CURRENT AFFAIRS
14 November 2020
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Six civilians, four jawans killed in Pakistan shelling along LoC in J&K.
Ten people, including six civilians, three Army soldiers and a BSF jawan, were killed and over 20 others were injured in ceasefire violations by the Pakistani Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in four districts of J&K on 13 November. The Uri Sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district witnessed intense shelling and firing from Pakistan throughout the day, targeting around eight villages inhabiting close to the LoC. Six civilians died in the shelling and firing. Five injured civilians were shifted to Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) hospital, deputy commissioner, Baramulla, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Itoo. According to the Army, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC in multiple sectors, including Dawar in Bandipora, Keran in Kupwara, Uri and Naugam in Baramulla in the Kashmir valley. Pakistan used mortars and other weapons. Pakistan deliberately targeted civilian areas. Three Indian army soldiers were also killed and three soldiers were injured, Srinagar-based Army spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said. The Army said it retaliated strongly, causing substantial damage to Pakistan army’s infrastructure and inflicting casualties across the LoC. Several ammunition dumps and multiple terrorists launch pads have been damaged, the Army said. The Army also released videos that showed mortars hitting and damaging Pakistani bunkers along the LoC. Meanwhile, a Srinagar-based Army spokesman said suspicious movement of infiltrators was also observed at the forward posts along the LoC in the Keran Sector on Friday.
B) Bihar Assembly Elections: NDA to meet on November 15 to elect leader.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 13 November has submitted his resignation to the Governor, ahead of the formation of a new government. Earlier, at his government’s last Cabinet meeting, Kumar proposed to dissolve it, saying that on November 15 afternoon, NDA legislators would meet to elect the leader of the alliance. A joint meeting of the all four National Democratic Alliance [NDA] partners in Bihar will be held at 12:30 p.m. on November 15 and the legislators would elect leader of the legislature party to finalise details pertaining to the next government formation, Kumar told media persons after a meeting with leaders of the NDA constituents. All decisions regarding government formation will be discussed in that meeting and you all [media persons] will be informed thereafter, Kumar added. Kumar may take oath as chief minister for the fourth consecutive term on November 16. In the recent Assembly election, Kumar’s party, the JD (U), had secured only 43 seats its worst performance since the party came to power in 2005. But its alliance partner BJP got 74 seats. The other two NDA partners, the HAM(S) and the VIP, won four seats each. Among the Opposition alliance partners, the RJD got 75 seats, while the Congress secured 19, and the Left parties bagged 16 seats.
C) Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra refuses to apologise.
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra refused to apologise or retract his tweets on the Supreme Court a day after Attorney General K.K. Venugopal consented to multiple requests for criminal contempt action against him. Kamra reacted in a tweet titled ‘no lawyers, no apology, no fine, no waste of space’. In a note attached to the tweet and addressed to Dear Judges, Mr. KK Venugopal, Kamra said his tweets are his view. He believe they speak for themselves, he wrote. Kamra’s tweets concerned the Supreme Court decision to grant interim bail to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami on November 11. His view has not changed because the silence of the Supreme Court of India on matters of other’s personal liberty cannot go uncriticized. He don’t intend to retract his tweets or apologise for them, his note on Twitter read. He said he wished to volunteer the time that may be allotted for hearing his contempt case to others who have not been as lucky and privileged as he has to jump the queue. On Friday, law students Shrirang Katneshwarkar and Nikita Duhan, along with advocates Amey Abhay Sirsikar, Abhishek Sharad Raskar and Sattyendra Vinayak Muley, filed a joint criminal contempt petition against Kamra based on the consent received from the Attorney General. The tweets published by the alleged contemnor are in such bad taste that an ordinary prudent man can gather that he has scandalised this Hon’ble Court and further lowered its authority, their petition contended.
D) WHO to set up centre for traditional medicine in India.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on 13 November that it will set up a Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing confidence that just like the country has emerged as the ‘pharmacy of the world’, the WHO institution will become the centre for global wellness. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement in a video message at an event in which Prime Minister Modi dedicated two future-ready Ayurveda institutions in Jaipur and Jamnagar to the nation via video conferencing on the occasion of the 5th Ayurveda Day. The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar (Gujarat) and the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur (Rajasthan) are both premier institutions of Ayurveda in the country. The Jamnagar institute has been conferred the status of an Institution of National Importance (INI) by an act of Parliament and the one at Jaipur has been designated an Institution Deemed to be University (De novo Category) by the University Grants Commission (UGC), according to the AYUSH ministry. In his video message, Ghebreyesus said that he is pleased to announce that they have agreed to open a WHO Global Centre of Traditional Medicine in India to strengthen the evidence, research, training and awareness of traditional and complementary medicine. This new centre will support WHO’s efforts to implement the WHO traditional medicine strategy 2014-2023, which aims to support countries in developing policies and action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine as part of their journey to universal health coverage and a healthier, fairer and safer world, he said.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) China acknowledges Joe Biden as U.S. President-elect.
China congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on 13 November, nearly a week after he was declared winner of the American election, according to the AFP. They respect the choice of the American people. They express their congratulations to Mr Biden and Ms Harris, said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular press briefing, referring to incoming vice president Kamala Harris. Wang said China understands the result of the US election will be determined in accordance with US laws and procedures. China was previously among a handful of major countries including Russia and Mexico that had not congratulated the president-elect. Beijing, commenting earlier this week, simply said that noticed Mr. Biden declare he is the winner. Since U.S. media called the presidential race, Trump has not conceded to Biden as has been the traditional practice once a winner is projected.
B) Joe Biden takes Arizona, but Trump still defiant.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has won Arizona, U.S. networks said late on Thursday, further cementing his lead in the Electoral College and flipping the state Democratic for the first time since 1996. NBC, CBS, ABC and CNN declared Mr. Biden the winner with a lead of more than 11,000 ballots, giving him the State’s 11 electoral votes. Fox News and The Associated Press called the race in the southwestern state in Mr. Biden’s favour on Election Night, triggering the wrath of President Donald Trump, but other outlets held off until after nine days of ballot counting.
Arizona gives Mr. Biden a 290-217 lead over Mr. Trump in the Electoral College that ultimately decides the presidency, with 270 needed to win the White House. Despite Mr. Biden being declared winner of the election on Saturday, Mr. Trump has refused to concede and continues to make allegations of election fraud. Races in North Carolina and Georgia have yet to be called.
Mr. Biden holds a lead of more than 14,000 votes in Georgia, a margin that is nearly certain to survive a manual recount.
Although the national popular vote does not determine the outcome, he is winning that by more than 5.3 million votes, or 3.4 percentage points.
