Category: India

The National Conference and Congress are in high-level talks for a possible alliance in upcoming UT elections, with Congress open to other like-minded parties.

Within days of the poll announcement for the UT, the National Conference and Congress have begun holding talks at the top level.

The two parties had contested the Lok Sabha polls jointly as part of the INDIA bloc, with NC winning from Srinagar and Anantnag seats. The Congress, however, lost both seats in the Jammu division.

The Grand Old Party has also kept its doors open for the Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party.

Newly elected Congress’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president, Tariq Hameed Karra, on Monday said the NC has approached the Congress leadership, adding, “To my knowledge the National Conference has already approached our central leadership.”

Karra, who was addressing media on the sidelines of a function at the Congress office in Srinagar, said the party was open for an alliance to every like-minded party opposing the hegemony and dictatorial policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Crediting the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra for changing the ground situation for the party, Karra said, “The priority of our team will be to take it forward by channelising and capitalising it in the interest of people.”

Karra said the Congress will try to address problems like economic, Constitutional, religion and regional distress, adding that the Congress has constituted a committee comprising senior J&K leaders to hold deliberations with like-minded political parties. Congress senior leaders said talks for an alliance will also be held with the PDP and other parties.

Omar, however, said talks are yet to be initiated with the Congress. “Congress cannot force or compel us to hold an alliance with any political party,” hinting towards the PDP.

The former CM, however, conceded that NC is also holding talks with like-minded parties. “At this point, I cannot reveal names of those political parties,” Omar said, adding, “Same is the case with Congress. We cannot force each other. We have been holding talks with Congress at the highest level. I don’t know in what context Karra was speaking.”

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/congress-nc-initiate-seat-sharing-talks-for-j-k-assembly-polls-101724092420488.html

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine this week is expected to last about seven hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine this week is expected to last about seven hours and the trip will involve spending close to 20 hours on a train that has ferried world leaders such as US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron to Kyiv, people familiar with the matter said.

Modi will be in Ukraine on August 23 for the first visit by a senior Indian leader since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. After weeks of speculation, the visit was formally announced by the external affairs ministry on Monday.

Preparations for what is perhaps the first visit to by an Indian premier to an active warzone began several weeks ago and has involved close coordination on security matters and complex logistics, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. The Indian premier is expected to travel on the overnight train that was dubbed “Rail Force One” after it carried Biden from Przemyśl Główny in Poland to Kyiv in February 2023.

Ukraine has replaced electric locomotives with diesel engines since Russia inflicted considerable damage on the country’s electricity networks and power generation facilities, thereby increasing the time taken by the train to travel from the Polish border to Kyiv, one of the people cited above said.

The journey now takes close to 10 hours and Modi is expected to leave for Ukraine on August 22, after concluding his official meetings in Poland, the first stop on his two-nation tour. He is expected to reach Kyiv in the morning on August 23 and will spend about seven hours in Ukraine, before again taking the train operated by Ukrzaliznytsia or Ukrainian Railways to return to Poland.

Modi’s visit to Ukraine is widely being seen as a balancing act following his trip to Moscow during July 8-9 for the annual India-Russia Summit with President Vladimir Putin. That visit had triggered outrage in the West as the Indian leader’s arrival in Moscow had coincided with a Russian strike on Kyiv’s largest children’s hospital.

“This landmark visit, of course, takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which will also form part of discussions,” Tanmaya Lal, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing. He declined to discuss details about the elements in the programme for Modi’s visit.

Lal sidestepped questions on whether Modi will propose a peace plan while in Ukraine and whether the visit is a balancing act in the face of pressure from the West, especially the US, and said India has consistently pushed for diplomacy and dialogue to find a negotiated settlement. In this context, he noted that India had attended the Summit for Peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland in June.

“Dialogue is absolutely essential. Lasting peace can only be achieved through options that are acceptable to both parties and there can only be a negotiated settlement…India continues to engage with all stakeholders,” he said.

Modi has had conversations with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, and India is willing to “provide all possible support and contributions” to help find a peaceful solution to this complex issue. “At this stage it is not for us to anticipate or prejudge what the outcome of these discussions will be between the leaders of India and Ukraine,” Lal said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Modi met on the margins of the G7 Summit in Italy in June and they also met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Japan last year. Earlier, they met on the margins of the COP meeting in Glasgow in 2021, while Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba visited New Delhi in March to push India to take on a greater role in ongoing peace efforts.

Before the Russian invasion, bilateral trade between India and Ukraine was worth more than $3 billion. India was one of the largest importers of sunflower oil from Ukraine and there was cooperation in areas such as heavy industry, railways and defence. There were also about 18,000 students in Ukraine at the start of the conflict and most of them were evacuated through neighbouring countries. About 1,000 students are currently pursuing courses in Ukraine.

Defence cooperation and bolstering trade will figure in Modi’s discussions with Poland’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda. This will be the first visit by an Indian premier to Warsaw in 45 years and comes at a time when both countries are marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/prime-minister-narendra-modi-to-be-ferried-in-luxury-rail-service-on-ukraine-trip-101724093684668.html

Ever since the fiasco over the rape and murder of the young doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital started, his silence was conspicuous. He broke his silence only once – after a gang of hooligans vandalised RGKMCH during the women’s ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest on August 14-15 to seek justice for the murdered doctor.

Kolkata: Even as outrage over the rape and murder of a young doctor in a Kolkata hospital put the Trinamool Congress in a tight spot, Mamata Banerjee’s heir apparent and the party’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was so far conspicuously silent, fuelling speculation that he was not happy with the way the government was dealing with the situation.
Abhishek’s office withdrew itself from managing the media engagement of TMC over the past few days. The TMC supremo and the state’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday appointed a new four-member committee to oversee the party’s engagement with media. The committee will set the framework of the party’s day-to-day interaction with the media.

Abhishek led TMC’s campaign during the Lok Sabha elections this year, ensuring the victory of the party’s candidates in 29 of the 42 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal. He also took a lead role for the party as Lok Sabha MP during the recent Budget session of Parliament.

But ever since the fiasco over the rape and murder of the young doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital started, his silence was conspicuous. He broke his silence only once – after a gang of hooligans vandalised RGKMCH during the women’s ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest on August 14-15 to seek justice for the murdered doctor.

“The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits,” Abhishek posted on X late at night. “As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata, urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for today’s violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations.”

He also wrote that the demands of the protesting doctors were fair and justified. “This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritized.”

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/kolkata-rape-murder-case-is-abhishek-banerjees-silence-a-sign-of-dissatisfaction-with-tmc-top-brass-3156423

The two accused detained on Sunday night are Prasad Mariappan Devendra (31), the patient who was reportedly intoxicated and had sustained bruises on his lip and nose, and his sister Shweta Mariappan Devendra (28).

In the recent assault on a female resident doctor at Sion Hospital, the police have released the two accused, including the patient, after issuing a formal notice. As the registered offenses carry a punishment of less than seven years’ imprisonment, an immediate arrest is not mandatory.

The police will now be recording witness statements from those who were in and around the crime scene, which will be included in the chargesheet. They will also review CCTV footage from the hospital, particularly from inside and outside the ENT ward, which will serve as crucial evidence in the chargesheet.

The two accused detained on Sunday night are Prasad Mariappan Devendra (31), the patient who was reportedly intoxicated and had sustained bruises on his lip and nose, and his sister Shweta Mariappan Devendra (28). The duo allegedly assaulted the female resident doctor in the ENT ward, where the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday around 3:45 a.m.

Donald Trump has posted a series of AI-generated images on his Truth Social account falsely claiming that Taylor Swift has endorsed him for president.

On Sunday night, Trump shared several screenshots of X posts showing women wearing “Swifties for Trump” shirts. Many of the photos appear to have been doctored, and one screenshot is of a satire news article claiming that the cancellation of Swift’s shows in Vienna due to a thwarted terrorist plot led Swifties to turn to Trump. Another screenshot is of Taylor Swift photoshopped as Uncle Sam next to the message: “Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump.”

“I accept!” Trump captioned the post.

Representatives for Swift did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

Amid the ongoing investigation and protests following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, Durga Devi, mother-in-law of accused Sanjay Roy, suggested the involvement of more people in the crime.

Amid the ongoing investigation and protests following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, Durga Devi, mother-in-law of accused Sanjay Roy, suggested the involvement of more people in the crime as she said that Roy could not have done it alone.

Recounting her daughter’s experience with Roy while speaking to ANI on Monday, Durga Devi described the relationship as tense adding that Roy thrashed her daughter against which a police complaint was filed.

“My relations with him were very tense,” Durga Devi said, adding, “Initially, everything was good for 6 months. When she was 3 months pregnant, he caused a miscarriage. He thrashed her, and a police complaint was registered for the same. Following this, my daughter continued being ill, I bore all her expenses for medicines.”

“Sanjay was not good. Hang him or do whatever you want with him. I won’t speak about the crime. He could not have done it alone. He can’t do it alone,” she said.

The rape and murder of the trainee doctor have sparked widespread outrage and protests across various cities, with calls for justice and punishment for the accused. The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the case, with a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud scheduled to hear today.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has received permission to conduct a polygraph test on the arrested accused, CBI sources said earlier.

On August 18, the CBI team examined and conducted 3D laser mapping in the emergency ward of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Source  : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kolkata-rape-murder-case-accused-sanjay-roy-mother-in-law-says-hang-him-6374503

Participating in a rally at Freedom Park in Bengaluru to protest the Governor’s sanction for prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that Gehlot was ‘nalaayak’ (unfit) to continue in office.

Bengaluru: Accusing Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot of acting like an agent of the BJP, Karnataka ministers Krishna Byre Gowda, Dinesh Gundu Rao and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan on Monday charged the former with trying to dislodge a ‘pro-Kannadiga’ government.

Participating in a rally at Freedom Park in Bengaluru to protest the Governor’s sanction for prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that Gehlot was ‘nalaayak’ (unfit) to continue in office. “The law is very clear. Petitions seeking sanction for prosecution in such cases should either be submitted by the Lokayukta or the DIG, but this Governor has approved the request, acting on a ‘passerby’ complaint. Does he have any right to continue as Governor?” asked the minister.

Deputy CM and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar underscored the irony of Gehlot, who swore the Congress government to power, was now trying to topple it. The people of Karnataka had blessed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress with 136 seats in the Assembly polls, said the Deputy CM. “Don’t tarnish the respectable post of Governor. It is ironic that the Governor has said that the allegations against the CM are serious, given that there has been no probe into the case by any agency,” Shivakumar added.

The alleged scam in MUDA is a conspiracy hatched by the JD(S), BJP and the Sangh Parivar, said Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/gehlot-unfit-to-continue-in-office-says-krishna-byre-gowda-3156390

7th Pay Commission: The central government is likely to announce a 3 per cent DA hike next month. With this 3 per cent likely hike in September, the total dearness allowance will reach 53 per cent. However, the government is unlikely to release the 18-month arrears for DA and dearness relief (DR) that were halted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the monsoon session of Parliament, two members recently asked queries regarding the government’s decision on the DA arrears. To a question ‘Whether the government is actively considering to release an 18-month dearness allowance/ relief of central government employees/ pensioners which were withheld during COVID outbreak’, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary replied, “No”.

He added that, “The decision to freeze three installments of Dearness Allowance {(DA)/Dearness Relief (DR) to Central Government employees/pensioners due from 01.01.2020, 01.07.2020 & 01.01.2021 was taken in the context of COVID-19, which caused economic disruption, to ease pressure on Government finances… As the adverse financial impact of the pandemic in 2020 and the financing of welfare measures taken by the Government had a fiscal spillover beyond FY 2020-21, arrears of DA/DR were not considered feasible.”

However, the central government is likely to announce a 3 per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) in September 2024, which will become effective from July 1, 2024.

The DA will also not be merged with the basic pay even as it rises beyond 50 per cent. It will continue as it is until the 8th Pay Commission is formed. Instead of the merger, there are provisions of increasing allowances, including HRA, in case of DA crossing 50 per cent, which has already been increased, according to the people in the know of the matter.

DA is given to government employees, while DR is given to pensioners. DA and DR are hiked twice a year, with effect from January and July.

Source : https://www.news18.com/business/savings-and-investments/7th-pay-commission-will-govt-employees-receive-18-month-da-arrears-along-with-3-da-hike-in-september-9020175.html

According to the Additional Commissioner of Police (East Zone) Raman Gupta, the woman, who is a final year degree student in a city college, was returning home to Hebbagodi after a get-together in Koramangala.

A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in the early hours of Sunday by an unknown biker whom she had hitchhiked, a senior police officer said.

According to the Additional Commissioner of Police (East Zone) Raman Gupta, the woman, who is a final year degree student in a city college, was returning home to Hebbagodi after a get-together in Koramangala.

“A man from whom she had taken a ‘lift’ made a criminal assault and raped her. We have registered a rape case and started an investigation,” Mr Gupta told reporters here.

He said prima facie it appeared she had gone for a get-together in Koramangala.

“There is only one suspect. The man who gave her a lift is suspected to be the rapist and our investigations are on,” the officer said.

The crew called in for CISF assistance, following which constables Priyanka Reddy (26) and Sonika Pal were dispatched to handle the situation. But Surekha responded aggressively and slapped and bit constable Reddy.

In a shocking incident, a Pune woman physically assaulted her co-passengers and bit a CISF constable while embarking on a Pune to New Delhi IndiGo flight at Lohegaon Airport, on Saturday, and was removed later on.

According to a report by The Times of India. the woman, named Surekha Singh, attacked her co-passengers – two siblings – Anvitika Borse and Aditya Borse during boarding after an altercation stemmed from disagreements over seating arrangements.

The crew called in for CISF assistance, following which constables Priyanka Reddy (26) and Sonika Pal were dispatched to handle the situation.

But, Surekha responded aggressively and slapped and bit constable Reddy.

According to TOI, the woman, who is a homemaker, was restrained and removed from the aircraft along with her husband, and handed over to the airport police.

A case of voluntarily causing hurt and assault or use of criminal force to obstruct a public servant from performing his/her duty has been filed by the airport police.

According to TOI, senior inspector Ajay Sankeshwari said, “We let her go after issuing her a notice asking her to join our probe as and when summoned.”

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/woman-allegedly-bites-cisf-constable-assaults-2-others-on-pune-delhi-flight-3155362

Since August 12, doctors have been on an indefinite strike, suspending all elective and non-essential services including OPDs and wards to demand justice for the trainee doctor who was raped and killed in Kolkata.

The statement read, “Resident doctors will be available for providing Elective OPD services of around 36 specialties including medicine, Surgery, Obs & Gynae, Pediatrics, Opthalmology, Orthopedics and others to patients outside Nitraman Bhawan, Emergency services will continue as before at our hospitals.”

Since August 12, doctors have been on an indefinite strike, suspending all elective and non-essential services including OPDs and wards to demand justice for the victim. A 31-year-old trainee doctor was found murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and copes later revealed that she was raped before being killed.

The incident sparked widespread protests with doctors demanding justice for the victim and a security act for medical personnel.

Meanwhile, a delegation of protesting doctors met with Health Ministry officials on Sunday and said that the discussions were inconclusive. They said they are not satisfied with the assurance given by the ministry.

The Health Ministry asked them to call off the nation-wide protest. The delegation, led by Federation of All India Medical Association, made it clear that any such decision would only be considered if the demands are fully met.

Protesting doctors are planning to meet the Health Ministry officials today as well to present a written representation of demands. For now, nationwide protest will continue.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/kolkata-horror-doctors-continue-protest-free-opd-outside-health-ministry-today-10-points-article-112616693

Both the father and mother of the victim, who spoke anonymously, have accused the Bengal CM of stifling the protests demanding justice.

The parents of the Kolkata trainee doctor who was brutally raped and then murdered on the premises of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in the state capital on Sunday have spoken up to express their dissatisfaction at both the investigation done by the Kolkata Police and also Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. They slammed the apparent attempts to hush up the case and the ensuing protests in the face of bad publicity for the state administration.

Both the father and mother of the victim, who spoke anonymously to ANI, have accused the Bengal CM of stifling the protests demanding justice.

“One person has been arrested. I am sure many more are involved in this incident. I think the entire department is responsible for the incident… The police did not do a good job at all. I feel that the Chief Minister is trying to stop the protest, today she imposed Section 144 here so that people cannot protest,” the victim’s mother added.

She had even harsher words for the Kolkata Police, saying, “They did not cooperate with us at all, they only tried to hush up the case as soon as possible. Their attempt was to get the post-mortem done as soon as possible and remove the body.”

The victim’s father echoed her words saying, “The CM is talking about providing justice, but then attempts are being made to put the common people demanding justice in jail. We are not satisfied with the CM. We have refused to take any compensation…”

Alleging foul play in the investigation, he said, “No results have come out of the inquiry that is being done. We hope we will get results… No one from the department or the college cooperated with us. The entire department is involved in this… There were three bodies at the crematorium but our daughter’s body was cremated first…”

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/kolkata-doctor-rape-murder-we-are-not-satisfied-with-cm-entire-department-is-involved-victims-parents-lash-out-at-mamata-police-3155029

Protests began here on Monday evening. Initially restricted to medical college campuses, doctors started taking to the streets from Friday over the incident at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.

New Delhi: The doctors’ strike in the national capital over the rape and murder of a medic at a state-run hospital in Kolkata entered its seventh day on Sunday, as non-emergency services, including OPD, remained paralysed.

Protests began here on Monday evening. Initially restricted to medical college campuses, doctors started taking to the streets from Friday over the incident at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.

According to an action plan, members of resident doctors’ associations (RDA) in Delhi took out a candle light march from outside Gate 1 of the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station at Connaught Place.

Dr Parth Mishra, vice president of UCMS and GTB Hospital RDA told PTI that as discussed, resident doctors from medical institutions participated in the march.

The demonstrators, who are demanding a central law to check violence against on-duty health personnel and justice for their peer, formed a human chain in the Connaught Place Inner Circle.

Efforts were also made to interact with the public to raise awareness about the incident.

Those part of the march, which ended around 9 pm, raised slogans in support of their demands. They displayed placards demanding justice for the victim and one them read “when the white coat turns red, society turns black”. A few children holding the tricolor were also spotted in march.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/kolkata-rape-murder-case-health-services-hit-in-delhi-as-doctors-strike-enters-7th-day-medics-hold-candle-march-3155235

Recently, the Mumbai Police uncovered several cybercrime cases in which the accused turned out to be bank employees who were assisting cybercriminals by creating accounts for illegal transactions.

Approximately 29,000 incidents of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) fraud have been reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, according to Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar. He recently shared this information in the Rajya Sabha. The Free Press Journal spoke with investigating agencies and industry experts to uncover the reasons behind these recurring cyber frauds.

The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) [https://cybercrime.gov.in] was launched in 2020 as part of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). The platform allows the public to report all types of cyber crimes, with a special focus on crimes against women and children. Incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs, and subsequent actions are handled by the respective State/UT law enforcement agencies according to legal provisions.

Experts believe that AePS-related fraud began to surge following demonetisation. “After 2016, many banks gradually started outsourcing various tasks, including documentation, technology, and even personnel. This led to the hiring of contract employees from outsourced firms. Nowadays, when you visit a bank, you’re likely to see new faces frequently. These contract employees come and go like daily wagers, yet they have full access to the banking system. Their contract jobs come with targets, such as opening 70 bank accounts a month. To meet these goals, they may resort to unethical means, as it directly affects their paychecks. Most of those arrested in connection with cybercrime are contract employees who had access to account holder information,” explained an expert who wished to remain anonymous.

Recently, the Mumbai Police uncovered several cybercrime cases in which the accused turned out to be bank employees who were assisting cybercriminals by creating accounts for illegal transactions. While the masterminds often evade capture, the bank employees end up becoming scapegoats.

N. Shankar, General Secretary of the All India Union Bank Employees Association, commented on the issue of outsourcing. “When the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved outsourcing, it issued guidelines covering both material and non-material outsourcing, emphasizing the ‘safety factors’ that banks must prioritize for customer security. The RBI also stressed the need for regular audits of outsourcing companies. If these audits are properly conducted, many potential issues could be identified in time,” he said.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/spike-in-aadhaar-payment-frauds-raises-security-concerns-experts-link-it-with-demonetisation-contractual-hiring

The Centre has opened a fresh round of lateral recruitments, from the private sector and elsewhere, into senior posts in the bureaucracy. Such appointments have also been criticised for not extending reservations to SC, ST and OBC communities.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday (August 17) issued an advertisement seeking applications for “talented and motivated Indian nationals for Lateral Recruitment” to the posts of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary in 24 ministries of the Union government.

A total of 45 posts have been advertised with individuals having appropriate qualifications and experience from State/UT governments, PSUs, statutory organisations, research institutes and universities, and even the private sector eligible to apply. The advertisement mentions that all posts are “suitable for candidates belonging to the category: of Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD).”

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/upsc-lateral-entry-bureaucracy-reservations-9520211/

World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi | Photo Credit: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been continuously monitoring the MPox situation with the principal secretary Dr. P.K. Mishra directing that surveillance be enhanced and measures be taken for prompt detection of cases. He further directed that the testing laboratories network should be geared up for early diagnosis. At present, 32 labs are equipped for testing.

In a release issued on Sunday the Union government said that in the last one week a series of measures have been put in place including meeting of experts convened by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on August 12, to assess the risk for India, Communicable Disease (CD) alert on Mpox issued earlier by the NCDC being updated to capture the newer developments and sensitisation of the health teams at International Airports has been undertaken.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-modi-continuously-monitoring-the-mpox-situation/article68540677.ece

Monkeypox: Prithviraj Chavan demands strict testing, quarantine protocol at Mumbai airport

Mumbai, Amid concerns over Monkeypox, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, demanding strict testing and quarantine protocol at the Mumbai airport for passengers from high-risk countries.

The World Health Organisation has declared Monkeypox a public health emergency, and the virus has now reached Pakistan, former Maharashtra CM Chavan said on Saturday, urging the government to take proactive steps to prevent its spread in India.

“It has reached our neighbourhood. We have to act. I have written to the CM to implement a strict testing and quarantine protocol at the Mumbai airport for all the incoming passengers from high-risk countries,” the Congress leader said on X.

Timely action was necessary as any delay could lead to severe consequences, he said.

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said there were no reported cases of Monkeypox in India even though cautionary measures will be put in place to prevent and control the spread of the disease.

In a meeting chaired by Union Health Minister J P Nadda, it was noted that Monkeypox infections are usually self-limiting lasting between 2-4 weeks and patients generally recover with supportive management.

The transmission requires prolonged close contact with an infected case and is generally through the sexual route, direct contact with body/lesion fluid, or contaminated clothing/linen of an infected person.

WHO had earlier declared Monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in July 2022 and subsequently revoked the same in May 2023.

Globally, since 2022, WHO has reported 99,176 cases and 208 deaths due to Monkeypox from 116 countries. Since the 2022 declaration by WHO, a total of 30 cases were detected in India with the last case in March 2024.

Omar Abdullah said that it’s going to be a struggle after elections for the restoration of statehood and rights that have been taken away from the people.

The Jammu and Kashmir assembly, in its first order of business after elections, will pass a resolution against the centre’s decision to strip the region of its statehood and special status, said Omar Abdullah, former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader.
He said that it’s going to be a struggle after elections for the restoration of statehood and rights that have been taken away from the people.

“The first order of business of the elected assembly of J&K should be to make it known not just to the rest of India but to the world at large that the people of J&K don’t agree with what happened to us on 5th August 2019, and then we start undoing what was done to us,” said Mr Abdullah, in an exclusive interview with NDTV.

Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir – first after the region was stripped of its statehood and special status under Article 370 in 2019 – would be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The votes will be counted on October 4.

“I believe that one of the main jobs of the elected chief minister will be to ensure that full statehood is restored to J&K at the earliest because only as a state we can start to undo the damage that has been done to J&K after 2019,” he said.

The announcement of polls to the 90-member assembly comes months after the Supreme Court upheld the centre’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and directed that assembly elections be held by September 30. The last assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir in November-December 2014.

One of the fiercest critics of the government’s Article 370 move, the 54-year-old said that the NC will again approach the Supreme Court if the centre doesn’t restore the statehood of J&K immediately.

“It’s going to be a fight to restore the statehood. Nothing is going to come to us easily. Even these elections didn’t come to us easily,” he said.

In December 2023, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously backed the Centre’s move to scrap Article 370, calling it a “temporary provision” to ease the former state’s 1947 merger with India.

The top court also directed the centre to restore statehood as soon as possible.

Mr Abdullah also launched a scathing attack on “unqualified and unquestioned” Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, saying, “The elected government will push back the dictatorial rule of Lt Governor”.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under the President’s Rule since December 19, 2018. Initially, it was announced for a period of six months after a political crisis in June that year due to the BJP withdrawing support to then ruling Peoples Democratic Party government led by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The rule has been extended multiple times since then.

“Today, the LG is the unqualified and unquestioned ruler of J&K. Even with the powers the LG has, he will not be able to exercise them as freely once you have an elected government and a strong Chief Minister,” said the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah also hinted at reconsidering his decision to refrain from participating in polls until Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is restored.

“I have been inundated with messages, emails, phone calls. Ultimately, the party will decide and the party president will decide,” said Mr Abdullah whose father, Farooq Abdullah, is the president of the National Conference.

“I would be lying if I say there is no pressure on me,” he added.

Calling the elections “the most significant” in the last three generations, Mr Abdullah said, “These (elections) are happening when Ladakh is not a part of us, after we are broken into two. They are taking place after scrapping of our special status and delimitation”

“The results of these elections will be far-reaching,” he added.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/omar-abdullah-on-what-should-be-jammu-and-kashmir-assemblys-1st-move-after-polls-6358817

Police and bomb disposal units swiftly arrived at the scene and initiated a thorough search operation after the mall management received an alarming email claiming that explosives had been planted inside the building

After the Gurugram’s Ambience Mall received a bomb threat on Saturday, DLF Mall of India in Noida, Uttar Pradesh also received a similar threat later during the day. Search and rescue efforts were launched, along with the dispatch of police and bomb squad personnel.

Later, a representative for the DLF Mall administration stated that it was a simulated exercise for security readiness.

The mock drill aimed at assessing security measures was carried out at the DLF Mall located in Sector 18, Noida. During the exercise, the entire mall was evacuated and thoroughly inspected. Noida Deputy Commissioner of Police Rambadan Singh confirmed the purpose of the drill, emphasizing its importance for safety.

“A security mock drill was conducted in DLF mall. These kinds of drills are conducted to conduct checks in large areas to make sure that no one is in danger. Fire services, dog squad, and police teams participated in the drill,” DCP Singh stated.

There was no bomb threat, according to Manish Mishra, assistant deputy commissioner of police in Noida. A security drill was conducted at the DLF Mall of India for 2.5 hours, starting at 11 a.m.

The Ambience Mall, a major shopping hub in Gurugram received a bomb threat that prompted an immediate response from local authorities.

Source: https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/bomb-threat-at-ambience-mall-in-gurugram-evacuation-and-search-operation-on-441865-2024-08-17

Justice Gavai in his address paid homage to the lives lost during the recent Wayanad tragedy.

Supreme Court judge Justice BR Gavai on Saturday stressed upon the need to have sustainable development instead of mindless destruction of environment.

He said that human greed should not cross a limit that we cease to care for the future generations.

In this regard, he highlighted the recent tragedy in Kerala’s Wayanad where over 230 died during in landslides at Mundakkai.

“Today’s conference and particularly the location where it is being held – Kerala is known to be the God’s own country, it is such a beautiful country – particularly in the backdrop of what is a result of a human greed which has been noticed in the recent past about 100 KMs away from here, holding of such a conference on the sustainable transport, tourism and technological Innovations is very important,” he said.

Justice Gavai was speaking at Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA)’s International Conference on ‘Law and Technology: Sustainable Transport, Tourism and Technological Innovations’ in Kerala’s Kumarakom.

“We have seen that on account of conflict between the development and environmental concerns, in the last decade we have suffered many tragedies,” the Supreme Court judge said.

While Justice Gavai emphasised that development is necessary for progress, he also said that all the three wings, legislature, executive and the judiciary, have to work together to balance development with environment.

“No doubt that development is necessary for progress but it cannot be at the cost of the environment. Man has always been said to be greedy but the greed should not go beyond limits where there is no concern for future generations. Therefore, the concept of sustainable development over the last couple of decades has taken importance,” he added.

The top court judge also said that while Constitution requires the State to protect the environment, the citizens also have a fundamental duty to protect the nature.

Justice Gavai also spoke on how environmental jurisprudence has developed in India in the past few decades and referred to the Supreme Court’s orders of 1990s regarding public transport in Delhi.

“Taking note of pollution causing buses in Delhi, in one of the first MC Mehta case, the Supreme Court issued directions to remove such buses and the pollution from buses in Delhi has reduced substantially,” he said.

Speaking regarding his personal experience heading the Green Bench at top court, Justice Gavai said,

“On one hand we have demands of State governments to permit dams to produce electricity but on the other hand there are environmental concerns that it would threaten already fragile ecosystems.”

Justice Gavai in his address also commented on Artificial Intelligence, eco-tourism and man-animal conflict.

“Artificial Intelligence certainly plays an important role but it cannot be a substitute for the human mind. Conflicts with man and the wild have also to be taken into consideration when looking at the tourism, eco-tourism. Eco-tourism is an important aspect because in order to protect the environment, the important stakeholder is the resident of the area. Unless he gets a livelihood of environment, tiger reserve, he would have no interest in protecting the environment… these are all complex issues.”

The judge said that the adverse effects of climate change need to be examined seriously.

“It has been said development is necessary but as has been [also] said anything else you are interested in can’t happen, if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this time, do something. You are by accident of it alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet. The challenges of climate change are being noticed world wide. The adverse effects are one of the aspect which need to be looked into seriously”

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/human-greed-wayanad-disaster-climate-change-what-justice-br-gavai-said-kerala

Following the DC’s instructions, technically proficient engineers have completed the checking of EVMs for all 1,504 polling stations. A total of 3,029 ballot units were inspected, out of which 3,008 were found to be in working condition, while 21 were rejected due to technical issues

Soon after the announcement of assembly elections in Haryana, scheduled for October, the district election department of Gurugram has started preparing for the democratic exercise, an official aware of the matter said.

Gurugram district commissioner and election officer, Nishant Kumar Yadav on Saturday said, the tasks related to polling stations, counting centres, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and voter lists are being swiftly executed.

The DC said that the number of functional ballot units, control units, and VVPATs is sufficient for the upcoming polls. These machines are now securely stored under police guard in the EVM storage facility, which is also monitored by CCTV cameras.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/haryana-assembly-elections-evm-checks-completed-for-1-504-polling-booths-101723915266265.html

The UPSC on Saturday advertised 10 posts of joint secretaries and 35 of directors/deputy secretaries to be filled through the lateral entry mode.

UPSC lateral entry notification: The Narendra Modi government’s push to recruit 45 senior-level officers through the lateral entry mode has triggered a political storm, with opposition leaders accusing the government of systematically undermining the reservation system that safeguards opportunities for marginalised communities in India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the move is a deliberate attempt by the BJP to sideline Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) from crucial government positions.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, “BJP, which has ripped apart the Constitution, has made a double attack on reservation!”

“Under a well-planned conspiracy, the BJP is deliberately making such recruitments in jobs so that SC, ST, OBC classes can be kept away from reservation,” the Congress president alleged.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, a key ally of Congress in Bihar, condemned the move as a “dirty joke” on the reservation system and the Constitution drafted by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Yadav underscored that if these 45 posts were filled through the traditional civil services examination, nearly half of them would have been reserved for SC, ST, and OBC candidates.

The Bengaluru Police arrested 24 men. In addition, action was taken against two boys and 18 vehicles were confiscated.

When 24 individuals were seen performing dangerous stunts on the road, the Bengaluru Police took note of it and nabbed them all. A video of the incident was shared on social media by the official X handle of the police department. The clip shows the Bengaluru residents doing stunts and the action that the police later took against them.

The video opens to show several people wheeling on scooters. For the unversed, wheeling is a type of stunt where a person raises the front part of the scooter and balances it on the other wheel. After a complaint against these people performing such a life-threatening act was made, the Bengaluru Police arrested 24 men. In addition, action was taken against two boys and 18 vehicles were confiscated. (Also Read: Disturbing video shows bikers attacking car, leading to arrests by Bengaluru Police)

Watch the video here:

This video was shared on August 17. Since being posted, it has gained more than 82,000 views. The share also has close to 3,000 likes. Numerous people also took to the comments section of the post and shared their reactions.

Here’s what people had to say about it:

An individual wrote, “Even after taking such action, these types of incidents are increasing every day. Need to make something different.”

Another person added, “Arrest and put this idiot in jail for at least 10 days. Every day to drive a bike against these illiterate idiots is a nightmare in Bangalore.”

“Fine them at least 50,000 rupees they’ll never touch their bikes again. Unfortunately constitutional law doesn’t permit this,” commented X user Avinash Bengaluru.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/bengaluru-police-crack-down-on-reckless-scooter-stunts-24-arrested-18-vehicles-seized-101723951714007.html

The incident occurred Thursday night at the Radisson Red Hotel in London’s Heathrow.

An Air India cabin crew member was allegedly attacked by an intruder at a London hotel earlier this week. The incident occurred Thursday night at the Radisson Red Hotel at London’s Heathrow.

The attacker was nabbed and handed over to the police. The crew member was taken to a hospital and is now on her way back to Mumbai, according to The Hindu.

An unidentified source quoted by the Times of India said that the incident occurred shortly after midnight when the crew members of multiple Air India flights were staying at the property.

“The crew member was sleeping when an intruder attacked her in her room around 1.30 am. Startled, she woke up and screamed for help. He attacked her with a clothes hanger and dragged her on the floor as she tried to escape towards the door,” the source said.

“She was badly bruised, and the intruder tried to escape. The police were called in, and she was taken to a hospital. She could not fly back on duty and a friend from the crew stayed back with her,” the source added.

The airline’s crew had repeatedly complained of inadequate safety, dark corridors, unmanned reception, and miscreants knocking on the doors of the hotel, reported The Hindu.

“The law and order situation in some parts of Britain, including London, as of now requires everyone there to be alert. We avoid going out alone after late evening these days in London. Only hotels with foolproof security systems must be selected for stay of crew members, especially when those properties are not in central but outer London,” the pilots said.

Air India confirms incident
An Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident and said that the airline is offering the crew member all possible support, including profession counselling, according to TOI

The airline also said that it prioritises the safety and wellbeing of its crew and staff members and requests the privacy of those involved in the incident.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dragged-her-on-floor-air-india-crew-member-attacked-in-london-hotel-room-101723940579925.html

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also called the Governor’s move “unconstitutional” and “undemocratic”, and claimed the entire Congress party and the state government stand with Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today launched a fresh attack on Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, calling him “a puppet” of the central government, after the Governor gave the green light to act against Siddaramaiah in a land allotment “scam”.

Here’s your point cheat sheet to this big story

Apart from hospitals and medical colleges, hostels and other places engaging women during night shifts will now come under the ambit of a flagship programme ‘Rattirer Sathi – Helpers of the Night’, comprising volunteers, he said.

The West Bengal government, on August 17, announced a host of measures to ensure the safety of women in workplaces, particularly at state-run hospitals, where they have to work on night shifts, too. This includes designated resting rooms and CCTV-monitored ‘safe zones’.

Addressing a press meet, Chief Advisor to WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, announced the measures amid continuing protests by doctors across the state against the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old female junior resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Rattirer Sathi: Apart from hospitals and medical colleges, hostels and other places engaging women during night shifts will now come under the ambit of a flagship programme ‘Rattirer Sathi – Helpers of the Night’, comprising volunteers, Bandyopadhyay said.

Mobile app with alarm: The state government has decided to develop a mobile application with alarm devices, which can be downloaded by women and used for communication with the respective local police stations in case of emergencies.

Besides, employees, both in state and private establishments, will be encouraged to form two-member women teams at night to keep each other updated about their activities, he added.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/west-bengal-announces-measures-to-ensure-safety-of-women-at-workplaces-12799766.html

A 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered during her duty hours at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last week.

The mother of Nirbhaya, the victim of the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, has demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying she had “failed” to handle the situation after widespread protests broke out against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
The 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered during her duty hours at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Her colleagues and doctors across the country have been holding protests to seek justice for her.

Speaking to the news agency PTI, Asha Devi also slammed Ms Banerjee for “trying to divert people’s attention” by holding protests. Ms Banerjee had led a rally this week demanding the death penalty for the guilty in the case.

“Instead of using her authority to take action against the culprits, Mamata Banerjee is trying to mislead the public,” Asha Devi was quoted as saying by PTI.

“She herself is a woman. She should have taken strict action against the culprits while discharging her responsibility as the head of the state. She should resign because she has failed to handle the situation,” she added.

Ms Devi also said that until central and state governments get serious about seeking swift punishment from the court for rapists, such brutality will continue to take place in different parts of the country every day.

“When girls are not safe in Kolkata’s medical college and such barbarity is committed against them, then one can understand the state of women’s safety in the country,” she told PTI.

Centre’s Order To States On Kolkata Horror Protests
Amid nationwide protests over the trainee doctor’s rape and murder in Kolkata, the Centre has issued a diktat to all states asking them to submit reports on law and order situations every two hours.

As per the notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all state police forces of the country to send reports every two hours via mail, fax or even WhatsApp.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nirbhayas-mother-asha-devi-demands-mamata-banerjees-resignation-over-kolkata-rape-and-murder-case-of-doctor-6361630

In the CCTV footage of the Mumbai Trans- Harbour link ( MTHL) also known as Atal setu bridge, the cab driver is seen holding onto the hair of the lady and at the same time, traffic staff climbed on the railing and save the lady.

In an incident of ‘suspected’ suicide attempt on Atal Setu bridge, a 56 year old Mulund resident was saved by a cab driver and traffic staff of Nhava Sheva unit. The lady identified as Reema Patel from Mulund had hired a cab from Mulund.

In the CCTV footage of the Mumbai Trans- Harbour link ( MTHL) also known as Atal setu bridge, the cab driver is seen holding onto the hair of the lady and at the same time, traffic staff climbed on the railing and save the lady.

“Our patrolling van was patrolling on the same road when they noticed the parked car. Also, the toll booth staff from Shelar toll naka had alerted the police team after they noticed a car halted on the bridge and a lady was on the railing,” police inspector Gulfaroz Mujawar from Nhava Sheva traffic unit said.

The team comprising of police constables Lalit Amarshet , Kiran Mhatre, Yash Sonawane had climbed over the railing and caught hold of the women who was initially held by cab driver Sanjay Dwarka Yadav (31). In the statement that she gave to Nhava Sheva police, she claimed that she was immersing the photos of gods as a part of some ritual.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/navi-mumbai-woman-tries-to-end-life-by-jumping-off-atal-setu-gets-saved-by-cops-as-she-dangles-from-bridge-in-dramatic-rescue-video

On Wednesday, the Karnataka government had directed all state departments to close their accounts with these banks and recover their deposits immediately.

The Karnataka government has paused its order suspending all transactions with the Central government-run State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) just three days after it was issued, stating that the banks have sought some time to resolve the issues. The order has been paused for 15 days.
On Wednesday, the Karnataka government had directed all state departments to close their accounts with these banks and recover their deposits immediately.

“Accounts held in the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank by state government departments, public enterprises, corporations, local bodies, universities, and other institutions must be terminated forthwith. Additionally, no further deposits or investments are to be made in these banks,” the order had said.

The state’s finance department had referred to an alleged fraud involving funds of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board. It has been alleged that money had been siphoned off with the involvement of bank officials from accounts in the Punjab National Bank. The government said the case has been pending in courts and several crores have still not been refunded.

Similarly, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board had deposited money with SBI bank, which was allegedly adjusted along with a loan for a private company using forged documents in 2013. This case is also pending in court.

Issuing a statement on Friday, the government said its earlier directive had been paused because of requests made by both banks.

“This (Wednesday’s) action was taken in response to the alleged fraud in the bank branches, which resulted in the non-repayment of fixed deposits made by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). Despite prolonged correspondence and meetings, these issues remained unresolved since 2012-13,” the statement said.

“On August 16, 2024, both banks submitted written representations to the government, requesting a 15-day period to resolve the matter. The same day, senior bank officials met with higher officials of the Finance Department and reiterated their request. After considering the banks’ requests, the Honourable Chief Minister has directed officials of the Finance Department to keep the circular in abeyance for 15 days. This will allow the banks sufficient time to address the issues and redress the concerns of the government,” it said.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/3-days-after-big-order-on-deposits-with-sbi-and-pnb-karnataka-hits-pause-6352679

Facing criticism over her silence on the issue, Mahua Moitra shared a video and emphasised the need to stand united against the fear which was being spread on the streets.

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and spokesperson Mahua Moitra has come out in support of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and also showed solidarity to the kins of the victim who was raped and murdered in RG kar Medical College and Hospital. Mahua Moitra took to her official social media account on Thursday and broke her silence on the raging issue of the brutal assault and murder of the female doctor in Kolkata which took place on August 9. Facing criticism over her silence on the issue, Mahua Moitra shared a video and emphasised the need to stand united against the fear which was being spread on the streets.

Mahua Moitra shared the video of over four-minute with the caption, “We are in total solidarity with the outpouring of real grief and fear on the streets. But it is necessary to separate facts from false propaganda.” She also tagged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the social media post. Mahua Moitra stated that the incident is shocking and also said, “It is absolutely insane that a young girl goes to her workplace and after her 36-hour shift goes to rest in her room and is raped brutally and murdered.”

She also said, “The fear is real, the insecurity is real. This could you, this could be me. This could be all of us women.” She also said, “There are couple of things about this case that need some kind of clearing up. In the fog of emotions, there is also room for a lot of false propaganda.”

“The Chief Minister was in Jhargram when the incident happened. When she was informed about it, she spoke to the family immediately, upon her return to Kolkata, she visited them. Within 12 hours the police arrested the prime suspect on the basis of CCTV evidence and now the investigation depends on the forensic evidence,” she said.

Tens of thousands of people participated in a “Reclaim the Night” march in the Indian city of Kolkata on Wednesday night to protest against last week’s rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

The march, largely led by women, demanded justice for the 31-year-old victim who worked at the RG Kar Medical College. She was brutally attacked on Friday, sparking protests and anger across the country.

Devalina Bose, 27, an intern at the same hospital, told the BBC that she joined the protest as she was hurt and angry because of what happened to her colleague.

Here is Devalina in her own words.

I’m still traumatised by what happened to the victim. I struggle to sleep at night.
I keep thinking about how just three weeks back, I had taken a short nap in a room just a few meters away from where the rape and murder happened.
I was tired that night after being on my feet for hours and I just wanted to take a nap. But the room didn’t have a lock and so I couldn’t bolt the door shut.
I was alone in the room and, for a second, I worried about my safety.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting in the second last row with the Olympic medallists at the Independence Day event in Red Fort.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in marking the 78th Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, visuals of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sitting in the second last row with Olympic medallists sparked chatter on social media. It was for the first time in a decade that a Leader of the Opposition was present at Red Fort for the Independence Day celebrations.

Wearing a white kurta-pyjama, Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting beside India’s hockey team forward Gurjant Singh.

The front rows were occupied by Olympic medallists such as Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh. Members of the Olympic-bronze-winning hockey team, including its captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh, were also seated ahead of Rahul Gandhi.

As per protocol, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, whose rank is equivalent to that of a Cabinet Minister, is always assigned a seat in the front row. The front row was occupied by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Amit Shah and S Jaishankar.

According to sources, Rahul Gandhi sat in the fifth row that was allotted to him. He did not make any special demands or requests, they added.

Notably, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s seat was also in the fifth row. However, Kharge did not turn up.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SAID

With Rahul Gandhi’s seating arrangement triggering chatter on social media, sources in the Ministry of Defence said the Congress MP had to be shifted back as the front rows were allocated to the Olympic medal winners. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for conducting the Independence Day event and making the seating plans. Sources said the LoP is normally given a seat in the first few rows as per protocol.

During the BJP regime under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then LoP Sonia Gandhi, was always allocated a seat in the first row.

The post of the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha has been vacant since 2014 as no party secured numbers equalling a tenth of the strength of the Lower House. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress increased its tally to 99 as the NDA returned to power with a diminished mandate.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rahul-gandhi-leader-of-opposition-seat-independence-day-red-fort-row-2582605-2024-08-15

The nurse was reported missing by her sister on July 31. Her body was found in Uttar Pradesh’s Bilaspur on August 8.

A nurse from Uttarakhand was raped and murdered, and her body was found in Uttar Pradesh days later. The nurse was reported missing on July 31. Her body was recovered by the police on August 8. A couple has been arrested from Rajasthan in connection with the case.

The victim’s sister filed a missing person report at a police station in Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur on July 31. The police launched an investigation immediately. On August 8, the woman’s decomposed body was found in the bushes in Uttar Pradesh’s Bilaspur town.

The post-mortem report confirmed that the nurse had been raped and strangled to death.

A young doctor was brutally raped and murdered in a government hospital in Kolkata by a civic police volunteer — allegedly a political appointee — in a chilling escalation of the abuse of power. Unlike the Sandeshkhali incident, where abstract statements of sexual assault and violence ruled the narrative, here lies the stark reality: a victim, a body, and a crime committed within the supposed safety of a hospital.

The RG Kar case highlights the unchecked, sometimes unauthorised, and dangerous influence of civic volunteers and the system in the state’s hospitals. What can be worse than the betrayal of public trust by those appointed to uphold it?

There has not been a word from the government to investigate the lapses in the civic volunteer force yet. Meanwhile, the government posted the principal of the college to a higher-ranked government hospital after he resigned from his post in RG Kar.

The midnight scenes on Kolkata’s streets, suburban towns, and villages across districts on the eve of Independence Day reflect a deep impact on Mamata Banerjee’s women voters. These women, who once rallied behind their “Didi” during elections, are now leading long marches demanding justice for the young doctor.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is now probing the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, has summoned five doctors for questioning in the case.

The Kolkata Police, meanwhile, arrested 19 people and detained three for the vandalism incident at the hospital during midnight protests by those seeking justice for the 31-year-old woman.

Unidentified miscreants forcibly entered the premises of the hospital shortly after midnight on Thursday (August 15) and vandalised portions of the medical facility, where a trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered last week. According to police, a group of at least 40 people posing as protesters entered the hospital premises, hurled stones at cops and vandalised property. They targeted the emergency department, nursing station and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking a stage where junior doctors have been demonstrating since August 9, police said.

Three of the Kirti Chakras and four of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday

On the eve of the 78th Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu approved 103 gallantry awards for personnel of the armed forces and Central Armed Police Forces, with the honours including four Kirti Chakras and 18 Shaurya Chakras, India’s second and third highest peacetime awards for uncommon courage and grit.

Three of the Kirti Chakras and four of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Kirti Chakra awardees killed in action are Colonel Manpreet Singh of 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Rifleman Ravi Kumar of 63 RR, and deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Muzammil Bhat. Major Malla Ram Gopal Naidu is the only living recipient of the honour.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, the commanding officer of 19 RR, was killed in a counter-insurgency operation in Anantnag last year. He was a second-generation army officer and had completed 17 years of service. Singh is survived by his wife, a seven-year-old son, a three-year-old daughter, and his mother.

Bhat, 34, was also killed in the same operation. His father, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, retired as an inspector general of police in Kashmir. The DSP’s colleagues then said that he was someone who “always led from the front.” Married in 2022, Bhat is survived by his wife Fatima, a daughter who was only one month old at the time, his father, mother, and a sister.

The medals approved by the President include one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 63 Sena Medals (Gallantry), including two posthumous; 11 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry), and six Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), the statement said.

Most of the personnel, honoured by the country on Wednesday, demonstrated bravery and leadership during counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, which is now witnessing a spike in terrorist activity, with encounters taking place almost daily.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/4-kirti-chakras-18-shaurya-chakras-in-i-day-honours-list-101723650274658.html

While it is not yet clear who is behind the mob violence, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent “goons” to disrupt the apolitical protest

The crime scene in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a 31-year-old doctor was raped and murdered last week, was not compromised in last night’s mob violence, the city police have said. Responding to reports that the fourth floor room where the crime took place has been vandalised, Kolkata Police said in a post on X, “Crime of Scene is Seminar Room and it has not been touched. Don’t spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours.”

Late last night, when neighbourhoods across Bengal were witnessing massive gatherings by women to protest against the horrifying incident, a mob entered the medical college campus and went on the rampage. They attacked vehicles, damaged public property and police had use teargas shells to disperse the mob. Several police officers were injured in the clash.

While it is not yet clear who is behind the mob violence, Leader of the Opposition, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, has alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent “goons” of the Trinamool College to disrupt the apolitical protest rally near the hospital.

“She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won’t be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protesters would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn’t get picked up by the CBI,” the BJP leader added.

Ajit Pawar had said he had made a mistake by fielding his wife Sunetra against his cousin Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections.

A day after it was reported that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had ‘admitted’ that he had made a mistake by fielding his wife Sunetra against his cousin Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha elections, senior NCP leader Praful Patel said on Wednesday that it would not be appropriate for him to comment on this because it was Mr Pawar’s family matter.
Ms Sule, who is the daughter of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, had defeated Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati Lok Sabha seat by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. Ajit Pawar, who had split the NCP and joined the government run by the BJP and the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena last year, had turned the contest for the family bastion of Baramati into a prestige battle by picking his wife as the candidate.

While his faction of the NCP, which had retained the name and symbol of the party, won one Lok Sabha seat, the group led by his uncle, Sharad Pawar, managed to bag eight.

Speaking on the decision to field Sunetra Pawar against Ms Sule, Mr Pawar had told a Marathi news channel, “I love all my sisters. One shouldn’t allow politics to enter homes. I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister. This shouldn’t have happened. But the parliamentary board (of NCP) made a decision. Now I feel it was wrong.”

When Praful Patel, who had stood shoulder to shoulder with Ajit Pawar during the rebellion against Sharad Pawar, was asked about the statement on Wednesday, he said, “It is his personal matter, his family’s matter. He is a senior leader in the state and the president of our party, the NCP. If he has said something, then I do not think it is appropriate for me to say anything more about it.”

“As our nation celebrates 77 years of freedom, our airport terminals stand tall, wrapped in the proud Tricolour,” Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said in a post on X

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has posted a video of airport terminals decorated in the colours of the national flag on the eve of Independence Day.
“As our nation celebrates 77 years of freedom, our airport terminals stand tall, wrapped in the proud Tricolour! Far more than just gateways, they symbolise our nation’s soaring spirit, resilience and the optimism for a brighter future,” Mr Adani said in the post on X.

He also tagged the official X handle of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in the post that showed several clips of airport terminals decorated in colourful lights.

She shared her experience of being stuck in a long security queue at the airport, adding that she only made it through in time for her flight with the help of airline staff.

Delhi Airport’s T3 terminal descended into chaos ahead of Independence Day, as heightened security measures sparked lengthy queues and widespread confusion. Several passengers shared pictures and videos on social media to vent their frustrations. Edelweiss Mutual Fund CEO Radhika Gupta who was also caught in the chaos, revealed that wait times ballooned to a staggering 256 minutes.
In a post on X, she shared her experience of being stuck in a long security queue at the airport, adding that she only made it through in time for her flight with the help of airline staff. She also retweeted a video showing the overcrowded security check-in counter at Terminal 3 of Delhi Airport, where passengers stood in long queues.

”I saw this myself. A harrowed (don’t blame him) airline staff told me the average wait time at security was 256 minutes. 256 minutes. Was fortunate to make the flight because of the kindness of @airvistara staff but do hope it is addressed,” she wrote on X.

See the post here:

Reacting to the video, one user wrote, ”256 minutes! Gosh! With 15th August security and T1 closed .. a real nightmare.” Another commented, ”What were the reasons for these monstrous delays and absolute nightmare travel conditions? Is it just mismanagement, lack of staff, or lack of counters, what is the issue? Is any studying and analyzing the passenger flow patterns to understand this?”

A third said, ”That’s over 4 hours of just security check. For a 2-hour flight, you’d need to start 6 hours before to board it. Seems to be the new norm, since in Bangalore you have to provide for traffic congestion.”

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/wait-time-256-minutes-edelweiss-radhika-gupta-caught-in-delhi-airport-chaos-shares-video-6336518

He emphasised the urgent need for state governments to prioritise women’s safety and called for swift investigations and severe punishments for perpetrators to restore public trust. His remarks come in the wake of widespread protests following the recent rape and murder of a woman doctor at a Kolkata hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of violence against women in India.

He emphasised the urgent need for state governments to prioritise women’s safety and called for swift investigations and severe punishments for perpetrators to restore public trust. His remarks come in the wake of widespread protests following the recent rape and murder of a woman doctor at a Kolkata hospital.

“I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening—there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage,” PM Modi stated.

He urged the country, society, and state governments to take these issues seriously. “Speedy investigation of crimes against women, and strict punishment for those executing these monstrous deeds, is essential to instill confidence in society,” he added.

The Prime Minister noted that punishments for such heinous acts are crucial but often go unnoticed in mainstream media. He remarked, “When a person of such monstrous tendency is punished, it is not seen in news, but restricted to a corner.”

The bench warned the state that if it did not give reasonable compensation to the affected party, the court would order the stoppage of schemes like “Ladli Behna” and order demolition of the structures built on the illegally acquired land.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reiterated its warning to the Maharashtra government that it will stop all freebies schemes like Ladli Behna if the state does not come up with a reasonable amount of compensation for a private party whose property was “illegally” occupied by the state more than six decades ago.

Granting last opportunity to the state government, a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan said, “You have thousands of crores to waste on freebies from the public exchequer, you do not have the money to give to the person whose land has been deprived without following due process of law.”

Justice Gavai’s response came when counsel appearing for the state government told the bench that the Chief Secretary was not available because of the holiday. “Conduct of the state is not of a model state. The petitioner has been deprived of their land for the past 60 years without any authority of law. The state has contended that the matter is being considered at the highest level. We are inclined to give some time to state to decide on the compensation aspect.”

“If the state does not come up with such a proposal on the next date, we will be forced to pass the order of stopping all freebies scheme in the state,” Justice Gavai told the state government counsel while noting that though 15 years have lapsed the state has not come up with a concrete proposal.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the bench warned the state government that if it did not give reasonable compensation to the affected party, the court would order the stoppage of schemes like “Ladli Behna” and order demolition of the structures built on the illegally acquired land. “If we do not find the amount to be reasonable, we will direct the structure, maybe in the national interest or public interest, to be demolished. We will direct the compensation for illegally using that land from 1963 till today,” it said.

“Come with a reasonable figure. Ask your chief secretary to speak to the chief minister. Otherwise, we will stop all those schemes,” the bench said.

During the hearing, the Maharashtra government told the court that it is ready to pay Rs 37.42 crore as compensation. The state government’s counsel said the revenue and forest departments have considered the land owner’s case sympathetically. The bench asked the counsel to seek instructions from the chief secretary on higher compensation.

The court was hearing a matter related to the construction of buildings on forest land in Maharashtra, where a private party has succeeded in the apex court to get possession of the land that was “illegally occupied” by the state government. The state claimed that the said piece of land was occupied by the Armament Research Development Establishment Institute (ARDEI), a unit of the Centre’s defence department.

The government has said subsequently, another piece of land was allotted to the private party in lieu of the land that was in the ARDEI’s possession. However, later it was found that the land allotted to the private party was notified as forest land.

Source: https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/will-stop-all-freebies-if-supreme-court-warns-maharashtra-in-possession-of-land-by-state-govt-case-441494-2024-08-14

The third phase of the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, running from August 9 to 15, celebrates India’s 78th Independence Day. Launched during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in 2022, this initiative encourages citizens to display the national flag at their homes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has encouraged citizens to engage in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign by updating their profile pictures with the Indian flag and sharing selfies on the official website, harghartiranga.com. To download your ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ certificate:

• Visit harghartiranga.com and click on ‘Upload selfie’.
• Select “Click to participate”.
• Enter your name, phone number, country, and state, then take and submit your selfie.
• Agree to the pledge and submit your information.
• Click “Generate certificate” to download your certificate.

The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign has achieved significant engagement, with 23 crore homes displaying the flag in 2022 and over 10 crore selfies uploaded in 2023. The campaign aims to foster patriotism, raise awareness about the Indian National Flag, and enhance national unity and pride.

Key points for proper use of the national flag:

• Proper Order: Ensure the saffron band is on top, followed by white in the middle, and green at the bottom.
• Correct Position: The flag must never be hoisted inverted.
• Condition of the Flag: Use only flags in good condition; torn or damaged flags should not be hoisted.
• Display Protocol: The flag should always be upright and never dipped.
• Respectful Use: The flag should not be used as decoration, or part of a costume, uniform, or accessory.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/independence-day-how-to-download-har-ghar-tiranga-certificate-2024-12796382.html

IMD issued a heavy rainfall alert for this week in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and several other states.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its most recent weather forecast issued a rain warning in multiple states for this week including Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, and Delhi. IMD issued a yellow alert in Delhi for the next two days, predicting light to moderate rainfall across the national capital till Thursday.

Delhi experienced intermittent rainfall on Tuesday, with the maximum temperature settling at 33.6 degrees Celsius, 0.6 notch below the normal. The Safdarjung observatory, the city’s primary weather station, recorded 20.2 mm of rain till Tuesday morning.

The weather agency issued an orange alert in multiple districts of Kerala, including Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Idukki, till Thursday. IMD also warned of isolated heavy rains with the accompaniment of thunderstorms and strong winds 40 kmph speed in the Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta districts.

Extremely heavy rainfall lashed parts of Rajasthan on Monday and Tuesday, with Jaipur being the worst affected city, leading to severe waterlogging and traffic congestions. Local weather agencies predicted that intermittent rains will continue for the next two to three days.

On 12 August, when Train No 12135 Pune-Nagpur Express just departed from Akola station, a senior citizen tried to deboard the moving train. But in the process, he fell and slipped into the gap between the train and the platform.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/rpf-constable-saves-senior-citizen-from-slipping-under-railway-track-in-maharashtra-3149636

GAURAV is an air launched 1,000 kg class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distance. After being launched, the glide bomb steer towards the target using highly accurate hybrid navigation scheme with a combination of INS and GPS data.

What is ‘GAURAV’?

GAURAV is an air launched 1,000 kg class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distance. After being launched, the glide bomb steer towards the target using highly accurate hybrid navigation scheme with a combination of INS and GPS data. GAURAV has been designed and developed indigenously by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad.

Long Range Glide Bomb’s flight test

During the flight test, the glide bomb hit the target erected at Long Wheeler’s island with pinpoint accuracy. Complete flight data during the test launch was captured by Telemetry and Electro optical tracking systems deployed by Integrated Test Range along the coastline. The flight was monitored by senior DRDO scientists. Adani Defence and Bharat Forge, the Development cum Production Partners also participated during the flight trial.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO, IAF and industry for the successful flight test. He termed it a major milestone in the country’s effort in developing indigenous defence technologies for further strengthening the capability of the Armed Forces.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/long-range-glide-bomb-gaurav-successfully-test-fired-by-drdo-key-features-article-112503299

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is serving a 20-year sentence for raping two of his disciples.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been granted a 21-day furlough and will leave jail for the tenth time in the last four years.
He has been granted the temporary release days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court disposed of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) petition against his temporary release.

The high court on August 9 observed that a plea for temporary release by the Dera chief should be considered by the competent authority without any “arbitrariness or favouritism”.

In his petition, he said he needed to participate in a programme hosted by the Dera Sacha Sauda.

The Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Rape Case

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is serving a 20-year sentence for raping two of his disciples and is lodged in the Sunaria jail in Haryana’s Rohtak district.

He was sentenced in 2017.

The Dera chief and three others were also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago.

In May, the high court acquitted him and four others in the 2002 murder of the sect’s former manager Ranjit Singh, citing “tainted and sketchy” investigations in the matter. A special CBI court had sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s Paroles Before Polls

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh mostly got paroles and furloughs during state or local body polls. He will once again come out of jail ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, which are due later this year.

The Dera chief, known to have a large number of followers in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, was granted a 50-day parole in January.

Prior to that, he was granted a three-week temporary release in November last year, just days before the Rajasthan legislative assembly elections.

He had also come out of jail on 40-day parole in July, ahead of panchayat elections in Haryana.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rape-convict-dera-chief-ram-rahim-and-his-temporary-release-from-jail-just-before-polls-6326604

The JPC with 31 members (21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha), will submit its report by the end of the first week of the next Parliament session.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP Jagdambika Pal will helm the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to examine the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, PTI reported on Tuesday.

The JPC has a total of 31 members, 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, and will submit its report by the end of the first week of the next Parliament session.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 8 referred to the joint parliamentary panel after several opposition members expressed concerns about the Bill’s potential impact on the federal structure and its perceived encroachment on religious autonomy.

With 40 proposed changes, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill seeks to repeal several provisions of the current Waqf Act which governs Waqf Boards. It also suggests significant modifications including measures to ensure representation for Muslim women and non-Muslims in these bodies.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on August 9 adopted a motion moved by Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, who also holds the parliamentary affairs portfolio, naming the members to be part of the committee.

As per the notification, 12 members of the panel are from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) including eight from the BJP and nine from the opposition.

However, in the Rajya Sabha, four MPs are from the ruling BJP, four from the opposition, one from the YSRCP, which has opposed the Bill and one is a nominated member.

Who is Jagdambika Pal

1. Jagdambika Pal is a senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for one day in 1998.
2. Pal was earlier a member of Congress and resigned on March 7, 2014, and then joined the BJP.
3. Pal is also part of the panel of Chairpersons in the Lok Sabha who oversee the House’s proceedings in the Speaker’s absence.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/waqf-amendment-bill-bjps-jagdambika-pal-to-head-jpc-5-things-to-know-about-him-101723541646965.html

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation involving the Indian Army and police was launched in the Akar forest near Patnitop

Jammu: The Army launched a search operation on Tuesday night after establishing contact with a group of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation involving the Indian Army and police was launched in the Akar forest near Patnitop, they said.

A contact has been established with the terrorists, and the operation is currently underway, the officials said.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir/army-launches-operation-after-making-contact-with-terrorists-in-jammu-and-kashmirs-udhampur-3149344

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said this was the first time the LCA Mk-1 took part in such large force engagements and they are proud of its performance

The locally built Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1) proved its mettle in Tarang Shakti 2024, the largest multilateral air combat exercise to be hosted by India, while executing a variety of missions along with bigger and modern global fighter jets, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said on Tuesday.

“LCA [the smallest fighter in the drills] showed size does not matter. The aircraft proved its capabilities in realistic combat settings as part of both [friendly] ‘blue force’ and [hostile] ‘red force’,” Chaudhari said at a media briefing on the conclusion of the first phase of the exercise at the Sulur airbase near Coimbatore.

The chiefs of the French and German air forces, General Stephane Mille and Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz flew in the LCA Mk-1 on Tuesday. Also, Chaudhari and Spanish air force chief Air General Francisco Braco Carbo flew in the Su-30.

The first phase began on August 6 and involved the air forces of India, France, Germany, the UK, and Spain. The aircraft that took part included Rafales, Typhoons, Su-30s, LCA, A-400 military transport aircraft, and Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport.

On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the sexual assault and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor on August 9.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has arrived in Kolkata to take over the investigation of the rape and murder case of a female trainee doctor at a state-run medical college in West Bengal’s Kolkata, as ordered by the Calcutta High Court.

The CBI has also arrived with a specialised medical and forensic team from Delhi.

Calcutta HC Gives Order For A CBI Investigation Into The Case

On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI investigation into the sexual assault and murder of a woman post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor on August 9.

The Court asked the Kolkata Police to hand over all documents to the CBI immediately.

The doctors and medical students held a protest at AIIMS Delhi after the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) called for a nationwide shutdown of OPD services from Tuesday in solidarity against the sexual assault and murder of a woman doctor.

Ajit on Tuesday shared a video in which a relative of Kolkata rape victim gave an account of the gruesome incident.

Journalist Ajit Anjum on Wednesday alleged that TMC MP Mahua Moitra blocked him on X after he tagged her in a post criticising ruling leaders over Kolkata-rape-murder incident.

In a post on X in Hindi, Ajit Anjum said, ‘When I tagged Mahua Moitra with a question about the brutality that happened to a doctors daughter in Bengal, she blocked me. Waah, Madam, Waah! You question Modi’s government with sharp criticism every day, but when I asked a single question about your own government, you immediately blocked me. Can you not handle a single question?’

‘Do you only know how to ask questions? Is giving lectures on freedom of expression all you’re good at? A daughter was brutalised under your rule, and no one can even ask you a question? Well, no worries. That’s why people say – even hypocrisy has its limits,’ he added.

In another post, slamming Mahua for intolerance, he said, “Even hypocrisy has its limits, Madam Mahua Moitra. In your state, asking for an answer about the brutality inflicted on a daughter means getting blocked. Don’t talk about freedom of expression now. If, as a ruling party MP in Bengal, you can’t handle a single question, then you have no right to comment on rape incidents in UP, Bihar, or any other state. Don’t shout at the top of your lungs in Parliament or on the streets about incidents of rape and murder in other states.”

Ajit on Tuesday shared a video in which a relative of Kolkata rape victim gave an account of the gruesome incident. In the post, he tagged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Sagarika Ghose, Saayoni Ghosh and Kakoli Dastidar.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/gala-phad-kar-mat-chillaiyega-madam-journalist-ajit-anjum-slams-tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-for-blocking-him-on-x-over-kolkata-rape-murder-incident

As the country celebrates its Independence Day, enemies of the nation look for opportunities to target citizens and disrupt the peace and harmony.

Independence Day is a significant day for all Indians as it is a time to remember the freedom fighters and honor their sacrifices and bravery. For the general public, August 15 is a national holiday. Still, this national festival is celebrated by hoisting the flag in housing societies, private offices, schools, colleges, and many other important places.

The nation eagerly listens to the Prime Minister’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. As the country celebrates its Independence Day, enemies of the nation look for opportunities to target citizens and disrupt the peace and harmony. Hence, there are strict security arrangements across the country on this occasion.

Below are the steps taken by authorities to prevent any untoward incidents on Independence Day:

Surveillance of Crowded Areas: Markets, railway stations, metro stations, inter-state bus depots, and other important locations are under close watch. Additional forces have been deployed at critical places to ensure security. Police across states conducts the flag marches in view of Independence day.

Human Intelligence Monitoring: Given the threat of terror, special attention is paid to inputs from the human intelligence network.

Fortification of Key Areas in Delhi: The Red Fort and surrounding areas in Delhi are heavily fortified. Thousands of armed forces are deployed, and informers are placed among the public to keep a close watch on every minute activity.

Protection of Statues Nationwide: Across the country, police keep a vigilant eye on statues of Mahatma Gandhi and other important leaders to prevent any antisocial elements from defacing or damaging them.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/independence-day-2024-how-india-beefs-up-security-for-peaceful-celebrations-nationwide

Besides holding talks with PM Modi, Ibrahim will deliver an address at the Indian Council of World Affairs on August 20 on the role of the Global South.

India and Malaysia are expected to sign several agreements, including a key pact on the recruitment of Indian workers, when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visits New Delhi next week, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

This will be Ibrahim’s first visit to India since he became prime minister in late 2022, though he had earlier visited New Delhi in January 2019 and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will also be the first visit by a Malaysian premier since 2018.

Ibrahim is expected to arrive in New Delhi on August 19, though both sides are yet to formally announce the visit. The two sides are expected to sign several agreements and renew existing ones to bolster cooperation in a range of areas, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

Besides holding talks with Modi and meeting India’s top leadership, Ibrahim will deliver an address at the Indian Council of World Affairs on August 20 on the role of the Global South, the people said.

One of the most important agreements set to be inked is a memorandum of understanding on recruitment, employment and repatriation of workers, the people said. Both sides have negotiated the labour pact for the past few years and it has assumed importance following complaints about violation of rights of Indian workers in Malaysia. There are about 1,85,000 Indian nationals in Malaysia, including skilled and unskilled workers.

According to the website of the Indian high commission in Malaysia, illegal immigration, exploitation at workplaces and human trafficking from India to Malaysia are “major concerns” to the two governments. In recent years, Malaysian authorities have taken steps to open up more sectors to Indian workers.

The visit will also be an opportunity for the two sides to reset ties that were hit by former premier Mahathir Mohamad’s criticism of the Indian government’s scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in 2020. At the time, India rejected Mahathir’s remarks and the government tweaked rules to effectively bar imports of refined palm oil from Malaysia, the world’s second-largest exporter.

The Indian side was also irked by the presence of controversial preacher Zakir Naik in Malaysia; he was granted permanent residency. India has sought the extradition of Naik, who faces charges of money laundering and inciting terrorism.

The two sides are also expected to discuss ways to bolster trade and investment, including acceptance of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system and RuPay payment service and trade settlement in domestic currencies, the people said.

Malaysia is India’s 13th largest trade partner and India is among Malaysia’s 10 biggest trade partners. The two-way trade was worth almost $20 billion in 2022-23. Malaysia is the 26th largest investor in India, and India is also the country where Malaysian construction companies have their largest presence. These companies have been involved in the construction of roads, highways and railways, and upgrades of airports and ports.

Modi visited Malaysia in 2015 and made a brief stopover in Kuala Lumpur in May 2018. There were several high-level visits between the two sides leading up to Ibrahim’s trip. Malaysia’s former foreign minister Zambry Abdul Kadir visited India in November 2023 and external affairs minister S Jaishankar travelled to Kuala Lumpur in March.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/malaysia-pm-anwar-ibrahim-to-visit-india-next-week-101723561177746.html

The Supreme Court had come down heavily on Ramdev and his aide Balakrishna for Patanjali’s misleading ads

Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Balakrishna today got some relief in a misleading ads case related to Patanjali products after the Supreme Court closed contempt proceedings against them. The court, however, warned them against violating court orders in the future.
The bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta said in their order that the court accepts the apology of Ramdev and Balakrishna. “However, we expressly and strictly warn them that they will not do any thing in violation of the court orders like it has happened earlier in this case. We have come down heavily and we warn that this should not be done in future,” the order said.

“The affidavits tendered before this court should be done with full truth. We close the contempt proceedings initiated against the party with the warning of adhering to the orders passed by this court in this case. The notice issued to present contemnor also stands discharge and closed,” the court added.

The Supreme Court had come down heavily on the Yoga guru and his aide for misleading ads of Patanjali products.

The matter dates back to the Covid years. Patanjali launched a drug, Coronil, in 2021 and Ramdev described it as the “first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19”. It also claimed that Coronil had certification from WHO. Indian Medical Association disputed this claim, saying it was a “blatant lie”.

In a subsequent video, Ramdev was heard saying that allopathy was a “stupid and bankrupt science”. The IMA sent a legal notice to him and sought an apology. Patanjali Yogpeeth responded that Ramdev was reading out from a forwarded WhatsApp message and has no ill-will against modern science.

Then, in August 2022, IMA moved a petition against Patanjali after it published an advertisement in newspapers titled ‘Misconceptions Spread By Allopathy: Save Yourself And The Country From The Misconceptions Spread By Pharma And Medical Industry’. The ad claimed that Patanjali drugs had cured people of diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid, liver cirrhosis, arthritis and asthma.

The doctors’ body said the “continuous, systematic, and unabated spread of misinformation” comes alongside Patanjali’s efforts to make false claims about curing certain diseases through use of its products.

Kangana Ranaut reacted to the gruesome RG Kar Medical College and Hospital doctor rape and murder case. The actress-turned-politician took to her Instagram Stories and demanded justice for the female doctor. She called the incident ‘horrific’ and wished that the CBI would take over the case. She also hopes that the assaulter is punished.

“Murder of a trainee woman doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata is horrible & horrific. The semi-nude body of the woman post-graduate trainee doctor was found inside the seminar hall on Friday morning. She was brutally murdered and her body bore multiple injury marks. The preliminary autopsy report indicated sexual abuse before her murder. I hope case is transferred to CBI for complete inquiry and the assaulter is punished harshly,” Kangana said.

Amid Kangana’s post, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state will handover the case to the CBI if Kolkata Police fails to solve the case by this week. She also met the victim’s kin and later said that the state government want RG Kar Hospital doctor murder case to be tried in fast track court. This also comes amid protests stages by doctors and medical students across the country, demanding justice for the victim.

This could emerge as a new flashpoint between the L-G office and AAP dispensation.

New Delhi: Delhi minister Gopal Rai on Monday directed the General Administration Department to make arrangements for the hoisting of national flag on Independence Day by his cabinet colleague Atishi, in what could emerge as a new flashpoint between the L-G office and AAP dispensation.

Rai issued the directions following a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar Jail.

Issuing the directions, Rai, who is also the Minister for General Administration, said, “I had a meeting with Chief Minister today. He desires that minister Atishi should hoist the flag on August 15, 2024, at the Chhatrasal Stadium event, in his place. All the necessary arrangements be made accordingly.” In a letter to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V K Saxena last week, Kejriwal said Cabinet minister Atishi would hoist the national flag during the Delhi government’s Independence Day programme in his place.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/delhi/atishi-will-hoist-flag-on-independence-day-delhi-minister-gopal-rai-issues-directions-to-govt-department-3147308

The Congress general secretary said discrimination, violence and attacks on the basis of religion, caste, language or identity were unacceptable in any civilised society.

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said news of continuous attacks on minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh was disturbing and expressed hope that the government there would ensure the safety of Hindus, Christians and Buddhists.

The Congress general secretary said discrimination, violence and attacks on the basis of religion, caste, language or identity were unacceptable in any civilised society.

“The news of continuous attacks on minorities in neighbouring Bangladesh is disturbing. Discrimination, violence and attacks on the basis of religion, caste, language or identity are unacceptable in any civilised society,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on X.

She expressed hope that the situation in Bangladesh would soon become normal and the interim government there would ensure the safety and respect for people following Hindu, Christian and Buddhist religions.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/priyanka-gandhi-urges-interim-bangladesh-government-to-ensure-safety-of-hindus-christians-buddhists-3147275 

Drawing criticism for Phogat’s weigh-in fiasco, IOA president P T Usha on Sunday made it clear that it is the responsibility of the athlete to manage their weight and the attack on its medical team was ‘unacceptable and worthy of condemnation’.

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday slammed the Indian Olympic Association over its president’s remarks regarding wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Olympics.

In a veiled attack on the Narendra Modi government, Yadav also said that if there was an Olympics for political conspiracy, those in power at the Centre would win without competing.

Phogat, 29, was disqualified at the Paris Olympics for being 100 gm overweight ahead of her women’s 50 kg final bout on August 7. She filed an appeal against her disqualification and a decision on it is expected to come on Tuesday.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/ioas-statement-on-vinesh-phogat-reprehensible-can-break-morale-akhilesh-3147874

The IMA made the demands, which included defined security measures, as resident doctors at government hospitals across the country held protests and strikes on Monday over the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in Kolkata.

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association has written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda seeking enactment of a special central law to curb attacks and violence against doctors as a “deterrence” measure, besides the declaration of hospitals as safe zones.

The IMA made the demands, which included defined security measures, as resident doctors at government hospitals across the country held protests and strikes on Monday over the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in Kolkata, raising the issue of the safety of medical staff in the workplace.

The Association said that 25 states have laws on attacks on doctors and hospitals but these are mostly ineffective on the ground and do not serve the purpose of deterrence.

“The absence of a special central enactment is one of the reasons. We kindly request you to reconsider introducing the Draft Legislation “The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Bill, 2019, incorporating the amendments in the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, approved and passed by the Parliament in Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act, 2020,” the IMA said.

The 2019 bill drafted by the Health Ministry to check violence against doctors and other healthcare professionals was put on the back burner after the Home Ministry stated that there was no need for a separate law in this regard.

The draft bill had provisions to punish people who assault on-duty doctors and other healthcare professionals by imposing a jail term of up to 10 years.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/ima-demands-special-central-law-to-curb-attacks-on-medical-staff-wants-2019-draft-bill-revived-3147873

Bollywood music fans have reason to rejoice as Adnan Sami is returning to the industry after a nine-year break, according to Pinkvilla. The beloved singer, famous for his soulful voice and emotional performances, last made waves with the hit song ‘Bhar Do Jholi’ in Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Now, Adnan Sami is set to serenade listeners once more with a romantic track in the upcoming musical horror film, Kasoor.

Adnan Sami’s new song for Kasoor promises to be a musical treat, featuring Payal Dev and composed by Javed Mohsin. The track will star Aftab Shivdasani, Urvashi Rautela, and Jassie Gill. Filming for the song is set to begin next week on a lavish Mumbai studio set.

Adnan Sami, celebrated for his melodious voice, has made significant contributions to Bollywood with a series of memorable songs. Notable among them are Tera Chehra from Tera Chehra (2000), Lift Karadey (2003), and Kabhi To Nazar Milao (2006). His most recent hit was Bhar Do Jholi Meri from Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), a qawwali that resonated deeply with audiences. Despite his impactful presence, fans have been eagerly awaiting his return to Bollywood, hoping for new music that will capture the same charm and emotional depth as his earlier works.

In April 2016, Elon Musk invited Indians to preorder the upcoming Tesla Model 3. Vishal Gondal was one of the first to sign up, paying a $1,000 deposit for a car that never arrived.

The founder and CEO of a health-tech startup called GOQii in India’s financial capital Mumbai, Gondal wasn’t sure when the automaker would launch in India or how much the car would eventually cost. But the Elon Musk fan was excited about the Model 3 and willing to wait.

In the eight years since Tesla’s initial promise to sell cars in India, other automakers have launched their own EVs. But the American automaker has failed to follow through, apparently because of concerns that taxes would make the cars too expensive in India, combined with the difficulties of building an Indian factory if it decided to shift production away from China.

After six years without a Tesla or a clear explanation about the company’s plans for India, Gondal bought an electric SUV made by German automaker Audi. He got his $1,000 back in January 2023 with the help of a friend who helped him track down a Tesla sales manager in India.

India is the world’s third-largest auto market after China and the United States. But it’s unique. The average price of cars sold in India in 2023 was $14,000, compared with $47,000 in the United States. An American can buy a new Tesla 3 for about $40,000. That’s the price of a luxury car in India, and buyers would demand excellent after-sales service.

“I think Tesla may be a great tech company. But they just don’t know how to sell luxury cars,” Gondal said.

Since then, other automakers who have been selling luxury cars in India have also started selling EVs. Hemant Suthar, a Mumbai-based director of a design studio who had also prebooked a Tesla in 2016 before finally getting his money back in 2023, said that he didn’t think the minimalistic Tesla could compete with some of the more luxurious EVs now on Indian roads.

To woo automakers like Tesla while also protecting domestic carmakers like Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki, India reduced its import duties to 15% from 70%-100% in March 2024 for EVs cheaper than $35,000 — as long the automaker commits to building a factory in the country within three years.

Despite his earlier enthusiasm, in 2019 Musk expressed concern that import duties could double prices of Teslas made in India, making them “unaffordable.” Many in India expected Musk to announce plans for a factory there in April, but he canceled an expected trip at the last minute, citing “very heavy Tesla obligations.”

Tesla didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment.

The EV market has changed drastically in India and elsewhere in the past five years and Tesla’s own position has evolved since it built giant factories in China, Germany and the U.S. Sales are slowing and its only new product, the Cybertruck EV, lacks much of a market outside the U.S., so global sales have fallen year over year for two straight quarters.

According to a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, it can build 2.3 million cars annually. Production in 2023 grew by 35% to 1.85 million cars. In the first half of 2024, Tesla sold 831,000 vehicles worldwide, far short of the more than 1.8 million for the full year that Musk had forecast.

The novelty of EVs has been wearing off, said Tu Le, founder of the consultancy Sino Auto Insights.

“What was a huge opportunity five years ago is now almost a weight around their neck,” he said.

To keep a leading position among global automakers, Tesla needs new, more affordable cars for emerging markets like India, Tu said. Even a car priced at $25,000 is not competitive in China given the dominance of Chinese EV makers like BYD. They’re expanding overseas with both cheap and premium cars, wiping out Tesla’s first-mover advantage in a place like India.

“Every market they (Tesla) enter from now on, BYD is going to be looking at their watch and saying: What took you so long?” Tu said.

India’s growing auto market is dominated by its largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki, followed by South Korea’s Hyundai Motors and India’s Tata Motors. Electric vehicle sales doubled in 2023 but still made up just 2% of total car sales, according to market research firm Counterpoint Research. Of this, Tata Motors held more than two-thirds of the market, with Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra and China’s BYD shares growing.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/india-tesla-ev-musk-a3d121fe3de3059518f04ecf99bee959

The fake firms generated invoices worth ₹ 718 crore, i.e. fake purchases were made and business was only on paper, the probe, which was later transferred to the ACB, found.

A rogue tax officer, a trio of lawyers and a few other people masterminded a fraud, swindling ₹ 54 crore from the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Department in the national capital. It was exposed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Delhi Government.
‘The Special 7 And 500 Firms’

A GST officer, three lawyers, two transporters and the owner of a “company” were part of a plot involving 500 fake companies and fake invoices worth ₹ 718 crore to claim GST refunds worth ₹ 54 crore. The 500 companies only existed on paper and were purportedly involved in the import/export of medical goods to claim GST refunds.

‘The Rogue Officer’

Babita Sharma, the GST Officer (GSTO), hatched a plan with 96 fake firms and approved over 400 refunds worth ₹ 35.51 crore between 2021 and 2022. In the first year, only refunds worth ₹ 7 lakh were approved but later the remaining were approved.

Centre says fresh draft of Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill to be released after detailed consultations, seeks suggestions till Oct 15

The Narendra Modi government on Monday said that the fresh draft of Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill to be released after detailed consultations, seeks suggestions till Oct 15, PTI reported. The bill was released for consultations in November last year.

Earlier in the day, HT reported that the government withdrew the draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024 by asking all the stakeholders to return the physical copies handed to them between July 24 and 25. ”

An official on condition of anonymity had told HT that it is not clear whether the bill will be redrafted entirely or only particular sections would be redrawn from the latest draft.

HT had reported that the draft shared by stakeholders stated that individuals who upload videos, write or make podcasts on current affairs could be classified as digital news broadcasters.

The opposition parties including Congress had accused the Narendra Modi government of trying to gag social media, digital media, OTT platforms and those who write and speak in private capacity through the bill.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-says-fresh-broadcasting-bill-draft-to-be-released-after-detailed-consultations-101723479744447.html

Gurgaon rains: A 11,000-square foot DLF apartment on Gurgaon’s Golf Course Road was sold for more than Rs 100 crore in a resale on October 2023. Despite the huge amount of money people spent on luxurious amenities, visuals shared on social media show the Golf Course area completely underwater.

Last October, an 11,000-square foot apartment at The Camellias by DLF on Gurgaon’s Golf Course Road was sold for more than Rs 100 crore in a resale. The deal was compared with those in New Delhi’s posh localities, which are among the priciest properties in the country. On Monday, the same locality was in waist-deep water following overnight rain.

Most homeowners who bought apartments in The Camellias would have paid between Rs 18 crore at the launch in 2014 and more than Rs 40 crore in more recent times. Moreover, getting the interiors done would have cost them more than Rs 5 crore. According to brokers, properties near The Camellias in Gurgaon that do not face the golf course are priced at over Rs 15 crore. Despite the huge amount of money people spent on luxurious amenities, visuals shared on social media show the Golf Course area completely underwater — not unlike several other pockets in the national capital region whose real estate prices are only a small fraction of the Golf Course Road rates.

According to the district administration, Gurgaon received 53 mm of rainfall by 8.30 am while some areas recorded over 80 mm of rainfall.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/gurgaon-rains-golf-course-road-where-a-dlf-flat-was-sold-for-rs-100-crore-is-in-waist-deep-water-watch-12793806.html

“It is a sad incident…All the arrangements were tight, we are taking stock of the situation and then will further inform you about this,” said Vikas Kumar, the Sub-Divisional Officer of Jehanabad.

A major accident was reported from Bihar’s Jehanabad, where at least seven people died and nine were injured following a stampede on Monday morning.

Jehanabad District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey confirmed the incident to ANI, stating, “At least seven people died and nine injured in a stampede at Baba Siddhnath Temple in Makhdumpur of Jehanabad district. We are monitoring everything and now the situation is under control.”

The Banganga river, already swollen due to continuous rains in the past few days, seemed to have caught the youths unaware. Of the eight who went for the swim, only one was able to save himself.

Jaipur: Seven youths, all hailing from the same village in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, drowned on Sunday after they went to swim in an overflowing river and started making reels.

The tragic incident occurred in Srinagar village. The Banganga river, already swollen due to continuous rains in the past few days, seemed to have caught the youths unaware. Of the eight who went for the swim, only one was able to save himself.

The desert state has been receiving heavy rainfall in the last few days leading to inundation of low-lying areas and overflowing of rivers.

In another drowning incident on the same day, five youths were swept away in the overflowing Kanota dam in Jaipur. District police chief Mukesh Choudhary said at least six youths went to swim in the dam and they were swept away by strong currents. Only one of them could return to the shore safely. NDRF and civil defence teams were searching for the others.

On Saturday too, the state had witnessed incidents of drowning. In Jhunjhunu district’s Mehrana village, three youths lost their lives when they went for a swim in an overflowing pond on Saturday.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/rajasthan/7-youths-drown-while-trying-to-make-reels-in-rain-ravaged-rajasthan-3146577

K K Chatram Police said that the students belong to a private university and an investigation is underway.

Five students died and two others were injured on Monday in an accident when a lorry collided with a car on the Chennai-Tirupati National Highway in Tiruvallur, near Thiruthani, Tamil Nadu, ANI reported.

Skateboarder Zheng Haohao is 11. She is also one of the youngest competitors at the Paris Olympics. That may be an impressively tender age to be an elite athlete, but Zheng isn’t unique in her youth: she’s one of a clutch of formidable young Olympians at this year’s games.

There’s also Team USA’s Hezly Rivera, who made her debut in gymnastics at the Paris Olympics, having just turned 16. Then, there are the teens competing in their second Olympic Games. Team GB’s Sky Brown made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, aged 13 – and won a bronze medal. Brown won another bronze in Paris despite carrying an injury. She’d just turned 16. Paris 2024 was also the second Olympics for 18-year-old Team USA swimmer Katie Grimes, who debuted at Tokyo aged just 15.

The youngest known Olympic athlete is ten-year-old gymnastic bronze medal winner Dimitrios Loundras, who competed in the 1896 games at Athens. As you can guess, then, there is no age limit for competitors in the Olympic Games – unless a specific International Sports Federation wishes to introduce one. This means that as long as young athletes show they’re good enough, they can compete at the Olympic and Paralympic Games against the world’s best.

Competing in the Olympics might be considered the pinnacle of any athletic career, but there may be a dark side for young sportspeople peaking so early on the world stage. A report released by the International Olympic Committee on youth athletic development stated that sports with high early participation rates, such as gymnastics, had the highest burden of injury.

While the report considered the effect of psychological overload from stress on young Olympians, it didn’t acknowledge the potentially destructive psychological impact of committing fully to an identity of being “an athlete” from a very young age.

Too much, too young
In the general population, identity development tends to continue into adulthood. However, child athletes invest large amounts of time, resources and energy into their sport – while sacrificing other important developmental experiences along the way.

They’re also at risk of committing prematurely to their athletic identity – or even foreclosing their identity – so they may not explore or nurture other parts of themselves and overlook any planning and investment in their future selves.

The Developmental Model of Sport Participation (DMSP) outlines the typical career trajectory of an athlete, including the requirements to achieve international success. This model is one of the most widely cited conceptualizations of athletic development in sports research. The DMSP states that there are three stages of athlete development: the sampling years (ages six to 12); the specializing years (ages 13 to 15); and the investment years (ages 16 plus). So, during their early teens, athletes begin to focus on one sport and go on to fully invest in it as they reach late teens, eventually achieving peak performance in adulthood.

Source: https://studyfinds.org/olympic-success-mental-health/?nab=0

The report highlighted that the SEBI chairperson and her husband had shares in the firms which were directly involved in the scandal. The opposition parties in the country are attacking the market regulator after the reports came to the fore.

Delhi: Congress leader and leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi attacked Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Sunday after the Hindenburg Research report claiming SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch’s involvement in the obscure offshore entities used in Adani money siphoning scandal. He demanded Madhabi Buch’s resignation and a JPC probe in connection with the allegations made in the report.

The report highlighted that the SEBI chairperson and her husband had shares in the firms which were directly involved in the scandal. The opposition parties in the country are attacking the market regulator after the reports came to the fore.

Rahul Gandhi raised several questions in connection with the issue and asked, “Why hasn’t SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch resigned yet?” In a video shared by Rahul Gandhi on social media, he said that the integrity of SEBI has been gravely compromised after the reports surfaced and demanded the resignation of Madhabi Buch from the position of SEBI chairperson.

Bangladesh crisis: The violence in Bangladesh has still not abated. The public anger has now turned to symbols connected with Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina’s father, was a tall figure in the Awami League.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday (August 12) reacted strongly as he posted images of a destroyed sculpture at 1971 war memorial complex in Mujibnagar in Bangladesh. The sculpture, capturing the iconic moment of Pakistani Army’s formal surrender to Indian forces, was seen in a ruined state in ‘before and after’ pics Tharoor posted from his official handle on X (formerly Twitter).

Taking on ‘anti-India vandals’ in Bangladesh who have attacked cultural centres, temples and ‘Hindu homes’, Tharoor urged Muhammad Yunus to restore law and order in the country currently in the grip of widespread violence that erupted during and after mass protests against quotas in government jobs. Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, is currently the head of interim government in Bangladesh.

‘…Such anarchic excess can never be condoned,’ says Tharoor in his post.

Doctors and medical students of AIIMS Delhi staged a massive protest on Monday against the sexual assault and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has given a call for a nationwide medical strike against the incident.

Hospital services across West Bengal were disrupted on Monday as junior doctors, interns, and postgraduate trainees continued their strike for the fourth consecutive day, demanding justice for the victim.

Meanwhile, the principal of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh,

has resigned from his post. “I am getting defamed on social media…The deceased doctor was like my daughter. As a parent, I resign…I don’t like that this should happen to anyone in future,” he said.

Demands By FORDA
After meeting Secretary MoHFW, Apurva Chandra, FORDA General Secretary Dr Sarvesh Pandey, said, “We met the Health Secretary. We released a press release yesterday mentioning our demands that the Principal of RG Kar Medical College should be removed immediately, CBI inquiry, fast-track court and that a committee of the Central Protection Act. We will continue our strike until we get a written assurance that our demands will be fulfilled. During the strike, elective surgeries will be hampered and only Emergency Services will function. Around 3 lakh doctors across the country have joined the protest…”

The Incident
The semi-nude body of the woman PGT doctor, a second-year student in the chest medicine department, was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital on Friday. She was on duty on Thursday night, and her body bore multiple injury marks. The preliminary autopsy report indicated sexual abuse before her murder, leading her father to allege that she was raped and murdered inside the hospital.

Kolkata Police identified and arrested a suspect identified as Sanjay Roy in the case. Roy is an outsider who had easy access to several departments of the hospital due to his role as a civic volunteer in the police welfare board. Sources said that Roy was arrested after his activities were found to be quite suspicious.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/kolkata-doctor-rape-murder-resident-doctors-nationwide-strike-west-bengal-massive-protest-aug-14-latest-news-9012587.html

The Maldives president has made it clear that he was following the same policy of prioritizing Maldives’ interests.

After External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Male, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu told the media that he would not allow anything that goes against the foreign policy of his government and that he was following the same policy of prioritizing Maldives’ interest.

President Muizzu was replying to a question on whether his government would allow the ‘India Out’ campaign launched by the ruling PNC-PPM coalition to grab power last year. The Maldives President said that he had not changed the foreign policy of his country. The response came immediately after Minister Jaishankar left for India in a special aircraft after spending two days in Maldives and launching several projects.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor told NDTV that the developments in Bangladesh should not have a major impact on its ties with India

New Delhi: Praising the Centre for giving refuge to Sheikh Hasina after she was forced to resign as Bangladesh Prime Minister amid violent protests, Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor told NDTV that the power shift in the neighbouring country is not a cause for worry for India.
Asked about his views on how the developments in Bangladesh would impact its ties with India, Mr Tharoor said, “Our fundamental interest lies in close and friendly relations with Bangladesh, our basic commitment is to the well-being of Bangladesh people, the State comes second and any individual leader comes third.”

“We are with the people of Bangladesh, we were with them in 1971, we have been with them through thick and thin, even when they had governments who were less than friendly to us, we have managed to keep our relationship on an even keel and certainly there should be no deterioration in that relationship in time to come,” he added.

On the interim government headed by Nobel peace prize winner and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus, he said it’s no cause for anxiety for New Delhi. “I know Muhammad Yunus personally, he is a highly respected figure. I suppose he is somewhat close to Washington rather than being seen as close to Jamaat e Islami or Pakistani ISI. If you look at the overall composition of the interim government, there doesn’t seem to be any particular reason for India to feel any anxiety about countries hostile to us having put their stamp on this interim government,” he said.

The big concern for India, he said, has always been whether Pakistan and China will fish in troubled waters. “In this kind of context, there is always a possibility that the Pakistani ISI could have had a hand in some outrageous incidents of violence during the agitation, that the Chinese who have a strong presence in Bangladesh might have seen this as an opportunity to expand their influence, those are things people watching relations in the subcontinent are most concerned about. But certainly there is no implication of anything in the composition of the interim government or the initial statements of Mr Yunus that would give us any cause for worry,” he said, underlining the interim leader’s call for peace and protection of minorities.

On India giving refuge to Sheikh Hasina following her ouster, Mr Tharoor had words of praise for the Narendra Modi government. “If we had not helped her, it would have been a disgrace for India. Nobody would have wanted to be our friend if we had treated our friend badly. Sheikh Hasina is a friend of India and India is a friend of her. And when a friend is in trouble, you don’t look twice before you help them, keep them safe. That’s exactly what India has done. I applaud the government for doing it. I would have wanted nothing less. As an Indian, we have certain standards we stand for in the world. The government has done right thing to bring her here and ensure her safety,” he said.

“How long she wishes to remain is not for us. You don’t call someone to your house and ask them when are you leaving. My view is we wait and see, how long she feels she can stay before she moves on. There are practical considerations before moving to any other country, there ae visa considerations, other issues. For now, She is with us and we should be proud of the fact that we have stood by a friend when her personal safety was in danger,” Mr Tharoor said.

In his response to a question on whether the Indian government should raise concerns regarding attacks on minorities more forcefully, he conflicting reports are coming out of Bangladesh. “There certainly have been some attacks, no one can deny it, no one should deny it. It’s a fact. At the same time, there is no doubt that there are also stories coming out that Bangladeshi Muslims are guarding Hindu homes and temples, So there is a bit of good news also during all the bad news,” he said.

Puja Khedkar was found at the centre of a controversy over her alleged misuse of power as a civil servant.

The details of what former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar – whose Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidature was recently cancelled amid a raging controversy – wrote in a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra last month have emerged.

In the letter dated July 11, Khedkar tried to clarify her position and accused Pune Collector Suhas Diwase of “insulting” her since her first day of training at the Pune District Collectorate, reported The Indian Express.

According to the report, Khedkar, in the letter, mentioned that she was extremely disturbed after Diwase complained to the higher authorities about the former IAS trainee’s “entitled behaviour” and the subsequent media coverage regarding it.

“Because of this (letter and media coverage), my image has become that of an arrogant officer in the public’s eye. This is causing me mental trauma, and I am extremely disturbed…I don’t know the reason, but since the day I joined as a probationary officer, the Pune Collector has been subjecting me to insults,” Khedkar wrote in the three-page letter written in Marathi, reported The Indian Express.

The IAS trainee was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office.

Responding to this, Khedkar clarified that Additional Collector Ajay More had voluntarily offered the ante-chamber to her and had also directed his staff to set it up for her.

“The staff enquired about my needs and arranged the stationery, etc. After District Collector Diwase sir returned to the office a day later, someone informed him about my sitting arrangement in the ante-chamber of the additional collector. Perhaps he was angered by this, he summoned the tehsildar concerned and ordered to remove my furniture from the ante-chamber,” she wrote, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/what-puja-khedkar-wrote-in-her-letter-to-government-subjected-to-insults-101723343592299.html

The joint parliamentary committee will also have 10 more members from the Rajya Sabha.

After a heated debate over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on Thursday, a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) was formed on Friday to scrutinise the proposed law.

As many as 21 Lok Sabha members have been named in the joint panel. It will also have 10 more members from the Rajya Sabha.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju proposed the names of 21 Lok Sabha MPs for the JPC and asked the Rajya Sabha to recommend 10 names to be appointed to the panel.

From the Lok Sabha, the joint panel will have Jagdambika Pal, Nishikant Dubey, Tejasvi Surya, Aparajita Sarangi, Sanjay Jaiswal, Dilip Saikia, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, DK Aruna, Gaurav Gogoi, Imran Masood, Mohammad Jawed, Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi, Kalyan Banerjee, A Raja, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Dileshwar Kamait, Arvind Sawant, Suresh Gopinath, Naresh Ganpat Mhaske, Arun Bharti and Asaduddin Owaisi.

On Thursday, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to “effectively address” issues related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of Waqf properties and removal of encroachments, was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), strongly opposed the bill’s introduction, saying its provisions were against Muslims, federalism, and constitutional provisions.

However, the government had asserted that the proposed law did not intend to interfere with mosques’ functioning.

Opposing the Bill, Congress leader KC Venugopal had said: “We are Hindus but at the same time, we respect the faith of other religions. This bill is specialised for the Maharashtra and Haryana elections. You do not understand that last time the people of India clearly taught you a lesson. This is an attack on the federal system.”

Source : https://www.livemint.com/news/india/waqf-amendment-bill-row-asaduddin-owaisi-tejasvi-surya-among-21-lok-sabha-mps-on-joint-parliamentary-panel-11723201994842.html

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a review meeting after undertaking an aerial and on-the-ground survey of affected sites in Wayanad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evoked the harrowing memories of the 1979 Morbi dam disaster in Gujarat after he visited the landslide-devastated areas of Wayanad district, Kerala, offering empathy and assuring all possible support from the central government.

The prime minister was on a day-long visit to Wayanad, where he conducted an aerial and on-the-ground survey of the destruction caused by the July 30 landslides, which have claimed over 200 lives and left many more missing.

Speaking at a review meeting after his tour, Modi reflected on his experience with the Morbi disaster, one of the deadliest dam failures in India’s history.

“I have seen and experienced a disaster very closely. About 45-47 years ago, there was a dam in Morbi, Gujarat. Heavy rains occurred, and the dam was completely destroyed, leading to water flooding Morbi city. There was 10-12 feet of water in the entire city, and more than 2,500 people died,” Modi recounted.

“I stayed there for about six months as a volunteer…I can well understand these circumstances and I assure you that the country and the Government of India will leave no stone unturned,” he added, expressing his deep understanding of the suffering faced by those in disaster-stricken areas.

Modi surveys damage

During his visit, Modi trekked through the severely impacted Chooralmala region, where he surveyed the extensive damage and interacted with rescue personnel, state officials, and local residents. He also visited a relief camp in Meppadi, spending time with survivors, including children who had lost family members in the landslides. Visuals from the visit showed Modi offering comfort to the victims, placing his hands on their shoulders as they recounted their traumatic experiences.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/modi-in-wayanad-pm-recalls-1979-morbi-disaster-as-he-vows-to-leave-no-stone-unturned-101723291520018.html

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, known for his iconic roles in ‘Shaktiman’ and ‘Mahabharat’, has strongly criticized Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn for endorsing pan masala products. In a recent interview, Khanna urged these actors to refrain from promoting pan masala and gambling apps through what he described as misleading surrogate advertisements.

Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Khanna didn’t hold back, expressing his frustration with the stars’ choices: “If you ask me, I’d say, inko pakad ke maarna chaahiye (catch them and beat them up). I have told this to them. I have even scolded Akshay Kumar. He is such a health-conscious man otherwise, and he says ‘aadaab’, Ajay Devgn says ‘aadaab’, and now Shah Rukh Khan is going down the same path. Crores of rupees are spent on making these ads. And what are you teaching the people? (They say) we are not selling pan-masala, they say its supari (beetle nut). But they know what they are doing.”

The accused Seeni Aabulkhan was nabbed from Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, NIA said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested a key accused involved in the transnational human trafficking case run by a Sri Lankan having previous links with the LTTE terror outfit, according to an official statement.
The accused Seeni Aabulkhan was nabbed from Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, it said.

Investigations found that he, along with his associates, was involved in confining the trafficked victims in a boat in high sea before sending them to Mangalore (or Mangaluru) by train, car and bikes for further confinement, said the statement issued by the NIA.

“Three years after he had absconded, the NIA on Saturday arrested a key accused in the Sri Lankan human trafficking case run by a Sri Lankan with links with LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) terror organisation,” it said.

The NIA took over the case, which was originally registered by the Mangaluru City Police, after searches led to the rescue of 13 Sri Lankan nationals from the traffickers earlier in June 2021.

The NIA investigations revealed one Sri Lankan, identified as Eesan and having previous links with the terror outfit LTTE, to be the kingpin of the racket.

“He had colluded with the accused to illegally bring 38 Sri Lankan nationals from Sri Lanka to various locations within Tamil Nadu after luring them with false promises,” the probe agency said.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/anti-terror-agency-arrests-man-part-of-international-trafficking-syndicate-6310006

The scientist from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune in July found virus presence in the adult mosquitoes and larvae samples collected from these areas

Pune has so far reported 75 cases of Zika virus infection of which 30 cases are reported from the Erandwane and Dahanukar colony areas alone, as per the area-wise data shared by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Experts claim both these areas have active transmission of the Zika virus due to which a higher number of patients are being reported from Erandwane and Dhanukar colony.

The scientist from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune in July found virus presence in the adult mosquitoes and larvae samples collected from these areas. It is significant to cut down the transmission in this area to bring the situation under control, they said.

The Congress on Saturday expressed concern over reports of targeted attacks on minorities and their places of worship in Bangladesh and hoped the interim government there would take forceful steps to ensure that they continue to lead their lives in an atmosphere of security, dignity and harmony.

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has condemned the attacks on the minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as “heinous”, and urged the youth to protect all Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist families from harm.

The incident occurred at Ahlan Gagarmandu forest in the Kokernag area of the south Kashmir district during a cordon and search operation that was launched following information about the presence of terrorists there.

Two Army personnel were killed and three others injured in a fierce gunfight with terrorists at a forest in a remote area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday, officials said.

The incident occurred at Ahlan Gagarmandu forest in the Kokernag area of the south Kashmir district during a cordon and search operation that was launched following information about the presence of terrorists there, they said.

Aman Sehrawat made history by becoming India’s youngest-ever Olympic medallist at just 21 years of age after winning Bronze in men’s 57kg freestyle event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated wrestler Aman Sehrawat on winning a Bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Sehrawat also made history becoming India’s youngest-ever Olympic medallist at just 21 years of age. Aman won the medal in men’s 57kg freestyle event on Friday, August 9. Sehrawat’s historic victory maintained wrestling’s unbroken Olympic medal streak since 2008.

Praising Sehrawat on his effort Modi said,  “You’ve fulfilled the nation’s hopes. You made the ‘akhara’ your home, a feat few can match. Your journey is an inspiration to all of India,”

K Natwar Singh breathed his last at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram near Delhi, where he had been admitted for the past couple of weeks.

Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passed away on Saturday night after a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 93.

He breathed his last at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram near Delhi, where he had been admitted for the past couple of weeks, they said.

A total outlay of ₹ 3,06,137 crore has been provided for the period till 2028-29, which will include central share of ₹ 2,05,856 crore and state’s share of ₹ 1,00,281 crore.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved the proposal of the Department of Rural Development for construction of two crore more houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G).

The Cabinet approved the ‘Implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin during FY 2024-25 to 2028-29,” which prescribes for the construction of two crore more houses at existing unit assistance of ₹ 1.20 lakh in plain areas and ₹ 1.30 lakh in North Eastern Region States and Hill States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, according to an official statement.

The Cabinet approved continuation of the scheme from April 2024 to March 2029.

A total outlay of ₹ 3,06,137 crore has been provided for the period till 2028-29, which will include central share of ₹ 2,05,856 crore and state’s share of ₹ 1,00,281 crore.

A group of advertisers, called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), have “discontinued” activities, Business Insider reports, citing an email sent to members. The group said it had limited money, and was focused on fighting the antitrust lawsuit filed against it by X.

GARM was an initiative formed in 2019 by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA); the idea was to stop advertising on social media platforms that don’t meet certain safety standards. In its lawsuit, X said that GARM “organized an advertiser boycott of Twitter.”

The lawsuit from the platform formerly known as Twitter was one of several odd legal actions coming from Elon Musk — ones that seem more focused on punishing anyone who doesn’t agree with him than based on any coherent legal theory. Musk has also sued OpenAI, a competitor to his X.AI, and Media Matters, to try to silence the non-profit.

Freedom of association is generally recognized as guaranteed by the First Amendment, and there’s precedent showing that boycotts are protected speech. But that’s not all that makes the GARM case odd. Musk himself has made comments that are hostile to advertisers. Last November, in an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Musk said, “I hope they stop. Don’t advertise.”

He added, “If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go fuck yourself. Go fuck yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”

When Musk bought Twitter, most of its revenue came from advertising — and that money dried up with his takeover. Perhaps the advertisers felt skittish about Musk’s “anything goes” approach to moderation — or perhaps it was Musk’s own posts, including one about “white pride.”

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/8/24216202/garm-x-twitter-musk-advertising