Morning briefing: IAF to wait longer for first Tejas fighter; Cobbler refuses to sell slippers stitched by Rahul, & more

A question mark hangs over State-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s ability to meet the delivery timeline of the new Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1A) for the current financial year, and even beyond, as it becomes clear that the Indian Air Force will have to wait longer for the first aircraft that was supposed to be delivered by March 31, 2024, senior IAF officers aware of the matter said. “The first LCA Mk-1A is likely to be delivered to the air force in November 2024,” said one of the officers who asked not to be named. Dig deeper

Slippers stitched by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi during a halt at a cobbler’s shop in Sultanpur on July 26 are in great demand and people are ready to buy them for even ₹2 lakh but the shopkeeper Ramchet said he has refused to sell as the pair is now precious for him. Rahul Gandhi had stopped at Ramchet’s shop when he was in Sultanpur to make a personal appearance in the MP/MLA court in a defamation case filed against him in 2018, wherein he was accused of making objectionable remarks against Union home minister Amit Shah, who was then the BJP national president. Dig deeper

Latest News

Delhi rains: Several weather stations record over 100mm rainfall overnight; ‘yellow alert’ in place. Dig deeper

‘Remote sensing not enough, need sensors on ground’: Shashi Tharoor on predicting landslides. Dig deeper

India News

‘Either you will remain or I will’: Uddhav Thackeray declares war on Devendra Fadnavis. Dig deeper

Driving in Karnataka? Could face FIR if caught driving above this speed limit. Dig deeper

Global Matters

Hamas chief killing: Iran orders direct attack on Israel; US speaks on ‘right to defend’. Dig deeper

Kamala Harris trolled for speaking in ‘Southern accent’ at Atlanta rally: ‘The most cringe ever’. Dig deeper

Sports Goings

Missed chances galore on Wednesday as India's medal charge hit a mini-roadblock at the Paris Olympics 2024. It was curtains for Manika Batra as the ace paddler bowed out of the Paris Games in the pre-quarterfinals of the women's singles event. Manika was outclassed by higher-ranked Japanese Miu Hirano, who handed the Indian table tennis star a 6-11 9-11 14-12 8-11 6-11 defeat in Paris. Celebrating her birthday, paddler Sreeja Akula went down fighting against world number one Yingshaw Sun. Dig deeper

Entertainment Focus

Fans of House of the Dragon are eagerly awaiting the release of its season 2 finale on Monday. However, unfortunately for some, the season finale episode has leaked online days before it drops on JioCinema. Fans of House of the Dragon are eagerly awaiting the release of its season 2 finale on Monday. However, unfortunately for some, the season finale episode has leaked online days before it drops on JioCinema. Dig deeper

Lifestyle and Health

Falguni Shane Peacock presented their new collection, Rang Mahal, during the closing show at India Couture Week. The brand-new line - featuring luxurious silks, rich velvets, and intricate embroideries - draws inspiration from the regal and dreamy aspects of India's royal heritage. It also celebrates India's cultural diversity through symbols like parrots, peacocks, and palaces, according to the official page of FDCI. Dig deeper

(That’s all we have at this hour in our Morning briefing. Catch you in the afternoon)