Parliament's Monsoon Session started with Manipur in top focus as the viral video of two women from the state being paraded naked by a group of men belonging to another tribe triggered massive outrage and the Opposition demanded a debate on the issue. While Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh warned of capital punishment and arrests have been made in the case, the Supreme Court also cracked the whip and asked the Centre to take action. Prime Minister Modi also said he was pained to learn about the incident and vowed that the guilty would not be spared. Meanwhile, Europe is witnessing its hottest summer in a long time with mercury rising in number of countries including Spain, Italy and Germany.


INDIA


CM's Capital Punishment Warning To SC's Ultimatum: Govt Faces Outrage Over Manipur Video


The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a stormy note over the developments in the strife-torn state of Manipur, reinforced  by the viral video of two women being paraded naked. The incident triggered massive outrage with the Opposition training its guns on the BJP, questioning Prime Minister Modi's silence on the issue for so long. The chorus for Chief Minister Biren Singh's removal has also grown with allegations that he failed to control the situation. The video, which was shot on May 4, a day after clashes broke out between the Meitei and Kuki tribe over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status, surfaced on Wednesday. The video shows two women being paraded naked in in Kangpokpi district in Manipur, which has been hit by ethnic violence.


Wrestlers' Sexual Harassment Case: Delhi Court Grants Bail To WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Singh


Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Thursday granted bail to outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the federation's assistant secretary Vinod Tomar Singh in the sexual harassment case registered by women wrestlers. The court granted Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar Singh bail on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 each.


Ready To Discuss Manipur Issue In Parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah Will Respond: Govt


Centre on Friday said that the government is ready to have a discussion on the Manipur issue and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will respond in the House when the discussion takes place. Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal meanwhile appealed to the opposition to not change their stand repeatedly and asked them to not indulge in 'politics' over the 'sensitive' matter





WORLD




As mercury soars in Europe breaching all records, Greece continues to struggle in restricting a wildfire that has engulfed forestland in Athens for a fifth day on Friday, as reported by Reuters. Greece is set for more intense heat this weekend. The meterologists have warned that the temperature can rise up to 45 degrees celsius, as per a report in BBC. Europe has been witnessing its hottest summer in a long time with a rapid increase in temperatures in a number of countries including Spain, Italy and Germany.  







The diplomatic dispute between Iraq and Sweden escalated on Thursday after the Iraqi government expelled the Swedish ambassador over the recent burning of Quran in Stockholm, Reuters reported. Iraq has also recalled its charge d'affaires in Sweden. Iraq has suspended working permits for Swedish businesses such as telecom giant Ericsson on a day protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in the capital Baghdad and torched the compound ahead of a planned burning of Quran in Sweden.






Cluster Bombs Used By Ukraine Having An Impact On Russian Defensive Formations, Says White House


The White House on Thursday said that Ukraine has been using the controversial cluster munitions supplied by the United States quite effectively. "We have gotten some initial feedback from the Ukrainians, and they're using them quite effectively," Kirby said at a news briefing, as quoted by Reuters. Ukraine has pledged to use the bombs only to knock over concentrations of Russian enemy soldiers. Kirby said the cluster munitions are impacting Russian defensive formations and maneuvering.


BUSINESS





Stock Market Crash: Sensex Plunges 888 Points, Nifty Below 19,750. Infosys Tanks 8 Per Cent; IT Sheds 4 Per Cent


The two key equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty, on Friday crashed due to a weak Q1FY24 report card by Infosys, triggering a rout in the IT stocks and profit booking. The S&P BSE Sensex plunged 888 points, (1.3 per cent) to end the session at 66,684. During intra-day trade, Sensex tanked over 1,000 points to hit a low of 66,534. On the other hand, NSE Nifty50 settled at 19,745, down 234 points (1.17 per cent). It touched a low of 19,700. On the 30-share Sensex platform, Infosys slumped 8.18 per cent as the IT firm’s sharp downward revision in its growth guidance took most brokerages by surprise. HUL, HCL, Reliance, Wipro, TCS, TechM were among other prominent losers. On the flipside, L&T, NTPC, SBI, Kotak Bank, Tata Motors, ICICI Bank emerged gainers.


Go First Gets DGCA Approval For Flight Resumption With Certain Conditions


The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday said it has approved Go First's plan to restart operations with 15 aircraft and 114 daily flights, subject to certain conditions. Budget carrier Go First, which stopped flying on May 3, is undergoing an insolvency resolution process. In a release, the aviation regulator said the airline's resumption plan for operating 15 aircraft and 114 daily flights has been reviewed and accepted. "Go First may resume scheduled flight operations on availability of interim funding and approval of flight schedule by DGCA. Further, Go First has been directed to ensure compliance with all the applicable regulatory requirements, ensure continued airworthiness of the aircraft engaged in operations and subjecting every aircraft to a satisfactory handling flight prior to deployment for flight operations," the aviation regulator's notification stated.


Why Equity Investment Is Gaining Traction Among Novice Investors


Want to generate wealth? Investing in the stock market could be the best option for you. However, for a beginner, investing in the stock market is not an easy task. It requires a sound understanding of the equity market and stocks apart from many other things. Foraying into the stock market can be thrilling and equally challenging. For a novice investor, knowledge about stocks, equity market, regulatory guidelines, and patience are required before investing. Of late, equity investment is gaining traction among beginners, and data collected by the two major depositories, the Central Depository Service (CDSL) and the National Securities Depository (NSDL), only proves the point. The total number of active dematerialised (Demat) accounts in India surpassed 120 million for the first time in June. Data collected that month saw an addition of 2.36 million new accounts, marking the highest monthly increase since May 2022. The total demat tally crossed 120.51 million, up 2 per cent from a month ago and 24.41 per cent from a year ago.


TECH





iPhone 15 Launch To Be Delayed


The launch of the upcoming iPhone 15 line could be delayed until October, according to an analyst with Bank of America (BoA). Wamsi Mohan, a global securities analyst with BoA, has said that the official unveiling of the iPhone 15 series could be delayed by a "few weeks" which means we would not see the iPhone 15 series launch in September. Mohan, in a research note shared with Barrons mentioned that the launch could take place in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023.


Netflix Ending Password Sharing In India


Netflix has recently taken a significant step in India by implementing a policy to end password sharing, limiting account access only to members of a "Household". The company's decision is part of a broader global crackdown on password sharing beyond immediate family members, aimed at boosting revenue following a challenging period last year. In May, Netflix announced its determination to curb this practice, and the results have been encouraging.


Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5 To Be Thinner: Samsung


We are days away from the Galaxy Unpacked event where Samsung is slated to unveil its next-gen foldable smartphones and now, a top Samsung executive has revealed key details of the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 ahead of the Unpacked launch event. According to TM Roh, President and Head of MX Business, Samsung Electronics, the company has "raised the standards for foldable smartphone ergonomics". The portability of Samsung's foldable phones has garnered great interest in the past few weeks after the release of Google's maiden foldable phone, the Google Pixel Fold. Even as there are similarities between the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Pixel Fold, the latter is 0.2 inches thinner.



SPORTS



IND vs PAK: India May Face Pakistan Three Times At Asia Cup 2023. Here's How


The 2023 edition of Asia Cup, a six-team ODI tournament, will kickstart from August 30 onwards in Multan. If both Pakistan and India qualify to Super 4s round from Group A, they will square off for the second time on September 10 in Colombo. The top two teams from Super 4s will qualify for Asia Cup final and if both Pakistan and India book their berths for the summit clash in Colombo on September 17, fans will get to see IND vs PAK match for the third time within 15 days.


Lionel Messi Debuts For Inter Miami With Match-Winning Free Kick In Extra Time Against Cruz Azul


Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the finest players ever to have played the sport of football. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and the World Cup-winner with Argentina showed why he is rated so highly on his Inter Miami debut in their Leagues Cup 2023 opener against Cruz Azul at the DRV PNK Stadium in Florida. Coming in as a second-half substitute, Messi made his presence felt on the pitch in the initial minutes as he created chances and affected some magical passes but it was in the dying minutes of the match, with the scores levelled at 1-1, when he made a real impact with a match-winning free-kick.


BCCI Shares Fitness update Of Five Indian Players Including Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant


The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday shared updates about the medical and fitness status of five players, including Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant, who are currently rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna are in the final stages of the rehabilitation process. As per the board, they have been bowling with full intensity in the nets. They will also be playing in the practice games organized by the NCA. India's star player Rishabh Pant has also made progress and has started batting and keeping in the nets. Talking about KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, they have also started batting in the nets and currently focusing on their strength and fitness drills.



SCIENCE



'We Can't Confirm It's Ours Unless We Analyse It', Says ISRO Chief S Somanath About Mystery Object On Australian Beach: Report


Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chief S Somanath has said there is "no mystery" about the fact that the object that washed up on an Australian beach a few days back is a "part of some rocket". However, he also said that India cannot confirm whether the object is a part of an Indian rocket unless the country analyses it, the BBC reported Wednesday. "We can't confirm it's ours unless we analyse it," the ISRO Chief said. The mysterious, dome-shaped object was discovered on July 15, 2023, near the beach in Green Head in Western Australia, about 250 kilometres north of the city of Perth.


Gaganyaan: ISRO Successfully Tests Service Module Propulsion System. Know Its Significance


Gaganyaan Mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested the Gaganyaan Module Propulsion System (SMPS) on July 19, 2023, a feat important for the performance of the orbital module. The test was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, and involved five liquid apogee motor engines, the Indian space agency said on its website. Liquid apogee motor engines are chemical rocket engines used as the main engine in a spacecraft. Such an engine is controlled by two electrically-driven valves which provide thrust. 


Oppenheimer: Father Of The Atomic Bomb, And The Subject Of Christopher Nolan Film


Julius Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist on whom Academy Award-nominee Christopher Nolan's latest film Oppenheimer is based, lived a life of triumph as well as tragedy. Known as the 'Father of the Atomic Bomb', Oppenheimer served as the director of the Manhattan Project's laboratory at Los Alamos, New Mexico, where the atomic bomb was designed. Nolan's movie is adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a 2005 biography written by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin. The nuclear weapons developed by Oppenheimer through the Manhattan Project helped end World War II. It was the first and only time such destructive weapons were used in conflict.ENT


ENT


Uorfi Javed Faces Harassment By 'Drunk' Men On A Flight, Shares Story


Uorfi Javed recently flew from Mumbai to Goa. Uorfi was seen by the paparazzi sporting a whole new look on Thursday night after she had dyed her hair pink before leaving for Goa. Her vacation was a little unsettling since some ‘drunk’ men ridiculed, harassed, and teased her when she was in economy class. She posted a clip of the group on her Instagram story and said she is not a ‘public property’. 


Mouni Roy Discharged From Hospital After 9 Days; Shares Thank You Note For Husband Suraj Nambiar & Close Friends


Mouni Roy, who has been quiet on the social media front for a while updated her fans about her health. It seems that the 'Brahmastra' actor had been hospitalized and spent 9 days there. The actor shared a thankyou note for her close friends and her husband Suraj Nambiar. Mouni also shared a gallery of pics which also features a drip on her hand and her time in recovery.


Project-K Is Now ‘Kalki 2898 AD’; Teaser Video Features Deepika Padukone, Prabhas In An Intense Look


The creators of ‘Project K’ has astounded fans with the momentous glimpse of their highly-anticipated film, now officially titled ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. This cinematic masterpiece has been hailed as a seamless fusion of science fiction and unprecedented storytelling, setting new benchmarks for the genre. In the new teaser video, viewers can get a glimpse of Deepika Padukone and Prabhas in a futuristic setup. The film's premise, set in the distant future of 2898 AD, seamlessly blends futuristic elements with rich storytelling.