Top news this week: Mumbai rain; Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, and more

This week saw significant developments in politics, assembly elections, and the United Nations General Assembly meeting, where world leaders advocated for a permanent seat for India. Here is the top news from September 22 to 28 September.
From launching Quad Cancer Moonshot, to India announcing Quad scholarships for students from the Indo Pacific region, the Quad Summit 2024 witnessed a host of commitments by the partner countries.
US President Joe Biden hosted the fourth meeting on Saturday at his hometown, Delaware. “Established to be a global force for the good,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, and Japanese PM Kishida Fumio all came together to agree on a combined charter to combat problems within the Indo Pacific. Read more.
The Thane Police on Monday, September 23, said Akshay Shinde, the accused in the Badlapur school sexual assault case, succumbed to injuries in a retaliatory firing after he snatched a cop’s weapon and opened fire in the police vehicle.
The police said accused Akshay Shinde was being taken to Badlapur from Taloja jail for investigation.
“When the police vehicle reached Mumbra bypass, he snatched a policeman’s gun and opened fire at an assistant police inspector in the vehicle. He was shot in retaliatory firing,” PTI reported citing the police. Read here.
As Kiran Rao’s film ‘Laapataa Ladies’ makes it as India’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars, the citation of Film Federation of India’s all-male jury has sparked outrage online, with netizens claiming goes against the very idea of the movie.
“Indian women are a strange mixture of submission and dominance. Well-defined, powerful characters in one world, Laapataa Ladies (Hindi) captures this diversity perfectly, though in a semi-idyllic world and in a tongue-in-cheek way,” the FFI’s citation read. Read here.
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: 56.79% voting turnout recorded in 26 seats, says CEO PK Pole
Voting was held in 26 seats across six districts of Jammu and Kashmir in the second phase of assembly elections on September 25. This phase covers 15 seats in Kashmir and 11 seats in Jammu division of the Union Territory.
The first phase of elections held on September 18 saw 61 per cent voter turnout. Jammu and Kashmir is holding its first assembly elections in a decade to elect a government after over six years of Central rule. This is also first assembly election being held after abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile state in August 2019. Read here.
Several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Thane and adjoining areas, on Wednesday evening, received very heavy rainfall along with strong winds, lightning and thunderstorms.
Heavy rains since evening also caused waterlogging, affecting vehicular movement. The services of local trains on the Central Railway line, as well as some flights, were also impacted. Read here.
10 Years of Make in India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on September 25, complimented the decade-long success of the ‘Make in India’ movement and resolved to make India “a powerhouse of manufacturing and innovation”.
In a post on the social media platform X, Modi wrote, “Today, we mark #10YearsOfMakeInIndia. I compliment all those who are tirelessly working to make this movement a success over the last decade. ‘Make in India’ illustrates the collective resolve of 140 crore Indians to make our nation a powerhouse of manufacturing and innovation.” Read here.
Pakistan raised the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly on Friday and urged India to begin peace talks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that New Delhi was “engaged in massive expansion of its military capabilities” that were essentially deployed against Islamabad.
“Let me state in no uncertain terms, Pakistan will respond most decisively to any Indian aggression, therefore, to secure durable peace, India must reverse the unilateral and illegal measures it has taken since 5th of August 2019 and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he said. Read here.
At UNGA Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan replied to Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, said that a country run by the military with a global reputation for terrorism had audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy.
 
As reported by ANI, Mangalanandan said, “This assembly regrettably witnessed a travesty this morning. A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics, trade and transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy. I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani PM. As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross-border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours.” Read here.
BrahMos Aerospace announces reservation for Agniveers; 50% in security & administrative roles, 15% in technical
BrahMos Aerospace on Friday announced that it will reserve vacancies for Agniveers after completion of their tenure in the Indian Armed forces.\
The vacancies in the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace, which manufactures a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, will be in the technical, administrative and security wings of the company.
Under the policy initiative, BrahMos has pledged to reserve at least 15 per cent vacancies in technical roles and general administration and 50 per cent in security and administrative at its work centres across India. Read here.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed India’s bid for a permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling for winds of “change.” India earned the UK’s support days after US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed similar views.
Speaking at the general debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Starmer emphasised the need for the UNSC to evolve. “…the Security Council has to change to become a more representative body, willing to act – not paralysed by politics,” said Starmer. Read here.
(With inputs from agencies)