With all your attention on the election results in Bihar and the US, you might have missed some of these headlines.
1. Islamist militants attacked several villages of northern Mozambique in the past few days, beheading more than 50 people.
Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique has been in the grips of a rebellion for around three years. According to police, the militants set several houses on fire recently and murdered at least 50 people, recently.
2. According to a report by the Association of Democratic Reforms, 68% of newly elected Bihar MLAs have pending criminal cases.
In its analysis of the election affidavits of 241 of the 243 winning candidates, the ADR found that the number of winners with criminal cases had increased from 142 or 58% of the total in 2015 to 163 or 68% in 2020.
3. A BJP MLA allegedly manhandled a woman councillor of his own party in order to prevent her from taking part in the elections for the president and vice-president of the municipal council.
The incident took place on November 9 and a video of the MLA Siddu Savadi trying to push the woman also went viral.
.@BJP4Karnataka MLA from Terdal manhandles & physically pushes a woman member of Mahalingpur municipal council in Bagalkote. Brazen assault by leader & his supporters after women members said they would vote for Congress in President & VP elections on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/sHymKyMr4S
— Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) November 11, 2020
4. Poet and activist Varavara Rao was denied bail even after being in bad health. The court allowed virtual medical examination for the activist.
He was arrested in 2018 and charged under UAPA, which allows detention without trial for years. His family pleaded that his continued incarceration in ill-health amounts to violation of Article 21 of the constitution that guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. He also contracted Covid in jail.
5. The Delhi high court has allowed the state government to reserve 80% of ICU beds in the private hospitals for Covid-19 patients for two weeks.
The court reveresed it previous order noting that the coronavirus outbreak was at alarming new levels in the national capital.
6. Days after the suicide of a Lady Shri Ram College student, the college has agreed to extend fee deadlines and ensure swift disbursal of scholarships.
As per reports, the undergraduate student died by suicide on November 2 in Telangana after being stressed for days as the college had asked second-year hostellers to vacate their rooms by November 10.
7. The Centre has tightened rules for organisations seeking foreign funding making it difficult for NGOs to get foreign funds.
The new rules state that any organisation seeking registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act must have operated for at least three years and spent a minimum amount of Rs 15 lakh on its core activities for the benefit of society during.
8. The Gujarat government has decided to reopen schools for classes 9 to12 and all colleges in the state on November 23.
Though the detailed SOPs will be issued soon, officials said that online classes will continue for students whose parents are not willing to send their wards to schools.
9. A 40-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping his 11-year-old daughter in Noida.
The girl’s mother filed a case in this regard.
10. The Himachal Pradesh High Court has granted bail to a rape accused on the ground that the girl had consented to the sexual intercourse.
The court took the decision on the ground that the victim knew the accused for the last 3-4 months and was in touch with him through Facebook as well as phone.
11. The parliamentary standing committee on home affairs has decided to discuss atrocities and crimes against women and prepare a report on the subject.
The panel has decided to take up the matter after the Hathras gangrape came to light. The committee will meet a number of women groups and legal experts before finalising its report.
12. Amid India-China standoff in Ladakh, China has proposed moving its troops back to Finger 8, and return of troops by the two sides to their original locations on the south bank of the lake.
While there is no agreement on this proposal, official sources said India is considering the Chinese offer, and modalities for other friction areas are still under discussion.
13. Arundhati Roy’s book, ‘Walking with the Comrades’ has been removed from the English syllabus for post graduation course after protests.
The ABVP and other organisations alleged that the book glorified the Maoists and was anti-national in content.
Important ones, right?
