The Catch Up: 15 November

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.Today is the 15th of November and here this week’s headlines.The first phase of Jharkhand’s Assembly elections, covering 43 seats, recorded a voter turnout of 66 per cent. The seats are in the tribal-dominated South Chotanagpur, northern Pala-mu, and Kolhan regions, with 20 reserved for Scheduled Tribes and six for Scheduled Castes. While the BJP has offered 25 promises as part of its Sankalp Patra, the INDIA bloc has underlined seven “guarantees” in the fields of education, domicile policy, social justice, food, Maiyya Samman Yojna, jobs, and farmers’ welfare, replicating its model in Karnataka and Telangana. Over 2 lakh new beneficiaries above the age of 70 received cards under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana within the first week of Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolling out the expanded version of the flagship health insurance scheme to cover all elderly. According to data available till 7th of November with the National Health Authority, Kerala has registered the highest number of new beneficiaries under the extended version, with nearly 89,000 cards issued for the elderly. The data also shows that 32,000 additional beneficiaries above the age of 70 have re-registered to avail the cover of Rs 5 lakh provided in the extended version with no income limit.In response to escalating violence in Manipur, the central government has deployed 20 additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces to the state. The forces, comprising around 2,000 personnel from CRPF and BSF, will be stationed until 30th of November to maintain order. This follows recent clashes, including the killing of suspected militants in Jiribam and the continued disappearance of six individuals from the May-tee community, including three children, after the violence on Monday.Delhi's air quality reached hazardous levels, with an AQI of 423, prompting serious disruptions at the Indira Gandhi Airport. 151 flights were delayed, and 282 departures faced delays averaging 45 minutes. Environment Minister Gopal Rai called for stricter enforcement of GRAP II measures to combat pollution. He noted an expected improvement in air quality due to rising wind speeds, as the capital continues to struggle with pollution-related issues affecting public health and daily operations.On the global front, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed at least six people, including three young siblings, as the conflict in the region intensifies. In Lebanon, an Israeli strike on an apartment building near Beirut killed six and injured 15. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has decided not to restrict weapons transfers to Israel, citing limited progress in facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza. These actions come amid ongoing violence and international calls for increased humanitarian support for Gaza's civilians.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express.