The Hindu Morning Digest, September 19, 2024

People gather outside American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Beirut, after hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon’s south and in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a security source and a witness said, Lebanon on September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Another wave of blasts in Lebanon; 20 killed as walkie-talkies explode in Hezbollah strongholds

At least 20 people were killed and hundreds injured after another round of explosions in Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut, Lebanon. A source close to Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said walkie-talkies used by the group members exploded in its Beirut stronghold with State media reporting similar blasts of pagers and “devices” in east and south Lebanon.

Mpox in India: Kerala confirms second case in UAE returnee

A 38-year-old man undergoing treatment in Kerala’s northern Malappuram district has been confirmed to have contracted mpox infection, the State Health Department said. The man, who came to the state from the UAE recently, was already admitted to a hospital here with mpox symptoms, State Health Minister Veena George said in a Facebook post.

61% voter turnout in first phase in J-K; CEO says polling peaceful

A voter turnout of more than 61% was recorded in the first phase of Assembly polls covering 24 segments across seven districts in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission said.T he final polling percentage can go up as data from some stations are yet to be compiled, and this also does not include postal ballots, the commission said. Kishtwar district recorded the highest 80.14% polling followed by Doda (71.34%) and Ramban (70.55%) in the Chenab valley region of Jammu, the Election Commission said, quoting the latest information said.

Haryana Assembly polls: Congress bets on ‘freebies’ in Haryana poll manifesto

As the Congress seeks to wrest back power from the ruling BJP in Haryana, it is promising a slew of ‘freebies’ in an attempt to garner support ahead of the State’s Assembly election, slated for October 5. In its poll manifesto, the party promised to pay a monthly allowance of ₹2,000 to each woman between the ages of 18 and 60 years if it comes to power in the State. Other such ‘guarantees’ include 300 units of free electricity to all households, a legal guarantee for minimum support prices for crops, and a caste survey.

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor proposes September 21 for Atishi’s swearing-in

Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena has proposed September 21 for the oath-taking ceremony of Chief Minister-designate Atishi in his communication to President Droupadi Murmu, Raj Niwas sources said, adding that the final date is subject to Ms. Murmu’s approval.

NPS Vatsalya: Nirmala Sitharaman launches pension plan for children

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the NPS Vatslya scheme, which will allow parents to save for their children’s future by investing in a pension account. Parents can subscribe to NPS Vatsalya online or visiting a bank or post office. The minimum contribution to open the Vatsalya account is ₹1,000. Subscribers will have to contribute ₹1,000 annually thereafter. The guidelines for withdrawal from the NPS accounts are being finalised.

5.6 lakh FIRs registered under new criminal law: Home Ministry official

Around 5.56 lakh First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) from July 1 to September 3, a senior Home Ministry official said. The three new criminal laws — BNS, the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), came into effect on July 1, after being passed by the Parliament in 2023. The official said a technical support call centre with a helpline number (14415) had been set up by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to assist States in the implementation of the new laws.

U.S. Federal Reserve makes half-point cut in first rate reduction since 2020

The U.S. Federal Reserve cut its key lending rate by half a percentage-point in its first reduction since the pandemic, sharply lowering borrowing costs shortly before November’s presidential election. Policymakers voted 11-to-1 in favor of lowering the U.S. central bank’s benchmark lending rate to between 4.75% and 5.00%, the Fed announced in a statement.

Odisha police suspends five personnel in case of assault against Army officer and his fiancée

In the backdrop of an allegation of harassment and assault by Police against an Army Captain and his fiancée, the Odisha Police placed five personnel at Bharatpur police station in Bhubaneswar on suspension pending a disciplinary proceeding for their “gross misconduct.” The Orissa High Court is set to hear the bail plea of the officer’s fiancée on Wednesday morning which also sought a medical report from AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

BJP seeks to balance OBC, upper caste candidates in Haryana; Congress gives a third of tickets to Jats

Caught in a direct contest in the high-stakes Haryana Assembly poll scheduled for October 5, both national parties, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, have tried to strike a fine balance between various communities in their ticket distribution, giving a sneak peek into the caste dynamics and social engineering each party is banking on.

Congress files police complaint against Ravneet Singh Bittu, Tarvinder Singh Marvah over threats against Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Ajay Maken approached Delhi Police to register an FIR against BJP leaders over open threats to ‘eliminate’ or cause physical injury to the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. The letter stated that the BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah on September 11, 2024, in a BJP event openly issued assassination threat against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, wherein he said, “You better behave, or you will meet the same fate as your grandmother [Indira Gandhi]”

India will contribute to 35% of global energy demand in next 2 decades: Puri at Gastech

Over the next two decades, India will contribute to 35% of the global increase in energy demand, Indian Minister Hardeep Puri said at a multinational conference held to deliberate on the world’s energy needs. In his keynote address, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri underscored India’s increasingly dominant role in the global energy landscape.

Trump praises PM Modi; says will meet him next week

Former U.S. President Donald Trump said that he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Mr. Modi’s forthcoming visit to the U.S. Mr. Trump praised Mr. Modi but said India was abusing the U.S.-India trade dynamic, a claim he has made before about India, China, and other countries. Mr. Trump, who is seeking a second term in the White House as the Republican candidate, was speaking to Arkansas Governor Secretary Sarah Sanders at a campaign event in Flint, Michigan.

WHO urges promotion of healthy diet, physical activity in Southeast Asia

The World Health Organization (WHO) called on countries in the global health body’s ‘South-East Asia Region’ to strengthen policies and promote healthy diets and physical activity to combat the rising numbers of overweight individuals, obesity, and the spread of non-communicable diseases, which are leading causes of death in the region. Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO, South-East Asia, speaking at the inaugural event of a regional meeting to “promote healthy diets and food environments, and physical activity through policies and enabling environments” said that the burden of being overweight, obese, and their associated metabolic disorders has been steadily rising in the region, affecting both children and adults.