Morning briefing: SP, BJP spar over Ayodhya rape case; Tharoor's 'memorable day' in Wayanad sparks outrage, and more
Here is a shortlist of biggest headlines, recommended stories, and special collection of news items you should check.
The political slugfest between the Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata intensified on Saturday after the authorities took ‘bulldozer action’ against the main accused, a SP functionary, in a rape case in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya accused the Samajwadi Party of trying to “protect rapists” after Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav demanded that the accused as well as the deputy CM undergo a narco test. According to Shivpal, BJP is trying to “politicise the issue” because of their defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in UP. Dig deeper
Shashi Tharoor, who visited landslide-hit Wayanad in his native Kerala state on Saturday, defended his ‘memorable day’ social media post for the visit, saying that a memorable thing is one that is ‘likely to be remembered.' It all began when the Congress leader shared a video from the trip on X (formerly Twitter), and wrote: “Some memories of a memorable day in Wayanad.” The clip, which has a duration of 68 seconds, shows him unloading relief materials from a truck, followed by visuals of visit to relief camps and landslide-hit locations. However, many on social media objected to Tharoor using the term ‘memorable’ for a tragic event. Dig deeper
India News
Amit Shah political heir of Ahmad Shah Abdali, BJP doing ‘power jihad’: Uddhav Thackeray
Heavy rainfall warning for multiple states; red alert in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
Latest News
Ex-Punjab cop who shot dead son-in-law in Chandigarh court is not new to controversies
Proposed Nazul Law: A bill in right earnest caught in a political maze?
Global Matters
Trump threatens he ‘won’t see Kamala Harris at all’ if it’s not a Fox debate; rips VP’s ‘mental capacity’
Viral Turkish shooter reacts to his ‘hitman’ memes at Paris Olympics
Entertainment Focus
Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 has inched out the 2012 film The Avengers to make it to the list of top 10 highest-grossing films in the world. The film, which is close to making $1.524 billion globally, has landed #10 on the spot, taking over from The Avengers, which made $1.521 billion. Inside Out 2 was released in theatres on June 14 and received praise for its representation of girlhood. If its successful box office run continues, it is expected to climb the charts further. It is also the only film to cross the $1 billion mark this year. Dig deeper
Lifestyle and Health
Taapsee Pannu is in Paris to support her husband and Indian badminton coach Mathias Boe at the 2024 Olympic Games. The actor has been sharing pictures from her time in the City of Love. According to her multiple posts, her choice of clothing during the Olympics is sarees. Her refreshing take on styling the nine yards should inspire your wardrobe. So far, Taapsee Pannu has shared four posts from her time in Paris during the 2024 Olympics. The actor's most recent pictures show her enjoying a touristy day in the city, wearing a printed saree with a white corset shirt. Similarly, she wore a quirky patterned saree with a denim shirt to celebrate her birthday. Dig deeper
Sports Goings
Ace India shuttler Lakshya Sen will be seen in action on Sunday in the high-octane semi-final clash against Denmarl's Viktor Axelsen in the men's singles round at the Paris Olympics. Lakshya has been in sensational form as he registered some sensational wins on his way to the last four. In the quarters, Sen secured a comeback victory over 12th seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. The 22-year-old is the only hope left for India in badminton as other medal prospects PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy and Satwik-Chirag have been knocked out. However, the 22-year-old will face a tough challenge against Axelsen, who has beaten him on seven out of eight occasions in the past. Dig deeper
That’s all we have at this hour in our Morning briefing. Catch you in the afternoon!