COVID-19, J&K, weather, Bison, silk saree, cow bill, Karnataka, farmer protest, farm law

10 December 2020

• India needs more than laws to stamp out farm fires

  The Indian capital, Delhi's air pollution, has turned from low to severe over the course of the Diwali weekend due to burning of crop stubbles in nearby states and people bursting crackers in violation of a Delhi state government ban.
  
  While the festival of lights inevitably brings the problem of smoke and ash spewed by crackers, the bigger worry is that of farm fires -- a phenomenon that has been gradually choking the national capital even though the vehicle load has somewhat eased because of COVID-19.
  
  

• Weather to improve in J&K, Ladakh

  Night temperatures improved further in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Thursday due to a cloud cover as the weather office forecast another spell of snow and rain starting Saturday.
  
  "Weather is likely to improve from today afternoon, but we are expecting another spell of snow/rain on December 12. The system is likely to be less intense then though," an official of the MET department said.

• COVID-19 Updates: Gujarat sees 1,318 new COVID-19 cases, 13 fresh deaths

  Gujarat on Wednesday saw 1,318 coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 2,22,811, while the death toll climbed to 4,123, with 13 succumbing.
  

  In December so far, the state has added 13,031 cases at a daily average of 1,448. A total of 1,550 more patients were discharged, taking the total to 2,04,661, while there are 14,027 active cases presently. Ahmedabad saw 294 new cases, Surat 212, Vadodara 175, Rajkot 135 and Gandhinagar 57.

• Karnataka passes 'most stringent' anti-cow slaughter Bill

  Amid din in the Assembly, the Karnataka government on Wednesday passed the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2020, which is also known as the anti-cow slaughter Bill in the state.
  Anger over the sudden introduction and passage of the Bill led to a war of words between the Congress and BJP members. Terming it as unconstitutional, leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah said that his party will boycott the legislative session henceforth, while the JD(S) staged a walkout.

• Endangered Indian bison dies after rescue from Pune housing colony

  An Indian bison, known as Gaur, which strayed into a residential complex in Kothrud in Pune, was rescued but died a few hours later, officials said here on Wednesday.
  
  The bison was spotted on Wednesday morning by some residents of the Mahatma Society when they were out on their morning walk and they alerted the police and the forest department.