| | 5 THINGS FIRST | Today: PM Modi’s Independence Day address from Red Fort; UEFA Champions League QF: Manchester City vs Lyon (12:30 am, Sunday); US-China trade talks resume. Tomorrow: J&K's 4G ban likely to be lifted from 2 districts on trial basis; UEFA Europa League QF: Sevilla vs Manchester United (12:30 am, Monday) | |
| | 1. Rajasthan stays with Ashok Gehlot |  | - The Ashok Gehlot government won a confidence vote in the Rajasthan assembly on Friday, ending the threat triggered by a rebellion within the Congress ranks in the state.
- The motion of confidence moved by the Congress government was passed by voice vote, an expected win after the return of the 19 dissident MLAs led by Sachin Pilot to the party-fold. The House later adjourned to meet again next Friday. The win gives at least a six-month reprieve to CM Gehlot.
- One of the reasons why the BJP failed to make the most of the crisis in Congress, say some, was the lack of support from former chief minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje, who had largely maintained silence and kept away from BJP meetings in Jaipur since the crisis erupted last month.
- On Friday, speaking to India Today TV, Raje said: "I was missing in action because I was observing the month of Shravan. Some people do pooja". On the rift in Congress, she said, "I am not in a position to comment because I was in Dholpur all this time. So, I don't know what has happened, I was not involved."
- The Rajasthan high court, meanwhile, reserved its order on the petition challenging the merger of six BSP MLAs into the Congress and the order of the speaker approving the merger on September 18 last year. It will pronounce the judgment on Monday.
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| | 2. SC holds Prashant Bhushan guilty of contempt |  | The Supreme Court on Friday held lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan guilty of criminal contempt, rejecting his argument that his tweets were merely “expressing his anguish” and that the “Chief Justice is not the Supreme Court”. - The counter: The court, while conceding that “any personal attack upon a judge in connection with the office he holds is dealt with under law of libel or slander”, added that “hostile criticism” of judges or judiciary would amount to “scandalising the Court”.
- Saying too much: The three-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra, B R Gavai and Krishna Murari, observed that in case of the first tweet, had Bhushan limited it to the first part — up to “... without a mask or helmet” — he wouldn’t have been in contempt of court. The second part of the tweet — on “denying citizens their fundamental right” — was “undoubtedly false, malicious and scandalous”, the court said.
- The reason: The SC noted that the said alleged bike ride was during the time when the court was on a summer vacation. Even so, it said that vacation benches were functioning — it even said Bhushan himself had appeared “not only as a lawyer but also as a litigant”. The court also said that “various benches of the Court have been sitting regularly and discharging their duties through video conferencing” — SC heard 12,748 cases during the lockdown, the bench said.
- Two much: In the second tweet, the court said it wasn’t “concerned with the first part of the tweet”, but the second part — on “the role of the Supreme Court in this destruction... ” — made it clear that Bhushan’s “criticism is not against a particular judge but the institution of the Supreme Court and the institution of the Chief Justice of India”.
- What now: Bhushan could face simple imprisonment for up to six months, or a fine of up to Rs 2,000, or both. The sentencing is next week.
Meanwhile, in another case, the apex court on Friday questioned why Reliance Jio Infocomm should not be held liable to pay adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues related to Reliance Communications spectrum that it has been using since 2016. Details here | |
| | 3. RBI signs a Rs 57,128 cr cheque for Centre |  | - The Reserve Bank of India on Friday approved the transfer of Rs 57,128 crore as annual dividend (for 2019-20) to the central government, which had budgeted for a Rs 60,000 crore transfer.
- The RBI pays dividends to the government every year depending on the profits from its investments, both in India and abroad, and printing of notes and coins.
- The dividend comes at a time when Centre's finances are under severe strain and it is staring at a record fiscal deficit due to the economic slowdown followed by the pandemic.
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- Last year the central bank had approved a record payment of Rs 1.76 lakh crore, which included Rs 1.23 lakh crore as dividend and Rs 52,637 crore as a one-time transfer from its surplus capital. The one-time transfer was the result of a revised Economic Capital Framework adopted by the RBI board on the recommendations of a committee headed by former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan. The move had come under criticism from opposition parties who questioned the central’s bank’s autonomy.
- RBI also maintains a reserve to draw from in case of financial instability or contingencies. The RBI board has decided to maintain the contingency risk buffer (CRB) at 5.5% of its balance sheet this year. RBI used to maintain a CRB of 6.8% of the balance sheet but following Jalan committee’s recommendation of a 5.5% to 6.5% band, the central bank chose to maintain it at the lower end since last year.
- The central bank’s detailed balance sheet will be released by month-end when it publishes its annual report (RBI's financial year runs from July to June though it will change from next year).
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| | 4. India's caseload now past 2.5 million |  | - India’s Covid-19 cases crossed 2.5 million on Friday, just eight days after going past the 2 million mark, even as more than 65,000 fresh infections were reported for the third straight day while daily the death toll from the virus remained close to 1,000.
- Only the US and Brazil have recorded more Covid cases than India. In August, India has so far added nearly 830,000, the highest in the world. The gap between second-placed Brazil and India, which was 970,000 cases on July 31, has since narrowed to 770,000.
Friday’s count:- Cases: 65,269, third-highest daily count; Total: 2,523,480
- Deaths: 985, third-highest daily count; Total: 49,054
- Recoveries: 1.8 million, 71% of the total.
- Active cases: 670,000+
- Ayushman Bharat: The Centre plans to expand the Ayushman Bharat health insurance framework to include 450 million ‘non-poor population’ who are currently not covered under any government or private insurance scheme and are only a little better off than the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana beneficiaries. While the proposed plan is to offer coverage on ‘self-pay basis’, it aims to reduce insurance premium by around one-third of the existing retail price and cover the “missing middle” against financial risk of hospitalisation using the Ayushman Bharat ecosystem, official sources said.
- Vaccine update: Covaxin, the vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech and ICMR, is safe, according to preliminary results of the Phase I clinical trials. An investigator said, if the process continued smoothly, the vaccine would be available in the first half of 2021. More here.
Health updates:
- Amit Shah has tested negative and will stay in home isolation for a few more days.
- Lav Agarwal, the health ministry joint secretary and the face of the government’s televised Covid briefings, tests positive.
- Pranab Mukherjee continues to be on ventilatory support. His vital parameters are presently stable.
- Singer SP Balasubramaniam was moved to the ICU and was under ventilation. His condition is stable, informed his son SP Charan.
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| | NEWS IN CLUES | | 5. The slogan of which airline is ‘Fly Smart’? | - Clue 1: Founded in November 2005, it is headquartered in Mumbai.
- Clue 2: In October 2008, it became the first Indian low-cost carrier to introduce business class.
- Clue 3: It was also the first domestic airline to announce that it will keep middle seats vacant to ensure social distancing.
Scroll below for answer | |
| | 6. Scorched by Bayern, Barca stare at uncertain future |  | - 8-2: Bayern Munich pumped in 8 goals into Barcelona’s net to advance to the Champions League semi-finals in Lisbon late on Friday. Until Friday, Barcelona had never conceded so many goals in any tournament since 1946. And no team has scored so many goals in a Champions League knockout game before Bayern did on the night.
- Relentless: The German giants spread their goals among its exceptionally talented players — Thomas Muller scored two, including a 4th-minute opener; Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, and Robert Lewandowski one each; and late substitute Philippe Coutinho two. One of Barcelona’s two goals was an own goal; the other an individual effort by Luis Suarez. Lewandowski also became the first Bayern player to score in eight consecutive Champions League matches.
- One for the future: As evident by the scoreline, Bayern simply sliced through Barca like knife on butter. But even amidst this collective brilliance, an individual stood out: Bayern’s 19-year-old fullback Alphonso Davies, who snaked through Barca defence, from the left flank, then along the byline, before laying the ball for Kimmich to slot it into the net. A Messi-esque moment of brilliance. On that topic...
- An uncertain future: Barcelona have not been the champion side that intimidated opponents for some time now. But this 8-2 defeat could be the straw that broke the camel’s back. There’s no hiding, Barca face an overhaul. Messi is said to be unhappy and has not yet renewed his contract. But worries go further. Messi is 33. So are Suarez, Gerard Pique and Arturo Vidal. Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic are 32. Jordi Alba is 31. Barca have primed for an overhaul.
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| | 7. Saluting their bravery |  | - The nation’s second highest peacetime gallantry medal Kirti Chakra (in pic) has been posthumously awarded to Jammu & Kashmir Police head constable Abdul Rashid Kalas in the Independence Day medals list. Kalas showed exemplary bravery while laying down his life during a fierce encounter in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, in which three terrorists, four security personnel and a civilian were killed in February last year. Also, there are nine recipients of the Shaurya Chakra, the third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards.
- Of the 84 gallantry medals approved by President Ram Nath Kovind, there are five Bar to Sena Medals (awarded for the second time to an individual), 60 Senas Medals, five Vayu Sena Medals and four Nao Sena Medals. There are also 19 Mention-in-Despatches for Army soldiers, including eight posthumous ones for ‘Operation Meghdoot’ in Siachen and the counter-insurgency ‘Operation Rakshak’.
- In recognition of the “raw courage” displayed by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel during the Ladakh clash with Chinese troops, the paramilitary force recommended 21 of its bravehearts for gallantry medals and honoured 294 others with the DG’s commendation rolls and insignias. ITBP said the faceoffs and skirmishes with Chinese forces took place through May and June.
- Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF personnel engaged in counter-terror operations in the Union Territory walked away with 122 or nearly 57% of the total 215 police medals awarded for gallantry.
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| | 8. A rift among OIC members |  | - Over Palestine: The surprise announcement that the Israel and UAE are to establish diplomatic relations as part of a deal for Israel to suspend the plan to annex Palestinian lands in West Bank has widened the rift in the Islamic world. On Friday, Turkey and Iran lashed out at the Emirates. Iran called it a “dagger... in the backs of the Palestinian people and all Muslims”. Turkey, which has diplomatic ties with Israel, said Emirates had no authority to negotiate on behalf of Palestinians and said the region “will never forget and will never forgive”.
- Over Kashmir: Turkey’s attempt to take the moral high-ground is similar to its approach on the Kashmir issue. Since last year, when India abrogated Article 370, Ankara has been among the strongest backers of Islamabad at the forum of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Pakistan’s recent attempt to convene a meeting of foreign ministers of OIC nations was opposed by Saudi Arabia, which pulled a loan deal in anger. Saudi is wary of Turkey’s attempt to take the leadership position of the Islamic world; Riyadh and Ankara also have competing interests in some regional conflicts.
- Looking back: Turkey is also turning the clock back. Recently, it converted Hagia Sophia, a UN heritage site, into a mosque. An Orthodox cathedral built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537, it was turned into a mosque after the 1453 Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul). Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the secular Turkish republic, made it a museum in 1934. By turning it into a mosque, experts say, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is projecting himself as the successor to Mehmet II, the Ottoman Sultan.
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| | | 9. A Battle Royale with smartphone kings |  | Epic Games, the maker of the widely popular mobile game Fortnite, is taking the fight to Apple and Google, under the cover of the antitrust issues Big Tech is facing. - Strike 1: Apple and Google charge about 30% commission on purchases made through their app stores. Fortnite, which is available on both iOS App Store and Google Play, decided now was the right time to strike, since the practice of charging commission was being reviewed by antitrust regulators in Europe and the US. To circumvent the in-game purchases commission, it offered digital transactions through tokens within the app at 30% discount.
- Strike 2: Apple booted out the game from its App Store in response. So Epic Games sued the company in US District Court in California. Too add some spice — this is over mobile gaming, after all — it spoofed Apple’s “1984” ad, with Apple as the Big Brother instead. Later, Google too booted out Fortnite from its app store, India market included.
- Jackpot: Since the turn of the year, Apple has earned $39 billion in global revenue from in-app purchases and subscriptions, and Google, $21 billion, Sensor Tower data showed. So they couldn’t afford to allow Epic Games to win this round, since it could influence others to follow suit.
- The player: Fortnite, remember, is hugely popular with over 130 million instals on iOS and over 11 million on Android. As per Sensor Tower, it earned $34 million a month from iOS users and $2m a month from Android users. Epic Games has more games in its portfolio.
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| | BEFORE YOU GO | | 10. The nation is indebted to health workers: President |  | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, MumbaiPresident Ram Nath Kovind extended his greeting to the country on the eve of India’s 74th Independence Day. Highlights from his address: - The nation is indebted to doctors, nurses & other health workers who have been continuously at the forefront of our Covid fight. Unfortunately, many of them have lost their lives battling the pandemic. They are our national heroes.
- Today, when the biggest challenge faced by the world community is the need to unite and fight, then our neighbour dared to carry out his expansionist activities cleverly. Protecting the borders, our brave soldiers laid down their lives. The entire nation pays tribute to the sacrifices of the Galwan Valley. Every Indian expresses gratitude towards their family members.
In Kashmir: Two Jammu and Kashmir policemen were killed and another injured in a militant attack near Srinagar on Friday. Security forces have intensified patrolling ahead of Independence Day. The mainfunction will be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, Srinagar. | |
| | | Answer to NEWS IN CLUES | GoAir. The Wadia Group budget airline has lost yet another CEO with Vinay Dube quitting from his position. The former Jet Airways CEO had taken charge in February, replacing Cornelis Vrieswijk, who had lasted just nine months. Vrieswijk had taken over from Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, who quit in December 2017 on a bitter note. GoAir named former CEO Kaushik Khona as Dube's replacement. | |
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| Written by: Rakesh Rai, Judhajit Basu, Sumil Sudhakaran, Tejeesh N.S. Behl
Research: Rajesh Sharma
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