CURRENT AFFAIRS
03 JULY 2020
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Amid China tension, India ramps up defence procurement
Between the ongoing tensions of India with China, a defense deal worth ₹38,900 crore was approved by the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), which is headed by the Defence Minister of India Mr. Rajnath Singh. This includes procurement of 21 MIG-29 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, up-gradation of 59 among them and the procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft as well. Further deals include Pinaka ammunition, armored vehicle BMP armament upgrades and Software Defined Radio (SDR) , long range land attack missile systems of over a range of 1,000 km, and Astra Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missiles. All of these will be procured domestically.
B) Postal ballot allowed for people over 65.
In a major change to voting rules, the Election Commission has said people over the age of 65 years will be able to vote by postal ballot in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls in the view of the corona virus pandemic. The Bihar polls are expected to be held in October-November. This facility will also be extended to people infected by the corona virus and to those in quarantine on account of being probable carriers of the infection. The postal ballot facility had so far been reserved only for two groups: those over the age of 80, and people in essential services who are not posted in their home State.
C) Ban on Chinese apps a ‘digital strike’.
On July 2, Union Minister for Communications Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad said that India wants peace, but if someone casts an evil eye on India, we are capable of giving a befitting reply. He address the ban on Chinese apps as a digital strike. If our country has lost 20 soldiers, the toll is double on the Chinese side, he asserted. India believe in peace and knows to solve problems through discussion, but if somebody casts an evil eye on our country, we will give a befitting reply to that person. Our 20 soldiers have sacrificed their lives, then the toll is double on the side of China. He said all this in a virtual rally conducted by him on July 2.
D) Delhi govt. launches India’s first plasma bank at ILBS Hospital.
On July 2, 2020, the Delhi Government had inaugurated India’s first plasma bank which is located at ILBS Hospital in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. This was done to systematically search for plasma donors across the country. The Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the persons who have recovered from COVID-19 to come forward and donate their plasma in order to help others for recovering from this disease. Mr. Arvind Kejriwal said that it was very difficult for the people to get plasma and the situation is getting more worse by each passing day in Delhi. Through this plasma bank, he hope that the situation will improve in the upcoming days.
E) Annual Independence Day Celebration cancelled due to Corona-virus.
Due to the pandemic, the annual Independence Day celebration at the city’s Red Fort will be a bit muted this year. This decision was taken in order to maintain the social distancing norms. “There will be limited numbers of chairs at the ramparts of the Red Fort for VVIP guests. The final decision over the entry of general public has to be taken at a meeting of all security agencies,” said a senior police officer.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Face coverings not mandatory to curb the spread of covid19 : Trump.
In a long-awaited change of tone on mask-wearing, US President Donald Trump said he is “all for masks” and they make him look like the Lone Ranger. However, the BBC reported that Trump also maintained that face coverings do not need to become mandatory to curb the spread of Covid-19. Trump again predicted that the infection would “disappear” even as the US hit a record high of 52,000 virus cases in a day.
B) India cannot prosecute Italian marines: International tribunal.
An international arbitration court has ruled that it is Italy and not India that has the right to prosecute the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012. Ruling that India must stop its prosecution of the marines, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration determined that they have immunity from Indian prosecution. It, however, ordered Italy to prosecute the two marines and pay compensation to India for the loss of life, material damage and “moral harm” suffered by the surviving crew of the fishing vessel. It also asked the two countries to engage in talks and arrive at a financial settlement. India had accused Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, two Italian marines on board the MV Enrica Lexie, an Italian-flagged oil tanker, of shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. The marines had been on anti-piracy duties on the Italian ship. As India detained the two marines and claimed jurisdiction in the case, Italy took the case to the international court.
