BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration with consensusIn a significant diplomatic breakthrough for India, the BRICS grouping on Saturday (September 12, 2026) adopted a joint declaration with consensus, overcoming sharp divisions between Iran and the UAE over the West Asia conflict following a series of back-channel negotiations.Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the declaration at the end of the opening day’s deliberations at the two-day India-hosted summit.PM Modi holds bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi JinpingPrime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are holding bilateral talks in New Delhi on Saturday (September 12, 2026), with the two leaders discussing ways to further stabilise and strengthen bilateral relations, including through greater trade and investment. Mr. Xi arrived in the national capital earlier in the day for the two-day BRICS Summit, his first visit to India in seven years. His visit comes amid efforts by the two countries to rebuild ties after relations deteriorated sharply following the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.The meeting was seen as an important opportunity to advance the normalisation process and expand economic engagement between the two countries. “I welcome you to India,” Mr. Modi said in his opening remarks as the bilateral meeting began.‘From rule-takers to rule-shapers’: PM Modi’s big pitch to BRICS leaders in welcome addressPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 12, 2026) made a strong pitch for global reform, highlighting the current imbalance between decision-makers and those impacted by their decisions and called for BRICS to transition from “rule-takers to rule-shapers”.Towards this, he proposed that the leaders of the BRICS nations gathered in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit use the opportunity to arrive at 10 proposals for global governance reform, which can be developed into a BRICS Reform Roadmap.Balaghat child deaths: CJP convenor Dipke visits tribal villages, demands accountabilityCockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijit Dipke on Saturday (September 12, 2026) visited tribal villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district to meet families who recently lost their children to infectious diseases and demanded accountability from the administration.Accompanied by local youth, Mr. Dipke travelled to Adori, Korka, and Bondari villages to gather details on local healthcare facilities and the circumstances surrounding the child deaths. Mr. Dipke’s visit comes days after the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued notices to the State government over the deaths of more than 30 children, allegedly due to infectious diseases, after a PIL alleged overcrowded hospitals, contaminated drinking water, and a lack of nutrition in the district.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s trip to U.K. was cleared by Ministry of External Affairs, says officialThe ongoing official trip of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to the United Kingdom had been cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), according to a senior official. “It is the Indian High Commission in London that is making all the arrangements for the travel, including security,” said the official, in response to the question of why Mr. Vijay had chosen to be away when Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was to be in Chennai on Sunday (September 13, 2026).Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar had planned to host a high tea for the Malaysian Prime Minister on Sunday, for which he had invited Mr. Vijay, said another official. This was planned in connection with Mr. Ibrahim’s participation in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) 18th summit of heads-of-state and government.Rights panel orders rehabilitation after Vaniyampuzha tribal families spend 7 years in plastic tentsThe Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed authorities to urgently rehabilitate Paniya tribal families living in makeshift tarpaulin shelters at Vaniyampuzha, across the Chaliyar river at Munderi in Pothukal panchayat of Nilambur taluk. As many as 26 families have been living in plastic tents since the August 2019 floods destroyed their homes.Commission judicial member K. Baijunath directed the Malappuram Collector and the Scheduled Tribes Development Department Project Officer to submit a report within a week on the rehabilitation measures taken, the current status and the steps planned to complete the process within a fixed timeline. Although the floods destroyed two concrete bridges connecting the tribal hamlets across the Chaliyar near Munderi seven years ago, one has since been rebuilt and is awaiting inauguration.Harish Rawat resigns from Congress posts after ED recovers cash, gold from his PAFormer Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat has tendered his resignation from the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and a permanent invitee member of the Congress Working Committee at the national level on Saturday (September 12, 2026) after the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) recovered cash, jewellery and other valuables from the possession of his PA, Chandan Singh Jeena.Taking it to X after the ED raid, Mr. Rawat said, “I have taken a major decision: I am not (in) any government position, so what resignation would I tender from that! Yes, I am a member of the executive of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee and a permanent invitee member of the Congress Working Committee at the national level, and with utmost humility, I wish to step down from both these positions, because no weakness should come into the party’s struggle on my account.”NIA court issues non-bailable warrant against LeT founder Hafiz SaeedA special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Jammu has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in a case related to “providing weapons, money and directions to terrorists operating in Kashmir valley”.“Keeping in view the fact that the accused person is at large and the investigating agency has not been able to procure his attendance ordinarily, this motion is allowed. As such a general warrant of arrest (non-bailable) is issued against the accused Hafiz Muhammad Saeed alias Hafiz Muhammad Sahib alias Hafiz Mohd Sayid, a resident of Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan, and is forwarded to DIG (Deputy Inspector General), NIA Jammu for execution of the warrant as per procedure prescribed under law,” reads the Court order.Jamia hostel protest: AISA claims students assaulted, university refutes chargeAmid the ongoing protest by students of Jamia Millia Islamia’s Jammu and Kashmir Girls’ Hostel, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) on Saturday (September 12, 2026) accused the assistant proctor of assaulting students, a charge denied by the university. University officials claimed that some students broke two hostel gates and manhandled members of the proctorial team late Friday (September 11, 2026) night. The protest, which entered its third day on Saturday (September 12), began after some students complained about poor-quality food being served in the mess. They alleged that insects and foreign objects had been found in the food.The students are demanding cancellation of the contract of the existing hostel mess vendor, appointment of female staff in the mess, and action against hostel authorities. They are also seeking an assurance that the protesting students would not face disciplinary action. AISA alleged that the university has failed to implement assurances given to the students regarding their demands.India’s electoral process among most transparent in world: CEC Gyanesh KumarChief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has said India’s electoral process is among the most transparent in the world as verification is carried out at every stage, from electoral rolls to counting of votes. He was speaking at the ‘Interaction with Booth Level Officers’ programme held at Atal Kalam Hall of Gujarat University on Friday (September 11, 2026).“At every stage of India’s electoral process, political parties, candidates or their agents continuously carry out verification. Therefore, India’s electoral process is among the most transparent electoral processes in the world,” an official release quoted Mr. Kumar as saying. The electoral rolls are continuously verified with the participation of political parties and their Booth Level Agents (BLAs), he said. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are responsible for identifying cases, such as Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Foreigner (ASDDF), while ensuring that eligible voters remain on the electoral rolls, the CEC added.