1. Govt Demands Apology, Cong Demands JPC Probe After Rafale Verdict
As the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions pertaining to India’s procurement of 36 Rafale jets, saying that it finds “no irregularities” in NDA government's decision-making process to purchase the aircraft from Dassault Aviation under Indo-French intergovernmental agreement.
While reading the judgment, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that it is not the job of the Supreme Court to get into the pricing of the procurement.
Politicians associated with the ruling BJP as well as the Opposition gave their views on the apex court’s judgment.
Read the full story here.
2. Ashok Gehlot, The Jaadugar-Neta Set to Rule Rajasthan Again
It was anything but abracadabra. The Congress’ decision on Friday, 14 December, to pick the magician's son as the Rajasthan chief minister was neither quick nor easy.
Deliberations dragged on in Delhi before the party, which defeated the BJP 99-73 in the Assembly elections, chose 67-year-old Ashok Gehlot over the youthful Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot for the post that both felt they had earned.
Gehlot is an old hand at this job. He first became the state’s chief minister in 1998, the second time in 2008 and is now set to be sworn in for a third stint.
Read the full story here.
3. India vs Australia 2nd Test: At Stumps on Day 1, Aus 277/6
The first day of India's second Test against Australia at Perth has seen the hosts take the honours – although Virat Kohli's side did fight back from a poor start.
With Perth's newly-laid track expected to assist pacers, India fielded four fast bowlers for only the third time in their Test history – but Australian openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch notched up a solid 112-run stand.
Three wickets apiece in the final two sessions of the day saw India claw their way back into the contest, as Australia ended Day 1 on 277 for 6.
Find all the live updates here.
4. Me, The Change: Anshu Rajput, the Voice Against Acid Attacks
Anshu Rajput was all of 15 years when her life took a drastic turn. As the unsuspecting teenager was sleeping outdoors, right outside her house in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, her 55-year-old neighbour, a man whose advances she had earlier refused, jumped over the low wall between their respective houses and poured acid over her face.
Now 21, Anshu recalls the incident from six years ago.
Watch the full video here.
5. ‘Mulk’ Director Anubhav Sinha Picks His Favourite Films of 2018
As the year comes to an end, it’s time to look back at some of the films that really impressed and influenced us in 2018. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s Mulk was a rare commercial and critical success that triggered off a lot of debate on the subject of Islamophobia and communalism in today’s India.
The Quint’s Suresh Mathey sat down with Sinha and had a chat with him about his favourite films of the year.
Watch the full video here.
6. NYT Did Not Write on ‘Castisum’ Leading to BJP Loss (Obviously) WEBQOOF
A viral post on social media claims that an author from The New York Times wrote an article regarding the recently concluded elections and the lessons PM Narendra Modi can draw from the results.
The article, which appears to have gone viral after 11 December, is definitely not written by a New York Times author.
Read the full story here.
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