Here are the top 5 news updates of September 8, 2021:
Nudged by the Supreme Court, the Centre today informed the top court that it has taken a decision to allow women into the National Defence Academy (NDA). Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that there is a good news, as a decision has been taken at the highest-level that women will be inducted for NDA, and the chiefs of three Armed Forces have also agreed. Bhati said the decision had been taken late evening Tuesday. Justice Kaul said that the court has been periodically nudging the authorities to do it themselves, and sometimes things only move when the court steps in. "Armed forces are respected forces of this country but on gender equality they have to do more", said Justice Kaul.
Ahead of the scheduled Goa Assembly elections next year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today appointed former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the election in-charge for the state. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been appointed as the election in-charge for Uttar Pradesh, while Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi has been appointed in charge of Uttarakhand. For the Assembly polls scheduled in Punjab, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been appointed as the election in-charge for the state. Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav has been given charge of the upcoming Assembly elections in Manipur.
The Taliban's religious leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, hours after the announcement of the new Afghanistan cabinet, issued a statement saying the new cabinet will start its work immediately. "As a caretaker and committed cabinet has been announced by the authorities of the Islamic Emirate to control and run the affairs of the country which will start functioning at the earliest, I assure all the countrymen that the figures will work hard towards upholding Islamic rules and Sharia law in the country, protecting the country's highest interests, securing Afghanistan's borders, and to ensuring lasting peace, prosperity and development," Akhundzada said. The statement also said the new government remains committed to protecting human rights.
Looking at the diverse conditions of the country, door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination is not feasible and it cannot pass a general direction to just scrap the existing policy, the Supreme Court said today. The top court, which refused to entertain a plea of a lawyers' body seeking door-to-door COVID-19 jab for the disabled and people belonging to weaker sections of society, said the vaccination drive is already in progress and over 60 per cent of the population has been administered the first dose. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli asked the petitioner 'Youth Bar Association' to approach the competent authority at the Health Ministry with its suggestions.
Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ended marginally lower today, tracking losses in market heavyweights Infosys, Reliance Industries and TCS amid a weak trend in global markets. After swinging over 400 points in a volatile session, the 30-share Sensex ended 29.22 points or 0.05 per cent lower at 58,250.26. Similarly, the NSE Nifty slipped 8.60 points or 0.05 per cent to 17,353.50. Nestle was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding over 2 per cent, followed by Maruti, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Auto, TCS and L&T. On the other hand, Kotak Bank, Titan, NTPC and Sun Pharma were among the gainers.
