D Gukesh Becomes the Youngest World Chess Champion at 18; Hindutva Forces Now Set Eyes on 13th Century Mosque; Holding the State Responsible for Targeted Violence

A newsletter from The Wire | Founded by MK Venu, Sidharth Bhatia, Pratik Kanjilal, Tanweer Alam, Seema Chishti, Sushant Singh and Siddharth Varadarajan | Contributing writer: Kalrav Joshi, with additional inputs by Anirudh SK

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Snapshot of the day

December 12, 2024

Sidharth Bhatia

No civil suits challenging the title and nature of places of worship shall be registered until the special Supreme Court bench hearing challenges to the 1991 Places of Worship Act convenes again, the bench said today, reports the Indian Express. It also barred civil courts already hearing pending suits from issuing interim or final orders, including survey orders, until the bench next hears the matter. Krishnadas Rajagopal notes that the court asked the Union government to file its counter-affidavit within four weeks – it has not submitted one despite being given multiple extensions.

Omar Rashid in this article outlines what each side in the Jaunpur Atala Masjid matter has argued in court thus far. He also speaks with the secretary of the mosque’s managing committee, who says that those people filing suits claiming ownership of established places of worship are “anti-social elements” who “want to become heroes” and get into the saffron establishment’s good books.

At just 18 years old, Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest World Chess Champion today after defeating China’s Ding Liren in Singapore in the 14th game. The two players were tired at 6.5 points each. Gukesh identified and took advantage of Ding’s mistake of moving his rook to f2 at move 55 – by move 58, Ding was forced to resign, upon which Gukesh teared up and raised his arms in celebration.

Maharashtra’s Mahayuti government is still not fully formed as the BJP’s refusal to cede key portfolios delays cabinet expansion and leaves allies in the dark, reports The New Indian Express.