Sanae Takaichi Set to Become Japan’s First Female Prime Minister After Winning LDP Leadership
Sanae Takaichi was elected Saturday to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, positioning her to become the country’s first female prime minister. Takaichi, 64, a former economic security minister known for her right-leaning views, defeated Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, in a runoff after none of the five candidates secured a majority in the first round of voting. Koizumi, 43, would have been Japan’s youngest prime minister in more than a century if he had won. The parliamentary vote to formally select Japan’s next prime minister is expected on Oct. 15. As the LDP remains the largest party in parliament, Takaichi is expected to succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Saturday’s vote included 295 LDP lawmakers and about 1 million dues-paying party members, representing roughly 1% of Japan’s population. Takaichi will face significant challenges once in office, including a rapidly aging population, sluggish economic growth, rising geopolitical tensions, and increasing debate over immigration policy. Although the LDP retains the largest bloc in the Diet, the ruling coalition lost its majority in both chambers in recent elections. To govern effectively, Takaichi’s administration will likely seek to strengthen its alliance with the moderate Komeito party and reach out to centrist opposition groups. Takaichi’s election marks a historic moment for Japan, which has never before had a woman serve as prime minister in its postwar history.
Furious Mamata slams DVC over release of 1.5 lakh cusecs during Puja
Furious at the unilateral discharge of about 1.5 lakh cusecs of water by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the central agency of a deliberate ploy to unleash disaster on the people of the state during the festive season.Protesting against the DVC’s fresh release of water from different dams, Banerjee said, “This is a deliberate ploy to unleash disaster on us to inflict pain on millions when they are still busy in the Pujas. Shameful, intolerable, unacceptable! We protest!!”Giving an update on the “unilateral and wilful release of water” by the DVC, she said that by this evening, the agency had released more than 1.5 lakh cusecs of water from the Maithon and Panchet dams to flood Bengal during the festival period. She said it was a “manufactured disaster” after the DVC released water on Bijoya Dashami without prior notice to the state.Banerjee added that the sudden discharge endangered millions of lives during Durga Puja festivities.She described the move as “reckless” and “unacceptable,” accusing the central agency of disrupting peace and placing the state at high risk. “Bijoya Dashami marks the close of Durga Puja – a time for joy, cheer and renewed hope. Yet, instead of allowing the people of West Bengal to conclude the festival in peace, the DVC released water without any prior notice to the state. This reckless act is nothing short of an attempt to inflict misery during our sacred festivities,” the chief minister iterated. Banerjee said the act on the part of the DVC was”unilateral, shameful, and absolutely unacceptable”. “By releasing water without intimation, the DVC has placed millions of lives in Bengal in immediate peril. This is not a natural calamity; it is a disaster manufactured by the DVC,” she said.“Let me be clear, I will not allow anyone to carry out a Bisarjan of Bengal. Every conspiracy against our people will be resisted with full force. Truth will prevail over deceit and good will triumph over evil,” she concluded.Meanwhile, reports from the districts said that local administrations and disaster response teams sounded alerts after the DVC release and began evacuations in low-lying areas along rivers and canals.Officials reported rising water levels in several districts and moved residents from vulnerable zones to safer shelters.Puja organisers postponed or shifted immersion activities in affected places to avoid large gatherings near inundated riverbanks. State emergency services deployed boats and rescue teams to manage sudden waterlogging and assist in transporting the elderly and children away from risk zones during the holiday.
Airspace violations force NATO to tread a tightrope, deterring Russia without hiking tensions
NATO is stepping up aerial surveillance in the Baltic Sea, while France, Germany and Sweden are bolstering Denmark’s air defenses ahead of two summits in Copenhagen this week over a series of troubling drone incidents near the country’s airports and military bases. The number of serious airspace violations in Europe has spiked this month, including by Russian warplanes. But not all NATO allies agree on how to respond. Poland is ready to use lethal force. Others say that must only be a last resort. Regardless of who is to blame in Denmark, European leaders believe that Russia is testing NATO. Military planners in Moscow can observe how Western forces react, and countering intrusions by relatively cheap drones is a financial burden on the allies. In the wake of the drone incident in Poland, NATO launched operation Eastern Sentry, with Britain among the allies to send more air defense equipment. However, these deployments might also deprive Ukraine of the air defense systems it badly needs from its allies. NATO must tread a tightrope in its response. Poland’s message is blunt. It intends to shoot down intruders over its territory. “If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission, deliberately or by mistake, and gets shot down and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please don’t come here to whine about it,” Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski told Russia’s U.N. delegation last week. “You have been warned.” Poland activated its air defenses over the weekend during a major Russian attack on Ukraine. Defense is a national prerogative, even within the world’s biggest military alliance. Poland or Finland, say, might use force to defend their territory. U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed that European countries should be able to shoot intruders down. The responsibility for that act would lie with the nation concerned. NATO, though, is likely to be more cautious in any joint operation using aircraft and equipment drawn from across the 32-country alliance. “We have to act decisively and quickly,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said last week, but he underlined that it’s important to “always assess the threat levels” to see whether force is necessary.
Animal sacrifice held en masse at Odisha shrine despite opposition
Animals were slaughtered en masse in the early hours today during the Chhatar Yatra festival in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, despite widespread opposition to the age-old custom. The famous Chhatar Yatra of the presiding deity, Maa Manikeswari, was taken out on the streets of Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters township, traversing a three-kilometre route. Devotees sacrificed numerous animals, mainly goats, along both sides of the road as a mark of fulfilling their wishes. The ritual lasted for several hours, with the cries of the animals filling the air, amidst the frenzied beating of drums. The local administration refrained from intervening to end the practice, allowing hundreds of garlanded animals to be slaughtered. This lack of intervention meant that tradition prevailed over legal objections. Residents defended the practice, stating that the goddess Manikeswari shields the region from natural fury. They view the animal offering as a gesture of reverence to ensure the safety of lives, crops, and livestock. According to locals, the mass sacrifice is performed annually as an age-old ritual followed by worshippers of the Shakti cult. Elaborate security arrangements ensured the annual event concluded peacefully, with no untoward incident reported. The bloody ritual, however, culminated in devotees releasing doves into the air as a traditional mark of peace.
BJP Deploys Massive Force in West Bengal, With Shah at the Helm
With Durga Puja festivities over, West Bengal is shifting into election mode, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun mobilizing an unprecedented force to challenge the ruling Trinamool Congress. According to party sources, more than 1,200 BJP leaders, including members of Parliament from across India, will be stationed in the state in the coming months to oversee campaign operations. The move signals a clear strategy by the central leadership to take direct control of Bengal’s election battle, sidelining much of the state unit. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has been appointed chief election observer for Bengal, with former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb as his deputy. At the top of the chain of command will be Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is expected to spend seven to 10 days in Bengal every month starting in December. Party insiders said accommodations for Shah are being finalized in the Bidhannagar-New Town area. The deployed leaders will conduct on-the-ground surveys, identify weak spots in BJP’s campaign, and coordinate messaging based on intelligence and survey reports. Each MP will be assigned responsibility for two assembly constituencies, supported by three to four senior leaders and 10–12 local workers. Special automated phone numbers will be generated for each constituency to coordinate outreach and monitor rival propaganda. Once elections are announced, the party plans to appoint “page in-charges” for every page of the voter list. Each will oversee a small team tasked with maintaining direct, personal contact with voters until polling day, even without distributing party materials. Despite the large-scale effort, political observers remain skeptical about the plan’s effectiveness. Some warn that too many leaders in the field could create confusion rather than unity. In the 2021 assembly election, the BJP campaigned aggressively but managed only 77 seats, far short of its goal of toppling Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Still, BJP leaders insist this time will be different. “The central leadership has set its sights firmly on Bengal,” a senior state leader said. “There is no question of compromise. Whatever needs to be done to win power will be done.”
At least 3 killed in clashes in Bangladesh’s Khagrachhari amid protests
At least three people were killed and several others injured Sunday in heavy gunfire and clashes in Khagrachhari, a hill district in southeastern Bangladesh, officials said. The violence erupted in Guimara subdistrict during protests over a reported rape case, despite emergency restrictions imposed under Section 144. The Home Ministry said in a statement that a major and 12 other army personnel, the officer-in-charge of Guimara police station along with two other policemen, and several civilians were wounded in the unrest. Authorities expressed sorrow over the deaths and vowed that those responsible would face legal action. “No perpetrator will be spared,” the ministry said. Following the clashes, images and videos circulated on social media showing fires at shops and buildings in Ramsu Bazaar, a marketplace known to the Marma community. Activists linked to the Jumma Students’ Movement alleged that homes and shops belonging to hill people were torched. Local Bengali groups, however, blamed armed ethnic organizations for the violence. Reports that army personnel had been attacked circulated widely online in the early afternoon, though neither the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) nor district officials confirmed those claims. Khagrachhari’s deputy commissioner, A.B.M. Iftekharul Islam Khondker, told the BBC that he and the superintendent of police had tried to reach Guimara after the violence began, but road blockades by protesters prevented them from arriving by 5 p.m. Later in the evening, regional police chief Ahsan Habib Palash said the situation was “under control.”
Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja amid theme row, police friction
The 90th edition of Santosh Mitra Square’s Durga Puja, themed on “Operation Sindoor,” has drawn massive crowds since its inauguration by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday. The theme commemorates India’s cross-border strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April that killed 26 civilians. BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh, the general secretary of the puja committee, said the theme was meant to awaken patriotism and pay tribute to the armed forces. “Operation Sindoor is the voice of every Indian’s heart, showcasing our armed forces’ strength. Through this pandal, we wanted to pay tribute,” Ghosh said. But the festivities quickly sparked friction with police. Ghosh told reporters Saturday that “non-cooperation” from police may force organizers to close the puja. He alleged that roads had been blocked with barricades, civic volunteers were withheld and restrictions were imposed on sound systems and stalls. “They know there will be agitation and commotion. In such conditions it is not possible for us to continue puja,” Ghosh said, warning that if pressure continued, organizers could switch off the lights and cover the Durga idol’s face with black cloth. He even suggested the idol’s immersion might take place before schedule. The committee claimed it had secured permissions from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, PWD and police, and had already installed 30 to 35 of the 60 CCTVs required. But Ghosh alleged that the state government was “targeting” the festival, despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s repeated claim that “Utsav is for all.”
Amit Shah prays for ‘Sonar Bangla’ at Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja pandal inauguration
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal of Santosh Mitra Square in Kolkata today and extended his greetings to the people of West Bengal and the entire country on the occasion of Durga Puja. Addressing the gathering, Shah said he had offered prayers to Maa Durga at the pandal and sought her blessings for a new government in Bengal after the 2026 assembly elections—one that would restore the state’s lost glory of ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal). “I have prayed to Maa Durga that after this assembly election, there is a government which can make the state ‘Sonar Bangla,’” he said. Emphasising the vision of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, he added, “May Bengal once again become safe, prosperous, peaceful, and fertile.” The Home Minister also paid tribute to the late Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the great educationist and social reformer whose contributions to education, women’s empowerment, and Bengali culture remain unparalleled. “On my own behalf, and on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, I offer my respectful homage at the feet of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar,” he said. Shah expressed condolences for those who lost their lives during recent heavy rainfall in Bengal. At least 11 people died following torrential rain on September 23. “I pay homage to those who lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Bengal,” he said, extending sympathy to their families. Arriving in Kolkata on Thursday night, Shah was received at the airport by senior state BJP leader Rahul Sinha. On Friday, before inaugurating the Santosh Mitra Square pandal, he visited the famous Kalighat temple in south Kolkata to offer prayers to the Goddess. Later, he is scheduled to inaugurate the Durga Puja pandal of the BJP-backed Paschim Banga Sanskriti Mancha at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake. Highlighting the global recognition of Bengali Durga Puja, Shah said, “This festival is not only celebrated in West Bengal or India but is also renowned across the world. For nine days, citizens of Bengal dedicate themselves to the worship of this divine energy, and these days are especially significant for the state.” Concluding his address, he expressed hope that the festival would usher in auspicious beginnings and contribute to Bengal’s development, in line with the broader vision of a thriving India envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Indian who arrived in US illegally arrested for causing multi-vehicle crash in California
An Indian national, who had arrived in the US illegally, has been arrested for causing a multi-vehicle crash while driving a truck in California last year that critically injured a five-year old child and left her with life-altering injuries. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Partap Singh last month and he will remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings. The agency said that in June 2024, Singh caused a multi-car pileup while driving a commercial 18-wheeler in California.
Russian Deputy PM Patrushev calls on PM Modi
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in agriculture, fertilisers, food processing and other areas of mutual interest. Patrushev is currently on a visit to India as part of preparations for the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India in December.” They exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in agriculture, fertilizers, food processing and other areas of mutual interest,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Patrushev’s meeting with Modi on Thursday.
