A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s body taken to BJP headquarters as hundreds of people throng outside: The last rites of the former prime minister will be performed at Delhi’s Rashtriya Smriti Sthal on Friday evening.
  2. Kerala flood toll rises to 168: As flood situation worsens, people open their homes to the displaced.
  3. More than 300 US newspapers unite to publish editorials against Donald Trump’s attack on media: The president has repeatedly referred to the media as the enemy of the American people.
  4. Pakistan Army allegedly violates ceasefire in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir: The Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged fire till 5 am.
  5. ‘Party is supreme, not the leader,’ counsel of 18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs tells court: The lawyer argued that showing dissent against a party leader would not amount to leaving the party and attracting disqualification.
  6. ‘Queen of soul’ Aretha Franklin dies at 76: She had been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in 2010.
  7. Opposition wants to stop the BJP from imprisoning ‘the golden bird’ that is India, says Rahul Gandhi: The Congress president was speaking at a rally attended by representatives from several Opposition parties.
  8. Delhi Police search for men who claim attack on Umar Khalid was meant to be ‘Independence Day gift’: In a video being circulated on messaging service WhatsApp, the men identified themselves and urged the police to not harass others.
  9. Supreme Court asks NRC coordinator to submit detailed report on those excluded from draft list: The top court adjourned the hearing on the controversial draft document to August 28.
  10. On Independence Day, Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo welcomes the country’s first Humboldt Penguin chick: The species is native to Peru and Chile in South America.