Good morning! Here’s your quick catch-up on the biggest stories making headlines.
The protest-versus-police row has reached the Supreme Court, with Delhi Police calling the 20 July Parliament march unauthorised and violent, while petitioners allege police excesses. The court is set to examine both sides through a high-level committee.
Meanwhile, JP Morgan has warned that rising prices could hit household budgets. Global food and beverage prices may rise sharply in 2027, with India facing added pressure from costly fertilisers, supply risks and a possible El Niño.
Also in today’s Smart Brief, we decode how PM Modi’s ‘Dimagi Naxal’ remark became a political flashpoint after opposition leaders embraced the label. What does it mean for the debate over dissent and extremism?
Along with these, we’ve rounded up the other top stories you need to start your day.
Today’s Top Headlines
1. SC to form high-level panel to probe Jantar Mantar protest
The dispute over protest rights and police action has now moved beyond the streets and into the Supreme Court, raising questions over where peaceful dissent ends and unlawful protest begins. The legal battle sharpened after Delhi Police told the court that the 20 July Parliament march was unauthorised and turned violent.
Police said protesters broke barricades and assaulted personnel, while force was used to restore order without excess. Petitioners have sought a court-monitored probe into alleged police excesses. The Supreme Court is now set to form a high-level committee, putting both the police version and protesters’ claims under scrutiny. READ MORE
2. Food prices likely to climb further as inflation rises next year
Your grocery bill could increase in 2027, as food prices face pressure from several fronts. A new warning from JP Morgan points to a global inflation shock, with food and beverage prices potentially rising by up to 5% in the first half of 2027, against 2.8% in early 2026.
For India, the risks run deeper. Costly fertilisers, supply shortages, geopolitical tensions and a possible El Niño could push prices higher, while subsidies could add a ₹3 lakh crore burden on the government. The coming months will show how sharply this pressure reaches consumers. READ MORE
3. Is Oppn turning Modi’s ‘Dimagi Naxals’ remark into a political weapon?
A new political label has quickly become a badge of defiance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to ‘Dimagi Naxals’ in his Independence Day speech was meant as a warning about extremist thinking, but opposition leaders soon turned the phrase back on the government.
P. Chidambaram and Mehbooba Mufti openly embraced the label, arguing that dissent is not extremism. The clash now raises a wider question about political speech. READ MORE
4. Sonia’s memoir to reveal why she said no to PM post
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is set to offer a more personal account of a life shaped by love, loss and Indian politics. Her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, will trace her journey from a small Italian town to the heart of the Nehru-Gandhi family, including her years with Rajiv Gandhi.
The book will revisit Rajiv’s political journey, family tragedies, and her 2004 decision to decline the Prime Minister’s post. More importantly, Sonia says it will reveal the human story behind a life often viewed only through politics. READ MORE
5. Trump calls Hormuz a new US territory, posts map
A map can make a political message look like a territorial claim, and Trump’s latest post has done exactly that. The US President shared a graphic marking the Strait of Hormuz as “New US Territory”, placing a vital global energy route at the centre of a fresh dispute.
Iran quickly dismissed the suggestion, saying America has no rights over the waterway. Under international law, the Strait remains an international sea route, making Trump’s post more of a political signal than a legal reality. READ MORE
The Day Ahead
1. SC to hear petitions seeking structural reforms to the NEET-UG exam; NTA overhauling and evaluating the Nilekani panel recommendations’ focus areas of hearing
2. Congress top leaders to meet to discuss strategy for 7 upcoming Assembly polls, including UP, Gujarat, Punjab and Himachal; roadmap to corner govt over student protests
3. RJD supremo Lalu calls Patna march against Bihar govt’s ‘dictatorial attitude’; says ‘Democratic demands met with AK-47 bullets’
4. RSS 3-day annual coordination meet in Andhra from Aug 19; Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryawah Dattatreya Hosabale and key functionaries from all 32 Sangh-inspired organisations to participate
5. Trump to meet crypto CEOs, regulators at White House: US rules could shape global crypto access, liquidity and security, including for Indian investors
Visual of the day
People sit on a partially submerged wooden platform beneath a temporary shelter as the water level of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers rises at Sangam after continuous heavy monsoon rain, in Prayagraj.
Today in History
Statement of the day
News With a Twist
Woman creates an AI baby with her AI boyfriend
Some stories sound too unusual to be true, but they are all real. From a donkey race in Pakistan to an AI-generated baby, people continue to find unexpected ways to entertain, experiment, and break records.
From a barefoot marathon runner and employees turning bosses into digital pets to a team folding 12 T-shirts in record time, these stories offer some of the day’s most unusual twists. Here are five stories that grabbed attention. READ MORE
News in Headlines
AAP’s Satyendar Jain arrested again; ACB alleges Delhi Jal Board corruption READ MORE
Ram Mandir donation theft report does not name Champat Rai READ MORE
Trump says US should adopt an election system like India’s READ MORE
Pakistan SC orders Imran Khan’s transfer to hospital within 2 days READ MORE
Trump’s approval rating falls to 33%, lowest of his presidency READ MORE
No sportsperson gets Khel Ratna for the first time in 12 years READ MORE
