Afternoon brief: DK Shivakumar claims black magic ritual against him; Air India flight delayed by over 8 hours, and more

A shortlist of the biggest headlines, recommended stories, and a collection of news events you should check out.

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivkaumar has claimed that his political detractors are carrying out a black magic ritual called 'Shatru Bhairavi Yajna' against him and chief minister Siddaramaiah to destabilise the Congress government in Karnataka. Speaking to the reporters, Shivkaumar spoke about a sacred thread tied to his wrist, saying he did that to ward off evil eyes. He said that he is being informed that Kerala tantriks are conducting the ritual, which involves animal sacrifices, in an isolated place near Raja Rajeshwari temple in Kerala to trouble the government. "Kerala tantriks are being used to carry out 'Shatru Bairavi Yajna' against us. We have strong faith that God and people's blessings will protect us." Dig deeper

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar (PTI)

Several passengers on board the San Francisco-bound Air India flight fainted inside the aircraft, which had no air conditioning, after a delay of over eight hours on Thursday, passengers claimed on social media. While sharing the ordeal on social media platform X, journalist Shweta Punj claimed that the passengers were made to board the AI183 New Delhi- San Francisco Air India flight and sit without air-conditioning. The airline deplaned the passengers after some fliers fainted on the flight at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Meanwhile, the capital city is experiencing an intense heatwave with maximum temperatures soaring to as high as around 50 degrees Celsius. Dig deeper

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Entertainment Focus

Panchayat season 3 is finally out and our favourite characters from the show are back with a new chapter in their individual lives. Here's a recap of the journey of each character and what they're up to in the new instalment. Abhishek (played by Jitendra Kumar) is an engineering graduate from Delhi who is posted as a secretary of a gram panchayat in the remote village of Phulera. While he struggles initially to get used to the slow life, he also concentrates on preparing for MBA entrance exams. He gradually warms up to the people of Phulera, particularly Rinki, the daughter of the pradhan and his wife. Abhishek gets a transfer at the end of season 2, thanks to a run-in with the corrupt local MLA, but circumstances lead to his return to Phulera in season 3. Dig deeper

That’s all we have at this hour in our afternoon briefing. Catch you in the evening.