News updates: Madhya Pradesh HC asks protesting doctors to return to work immediately

Latest news updates: From Sabarmati train derailment to the doctors' ongoing protest, catch all the news developments from around the world here

10:17 PM

Fire breaks out at London's Somerset House, home to priceless works by Van Gogh, Cezanne

Priceless paintings by Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and others were safe after firefighters worked to douse a fire Saturday at Somerset House, a large central London arts venue. Heavy smoke and flames seen coming from the roof around noon had been knocked down by firefighters who poured water on it from buckets on ladder trucks. It appeared from video footage that the fire had left holes in the roof of the building located next to the River Thames. The cause of the fire was not yet known, the London Fire Brigade said.

9:53 PM

Elon Musk's X closing operations in Brazil effective immediately

Media platform X said on Saturday it would close its operations in Brazil "effective immediately" due to what it called "censorship orders" from Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes.

X claims Moraes secretly threatened one of its legal representatives in Brazil with arrest if it did not comply with legal orders to take down some content from its platform. Brazil's Supreme Court, where Moraes has a seat, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

9:49 PM

Another murder case filed against ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina

A murder case was filed against Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday over the death of a college student during the quota reform protests in the country, the latest in the string of cases filed against her after her ouster.

 

The case was filed against Hasina, former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury Nowfel, and 32 others, including several Awami League leaders, in Chandgaon, bdnews24.com portal reported. An additional 40 to 50 unidentified people have also been made accused in the case, it said.

 

This is the seventh case filed against Hasina following her ouster amid mass protests.

 

Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 after she was forced to resign following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs.

9:44 PM

Odisha alerts all district collectors as IMD warns of more rainfall till August 20

With the low pressure area over Bay of Bengal intensifying and the IMD forecasting heavy downpour in parts of Odisha till August 20, the state government on Saturday put all the 30 districts on alert to deal with any possible flood-like situation or water-logging.

 

The India Meteorological Department, in its evening bulletin, said that the low pressure area over north Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas along the Bangladesh-West Bengal coasts is likely to move north-northwestwards and become a well-marked low pressure area over Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal by August 19.

 

"Thereafter, it is likely to move west-northwestwards across Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and adjoining Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and adjoining Madhya Pradesh during the subsequent 3-4 days," the IMD said.

9:36 PM

Kolkata doctor's 'rape and killing': CBI to conduct psychological assessment of accused

The CBI will conduct a psychological assessment of Sanjay Roy, the accused in a rape-and-murder case of a doctor in Kolkata that has triggered nationwide protests, officials said on Saturday.

 

A team of psychological and behavioural analysts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi has arrived in Kolkata to conduct the necessary tests, they said.

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already taken Roy into custody.

 

The federal agency questioned Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the incident took place, for a second consecutive day on Saturday in connection with the alleged rape and killing of the trainee doctor.

 

The agency had taken Ghosh for questioning on Friday and it continued till 1:40 am on Saturday.

9:20 PM

Doctor murder: Durga Puja organiser calls upon others to decline Bengal govt's Rs 85,000 honorarium

Amid protests against the rape and murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata, BJP leader and chief organiser of crowd-puller Santosh Mitra Square Puja Committee, Sajal Ghosh on Saturday called upon all Durga Puja committees across West Bengal to decline the state government's Rs 85,000 honorarium as a mark of protest against "failure to ensure women safety".

 

Ghosh, who has been organising the puja for several years in north Kolkata showcasing various themes drawing lakhs of revellers, told PTI, "Women are being violated, raped, killed in public places, in workplaces and at homes under the regime of Mamata Banerjee who has failed to ensure their safety. When faced with mounting public anger, she is blaming everyone but herself for the situation."

 

"A young woman medic was allegedly raped and murdered in the most savage manner while she was on duty in her own hospital but only one person has been arrested so far. It will be a paradox if under the prevailing circumstances, the puja committees accept the Rs 85,000 dole from this government which has shown a lack of concern for the issue," the BJP councillor said.

 

Asked if the puja committee would in some way pay tributes to the victim, Ghosh said, "We are thinking... However, we have not yet changed our original plan to organise the puja as people want to forget all depression, sorrow, stress and pain on these four days."

8:59 PM

Madhya Pradesh HC asks protesting doctors to return to work immediately

The Madhya Pradesh High Court here on Saturday directed protesting doctors in the state to call off their strike over the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata immediately, and return to work. Since Friday, doctors across the state have stopped work barring emergency services as part of the nationwide protest. The high court also issued notices to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Madhya Pradesh Shaskiya and Swashasi Chikitsak Mahasangh, Prantiya Samvida Medical Officers Association and Junior Doctors Association, Madhya Pradesh after the petitioner sought that they be made respondents. The court accepted the undertaking by advocate Mahendra Pateria on behalf of the Junior Doctors Association, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, that their strike will be withdrawn immediately. "In view of the assurance given on behalf of the state government, we urge the Junior Doctors Association, Madhya Pradesh to also withdraw their call for strike and resume duties," said a division bench of acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Raj Mohan.

8:41 PM

MUDA scam: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah calls urgent cabinet meeting

Bengaluru | On Karnataka Governor granting permission to prosecute him in the alleged MUDA scam, CM Siddaramaiah says, "We have called an urgent cabinet meeting today. I thank DK Shivakumar and all my ministers. Congress party also stands with me. Congress workers are also standing with me. Congress high command also stands with me. The leaders of the Congress High Command called me and said that we will stand with you. The decision taken by the Governor in the MUDA case is illegal. The entire cabinet condemns (opposes) the Governor's decision. The Governor should work as the representative of the Constitution but the Governor is working as the representative of the Central Government. Governor is acting as BJP representative.

8:30 PM

Kolkata rape-murder case: Vandalism at hospital was attempt to 'cover up truth', alleges CPI(M)

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said the vandalism at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was an attempt to "cover up the truth", and called for ensuring justice to the woman trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at the health facility last week.

 

On Thursday early morning, a group of people vandalised the emergency department, nursing unit and medicine store, and damaged CCTV cameras as a large number of people, including medics, were protesting against the incident.

 

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused opposition CPI(M) and BJP in the state of orchestrating vandalism at the hospital and attempting to obscure the truth behind the rape and murder of the trainee doctor by spreading fake news on social media.

 

In a post on X, Yechury said, "This vandalism on doctors protesting against the horrific rape and murder of a fellow doctor in RG Kar Medical College is a disgraceful attempt to silence justice and cover up the truth".

8:29 PM

Nepal's new Foreign Minister Rana to visit India from Sunday

Nepal's new Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana will embark on a five-day official visit to India from Sunday during which she will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral ties and promote cooperation, the foreign ministry here said on Saturday.

 

Rana is visiting India from August 18 to 22 at the invitation of Jaishankar, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

 

"During the visit, Foreign Minister Rana will hold a bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Jaishankar and discuss matters of mutual interest for strengthening Nepal-India relations and promoting cooperation," it said.

 

As part of the regular exchange of high-level visits between Nepal and India, Rana's trip will further consolidate the age-old, deep and multi-faceted relations between the two neighbours, the statement said.

8:15 PM

Delhi records maximum temperature of 35.5 degrees Celsius

The maximum temperature in Delhi settled 1.5 notches above normal at 35.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday, the Met office said.

 

The minimum temperature was recorded at 27.2 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the season.

 

The humidity oscillated between 74 per cent and 92 per cent.

 

The weather office has predicted generally cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle on Sunday. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 36 and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively.

 

The 24 hour Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded in the 'satisfactory' category with a reading of 74 at 4 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

 

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

8:05 PM

Doctor murder: Left, Congress, civil society orgs take out rallies

Senior leaders of the Left Front and Congress took out a rally in Kolkata protesting the rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor at state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital last week and the alleged failure of the West Bengal government to ensure the safety of women.

 

Left Front chairman Biman Bose, who led the rally from Rashbehari Crossing to the Academy of Fine Arts, alleged that "TMC-sheltered goons" were behind the vandalisation of the hospital to divert focus from a mass movement demanding justice for the doctor.

 

"We demand the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the home and health portfolios," he said.

8:05 PM

Ahead of Delhi assembly polls, AAP to launch campaign to seek support of auto drivers

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will launch an 'auto samvad' campaign from next week to seek the support of autorickshaw drivers here ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, which are due to be held early next year.

 

AAP Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai said auto drivers will become Arvind Kejriwal's representatives for the elections and will communicate and convey the AAP government's work to the people.

 

The campaign will begin from August 20 and a 14-member committee will conduct it at auto stands across the national capital, he said.

 

"In this campaign, auto drivers will convey works done by the Kejriwal government to the people, and will also tell them about the conspiracies of the BJP. Kejriwal has sent a message to auto drivers that even in jail he was worried their wellbeing," Rai said.

 

It is the BJP that sent Chief Minister Kejriwal to jail to stop his work for the development of Delhi and harass people, Rai alleged.

 

Kejriwal is in jail in a corruption case-linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

7:41 PM

Karnataka Cabinet condemns Guv''s decision to grant sanction for CM''s prosecution

The Karnataka Cabinet on Saturday condemned the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's decision to grant sanction for prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam'.

Terming the Governor's action as "politically motivated", Siddarmaiah said: "We will wage a legal fight." "The Cabinet has condemned the Governor's decision to sanction prosecution against me as illegal and anti-Constitution", the Chief Minister told a press conference after a special Cabinet meeting. 

7:38 PM

BJP membership drive to start from September 1

7:29 PM

Gurugram private doctors suspend work in protest against Kolkata medic's murder

Doctors of private hospitals in Gurugram went on a strike on Saturday in protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's Medical College and Hospital.

 

At the call of the Indian Medical Association-Gurugram, doctors suspended OPD and operation theatre services, an IMA official said.

 

Doctors, along with the members of the Lions' Club and other bodies, gathered at John Hall in the morning from where they took to the street, demanding justice for the medic.

 

IMA's District President Dr Ajay Sharma said that the medics will be on strike till 6 pm Sunday and only emergency services will be operational.

 

"The culprits must get maximum punishment as soon as possible. The central government must make a law on the 2019 draft to prevent violence against medical establishments and personnel," said Dr Suresh Vashishtha, who was part of the foot march.

7:28 PM

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat receives a grand welcome on her arrival in Jhajjar

While talking about the grand welcome that Vinesh Phogat received, wrestler Bajrang Punia said, "We are wrestling for this love, there is nothing greater than this love...People of Jhajjar have always gave us grand welcome whenever we won a medal for the country...Today also they are welcoming us grandly..."

7:19 PM

Roads, apple orchards damaged after Himachal cloudburst

An overnight flash flood triggered by a cloudburst damaged the Rohru-Rampur Road in Himachal Pradesh's apple belt, officials said on Saturday.

 

The late-night cloudburst in the Rampur area of Shimla district also led to the closure of 132 roads, including National Highway 5.

 

A landslide near the Negulsari sliding point in Kinnaur has cut off the district from Shimla while 1,235 power supply schemes have been affected.

 

The officials said there were also reports of roads being blocked due to landslides and flash floods in Sirmaur and Chamba districts.

 

The cloudburst in the Taklopch panchayat of Rampur damaged several orchards but there has been no reports of human casualty, Deputy Commissioner (Shimla) Anupam Kashyap said.

 

Directions have been issued to repair the damaged roads and restore water and power supply, he said.

7:19 PM

Assam: Demonstrations, processions by doctors demanding justice for rape-murder victim

Doctors across Assam on Saturday joined the nationwide protest against the alleged rape and murder of a medic in a Kolkata hospital, demanding exemplary punishment for the culprits, a central law to ensure safety of medical professionals and better security infrastructure at their workplaces and public areas.

 

Outpatient departments and non-essential services came to a near halt in all hospitals during the day as doctors assembled on the premises, wearing black badges and displaying placards to press for their demands.

 

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had declared a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services for 24 hours from 6 am on August 17 to protest against the crime.

 

The withdrawal is across all the sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing services, the doctors' body said.

 

"We want justice for the victim and the family, that is our first demand. We also want to emphasise the need for awareness and education in the society so that such crimes are not repeated," a resident doctor at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here said.

 

Another woman doctor said, "We don't have fixed duty hours. We are called from our hostel at 1 am in the night. How can we come and perform our duties when we lack basic security?"

 

"Justice delayed is justice denied, and we want swift, exemplary punishment," she demanded.

7:15 PM

Germany to cut Ukraine military aid in 2025 budget, says parliament source

Germany, the second largest contributor of aid to Ukraine, plans to halve its bilateral military aid to Kyiv in 2025, a parliamentary source told AFP Saturday. Instead the government of Olaf Scholz will bank on money generated by frozen Russian assets to continue supporting Kyiv, and is not planning "additional aid" to the 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) set aside in next year's budget. This year aid from Berlin amounted to 8 billion euros.

6:59 PM

Kolkata medico's rape-murder: Protests held in Telangana

Doctors including private medical practitioners took part in protests in Telangana on Saturday as part of the nationwide protest call given by the India Medical Association against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.

 

As part of the protests, major hospitals in the private sector stopped outpatient services and elective surgeries while outpatient services were suspended in government hospitals in Telangana.

 

During the protests, rallies were taken out, demonstrations were held at several places in the state condemning the brutal rape and murder of the woman doctor.

 

Doctors, medical students, medical staff were among those who participated in protests at different places even as junior doctors protests continued in Telangana today.

 

They raised slogans "we want justice", "No safety no duty" and demanded justice to the deceased doctor in Kolkata and implementation of a 'Central Protection Act' to ensure the safety of all healthcare personnel, including doctors and paramedical staff.

 

They held placards that read "No mercy to rapist", "hang the criminals", "stop violence against doctors" among others.

6:19 PM

Pak-origin man, involved in 26/11 terror attack, extraditable to India: US court

In a major setback to Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, who is sought by India for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled that he is extraditable to India under the extradition treaty between the two countries.

6:14 PM

Gujarat doctors join nationwide protest; healthcare services hit

Healthcare services in Gujarat were affected as doctors from government and private hospitals took to the streets on Saturday amid the 24-hour nationwide protest over the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at a Kolkata medical college.

 

Doctors stayed away from the outpatient departments (OPDs) and did not conduct elective surgeries in several hospitals across the state as part of a strike call given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Gujarat Junior Doctors' Association.

 

Doctors held protest gatherings and took out rallies, shouting slogans demanding justice for the woman doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

 

Dr Mona Desai, a former president of the IMA's Ahmedabad chapter, led a delegation of protesting doctors and submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in the state capital Gandhinagar.

 

"We have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel with a list of demands, including an increase in security, making hospitals safe zones with CCTV cameras and enhanced security personnel so that doctors can work in a safe environment without fear," Desai later told reporters.

 

The strike affected OPD services in several government hospitals.

6:14 PM

Doctors in Mizoram protest against rape, murder of Kolkata medic

Healthcare services in Mizoram were severely hit as doctors in the state joined the nationwide protest demanding justice for the alleged rape and murder of a medic in Kolkata, an official said.

 

Services at the out-patient department (OPD) and non-essential units have been suspended in all the state-run hospitals, private facilities and church-run medical establishments, Indian Medical Association Mizoram state branch president Dr John Zohmingthanga said.

 

Apart from OPD, all private clinics were also closed in protest against the alleged rape and murder of the doctor, he said.

 

Only emergency services and blood banks were functional across the state, the official said.

 

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had declared a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services for 24 hours from 6 am on August 17 to protest against the crime.

 

Meanwhile, students of Zoram Medical College (ZMC), the state's lone medical college, staged a candle night vigil and procession at Falkawn near Aizawl on Friday night to protest against the ghastly incident in a health facility in West Bengal.

 

The woman post-graduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar room of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

 

A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime the next day.

6:13 PM

Women Self-Help Groups to send one crore rakhis to CM Shinde

Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) will send one crore rakhis to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to "express gratitude" for implementing various welfare schemes, a statement from Shinde's office said on Saturday.

 

The rakhis will be delivered to the chief minister on August 19, the day of Raksha Bandhan festival, it said.

 

The Shinde-led government announced the 'Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme in this year's budget, ahead of assembly elections, and money under the scheme was recently deposited in the bank accounts of lakhs of women.

 

More than 2.5 crore women in the state would be getting Rs 1,500 every month in their bank accounts under the scheme, the CMO statement informed.

 

Besides, three gas cylinders are provided to women free of cost under the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana, it said, listing other schemes for women. The government has initiated various welfare schemes for women to bring them in the mainstream of development, and hence members of Self-Help Groups under the UMED Abhiyan will be sending one crore rakhis from some 40,000 villages to the chief minister "for expressing their gratitude," the CMO release said.

5:36 PM

More than 4,500 Chhattisgarh doctors join nationwide protest

More than 4,500 doctors in Chhattisgarh on Saturday went on a 24-hour strike as part of the nationwide protest against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.

 

The protest which started at 6 am affected medical services except the emergency ones in major hospitals across the state.

 

"As a part of the nationwide protest call given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), more than 4,500 government and private doctors have stopped their services in the state. No patients except those in need of emergency service will be attended till 6 on Sunday morning," said Dr Rakesh Gupta, president of the IMA's Raipur branch.

 

"We want the government to pay heed to our demands and introduce a law that will ensure protection for healthcare professionals from violence at workplace," he told PTI.

 

On Friday evening, members of the Junior Doctors Association, Indian Dental Association, Chhattisgarh Nursing Staff Association, Indian Physiotherapist Association, Pharmacist Association, Medical Representative and students of medical colleges along with IMA Raipur members took out a candle march in Telibandha area.

5:30 PM

DMRC to keep additional standby trains for Raksha Bandhan rush on Aug 19

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will keep additional standby trains ready to cater the rush of passengers on Raksha Bandhan festival on Monday, a statement said.

 

The DMRC will also deploy additional personnel at stations to cater to the extra rush of commuters by operating additional ticket counters, it said.

 

In order to facilitate passengers on the festival of Raksha Bandhan on Monday, the DMRC will be ready with additional standby trains on its corridors for induction into services to cater the rush, if required, it said.

 

The passengers are requested to use mobile applications -- DMRC Momentum 2.O, WhatsApp, Paytm, One Delhi, Amazon to buy QR tickets online -- to avoid rush at ticket counters or to buy national common mobility card/smart card from customer care centres, the statement said.

 

Guards/customer facilitation agents (CFA) will be deployed at major metro stations to help and guide commuters on the day, it added.

4:44 PM

Protest across Manipur against rape, murder of Kolkata doctor

Healthcare services were affected in Manipur on Saturday as doctors went on cease work in protest against the rape and murder of a medic at a hospital in Kolkata.

 

Outpatient departments were shut at all hospitals, including the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).

 

"We stand in solidarity with our colleagues against the tragic incident as well as the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students. We demand justice for the heinous crimes as well as safety at the workplace," said doctor Heisnam Angamba, who took part in a sit-in demonstration at the state-run JNIMS.

 

"The cease work will continue for 24 hours," Heisnam said.

 

Emergency and in-patient services, however, remained operational at the hospital.

4:39 PM

Nationwide doctors strike affects OPD services

4:36 PM

Several parts of the national capital receive rainfall bringing respite from heat and humidity