Firstpost Editor's Picks: Saudi drone strikes, Trump at Modi event, Section 375 review; today's must-read stories

Saudi Aramco oil refinery drone strikes a wake up call for India: Just matter of time before jihadis go high-tech

For India, the Saudi attacks should be a wake-up call: the next strike on Indian military complexes in Kashmir, or the next 26/11, could involve DIY-drones using components available off the shelf. For Indian forces in Kashmir, as well as police across the country, the suicide drone will mean dealing with a dramatically new order of threat: building stronger defences, or deploying more guards, just won't be enough to protect bases or installations. The technologies needed to reliably defeat the threat do not exist. Insurgents know that creativity and tactical innovation offer the opportunity to defeat adversaries who enjoy overwhelming advantages of force and resources. The next threat, almost certainly, will come from the air.

Donald Trump's drop-in at 'Howdy, Modi' event a boost for India-US ties, but won't deter Kashmir naysayers

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Mohamed Salah 'totally devastated' as Liverpool miss Champions League spot

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis bashes Republican competitor Donald Trump as 2024 campaign swing begins

The stage was set for the Donald Trump drop-in at the 22 September event in Houston much earlier, and due to a variety of factors. With the US election around the corner, the Houston rally is a signal from Narendra Modi, of Indian support that is invaluable, given not only the numbers but the relative prosperity of the Indian-American voting public.  The 'Howdy, Modi' event will be presented as a construct entirely. Now it's up to social media and the news worthies in India to interpret it

Auto sector crisis: Amid dip in revenue, govt may not cut tax to spur demand; carmakers should be ready to compromise on price front

The auto sector has been consistently lobbying for cuts in taxes like GST. It might be a good idea in principle to cut taxes but the government is facing a huge tax shortfall and is unlikely to think in terms of tax cuts spurring greater demand, as governments mostly have not in the past. Car makers or other manufacturers have little or no choice but to use the Auto sector crisis to swallow some bitter pills, including to reduce prices and take a margin hit if necessary. With companies like Maruti sitting on investments of Rs 36,500 crore and pre-tax margins on sales of 12.6 percent, perhaps the onus on cutting prices should be elsewhere.

Champions League Preview: In-form Napoli, Liverpool clash in battle of attacking prowess; troubled Valencia meet Chelsea

In-form double-scorers from the weekend Dries Mertens (Napoli) and Sadio Mane (Liverpool) at either end of the pitch will test full-backs to the utmost, and they will be flanked by the nitro boosters of Callejon (Napoli) and Mohamed Salah (Liverpool). Valencia visit London in the midst of turmoil, and it remains to be seen if the struggle will rally the Valencia players or Chelsea's in-form Tammy Abraham will roll them over for the headshot.

Section 375 isn't a bad film, but furthers a dangerously toxic 'message' in the garb of being nuanced

In Ajay Bahl’s universe, filing a rape case and getting justice is a cakewalk, and the only problem with the system is that the law makes it laughably easy for vengeful women to exact revenge on errant lovers — especially if they also happen to be their bosses. Section 375’s catchphrase is marzi ya zabardasti. So let’s do this one more time for people at the back: marzi (consent), when obtained by inducements, seduction, veiled/unveiled threats of retaliation/retribution/negative consequence by a person in power from a subordinate, is zabardasti (force).