He grew up in the lanes of Kolkata, away from the bhodrolok middle class. He soon went on to become their guilty pleasure. From a disco symbol, one swaying to Bappi Lahiri’s ‘Koi yahan nache’, to a working-class icon, with his own era of the Angry Young Man, Mithun Chakraborty became a star for everyone. Which is perhaps why a Dadasaheb Phalke award for Mithun da, feels like an everyman’s success.
On that note, let’s get to today’s edition:
🚨Big Story
Marking an escalation in the West Asia conflict, Israeli forces began “localised” and “targeted” ground raids in southern Lebanon early Tuesday.
Target in sight: The Israeli military has said that its offensive is based on “precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure”. The troops are conducting the operation in border villages of Lebanon to protect communities in northern Israel. The Israeli forces have said that “Operation Northern Arrows” will continue in parallel with combat in Gaza and other arenas.
Quick recap: Israel has been on the offensive ever since Palestinian militant group Hamas’ attack in its territory on October 7 last year. Hamas has support from Iran-backed Hezbollah, who recently came in the line of firing after Israel orchestrated simultaneous blasts of pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon.
Peace call: Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialed up his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, asserting that “terrorism has no place in our world”. He urged that it was crucial to “prevent regional escalation”.
“The Middle East has entered a much more dangerous escalatory phase where no single actor can restore peace.”
Anju Gupta writes about how Israel has stepped deeper into a war without victors with the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
👉 Only in Express
Muddied waters: It’s the third and final phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir today. With the polls being held after a decade, the election fever has gripped the state like never before. North Kashmir, which was once a centre of poll boycott calls, now has 20 candidates and party flags and posters everywhere. With many candidates in the fray, the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance may not have the smooth sailing it was hoping for.
The NC chief Farooq Abdullah in an interview with The Indian Express speaks about the unusually high number of candidates in the J&K poll fray, his impression of Rahul Gandhi, and the state’s next chief minister.
📰 From the Front Page
Quid pro quo: Troubles have been mounting for Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam. The case pertains to the housing sites allotted to his wife by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allegedly in exchange for 3.16 acres of land. Interestingly, this took place when the BJP government was in power in the state. This isn’t the first time though. Karnataka’s history is replete with top political rivals helping each other to lucrative land resources.
Around the world: Idli batter, Coldplay albums, and books by astronomer Carl Sagan are among the few comfort items packed by two women officers of the Indian Navy as they prepare for a historic sailing expedition. Tomorrow, they will embark on a journey of 40,000 kilometers around the globe, relying solely on wind power and without any external assistance. Here’s everything you need to know about their voyage!
‘Expect Gods to be kept away from politics’
TDP chief and Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu recently stirred controversy by alleging that the ghee used in Tirupati laddoos contained animal fat during the YSRCP regime. In response to several petitions, the Supreme Court questioned why Naidu went public with this claim before the investigation report was released.
📌 Must Read
The Misinterpreted Cricketer: Ravindra Jadeja’s achievement of 300 wickets and 3,000 runs in Tests should put to rest any doubts about his brilliance. Once an easy target for trolls and often blamed for defeats—especially during the 2010 T20 World Cup—Jadeja’s rise to greatness serves as an inspiration for those who were not born with a silver spoon. Sandip G makes a case for why it’s time he is recognized as one of the finest spinners India has ever produced.
Aya Ram Gaya Ram: In its 58 years of existence, the small state of Haryana has had a surprisingly significant impact on Indian national politics. Its electoral history is marked by five prominent politicians and their families, along with numerous defections. In fact, Haryana has even contributed a memorable term to India’s political lexicon for turncoats.
⚡And Finally…
An alleged technical glitch resulted in two individuals losing their seats at the prestigious IIT because they couldn’t pay the acceptance fee on time. We’ll share their experiences navigating IIT’s computerized admission system and how the Supreme Court stepped in to ensure that “no talented student is left in the lurch.”
Delhi Confidential: The Lulu Group and its Managing Director, M.A. Yusuff Ali, are once again in the spotlight in Andhra Pradesh. After leaving the state in 2019 due to business disagreements with the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government, the group has now pledged to reinvest in Andhra Pradesh following TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu’s return to power.
In today’s 3 Things Podcast we discuss the growing demand to end government control over Hindu temples. Next, we examine how the murder of a seven-year-old girl has eroded trust in the word “teacher” within the local community in Gujarat’s Dahod. Finally, we take a quick look at the first case registered based on the Justice Hema Committee report.
Until next time,
Sonal Gupta and Aradhana Kalia
Business As Usual by Unny
