Evening brief: Priyank Kharge on Karnataka hijab ban row; Infosys loses multi-billion deal, all latest news
A shortlist of the biggest headlines, recommended stories, and a special collection of news items you should check out.
Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge defended the Congress-led government's decision to lift the hijab ban imposed by the previous BJP administration, emphasizing adherence to the law and the Constitution. Former CM BS Yediyurappa criticized the move, labeling it a hasty decision to appease the Muslim community. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced the withdrawal of the hijab ban, asserting individual clothing choices. Priyank Kharge urged the BJP to focus on its issues, criticizing their alleged divisionary tactics. Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of dividing society and called for the hijab ban's withdrawal. The controversy stems from the previous BJP government's ban upheld by courts. Dig deeper
Infosys, led by Narayana Murthy, announced the termination of a $1.5 billion deal with an undisclosed global company, focusing on developing artificial intelligence solutions. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in September 2023 for a 15-year commitment, has been terminated by the global company, as revealed in Infosys' exchange filings. The announcement comes two weeks after the sudden resignation of CFO Nilanjan Roy, impacting the company's share prices. Roy's departure on December 12 led to the appointment of Jayesh Sanghrajka as the new CFO, effective March 31, 2024, with CEO Salil Parekh expressing confidence in Sanghrajka's experience and knowledge. Dig deeper
Latest News
Israel-linked merchant vessel hit by drone attack off Gujarat coast Dig deeper
Air India's first wide-body Airbus A350-900 aircraft lands in Delhi Dig deeper
India News
ED makes 3 fresh arrests in money laundering probe against Vivo-India Dig deeper
Bigg Boss winner Elvish Yadav attacked in Jammu's Vaishno Devi Dig deeper
Global Matters
Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova barred from running against Russian president Vladimir Putin Dig deeper
US woman gives birth to twin daughters on different days Dig deeper
Sports Going
India opener Ruturaj Gaikwad is officially out of the three-match Test series against South Africa due to a fractured finger sustained during the second ODI. Heading to the National Cricket Academy for treatment, Abhimanyu Easwaran is named as his replacement by the BCCI. Gaikwad, part of the ODI series win, suffered the injury while fielding in the second match. The India A squad sees changes too, with Harshit Rana ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Avesh Khan, and Rinku Singh join the India A squad, while Kuldeep Yadav is released. India A faces South Africa A from December 26. Dig deeper
Entertainment Focus
Prabhas' Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire achieves a stellar opening at the Indian box office, making it one of the biggest in Telugu cinema history. The film also marks a notable start in Hindi, crucial for its overall success. According to Sacnilk.com, Salaar secures the fifth-largest Hindi opening for a South Indian film. Additionally, Prabhas attains a remarkable milestone, becoming the first actor with four ₹100+ crore openings in India after Baahubali 2, Saaho, and Adipurush. Among the top 5 South Indian films with the biggest Hindi openings, Salaar claims the fifth spot, showcasing its significant impact on the audience. Dig deeper
That’s all we have at this hour in our evening briefing. Catch you tomorrow morning.