Top news of the day: September 19, 2024

PM Modi calls Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Devta’ remark a sign of ‘Naxal mindset’

Asking people to cast their votes wisely in the ongoing Assembly polls that are linked to the “future of Jammu and Kashmir”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday (September 19, 2024) that they should ensure the political sunset of the Congress, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which have “inflicted wounds” in the region for years together. Addressing a poll rally in Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, PM Modi also accused the Congress leadership of insulting Hindu gods and goddesses under a “well-thought-out conspiracy” and due to a “Naxal mindset”, and asked people “should they not be punished for this”?

Gurpatwant Pannun murder plot: India calls U.S. Court summons ‘unwarranted imputations’

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (September 19, 2024) called the summons issued in civil case by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the U.S.-based pro-Khalistan attorney, as “unwarranted” and “unsubstantiated” imputations. The summons was issued by South District of New York court on Wednesday (September 18, 2024). The lawsuit names India’s foreign intelligence agency personnel and others, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel, R&AW agent Vikram Yadav and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta. Later in the day, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a press briefing, said, “We have taken certain action, and the allegations are being inquired into by a high level committee and the relevant agencies on both sides have engaged on this.”

Centre probes death of 26-year-old EY employee

Amid the ongoing row over the death of a 26-year-old Chartered Accountant allegedly due to extreme work pressure at the firm, the Union Labour Ministry on Thursday (September 19, 2024) has taken up the complaint. Former Minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to X and said, “This is very sad but also disturbing at many levels.” He further urged the Ministry of Labour to further investigate the matter.

Row after Chandrababu Naidu alleges animal fat used in Tirupati laddus

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s remark on the use of animal fat in the ‘Laddu Prasadam’ made at the Tirumala shrine has kicked off a controversy and has become a matter of discussion in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) circles. At a meeting organised on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) in Vijayawada to celebrate the 100 days of the NDA regime in the State, Mr. Naidu had mentioned about the adulteration of ghee, including the addition of animal fat, used for preparing sacred offerings at the Tirumala temple during the erstwhile YSR Congress regime.

Modi U.S. visit: Foreign Secretary outlines PM’s schedule; gives no confirmation on Trump meeting

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday (September 19, 2024) briefed the media on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the U.S. Mr. Modi will be in the U.S. from September 21-23. Mr. Misri said that the Prime Minister will fly directly to Wilmington, Delaware for the Quad summit before heading to New York for the U.N. Summit of the Future. Mr. Modi will also address the diaspora, conduct meetings with tech CEOs and bilateral talks with various leaders. On Republican candidate Donald Trump’s announcement that Mr. Modi will meet him, Mr. Misri did not give any confirmation. He saids they are trying to fix a number of meetings in the U.S. and will give an update once they are confirmed.

Bombay High Court asks CBFC to decide on Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Emergency’ release

In a major set-back to actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut’s movie ‘Emergency’, the Bombay High Court on Thursday (September 19, 2024) directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to decide whether to release the film or not by September 25, 2024. With this decision of the High Court, the makers of the film face further delay in releasing the film in theatres, adding more financial trouble.

Mukesh Ahlawat new face in Delhi Cabinet, 4 Ministers to be retained: AAP

AAP MLA Mukesh Ahlawat will be the new face in the Delhi Cabinet headed by Atishi, who will be sworn in as chief minister on September 21, and four ministers will be retained, AAP sources said on Thursday (September 19, 2024). Chief Minister-designate Atishi and her new Cabinet will take the oath of office on the same day. AAP said ministers Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Kailash Gahlot and Imran Hussain will continue to be part of the Cabinet.

Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: TMC MLA Sudipto Roy appears before Enforcement Directorate

TMC MLA Sudipto Roy appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Kolkata on Thursday (September 19, 2024) for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, official sources said. Mr. Roy is president of the West Bengal Medical Council and also holds charge of the RG Kar Patients’ Welfare Committee. He was earlier questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is also probing into the alleged irregularities.

Details emerge of Army officer’s complaint of Odisha inspector molesting his fiancée at police station

The Army officer, who was subjected to alleged illegal detention in a police station in Bhubaneswar, levelled grave charges by accusing the inspector-in-charge (IIC) of the station of molesting his fiancée and other on-duty police personnel of stripping and assaulting her in custody. In a complaint to Odisha’s Additional Director General of Police (Crime Branch) filed on Wednesday (September 18, 2024) — a copy of which is now with The Hindu — the officer recounted the events of the night of September 15.

Centre to share information with Supreme Court on collegiums resolutions on High Court chief justices

The Centre on Thursday (September 19, 2024) told the Supreme Court that it will be providing some details next week concerning the collegium’s recommendations on the appointment of chief justices in several high courts in the country. The submissions to this effect were made by Attorney General R. Venkataramani before a bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud while seeking an adjournment of the hearing on a PIL which is listed for hearing on Friday (September 20, 2024).

Telecom AGR dues: Supreme Court dismisses curative pleas on computation ‘errors’

The Supreme Court has dismissed curative petitions filed by telecom service providers, including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, against the court’s October 2019 judgment upholding the Department of Telecom’s (DoT) move to recover adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of about ₹92,000 crore from them. The curative petitions were dismissed in chambers by a Bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B.R. Gavai on August 30. The order was available in the public domain on Thursday (September 19, 2024).

Terror funding watchdog FATF praises India’s anti-money laundering, terror financing system

Global anti-money laundering and terror financing body, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), launched its much-awaited mutual evaluation report on India, saying the county’s systems were “effective” but “major improvements” were required to strengthen prosecution in these cases on Thursday (September 19, 2024). The report said India implemented an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Financing of Terror (CFT) system that was effective in many respects. It, however, said “major improvements” were required to strengthen the prosecution in money laundering and terror financing cases.

BJP manifesto for Haryana promises two lakh government jobs, ₹2,100 to women, job guarantee for Agniveers

Bharatiya Janata Party’s national president J.P. Nadda on Thursday (September 19, 2024) released the party’s 20-point manifesto, “Sankalp Patra”, for Haryana ahead of the Assembly poll, promising two lakh government jobs, ₹2,100 monthly assistance to women and government job guarantee to Agniveers hailing from the State. The party also promised creation of ten industrial towns and full scholarship to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) students of government medical and engineering colleges, among other things.

India-made ammunition enters Ukraine, irks defence partner Russia: Report

Artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine and New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow, according to eleven Indian and European government and defence industry officials, as well as a Reuters analysis of commercially available customs data. The transfer of munitions to support Ukraine’s defence against Russia has occurred for more than a year, according to the sources and the customs data. Indian arms export regulations limit the use of weaponry to the declared purchaser, who risks future sales being terminated if unauthorised transfers occur.

21 houses of Dalit families set on fire in Bihar’s Nawada; land dispute suspected

Amid the land survey, a Dalit Tola (hamlet) was attacked Wednesday (September 18, 2024) night, and at least 21 houses were set on fire by the alleged land mafia at Krishna Nagar village under Mufassil Police station in Bihar’s Nawada district. Initial investigation revealed that the incident occurred over the land dispute issue. Villagers said that many rounds of firing also took place by the alleged land mafia who were more than a dozen in number. The Congress slammed the NDA government in Bihar over the incident, saying it is another proof of the “jungle raj” prevailing in the State and exposes “the horrifying picture of injustice against the Bahujans” there.

FIR registered against Ravneet Singh Bittu over ‘terrorist’ remark against Rahul Gandhi

An FIR has been registered against Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu for his alleged remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the statements he made in the U.S. about the condition of Sikhs in India, police said on Thursday (September 19, 2024). The case was filed based on a complaint by one of the officer-bearers of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, they said.

Israel military says hits seven Hezbollah sites in overnight air strikes in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military said on Thursday (September 19, 2024) it struck six Hezbollah “terrorist infrastructure sites” and a weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon overnight, as fears grew of a full-blown war. The air force “struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites in the areas of Chihine, Tayibe, Blida, Meiss El Jabal, Aitaroun and Kfarkela in southern Lebanon, as well as a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in the area of Khiam in southern Lebanon,” a military statement said. Turkey on Thursday (September 19, 2024) accused Israel of seeking to expand the war in Gaza to Lebanon with the “alarming” wave of deadly explosions that swept though Hezbollah strongholds.

Germany has stopped approving war weapons exports to Israel, source says

Germany has put a hold on new exports of weapons of war to Israel while it deals with legal challenges, according to a Reuters analysis of data and a source close to the Economy Ministry. A source close to the Ministry cited a senior government official as saying it had stopped work on approving export licences for arms to Israel due to legal and political pressure from legal cases arguing that such exports from Germany breached humanitarian law.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts

Hezbollah was in disarray on Thursday (September 19, 2024) after a second wave of deadly explosions swept through its strongholds across Lebanon, putting pressure on its leader to exact revenge for the operation it blames on Israel. The attack killed 32 people in two days, including two children, and wounded more than 3,000 others, according to Lebanese Health Ministry figures.

Japan firm says they no longer make radio reportedly used in Lebanon blasts

Japanese firm Icom said Thursday (September 19, 2024) that it had stopped producing the model of radios reportedly used in recent blasts in Lebanon around 10 years ago. “The IC-V82 is a handheld radio that was produced and exported, including to the Middle East, from 2004 to October 2014. It was discontinued about 10 years ago, and since then, it has not been shipped from our company,” Icom said in a statement. “The production of the batteries needed to operate the main unit has also been discontinued, and a hologram seal to distinguish counterfeit products was not attached, so it is not possible to confirm whether the product shipped from our company,” it said.

Harvey Weinstein faces new sex crime charge from accuser who has never gone public

Seven years after sexual assault and harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein turbocharged the #MeToo movement, the ex-movie mogul faces a new sex crime charge from an accuser who’s never told her story publicly. While awaiting retrial on other sex charges in a landmark #MeToo case, Weinstein pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a new charge of forcing oral sex on a woman in a Manhattan hotel in spring 2006. Prosecutors released no details about her, and Weinstein’s lawyer said he had no idea who she is. But an attorney said that she represents the woman and that she has never made her accusation public.

Vodafone-Idea shares dip 21% as Supreme Court rejects curative petition on AGR dues

Vodafone Idea stocks fell 21% to ₹10.69 at 12.15 p.m. on September 19, from the day’s open of ₹12.99 as Supreme Court rejected the company’s curative petition on Adjusted Gross Revenues (AGR) dues. The three-judge Bench ruled that there was no ground for a curative petition against the court’s decision.

Ashwin-Jadeja tango saves India after Hasan Mahmud’s early strikes

Seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sparkled on home turf with his sixth Test hundred as he combined with Ravindra Jadeja to steer India out of trouble and post a formidable 339 for six on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh here on Thursday. Ashwin (102 batting) and Jadeja (86 batting) added 195 runs (174 minutes, 225 balls) for a riveting unbroken seventh wicket stand after young pacer Hasan Mahmud (4/58) reduced India to 144 for six, despite Yashasvi Jaiswal making a solid 56. The ebb and flow of the day’s proceedings was quite remarkable and mostly revolved around Ashwin, Jadeja and Mahmud, who made his Test debut in March this year and was just three games old in the format before this match.