News updates: Union WCD Minister criticises Bengal CM, urges her to focus on women's safety
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 "Mamata Banerjee, Mamata, Bengal CM")
TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (Photo: PTI)
Lambasting West Bengal Chief for "attempting to protect the culprits" of the rape-murder of trainee doctor, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi on Thursday urged Mamata Banerjee to focus on women's safety. Speaking exclusively with ANI, Annapurna Devi said, "The incident that happened in Bengal is very tragic. Regarding this incident, the Chief Minister of Bengal, who is herself a woman, should have immediately taken cognisance and taken action against the culprits. But instead, it seems that she is somehow trying to cover it up and attempting to protect the guilty." On Mamata's letter to the Prime Minister, Devi said, "Recently, she wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. Today, when the women's helpline, which is run entirely by the Government of India, is not implemented in Bengal. If the women's helpline were implemented, then if any woman faced any trouble, she could call, and that call would be transferred to emergency number 112, after which necessary action would be taken in an integrated manner. Perhaps this could have helped a lot of people."
Two Rajya Sabha MPs from the YSR Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP have quit the party and their membership in the Upper House. Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar has accepted their resignation, news agency PTI has said.
World today brings hope and concerns, on one hand we are living with scientific breakthrough like artificial intelligence, we are promised proprietary. The birth of AI has opened up opportunities to help solve multiple problems, but geopolitical tensions threaten to challenge global economy, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, said today.
The Delhi High Court today extended interim protection from arrest granted to former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar in the case registered against her for fraudulently availing attempts in the Union Public Service Commission or UPSC examination beyond the permissible limit.
Waterlogging and traffic congestion were witnessed in multiple parts of Delhi after the national capital received heavy rainfall on Thursday morning. Weather body the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘yellow’ alert in the city, predicting heavy showers throughout the day.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to commission India's second nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching ballistic missiles (SSBN) into service. This submarine, known as INS Arighat or S-3, will be commissioned during a low-key ceremony in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. The event will be attended by chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, head of Indian strategic command Vice Admiral Suraj Berry and top DRDO officials. Once commissioned, the SSBN will operate under the authority of India's strategic command.
A case has been filed against actor and CPI (M) MLA from Kollam, Mukesh M, following the complaint of actress Minu Muneer. Kerala Police informed ANI on Thursday, "FIR has been registered against actor Mukesh, CPI (M) MLA from Kollam constituency. The FIR was registered on the basis of the complaint of an actress." The police also added that another FIR has been registered against Actor Jayasurya on the complaint of the same actress, under section 354 which deals with intent to outrage modesty. Special Investigation Team (SIT) has taken the statement of the actress yesterday (Wednesday)." Muneer has accused actors Mukesh M, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of both verbal and physical abuse during their collaborations on film projects.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a meeting with top state government and Navy officials on late Wednesday night and discussed the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg district two days ago.
The incident has caused an acute embarrassment to the Mahayuti government ahead of the assembly polls, drawn intense criticism from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and sparked protests.
10:25 PM
Floods in Yemen kill at least 33 people, damage more than 200 homes
Floods that swept through a district in northern Yemen this week have killed at least 33 people and damaged more than 200 houses, a local official said.
Heavy rains that began Tuesday as part of Yemen's monsoon season have caused major flooding and unleashed rockslides in the Melhan district of Al-Mahwit province.
The floods have killed 33 people, destroyed 28 houses and caused cracks in 200 others, Ali al-Zikam, secretary-general of the local council of Al-Mahwit province, said late Wednesday on Facebook. The flooding also swept away five cars and left several people missing, he said.
Yemen's Red Crescent said Thursday that 38 people are still missing, and that the agency is actively looking for them.
The magnitude of the disaster in al-Mahwit is substantial, " the agency said.
9:02 PM
More than 1,000 killed in Bangladesh violence since July
Violence that erupted in Bangladesh during last month's anti-government protests killed more than 1,000 people, the interim health ministry chief said on Thursday, making it the bloodiest period in the country's history since its 1971 independence.
9:01 PM
Germany says to limit migrant benefits after Solingen attack
8:58 PM
Heavy rain in Delhi, maximum temperature dips to 4-year low for August
The maximum temperature in Delhi on Thursday settled six notches below normal at 28.8 degrees Celsius -- the lowest for August in the last four years -- following heavy rain, the weather office said.
The maximum temperature on Wednesday had settled at 34 degrees Celsius.
The observatory at Safdarjung, Delhi's primary weather station, recorded 77.1 mm rainfall in the 24 ended at 8:30 am.
The weather station at Lodhi Road recorded 92.2 mm rainfall while Ridge registered 18.2 mm, Palam 54.5 mm and Ayanagar 62.4 mm during the same period, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
According to IMD parameters, rainfall between 2.5 and 15.5 mm is considered 'light', 15.6 mm-64.4 mm 'moderate', 64.5-115.5 mm 'heavy', 115.6-204.4 mm 'very heavy' and more than 204.5 mm 'extremely heavy'.
Delhi in August so far recorded 378.5 mm rainfall -- the city's highest in 12 years.
8:51 PM
PM Modi arrives at the BJP headquarters to attend the party's CEC meeting for Haryana Assembly elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the BJP headquarters to attend the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting for the Haryana Assembly elections
8:50 PM
Case against 122 persons over clash between Sena (UBT)-BJP supporters at Rajkot fort
Police in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district has registered a First Information Report against 122 supporters of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP in connection with the clash at Rajkot fort during Aaditya Thackeray's visit, officials said on Thursday.
The FIR named 42 persons identified from CCTV footage. The other 80 accused were yet to be identified and police were examining the footage closely to ascertain every person's identity and role in the incident, said an official.
The case for rioting and disobedience of prohibitory orders was registered late Wednesday night on the complaint of a police personnel who was among the cops injured in stone-pelting during the clash, an official said. No arrest has been made in the case yet. A forensic team also visited the spot on Thursday. The fracas began when Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and BJP MP Narayan Rane and his son Nilesh Rane arrived with their supporters at the fort at Malvan almost at the same time on Thursday. A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj which stood on the fort collapsed on Monday, nine months after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident has started off a huge political row in Maharashtra.
8:27 PM
Azerbaijan eyes 250,000 Indian visitors this year
Good connectivity and ease of getting visa have boosted traveller footfall from India to Azerbaijan and the country is looking at 250,000 Indian tourists this year, Azerbaijan Tourism Board CEO Florian Sengstschmid said on Thursday.
The country has seen 1,502,695 visitors from India January to July this year, 31 per cent higher than the year-ago period.
Azerbaijan had welcomes 50,000-55,000 Indian travellers in the first seven months in 2023, Azerbaijan Tourism Board CEO Florian Sengstschmid told PTI over phone on the sidelines of Business+Leisure Travel and MICE (BLTM).
Last year, 115,000 travellers from India visited Azerbaijan, which was part of the former Soviet Republic and spans Asia and Europe.
"The main reason for this increase in Indian travellers to Azerbaijan is due to the good connectivity between Baku and India. Currently we have 11 flights flying from New Delhi to Baku and weekly 3 flights from Mumbai.
8:24 PM
Doctor's rape-murder: Union WCD Minister criticises Bengal CM, urges her to focus on women's safety
Lambasting West Bengal Chief for "attempting to protect the culprits" of the rape-murder of trainee doctor, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi on Thursday urged Mamata Banerjee to focus on women's safety.
Speaking exclusively with ANI, Annapurna Devi said, "The incident that happened in Bengal is very tragic. Regarding this incident, the Chief Minister of Bengal, who is herself a woman, should have immediately taken cognisance and taken action against the culprits. But instead, it seems that she is somehow trying to cover it up and attempting to protect the guilty."
On Mamata's letter to the Prime Minister, Devi said, "Recently, she wrote a letter to the Prime Minister. Today, when the women's helpline, which is run entirely by the Government of India, is not implemented in Bengal. If the women's helpline were implemented, then if any woman faced any trouble, she could call, and that call would be transferred to emergency number 112, after which necessary action would be taken in an integrated manner. Perhaps this could have helped a lot of people."
8:24 PM
Reality show to select Indian space traveller on Blue Origin mission
TV show producer Banijay Asia has tied up with Space Exploration and Research Agency for a reality show to send an Indian into space on a future Blue Origin New Shepard mission.
Recently, SERA announced India as a partner nation for their human spaceflight programme aimed at giving an opportunity to citizens from countries with few or no astronauts to travel into space.
"We're embarking on an unprecedented journey with SERA to create a reality format that transcends the ordinary. It's a privilege to document this journey of an ordinary Indian space traveller and show how this programme will not only transform their life but also democratise space travel more broadly," Deepak Dhar, Founder and Group CEO, Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India said in a statement.
The format will capture the drama, disappointment, and joy as the shortlisted individuals participate in various challenges that test their mettle and readiness for space travel, a company statement said.
7:52 PM
One person killed, 8 injured as vehicle falls into gorge in Poonch
One person was killed and eight others were injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Thursday, officials said.
The incident took place on the Mughal road at Chandimarh area, they said.
Nine people were injured in the incident. Upon receiving information, the police reached the spot and rushed the injured to the hospital, they said.
One person, identified as Yasir , among the injured, died on the way to the hospital. Others are undergoing treatment, they added.
7:51 PM
Russia's Putin to visit Mongolia on Sept 3, news agencies say
7:11 PM
LIC hands over Rs 3,662 cr dividend cheque to govt
State-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) on Thursday handed over a dividend cheque of Rs 3,662.17 crore to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The cheque was presented by Siddhartha Mohanty, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of LIC to the finance minister in the presence of M P Tangirala, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance.
5:31 PM
I have spoken against BJP, not medical students or protests, clarifies Mamata Banerjee
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that disinformation is being spread regarding speech at a party event yesterday. Taking to X, the TMC supremo further said that she supports the students' protest against the murder-rape case of the Kolkata doctor that has sparked nationwide outrage.
5:14 PM
Sakshi Malik's memoir to be out in October
One of India's top women wrestlers Sakshi Malik will come out with her memoir in October in which she gives an "honest account" of her life -- the highs, lows, and everything in between.
Published by Juggernaut Books, "Witness" is co-authored by Jonathan Selvaraj.
In her fiery memoir, Malik tells her story beginning from childhood, introduction to wrestling in Rohtak, win in the Rio Olympics, post-Olympics journey, struggles and triumphs over injuries and self-doubt, and finally, the most recent public battle with the administration of Wrestling Foundation of India (WFI) that has played out on the streets of New Delhi.
5:14 PM
China seeks public views on transportation of cooking oil after food scandal
China will solicit public opinion on a proposed mandatory national sanitary standard for the bulk transportation of edible vegetable oil by Sept. 2, the country's market regulator said on Thursday.
This came after China fined state stockpiler Sinograin and six more firms a total of about 11 million yuan ($1.54 million) over the use of fuel tankers to transport cooking oil in a scandal that eroded confidence in food safety regulations, state media reported.
Topics : Narendra Modi Rahul Gandhi BJP Congress Kolkata Israel-Palestine Donald Trump Telegram Gujarat
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First Published: Aug 29 2024 | 9:01 AM IST
