Tag: news digest

Top news of the day: Wholesale inflation rises to 0.73% in December; human vaccine trials for deadly Nipah virus launched, and more

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WPI inflation was in the negative zone from April to October and had turned positive in November at 0.26%. Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Wholesale inflation rises to 0.73% in December due to rise in food prices

The wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation rose in December at 0.73% mainly due to a sharp rise in food prices. The WPI inflation was in the negative zone from April to October and had turned positive in November at 0.26%. “Positive rate of inflation in December 2023 is primarily due to the increase in prices of food articles, machinery & equipment, other manufacturing, other transport equipment and computer, electronics & optical products etc,” the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement on January 15.

Unruly passenger behaviour unacceptable, says Scindia

With low-visibility conditions significantly disrupting flight operations at the Delhi airport, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on January 15 said all stakeholders are working round-the-clock to minimise fog-related impact as well as passenger inconvenience, and asserted that unruly passenger behaviour is unacceptable.

Oxford scientists launch first human vaccine trials for deadly Nipah virus

Scientists at the University of Oxford in the U.K. have launched first-in-human vaccine trials for the deadly Nipah virus which impacts many Asian countries, including India. Nipah virus is a devastating disease that can be fatal in around 75% of cases, the researchers said. Outbreaks have occurred in countries in Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India, with a recent one in Kerala in September last year, they said.

PM Modi releases first instalment of benefits to one lakh people under tribal welfare scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on January 15 that the country can develop only if benefits of various welfare schemes reach all, asserting that it is his guarantee that everyone, even those in the remotest of areas, will benefit from them. Releasing the first instalment of ₹540 crore to one lakh beneficiaries of a rural housing scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) via video conferencing, he said the 10 years of his government have been dedicated to the poor.

Sensex jumps 759 points to close at record high; Nifty scales 22K

Benchmark Sensex closed above the 73,000 level for the first time while broader Nifty scaled the 22,000-point peak on Monday as key stock indices stayed on the record-breaking run powered by a rally in IT shares, Reliance and HDFC Bank. Rising for the fifth day in a row, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 759.49 points or 1.05% to settle at a lifetime closing high of 73,327.94.

AI will impact 40% of jobs globally, says IMF chief

Artificial intelligence poses risks to job security around the world but also offers a “tremendous opportunity” to boost flagging productivity levels and fuel global growth, the IMF chief told AFP. AI will affect 60% of jobs in advanced economies, the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, said in an interview in Washington, shortly before departing for the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Want to make Manipur peaceful, harmonious again: Rahul on 2nd day of Nyay Yatra

The Congress stands with the people of Manipur and wants to make the State peaceful and harmonious again, former party chief Rahul Gandhi said on January 15 as he interacted with the people on the second day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

At least 24,100 Palestinians killed in Israel strikes since October 7, says Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on January 15 that at least 24,100 people have been killed in the territory in more than three months of war between Palestinian militants and Israel.

Passenger assaults IndiGo pilot at Delhi airport after 8-hour flight delay

A passenger aboard an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Goa on January 15 charged towards a pilot and hit him while the aircraft was on ground and waiting for its turn to depart after a delay of over eight hours on a day the northern parts of the country witnessed the season’s worst fog, throwing flight operations into disarray across the network.

BSP will go it alone in Lok Sabha polls: Mayawati

BSP supremo Mayawati on January 15 said her party would go it alone in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but she did not rule out a post-poll alliance. The party would consider aligning with any party after assessing the post-poll situation, she said.

Congress deviated from ideological roots, fostering caste division: Milind Deora

Former Union minister Milind Deora has justified his decision to quit the Congress and join Shiv Sena, alleging that the Grand Old Party has deviated from its ideological and organisational roots, “fostering” caste divisions, and targeting business houses.

Noted Malayalam music director K.J. Joy dies in Chennai

Noted Malayalam music director K.J. Joy died on January 15 (Monday) at his residence in Chennai, film industry sources said. He was 77. Joy, known as the first ‘techno musician’ in the Malayalam film music world for his use of instruments such as the keyboard in the 1970s, had been bedridden for some time following a stroke, the sources said.

World Economic Forum 2024 | Chief economists expect global economy to weaken in 2024, shows survey

As the top leaders from across the world gather in Davos for their annual congregation, a survey of chief economists on January 15 forecast a weakening of the global economy in 2024 and accelerated geo-economic fragmentation. Warning of more economic uncertainty, the Chief Economists Outlook report of the World Economic Forum (WEF) said the global economic prospects remain subdued.

White House says ‘it’s the right time’ for Israel to scale back operations as fighting hits 100 days

The White House said on January 14 that “it’s the right time” for Israel to scale back its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli leaders again vowed to press ahead with their operation against the territory’s ruling Hamas militant group. The comments exposed the growing differences between the close allies on the 100th day of the war.

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Morning Digest | Central team of officials to visit Nipah-hit areas, Joe Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges, and more

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Central team of officials to visit Nipah-hit areas

A Central team of officials is expected to visit Maruthonkara and Ayancheri areas in Kozhikode district of Kerala on Friday where two persons died due to Nipah infection recently. Five people have so far tested positive for the virus, of whom two are dead. The others are undergoing treatment. Restrictions are continuing in at least nine grama panchayats in Kozhikode district, where a holiday has been declared for educational institutions till Saturday. The Central team reached Kozhikode on Thursday morning and held parleys with State officials. According to sources, they will coordinate with the State departments of Health and Animal Husbandry in taking up containment measures.

Joe Biden’s son Hunter indicted on gun charges

U.S. President Joe Biden’s son Hunter was indicted on Thursday for illegally buying a gun five years ago at a time when he admits he was using drugs heavily .Mr. Hunter Biden was charged with two counts of making false statements, for claiming on forms that he was not using drugs illegally at the time he bought a Colt revolver in Delaware. A third charge said that, based on the false statements, he illegally possessed the gun — a charge that can bring up to 10 years in prison. The charges were filed by Justice Department Special Counsel David Weiss, who has been investigating Mr. Hunter Biden since 2018.

Asia Cup 2023, SL vs PAK | Sri Lanka’s Mendis and Asalanka script a thrilling win over Pakistan

After displaying a clinical approach in its run-chase, Sri Lanka’s nerves showed towards the end in a two-wicket win over Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium here on Thursday as it booked a date with India in the final of the Asia Cup. The host lost five wickets for 36 runs and was forced to scramble over the line, into the teeth of a thrilling final over, bowled by Zaman Khan. Defending seven runs, the debutant conceded just two runs off the first four balls before the ball took the edge of Charith Asalanka’s blade and went for a boundary. With two needed off the last delivery, Zaman fatally strayed on the pads and the left-hander flicked it for a couple amidst the deafening roar of a capacity crowd.

Business jet veers off Mumbai airport runway, breaks into two

Flight operations at Mumbai’s busy international airport were halted for an hour and 45 minutes on Wednesday, after a business jet arriving from Vishakapatnam veered off the runway .The jet, with a call sign of VT-DBL, “veered off” on the primary runway (runway 27) and then skidded off onto the adjoining grass surface, following bad weather and continuous rainfall.  Photographs of the ill-fated aircraft indicate that it broke into two parts from the cockpit portion, due to the impact of the accident. The eight people on board, including two pilots, were injured and rushed to hospitals by the airport authorities. 

Congress mulls Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Many in the Congress are discussing whether a second edition of Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unite India March), from east to west, should be be held before the 2024 general election .With a growing demand from the rank and file within the Congress, all eyes are on the first meeting of the newly constituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) that will be held over the weekend on September 16 and 17 in Hyderabad. The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi began from Kanniyakumari on September 7 last year covering 4,000 km and went on for 136 days culminating in Srinagar on January 30.  

Jana Sena, TDP to fight 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls together

Jana Sena Party (JSP) President K. Pawan Kalyan on Thursday announced that his party and the Telugu Desam Party would form an alliance and together contest against YSR Congress Party in the 2024 Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Kalyan made the announcement immediately after meeting former Chief Minister and TDP Chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is lodged at the Rajamundry Central Prison (RCP). “The decision has been taken only for the welfare of the peoples development of the State. It is purely not only meant for political mileage”, said Mr. Kalyan. Mr. Kalyan, along with Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh and Mr. Naidu’s brother-In-law and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, held talks for about 45 minutes with the former chief minister in the prison, after they were permitted to interact under the ‘Mulakhat’ facility.

SC dismisses appeal against meat ban in Lakshadweep school mid-day meal menu

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal against the Lakshadweep administration’s decision to stop serving meat in mid-day meals for school children in the islands. A Bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi rejected arguments by the petitioner, advocate Ajmal Ahmed, a resident of the Union Territory, that meat was part of the islands’ culture and an essential dietary ingredient for the children, who were mostly from tribal families. But the Bench insisted that the decision to pull out meat from the menu was government policy. There was no apparent illegality or arbitrariness in the decision.

BJP ticket fraud case: Many big names involved, claims arrested Hinduvta activist Chaitra Kundapura

A day after the arrest of Hindutva activist Chaitra Kundapura for allegedly cheating a businessman of crores of rupees after assuring him of a BJP ticket to contest from Byndoor in the Assembly elections, the prime accused claimed that there are many big names involved in the case and the arrest of a Swamiji will bring out the truth. Replying to the media question while being escorted to the CCB interrogation center from the State home for women where he was housed for overnight stay, the accused said that her arrest is part of a “conspiracy related to Indira canteen pending bill issue”, and the arrest of a Swamiji will bring many big names out in the open.

Tourists throng Bharat Mandapam to view special installations days after G-20 Summit

The area outside Pragati Maidan’s Bharat Mandapam, which was the venue for the recently concluded G-20 Summit, has become a tourist attraction as Delhi residents and those from neighbouring cities are visiting it in large numbers to take selfies and admire the fountains, lights, and other art installations there. Many people are in awe of the huge statues of lions and panthers installed in New Delhi police district and hope that the authorities would be able to maintain these in future.

Mandatory insurance cover, wearing helmets on two-wheelers applicable to electric vehicles: HC

The Delhi High Court on Thursday said relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor Vehicles Rules are already applicable to electric vehicles, specifically pertaining to mandatory insurance cover, wearing helmets on two-wheelers, and penal provisions for non-compliance of the provisions. A Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad made the observations while dismissing a public interest litigation (PIL) plea seeking directions to the authorities to make insurance cover compulsory for electric two-wheelers in accordance with the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act. The PIL, filed by Mr. Rajat Kapoor, an advocate, also sought direction to the authorities for mandatory wearing of helmets on all types of electric motorcycles and scooters.

Over 95% chance of El Nino conditions from January-March 2024: U.S. forecaster

There is a more than 95% chance that the El Niño weather pattern will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter from January – March 2024, a U.S. government forecaster said on Thursday, bringing more extreme conditions .“In August, sea surface temperatures were above average across the equatorial Pacific ocean, with strengthening in the central and east-central Pacific,” the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said. El Nino is a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific, and can provoke extreme weather phenomena from wildfires to tropical cyclones and prolonged droughts. The naturally occurring phenomenon is already spurring calamities across the globe, with the stakes seen higher for emerging markets more exposed to swings in food and energy prices.

Veteran actor Govinda may be questioned in connection with Ponzi scheme

The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police may summon veteran actor Govinda for his alleged involvement in promotion of Solar Techno Alliance (STA), a Ponzi scheme, through which many gullible investors had allegedly lost their investment. The STA is said to be one of the largest crypto currency-based Ponzi schemes in India that involved ₹1,000 crore and 2 lakh people. Last month, the EOW, Odisha had unearthed the scam arresting Gurtej Singh Sidhu (40), the India head of STA. The STA is headed by one David Gez, a young Hungarian national who had visited India multiple times, while Sidhu was said to have reached the top level of STA’s Pyramid structure (Kohinnor leadership in STA language).

Study shows COVID-19 variant XBB is highly infectious, favours booster dose to protect people

A cohort study, which has indicated that one of Omicron’s subvariant, XBB, is highly evasive from available vaccines as 81.1% of the studied infected persons were vaccinated, has highlighted the urgent need for polyvalent vaccines. It also underscores the need for continuous genomic surveillance of SARS-COV-2 to keep a close watch on the emergence of new variants in the community. Tamil Nadu’s State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL), where a whole genome sequencing (WGS) laboratory is functioning, decided to take a closer look at samples that tested positive for XBB variants of Omicron reported from September 2022 to January 2023.

Suu Kyi party says Myanmar junta depriving her of medical care

Myanmar’s junta is endangering the life of jailed democracy figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi, her political party said on Thursday, accusing the military of depriving her of medical care and food. Suu Kyi has been detained since the generals seized power in February 2021, ending a 10-year democratic experiment and plunging the Southeast Asian country into bloody turmoil. In recent days, local media have reported the Nobel laureate, 78, was suffering dizzy spells, vomiting and unable to eat because of a tooth infection. “We are particularly concerned that she is not receiving adequate medical care and they are not providing healthy food nor accommodation sufficiently with the intention to risk her life,” the National League for Democracy said.

Most Libya flood casualties could have been avoided: U.N.

The United Nations said Thursday that most of the thousands of deaths in Libya’s flood disaster could have been averted if early warning and emergency management systems had functioned properly. With better functioning coordination in the crisis-wracked country, the human toll could have been far smaller, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization said. It warned that other conflict-hit countries faced similar, dangerous deficiencies to their early warning systems. If the system in Libya ad worked properly, “the emergency management forces would have been able to carry out the evacuation of the people, and we could have avoided most of the human casualties,” WMO chief Petteri Taalas told reporters in Geneva.

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Morning Digest | Special Session to debate Parliament’s 75-year journey, take up Bills; Apple farmers urge J&K L-G to restart MIS in Kashmir to save C-grade crop, and more

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Special Session to debate Parliament’s 75-year journey, take up Bills

Ending the suspense on the agenda of the Special Session of Parliament, which will be held from September 18 to 22, the Parliamentary bulletin revealed that on the first day of the session, the two Houses will hold a discussion on Parliament’s 75-year journey, starting from the Constituent Assembly that first met on December 9, 1946. The bulletins issued by both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha noted that on September 18, the first day of the special session, there will be a discussion on the subject, “Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings”.

Andhra Pradesh High Court stays CID proceedings against Chandrababu Naidu till September 18 

Justice K. Sreenivasa Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on September 13 (Wednesday) restrained the A.P. Crime Investigation Department (CID) from taking former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu into custody in the ‘skill development project scam’ case till September 18 (Monday) .The directive was in response to a petition filed by Mr. Naidu seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against him, and also the remand order issued by the Vijayawada ACB Court on September 10. Accordingly, the High Court directed the ACB Court not to hear the petition filed by the CID for obtaining Mr. Naidu’s custody up to September 18, and adjourned the case for further hearing to September 19. The petition was scheduled to be heard on September 13.

We don’t recognise legitimacy of buffer zones in Manipur: Meira Paibi leaders in Delhi

Leaders of the Meira Paibi, a Meitei women’s collective in Manipur, on Wednesday said they do not recognise the legitimacy of buffer zones in the State, created by the Central and Manipur government. Such buffer zones are “unconstitutional”, said the women’s group that has often clashed with Central security forces during the last four months of ethnic conflict .The women leaders, who addressed a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, also stepped up their opposition to the Indian Army’s Assam Rifles and other Central security forces currently posted in Manipur, calling for them to be replaced with other units. 

Commission on Manipur violence to hold public hearings in Imphal, Delhi

The three-member Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the Centre in early June to comprehensively investigate the ethnic conflict underway in Manipur, will hold public hearings at its head office in Imphal and at its camp office in Delhi .The Commission of Inquiry (Manipur Violence) is headed by Justice Ajay Lamba, former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, and also includes one retired IAS officer and one retired IPS officer. It was set up in June after Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the conflict-ridden State in late May.

Responders dig for bodies in Moroccan mountain villages devastated by last week’s earthquake

The stench of death wafted through the village of Imi N’Tala high up in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, where last week’s catastrophic earthquake razed the hamlet’s mud-brick buildings and killed dozens of residents .On Tuesday, bulldozers, rescues crews and Moroccan first responders dug through the wreckage around the clock in the hopes of finding the eight to 10 corpses still underneath. “The mountain was split in half and started falling. Houses were fully destroyed,” a local man, Ait Ougadir Al Houcine, said as crews worked to recover bodies, including his sister’s. “Some people lost all their cattle. We have nothing but the clothes we’re wearing. Everything is gone.”

Apple farmers urge J&K L-G to restart MIS in Kashmir to save C-grade crop

The Apple Farmers’ Federation of India (AFFI), J&K chapter, on Wednesday sought J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s intervention to restart the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for Kashmir’s apple industry.  The AFFI, in a letter written to the L-G, highlighted the MIS’ role in procuring inferior quality C-grade apples in the Valley since 2017, when the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) first launched the scheme

Ukraine’s Presidential aide clarifies remark on India, China’s ‘intellectual potential’

A day after creating an international flutter with his remark on the “intellectual potential” of India and China, a top Ukrainian official has issued a clarification saying that India, China and Turkiye are “justified” in playing bigger roles in the world. The remarks from Mykhailo Podolyak, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, came just days after Ukraine’s foreign ministry described the Joint Declaration at the New Delhi G20 summit as “nothing to be proud of.” “Of course, Turkiye, India, China and other regional powers are increasingly and clearly justified in claiming global roles in the modern world – and there are all the reasons for this: historical, economic, cultural, scientific and political. And these roles have long been much more extensive than Russia’s. But the global world is much broader than even the most thoughtful regional national interests,” said Mr Podolyak in a statement on Wednesday that was circulated through social media platforms.

ENG vs NZ, 3rd ODI | Record Stokes ton leads England to huge win over New Zealand

A record-breaking century by Ben Stokes propelled England to a crushing 181-run win over New Zealand in the third one-day international on Wednesday as the hosts took a 2-1 lead in the four-match series .Stokes, who last month reversed his retirement from ODI cricket, hammered a 124-ball 182 to record England’s highest indiv 15 fours in an entertaining knock to lift the hosts to a total of 368 after being put into bat at The Oval.

India, Russia exploring use of Northern Sea Route, Eastern Maritime Corridor

At talks on widening maritime cooperation, India and Russia on Wednesday also discussed the possibility of exploring new transport corridors like the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) between Vladivostok and Chennai and both sides also agreed that Indian seafarers will be trained on Polar and Arctic waters at the Russian Maritime Training Institute in Vladivostok, which is equipped with simulators. The Indian side was led by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal and Russia by the Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic A.O. Chekunkov. The meet was held on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum underway in the far-Eastern city of Vladivostok. He also visited the historic Vladivostok port.

Maratha quota impasse: Video puts Shinde government in spot, CM calls it ‘false propaganda’

Urging people not to fall prey to false propaganda, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday hit out at a viral video clip which showed him making apparently frivolous remarks on the Maratha quota agitation along with Deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, remarking that the distorted video was “a highly mischievous act” on part of his opponents. As the deadlock over the Maratha reservation continued with pro-Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil’s indefinite strike entering its sixteenth day, the video clip, shot before the commencement of a press conference after the all-party meeting on September 11, triggered a fresh bout of political sabre-rattling between ruling and Opposition parties. 

ED arrests JD(U) MLC Radha Charan Seth in Bihar over financial irregularities

Janata Dal (United) MLC Radha Charan Seth has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday evening in connection with alleged tax evasion. Mr. Seth was arrested from his Arrah residence in Bihar’s Bhojpur district after a lengthy interrogation. Raids were being conducted since morning at several places linked with Mr. Seth. Last week, the ED had summoned Mr. Seth and his son Kanhaiya Prasad for allegedly making huge monies through illegal trade and sand mining. The Income Tax (IT) department also raided his house on Wednesday morning. After the arrest, Mr. Seth complained about chest pain and underwent a medical check-up. 

El Chapo’s wife released from U.S. custody after completing 3-year prison sentence

The wife of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was released from federal custody on Wednesday after completing a three-year sentence for helping him run his multibillion-dollar criminal empire, the federal Bureau of Prisons said. Emma Coronel Aispuro, who pleaded guilty in 2021 to three federal offenses as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors, had been moved from a Texas prison to a California halfway house prior to her release. She will now serve four years of supervised release. Coronel Aispuro expressed “true regret for any and all harm” when she was sentenced after pleading guilty to charges including money laundering conspiracy and engaging in transactions with a foreign narcotics trafficker.

Chhetri only notable face in 17-member Indian football team for Asian Games, Stimac’s status not known

Veteran striker Sunil Chhetri was the only notable face in the 17-member Indian squad for the Hangzhou Asian Games as All India Football Federation (AIFF) finally managed to stich a second-rung team, but there is still a big question mark on head coach Igor Stimac accompanying the team. Most of the clubs had shown unwillingness to release the 22 players named in the Indian squad as the Asian Games’ football competition schedule clashes with the ISL, which starts on September 21. This could be seen as a massive loss of face for AIFF president and BJP leader Kalyan Chaubey, who had actually made hectic parleys with the ministry to send the team despite not meeting the government criteria to compete in the quadrennial extravaganza.

 

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Morning Digest | Cauvery panel ‘directs’ Karnataka to continue water release, Kuldeep Yadav in the thick of it again as India wins spin test and reaches Asia Cup final, and more

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Court rejects Chandrababu Naidu’s plea for house arrest, finds central jail safe

The ACB Court in Vijayawada on Tuesday dismissed former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s plea for house arrest. It was convinced that the central jail at Rajamahendravaram is safe for him in view of tight security provided by the State government. This has set the stage for the CID to press for his custody on Wednesday. Mr. Naidu’s advocates filed a lunch motion petition in the High Court earlier in the day, challenging the legality of the arrest. It is likely to be heard on Wednesday.

Cauvery panel ‘directs’ Karnataka to continue water release

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee on Tuesday “directed” Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days. The first 15-day spell of water release, as fixed by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), came to an end on Tuesday. Clarifying that it was a “direction” and not a “recommendation”, Vineet Gupta, the Chairman of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, told The Hindu over the phone from New Delhi that the Committee had the power to issue such a direction. When it was pointed out that Karnataka had told the Supreme Court last week that it might not be feasible to release any water from its reservoirs after September 12, citing a “severe drought situation” in the Cauvery and Krishna basins, Mr. Gupta said, “Let us see what Karnataka is going to do.”

Asia Cup 2023, IND vs SL | Kuldeep Yadav in the thick of it again as India wins spin test and reaches final

On a turning track at the R. Premadasa Stadium, the Sri Lankan spinners claimed all 10 wickets as India was bowled out for 213 in 49.1 overs despite an impressive opening partnership by captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. However, Kuldeep Yadav (four for 43) had another field day as the Men in Blue bowled out the hosts for 172 in 41.3 overs. Jasprit Bumrah removed Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis while Mohammed Siraj sent back Dimuth Karunaratne. Sri Lanka slid to 99 for six before a 63-run stand between Dhananjaya de Silva (41) and Wellalage (42 n.o.) raised hopes..

SpiceJet-Credit Suisse case: SC threatens to throw SpiceJet CMD into ‘Tihar jail’ over non-payment of dues to Swiss firm

The Supreme Court has come down hard on SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh, warning him he will be sent to Tihar jail for non-compliance with its order on making payment to global investment bank and financial services firm Credit Suisse AG. The top court asked Singh to pay ₹5,00,000 towards an instalment to the Swiss firm along with ₹1 million defaulted amount. “We have to move to the next drastic step. We are not worried even if you shut down,” a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah observed.

Citing ‘inadequate progress’ on rights front, India urges Sri Lanka to keep its promises 

ndia on Tuesday said the progress made by Sri Lanka, on its commitment to fulfill the Tamils’ aspirations, was “inadequate” and urged the island nation to “work meaningfully” to keep its promises. “We have taken note of reaffirmation by the Government of Sri Lanka on implementation of its commitments. However, progress on the same is inadequate and we urge the Government of Sri Lanka to work meaningfully towards early implementation of its commitments to ensure that the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all its citizens are fully protected,” India’s representative told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva at its ongoing 54th session. The position was consistent with New Delhi’s remarks last year, that voiced concern over the “lack of measurable progress”.

France orders Apple iPhone 12 sales halted over radiation

French regulators on Tuesday ordered Apple to halt sales of the iPhone 12 for emitting too much electromagnetic radiation, and to fix existing handsets .The French agency that regulates radio frequencies, the ANFR, said testing found that the model emits more electromagnetic waves susceptible to be absorbed by the body than permitted. The ANFR said it “ordered Apple to remove the iPhone 12 from the French market from September 12 due to the model exceeding the limit” for electromagnetic absorption by the body.

Nobel winner Maria Ressa acquitted of tax evasion

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa was acquitted of a final tax evasion charge on September 12 though she still faces two remaining legal cases she believes the former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte used to muzzle her critical reporting. Ms. Ressa and her online news organisation Rappler had faced five tax evasion charges but a court acquitted her of four of the charges in January. A different court heard the fifth charge and acquitted her Tuesday. “Facts wins, truth wins, justice wins,” she told reporters outside the courthouse.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max launched with A17 Pro SoC

Apple on Tuesday launched iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone Pro Max powered by a new processor called A17 Pro. Available in similar sizes as the vanilla models, the new Apple iPhone 15 Pro models get a new Action Button with haptic feedback that can be used to record, shortcuts and more. Apple iPhone 15 Pro series new chipset also supports ray tracing for faster gaming. For first time, the Pro series uses USB 3 support for faster file transfers. The A17 Pro is built on 3nm process and features 6 core CPU and 6 core GPU which is 20% faster, as claimed by Apple. There are 19 billion transistors present on the new chip. Apple has also used AV1 decoder on the processor.

Ahead of INDIA meet, Uddhav calls on Sharad Pawar

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met on Tuesday with his ally, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar at the latter’s Mumbai residence. The meeting comes a day before the first meeting of the coordination committee of the Opposition INDIA bloc, which is to be held at Mr. Pawar’s Delhi residence on Wednesday. Mr. Thackeray was accompanied by his aide, Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut during the 90-minute meeting with Mr. Pawar at the latter’s ‘Silver Oak’ residence. Among the issues discussed were coordination within INDIA bloc as well as coordination issues between the three Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies in Maharashtra– the Sena (UBT), the Congress and the NCP, said senior NCP leader Jayant Patil after the meeting.

Apple Watch series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 launched with gesture controls

Apple on Tuesday launched Series 9 Watch powered by S9 chip and operated on WatchOS 10. The new Apple Watch 9 for the first time brings gesture controls and double tap option that can answer/end call, play/pause music, and scroll through the widget .Apple said that the new chip holds 5.6 billion transistors, comes with 4 core neural engine and promises up to 18 hours of battery life. Apple Watch series 9 will be 25% accurate in diction and can now be seamlessly integrated with Siri with on-device computing. Users can sync health data on series 9 and it will be available in English and Mandarin languages with more dialects to follow. Apple also claims that series 9 can find your phone up till 22 feet.

Nipah: 16 teams set up for surveillance, containment in Kozhikode

The Health department has formed 16 core teams to monitor the surveillance and containment steps being taken in Kozhikode district where two persons have died due to Nipah infection in recent days. Two others too tested positive for the virus. Health Minister Veena George told the media late on Tuesday that an alert has been sounded in Kozhikode district and it will be extended to nearby districts too. The department declared the alert in Kozhikode after two persons died of suspected Nipah symptoms on August 30 and September 11. However, body fluid samples of the first person who died could not be sent for laboratory tests. 

Former No. 1 tennis player Simona Halep gets 4-year ban in doping case

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been suspended from professional tennis for four years for doping violations, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said Tuesday .The 31-year-old Romanian had been accused of two doping offenses — failing a drug test during the 2022 U.S. Open and for irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport, the ITIA said. A panel concluded that Halep “had committed intentional anti-doping rule violations.” Halep had been provisionally suspended since October 2022. The four-year ban will run to Oct. 6, 2026.

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Morning Digest | China says New Delhi Declaration reaffirms G-20 is body for economic issues, ‘not geopolitics’, Congress slams Modi Government for exceeding G-20 budget, and more

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New Delhi Declaration reaffirms G-20 is body for economic issues, ‘not geopolitics’: China

China on September 11 in its first official reaction to the G-20 Summit said it welcomed the New Delhi Declaration which had “reaffirmed” that the G-20 was a form for “economic cooperation” and “not a platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues.” Beijing said it also “welcomed” the ambitious new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) plan unveiled on Saturday — announced by India, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union, seen as a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — but said it should not become a “geopolitical tool”. The IMEC comprises an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf to Europe, and will include a railway and ship-rail transit network and road transport routes.

Congress slams Modi Government for exceeding G-20 budget

A day after the G-20 summit, the Congress attacked the Narendra Modi Government for over-shooting the budget allotted for the summit and urged him to at least now turn his attention back to the more pressing issues facing the country like inflation, unemployment and Manipur violence. In a detailed post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter), party president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the people have started paving the way for the BJP-led government’s departure in 2024 general elections. “Modi ji is trying hard to conceal the truth. But the public is only interested in hearing the truth and not the distractionary issues,” he said.

Several hill villages in Manipur wrongly included in valley districts: ST panel

A report by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has observed that several hill villages in Manipur were wrongly included in the valley districts during the Census 2011 exercise. It said that in the Booklet of Census of India 2011 and Administrative Atlas, “Manipur has wrongly included several hill villages under valley districts” and that the issue had been flagged to the State government by the office of the Registrar General of India in 2017. Following this, the Revenue department of Manipur had in October 2022 asked the deputy commissioners of the districts concerned to rectify the list of hill villages (around 400) overlapping between the districts of Kakching, Tengnoupal, Kangpokpi, Imphal West, Bishnupur Districts, the NCST report noted.

Mamata reshuffles Cabinet, Babul shunted out of Tourism department

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday reshuffled the State’s Council of Ministers and shifted singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo from the State’s Tourism department. Indranil Sen, another a singer-turned-politician, was given the Independent charge of the State’s Tourism department. He also holds the portfolio of the Technical Education, Training, and Skill Development Department. Mr. Supriyo, who holds the charge of the Information Technology department, has been assigned to the Department of Non-conventional and Renewable Energy Sources. Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick was given additional charges of the Department of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction, the bureaucrat said. Minister Pradip Mazumdar, who holds the Department of Panchayats and Rural Development, was given charge of the Department of Co-operation. Arup Roy, Minister of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture was earlier in charge of the Department of Co-operation.

After year’s delay, CSIR’s Bhatnagar awards for 2022 announced

After nearly a year’s delay, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has publicised the list of awardees for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) awards for 2022, considered among the prestigious prizes for science in India. While usually announced on September 26 – CSIR’s Foundation Day – the prizes weren’t announced last year, without any official reason being ascribed. Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a committee to review all the national awards administered by various science and medical ministries and whittled down some of them. The SSB awards were however retained.

U.S. approves updated COVID vaccines to rev up protection this fall

The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the newest shots from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they’ve never had a coronavirus vaccination. It’s part of a shift to treat fall updates of the COVID-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu shot. There’s still another step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must sign off. A CDC advisory panel is set to issue recommendations Tuesday on who most needs the updated shots. Vaccinations could begin later this week, and both the COVID-19 and flu shot can be given at the same visit.

2020 riots | Court reserves order on Sharjeel Imam’s bail

A court here on Monday reserved for September 25 its order on the bail plea of student activist Sharjeel Imam, who has been in custody since January 28, 2020. Mr. Imam was arrested in a case relating to alleged inflammatory speeches against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. He was initially booked under the IPC sections pertaining to sedition, among others. Later, he, along with Umar Khalid, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Safoora Zargar, Natasha Narwal and others was booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the IPC for alleged consipiracy behind the 2020 riots in the national capital. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Court was hearing the plea of Mr. Imam, seeking bail on the ground that he has already served half the maximum prison sentence of seven years under the UAPA.

Kashmir Valley’s growers are anxious as import duty is relaxed on American apples

The Union government’s decision to relax 20% customs duty on apples imported from the U.S. at the recently concluded G-20 summit left orchardists in the Kashmir Valley jittery. The announcement has come in the wake of a dip in apple prices this year. Kashmir’s apple industry is battling a number of issues. “Farmers in Kashmir have always sought 100% duty on apple imports to ensure better returns for locals. We will keep demanding an increase in import duties,” Majid Aslam Wafai, chairperson, All Kashmir Fruit Growers Dealers, told The Hindu.

We told KL to get ready five minutes before toss and his performance showed his mindset: Rohit

Virat Kohli was brilliant in pacing his innings as usual but India captain Rohit Sharma doffed his hat for comeback man KL Rahul, whose hundred was equally important in team’s record breaking 228-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in an Asia Cup Super 4 match here on Monday. Kohli scored an unbeaten on 122 and Rahul remained 111 not out as their 233-run stand for the third wicket took India to a record equalling 356 for two. Kuldeep Yadav blew away the Pakistan batters with a five-wicket haul to set up the big win. “Virat’s innings was brilliantly paced. And then KL, last minute to get back from injury and play 5 minutes before the toss. We told him to get ready. Shows the mindset of the player. Looking at how we batted, there were lots of positives with the openers and then Virat and KL,” said Rohit.

People are not bothered about arrest of Naidu, says Andhra Pradesh Home Minister

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Taneti Vanitha has said that people of the State are bothered about the arrest of TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu and it is evident from the poor response to the State-wide bandh called by the party on September 11 Monday. Addressing the media on the sidelines of the two-day 8th National Conference of Heads of Prisons of All States and Union Territories on Prisons and Correctional Services in Amrit Kaal, at Rushikonda here on Monday, Ms. Vanitha claimed that people were happy with the arrest of Mr. Naidu. “TDP is trying to misguide people to gain sympathy. The State government had offered a special helicopter for Mr. Naidu’s safe journey from Nandyal to Vijayawada. However, he (Mr. Naidu) refused and took the road route only to gain sympathy,” said the Home Minister.

Congress conducts bhoomi puja to clear all hurdles for its Vijaya Bheri meeting

Telangana Congress conducted ‘Bhoomi Puja’, a ritual performed in honour of Goddess Bhoomi Devi and Vastu to eradicate the ill-affects in the land, for its upcoming ‘Vijaya Bheri’ public meeting on September 17 where Sonia Gandhi will announce five guarantees for the people of Telangana, seeking their support in the ensuing Assembly elections. AICC incharge for Telangana Manikrao Thakare, TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy, TPCC Campaign Committee Chairman Madhu Yaskhi Goud and DCC president Challa Narsimha Reddy performed the puja to start the process of cleaning up the land for its important public meeting, which the Congress says, will kickstart the poll campaign in Telangana.

Juventus midfielder Pogba provisionally suspended for doping

Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended after a doping control detected elevated levels of testosterone, Italian anti-doping authorities (Nado) told AFP on Monday. After a nightmare season between injuries and a blackmail affair, the 30-year-old’s dreams of bouncing back were shattered by the alleged doping offence after Juventus’s 3-0 win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute. On Monday, the 2018 world champion had told Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera of his “desire to play” after a “difficult year” which could have “destroyed” him. Instead he received a new blow.

Foreign rescuers join Morocco quake race against time

Moroccan rescuers supported by newly-arrived foreign teams on Monday faced an intensifying race against time to dig out any survivors from the rubble of mountain villages, on the third day after the country’s strongest-ever earthquake .The 6.8-magnitude quake struck the Atlas mountains late on Friday southwest of the tourist centre of Marrakesh. It killed almost 2,500 people and injured a similar number, according to the latest official toll. In the disaster-stricken community of Talat Nyacoub, 12 ambulances and several dozen 4X4s from the Army and police were deployed while around 100 Moroccan rescuers were searching for signs of life amid the collapsed buildings.

Climate change ‘dystopian future already here’, says UN rights chief

Climate change is sparking human rights emergencies in numerous countries, the UN rights chief said on Monday, stressing the need to fight the impunity of those who “plunder our environment”. Speaking before the United Nations Human Rights Council, Volker Turk pointed to recent examples of the “environmental horror that is our global planetary crisis”. He described visiting Basra, Iraq, where date palms once lined canals, but now “drought, searing heat, extreme pollution and fast-depleting supplies of fresh water are creating barren landscapes of rubble and dust”. “This spiralling damage is a human rights emergency for Iraq, and many other countries,” he said in his address opening the 54th council session in Geneva.

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Morning Digest | Djokovic downs Medvedev in U.S. Open to win record-tying 24th Slam; Turkey President says any grain initiative that isolates Russia is bound to fail, and more

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No relief for Chandrababu Naidu as court orders 14-day judicial remand

A marathon session of arguments in the ACB court in Vijayawada over former Chief Minsiter N. Chandrababu Naidu’s alleged involvement in the skill development scam ended with the III Additional District and Sessions-cum-ACB Court Judge B.S.V. Himabindu ordering on September 10 that he should be sent to judicial remand for 14 days .Forceful arguments were made by both sides for almost 10 hours. Additional Advocate-General P. Sudhakar Reddy represented the State/CID and senior advocate Siddharth Luthra and others argued on behalf of the former CM. The CID officials submitted a 28-page remand report to the court earlier in the day, in which he was mentioned as A-37. 

In Manipur, Army and paramilitary forces face a constant challenge — armed men in police uniforms

Armed men in police uniforms are a constant challenge for the Central security forces in violence-hit Manipur, a defence source said on September 10. There have been several instances of uniformed men carrying automatic weapons, firing at Central security forces deployed in buffer zones, preceded by blockade and protest by women-led groups .Meanwhile, around 4,500 additional Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel will be sent to the State after the conclusion of the G-20 summit in Delhi, a senior government official said, adding that a request has been made to the State government to provide accommodation to the Central forces since schools and colleges have reopened. Other than the CAPF, around 36,000 Central forces including the Army, are deployed in the State.

A drone attack kills at least 40 in Sudan’s capital as rival troops battle, activists say

A drone attack Sunday (September 10) on an open market south of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, killed at least 40 people, activists and medical workers said, as the military and a powerful paramilitary group battle for control of the country .At least three dozen others were injured in the attack in Khartoum’s May neighborhood, where paramilitary forces battling the military were heavily deployed, according to an activist group known as the Resistance Committees and two health care workers at the Bashair University Hospital, where the casualties were treated.

ED serves notice to Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee in West Bengal recruitment scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has served a notice to Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to appear before the agency on September 13 in the alleged recruitment scam .Reacting to the notice by the ED, the Trinamool leader said on Sunday that the notice required him to appear before the agency on September 13, the very day when the Opposition INDIA bloc’s coordination committee is scheduled to meet in Delhi. Mr. Banerjee is a member of the INDIA grouping’s coordination committee and is scheduled to attend the meeting.

CM Shinde summons all-party meeting to resolve deadlock over Maratha quota issue

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has called an all-party meeting on September 11 to break the deadlock over the Maratha reservation issue .Speaking in Pune, Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said that the meeting would be held at ‘Sahyadri’ State Guest House, where representatives of all parties had been invited. Mr. Pawar said while several meetings had already been held on the issue and talks held with a number of delegations on behalf of quota protestors, activist Manoj Jarange Patil — who has emerged as a prominent face of the protests — had yet to be convinced.

Ukraine not a ‘wedge issue’ between West and Global South at G-20, says Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday attributed the absence of criticism of Russia for its invasion on Ukraine to gaps in positions between Russia, China and the G-20. Specifically, Mr. Biden said the Russia-Ukraine war was not a “wedge issue” between the Global South and the U.S. or the West.  Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, shortly after the conclusion of his whirlwind trip to New Delhi for the G-20 Summit, a visibly exhausted Mr. Biden was questioned on the language describing the war in Ukraine in the New Delhi declaration. The document did not name Russia directly or call it out for the invasion of Ukraine, unlike the G-20 Bali declaration from 2022. 

NCP has not allied with BJP for selfish reasons, says Ajit Pawar

Stressing that his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction had not allied with the ruling BJP and the Shiv Sena coalition led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for “selfish reasons”, Deputy Chief Minister and rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday reiterated that almost every legislator within the undivided NCP had wanted to join the BJP-Shinde government soon after the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) last year .Mr. Pawar’s NCP faction staged a massive show of strength in the ‘sugar belt’ district of Kolhapur on Sunday evening, where Mr. Pawar addressed a public rally in which he criticised his uncle Sharad Pawar for not allying with the BJP-Shinde government sooner.

Any grain initiative that isolates Russia is bound to fail: Turkey President

Any initiative that isolates Russia in the Black Sea Grain Initiative is bound to fail, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would return to the “collective implementation” of the grain deal “the same day” their conditions for export of own grain and fertilizers to the global markets are met. “We believe that any initiative that isolates Russia is bound to fail. Its success is a very little possibility. We believe that any step that may escalate the tensions in the Black Sea should be avoided… We are going to have continuous talks…,” Mr. Erdogan said at a press conference here. He said representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations would meet very soon on this issue.

Spain’s football chief Luis Rubiales announces resignation

Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales, engulfed in a scandal over allegations he gave an unsolicited kiss to a player on the women’s World Cup team last month, said on Sunday he will resign from his position as president .Rubiales announced his resignation in a statement. A Spanish prosecutor filed a complaint with the High Court against Rubiales last week for sexual assault and coercion over his allegedly unsolicited kiss on the lips of Jenni Hermoso. Rubiales had also been suspended for three months from all football activities by FIFA pending an investigation by soccer’s world governing body into his actions after Spain clinched their World Cup victory in Sydney on Aug. 20.

Joe Biden ‘very humble’, says Indian priest after holding communion service for U.S. president

Father Nicholas Dias, secretary for the liturgy commission for the Delhi Archdiocese, has described U.S. President Joe Biden as a “very humble” person who expressed that his grandmother was a great influence in his life. Father Dias met Mr. Biden during a 30-minute holy communion service for the U.S. president at a hotel where he was staying in New Delhi on Saturday, ahead of the G-20 summit. Talking to PTI, Fatherr Dias said their conversation was around faith, Goa and India. “I mentioned to him about the origin of Christianity in India and recalled that Indian Church is as old as Christianity in the world,” said the priest, who hails from Benaulim in Goa.

Those opposing India’s name change can leave the country: Dilip Ghosh

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Medinipur Lok Sabha MP, Dilip Ghosh, on Sunday said India will be renamed Bharat and those opposing it “are free to leave the country” .Speaking at Kharagpur, the former West Bengal BJP president added: “When our party comes to power in West Bengal, we will remove all statues of foreigners in Kolkata.” Mr. Ghosh has in the past made several comments not only directed at his political opponents but also against his own party leaders. In May 2022, the BJP national leadership censured Mr. Ghosh for targeting his party leaders.

U.S. Open 2023 Final | Novak Djokovic downs Daniil Medvedev to win record-tying 24th Slam

Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Sunday to win his fourth U.S. Open and a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, avenging his loss to the Russian in the final two years ago .The 36-year-old Djokovic won 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to become the oldest men’s champion in New York in the Open era and match Margaret Court’s all-time mark for most Grand Slam victories. The Serbian is the first man to win three Grand Slam events in the same season four times, crowning his impending return to world number one in the most fitting of ways inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Rain woes at Pragati Maidan, AAP hits out at L-G; water cleared in an hour: official

With heavy rain lashing the city since Saturday, images and videos of stagnant water at Bharat Mandapam, the G-20 Leaders’ Summit venue, surfaced on social media on Sunday. Sharing one such video on X (formerly Twitter), Delhi Urban Development Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj took a swipe at Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena, demanding that “heads must roll” .A Raj Niwas official said a contingency plan to deal with rain-related problems was activated on Saturday night soon after it began to pour. The official added that the authorities had cleared the rainwater hours before the delegates arrived for the second day of the summit.

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Morning Digest | China backs New Delhi Declaration’s focus away from ‘geopolitics’ during G-20 summit; Ukraine says statement on Russian war ‘nothing to be proud of’, and more

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, shakes hand with Chinese Premier Li Qiang upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention centre for the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, on Sept. 9, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

G-20 Summit | China backs New Delhi Declaration’s focus away from ‘geopolitics’

China, which had strongly opposed in the negotiations leading up to the G-20 Summit any direct references to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, finally backed the New Delhi Declaration and reaffirmed its recent calls for the grouping to stay away from “geopolitics”.

G-20 Summit | Ukraine says statement on Russian war ‘nothing to be proud of’

Kyiv on September 9 criticised the G20 leaders’ statement on the Russian invasion, which denounced the use of force for territorial gain but refrained from direct criticism of Russia by name. “Ukraine is grateful to the partners who tried to include strong wording in the text. At the same time, in terms of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the Group of 20 has nothing to be proud of,” said Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman at the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Concerns grow over legal vacuum as India moves to repeal Section 377 in the wake of disturbing cases of sexual assault of animals

The proposed Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 Bill has stirred concern among animal rights activists in India due to the removal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) without the introduction of any alternative provisions to address sexual crimes against animals .Section 377 states, “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”

India-U.K. agree to continue to ‘work at pace’ towards a Free Trade Agreement

Reviewing progress on the India-U.K. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the works, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak agreed that Ministers and negotiating teams would continue “to work at pace” towards an agreement. “We discussed ways to deepen trade linkages and boost investment. India and U.K. will keep working for a prosperous and sustainable planet,” PM Modi said on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) after a bilateral meeting with Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the ongoing G-20 summit. Mr. Modi also conveyed his appreciation for the U.K.’s support during India’s G20 Presidency, marked by “high-level participation at various G20 meetings and events”.

Sri Lanka defends intelligence chief over Easter Sunday attacks allegations by UK channel

Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry on Saturday defended the country’s intelligence chief after he was accused by a British television channel as the plotter of the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed 270 people, including 11 Indians. The move came two days after ousted former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s denial of Major General Suresh Sallay’s involvement in the bombings and that he had benefited from the attacks to win the presidential election in November 2019.

China on ‘high alert’ after U.S., Canadian ships transit Taiwan Strait

China said Saturday its troops were “on constant high alert” after two ships belonging to the United States and Canada transited through the Taiwan Strait, a military spokesperson said .“The Eastern Theatre Command of China’s PLA organised naval and air forces to trail their entire course and stand alert in accordance with laws and regulations,” said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, referring to the People’s Liberation Army.

A.P. police takes Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan into preventive custody

The Andhra Pradesh Police has taken Jana Sena party president Pawan Kalyan and its senior leader Nadendla Manohar into preventive custody in the NTR district, a police official on Sunday .They are being shifted to Vijayawada, he said, adding that no case has been lodged against them. Mr. Kalyan had condemned TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest in a pre-dawn operation at Nandyala on Saturday and attempted to head towards Vijayawada to support the former chief minister.

Mission Sun: Aditya L1 successfully undergoes third earth-bound manoeuvre, says ISRO

Aditya L1 spacecraft, India’s first space-based mission to study the Sun, successfully underwent its third earth-bound manoeuvre in the early hours of Sunday, ISRO said .The space agency’s Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) carried out the operation. “The third Earth-bound manoeuvre (EBN#3) is performed successfully from ISTRAC, Bengaluru. ISRO’s ground stations at Mauritius, Bengaluru, SDSC-SHAR and Port Blair tracked the satellite during this operation,” the Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO) said in a post on social media platform X.

Bali was Bali and New Delhi is New Delhi: Jaishankar on reference to Ukraine in G-20 declaration

The G-20 leaders declaration avoided mentioning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and made a general call to all states to follow the principle of respecting each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, in what is largely seen as a climbdown by the Western powers on the conflic .India managed to hammer out an unexpected consensus among the G-20 countries on the contentious issue through a series of hectic negotiations with emerging economies such as Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia playing a leading role in reaching the breakthrough.

Anna Danilina-Haari Haliovaara clinch U.S. Open mixed doubles title

Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Haari Haliovaara of Finland defeated top seeds Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek to clinch the U.S. Open mixed doubles crown. Playing together for the first time, Danilina and Heliovaara suffered defeat in just one set during their title run .The pair defeated top seeds Krajicek and Pegula 6-3, 6-4 to lift the trophy at the hard-court Grand Slam on Saturday. “I have no words. It was an amazing run. It’s been a pleasure. To many more,” Danilina was quoted as saying by WTA. 

Kejriwal: BJP in panic after INDIA bloc’s bypoll wins

Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party is in panic as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) emerged “very powerful” in the recent bypolls to seven Assembly seats in the country. While the BJP on Friday won Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura and Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, the INDIA bloc parties won four seats, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand’s Dumri, Congress in Kerala’s Puthuppally, Samajwadi Party in U.P’s Ghosi, and Trinamool MCongress in West Bengal’s Dhupguri.

Asia Cup 2023: Samarawickrama, Shanaka star in Sri Lanka’s victory against Bangladesh

Birthday boy Dasun Shanaka was also the man with the golden arm as the Sri Lanka skipper picked three wickets to help his side defend 257 against Bangladesh in a Super 4s match of the Asia Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday .The host’s 21-run win extended its winning run in ODIs to 13 games, second only to Australia’s 21-match streak in 2003, and virtually eliminated Bangladesh. Shanaka made early incisions by getting the better of the openers with the short ball, and when Mushfiqur Rahim and Towhid Hridoy (82, 97b, 7×4, 1×6) looked poised to make a match of it with a resolute 72-run stand for the fifth wicket, his slower ball sent Rahim back and snapped the crowd out of slumber.

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Morning Digest | PM Modi, President Biden welcome progress in defence ties; Ukraine war unlikely to end in immediate future: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and more

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PM Modi, President Biden welcome progress in defence ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday welcomed the completion of the notification process in the U.S. Congress on August 29 for a commercial agreement between General Electric Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) to manufacture GE F-414 jet engines in India and the commencement of the negotiations. The leaders lauded the settlement of the seventh and last outstanding World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute between the two countries.

Ukraine war unlikely to end in immediate future: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

Efforts to build a peaceful world are faltering and the Ukraine conflict is unlikely to end in the immediate future, said Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres here on Friday. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the G-20 summit that will begin here on Saturday, Mr. Guterres laid out the concerns of the UN and said the world cannot “go on like this” and spoke forcefully seeking change of the global multilateral institutions. He also appreciated India for placing the “development agenda at the centre” of G-20.

New Delhi declaration ‘almost ready’, says India’s G-20 Sherpa, as Ukraine para remains sticking point

The joint declaration is “almost ready”, said India’s G-20 ‘Sherpa’ Amitabh Kant, indicating that the Sherpas or leaders’ representatives for G-20 countries will now hand over the document to G-20 leaders who begin their summit on September 9 in an effort to close the gaps, mainly over the paragraph on Ukraine. Mr. Kant also downplayed issues with China during the negotiations, and said that while all countries have a “veto power” over the joint statement to be issued, India had been able to bring “every single country” on board with its priorities.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang lands in India facing first international test

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in New Delhi on Friday evening for the G-20 summit, which will, for the relatively unknown second-ranked Chinese leader, mark a first major international diplomatic test. Mr. Li earlier this week attended the East Asia Summit in Jakarta, but the G-20 will pose its own challenges with its higher profile and the presence of Western leaders who have been sharply critical of China, especially for its stand on the Ukraine crisis, a major sticking point that threatens to derail a joint communique for the first time in G-20 history.

We have a lot to bring to G-20 table, says African Union chief Azali Assoumani

The African Union (AU) is confident of becoming a full member of G-20 during the Delhi summit beginning in New Delhi on September 9, said AU Chairperson Azali Assoumani. In an exclusive interview with The Hindu, Mr. Assoumani, who is also the President of Comoros, said member countries of G-20 should invest in industrialisation of Africa. Assuring the members that Africa is willing to do what it takes to deal with the immigration issue being faced by the European countries, he urged the G-20 economies to utilise African resources to manufacture products in Africa. 

Criminal trials ideally need dynamic judges not taciturn ones, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court said criminal trials ideally need active and dynamic judges rather than reticent or taciturn ones. “Reticence may be good in many circumstances, but a judge remaining mute during trial is not an ideal situation. A taciturn judge may be the model caricatured in public mind. But there is nothing wrong in his becoming active or dynamic during trial so that criminal justice being the end could be achieved,” a three-judge Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala and P.K. Mishra highlighted.

India committed to Global South, says PM Modi after talks with Mauritian leader

In his first bilateral meeting ahead of the G20 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held talks with his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth in New Delhi and reiterated India’s commitment to furthering the voice of the Global South. “PM @KumarJugnauth and I had a very good meeting. This is a special year for India-Mauritius relations as we mark 75 years of diplomatic ties between our nations. We discussed cooperation in sectors like infrastructure, FinTech, culture and more. Also reiterated India’s commitment to furthering the voice of the Global South,” Mr. Modi said on X.

Six Opposition CMs may skip G-20 dinner hosted by President

The G-20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu is expected to have a thin attendance of Opposition leaders as Chief Ministers of at least six out of the 12 Opposition-ruled States are likely to skip the event for various reasons. The two former Prime Ministers, Manmohan Singh and H.D. Deve Gowda, also won’t be attending the dinner, citing poor health. According to sources, out of four Congress Chief Ministers, three — Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Siddaramaiah of Karnataka and Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh — are not heading for Delhi. Mr. Gehlot, it is learnt, is still nursing his fractured toes and has restricted travel. Mr. Baghel too has said that he is not well enough to travel to the capital. Mr. Siddaramaiah has given similar reasons.

Unions allege ‘scam in import of fuel for power plants’

Trade unions in the power sector have alleged that recent directions and statements of the Centre related to the import of coal for thermal power generation are contradictory, misguiding, deceitful and against the interest of the energy consumers, people and the nation. All India Coal Workers’ Federation (AICWF) and Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI), the two federations comprised of several unions in power and coal mining sectors, said on Friday that these moves favour one or two private companies. The federations are also mulling legal action against the Centre’s decision. 

PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina hold talks on diversifying India-Bangladesh cooperation

A day before the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on diversifying bilateral cooperation and discussed issues such as connectivity and commercial linkages. In a post on his second bilateral of the day after holding talks with Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, Mr. Modi said he had “productive deliberations” with PM Sheikh Hasina. “The progress in India-Bangladesh relations in the last 9 years has been very gladdening. Our talks covered areas like connectivity, commercial linkage and more,” Mr. Modi said.

India ‘very important’, but it is for members to decide on its UNSC membership, says Antonio Guterres

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on September 8 described India as “the country of the world” and a “very important” partner in the multilateral system but said it is for the members and not him to decide on its UN Security Council membership. Addressing a press conference here ahead of the G20 Summit, he made a strong pitch for immediate reforms to UNSC and other multilateral institutions, as he asserted that the future of the world is multipolar but “our multilateral institutions reflect a bygone age”.

INDIA wins four seats, BJP three in Assembly bypolls

In the first set of bypolls to be held after the formation of the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties, held in seven seats in six States, the BJP won three seats, with the Opposition constituents of the INDIA bloc bagging four seats, including the crucial Ghosi Assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh which was won by the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Gyanvapi survey: ASI granted further four weeks’ time to submit report

A Varanasi court on Friday granted four more weeks to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to complete the scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex and submit its report. The order for the extension of ASI survey deadline was announced by district Judge A. K. Vishvesh. “….one of the important question and the issue remains which has to be decided by this Court that what was the religious character of the Gyanvyapi precincts dated on 15th August, 1947 as Muslims were claiming there right also. Whatever will be seen/found and existing Hindu sign/symbols will determines the fate of the Original suit. In the light of above prayer this interlocutory application liable to be allowed,” the court noted.

Nancy Pelosi says she’ll seek House reelection in 2024, dismissing talk of retirement at age 83

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on September 8 that she will run for reelection to another term in Congress as Democrats work to win back the majority in 2024. Ms. Pelosi made the announcement before labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years. “Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Ms. Pelosi, 83, said in a tweet. “Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”

Will hold free, inclusive and credible election: Bangladesh Minister

Bangladesh will hold a “free, inclusive and credible election”, assured Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen here on Friday. Speaking at the end of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mr. Momen said the upcoming election would not be held under a caretaker government and said the two Prime Ministers discussed “regional peace and stability”. Sharing details about the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India had welcomed “Indo-Pacific outlook” of Bangladesh that the Sheikh Hasina government introduced earlier this year.

U.S. Open | Bopanna creates history as the oldest doubles finalist in Open Era

India’s doubles ace Rohan Bopanna, who is playing some of the best tennis of his career, became the oldest Grand Slam doubles finalist in the Open Era as he, partnering Matthew Ebden, reached the U.S. Open final. Producing outstanding tennis at the Flushing Meadows in front of a handsome Louis Armstrong crowd, Bopanna and Ebden defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut in Thursday’s semifinals to set a summit clash against Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury.

Stokes, Buttler help England post 291-6 against New Zealand in first match of ODI series

Ben Stokes marked his return to one-day internationals with a half-century before captain Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone put on a rapid stand of 77 late in the innings to help push England to 291-6 against New Zealand in the first match of the Cricket World Cup warmup series on Friday. Stokes (52) opted to come out of ODI retirement ahead of England’s World Cup title defense in India starting next month and was one of four batters to post fifties on a tough track at Sophia Gardens.

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Morning Digest | African Union to join G-20 as Sherpas reach a deal; Delhi may turn venue for dialogue on reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and more

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African Union to join G-20, as Sherpas reach a deal

The African Union (AU) is set to join the G-20 as negotiators agreed on clearing its membership, according to sources privy to the discussions at the Sherpa meeting at a resort on the outskirts of Delhi. This will mean the 55-member AU will join the European Union as the only two regional bodies in the G-20. While it still unclear whether the G-20 will be renamed as the “G-21” after the induction of the AU, Indian officials said the announcement would help “leave a lasting imprint” of the work the Indian Presidency has done in bringing in the Global South’s ambitions to the economic grouping.

Delhi may turn venue for dialogue on reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative

As world leaders gather in Delhi on Friday ahead of the G-20 summit, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is on a mission to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI or BSI), in talks on the sidelines of the summit hosted by India. The deal that facilitates export of grain from Russia and Ukraine lapsed in July. Among those in Delhi, Turkiye President Recep Erdogan, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as well as leaders of European Union and UN officials will be trying to work a compromise that would give assurances to Russia, for an exchange that would allow grain export from blockaded Ukrainian ports to restart at the earliest, sources told The Hindu. 

At G-20, Japan backs India, not China, as bridge to Global South: Japanese experts

Beyond the immediate outcomes of the G-20 Summit, one key takeaway with longer term implications is the positioning of India as a key bridge to the “Global South” for Japan and the West, in the view of Japanese experts. “Japan sees a rivalry over the leadership of the ‘Global South’ between India and China, and it is in the interest of Japan and the G-7 that India plays a leading role in the ‘Global South’, not China,” said Hiroyuki Akita, Tokyo-based strategic affairs commentator at Nikkei, in an interview with The Hindu.

Modi, Biden to discuss trade issues, jet engine, drone deals during meet

Progress on the deal to jointly manufacture jet engines in India, purchase of MQ-9B armed drones, agreement on civil nuclear liability and trade are expected to be the top issues on the agenda as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden hold bilateral talks late on Friday, a day before the G-20 summit. Further discussions as well as some of the deals are expected in January when Mr. Biden is likely to visit India and officials said India is looking to have the Quad leaders summit on January 26 or a day before possibly with the leaders as chief guests.

Bharat Jodo Yatra was a people’s movement: Congress

Calling the Bharat Jodo Yatra a people’s movement “unequalled” in history, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on September 7 said the Yatra seeks to bring real issues like economic inequalities, price rise, unemployment, social injustice and subversion of the Constitution to the fore. Mr. Kharge also slammed the trend of “manufacturing headlines” to divert attention from the real issues of the people.

Assets worth over $1.8 billion recovered under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act in four years: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said assets worth more than $12 billion had been attached since 2014 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), while in the past about four years, assets worth over $1.8 billion had been recovered under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA). In his inaugural address at the first-ever International Day of Police Cooperation, after conferring police medals to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials at an investiture ceremony at the agency headquarters, Dr. Singh said the FEOA was brought in by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government.

U.N. chief says ‘systematic repression’ crushing Myanmar democracy hopes

Hopes of a return to democracy in junta-ruled Myanmar are being crushed by “systematic repression”, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on September 7 at a summit in Indonesia with the United States, China and regional leaders. Myanmar has been ravaged by deadly violence since a 2021 military coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, unleashing a bloody crackdown on dissent.

Indonesia warns against new conflicts as U.S., China, Russia attend ASEAN summit

Indonesia warned leaders including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov against sharpening rivalries as they wrapped up an East Asia summit in Jakarta on Thursday. The meeting brought Washington and Beijing into contact a day after Mr. Li warned major powers must manage differences to avoid a “new Cold War”, and ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi this week that Chinese President Xi Jinping will miss. Interactions between the officials from the world’s top two economies are being closely watched as they seek to control tensions that risk flaring anew over issues ranging from Taiwan to ties with Moscow and the competition for influence in the Pacific.

India keen on having Quad leaders as Chief Guests for 2024 Republic Day parade

India is discussing the possibility of inviting leaders of the Quad grouping, comprising of India, Australia, Japan and the U.S., to the Republic Day parade on January 26, diplomatic sources confirmed. The possibility of U.S. President Joe Biden being the Chief Guest for the parade, with the Quad summit held a day prior, on January 25, is also being looked into, but given that January 26 is observed as Australia Day, it would be extremely difficult for their Prime Minister to be in India on that day, an official source said.

Caste discrimination survey in IIT-Delhi commenced and withdrawn

After two Dalit students allegedly committed suicide at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi in the past two months, a campus-wide survey on caste discrimination circulated by the institute’s Board of Student Publications (BSP) was been suspended within hours of commencing. As soon as the survey was shared, complaints said the survey’s design was “biased, insensitive, and problematic”, with the institute’s official Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) Cell stating that it had not been consulted on the survey.

Authorities forced us off the streets in the name of G-20 security, say city vendors

While the city is all set to host the G-20 Summit, street vendors say the authorities have forced thousands of them to vacate public space over the past month. Shri Ram, a member of the town vending committee (TVC) of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), told The Hindu that around 50,000 people have been displaced. The TVC, which comprises representatives from the civic body, police, and street vendors, is responsible for assigning designated zones to the vendors.

Kings Cup 2023 | India lose to Iraq in penalty shootout after conceding debatable penalty, face Lebanon in bronze medal playoff

A Sunil Chhetri-less India conceded a late goal off a debatable penalty to miss out on their first ever win over higher-ranked Iraq, who won the King’s Cup semifinal clash via penalty shootout here on Thursday. India will take on Lebanon in the bronze-medal playoff, which will be followed by the summit clash between Iraq and Thailand on Sunday. In the other semifinal at the 700th Anniversary Stadium, Thailand defeated Lebanon 2-1.

Gukesh excited about the Asian Games, feels India has a fair chance

He was the undoubted star of last year’s Chess Olympiad in Chennai, and now D. Gukesh is excited about the Asian Games, beginning at Hangzhou later this month. Chess is making a comeback to the Asian Games after a gap of 13 years, just in time for the massively talented young Indians like Gukesh. “I am very excited about my first ever Asian Games,” he said at a media interaction here on Thursday. “It is a prestigious event and I look forward to watching athletes in other sports. I love badminton, and I would like to watch it if I could.” Gukesh, who recently broke into the World top 10, believes India has fair chances on the chessboard. “But there are other strong teams,” he said. “And we had a camp here with Boris Gelfand. It went off very well. It was very tiring, which is usually good. The camp was brilliant.”

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Morning Digest | Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks require proper response, PM Modi tells Ministers at informal meeting; Ready to hold polls as per legal provisions, CEC on ‘one nation, one election’, and more

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Sanatana Dharma | Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks require proper response, PM Modi tells Ministers at informal meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reportedly told his Ministerial colleagues that DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatana Dharmarequired a “proper response” based on “facts of the issue” within the contemporary situation and emphasised that the Constitution does not allow for abuse of any religion. On the issue of Bharat being substituted for India in government communication in English as well, Mr. Modi reportedly said that only those authorised to speak on behalf of the government should comment on the issue.

Ready to hold polls as per legal provisions, CEC on ‘one nation, one election’

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on September 6 said the Election Commission of India was “ready to conduct elections as per legal provisions”. He was responding to a query whether the ECI was ready to conduct the much-discussed ‘One Nation, One Election’. The CEC was addressing a press conference in Bhopal on the preparations for the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh due later this year. On the specific questions asked in the context of ‘One nation, One election’, Mr. Kumar said the poll commission was mandated to “deliver elections before the time” as per constitutional provisions and the RP Act (Representation of the People Act, 1951.)

‘India-Bharat’ issue being raised to mislead people: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on September 6 said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was raising irrelevant issues like changing the country’s name to Bharat because it was unnerved by the formation of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition. “The India-Bharat issue reflects the BJP’s panic. The party is desperately trying to mislead the people,” Mr. Kharge said.

Blocking blacklisting of terrorists smacks of doublespeak: India

India has told the UN Security Council that blocking evidence-based proposals to blacklist globally sanctioned terrorists without providing justifications is uncalled for and “smacks of doublespeak”. “The working methods of the UNSC Sanctions Committees continue to dent the credibility of the UN Security Council,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said here on Tuesday.

40 injured in protest over Army barricade in Manipur

More than 40 people were injured in a stampede at Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Wednesday as security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse over 10,000 people who had converged to demand the removal of an Army barricade. A defence source said the stand-off continued through the day. Armed miscreants fired at the Central security forces and a mob threw stones at them. Three personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised anti-riot force, were injured in the incident. 

Won’t let INDIA bloc seat-sharing talks become media spectacle: SP leader 

The Samajwadi Party (SP) won’t allow seat-sharing negotiations in Uttar Pradesh to become a media spectacle, said party leader Javed Ali Khan, who is part of the INDIA bloc’s 14-member coordination committee. In an interview to The Hindu, he also junked suggestions that the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are pretending to be cosying up to the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as a tactic to get more seats for themselves in the State.

Shah, Meghwal meet Kovind days after he was appointed head of ‘one nation, one election’ panel

Home Minister Amit Shah and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on September 6 met former president Ram Nath Kovind who heads the committee on simultaneous polls in New Delhi, days after the government notified the panel, sources said. They described the nearly hour-long meeting as a “courtesy call”. Efforts are on to hold the first meeting of the high-level committee in the coming days and a venue is being finalised.

Punjab AAP Minister says there is no alliance with Congress 

The cracks between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), partners in the newly formed Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) were on display on September 6 after a Cabinet Minister in Punjab, where the AAP is in power, ruled out any alliance with the Congress. Punjab Tourism Minister Anmol Gagan Maan at a press conference in Chandigarh said there would be no alliance of the AAP with the Congress party in Punjab.

China warns against ‘new Cold War’ at ASEAN summit

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on September 6 it is important to avoid a “new Cold War” when dealing with conflicts between countries as world leaders gathered in Indonesia amid sharpening geopolitical rivalries across the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at an annual summit involving members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea, Mr. Li said countries needed to “appropriately handle differences and disputes”.

Not the joint statement but Ukraine will be EU’s priority at G-20 summit: EU official

Ukraine will be the topmost item on the agenda of the European Union at the G-20 Summit, a senior EU official said on Wednesday. Clarifying the Western expectation about the upcoming summit that will be held here during the weekend, the official expressed confidence about forming consensus about the Global South and placed it on record that the EU “wished” to have the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G-20 summit in New Delhi. He also indicated that Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission is unlikely to travel to Delhi for the summit and said India’s text for negotiating an outcome document is “not sufficient”. 

Ahead of Joe Biden visit, India drops tariff hikes on U.S. almonds, lentils

Two days before U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New Delhi for a bilateral meeting as well as the G-20 Summit, India has dropped the retaliatory customs tariffs it had imposed on imports of some American goods like almonds and lentils, effective September 6, 2023. India had raised import duties on 28 American products in June 2019, after the United States had hiked its customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. In a notification issued on September 5, the Finance Ministry dropped some of these tariff hikes “on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do”.

Sri Lanka will investigate allegations of intelligence complicity in 2019 Easter bombings

Sri Lanka’s government will appoint a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations made in a British television report that Sri Lankan intelligence had complicity in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 269 people. A man interviewed in the Channel 4 videos released on Tuesday said he arranged a meeting between a local Islamic State-inspired group and a top state intelligence official to hatch a plot to create insecurity in Sri Lanka and enable Gotabaya Rajapaksa to win the presidential election later that year.

Ukraine’s Parliament approves ex-lawmaker Rustem Umerov as Defence Minister

Ukraine’s parliament approved the appointment of former lawmaker Rustem Umerov as Defence Minister on September 6, in the biggest shake-up of the defence establishment since Russia’s invasion 18 months ago. Mr. Umerov (41) replaces Oleksii Reznikov, who helped secure billions of dollars of Western military aid as Defence Minister but was dogged by media allegations of corruption at the Ministry and sacked by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday.

This summer was a global record breaker for the highest heat ever measured, meteorologists say

Earth has sweltered through its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured, with a record warm August capping a season of brutal and deadly temperatures, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Last month was not only the hottest August scientists ever recorded by far with modern equipment, it was also the second hottest month measured, behind only July 2023, WMO and the European climate service Copernicus announced Wednesday.

Asia Cup | Pakistan pace trio too hot to handle as Bangladesh bowled out for 193

Haris Rauf proved to be too quick for the Bangladeshi batters, who were also troubled relentlessly by Naseem Shah as the Shakib Al Hasan-led side was bundled out for a paltry 193, well inside 40 overs in an Asia Cup Super 4 match against Pakistan in Lahore on September 6. Despite a 100-run stand and twin half-centuries by skipper Shakib (53 off 57 balls) and former captain Mushfiqur Rahim (64 off 87 balls), Bangladesh suffered twin batting collapse on either side of the fifth wicket partnership.

Ballon d’Or | Messi, Haaland, Mbappe in shortlist; Ronaldo left out for first time in 20 years

Argentina forward Lionel Messi was among the nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or trophy announced by organisers France Football magazine on Wednesday. Seven-times winner Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in December, their first triumph since 1986. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, did not receive a nomination for the first time in 20 years.

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