Morning Briefing: Delhi Hostel Crackdown, PM Inaugurates Expressway Stretch, Duleep Trophy Final
Delhi acts on unsafe hostels after collapse; PM Modi opens expressway stretch and new BJP office; Duleep Trophy final sees Shami shine.
Here is a roundup of the key stories making headlines this morning.
National News
In the wake of a building collapse that killed seven people, Delhi authorities have marked 200 private hostels as dangerous and are planning a new policy for paying guest accommodations, which will include licence and rent regulations. The incident has also prompted investigations into structural failures, with reports pointing to an unstable pillar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 150-km key stretch of the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway and also opened the BJP's new 'Namo Kamalam' office in Gujarat. Ahead of the PM's event in Mumbai, a fake PMO official and a man with a gun were detained.
In other political news, a Maharashtra minister commented on a row involving actor Sanjay Dutt, claiming a video was cropped. Actor-politician Vijay faced criticism over a gesture, which some interpret as a reference to MK Stalin's 1976 arrest. A debate also escalated between Kiren Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi over the death of a Manipur musician in Delhi.
International News
Saudi Arabia has vowed a response after a Houthi attack on its airports and Aramco oil sites left 73 injured. A separate video shows Houthis destroying Saudi weapons trucks. In the US, there are warnings that EB-1 green cards may run out for Indian applicants before the end of September. Other stories include a report that Netanyahu was warned about a potential Hamas attack, the Eiffel Tower's closure over a dispute, and King Charles deciding that Prince Harry and Meghan will be treated as private citizens in the UK.
Sports News
In the Duleep Trophy final, Mohammed Shami led East Zone's charge against South Zone, who now face a huge deficit. Shami was also warned by umpires during the match. In other cricket news, the BCCI has secured a Rs 130 crore deal that brings ChatGPT and other companies into Indian cricket, while a row in Pakistan cricket deepens over the mid-series sacking of players.