1. Panama Leaks: Pak PM Nawaz Sharif Resigns After Court Verdict
The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding office for life. This was stated by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf.
A spokesman of Prime Minister House said that Sharif resigned following the judgement despite having reservations on the verdict. Following the judgement, the Pakistan Cabinet stands dissolved.
It was a majority 5-0 decision by a Bench of the court headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justices Ejaz Afzal, Gulzar Ahmed, Azmat Saeed and Ejazul Ahsan.
The judges ruled that the prime minister was dishonest to Parliament and courts and could not be deemed fit for his office.
Source: The Hindu
2. Nitish Wins Trust Vote, Tejashwi Cries Betrayal
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar won the trust vote in the Assembly comfortably on Friday even as his former deputy Tejashwi Yadav delivered a no-holds-barred speech in the House, accusing him of "betrayal".
While 131 MLAs voted for Nitish, the RJD-led opposition polled 108 votes. The council of ministers of the NDA coalition would be sworn in on Saturday afternoon.
I used to call you uncle and this is what you did to me. Aren’t you ashamed?Tejashwi Yadav to Nitish Kumar
Source: The Times of India
3. Vital Issues Discussed With Xi: Doval
On the day Chinese President Xi Jinping praised National Security Advisors of BRICS countries for their efforts in enhancing mutual trust and cooperation, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said “vital” issues were discussed at the meeting of the NSAs and its outcome will have an “impact” on the main summit in September.
This exchange took place amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam at the trijunction with Bhutan.
While there was no official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs on Doval’s bilateral meeting with Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi that took place on Thursday, some high-level contacts and official meetings are expected over the next few weeks.
There was some recognition in the bilateral conversation about the need for more engagement before the BRICS summit in Xiamen early September, and there are likely to be some high-level official visits next month as part of efforts to defuse the situation.Top Official to Indian Express
Source: The Indian Express
4. Congress Flies Its Gujarat MLAs to Bengaluru as Party Grapples With Exodus
Congress flew most of its Gujarat MLAs out of the state in a midnight flight to Bengaluru on Friday, an apparent attempt to keep the flock together after a string of resignations rocked the party.
Six MLAs have resigned from the party in the last two days, reducing the party’s strength in the Gujarat assembly to 51 and spelling trouble for Ahmed Patel, Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary, who has filed papers seeking a fifth term in the Rajya Sabha from the state.
The Congress MLAs have been threatened, coerced and bribed by the BJP in Gujarat. They are no longer feeling safe here. So they have decided to go out of the state.Arjun Modhwadia, Congress leader
According to reports, they will stay at a resort until polling on 8 August.
Source: Hindustan Times
5. SC Rules out Abortion for 10-Year-Old Rape Victim
The Supreme Court Friday turned down a plea for medically terminating the 32-week pregnancy of a 10-year-old rape victim from Chandigarh following expert medical advice that an abortion would be dangerous to the girl’s health.
A bench of Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud also asked the Centre to examine if it was possible to have permanent medical boards in states to decide on such matters, given the increasing number of abortion pleas being filed in the apex court.
In view of the recommendation of the medical board, we are satisfied (that it is) neither in the interest of the girl child or foetus which is approximately 32 weeks to order abortion.Supreme Court
Source: The Indian Express
6. J&K Won’t Exist Without Special Status: CM Mehbooba
If the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir is tampered with, or the Permanent Resident Act (35A) – a provision that empowers the state’s permanent residents – removed, there will be “no one to shoulder the Indian flag in the Valley”, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday.
Speaking at an event in the national capital, she said that J&K “would not exist” without the special status it is accorded.
On the recent arrest of separatists in Kashmir, Mufti stated that NIA arrests are “administrative measures, and administrative measures only contain the issue – they do not resolve it.”
Source: Indian Express
7. Indrani Wanted to Kill Her Two Children, Ex-Driver Testifies
The defence of former media baron Indrani Mukerjea, accused of murdering her daughter Sheena Bora, took a big blow on Friday after Mukerjea’s driver Shyamwar Rai told a court that Indrani wanted to kill both her children, Sheena and Mikhail.
Rai, who turned approver in the case, implicated Indrani as one of the main players in the crime along with her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna in the special CBI court.
However, Rai did not name Indrani’s husband Peter Mukerjea when narrating how Sheena was murdered.
Rai, who is still in custody in a case registered with Khar police for illegal possession of arms as well as the Sheena murder case, was brought to court under heavy security. Indrani, her husband Peter Mukerjea and Khanna were also brought to court.
Source: Hindustan Times
8. BJP Behaving in a Juvenile Manner: BJD
The BJD today demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP for "tarnishing the image" of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over "misutilisation" of election funds and accused Narendra Modi's party of "juvenile behaviour".
After the BJP leaders went to the Election Commission on the issue on Thursday in New Delhi, the ruling party today fielded one of its most articulate leaders and legal luminary, Puri MP Pinaki Mishra, and spokesperson Pratap Deb to explain the party's position.
Mishra told newspersons: "The BJP should have done its homework before making an issue of it. They have not done it. They are behaving in a juvenile manner."
Source: The Telegraph
9. Abhinav, Kohli Tighten the Noose Around Sri Lanka
A sunny Friday featuring a rain-interlude ebbed away with a rainbow in the sky. Inside the Galle International Stadium, India’s fortunes mirrored the inter-play of nature. It featured Sri Lanka’s resistance before Virat Kohli’s men secured a 309-run first-innings lead.
When the third day of the first Test drew to a close, the visitors, powered by Kohli’s unbeaten 76 and Abhinav Mukund’s 81, scored 189 for three in the second innings and was ahead by 498 runs.
There were no encores from first-innings centurions Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara the second time around. The duo fell cheaply but Abhinav stayed at the crease and offered the exaggerated leave outside the off-stump, the sharp cut and a straight bat.
Source: The Hindu
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