Daily Briefing: Gaza’s history of war; behind Mahadev online gaming app; latest on ODI World Cup; and more

🚨Big Story

Gaza has seen many wars since then, but none as dramatic and lethal as the one that is now raging. On Monday, the Israel military ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. We take a look at Gaza’s 100-year history of war and the deep uncertainties on the road ahead.

Meanwhile, the Congress’s Working Committee in its resolution reaffirmed its support to the Palestinian cause without mentioning the horrific attack carried out by Hamas on Israel. The statement, however, has left party members uneasy.

⚡Only in Express

Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh spoke to The Indian Express about the unfolding crisis in the state. He said the Union Home Minister Amit Shah backs “balance”. “‘Meiteis our Kukis ko same tarah se deal karna hai (We should show balance in our dealings with the Meiteis and Kukis)’. That’s the kind of message I feel the Centre is trying to convey.” Read the full interview here.

The owner of a juice corner, a contractor-businessman, a school dropout who worked as a clothes salesman and a BCA graduate — here’s how a chance meeting between the four at a paan shop led to Mahadev online gaming app, which is now at the centre of a Rs 5,000-crore case of alleged money laundering that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating. 

📰 From the Front Page

When Justice (retd) Dharam Chand Chaudhary was transferred from the Armed Forces Tribunal’s (AFT) Chandigarh bench to Kolkata, the AFT Chandigarh Bar Association launched an indefinite strike, calling it a “direct assault on independence of judicial functioning.” On Monday, the Supreme Court stayed the order. 

The persistent dispute over Cauvery water between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka appears to have no end in sight. In the latest development, the TN Assembly Monday adopted a resolution urging the Union government to direct Karnataka to release water to the former in line with the SC’s final judgment. 

👩‍💻 Must Read

The women’s reservation Act hasn’t given the BJP the boost it expected, with the Bihar caste survey overtaking it. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken charge of the counter-attack. Can the BJP led by Modi keep ahead? Liz Mathew writes for Road to 2024.

The country’s elite counter terror force has declared a ‘war’ — on an invasive plant species. Why? Well, the National Security Guard has found that the water table at its Manesar campus has depleted over the years. Who’s the culprit? Vilayati kikar (Prosopis juliflora) 

⌛And Finally…

Couple of days before Afghanistan’s game against India in Delhi, the Afghans in the capital are yearning for their roots. The feelings are mixed among Afghani students in the city’s mini Kabul, Bhogal. For some, on the one hand, cricket is a ‘Taliban’s sport’, whereas, for others, it signifies a few shattered phones when their country loses. Delhi’s Little Kabul is divided.

Delhi Confidential: Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal had two crucial cases lined up on Monday — one before the Delhi High Court and the other before a bench headed by the Chief Justice of India in the Supreme Court — on top of the board as item number 1. Here’s how virtual courts have made hearings accessible not just for litigants but also for sought-after advocates.

🎧 In today’s episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, we discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict, the implications of a caste census in Rajasthan and why India defeating Australia in its opening World Cup match was a big deal.

Until tomorrow

Sonal Gupta and Gargi Nandwana