TODAY NEWS ON August 25, 2024

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: The Hindu

National Issues:

1. Assured pensions return as govt. backtracks on New Pension Scheme
2. CBI begins polygraph tests on seven linked to Kolkata rape and murder case
3. CBI takes over probe into financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College
4. Nicobar project will not disturb or displace tribes: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav
5. Cabinet approves scheme to boost biotech manufacturing
6. Rajnath Singh interacts with defence industry leaders in U.S.
7. KFPA welcomes Kerala HC directive to submit entire Hema Committee report in sealed cover
8. Hindus not migrating to India, staying in trouble-torn Bangladesh and fighting back: Himanta Biswa Sarma
9. Cognizant files lawsuit against Infosys over trade secrets, latter denies allegations
10. Shikhar Dhawan announces retirement
11. First-ever quotas for Indian surfing for 2026 Asian Games

International Issues:

1. NASA decides to keep astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in space until February
2. Zelenskyy seeks tie-up with India for producing drones, electronic warfare systems
3. Russia, Ukraine swap prisoners of war as Ukraine marks independence anniversary
4. After a traumatic fortnight, media in Bangladesh slowly returning to normal
5. German police arrest knife rampage suspect as Islamic State claims attack
6. Security forces exchange fire with terrorists in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir
7. Three dead, several wounded in knife attack on German festival in Solingen
8. Turkey and Russia resume joint patrols in northern Syria as Ankara seeks to mend ties with Assad
9. Iran bus crash: Pakistan flies home injured people, bodies of 28 Shia pilgrims killed
10. IAF airlifts bodies of 25 Indians killed in road accident in Nepal

Headlines in Detail:

Assured pensions return as govt. backtracks on New Pension Scheme

The NDA government on Saturday (August 24, 2024) reversed a 21-year-old reform of India’s civil services pension system boldly brought in by the Atal Behari Vajpayee government, unveiling what it called a new ‘Unified Pension Scheme’ (UPS) that is virtually akin to the Old Pension Scheme, and assures government employees 50% of their last drawn pay as a lifelong monthly benefit.

NASA decides to keep astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in space until February

NASA decided on Saturday (August 24, 2024) it’s too risky to bring two astronauts back to Earth in Boeing’s troubled new capsule, and they’ll have to wait until next year for a ride home with SpaceX. What should have been a weeklong test flight for the pair will now last more than eight months.

CBI begins polygraph tests on seven linked to Kolkata rape and murder case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday (August 24, 2024) started the process of conducting polygraph tests on seven people, in connection with the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (MCH).
CBI takes over probe into financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case of alleged financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata during the tenure of former principal Sandip Ghosh, officials said. The action came at the direction of the Calcutta High Court, which transferred the probe to the agency from a State-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT). The High Court issued directives on a petition by former Deputy Superintendent of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Akhtar Ali, who requested a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into alleged financial misconduct at the medical college during the tenure of Ghosh.

Nicobar project will not disturb or displace tribes: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav

The development of a port and airport in the pristine Nicobar islands “will not disturb or displace” any of the Shompen, one of the indigenous, vulnerable tribes native to the island, according to Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav. He offered the assurances in a written response this week to concerns raised by Rajya Sabha MP and Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh earlier this month.

Cabinet approves scheme to boost biotech manufacturing

The Union Cabinet on Saturday (August 24, 2024) cleared a proposal to bolster biotechnology-based manufacturing, called BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy for Fostering High Performance Biomanufacturing. To be steered by the Department of Biotechnology, the aim is to have it catalyse a technology revolution “just as the IT industry revolutionised life in the 1990s”, an internal note viewed by The Hindu said.

Rajnath Singh interacts with defence industry leaders in U.S.

On the second day of his visit to the United States, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interacted with the senior leadership of American defence companies at a round-table in Washington, and outlined the various emerging co-development and co-production opportunities in the sector in India.

Zelenskyy seeks tie-up with India for producing drones, electronic warfare systems

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pitched for greater cooperation with India in high-end technologies across several areas such as agriculture, cybersecurity and defence, stressing co-production of drones, electronic warfare systems, among others. He said he discussed these during talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Russia, Ukraine swap prisoners of war as Ukraine marks independence anniversary

Russia and Ukraineexchanged over 100 prisoners of war on Saturday as Kyiv marked its third Independence Day since Moscow's full-scale invasion. Ukraine said the 115 servicemen who were freed were conscripts, many of whom were taken prisoner in the first months of Russia’s invasion. Among them are nearly 50 soldiers captured by Russian forces from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol. The Russian Defence Ministry said the 115 Russian soldiers had been captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched their surprise offensive into Russia two weeks ago. The Ministry said the soldiers were currently in Belarus but would be taken to Russia for medical treatment and rehabilitation.

After a traumatic fortnight, media in Bangladesh slowly returning to normal

On August 19, a group of men arrived at the East West Media Group’s office in the heart of Dhaka and indulged in vandalism. They also hurt a female journalist and threatened those present. The media house in the Bashundhara neighbourhood is home to several leading newspaper and TV brands in Bangladesh which had navigated Sheikh Hasina’s iron-fisted media and social media policies and had managed to thrive during the past one-and-a-half decades.

German police arrest knife rampage suspect as Islamic State claims attack

German police on Saturday (August 24, 2024) arrested the suspect behind a knife rampage that left three people dead at a local festival in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. The assailant fled after striking in the western town of Solingen late on Friday (August 23, 2024), sparking a day-long manhunt.

Security forces exchange fire with terrorists in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir

“An exchange of fire broke out between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday,” the police said. “The area was cordoned off and searches were underway,” they said. "Exchange of fire at Watergam area of Sopore. Alert security forces retaliated," the police's Kashmir zone said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

KFPA welcomes Kerala HC directive to submit entire Hema Committee report in sealed cover

The Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) has welcomed the Kerala High Court’s directive to the Government to submit the entire K. Hema Committee report on the problems faced by women in the Malayalam film industry in sealed cover. The association said in a communication that the public release of the redacted form of the report had resulted in a misconception among the people that all in the industry were villains. It also agreed that the complaints lodged by women, who deposed before the committee had to be resolved. The association stated that it had taken steps to ensure the signing of agreements with people receiving remuneration from the producers. “Social media campaigns had also been arranged to spread awareness against fake casting calls,” it said.

Hindus not migrating to India, staying in trouble-torn Bangladesh and fighting back: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed Hindus have not tried to enter India from Bangladesh since the neighbouring country plunged into instability on Saturday “Hindus are staying and fighting in Bangladesh. In the last one month, not a single Hindu person has been detected trying to enter India,” he said at a press conference in Silchar. He also asserted that Muslims from the neighbouring country were attempting to crossover to seek employment in India’s textile sector.

Three dead, several wounded in knife attack on German festival in Solingen

German police on Saturday extended a major manhunt after a man stabbed to death three people and wounded eight others at a street festival in the city of Solingen. Police closed off the centre of Solingen, while victims and witnesses were being questioned about the attack on Friday night, according to a statement which said five of the injured were in “serious” condition. Special forces were among security personnel in the city centre while a helicopter flew overhead, according to an AFP journalist. “An unidentified man attacked several people with a knife around 9.40 p.m. (19:40 GMT),” said the statement released by police in the nearby city of Duesseldorf.

Turkey and Russia resume joint patrols in northern Syria as Ankara seeks to mend ties with Assad

Turkey and Russia have resumed joint military patrols in northern Syria after nearly a year’s break, the Turkish Defence Ministry announced on Saturday. The renewed Turkish-Russian patrols come as Ankara is trying to repair its relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose regime draws support from Moscow. Mr. Assad has said he will only meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria and an end to Ankara’s support for Syrian fighters that Damascus considers terrorists. “Turkish and Russian soldiers first began joint operations in the area in November 2019, conducting 344 patrols until October last year, when they were suspended,” the Ministry said.

Iran bus crash: Pakistan flies home injured people, bodies of 28 Shia pilgrims killed

“Pakistan brought home on Friday the bodies of 28 Shia pilgrims killed in a bus crash in Iran this week while heading to Iraq for a pilgrimage. A Pakistani military aircraft also flew back 23 pilgrims injured in the accident,” officials said. Authorities have not revealed the cause of the crash near the city of Taft, some 500 km southeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Funeral were to take place in the victims' home districts on Saturday. The pilgrims were from Pakistan's southern Sindh province, according to Nasir Shah, a provincial government spokesman.

IAF airlifts bodies of 25 Indians killed in road accident in Nepal

A military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Saturday (August 24, 2024) brought to Maharashtra's Jalgaon the mortal remains of 25 Indian pilgrims from Bharatpur in Nepal. The Indians were killed in a tragic bus accident on Friday in Tanahun district of Nepal, around 115 kilometres from Kathmandu.

Cognizant files lawsuit against Infosys over trade secrets, latter denies allegations

IT major Cognizant’s subsidiary TriZetto has slapped a lawsuit on Infosys in a U.S. federal court, accusing the Bengaluru-headquartered company of stealing trade secrets and information related to healthcare insurance software. Infosys, in a statement, denied all allegations. The company asserted it is aware of the lawsuit and will defend its position in the court. Cognizant has reportedly alleged that Infosys misused TriZetto’s software to create “Test Cases for Facets,” which repackaged its data into an Infosys product. Further, it has reportedly alleged that Infosys created software to extract data from QNXT, that contained confidential TriZetto information.

Shikhar Dhawan announces retirement

Veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket two years after he last donned the national jersey, saying that he leaves the scene a content man after representing the country in all three formats. Dhawan said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

First-ever quotas for Indian surfing for 2026 Asian Games

In a historic day for Indian surfing, the team participating in the Asian surfing championships in Thulusdhoo (Maldives) has secured its first-ever quotas for the upcoming Asian Games 2026, with one spot each for men and women, according to a release from the Surfing Federation of India. The quotas have been earned based on the ranking points accumulated by Indian surfers in the Asian Championship. Kishore Kumar, who advanced into the championships’ semifinal on Friday (August 23) missed out narrowly in a stiff competition, but his spectacular performance throughout the tournament ensured that India earned quotas for the Asian Games.