Smoke rises from the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, on September 20, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Sri Lanka to choose President in crucial contest on September 21

Over 17 million Sri Lankans will have a chance to elect their next President today in a crucial election, the first to be held after the island nation’s economy crashed in 2022. A good turnout is expected, in line with Sri Lanka’s record of high voter participation in every national election. The last presidential poll in 2019 saw a voter turnout of 83.72 %.

Doctors set to resume work but protests continue to rage in Kolkata

A day after junior doctors called off their ceasework agitation, healthcare workers and thousands of civil society protesters took to the streets of Kolkata seeking justice for the doctor who was raped and killed at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) last month. It has been 41 days since the female trainee doctor was raped and killed on duty at RGKMCH on August 9. So far, the Kolkata Police have arrested one person in connection with the case

Decks cleared for Atishi to take oath as Delhi Chief Minister

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Atishi as the Delhi Chief Minister. A gazette notification by the Union Home Ministry stated: “The President is pleased to appoint Ms. Atishi as the Chief Minister, National Capital Territory of Delhi, with effect from the date she is sworn in.” She also accepted Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation as the CM.

NIA searches four Punjab locations in Pannun case

The National Investigation Agency conducted searches at four locations in Punjab in connection with a case related to the alleged promotion of terror-related activities and violence by Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, the “designated terrorist” of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice. The searches were carried out at one location each in Moga and Mohali, and two in Bathinda, in the case registered by the NIA in 2023 against Pannun and other SFJ members.

FIRs against Rahul Gandhi over statements on Sikhs in India

Multiple First Information Reports (FIR) have been registered against former Congress president Rahul Gandhi in various districts of Chhattisgarh over his recent statements on the Sikh community made during the leader’s recent visit to the U.S. According to the police, Mr. Gandhi has been accused of hurting religious sentiments. Cases have been filed in the capital Raipur and a couple of other cities, including Bilaspur and Durg, with police sources adding that more such FIRs were in the process.

Top Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike

A strike on Hezbollah’s stronghold in Lebanon’s capital Beirut killed eight people and wounded dozens of others, with a source close to the movement saying a top military leader was dead. The Israeli military said it had conducted a “targeted strike”, while the Lebanese health ministry said the attack had killed eight people and wounded 59 more.

Nationwide outrage over custodial abuse pushes Majhi government into damage control mode

The alleged custodial abuse of an Army officer and the sexual harassment of his fiancée at a Bhubaneswar police station sparked nationwide outrage, pushing the Mohan Majhi government in Odisha into damage control mode. While the Congress questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the incident, the principal opposition in Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal demanded a court-monitored special investigation team probe and a judicial inquiry into this grave incident against an Army Major and the lady.

‘Blockchain,’ ‘smart materials’ among list of ‘innovate’ projects mooted in PM solar scheme

As part of the ₹75,000-crore PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced a ₹500-crore sub-component for “Innovative Projects”, according to a draft notification from the Ministry. Under this programme, companies and individuals can submit proposals, which will be perused by a committee, to execute novel ideas connected to rooftop solar installations.

Opposition rejects Sufi council’s plea for separate dargah board

The All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, which claims to represent 600 dargahs in India, in a presentation before the Parliament’s Joint Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, demanded a “separate” and “independent” dargah board, claiming that the current Waqf Boards are not “streamlined” for their needs. The council argued that the dargahs were distinct from other Waqf properties, since they had a hereditary Sajjada Nashin as its head – which means a single family had been “continuously and uninterruptedly” looking after the property for several centuries.

IndiGo tail strike: plane arrives in Delhi with damaged belly, cleared for flight to Bengaluru

An IndiGo Airbus A321 aircraft parked in Bengaluru since September 9, which is the subject of a DGCA enquiry for scraping against the runway surface, may have arrived in the same condition at its previous stop at Delhi airport. Airline sources familiar with the incident said the massive abrasions extending from the wings of the plane to the tail went completely unnoticed and the aircraft was cleared for the next flight to Bengaluru.

Key recommendations in simultaneous elections report ‘flawed’, says former CEC Quraishi

With the government setting the ball rolling for simultaneous polls, former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has flagged concerns over the practicality and implications of the proposed move, saying some key recommendations are “flawed” as he emphasised the need for a debate in Parliament on these issues. The Union Cabinet accepted the recommendations of a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind for holding simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and local bodies in a phased manner after a countrywide consensus-building exercise.

Tirumala laddus row: Samples of ghee used by TTD contained ‘foreign fat’ says NDDB report 

The samples of ghee used by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in the preparation of ritual offerings (Naivedyam) to Sri Venkateswara Swamy, the presiding deity of the world famous Tirumala temple, and Laddu Prasadam contained fish oil, beeftallow (rendered form of beef suet) and lard (fat drawn from the abdomens of pigs) together called ‘foreign fat’ going by an analysis report of the National Dairy Development Board’s Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) located at Anand in Gujarat. 

Haryana Assembly polls: Kejriwal tells voters to keep the BJP out of power

As the Aam Aadmi Party stepped up its election campaigning in Haryana, party supremo and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the BJP had been instrumental in putting him behind bars in a false case and it was time for voters to put the BJP out of power. At a roadshow in Jagadhri in Yamunanagar district, Mr. Kejriwal asserted that AAP was so popular among voters that no government could form without his party’s support in Haryana.

Why disrespect an 82-year-old leader, asks Priyanka on PM not replying to Kharge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “disrespected” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge by not replying to Mr. Kharge’s letter himself and fielding BJP President J. P. Nadda instead, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. Ms. Vadra, in a post on X, said that in today’s “toxic political atmosphere”, the Prime Minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind. Mr. Kharge had first raised with Mr. Modi the issue of “extremely objectionable” and “violent” statements being made against Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi by ruling alliance members.

Land-for-jobs case: Sanctions to prosecute Lalu Prasad obtained, CBI tells court

The CBI told a Delhi court that it has obtained requisite sanctions from authorities concerned to prosecute former railway minister Lalu Prasad in a corruption case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The Central probe agency informed the court that there were around 30 other accused in the case for whom prosecution sanction was awaited, and urged it to grant 15 more days to enable it to obtain the requisite documents.

China ready to welcome more Indian firms into Chinese market: Envoy

China is ready to welcome more Indian companies to enter its market, Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong said while hoping that a “sound” business environment will be provided to Chinese firms in India. In an address at an event, Mr. Xu said China is looking at India to take “positive measures” for resuming direct flights and visas for Chinese citizens. The Chinese envoy’s remarks came amid the dragging border row in eastern Ladakh. India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.

India vs Bangladesh first Test | Compartmentalising batting and bowling has helped: Ashwin

R. Ashwin explained that compartmentalising his batting and bowling has helped him shine with the willow. The 38-year-old, whose sixth Test century powered India into a dominant position, spoke about trying not to think too far ahead while at the batting crease. “When I walked in, the only thing I wanted to do was settle down. The one thing I keep telling myself is to watch the ball hard,” said Ashwin, who went out to bat when India was in trouble at 144 for six.

Kolkata:

Junior doctors protesting in Kolkata against the rape-murder of a 31-year-old medico at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital said late last night that they will continue their ‘cease work’ agitation till the Mamata Banerjee government fulfills all their demands. They have said they will reach out to the state government for more discussions on the demands yet to be fulfilled.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front said in a statement that many attempts were made to malign their movement. “Due to our movement’s pressure, the state government was forced to remove the Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner North, Director of Health Services and Director of Medical Education. This is a partial victory of our movement,” they said.

The doctors said that in their meeting with Chief Minister Banerjee on Monday, there was no decision on their demand to remove the Principal Secretary (Health). “The Chief Minister gave us a verbal assurance, but we have not seen any step in the direction so far.”

The doctors’ body also flagged the Supreme Court’s observations on the Bengal government’s notification that said state-run hospitals would avoid giving night shifts to women doctors. The doctors said it is not possible to provide security to women by creating a gender divide. Following the court’s observations that it is the state’s duty to provide security, the Bengal government’s counsel Kapil Sibal said the notification will be tweaked. The doctors also pointed to the court’s remarks on contractual staff being roped in to provide security at hospitals.

The doctors’ body has said that merely beefing up security at hospitals will not ensure the safety of doctors till health services are improved. It has pressed for adequate recruitment of healthcare staff and counselling services at hospitals. “Ordinary people face problems due to corruption in the allotment of hospital beds, and shortage of life-saving drugs. We want a solution to all these problems,” the doctors’ forum said.

The junior doctors said that during their meeting with the Chief Minister, they had demanded a college-level task force to address these problems. “We think more discussions are needed. It is not clear how these demands will be fulfilled.”

They have also underlined their demand for an end to the “politics of fear” in medical colleges and democratic student union elections. “The Chief Minister announced from our protest site that patient welfare committees will be dissolved, but we got nothing in writing and there is no clarity on how these committees will be set up again.”

The doctors’ body said that it wants the government to hold discussions and fulfill the demands. “We want to return to work,” the junior doctors said.

Kolkata:

The Mamata Banerjee government has extended its fifth invitation for talks to junior doctors protesting over the rape-murder of a 31-year-old medico at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The junior doctors have refused to rejoin work till justice is served in the heinous case and several top officials are shunted out. Earlier meetings between the state government and the doctors were called off due to disagreements on several issues, such as live-streaming.

In an email to the protesting doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said that the doctors must resume their duties, as per the Supreme Court’s September 9 directive.

“This is the fifth and final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the Honourable Chief Minister and your delegates. In line with our discussion from the day before, we are once again inviting you to a meeting with the Honourable Chief Minister at her Kalighat residence for a discussion with an open mind,” the letter states.

The chief secretary underlined that the meeting cannot be videographed or live-streamed — the point on which the earlier meeting fell through on Saturday.

“We trust that good sense will prevail, and as mutually agreed and as per your statement to the media day before – there will be no live streaming or videography of the meeting, given that the matter is sub judice in the highest court of the country. Instead, the minutes of the

meeting will be recorded and signed by both parties,” the email adds.

“The meeting is scheduled for 5 PM today ie 16th September 2024 at Hon’ble Chief Minister’s Kalighat residence. The same delegation which came for the last discussions is requested to arrive at the venue at 4:45 PM today. We look forward to your positive response and a productive and fruitful discussion,” it says.

Earlier meetings planned between the Chief Minister and the junior doctors led to dramatic scenes. On September 12, the doctors went to the state secretariat Nabanna to meet Ms Banerjee, but refused to join the meeting after they were told the proceedings could not be live-streamed. Visuals of Ms Banerjee waiting for the junior doctors went viral and she said she had waited for two hours.

Another meeting was planned on Saturday after the Chief Minister’s surprise visit to the doctors’ protest site at the state health secretariat. The junior doctors reached her residence at 6.45 pm. Again, the doctors’ demand for live-streaming and officials’ refusal proved to be the roadblock. The medicos waited outside the Chief Minister’s home in the rain. They demanded that they be allowed to videograph the meeting. The state government refused this and said it would record the meeting and the recording would be provided to the doctors later because the matter is sub-judice.

Ms Banerjee came out and invited the doctors inside. “You can trust me, I won’t mislead you. Even if you do not attend the meeting, at least have a cup of tea.” She also said the doctors are “insulting” her. The doctors stressed that they wanted the recording. She then said I “cannot accept all your demands”. Later that night, the doctors decided to join the meeting but state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and chief secretary Manoj Pant told them it was too late.