The Adani Group on Sunday responded to a Hindenburg Research report accusing its companies of “stock manipulation and accounting fraud,” by releasing a 413-page report of its own. The group alleged the New York-based firm’s report to be rife with “conflict of interest” and “selective misinformation,” and called the 106-page report a “calculated attack on India” and its “growth story.” Hindenburg Research tweeted that the fraud “cannot be obfuscated by nationalism,” adding that all key allegations were ignored in the “bloated response” by the group. Adani group has lost more than $50 billion in market value and Chairman Gautam Adani has lost over $20 billion of his personal fortune.
British Ambassador to the UN General Assembly Richard Croker declared that the UK supports the expansion of the UN Security Council’s permanent and non-permanent seats. In particular, he extended his support for India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan’s bid to become permanent members of the Council. He further called for permanent representation of African countries.
Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih emerged victorious in the Maldivian Democratic Party presidential primaries on Saturday. The party claimed Solih won 61% of the votes compared to his opponent and incumbent Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed, who secured merely 38% votes. However, Nasheed has not yet conceded defeat and has alleged that Solih’s victory resulted from voter fraud.
China began reissuing visas to Japanese travellers on Sunday, ending a three-week suspension that was believed to be in protest to Japan’s strict entry measures for travellers from China. COVID-19 cases in China spiked after it relaxed its tough containment measures.
Polls from two different surveys in Japan showed that voters want PM Fumio Kishida to contest another election, before his plans, regarding a record increase in defence spending and increased support for families with children, are introduced. According to a Nikkei poll, 63% of respondents said Kishida should contest elections, while a Kyodo News poll saw 77% of respondents agreeing to the same.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday vowed to act in a “strong, swift, and precise” manner against anyone who supports, assists, and incites terrorism. He made the comments following the terror attack at a synagogue in Jerusalem, which killed seven Jews and injured 10, on Friday. Netanyahu announced a slew of tough measures like sealing and demolishing the homes of terrorists, revoking national insurance rights from families who support terrorism, and expanding the licence of weapons for authorised civilians.
The report of an investigation into the use of chemical weapons against civilians in Syria’s Douma in 2018 by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons found that the Syrian regime of Bashar Al Assad was responsible for the atrocity that killed 43 people. The report, released on Friday, accused an elite military unit of the Syrian military of dropping two containers of toxic chlorine gas in Douma.
On Saturday, the Russian Defence Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of striking a hospital in the Russia-controlled settlement of Novoaidar in eastern Ukraine, killing 14 and injuring 24. Calling it a “serious war crime,” the Ministry vowed, “All those involved in the planning and execution of this crime will be found and held accountable.”
Retired Czech army general Petr Pavel on Saturday became the Czech Republic’s new president after defeating his opponent, billionaire Andrej Babis, in a run-off vote, winning 58.3% of the votes compared to Babis’ 42.7%.