Tag: Latest Affairs

NATIONAL NEWS 

Speed up vaccination, caution doctors in the wake of fresh resurgence in the West

The growing COVID-19 vaccination coverage in India is not adequate, warn doctors, who say the cost of people opting not to get vaccinated has the potential to cause a new outbreak. If people decide not to get vaccinated due to hesitancy and doubts, or even if the vaccination is delayed due to logistical reasons, the potential for new outbreaks of COVID-19 remains very high. New variants of SARS-CoV-2 are sprouting, which might be more transmissible and resistant to vaccines, said Mubasheer Ali, senior, internal medicine, Apollo Telehealth. Dr. Ali added that promoting the uptake of vaccines will require understanding whether people are willing to be vaccinated and the reasons why they were willing or unwilling to do so. So, the need of the hour is to speed up the vaccination process and drives, spread awareness about disease and its effects and making sure there is no vaccine hesitancy by rightly educating the people. The world shares a collective responsibility in fighting this pandemic; therefore, continued research on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy should be a priority, he observed. Citing the example of Germany, doctors said the country was currently witnessing a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Sundari Shrikant, director, internal medicine, QRG Super Speciality Hospital, Faridabad, said there was currently a broad agreement within the global scientific community that the most effective way to defeat the pandemic was through mass vaccination of populations around the world. Opting not to get vaccinated puts the person, his family and the community at large at risk of infection and the spread of the disease. Vaccination not only prevents infection but, if infected, the person develops mild infection. It also prevents community spread. Besides, it is important to emphasise the continued practice of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour for personal safety and prevention of community transmission, said Dr. Shrikant. Doctors add that people who are unvaccinated have higher chances of getting moderate to severe COVID-19 and undergo hospitalisation.

Anil Deshmukh sent to judicial custody

Former Home Minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh was sent to judicial custody by a holiday court on Saturday in a case dating back to March 20, 2021, of alleged money laundering and corruption. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), appeared before Special Judge P.R. Sitre and sought further custody of nine days. However, the court rejected this and Mr. Deshmukh was remanded in judicial custody. Mr. Deshmukh was arrested by the ED  on November  after being questioned for by the central enforcement agency for 12 hours. He was sent to the ED’s custody till November 6. Mr. Deshmukh’s counsel on Saturday also filed for an anticipatory bail application on behalf of Hrishikesh Deshmukh, son of  Mr Deshmukh, which will be heard on November 12. On October 29, the Bombay High Court rejected Deshmukh’s plea, seeking to quash five summons issued by the ED. The case dates back to March 20, 2021 when former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleging that Mr. Deshmukh had abused his position and powers to seek illegal monetary benefits. The letter alleged instances of  Deshmukh directing suspended police officer Sachin Vaze and others to collect ₹100 crore from bars and restaurants over a month. Soon thereafter, the High Court directed a preliminary enquiry to be held against Mr. Deshmukh by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The ED then stepped in and started a probe into allegations of money laundering against Mr. Deshmukh.

For Deepavali excesses, Delhi gasps for air

Delhi continued to choke as air quality remained in the severe category for the second day on Saturday as people burst crackers late on Thursday despite a ban. The air quality index (AQI ) of Delhi is expected to improve from Sunday evening, as per authorities. Several other NCR cities such as Gurugram and Greater Noida and towns in North India such as Baghpat and Bulandshahr also reported severe air pollution. The AQI of Delhi was 446 on Saturday at 10 a.m., as per Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) data. The AQI of Delhi was 444 at 6 a.m. on Friday. The AQI of the day for Friday was 462, as per CPCB’s 4 p.m. bulletin, which is an average of the past 24 hours and considered the day’s AQI. Friday had the worst air quality in the day after Deepavali in five years, as per official data, and was also the first day with severe air pollution this winter season.  The air pollution is due to a combination of an increased impact of stubble burning, low local wind speed and emissions from bursting of crackers. Fog/smog conditions today [Nov. 6] morning has improved in Delhi NCR as forecasted. A shallow fog with visibility of 600 to 800 m was reported at its two airports during 0530 till 0930 hrs. It has been due to westerly to northwesterly winds set in and have also reached 8 to 15 kmph and some humidity reduction or moisture dry up, IMD said in a statement.  An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

District hospital catches fire in Ahmednagar

At least 11 coronavirus patients were killed and another one suffered serious burn injuries after a major fire broke out in the ICU of the district civil hospital in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar city on November 6, officials said. The blaze erupted around 11 a.m. in the intensive care unit (ICU), where 20 COVID-19 patients were undergoing treatment, they said. Television visuals showed smoke pouring out of the lower floors of the hospital, as doctors desperately tried to save lives.Rajendra Bhosale, district collector of Ahmednagar, confirmed that 10 patients died in the blaze, which also left one patient critical. Shankar Misal, chief fire officer of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation, said that after the fire broke out, police and fire brigade personnel rushed to the facility and began the rescue and fire-fighting operation. It took more than two hours to douse the fire.  The cooling operation is on, Misal said, adding that short circuit is suspected to be the cause behind it. A police official said that after the fire, the injured patients were rushed to a nearby hospital, where 10 of them were declared brought dead. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in the evening to say he was anguished by the loss of lives. Anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire in a hospital in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest, he said.  Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered a probe into the tragedy, and announced ₹ 5 lakh compensation for the families of those who died. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Iraqi officials: Prime minister survives assassination bid 

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with an armed drone that targeted his residence early Sunday, and is unharmed, officials said. The Prime Minister tweeted shortly after the attack: The rockets of treason will not shake one bit of the steadfastness and determination of the heroic security forces. I am fine and among my people. Thank God, he wrote.

Sudan activists reject power-sharing with army, call strikes Sudan’s protest movement has rejected internationally backed initiatives to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military after last month’s coup, announcing two days of nationwide strikes starting Sunday. The movement called for the establishment of a civilian government to lead a transition to democracy.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Mumbai out, Delhi in on cruise party probe

The probe into the cruise party drug case in which Aryan Khan, the son of Sharukh Khan, was arrested, has been moved from the Narcotic Control Bureau’s Mumbai unit to a unit from Delhi. The move comes after allegations of corruption were raised against Sameer Wankhede, the Mumbai unit’s head, by Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik. The NCB, which had already been facing criticism for the extended pre-trial custody of Aryan Khan, said that this and five other cases were being moved to the Delhi because they had “wider and inter-state ramifications”. Mr. Wankhede has been retained as the Mumbai unit head, even as he faces an internal investigation over allegations of extortion raised by a witness in the cruise case. The shifting of the probe from under Wankhede should give some breathing space to the Central agency.

Another antiviral drug

Another antiviral drug that shows promise against COVD-19 has been announced. Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer, which also produces one of the vaccines for COVD-19, says that its new drug cut rates of hospitalization and death by nearly 90% in high-risk adults during trials. The drug will need approval from authorising agencies in the U.S and other countries before it can reach the market. The new drug comes just weeks after Merck announced its antiviral drug molnupiravir. With the vaccines and the antiviral drugs, the global arsenal against COVD-19 is building up.

Modi in Kedarnath

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for multiple projects worth over ₹180 crore, according to the PMO. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated several developments works in Kedarnath, in poll-bound Uttarakhand, including the unveiling of a statue of Adi Shankaracharya and monuments related his samadhi. Speaking at a prayer meeting, he invoked the cultural heritage of India and emphasised on his government’s work to revive cultural centres.

Two Indian Army officers receive Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. 

Two Indian Army officers Lieutenant Colonel Servesh Dhadwal and Colonel Amit Bisht have been awarded the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is the highest adventure sports honour in India that is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is the highest adventure sports honour in India that is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Tenzing Norgay National Award has been named after Tenzing Norgay who was one of the first two individuals who scaled the summit of Mount Everest along with Edmund Hillary in 1953. The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award was instituted in 1993-94 by the then Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports as a separate National Adventure Awards but considered at apar with Arjuna Awards. The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of adventure on land, sea, and air. The award includes a bronze statue of Tenzing Norgay and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Pakistan Cabinet approves removal of ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik

The Pakistan Cabinet led by PM Imran Khan on November 6, 2021, approved the removal of extremist group Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) from the list of banned outfits thereby ending the anti-government agitation. The government has released more than 2,000 activists of the TLP. TheThe Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was formed in 2015 and was declared as a proscribed (banned) organization in April 2021 following their violent protests forcing the government to expel the French ambassador over cartoons published in France.

 

Astronaut Wang Yaping becomes 1st Chinese woman to walk in space

Astronaut Wang Yaping has become the first Chinese woman to walk in space on November 7, 2021. Yaping is a crewmember of China’s Shenzhou-13 mission, a six-month mission launched on October 16, 2021, to the Tiangong space station module Tianhe. 41-years-old Wang Yaping along with astronaut Zhai Zhigang carried out extravehicular operations in the ‘Flying’ extravehicular suit. Shenzhou-13 is Wang’s second space mission. WangWang had joined the People’s Liberation Army Air Force in August 1997 and served as a Deputy Squadron Commander. In May 2010, Wang joined the second group of astronauts at the PLA Astronaut Division.

NATIONAL NEWS

More States slash petrol, diesel prices after Centre’s excise duty cut

After fuel prices went through the roof, buckling under pressure, the Union Government on the occasion of Diwali, slashed the excise duty on fuel; several States followed suit by lowering Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel to give some respite to consumers. Excise duty on petrol and diesel were slashed by ₹5 and ₹10 per litre on Wednesday. Six BJP-ruled states have announced a cut in VAT rates but a formal notification has so far been issued only in case of four. Puducherry saw an additional ₹7 a litre reduction in both petrol and diesel price because of the cut in value added tax (VAT).  Petrol costs ₹103.97 per litre in Delhi against ₹110.04 per litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. Diesel rates accordingly reduced to ₹86.67 per litre from ₹98.42 per litre. In Mumbai, petrol price has been cut by ₹5.87 to ₹109.98 per litre and diesel by ₹12.48 to ₹94.14 per litre. Kolkata saw the price of diesel being reduced by ₹5.82 to ₹104.67 per litre and that of diesel by ₹11.77 to ₹89.79 per litre. Petrol price in Chennai has been reduced by ₹5.26 to ₹101.40 per litre and diesel by ₹11.16 to ₹91.43 per litre. Other states namely, Gujarat, Mizoram and Sikkim governments too have reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel by ₹7 per litre each. The Haryana government too announced a reduction in VAT on the fuels on Thursday, making them cheaper in the BJP-ruled State by ₹12 per litre on Deepavali. Odisha too slashed the prices of petrol, diesel by ₹3 per litre. The Uttar Pradesh government too on Wednesday lowered the VAT on the two fuels making them cheaper by ₹12 per litre in the state. Goa saw an additional ₹5.47 a litre cut in petrol and ₹4.38 on diesel. Despite a cut in excise duty, diesel was selling more than ₹100 per litre in several States. 

Assam earmarks land for the evicted but insists on citizenship proof

The Assam government said it has earmarked around 130 hectares for relocating the evicted families of Gorukhuti in Darrang district provided they are valid citizens besides a set of other requirements, the emphasis on documentation has raised concerns about dispossession.  According to reports, around 1,200-1,400 houses were razed to the ground on September 20 and September 23 at Dhalpur I, II and III villages in Gorukhuti, leaving over 7,000 people homeless. Village markets, mosques, kabristans, madrassas and maktubs were also bulldozed. The eviction drive had passed off peacefully on the first day but met stiff resistance by local people on the second instance and also left two dead in a police firing on September. Among the dead was a 12-year-old boy who had got his first identity proof, an Aadhaar card, before he was shot dead. Over 20 people were injured, including policemen. The evicted families of Dhalpur village in Gorukuti will not, however, be paid any compensation as they are encroachers, the government said in an affidavit to Gauhati High Court in response to a PIL filed by the Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia.An area of about 1,000 bighas (about 134 hectares) of land in the southern part of No 1 & No 3 Dhalpur village has been earmarked for relocating the evicted persons subject to verification of the status of erosion affected and landless status in their respective original places and districts, citizenship and existing rehabilitation policy of the state, the affidavit by the government said. Sipajhar Revenue Circle Officer Kamaljeet Sarma, representing the Assam government, said in the affidavit that the occupants of the areas were encroachers and they were liable to be evicted at any time as per rules framed under Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886.The matter is related to encroachment and eviction only and is not at all related to acquisition of land. Therefore, the question of resettlement, rehabilitation and compensation etc as per Land Acquisition Act is irrelevant, he added.

Ram Temple in Ayodhya to open for ‘darshan’ from December 2023

The Ram Temple construction in Ayodhya is ongoing and the temple will be open for ‘darshan’ for devotees from December 2023, said Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Gopal on November 3, 2021. Graphite from Bangalore, stones from Jodhpur and Mirzapur, sandstones from Bansi Paharpur have been coming in for the construction of the Ram Temple. Work on the 5-feet (1.5 meters) path of rafting is expected to be completed within 15 days. The General Secretary of Shriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust informed that the Ram Temple construction work is being done at night as the concreting is being done currently.

India to host 3rd NSA-level meeting on Afghanistan on November 10

India will host the 3rd Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10, 2021. The dialogue to be held at the National Security Advisor (NSA) level will be chaired by India’s NSA Ajit Doval. All Central Asian countries as well as Russia and Iran have confirmed their participation. This is the first time that all central Asian countries will participate. Invitations to Pakistan and China were also extended however Pakistan informed that it will not attend the dialogue. The high-level NSA meet on Afghanistan to be hosted by India will deliberate on the situation in Afghanistan and address the growing concern of regional countries on the same. The meeting will allow countries to consult and coordinate efforts for promoting peace and security in Afghanistan.

India, Bhutan to set up 7 additional entry and exit points for trade

Through the process of Letters of Exchange, India and Bhutan announced 7 additional entry and exit points of trade between both countries during the Commerce Secretary Level meeting in New Delhi on November 4, 2021, to deliberate on trade and transit issues. During the meeting, India and Bhutan deliberated extensive discussions on the current trade and transit issues including plans for strengthening bilateral trade relations and issues of mutual interest, increasing trade connectivity between both countries. Secretary, Department of Commerce BVR Subrahmanyam led the Indian delegation, and the Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs Dasho Karma Tshering led the Bhutanese delegation at the Commerce Secretary Level meeting.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Britain says yes to Merck’s coronavirus antiviral pill

Britain has granted a conditional authorization to the first pill shown to successfully treat COVID-19 — Merck’s coronavirus antiviral, becoming the first country to approve the treatment, although it was not immediately clear how quickly the pill would be available, agencies have reported. Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19, said Britain’s health secretary, Sajid Javid. We are working at pace across the government and with the NHS to set out plans to deploy molnupiravir to patients through a national study as soon as possible, he said in a statement, referring to the U.K.’s National Health Service. Doctors said the treatment would be particularly significant for people who do not respond well to vaccination. The pill was licensed for adults 18 and older who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have at least one risk factor for developing severe disease. The drug, known as molnupiravir, is intended to be taken twice a day for five days by people at home with mild to moderate COVID-19. An antiviral pill that reduces symptoms and speeds recovery could prove ground-breaking, easing caseloads on hospitals and helping to curb outbreaks in poorer countries with fragile health systems. It would also bolster the two-pronged approach to the pandemic: treatment, by way of medication, and prevention, primarily through vaccinations. Molnupiravir is also pending review at regulators in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced last month it would convene a panel of independent experts to scrutinize the pill’s safety and effectiveness in late November. Initial supplies will be limited. Merck has said it can produce 10 million treatment courses through the end of the year, but much of that supply has already been purchased by governments worldwide.

 

Countries pledge to phase out dependence on fossil fuels

Several major coal-using nations have pledged for the first time to phase out their use of the heavily-polluting fossil fuel or to speed up existing plans to do so, while others announced commitments to end investment in new coal-fired power plants, agencies have reported. U.K. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Wednesday that the commitments made on the sidelines of the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, meant the end of coal is in sight. But critics noted the several major economies still have not set a date for ending their dependence on the fuel that is a major source of planet-warming emissions. The British government said pledges of new or earlier deadlines for ending coal use came from countries including Poland, Ukraine, Vietnam and Chile. India is also committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2070. Existing targets for curbing global warming require countries to stop burning coal, but many major economies including the United States, China, India and Japan have set no formal dates for ending its use. Still, experts said the announcement and others made so far at the October 31-November 12 summit showed the growing momentum to ditch coal.

 

New York congresswoman Maloney introduces Diwali Day Act in the US Congress

The New York congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney on November 3, 2021, introduced the Deepavali Day Act in the House of Representatives to make Diwali a national holiday in the US. Maloney was joined by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congressman Gregory Meeks Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. If the Deepavali Day Act gets approved, all federal institutions in the US will observe the Diwali holidays and honour the cultural heritage of millions of Indian Americans in the US. Congresswoman Maloney has earlier successfully advocated urging the US Postal Services to approve and issue a commemorative stamp to honour Diwali. The stamp got issued for circulation in 2016.

 

Indian Navy delivers 100 tonnes of nano nitrogen liquid fertilizers to Sri Lanka

Two Indian Air Force planes carrying 100 tonnes of Nano Nitrogen Liquid Fertilizers successfully landed in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 4, 2021. Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka in a tweet said that the delivery was conducted in response to a call by the Sri Lankan government for urgent support in airlifting nano fertilizers. In May 2021, Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced to stop importing chemical fertilizers. Since then, Sri Lanka is experiencing an acute crisis of fertilizers after the ban. Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced the decision to import nano nitrogen liquid fertilizer to which India has offered to supply nano fertilizer to Sri Lanka.

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NATIONAL NEWS 

Excise duty on petrol cut by ₹5, diesel by ₹10

The Central government has announced an excise duty cut on petrol and diesel of ₹5 and ₹10 per litre, respectively, effective from November 4. The Union Finance Ministry on November 3 said the reduction will boost consumption and keep inflation low, thus helping the poor and middle classes, while adding that the States have also been urged to ‘commensurately reduce VAT’ on petrol and diesel to give relief to consumers. In recent months, crude oil prices have witnessed a global upsurge. Consequently, domestic prices of petrol and diesel had increased in recent weeks exerting inflationary pressure. The world has also seen shortages and increased prices of all forms of energy, the Ministry explained. The Finance Ministry said the duty cut will particularly help farmers in the Rabi season. Arguing that the excise duty on diesel has been lowered by twice the amount as petrol, the Ministry said this will particularly help farmers in the upcoming Rabi season. The Indian farmers have, through their hard work, kept the economic growth momentum going even during the lockdown phase…, it noted.

WHO nod to COVAXIN

After months of will it, won’t it, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday finally granted emergency use listing for Bharat Biotech COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin. WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to COVAXIN (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of COVID19. The Technical Advisory Group, convened by WHO and made up of regulatory experts from around the world, has determined that the Covaxin vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs risks & the vaccine can be used, the organisation tweeted. The organisation added that the vaccine should be administered in two doses, with a dose interval of four weeks, in all age groups 18 and above. Covaxin vaccine was also reviewed by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), and recommended use of this vaccine in two doses, with a dose interval of four weeks, in all age groups 18 and above. Available data on vaccination of pregnant women with the Covaxin  vaccine are insufficient to assess vaccine safety or efficacy in pregnancy; studies in pregnant women are planned, including a pregnancy sub-study and a pregnancy registry, the organisation tweeted. The TAG-EUL is an independent advisory group that provides recommendations to WHO on whether a COVID-19 vaccine can be listed for emergency use under the EUL procedure. Covaxin has demonstrated 77.8% effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 and 65.2% protection against the new Delta variant. In June, the company said it concluded the final analysis of Covaxin efficacy from Phase 3 trials. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s Covishield are the two widely used vaccines in India.

SC to examine whether Education is a service

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine whether education is a service within the Consumer Protection Act. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna noted that a similar legal issue is pending adjudication in another case and tagged the matter along with it. Having regard to the pendency of Civil Appeal No 3504 of 2020 (Manu Solanki and Others vs Vinayaka Mission University), the issue as to whether education is a service within the Consumer Protection Act, is pending before this Court. Leave granted. Tag with Civil Appeal, the bench said in its October 29 order. The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Lucknow resident challenging an order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCRDC) which said educational institutions do not fall within the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and education which includes co-curricular activities such as swimming, is not a service within the meaning of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. In this case, the man’s son was studying at a school which offered various ‘Summer Camp’ activities in 2007 including swimming, and invited students to participate by paying ₹1,000. On May 28, 2007 at about 9.30 am, he received an urgent call from the school requesting him to come immediately as his son was unwell. Upon reaching the school, the man was informed that his son had been taken to hospital as he had drowned in the school’s swimming pool. He then rushed to the hospital where he learnt that his son was brought dead. Thereafter, he filed a consumer complaint in the State Commission alleging negligence and deficiency in service on part of the School and claimed ₹20 lakh as compensation for the death of his son as well as ₹2 lakh on account of mental agony suffered by him and ₹55,000 towards the cost of litigation. The State Commission dismissed the complaint on the ground that the complainant is not a consumer. This order was challenged in NCDRC. The NCDRC held that education which includes co-curricular activities such as swimming, is not a service within the meaning of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. It concurred with the State Commission’s view that the complainant is not a consumer and the complaint not being covered under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is not maintainable.

PM urges districts with low vaccination coverage to speed up

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a review meeting with senior officials of districts having low COVID vaccination coverage. The meeting included districts with less than 50% coverage of the first dose and low coverage of the second. The Prime Minister interacted with the District Magistrates of over 40 districts in Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and other States. Directing officials to prepare region-wise timetables for local goals, the Prime Minister said, You will have to do your best to take your districts nearer the national average. According to a release by the Central Government, Mr. Modi spoke about the issue of rumours and misunderstandings about vaccination. He suggested that awareness is the only solution for this and asked the officials to take help from religious leaders. The Prime Minister noted that religious leaders are very enthusiastic about the vaccination campaign and urged for a special emphasis on taking their message to the public.He also asked the officials to change gears from making arrangements for taking people to the vaccination centre safely to administering the jabs door-to-door. Urging health workers to reach every house with passion har ghar tika, ghar ghar tika (vaccine at every doorstep), the Prime Minister asked them to go in the spirit of Har Ghar Dastak knocking on every doorstep. Now we are preparing to take the campaign to each household. With the mantra of ‘Har Ghar Dastak’, knock on every door, every household lacking the security net of a double dose of vaccine. The Prime Minister cautioned that equal attention needed to be paid to the second dose because whenever the cases of infection start decreasing, sometimes the feeling of urgency decreases. You will have to contact those people who have not taken the second dose despite the stipulated time on a priority basis…ignoring this has created problems for many countries. He emphasised that under the free vaccine for all campaign, India created a record of administering about 2.5 crore doses in a day which bears testimony to its capabilities. Asking the officials to learn from the good practices of their colleagues in better performing districts, the Prime Minister emphasised that approaches should be suitable for the local needs and the environment. The District Magistrates gave an account of the issues and challenges they are facing which has resulted in low coverage. The Prime Minister discussed the issue of vaccine hesitancy and the local factors behind it in detail. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan gave an overview of the vaccination coverage.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Pakistan refuses airspace for Srinagar-Sharjah flight

Pakistan  denied use of its airspace to Go First, earlier known as GoAir, forcing the flight from Srinagar to Sharjah to take a longer route, and fly over Gujarat to reach its destination in the UAE, government officials said. Government and airline sources said that other west-bound flights using Pakistan’s airspace, including those flying to the US and UK, were unaffected. MEA and MHA officials are working to resolve the issue, a person in the know said. The Go First flight, G81595, was flying via Lahore until October 30, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. The data for October 31 is not available on the website, but the next flight on November 2 was forced to flew via Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat to reach its destination. The operates this flight four times in a week. The detour also means that the flight that was originally three- hour long, now takes additional 30 minutes to reach Sharjah. Reacting to Pakistan’s action, former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah took to Twitter and said, it was very unfortunate. Pakistan did the same thing with the Air India Express flight from Srinagar to Dubai in 2009-2010. I had hoped that @GoFirstairways being permitted to overfly Pak airspace was indicative of a thaw in relations but alas that wasn’t to be.  Blaming the Centre, PDP chief and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted puzzling that GoI didn’t even bother securing permission from Pakistan to use its airspace for international flights from Srinagar. OnlyPR extravaganza without any groundwork.

 

Romania: PM-designate gives up mandate to form government

Romania’s Prime Minister-designate relinquished his mandate to try to form a new government after it appeared he did not have enough support in parliament to get his proposed Cabinet approved. Former Army General Nicolae Ciuca of the National Liberal Party was set to put forward a new government on Wednesday. It was expected to fall short of the majority support needed after the opposition Social Democrat Party and the junior Save Romania Union (USR) party said they would not back Mr. Ciuca. 

Manchin wavers on Biden’s plan, Democrats vow to push ahead

Pivotal Senator Joe Manchin wavered on his support for President Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.75 trillion domestic policy proposal, but Democratic leaders vowed to push ahead, with initial voting possible on the bill and a related $1 trillion infrastructure package in the House this week. The West Virginia Democrat’s announcement Monday came as Democrats wanted assurances from Mr. Manchin that he will support Mr. Biden’s big package. He is one of two key holdout senators whose votes are needed to secure the deal and push it toward passage. 

 

India stays off UK-led deforestation declaration at COP26 summit  

India is among the countries that has chosen not to sign up to a Leaders’ Declaration on ending deforestation by 2030 at the COP26 climate summit on Tuesday, which is signed by over 100 countries including China and Brazil. The Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use commits the signatories to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation, backed by almost 14 billion pounds in public and private funding. 

 

SPORTS NEWS 

T20 World Cup: Beleaguered India up against gritty Afghans; Kohli faces big Ashwin question 

Senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s inexplicable absence from the playing XI is in focus as India skipper Virat Kohli tries to figure the combination that can bring his team’s floundering campaign back on track when it takes on a feisty Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup on Wednesday. India’s run has been derailed after two crushing defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand and the performance that they have put in is not worthy of a semi-final spot even though mathematics keeps their hopes alive. 

T20 World Cup: New Zealand look to seize World Cup destiny against struggling Scotland 

A ruthless New Zealand will be eyeing to strengthen their semifinal chances with a solid knockout punch on an already struggling Scotland in a Group 2 Super 12 match of the ICC T20 World Cup on Wednesday. Handed a defeat by Pakistan in their tournament opener, Kane Williamson and his troops made a strong comeback in their next game. 

Manpreet added to Khel Ratna winners; sports ministry okays 35 Arjuna awardees  

Olympic bronze-winning Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh was on Tuesday added to the list of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardees, taking the total number of this year’s winners to an unparalleled 12, with the ceremony scheduled for November 13 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Manpreet was originally recommended for the Arjuna award but he joined veteran goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh as the second hockey player in the list of awardees for the highest sporting honour. 

NATIONAL NEWS 

A mixed bag for the BJP

The results of the bypolls across 11 States for three Lok Sabha and 29 Assembly seats were announced on November 2. A significant outcome is the blow that the BJP suffered in Himachal Pradesh, losing all three Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat that went to the polls in the State that it rules. Himachal Pradesh is also the home State of the party’s president J P Nadda. The party, however, swept all five seats in Assam picked up victories in ones and twos in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. The party’s allies also won in Meghalaya and Mizoram. The TMC swept West Bengal bypolls 4-0 while the Congress had some news to cheer, having defeated the BJP in straight contests in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

Pledge to cut methane emissions

At the ongoing CoP26 global climate conference in Glasgow, world leaders have pledged to stop deforestation by 2030. They also decided to slash emissions of the greenhouse gas methane to slow climate change. The pledge to cut methane, which is eighty times more powerful than CO2 as a greenhouse gas, is one of the most effective ways of slowing climate change. However, the fact that the larger economies could not reach an agreement on a much more rapid reduction in the use of fossil fuels, has not gone well with the poorer economies, which bear the brunt of climate change.

A spy scandal

The CBI has filed a charge sheet against six people, including two serving Navy commanders and two retired officers, for allegedly leaking confidential commercial information about a submarine refit and upgrade programme. The Navy is also conducting an internal inquiry into the allegations. The allegation is that the serving commanders shared information with the retired officers, one of whom worked with a Korean company. During a raid in September, ₹2 crore in cash was allegedly seized from the premises of a retired Navy officer.

COP26: PM Modi meets Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in Glasgow Climate Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 2, 2021, met Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on the sidelines of the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. Both PM Modi and Bill Gates discussed ways to further sustainable development and mitigation of climate change. Gates had expressed optimism about this year’s UN Climate Conference where he said innovation will take center stage. Bill Gates in a tweet said, “By bringing the world together at COP26, we can find more ways to accelerate the development and adoption of the clean technologies we need to reach net-zero emissions.” Meanwhile, speaking at the COP26 Summit, PM Modi announced 5 goals for India to mitigate climate challenges. One of these five goals stated that India will achieve its net-zero carbon emissions target by 2070. On Day 2 of the COP26 Summit, PM Modi launched Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) that aims to achieve sustainable development through a systematic approach to resilient, sustainable, and inclusive infrastructure in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

EC announces bypolls to Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal, Kerala on November 29

The Election Commission (EC) on October 31, 2021, announced by-polls to one Rajya Sabha seat each in West Bengal and Kerala on November 29, 2021. The poll notification will be issued on November 9, 2021. The two seats fell vacant after the resignation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Arpita Ghosh from West Bengal on September 15, 2021, and Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K. Mani from Kerala on January 11, 2021. The last date of filing nominations is November 16. The polling will be held on November 29 from 9 am to 4 pm. As per established practice, counting of votes will be conducted one hour after the voting phase ends.

GST collection in October 2021 crosses Rs 1.3 lakh crores, 2nd highest ever since GST introduction

The gross GST revenue collection in October 2021 exceeded Rs 1.3 lakh crores. The GST revenue collection for October 2021 has been the 2nd highest ever since the introduction of GST. The highest GST revenue collection was reported in April 2021. The GST revenue collection for October 2021 are 24 per cent higher than the GST revenues collection in October 2021. The trend reflects economic recovery. The revenues would have been higher if the supply of semi-conductors would not have been disrupted, the government said. In October 2021, the GST revenues were at Rs 1,30,127 crores of which IGST was Rs 67,361 crores (including Rs 32,998 crores from import of goods), SGST was Rs 30,421 crores, and CGST was Rs 23,861 crores, and cess at Rs 8,484 crores (including Rs 699 crores on import of goods). In October 2021, the revenues from the import of goods were 39 per cent higher and from the domestic transactions (including import of services) were 19 per cent higher than revenues from these sources during October 2020.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Pakistan, China unlikely to attend meeting of NSAs by India on Afghanistan on November 10

Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf said that he will not attend the meeting of National Security Advisers (NSAs) called by India on Afghanistan on November 10, 2021, citing the reason that his country will not attend any meeting where there is no representation from the Taliban regime from Afghanistan. India has extended the invitation to NSAs of Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Taliban announces complete ban on use of foreign currency in Afghanistan

The Taliban on November 2, 2021, announced a complete ban on the use of foreign currency in Afghanistan. The move will make sure to cause further disruption to an economy that has been pushed to the brink of collapse by the abrupt withdrawal of international support. The surprise move by the militant group came hours after at least 25 people were killed and more than 50 wounded when gunmen attacked Afghanistan’s biggest military hospital after two heavy explosions at the site in Central Kabul. Taliban in a statement, shared with the journalists by one of their spokespersons, said that the economic situation and national interests in the country required that all the Afghans use Afghan currency in their every trade. The use of US dollars has been widespread in the markets of Afghanistan, while the border areas use the currency of the neighboring countries such as Pakistan for trade. The Taliban government has been pressing for the release of billions of dollars of the Central Bank reserves as the drought-stricken country faces a cash crunch, new migration crisis, and cash crunch. Afghanistan has parked billions of dollars in assets overseas with various central banks in Europe and the US Federal Reserve. However, that has money has been frozen since the Islamist Taliban ousted the Western-backed government in Afghanistan in August 2021.

SPORTS NEWS 

T20I series – India vs New Zealand: Rahul likely to be captain for Team India

As per media reports, KL Rahul is likely to be Captain for Team India during the upcoming T20I series against the New Zealand team. The T20I series between India and New Zealand will be played on November 17 in Jaipur, November 19 in Ranchi, and November 21 in Kolkata. The two-Test Matches will be played from November 25 to 29, 2021 in Kanpur and from December 3 to 7, 2021 in Mumbai.

NATIONAL NEWS 

CoP 26 and the doomsday scenario

The 26th Conference of Parties, the key meeting on climate change organised by the UN, kicked off in Glasgow today. Indian PM Narendra Modi is in attendance with leaders of most countries. Prime Minister of the host nation Boris Johnson opened the summit with a very British analogy, of James Bond strapped to a ‘world-ending’ bomb while figuring out how to stop it from going off. It is an apt comparison as the latest reports show that the world is headed for a 2.7-degree Celsius rise in temperature above pre-industrial age levels by 2100, which would spell doom for most species on Earth. The attempt now is to limit that rise to 1.5 degree Celsius, which would mean that nations have to commit to substantially more emission cuts than what they have already at the CoP 21 in Paris in 2015. India’s stance here becomes critical as it is one of the nations that are now among the largest emitters now but bear little responsibility for the bulk of human emissions since the 1850s. India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, speaking for other nations in the same situation such as Brazil, South African and China, emphasised on differentiated responsibilities that would take historical emissions into considerations. Another significant group at the summit are small island nations such as Maldives, who have no significant role in causing global warming but will bear the brunt of it as sea levels rise. 

No blanket bans on firecrackers

In another significant observation on firecrackers, the Supreme Court today said that a blanket ban on firecrackers was not possible. The court said that restrictions it had brought in earlier were applicable only to firecrackers containing chemicals that were harmful to people and the environment. The verdict comes ahead of Deepavali, during which firecrackers lead to significant rise in pollution in cities like Delhi. However, there has been significant opposition to any blanket bans from firecrackers companies who see the most significant volume of sales during the festival. With the court emphasising that ‘green’ or environment friendly firecrackers are allowed, the focus this year will also be on enforcement. Civic authorities will have to ensure that sale of firecrackers containing banned chemical such as barium salts are not allowed, which is a tedious process.

Some positive news on the economy

Some positive date on the economy emerged today, with exports for October clocking a growth of 5% over the previous month. The trade deficit for October was also lower than September’s. Another positive data was that India’s manufacturing sector expanded for the fourth month in a row in October, with the IHS Markit Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to 55.9 from 53.7 in September. October also saw the country’s gross GST collection cross the ₹1.3 lakh crore mark, the second highest collection since the tax regime was implemented in July 2017. Tempering the positives were the data which showed that despite manufacturing improving, job losses in the sector continued.

J&K sanctions constitution of a specialised agency

The Home Department of the government of Jammu and Kashmir has sanctioned the constitution of a specialised agency. The agency, called the Special Investigation Agency (SIA), has been sanctioned for the investigation and prosecution of offences, including UAPA and those under Explosive Substances Act. Counting of votes underway for 3 Parliamentary seats, 30 Assembly seats. The counting of votes for by-election to three Parliamentary constituencies in three states and 30 Assembly constituencies in 14 states got underway on November 2, 2021.  The Parliamentary bypolls were held in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Assembly by poll was held across 14 states, including 5 in Assam, 2 in Bihar, 3 in Himachal Pradesh, 2 in Karnataka and 4 in West Bengal. The four assembly seats in West Bengal include -Dinhata, Khardaha, Gosaba (SC), and Santipur. The results of all bypolls will be announced today. 

Indian Army conducts airborne exercise in Eastern Ladakh amid standoff with China

The Shatrujeet Brigade of the Indian Army will be conducting an airborne exercise along the Northern Borders in Eastern Ladakh to validate its rapid response capabilities. The militaries of India and China have been engaged in a border standoff in Eastern Ladakh since May 2020 when the violent clash in the Pangong Lake area led to both sides gradually rushing in thousands of soldiers as well as weaponry. After a series of military and diplomatic talks, China and India completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area in August 2021 and in the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake in February 2021. Each of the countries still has, currently, around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC (Line of Actual Control) in the sensitive sector. The airborne troops of the Indian Army’s Shatrujeet Brigade, on November 1, were inserted into a drop zone at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet as part of the exercise. These pre-acclimatized troops along with specialist vehicles and missile detachments were transported through C-130 and AN-32 aircraft from 5 different mounting bases. It was done to validate the inter-theatre move, rapid grouping, precision stand-off, and capture of designated objectives with speed and surprise. The drop was challenging because of the low temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees Celsius and the rarefied atmosphere in the super high-altitude terrain.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

UK PM accepts PM Modi’s invitation to India

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted PM Narendra Modi’s invitation to India during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of COP-26 on November 1, 2021. The UK said that he would plan his visit as soon as the circumstances allow.

COP-26 World Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow

While addressing COP-26 World Leaders’ Summit, PM Narendra Modi said, “At this global brainstorming on climate change, I would like to present 5 ‘amrit tatva’ from India. I gift this ‘panchamrit'”. He also pledged that India will achieve the target of net zero by 2070. PM Modi reiterated that climate change is a major threat to the existence to many developing countries and we must take major steps to save the world. 

Elon Musk’s SpaceX establishes subsidiary in India, plans to apply for license

SpaceX, owned by the world’s richest person Elon Musk, on November 1, 2021, established its wholly-owned subsidiary in India in order to start local broadband operations. The satellite broadband arm of SpaceX, Starlink aims to start the broadband services in India from December 2022, with 2 lakh active terminals subject to permission from the Government of India. Startlink country director India at SpaceX, Sanjay Bhargava said in a social media post, “Please to share that SpaceX now has a 100% owned subsidiary in India.  The name is SSCPL- Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited and the incorporation date is November 1, 2021. Happy Birthday, SSCPL. We can now start applying for licenses, open bank accounts, etc. SpaceX’s subsidiary will be charging a deposit of USD 99 or Rs. 7,350 per customer. It also claims to deliver data speeds in the range of 50 to 150 megabits per second in the beta stage. The services of Starlink will compete with that of Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel in broadband and it will also be a direct competitor to Bharti Group-backed OneWeb. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is keen to work in the rural areas of India for providing broadband services. The cost of Starlink’s satellite broadband service, in India, will be around Rs. 1 lakh annually (about $100 dollars a month) while the kit, which will include the modem, dish, and cable, will cost about Rs. 40,000. In order to get a connection, customers will have to pre-book. The company has also been looking to partner with entrepreneurs to make the services more affordable in India. For example, an entrepreneur can set up village centres where satellite broadband services can be used to provide services such as digital libraries, ATMs, cyber café, among others. There is also a huge potential for Starlink services in India as nearly 70% of schools do not have broadband connectivity. The courts are also another area, where its services can be expanded. The company will soon start applying for licenses to offer its satellite broadband services.