Tag: REET

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Ford to stop manufacturing cars in India; 4,000 employees to lose jobs

U.S.-headquartered Ford on Thursday announced a restructuring of the Indian operation under which the company will stop manufacturing vehicles at its two plants in the country, resulting in loss of jobs for about 4,000 employees. Ford India will cease manufacturing vehicles for sale in India immediately…[the company] will wind down vehicle assembly in Sanand by the fourth quarter of 2021 and vehicle and engine manufacturing in Chennai by the second quarter of 2022, the company said in a statement. Ford said India will remain home to Ford’s second-largest salaried workforce globally, and in addition to Ford Business Solutions, Ford India will continue engine manufacturing for export, as well as full customer support operations with service, aftermarket parts and warranty support. It also added that more than 500 employees at the Sanand Engine plant, which produces engines for export for the best-selling Ranger pickup truck, and about 100 employees supporting parts distribution and customer service, will continue to support Ford’s business in India. The company said that it plans to serve customers in India with iconic vehicles, including Mustang coupe. Customers in India also will benefit longer term from the Company’s plan to invest more than U.S. $30 billion globally to deliver all-new hybrid and fully electric vehicles, such as Mustang Mach-E, it said. Ford said it will continue to provide customers in India with ongoing parts, service, and warranty support. The decision follows accumulated operating losses of more than $2 billion over the past 10 years and a $0.8 billion non-operating write-down of assets in 2019. Ford India will maintain parts depots in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Sanand and Kolkata and will work closely with its dealer network to restructure and help facilitate their transition from sales and service to parts and service support. 

 

Al-Qaeda may seek a comeback in Afghanistan: Pentagon chief. 

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday alQaeda may attempt to regenerate in Afghanistan following an American withdrawal that has left the Taliban in power. Mr. Austin spoke to reporters in Kuwait City at the conclusion of a four-day tour of Gulf states. He said Washington was prepared to prevent a return of the extremist group in Afghanistan that would threaten the U.S. The whole community is kind of watching to see what happens and whether or not al-Qaeda has the ability to regenerate in Afghanistan, he said. The nature of alQaeda and (the Islamic State group) is they will always attempt to find space to grow and regenerate, whether it’s there, whether it’s in Somalia, or whether it’s in any other ungoverned space. I Lloyd Austin think that’s the nature of the organisation. The Taliban had provided al-Qaeda with sanctuary while it ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. The U.S. invaded and overthrew the Taliban after it refused to turn over al-Qaeda leaders following the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States. During the course of the 20-year U.S. war, al-Qaeda was vastly diminished, but questions have arisen about its future prospects with the Taliban back in Kabul. We put the Taliban on notice that we expect them to not allow that to happen, Mr. Austin said, referring to the possibility of al-Qaeda using Afghanistan as a staging base in future. In a February 2020 agreement with the Trump administration, the Taliban leaders pledged not to support al-Qaeda or other extremist groups that would threaten the United States. But U.S. officials believe the Taliban maintain ties to al-Qaeda, and many nations, including the Gulf Arab states, are concerned that the Taliban’s return to power could open the door to a resurgence of al-Qaeda influence. Mr. Austin asserted that the U.S. military is capable of containing al-Qaeda or any other extremist threat to the U.S. emanating from Afghanistan by using surveillance and strike aircraft based elsewhere, including in the Gulf.

NATIONAL NEWS 

IITs top Education Ministry’s rankings for 2021 

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras was ranked the best higher education institution in the country for the third year in a row by the Education Ministry, which released its India Rankings 2021 under the National Institutional Ranking Framework on Thursday. In fact, IITs dominated the overall rankings, with seven of the top 10 positions. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru ranked second, followed by IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Roorkee and IIT-Guwahati. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) closed out the top 10 at rank nine and 10 respectively. The Indian Institute of Technology Madras retained the top spot among institutes in the country among universities, IISc was ranked one, followed by JNU, BHU, Calcutta University, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Coimbatore, Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Jadavpur University, University of Hyderabad and Aligarh Muslim University at rank 10. Delhi University was placed 12 in the university rankings and 19 overall. Among engineering institutions, IIT-Madras remained number one, followed by IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Roorkee, IIT-Guwahati, IIT-Hyderabad, National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Tiruchirappalli and NIT-Karnataka. For management institutions, Indian Institute of Management (IIT)-Ahmedabad was ranked one, followed by IIM-Bangalore, IIM-Calcutta, IIT-Kozhikode, IIT-Delhi, IIM-Indore, IIM-Lucknow, Xavier Labour Relations Institute in Jamshedpur, IIT-Kharagpur and IIT-Bombay. Jamia Hamdard was ranked one for pharmacy, followed by Panjab University. Manipal College of Dental Sciences was ranked the best in the dental category. All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi scored the top rank for medical institutions, followed by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, Christian Medical College in Vellore, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bengaluru, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, BHU, Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research in Puducherry, King George’s Medical University in Lucknow and Kasturba Medical College in Manipal. Among institutions teaching law, National Law School of India University in Bengaluru was ranked number one, followed by National Law University in Delhi, NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, West Bengal National University of Juridicial Sciences, IIT-Kharagpur, Gujarat National Law University, Jamia Millia Islamia, National Law University in Jodhpur, Symbiosis Law School in Pune and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology in Bhubaneswar. IISc was ranked the best research institution, a category included for the first time.

 

Gyanvapi mosque title dispute: Allahabad High Court stays lower court proceedings 

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday placed an interim stay on the proceedings in a lower court in the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple title dispute in Varanasi, including the April order of the lower court which had directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a comprehensive physical survey of the Gyanvapi mosque compound adjacent to the temple. The HC put a stay on further proceedings in the original suit of 1991 pending before the court till the next date of listing on October 8. Justice Prakash Padia came down heavily on the lower court in Varanasi, saying that it should not have proceeded and decided the application filed by the plaintiffs in the original suit for survey by the ASI even as the judgment in the original pending petitions in the matter was reserved by the HC on March 15 the Court below should wait for the verdict in the petitions pending before this Court and not proceed further in the matter till the time a judgment is delivered. The judicial courtesy and decorum warranted such discipline which was expected from the Court below but for unfathomable reasons, neither of the courses were taken, said the HC. Justice Padia also regretted that the lower court judge departed from this traditional way in the present case and chose to examine the question himself. I have said so with the fond hope that judicial enthusiasm should not obliterate the profound responsibility that is expected from the Court below, Justice Padia observed. The court allowed the amendment applications filed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and the managing committee of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, and directed their counsel to make necessary amendments in the petition in three days. The lower court had in April directed the ASI to find out whether the Gyanvapi mosque was a superimposition, alteration or addition or there is structural overlapping of any kind, with or over, any other religious structure. Senior civil judge fast track court Ashutosh Tiwari had directed the Director General of the ASI to constitute a five-member committee of experts and those well versed in the science of archaeology, two out of which should preferably belong to the minority community. The committee would trace as to whether any Hindu temple ever existed before the mosque in question was built or superimposed or added upon at the disputed site, the judge has said. The order had come on a petition demanding the restoration of the land on which the Gyanvapi mosque stands to the Hindus, claiming that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had pulled down parts of the old Kashi Vishwanath temple to build the mosque.

 

‘Love jihad’ case: Gujarat High Court asks why government has problems when the woman wants to remain married? 

The Gujarat High Court today asked the State government to file an affidavit explaining its objections in an interfaith marriage case in which the police have lodged an FIR booking the husband, in-laws and priests for solemnising the marriage. The victim in the case has categorically stated that the contents of the FIR the Vadodara Police have lodged are not true and she wanted to remain married to the person who has been booked under the amended Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Act 2021 for forceful conversion through marriage. This is the first case the State police lodged after the Act was notified into the law to stop religious conversion through interfaith marriage using force, allurement or fraudulent means. Last month, provisions of the amended law dealing with interfaith marriages were stayed by the High Court. According to the details of the first case, seven persons were booked, including husband, in-laws and the priest who solemnised the marriage. All four have been arrested and are behind the bars. On Wednesday, the victim came to the High Court and stated before Justice I.J. Vora that she had voluntarily filed the petition seeking to quash the FIR and proceedings against her husband and others and also told the court that she wants to live together as married couple with her husband. In her petition in the High Court, the petitioner stated that when she had approached a local police station in Vadodara regarding petty and trivial matrimonial discord, the police, under the pressure of certain elements, brought in the love jihad angle and also registered the FIR under the new law. The police also added the charges of rape and sodomy in the FIR which she categorically denied and was even shocked that the police added such charges without asking her. In her petition, she also denied the charge of forceful conversion as mentioned by the police in the FIR and submitted that her affidavit in this regard denying such charges of forceful conversion and others was not accepted by the lower court while denying bails to the accused. She and her husband have stated that both were in a relationship and were aware of each other’s religion and both decided to solemnise their marriage as per the Islamic rites and the same was notarised and subsequently it was registered as per the Special Marriage Act. The couple have submitted that the girl’s father stood a witness in their marriage and both families had no issues but certain religio-political groups and overzealous police communalised and sensationalised their marriage. Now, the High Court has directed the State government to file an affidavit and explain its objections regarding the quashing of charges and criminal proceedings in the case by September 20.

 

Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments 

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 3,31,71,924 with the death toll at 4,41,970. The government today said 58% of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine while 18% got both the shots as the total number of jabs administered in the country crossed 72 crore. Addressing a press conference, officials said India is still going through the second wave of coronavirus infections and it is not over yet. They said 35 districts in the country are still reporting a weekly Covid-19 positivity rate of over 10% while in 30 districts it is between five to 10%. Providing data about the number of cases reported from different parts of the country, officials said 68.59% of the total infection reported in the country last week was from Kerala. About resuming physical classes in schools, the government officials said no scientific body or evidence suggests that vaccination of children should be a condition for reopening schools. However, vaccination of teachers, school employees and parents is desirable, they said.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Tamil Nadu becomes eighth State to pass resolution against CAA

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution urging the Centre to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 to protect and ensure unity and communal harmony and uphold the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution. The Centre should also fully give up its initiatives related to preparation of the National Population Register and National Register of Citizens, Chief Minister MK Stalin said in his initial remarks on the CAA ahead of proposing the resolution. Tamil Nadu became the eighth State to pass a resolution against the CAA, while neighbouring Kerala and Puducherry were the first State and first union territory respectively to go against the Centre’s 2019 amendment law on citizenship. The Union Territory was under Congress rule last year. Stalin said the CAA was a big betrayal of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees as it usurped the rights of a section of them who do not desire going back and wanted to settle down in India. If those (refugees) from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh can come (to India and get citizenship), why is there a bar on those belonging to Sri Lanka? This is the biggest betrayal of Sri Lankan Tamils (refugees), he said. Far from being concerned about Tamil refugees, the Union government actually discriminated against them and that was why this piece of legislation has to be opposed, he added. Refugees should be treated as only fellow human beings and there must be no discrimination on any grounds, be it religion, race or their country of origin and only this could be the correct view. Among the arguments advanced by Stalin against the CAA included a contention that it was against the basic structure of the Constitution and divided people. While the CAA provided for citizenship for refugees belonging to several faiths, Islamic people have been deliberately avoided and since this divides people based on religious lines, our party opposed this in the introductory stage itself (in Parliament), he said. The resolution moved by Stalin said the CAA passed by Parliament in 2019 is not in tune with the secular principles laid down in our Constitution and also not conducive to the communal harmony that prevails in India. As per established democratic principles, a nation should be governed taking into consideration the aspirations and concerns of the people belonging to all sections of society, the resolution said. Tamil Nadu follows Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh (Cabinet resolution) and Telangana (also, against National Population Register and National Register of Citizens), which had passed resolutions against the CAA. Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Jharkhand Assemblies had passed resolutions against the NRC and NPR, while Gujarat and Goa passed resolutions and a congratulatory motion respectively in favour of the CAA. The Meghalaya Assembly had passed a resolution, urging the Centre to keep the state out of the ambit of the CAA.

Women will be allowed to enter National Defence Academy, Centre informs SC 

The Centre today gave the Supreme Court the good news that it had taken a decision to allow women entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA), so far a male bastion, for recruitment into the Armed Forces. If this decision comes through formally on paper, women can prepare for a career in the Armed Forces immediately after Class 12. There is good news. The Forces at the highest level and the government has taken a decision last evening to induct girls for permanent commission through the National Defence Academy, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed a Bench led by Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh. The Bench asked the government to file an affidavit in this regard by September 22, the next date of hearing. It said the Armed Forces was a respected institution, but it had more to do regarding gender equality. The court admitted that it was not a happy situation for it to constantly nudge the authorities into taking action on bettering gender representation. The Bench said authorities needed to act by themselves. The court commended Bhati for taking pro-active measures in favour of women interested in a career in the Armed Forces. Bhati urged the court for the time being to maintain status quo about the admissions to NDA in the present academic year. The law officer said the NDA exam, originally scheduled for September 5, had been postponed to November. Consider granting status quo for this examination and let it continue, as it will need policy, procedure, training and infrastructure changes, Bhati submitted. On August 18, the court had issued an interim order allowing women candidates to take the NDA exam, which was then scheduled on September 5. The court had also then questioned why co-education is a problem in the Armed Forces. The court had orally observed that it was absurd that women were not allowed to appear for the NDA exam even after the Supreme Court, in a judgment, had directed permanent commission for women in the Army. On February 17, 2020, the Supreme Court had upheld permanent commission for women officers. The court had dismissed the government’s submissions that women were physiologically weaker than men as a sex stereotype and declared that Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers were eligible for permanent commission and command posts in the Army irrespective of their years of service. Women officers of the Indian Army have brought laurels to the force… Their track record of service to the nation is beyond reproach. To cast aspersion on their abilities on the ground of gender is an affront not only to their dignity as women but to the dignity of the members of the Indian Army – men and women – who serve as equal citizens in a common mission. The time has come for a realisation that women officers in the Army are not adjuncts to a male-dominated establishment whose presence must be ‘tolerated’ within narrow confines, Justice Chandrachud had observed in a 54-page judgment in the Army case.

At least 1 dead, 35 missing in Assam after ferries collide in the Brahmaputra

One person died and at least 35 others were missing after two ferries collided in the flooded Brahmaputra off Neamatighat in eastern Assam’s Jorhat district in the afternoon of September 8. The dead and the missing were on the smaller ferry that capsized after the collision with the bigger ferry from the opposite direction about 350m off the Neamatighat ferry point at about 3.30 p.m. IST. Jorhat district officials said 42 people onboard ‘Maa Kamala’, the smaller ferry that had set sail from Neamatighat for Kamalabari ferry point in Majuli island, either swam to safety or were rescued. All passengers on ‘Tipkai’, the bigger ferry that was en route to Neamatighat from Kamalabari, were rescued by the personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Jorhat’s Superintendent of Police Ankur Jain said the rescued included seven children. A few were admitted to local hospitals, but a 28-year-old woman among them died. A communication error between the operators of the two boats perhaps led to the collision after which the smaller ferry sank, Mr. Jain told The Hindu.

Don’t want press freedom muzzled, says SC, granting interim protection to journalists of news website from any coercive action by U.P. 

The Supreme Court today said it did not want press freedom to be muzzled, as it granted interim protection to journalists of a news website from any coercive action by the State of Uttar Pradesh. We are aware of fundamental rights. We do not want press freedom to be muzzled, Justice L. Nageswara Rao addressed advocates Nitya Ramakrishnan and Shadan Farasat, appearing for the Foundation for Independent Journalism, which runs The Wire website. The foundation and some journalists with the website had approached the court against FIRs registered against them by the State. The court, however, advised the petitioners to approach the Allahabad High Court first rather than the apex court directly. The petitioners agreed to withdraw from the Supreme Court, which granted them interim protection for two months. Ramakrishnan said the FIRs were baseless. The news reports on which the FIRs were registered were factual and correct. The police action stifled the constitutionally guaranteed right of press freedom.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Iran urged to resume nuclear talks

The U.S. and Germany on Wednesday stepped up pressure on Iran to return soon to talks on its nuclear programme. The last round of talks by the remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear accord ended in June and no date has been set for their resumption.Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said it takes two to three months for the new administration to establish and do planning for any sort of decision. Asked whether the delay suggested by Iran is too long, Mr. Blinken said: I’m not going to put a date on it, but we are getting closer to the point at which a strict return to the compliance with the (nuclear deal) does not reproduce the benefits that that agreement achieved. We’ve been very clear that the ability to rejoin the (deal), return to mutual compliance, is not indefinite, he added. On Tuesday, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Iran has continued to increase its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in breach of the accord. The IAEA also said that its verification and monitoring activities have been seriously undermined.

China welcomes Taliban govt. as ‘end to anarchy’

China on Wednesday welcomed the Taliban’s announcement of formation of an interim government as a necessary step and an end to the anarchyin Afghanistan. Beijing also appeared to water down its earlier stand of underlining the importance of the Taliban setting up an inclusive government, which some officials had suggested was an expectation of Beijing as it considers recognising the new regime. Asked how China viewed Tuesday’s announcement by the Taliban of an interim government – one comprised of several sanctioned terrorists, no minorities, and no women and whether Beijing would recognise this government, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: The Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan is operating normally. We stand ready to maintain communication with the new Afghan government and leaders. We hope the new Afghan administration in the capacity of interim government will broadly solicit the opinions of all ethnic groups and factions and live up to the expectation of the Afghan people and aspiration of the international community, he added. We noted that the Afghan Taliban stressed that all people will benefit from the new administration. Necessary step China earlier said it would consider recognising the Taliban only after government-formation in Kabul. Mr. Wang welcomed the announcement of an interim government, saying this has put an end to the anarchy in Afghanistan that lasted for over three weeks and is a necessary step for Afghanistan to restore domestic order and pursue post war reconstruction. China’s position on the Afghan issue is consistent and clear, he said. We always respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, adhere to noninterference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, and support the Afghan people in independently choosing a development path suited to the country’s conditions. Mr. Wang did add that China hoped Afghanistan will establish a broadly based and inclusive political structure, follow moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, resolutely combat all types of terrorist forces, and live on friendly terms with other countries, especially its neighbours. China and Russia, as well as China and Pakistan, have been regularly engaging on the Afghan issue in recent weeks. Mr. Wang said China had on September 5 attended a meeting with special representatives of Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan held under the chairmanship of the Pakistani side.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Pegasus issue: SC agrees to Centre’s request to adjourn hearing of pleas for independent probe

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to the Centre’s request to adjourn the hearing of petitions for an independent probe into allegations of the government using Israeli-based Pegasus spyware to snoop on citizens. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana adjourned the hearing to September 13 after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said he could not meet with officials to discuss the issue. Mehta indicated that the government may be filing an affidavit in the case, and he needed time to meet with the officials concerned. Earlier, in August, the government had filed a two-page affidavit denying all and any allegations. Haven’t you already filed an affidavit? the CJI referred to the August affidavit. Mehta submitted that the court had left it open for the government to file another, detailed affidavit, if necessary. The court had issued pre-admission in the case on August 17. In fact, on that day, the government had argued against a public hearing of the case, citing national security concerns. The Centre had asked the court, instead, to allow it to form an independent committee of experts to look into Pegasus snooping reports. As a responsible government, we are submitting that we will form a Committee of neutral experts, whose report will be placed before the Supreme Court… I repeat, it is not my case that I will not divulge anything. All will be revealed before the Committee… Let me do that before a Committee… Permit us to form a Committee… We will place its report before the Supreme Court itself, Mehta had urged the court on August 17. The court had, however, made it clear that there was no question of compromising national security. We are not going to ask you to divulge anything that will harm the defence of the nation… We are extremely reluctant to say anything on that. But the question here is that there are some persons of eminence who have come here, saying there has been interception of their phones… That can be done, but with the permission of the competent authority… What is the problem if that competent authority filed an affidavit before us? In the affidavit we don’t want a single word on any aspect that relates to the security of the nation… All we are saying is that we are issuing simple notice… Let the competent authority say to what extent what information can be disclosed, Justice Surya Kant had explained. 

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s father arrested for ‘derogatory’ remarks against community 

The Raipur Police have arrested Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s father, Nand Kumar Baghel, from Delhi in a case registered against him for allegedly making derogatory remarks against a community, an official said here on Tuesday. After being brought from the national capital, Nand Kumar Baghel was produced in a local court which sent him to jail under judicial remand for 15 days, he said. The CM had strongly disapproved of the objectionable remarks allegedly made by his 86-year-old father and asserted nobody is above law. Nand Kumar Baghel was arrested and brought from Delhi to Raipur on Tuesday, Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police Tarkeshwar Patel said. He was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Janak Kumar Hidko, who sent him to 15-day judicial custody, he added. According to police, the octogenarian did not apply for bail. The case against Nand Kumar Baghel was lodged on Saturday night at the DD Nagar police station in Raipur on a complaint filed by the ‘Sarv Brahmin Samaj’ against him. He was charged under Indian Penal Code Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 505(1)(b) (with intent to cause, or likely to cause, fear or alarm to public, or to any section of public whereby any person may be induced to commit offence against the State or against public tranquility), police had said. The outfit, in its complaint, alleged that the CM’s father recently made a controversial appeal to people to boycott Brahmins by calling them foreigners, and asked people to not let them enter their villages. The organisation also accused Nand Kumar Baghel of asking people to evict Brahmins from the country. The organisation had said a video of the purported comments of the CM’s father was available on social media platforms. According to the police, Nand Kumar Baghel reportedly made the remarks while addressing an event in Uttar Pradesh recently. After a controversy erupted over the alleged remarks of his father, the Chief Minister had said he was pained and asserted nobody was above law and police will take appropriate action in the matter. The remarks made by my father Nand Kumar Baghel against a specific class have come to my attention. The comments have hurt the sentiments of the class as well as (affected) social harmony and I am also pained by them, Bhupesh Baghel had said in a statement. Nobody is above law under my government even if he is the chief minister’s 86-year-old father, the Congress CM had added. The statement further reiterated that Chhattisgarh government respects every religion, caste and community and their sentiments, and gives equal importance to everyone. 

Rona Wilson granted 14 days bail for father’s last rites 

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday granted 14 days bail to activist Rona Wilson to complete his father’s last rites. Wilson, accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case, was arrested on March 6, 2018, and is currently lodged at Taloja Central Jail. He will be released on a personal bond of ₹50,000 with one or two sureties. Special Judge D.E. Kothalikar directed that Wilson be released from September 13 to September 27 so that he could go to his home in Kerala and attend a mass for his father scheduled on September 16. Wilson’s father passed away on August 18 and he moved the special court seeking permission on September 1 to go home. His plea, filed through advocate R. Satyanarayan, sought interim bail of two weeks on humanitarian grounds as meeting his family would bring him some solace. The court granted bail on condition that Wilson would submit details of travel to the NIA Superintendent with address of stay at Kerala; he would submit details of at least three blood relations with proof of residential and work addresses; he would surrender his passport before the court; he would mark his presence on September 14 and September 24; and he would surrender on September 27 at 6 p.m. The NIA opposed the plea and said, Neither is his [Mr. Wilson’s] presence necessary nor has he proved that the ceremonial mass at the church could not happen in his absence. He is simply creating a ground to be released. 

Farmers gather in Karnal for mahapanchayat, talks with officials ‘fail’ 

Farmers gathered in large numbers in Karnal for a mahapanchayat as the local authorities braced themselves for a possible gherao of the district headquarters by protesters after talks between farm leaders and officials appeared to yield no result. Farmer unions had demanded action against officials over the lathicharge against protesters on August 28 in Karnal. Otherwise, they had threatened, farmers will lay siege to the Karnal mini-Secretariat. As farmers gathered for the mahapanchayat, an 11-member delegation was invited by the local administration to discuss their demands and dissuade them from marching towards the secretariat. The administration did not agree to our demands, Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union [Chaduni] leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni told reporters three hours after the talks began. He said the talks had failed to yield results. Now, the next course of action will be decided at the mahapanchayat, he said when asked if the protesters will go ahead with their plan to gherao the district headquarters, a few kilometres away. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters that they had demanded the suspension of the IAS officer who was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to break heads of protesting farmers if they crossed the line. Rakesh Tikait, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Darshan Pal and Yogendra Yadav were among the senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders who had reached Karnal for the rally being held days after a huge mahapanchayat in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting for months over the three farm laws enacted by the Centre, claiming that the legislation will lead to the erosion of the minimum support price (MSP) system.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Taliban disperse Kabul rally, arrest journalists 

As many Afghans took to the streets staging small, isolated demonstrations in various cities, including the capital Kabul, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif, the Taliban on Tuesday fired shots into the air to disperse crowds. The protesters, mainly women, had gathered for an anti-Pakistan rally in the capital, the latest protest since the hardline Islamist movement swept to power last month. Tuesday’s demonstration comes after the Taliban claimed total control over Afghanistan a day earlier, saying they had won the key battle for the Panjshir Valley, the last holdout of resistance against their rule. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA), however, rejected their claim and said the NRF forces are present in all strategic positions across the valley to continue the fight against the Taliban. Panjshir, which was the last hideout of the escapee enemy, is captured, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had said in a press conference on Monday. However, Ahmad Massoud, son of a hero of the resistance to the Soviets and the Taliban, remained defiant and said that the NRFA is still fighting strategically and that the valley is still not captured by Taliban. Earlier on Monday, Taliban announced that Mullah Baradar, the militant group co-founder, would head the government. Hours after this announcement, however, the Taliban postponed the formation of the government by a week.

 

Germany protests to Russia over pre-poll cyberattacks. 

Germany has protested to Russia over attempts to steal data from lawmakers in what it suspects may have been preparation to spread disinformation before the upcoming German election, the Foreign Ministry in Berlin said Monday. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Andrea Sasse said that a hacker outfit called Ghostwriter has been Pcombining conventional cyberattacks with disinformation and influence operations, and that activities targeting Germany have been observed for some time. She said that, ahead of Germany’s parliamentary election on Sept. 26, there have been attempts – using phishing emails, among other things — to get hold of personal login details of federal and state lawmakers, with the aim of identity theft. These attacks could serve as preparations for influence operations such as disinformation campaigns connected with the parliamentary election, she told reporters in Berlin. The German government has reliable information on the basis of which Ghostwriter activities can be attributed to cyber-actors of the Russian state and, specifically, Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, Sasse said.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Vacancies in key tribunals: ‘Not interested in confrontation but you are testing our patience,’ SC tells govt.

A Special Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana said it was not interested in a confrontation with the government but the court was running out of patience and the Centre should conform and fill long-pending vacancies to key tribunals by the next hearing on September 13. The Bench, also comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and L. Nageswara Rao, said tribunals across the country were on the verge of collapse. Cases were being adjourned by a year. Many tribunals operated with just one member as no appointments had been made for months, if not years. You have no respect for the judgments of this court… You are testing our patience, Chief Justice Ramana addressed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, on Monday. The court said it had three options. One, close the tribunals. Two, to itself make the appointments. Three, to initiate contempt. Everybody is happy with the quick way in which the government cleared the Supreme Court appointments. We do not want any confrontation with the government. But if you can so quickly make appointments to the Supreme Court, you can very well do so with these small tribunals. The tribunals have virtually collapsed… Why are you being so particular about the tribunals? Chief Justice Ramana asked Mehta. Mehta, who asked and was refused an adjournment by the Bench as soon as the hearing began, showed a screenshot of a letter addressed to him by the Finance Ministry on September 6. In this letter, the Ministry said a new law — Tribunal Reforms Act of 2021 — has come into effect and would pave the way for filling of vacancies in the tribunals. The letter promised that the government will ensure that within next two weeks, a decision on appointments to all the tribunals is taken where the Search-cum-Selection Committees have already given their recommendations to the government. But Justice Chandrachud said the new Act hosted an astonishing replica of provisions expressly struck down by the Supreme Court in multiple judgments recently. This seems to continue. that when we strike down a law, they bring a replica, Justice Chandrachud expressed his annoyance. The judge said the legislature could bring a law which took away the basis of a judgment but could not bring a law simply to contradict a judgment.

Bombay High Court extends Varavara Rao’s interim medical bail to September 24 

The Bombay High Court on Monday extended the interim medical bail of Telugu poet Varavara Rao (81) till September 24. It posted the matter for hearing on September 27. Rao, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence, was granted the bail on February 22 for six months on a cash bond of ₹50,000 by a Division Bench of justices S.S. Shinde and Manish Pitale. However, due to a delay in obtaining a solvency certificate, he was released on March 6. From then on, he has been residing with his wife P. Hemalatha at Malad East. The bail expired on September 5. Senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for Rao, informed a Division Bench of Justices Shinde and N.J. Jamadar that Rao was living in a rented flat with his wife. His plea urged the court to allow him to reside in Hyderabad with his family instead of Mumbai. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the case, filed an affidavit that read, The Taloja jail authorities have been following the jail code and providing the best medical facilities as per jail manual. The surgery for cataract and hernia can be done in judicial custody under the supervision of doctors of government hospitals at Mumbai and there is no need for an extension of medical bail. Rao seeks an extension on the grounds that he takes 13 medicines daily for neurological problems, cholesterol, blood pressure, prostate, acidity, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, cardiac issues, and pain relief. He has been suffering from constant headaches, known as cluster headaches, and needs further examination and constant supervision. A neurologist at Jaslok Hospital said he has asymptomatic Parkinson’s ailment and has retention problems, movement disorders with tremors, and gait instability. 

Shiv Sena unhappy with Javed Akhtar’s comparison of RSS with Taliban 

Noted poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar’s comparison of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Taliban was utterly misplaced, said the Shiv Sena on Monday. Analogising a fanatical movement with Hindutva constituted an insult to Indian culture, it noted. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana observed that despite being a Hindu majority country, Indian governments had successfully raised the flag of secularism. How can you say those who favour the concept of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ are of Talibani mindset? We [the Sena] do not agree with this…The proponents of Hindutva only want that Hindus should not be sidelined. While you can have differences with the RSS, to call their philosophy Talibani is completely wrong, said the editorial, rebuking Akhtar. At the moment, anyone perceived to be intolerant is labelled ‘Taliban’ because the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is the biggest threat to society and mankind presently. Nations like Pakistan and China have supported the Taliban regime because in these two countries, human rights, democracy and individual freedom have no value. But this is certainly not the case with India and we are an incredibly tolerant country. That is why it is not appropriate to compare the RSS with the Taliban, the editorial stated. Akhtar, in an interview with a television channel, had taken a thinly veiled jibe at the RSS without naming the outfit, by remarking there was an uncanny resemblance between the Taliban and those who wanted a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu-dominant nation). As the BJP clamoured for an apology from Akhtar, security was increased outside his home in Mumbai’s Juhu area. 

Delhi riots case: Umar Khalid withdraws bail plea after police objects to maintainability, files fresh appeal 

Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, arrested under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, has withdrawn his bail application and filed a fresh one after the city police objected to its maintainability. Senior advocate Trideep Pais, appearing for Khalid, told Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat that the application seeking bail under section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been substituted with the one under Section 437 after the police objected to it. Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, representing the police, objected to the fresh plea that purportedly accused the prosecution of adopting dilatory tactic and called it not fair. In the interim application you have filed, you have made certain allegations that the objections taken by the prosecution are dilatory tactics. Therefore, to paint the prosecution by saying that it is dilatory tactics is not fair, the prosecutor said. The fresh application was filed after Prasad submitted that the court hearing the plea is a special court designated under the UAPA Act and therefore exercises all powers that are before the Court of Magistrate within the rigours of section 437 of CrPC. ASJ Rawat sought the police reply on the fresh bail application and posted the matter to September 8. In the last hearing on the bail plea on September 3, Khalid told the court that the charge sheet in the case has made hyperbolic allegations without any factual basis and reads like a script from a web series and news channels. Delhi Police had earlier said the bail plea had no merit and that it will demonstrate the prima facie case against him before the court by referring to the charge sheet filed in the case. Khalid, along with several others, has been booked under the anti-terror law in the case. They are accused of being the masterminds of the February 2020 violence, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. He has sought bail in the case. 

NIA files charge sheet against 13 Bangladeshis in Bengaluru human trafficking case 

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 5 filed a charge sheet before a Special Court in Bengaluru against 13 Bangladeshi nationals for their involvement in trafficking women and children from the neighbouring country after illegally crossing over to India, an official said. The accused have been charged with sections of the IPC, the Foreigners Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, an NIA official said. The case was registered in June in Bengaluru city against the 13 accused based on a raid conducted by the police at a rented house where seven women and one child of Bangladeshi nationality were rescued from the custody of four human traffickers, the official said. The NIA took over the case and found that the 13 charge-sheeted accused had illegally crossed over to India from Bangladesh, the official of the premier investigation agency said. They were luring women from Bangladesh and trafficking them to India with promise of jobs, the NIA official said. The women were then confined in rented accommodations and subjected to sexual exploitation, the official said. The accused had also forged identity cards and used these forged documents as genuine to obtain Indian identity cards such as Aadhaar and PAN for themselves and their victims, the NIA official said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Taliban claim complete control of Afghanistan’s Panjshir province 

The Taliban claimed victory on Monday over opposition forces in the Panjshir valley northeast of Kabul, completing their takeover of the country following the stunning capture of Kabul last month and the chaotic withdrawal of foreign troops. Pictures on social media showed Taliban members standing in front of the gate of the Panjshir provincial governor’s compound after fighting over the weekend with the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA), led by Panjshiri leader Ahmad Massoud. Panjshir province completely fell to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Islamist militant group’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said in a tweet on Monday, adding that some enemy fighters had been killed in battle and others had fled. With this victory and latest efforts our country has come out of the whirlpool of the war and our people will have a happy life in peace, liberty and freedom in the entire country. The Taliban assured the people of Panjshir, who are ethnically distinct from the Pashtun-dominated Taliban and fought against the Islamists during their 1996-2001 rule, that there would be no discriminatory act against them. They are our brothers and would work together for a joint purpose and welfare of the country, Mujahid said. There was no immediate word from Massoud, who leads a force made up of remnants of the regular Afghan army and special forces units as well as local militia fighters. Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations at the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRFA), said the Taliban’s claim of victory was false and opposition forces continued to fight. The NRF forces are present in all strategic positions across the valley to continue the fight, he said on his Facebook page. The Taliban earlier said their forces had made it into the provincial capital, Bazarak, and had captured large quantities of weapons and ammunition. The Taliban seized control of the rest of Afghanistan three weeks ago, taking power in Kabul on August 15 after the Western-backed government collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Panjshir was the last pocket of armed resistance against the Taliban. It has a history of being difficult for enemies to take. The rugged mountain valley is still littered with the wreckage of tanks destroyed during the long war against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. The NRFA said on Sunday its main spokesman, Fahim Dashti, had been killed in the fighting. Dashti had survived the suicide attack that killed Massoud’s father, Ahmad Shah Massoud, on September 9, 2001, just days before the September 11 attacks on the United States. The Panjshir fighting has been the most prominent example of resistance to the Taliban.

Israel searches for 6 Palestinians after rare prison break

Israel launched a massive manhunt in the country’s north and the occupied West Bank early Monday after six Palestinian prisoners tunneled out of their cell and escaped from a high-security facility in the biggest prison break of its kind in decades. The escape marks an embarrassing security breach just ahead of the Jewish New Year, when Israelis flock to the north to enjoy beaches, campsites and the Sea of Galilee. The prisoners appear to have gone into hiding and there was no indication Israeli authorities view them as an immediate threat. Palestinians consider prisoners held by Israel to be heroes of their national cause, and many celebrated the escape on social media. Efforts to capture the escapees will likely draw attention to the Palestinian Authority’s security coordination with Israel, which is deeply unpopular among Palestinians. There was no immediate comment from the PA, but President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party praised the escape. Israeli officials said they have erected roadblocks and are conducting patrols in the area. Israel’s Army Radio said 400 prisoners are being moved as a protective measure against any additional escape attempts. The radio said the prisoners escaped through a tunnel from the Gilboa prison, just north of the West Bank, which is supposed to be one of Israel’s most secure facilities. A photo released by the prison service showed a narrow hole in the floor of a cell, and Israeli security forces could be seen examining a similar hole on a stretch of gravel just outside the walls of the prison. It appeared to be the biggest Palestinian escape from an Israeli prison since 1987, when six Islamic Jihad militants broke out of a heavily guarded prison in Gaza months before the outbreak of the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising against Israel.war in May, and it has cracked down on a wave of protests following.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Foreign militants outnumber locals in north Kashmir, pose security challenge

Taking the security agencies by surprise, foreign militants outnumber local militants in north Kashmir — comprising three districts of Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara — in a changing trend, according to official figures. The sudden spike in numbers has forced the police to restrict the movement of mainstream leaders and elected grassroots representatives because of fears of an increase in attacks on them, top police sources said. According to the latest data of the police, there are between 40 to 50 foreign militants active in north Kashmir compared to just 11 local militants. It is for the first time in a decade that north Kashmir is witnessing heightened militant activities compared to south Kashmir, which remained the hub of militants after the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013. The foreign militants build-up was taking place for a long time and cannot be connected with the recent situation in Afghanistan. The changing trend was visible in the past two months, a police officer said. The presence of foreign militants in the ranks of the groups such as the Jaish-e-Muhammad, Al-Badr, Lashkar-e-Taiba and The Resistance Front (TRF) had dried up in the first quarter of 2021. In fact, the first foreign militant, Hamas alias Asrar alias Saria, who was active since March 2018, was killed on May 4 in north Kashmir’s Sopore, according to the police. Against 32 foreign militants killed in 2020, only nine foreign militants have been killed this year so far, according to official figures. A total of 102 militants, mostly commanders, were killed, 88 youth recruited, 30 arrested and 425 over ground workers held this year, according to the police data. The biggest success against foreign militants in Kashmir this year was the killing of Saifullah alias Adnan alias Lamboo, an IED expert who played a role in the 2019 Pulwama attack on July 31, a police officer said. The rising numbers of militants in north Kashmir, which is already over 50 militants, has forced the security agencies to re-strategise their response. A senior official said most mainstream leaders and elected grassroots representatives have been asked to lie low and provided with dos and don’ts when they plan to move around. In fact, the police investigation into the grenade attack on a sarpanch, Narinder Kour, on August 22 in Baramulla’s Shrakwara Kreeri area was traced to TRF’s non-local recruit Ali Bhai. The police said the two suspected attackers held in the case were in contact with LeT terrorist Hilal Sheikh and Usman, a foreign terrorist.

Congress voices support for ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’, Rahul Gandhi says ‘unjust govt’ will have to listen 

The Congress on Sunday voiced support for the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar, with party leader Rahul Gandhi saying the call of truth is echoing and an unjust government will have to listen. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the arrogance of power cannot withstand the roar of the farmers. Thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states on Sunday gathered in Muzaffarnagar for the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’, just months ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. The event was organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at the Government Inter College ground in Muzaffarnagar in protest against the Centre’s contentious farm laws. The call of truth is echoing. You have to listen, unjust government! Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi. Priyanka Gandhi also voiced support for the mahapanchayat, saying, Farmers are the voice of this country. Farmers are the pride of the country. Arrogance of any power cannot withstand the roar of the farmers. The whole country is with the farmers in the fight to save agriculture and in demanding their dues in lieu of their hard work, the Congress general secretary said. Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said those stealing the farms of farmers are traitors. Voicing support for the mahapanchayat, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot expressed confidence that the mahapanchayat organised under the leadership of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will strengthen farmers’ interests. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an amalgam of several farmer unions, has been spearheading the agitation against the farm laws since last year.

Across parties, U.P. MLAs push to promote Hindu sites 

An analysis of a tourism development scheme launched in Uttar Pradesh has shown that most of the MLAs — especially those of Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) — have chosen Hindu religious, spiritual and cultural sites for promotion. In the rare instances, where an MLA picked a shrine linked to Muslims or sufism, one of them belongs to the BJP, going against political expectations. Most of the Muslim MLAs of the main Opposition Samajwadi Party also preferred Hindu sites. There were only two dargahs in the list; one dedicated to a Sufi saint Latif Shah in Chandauli, which was nominated by a BJP MLA. To put it in context, while the BJP has aggressively pushed the narrative of Hindutva nationalism, in recent times even its opponents, charged with allegations of Muslim appeasement and alarmed by communal polarisation in the elections, have tried to keep pace with what some observers have described as soft Hindutva while trying to maintain distance from Muslim symbolism. While U.P. has 403 elected legislators, the State Tourism Department received proposals for development of sites in 373 constituencies. The proposals were sent as part of the Mukyamantri Paryatan Samvardhan Yojana launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier this year to develop and promote local heritage and tourism sites, centres of spiritual, historical, cultural, natural and religious importance. A booklet published by the Tourism department shows that a majority of the MLAs have picked sites associated with Hindu faith, most of them temples, dhams, ashrams, pilgrimage sites and shrines and ghats considered holy. The legislators were asked to nominate the most important site in their constituency to be developed into a high-level tourism site, according to officials. A sum of ₹50 lakh was allotted to each constituency while the additional funds would come from the MLA funds and CSR funds. The government earmarked a budget of ₹180 crore for the scheme.

Indian athletes soar high in best ever Paralympics

Inspirational, incredible and indomitable. India’s paralympians managed to be all these and much more in an epoch-making campaign at the Tokyo Games where an unparalleled 19 medals, including five gold, helped them sign off 24th in the overall tally — the highest position ever. The tally also included eight silver and six bronze medals but most importantly, it was a performance during which history was scripted almost everyday with the contingent living up to the ‘Spirit in Motion’ motto of the Games. Even on the last day of competitions, the medal rush did not stop and Krishna Nagar won a gold after Noida’s District Magistrate Suhas Yathiraj signed off his brilliant run with a silver to complete a remarkable badminton show. The duo’s performance was like icing on the cake for the contingent, which found new heroes, celebrated some established ones, and brought para-sports firmly into the mainstream in India. In all, 54 came to Tokyo and 17 of them left with medals around their necks. It was an improved performance, no doubt, but calling it just improvement would be an understatement given that India’s overall Games haul was a mere 12 before this edition. To put things in perspective, at the 2016 Rio Games, India had 19 athletes across five disciplines with four returning with medals in the end.

Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments 

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 3,29,39,534 with the death toll at 4,40,593. Following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) warning that it has identified counterfeit versions of the Covishield vaccine in Southeast Asia and Africa, the Union Health Ministry has written to all States and Union Territories to identify counterfeit/falsified Covishield vaccines in India. Monitoring teams for Covid-19 vaccination in States are being provided with details for due diligence. The Ministry said in its letter: The States have been told to carefully authenticate vaccines before use. The Centre has provided details for identification of original labels of three vaccines being administered in India (Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V). The Ministry has issued guidelines to ensure fake Covid-19 vaccines are not administered in India. The WHO noted that falsified Covishield (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Corona Virus Vaccines-Recombinant) has been identified in the WHO’s African Region and South-East Asia Region. The falsified products were reported to WHO in July and August 2021. The genuine manufacturer of COVISHIELD (Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) has confirmed that the products listed are falsified. These falsified products have been reported at the patient level in Uganda, India and Myanmar, the global health body said. The Union Health Ministry in its recent letter has indicated various features to ascertain genuine products. The anti-counterfeit features in the Covaxin label include an invisible helix (DNA-like structure) on the label that’s only seen under UV light; micro text hidden in the label claim Dots, which is written as Covaxin; the green foil effect in the ‘x’ of Covaxin; and the holographic effect on Covaxin.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Berlin Faces Expropriation Vote: What Happens If The People Say ‘Yes’?

With a purple-yellow colour scheme and multilingual slogans, the posters calling for a yes vote in Berlin’s upcoming property referendum are hard to miss. So that Berlin remains our home is printed in various languages. In the bottom corner of each poster is the logo of the group behind the campaign: DW and Co. Enteignen (Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen and Company). They want voters to back their appeal for the Berlin Senate to devise a law which would allow for the expropriation of what they call private real estate companies, specifically those that own more than 3,000 housing units. The campaigners say the companies would be compensated at a rate well below market value. They believe such legislation would be constitutionally compatible with Germany’s Basic Law under the never-before-used Article 15, which states: Land, natural resources and means of production may, for the purpose of nationalization, be transferred to public ownership or other forms of public enterprise by a law that determines the nature and extent of compensation. Deutsche Wohnen, which owns around 113,000 housing units in the city, is clearly the main target. But plenty of other companies would be affected, such as Vonovia (which is currently trying to buy Deutsche Wohnen) and the Pears Group. On September 26 — the same day as Germany’s federal election — Berliners will vote on the radical proposal. To get that far, the organizers had to collect 175,000 valid, handwritten and fully verified signatures of citizens eligible to vote in Berlin. They achieved that within a few months, a reflection of the strength of views in the city around its escalating housing crisis. Recent polls suggest a slim majority of eligible voters in the capital support an expropriation law.

 

UK Visits Japan For Naval Drill Amid China’s Growing Influence In Indo-Pacific Region

Japan’s defence minister on Monday welcomed the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it made its first Japanese port call, saying the involvement of European nations in the Indo-Pacific region is key to peace and stability as China’s military strength and influence grow. Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi met the strike group’s commander, Commodore Steve Moorhouse, on board the carrier. The ship arrived at the US Navy base in Yokosuka near Tokyo on Saturday. Japan is seeking to expand its military cooperation beyond its traditional alliance with the United States as China’s navy expands and increasingly presses its territorial claims. The Queen Elizabeth participated in a joint exercise with warships from the United States, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan before arriving in Yokosuka. The exercise was part of efforts to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific vision led by Washington and Tokyo. European countries’ interest in (China’s) unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas contributes to the peace and stability in this region, Kishi told reporters. I expect the port call will contribute to a further development of Japan-British defense cooperation. Japan has become increasingly worried about China’s growing military influence in the region as well as Beijing’s escalating tensions with Taiwan and rivalry with the United States. Japan has repeatedly protested to China over its increased activity near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Election Commission announces date for Bhabanipur bypoll

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee is ready to hit the mats with the Election Commission’s announcement of the schedule for bypoll in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency while keeping by-polls to three Lok Sabha and 31 other Assembly seats pending. Banerjee, who lost from Nandigram in May, has time until November to get elected in order to continue as Chief Minister. The Bhabanipur Assembly Constituency by-election will be held on September 30 and votes will be counted on October 3. Nominations will be filed from September 6 till September 13. Polls for Samserganj and Jangipur in West Bengal and Pipli in Odisha, which had been adjourned due to the death of candidates during the Assembly elections, were deferred due to the COVID-19 situation in May.  The EC announced polling for these three seats will also be held on September 30 and counting on October 3 after meeting state officials on Wednesday. Chief Secretaries of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and the adviser to Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu informed the EC of flood-related constraints, festivals and the COVID-19 situation, the EC statement said. They suggested that it would be advisable to have byelections after the end of the festive season, the Election Commission said. Some States also stuck a note of caution with the possibility of a third wave predicted by scientists in October. The Chief Secretaries of Odisha and West Bengal, however, told the EC that the COVID-19 situation in their States were under control. The Bengal Chief Secretary also told the panel that the State was ready to hold elections and that the floods had not affected the poll-bound constituencies. The official also cited Article 164 (4) of the Constitution, saying that a Minister who is not an MLA for six consecutive months shall cease to be a Minister at the end of that period. He has also informed that in view of administrative exigencies and public interest and to avoid a vacuum in the State, byelections for 159-Bhabanipur, Kolkata from where Ms. Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister intends to contest, may be conducted, the EC said. It said it had decided not to hold bypolls in the 31 Assembly seats and three Lok Sabha seats after considering the inputs of the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of those States. Considering the constitutional exigency and special request from State of West Bengal, it has decided to hold byelection in 159-Bhabanipur AC, the EC said. The poll panel said stricter norms had been put in place, including limiting indoor meetings to 30% of allowed capacity or 200 persons, whichever is less.

Gold and more for athletes at the Tokyo Paralympics

At the Tokyo Paralympics, it’s been raining medals for India. While reigning world champion Pramod Bhagat on Saturday claimed a gold medal in men’s singles SL3 class, Manoj Sarkar bagged the bronze for India after badminton made its debut at the Paralympics this year. Shooter Manish Narwal snagged India’s third gold while Singhraj Adana took the silver in the P4 Mixed 50m Pistol event. Bhagat beat Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell in the summit clash while Sarkar defeated Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara in the third place play-off, with both the Indians winning in straight games. In SL3 classification, athletes with lower limb impairment are allowed to compete. Bhagat, the current world No. 1, thus became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the sport. Indian gold medallist Pramod Bhagat poses on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Men’s Singles SL3 on day 11 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Yoyogi National Stadium on September 4, 2021 in Tokyo.  Bhagat and his partner Palak Kohli will have a face-off with the Japanese pair of Daisuke Fujihara and Akiko Sugino in the bronze medal match on Sunday. They had lost the semi-finals 3-21 15-21 to Indonesian combination of Hary Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila earlier in the day. Bhagat, who is afflicted with polio, contracted when he was four, picked up the sports after watching his neighbours play, emerging as one of the country’s   best para shuttlers with 45 international medals under his belt, including four world championship gold medals and a gold and a bronze in 2018 Asian Para Games. Like Bhagat,  31-year-old Sarkar,  whose right leg was affected after he contracted polio at age one, vanquished Fujihara 22-20 21-13. Earlier in the day, Suhas Yathiraj who is also an IAS officer, and Krishna Nagar  sailed into the men’s singles finals of SL4 class and SH6 class respectively raising the hopes of more medals in the coming days. History under making! Suhas L Y, IAS, DM GB Nagar (Noida), UP, India in Men’s singles para-badminton SL4 finals. He beats Indonesia’s S Freddy 2-0 in semifinals. Now will be playing for Gold on September 5, the IAS Association, a group of serving and retired administrative officers, tweeted earlier in the day.

Dengue outbreak in Firozabad

More than 60 people, including 50 children have died of ‘dengue haemorrhagic fever’  – in western Uttar Pradesh over the past 10 days. With a majority of case being reported from Firozabad district,  authorities are treating the cases in the district  as a dengue outbreak. Union Health Ministry sources also confirmed that more than 50 % of the approximately 200 samples collected from Firozabad and nearby areas had tested positive for dengue. A six-member team from the NCDC, or National Centre for Disease Control – consisting of entomologists and experts in vector-borne diseases – has been rushed to the affected areas. The team is expected to submit its report on Monday. Sixty kilometers away from Firozabad in Mathura, 11 children died in 15 days – all from one village. The state government said the deaths were due to vector-borne diseases, primarily dengue. Fifteen people have died in the district so far. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to Twitter to lash out at the state government. On Twitter, she claimed over 100 people had died from viral fever across the state, and questioned whether Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had learned anything from the horrific consequences of disastrous Covid management. The chief minister has visited Firozabad and has promised that all measures will be taken to help patients.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Panjshir still holding up

Taliban sources have claimed that they have seized control over Panjshir valley, the last standing province that the Taliban has not been able to capture, however,  a Resistance leader denied that the province had fallen. Panjshir valley is the only province that had resisted the first Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. After the withdrawal of the US troops, and with the Taliban which is inching close to forming a government questions remain on whether such a government will be recognised by the world. Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan said a technical team was able to reopen Kabul airport to receive aid, according to Qatar’s Al Jazeera news channel, which also cited its correspondent as saying domestic flights had restarted. The airport’s runway has been repaired in cooperation with authorities in Afghanistan, the ambassador said, according to Al Jazeera. The channel said two domestic flights were operated from Kabul to the cities of Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar, Reuters reported.

Facebook mistakenly labels Black men ‘primates’

Facial recognition software has been criticised by civil rights advocates who point out problems with accuracy, particularly when it comes to people who are not white. Facebook on September 3 said it disabled its topic recommendation feature after it mistook Black men for primates in a video at the social network. A Facebook spokesperson called it a clearly unacceptable error and said the recommendation software involved was taken offline. We apologize to anyone who may have seen these offensive recommendations, Facebook said in response to an AFP inquiry. We disabled the entire topic recommendation feature as soon as we realized this was happening so we could investigate the cause and prevent this from happening again. Facial recognition software has been criticised by civil rights advocates who point out problems with accuracy, particularly when it comes to people who are not white. Facebook users in recent days, who watched a British tabloid video featuring Black men, were show an auto-generated prompt asking if they would like to keep seeing videos about Primates, according to the New York Times. The June 2020 video in question, posted by the Daily Mail, is titled White man calls cops on black men at marina. While humans are among the many species in the primate family, the video had nothing to do with monkeys, chimpanzees or gorillas. A screen capture of the recommendation was shared on Twitter by former Facebook content design manager Darci Groves. This ‘keep seeing’ prompt is unacceptable, Ms. Groves tweeted, aiming the message at former colleagues at Facebook. This is egregious.