The first day of the work week is going to be hectic.

In Israel, thousands of Israelis protested outside the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem after the bodies of six hostages were recovered from southern Gaza. On Monday, Histadrut, one of the country’s most powerful unions, called for a general strike.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Pittsburgh to hold a campaign event on Labour Day.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will be on a four-day visit to China.

In India, the West Bengal Assembly will convene a special two-day session to pass a Bill proposing capital punishment for convicts in rape and murder cases

Here’s a look at the big headlines today.

Israel union calls for strike over Gaza hostage deal

Protests have gripped Israel as there is fresh anger against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to secure those who were taken hostage by Hamas. It started after the Israeli military on Saturday recovered the bodies of six people who were killed in Gaza.    

Israel’s main union has ordered a nationwide general strike today. The head of the powerful Histadrut trade union ordered a “complete strike” in support of the hostages.

“I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken,” Histadrut chairman Arnon bar David said in a statement. “Starting tomorrow at six in the morning, the entire Israeli economy will go on complete strike.”

“A deal is not progressing due to political considerations and this is unacceptable,” he added.

During Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, it abducted 251 people, 97 of whom remain captive in Gaza including 33 the army says are dead.

Biden, Harris’s campaign in Pittsburg

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Pittsburgh to hold a campaign event on Labour Day.

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The Harris-Walz campaign says the stop is part of a Labour Day blitz in battleground states.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Reuters

Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will spend Labour Day in Milwaukee and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will be in Newport News, Virginia.

Millions of American workers will have the day off today for Labour Day, which is a federal holiday that was established 130 years ago to honour them.

The day is regarded as the last hurrah of summer and is celebrated with parades, rallies, picnics and family gatherings.

South African President to visit China

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will be visiting China from September 2 to 5.

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The visit will prepare for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit, which will take place from September 4 to 6.

This visit follows President Xi Jinping’s fourth State Visit to South Africa in August 2023.

Special two-day session of the West Bengal Assembly

A special two-day session of the West Bengal Assembly will commence on September 2 to pass a Bill proposing capital punishment for convicts in rape and murder cases.

The proposal to hold the special session was cleared at a meeting of the state committee on Wednesday, which was chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The decision of the state government to move the bill comes at a time when the state administration is already under fire after the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

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Crucial court hearings

  • Supreme Court to hear grievances of protesting farmers on Punjab-Haryana border

  • SC to hear Pleas challenging cancellation of OBC certificates in Bengal

  • CAQM chairperson to explain steps to curb stubble burning, pollution

  • SC hearing on the plea seeking a transfer for the 2015 cash-for-vote case outside Telangana

  • A special court in Pune to hear anticipatory bail plea filed by the father of one of the two minors who accompanied the 17-year-old driver of the Porsche Taycan during the May 19 crash.

BJP’s nationwide membership drive 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to launch a nationwide membership drive today.

As per ANI sources, primary membership would be done through missed calls (8800002024), the NaMo App, QR codes, and traditional application forms, ensuring that people in areas with limited mobile coverage or those without mobile phones can participate.

A National Team, under the convenorship of Vinod Tawde, National General Secretary, has been formed to oversee the campaign. State, District and Mandal teams, along with Morchas and Cells, will also be established, with a focus on media, social media and IT coordination.

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The membership drive will be conducted in two phases–September 2 to September 25 and October 1 to October 15. Each phase will target specific milestones, ensuring a comprehensive reach across the country.

JJP to announce candidates for Haryana polls

Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) are likely to announce their candidates after a political affairs committee meeting scheduled today.

Eyeing to woo the Dalit voters who constitute 21 per cent of the state’s population, the JJP and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) earlier formed a pre-poll-alliance for the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana.

Out of the 90 seats, Dushyant Chautala’s JJP, an offshoot of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), will contest 70 seats while the Azad Samaj Party will field candidates in the remaining 20 seats.

RSS all-India coordination meeting concludes

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held a three-day long coordination meeting in Kerala’s Palakkad to discuss various issues of national importance and also the initiatives it intends to launch as part of the completion of its centenary year in 2025.

The meeting, which saw the participation of around 32 “RSS inspired organisations” represented by around 320 ‘karyakartas’ (workers), will conclude today.

The meeting is being attended by its chief Mohan Bhagwat and six joint general secretaries.

Mohun Bagan Vs East Bengal in Lucknow

On September 2, the reserve teams of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant will play an exhibition match in Lucknow, closing off another chapter in the Kolkata derby.

Mohun Bagan, established in 1889, will take the pitch in Lucknow after 69 years.

The only time the side played there was on August 30, 1955, when it drew an exhibition match 1-1 with the Lucknow XI. 

SKM’s dharna

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha will hold a dharna at Chandigarh on Monday to put forward their demands, the memorandum of which has already been submitted to the state government.

The statement by Kangana Ranaut on farmers was also criticised by the members of SKM.

They demanded that PM Modi should seek an apology for the same.

A day to remember

  • World Coconut Day

  • Birth anniversary of cricketer Ishant Sharma

  • Birth anniversary of tennis player Jimmy Connors

  • Birth anniversary of actor Keanu Reeves

  • Birth anniversary of actor Salma Hayek

  • Interim Government of India, also known as the Provisional Government of India, was formed on September 1, 1946

  • Birth of ATM – America’s first automatic teller machine (ATM) makes its public debut dispensing cash to customers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Centre, New York in 1969

  • Vietnam declares its independence from France in 1945

  • The Treaty of Jaffa was signed in 1192 between Richard I of England and Saladin, leading to the end of the Third Crusade

  • The Great Fire of London broke out and burnt for three days, destroying 10,000 buildings, including St Paul’s Cathedral, in 1666

  • A solar superstorm affected electrical telegraph service in 1859

  • Swissair Flight 111 crashed near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, in 1998, killing all 229 people on board