OPP NAMES, BLACKLISTS 14 TV ANCHORS

In an unprecedented move that has been criticised as anti-democratic and a threat to Press freedom, the Opposition alliance, INDIA, released Thursday a list of 14 TV anchors it said it will now boycott, accusing them of conducting “hate-filled” news debates.

The INDIA alliance said it will not send its representatives on shows featuring Aman Chopra, Amish Devgan and Anand Narasimhan of News 18; Chitra Tripathi and Sudhir Chaudhary of Aaj Tak; Gaurav Sawant and Shiv Aroor of India Today; Prachi Parashar of India TV; Arnab Goswami of Republic Bharat; Rubika Liyaquat of Bharat 24; Navika Kumar and Sushant Sinha of Times Now Navbharat; Aditi Tyagi of Bharat Express; and Ashok Shrivastav of DD News.

Defending the decision, Congress media department chairman Pawan Khera said, “Every day at 5 pm, a market of hatred is put up on some channels. It has been happening for the last nine years. The spokespersons of different parties go to those markets, some experts go, some analysts go… but we all go as customers of that market of hatred.”

“We have taken the decision with a heavy heart. We are not opposed to any of these anchors. We do not hate any of these anchors. But we love our country more… that is why we wanted to take all steps possible from our side to shut these shops of hatred… that is why the constituents of the INDIA alliance decided that we will not go to these markets of hatred as customers,” he said.

The decision drew sharp criticism from the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) and the BJP too attacked the Opposition alliance, reminding the Congress of the Emergency era.

In a statement, the NBDA said it was “deeply anguished and concerned” by the decision and argued that the move “sets a dangerous precedent”. “The ban on representatives of the Opposition alliance from participating in TV news shows anchored by some of India’s top TV news personalities goes against the ethos of democracy. It betokens intolerance and imperils press freedom. The Opposition alliance claims to be the champion of pluralism and a free press, but its decision betrays callous disregard for democracy’s most fundamental tenet – the inalienable right to openly express ideas and opinions,” the NBDA said.

BJP president J P Nadda accused the INDIA alliance of “making lists in true Nazi style of who to target” and argued “the Emergency era mindset is alive among these parties.” “Pandit Nehru curtailed free speech and arrested those who criticised him. Indira Ji remains the Gold Medal winner of how to do it – called for committed judiciary, committed bureaucracy and imposed the horrific Emergency. Rajiv Ji tried to bring the media under state control but failed miserably. Sonia Ji-led UPA was banning social media handles simply because the Congress did not like their views,” he said in a social media post.

INDI-ALLAINCE OUT TO DESTRY SANATAN DHARMA: PM MODI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday waded into the Sanatan Dharma row, slamming the opposition “INDI alliance” for what he described as “their pledge to destroy the Sanatan faith that has united Indians through centuries”.

At two separate events in election-bound Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the PM, in a blistering attack on the Opposition, urged people to unite and defeat their “nefarious designs”, saying: “Ghamandia (arrogant) alliance wants to push us back into slavery.”

This is the first time the PM has spoken on the issue that has snowballed into a major controversy ever since Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks

“Today, Bharat is displaying its capacity to unite the world, but some parties are busy dividing the society. They have formed an INDI Alliance, which some also call Ghamandia. Their leader is unknown but at a recent meeting in Mumbai they have finalised the strategy and hidden agenda, which is to attack the culture of India, the faith of its people, to destroy ideas, ideals and traditions that have bound us together for thousands of years,” said the PM.

Modi said even Mahatma Gandhi considered Sanatan ideology eternal and his last words were Hey Ram. “But this Ghamandia alliance wants to finish Sanatan ideology... shatter Sanatan faith which inspired Lokmanya Tilak to link Ganesh puja with the freedom struggle,” he said.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary, hit back. "The PM is back to doing what he does best — insult… The man uses a govt function to abuse Opposition… he heads the GA-NDA coalition — Gautam Adani’s NDA," he said.

BILL DOWNGRADES ELECTION COMMISSION TO STATUS OF CABINET SECY FROM THAT OF SC JUDGE

Ahead of the special session of Parliament next week, there is disquiet in a section of the establishment, including the Election Commission, over a provision in a Bill — listed for discussion and passage — that seeks to downgrade the service conditions of the three election commissioners and, consequently, threatens to erode their authority.

The Bill, which was introduced in Rajya Sabha on August 10 and is listed for discussion in the special session starting September 18, proposes to revise the salary, allowance and service conditions of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the two Election Commissioners, aligning them with those of a Cabinet Secretary. As of today, it is aligned to that of a Supreme Court Judge.

This change doesn’t have significant financial implications, as the basic salary of an apex court judge and the Cabinet Secretary is nearly identical – Supreme Court Judges are entitled to more post-retirement benefits, including lifetime provision of drivers and domestic help. The disquiet, however, stems from concerns about how aligning Election Commissioners with the bureaucracy could potentially tie their hands and erode their perceived authority.

A present, when the commissioners call a government officer – say the Law Secretary or Cabinet Secretary at the Centre or the Chief Secretary of a state – for a meeting, or seek their explanation regarding a lapse or deliberate disregard of their direction, their order is perceived to carry the authority of a Supreme Court Judge. They are not their equals. There’s a worry that the change will affect their command and control if they are seen as equal to Cabinet Secretary.

The disquiet has also resonated within the community of former CECs, who concur that the proposed downgrading of service conditions for Election Commissioners would not only erode their authority but also impact their international standing. In many countries, especially developing countries which look up to India’s electoral democracy, their counterparts are either retired Supreme Court Judges or enjoy the status of SC Judges.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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US PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S SON HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON FEDERAL FIREARMS CHARGES

Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest and weightiest step yet in a long-running investigation into the president’s son.

Biden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal court in Delaware.

President Joe Biden’s son has also been under investigation for his business dealings. The special counsel overseeing the case has indicated that charges of failure to pay taxes on time could be filed in Washington or in California, where he lives.

The indictment comes as congressional Republicans pursue an impeachment inquiry into the president, in large part over Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Republicans have obtained testimony about how Hunter Biden used the “Biden brand” to drum up work overseas, but they have not produced hard evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

LIBYA FLOODS MAY HAVE CLAIMED 20K LIVES

Libyan authorities demanded an investigation on Thursday into whether human failings were to blame for thousands of deaths in the worst natural disaster in the country’s modern history, as survivors searched for loved ones washed away by floods.

A torrent unleashed by a powerful storm burst dams on Sunday night and hurtled down a seasonal riverbed that bisects the eastern city of Derna, washing multi-storey buildings into the sea with sleeping families inside. Confirmed death tolls given by officials have varied, all are in the thousands, with thousands more on lists of the missing. Derna Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi said deaths in the city could already reach 18,000-20,000, based on the extent of the damage. He said he was afraid the city would now be infected with an epidemic, “due to bodies under the rubble and in the water”.

The World Meteorological Organization said the huge loss of life could have been avoided if Libya — a failed state for more than a decade — had a functioning weather agency in place.

THE REST

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CANDLELIGHT MARCHES FOR SOLDIERS IN MILITANCY HUB

On Thursday night, the town of Wagoora in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, once a militancy hub, found itself bathed in the poignant sea of candlelight. In a gesture of unwavering solidarity, the civil society of Wagoora held a candlelight march to mourn and honour the Kokernag gunfight martyrs.

People from all walks of life, united by grief and a sense of duty, joined hands for this sombre procession. They held aloft posters bearing the images of the brave officers who had laid down their lives fighting militants the previous day.

Scores of people holding candles and posters of the martyrs marched through the main market of Wagoora town. The candlelight march commenced at 7 pm from the Main Chowk of the town. The march was led by Tehsildar, Wagoora, Zeeshan Khan. “My last tributes to my friend DSP Himayun and senior Army officers (Col Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonak) who laid down their lives in Kokernag. Rest in peace officers,” Khan wrote on X.

ON CRIMINAL LAW BILLS, CHIDAMBARAM, DEREK WRITE TO HOUSE PANEL CHAIR

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien have written to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs on the set of organisations and experts the panel should consult while reviewing the criminal law Bills.

The letter, sent on Wednesday and addressed to committee chairperson Brijlal, also laid out the timeline of consultation with each set of organisations or experts.

The set of organisations listed in the letter include Bar Councils of different states, the Bar Council of India, the Supreme Court Bar Association, international organisations, human rights organisations, media organisations, and law enforcement agencies.

The letter also recommended a consultation with judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, senior practitioners of criminal law, experts on juvenile justice, experts on cybercrime and technology, prison officials and reform advocates, legal scholars, academic institutions, and MPs, MLAs and members of local councils.

The letter suggested an “inclusive consultation with the general public, including women, Dalits, religious minorities, adivasis, LGBTQ persons, or persons with disabilities”.

They suggested that the cumulative time period for consultation with all these organisations is to be 18 months, with the most amount of time — six months each — accorded to MPs and judges of the apex court and high courts.

“These laws will affect the lives of the poor, and therefore must be crafted with utmost care,” the letter stated.

CENTRE SENDS NIPAH ANTIBODY, BSL-3 LABS TO TEST CONTACTS

A team of experts reached the affected region in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, where cases of the deadly viral infection Nipah have been reported from, with mobile units equipped with bio-safety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory to help on-ground testing for contacts of those who have tested positive and symptomatic patients, officials said Thursday.

Samples of the first four cases were sent to the National Institute of Virology-Pune for confirmatory testing.

The six-member Central team sent to Kerala includes epidemiologists, microbiologists, neurologists, and a wildlife officer to help prevent the spread of the infection. The team is headed by Dr Mala Chhabra, microbiologist from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in Delhi.

CONGRESS MLA, NAMED ACCUSED IN NUH VIOLENCE, ARRESTED

Haryana Congress MLA, Mamman Khan, who was named as an accused in the communal violence that erupted in Nuh in August, has been arrested on Thursday.

According to Haryana Police, there was "ample evidence" of his involvement in the violence took place following a VHP yatra.

The Ferozepur Jhirka MLA had moved the court on Tuesday, seeking protection from arrest. Mamman claimed that he was being framed in the case when he wasn't even in Nuh the day the violence broke out.

However, Haryana Police informed the court that the congress leader was named an accused after the evidence against him was "properly evaluated". They also claimed that the police have the phone call records and other evidence to back the move.

IN A FIRST, TAMIL NADU TRAINS THREE WOMEN AS TEMPLE PRIESTS

For the first time, the Tamil Nadu government has trained three women as temple priests at an Archakar Payirchi Palli — an institution for the training of priests.

This heralds a “new era of inclusivity and equality”, said Chief Minister M K Stalin. He said that even at a time when women were becoming pilots and astronauts, they were not allowed to become priests in many temples. “Because it was deemed impure, even in temples for female deities. But finally, change is here… Women are also now stepping into the sanctums, bringing a new era of inclusivity and equality,” he said.

S Ramya, S Krishnaveni, and N Ranjitha underwent training at the Archakar Payirchi Palli associated with the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple in Srirangam, near Tiruchirapalli. Such institutions for priests’ training were revived after the current DMK government came to power in 2021, resuming a programme that was initiated in 2007 by then chief minister M Karunanidhi.

The three women will spend another year in prominent temples to hone their skills, and after this, they can be considered for appointment as priests on the basis of merit.

TWO GET DEATH FOR KILLING OF RETIRED SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IN UP

A National Investigation Agency special court in Lucknow Thursday awarded the death sentence to two persons for the killing of retired school principal Ramesh Babu Shukla in Kanpur in 2016.

The convicts, Atif Muzaffar and Mohammed Faisal, both in their 30s, were said to be members of a group influenced by the ideology of the Islamic State.

The prosecution said the men killed Shukla because of his “religious identity”.

The two men were arrested for their alleged involvement in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train blast case in March 2017. Their role in the killing of Shukla came to light during questioning in the train blast case.

Atif and Faisal are currently lodged in the Lucknow district jail.

INDIA SEEKS PROMPT ACTION AS OUTRAGE OVER STUDENT’S DEATH IN US GROWS

India on Thursday sought prompt action against American cops responsible for the death of Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle in January as outrage grew over her demise and the subsequent shocking camera footage showing a cop laughing at the tragedy.

The Biden administration on Thursday assured speedy investigation after India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu strongly raised the issue at the highest level in Washington.

Kandula, 23, was hit by a speeding police patrol car on 911 duty being driven by officer Kevin Dave on January 23. The Seattle media have reported that Dave was driving at over 119 kph when he caused the accident that flung Kandula 100 feet, injuring her fatally. She was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to injuries.

The offensive video that has sparked outrage records another cop Daniel Auderer tasked to investigate the accident spot laughing about the fatal crash and saying there was no need for a probe as the deceased was a “regular person whose life had limited value”.

NSE MAKES MORE MONEY THAN 98% OF COMPANIES LISTED ON IT

The stock exchange on which they are traded boasts higher profits than most of the companies whose shares are hitting new highs. Only 37 of approximately 2,000 listed companies with comparable data for 2022-23 (FY23) reported higher profits, while the rest had lower profits. Despite rising corporate profitability, the universe of companies that outperform the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in terms of profitability has been shrinking of late, according to an analysis of companies with comparable data over the past seven years.

In 2016-17 (FY17), 474 companies reported higher net sales, and 93 reported higher profits. This meant that 75 per cent of companies had lower net sales, and 95 per cent had lower profits. However, this has since changed to 91 per cent of companies reporting lower net sales and 98 per cent reporting lower profits.

ASIA CUP: SRI LANKA EDGE PAKISTAN IN A LAST BALL THRILLER

Kusal Mendis produced an outstanding 91 and Charith Asalanka a gutsy unbeaten 49 as defending champions Sri Lanka overcame Pakistan by two wickets in a dramatic Super Four match in Colombo on Thursday to set up an Asia Cup final against India.

Fifties by Abdullah Shafique (52) and Mohammad Rizwan (86 not out) had led Pakistan to a competitive 252 for 7 off 42 overs after electing to bat on another rain-affected day.

But Sri Lanka replied in kind through Mendis and Asalanka as they inched past the target off the last ball of the match, also spoiling the possibility of an Indo-Pak summit clash.

The complicated DL method gave Sri Lanka a target of 252 in 42 overs. A Sri Lankan score of 251 would have meant scores were equal and would have called for a super over. Charith Asalanka needed to score 6 off the last two balls - he scored a 4 followed by a two.

The final will be played on Sunday.

INDICATORS

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Nasdaq 13,926 (+112) Dow 34,907 (+332), S&P 4,505 (+38)

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GBP 0.80 /US$, Euro 0.93 /US$, Jap.Yen 147.26 /US$, Aus$ 1.55 /US$, Sing 1.36 /US$, Bang Taka 108.52 /US$, Can$ 1.35 /US$, Mal Ring 4.67 /US$, Pak Re 296.60 /US$, Phil Peso 56.69 /US$, Russian Rouble 96.09 /US$, NZ$ 1.68 /US$, Thai Baht 35.74 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 36.66 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 26,482, Dollar Index 105.02, Brent Crude 94.16, BDI 1340

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,911 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,945 / 5,450, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 77,000

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Confidence never comes from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all questions. – Earl Gary Stevens

OFF TRACK

A car hits a lady and the husband calls 911.

The operator asks, "Where are you at"?

The husband replies, "I'm on Eucolipstic Road."

The operator asks, "Can you spell that for me?"

"Well... I'll just drag her over to Oak Road so you can you pick her up there?"