PM Modi likely to travel to New York next month
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit New York next month to attend the UN’s Summit of the Future, which is likely to be attended by a host of world leaders, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The Summit is scheduled to be held on September 22 and 23. In New York, the prime minister is also set to address an Indian community event besides holding talks with a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the Summit, the people said.
Delhi receives light rain, mercury settles at 35.4 degrees Celsius
The maximum temperature in Delhi on Wednesday was recorded at 35.4 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s normal even as parts of the city received scattered rains and an overcast sky prevailed in many areas, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The relative humidity level stood at 70 per cent at 5.30 pm.
Very light rain was recorded in several areas with Delhi’s weather stations like Ridge and Delhi University recording 4mm of rainfall between 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.
The weather office had predicted light rain accompanied by thunderstorm during the day.
The downpour is expected to continue on the Independence Day on Thursday with moderate rain and cloudy sky predicted for the day.
A spell of light rain (upto 5mm)/thunderstorm during morning, forenoon hours and one or two spells of light rain during noon to night hours is expected over the Red Fort where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag.
For the next two days the city will be under a Yellow Alert, indicating to ‘be aware’, as per the IMD’s colour codes.
Thereafter, the rains are expected to continue till August 20, according to the IMD.
75 ASHAs, ANMs felicitated by health ministry
Union Minister Anupriya Patel on Wednesday felicitated 75 ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) and ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) for their efforts towards the success of various health initiatives.
They have been invited to the 78th Independence Day ceremony at the Red Fort as special guests, the health ministry said in a statement.
“There are currently more than 10.29 lakh ASHAs and 89,000 ANMs who serve as the cornerstone of community health in our country and play a crucial role in transforming healthcare at the grassroots,” minister of state for health said.
“Their contributions include mobilising communities, facilitating health services, providing community-level healthcare, and promoting health awareness. Their dedication has been essential in delivering vital health services to even the most remote and vulnerable populations,” Patel said.
Underlining the contributions of ASHAs and ANMs in advancing India’s maternal, child, and adolescent health, Patel said they have played a pivotal role in improving the landscape of maternal, child, and adolescent health in India, with an 82 per cent decline in the maternal mortality ratio since 1990.
Rains in Himachal lead to closure of 75 roads
A total of 75 roads, including two national highways, are closed in Himachal Pradesh following landslides and flash floods triggered by rains in several parts of the state since the past week, officials said on Wednesday.
The local meteorological office has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy rain in isolated parts of the state till Sunday and also warned of low flash floods in parts of Sirmaur district till Thursday.
Intermittent rains continued to lash parts of the state since Tuesday evening and Narkanda recorded 47 mm of rain followed by Dharamshala (42.2 mm), Kangra (35.9 mm), Sundernagar (34 mm), Nahan (23.8 mm), Brahmani (19.2 mm), Sujanpur Tira (16 mm), Bharari (15.2 mm), Palampur (14.4 mm) and Rampur (11.2 mm).
The State Emergency Operation Centre said that 31 roads were closed in Shimla, 18 in Mandi, 12 in Kullu, five in Kangra, three in Kinnaur, two each in Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti, and Sirmaur on Wednesday evening.
The State Emergency Operation Centre said that 105 water supply and 19 power schemes were also affected.
Independence Day address: President recalls sacrifices of freedom fighters
President Droupadi Murmu said, “When we hear them talking about our great nation and about the privilege of being a citizen of it, we find in their words echoes of what our great freedom fighters used to say. Then we realise that we are part of a chain that binds the dreams of those who participated in the freedom struggle and the aspirations of those who will witness the nation regaining its full glory in the years to come.”
Imports from China up 13% to $10.2 bn, exports dip 9.44% to $1.5 bn in July
India’s exports to China dipped by 9.44 per cent to $1.05 billion, while imports rose by 13.05 per cent to $10.28 billion in July, according to the commerce ministry data. Cumulatively, during April-July this fiscal, exports to the neighbouring country also dipped by 4.54 per cent to $4.8 billion, while imports grew 9.66 per cent to $35.85 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $31.31 billion, the data showed.
Karnataka govt orders state departments to close accounts in SBI & PNB with immediate effect
The Karnataka government on Wednesday ordered all departments to close their accounts in SBI and PNB. All state departments have been directed to close accounts and recover deposits with immediate effect, according to MoneyControl report.
Thai parliament to hold special session on Friday to select new PM
Thailand’s parliament will convene on Friday for a special meeting to choose a new prime minister, the legislature announced on its website, following the court’s dismissal of Srettha Thavisin as premier. According to parliamentary rules, a candidate nominated for prime minister must win support of more than half of the lower house, which currently has 493 members.
Horrors seen during Partition now happening in Bangladesh, Pakistan: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the horrors seen during Partition are now happening in Bangladesh and Pakistan. “The date and faces might have changed but the nature of incidents is the same as 1947. It is still happening in Pakistan. It is happening in Bangladesh,” he said at a function here on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Congress nominates Abhishek Manu Singhvi as its candidate for Rajya Sabha bypoll in Telangana
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a senior Congress leader, is a senior advocate.
P Harish to be India’s next envoy to UN in New York
Seasoned diplomat Parvathaneni Harish was on Wednesday appointed as India’s next ambassador to the United Nations in New York. Harish, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is presently serving as India’s ambassador to Germany. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a brief statement. The position of India’s ambassador or permanent representative to the UN has been lying vacant after Ruchira Kamboj retired in June.
Complaint filed at International Crime Tribunal accuses Hasina, others of committing crimes against humanity
A complaint was filed on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladesh’s International Crime Tribunal against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and several others, accusing them of committing crimes against humanity during the recent mass movement of the students against her government. “The complaint was filed by the father of one of the students who died in police gunshots during the massive street protests,” an official of the agency said.