Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-08-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-08-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. COVID-19 – India’s Covid tally in Aug is highest in world so far – India is emerging as the biggest Covid-19 hotspot in the world in August. The country has so far recorded the most number of cases this month, slightly more than the US and substantially higher than the infections reported in Brazil. India has the world’s third highest death toll from the virus in the first six days of August. The coronavirus pandemic continued to surge on Friday (August 7), with fresh infections in the country crossing 60,000 for the second straight day and fatalities shooting up to 926, the highest single-day toll so far. India reported 3,28,903 new coronavirus cases in the first six days of August. The corresponding figure in the US was 3,26,111 and 2,51,264 in Brazil.
2. Education – Indians spend ₹25k cr/yr on pvt tuitions for kids – Indian families spend close to Rs 25,000 crore a year on giving school kids private tuitions, an analysis of data from the education ministry and a recent National Statistical Office (NSO) report indicates. This does not include coaching for entrance exams and is just the money spent on bringing children from pre-primary to the higher secondary level up to speed on their school courses. To put that in context, the amount is more than one third of the central government’s total budget allocation of Rs 59,845 crore to the department of school education and literacy. Families of children in each of the primary, secondary and higher secondary levels spend over Rs 6,000 crore on private tuitions.
3. Disasters & Accidents – 15 killed as AI flight skids off Calicut airport runway – At least 15 persons, including the pilot and co-pilot, were killed and 153 injured when a Vande Bharat mission flight from Dubai overshot the runway at Calicut International Airport, broke into two parts and fell into a deep gorge around 8 p.m. on Friday (August 8). The Boeing aircraft, carrying 189 passengers and six crew, attempted to land amidst heavy tailwinds and rain on the table-top runway. It failed to hold on the runway due to poor weather conditions, and skidded for more than 75 m. The accident was similar to the fatal crash of another Air India Express aircraft that overshot the Mangalore International Airport 10 years ago. Following the accident, the airport was closed and flights diverted. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered a detailed inquiry into the matter.
4. Economy – Govt. launches Electric Vehicle Policy to boost economy, reduce pollution – The Delhi government has launched its ambitious Electric Vehicle Policy, which aims to boost the city’s economy, reduce pollution levels and generate employment in the transport sector. It also includes various incentives for the promotion of the purchase of electric vehicles in the city. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the policy would make Delhi “a world leader” in the field of electric vehicles and that it was one of the most progressive EV policies in the world. Mr. Kejriwal said that there were two objectives behind launching the EV Policy: as another step to kickstart the city’s economy and to combat pollution.
5. Polity & Governance – Rajapaksas win super majority in Sri Lanka parliamentary poll – Sri Lanka’s ruling party secured a two-thirds majority in the recent parliamentary elections, giving the Rajapaksa brothers the power they sought to amend the Constitution. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) obtained nearly 60% of the total votes polled, almost equalling the Rajapaksa-led front’s biggest mandate yet in 2010, when it peaked in popularity on the heels of ending the civil war. Coming less than a year after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ascent to power, the huge victory heralds the brothers’ likely power consolidation, as they helm the country’s two most powerful offices. However, the prospect of such a super majority has already sparked concern among sceptics and Opposition forces.
6. World – U.S. to ban transactions with TikTok, WeChat – In what is the latest of a series of American measures against China, U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders (EOs) barring transactions with Chinese video sharing app TiKTok and messaging service WeChat. The bans, which will come into effect after 45 days, were ostensibly in response to concerns that the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) could retrieve private data on Americans from these apps and CPC censorship on the apps. One of the EOs bans any WeChat-related transaction with its owner Tencent Ltd. or its subsidiaries. The other bans any transactions with ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. Both orders allow a period of 45 days before kicking in. This allows time for U.S. tech giant Microsoft to explore an opportunity to buy TikTok from ByteDance.
7. World – U.S. sanctions Hong Kong leader Lam – The U.S. has slapped sanctions on Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam and 10 other senior figures, in a major new step against China’s clampdown in the semi-autonomous city. In the most significant U.S. action since China imposed a tough security law, Ms. Lam and the other leaders of the Asian financial hub will have any assets in the U.S. blocked. The move also criminalises any U.S. financial transactions with them. US official said the U.S. was acting because Beijing had violated its promise of autonomy that it made to Hong Kong before Britain handed back the territory in 1997.
8. Environment & Ecology – Maharashtra is first state to name official mangrove tree – White chippi (Sonneratia alba) or sweet scented apple mangrove is now the official mangrove tree of Maharashtra. The state is the first to declare such a tree and the approval was granted at the 15th state wildlife board meeting on Friday (August 7). Maharashtra implemented a successful mangrove conservation programme on government land after the Bombay high court declared them as protected forests in 2015. Later, they were declared reserved forests. Maharashtra already has a state tree (mango), animal (large squirrel), fowl (inexperienced pigeon), state butterfly (blue mormon) and flower (jarul).
9. COVID-19 – India’s recovery rate at 68% as nearly 14 lakh beat Covid – Covid-19 cases in India crossed the 20 lakh mark on Friday (August 7) after a record 62,538 cases were added in the last 24 hours, even as two-third of the total patients have also recovered. The total recoveries have jumped to 13,78,105 with 49,769 patients getting better in the last 24 hours. The recovery rate now stands at 68%. The average daily recovery (7-day moving average) has increased from around 26,000 cases to 44,000 cases in the last two weeks. In the last 24 hours, 886 people died. The total number of Covid-19 deaths in the country now stands at 41,585. The Covid fatality rate is now at around 2%.
10. Economy – With record $11.9 bn jump in July last week, forex reserves swell by $100 bn in10 months – India’s foreign exchange reserves jumped by a record $11.9 billion in the week ended July 31 to hit a fresh high of $534.5 billion. In fact, over the last 10 months, the country’s forex reserves have swelled by $100 billion. Driven by a rise in FPI and FDI, the reserves have been supported by dip in import bill on account of ruling low crude oil prices, decline in gold and other imports on account of COVID-19. RBI data shows that in the week ended July 31, the foreign currency assets expanded by $10.3 billion to $490.8 billion. Even the gold reserves were up by $1.5 billion to $37.6 billion.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	NABARD	Project Manager, Sr Analyst, Cyber Security Manager	131	Degree/ PG	AUG-23-2020	https://www.nabard.org/auth/writereaddata/CareerNotices/0608202446Specialist%20Consultants%20-%20Advertisement%20-%202020.pdf
2	National Housing Bank	Specialist Officer	11	Degre,PG Degree/ Diploma, CA/ CMA/ CW	AUG-28-2020	http://www.freejobalert.com/national-housing-bank/16039/
3	BECIL	Consulting Editor, Assistant Consulting Editor	19	Diploma, Any Degree, PG Degree/	AUG 25-2020	https://www.becil.com/uploads/vacancy/492e4d3abd31069b81a9ec353ecfad35.pdf
4	WII	Project Associate, Junior Technical Assistant	36	Degree, PG, Ph.D	AUG-28-2020	https://wii.gov.in/images//images/documents/recruitments/research_personnel_aug_2020.pdf
5	Cochin Shipyard Limited	Workmen	471	--	AUG 20,2020	http://www.freejobalert.com/cochin-shipyard/17694/#WORKMEN
6	CEERI	Project Assistant- III, Project Associate- I, Junior Research Fellow	20	B.E/ B.Tech, M.E./ M.Tech	AUG-13-2020	https://www.ceeri.res.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AdvtNOPF012020_Online_Interview_06082020.pdf
7	Army Recruiting Office, Jhunjhunu	Soldier	--	8th, 10th Class, 10+2	SEPT-22-2020	https://joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/BRAVO_NotificationPDF/Army_Recruitment_Rally_ARO_Jhunjhunu_for_Sol_GD__Sol_Tech_and_Sol_Tdn__8th_and_10th_.pdf

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 Not Available Today

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• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 IBBI amends liquidation process regulations; liquidator’s fee to ‘depend’ on the work done

• Key point –

1. A liquidator can claim fees only on the basis of the amount of work they have done during the liquidation process of a company, be it in terms of the amount realised or distributed.

• Important details –

1. When a company goes into liquidation under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), generally, the committee of creditors (CoC) appoints a liquidator and decides on a fixed fee to be paid for their services.
2. However, in the absence of a fixed fee, IBBI regulations stipulate the liquidator’s fee as a percentage of the amount realised and distributed through the liquidation process.
3. To address uncertainties in such cases involving multiple liquidators, the IBBI has amended the liquidation process regulations.
4. The amendment made to the Regulations clarifies that where a liquidator realises any amount, but does not distribute the same, he shall be entitled to a fee corresponding to the amount realised by him.
5. Similarly, the opposite applies to a liquidator who distributed the amount but did not realise it.
6. The decision was made as situations arose where the liquidator had to be replaced as he fell sick, passed away or resigned midway during the process.

• Voluntary liquidation –

1. In a simultaneous notification, the board amended the regulations for voluntary liquidation to enable a corporation to appoint an alternate liquidator at any point during the process through a resolution of members or partners, or contributories.

• The IBBI’s views –

1. The amendment made to the Regulations today provides that the corporate person may replace the liquidator by appointing another insolvency professional as liquidator by a resolution of members or partners, or contributories, as the case may be.

• MONETARY POLICY REVIEW

1. RBI opted for a status quo and left interest rates unchanged, but maintained an accommodative stance.
2. Benchmark repo rate was left unchanged at 4%.
3. Consequently, the reverse repo rate also remained at 3.35%.
4. Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends to commercial banks, and reverse repo is the rate at which it borrows from them. 

2.2 Other major happenings 

• Banks can give loans up to 90% (earlier 75%) of the value of gold and jewellery pledged by borrowers till March 31, 2021: Reserve Bank of India
• RBI to set up an Expert Committee chaired by K. V. Kamath to give suggestions on parameters of debt resolution plans.
• RBI to set up ‘Innovation Hub’ for financial inclusion, efficient banking.
• IDBI Bank to sell its 27% stake in IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company (IFLIC) to JV partners on August 6, 2020 Ageas Insurance International NV and Federal Bank Ltd.
• Percentage of cases out of returns filed selected for scrutiny declined to 0.25% in AY 2018-19 (FY 2017-18): Income Tax Department.
• CBIC directs Customs to check within 48 hours safety of explosives in warehouses, ports.
• RBI forms 5-member committee under KV Kamath, panel to recommend parameters for loan restructuring; other members: Diwakar Gupta, TN Manoharan, Ashvin Parekh and Sunil Mehta.
• RBI offers additional special liquidity facility of Rs 5,000 crore each at its policy lending rate to NABARD and NHB to boost rural lending and affordable housing.
• Exim Bank extends $250 mn LoC to Mozambique for improving power supply.

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• 3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

3.1 Government imposes safeguard duty on solar cells for one more year till July 2021

• Key points -   

1. The government has imposed safeguard duty on solar cells for one more year till July 2021 to protect domestic manufacturers and discourage cheap imports from countries like China.
   India imposed the duty for the first time on July 30, 2018, for two years. China accounts for nearly 80% of module supplies in India.
2. The Renewable Energy Ministry has also proposed imposing customs duties on some solar power equipment as part of the country’s goal of becoming self-sufficient.

• Highlights –

1. The move followed recommendation by the Commerce Ministry’s investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) for continued imposition of the duty for one more year.
2. In its probe, the DGTR had concluded that after a decline in imports in 2018-19 due to the imposition of safeguard duty on solar cells whether or not assembled in modules or panels , imports have increased during April-September 2019 due to reduction in rate of the duty from July 30, 2019.
3. After considering the findings of the DGTR, the Department Of Revenue in a notification has said that it is imposing “a safeguard duty” on the product.
4. A duty of 14.9% will be levied during July 30, 2020, to January 29, 2021, and then 14.5% during January 30, 2021, to July 29, 2021.
5. The Directorate had stated that there has been a significant increase in imports of the cells.
6. Imports of solar cells and modules increased to 9,790 MW in 2017-18 from 6,375 MW in 2016-17.
7. The duties were put in place on July 30, 2018. As a consequence, the import volume came down to 8,010 MW in 2018-19.

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• 4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

4.1 US House panel passes bill to promote legacies of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr

• Key Point –

• The foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives has passed a legislation for consideration of the full chamber that seeks to set up an exchange programme for Indian and American students to study Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

• Highlights – 

1. The Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act was authored by John Lewis, the civil rights leader Democratic member of the House who passed away on July 17, 2020.
2. Lewis first introduced the bill in October 2011, two years after he led a congressional delegation to India to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King’s 1959 visit to India.
3. The bill seeks to authorise the state department to set up, in cooperation with the Indian government, an educational forum for scholars from the two countries focussed on studying Gandhi and King.
4. It also seeks the development of a professional development training initiative on conflict resolution based on the principles of non-violence, and the establishment of a foundation to address social, environmental, and health priorities in India.  

 4.2 Weekly Roundup – Foreign Affairs

• Quarantine rules for international travellers eased; quarantine period halved - From August 8, passengers coming from abroad to India can seek exemption from mandatory institutional quarantine on arrival on grounds of “compelling reasons”, which include pregnancy, death in the family, and serious illness. Revised guidelines also halved the duration of quarantine from 14 days each of institutional quarantine and home quarantine to 7 days each.
• Govt. extends ban on international scheduled flights till August 31 - The Union government on July 31, 2020 extended the ban on international scheduled flights till August 31. However, flights under bilateral agreements with five countries will continue to operate. Agreements made with five countries — U.S., France, Germany, UAE and Kuwait — allow the airlines of both countries to operate a limited number of non-stop flights.
• Govt allows export of indigenously made ventilators - The high-level Group of Ministers (GOM) on Covid-19 has agreed to the health ministry’s proposal to allow the export of indigenously made ventilators. The Health Ministry said this was done in view of low rate of fatality (2.15%) among Covid-19 patients which means fewer numbers of active cases are on ventilators.
• Reliance Power to build and operate 718 MW power plant in Bangladesh - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on July 31, 2020 signed a $200 million financing deal with the Reliance Bangladesh LNG and Power Limited (RBLPL) to build and operate 718 megawatt combined-cycle gas-fired power plant in Bangladesh.
• India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue held in New Delhi - Defence Ministers’ Dialogue between India and Indonesia was held in New Delhi on July 27, 2002.  Indian delegation was headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while the Indonesian delegation was led by its Defence Minister General Prabowo Subianto.
• Mauritius: Supreme Court Building built with Indian aid inaugurated in Port Louis - Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the new Supreme Court Building in Port Louis through video conferencing on July 30, 2020. The project was completed with grant assistance of USD 28.12 million from the Government of India.

• COVID-19: ADB to give $3 mn grant from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund - Multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) on July 29, 2020 said it has approved USD 3 million (about Rs 22 crore) grant to India from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund to further support the government’s emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic.
• UK, India to collaborate in 8 mn pounds-anti-microbial resistance research - The United Kingdom and India are deepening their existing scientific research collaboration with five new projects worth eight million pounds to tackle anti-microbial resistance (AMR) that could lead to important advances in the global fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes.
• Sitharaman attends 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of AIIB - Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 5th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) through video conference in New Delhi on July 28, 2020.  
• Archana Soreng named in UN Chief’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change  - Indian climate activist Archana Soreng has been named by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to his new Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. The group comprising 7 young activists, aged between 18 and 28 years, will advise the UN chief regularly on accelerating global action and ambition to tackle the worsening climate crisis.
• Turkey approves new social media law that will allow authorities to remove content - Turkey adopted a new social media law on July 29, 2020 that will require foreign social media sites to appoint a local representative to address authorities’ concerns. The law would allow Turkish authorities to remove content from platforms.
• China’s Jin Liqun re-elected President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank - China’s Jin Liqun was re-elected President of Beijing-headquartered AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) for a second five-year term on July 29, 2020. India is the second-largest shareholder (with 7.62% voting shares) after China (26.06%) in AIIB that was founded in 2016. India has received $4.35 billion in loans from AIIB - the highest of any country.
• Malaysia’s former PM Najib Razak gets 12 years in jail - Malaysia’s former leader Najib Razak (67) was on July 28, 2020 found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 12 years in jail and a fine of 210 million ringgits ($49 million) on a charge of abuse of power in the first trial over a multi-billion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB. Najib pleaded not guilty, and said he would appeal the verdict in Malaysia’s Federal Court. Najib is alleged to have misappropriated from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the state fund.
• Taiwan: First democratically elected President Lee Teng-hui dies - Lee Teng-hui, Taiwan’s first democratically elected President of Taiwan (1996-2000) died at the age of 97 at Taipei on July 30, 2020. The government of Taiwan, formally the Republic of China, was established in 1949 by Chiang Kai-shek, after his Nationalist forces lost control of the mainland to Mao Zedong’s Communists and fled to the island.

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• 5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 Not Available Today

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Round – Sports

• IPL in UAE gets provisional govt. nod - The Union Government granted provisional clearance for IPL 2020 to be shifted to the UAE in the wake of COVID-19. On August 2, 2020, the IPL governing council decided that the tournament will be held from September 19 to November 10.
• The council finalised the proposal to advance the start of the night matches to 7.30 p.m. from 8 p.m. While the squad size will be capped at 24, it was also decided to not allow spectators in any of the three venues — Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah — during the initial phase of the tournament.
• The council decided to not tinker with any of its sponsorship deals. In the wake of the government’s increased curbs against Chinese entities following a border standoff, the BCCI had announced that it would review IPL’s sponsorship deals, including the one with Chinese mobile company VIVO, the title sponsor.
• Selection committee for national sports awards announced - Retired Supreme Court Justice Mukundakam Sharma will head the selection committee for finalising this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and other sports awards such as Dhyan Chand award, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar (RKPP) and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad trophy. The Union Sports Ministry named Virender Sehwag (cricket), Sardar Singh (hockey), Monalisa Baruah-Mehta (table tennis), V. Devarajan (boxer) and Deepa Malik (para athletics) as part of the committee. The others are the Sports Authority of India director- general Sandip Pradhan, joint secretary L.S. Singh and Cdr. Rajesh Rajagopalan of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), besides three mediapersons — Neeru Bhatia, Alok Sinha and Manish Batavia. Two Dronacharya awardees may be invited while considering nominations for the same.
• England beat West Indies in 3-test series 2-1 - England beat West Indies by 269 runs in the third and final test at Old Trafford, Manchester on July 28, 2020 to win the series 2-1. England had won the second test at the same venue by 113 runs on July 20 while West Indies won the first test at Rose Bowl, Southampton by 4 wickets on July 12.
• England’s Stuart Broad becomes 7th bowler in Test cricket to take 500 wickets - England fast-bowler Stuart Broad on July 28, 2020 became the seventh bowler in the history of Test cricket to scalp 500 wickets in in his 140th test played at Old Trafford, Manchester against West Indies. Those ahead of Broad are: Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia’s Shane Warne (708), India’s Anil Kumble (619), England’s James Anderson (589*), Australia’s Glenn McGrath (563) and Courtney Walsh (519) of West Indies.
• England: Former cricketer Ian Botham made member of House of Lords - Legendary England all-rounder Ian Botham (64) has been made a member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament. Botham, who played 102 Test matches for England between 1977 and 1992, was knighted in 2007.
• Arsenal beat Chelsea to win FA Cup football tournament in England - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang inspired Arsenal to a record 14th FA Cup triumph, the Gunners captain scoring both goals in the 2-1 win against Chelsea in the final played in London on August 1, 2020. The win earned Mikel Arteta silverware in his first season as Arsenal boss.
• Football: Italian club Lazio’s Ciro Immobile wins European Golden Shoe - Lazio’s Ciro Immobile scored his 36th goal of the season in Italian first division football ‘Serie A’ that won him the European Golden Shoe award. The award is given to the top scorer across every European league, with goals weighted by the quality of league. Immobile finished ahead of Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich (Germany) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus (Italy).
• Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix at Silverstone - Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 2, 2020. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished second while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 Ayodhya: PM lays foundation stone for a temple at Ram Janmabhoomi site, Bhumi Poojan performed

• Background –

1. A bench of five judges in the leadership of CJI Ranjan Gogoi gave the decision to provide the disputed land at Babri Masjid/Ram Janmabhumi compound to ‘Ram Lala Virajman’.
2. The other four judges were Justice Nazeem, Justice Chandrachud, Justice Bobade, Justice Ashok Bhushan
3. This decision revert the decision of Allahabad High Court given in 2010 which distributed the land to the three parties equally.
4. Three parties – Sunni Muslim Waqf Board, Ram Lala Virajman, Nirmohi Akhara.

• History  –

1. Thousand years ago – According to Hindu Mythology Lord Rama born in Ayodhya at the disputed place.
2. Proof of temple made in ancient (10th century) times has been found to ASI. Statue built at the time of Vikramaditya is available (in Orcha now).
3. Although SC accepted that, they don’t know what was there from 12th century to 16th century.
4. 1528-29 – Babar’s General Mir Baqi built mosque.
5. No signs of ‘Namaz’ till 19th century.
6. In 1853, a group of armed Hindu ascetics belonging to the Nirmohi Akhara occupied the site and claimed ownership of the structure.
7. Periodic violence erupted in the next two years, and the civil administration had to step in, refusing permission to build a temple or to use it as a place of worship.
8. In 1855, after a Hindu-Muslim clash, a boundary wall was constructed to avoid further disputes.
9. It divided the mosque premises into two courtyards; the Muslims offered prayers in the inner courtyard. The Hindus offered their prayers on a raised platform, known as "Ram Chabutara", in the outer courtyard.
10. In 1883, the Hindus launched an effort to construct a temple on the platform. After Muslim protests, the Deputy Commissioner prohibited any temple construction on 19 January 1885.
11.  On 27 January 1885, Raghubar Das, the Hindu mahant (priest) of the Ram Chabutara filed a civil suit before the Faizabad Sub-Judge. In response, the mutawalli (Muslim trustee) of the mosque argued that the entire land belonged to the mosque.
12. On 24 December 1885, the Sub Judge Pandit Hari Kishan Singh dismissed the suit.
13. On 18 March 1886, the District Judge F.E.A. Chamier also dismissed an appeal against the lower court judgment. He agreed that the mosque was built on the land considered sacred by the Hindus, but ordered maintenance of status quo, since it was "too late now to remedy the grievance".
14. A subsequent appeal before the Judicial Commissioner W. Young was also dismissed on 1 November 1886.
15. On 27 March 1934, a Hindu–Muslim riot occurred in Ayodhya, triggered by cow slaughter in the nearby Shahjahanpur village. The walls made around the Masjid in British period and one of the domes of the Masjid were damaged during the riots.
16. In 1936, the United Provinces government enacted U.P. Muslim Waqf Act for the better administration of waqf properties in the state. In accordance with this act, the Babri Masjid and its adjacent graveyard (Ganj-e-Saheedan Qabristan) were registered as Waqf no. 26 Faizabad with the UP Sunni Central Board of Waqfs. The Shias disputed the Sunni ownership of the mosque, claiming that the site belonged to them because Mir Baqi was a Shia.
17. The Commissioner of Waqfs initiated an inquiry into the dispute. The inquiry concluded that the mosque belonged to the Sunnis, since it was commissioned by Babur, who was a Sunni.
18. In December 1949, the Hindu organisation Akhil Bharatiya Ramayana Mahasabha organised a non-stop 9-day recitation of the Ramacharitamanas just outside the mosque.
19. At the end of this event, on the night of 22–23 December 1949, a group of 50–60 people entered the mosque and placed idols of Rama and Sita there. On the morning of 23 December, the event organisers asked Hindu devotees to come to the mosque for a darshan.
20. As thousands of Hindus started visiting the place, the Government declared the mosque a disputed area and locked its gates.
21. Home Minister V. Patel and PM Nehru directed the state's CM G. B. Pant and UP Home Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to have the idols removed from the mosque premises. Pant issued orders to remove the idols, but Faizabad's deputy commissioner K. K. Nayar feared that the Hindus would retaliate and pleaded inability to carry out the orders.
22. On 16 January 1950, Gopal Singh Visharad filed a civil suit in the Faizabad Court, asking that Hindus be allowed to worship Rama and Sita at the place.
23. In 1959, the Nirmohi Akhara filed another lawsuit demanding possession of the mosque.
24. On 18 December 1961, the Sunni Central Waqf Board also filed a lawsuit, demanding possession of the site and removal of idols from the mosque premises.
25. Book Name – ‘Yuddh Mein Ayodhya’ by Hemand Sharma
26. In April 1984, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) initiated a campaign to gather public support for Hindu access to the Babri Masjid and other structures that had been allegedly built over Hindu shrines.
27. To raise public awareness, VHP planned nationwide rath yatras (chariot processions), the first of which took place in September–October 1984, from Sitamarhi to Ayodhya.
28. The campaign was temporarily suspended after assassination of Indira Gandhi, but revived in from 25 places on 23 October 1985.
29. On 25 January 1986, a 28-year-old local lawyer Umesh Chandra Pandey, appealed to a court to remove the restrictions on Hindu worship in the Babri Masjid premises.
30. Subsequently, the Rajiv Gandhi government ordered the locks on the Babri Masjid gates to be removed.
31. Earlier, the only Hindu ceremony permitted at the site was a Hindu priest performing an annual puja. After the ruling, all Hindus were given access to the site, and the mosque gained some function as a Hindu temple.
32. Communal tension in the region worsened when the VHP received permission to perform a shilanyas (stone-laying ceremony) at the disputed site before the national election in November 1989.
33. A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, L K Advani, started a rath yatra, embarking on a 10,000 km journey starting from the south and heading towards Ayodhya.
34. On 6 December 1992, BJP, VHP and RSS leaders gathered at the site to offer prayers and perform a symbolic kar seva.
35. At noon, a teenage Kar Sevak (volunteer) was "vaulted" on to the dome and that signalled the breaking of the outer cordon. Soon after, a large number of kar sevaks demolished the mosque.
36. In 2003, by the order of an Indian court, the Archaeological Survey of India  (ASI) was asked to conduct a more in-depth study and an excavation to ascertain the type of structure that was beneath the rubble.
37. The excavation was conducted from 12 March 2003 to 7 August 2003, resulting in 1360 discoveries. The ASI submitted its 500 + pages report to the Allahabad high court.
38. The summary of the ASI report indicated what appears to be the presence of a 10th-century shrine under the mosque.[
39. According to the ASI team, the human activity at the site dates back to the 13th century BC.
40. The next few layers date back to the Shunga period (second-first century BC) and the Kushan period.
41. During the early medieval period (11–12th century), a but short-lived huge structure of nearly 50 metres north-south orientation was constructed.
42. On the remains of this structure, another massive structure was constructed: this structure had at least three structural phases and three successive floors attached with it. The report concluded that it was over the top of this construction that the disputed structure was constructed during the early 16th century.
43. Muslim groups immediately disputed the ASI findings. The Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (Sahmat) criticised the report saying that it said that "presence of animal bones throughout as well as of the use of 'surkhi' and lime mortar" that was found by ASI are all characteristic of Muslim presence "that rule out the possibility of a Hindu temple having been there beneath the mosque.“
44. Syed Rabe Hasan Nadvi, chairman of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) alleged that ASI failed to mention any evidence of a temple in its interim reports and only revealed it in the final report which was submitted during a time of national tension, making the report highly suspect.
45. The Allahabad High Court, however, upheld the ASI's findings.
46. A land title case on the site was lodged in the Allahabad High Court, the verdicts of which was pronounced on 30 September 2010.
47. In their verdict, the three judges of The Allahabad High Court ruled that the 2.77 acres (1.12 ha) of Ayodhya land be divided into 3 parts, with 1/3 going to the Ram Lalla or Infant Lord Rama represented by the Hindu Maha Sabha for the construction of the Ram temple, 1/3 going to the Islamic Sunni Waqf Board and the remaining 1/3 going to a Hindu religious denomination Nirmohi Akhara.
48. The excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India were heavily used as evidence by the court that the predating structure was a massive Hindu religious building.
49. The five judges Supreme Court bench heard the title dispute cases from August to October 2019.
50. On 9 November 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the land to be handed over to a trust to build the Hindu temple. It also ordered to the government to give alternate 5 acre land to Sunni Waqf Board to build the mosque.

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• 8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

8.1 NHAI signs MoU with IIT-D for CoE in AI-driven decision making

• Key point - 

1. Natonal Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministey of Road Transport and Highways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi to set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Data Driven decision making and Advance Data Management System for Highways.

• Highlights – 

1. Under the partnership, IIT Delhi will work with NHAI on developing advance analytics based on AI and ML, prepare simulation models, enhance data storage and retrieval capacities to further strengthen NHAI’s capabilities in data-driven decision making.
2. The collaboration will be undertaken on the identified thrust areas like the Project Management and Data Management, Highway Network Traffic Demand and Incident Management, Highway safety, Highway Work-zone Management, Highway Pavement Management System.
3. IIT Delhi will also give inputs for NHAI data management policy.
4. As a part of the arrangement, IIT Delhi will provide space and infrastructural facility support to house the CoE along with providing scientific and technical expertise to extend research facilities at par with academic activities of the Institute.
5. NHAI on the other hand, will provide the critical data support and necessary access to its information resources including the data software, ‘Data Lake’.
6. NHAI will also extend required financial support to carry out research and various activities at the proposed CoE.
7. This arrangement is set to remain in effect for over a period of five years and is expected to bring out highly effective digitized systems on which the NHAI will thrive upon.
8. This partnership will fuel advancement in various fields related to the new age data driven traffic and construction management systems for highways, that will not just benefit NHAI but the entire nation at large.
9. The advance AI based Data Analytics of highways and traffic pattern at CoE will facilitate in data driven decision making at national level.

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• 9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

9.1 China celebrates completion of satelite navigation system

• Key points –

1. China is celebrating the completion of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System that could rival the U.S. Global Positioning System and significantly boost China’s security and geopolitical clout.
2. China’s space program has advanced rapidly since becoming only the third country to fly a crewed mission in 2003 and the country this month launched an orbiter, lander and rover to Mars. If successful, it would make China the only other country besides the U.S. to land on Mars.
3. China has also constructed an experimental space station and sent a pair of rovers to the surface of the moon.
4. Future plans call for a fully functioning permanent space station and a possible crewed flight to the moon.
5. The program has suffered some setbacks, including launch failures, and has had limited cooperation with other countries’ space efforts, in part because of U.S. objections to its close connections to the Chinese military.

• Important details –

1. The satellite is part of the third iteration of the Beidou system known as BDS-3, which began providing navigation services in 2018 to countries taking part in China’s sprawling “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative along with others.
2. As well as being a navigation aid with an extremely high degree of accuracy, the system offers short message communication of up to 1,200 Chinese characters and the ability to transmit images.
3. While China says it seeks cooperation with other satellite navigation systems, Beidou could ultimately compete against GPS, Russia’s GLONASS and the European Union’s Galileo networks.
4. That’s similar to how Chinese mobile phone makers and other producers of technically sophisticated hardware have taken on their foreign rivals.
5. Among the chief advantages for China is the ability to replace GPS for guiding its missiles, especially important now amid rising tensions with Washington.
6. It also stands to raise China’s economic and political leverage over nations adopting the system, ensuring that they line up behind China’s position on Taiwan, Tibet the South China Sea and other sensitive matters or risk losing their access.

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• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1 Not Available Today

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Delhi launched ‘Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana’ in July 2020.
• Australian Cricketer Barry Jarman died at the age of 84 on July 18, 2020.
• Wang Yi is the Chinese Special Representative of the China-India Boundary Question.
• Indian Navy on June 26, 2020 awarded the contract for building Advanced Torpedo Decoy System ‘Maareech’ to Bharat Electronics Ltd.
• Standard & Poor’s in June 2020 retained India’s sovereign rating at ‘BBB-’ with a stable outlook.

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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