Sunanda Pushkar death case: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor slammed Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV saying he will not cooperate in a witch hunt by a ‘banana republic’ channel.
Sunanda Pushkar case: My duty to co-operate with courts, not in a witch hunt by ‘banana republic’ channel, says Tharoor
Tweeting about the Sunanda Pushkar murder case, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said: “My duty is to co-operate with the police, courts, legally-constituted authorities. Not w/ a witch-hunt by a “banana republic” channel.” His remarks come hours after the Delhi High Court ordered journalist Arnab Goswami and his channel Republic TV to respect Tharoor’s ‘right to silence’ in the case.Read more about it here. Get Indian Express’ latest stories here.
BJP now largest party in Rajya Sabha with 58 MPs, ends Congress reign
The BJP became the largest party in the 245-seat Rajya Sabha for the first time on Thursday. However, the party, which for the first time has more representation than the Congress in the House, does not hold majority. The BJP has 58 MPs following the election of Sampatiya Uikey, a woman tribal leader from Madhya Pradesh, which was necessitated after the death of Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave. Read more about it here. Get Indian Express’ latest stories here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other BJP leaders during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI Photo/TV Grab)
Sushma Swaraj in Parliament: Doklam not only issue, solution will emerge through dialogue
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in Parliament that dialogue was the only way out of the Doklam standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the trijunction with Bhutan and this should be seen in the context of the “entire bilateral relationship”. She was speaking in Rajya Sabha during a discussion on India’s foreign policy. “Hamari jo aarthik kshamta badh rahi hai, usme China ka yogdaan hai… unka yahan bahut zyada risk, stake hai… kitne zyada contract unhe diye huye hain (China has contributed to our growing economic strength. For them, there’s a lot at stake, risk here. They have been awarded many contracts).” You can read more about Sushma’s statement, here. For detailed coverage of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s work, click here
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI Photo
Fire at Dubai skyscraper – The Torch Tower
Flames shot up the sides of the Dubai building in the city’s upscale Marina district in the second blaze at the structure since 2015. Firefighters and police sealed off surrounding streets, which were partially covered by dust and debris. Occupants were forced out as burning debris showered down the sides of the 79-storey tower. Dubai’s civil defence authorities said firefighting squads put out the blaze by around 4.00 am local time. Read more about the Dubai fire here. For the latest world news, click here.
The fire at Torch Tower, Dubai Marina.
After tomato, surge in onion price likely
After tomatoes, it is onions that are threatening to turn the tide of low – actually negative — food inflation. On Thursday, the bulb was trading in Maharashtra’s Lasalgaon wholesale market at an average price of Rs 23 per kg. This was as against Rs 12.70 per kg just a day before which also saw the Reserve Bank of India cut its benchmark repo lending rate by 0.25 percentage points to 6 per cent. Like in the case of tomatoes, the spike in onion prices has been sudden. Read more about the onion and tomato price rise here. For the latest economy and business news, click here.
Nashik’s Lasalgaon is the largest onion market in the country. Express
70 years of independence: Govt to flag 70 schemes, two from UPA
The Narendra Modi government plans to showcase 70 government schemes to mark 70 years of Independence. The initial list of these initiatives includes two started by the previous UPA government: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana. The rural roads project figures at No. 53 on the line-up and the affordable medicines scheme, which was started as Jan Aushadhi in 2008, at No. 60 on the list prepared by the Press Information Bureau. You can read more here. For the latest India news, click here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Reuters Photo, File)
