Vaccine for the children above 12 years approved

TOP NEWS IN NUTSHELLS (21 August 2021)

*NATIONAL NEWS*

• COVID-19 VACCINE FOR CHILDREN APPROVED: The Govt. has approved the first Covid-19 vaccine for the children above 12 years in India. With the central drug regulator clearing the vaccine, Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D is set to become the first Covid vaccine candidate developed on a plasmid DNA platform to be commercially introduced anywhere in the world. PM Modi hailed it as a ‘momentous feat” and said the approval to the world’s first DNA -based vaccine against the coronavirus is a testimony to the innovative zeal of our scientists.
• NEET-UG 2021: The National Testing Agency  has announced the exam centre cities for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) scheduled for September 12. NEET exam centre has been allotted to candidates on the basis of the cities selected at the time of filling the application form. Students due to appear NEET UG can check the exam centre city on the official website -- neet.nta.nic.in.

• DISHA ENCOUNTER CASE: The Telangana government will present its evidences on Saturday to the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Sirpurkar commission in the alleged police encounter of four young men. They were accused of gang rape and murder of a 26-year-old veterinary doctor at Shamshabad near Hyderabad in November 2019. The crime had sparked massive outrage in several parts of the country, with the media calling the subsequent killing of the four accused in police custody as 'Disha encounter'. The Justice Sirpurkar Commission was constituted to investigate the allegations of extrajudicial killings. According to reports, the committee finished collecting records in the case earlier this week and has now moved on to the evidence recording phase.
• SC ON PERSONAL LIBERTY: The Supreme Court said that the  personal liberty is an important aspect of constitutional mandate. The apex court said if arrest is made routine, it could cause “incalculable harm” to the reputation and self-esteem of a person. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy said if the investigating officer of a case does not believe that the accused will abscond or disobey the summons, he or she is not required to be produced before the court in custody. The top court passed the order while hearing a plea against the Allahabad High Court verdict which had dismissed an application seeking anticipatory bail in a case in which FIR was registered seven years ago.
• BILATERAL TALKS ON BOUNDARY DISPUTE: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that he had already spoken to his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma. Both states agreed to resolve all issues through bilateral talks on boundary disputes.
• PRESIDENT ASSENT TO GNBN ACT: President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to a bill to amend the General Insurance Business (Nationalization) Act. This will facilitate bringing down Govt’s equity below 51% in a public sector general insurance Company.
• MAHARASHTRA ROAD MISHAP: In Maharashtra, 13 laborer’s lost their lives on Friday in a road mishap near Tadegaon in Sindkhedraja taluka of the Buldhana district. The accident took place when the dumper carrying the laborers and iron rods allegedly slipped and overturned, burying 16 people underneath the rods.
• J&K ENCOUNTER: Two terrorists were killed during a security operation at Khrew near Srinagar on Friday. This the second encounter in Jammu and Kashmir within a span of 24 hours.

**INTERNATIONAL NEWS**

• TALIBAN TERRORS: Reports are pouring out that Taliban’s have mounted targeted killings. Their act of reprisals against people who had worked with US-led forces or the previous Afghan government has fuelled fears that the new de facto rulers could return Afghanistan to their repressive rule that ended 20 years ago.
• EAM JAISHANKAR MEETS QATAR FOREIGN MINISTER: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday held talks with his Qatar counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on the latest developments in Afghanistan as he stopped over in Doha on his way back home from a four-day visit to the US.
• CHINA ON NEW AFGHAN GOVT.: Ex-Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar predicts that China may accord recognition to the new government in Kabul at an early opportunity. Meanwhile the Biden administration has suspended all arms sales to Afghanistan.
• DOMESTIC FLIGHTS ALLOWED IN KABUL: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that domestic air carriers and civilian pilots can fly into Kabul to conduct evacuation or relief flights with prior U.S. Defense Department approval.
• INDIA-ISRAEL MOU: Israeli radar company signs Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate with India's Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (ADTL).
• ETHIOPIA CONFLICT: The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has again called for an immediate ceasefire in the Ethiopian region of Tigray, where government forces and rebel fighters have been locked in conflict since November.
• ASSAULT ON CHINESE CITIZENS IN PAK: At least two children were killed and a Chinese citizen was wounded in a suicide attack in southern Pakistan on Friday. This is the latest assault targeting Chinese citizens in the country.
• BA DOUBLES FLIGHT: British Airways has doubled the flight services between India and UK as travel demand increases.

***SPORTS***

• PARVWZ RASOOL ALLEGES VICTIMISATION: A day after The Indian Express reported on the notice to all-rounder Parvez Rasool by Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), asking him to return the pitch roller or face “police action”, the cricketer says he feels “victimised” and wants the Indian cricket board to “intervene now” before things get out of hand. The 32-year-old all rounder Rasool is the only cricketer from Jammu & Kashmir to represent the Indian team.
• WFI CHIEF AGAINST DIRECT OVERSEES TRAINING DECISIONS: Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said, he wants to make an example of wrestler Vinesh Phogat. She was served a show-cause notice for allegedly refusing to stay with the Indian team at the Tokyo Olympics and not wearing the team’s official uniform for her bouts. WFI Chief also demanded a bigger say in the planning for the Paris Olympics and warned the Target Olympic Podium Scheme to keep him in the loop. He also said that wrestlers will not be allowed to compete if they take help from private bodies like the Olympic Gold Quest and JSW Sports.
• IPL 2021 PHASE II: Three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winner Chennai Super Kings have reached UAE to take part in the IPL 2021 Phase 2. The second phase of IPL is scheduled to begin from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In total, 31 matches, including qualifiers, will be played over the course of 27 days.
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