Welcome to TV9’s News in Brief, bringing you the day’s top stories. Let’s begin with the headlines.
**Key Events Today**
* Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal is scheduled to visit Karur, Tamil Nadu, where he will meet with the families of those affected by a recent stampede.
* The final voter list for the upcoming Bihar elections will be released. The draft voter list, which included 72.4 million voters, was issued on August 1. Approximately 6.5 million names were removed during the revision process.
**Top 5 National and International News Stories**
1. **Israel Apologizes to Qatar for Doha Strike; Netanyahu Speaks with Qatari PM from White House:** Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended an apology to Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, via a phone call. The apology came in response to Israeli airstrikes on September 9th, which targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar. Netanyahu made the call while at the White House, where he was engaged in discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding a ceasefire in Gaza.
2. **Suryakumar Yadav’s Statement on Asia Cup Trophy, Addressing ACC Chairman:** Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has voiced his opinion on the Asia Cup 2025 trophy. He emphasized that the trophy itself should not become a point of contention. Yadav highlighted that the true reward lies in the dedication and teamwork of the players, support staff, and all those involved. The Indian team had declined to accept the trophy and medals from ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who subsequently left the stadium with the trophy. Yadav views it as simply a piece of silverware.
3. **YouTube Introduces Premium Lite Plan in India at ₹89:** YouTube has launched its new Premium Lite plan in India, priced at ₹89 per month. This plan offers users ad-free viewing of most videos, although it excludes features such as YouTube Music, downloads, and background playback. This presents a more economical option compared to the ₹149 monthly cost of YouTube Premium. Premium Lite provides ad-free video viewing at a lower price point.
4. **India and Bhutan to Connect by Rail with a ₹4,000 Crore Project:** The Indian government has approved a new railway project to link with Bhutan. The estimated cost of this project is ₹4,033 crore, which will directly connect Gelephu and Samtse in Bhutan to India via rail. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav shared details about the project. This initiative is aimed at facilitating travel and trade between India and Bhutan. Kokrajhar will serve as a regional station, integrating this project into India’s vast 1.5 lakh km rail network.
5. **Canada Declares Lawrence Bishnoi Gang a Terrorist Group:** Canada has designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity. The gang is currently operating in India, with its leader continuing to direct criminal activities from prison. India has rejected Canada’s allegations and offered cooperation in efforts to curb the gang’s financial resources. In India, the gang comprises approximately 700 members involved in offenses such as robbery, extortion, and money laundering. This decision brings the total number of terrorist groups in Canada to 88.
**Photo of the Day**
A farmer is seen burning paddy stubble in the outskirts of Amritsar. This practice is common in Punjab and Haryana every October-November. The process of removing the stubble is both costly and time-consuming. The resulting smoke reaches Delhi-NCR, causing the AQI (Air Quality Index) to rise to dangerous levels. This can lead to respiratory problems, eye irritation, and asthma. While the government has imposed fines and offered subsidies for purchasing machines, it’s not considered sufficient by the farmers.
**5 Major News Stories from 5 States**
1. **Uttar Pradesh:** The UP PGT exam has been postponed again; new dates will be announced soon.
2. **Haryana:** Rao Narendra Singh has been appointed as the Haryana Congress State President, and Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been named the leader of the Legislative Party.
3. **Maharashtra:** The mother of CJI Gavai has been invited to the RSS centenary year program.
4. **Uttarakhand:** A CBI inquiry has been recommended for the UKSSSC paper leak; the CM Dhami announced the exam will be cancelled.
5. **Jharkhand:** Controversy arises over a Durga Puja pandal built on a Vatican City theme.