Dear Readers,

Your evening briefing on the stories shaping India and the world. Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming book has become the centre of a publishing controversy after Penguin India lawyers reportedly sought changes in several chapters. The Supreme Court has meanwhile delivered major relief to NEET protesters by quashing FIRs across the country. Nepal’s flood disaster remains a race against time inside damaged hydropower tunnels, while the latest Russian strikes on Ukraine have also claimed the life of an Indian national. Back home, the history of Vande Mataram — including its early role as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity — has returned to the centre of the national conversation.

Podcast of the day

Inside the row over Sonia Gandhi’s book: Penguin India lawyers sought changes and cuts

Penguin Random House India’s lawyers flagged changes and deletions in several chapters of Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming book, setting off a lengthy back-and-forth before the publishing deal fell through.

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Three Kerala friends celebrated Onam together. Two days later, two were dead and the third was arrested

The deaths of two women from Kerala in California have left their families and the wider community searching for answers.

Supreme Court Collegium steps into the row over Rajasthan HC Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma

A controversy involving Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and protests surrounding him has now reached the Supreme Court Collegium, bringing judicial administration and the tensions surrounding the episode under a sharper national spotlight.

Teen assault case: 11 challans and a defunct CCTV camera among lapses flagged

The investigation into the alleged rape of a teenager inside a bus has exposed a series of apparent failures.

Supreme Court scraps FIRs against NEET protesters across India

In a major relief for students who protested the NEET-UG paper leak, the Supreme Court used its extraordinary powers to quash police cases registered against protesters across the country.

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After Centre’s assurance, the CJP gets relief in court

The legal battle surrounding protesters associated with the Cockroach Janta Party has moved quickly, with assurances on withdrawal of cases helping reshape the confrontation.

A striking courtroom exchange between CJI Surya Kant and CJP’s Saurav Das

An exchange in the Supreme Court involving Chief Justice Surya Kant and CJP representative Saurav Das has drawn attention amid the larger legal and political developments around the protest movement.

Modi cites GDP growth and makes a fresh push for ‘Wed in India’ and Swadeshi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has linked India’s economic performance with a broader appeal for domestic consumption, reviving his call for Indians to hold weddings in the country and support Swadeshi products and businesses.

 

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When Vande Mataram was a song of Hindu-Muslim unity

Before becoming one of India’s most contested political and cultural symbols, Vande Mataram was used during the Swadeshi movement as a cross-community cry of resistance.

Panjab University poll results and what they could mean for Punjab politics

Student elections at Panjab University have often served as an early indicator of shifting political currents in Punjab.

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Mamata Banerjee’s niece found dead in Birbhum

The death of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s niece in Birbhum has prompted an investigation, with authorities working to establish the circumstances surrounding the case.

NCLT stays Subhash Chandra’s Rs 6.25-crore settlement plan against Rs 22,006-crore claims

The insolvency battle involving Essel Group founder Subhash Chandra has taken another turn after an NCLT special bench stayed a proposed settlement plan.

Why a five-member NCLT bench is now hearing the Subhash Chandra insolvency matter

The high-profile insolvency proceedings involving Subhash Chandra have moved before a larger bench of the NCLT, underlining both the complexity of the case and the legal questions raised by the proposed resolution process.

Two alleged prime shooters in Ankit Baliyan murder case killed in encounter

The investigation into the murder of Ankit Baliyan has taken another dramatic turn, with police saying two alleged key shooters were killed in an encounter.

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Indian among those killed in latest Russian strikes on Ukraine

Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine have claimed the lives of civilians from multiple countries, including an Indian national, as the war continues to exact a heavy toll far beyond the battlefield.

Nepal floods: The rescue race continues inside hydropower tunnels

More than a week after catastrophic floods devastated parts of Nepal, rescue teams — including specialised teams from India — are searching hydropower tunnels for missing workers.

Prajakta Koli on why she does not see her Operation Safed Sagar character as a ‘red flag’

Prajakta Koli has spoken about her character Madhavi Reddy in Operation Safed Sagar, pushing back against the idea that the character’s behaviour should automatically be read through the increasingly popular “red flag” lens.

Inside Mrunal Thakur’s approach to fitness

Mrunal Thakur’s fitness coach Rohit Nair breaks down the actor’s approach to training, diet and mindset — and why consistency and a sustainable routine matter more than extreme transformations.

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Dating now comes with political filters — but compatibility is more complicated

Political beliefs are increasingly becoming part of the modern dating checklist. But as people filter potential partners through ideology and values, the search for compatibility is revealing a more complicated question: how much agreement is actually needed for a relationship to work?

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