1. Parliament Special Session: Both Houses Adjourned to Meet Again Tomorrow in New Building
2. Canada expels Indian diplomat amid probe into alleged govt links in Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination: India rejects allegations by Canada
3. Interference Claims Wrong, Trudeau Failed to Act Against Khalistani Terrorists: Govt Sources
4. Anantnag Encounter: Army recovers body of 4th Soldier, May make final Push to end Op Today
5. Building on G20 Summit success, plans underway for India-Africa summit

What Else

6. Hoysala empire temples in India’s Karnataka listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
7. ISRO’s solar mission successfully performs another manoeuvre, craft on course to reaching Sun-Earth L1 point
8. On sidelines of UNGA, Sri Lankan president calls AUKUS ‘a mistake’ and rejects fears over China
9. China’s ‘Shi Yan 6’ heading to Sri Lanka, pending clearance
10. US-China ties seen ‘warming up again in stages’ as top officials meet
11. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi begins 4-day Russia visit for security talks
12. Karima Baloch, Pakistani human rights activist, found dead in Canada

——————-

Parliament Special Session: Both Houses Adjourned to Meet Again Tomorrow in New Building

• PM Modi on Mon opened the discussion on the parliamentary journey as the 5-day special session.
• MPs across the spectrum listed the many achievements of the Parliament in the past 75 years, with most throwing their support for greater representation for women.
• Some MPs also spoke about their own experiences in Parliament.
• Lok sabha saw a brief row over DMK MP A Raja’s remarks on the EP discussing the Manipur crisis.
• Only 3 days of the session will be reserved for govt business, about which there is still no clarity.
• The govt said that 8 Bills, 4 already listed, would come up during the special session.
• The Centre earlier faced a volley of questions about why it is maintaining “secrecy” about the session’s agenda.
• The 5-day special session began with a discussion on the 75-year passage of the Parliament
• Both houses were adjourned to meet again in the new Parliament building on Sept 19.
• According to sources, the Women’s Reservation Bill will be tabled on Sept 20 during the special session of the parliament. (here)
• Cabinet Approves Women Reservation Bill, (Sources); Congress Welcomes Move: A cabinet meeting in the evening of Mon is also chaired by the PM and ends up without any press briefing.
• the Women Reservation Bill will be tabled on Sept 20 in the Parliament during the special session, govt. (here)
• Manmohan Singh, the former PM, and senior-most RS member, and former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren, who has been a member of both the Houses, have been reportedly invited to speak at a function in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tue (here)
• ‘Memories and learnings’: 10 Indian woman MPs pen letters to share memories of old parliament (here)

Canada expels Indian diplomat amid probe into alleged govt links in Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination

• Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat on Mon while investigating “credible allegations” suggesting that the Indian govt may have had connections to the assassination of a Sikh activist within Canada.
• PM Justin Trudeau addressed the matter in the Canadian Parliament, revealing that Canadian intelligence agencies had been scrutinizing these allegations.
• Nijjar, a staunch advocate for an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was fatally shot on Jun 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia.
• During the G-20 summit, Trudeau raised the issue with PM Modi and conveyed that any potential involvement by the Indian govt would be deemed unacceptable.
• Trudeau also requested cooperation from India in the ongoing investigation.
• Canadian FM Mélanie Joly announced the expulsion of the head of Indian intelligence in Canada
• FM emphasized the severity of such actions if proven true, describing it as a violation of Canadian sovereignty and fundamental principles governing international relations.
• Canada has a Sikh population of over 770,000, comprising roughly 2% of its total population. (here)
• India rejects allegations by Canada: We have seen and rejected the statement of the Canadian PM in their Parliament, as well as the statement by their Foreign Minister.
• Allegations of Govt of India’s involvement in any act of violence in “Canada are absurd and motivated,” said MEA in a statement on Wed’s morning
• “Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement read
• It added, “The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern.” (here)
• Canada is escalating a diplomatic standoff with India. Expect more fireworks in the coming days.
• [Trudeau got such a pasting from the Opposition during his train wreck of a trip to India. Retrieve ratings and malign India to further secure the Khalistani vote bank.]

Interference Claims Wrong, Trudeau Failed to Act Against Khalistani Terrorists: Govt Sources

• The Trudeau govt failed to take action against Khalistani separatists who are sitting in Canada and carrying out killings in India, top Indian govt sources said, adding that New Delhi will respond diplomatically at the right time
• Canada’s allegations that New Delhi could be involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on its soil are baseless and wrong, top Indian govt sources
• Dealing another blow to diplomatic ties, Canada has said it is “activelypursuing credible allegations linking Indian govt agents” to the murder of 45-year-old Nijjar in British Columbia in June.
• It also expelled a senior Indian diplomat. (here)

Anantnag Encounter: Army recovers body of 4^th Soldier, May make final Push to end Op Today

• The search operation is underway following the intense gunbattle between the Pak-backed terrorists and security forces in Kokernag of Anantnag, lasted for over 150 hours
• Security forces recovered a charred body from the hilly forest area where the encounter is underway, but its identity is yet to be ascertained.
• The operation, which entered day 7^th on Tue, has been underway in the Gadole forest area of Anantnag, when 3 brave security forces personnel, including CO.
• The heavily armed terrorists believed to be 2-3 in number, are hiding in tactical locations in the dense and steep forest.
• As per sources, this seems like a new pattern employed by terrorists to hide from security forces.
• There were several cave-like hideouts in the forest area and drones were being used to pinpoint their locations to carry out attacks on them.
• Drone footage showed a terrorist running for cover after one such hideout was hit by shells fired by security forces on Fri. (here)
• 3 Detained For Alleged Links With Hizbul Mujahideen In Jammu And Kashmir

• 3 over-ground workers (OGWs) of the banned HM terror outfit were detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) in Kishtwar district on Mon, police said.
• OGWs were taken into custody under the law that allows detention without charge or trial for up to 2 years in some cases on the recommendations of the police.
• Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Khalil Poswal said the 3 are “hardcore” OGWs and named in various cases registered in different police stations. (here)
• J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha visited the house of Dy SP Humayun Bhat who was killed in the operation, along with two Indian Army officers.

Building on G20 Summit success, plans underway for India-Africa summit

• Fresh off the heels of a successful G20 Summit, India is working with the African side to hold the mega India-Africa Summit.
• Expected to be held in Addis Ababa, in Dec this year, the summit aims to further firm up ties between the two sides and build on the gains made at the G20 Summit with the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20.
• At the G20 Summit’s opening session in New Delhi on Sept 9^th, Comoros President Azali Assoumani was invited by PM Modi to occupy a seat at the high table.
• Under India’s G20 presidency, the largest number of African countries to date were in attendance, including invited countries such as Nigeria, Egypt, Mauritius, Comoros (as the AU chair), and member countries like South Africa.
• The Dec summit will be the 4th such India-Africa Summit, the third one took place in Delhi in 2015 with earlier summits taking place in 2011 and 2008. (here)

Hoysala empire temples in India’s Karnataka listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Hoysala empire temples in India’s southern state of Karnataka have been inscribed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on Mon.
• This is the 42^nd addition of India to the heritage list.
• The announcement comes after Shantiniketan in West Bengal received the UNESCO World Heritage status on Sun
• Among the nations who supported India’s bid are Japan, Nigeria, Oman, Greece, Italy, Russia, Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa, Qatar, Mali, St Vincent & gradients, Belgium, Argentina, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand.
• The UNESCO WHC, at its 45^th session, recognized the cultural and historical significance of these temples and through a vote decided to add the site to the list.
• The session was held in the capital city of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.
• The Hoysala Empire, which flourished from the 10^th to 14^th centuries, is renowned for its contributions to art, architecture, and culture in the southern region of India. (here)

ISRO’s solar mission successfully performs another manoeuvre, craft on course to reaching Sun-Earth L1 point

• The Space Organisation, ISRO announced on Tue that its maiden solar mission — Aditya-L1 — has performed the Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion maneuver successfully and the spacecraft was now in a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point.
• ISRO also informed that it marked the fifth consecutive time that the ISRO had successfully transferred an object on a trajectory toward another celestial body or location in space.
• Earlier, a launcher carrying the Aditya-L1 spacecraft blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Station at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
• The primary objectives of India’s maiden solar mission include collecting scientific data and marking another milestone in India’s solar exploration efforts. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

On sidelines of UNGA, Sri Lankan president calls AUKUS ‘a mistake’ and rejects fears over China

• Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Mon declared the AUKUS “a mistake” while rejecting any concerns over Beijing’s perceived influence on his debt-ridden island nation.
• “It is a military alliance moved against one country – China,” he said at an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on the sidelines of the UNGA
• “I think it’s a strategic misstep. I think they made a mistake,” Wickremesinghe added, describing the alliance as unnecessary. “I don’t think it was needed.”
• Wickremesinghe laughed off the term “Indo-Pacific”, calling the recently-coined geostrategic zone an “artificial framework”.
• “Nobody knows what’s Indo-Pacific,” he said.
• “For some people, the Indo-Pacific ends on the western boundary of India, others take it into Africa, and some end up with Western Pacific, others go to South Pacific.” (here)

China’s ‘Shi Yan 6’ heading to Sri Lanka, pending clearance

• Data showed that the Chinese geophysical scientific research vessel Shi yan 6, which has also attracted India’s attention, will reach Colombo on Sept 29^th.
• However, Sri Lanka’s Defence and Foreign Ministery said that clearance was not given.
• The Shi yan 6 was monitored moving along the Strait of Malacca towards Sri Lanka.
• It is approximately 1,000 nautical miles away from the island and is traveling at a speed of 12 – 13 knots.
• Although the vessel left China on Sept 11^th, international maritime tracking platforms were not updated to claim that Shi Yan 6 was heading to Sri Lanka.
• A request was made on the Aug 29^th to the Shi yan 6 to delay its visit until Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe concludes his visit to China in Oct of 2023. (here)

US-China ties seen ‘warming up again in stages’ as top officials meet

• The latest high-level talks between China and the US signal that ties are slowly warming and that there is political resolve to manage tensions, according to analysts.
• The assessment came as Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng is expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Mon.
• That meeting, to be held on the sidelines of the UNGA, follows talks in Malta over the weekend between US NSA Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat.
• Both sides described the talks as “candid, substantive and constructive”, touching on topics ranging from bilateral ties to the war in Ukraine, and Taiwan.
• The US readout- the Malta meeting was part of “ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the relationship”.
• It also said the US “noted the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait”.
• Wang stressed that the Taiwan issue was the “first insurmountable red line in Sino-US relations”, and that Chinese people could not be deprived of their “legitimate right to development”. (here)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi begins 4-day Russia visit for security talks

• Beijing and Moscow were expected to step up their strategic coordination as China’s top diplomat Wang Yi kicked off a 4-day visit to Russia for security talks ahead of a possible visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin next month.
• China’s FM announced on Mon that Wang, the FM and a Politburo member who heads the CCP’s foreign affairs office, will be in Russia until Thu for the annual strategic security consultation meetings.
• Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Wang’s visit to Russia was a “routine activity” under the strategic security consultation mechanism.
• Mao said, “..during Wang’s trip, the two sides would hold “in-depth communication on important topics related to the strategic security interests of the two countries” (here)

Karima Baloch, Pakistani human rights activist, found dead in Canada

• A dissident Pakistani human rights activist living in exile in Canada has been found dead in Toronto after going missing.
• Karima Baloch, 37, was granted asylum in Canada in 2016 after her work as a human rights activist in troubled Balochistan led to her being followed and threatened by the authorities.
• The first chair of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO-Azad), a political student organization, she had been advocating for the rights of those in a region home to a long-running insurgency movement, and raising the ongoing issue of enforced vanishings.
• She was listed by the BBC in its 100 Most Inspirational and Influential Women of 2016 for her work in human rights.
• Amnesty International said: “The death of activist Karima Baloch in Toronto, Canada is deeply shocking and must be immediately and effectively investigated.” (here)