1. Netanyahu dials PM Modi, Shares Update on Israel-Hamas Conflict; India assures firm Support
2. PM Modi urges Asian Games winners to spread message of drug-free India
3. India to build 509 composite border outposts on frontiers with Pakistan, Bangladesh
4. IMF raises India’s growth forecast second time citing strong consumption
5. Canadian diplomats remain in India as withdrawal deadline passes

What Else

6. Jaishankar reaches Colombo, to take part in IORA ministers’ meeting
7. Defence Minister Singh interacts with CEOs, top industry leaders in Rome
8. NewsClick owner’s earnings used to be all from India. Within a year, this flipped to 99% from abroad
9. Delhi LG sanctions prosecution against Arundhati Roy, Showkat Hussain for remarks on Kashmir
10. French translator among two named in NIA charge-sheet for having links with TTP
11. Pakistan: People Census showed the population of Azad Jammu Kashmir only 27 lakhs
12. Thousands of students of KIU in Gilgit took to streets against semester fee hike
13. Conflict between Israel and Hamas puts China’s approach to Middle East to the test
14. China marks decade of belt and road with white paper declaring redoubled commitment to help developing countries
15. China drives away Philippine gunboat near disputed Scarborough Shoal
16. Nepal locals protest against Chinese crusher plant

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Netanyahu dials PM Modi, Shares Update on Israel-Hamas Conflict; India assures firm Support

• PM Modi said that his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu called him on Tue and provided an update on the conflict, which is under attack from the Hamas group.
• This is the 2^nd time PM Modi has condemned the terrorist attack on Israel.
• PM Modi on Sat said: “Deeply shocked by the news ……We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour”.
• The Israel Defence Forces on Tue said that they have regained control of the border with Gaza.
• The Israeli ambassador to India Naor Gilon thanked PM Modi and Indians for their continued support to Israel.
• “Thank you again, PM Narendra Modi. Since we get SO MUCH support from our Indian brothers and sisters,” Gilon said. (here)
• “When leaders like PM Modi support Israel, it gives lot of power: Israeli Diplomat Israel’s Consulate General to Mumbai Kobbi Shoshani has said that when leaders like PM Modi support Israel, it gives the country a lot of power. (here)
• [Plain and simple support for Israel and condemnation of Terrorism. No calls for restraint – implicitly supporting Israel’s freedom of action to do as it sees fit]

• CM Pinarayi Vijayan writes to EAM Jaishankar over the safety of Indians in Israel: ‘Around 7000 are from Kerala…’ (here)
• Israel-Palestine Conflict: Over 3,000 Killed; US Plane With Ammunition Reaches Israel: The death toll crossed the 3,000 mark and is expected to be higher on Wed as Israeli warplanes hammered the Gaza Strip, reducing buildings to rubble and sending people scrambling to find safety in the tiny, sealed-off territory now suffering severe retaliation for the deadly weekend attack by Hamas militants.
• Meanwhile, US President Biden has condemned the militant group Hamas for “sheer evil” for its shocking multi-pronged attack on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds of civilians.
• A US plane with arms and ammunition reached Israel as the war entered the 5^th day. (here)

PM Modi urges Asian Games winners to spread message of drug-free India

• PM Modi on Tue appealed to Indian athletes who performed exceptionally by winning medals in the 19^th Asian Games to spread the message of a ‘drug-free India’.
• PM Modi met the Indian contingent that participated in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi.
• India crossed the 100-medal mark for the 1^st time in their Asian Games history, making this one of the most memorable sporting events for the country in a long while and something that will immortalize all the athletes taking part in it.
• India finished their Asian Games 2023 campaign with a record haul of 107 medals: 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze. (here)

India to build 509 composite border outposts on frontiers with Pakistan, Bangladesh

• India is all set to build 509 composite Border OutPosts along the Indo-Pak and Indo-B’desh borders to deter trans-border criminals, infiltrators, and hostile elements.
• Of the 509 composite BOPs, 383 are to be constructed along the Indo-B’desh border (4096.7 km) while the remaining 126 BPOs will be built along the Indo-Pak border (3323 km)
• Union Ministry of Home Affairs has given its consent for a scheme that would provide infrastructure for accommodation, logistic support, and combat functions. (here)

IMF raises India’s growth forecast second time citing strong consumption

• IMF has raised India’s GDP growth forecast for India for the financial year 2023-24 to 6.3%, its 2^nd upward revision since the April report.
• According to the latest World Economic Outlook, which was released on Tue, the growth is expected to grow by 6.3% this fiscal year, 20 basis points (100 BP = 1% point) higher than what it had estimated in its previous report.
• IMF attributed stronger-than-expected consumption during April-June for the upward projection in the growth estimate.
• The growth forecast was raised from 5.9% in April, 6.1% in July, to 6.3% now, taking it closer to the 6.5% predicted by the Indian authorities.
• For 2024-25, IMF pegged India’s GDP growth at 6.3%, though unchanged from its earlier two projections.
• IMF projected India’s consumer inflation at 5.5% this fiscal, against RBI’s 5.4% forecast.
• RBI expects Q2 (Jul-Sep) inflation at 6.4%, Q3 (Oct-Dec) at 5.6% and Q4 (Jan-Mar) at 5.2%. (here)

Canadian diplomats remain in India as withdrawal deadline passes

• Canada and India are continuing talks about the fate of several dozen Canadian diplomats in New Delhi even as an Indian govt deadline for Ottawa to slash its diplomatic presence elapsed on Tue.
• New Delhi last month told Canada to withdraw 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country by Oct 10 after Canada’s PM Trudeau, said there were “credible allegations” that India may have been linked to the murder of a Canadian Sikh activist near Vancouver in Jun.
• Ottawa was trying to resolve the situation with New Delhi, which had warned that diplomats who stayed beyond the deadline would lose diplomatic immunity, said several people familiar with the situation.
• One Canadian official said Ottawa had not withdrawn any diplomats ahead of the deadline.
• Relations between Canada and India plummeted last month when Trudeau told Canada’s parliament that Ottawa was pursuing allegations that India was behind the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
• India has described the accusations — which Trudeau raised with PM Modi, at the G20 summit in New Delhi in Sept — as “absurd”. (here)

Jaishankar reaches Colombo, to take part in IORA ministers’ meeting

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reached Colombo on Tue on a 3-day visit during which he will attend the 23^rd Council of Ministers meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

• This will be his 2^nd visit to Sri Lanka this year and it comes 2 months after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe traveled to India in Jul.
• Lanka is the current chair of IORA and India will assume the role of vice-chair for 2023-25 during the IORA meeting to be held on Oct 11.
• India is set to take over the chairship of IORA during 2025-27, the external affairs ministry said.
• Besides the IORA, Jaishankar will have bilateral meetings in Colombo
• IORA promotes sustained growth and balanced development within the IOR and its 23 members include Australia, B’desh, Comoros, France, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, the Maldives, Oman, Singapore, S Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, and the UAE (here)

Defence Minister Singh interacts with CEOs, top industry leaders in Rome

• Def Min Rajnath Singh interacted with CEOs and top industry leaders of Italian defense companies in Rome on Tue and highlighted the defense manufacturing prospects in India.
• The Minister said the complementary capacities of the Indian and Italian defense industries could be optimized in a win-win situation.
• Rajnath Singh is on a two-nation visit to Italy and France.
• He stated that the Indian govt has significantly improved the ease of doing business in India, created 2 Defence Industrial Corridors, and encouraged manufacturing in India.
• The meeting was attended by CEOs, Presidents, and VP, and senior officials of 24 Italian defense companies.
• Industry leaders from Leonardo, Fincantieri, Electronica, Beretta, AIAD, Pasquali and many other prominent Italian companies were present. (here)

NewsClick owner’s earnings used to be all from India. Within a year, this flipped to 99% from abroad

• PPK NewsClick Studio Private Limited —which owns the news website NewsClick — earned an overwhelming share of its revenue from foreign sources between 2019-20 and 2021-22, an analysis of the company’s financial statements shows.
• This marks a complete reversal of its earning pattern in the previous two years when it depended almost entirely on domestic sources of revenue.
• ThePrint analyzed the company’s financial records for the period from Jan 11, 2018, to Mar 31, 2022 — the only publicly available financial data on the company — and found that this reversal of revenue trends coincides with the sale of shares by the company’s promoters to entities not named in the records.
• That is, before the sale, revenue came from within India, and, after the stake sale, it came from abroad.
• Founded in 2009, NewsClick has been accused by the Delhi Police Special Cell of accepting Chinese funds to incite disaffection against India, among other things — an allegation denied as “bogus” by the news website. (here)

Delhi LG sanctions prosecution against Arundhati Roy, Showkat Hussain for remarks on Kashmir

• Delhi Lt Governor, VK Saxena, has granted sanction for the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and Prof Sheikh Showkat Hussain in a case relating to their speeches at a public function in 2010, the LG office said on Tue.
• “The FIR in the matter was registered vide orders dated November 27, 2010, of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi”, it said.
• Saxena noted that a prima facie case was made against two for the commission of an offense under sections 153A, 153B, and 505 of the Indian Penal Code for their speeches at a public function in the National Capital. (here)

French translator among two named in NIA charge-sheet for having links with TTP

• The National Investigation Agency has named a French translator from UP along with another person to raise funds for furthering the activities of TTP.
• Mohd Arif, 42, a resident of Aligarh in UP, and Hamraz Shaikh, 27, belongs to Thane in Maharashtra, were named in the charge sheet filed
• The two accused persons were also charged with attempting to radicalize and recruit gullible Muslim youth in India to join the banned terror outfit to carry out violent jihad and charged under various sections of the UAPA and the IPC. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Pakistan: People Census showed the population of Azad Jammu Kashmir only 27 lakhs

• The New People Census showed the population of Azad Jammu Kashmir only 27 lakhs.
• More than 15 lakh Kashmiris living in foreign countries were not included in the new census of AJK due to which the population of 42 lakhs has come down to 27 lakhs.
• The Democratic System poses a great threat and there would also be a decrease in the total 33 assembly seats.
• Giving a complete State setup to such a smaller population has become a question in itself.
• Gossip has started about the future of one President, one Prime Minister, a separate Legislative Assembly, 29 Ministers, an SC, an HC etc. for just 27 lakhs population.
• Authorized Departments expressed strong notice of uncertainty, anarchy, and boredom in AJK.
• Consultation has been started with experts to approach the judiciary for the formation of new constituencies.
• The protests by the Awami Action Committee have put more oil to the fire.
• (sources)- blackmailing the Pakistan Govt based on a 27 lakh population has made the entire situation volatile.
• If new constituencies are formed there is a possibility of cessation of 6 Assembly seats. (Siasat) 

Thousands of students of KIU in Gilgit took to streets against semester fee hike

• Thousands of students of the Karakoram International University (KIU) in Gilgit took to the streets against the fee hike demanding the reabsorbing of the expelled students, blocking all types of traffic chanting strong slogans against the VC and the University Administration. (Baad-e-Shimal) 
• Students in Gilgit-Baltistan are facing lots of difficulties in not getting admission to colleges and their one year would go to waste.
• More than 2000 students, girls and boys, of 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th year, and BS classes are not getting admissions as the education department does not have funds for new classes.
• PML-N leader Wazir Akhlaq said that the government should resolve the issue of students without any further delay. (DailyK2) 

Conflict between Israel and Hamas puts China’s approach to Middle East to the test

• China’s approach to the Middle East is being tested by the latest fighting between Israel and Hamas, although analysts said it would not change its approach and would continue to support the establishment of a Palestinian state.
• A day after Israel declared a “state of war” following the attack by Hamas militants, China joined Russia, Turkey, and several Arab states in calling for calm and restraint amid the latest violence, which has already claimed more than 1,000 lives.
• Israel declares war after Hamas launches surprise attack, killing hundreds of people
• Unlike the US, India, and most countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, China has not condemned Hamas or offered its backing to Israel. (here)

China marks decade of belt and road with white paper declaring redoubled commitment to help developing countries

• China has redoubled its commitment to the BRI and says it is open to any project that can help developing countries.
• The initiative, which was unveiled by Chinese President Xi Jinping a decade ago, will continue to be Beijing’s “overarching plan and its top-level design” for opening up and international cooperation, according to a white paper released by the State Council Office on Tue.
• “China is ready to increase its resource input in global cooperation,” the document said. “It will work to achieve a greater say for emerging economies and developing countries in global governance.”
• “[China] will support any initiative that can genuinely help developing countries build infrastructure and achieve shared progress,” the white paper read.
• More than 130 countries and 30 international organizations have confirmed they will send representatives to attend the event, as per the official release of the foreign ministry on Tue. (here)

China drives away Philippine gunboat near disputed Scarborough Shoal

• China’s coastguard says it drove away a Philippine navy gunboat near the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Tue.
• The coastguard said the ship had ignored verbal warnings so it had followed and monitored the vessel before forcing it to leave the area, where China claims sovereignty.
• “The operations at the scene were professional, standard, and legitimate,” the Chinese coastguard said.
• The statement added that China would continue to enforce its maritime rights and accused the Philippines of violating Chinese sovereignty.
• The Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner denied that China drove away its ship, according to Reuters.
• That encounter – and later resupply missions in which Chinese forces and militias surrounded and blocked Philippine ships – united lawmakers across party lines in Manila to condemn China’s “continued harassment”. (here)

Nepal locals protest against Chinese crusher plant

• The locals of Nepal’s Tinau Rural Municipality have been protesting against a Chinese crusher plant set up around a month ago near the Tinau River in Ward 3.
• The locals allege the plant has been operating by flouting the safety standards set by the govt.
• According to the chairman of the Tinau Rural Municipality Prem Shrestha, the crusher plant was set up by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, the contractor of the Siddhababa Tunnel Project.
• The locals of Dobhan village, the site of the crusher plant, have been protesting, claiming that it harms the environment. (here)