1- Supreme Court strikes down instant triple talaq, says practice is arbitrary and unconstitutional
The Supreme Court banned on Tuesday a controversial Islamic practice of instant divorce as arbitrary and unconstitutional, in a landmark verdict for gender justice that will stop Muslim men calling off a marriage on a whim. In a split verdict, three of the five all-male judges on the case said the practice of saying “talaq”, or divorce, three times in one go – sometimes even over email and WhatsApp – violated women’s right to equality and was not integral to Islam. The dissenting note came from Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and justice S Abdul Nazeer, who argued instant talaq should be suspended and the government asked to bring a law to regulate the practice within six months. The majority verdict overrides the minority view.
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2- Triple talaq verdict: Meet the five women who fought to stop instant divorce
The Supreme Court judgement, which is being hailed as historic, came two years after Shayara Bano, a Muslim woman from Uttarakhand, approached the apex court after her husband of 15 years sent her a letter the word ‘talaq’ written thrice before leaving her. The court later tagged the petitions of four other women – Gulshan Parween, Aafreen Rehman, Ishrat Jahan and Atiya Sabri – with similar cases, with Bano’s petition.
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3- SC ruling on triple talaq: Saffron parties call it a ‘moral victory’
The Supreme Court’s judgment striking down the practice of instant triple talaq as illegal has been received as a “moral victory” and a “historic” judgment by the ruling BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who hailed the spirit of the women fighting the practice of ‘triple talaq’ from the ramparts of Red Fort during his Independence Day speech, welcomed the apex court’s decision as one that would grant equality to Muslim women. He said the judgment will serve as a “powerful measure for women’s empowerment”. BJP president Amit Shah said the “historic” decision has marked the beginning of a new epoch of equality and self-respect for Muslim women.
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{{/usCountry}}4- Chaos if China follows India’s logic and enters Indian territory, says Beijing
China on Tuesday said there will be “chaos” in the region if it follows India’s “ridiculous” logic and enters Indian territory to disrupt construction projects along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that Beijing perceives as a security threat. Beijing has blamed New Delhi for the military standoff at Doklam or Donglang near the Sikkim border – now into its third month - and accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing Chinese soldiers from building a road in the region, which is claimed by Bhutan. “If we tolerate India’s ridiculous logic, then anyone who dislikes the activity at his neighbour’s home can break into his neighbour’s house,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a news briefing.
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5- AIADMK merger: MLAs loyal to Dinakaran take shelter at sea-side resort as DMK demands floor test
The opposition DMK on Tuesday demanded an immediate floor test in Tamil Nadu after a faction of the ruling party MLAs told the governor they had lost confidence in chief minister Edappadi Palanisami, adding to political uncertainty in the southern state. The party’s two factions came together on Monday after O Pannerselvam was sworn as the deputy CM but a third group of 19 MLAs, loyal to sacked AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran, rose in revolt against the merger.
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6- Aziz Dilip, Bada Seth, Haji Sahab: UK releases 21 aliases of mob boss Dawood Ibrahim
Britain on Monday announced it is continuing financial sanctions on Dawood Ibrahim, wanted in India for various acts of crime and terrorism, including the 1993 blasts in Mumbai, and listed 21 aliases for the fugitive. The latest “Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets in the UK”, updated by the treasury office, mentioned his Indian and Pakistani passport numbers and three addresses in Pakistan. Ibrahim was listed among 261 individuals known to have links with either al-Qaeda or the Islamic State. The treasury entry for Ibrahim lists 21 aliases.
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7- Korean mishap raises doubts over reliability of Indian Army’s future artillery gun
The death of two South Korean soldiers in a K-9 howitzer explosion three days ago has raised doubts about the performance of a Korea-origin artillery gun set to be built in India on the same platform. The Korean media questioned the reliability of the self-propelled howitzer, a gun meant for firing shells on high trajectories, after the incident occurred during an artillery training session in Gangwon province on Friday. Private sector defence major Larsen & Toubro and South Korean firm Hanwha Techwin are in the process of executing a $720-million contract for supplying 100 K9 VAJRA-T guns to the Indian Army.
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8- Trump’s accusations on harbouring terrorists disappointing, says Pakistan Army
The Pakistani military on Tuesday expressed disappointment at US President Donald Trump’s remarks denouncing the country for harbouring terrorists even as foreign minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad will continue to work with the world community to eliminate terrorism. Some political leaders criticised the new American strategy for Afghanistan, saying the US administration is working under pressure from India. The chief military spokesman, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said the army had registered major gains against terrorist groups operating along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “We are not harbouring any terrorists,” said Ghafoor.
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9- Nawaz Sharif’s wife Kulsoom Nawaz diagnosed with throat cancer
Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has been diagnosed with throat cancer, doctors in the United Kingdom told a news channel on Tuesday. Kulsoom has filed nomination papers to contest elections on the seat that fell vacant after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court on July 28. According to Geo News, Kulsoom abruptly left for London for a medical checkup while her nomination papers were being scrutinised. Doctors treating the former premier’s wife have said that her cancer can be treated.
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10- Virat Kohli’s mantra: Create aggressive environment in Indian cricket
The Indian cricket team has so far done the athletic equivalent of running against the clock on this Sri Lanka tour. With the hosts in disarray, the visitors have set and accomplished their own targets. Virat Kohli has led India in just 31 ODIs -- 14 of them since taking over from MS Dhoni in January. These are early days, but a good opportunity to try out a few things. The Indian skipper has urged players not to look at the opposition in Sri Lanka but instead play with intensity. With this ODI series being the first step towards the 2019 World Cup, all players are eager to grab the chances they get.
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