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WHO
says Ebola could afflict more than 20,000 people, 7 times the current
figure, Senegal becomes fifth country to confirm Ebola
World
> Ebola
The
World Health Organization said on Thursday, Aug 28, that the Ebola
epidemic was on the rise once again and could afflict more than 20,
000 people, almost seven times the current number of reported cases
before it could be brought under control. WHO also said that in areas
with the highest transmission, the actual number of cases could be
two to four times higher than that currently reported. According to
the latest figures, the total number of cases has risen to 3069 with
1552 deaths, in four West African countries: Guinea, Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Nigeria. Though the disease was identified in March, more
than 40 percent of the total number of cases has occurred within the
past 21 days. The WHO has presented a road map for stopping the
transmission of Ebola within nine months, warning that such a roadmap
comes with uncertainty and lofty targets. The plans are likely to
cost half-a-billion dollars over the next six months and would take
at least 750 international and 12,000 local health workers.
Recruiting international staff may be harder because of fear of
infection arising from the high number of medical workers- 250 till
now- who have contracted the disease.
A
Guinean student who had crossed into Senegal was tracked in the
capital Dakar and immediately quarantined. A test confirmed he had
Ebola. This makes Senegal the fifth African country to be affected by
the Ebola outbreak. Senegal has already closed its land border with
Guinea and barred air and sea travel from Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The WHO has declared the effort to contain Ebola in Senegal a top
priority emergency.
Eurozone
inflation rate nears five-year low
World
> Euro
Crisis
Inflation
in the eurozone continued to decline in August while unemployment
hovered near record levels, according to official data released,
reinforcing expectations that the European Central Bank will soon
take more forceful actions.
Consumer
prices rose by just 0.3 percent year-on-year in August, according to
official figures released by Eurostat, meeting expectations but
marking a fresh five-year low. This is down from 0.4 percent in July,
and is significantly below the central bank's target of just below 2
percent.
Separate
data revealed that the rate of unemployment in the euro zone remained
stubbornly high in July, at 11.5 percent, unchanged from June. The
level of joblessness remained too high to remove concerns about very
low inflation, which creates problems for borrowers and can lead to
deflation, a broad decline in prices that causes consumers to delay
purchases and undercuts corporate profits and jobs.
With
inflation creeping closer to zero, analysts consider it ever more
likely that the central bank will begin large-scale asset purchases,
the same kind of quantitative easing that has been used by the
Federal Reserve to revive the economy in the United States.
Indo-Japan
ties: Modi, Abe sign key agreements on bullet trains, Varanasi revamp
World
> Indo-Japan
ties
Japan
and India signed five major agreements during Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's visit to Japan. A deal on bringing Japan's high speed bullet
trains to India signed between the 'two most important democracies of
the world' remained one of the highlights. Japan promised $33.8
billion assistance to India for the next five years towards funding
next generation infrastructure projects, smart cities, rejuvenation
of the river Ganga and introduction of bullet trains. Total five
deals signed between India and Japan. These include health, clean
energy, women development and roads, other than the Kyoto-Varanasi
agreement.
The
two nations also decided to "upgrade" and "strengthen"
their defence cooperation as they asked officials to launch
consultations to promote military equipment collaboration and
accelerate discussions on modalities for the sale of Japanese US-2
amphibian aircraft.
US
goes on AK-47 buying frenzy after sanctions imposed on Russian
Kalashnikov maker
World
> Russian
Sanctions
A
ban on import of Russian-made AK-47, introduced by the Obama
administration in July as part of US sanctions on Russia, has created
a booming demand for the classic assault rifle in the United States.
The buying frenzy was sparked, in part, by fears among gun
enthusiasts that the Obama administration is using the Russia-Ukraine
conflict as an excuse to ban the weapon.
The
US Treasury Department said people and businesses can still buy and
sell AK-47s as long as its Russian manufacturer, Kalashnikov, does
not benefit from the transaction.
An
AK-47 is a gas-operated 7.62 caliber assault rifle invented in 1947
by the Russian general Mikhail Kalashnikov for use in the Soviet
Army. It is arguably one of the most popular guns in the world partly
because of its simplicity and reliability.
Others
Government
notifies FDI norms for railways
Politics
and Government > FDI
The
government has notified foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for the
railways. The notification permits 100 per cent foreign direct
investment through automatic route in several areas, including high
speed trains. Other areas listed in the notification include suburban
corridor projects, dedicated freight lines, rolling stock, track
electrification, signalling, freight and passenger terminals and
infrastructure such as railway sidings. But proposals involving FDI
over 49 per cent in “sensitive areas, from security point of view”
will be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for
approval on a case-to-case basis. India is expecting a substantial
amount of foreign investment in defence from the US and in railways
from Japan and China, both of which are interested in the high-speed
rail project. However, Indian Railways, which is facing a cash crunch
of 30,000 rupees to complete pending projects, is expecting foreign
funds on easy repayment terms for several segments.
SC
tells DLF to deposit Rs.630 crore penalty
India
> DLF Scam
The
Supreme Court has penalised real estate giant DLF Rs. 630 crore for
exploiting its dominant position to the disadvantage of its customers
in three projects in Gurgaon. An apex court bench of Justice Ranjana
Prakash Desai and Justice N.V. Ramana said that DLF would furnish an
undertaking to pay Rs.170 crore interest on the penalty of Rs. 630
crore or the amount court may direct it to pay if its appeal falls in
the Supreme Court. The court said that DLF will deposit Rs. 50 crore
of the Rs. 630 crore within three weeks and the balance of Rs.580
crore within three months from Wednesday. The court directed the
registry to put this amount in a fixed deposit in a nationalised
bank.
DLF
stated that it will comply with the direction of the Supreme Court
and said it remained confident about the merits of its case. Reacting
to the SC direction, shares of DLF fell by 4.44 per cent to settle at
Rs 183.05 on the BSE. In intra-day, it tumbled 5.32 per cent to Rs
181.35. At the NSE, the stock slipped 4.49 per cent to end at Rs
183.05.
PM
gives nod to setting up committee to identify outdated laws
Politics
and Government > Panel
to identify outdated laws
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has given his approval to set up a committee
to identify outdated laws. The purpose is to bring a comprehensive
Bill in Parliament based on the recommendations of the committee. The
committee has been asked to submit its report within three months. It
will examine all Acts recommended to be repealed by a previous
Committee on Review of Administrative Laws that was appointed during
the Vajpayee-led NDA Government in 1998. That committee recommended
repealing of 1,328 Acts out of which only 415 have been repealed so
far. The committee will be headed by R Ramanujam, Secretary in the
Prime Minister’s Office, with VK Bhasin, former Secretary in the
Legislative Department, as a member.
9-year
old girl accidently shoots and kills instructor at a recreational
shooting range
World
> Arizona
accidental shooting
A
9-year-old girl from New Jersey accidentally shot and killed her
instructor with an Uzi submachine gun while he stood to her left
side, trying to guide her. A video of the shooting, which her parents
recorded on a cellphone, suggests that the girl was unable to control
the gun’s recoil. The incident occurred in the Last Stop shooting
range in White Hills, Arizona, 60 miles south of Las Vegas. Visit to
recreational shooting ranges, where tourists can fire the weapons of
their dreams- automatic machine guns, sniper rifles, grenade
launchers, is a popular attraction and part of recreational tour
packages for tourists in Las Vegas. Sam Scarmardo, the owner of Last
Stop said that his policy of allowing children 8 years and older to
fire guns under adult supervision is standard industry practice and
he never had a safety problem before. He said that he would
reconsider the practice after reviewing all the facts. In Arizona,
there are no age limits for firing guns, and while federal law
prohibits people under 18 from possessing a handgun, there are
exceptions for shooting ranges. Uzis are considered particularly
tricky and powerful, making recoil tricky to handle even for adults.
The shooting set off a powerful debate over youngsters and guns, with
many people wondering what sort of parents would let a child handle a
submachine gun.
Minimum
pension of Rs. 1,000 under EPFO; wage ceiling up at Rs. 15,000
Economy
> Policy
The
minimum monthly pension of Rs. 1,000 and a higher wage
ceiling of Rs. 15,000 for social security schemes run by
retirement fund manager EPFO will be implemented from September 1.
The
government’s decision to fix pension entitlement of Rs. 1,000
under the Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995 (EPFS-95) will immediately
benefit 28 lakh pensioners who get less than this amount at present.
Now the maximum sum assured under the EDLI works out to be Rs. 3.6
lakh including 20 per cent ad hoc benefit over the prescribed amount
under the notification. This means that in case an EPFO subscriber
dies, his family will be entitled to maximum sum assured of Rs. 3.6
lakh instead of existing Rs. 1.56 lakh.
The
decision will immediately benefit about 28 lakh pensioners, including
5 lakh widows. In all, there are 44 lakh pensioners under the EPFO
scheme.
Shah
Rukh Khan becomes Ambassador of Interpol’s ‘Turn Back Crime’
campaign
World
> INTERPOL
Actor
Shah Rukh Khan has become the first Indian actor to be roped in as an
Ambassador of Interpol’s ‘Turn Back Crime’ campaign, aimed at
promoting greater awareness on how to prevent crime. He is is lending
his voice to help spread the message that all of society benefits
when citizens respect the law and fight crime.
Khan
joins actor Jackie Chan as an Ambassador for the campaign, which has
already garnered support from public figures including footballer
Lionel Messi, Formula 1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi
Raikkonen in addition to law enforcement agencies around the world.
The ‘Turn Back Crime’ campaign is aimed at raising public
awareness that organised crime is often involved in seemingly
unrelated crimes.
Myanmar
to take back Rohingya nationals
World
> Myanmar
After
a long gap, Myanmar has agreed to take back its nationals, living in
the refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar district, in the
next two months. The development is seen as a major breakthrough in
the decades-old humanitarian crisis, as Myanmar had earlier refused
to take back those who fled to the bordering Bangladesh districts
from Rakhine state due to ethnic conflicts.
The
decision was taken at crucial talks between Bangladesh Foreign
Secretary Md. Shahidul Haque and visiting Myanmar Deputy Minister for
Foreign Affairs Thant Kyaw. Initially Myanmar would take back 2,415
people, who have already been verified by the country’s authorities
as its nationals.
According
to Bangladesh authorities, some 32,000 Rohingya refugees have been
living in the two camps of Cox’s Bazar, from where the initial
repatriation will begin.
Libyan
Militiamen Take Over Evacuated US Embassy In Tripoli
World
> Libya
An
Islamist-allied militia group "secured" a U.S. Embassy
residential compound in Libya's capital, more than a month after
American personnel evacuated from the country over ongoing fighting.
The Obama administration has been particularly sensitive about
security of US government employees in Libya since the September 11,
2012, attack on the US mission in Benghazi that killed ambassador
Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
Libya
has been rocked by the worst factional violence since the 2011 fall
of Muammar Gaddafi, and a Misrata-led alliance, part of it which is
Islamist-leaning, now controls the capital.
A
takeover of the embassy compound could deliver another symbolic blow
to Washington over its policy toward Libya, which Western governments
fear is teetering toward becoming a failed state just three years
after a NATO-backed war ended Gaddafi's rule.
President
says Ukraine crisis near ‘point of no return’, Australia ups
sanctions against Russia
World
> Ukraine
crisis
Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko has said he believed that efforts to halt
violence with pro-Russian rebels were very close to a "point of
no return" and that his country was on the brink of a full-scale
war. He however added that a trilateral meeting of Kiev, Moscow and
the European Union could produce a ceasefire. Russia has repeatedly
dismissed accusations that it has sent military support into eastern
Ukraine to assist pro-Russian rebels. But Kiev and Western countries
say Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent armoured columns of
Russian troops to strengthen the separatist rebellion that would
otherwise have been near collapse. NATO has said they will form a
4,000 strong spearhead force to go into action in 48 hours in
response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Meanwhile,
Australia has increased sanctions against Russia involving a ban on
any new arms trade with Russia, trade in Russia and Crimea’s oil
and gas industry and prohibiting Russian state-owned banks from
accessing Australian capital markets.
China
grants election rights to Hong Kong but keeps control on selection of
candidates
World
> Hong
Kong
China
has rejected the demand for "full democracy" by activists
in Hong Kong while approving a system of limited elections in 2017.
The Chinese parliament has said that a nominating committee shall
nominate two to three candidates for the office of chief executive of
Hong Kong. They will need to have the endorsement of more than half
of all the members of the nominating committee. This makes it
extremely difficult for opposition democrats to stand in the
elections as the nominating committee is expected to be filled with
Beijing loyalists. Critics of China said that Beijing had gone back
on its promise of "one country, two systems", made when the
former British colony merged with it in 1997. The Occupy Central
movement, which had been carrying out a pro-democracy stir in Hong
Kong for the past several months, said that all chances of dialogue
with Beijing had been exhausted and they will begin a peaceful
non-violent campaign and occupy the central business district.
British
Intelligence agency says ISIS recruits planning 26/11-type attack in
UK
World
> United
Kingdom
British
intelligence agency, MI5, has revealed that British recruits of ISIS,
fighting in Iraq and Syria, who are returning to Britain, are
planning a "spectacular" attack on home soil, something
similar to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The ISIS will likely target
high-profile places and buildings in London, Birmingham or
Manchester. Experts believe that the terrorists may be smuggling
explosives and weapons into UK in shipping containers. British Prime
Minister David Cameron expressed concern about the increasing threat
posed by Islamic State in mainland Europe and is expected to propose
new laws to prevent people from travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight
with ISIS.
Massive
protests erupt in Pakistan to oust Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
World
> Pakistan
Massive
protests have erupted in Pakistan led by former
cricketer-turned-politician and opposition leader Imran Khan and
firebrand cleric Tahir ul-Qadri to bring down Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif’s government. They say last year’s election that swept
Sharif to power was rigged. Protesters tried to march on to the prime
minister’s house after government offices, including the Pakistan
Secretariat, were attacked by supporters of Qadri’s Pakistan Awami
Tehreek (PAT). But they were beaten back by the police. Protestors
also stormed the headquarters of state-owned Pakistan Television on
Monday, forcing the channel briefly off air. The Pakistani army later
secured the building. The powerful Army has urged the government to
settle the political crisis as soon as possible and warned the police
that any further use of force on protestors can escalate the
situation. The army has denied suggestions it is backing
anti-government groups, insisting it is "apolitical". The
army’s statement that it would ensure national security and “never
fall short of meeting national aspirations" has been interpreted
by many as an ultimatum to Sharif to step down or face military
action. Mr Sharif, who insists he will not quit, has met the
country's powerful army chief, Gen Raheel Sharif, for talks on the
crisis. He convened a joint session of parliament on Tuesday to
showcase his strength and the backing of the parliament.
Justice
HL Dattu to be next Chief Justice of India
Justice
Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu is likely to be the next Chief
Justice of India. Justice Dattu will replace CJI RM Lodha who will
retire on the 27th of September. Dattu is currently a judge in the
Supreme Court. Justice Dattu will take office as the CJI at a time
when the BJP government has brought in the National Judicial
Appointments Commission Bill which has scrapped the collegium system
of appointing judges.
Justice
Dattu also served as Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh high court for a
few months in 2007 before he was transferred to Kerala HC. After two
CJIs retiring in one year, Justice Dattu's will be a relatively
extended tenure.
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