Daily Briefing: Key takeaways from Congress manifesto, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin’s interview, One Life review and more

1) Struggling to win back voter confidence in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party released its manifesto on Friday. Known as the ‘Nyay Patra,’ the document outlines steps to create jobs, promises a legal guarantee for MSP for farmers’ crops, and law to recognise civil unions between couples from LGBTQIA+ community. Here are the key takeaways.

2) Now the face of INDIA bloc’s hopes in Tamil Nadu, the 74-year-old CM M K Stalin exuded confidence ahead of, what he calls, “a second struggle for Independence” in the coming elections. “It’s all about defending the core of India: democracy, secularism and our pluralistic society, not to mention the principle of federalism…,” Stalin said in an interview with The Indian Express’ Arun Janardhanan. Read here.

3) Hours after the funeral of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, Afzal Ansari, Mukhtar’s elder brother’s conversations are interrupted by his incessantly ringing phone — from politicians, police officers, supporters. Late on March 28, Mukhtar Ansari, one of three Ansari brothers, died in Banda prison. Who are the Ansaris of Ghazipur? How are they connected to cricket, politics, and crime? Read here.

4) In our opinion section today, Menaka Guruswamy takes a look at the high-profile case where New York Times, in late December 2023, sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. “As The New York Times Co v Microsoft Corp et al weaves its way through the court system, more such challenges for the law will emerge as AI swiftly takes over how humans access, process and pay for news and creative work,” she writes.

5) Wondering what to binge-watch this weekend? We’ve got you covered. Read Shalini Langer’s review of One Life, the story of Nicholas Winton, an English stockbroker who played a key role in rescuing 669 children of largely Jewish descent from Prague just before Hitler started World War II. “As portrayed by a marvellous Anthony Hopkins, Nicholas Winton is a man as burdened by what he did, as what he could not.”

Until next time,
Ariba

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