Another mandir-masjid row is brewing in India, this time in West Bengal’s Malda district. A Hindu right-wing group, led by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, conducted prayers near a 650-year-old Adina mosque which it claims was once a temple, in Pandua. This Monday, the ‘Adinath Puratan Shiv Mandir’ organisation plans to install a big Shiva Lingam right outside the mosque. While the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) considers it the biggest mosque from medieval times in the entire subcontinent, Hindu groups and the BJP claim that it was built in place of an ‘Adinath Temple’, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The police and the ASI have strictly ordered not to perform any religious rituals or other unauthorized activities inside the structure premises, warning of strict legal action if violated. No prayers are currently being held inside the mosque.With that, let’s move on to the top five stories from today’s edition: Big StoryNod: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced fast-track courts and a tough new law to punish those involved in exam paper leaks, the Union Cabinet on Friday approved a draft Bill – amending The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The Bill entails provisions for a jail term up to 10 years and a penalty up to Rs 10 crore. Additionally, it includes statutory backing for fast-track courts and a five-month timeline for investigation and trial of cases, according to official sources. Hours later, sharing an Instagram post, the PM thanked all for the responses and positive suggestions received on his video.Track down: Using discarded wrappers and packaging from the Jantar Mantar protest site, Delhi Police is allegedly tracking down restaurants and cafes and asking them to stop supplying free food or making bulk deliveries to the venue. The owners of several cafes and restaurants shared with The Indian Express that police officers visited them and scanned the records of the orders placed and the deliveries made over the last few days. While some eateries were asked to furnish proof of the paid orders, including bulk deliveries, as well as the food sent by the outlets for free, other restaurants and cafes were also summoned to police stations.Impasse: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Friday stuck to its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and provided the government with a 24-hour ultimatum. The group said it would restart its march to the Parliament if the Minister did not quit or was not removed. The prevailing view in the government, however, remains that the demand should not be met. Union Ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh held talks with CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka at the Constitution Club, seeking time to get back to them over their demand for Pradhan’s resignation.⚡ Only in ExpressWhat started as an exam controversy in India, essentially over the NEET paper leaks, has now turned into an agitation against stacked up grievances of the country’s youth — from shrinking employment opportunities to stagnant real incomes. While the response seemed to be lukewarm at the beginning of the Cockroach Janata Party-led protests, the tide changed when social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on hunger strike at the site, was moved to the hospital. A generation which is often accused of being too apathetic, too entitled, looked up from their screens. This is no longer about one exam, one paper leak. Some protesters, whom The Indian Express spoke to, voiced their frustrations, reflected in India’s labour market.Story continues below this ad Express ExplainedThe United States administration has begun its efforts to reconstruct its International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs that were declared illegal by the US Supreme Court in February. India currently faces 10 per cent tariffs, down from the 12.5 per cent when the United States Trade Representative (USTR) first proposed tariffs in March. The lower rates come after New Delhi engaged in negotiations with the US over the past year, stepping up energy imports from Washington and lowering duty for some US goods. Last month, it also amended its foreign trade policy to explicitly ban the import of goods produced using forced labour. Here’s where India stands as compared to its competitors in the tariffs market.✍️ Express OpinionIn our Opinion section today, Kanti Bajpai reflects on United States President Donald Trump’s foreign policy that has proven to be exceptionally harsh for India. Highlighting that the challenge is strikingly similar to what India faced in 1991, especially crises in areas of economy and geopolitics, Bajpai suggests: “Geopolitically, India’s approach to the US and China needs serious thought. Are we content with a “hide-and-bide” strategy with both superpowers where we stay out of their way and concentrate on reforms in our economic journey? Is motoring along in our own lane enough? Should we simply avoid any more bumps with the US and focus more on China?” Movie ReviewWondering what to watch this weekend? Well, we’ve got you covered! Max, Min and Meowzaki hit your nearby screens this Friday, bringing you a refreshing life-like situation faced by the protagonists. The mentions of protests and placards woven into the plot around an unravelling couple make you feel that it’s reflecting the times we are passing through. Calling the feelings relatable, Shubhra Gupta, in her review, writes: “Bad dates we are desperate to get out of. Parents with whom we are in constant, guilt-ridden conflict. How we deal with those things define who we are, and by the end of this film, we do get to know the contours of its characters, and that’s the best part of the film which begins a little clunkily, and then settles down into its groove, as we go along.”That’s it for today! Have a lovely weekend!Until next time,Ariba Business As Usual by E P Unny