Tag: latest Current Affairs

CURRENT AFFAIRS
12 August 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) 4G internet on a trial basis in two districts of J&K after August 15.

Attorney-General K.K. Venugopal informed the Supreme Court on 11 August that high-speed 4G Internet access will be opened up after Independence Day on August 15 in one district each, of Jammu and Kashmir’s divisions. The Centre said that a blanket removal of the 4G ban was not possible now, considering the “overall situation” and “threat perception” to national, border, and local security. Appearing in front of a three-judge Bench led by Justice N.V. Ramana, Venugopal read out an additional affidavit which stated that the “carefully calibrated” opening up of 4G access will be on a trial basis. The access will be limited to specified areas that are not adjacent to the international border and have not seen low-intensity terrorist activities. The access will be strictly monitored to protect national, border, and local security. The decision is based on recommendations made by a Supreme Court-constituted special committee headed by Union Home Secretary A.K. Bhalla, which met on August 10. The committee will review the situation every week and meet again after 2 months.

B) Urdu poet and lyricist Rahat Indori passes away.

Renowned Urdu poet Rahat Indori, who was being treated for Covid-19, died of a heart attack at the Aurobindo Hospital in Indore. He was 70 years old and had been admitted to the hospital earlier in the day. On the morning of 11 August, he had tweeted that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and that he would keep everyone updated through social media. After initial symptoms of Covid-19, his corona test was done on 10 August which came out positive. With a body of poetical works spanning half a century, Indori was known for the lyrics of songs such as “M Bole to” from Munnabhai MBBS (2003), and “Neend Churai Meri” from Ishq (1997). Earlier this year, his poem “Bulati hai Magar jane ka nahi” went viral on social media, especially among the young.

C) Daughters will also have equal coparcenary rights in joint Hindu family property: SC

The Supreme Court by holding that daughter cannot be deprived of their right to equality ruled on 11 August that the daughters will also have equal coparcenary rights in the joint Hindu family property. They will exercise this right even if the father had died before the passing of the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005. Coparcener is a term used for a person who assumes a legal right in the parental property by birth only. A three-judge Bench of Justices Arun Mishra, S. Nazeer, and M.R. Shah said that the provisions which were contained in the substituted Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 provide daughter the status of a coparcener who were born before or after the amendment as a son along with same rights and liabilities.

D) Textile Ministry in downsizing mode.

In the last few weeks, the biggest push for the government’s vision of ‘minimum government and maximum governance’, a campaign slogan dating back to 2014, has been coming from the Textiles Ministry. The Ministry on 11 August abolished 5 advisory boards and withdrew officers from industry bodies. It is planning to withdraw its representatives from export promotion councils and is also shutting down two public sector undertakings (PSUs) as part of a rationalization exercise. The Ministry wound up the All-India Handloom Board on July 27; the All-India Handicrafts Board and the Cotton Advisory Board on August 3; and the All-India Powerloom Board and the Jute Advisory Board on August 4.

E) COVID Watch: Numbers and Developments.

The number of coronavirus cases reported from India stood at 23,23,036 with the death toll at 46,156. India on Tuesday recorded 53,601 new cases. The health of former President Pranab Mukherjee, who recently tested positive for Covid-19, has worsened. He continues to be on ventilator support following an emergency life-saving surgery for a brain clot in the Army’s Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital. He was admitted to R&R hospital on 10 August in a critical condition. The former president who underwent life-saving emergency surgery for brain clots on August 10 has not shown any improvement and his health status has worsened. He remains on ventilator support, the Hospital said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) Russia registers its Covid-19 vaccine.

0n 11 August, Russia became the first country in the world to officially register said vaccine candidate, despite widespread skepticism from the international scientific community. President Vladimir Putin has even said that one of his daughters has already been inoculated. Putin emphasized that the vaccine underwent the necessary tests and has proved to be effective, offering lasting immunity from the coronavirus. However, it turns out that Phase 3 trials of the vaccine, which normally last for months and involve thousands of people, are yet to be conducted. He said that while Covid-19 has put the entire scientific and medical community on an accelerated track to finding solutions, vaccine development traditionally takes several years of testing before any candidate is marketed as safe to use by the general population.

B) Trump leaves media event after a man is shot near the White House.

U.S. President Donald Trump was on 10 August came out of a news conference after Secret Service agents wounded and shot a person who was claiming to be an armed person outside the White House. According to the U.S. Secret Service, a 51-year-old man approached an officer, told him he had weapons and assumed a “shooter stance”, whereupon the officer shot him in the torso. At Trump’s briefing, an agent walked on stage as Trump was speaking and led him away.

C) China extends the Hong Kong council’s term.

Chinese lawmakers have extended the term of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council by at least a year in order to deal with the vacuum left by postponing the city’s elections. Hong Kong’s leader said in late July that local elections planned for September would be postponed because coronavirus cases had surged in the international finance hub, a move which infuriated democracy supporters and drew concern from Western governments. The city’s Legislative Council, known as LegCo, will continue to perform its duties for no less than one year until the term of the next council begins, reported Chinese state broadcaster CCTV  although the fate of four opposition lawmakers barred from seeking re-election remains unclear. However, the resolution did not mention how the 70 incumbent lawmakers would be handled, including four disqualified from running for re-election last month. LegCo president Andrew Leung added that the disqualification of the four lawmakers would apply to the next term, not the extended one.

D) Indian, Afghan officials discuss Loya Jirga.

Indian and Afghan officials in Delhi and Kabul discussed the outcome of the Loya Jirga, or grand assembly, in Afghanistan that advised the release of 400 Taliban militants convicted of serious crimes. According to officials, the two sides discussed the likelihood of intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha, Qatar, which have been put off to next week, as well as the hopes for a permanent ceasefire, in a briefing two days after the Jirga’s decision. The intra-Afghan talks could now take place on August 16-17 in Doha, once President Ghani’s government releases all the men, bringing the total number of Taliban fighters released to about 5,500. It is hoped that the release of the Taliban prisoners will include those demanded in exchange for the release of the Indian hostage, who was an employee at a power plant project run by Indian engineering company KEC. He was abducted at gunpoint by Taliban militants in Afghanistan’s Baglan province two years ago.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
11 August 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

A) Javadekar calls EIA criticism ‘needless protest’

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on 10 August said that some critics of the proposed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA 2020) notification was indulging in needless protest. On the sidelines of an event organized by the Ministry to commemorate World Elephant Day (August 12), he said that how can a draft notification be protested? It’s still a draft. They received several suggestions after soliciting comments for nearly 150 days as opposed to the norm of 60 days. They will consider these and after that, a final notification will be prepared. Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor, have condemned several aspects of the draft notification and former party president Rahul Gandhi said that the draft notification’s aim was a clear loot of the nation and that it was another terrible example of what the BJP government has been doing for the ‘friends’ of the suit-boot who had robbed the resources of the country.

B) UGC objects to state governments invoking National Disaster Act.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on 10 August strongly objected to Maharashtra and Delhi governments employing the Disaster Management Act to cancel the examinations of students amid the Covid-19 pandemic, by saying that sooner the issue is resolved the better is for the students. Appearing before a Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the conduct of examinations was entirely within the domain of the UGC, a statutory body. The law officer said the States could not go on and cancel examinations on their own. The UGC had specific guidelines and procedures for conducting them. The court then decided to hear detailed arguments on Friday.

C) COVID Watch: Numbers and Developments.

The number of coronavirus cases reported from India stood at 22,53,673 with the death toll at 45,151. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tested negative for the coronavirus and was discharged from Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, where he had been admitted on August 2. Meanwhile, former President Pranab Mukherjee on 10 August said on Twitter that he had tested positive for Covid-19 during a regular hospital visit. He had been admitted to the Army’s Research and Referral hospital in Delhi and his condition was stable.

D) SC will hear on ‘merits’ contempt case on Bhushan’s decade-old remarks in Tehelka.

On 10 August, the Supreme Court has decided to hear on merits whether remarks made by noted civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan on judicial “corruption” in a Tehelka interview in 2009 amounted to “per se contempt”. A Bench led by Justice Arun Mishra listed the case for hearing on August 17. Bhushan, his father, and senior advocate Shanti Bhushan, and their lawyer, Rajeev Dhavan were visible on the screen showing the pronouncement of the interim decision of the virtual court. On August 4, after an almost day-long hearing held away from the public eye, the Bench had said it would hear the case if “we do not accept the explanation/apology” of Bhushan.

E) When the postman acts as a human ATM

The postal department’s new service of delivering money home with the postman acting as a human ATM has turned out to be a big hit countrywide, with more than one lakh transactions being recorded across India on a daily basis. The service began shortly before the COVID-19-linked lockdown was imposed in late March. But back then the number of transactions was low. Its demand soared in the following weeks when people were stranded home but needed cash to buy essentials. This free service allows people to withdraw through the postman up to ₹10,000 at a time from any of their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The postman carries a portable biometric device to match fingerprints. All a person needs to do is to use the Post info app or simply call the local post office or spot the postman. .Every postman typically carries ₹ 50,000-₹60,000 in cash and in case he has run out of money, he can deliver the following day. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu are among the States where this service has turned out to be most popular, with more and more of the elderly and people living in rural areas availing of it.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) India’s imports from China rise in June and July. 

India’s imports from China have risen to $5.6 billion in July, climbing for the second straight month, although imports are still down by 24% from 2019. India’s imports from China had fallen to a record low of $3.2 billion both in April and May, coinciding with India’s lockdown on account of the pandemic. Imports rose to $4.8 billion in June and further to $5.6 billion in July, almost back to the pre-lockdown level of $5.8 billion reported in March, in part, economists said, driven by Chinese exports of medical supplies. Two-way trade, at $43.37 billion, continues to be heavily tilted in China’s favor, with India’s exports, up 6.7% year-on-year, accounting for $11 billion. The slump in China’s exports to India contrasts with its recovery overall. The GAC’s figures showed China’s exports overall rose 7.2% in July while imports fell 1.4% year-on-year. China posted a trade surplus of $62.33 billion, surpassing the $42 billion estimate given by economists to Reuters. A jump in the export of medical supplies was seen by economists as one reason.

B) China slaps sanctions on U.S. Senators

On 10 August, China sanctioned 11 Americans, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, in retaliation for similar U.S. moves prompted by Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong. Washington last week accused 11 officials of suppressing “freedom and democratic processes” in Hong Kong, including city leader Carrie Lam, and announced plans to freeze their U.S. assets. It was the toughest U.S. action yet in response to Beijing’s introduction of a sweeping and controversial new national security law for the territory. Beijing said the measure was a violation of international law and “grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs”.

C) Taliban agrees to begin talks ‘within a week’

Afghan peace talks are expected to begin within days after authorities announced on August 10 that they would soon start releasing hundreds of Taliban prisoners accused of brutal attacks. The government of Afghan will start releasing the 400 Taliban prisoners within 2 days. This was informed on 10 August by the spokesman of the National Security Council Javid Faisal. This prisoner exchange was a key part of a deal signed by the Taliban and the U.S. in the month of February. According to this deal,  Washington agreed to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan and in return, the government has to hold peace talks with the Kabul government.

D) U.S. official lauds Taiwan’s success against the virus.

A U.S. Cabinet member heaped praise on Taiwan’s democracy and its success in battling COVID-19 as he met the island’s leader on 10 August. The Health Secretary of the U.S. was in Taipei for a 3-day visit which is the highest level visit from the U.S.  since the time it switched diplomatic recognition from the island to China in 1979. On the morning of August 10, Mr. Azar met President Tsai Ing-wen. He told that the response of Taiwan to COVID-19 has the most successful in the world. This is a tribute to the open and transparent democratic nature of the society and culture of Taiwan. Ms. Tsai thanked the United States for supporting their demand to be a part of the World Health Organization (WHO).

CURRENT AFFAIRS
10 August 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Kerala rains: Idukki landslip death toll crosses 40.

With the recovery of 16 more bodies from the landslip-hit estate area of Pettimudy near Rajamala on August 9, the total number of deaths crossed 40. As per the official data 24 more persons are still missing from the accident spot where a major landslip on Thursday buried four estate ‘layams, ( living quarters of estate workers). Despite the adverse climate, including rains and mists hampering the search operation in the hilly terrain, the efforts to drive out water from the area began on 9 August. About 200 members of NDRF were searching the area where three acres of land are completely under the debris.

The access to the earthmovers was difficult as the area was water-logged. A dog squad of the district police also joined the search operation. The sniffer dogs helped in tracing many bodies from the accident area. Drones were also used to search the area and eight bodies were retrieved from the stream which flowed close to the ill-fated layams where the water stream from the landslip joined. Seven earthmovers were engaged in removing the debris to search the area.

B) CISF orders inquiry after DMK MP was asked ‘are you Indian’

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on 9 August ordered an inquiry soon after DMK MP Kanimozhi’s complained that a woman officer of the paramilitary agency at the Chennai airport had asked her if she was Indian for not speaking in Hindi. Soon after she encountered the experience while proceeding to New Delhi, the Thoothukudi MP had tweeted, “Today at the airport a CISF officer asked me if I am an Indian when I asked her to speak to me in Tamil or in English as I did not know Hindi. I would like to know that from when being an Indian is equal to knowing the language Hindi.”

Soon the CISF headquarters responded promising appropriate action. “We sincerely acknowledge your unpleasant experience. Kindly DM journey details; the name of the airport, location, date, and time of the incident for appropriate action in the matter,” the agency said.

C) MoD introduces import embargo for Make in India push.

On 9 August the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) would introduce import embargo on 101 items beyond given timeline to boost indigenization of defense production. The policy change comes in the wake of Chinese transgressions and buildup along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. China has refused to pull back forces from several areas. It massed troops since April-May and has refused to vacate areas along the border that were traditionally patrolled by the Indian Army.

D) Zomato introduces ‘period leaves’ for employees.

Online restaurant guide and food ordering platform Zomato on 8 August said that it is introducing up to 10 days of ‘period leaves’ for all women employees to build a more inclusive work culture in the organization. In a blog post,  the Founder and CEO of Zomato Mr. Deepinder Goyal said that at Zomato, they want to foster a culture of trust, truth, and acceptance. Starting from 9 August, all women (including transgender people) at Zomato can avail up to 10 days of period leaves in a year. They should feel free to tell people on internal groups, or emails that they are on their period leave for the day.

E) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments.

The number of coronavirus cases reported from India stands at 22,11,342 with the death toll at 44,435. India on 9 August recorded 64,399 new cases. The Health Ministry continues to play up positive numbers. The number of recoveries has increased to 14,80,884 with 53,879 coronavirus patients having recovered and discharged in 24-hours, the highest in a single day.  The recovery rate is now 68.78%. The fatality rate has further dropped to 2.01 percent.

F) PM launches the farm Infra scheme. 

On 9 August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched a new financing scheme under the ₹1akh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund meant for setting up storage and processing facilities, which will help farmers get higher prices for their crops. PM Modi launched the scheme via videoconferencing and interacted with farmers across the country. He also released the sixth installment of funds under the PM-KISAN, which amounted to ₹17,000 crores to about 8.5 crore farmers. The first ₹1,000 crores was sanctioned on 9 August to over 2,280 farmer societies under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, which was approved by the Cabinet a month ago.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A) Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the PM of Sri Lanka. 

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 9 August took the oath of office as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, following the ruling party’s landslide victory in the August 5 general election. Mr. Rajapaksa, 74, polled a record-breaking share of preferential votes over five lakh this election, reflecting his popularity in the electorate 50 years after he first entered Parliament. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, at a revered Buddhist temple near Colombo, where his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa administered the oath, after he bowed and took Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s blessings. The inaugural session of the new Parliament is scheduled for August 20.

B) Nepal, India in the war of words over Buddha. 

Nepal is the land of origin of Lord Buddha, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu asserted on Sunday after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described the founder of Buddhism as one of the greatest Indians ever. Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said Mr. Jaishankar’s comments about Lord Buddha were “objectionable”. “It is a well-established and undeniable fact proven by historical and archaeological evidence that Gautama Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal. Lumbini is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites,” said the official spokesperson of the Ministry.

C) Amid pandemic, India & Pak. spar over Indus water talks. 

India has refused a request by Pakistan to hold a meeting on issues around the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) at the Attari check post near the India-Pakistan border. In March India had suggested a virtual conference but Pakistan had insisted on a physical meeting but because of restrictions on movement in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, traveling to the border for a meeting isn’t advisable. The last such meeting between the two countries was in October in Islamabad, and, as per the agreement in the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), a meeting was to be scheduled in India before March 31. India has called for the appointment of a ‘neutral’ party while Pakistan favors a Court of Arbitration to agree upon a final resolution on the design parameters of this hydropower project.

D) U.S. Health Secretary visits Taiwan, angering China.

A senior member of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had visited Taiwan on 9 August for the highest level visit of Washington since switching diplomatic recognition to China in 1979. During the 3 day visit, the Health Secretary will meet the President of Taiwan, Ms. Tsai Ing-wen. He advocates that Taiwan should be recognized as a sovereign nation and is loathed by the leaders of China. The office of Ms. Tsai said that the meeting would take place on the morning of 10 August. The health secretary of the US is the most senior Cabinet member who visits Taiwan in decades. His visit comes as relations between the two biggest economic powers of the world stabbed to historic lows.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
09 August 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Kozhikode crash: Passengers included stranded tourists; many who had lost jobs.

The Air India Express plane from Dubai that crashed in Kozhikode late on 7 August was a repatriation flight operated under Vande Bharat, and those on board were returning after being stranded for several months. There were 10 infants, as well as six crew members on the flight, taking the total to 191. There were many who were forced to return after they lost their jobs, as well as those whose visas had expired. Some were students, while at least two were returning to get married. Air India Express lost two of its pilots, Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe and First Officer Akhilesh Kumar in the crash. The Kerala government has announced ₹10 lakh compensation to the families of those who died in the Air India crash. The medical expenses of those under treatment will be taken over by the state government, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

B) IMA flags death of 196 doctors to PM. 

As of August 7, nearly 200 doctors, the majority of the general practitioners, have lost their lives to Covid-19, according to information released by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Deaths of doctors due to Covid-19 from various States include Tamil Nadu (43 deaths), Maharashtra and Gujarat (23 each), Bihar (19), Karnataka (15), Andhra Pradesh and Delhi (12 each). Of the 196 doctors who lost their lives to the virus, 170 were above the age of 50 years, with general practitioners accounting for around 40% of the deaths. Meanwhile, the number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 21,43,326 with the death toll at 43,387.

C) Stalin writes to PM urging him to stop the implementation of NEP.

DMK President M.K. Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, urging them to halt the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, until the situation is conducive to follow the due process enshrined in the Constitution. His concerns seemed to be primarily two-fold: the erosion of federalism and the return of the three-language formula. Stalin pointed out that the proposed policy threatens the progress made in educational attainment, access, and quality in the country by undermining not just the authority of States but also setting up additional barriers to social justice and equity in our country. He further said that the three-language formula proposed in the new education policy with a compulsory option of Sanskrit at all levels of education cannot be accepted. This move undermines the glory and dignity of Tamil language and is an affront to the feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu. 

D) G.C. Murmu takes charge as a new CAG. 

The Former Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Girish Chandra Murmu took charge as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on 7 August. Murmu was sworn in as the CAG by President Ram Nath Kovind, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a communiqué. A 1985-batch retired IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, Murmu will have a tenure up to November 20, 2024. He replaces Rajiv Mehrishi, who was completing his tenure this week.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) India, China hold Major general-level talks over Depsang.

A meeting between India and China at the Major General-level got underway on 7 August at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO). On the agenda were issues concerning the strategic Depsang plains. The talks began around 11 a.m. and were limited to Depsang to discuss issues of varying claims and also the blocking of patrols by each other. This is the first Major General-level meeting since the stoppage of all established meetings at Colonels, Brigadiers, and Major General level following the violent clash at Galwan on June 15, after which military talks were limited to Corps Commander level.

B) Anti-regime protests rock Beirut. Four days after a huge explosion left at least 158 dead, thousands of Lebanese, furious with their political leaders, have again taken to the streets in protest. An economic crisis and a collapsing currency had triggered massive anti-government protests in October last year. This week, two ministers who attempted to visit badly damaged neighborhoods in recent days were chased out, and police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters who tried to break through a barricade preventing access to the parliament building.

C) China’s ties with the U.S. plunge further. 

On 8 August, China has slammed the U.S. for imposing barbarous sanctions in response to the crackdown of Beijing in Hong Kong. This marks a dramatic week of deteriorating relations between the two biggest economies of the world. In the toughest U.S. action on Hong Kong since China imposed a sweeping new security law on the territory, Washington on 7 August imposed sanctions on a group of Chinese and Hong Kong officials. This was done after President Donald Trump’s decision of banning TikTok and WeChat in the U.S. 

SPORTS NEWS 

A)Woakes, Buttler power England’s win.

A magnificent partnership between Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes propelled England to an unlikely three-wicket win over Pakistan in a topsy-turvy first Test at Old Trafford on 8 August. Woakes joined Buttler at the crease with England having slumped to 117 for five and seemingly sliding to defeat in its pursuit of a daunting 277 on a bowler-friendly pitch. But between them, Buttler and Woakes launched a superb counter-attack to turn the tide of the match towards the host with a sixth-wicket stand worth 139 runs. In a final twist, Buttler was eventually out leg-before for 75 to leg spinner Yasir Shah with England requiring another 21 for victory, thereby reviving Pakistan’s fading hopes. Stuart Broad was also dismissed attempting to knock off the last 4 runs but Woakes finished on 84 not out to see the host home.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
08 August 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

 

A) Air India plane overshoots runway in Kozhikode. 

An Air India Express flight from Dubai skidded off the runway and broke up into two while landing at the Karipur airport in Kozhikode on the night of 7 August. The flight — IX 1344 was landed at the airport at around 7.40 p.m. No fire was reported at the time of landing.  There were 174 passengers, 10 Infants, 2 Pilots, and 5 cabin crew onboard the aircraft. 

B) Kerala landslide claims 11. 

About 11 people were killed and several feared trapped in a major landslip at the Nayamakkad estate in Pettimudi near Munnar, Idukki district, on 7 August. The State Government has dispatched a 50-member team of the Fire and Rescue Services to the region for stepping up rescue operations. In all, 12 people have been rescued so far. While the State Government has requested the Indian Air Force (IAF) for assistance, inclement weather in Idukki would create difficulties for helicopters to operate in the region at the moment. 

C) After the Beirut explosion, alarm bells in TN over a big stock of ammonium nitrate.

Days after a massive explosion caused by stockpiled ammonium nitrate killed over 100 and left thousands injured in Beirut, alarm bells have started ringing over 740 tonnes of the same explosive chemical stored at a container freight station at Manali near Chennai port. The Beirut explosion had been caused by an estimated 2,750-tonne stockpile of ammonium nitrate stored for over six years in a port warehouse. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) acted swiftly, directing the Commissioner of Customs to immediately clear the stash of ammonium nitrate.

D) COVID Watch: Numbers and Developments

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 20,79,484 with the death toll at 42,515. India on Friday recorded 62,538 new cases. The RBI on 6 August set up an expert committee under veteran banker K V Kamath to suggest financial parameters for the resolution of pandemic-related stressed assets. The committee will submit its recommendations to the RBI, which will notify them along with modifications, if any, in 30 days.

E) NEP lays the foundation of New India. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an event on 7 August that the National Education Policy (NEP) lays the foundation for the ‘New India’ of the 21st century, by emphasizing the shift away from rote learning and towards a focus on creative and innovative thinking. Addressing a Conclave on Transformational Reforms in Higher Education under the NEP, the Prime Minister said that there had been no major changes in the education system for many years, resulting in the promotion of a “herd mentality” in Indian society. “So far, the focus has been on ‘what to think’. The NEP emphasizes a shift in approach to focus on ‘how to think’ instead. 

SPORTS NEWS 

A) 4 players of the Indian hockey team tested corona positive.  

Captain of India’s national hockey team Manpreet Singh and three other players have tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the national camp in Bengaluru. Besides Manpreet, defender Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh and drag-flicker Varun Kumar have also tested positive for the deadly virus.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) The U.S. also bans TikTok.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders banning popular Chinese apps such as TikTok and WeChat, terming them a threat to national security and the country’s economy. The ban comes into effect in 45 days in his two separate executive orders signed on August 6. India was the first country to ban Tik Tok and WeChat over national security concerns. India has banned as many as 106 Chinese apps, a move welcomed by both the Trump administration and U.S. lawmakers. 

B) Will close marines’ case only after ‘hefty’ compensation: SC.

The Supreme Court appreciated Italy’s efforts to prosecute its Marines accused of killing two fishermen off the coast of Kerala in 2012 but insisted that it will close their criminal trial in India only after the victims’ families are heard and paid a “hefty” and “adequate” compensation. Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, heading a three-judge Bench, said while addressing the advocate Suhail Dutt, who was appearing for Italy. They appreciate the steps taken by Italy to prosecute the two Marines. But if they want the case closed here, they have to pay adequate compensation to the families. 

C) Russia claiming to launch the vaccine first in the world. 

Much of the media spotlight has been on vaccine development efforts in the U.S. and Europe, with China thought to be the dark horse in the race. Now Russia has stepped in, claiming that it is about to become the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine. The Associated Press is reporting that mass vaccinations have been planned as early as October, using shots that are yet to complete clinical trials, raising safety concerns. The vaccine has reportedly been developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry and is set to be approved on August 12. Moscow is also looking at a Sputnik-like propaganda victory, recalling the Soviet Union’s launch of the world’s first satellite in 1957.

CURRENT AFFAIRS
07 August 2020

NATIONAL NEWS:

A) Post of J&K Lieutenant-Governor passes from bureaucrat to politician

On 5 August, following the resignation of G.C. Murmu, the first Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir will be BJP politician Manoj Sinha. Murmu, whose resignation came exactly one year after the UT was created, is expected to be appointed as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Murmu, in recent weeks, had been caught in some controversies that suggested disagreements with the Centre. Notably, his comments suggesting that 4G internet should be restored in the Valley ran into trouble with security agencies, which had recommended against it. In another instance of disagreement, the Election Commission of India (EC) had pulled him up for saying elections in the UT would follow the delimitation exercise, on the grounds that this was for the EC to decide.

B) RBI keeps interest rates unchanged, foresees contraction in real GDP.

The RBI has decided to keep the benchmark repo rate, already at its lowest since 2000, unchanged at 4%, and the reverse repo rate at 3.35%. The decisions were announced after the 24th bi-monthly meeting of the RBI’s six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by Governor Shaktikanta Das. The RBI had last cut the rates on May 22 to boost demand in an economy suffering under the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. As regards outlook for the rest of the year, Governor Shaktikanta Das said India’s GDP would contract in the first half of FY21 as well as the full financial year.

C) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments.

The number of coronavirus cases reported from India stood at 20,21,264 with the death toll at 41,609. India on 6 August has recorded 56,282 new cases and the day also saw a record rise in the death toll, with 904 deaths reported. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday said India’s coronavirus recovery rate has now risen to 67.62%, while the death rate has fallen to 2.07%. The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), one of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturers, has taken a bet on another prospective coronavirus vaccine candidate as it looks to take the lead in any prospective global vaccine rollout. 

D) Swapna claimed connections with CMO, bureaucrats: NIA. 

Swapna Suresh, the second accused in the diplomatic gold-smuggling case, has claimed that she had personal acquaintance with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in her official capacity as the representative of UAE Consular General, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) informed the Special Court. The accused had also given statements that she had high connections with top bureaucrats and the office of the Chief Minister.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

A) MoD takes down a report on Chinese incursion. 

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has removed from its website a document that had admitted to Chinese incursions on Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh. The removed four-page MoD document, under the sub-heading of Chinese Aggression, had stated that the Chinese side transgressed in the areas of Kugrang Nala, Gogra, and the north bank of Pangong Tso lake on May 17-18, 2020. The Congress said that the report was removed after Rahul Gandhi tweeted about it on the morning of August 6 by citing its content to ask why the Prime Minister is lying about the border situation. After the documents were removed, Gandhi again slammed the PM on Twitter by saying that forget standing up to China, India’s PM lacks the courage even to name them. Denying that China is in our territory and removing the documents from websites won’t change the facts.

B) Won’t move back any further at Pangong Tso, India tells China.

India has reportedly told China that it will not move back any further in the region along Pangong Lake, as military commanders of the two sides continue discussions on disengagement in Eastern Ladakh. In the last meeting, China had demanded that India vacate a critical post to break the deadlock in the disengagement negotiations. It wanted India to remove a critical post called the Dhan Singh Thapa post located on Finger 3, one of the spurs along the Lake, as a pre-condition for Chinese forces to move further back towards the direction of Finger 8, where India believes the Line of Actual Control (LAC) lies. But India has refused to do so, on the grounds that the post on Finger 3 is within Indian territory.

C) Following Twitter, Facebook also acts against Trump’s post.

Facebook Inc. has taken down a post by U.S. President Donald Trump. The company said the post violated its rules against sharing misinformation about the coronavirus. The post contained a video clip from an interview Trump had recorded with Fox & Friends (a morning news show hosted by Fox News Channel) earlier in the day, where he claimed that children are “almost immune” to Covid-19. A tweet containing the video, posted by the Trump campaign’s @TeamTrump account and shared by the president was also later hidden by Twitter Inc. for breaking its Covid-19 misinformation rules. 

D) India rejects China’s UNSC move on Kashmir.

A day after China prompted the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to discuss the Kashmir issue in a closed-door meeting, India “firmly” rejected the Chinese initiative and reiterated that Kashmir was a domestic issue. The Chinese move came on the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. China had initiated a similar move on August 16 last year when it revived “the India-Pakistan Question” at the UNSC. The issue had not been taken up at the Council since the India-Pakistan war of 1971.

SPORTS NEWS 

A) Vivo no longer IPL 2020 title sponsor.

The BCCI on 6 August, confirmed that their title sponsorship deal with Chinese mobile phone company Vivo has been suspended for the upcoming edition of the IPL. In a one-line statement, the BCCI confirmed the news but did not provide details. The BCCI will now initiate the process to find a new title sponsor, with the season-opener just six weeks away.