Top news of the day: Harini Amarasuriya is Sri Lanka’s new PM; Karnataka HC upholds Governor’s approval for investigation against Siddaramaiah, and more

The major news headlines of the day and more.

Sri Lanka President Dissanayake picks Harini Amarasuriya as Prime Minister

Harini Amarasuriya was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister on Tuesday (September 24, 2204), becoming the first woman leader since Sirimavo Bandaranaike in the year 2000 to hold the post. The 54-year-old National People’s Power (NPP) leader was sworn in by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who appointed his Cabinet of four, including himself. She has been assigned the portfolios of the Minister of Justice, Education, Labour, Industries, Science & Tech, Health, and Investment.

Karnataka High Court upholds Governor’s approval for investigation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

In a setback for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday (September 24) upheld the Governor’s decision to grant permission to conduct an investigation against him on the allegation of illegalities in allotment of 14 sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to his wife, Parvathi. Also, the High Court vacated the interim order granted on August 19 directing a special court in Bengaluru to defer a decision on complaints against Mr. Siddaramaiah, and also rejected a plea to stay today’s verdict to enable Mr. Siddaramaiah to appeal against it.

‘Don’t drag us into your agenda’: Supreme Court slams NCPCR over plea seeking SIT probe against missionaries

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) told NCPCR not to drag the apex court in its agenda over a plea seeking an SIT probe into cases of children allegedly sold by shelter homes in Jharkhand of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa. Slamming the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh dismissed the plea filed by the child rights body. It said the relief sought is vague and omnibus, and it cannot be considered.

Centre moves Supreme Court for withdrawing CPRF security to Unnao rape survivor

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) sought responses from the 2017 Unnao rape survivor and her family members on the Centre’s plea seeking withdrawal of CRPF security cover provided to them following the court’s order in 2019. Expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar is serving a life term for kidnapping and raping the minor girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao area in 2017.

‘Good beginning’: India on Pact of the Future’s language on UNSC reforms

India said that a U.N. summit document for the first time containing a detailed paragraph on Security Council reform is a “good beginning” and New Delhi looks forward eventually to the beginning of text-based negotiations in a fixed time frame to reform the 15-nation body. World leaders on Sunday (September 22, 2024) adopted by consensus the ‘Pact of the Future’, promising to “reform the Security Council, recognising the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable”. U.N. officials have described the language in the ‘Pact of the Future’ on the long-pending Security Council reforms as “groundbreaking”.

Dialogue on with States, police, NIA on preventing train sabotage bids: Railway Minister Vaishnaw

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) said the railway administration is on alert for potential train sabotage bids and is holding talks with authorities and police in several states to prevent any untoward incident. The central government treats security threats with utmost seriousness and strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to sabotage trains, the Railway Minister told reporters at the Jaipur airport. “This is our commitment,” he added.

J&K second phase Assembly election: Security stepped up at polling booths

More than 13,000 polling staff on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) took positions at 3,500 polling stations set up across 26 Assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir, where voting will be held on Wednesday in the second phase polls in the Union Territory. The security forces personnel comprising police, armed police and Central armed paramilitary forces left for the polling stations early morning, the officials said.

West Bengal seeks urgent hearing of reservation case in Supreme Court

The West Bengal government on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) sought an urgent hearing of its pending appeal against a Calcutta High Court decision striking down the inclusion of several castes, largely Muslim communities, in the State’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) List. Appearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal, said the appointments to the public services of the State were held up due to the uncertainty in the case following the May 22 judgment of the High Court and the consequent appeal pending in the apex court.

Supreme Court asks Commission of Air Quality Management to apprise it about steps taken to curb pollution, stubble burning

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas to explain the steps being taken to curb air pollution due to crop residue burning. A bench of Justices Abha S. Oka and Augustine George Masih asked the CAQM to apprise about the steps on September 27, when the issue will be taken up for hearing. Senior advocate Aprajita Singh, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, referred to some newspaper reports and said it appears that stubble burning has started in neighbouring states of Delhi.

‘Spitting and mixing of urine in eatables’: U.P. restaurants told to install CCTVs, eateries to display names of proprietors

Taking cognisance of incidents of spitting and mixing of urine in eatables in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) directed that the name and address of operators, proprietors and managers should be mandatorily displayed at all food centres. He also directed that chefs and waiters should wear masks and gloves besides making installation of CCTVs in hotels and restaurants mandatory. Addressing a high-level meeting in Lucknow, Mr. Adityanath said the presence of human waste in food items was disgusting and ordered strict action against those who adulterate food items with human waste or dirty things, an official statement said.

Actor-MLA Mukesh arrested in rape case, let off after medical examination

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the complaints against Malayalam film industry personalities in the wake of the Hema Committee report on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) recorded the arrest of actor-legislator M. Mukesh in a rape case registered against him by the Kochi City police. Mr. Mukesh turned up at the Coastal Police headquarters in Kochi where the SIT team led by Coastal AIG G. Poonkuzhali interrogated him for over three hours before recording his arrest.

Was jailed so BJP could project me as ‘thief’, but even my enemy believes I’m not corrupt: Kejriwal

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) stepped up his attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging he was arrested as the ruling party wanted to project him as a “chor” (thief) but even his “fiercest enemy” believes he is not corrupt. The former Delhi Chief Minister held a roadshow in the Rania Assembly constituency in Haryana’s Sirsa in favour of Aam Aadmi Party nominee Harpinder Singh for the October 5 State Assembly polls.

Lebanon says death toll in Israel’s strikes reaches 558

Lebanese health authorities on Tuesday (September 24, 2024) raised the death toll from two days of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah militants to 558, including 50 children and 94 women. Palestinian officials in Gaza, meanwhile, said a new Israeli strike killed at least seven people in the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel’s military says it will do “whatever is necessary” to push Hezbollah away from Lebanon’s border with Israel. The two countries have been trading fire since the Israel-Hamas war began. On Monday (September 23, 2024), Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing nearly 500 people and wounding more than 1,600 others.

Netanyahu accuses Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah has been using Lebanese civilians as human shields, addressing residents of the neighbouring nation in a video statement shortly after the Israeli army announced it had struck 800 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. “It placed rockets in your living rooms and missiles in your garage,” he said. He also warned Lebanese people to move away from danger as the Israeli military pounded Hezbollah targets in the country’s south and east on Monday (September 23, 2024).

Sensex hits 85,000 level for first time before closing flat; FMCG, banking shares drag

Benchmark Sensex scaled the 85,000 level and Nifty breached the 26,000 mark for the first time before paring gains to close flat in a volatile session on Tuesday (September 24, 2024), dragged by losses in FMCG and select banking shares. The 30-share BSE benchmark declined by 14.57 points or 0.02% to settle at 84,914.04, snapping its three-day record-breaking run.

New BCCI secretary appointment not on Apex Council agenda as Jay Shah prepares for ICC chair

The BCCI Apex Council will meet on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) to discuss a variety of issues related to the Board’s functioning but the appointment of a new secretary to replace the outgoing Jay Shah is not on the agenda. It will be the last apex council meet before the Board’s 93rd Annual General Meeting in Bengaluru in five days’ time. The appointment of a new secretary has become necessary after Shah was unanimously elected as the next ICC Chairman.

Published - September 24, 2024 07:42 pm IST