Top 10 headlines: WB clashes; Afghanistan crisis; UP population control bill & more

Indian From Kabul Army Base Reveals How US Troops Fled Afghanistan Before Taliban Takeover

As US President Joe Biden defends troops' hasty withdrawal from its anti-terrorist base camp in Kabul, Republic TV spoke exclusively on Tuesday to Ashok Singh - an IT officer working for US troops. Singh narrated the events as to how US troops hastily evacuated the Army camp 14 hours prior to the Taliban's takeover of the Taliban, destroying evidence and weapons. Slamming the Afghan soldiers, who had been trained by the US troops, for not putting up a fight against the Taliban, Singh said that the US was left with no choice but to evacuate.

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Russia: Prototype Cargo Plane Crashes During Trial Near Moscow Killing 3; Video Accessed

In an unfortunate incident that was captured on camera in its entirety, a Russian prototype cargo plane IL-112V  with three people on board crashed during a test flight near Moscow on Tuesday. As per sources, all three people on-board passed away in the crash. In the video accessed by Republic Media Network, the plane can be seen flying at low altitude with one of its engines on fire and the right-side wing engulfed in the flame. The plane cruises for some time over a forested area before making a sharp turn and crashing to the ground in a massive explosion that triggered a huge column of smoke.

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Anil Deshmukh Summoned By ED On August 18 In Extortion Case After SC Declines Relief

In fresh trouble for ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, he has been asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate at its Mumbai office on Wednesday. This comes a day after a three-judge Supreme Court bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Krishna Murari and V Ramasubramanian refused to grant him protection from any coercive action in the money laundering case registered by the ED. At the same time, it granted him liberty to avail of remedies under the Code of Criminal Procedure. 

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Tokyo Olympics Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra Down With Fever, Undergoing Health Check-ups

Neeraj Chopra, who scripted history at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, left a family ceremony in Panipat midway due to a high fever on Tuesday. The 23-year old javelin thrower won India its first goal medal in an athletics event and the first medal in a track and field event in the past 100 years. Even though Neeraj had a fever when he joined the rest of the Indian contingent on Independence Day, he did test negative for COVID a few days ago.

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Afghanistan: PM Modi Monitoring Evacuation Of Indian Nationals, Stranded Officials

As India takes measures to evacuate Indians from Afghanistan, the Gujarat government said in a release that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “personally looking after the evacuation of Indian nationals and officials stranded in Afghanistan.” On August 17, an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane with Indians including diplomats, officials, and journalists, onboard landed at Jamnagar in Gujarat from Kabul in Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan peace process: Doha Talks Delayed Over Taliban's 'unacceptable Conditions'; Suspense Over Govt Formation

The formation of a new government in Afghanistan remains elusive as the talks between political leaders and the Taliban leadership in Doha have been postponed, sources told Republic. After ex-Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani's sudden departure from the country, his predecessor Hamid Karzai formed the Coordination Council to prevent further chaos and ensure a peaceful transfer of power. Besides Karzai, the body also comprises High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan chairman Abdullah Abdullah and former Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

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UP Law Commission Submits Draft Population Control Bill To CM Yogi; Firm On 2-child Policy

On Monday, the UP Law Commission submitted the draft Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021, to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Until July 19, 8500 suggestions and objections were received on this bill which is likely to be introduced in the Monsoon session of the state legislature. Justifying the need for introducing population control measures, the UP Law Commission cited that Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Odisha, MP and Chhattisgarh had already barred persons with over two children from contesting local body polls and government jobs. 

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SP MP Sympathises With Taliban; Compares Kabul Takeover To Indian Freedom Struggle

In a shocking remark, Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq on Tuesday sympathised with the Taliban calling their takeover of Afghanistan a 'struggle for freedom'. Comparing it to India's non-violent freedom struggle from the British Raj, Barq claimed that strong countries like Russia & America could not settle in Afghanistan against the Taliban's wishes. The terror group has once again grabbed power in Afghanistan as US troops withdrew.

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Afghanistan Crisis: Manjinder Singh Sirsa Urges EAM For Evacuation Of Sikhs From Kabul

Following the take over of Afghanistan by the Taliban, tensions have surfaced across the countries in the world. Concerning the Indian Sikhs stuck in Kabul, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa has informed that he is in constant touch with the head of the Kabul gurdwara committee. He has also requested External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to bring back to Indian Sikhs who have taken shelter in Gurdwara Karte Parwan Sahib and staying in hotels near Embassy.

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WB: Clash Erupts Between Siliguri BJP Workers, Police Over Yuva Sankalpa Yatra; 30 Held

On Tuesday, August 17, clashes erupted between Siliguri BJP workers and West Bengal Police, after the party cadres were arrested for not seeking permission to conduct Yuva Sankalpa Yatra. The Police have arrested 30 BJP, including local MLA Shankar Ghosh, who was adamant about holding ‘Yuva Sankalp Yatra’.  All of them were arrested by the police from the party office.

On Tuesday, August 17, clashes erupted between Siliguri BJP workers and West Bengal Police, after the party cadres were arrested for not seeking permission to conduct Yuva Sankalpa Yatra. The Police have arrested 30 BJP, including local MLA Shankar Ghosh, who was adamant about holding ‘Yuva Sankalp Yatra’.  All of them were arrested by the police from the party office.

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