The big news: SC to begin hearing pleas against Section 377, and nine other top stories
Other headlines: Heavy rain continued to disrupt daily life in Mumbai, and a CAG report blamed civic authorities for the floods in Chennai in December 2015.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Supreme Court to begin hearing pleas challenging law that criminalises homosexuality: The court will hear six petitions and interventions filed by NGO Naz Foundation, parents of queer people and Voices Against 377.
- Heavy rain disrupts suburban train services in Mumbai, flights delayed: Train services between Vasai Road and Virar were suspended due to waterlogging on the tracks; dabbawalas also suspended work.
- December 2015 Chennai floods were a man-made disaster, says CAG: The audit agency held the state government responsible for the scale of the catastrophe.
- PM Narendra Modi, South Korean President Moon Jae-in launch Samsung factory in Noida: The new facility, which is spread over 35 acres, is dubbed as the world’s largest mobile factory.
- Jeremy Hunt appointed UK foreign secretary after Boris Johnson resigns amid Brexit row: Hunt, who was the health secretary, was a ‘Remain’ campaigner during the 2016 European Union Referendum.
- Supreme Court upholds death penalty of three convicts in 2012 gangrape case: It was hearing a review petition filed by Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma to reduce their death penalty to a life sentence.
- US President Donald Trump nominates conservative Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court: Kavanaugh will replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is set to retire by July 31.
- Witness in Sohrabuddin encounter case says police had threatened to kill aide Tulsiram Prajapati: Prajapati was also killed in an encounter in 2006, a year after Sheikh’s murder.
- Government approves merger of Idea and Vodafone India, but with riders, say reports: The merger will create India’s largest telecom operator, surpassing Bharti Airtel.
- Delhi court extends P Chidambaram’s interim protection from arrest till August 7 in Aircel-Maxis case: The Patiala House Court also granted relief to the former finance minister’s son Karti Chidambaram.