Prolawctor Daily Current Affairs Insights | 23 December 2020

Prolawctor Daily Current Affairs Insights | 23 December 2020

LEGAL NEWS

Sister Abhaya Case : After 28 Years, CBI Court Finds Priest & Nun Guilty Of Murder

• After whole 28 years and multiple re-investigations, a special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Thiruvananthapuram held a priest and a nun guilty for the murder of a nun in Kerala, reported by the Bar and Bench.
• Sister Abhaya was found dead in a well in the St Pius X Convent in Kottayam on March 27, 1992, at the age of 18.

Assault on judicial officer: Patna High Court takes Suo motu cognizance, directs State to respond

• Three days after the Supreme Court sought the Bihar government’s response to a plea demanding judicial inquiry into an alleged attack on Aurangabad district judge by a police sub-inspector
• The Patna high court took cognisance of another case of alleged assault on the judicial officer at Hilsa in Nalanda district of the state.

Nothing survives for adjudication: Kerala High Court closes challenge to Section 118-A of Kerala Police Act after provision’s repeal

• The Kerala High Court stated in an interim order that no adverse action, Suo motu case or FIR would be registered invoking the ordinance which added Section 118-A recently to the Kerala Police Act, 2011,until the state government took a decision on it.
• The Kerala government had introduced Section 118A in the Kerala Police Act via an ordinance on Sunday, November 22, to criminalise anyone who expresses, publishes or disseminates information, which is threatening, abusive, humiliating or defamatory.

If adult woman marries as per her choice and decides to convert, there can be no interference: Calcutta High Court

• The Calcutta high court has reiterated that courts cannot interfere in an interfaith marriage if a woman marries and converts to another religion of her own free will, reported by the Bar and Bench.
• The bench comprising Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee was hearing a petition moved by the father of a 19-year-old woman, who married and converted to the religion of her husband, said the report.

If Government Orders are “utterly disobeyed” by State Officers, how can we expect a common citizen to comply? Madras High Court

• The Madras High Court ,The Division Bench of N. Kirubakaran and B. Pugalendhi, JJ., while addressing the present matter, expressed as follows.
• If the Government servant is not complying with the orders of the Government, the same can be treated as misconduct or as unbecoming of the Govt. servant, warranting initiation of appropriate departmental proceedings against them.

Delhi High Court grants bail to person arrested for driving with traffic constable on car bonnet after jumping red light

• The Delhi High Court has recently granted bail to a person who after jumping a red light, dragged a traffic constable on the bonnet of his car for about 100 metres (Vaibhav Malhotra v. State).
• The order was passed on December 18 by a Single Judge Bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru

Patna HC directs Bihar govt to pay Rs 5 lakh to milk tanker driver arrested during lockdown

• The Patna High Court has directed the Bihar government to pay Rs 5 lakh to Jitendra Kumar, a milk tanker driver from Uttar Pradesh, who was arrested by police in Saran district during the lockdown.
• The High Court was surprised that the arrest was confirmed by Saran police on 3rd of June in that case.

MP High Court cancels Shivraj Singh Chouhan govt’s order to Congress MLA to vacate house

• The Madhya Pradesh High Court has passed an order in favour of the Congress MLA Mr Vijay Raghavendra Singh of Katni, Barwara.
• Under this, the Court cancelled the government order to vacate the earlier allotted government house

Allahabad HC imposes Rs 10,000 cost on UP Board secretary for giving average marks to student

• The Allahabad High Court  has recently imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on the Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Council (UP Board) Prayagraj
• Reason behind this order was giving average marks by showing an absentee student in high school examination and harassing her unnecessarily.

NATIONAL NEWS

BJP’s Aijaz Hussain gives party first victory in Srinagar in the DDC election

• The Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate won the Khonmoh-II seat in the District Development Council (DDC) election and registered BJP’s first victory in Srinagar.
• Independent candidates have won half of the seats in Srinagar as the counting results for the DDC polls that have been completed.

Penalties for rescheduling bookings for UK, Oman, Saudi Arabia have been waived by Air India

• All the penalties for one-time rescheduling, cancellation, rerouting for bookings for UK, Oman, Saudi Arabia between December 22 and 23 have been waived of by Air India on Tuesday.
• This was decided post the flights to these respective places were suspended to check the spread of a new COVID-19 strain discovered in UK, as a precautionary measure.

Congress elected BJP leader to party post, in a big slip in Madhya Pradesh

• A BJP worker was elected as a secretary of a district unit of the youth wing of the Congress Party in the organization election held this month, which left the Congress Leaders in Madhya Pradesh embarrassed.
• It was stated by the Congress leaders that this act was a cheap publicity stunt and blamed the BJP worker for being elected to the post.

India’s love for Mathematics would be regained with the help of NEP

• The NEP has introduced reforms needed to balance the need for the 21^st century employment and entrepreneurship and is marked by the critical, lateral and mathematical thinking. 
• The NEP gave importance for the country to become a Vishwaguru and also appreciated the necessity of Mathematical thinking.

Only 59 patients are being treated at world’s largest 10,000-bed Covid Centre

• The world’s largest 10,000 bed Sardar Patel Covid centre in Delhi’s Chhatarpur area has just 59 patients undergoing treatment despite the number of Covid-19 patients has crossed the 1 crore mark.
• ITBP Director General stated that new beds with proper equipment for supply of medical oxygen would be provided, rejecting the rumours regarding shortage of medical oxygen at this Covid-19 facility. 

Pakistan issues visas to Indian yatrees to visit Shadani Darbar, Katas Raj temples

• Issued visas to more than 90 Indians.
• Visit 2 important Hindu temples in December because of ties between the 2 countries being the lowest.

Will BJP leaders quit if party fails to get 200 seats in WB, asks Prashant Kishor

• Challenged its leaders to say on record that they will quit if the party doesn’t get 200 seats.
• Clarified, if the saffron party does any better than what he predicted, he would quit.

Tiger conservation body seeks report from Odisha on ecotourism inside reserve

• To submit report on the adverse effect of tourism on Satkosia Tiger Reserve by 18 Dec.
• Wildlife activist Biswajit Mohantys said camping on sand resorts, river cruise and Treetop Bridge walks, have an adverse effect on the local wildlife.

All industries in Delhi to switch to PNG by January 31, 2021, directs air quality commission

• The Commission directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to see and identify industries utilising polluting fuels.
• Take strict penal action against those found violating the norm.

Oppn terms ruling party proposal to fix members of medical college trust “illegal”

• The opposition questioned the insistence to pass proposal relation to the medical college.
• Special meeting to be held before the year ends, where all members are to be made part of the college trust.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Priti Patel ensures that, Britain has Enough Food Supplies

• Tesco and Sainsbury’s two biggest supermarket of Britain warned that if transportation problem with Europe were not solved soon then the food shortage may be seen on their shelves.
• Priti Patel, Britain’s Home Secretary today ensured the citizen that the enough food supplies.

Canadian Suppose Tank Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) Slams SFJ for submitting Defamation Case

• Sikhs for Justice (SJI) filed a civil defamation case against MLI, an Ottawa-based thinks that is meaningless to attempt to mum the public debate.
• SFJ profess that the Institute’s report i.e., ‘Khalistan: A Challenge of Pakistan’ was a guilty try to undermine the validity of Referendum 2020 and questioned their vitality as a Non-Profit Organization.

Mysterious Death in Canada of a Prominent Baloch Activist

• A former Chairperson of the Baloch Students Organization- Azad (BZO- Azad), Karim Baloch body was found in a foreign country under mysterious circumstance in Toronto, Canada.
• Her journalist body was outside Uppsala in Sweden weeks after she went missing.

Huge package of tax breaks, funding, relief was permitted by the US  Senate

• On Monday, the bill which consist $900 billion in Covid 19 relief aid with $ 1.4 trillion on government funding and a cluster of tax breaks for business by the US senate.
• President Donald Trump will sign the bill at this end of this week.

Pfizer- BioNTech vaccines doses steps in Singapore

• Singapore incurred its first package of Coronavirus Vaccine  from Asia’s, Pfizer –BioNTech
• The plan is to inoculate its 5.7 million people by the third quarter of 2021, firstly will be provided the elders, health workers and the medically vulnerable.

WHO calls meeting on new virus variant, European chief says

• The World Health Organization (WHO) will convene a meeting of members to discuss strategies to counter a new more infectious coronavirus strain that emerged in Britain.
• Limiting travel to contain spread is prudent until we have better info supply chains for essential goods & essential travel should remain same.
• The WHO said that there was not yet enough information to determine whether the new variant could affect vaccine efficacy, saying researching was ongoing.

US ambassador congratulates PM Modi for receiving Legion of Merit

•  US Ambassador Kenneth Juster congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being honoured by the “well-deserved” Legion of Merit saying that Washington appreciates his efforts for elevating India-US partnership.
• United States President Donald Trump has presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the prestigious Legion of Merit, a top US honour.
• The Legion of Merit Medal is a five-rayed white cross, edged with red, resting on a green wreath with a blue centre containing 13 white stars.

US Congress stings China with new Tibet law on the next Dalai Lama

• The US Congress has passed a bill that reaffirms the right of Tibetans to choose a successor to their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
• The US Senate, calls for the establishment of a US consulate in Tibet’s main city of Lhasa and underlines the absolute right of Tibetans to choose a successor to the Dalai Lama.
• Any interference by Chinese government officials will be met with serious sanctions and deemed inadmissible into the United States.

China expels US Navy’s frontline destroyer from South China Sea

•  Any interference by Chinese government officials will be met with serious sanctions and deemed inadmissible into the United States.
•  The incident took place as Shandong, China’s second aircraft carrier, was said to be conducting drills in the SCS region after sailing through the Taiwan Strait. 
• China had scrambled aircraft and deployed ships to track and expel a frontline US warship from near another Beijing-controlled region called Paracel Islands. 

Pakistan uses China’s financial assistance to repay Saudi loan

• Pakistan has been paying back a $3-billion loan extended by Saudi Arabia in 2018 using emergency financial assistance from China against the backdrop of strained ties between Islamabad and Riyadh.
• Islamabad has so far paid $2 billion to Riyadh after Saudi Arabia insisted on the repayment of the loan earlier this year in the wake of bilateral ties being strained over Pakistan’s.
• A Saudi Arabian delegation, possibly led by the foreign minister, is expected to visit Pakistan before the end of the year.

BUSINESS NEWS

No Board examinations will be conducted in January and February: Education Minister 

• Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said that the board exams will not be conducted in January and February.
• Even Central Board of Secondary Education said earlier about the board exams that the board exams will be held in written form only or offline mode only not in online.
• Ramesh Pokhriyal said that with the interaction of students and teachers or with the assistance of them we will decide the dates regarding the board exams.

Court rejects plea to restrain Amazon from interfering in future group-reliance sale

• The Delhi Court dismissed the plea that sought to prevent US partner amazon.com interferring in 3.4 billion asset sale to reliance industries private limited from the future group.
• In August future sold various market assets from oil to clothes to large firm reliance company.
• In 2019 Reliance said they wanted to do work with US commerce and the future agreement was breached by the reliance company.

SBI life and Apollo join the race for RCap Assets

• In New Delhi, Reliance Capitals expression of interest for assets money collect with 60 new auction and large response was received of reliance capital.
• SBI life and Apollo collect the 10 new auctioneer and those who have submitted money of expression of interest for Reliance Capital with the 60 new auctioneer.
• Earlier date was 1^st December of deadline for expression of interest.
• 60 new auction  have been collected with JBI Financial services and SBI capital markets limited , who is the advisor to the lenders or auctioneer.

BHEL extends support to indigenous suppliers to develop self-reliance in manufacturing

• State Engineering firm said it is bringing the action or process of under control of 300 items in whole nine categories with an intention of get the imported items manufactured in India.
• BHEL also said that it has been lead whole make in Indian movement with the special focus on the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• BHEL adding to that extend of the local industry suppliers for example Micro, Small and Medium etc.

JSW steel to acquire 31% stake in Italy’s GSI Lucchini

• JSW steel Italy signed an agreement to get the 31.73% stake in geographical survey of India Lucchini of Italy also for around 9 crore.
• Italy steel an agreement to get the own stake for 9 crore around.
• In the Share purchase agreement other terms and conditions was mentioned but this transactions is fulfill of previous terms and conditions.

SPORTS NEWS

PV Sindhu hopeful of travelling to Thailand from UK despite increasing travel bans

• Unfazed by the worsening COVID-19 situation in England where she is training right now,
• World champion shuttler P V Sindhu on Tuesday told PTI that she remains hopeful of travelling to Thailand for tournaments in January despite countries increasingly banning flights from the UK.

BWF announces calendar for 1st half of 2021, India Open to be held from May 11

• The India Open Super 500 will be held from May 11 to 16 and will serve as the last qualification event for the Tokyo Olympics,
• The Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed in its new calendar for the upcoming year.

Alex Morgan ends loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur after just three months

• United States international and twice World Cup winner Alex Morgan has ended her loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur and will return to the U.S., the Women’s Super League (WSL) club said on Monday.

Novak Djokovic withdraws from ATP Player Council elections

• Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from this month’s ATP Player Council elections citing the governing body’s new rule that would make it a “conflict of interest” because of his role in the Professional Tennis Players’
• Association (PTPA) However, the new ATP rule means he has had to withdraw.

B-Boy Kid Karam — the Indian link to newest Olympic sport

• As Breaking — a sport where breakdancers, or B-Boy dance-athletes, duel against each other and are judged on skills
• Heads to the 2024 Paris Olympics, rising global star B-Boy Kid Karam, with roots in Punjab, has put himself in contention.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MEDICINE AND DEFENCE

Amid tensions, US nuclear submarine transits Strait of Hormuz

• An American nuclear-controlled guided-missile submarine navigated the strategically vital stream between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
• The Navy’s 5th Fleet said the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia passed through the Strait of Hormuz tthrough which 1/5^th of the world’s oil supplies travel.

Russia said they don’t recognize unilateral sanctions; defense ties with India advancing well

• Russia said implementation of its ongoing defence deals with India including the stock of a batch of S-400 missile frameworks is advancing well.
• The Russian minister said, “We don’t recognize or welcome one-sided sanctions as a language or apparatus or instrument of interstate or global relations.”

With Indian carriers, Boeing announces Super Hornet demonstrated compatibility

• Boeing has reported that its F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet warrior aircraft has shown similarity with Indian aircrafts carrying carriers.
• The jet effectively took off from a ski-jump launch following two years of studies.

How the pushback against Big Tech’s dominance marked 2020: Google, Facebook, and Twitter

• Big Tech companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook bolted horns with the Ind government on issues including digital payment, digital duty, hate speech, and misinformation.
• India has for long been quiet in standing up against Google, Facebook, and Twitter, however, 2020 saw that change.
• The pushback came not just from the government, but from the local companies too.