News in Short

• Satellite images have shown evidence of the Chinese having deployed towed artillery and mechanised elements on their side of the LAC opposite the Galwan valley.
• Satellite images also show the presence of at least 16 tanks with a mix of infantry combat vehicles, though camouflaged. Flatbed trucks, excavator machines, dumper trucks too have been identified in the images.
• India is concerned about the Chinese occupation of a place called Foxhole Point, the southern-most point on the northern banks of the lake. This is located between Finger 3 and Finger 4, giving the Chinese an advantage in area domination.

• M.P. Veerendra Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP, and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) leader, passed away in Kozhikode.
• The 83-year-old former Union Minister of State for Finance was also the Managing Director of the Mathrubhumi group of publications.
• A prolific author, he had written books on subjects such as politics, philosophy and economics. He was also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award and the Kerala Sahitya Academy award.

• India is all set to play its first Day/Night Test match overseas, at the Adelaide Oval, when it tours Australia later this year.
• As per the itinerary, the Test series starts at the Gabba, Brisbane on December 3, while Melbourne will host the Boxing Day Test on December 26 followed by the fourth Test at Sydney from January 3.
• CA wants to host India for a Test series which is reportedly worth $300 million including broadcast rights. With their finances taking a Covid-induced hit, the India series is considered to be Australian cricket’s monetary redemption.

• The Supreme Court has ordered that stranded migrant workers will not be charged train or bus fares for their journey back home to their villages.
• The fare would be pooled between the State from where their journey originated and the destination State. Shelter, food and water would be provided by the originating State at notified places to workers waiting for their transport home.
• During train journey, railways would be in charge of providing them nourishment. Similarly, States through which they passed by buses would take care of their food and water.

• Speaker Om Birla has nominated 15 MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to assist the Delimitation Commission in redrawing the Lok Sabha and the Assembly constituencies of the north-eastern States and the Union Territory.
• Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Jitendra Singh and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah are among the 15 MPs who will be associates of the Delimitation Commission.
• The appointments were made after the Commission had recently written to Mr. Birla and other presiding officers of the Assemblies to nominate associate members. They will help the panel in its task.