Daily Brief, September 1: Modi-Putin SCO Limousine Ride, India's Quake Aid To Afghanistan, Women's Cricket Prize Money - Top 10 Headlines

On September 1, from PM Modi-Putin's limousine camaraderie at the SCO Summit trending across Chinese social media to India dispatching urgent relief after Afghanistan's deadly earthquake, the day saw several developments today. On the national front, Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of misusing the Army after TMC's stage was removed in Kolkata, while Himachal Pradesh was officially declared 'disaster-hit' with damages crossing Rs 14,000 crore. In business, ICEA launched a Semiconductor Leadership Forum to unlock $50 billion in product value. In sports, Match Referee spoke on IPL's 2008 'Slapgate' video, while ICC announced record $13.88M prize money for Women's Cricket World Cup 2025. Bollywood too buzzed with viral celebrity remarks. Here's the brief of the top 10 headlines today:

1. Limousine to Laughter: Modi-Putin SCO Moments Become Chinese Internet Sensation, Top Weibo and Baidu Trends

What started as a routine bilateral engagement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit turned into a social media sensation, with Chinese netizens making Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin the top trending topic. On Monday, the hashtag“Modi takes Putin's car” topped Weibo, while the phrase“Modi and Putin hugged and chatted hand-in-hand” surged to number one on Chinese search engine Baidu. The reason? A remarkable display of camaraderie and close dialogue between the two leaders inside President Putin's AURUS limousine.

According to Russian national radio station VestiFM, Modi was offered a lift by Putin to the venue of their bilateral talks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that the leaders had a tet-a-tet inside the car for about an hour, highlighting the importance of their discussions. Modi shared a photo on social media showing the two leaders inside the limousine, captioning it,“After the proceedings at the SCO Summit venue, President Putin and I travelled together to the venue of our bilateral meeting. Conversations with him are always insightful.”

2. 1000 Tents, 15 Tonnes of Food: India Sends Relief to Afghanistan After Deadly Earthquake

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Monday that India has rushed emergency relief supplies to Afghanistan after a powerful earthquake of 6.0 magnitude killed more than 800 people and injured nearly 2,800 in the eastern provinces. In a post on X, Jaishankar said he had spoken with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi to express condolences. He confirmed that 1,000 family tents were delivered to Kabul on Sunday and that 15 tonnes of food supplies were being transported from India's mission in Kabul to Kunar province, the epicenter of the quake. "Further relief material will be sent from India starting tomorrow," Jaishankar added, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured and affirming, "India stands by Afghanistan at this difficult time."

According to Taliban-run authorities quoted by Khaama Press, the districts of Nur Gul, Soki, Watpur, Manogi, and Chapa Dara in Kunar province were the worst affected. Entire settlements crumbled, while landslides blocked key routes and damaged communication networks, making rescue and relief operations difficult.

3. Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP of Misusing Indian Army After TMC Stage Removed at Kolkata Maidan

The Indian Army on Monday, September 1 removed a stage erected by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) near the Gandhi statue at Kolkata's Maidan, where the party had been holding a protest over alleged atrocities against Bengali-speaking migrant workers. A defence official said that events in the Maidan area are permitted by the local military authority for up to two days in line with Supreme Court directions. Any extension beyond that requires clearance from the Ministry of Defence.“Permission was granted for two days, but the stage had been standing for nearly a month. Several reminders were issued to the organisers, yet the structure was not removed,” the official told PTI, adding that Kolkata Police were present to ensure law and order.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who rushed to the site, accused the BJP of political vendetta, alleging misuse of the Army.“I don't blame the Army, but the BJP is misusing them for political gains. This is undemocratic and unethical,” she said. Banerjee maintained that her party had paid the required fees and obtained permission for the event.

4. Outrage Over US Trade Adviser Navarro's 'Profiteering Brahmins' Remark Against India

US President Donald Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro has renewed his sharp criticism of India, accusing the country of 'profiteering' from discounted Russian oil and indirectly fueling Moscow's war in Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News, Navarro described India as nothing but a laundromat for the Kremlin, alleging that Indian refiners were buying cheap Russian crude, refining it, and exporting fuels at a premium to Europe, Africa, and Asia. He justified Washington's controversial 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports by claiming that New Delhi's trade practices and foreign policy choices were harming American workers, taxpayers, and even Ukrainians caught in the war.

What set off fresh outrage was Navarro's caste-based remark during his Fox News interview. He said, "You've got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people. We need that to stop." The comment, unprecedented in US trade diplomacy, was widely condemned in India. Critics argued that Navarro's invocation of caste was both inaccurate and inflammatory, importing domestic American frustrations into India's complex social landscape.

5. Rs 14,000 Crore Loss: Himachal Pradesh Declared 'Disaster-Hit', CM Seeks Central Aid For Rehabilitation

Himachal Pradesh has been officially declared as 'disaster-hit', Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday, September 1. He highlighted that this recognition would help the state secure a dedicated relief package from the Central Government. According to government estimates, monsoon-related damage has exceeded Rs 14,000 crore, with extensive destruction to homes, roads, bridges, crops, and loss of lives reported across multiple districts. Continuous heavy rains over the past few weeks have thrown life out of gear in Himachal Pradesh, with the state witnessing one of the heaviest rainfalls in August in more than a century.

According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this August, Himachal Pradesh saw 68 per cent more rainfall than normal across the state, making it the 9th-highest August rainfall since 1901 and the highest since 1949. The IMD data shows that since 1901, only four August months have seen such high rainfall in Himachal Pradesh. This year's August rainfall ranks as the 9th highest overall for the month since records began, and the highest since 1949.

6. ICEA Launches Semiconductor Leadership Forum to Unlock $50B Product Value, 1M Jobs

The newly-formed ICEA Semiconductor Product Design Leadership Forum aims to create at least USD 50 billion worth of indigenously-designed semiconductor products and create around a million highly paid jobs, said Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of ICEA.

India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), the apex industry body representing the electronics and semiconductor sector, today announced the launch of the ICEA Semiconductor Product Design Leadership Forum. This strategic platform is designed to position India as a global leader in semiconductor product design, IP creation, and high-value innovation.

7. Harbhajan-Sreesanth IPL 2008 Slapgate: Match Referee SPEAKS Out on Lalit Modi's Video Release

17 years after the infamous IPL 2008 Slagpate incident, involving Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth, the footage of the entire saga was made public after being released by the former league's chairman and commissioner, Lalit Modi, through Michael Clarke's podcast 'Beyond 23'. The slapgate saga in the inaugural season of the IPL sparked a major controversy in Indian cricket, almost tarnishing the image of the league.

Almost two decades ago, the Indian cricket fraternity was shocked by the incident after Sreesanth was caught crying on camera after he was slapped by Harbhajan after the match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in Mohali. However, nobody knew how the entire altercation unfolded as the video was never released to the public until now.

8. From $3.5M to $13.88M: Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Prize Money Jumps 297%

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a record prize money of USD13.88 million for the Women's Cricket World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka. The tournament will take place from September 30 to November 2, with the two hosting nations set to play the tournament opener. The ICC confirmed on Monday a monumental 297 per cent rise from $3.5 million at the last edition, held in New Zealand in 2022. The total prize pot surpasses that of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup from two years ago in India, which had a total prize money of $10 million.

With each group-stage win, the victors will get $34,314. The teams finishing fifth and sixth will take home $700,000 each, and those in seventh and eighth place will earn $280,000. Each participating team is guaranteed $250,000.

9. After Bipasha Basu, Mrunal Thakur Sensational comments On Anushka Sharma Went Viral?

As with all Bollywood stars, the ones who attract controversies sometimes in the center of storm, not because of their film, but a singular statement from every odd souls. Just the other day, Mrunal Thakur, who will be seen in Sikandar Over Sikkim 2 (SOS 2), created a furor on social media after her interview comments were taken as some sort of thinly veiled jab toward Anushka Sharma.

Mrunal Thakur candidly discussed matters of personal and professional life and how she continues to work consistently. She said,“She is not working, but I am...” This was immediately marked by many netizens to Anushka Sharma, who has taken a back seat from films with motherhood. Though Mrunal was not taking any names, the stir her comments created was enough to set blogs and Twitter on fire. Bipasha Basu had made a near-similar comment a few years back, eliciting public debates regarding professional commitments versus personal priorities in Bollywood.

10. Sumona Chakravarti Deletes Post on Harrowing Experience During Maratha Protest in Mumbai

Television actress Sumona Chakravarti recently shared a disturbing experience on Instagram involving the Maratha reservation protest in South Mumbai. In her detailed post, she described how a group of protesters blocked her car and made her feel unsafe. However, what has sparked further curiosity is that the actress deleted the post shortly after sharing it, without offering any explanation.

In her now-deleted post, Sumona recalled how her car was surrounded by a group of men near Colaba while she was driving to Fort around 12:30 PM. One man, wearing an orange stole, allegedly banged on her car's bonnet, pressed his belly against it, and danced mockingly. Others shouted "Jai Maharashtra!" and banged on her windows.

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