Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. He was warmly received by the Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, at the airport.

“Warmly welcome Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He was received by MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh at the airport,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on X.

“The visit will be an opportunity to further strengthen India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership centred on robust trade and energy security for shared prosperity,” it added.

Earlier in the day, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi arrived in New Delhi to attend the BRICS Summit. He was warmly received at the airport by the Minister of State (MoS) Sanjay Seth.

“Warmly welcome the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He was received by MoS Sanjay Seth at the airport. India and Egypt share deep bonds of friendship, as we work together to build a stronger BRICS partnership,” the MEA stated on X.

As BRICS chair in 2026, India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, bringing together leaders of BRICS members, partner countries and outreach invitees.

BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. BRICS partner countries are: Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said leaders from across the world will gather in New Delhi over the next few days for the BRICS Summit, expressing confidence that the high-level meeting will witness positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind.

“Over the next few days, leaders from around the world will gather for the BRICS Summit. I am confident that the Summit will see positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

The Central Bureau of Investigation’s next progress report on the R.G. Kar case to be submitted next week, will mainly focus on the findings of the central investigation agency based on the statements given by four colleagues of the victim lady doctor who had dinner with her on the same night she was raped and murdered.

The body of the victim was recovered from a seminar room within the premises of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in North Kolkata on the morning of August 9, 2024, and later it was proved that she was raped and murdered on the intervening night of August 8 and August 9.

Sources aware of the development said that the new Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the CBI is giving special emphasis on the statements given by these four colleagues of the victim, since they were among the last five people to see the victim alive, the fifth one being of course the sole convict in the case so far, Sanjay Roy.

Sources said that the members of the new SIT are also cross-examining whether the statements given by the four colleagues of the victim are in sync with what they stated during their interrogation by the members of the previous SIT of the CBI or if there are variations in their statements.

Sources said that these four colleagues have informed the new SIT members that on the night of August 8, 2024, all four of them as well as the victim were on night duty at the chest OPD of R.G. Kar.

He had also claimed that all of them had dinner together at around 10:30 p.m. and ate the food ordered by the victim through a food delivery App. They also informed the CBI that they were together till after midnight watching the Olympics games.

As per their versions, after watching the games, the victim had fallen asleep on a mattress of the same room where they had dinner. Two others went to the study room; one went to the rooms allotted to the medical interns and another one went to the ward for his night duty.

The doctor who went to the ward for night duty was the one to spot the victim’s body at 9.30 a.m. on August 9.

The Union Ministry of Health on Friday announced that India has crossed 80 lakh Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, marking an “important milestone” against HPV infection and HPV-associated cancers.

In a post on X, the Health Ministry said: “India has crossed 80 lakh HPV vaccinations, marking another important milestone in strengthening preventive healthcare and advancing protection against HPV infection and HPV-associated cancers.”

“With every vaccination, India takes another step towards a healthier, cancer-free future for its daughters,” it added.

The nationwide HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 14 years and above was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Rajasthan’s Ajmer in February.

The initiative aims to eradicate cervical cancer among women in India.

By expanding access to the HPV vaccine, the programme is expected to protect millions of girls across the country from developing life-threatening cancers in the future.

Earlier this year, Indian-American radiation oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori said HPV vaccination could give India a decisive advantage in its fight against cervical cancer and help eliminate the disease in the coming years.

“Now, with the HPV vaccination, we have an upper hand, and in few years, we’ll be able to eliminate cancer of the cervix from India.

The 2026 Padma Bhushan awardee described cervical cancer as preventable, detectable and curable, making the continued loss of lives particularly distressing for doctors working in oncology.

“Cancer of the cervix is preventable, is detectable, is treatable and curable,” he said.

Nori said about 200 women die of cervical cancer every day in India. He welcomed the introduction of free HPV vaccination for girls, saying it could substantially strengthen prevention efforts.

He also praised the changes he said had taken place in India’s healthcare sector over the past 12 years, particularly in cancer prevention and treatment.

“A lot of significant positive changes have happened in healthcare,” he said.

Nori also cited the establishment of the National Cancer Institute and the expansion of cancer treatment facilities among the important steps taken during this period.