be an Indian firm. The panel members told Paytm representatives that the server on which customer data is stored should be based in India, adding that they also wanted to know about the quantum of Chinese investments in the digital payment service and specifics about its backend linkages. Questions were also raised about a possible conflict of interest, considering that Paytm also sells its own products on its e-commerce platform. In its submission before the panel, Paytm said sensitive and personal data may be transferred outside India for the purpose of processing when explicit consent is given by the data principal for such transfer. Facebook, Twitter and Amazon have deposed before the panel, while representatives of telecom operators Reliance Jio and Airtel, and cab aggregators Ola and Uber have been asked to appear before it.

D) Malabar naval exercise to begin next week off Visakhapatnam

The first phase of the Malabar Naval Exercise with Australia, Japan and the U.S. is scheduled to be held next week off Visakhapatnam. This is the first time Australia will be joining the exercise after 2007, and the event will bring all four countries of the Quadrilateral grouping for military games. Over three years after Canberra’s request to join the exercise, India last week announced that the Australian Navy would participate in Malabar 2020. Phase 1 of the Exercise Malabar 2020 involving participation by Indian Navy, United States Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, and Royal Australian Navy is set to commence off Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from November 03 to 06, the Navy said in a statement. The second phase is scheduled to be held from November 17 to 20 in the Arabian Sea.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) At least 8 dead in Turkey, Greece as strong quake strikes Aegean Sea.

At least six people were killed in Turkey after a strong earthquake struck the Aegean Sea on October 30, bringing buildings crashing down and setting off tidal waves which slammed into coastal areas and nearby Greek islands. The tremor could be felt as far away as in Istanbul and on Greek islands, where officials said eight people suffered light injuries on the island of Samos. High tidal waves were seen in both countries and led to flooding on parts of the Izmir coast. People work on a collapsed house in an earthquake-hit area of Izmir on October 30, 2020 after major earthquake struck off western Turkey. People work on a collapsed house in an earthquake-hit area of Izmir on October 30, 2020 after major earthquake struck off western Turkey. In Samos, two teenagers were found dead, an emergency official said. The two, a boy and a girl, were confirmed dead after being found unconscious in an area where a wall had collapsed in an area of Vathy, a town on the island.

B) Malabar naval exercise to kick off next week.

Australia to join navies of India, U.S., Japan in Bay of Bengal. The first phase of the Malabar Naval exercise with Australia, Japan and the U.S. is scheduled to be held next week off the Visakhapatnam. This is the first time Australia will be joining the exercise after 2007 and it will bring all four countries of the Quadrilateral grouping together for military games. More than three years after Canberra’s request to join the exercise, last week India announced that the Australian Navy would participate in Malabar 2020. Phase 1 of the Exercise Malabar 2020 involving participation by Indian Navy, United States Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, and Royal Australian Navy is set to commence off Vishakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from November 3 to 6. The second phase is scheduled to be held from November 17 to 20 in the Arabian Sea, another official said. The planning conference for the exercise was held virtually to work out the modalities.

C) Pompeo wraps up ‘anti-China’ tour of Asia.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrapped up a visit to Asia in Vietnam on Friday after a tour marked by his repeated calls for help for the U.S. in confronting security threats posed by China. Vietnam, which also shares concern about an increasingly assertive China, was a late addition to the trip that included Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives and Indonesia. They look forward to continuing to work together to build on our relationship and to make the region throughout Southeast Asia, Asia and the Indo-Pacific safe and peaceful and prosperous, said Mr. Pompeo, who greeted Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc with an elbow bump before their meeting. Mr. Phuc said he sought sincere cooperation in support of a peaceful region and progress in trade ties. While there was no mention of China on Friday, Mr. Pompeo has urged Southeast Asian countries to stand up to its bullies and to reassess business deals with its state firms.

The main concern in Vietnam is China’s claims in the South China Sea.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
30 October 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Eight core industries’ output contracts 0.8% in September.

The output of eight core infrastructure sectors dropped by 0.8% in September, mainly due to decline in production of crude oil, natural gas, refinery products and cement. This is the seventh consecutive month of contraction for these sectors. The production of eight core sectors had contracted 5.1% in September 2019, data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry showed on Thursday. The decline in output during the month under review was lowest since March. Barring coal, electricity and steel, all sectors — crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizer and cement — recorded negative growth in September 2020. During April-September, the sectors’ output dropped by 14.9% as compared to a growth of 1.3% in the same period of the previous year.

B) NIA raids 6 NGOs, trusts in Kashmir, Delhi in connection with terror funding.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 29 October raided nine locations in the Valley and one in Delhi in connection with a case related to NGOs and trusts diverting funds meant for charitable activities to secessionist and separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Several incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized, the NIA said in a statement. Those whose premises were searched include Falah-e-Aam Trust, Charity Alliance in Delhi, Human Welfare Foundation, JK Yateem Foundation, Salvation Movement, and JK Voice of Victims. The case was registered on October 8 under various sections of the IPC and the UAPA on receiving credible information that certain NGOs and Trusts are collecting funds domestically and abroad through so-called donations and business contributions and then using them to fund terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, they said.

C) Rajinikanth says statement on his political entry is fake, but content on his health is true.

Following widespread speculations regarding his political entry being called off, actor Rajinikanth clarified on 29 October that an announcement would be made on his entry into politics at the right time after discussions with office bearers of the Rajini Makkal Mandram. A leaked letter attributed to Rajinikanth and circulating on social media had suggested that his plans of entering politics were being called off. A letter appearing to be my statement is being shared virally on social media and in the press. Everyone knows that it is not my statement, the actor tweeted. However, some references made in the letter about my health and my doctor’s advice to me were true. I will make an announcement regarding my political stand to the people regarding this at the right time after due consultation with members of Rajini Makkal Mandram.

D) Former Gujarat CM Keshubhai Patel passes away.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister and a stalwart who played a key role in building the BJP in Gujarat, Keshubhai Patel, died of cardiac arrest on the morning of 29 October. He was 92. Patel was rushed to a private hospital in Ahmedabad after he fell unconscious at his residence in Gandhinagar. The nonagenarian had recently tested positive for Covid-19 but had recovered. The BJP veteran was Gujarat’s chief minister in 1995 when the party came to power for the first time and again during 1998-2001. Prime Minister Narendra Modi succeeded him as Gujarat chief minister in October 2001. As news of his demise became public, condolences began pouring in from top functionaries and leaders, including the President of India Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

E) Vizag gas leak: Supreme Court defers NGT proceedings, asks LG Polymers to file response in 10 days. 

The Supreme Court on 29 October has deferred the National Green Tribunal (NGT) proceedings indefinitely, and ordered LG Polymers to file its response to a Joint Monitoring Committee report that had highlighted many lacunae in the functioning of its Visakhapatnam plant prior to a gas leak on May 7 that left 12 dead and several injured. A Bench led by Justice U.U. Lalit gave LG Polymers 10 days’ time as a last opportunity to file its objections to the report, which was uploaded on the NGT website on May 23. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said the company could not file its response to the report after June 1 due to several unexpected reasons. They are willing to defer the hearing for you to file the objections to the report, Justice Lalit told Rohatgi said. The Bench scheduled a hearing for November 16. On June 15, the Supreme Court had stayed an NGT order of June 1 directing LG Polymers to pay ₹50 crore for the restoration of environment and payment of interim compensation to victims of the gas leak. In its June 1 order, the tribunal had also directed the framing of a restoration plan, final quantification of the compensation to be paid to victims, and action against officials responsible for allowing the company to function without statutory clearances. All of these directions were stayed by the Supreme Court.

F) Kejriwal launches app where citizens can upload images of polluting activities.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on 29 October has launched the ‘Green Delhi’ mobile application, using which citizens can bring pollution-causing activities to the government’s notice. The Chief Minister said the government wants to involve everyone in the fight against pollution as no big change can take place without the support of the people. He said citizens can click pictures or make a video of pollution-causing activities, such as burning of garbage, industrial pollution, dust, etc. and upload them on the application. The application will identify the location and the complaint will be automatically forwarded to the concerned department for time-bound redressal, he said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A) Three dead as woman beheaded in knife attack at French church. 

A knife-wielding attacker shouting “Allahu Akbar” beheaded a woman and killed two other people in a suspected terrorist attack at a church in the French city of Nice on 29 October. Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, who described the attack as terrorism, said on Twitter it had happened in or near the city’s Notre Dame church and that police have detained the attacker. Estrosi said the attacker had shouted the phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’, or ‘God is greatest’. One of the people killed inside the church was believed to be the church warden, Estrosi said. The suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained, he is on his way to the hospital, he is alive. The attack comes while France is still reeling from the beheading earlier this month of middle school teacher by a man of Chechen origin. The attacker had said he wanted to punish the teacher for showing pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a civics lesson. It was not immediately clear if the attack was connected to the cartoons, which Muslims consider to be blasphemous. France has raised the security alert for French territory to the highest level after the knife attack, Prime Minister Jean Castex said.

B) U.K.’s Labour party suspends Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism failings. 

Britain’s Opposition Labour party suspended its former leader Jeremy Corbyn on October 29 for seeking to deflect blame away from himself after a report found that under his leadership the party was responsible for unlawful harassment and discrimination. Corbyn’s successor, Keir Starmer, apologised and said the Labour was facing a “day of shame” after the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found serious failings in how the party had dealt with allegations of anti-Semitism within its ranks. Corbyn’s tenure was marred by persistent complaints of anti-Semitism in the party and criticism of the leader’s response. He was suspended after saying he did not accept all the report’s findings, that his attempts at reforming complaints processes had been stalled by obstructive party bureaucracy, and that the scale of the problem had been overstated for political reasons. In light of his comments made and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation, the Labour party said in a statement. The party added it had removed the Labour whip from Corbyn, meaning that the former leader will no longer be able to take part in House of Commons votes as a Labour lawmaker.

C) Pakistan Minister admits Islamabad’s role in Pulwama terror attack. 

In a sensational admission, a senior Pakistani Minister on 29 October has admitted that Pakistan was responsible for the Pulwama terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 that killed 40 CRPF personnel and brought the two countries to the brink of war. Humne Hindustan ko ghus ke maara (We hit India in their home). Our success in Pulwama, is a success of this nation under the leadership of Imran Khan. You and us are all part of that success, Science & Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in the National Assembly during a debate. Chaudhry, a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan, made the remarks a day after Opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in an important meeting, had pleaded for the immediate release of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27, 2019 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets. Chaudhry, who was the information and broadcasting minister at the time of the Pulwama attack, criticised Sadiq’s remarks and termed them as inappropriate. The international community led by the U.S. has pressed Pakistan to deny safe haven to terror groups operating from its soil and bring the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack to justice.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
29 October 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Bihar elections: Phase I peaceful, over 50% turnout till 6 pm. 

The first of the 3-phase Bihar Assembly elections on 28 October in 71 constituencies across 16 districts ended peacefully amid reports of clashes between supporters of two parties in Shahpur, Kaimur and Gaya and EVMs not working properly in some places. Though the election took place amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the polling percentage was more than 50% till 6 p.m. The second phase of polling for 94 seats will be held on November 3, while the third one will happen on November 7 for 78 seats. Counting of votes will be done on November 10.

B) In poll rallies, Modi invokes Ram temple, Rahul says can’t compete with PM in lying. 

On 28 October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking at three different public meetings for the second phase of the Bihar assembly elections, invoked the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya and attacked Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and chief ministerial face of the ‘mahagathbandan’, Tejashwi Yadav, by referring to him as jungle raj ka yuvraj [crown prince of the rule of lawlessness]. At a public meeting in Darbhanga, Modi said, this is the land of maa Janki [mother Sita] and after decades of struggle, Ram temple construction has started in Ayodhya now… those political people who were earlier asking for dates [of temple construction] too are now applauding the construction. At public meetings in Muzaffarpur and Patna, Modi said that beware of this jungle raj ka yuvraj as they [RJD] have the copyright of kidnappings. Can anything be expected from the ‘yuvraj’ of ‘jungle raj’? Their track record is there to be evaluated and people of Bihar know about it better than me. Meanwhile, on the same day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at public meetings in West Champaran and Darbhanga districts.

C) NIA raids Kashmir daily’s office, searches homes of activists, journalist. 

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 28 October carried out multiple raids in Kashmir, including at the main office of widely circulated daily Greater Kashmir and the house of human rights activist Khurram Parvez. Raids were conducted at 10 locations, including nine in Srinagar and one in Bandipora. Besides the newspaper office and the house of the activist, NIA teams also visited the offices of two NGOs in Hyderpora and Nawakadal, and the houses of a journalist, a houseboat owner, and a Hurriyat activist. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and ex-Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the raids. The NIA raids on human rights activist Parvez and the Greater Kashmir office in Srinagar is yet another example of the government of India’s vicious crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent. Sadly, the NIA has become BJP’s pet agency to intimidate and browbeat those who refuse to fall in line, Mufti tweeted. Kashmir Times editor Anuradha Bhasin said the raids on the Greater Kashmir office and Parvez’s house are attempts to impose silence even on our whispers. This comes a day after the disempowering land laws. Can this be just a coincidence? she tweeted.

D) Waqf Board seeks implementation of Place of Worship Act amid calls to reclaim mosques in Kashi, Mathura. 

Expressing concern over Kashi and Mathura shrines being dragged into legal dispute a year after the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict, the Sunni Central Waqf Board has sought strict implementation of the Places of Worship Act. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 provides for maintaining the religious character of holy structures as it existed on August 15, 1947. A plea filed by a Hindu organization in June had challenged Section 4 of the law in a bid to open the litigation route to reclaim disputed religious sites other than the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. The Vishwa Bhadra Pujari Purohit Mahasangh’s plea assumes significance in the case of Kashi and Mathura where two disputed mosques stand.

E) Govt gets notice after saying it has no information on Aarogya Setu creator. 

The Central Information Commission (CIC) on 28 October has issued a notice to the government for providing an evasive response to an RTI application related to Aarogya Setu, the contact tracing app that has data of crores of users. The show-cause notices were issued to Central Public Information Officers of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), National Informatics Centre (NIC) and National E-Governance Division (NeGD) after the agencies failed to give information on the process of creating the Aarogya Setu app, files relating to the creation, and audit measures to check for misuse of personal data of users. The complaint filed by Saurav Das said that the CPIO, NeGD, and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology did not provide any information. “The CPIO NIC also should explain that when in the website it is mentioned that Aarogya Setu Platform is designed, developed and hosted by National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, then how is it that they do not have any information about creation of the app. Following the CIC notice, the government clarified that the app was created by the NIC and MeitY along with a private partnership.

F) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments. 

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 80,36,224 with the death toll at 1,20,616.  Reuters is reporting some very positive news regarding a vaccine. A vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford produces an immune response in both young and old adults, British drug maker AstraZeneca Plc, which is helping manufacture the vaccine, said 28 October. It is encouraging to see that immunogenicity responses were similar between older and younger adults and that reactogenicity was lower in older adults, where the Covid-19 disease severity is higher, an AstraZeneca spokesman said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) Boundary issue with India is ‘bilateral’, China tells Mike Pompeo. 

Accusing the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of repeating old lies and violating the norms of international relations for his comments in New Delhi, China said that the boundary question is a bilateral matter between China and India and there is no space for a third party to intervene. The strong statement from the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi followed Pompeo’s remarks at Tuesday’s 2+2 ministerial dialogue, which he had attended along with Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Pompeo had said that the U.S. will stand with the people of India as they face threats to their sovereignty and their liberty. He also hit out at the Communist Party of China (CPC), saying it was no friend to democracy, the rule of law, transparency, nor to freedom of navigation, the foundation of a free and open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The Chinese Embassy statement accused the U.S. of looking to stir up confrontation among different groups and blocs and to stoke geopolitical competition. China has been advocating that the development of bilateral relations between countries should be conducive to regional peace, stability and development, and not infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of a third party. The boundary question is a bilateral matter between China and India. The two sides have been discussing disengagement and de-escalation in the border areas through diplomatic and military channels. China and India have the wisdom and ability to handle their differences properly. There’s no space for a third party to intervene.

B) Parliamentary panel raps Twitter for showing Ladakh as part of China. 

A parliamentary committee on 28 October came down heavily on Twitter for showing Ladakh as part of China, saying it amounted to treason and an explanation must be tendered by the U.S.-based parent of the social media platform in the form of an affidavit. Appearing before the Joint Committee of Parliament on Data Protection Bill, chaired by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, representatives of Twitter India begged apology, but they were told by the members that it was a criminal offence that questioned the sovereignty of the country and an affidavit must be submitted by Twitter Inc., not by its ‘marketing arm’ Twitter India. They were questioned for more than two hours by the panel members, mainly on Ladakh being shown as part of China on the Twitter app. The committee was of the unanimous opinion that Twitter’s explanation on showing Ladakh as part of China was inadequate. The Twitter representatives told the panel that the social media company respects the sensitivities of India. It is not a question of sensitivities only, it is a matter of India’s sovereignty and integrity, and showing Ladakh as part of China amounts to criminal offence which attracts imprisonment of seven years. Officials who deposed before the panel on behalf of Twitter India included Shagufta Kamran, senior manager, public policy, Ayushi Kapoor, legal counsel, Pallavi Walia, policy communications, and Manvinder Bali, corporate security.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
28 October 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Ankhi Das, Facebook’s public policy head in India, resigns.

Facebook’s India public policy head Ankhi Das, whose name cropped up prominently in the controversy over alleged bias in the blocking of hate content on the social media platform, has quit the company. Ankhi has decided to step down from her role in facebook to pursue her interest in public service. Ankhi was one of our earliest employees in India and played an instrumental role in the growth of the company and its services over the last 9 years, Ajit Mohan, Managing Director India of Facebook, said in an e-mailed statement. Das’s resignation comes days after she, along with Mohan, appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Data Protection and faced some tough questions. Facebook India has also been questioned by its own employees over its practices in regulation of political content and hate speech.

B) Hathras gang rape: Supreme Court asks Allahabad HC to monitor CBI probe.

The Supreme Court on 27 October has left it to the Allahabad High Court to monitor the CBI investigation into the alleged gang rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl by 4 upper-caste accused persons in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. A 3-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, in a 16-page verdict, concluded that there was no need to divest the Lucknow Bench of the High Court of the case. The CBI has to report to the High Court about its progress. The High Court has adequately delved into the aspects relating to the case to secure fair investigation and has also secured the presence of the father, mother, brother and sister-in-law of the victim and appropriate orders are being passed, including securing reports from various quarters. In that circumstance, we do not find it necessary to divest the High Court of the proceedings and take it upon this Court to monitor the proceedings/investigation, the judgment said. The court, moreover, said since the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the High Court, it would be appropriate for the High Court to monitor the probe in the manner in which it would desire.

C) Centre notifies J&K land law, omits ‘permanent resident’ as criterion.

The Centre has notified new laws, including fresh land laws, for the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir and omitted any precondition on purchase of land in J&K, as had existed under Article 370, for individuals who are not from J&K. The omission, in the gazette notification, of the phrase permanent resident of the state from Section 17 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act that deals with disposal of the land in the union territory, has thrown the door open for outsiders to buy land in the UT. The fresh notifications underlined that the government may, on the written request of an Army officer not below the rank of Corps Commander, declare an area as Strategic Area within a local area, for direct operational and training requirements of armed forces. The government may allow transfer of land in favour of a person or an institution for the purpose of promotion of healthcare or senior secondary or higher or specialised education in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

D) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments.

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 79,81,954 with the death toll at 1,19,996. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)on 27 October said that the guidelines for reopening issued last month, permitting cinema halls, entertainment parks and swimming pools for sports persons to open, will continue to be applicable till November 30 in areas outside the containment zones. The guidelines issued on September 30 were to be in force till October 31. The lockdown shall continue to be implemented strictly in the containment zones during the period, the MHA said. The essence behind graded reopening and progressive resumption of activities is to move ahead. However, it does not mean the end of the pandemic. There is need to exercise abundant caution by adopting Covid-19-appropriate behaviour by every citizen in their daily routine, the MHA order said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) India, U.S. ink landmark defence pact.

India and the U.S. on October 27 inked a landmark defence agreement that will allow sharing of high-end military technology, classified satellite data, and critical information between the two countries. The signing of the long-negotiated Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) during the third edition of the ‘2+2’ dialogue between the two strategic partners also signals further boosting of bilateral defence and military ties. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark T. Esper. Both sides were assisted by their top military and security officials. The United States will support the Indian people defend sovereignty and liberty against threats, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said, following the conclusion of the pact, which comes in the backdrop of India’s tense border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. Pompeo also attacked the Chinese Communist Party and said it is not a friend of rule of law and democracy. The inking of the BECA completes the finalisation of four key pacts that were identified as crucial to significantly expand the strategic ties between the 2 countries.

B) Hero MotoCorp and Harley Davidson to partner for Indian market. 

Hero MotoCorp on 27 October said that it has entered into a distribution and licensing agreement with American motorcycle maker Harley Davidson to develop and sell a range of premium motorcycles under the Harley Davidson brand name. The announcement comes almost a month after Harley-Davidson Inc. announced that it will discontinue sales and manufacturing operations in India as part of a global strategic restructuring plan. The announcement comes almost a month after Harley-Davidson Inc. announced that it will discontinue sales and manufacturing operations in the country. The announcement comes almost a month after Harley-Davidson Inc. announced that it will discontinue sales and manufacturing operations in the country. As per a distribution agreement, Hero MotoCorp will sell and service Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and sell parts & accessories and general merchandise riding gear and apparel through a network of brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers and Hero’s existing dealership network in India, Hero MotoCorp said in a statement.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
27 October 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Supreme Court puts on hold panel to look into stubble burning.

The Supreme Court on 26 October has decided to keep in abeyance its pre-Dussehra order appointing former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur to a one-man committee to monitor/prevent stubble-burning in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. The decision to put on hold its October 16 order came soon after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde that the Centre had proposed a legislation to tackle the problem which occurs annually and chokes the Capital. Mr. Mehta said the new law may come out in the next few days that proposed to have a permanent body to deal with stubble-burning. Having regard to the statement made, we consider it appropriate that the measures adopted in the order of October 16 be kept in abeyance until further orders. On October 16, the court asked Justice Lokur with the help of student volunteer forces deployed from the National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme and Bharat Scouts and Guides to protect Delhi NCR from air pollution caused by stubble-burning in neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh this winter. The court had said the student forces could patrol highways and fields in the three States and ensure that no fires were started in the fields. It asked the Chief Secretaries of the 3 States to provide facilities to the committee and provide student volunteers with adequate transportation to aid their vigil. It also directed the existing mobile teams and nodal officers of the States to report to the committee.

B) Polio networks to play crucial role in Covid vaccine distribution: WHO

In the coming months polio networks, with their vast knowledge on vaccination and tools and strategies tailored to reach the unreached and the most vulnerable, could play a critical role for COVID-19 vaccination roll out, indicated Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director WHO South-East Asia. Dr Singh also cited U.P. as an example of applying strategies from polio eradication programmes, to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Stating that the polio-network has been effectively used in south-east Asia region during the pandemic, she said that wiithin weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak, the integrated surveillance and immunization networks in 5 polio priority countries of the region were re-purposed to support preparedness and response. Working among the most vulnerable population and areas, these networks are helping health authorities to detect, test, track, isolate and even prepare hospitals to provide adequate and timely treatment.

C) Slow Durga Puja in Kolkata following High Court order. 

Durga Puja 2020 has turned out to be rather slow event in Kolkata this year. Except a handful of places in south Kolkata, such as Ekdalia, where people still showed up in large numbers, pandals and roads across the city remained mostly deserted throughout the five days of Durga Puja. Those visiting friends and relatives could easily drive from one part of the city to another something unthinkable in normal times. It was obvious that the city, by and large, abided by the Calcutta High Court order, which had declared pandals as no-entry zones for the general public. Prime Minister Narendra vModi’s address to the nation, asking people to exercise caution, and repeated appeals by doctors, also appear to have worked.

D) Covid watch – Numbers and Developments.

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stands at 79,39,228 with the death toll at 1,19,438. Reuter’s is reporting some very positive news regarding a vaccine. A vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford, produces an immune response in both young and old adults, British drug maker AstraZeneca Plc, which is helping manufacture the vaccine. It is encouraging to see immunogenicity responses were similar between older and younger adults and that reactogenicity was lower in older adults, where the COVID-19 disease severity is higher, an AstraZeneca spokesman said.

In Brief:

Curtain came down on October 26 over campaign for 71 Assembly segments of Bihar which go to polls on October 28, in the first phase of elections. Leading the NDA charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew down to address as many as three rallies where he urged the voters to vote Chief Minister Nitish Kumar back to power. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, whose party is contesting the elections in alliance with Lalu Prasads RJD and three Left parties, also chipped in with two rallies.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) India to sign geo-spatial agreement with U.S. in 2+2 dialogue. 

India is likely to sign the last foundational agreement with the U.S., Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial cooperation (BECA), at the 2+2 ministerial dialogue on 26 October. The foundational agreement BECA was set to be signed, said the source. A maritime information agreement was also under discussion between India and the U.S. India already has such agreement with other Quad countries, Australia and Japan. In the run-up to the 2+2 the U.S. was keen on India signing the BECA and discussions continued to iron out the differences. A U.S. State department official said in Washington on Saturday that the talks would focus on four themes — regional security cooperation, defence information sharing, military-to-military interactions, and defence trade. The official said both sides had made “significant progress” towards concluding the last foundational defence enabling agreement, BECA. This agreement will allow for expanded geo-spatial information sharing between our armed forces. They are also seeking to expand secure communication capabilities between our respective militaries as well as between their foreign and defence ministries, and that too figures prominently on what they are trying to accomplish in the information-sharing space.

B) Turkey’s Erdogan calls for boycott of French goods.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 26 called on Turks to boycott French goods, as relations between the NATO allies deteriorated over Paris’s hardened stance against radical Islam. As it has been said in France, don’t buy Turkish-labelled goods, he call on my people here. Never give credit to French-labelled goods, don’t buy them, Mr. Erdogan said during a televised speech in Ankara. Boycotts of French goods are under way in supermarkets in Qatar and Kuwait, with further calls to spurn French products in Jordan and other states. Mr. Erdogan’s comments follow his call at the weekend for French President Emmanuel Macron to undergo mental checks, which led to Paris recalling its envoy to Ankara.

C) Air strike in Syria leaves more than 50 dead.

An airstrike on a rebel training camp in northwestern Syria on Monday killed more than 50 Turkish-backed fighters and wounded nearly as many, a Syrian opposition spokesman and a war monitor said. The airstrike in the northwestern part of Idlib province, the last rebel enclave in Syria, targeted a military training camp for Failaq al-Sham, one of the largest Turkish-backed opposition groups in Syria, said Youssef Hammoud, a spokesman for the groups. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, gave a higher toll, at 78 fighters dead and nearly 90 wounded. Rescue missions were still underway, the Observatory said. It said it also suspected the airstrike was carried out by Russia, which is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country’s civil war.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
26 October 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Loan moratorium: Centre informs Supreme Court it will repay additional interest by November 5.

The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that the difference in the compound interest and simple interest charged for 6 months of moratorium period on 8 categories of loans worth up to ₹2 crore will be paid back to borrowers by November 5, 2020. The scheme is meant to bring additional relief to borrowers affected by the pandemic-induced financial distress. The Central Government has directed that all lending institutions shall give effect to the scheme and credit the amount calculated as per the scheme into the accounts of the borrowers by November 5. All lending institutions will credit the difference between compound interest and simple interest on loans in the respective accounts of eligible borrowers for the period between March 1 and August 31, the affidavit said. The amount shall be credited by each of the lending institutions irrespective of whether such eligible borrowers have fully availed or partially availed or have not availed of the moratorium/deferment in payment of installments as par the circulars dated March 27 and May 23 issued by the RBI. In the last hearing on October 14, a 3-Judge Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan had questioned the government’s need to wait a whole month, till November 15, to notify the implementation of a scheme for waiving the compound interest (interest on interest) accumulated during moratorium against loans worth up to ₹ 2 crore.

B) PM has ‘decided’ date of war with China Pakistan: U.P. BJP chief.

In a controversial remark, BJP’s Uttar Pradesh chief Swatantra Dev Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided when the country would be at war with Pakistan and China. His remarks on Friday came amid tension at the Line of Actual Control between India and China, where the two countries have massed troops. The BJP leader linked his claim to the beginning of construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya following a Supreme Court judgment, and the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. Like the decisions on Ram Mandir and Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided when there would be war with Pakistan and China, he is heard saying in a video clip on social media. Mr. Singh was speaking at an event at the home of BJP MLA Sanjay Yadav, who released the video. In his address, Mr. Singh compared Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party workers with terrorists . When asked about the remarks, local MP Ravindra Kushwaha said the the UP BJP president made them to boost the morale of party workers.

C) Want tension to end, but won’t cede an inch: Rajnath Singh.

Meanwhile, striking a more traditional tone, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India wants an end to the ongoing standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh, but Indian soldiers will not allow even an inch of the country to be taken away by anyone. India wants an end to the ongoing border tension with China and restoration of peace. This is their objective. But at times, some nefarious incidents keep happening. He is very confident that their soldiers will never allow even an inch of their land to be taken away by anyone. Defense Minister made the remarks after performing Shastra Puja, the customary worship of weapons at the Sukna-based headquarters of the Indian Army’s 33 Corps in Darjeeling district of West Bengal on the occasion of Dussehra. Defence Minister made the remarks after performing Shastra Puja, the customary worship of weapons at the Sukna-based headquarters of the Indian Army’s 33 Corps in Darjeeling district of West Bengal on the occasion of Dussehra. He can say with confidence and on the basis of concrete information that the courage and deeds of Indian soldiers during whatever has happened at the India-China border in Ladakh recently will be written in golden letters by historians. Mr. Singh was accompanied on the visit by Army Chief Gen Manoj Naravane and after the puja, he inaugurated a road in Sikkim built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) through video-conference. The 19.85 Km alternate alignment of the National Highway 310 was necessitated due to the previous alignment having seen extensive damages due to sinking and other natural hazards, Defence Ministry said in a statement.

D) RBI Governor tests positive for Covid-19.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das on October 25 said that he has been tested positive for COVID-19 and will continue to work from isolation. Mr. Das said that he is asymptomatic and has alerted those who came in contact with him in recent days. He had tested COVID-19 positive and is asymptomatic. Feeling very much alright. Have alerted those who came in contact in recent days. Will continue to work from isolation. Work in RBI will go on normally. He is in touch with all Dy. Govs and other officers through VC and telephone. Currently, the RBI has full strength of four Deputy Governors B.P. Kanungo, M.K. Jain, M.D. Patra and M. Rajeshwar Rao. The RBI Governor was quite active during the lockdown period and post unlock period to keep the economy and financial market in good shape. Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Agriculture R. Doraikannu, who tested positive for Covid-19 on October 13, remains critical on ventilator and Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support at Kauvery Hospital. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, accompanied by ministers D. Jayakumar and C. Vijaya Baskar, visited the hospital on Sunday to enquire about his health condition and interacted with his family members.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) Vice President of U.S. tested positive for covid19. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff tested positive for Covid-19 on 24 October, a spokesman said, the latest in a list of figures connected to Donald Trump’s administration to do so. Marc Short began quarantine and was assisting in the contract tracing process, Pence spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement. Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence both tested negative for Covid-19 today, and remain in good health. Pence, who has been campaigning ahead of the November 3 election, will maintain his current schedule in consultation with White House doctors, said the spokesman.

SPORTS NEWS

A) Finally CSK shows their potential and won match against RCB. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings celebrates his fifty during the Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on October 25, 2020.  Chennai Super Kings finally displayed the much-needed intent, keeping themselves just mathematically alive with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday. Young Ruturaj Gaikwad (65 not out off 51 balls) showed his potential with a maiden fifty but skipper Dhoni wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that it came too late in the day when the ‘Yellow Brigade’ is all but out of the play-off reckoning.

B) ‘Carbine deal a benchmark for UAE firms to invest in India’

The deal for 93,895 Close Quarter Carbines (CQBs) for the Indian Army, for which United Arab Emirates (UAEYs government-owned small arms manufacturer Caracal was shortlisted, is like a “benchmark” for UAE industry and they are watching closely on further investments in the Indian market, said Hamad Salem Alameri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Caracal. Once this first contract moves, a lot of sister companies within the group will see this as a success story and people will have the confidence to come and invest in India. However, while Caracal was shortlisted 2 years back, the final deal has been delayed and recently an in principle decision was taken in the Defence Ministry to cancel the deal and take the domestic route for procurement. But no formal announcement has been made so far. Nothing came to them officially on the cancellation or on the intent of cancellation. He said that in the last 2 years, Caracal had developed lot of suppliers and technology partners and the Starting point Of indigenization will be 60%. Stating that Caracal has already identified four locations to set up the facility and also identified local partners to be able to commence production immediately, Mr. Alameri said India is already part of their global supply chain and over 20% of the components fitted on the CAR 816 are already made in India. The deals for 72,400 assault rifles and 93,895 carbines were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council in January 2018 to be processed through the fast track route.