1. Kerala Prepares Memo Seeking More Funds
After a muted Onam, Kerala woke up on Sunday, 26 August to the enormity of rehabilitation and restoration of normal life devastated by the unprecedented floods in the central districts of the state.
According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who held a review of the relief and rehabilitation work on Sunday, 26 August, 4,62,456 persons are still housed in 1,435 relief camps. Over three lakh houses have been cleaned till date.
Apart from the physical challenge of clearing debris, cleaning flood ravaged buildings, sanitation and medical care, the fiscal challenges of handling the post-flood reconstruction are growing, despite a massive inflow of aid to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
(Source: The Hindu)
2. ‘Multiple Fatalities’ at Jacksonville Mall, One Suspect Dead, Police Say
Multiple fatalities were feared and “many transported” to hospitals after a mass shooting at a riverfront mall in Jacksonville that was hosting a video game tournament, Florida authorities said. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is reporting that one suspect is dead at the scene after the shooting at Jacksonville Landing, but it was unknown if there were other suspects involved.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office used Twitter and Facebook to warn people to stay far away from the Jacksonville Landing. The department says to “stay far away from the area. The area is not safe at this time. STAY AWAY.”
The GLHF Game Bar at the Landing was hosting a Madden 19 video game tournament at the time of the shooting.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Talks on Indus Treaty to Be 1st Engagement with Imran-Led Govt
India will have its first official engagement with the Imran Khan government in Pakistan with a team of officials travelling to Islamabad this week for a meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission.
While India has justified water talks in the past as a “mandatory requirement” under Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the timing of the meet on this occasion is significant as it will come just a week after Khan took over as PM.
Pakistan under Khan has appealed to India to move beyond the cycle of dialogue and disruption. While India remains cautious mainly because of its concerns over cross-border terrorism, PM Narendra Modi earlier wrote to Khan expressing commitment to meaningful and constructive engagement with Pakistan.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. Killings of Narendra Dabholkar, Gauri Lankesh Linked, CBI Tells Court
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has, for the first time, established a direct link between the murders of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru and anti-superstition crusader, Narendra Dabholkar, in Pune.
The CBI, appearing before a Pune court on Sunday, 26 August seeking an extension of the custody of Sachin Andure, prime accused in the shooting of Dabholkar, stated that a pistol recovered during recent raids in Aurangabad was connected to the Lankesh murder and had passed through Andure’s possession.
“During the interrogation of accused Sachin Prakashrao Andure, it is revealed that one of the arrested accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case handed over one 7.65mm country-made pistol and three bullets to Sachin Andure. Sachin Andure passed this country-made pistol and three bullets with magazine on August 11 evening, to his brother-in-law Shubham Surale, in Aurangabad,” the CBI said in its remand report, seeking an extension of Andure’s custody.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. Gujarat: 10 feared Trapped After Four-Storey Building Collapses in Ahmedabad
Around 10 people are feared trapped after a four-storey building collapsed in Ahmedabad's Odhav area on Sunday, 26 August. Two people have been rescued so far.
The rescue operations are underway as two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have left from Gandhinagar to the site.
"10 people are feared trapped. Two people have been rescued from under the debris. There were total 32 flats in building, notice was given & it was vacated. It will later be ascertained how did they enter again today," Rajesh Bhatt, Additional Chief Fire Officer was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
(Source: DNA)
6. Modi’s Fresh Pitch for Simultaneous Polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said it was a healthy sign of democracy that the debate over simultaneous parliamentary and state polls was picking up momentum in what appeared to be a fresh pitch for his "one nation, one election" proposal.
"A discussion in the country over holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the state Assemblies is gaining momentum. The government and the Opposition are sharing their views. This is a good development and a healthy sign of democracy," Modi said in his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat.
The comments came days after the Election Commission (EC) ruled out the possibility of holding simultaneous polls in the near future.
(Source: The Telagraph)
7. MK Stalin Set to Become President of DMK
DMK working president MK Stalin is all set to be elected, unanimously, as the party president by its general council on Tuesday, 28 August. His was the only nomination received by the party organising secretary RS Bharathi at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam when the nominations closed at 4 pm on Sunday.
Senior leader and party principal secretary Duraimurugan filed the nomination for the post of treasurer, now held by Stalin. “No other nominations have been received. The last date for withdrawal is Monday evening and after that, general secretary K Anbazhagan will examine the nominations and announce at the general council meeting on Tuesday,” Bharathi told reporters.
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)
8. Indian Choppers to Remain in Male
The two Indian military helicopters, gifted to the Maldives, are likely to stay back along with a 48-member crew and support staff for at least the next few months as talks between the two countries on their continued deployment in the island nation were “positive”, diplomatic and military sources said on Sunday, 26 August.
The lease agreement of the two helicopters, given to Maldives in 2013, has expired and the island nation had conveyed to New Delhi that it would not like to retain them.
After several rounds of talks, however, there has been indication from the Maldives on its willingness to keep the two helicopters along with the crew and support staff, sources said.
(Source: The Hindu)
9. After Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi Cites Poor Jail Conditions
After beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya cited poor jail conditions in India while contesting his extradition plea before a London court, fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi, wanted in the Rs 13,578-crore PBN fraud case, has also recently opposed the CBI’s plea to the Interpol seeking a red corner notice against him on the ground that “the conditions in Indian jails are not good”.
In his plea before the Interpol, while Choksi claimed that the jails “violate human rights conditions”, he has also alleged that a media trail was in progress against him and the judicial system may be influenced. Choksi is allegedly hiding in the twin Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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