Morning Digest | Putin to join Modi in UNSC debate today; Tokyo Olympics draws to a close, and more

Russian President Vladimir Putin will join the open debate on maritime security that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over on Monday at the U.N. Security Council as India holds the Presidency for the month. The Embassy of India in Russia has announced that President Putin will participate in the event through video conference which is expected to prompt participation of other top world leaders in the session .

The Tokyo Olympics, held during a raging pandemic, drew the curtains down on Sunday. The host nation finished third with 27 golds and a total of 58 medals, a vast improvement from its 12 golds and 41 medals in 2016. But it will take greater pride that its bio-bubble largely were intact.

Veteran actor Anupam Shyam, who was admitted to a city hospital here due to kidney infection last week, died on Monday, August 9, 2021, following multiple organ failure, his friend and actor Yashpal Sharma said.

Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana said police stations pose the “highest threat” to human rights and dignity, which are ‘sacrosanct’. “The threat to human rights and bodily integrity is the highest in police stations… Going by recent reports, even the privileged are not spared third-degree treatment,” the Chief Justice said.

The Health Ministry on Sunday said the general public can obtain their certificate for COVID vaccination via WhatsApp by following three easy steps. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in his tweet said anyone who wants to download their vaccination certificate can send a WhatsApp message to a number and will receive the certificate at once.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday pitched for “self-rule as a final settlement” of the Kashmir problem, as she held first-ever interactive session with youth leaders from across the Kashmir Valley since the removal of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019.

Ahead of the Independence Day celebration, the Union government has asked States to ensure that people don’t use plastic national flags as ensuring the appropriate disposal of a Tricolour made of the non-biodegradable item was a practical problem.

The Taliban tightened the noose around northern Afghanistan on August 8, capturing three more provincial capitals as they take their fight to the cities after seizing much of the countryside in recent months.

Rain ensured the first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge ended in a draw after no play was possible on Sunday’s last day. The match was intriguingly poised with India 52-1 in their second innings, needing a further 157 runs to reach a victory target of 209 in what promised to be tough batting conditions. But persistent early morning rain prevented play resuming as scheduled at 11:00 am local time (1000 GMT), with the pitch and square both remaining fully covered.

Neeraj Chopra sits in a quiet space, imagines he’s walking into the Tokyo Olympics Stadium. He gets ready, makes his approach run and lets the javelin soar. The 23-year-old practised the art of visualisation and played this scenario in his mind for months leading up to the Tokyo Olympics.