Nepal to resume passenger railway services after 7-years
• Nepal has decided to resume its passenger railway services after a 7-year suspension. The decision comes after the nation received two sets of rails from India.
• The Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit rail sets that Nepal had purchased from India arrived in Janakpur city on September 18.
• According to Director General at Nepal’s Department of Railway Balram Mishra, it would take at least one and a half months to restart the services, as it was currently working to recruit necessary human resources. The Department plans to recruit around 200 staff gradually.
• This will be Nepal’s first-ever broad-gauge passenger railway service. The service will begin from Kurtha, an area close to Janakpur town to Jayanagar, a town bordering India.
• In the past, there was an operation of the Janakpur-Jaynagar railway service but on a narrow-gauge line. The service was suspended seven years ago.
US bans TikTok, WeChat
• The United States banned the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok and messaging platform WeChat on September 20, 2020 citing a threat to national security.
• The move will ban the apps from the online marketplaces operated by Apple and Google. While WeChat will effectively be shut down in the US, existing TikTok users will be able to use the app until November 12, after which it will also face a full ban on its US operations.
• The Tik Tok users, however, will not have access to improved apps, d apps, upgraded apps, or maintenance henceforth.
• In a statement, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that the Chinese Communist Party has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy and the economy of the US.
• TikTok slammed the decision and vowed to fight the Trump administration's ongoing crackdown on the company. It said that the ban impedes a tool for entertainment, self-expression and connection.
No significant mutation of SARS-CoV-2 found in India: Health Minister
• Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated recently that no significant or drastic mutations of SARS-CoV-2 strain have been found in India till now. This was shared by the Minister while answering questions on the Sunday Samvaad platform.
• The Health Minister informed that ICMR has been conducting large-scale sequencing of nationally representative strains of SARS-CoV-2 virus collected over the past several months over different time-points and detailed results of the mutations and evolution of the virus will be made available in early October.
• The Minister further added that a major proposal is being considered at the Expenditure Finance Committee level, which includes strengthening surveillance of infectious diseases and outbreak response and the establishment of dedicated infectious disease management hospital blocks in district hospitals and establishment of Integrated Public Health Laboratories.
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan added saying that ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ will strengthen the nation to an extent where it will be able to overcome any eventuality including another pandemic. He also assured that there is enough medical oxygen being produced in the country.
Rajya Sabha Chairman rejects no-confidence motion against RS Deputy Chairman
• Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on September 21, 2020 rejected the no-confidence motion moved by Opposition MPs against the Deputy Chairman Harivansh saying that it is "not admissible under the rules".
• The RS Chairman said that he has received a letter from 46 Opposition MPs against the Deputy Chairman alleging violation of "norms of parliament procedures". M Venkaiah Naidu further said that it was a bad day for Rajya Sabha yesterday, when some members came to the well of the House and the Deputy Chairman was physically threatened and obstructed from doing his duty.
• Naidu stated that this is unfortunate and condemnable and he suggested MPs to do some introspection," he said. Some of the upper house members reportedly abused the chairman and threw a rulebook upon him.
Naidu further said that the no-confidence motion against the RS Deputy Chairman is not in a proper format and it is not admissible under the rules.
• The Opposition parties had submitted a no-confidence motion against the RS deputy chairman Harivansh after he overruled their pleas for postponing of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar's reply to the debate over the two controversial farm Bills till Monday, as the house’s scheduled sitting time was over.
• Besides this, eight Opposition members have been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for one week for creating a ruckus on September 20 during the discussion over agriculture reform Bills. The MPs include Derek O Brien, Sanjay Singh, Raju Satav, KK Ragesh, Ripun Bora, Dola Sen, Syed Nazir Hussain and Elamaran Karim. They have been suspended for unruly behaviour with the Chair.
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