NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK
CORRUPTION-FREE RULE IS SOMETHING NITISH KUMAR HAS ALWAYS PROMISED. THEREFORE, IT WILL BE INDEED DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SHIELD HIS POLITICAL PARTNER, TEJASWI YADAV, OF RJD FOR LONG AS THE LATTER IS FACING SERIOUS CORRUPTION CHARGES.
LIU XIAOBO
China’s Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo died on Thursday while still in custody following a battle with cancer, authorities said, after officials ignored international pleas to let him spend his final days free and abroad. The 61-yearold writer’s death silences a government critic who had been a thorn in the side of the authorities for decades and became a symbol of Beijing’s growing crackdown on dissenting voices.
TEJASHWI YADAV
Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday rejected corruption charges against him and termed it a conspiracy by the BJP to break the alliance in Bihar. Tejashwi Yadav is being groomed to succeed his father Lalu Yadav in Bihar politics and charges leveled against him may hamper his ambition.
GOPAL KRISHNA GANDHI
Eighteen opposition parties on Tuesday chose former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi as their joint candidate for vice-president. Gopalkrishna’s name was endorsed by all 18 opposition parties, including the JD(U), which had broken ranks with the Opposition to back NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the presidential election.
AL-BAGHDADI
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said on Tuesday it had information from top Islamic State group leaders confirming the death of the jihadist organisation’s chief Abu Bakr alBaghdadi. There have been persistent rumours of Baghdadi’s death in recent months, and Russia’s military said in mid-June that it was seeking to verify whether it had killed the IS chief in an air strike in Syria in May.
RAVI SHASTRI
Ravi Shastri on Tuesday returned at the helm of cricket as the chief coach, a year after an unceremonious exit, outshining contenders such as Virender Sehwag. Shastri replaced Anil Kumble, who exited after a much-publicised difference of opinion with Virat Kohli. Former speedster Zaheer Khan took over as the bowling coach while Rahul Dravid was handed over additional responsibility of a batting consultant on specific overseas tours.