Daily Briefing: Vinesh Phogat’s historic bout at Paris Olympics; Exclusive interview with Omar Abdullah; and more

Following  Sheikh Hasina’s abrupt resignation as Bangladesh Prime Minister, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government. The 84-year-old is globally recognised for his flagship initiative, Grameen Bank, that is believed to have helped a large number of Bangladeshis break out of extreme poverty. However, he has shared a frosty relationship with Hasina, whose government booked Yunus in over 200 cases related to forgery and money laundering.

Where is Hasina now? Well, in a safe house in India, where she might just be staying a little while longer. After fleeing from Bangladesh, Hasina landed in India on Monday evening, following which she was supposed to head to London. However, her plans to travel to the UK face a “technical roadblock”. Here’s what The Indian Express has learnt.

With the political crisis bringing economic activity in Bangladesh’s key sector, including the ready-made garment industry, to a standstill, Indian apparel industry could step in, at least temporarily, to fill the gap for global buyers.

🇫🇷 Express @ Paris Olympics

Vinesh Phogat’s historic Tuesday in Paris began with one of the biggest upsets of the Olympics, when she overcame the Japanese Yui Susaki in the quarters. By the time it ended, the Indian wrestler was one bout away from history: a shot at gold forged in her steely resolve to “not let this Olympic medal go”. In doing so, Phogat silenced many critics who cropped up after she led the protests against former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexual harassment.

Tuesday was also special for another reason. Neeraj Chopra was back in action. And how! All it took was one throw of 89.34 metres for Chopra to book his place in the men’s javelin throw final. To put it in context, his gold-medal winning throw in the final of the Tokyo Olympics was 87.58 metres.

⚡ Only in Express

In the continuing series on Jammu and Kashmir, marking five years since the abrogation of Article 370, we take a look at the impending Assembly elections in the Union Territory, and why political parties and the security establishment are apprehensive. In case you missed them, read Part 1 and Part 2.

National Conference Vice President and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah says his party is ready for the Assembly elections come September. However, he says he won’t be contesting to become the Chief Minister, which he was of “(once) most empowered state”. “I can’t see myself in a position where I would have to ask the L-G for appointing my peon.” Read his full interview here.

📰 From the Front Page

Expanding its scope from OTT content and digital news to include social media accounts and online video creators to broadly define a “digital news broadcaster,” the latest draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, raises significant concerns about freedom of speech and the extent of government regulation. Here’s a detailed overview of the contents of this new bill.

Property owners can breathe a sigh of relief: the government, which had proposed removing the indexation benefit on long-term capital gains (LTCG) from the sale of unlisted assets in this year’s Budget, has now decided to offer taxpayers a choice for properties acquired before July 23, 2024. Find out more in our report here.

📌 Must Read 

Has the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, which occurred five years ago, made the issue irrelevant to India-Pakistan relations? In today’s Opinion piece, C. Raja Mohan examines this question and explains why Delhi should not assume it can ignore Rawalpindi or consider the Kashmir issue resolved, particularly in light of recent terror attacks.

The steep increase in health and life insurance premiums this year, combined with the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST), has made insurance less affordable for many, drawing opposition from leaders across party lines, including Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and BJP’s Nitin Gadkari. We explain the size of the life and health insurance markets in the country and delve into the debate surrounding this issue.

👉 And Finally…

In the bustling heart of Delhi, the neighborhoods of Old Rajinder Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar, just eleven kilometers apart, have long been symbols of aspiration. Originally reflecting the relentless ambition and hope of thousands of refugees who arrived after Partition, these areas now serve as vibrant hubs for UPSC aspirants with big dreams.  We take a walk down memory lane to explore this remarkable transformation.

Delhi Confidential: Speculation about the BJP replacing its Tamil Nadu unit president, K. Annamalai, has resurfaced. This talk began shortly after the Lok Sabha election results, with some Central BJP leaders attributing the party’s failure to win any seats in the state to Annamalai’s opposition to an alliance with the AIADMK. Don’t miss our latest column for more. 

🎧 In the latest episode of our ‘3 Things’ podcast, we explore how the Ayushman Bharat scheme has been performing over the past six years. We also discuss a major breakthrough in wheat and rice farming that promises to resolve weed issues, and Vinesh Phogat becoming the first-ever Indian female wrestler to reach the Olympic Games final.

Until next time,

Sonal Gupta and Aradhana Kalia

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