Top news of the day: Several feared trapped in Bengaluru building collapse; Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee suspended after smashing glass bottle during heated exchange at Waqf Bill meeting, and more

The major news headlines of the day and more.

Bengaluru building collapse: At least 17 workers feared trapped

An under-construction building collapsed in Babusapalya near Hennur in Bengaluru on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) following incessant rains, trapping as many as 17 labourers. So far, six people have been rescued and an operation is underway to rescue the others trapped under the debris.

TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee suspended after smashing glass bottle during heated exchange at Waqf Bill meeting

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was suspended from the Joint Committee meeting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 on Tuesday (October 22, 2024), after he reportedly broke a glass bottle during an argument with BJP MPs. Reportedly, Mr. Banerjee smashed a glass water bottle and threw it away during a heated exchange of words with BJP’s Abhijit Gangopadhyay.

India ready to provide all possible cooperation, says PM Modi on ending Ukraine conflict

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the BRICS summit that he wanted peace in Ukraine and that New Delhi was ready to help achieve a truce to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two. Mr. Putin, who ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, wants the BRICS summit to showcase the rising clout of the non-Western world after the United States and its European and Asian allies tried to isolate Russia over the war.

We are trying to restore trust, reassure each other, other stages will follow through: Army Chief

A day after the Foreign Secretary announced that India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling and disengagement in Eastern Ladakh, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi sounded a cautionary note stressing that they are trying to “restore trust” and “reassure each other” and once that is restored other stages — disengagement, de-escalation and normal management of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — will follow through. Meanwhile, China on Tuesday confirmed that it has reached an agreement with India to end the standoff between the two armies in eastern Ladakh. “Over a recent period, China and India have been in close communication through diplomatic and military channels on issues related to the China-India border,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing in Beijing.

East coast braces for cyclone as low pressure strengthens into depression over Bay of Bengal

A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) morning as it rolled towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. In its bulletin, the IMD said the well-marked low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards, concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 730 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 770 km south-southeast of Sagar island in West Bengal around 5.30 a.m.

Nearly 50 flights receive bomb threats on October 22

Nearly 50 domestic and international flights of Indian carriers received bomb threats on Tuesday (October 22, 2024), taking the total number of flights that have received the threats since Monday (October 21, 2024) night to around 80, according to sources. The sources in the know said 13 flights each of Air India and IndiGo, over 12 flights of Akasa Air and 11 flights of Vistara received the threats on Tuesday (October 22, 2024). On Monday night, 10 flights each of Air India, IndiGo and Vistara had received the threats, with three Jeddah-bound IndiGo flights getting diverted to airports in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Supreme Court reserves verdict on pleas against Allahabad HC judgment quashing Uttar Pradesh madrasa law

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) reserved its verdict on pleas challenging the Allahabad High Court judgment, which declared the 2004 Uttar Pradesh law on madrasas as unconstitutional on the ground of it being violative of the principle of secularism. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D. Y. Chandrachud and Justices J. B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra heard a battery of lawyers on behalf of eight petitioners besides Additional Solicitor General K.M. Natraj for the Uttar Pradesh government for almost two days before reserving the verdict.

Father of R.G. Kar victim writes to Amit Shah, seeks appointment for guidance, help

Stating that they were going through “tremendous mental pressure and feeling helpless” at the moment, the father of the deceased woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) wrote to Union Minister Amit Shah seeking an appointment. In the mail, the father said they wanted Mr. Shah to guide and help them.

Muslim men can register more than one marriage as their personal laws permit multiple wedlocks: Bombay High Court

A Muslim man can register more than one marriage as their personal laws permit multiple marriages, the Bombay High Court held in a case of a man seeking to register his union with his third wife. A Division Bench of Justices B.P. Colabawalla and Somasekhar Sundaresan on October 15 directed the deputy marriage registration office of the Thane Municipal Corporation to decide the application filed by a Muslim man in February last year seeking to register his third marriage with a woman from Algeria.

Manipur: Arms, ammunition seized in Kangpokpi

Arms and ammunition were seized in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, police said on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. The seizures were made during an area domination exercise in Aigejang in the hill district, they said. One each of .303 rifle, 9mm CMG with magazine, 9 mm pistol, SBBL along with two 51mm mortars, two hand grenades, five live ammunition, and two smoke grenades were seized, they added.

Delhi High Court closes plea to permit climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, others to protest

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) closed the proceedings on a plea seeking permission for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. Petitioner Apex Body Leh’s counsel said they no longer wished to press the plea as the protest stood withdrawn following a discussion with the authorities.

Bombay High Court grants bail to dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in corruption case involving Anil Deshmukh

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) granted bail to dismissed police officer Sachin Waze in a corruption case also involving former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. A division bench headed by Justice M.S. Sonak granted bail to Waze and said the conditions for the same shall be set by the special CBI court. The dismissed police officer will, however, continue to remain in jail as he is in judicial custody in the Antilia bomb scare case lodged by the NIA.

15 injured in blast at Ordnance factory in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur

At least 15 people were injured in a blast that took place in the Ordinance Factory in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur on Tuesday (October 22, 2024), police said, adding that three are critical. Khamariya police station in-charge Gajwati Pusam told The Hindu, “Twelve people are receiving treatment at a local hospital while three critical patients have been referred to Mahakoshal Hospital.” Additional Superintendent of Police, Anand Kaladagi told The Hindu that multiple teams are currently working on the spot to rescue any trapped persons.

Xi Jinping calls to prepare for war as China launches live-fire exercise in Taiwan Strait

China’s military began a live-fire exercise near Taiwan on Tuesday (October 22, 2024), maintaining pressure on the self-ruled island after staging large-scale drills and President Xi Jinping called for troops to prepare for war. China’s Communist Party has never ruled the island, but it claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will not renounce the use of force to bring it under its control.

Hezbollah hides millions in cash, gold under Beirut hospital, says Israel

Hezbollah has stashed hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold in a bunker built under a hospital in Beirut, Israel’s military said on Monday (October 21, 2024), adding it will not strike the facility as it keeps up attacks against the group’s financial assets. Fadi Alameh, a Lebanese lawmaker with the Shi’ite Amal Movement party and the director of the hospital in question, Al-Sahel, told Reuters that Israel was making false and slanderous claims and called on the Lebanese Army to visit and show it only had operating rooms, patients and a morgue.

South Korea pledges countermeasures over North Korea-Russia military cooperation

South Korea will gradually take countermeasures in line with the level of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, Deputy National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo told a briefing on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. The comments as quoted by Reuters came as South Korea’s Presidential office urged Pyongyang to immediately withdraw North Korean troops that Seoul says have been dispatched to Russia for the war with Ukraine.

Suffered $100 million loss due to workers’ strike, Samsung tells Madras High Court

Samsung India Electronics Private Limited (SIEPL) on Tuesday (October 22, 2024) claimed it had suffered a loss to the tune of around $100 million due to the recent strike by a section of employees, who wanted their trade union — Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam, affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) — to be registered. Appearing before Justice R.N. Manjula, who was seized of a writ petition filed by P. Ellan, general secretary of the new trade union, senior counsel G. Rajagopalan, representing SIEPL, contended that trade unions could not be allowed to use the word ‘Samsung’ in their name since their activities would affect the company’s reputation.

CWG 2026: Hockey, shooting, cricket, badminton among major sports axed

In a body blow to India’s medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 edition by host city Glasgow, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budget-friendly. Table tennis, squash, cricket, netball, and road racing have also been axed in a bid to limit the cost and streamline logistics given that only four venues will host the entire showpiece. The total number of events at the Games will be nine fewer compared to the 2022 Birmingham edition.

Published - October 22, 2024 07:13 pm IST