HT Morning Brief, Sept. 5: More S-400s on India’s radar, Delhi rain chaos and FBI’s most-wanted man held in Punjab

India’s plan to acquire five more Russian S-400 Triumf air-defense systems has moved closer to negotiations after Moscow sent Delhi a Bill of Quantities proposal detailing construction and material costs. The final system from a five-unit order signed by Narendra Modi’s government in 2018, worth $5.43 billion, is due to reach India in November.

Delhi and nearby areas were still dealing with flooding after Friday evening’s heavy rain. The India Meteorological Department forecast another wet day for Saturday, with thunderstorms, lightning and light to moderate rain, and issued a yellow alert.

At least eight engineering students from Tamil Nadu died in a road crash in Thrissur, Kerala, police said. Their car struck a parked lorry as they travelled from Guruvayur toward Kodungallur on National Highway 66.

Punjab Police also arrested 65-year-old Jalandhar resident Manjit Singh Bedi, who had recently appeared on the FBI’s most-wanted list of fraud suspects. Police allege he was involved in a US government benefits fraud worth about $600,000, or approximately 5.6 crore rupees. They said he left the United States in April and travelled to India through Canada.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever warned that arbitrary trade barriers and systematic market distortion threatened geopolitical stability, drawing laughter and applause after he suggested the audience knew whom he meant. At the US Open, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka briefly stopped her third-round match after noticing a strong smell of cannabis in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“

Your applause tells me that you all know who I am talking about.