Evening briefing: Centre reacts to Mamata's letter to PM Modi; Actor Baburaj accused of sexual abuse; and more
A shortlist of the biggest headlines, recommended stories, and a special collection of news items you should check out.
The BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has rebuked the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government for its alleged failure to implement crucial safety measures for women and girls. Women and child development minister Annapurna Devi said that the state has failed to establish the remaining 11 fast-track special courts, despite a backlog of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases. “As of 30.06.2024, 752 FTSCs including 409 exclusive POCSO Courts are functional in 30 States/UTs which have disposed of more than 2,53,000 cases since the inception of scheme. Under the scheme, the State of West Bengal was allocated a total of 123 FTSCs, which included 20 exclusive POCSO Courts and 103 combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO Act cases. However, none of these courts had been operationalized till mid-June, 2023,” NDTV quoted the minister's letter to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Dig deeper.
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In the backdrop of the Hema Committee report on Malayam film industry, popular actor-producer Baburaj has been accused of sexual abuse by a junior artiste, reported Mathrubhumi. According to the report, the junior artiste accused the Joint Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) of sexually abusing her inside his residence in Kerala. However, Baburaj denied these allegations and said he had anticipated such claims after the Hema Committee report. The woman alleged that Baburaj called her to his house in Aluva in 2019, promising to cast her in a movie. She was told that the director and screenwriter of the movie will also be present during the visit, the report added. Dig deeper.
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Sports Goings
Pakistan endured one of its most shocking defeats on Sunday, losing to Bangladesh by 10 wickets in a home Test at Rawalpindi. This humiliating loss not only marked Pakistan's first-ever defeat against Bangladesh in Test cricket but also deepened the woes of captain Shan Masood, who has yet to secure a win since taking over the role last year. Under Masood's leadership, Pakistan has now suffered four consecutive losses in the longest format, with this latest setback etching itself into the history books as a particularly painful chapter for the national team. Dig deeper.
Entertainment Focus
Kannada actor and murder accused Darshan finds himself in a controversy yet again. Even as he’s held as an under-trial prisoner in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara jail, a recent picture and video of him receiving ‘VIP treatment’ has left the internet miffed. On Sunday, a picture of Darshan sitting on a lawn inside the prison, smoking a cigarette while drinking a beverage and chatting with other inmates, leaked online. While the picture is undated, it was enough to spark discontent. To make matters worse, a video of Darshan speaking to someone over video call also surfaced online. Dig deeper.
It's Trending
A 48-year-old Indian tourist who was in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur fell into a sinkhole at Jalan Masjid India last Friday. As per reports, the woman was walking on a pavement when it suddenly caved in 26 feet, resulting in her falling. Since the incident, a search-and-rescue operation began. In an effort to find the missing tourist, Kuala Lumpur rescuers will use high-pressure water jets to cut the rubble along two manholes. The procedure will be carried out between the manhole at the scene of the incident and another place 69 meters away, reported Channel News Asia. Dig deeper.
Health and Lifestyle
Actors Amy Jackson and Ed Westwick have officially tied the knot in a fairytale wedding on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast in Italy. Surrounded by their closest friends and family, the long-time partners exchanged vows in a ceremony that was nothing short of dreamy. Yesterday, the couple shared their first official wedding pictures, and the internet has been swooning ever since. But just when we thought we'd seen it all, Amy surprised us with a new reel from her wedding party, where she's seen living it up in pure bridal bliss. What truly caught the eyes of fashionistas, though, were her back-to-back stunning white ensembles, each exuding sheer glamour. Dig deeper.
