Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. Tune in to get updated about the major news stories of the day.
[00:00:11] Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama.
[00:00:15] I am your host Deepa Soman and these are the major news stories of Saturday, May 18, 2024.
[00:00:24] Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide, Bhai Bhav Kumar was arrested on Saturday
[00:00:30] in connection with the alleged assault on Ahmadmi Party MP Swati Malhiwal.
[00:00:38] A new Covid-19 wave struck Singapore as authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases
[00:00:44] from May 5 to 11.
[00:00:49] In light of violence in Kyrgyzstan's capital city, Bishkek, India asked its students in
[00:00:55] the country to stay indoors for safety.
[00:01:00] Congress President Mallikarjun Karghe accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of inciting
[00:01:05] people and dividing society through his election speeches.
[00:01:11] IMD issued a warning predicting heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Kerala districts until
[00:01:17] Tuesday.
[00:01:18] A red alert has been issued for Patanam Thitta, Kottam and Idiki on Sunday and Monday.
[00:01:24] Let's get into the details.
[00:01:29] Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide, Bhai Bhav Kumar was arrested on Saturday.
[00:01:34] The arrest was in connection with the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Malhiwal.
[00:01:39] This is even as the party claimed she was blackmailed by the BJP as she faces
[00:01:44] a corruption case.
[00:01:46] Kumar was picked up from the Chief Minister's residence by a Delhi police team a day after
[00:01:51] Malhiwal recorded her statement before a magistrate at the Tishazari Court.
[00:01:56] Malhiwal has alleged that the CM's aide attacked her with full force, slapping her
[00:02:00] in the face and kicking her in the chest and abdomen on May 13 when she had gone
[00:02:05] to meet the Chief Minister.
[00:02:07] A senior police officer said Kumar was arrested from the Chief Minister's residence
[00:02:11] on Saturday.
[00:02:13] The officer said Kumar had gone there in the morning to meet Kejriwal.
[00:02:17] He will be produced before a court and police will seek his custody for further interrogation,
[00:02:22] the officer said.
[00:02:26] Singapore is seeing a new COVID-19 wave as the authorities recorded more than 25,900
[00:02:32] cases from May 5 to 11.
[00:02:34] Health Minister Ong Ye Kang on Saturday advised wearing of masks again as the
[00:02:39] cases are steadily rising.
[00:02:42] He said the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between
[00:02:46] mid and end of June.
[00:02:48] The Ministry of Health said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases in the week of
[00:02:52] May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 cases compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week.
[00:03:00] The average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before.
[00:03:08] Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe diseases, including individuals aged
[00:03:13] 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care
[00:03:19] facilities to receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done
[00:03:24] so in the last 12 months.
[00:03:29] India on Saturday asked its students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital city,
[00:03:34] to stay indoors after reported fights between some locals and foreigners.
[00:03:40] The Indian Embassy in the Central Asian country said it is in touch with the
[00:03:44] Indian students and the situation is calm now.
[00:03:46] The mission asked Indian students in the city to stay indoors.
[00:03:50] External Affairs Minister S.J. Shankar advised the Indian students to stay in
[00:03:55] regular touch with the Indian Embassy.
[00:03:58] The number of Indian students in Kyrgyzstan is estimated to be around 15,000.
[00:04:06] Congress President Mallikarjun Karghe on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra
[00:04:10] Modi of inciting people and dividing society through his election speeches.
[00:04:15] Karghe was addressing a press conference of the India Bloc in Mumbai, where
[00:04:20] NCP Chief Sharath Pawar, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and other
[00:04:25] leaders were present.
[00:04:27] The opposition alliance held an election rally in the city on Friday.
[00:04:31] No Prime Minister before Modi has ever indulged in inciting people like he
[00:04:35] has been doing.
[00:04:36] He speaks about democracy repeatedly but does not adhere to the tenets of
[00:04:40] democracy, Karghe said.
[00:04:42] Responding to a question on PM Modi's statement that the Congress will
[00:04:47] bulldoze the Ram Mandir in Nayodhya and also restore Article 370 if the
[00:04:52] India Bloc is watered to power, Karghe said,
[00:04:55] We have never used a bulldozer on anyone.
[00:04:58] Modi has the habit of lying and inciting people about these things
[00:05:02] which Congress will never do or the things that are impossible to be
[00:05:06] implemented.
[00:05:10] The India Meteorological Department has issued a warning predicting heavy
[00:05:14] rainfall in isolated areas of certain Kerala districts until Tuesday.
[00:05:19] A red alert has been issued for Patanam Thitta, Kottayam and Idikki
[00:05:23] on Sunday and Monday.
[00:05:25] Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Ernakulam are on orange alert on
[00:05:28] Sunday and Trissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad
[00:05:33] are under yellow alert on the day.
[00:05:35] A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20
[00:05:40] centimetres in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy
[00:05:44] rains from 6 centimetres to 20 centimetres of rain.
[00:05:47] A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 and 11 centimetres.
[00:05:52] Furthermore, strong winds of 30 to 40 kilometres per hour are
[00:05:55] anticipated on May 19 and 20.
[00:05:58] The State Disaster Management Authority advises against
[00:06:02] venturing into the sea from the Kerala coast until further notice
[00:06:05] due to expected adverse weather conditions.