TODAY NEWS ON October 01, 2024

News Healines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: The Hindu

National News

• Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh takes charge as new Indian Air Force Chief
• PM Modi calls Netanyahu, reminds need for preventing ‘regional escalation’ of west Asian conflict
• Jaishankar reaches Washington DC to meet Blinken
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award: reward for Mithun Chakraborty’s versatility
• March by men and women from Ladakh stopped on Delhi border
• Supreme Court opens IIT door for student who could not pay fees on time
• Over 20,000 polling staff mobilised for final phase of Assembly elections in J&K
• Court rejects bail to former R.G. Kar principal, former Tala police officer
• Railway Minister visits Japan to resolve bullet train issues ahead of Modi visit this year
• Armed Forces Special Powers Act extended in hill districts of Manipur for another six months
• SC directs MEITY to appoint nodal officer for removal of posts divulging victim’s identity
• Karnataka HC stays investigation against Nirmala Sitharaman, others over electoral bonds extortion allegation

International News

• Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Kassem vows to fight on after Hassan Nasrallah’s death
• Iran will not leave Israel’s ‘criminal acts’ unanswered, says foreign ministry
• Fed Chair Powell says U.S. economy is in ‘solid shape’ with more rate cuts coming
• China’s Xi Jinping calls for Taiwan reunification in national day speech

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh takes charge as new Indian Air Force Chief

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, an accomplished fighter pilot with more than 5,000 hours of flying experience, on Monday (September 30, 2024) assumed charge as the new Chief of the Indian Air Force, succeeding incumbent Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari. Air Chief Marshal Singh was serving as Vice Chief of the Air Force in his previous assignment. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari retired from service after helming the force for three years.

PM Modi calls Netanyahu, reminds need for preventing ‘regional escalation’ of west Asian conflict

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (September 30, 2024) spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for avoiding “regional escalation” of the West Asian conflict. During the phone call that came days after Israel killed Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah in Beirut, PM Modi extended support for Israel’s fight against terrorism . “Spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu about recent developments in West Asia. Terrorism has no place in our world. It is crucial to prevent regional escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages. India is committed to supporting efforts for an early restoration of peace and stability,” said Mr. Modi in a message.

Jaishankar reaches Washington DC to meet BlinkenExternal Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will meet his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken on Tuesday (October 1, 2024), during which they are expected to discuss a wide range of bilateral and global issues, including the Ukraine war and the West Asia crisis. Mr. Jaishankar, who arrived in the U.S. capital on Sunday, will also meet other Cabinet-rank and senior Biden administration officials. He is also scheduled to interact with the think-tank community.

Actor Rajinikanth admitted in hospital

Actor Rajinikanth, 73, has been admitted to Apollo Hospitals where an elective procedure is to be performed, sources said.  Hospital sources added that his health condition was stable. The elective procedure would be performed in cath lab on Tuesday (October 1, 2024). His upcoming film Vettaiyan to be released next week.

March by men and women from Ladakh stopped on Delhi border

Several men and women from Ladakh who were marching to Delhi to demand constitutional safeguards for the region, were stopped and detained by the police on the Delhi-Haryana border late on Monday. Prominent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk who was leading the padayatra was detained by the police as the 150-strong contingent from Ladakh reached Singhu border in north Delhi. The Delhi Chalo Padayatra started from Leh on September 1 and was scheduled to reach Delhi on Monday evening. The march led by Mr. Wangchuk was to culminate at Rajghat on October 2.

Supreme Court opens IIT door for student who could not pay fees on time

The Supreme Court on Monday came to the rescue of a student, the son of a daily wager and a member of a Scheduled Caste community, who missed admission to the Indian Institute of Technology (Dhanbad) due to his inability to pay ₹17,500 as fees on time before the admission portal closed .“He is a brilliant student. No child seeking education should go back disappointed from the Supreme Court,” Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, heading a three-judge Bench, said.

Over 20,000 polling staff mobilised for final phase of Assembly elections in J&K

Over 20,000 polling staff have been mobilised on Monday (September 30, 2024) across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of the third and final phase of Assembly elections, which will decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Beig, officials said.

Court rejects bail to former R.G. Kar principal, former Tala police officer

A Kolkata court rejected the bail prayer of former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, and former officer-in-charge of Tala police station, Abhijit Mondal, and allowed the Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) to interrogate them in jail. The two, arrested by the CBI for alleged tampering of evidence and delay in filing of FIR in the rape and murder of a doctor at the State-run hospital, will remain in judicial custody till October 4. During the hearing, the CBI faced flak from the court when it prayed for custodial interrogation of the accused.

Fed Chair Powell says U.S. economy is in ‘solid shape’ with more rate cuts coming

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signalled Monday that more interest rate cuts are in the pipeline, though their size and speed will depend on the evolution of the economy. Wall Street investors and economists are weighing whether the Fed will follow its larger-than-usual half-point cut made earlier this month with another hefty reduction at either of its upcoming meetings in November or December. At their meeting Sept 18, Fed officials penciled in two more quarter-point rate cuts at those final 2024 meetings.

China’s Xi Jinping calls for Taiwan reunification in national day speech

President Xi Jinping reiterated his call for China to “reunite” with Taiwan, the self-ruled island China claims as its own, during an address on the eve of national holiday celebrations. Mr. Xi also used his speech to thousands of people gathered for a banquet celebrating 75 years of the People’s Republic to call for opposition to the “separatist activities” of supporters of Taiwanese independence. “Achieving complete national reunification is the common aspiration of the Chinese people,” Mr. Xi said.

Railway Minister visits Japan to resolve bullet train issues ahead of Modi visit this year

Senior officials led by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw undertook a three-day trip to Japan in September to resolve a number of problems that have resulted in a deadlock between India and Japan over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project — the bullet train. Sources said, among the problems they discussed were Japan’s insistence on Japanese vendors for the trains and signalling systems, as well as costing and timing estimates for the completion of the project.

Armed Forces Special Powers Act extended in hill districts of Manipur for another six months

The Manipur government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the hill districts of the State for another six months, a September 26 notification said. Effective October 1, the provisions of the Act will be extended to the whole State, except 19 police station limits in seven valley districts, thus maintaining the status quo, since three such notifications were passed since March 2023.

SC directs MEITY to appoint nodal officer for removal of posts divulging victim’s identity

During the Supreme Court hearing on the Kolkata rape case, CJI Chandrachud ordered the court-constituted National Task Force (NTF) to submit its interim report on the next date of hearing. Ms. Jaising requests the Bench to include one additional member in the task force from the WB Association of Doctors. Denying the plea, CJI Chandrachud remarks – “...All that you have to do is address an email, and they will ensure that representation of the residential doctors will be heard.”

Karnataka HC stays investigation against Nirmala Sitharaman, others over electoral bonds extortion allegation

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday (September 30, 2024) stayed the investigation into the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others on September 28, for allegedly “extorting” thousands of crores of rupees from companies by misusing the electoral bond scheme and using the agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the interim order on a petition filed by Nalin Kumar Kateel, former president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit, who has been arraigned as accused number 4 in the FIR.

Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Kassem vows to fight on after Hassan Nasrallah’s death

Hezbollah’s deputy leader vowed to continue fighting Israel and said the militant group was prepared for a long war after much of its top command was wiped out, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. In his first speech since Nasrallah was killed, Naim Kassem said in a televised statement on Monday (September 30, 2024) that if Israel decides to launch a ground offensive, Hezbollah fighters are ready to fight and defend Lebanon, where the group is based. As deputy secretary-general, Naim Kassem now is the acting leader of Hezbollah until the group’s leadership elects a replacement for Nasrallah.

Iran will not leave Israel’s ‘criminal acts’ unanswered, says foreign ministry

Iran will not leave any of “the criminal acts” of Israel unanswered, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday (September 30, 2024) referring to the killing of Hezbollah’s chief and an Iranian Guard deputy commander in Lebanon. Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan was killed in Israeli strikes in Beirut on Friday (September 27, 2024), in which Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also died.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award: reward for Mithun Chakraborty’s versatility

In an industry which foists a new deity every Friday, Mithun Chakraborty’s has been a story of resilience. Announced as the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award on Monday (September 30, 2024), Mithun Chakraborty has never been a prisoner of image. From arthouse to mainstream commercial cinema to even fare meant unabashedly for frontbenchers, he has straddled different genres with consummate ease.