Covid-19, US elections, Bihar polls

5 November 2020

• COVID-19: 954 more COVID-19 cases in Gujarat  

  954 new coronavirus cases in Gujarat, taking its tally to 1,76,608, while the death toll reached 3,740 with six more succumbing. In November the state has added 3,664 cases at a daily average of 916 with a total of 1,022 more patients were discharged, taking the total to 1,60,470, while there are 12,398 active cases. The case is as per Surat with 214 new cases, Ahmedabad 174, Vadodara 111, Rajkot 85 and Gandhinagar 39.  

• US Elections 2020: Biden in striking distance of electoral votes to victory 

  Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, edging closer to electoral votes needed to win, has declared that he was ready to "govern as an American President", while present President Donald Trump has gone to the courts during a bid to prevent his rival.  

  "I'm not here to declare that we've won, but I’m here to report that when the count is finished, we believe we’ll be the winners," he said. The latest update shows Biden had 264 Electoral College votes, six shorts of the 270 needed to become President, and Trump had only 214, according to media reports. 

• India faces challenges on borders, will defend territorial integrity says Defence Minister  

  In a clear message to China, just before of talks to resolve the border issue, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “On Thursday that India is facing challenges on its borders and will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. India is a peace-loving country and that peace can only be ensured through the ability to deter war.” 

  He said while speaking at a webinar celebrating the Diamond Jubilee to mark 60 years of the National Defence College in New Delhi. 

• Raigad Court sends Arnab Goswami to 14-day judicial custody 

  Raigad Magistrate has remanded Republic TV Managing Director & Editor in Chief Arnab Goswami to 14 days' judicial custody after a marathon five-hour hearing here on November 4.  

  The Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected the prosecution's plea for 14 days' police custody for Goswami, who was arrested early Wednesday morning during a case concerning the dual suicides of architect Anvay Naik & his mother Kumud Naik on May 5, 2018. 

• Hyundai I20 launched in India, prices starting from Rs 6.80 Lakh 

  Hyundai Motor India has launched the third-generation Hyundai i20 at India price ranging from Rs 6.80 lakh for the base petrol variant and goes up to Rs 10.60 for the top-end diesel-manual.  

  Prices for the turbo-iMT variant start from Rs 8.80 lakh and with the turbo-DCT from Rs 10.67 lakh. Prices for the diesel Hyundai i20 start from Rs 8.20 lakh. These prices are ex-showroom India and applicable up New Year’s Eve i.e. December 31.  Further, the bookings for the new i20 have already opened online or at Hyundai dealerships for Rs 21,000. 

• Tez app gets a new redesigned logo for users in India 

  Google Pay app now features a new logo for users in India, which is a total redesign as opposed to the multi-coloured 'G' and 'Pay' in the latest logo, the new logo gets two Google-coloured square interlocked. From the looks of it, it doesn't appear like a Google Pay app logo since there is no reference to the app. But, the Google colours surely hint at a Google app. 

• Bihar Elections 2020: People of Bihar will vote for Mahagathbandhan, says Rahul Gandhi  

  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during a poll campaign in Araria has begun with spin-off of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) by dubbing it as Modi Voting Machine (MVM). 

  Asserting that youth of Bihar are angry, the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “EVM or MVM won’t matter anymore. People of Bihar will vote for Mahagathbandhan i.e. Congress-RJD-Left combine. We have a life-time relationship with the people of Bihar. He (PM Narendra Modi) used to spread hatred in society. Hatred can’t be defeated through hatred but by love."