Evening brief: Rajeev Chandrasekhar vs. Shashi Tharoor likely in LS polls

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed its candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, union minister of state for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Electronics and Information Technology, and Jal Shakti, is set to make his Lok Sabha debut from Thiruvananthapuram. Chandrasekhar, a former Rajya Sabha member, brings a technocratic background, having worked at Intel and founded BPL Mobile, later selling his stake for US$1.1 billion. Anil Antony will contest from Pathanamthitta. With this announcement, the BJP aims to secure a significant presence in Kerala, where the party currently lacks any Lok Sabha MPs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously expressed the party’s goal of achieving a two-digit figure in the state. Dig deeper
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh responded to legal notices from union minister Nitin Gadkari, stating that they made no mistakes and will reply soon. Gadkari alleged that Ramesh and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge shared misleading and defamatory content about him on X (formerly Twitter). Gadkari’s lawyer claimed that a 19-second video clip was posted with a distorted interview, concealing contextual intent. The video’s caption alleged Gadkari’s dissatisfaction with village conditions. The legal notice demanded the video’s removal and a written apology within three days. Ramesh insisted they used Gadkari’s own words and questioned the minister’s reaction. Gadkari warned of legal action if the demands aren’t met. Dig deeper
Google restores Indian apps after intervention by union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Dig deeper
Spanish woman on bike tour with husband allegedly gang-raped in tent in Jharkhand Dig deeper
After Gautam Gambhir, BJP’s Jayant Sinha asks to be ‘relieved of electoral duties’ Dig deeper
‘We made no mistake’: Congress’ Jairam Ramesh on Nitin Gadkari’s legal notice Dig deeper
‘You sold our futures…’: US climate activists heckle Senator Joe Manchin at Harvard event; here’s why Dig deeper
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle need to ‘put their egos to the side’ to reunite with Prince William and Kate Middleton Dig deeper
The global rate of obesity has quadrupled in children and doubled in adults since 1990, according to a Lancet analysis. Currently, one billion people worldwide, or 1 in 8 of the global population, are obese with a body mass index (BMI) over 30. Sedentary lifestyles, increased junk food intake, and reduced outdoor activities contribute to childhood obesity. Extra weight in children can lead to adult complications such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint issues, and liver diseases. Experts emphasise the importance of a balanced diet, limiting screen time, reducing processed food intake, encouraging physical activities, and ensuring sound sleep to prevent childhood obesity. Dig deeper
Delhi Capitals’ Director of Cricket, Sourav Ganguly, anticipates the return of Rishabh Pant, who is actively working on regaining fitness at the NCA ahead of IPL 2024. Pant’s comeback would be significant for the franchise, but clearance from the NCA is awaited. Ganguly expresses hope for Pant’s availability for the full season and states they are cautious due to his long career ahead. The franchise hasn’t decided on Pant’s captaincy, awaiting NCA clearance. In Pant’s absence last season, Australia’s David Warner served as interim captain, but Delhi Capitals finished ninth. Ganguly mentions backup wicketkeeping options, including Kumar Kushagra, Ricky Bhui, Shai Hope, and Tristan Stubbs. Dig deeper
That’s all we have at this hour in our evening briefing. Catch you tomorrow morning.