News Flash (17th December 2020): Top 10 Stories Of The Day

1. The permission of felling 1,500 mangrove trees for sea link granted by Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court has granted Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to fell over 1,500 mangrove trees for the purpose of constructing Versova-Bandra Sea Link. The new sea link is said to connect Versova to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Bandra. Earlier in 2019, the HC had restrained MSRDC from chopping the same mangrove trees, except from a 200 square meter area. 

2. Sedition charges against Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam sanctioned by Delhi govt

Government of Delhi has granted sanction to the police to charge 18 people accused for initiating the riots in Northeast Delhi riots earlier this year, including former JNU student Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and ex-AAP councilor Tahir Hussain. Delhi government’s approval later stated, “Prima facie…accused persons had committed the acts of sedition…criminal conspiracy.”The sanction is a response to the police’s request for the prosecution of the accused, which was made in September.

3. India to receive $1 bn from BRICS’ New Development Bank for economic recovery

The BRICS Development Bank, now known as The New Development Bank (NDB)is to lend India $1 billion to help the country pull itself out from the economic crisis caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The loan is to provide support expenditures incurred on rural infrastructure related to natural resource management and rural employment generation that falls under the Indian government’s Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

4. Anshu Malik, a teenage wrestler bags silver medal at Individual World Cup

India has won its first medal at the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia through its Wrestler Anshu Malik who stood second in the women’s 57kg category. Anshu Malik was defeated in the final 5-1 against Moldova’s Anastasia Nichita. “It was a tough match, but she didn’t give up. Her overall performance in the competition was good,” Dharamvir said Anshu’s father said in a statement. He himself is a former international wrestler.

5. A state of natural disaster declared in Fiji as powerful cyclone approaches

On Thursday, Fiji declared a state of natural disaster, and directed its whole population to take shelter ahead of a nightly curfew because a potentially devastating cyclone is approaching the Pacific Island nation. Named as Cyclone Yasa, this one is placed in a top category five storm by the experts, who have pridicted will bring winds of up to 250 km per hour (155 miles per hour) and torrential rain across the South Pacific archipelago when it strikes the coast overnight.

6. Winter clothes arrive for protesting farmers at Tikri border, in a truck from Ludhiana

Aruck loaded with winter clothes arrived at the Tikri border to provide warm clothes to the protesting farmers. The truck came from over 500 people from Ludhiana, which included industrialists and shop owners. Harjinder Singh Kukreja, the owner of three eating joints, in a statement said, “We took approximately 2,000 blankets, 5,000 warmers, 10,000 mufflers, 6,000 socks, 1,000 vests, 2,000 knee caps, 500 woollen caps etc.”

7. Cricketer Mohammad Amir says, “I am being mentally tortured” quits international cricket

Mohammad Amir, Pakistan’s fast bowler announced his retirement from international cricket. “I cannot play cricket under this management. I am being mentally tortured,” he said while citing his reasons for the exit. He also said, “I cannot tolerate this. I have already tolerated a lot of mental torture from 2010 to 2015 when I was banned.”

8. Supreme Court Suggests Setting up Independent Committee to resolve farmers’ issues

Hearing about the farmers’ protests that have now compketed 22 days, the Supreme court of India recently said, “A protest is constitutional till it does not destroy property or endanger life”. This was said when it was hearing a set of pleas seeking permission to the authorities to remove the farmers protesting against the new farm bills at several border points of Delhi. Further, the Supreme Court also suggested a dire need for the Centre to hold a constructive discussion with the grieved farmers. It has ordered to set up an unbiased and independent committee before which both parties put forth their points of the story and issues.

9. Lucknow Varsity teachers to now attend now Bhagavad Gita classes

Lessons of Bhagavad Gita are soon going to be imparted to the teachers of Lucknow University (LU). The university is going to launch an online Bhagavad Gita certificate course for the teaching staff from Thursday. “The Lucknow University with ISKCON Youth Forum is starting an online Bhagavad Gita certificate course for teachers,” Vice Chancellor Alok Kumar Rai said in a statement. 

10. Decision on whether to initiate contempt proceedings against Kunal Kamra to be made by SC today

On Friday, the Supreme Court is most likely to pronounce its order on some petitions seeking initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Kunal Kamra, a stand-up comedian for his alleged scandalous tweets against the apex court.