A look at the headlines right now:
- Lionel Messi and his father sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax evasion: However, according to Spanish law, the football star is unlikely to serve jail time since this was his first offence and the sentence is less than two years.
- Smriti Irani takes charge as Textile Minister, says she will strengthen India’s presence in sector: Prakash Javadekar, who replaced her as Minister of Human Resource and Development, met her earlier in the day.
- Chilcot report: Tony Blair joined Iraq invasion in 2003 before ‘peaceful options’ were exhausted: Sir John Chilcot, who headed the inquiry into UK’s involvement in the Iraq War, found that Blair justified the operation based on 'flawed' intelligence.
- Delhi government suspends Arvind Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar: He was arrested by the CBI two days ago in connection with a corruption case worth Rs 50 crore.
- Two MBBS students who threw a dog off a terrace in Chennai arrested, released on bail: Bhadra, as she was named by her rescuers, is now undergoing treatment for a fractured right hind leg and spine.
- Bangladesh authorities misinterpreted warnings of Dhaka attack shared on Twitter: Officials who monitor social media reportedly found tweets indicating an attack, but police believed that only embassies and major hotels would be targeted.
- Oscar Pistorius sentenced to six years in prison for murder of Reeva Steenkamp: The presiding judge said she found 'substantial and compelling circumstances' in the South African Paralympic runner's defence to reduce his punishment.
- US report says India’s 7.5% growth figure is ‘overstated’: However, the State Department praised Raghuram Rajan for his efforts to bring in economic reforms and Narendra Modi for streamlining bureaucracy.
- Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s speech a ‘matter of concern for us’, says Kiren Rijiju: One of the terrorists killed in the attack at a Dhaka café on Saturday reportedly followed Naik, who is a controversial figure banned in some countries.
- Syrian army declares three-day ceasefire across nation during Eid: However, opposition groups did not respond to the army’s announcement and sporadic violence was reported on Wednesday in some areas.
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