TODAY NEWS ON September 21, 2024

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: The Hindu

National News

• Doctors set to resume work but protests continue to rage in Kolkata
• Decks cleared for Atishi to take oath as Delhi Chief Minister
• NIA searches four Punjab locations in Pannun case
• FIRs against Rahul Gandhi over statements on Sikhs in India
• Nationwide outrage over custodial abuse pushes Majhi government into damage control mode
• ‘Blockchain,’ ‘smart materials’ among list of ‘innovate’ projects mooted in PM solar scheme
• Opposition rejects Sufi council’s plea for separate dargah board
• Key recommendations in simultaneous elections report ‘flawed’, says former CEC Quraishi
• Union Health Ministry seeks report on Tirupati laddu issue; ‘will take suitable action’, says J.P. Nadda
• Tirumala laddus row: Samples of ghee used by TTD contained ‘foreign fat’ says NDDB report
• Land-for-jobs case: Sanctions to prosecute Lalu Prasad obtained, CBI tells court
• China ready to welcome more Indian firms into Chinese market: Envoy
• Bombay High Court nixes Centre’s bid to set up fact-check unit
• Amit Shah asks Naxals to lay down arms or face action
• CBI files second chargesheet in NEET UG 2024 paper leak case against six accused
• SC directs govt. to produce chart on each name reiterated by Collegium for judicial appointments
• Odisha women commission begins probe into ‘sexual assault’ of woman at police station
• YouTube channel under the Indian Supreme Court name hacked to promote XRP cryptocurrency
• EY chairman expresses regret, says will not rest till harmonious workplace achieved
• West Bengal floods: CM Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi
• Sensex soars 1,359 pts to settle above historic 84,000 mark; banks shares shine in global rally
• Unsafe food causes 600 million cases of illnesses, 4,20,000 deaths annually: WHO chief
• Hezbollah handed out pagers hours before blasts — even after checks
• Residents in Kyiv asked to stay indoors as air pollution blankets Ukrainian capital
• Chess Olympiad: Indian men march on, but women’s great run finally ends

International News
 

• Sri Lanka to choose President in crucial contest on September 21
• Top Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil killed in Israeli strike
• ‘Indian spies’ allegation: Australian PM Albanese says such matters raised ‘privately’

Headlines in Detail:

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.

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.

Union Health Ministry seeks report on Tirupati laddu issue; ‘will take suitable action’, says J.P. Nadda

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said he had spoken to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and sought a full report on the Tirupati laddu issue and added that the Centre would examine the matter and take suitable action. Meanwhile, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Executive Officer Shyamala Rao, said that “not having own adulteration laboratory or not sending the ghee samples to outside labs for quality testing were main reasons for compromise on poor quality of ghee.”

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.

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.

sBombay High Court nixes Centre’s bid to set up fact-check unit

The Bombay High Court held as unconstitutional and struck down the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules which sought to identify fake and false content on social media against the government. The impugned rules are violative of Article 14 (right to equality), 19 (freedom of speech and expression) and 19(1)(g) (freedom and right to profession) of the Constitution of India,” the judge said.

‘Indian spies’ allegation: Australian PM Albanese says such matters raised ‘privately’

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said matters like the expulsion of “spies” are raised “privately” when asked if an incident involving Indian citizens will come up when he meets his counterpart Narendra Modi at the Quad summit. Mr. Albanese said, “Well, what I do is act diplomatically and have those discussions, and that will, no doubt, be something that is raised.”

Amit Shah asks Naxals to lay down arms or face action

Prime Minister Modi has decided that Naxalism and its ideology will be uprooted from the country, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming to end Left Wing Extremism in Chattisgarh by March 31, 2026. The Home Minister appealed to Naxals to give up violence, lay down arms, and surrender. “If Naxals don’t listen to my appeal to give up violence, we will soon launch all-out operation against them,” he added.

CBI files second chargesheet in NEET UG 2024 paper leak case against six accused

CBI has filed a second charge sheet in connection with the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) 2024 question paper theft case, before the Special Court for CBI cases in Patna against six accused. So far, a total of 48 individuals have been arrested in connection with this NEET Paper leak case.

SC directs govt. to produce chart on each name reiterated by Collegium for judicial appointments

The Supreme Court asked the government to explain its reasons for sitting on names reiterated by the apex court Collegium for months or even years together, reminding the Centre that it cannot treat the Collegium like a mere “search committee” whose recommendations can be ignored or accepted at the Union’s discretion. The CJI said the intention of the court behind this exercise was not to “unearth skeletons in the cupboard but to move forward so that the business of governance proceeds”.

Odisha women commission begins probe into ‘sexual assault’ of woman at police station

Taking suo-motu cognisance of the alleged sexual assault of a fiancé of an army officer in Bharatpur police station, the Odisha State Commission for Women started an investigation into the incident. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that his government will take stringent action against those involved in the alleged torture of an army officer and sexual assault of his fiancee at a police station in Bhubaneswar.

YouTube channel under the Indian Supreme Court name hacked to promote XRP cryptocurrency

A YouTube channel under the Indian Supreme Court name was hacked, as the URL re-directed users to a page that showed media promoting a cryptocurrency developed by the U.S.-based company Ripple Labs. The apex court has been using YouTube to stream live hearings of cases listed before constitution benches, and matters involving public interest.

EY chairman expresses regret, says will not rest till harmonious workplace achieved

Ernst & Young India chairman Rajiv Memani has expressed regret at not attending the funeral of a 26-year-old employee whose death was blamed on stress by her mother, and said he will not rest till achieving the goal of harmonious workplace. Anna Sebastian Perayil, who passed her CA exams in 2023 and worked at EY Pune office for four months, died in July.

West Bengal floods: CM Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the State would sever all ties with Damodar Valley Corporation for “unilaterally releasing water” which led to floods in south Bengal districts. In a four-page letter to PM Modi, she claimed that five million people in West Bengal had been affected by the floods and requested him to immediately sanction and release Central funds to address the widespread devastation caused by the deluge.

Sensex soars 1,359 pts to settle above historic 84,000 mark; banks shares shine in global rally

Benchmark Sensex closed above the historic 84,000 mark for the first time while Nifty settled at a new record high, powered by a rally in frontline bank stocks along with upbeat trends in the U.S. and Asian markets. The 30-share Bombay Stock Exchange sensex jumped 1,359.51 points, or 1.63%, to settle at an all-time high of 84,544.31. During the day, it soared 1,509.66 points, or 1.81%, to hit the momentous intra-day peak of 84,694.46.

Unsafe food causes 600 million cases of illnesses, 4,20,000 deaths annually: WHO chief

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, highlighted the critical role of food regulators in combating unsafe food, which causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 4,20,000 deaths annually. He said that 70% of fatalities from unsafe food occur among children under five.

Hezbollah handed out pagers hours before blasts — even after checks

Lebanon’s Hezbollah was still handing its members new Gold Apollo branded pagers hours before thousands blew up this week, two security sources said, indicating the group was confident the devices were safe despite an ongoing sweep of electronic kit to identify threats. “A pager given to a senior member just days earlier injured a subordinate when it detonated,” the second source added.

Residents in Kyiv asked to stay indoors as air pollution blankets Ukrainian capital

Authorities in Ukraine advised residents in the capital Kyiv to stay indoors as air pollution, partly caused by fires in the region, blanketed the city. Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources said the pollution was a result of the burning of peatlands and other wildfires in the region combined with autumn temperature fluctuations.

Chess Olympiad: Indian men march on, but women’s great run finally ends

India’s men overcame one of their strongest opponents at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest in some style. They crushed Iran 3.5-0.5 in the eighth round to retain their sole lead position with just three rounds remaining. India was off to a bad start, with Monika Socko defeating R. Vaishali on the second board. But, Divya Deshmukh made it 1-1 with her win on the third board against Aleksandra Maltsevskaya.