TODAY NEWS ON August 16, 2024
News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: The HINDU

National News:

• Indian Medical Association announces 24-hour closure of several services from 6 a.m. on August 17
• Standardise pay scale for medical students, teachers, says National Medical Commission
• Army recruitment scam busted; one held in Ahmednagar
• 75,000 new medical seats in the next five years, says PM Modi
• Mob attack fails to quell doctors’ fight for justice in Bengal
• In his 11th I-day speech, PM Modi flags ‘secular civil code’, women’s safety, exudes pragmatism on Bangladesh
• States should act on crimes against women with utmost urgency, instil fear among perpetrators: PM Modi
• It’s India’s dream to host 2036 Olympics, preparations are on: PM Modi
• Allies wary, seek clarity as PM announces push for Uniform Civil Code in Independence Day speech
• Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Nine persons detained for vandalism at R.G. Kar Hospital
• India should ensure welfare of Hindus in Bangladesh: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

International News:

• Sweden reports first case of deadly mpox strain outside Africa
• Events in Bangladesh teach us not to take liberty for granted: CJI
• Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Doha as deaths top 40,000
• U.S. vice-presidential candidates Walz, Vance agree to October debate
• Sri Lanka’s presidential race draws 39 aspirants
• Probe starts against former Bangladesh PM Hasina, 9 others for genocide, crimes against humanity
• Ukrainian drone attack damages 2 hangars, satellite images show, as fighting in Russia grinds on
• Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, says UNESCO
• Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter to be nominated as new Prime Minister

Headlines in detail:

Indian Medical Association announces 24-hour closure of several services from 6 a.m. on August 17

The Indian Medical Association announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services from 6 a.m. on August 17 to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the State-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the subsequent vandalism at the facility.z

Standardise pay scale for medical students, teachers, says National Medical Commission

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed that the pay scale structure of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi be adopted for interns, postgraduate students, super-specialty students, and medical college teachers to ensure equity and fairness in compensation, promote job satisfaction and attract high-quality faculty and students.

Countdown begins for ISRO’s third and final developmental flight SSLV-D3-EOS8 mission

The countdown for the launch of an earth observation satellite, onboard the third and final development flight of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle-03 commenced on Friday (August 16, 2024) ISRO said. The SSLV-D3-EOS-08 mission follows the second successful launch of the second test flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2-EOS-07) in February 2023.

Army recruitment scam busted; one held in Ahmednagar

Another case of fake Army recruitment has been busted, this time in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra by the Army’s Military Intelligence (MI). One individual was arrested. The accused cheated several persons by claiming that he knew senior officers and would get them jobs in the Army as cooks, defence civilians etc and collected ₹8,30,000.

Sweden reports first case of deadly mpox strain outside Africa

Sweden on Thursday (August 15, 2024) announced the first case outside Africa of the more dangerous variant of mpox, which the WHO has declared a global public health emergency.

Events in Bangladesh teach us not to take liberty for granted: CJI

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Independence Day said events in neighbouring Bangladesh were a clear reminder to not take our freedom and liberty for granted.

Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Doha as deaths top 40,000

Gaza ceasefire talks resumed in Doha as pressure mounted for a deal to halt the spread of a war that the Hamas-run territory’s Health Ministry said has killed 40,000. A source with knowledge of the talks confirmed to AFP that they had begun in the Qatari capital, Doha.

U.S. vice-presidential candidates Walz, Vance agree to October debate

The running mates of White House rivals Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have agreed to face off in at least one vice-presidential debate, accepting an invitation from CBS News for an October 1 showdown.

75,000 new medical seats in the next five years, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Central Government will create 75,000 new medical seats over the next five years as part of the government’s move to augment the country’s healthcare infrastructure.

Mob attack fails to quell doctors’ fight for justice in Bengal

Hours after a mob vandalised their protest site at the emergency ward of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH) in the early hours of August 15, junior doctors, students and nurses continued their agitation against the rape and murder of a female doctor on duty through Independence Day with renewed vigour.

In his 11th I-day speech, PM Modi flags ‘secular civil code’, women’s safety, exudes pragmatism on Bangladesh

In his 11th successive Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a renewed push to the BJP’s ideological aim of a Uniform Civil Code, reframing the idea as a “secular civil code” enshrined in the Constitution and a way of ensuring equality before law for all. “The Supreme Court has repeatedly discussed a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), in India. A large section of the country believes and its true, that in the civil code, what we have is a communal civil code. The need of the hour is a secular civil code only then will we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion. It is our duty to fulfil the vision of our Constitution makers,” he said.

States should act on crimes against women with utmost urgency, instil fear among perpetrators: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday (August 15, 2024), said State governments should act on crimes against women with “utmost urgency” and called for instilling deterrence among perpetrators, his comments coming in the backdrop of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. “Crimes against women should be probed swiftly, and stringent punishment given to those who commit such demonic acts,” PM Modi said, stressing the need for societal introspection and creating fear of consequences among perpetrators.

It’s India’s dream to host 2036 Olympics, preparations are on: PM Modi

Asserting that India has the ability to stage large-scale global events, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (August 15, 2024) said the country is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to host the Olympics in 2036. Along with India, several other nations such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye are positioning themselves as strong contenders to host the sporting spectacle. The International Olympic Committee is expected to decide the host only next year after holding its elections.

Allies wary, seek clarity as PM announces push for Uniform Civil Code in Independence Day speech

Allies of the NDA, the Janata Dal (U) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have struck a cautious note after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of his government’s push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), albeit reframed as a “secular civil code”. Speaking to The Hindu, JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha said that “unless there is a concrete proposal we cannot possibly comment on the issue”. Earlier, JD(U) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi had said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s submission before the Law Commission exploring the issue was the party’s stand on the UCC.

Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Nine persons detained for vandalism at R.G. Kar Hospital

Police have so far detained nine persons for their alleged involvement in the vandalism at the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, where junior medics have been protesting over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor. Around midnight of Thursday (August 15, 2024), a group of around 40 people, posing as protesters, entered the hospital, vandalising the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking a stage where junior doctors had been demonstrating since August 9.

India should ensure welfare of Hindus in Bangaldesh: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Amid targeted attacks on the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday (August 15, 2024) said Hindus living there were being subjected to violence for no reason, and added that our country has the responsibility to ensure they do not face any injustice and atrocities. He was speaking after hoisting the national flag at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Mahal area here on the occasion of Independence Day.

Sri Lanka’s presidential race draws 39 aspirants

As many as 39 presidential aspirants will contest a crucial poll in Sri Lanka on September 21, the Election Commission said on Thursday (August 15, 2024), after closing nominations. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who rose to the top office through a parliamentary vote during the island nation’s 2022 crisis, is seeking a mandate to take forward his government’s economic reform agenda.

Probe starts against former Bangladesh PM Hasina, 9 others for genocide, crimes against humanity

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has started an investigation against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and nine others on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity that took place from July 15 to August 5 during students’ mass movement against her government. A complaint was filed on Wednesday (August 14, 2024) with the investigation agency of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal against Ms. Hasina, Awami League general secretary and former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and several other prominent figures within the party.

Ukrainian drone attack damages 2 hangars, satellite images show, as fighting in Russia grinds on

A Ukrainian drone attack on Russian air bases damaged at least two hangars and other areas, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Thursday (August 15, 2024) show. Images taken on Wednesday (August 14, 2024) by Planet Labs PBC analysed by the AP show that two hangars at Borisoglebsk Air Base had been struck, with a field of debris seen around both. It was not immediately clear what purpose the hangars served. There also appeared to be damage potentially done to two fighter aircraft at the base.

Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, says UNESCO

The Taliban have deliberately deprived 1.4 million Afghan girls of schooling through bans, a U.N. agency said on Thursday (August 15, 2024). Afghanistan is the only country in the world with bans on female secondary and higher education. The Taliban, who took power in 2021, barred education for girls above sixth grade because they said it didn’t comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. They didn’t stop it for boys and show no sign of taking the steps needed to reopen classrooms and campuses for girls and women.

Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter to be nominated as new Prime Minister

Thailand’s populist Pheu Thai party on Thursday (August 15, 2024) said it will nominate its party leader, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in a Parliament vote for the country’s new leader after former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was removed by a court order over an ethical violation. Ms. Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is seen as force behind Pheu Thai. He was the first Thai politician ever to win an overall majority of seats. The residual popularity of Mr. Thaksin is a factor in the support for Paetongtarn.