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The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Hindu Morning Digest: August 20, 2025
Amit Shah to move three bills for removal of PM, CMs, Ministers held on serious criminal charges Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to introduce three bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) to provide legal framework for removal of the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and Ministers in States and union territories who are 'arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges.' Nearly 800 rescued as two Mumbai monorails halt midway amid heavy rains, CM Fadnavis promises inquiry Chaos prevailed on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) evening after two separate incidents of Mumbai Monorail breakdowns left 782 passengers stranded mid-air, triggering massive rescue operations by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), police and emergency services. Emergency response teams including MFB, Police, Monorail staff, and 108 ambulance services were mobilised at both sites. Centre to introduce law to prohibit real money gaming firms, official says The Union Cabinet on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) approved a Bill to effectively prohibit real money games (RMGs) online, a multi-billion dollar industry that counts fantasy sports platforms such as Dream11 and card game apps, including PokerBaazi. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 is now headed to Parliament and is likely to be tabled on Wednesday. 'Important opportunity' faces India, China, says Foreign Minister Wang Yi Striking a note of reconciliation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) that the bilateral relationship between India and China is facing an 'important opportunity'. Speaking at the 24th meeting between the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question, Mr. Wang indirectly referred to the negative impact of the 2020 Galwan clashes and said, the 'setbacks' of the recent past did not advance the 'interest of the people' of both countries. Presidential Reference Bench says Supreme Court stepped in to resolve an 'egregious situation' in Tamil Nadu Governor case A Presidential Reference Bench of five judges headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai observed on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) that the Supreme Court's move to grant deemed assent to 10 crucial Tamil Nadu State Bills may have been a way to resolve an 'egregious situation' created by the Tamil Nadu Governor who had been sitting over them since 2020. After CSDS psephologist deletes X post, BJP accuses Congress of making 'baseless claims' on voter fraud The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) accused the Congress of making 'baseless' claims about 'vote theft' and targeting the Election Commission of India in 'collusion' with a Delhi-based think tank. This came after Sanjay Kumar, a psephologist and a professor with the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), who had shared voter data from two Maharashtra Assembly seats related to last year's State election in a post on X on Sunday (August 17, 2025), subsequently deleted his post on Tuesday (August 19, 2025), apologising for posting erroneous data. Israel demands release of all hostages after Hamas backs new truce offer A senior Israeli official on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any future Gaza deal, after Hamas accepted a new truce proposal. Mediators are awaiting an official Israeli response to the plan, a day after Hamas signalled its readiness for a fresh round of talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war. Cabinet panel on security clears project to procure 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for IAF The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) approved the procurement of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). A senior defence official confirmed that the project had been cleared by the CCS, calling it a major boost to the government's Make in India initiative. The aircraft will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Operation Sindoor lessons now part of NCERT syllabus Over three months after the Pahalgam killings and subsequent military conflict between India and Pakistan, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced two new modules on 'Operation Sindoor — A saga of valour' for Classes 3 to 8 and 'Operation Sindoor — A mission of honour and bravery,' for Classes 9 to 12. Death toll from northern Pakistan monsoon floods rises to almost 400 Rescuers and residents resumed searching on Tuesday for survivors as the death toll from five days of torrential rain rose to almost 400, with authorities warning monsoon downpours would continue until the weekend. Torrential rains across Pakistan's north have caused flooding and landslides that have swept away entire villages, leaving many residents trapped in the rubble and scores missing.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Nearly 800 rescued as two Mumbai monorails halt midway amid heavy rains, CM Fadnavis promises inquiry
Chaos prevailed on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) evening after two separate incidents of Mumbai Monorail breakdowns left 782 passengers stranded mid-air, triggering massive rescue operations by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), police and emergency services. The first incident occurred at 6:38 p.m. between Bhakti Park and Mysore Colony stations in Chembur (East), when a monorail came to an abrupt halt. Passengers were stranded for more than two hours before being rescued with the help of Turn Table Ladder (TTL) and Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP). 582 passengers were safely evacuated by the fire brigade team, said Ravindra Ambulgekar, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade. Follow Mumbai rains LIVE updates on August 19 'We reached here after 10 minutes and assured all the passengers that they are safe and they will be rescued safely. All the passengers are safe and the rescue operation has been completed. Since the passengers were stuck inside, some of them panicked and tried to break open the window. The window was broken by the fire brigade team and once we were there, we asked everyone to calm down,' Mr. Ambulgekar said, adding that 150 team from fire brigade were deployed. Six passengers who complained of suffocation were treated inside an onsite ambulance and discharged. The second incident was reported at 7:33 p.m. between Acharya Atre and Wadala Monorail stations, where another train stopped due to a power failure. The stranded monorail was eventually towed to Wadala station after electricity supply was restored, rescuing nearly 200 passengers. Two passengers, Aman Singh (23) and Aishwarya Sandip Pawar (27) who suffered from suffocation were shifted to KEM Hospital by 108 ambulance. Hospital authorities later confirmed that Mr. Pawar's condition was stable. Mumbai monorail breaks down amid heavy rain Emergency response teams including MFB, Police, Monorail staff, and 108 ambulance services were mobilised at both sites. MMRDA officials said they were not aware of the second incident as of 11:30 p.m.. However, in a statement for the first incident, the company said that overcrowding on the train, due to heavy rains impacting other transportation routes, led to the stoppage of the monorail. 'Preliminary checks revealed that due to overcrowding, the total weight of the train rose to around 109 metric tonnes, which exceeded its designed capacity of 104 metric tonnes. This excess weight caused a break in the mechanical contact between the power rail and the current collector, cutting off the electricity supply required to run the train.' The statement added, 'MMRDA immediately dispatched a team of technicians to the site and, as per SOP, deployed another mono to tow stalled mono. Normally, in such situations, the stalled train is towed to the nearest station. However, because of the excess weight, it could not be towed and therefore, a rescue operation had to be carried out with the help of the Fire Brigade.' Overcrowding on the Monorail was triggered by the closure of the Indian Railways Harbour Line owing to heavy rainfall in Mumbai. Despite repeated efforts by security personnel to regulate boarding and prevent excessive crowding, the surge in commuter demand overwhelmed the system, it said. 'It is important to note that the Mumbai Monorail is a low-capacity transit system, intended to serve specific corridors and not designed for sudden high-volume loads akin to suburban railways or metro systems. Today's incident is happened primarily due to overcrowding, MMRDA requests all commuters to kindly follow the instructions of the security and technical teams deployed for ensuring smooth operations during the emergency situations like today,' the official said.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Water level in Mithi nears danger mark, BMC & NDRF evacuate residents
Following the heavy rains that have been wreaking havoc in Mumbai over the past three days, the water level in Mithi River rose to 3.9 metres, nearing the danger mark of 4.2 metres. The swelling up of the river prompted the civic authorities to evacuate residents living in low-lying areas and close to 400 people were temporarily relocated around Kurla, Santacruz and Vakola areas. The 18-km long Mithi River originates from the Vihar Lake inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and the course of river passes through the densely populated areas like Vakola, Bandra and Santacruz before it flows into the Arabian Sea through Mahim creek. The residential units adjoining the periphery of the river comprise mainly slum clusters and hutments. Civic officials said the residents living in these hutments were relocated to a BMC-run school and community hall. During the July 26 deluge in 2005, the Mithi River exceeded the danger levels, leading to immense flooding in the western suburbs. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, civic officials said the overflowing of the Mithi River was anticipated since the city has been recording above normal rainfall since August 14. According to the BMC's automated weather system (AWS), the eastern and western suburbs recorded 208 mm and 238 mm of rain each. While the areas like Vikhroli recorded 293 mm of rain, Dindoshi recorded 335 mm of rain. The adjoining Vihar lake had overflown on Monday while the Powai Lake also reached its full capacity in the past one week. 'The overflowing water from these two lakes flows directly into the Mithi River. In addition to this, there was 3.7 metres high tide. All these factors contributed to the swelling up of the water level in the river and we had to evacuate the local residents with the help of Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) before the water level could reach the danger mark,' said an official, adding that basic amenities like foods and drinking water were arranged at the shelter house. After the rains subsided, the water level receded to 3.6 metres by Tuesday afternoon. However, the NDRF teams and MFB had been kept on standby by the authorities. This year, the BMC couldn't complete the desilting work of the river owing to the ongoing investigation of the Enforcement Directorate on the BMC's desilting scam. According to the BMC's records, till the arrival of monsoon, the BMC was able to achieve only 75% of its pre monsoon desilting target of Mithi and the process of post-monsoon desilting work is already underway where the authorities have achieved 10% progress so far. Following the July 26 deluge, the Mithi River is being desilted annually ahead of monsoon as a flood mitigation measure. The process of desilting refers to the removal of silt, muck and sediments which get deposited on the beds of the water bodies. These sediments slow down the pace of water flow, which in turn results in overflowing of water, thus leading to waterlogging in the city on the occasion of heavy rain during monsoon. However, civic officials have maintained that the incomplete desilting work was not the sole cause of concern that led to swelling up of the water level. 'The overall length of Mithi River has been divided into three stretches. While we have achieved 90% progress in pre-monsoon desilting at the first stretch, the progress had been slow in the second and the third stretches which showed that overall progress is less in terms of numbers. However, these factors are not going to be any cause of concern because at the BKC area, which falls in the second stretch, the river bed gets wide enough to allow a smooth flow of water in the case of heavy rains as a result of which the water didn't reach the danger mark and got drained out smoothly after the intensity of rain stopped. In the third stretch, which is near the Mahim area, there is a dense mangrove cover that acts as a buffer against flooding and waterlogging. Also, this area has a wider outfall. So clearly, we have a natural geographical advantage,' a senior official said. The desilting of the Mithi River was supposed to be completed by May 31. However, the civic body failed to meet its deadline. Later, following the early onset of monsoon, the deadline was revised to June 7. However, the second deadline was revised to June 30. The officials maintained that the main reason for the slow progress of Mithi River desilting is the ongoing investigation of Rs 1,100 crore scam by the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) Special Investigation Team (SIT) related to the desilting of Mithi River. The officials said that in May, the owners of the contractual firms along with their supervisors went absconding, leading to incomplete desilting work. Following which the BMC appointed a new contractor and civic officials said the desilting in Mithi River will continue even after monsoon gets over this year.
Zawya
12-08-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: PG Bison announces $623mln future investment in new Melamine Faced Board line at Mkhondo facility
PG Bison, a leading manufacturer of wood-based panel products, is proud to announce that its shareholder, KAP Limited, has approved a R240m investment for a new high-volume, high-pressure Melamine Faced Board (MFB) line that will be installed at its Mkhondo facility in Mpumalanga. This will be the fourth MFB line at the site, and the company's eighth in total, with commissioning planned for the first half of 2027. This investment incorporates the most advanced technology available globally, strengthening PG Bison's capability to deliver innovative, world-class products that align with the changing needs of customers in the markets we serve. It plays a critical role in our strategy to expand value-added product capacity, enabling us to meet growing demand from both consumers and industry in our primary markets. The new line will also support the goals of the South African Furniture Industry Master Plan (FIMP) and the Forestry Master Plan through product innovation thereby unlocking greater localisation opportunities. Gerhard Victor, CEO of PG Bison, remarked: 'This investment reflects KAP and PG Bison's ongoing commitment to growth and value creation for our key stakeholders. It also reaffirms our dedication to job creation and localisation of the furniture and forestry value chains. 'We appreciate the continued support from our stakeholders and look forward to sharing updates as the project progresses,' Victor adds.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Mumbai chawl collapse: 7 injured, many feared trapped as floors cave in at 3-storey building; rescue operation launched
The incident, which occurred around 5.56am, was declared a Level-II emergency by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB). MUMBAI: At least seven people were injured and several others are feared trapped after the second and third floors of a chawl collapsed early Friday morning in Bharat Nagar, Bandra East. The incident, which occurred around 5.56am, was declared a Level-II emergency by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB). The collapsed structure, Chawl No. 37, a ground plus three-storeyed residential building, is located near Namaj Committee Masjid in the Bharat Nagar locality of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Initial reports suggest that 8 to 10 people may still be buried under the rubble. A massive multi-agency rescue operation is underway. Teams from the MFB, Mumbai Police , Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), Public Works Department (PWD), Adani's emergency unit, and local building staff have been deployed to the scene. Emergency responders are using fire engines, rescue vans, and ambulances to manage the situation. So far, seven injured persons have been pulled out from the debris and shifted to Bhabha Hospital in Bandra. Their condition is currently being monitored. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like West Bromwich: If You Were Born Between 1940-1975 You Could Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the collapse, but structural instability in old buildings during the monsoon is often cited in similar incidents. Officials say rescue operations will continue until all trapped individuals are accounted for.
