TODAY NEWS ON August 01, 2024
News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: The Hindu

National News

• Wayanad death toll crosses 200; slush, debris slow down search
• Ransomware attack on C-Edge Technologies disrupts retail payments in RRBs, co-op banks
• Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra to visit Wayanad on August 1
• UPSC cancels Puja Khedkar’s candidature for CSE 2022, debars from all future exams
• Centre plans stricter norms for disability certificates; activists fear fresh hurdles
• MHA, DoPT display RSS order on websites for ‘public knowledge’
• IAF’s largest multilateral exercise Tarang Shakti to see participation of over 150 aircraft
• Delhi LG V.K. Saxena forms committee to address issues related to regulation of coaching centres
• Chandipura virus in Gujarat | 47 cases registered, almost all are children
• Supreme Court reserves decision on whether its verdict upholding State’s right to tax mineral rights should apply only prospectively
• Chinese ship detained in Odisha port following HC order
• Up 4%, core sectors’ growth at 20-month low in June
• Cost of data breaches in India hits all-time high in FY24: IBM

International News

• Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran
• Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities faced torture, mistreatment: U.N. report
• Kamala Harris to be sole Democratic presidential candidate heading into official party vote
• Paris Olympics: Lakshya Sen stuns World No. 3 Christie to enter men’s singles pre-quarterfinals

Headlines in Detail:

Wayanad death toll crosses 200; slush, debris slow down search

The death toll in the landslides that devastated Chooral Mala and Mundakkai areas near Meppadi in Wayanad district of Kerala crossed 200 as the search and rescue operations gained momentum on Wednesday.

Paris Olympics day 5 highlights

Indians advanced in badminton, shooting, table tennis, boxing and archery on Day 5 of the Paris Olympics on July 31, 2024. Among the notable performers were Swapnil Kusale, who qualified for the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions in 7th place, and Lakshya Sen, who demolished World No. 3 Jonatan Christie in the men’s badminton singles to enter the Round of 16.

Ransomware attack on C-Edge Technologies disrupts retails payments in RRBs, co-op banks

C-Edge Technologies Ltd., a technology service provider to co-operative and regional rural banks was “possibly” hit by a ransomware attack, according to a statement by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on July 31. The Mumbai-based technology provider caters mostly to co-operative and regional rural banks, NPCI added in the statement.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra to visit Wayanad on August 1

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, MP, will visit Wayanad on Thursday. Mr. Gandhi will reach Kannur airport at 9.45 a.m. He will visit the relief camps opened for the Chooralmala landslide victims at Meppadi and the injured persons admitted in various hospitals. Though Mr. Gandhi was meant to visit Wayanad on Wednesday, it was postponed following rescue personnel’s request.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran

Palestinian militant group Hamas said July 31 its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he had been attending the inauguration of the country’s new president. “Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president,” the movement said in a statement.

UPSC cancels Puja Khedkar’s candidature for CSE 2022, debars from all future exams

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on July 31 cancelled Puja Khedkar’s provisional candidature for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. “She has also been debarred permanently from all the future Examinations/Selections of the UPSC,” the Commission said. The UPSC stated it neither has the mandate nor the wherewithal to check the veracity of thousands of certificates submitted by the candidates every year. “However, it is understood that scrutiny and verification of genuineness of certificates is carried out by the authorities mandate with the task,” the UPSC said in a statement.

Centre plans stricter norms for disability certificates; activists fear fresh hurdles

In a bid to tighten the requirements for obtaining a disability certificate, the Union government on Wednesday published draft amendments to the Rules of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD Act) of 2016.

MHA, DoPT display RSS order on websites for ‘public knowledge’

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday displayed on their websites, an official memorandum lifting restrictions on government officials being associated with the “Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (R.S.S.S)” for public “knowledge”.

IAF’s largest multilateral exercise Tarang Shakti to see participation of over 150 aircraft

The Indian Air Force is all set to host its largest multilateral exercise, Tarang Shakti, in two phases in August and September. Eighteen countries, 10 of them with air assets, will join the exercise which will see a total of 150 aircraft, both foreign and IAF, soar into the skies over Sulur and Jodhpur. The exercise will be a landmark event and has no particular nation or theme “in mind”, Air Marshal A.P. Singh, Vice-Chief of Air Staff, said on Wednesday.

Delhi LG V.K. Saxena forms committee to address issues related to regulation of coaching centres

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on July 31 formed a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to frame guidelines and regulate coaching centres in the city and redress issues faced by students, Raj Niwas officials said. The move comes in the wake of a tragedy that claimed the lives of three civil services aspirants in a flooded basement library of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar. The committee will comprise five to six representatives of coaching institutes, students and officials of the departments concerned.

Chandipura virus in Gujarat | 47 cases registered, almost all are children

Viral encephalitis has caused at least 56 deaths in Gujarat, forcing authorities to step up surveillance for the disease caused by a viral infection, often spread by sand flies and ticks. Viral encephalitis, which can cause high fever and in many cases affect the brain, is common in several parts of India during the monsoon season, but many of the deaths in Gujarat were caused by the Chandipura virus, that is known to affect mostly children under 15. Of the 56 dead over the last month, a quarter were confirmed to have died from the Chandipura virus, Gujarat Health Commissioner Harshad Patel said.

Supreme Court reserves decision on whether its verdict upholding State’s right to tax mineral rights should apply only prospectively

A nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on July 31 reserved for orders a query raised by the Centre on whether its July 25 judgment upholding the power of State Legislatures to tax mines and minerals rights would be applied retrospectively. Appearing before the Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the court to clarify that the judgment would only apply prospectively, that is, from July 25 and not prior.

Chinese ship detained in Odisha port following HC order

The Paradip Port Trust authorities in Odisha have detained a Chinese cargo ship following the “arrest” order of the vessel by the High Court over a monetary dispute, an official said on July 31. Under admiralty law, a ship can be arrested for the enforcement of maritime claims that arise out of the ownership, construction, possession, management, operation, or trading of any ship. The Orissa High Court order came following a monetary dispute between the owner of the ship and the company that had dispatched the cargo — low sulfur marine gasoil. The ship will remain detained at the port until further orders.

Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities faced torture, mistreatment: U.N. report

The U.N. human rights office issued a report on July 31 saying Palestinian detainees taken by Israeli authorities since the October 7 attacks have faced waterboarding, sleep deprivation, electric shocks, the release of dogs, and other forms of torture and mistreatment. The report on detention says Israel’s prison service held more than 9,400 “security detainees” as of the end of June, and some have been held in secret without access to lawyers or respect for their legal rights. A summary of the report, based on interviews with former detainees and other sources, decries a “staggering” number of detainees — including men, women, children, journalists and human rights defenders — and said such practices raise concerns about arbitrary detention.

Kamala Harris to be sole Democratic presidential candidate heading into official party vote

Vice President Kamala Harris is the only White House hopeful who has qualified to compete for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement on July 30. Although no other major Democrat had indicated any plans to challenge Ms. Harris, the DNC’s announcement officially cleared the path for the Vice President to seek her party’s nomination uncontested, just nine days after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and created a vacancy at the top of the ticket.

Up 4%, core sectors’ growth at 20-month low in June

Growth in India’s eight core sectors slipped to a 20-month low of 4% in June from an upgraded 6.4% rise in May, with most sectors barring coal recording a sharp decline in output growth, steel production at a seven-month low, and refinery products slipping into contraction for the first time in five months. Coal output grew 14.8%, the fastest pace in eight months, with production levels at a three-month high. However, electricity generation slipped to a four-month low of 7.7% in June, with output 3.6% below May’s all-time high levels, amid a heat wave in many parts of the country.

Cost of data breaches in India hits all-time high in FY24: IBM

IBM has released its annual Cost of a Data Breach report, which revealed that the average cost of a data breach in India has reached an all-time high of Rs. 19.5 crore ($2.35 million) during the financial year 2024. The numbers have jumped by 39% since 2020 and 9% from the previous year as data breaches become increasingly common. Collateral damage from these costs including operational downtime, local customers and reputational damage has increased by 45% with notification costs jumping up by 19% from the previous year.

Paris Olympics: Lakshya Sen stuns World No. 3 Christie to enter men’s singles pre-quarterfinals

India’s Lakshya Sen progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of the Olympics men’s singles badminton competition with a stunning straight-game win over Indonesia’s world number 4 Jonatan Christie in the final group match on July 31. The 22-year-old from Almora, a 2021 world championships bronze medallist, displayed great maturity and tactical acumen to outwit Christie, the reigning All England and Asian champion, 21-18 21-12 in what turned out to be a lop-sided contest.