Evening News wrap: China starts mega-dam project on Brahmaputra, US NTSB terms western media reports on AI crash ‘speculative'; and more
Here are top 5 news stories from the day
China starts mega-dam project on Brahmaputra
China on Saturday started building a major dam on the Brahmaputra river in southeastern Tibet near border with India. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the groundbreaking ceremony, news agency AFP reported citing local media. The massive hydropower project, aimed at boosting China's carbon neutrality and regional development, raises concerns in India and Bangladesh regarding potential impacts on water flow.
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Air India crash: US NTSB terms Western media reports 'speculative'
Following a barrage of reports in the western media that have squarely blamed AI 171 captain for switching off fuel supply to the doomed Air India Dreamliner leading to its June 12 crash, the American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has now termed those articles 'premature and speculative.'
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Uttarkashi helicopter crash: AAIB report says pilot tried emergency landing
According to the AAIB report, the helicopter began descending from its assigned altitude about 20 minutes after takeoff.
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The pilot attempted an emergency landing on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri National Highway but was unsuccessful. During the landing attempt, the helicopter's main rotor struck an overhead fiber cable running alongside the road, leading to the crash.
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Actor Sangeeta Bijlani's farmhouse vendalised
A farmhouse belonging to film actor Sangeeta Bijlani in Maharashtra's Pune district has been found vandalised, with items reported stolen, police said.
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Rahul Gandhi says, 'Make in India is just assembly, not manufacturing'
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday called for a "ground-level change" to make India a true manufacturing power. He said under the name of 'Make in India', the country is merely assembling products and not actually manufacturing them.
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Deccan Herald
24 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Realising the Palestinian state remains a complex challenge
Spurred by the declaration of French President Emmanuel Macron in early July, a host of Western powers are lining up and promising to recognise the State of Palestine next month, coinciding with the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Following similar announcements by Britain and Canada, an Australian minister remarked that his country's recognition was a matter of 'when, not if'.Currently, European nations such as Ireland, Norway, Spain and Sweden have already recognised the State of Palestine. The Gaza crisis and the escalating humanitarian catastrophe — widely feared to lead to mass starvation — are prompting many to push for the only viable option on the table: the two-state cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, France convened a meeting in New York with the participation of key Western (Canada, Britain, Japan, and Spain), Arab (Egypt, Jordan and Qatar), Islamic (Indonesia and Türkiye) and Global South (Brazil and Senegal) powers. Much of the globe has already endorsed the New York Declaration, which outlines the contours, rationale and roadmap for a two-state solution. However, two notable dissenters remain: Israel and the United States. Israel has criticised Macron's recognition plan as a 'reward' for Hamas. Despite his frustration with Benjamin Netanyahu over delaying the Gaza ceasefire deal, the Trump Administration is reportedly fuming over Western powers taking the lead and has even threatened to punish Canada for its recognition under Russian missile attack, says Ukraine military .Recognition of the State of Palestine is largely a political act with legal implications. It assumes that the entity in question satisfies international criteria regarding territory, population, government, and, crucially, sovereignty. Countries only grant recognition after being satisfied that these conditions are met. As a sovereign decision, recognition is often used by countries to gain diplomatic leverage and strategic advantages. For instance, the US took more than two decades to accept the People's Republic of China and support its admission to the United Nations in 1971. For similar reasons, a vast number of countries—including some even today—have not recognised the State of Israel, despite it meeting all the criteria of an independent sovereign entity decades many others, India adopts a cautious approach when recognising and accepting a newly emerged entity into the international community. This caution was evident in its stance towards the then East Germany, which it recognised only in 1972, shortly before the latter joined the United Nations in September 1973. At the same time, India's immediate recognition of Bangladesh on 7 December 1971—amidst the war with Pakistan—paved the way for the latter's international same caution and legal considerations informed India's approach towards Palestine. Despite its longstanding support for the Palestinian cause dating back to the early 1920s, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru refrained from recognising the hastily formed and short-lived All-Palestine Government announced in the Gaza Strip in 1948. As global opinion began to coalesce around an independent Palestinian leadership under the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), New Delhi initiated engagement with Yasser the wake of the 1973 oil crisis and the sudden rise in political clout of key oil-exporting nations— particularly Iraq and Saudi Arabia — the regional stance towards the Palestinian leadership began to shift. At the Rabat Arab Summit in October 1974, the Arab League recognised the PLO as the 'sole and legitimate' representative of the Palestinians. This led India to sign a formal agreement with the PLO in January of the following year, soon after which an independent PLO office began functioning in New her landslide victory in the 1980 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi extended full diplomatic recognition to the Palestinian mission in March, granting it all diplomatic privileges and immunities on par with United Nations missions. The first Intifada prompted the PLO to accept the UN's partition plan for Palestine — albeit four decades late — indicating its readiness to coexist with the State of Israel. Consequently, India became one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine on 18 November 1988. The Palestinian mission in New Delhi was upgraded to a full-fledged embassy. At that time, the Israeli consulate in Mumbai remained limited in function and jurisdiction, primarily serving the state of then, India has hosted both Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas as heads of state. The last such visit occurred in May 2017, when Prime Minister Modi hosted Abbas. Following the Oslo Accords, India also opened a diplomatic mission in Gaza City, which was later relocated to the West Bank due to worsening security conditions, which also forced Arafat to move his headquarters to support for the two-state solution has remained consistent, vocal and unwavering. Even after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, India reiterated its backing for the two-state framework. During a detailed media briefing on 12 October, the MEA spokesperson reaffirmed India's consistent support for 'a sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders side by side at peace with Israel.'Despite growing normalisation and deepening strategic ties with Israel, India's commitment to the two-state solution remains resolute. The rising support among key Western powers only reinforces the strength and vision of India's long-held position. Yet, without active American support and endorsement, France and its European and Arab allies may struggle to realise Palestinian statehood — and this remains a major hurdle.(The writer teaches contemporary Middle East at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi)
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Opposition mounts attack on EC, panel rebuts charge
The Opposition continued its attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, accusing it of working at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre, evoking sharp reactions from the poll panel and ruling party leaders who asked them to give proof of their allegations. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party leader Abhishek Singhvi during the party's Annual Legal Conclave at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. (HT PHOTO) Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who on Friday claimed that his party had uncovered an 'atom bomb' of evidence proving voters lists were manipulated on a large scale, reiterated his claims on Saturday, saying he will soon release the data that would send shockwaves through the election system. 'You will see the shockwave that is going to go through the electoral system when we release this data. It is literally like an atom bomb,' LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said at the inaugural function of the day-long legal conclave on the theme 'Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways'. Gandhi cited data collected by the Congress from an assembly constituency in Karnataka, where the party checked the photographs and names of electors physically and reportedly found out that 150,000 votes were 'fake' out of a total of 65,000 voters. 'Out of 6.5 lakh voters, we found 1.5 lakh to be fake. It's all documented; we obtained physical papers from the Election Commission,' he claimed. He added: 'The truth is that the election system in India is already dead. Please remember one thing that the prime minister of India enjoys a very slim majority. If 10-15 seats were rigged, and we suspect the actual figures to be closer to 70-80 to 100, he would not have been the prime minister of the country... In the coming few days, we are going to prove to you without any doubt how a Lok Sabha election can be rigged, and it was rigged.' Gandhi said he will make public details of the 'anomalies' in voter list in the constituency in Karnataka on August 5 at Bengaluru's Freedom Park. Sharpening his attack on the ECI, the former Congress chief said, 'It's very clear that the institution that protects this (Constitution), and defends it has been obliterated and taken over.' Gandhi also said that he did not have the proof earlier and that is why he could not make such statements before. 'But, I am making this statement confidently now because I have 100% proof. And, whoever I have shown it to has fallen off the chair. They literally said how it is possible. But it is possible, it's happening, literally,' he added. The Congress has repeatedly accused the ECI of acting like a 'biased umpire', particularly in its handling of the 2024 general elections and multiple assembly polls. Later in the day, EC shared Gandhi's remarks on its official X account, saying: 'The statements made are Misleading and Baseless.' On Friday, too, the poll panel had termed the LoP's 'atom bomb' remark 'baseless and wild allegations'. The BJP, meanwhile, dared Gandhi to detonate at once the 'atom bomb of evidence of vote theft'. 'Rahul Gandhi says he is in possession of an atom bomb. If it is so, he should detonate it at once. He should just ensure that he is himself out of harm's way', said defence minister and former BJP president Rajnath Singh. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that voters were 'changed' in the Maharashtra assembly and Lok Sabha elections. 'How can there be nine voters in a small room and nine thousand voters in a single hostel in Maharashtra? Is this Election Commission or Modi ji's puppet,' he asked at the legal conclave on Saturday. Echoing Gandhi's recent warnings, Kharge asserted that accountability will follow for those in the poll body. 'Whether they are serving or retired, ECI officials won't be spared if they break the rules. They're in a dangerous position –– lying for the BJP –– and that cannot go on unchecked.' Slamming the contentious special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Kharge described the exercise as a 'deliberate' move to disenfranchise the poor, marginalised and minorities even as he called the ECI a 'puppet' to the Narendra Modi-led government. 'If 6.5 to 10 million voters are being excluded in a state of 70 million, it's not an error, it's a calculated decision to remove the marginalised from the democratic process.' Kharge's comments come a day after ECI published the draft electoral rolls for poll-bound Bihar after the conclusion of the first phase of the SIR. ECI said of the 6.5 million names missing from the rolls, deaths accounted for 2.2 million, people who permanently shifted or not found accounted for 3.6 million and people enrolled in multiple places accounted for 700,000. The EC did not respond to the latest allegations, but said in a press note that along with the draft rolls, a list of voters who were part of the June 24 electoral roll but are missing from the new draft has been shared with political parties. A total of 1.60 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs), nominated by district presidents of the 12 political parties, are currently participating in the SIR process. The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also alleged that Opposition voices, including his own and Gandhi's, are routinely muffled in Parliament. 'Mics are switched off the moment we try to speak,' he said. 'Modi and Shah used to cheer when the former Rajya Sabha Chairman expelled us. This is what they call democracy.' (With PTI inputs)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Cong to hold massive protest in B'luru on Aug 5 over alleged electoral fraud
Mandya: Minister Cheluvarayaswamy on Saturday announced that the Congress party will stage a massive protest in Bengaluru on Aug 5 against the alleged electoral malpractice during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the state. Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi is expected to take part in the protest. The party aims to mobilise 5,000 participants from Mandya district alone. Speaking to reporters in Mandya, the minister said the protest will be held at Freedom Park, as court has prohibited rallies elsewhere in the city following a stampede during the RCB victory celebrations in June. Cheluvarayaswamy said that the demonstration will focus on BJP's alleged influence and manipulation during the elections. "Initially, we had planned a protest rally, but due to restrictions, we have shifted to Freedom Park," he said. "Electoral malpractice is a grave issue. We must address it with utmost seriousness," he added. The minister criticised the Election Commission, saying earlier allegations raised by the Congress were not taken seriously. "There was a belief that such malpractice was impossible through the commission," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Blood cancer is taking our curious baby away from us! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo The minister said even party functionaries found it difficult to verify voters in some constituencies in Bengaluru. "Now it has come to light that the voters list was tampered with," he claimed. Citing Mahadevapura constituency in Bengaluru, he pointed to inconsistencies between the voter lists used during the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. "This clearly signals electoral malpractice," he noted. Cheluvarayaswamy warned that the misuse of the Election Commission for such purposes poses a serious threat to democracy. "For democracy to survive, transparency is essential. While doubts about EVMs continue, tampering with voter lists is a far more serious concern," he said. Reacting to former MP Prajwal Revanna's conviction, Cheluvarayaswamy said no one is above the law and wrongdoers would be punished. "The court's verdict is final and binding. No one has the authority to question it. If necessary, the only recourse is to file an appeal," he stated. On the Dharmasthala incident, he informed that the SIT has begun its probe. "It is natural for differing opinions to surface during the course of an investigation. But all questions will be answered once the SIT completes its inquiry," he added. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
