Congress Announces War Room Heads for Assembly Elections in Three States; Kharge Assigns Key Roles to Vamshi Reddy, Naveen Sharma, and Gokul Butel

In preparation for the upcoming assembly elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has announced the appointment of war room heads for three key states. Vamshi Chand Reddy has been given the responsibility for Maharashtra, Naveen Sharma for Haryana, and Gokul Butel for Jammu and Kashmir. This move is part of the party’s strategy to strengthen election preparedness and ensure the effective implementation of electoral plans at all levels.


Bomb Threat at a Mall in Navi Mumbai’s Vashi Area; Police Investigation Reveals it was a Hoax

A bomb threat at a mall in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, caused panic on Saturday afternoon. The mall administration received an email around 12 PM claiming that a bomb was planted inside the building. The mall was immediately evacuated, and a bomb disposal squad was deployed to search the premises. However, no suspicious items were found, and the police have declared the threat a hoax. Authorities are now working to trace the origin of the email.


First Meeting of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf Bill Scheduled for August 22; Report to be Submitted in the First Week of Winter Session

The first meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Bill is scheduled to take place on August 22 in the Parliament House. The committee is chaired by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal. During the meeting, proposed amendments by the Ministry of Minority Affairs will be discussed. This bill aims to amend the Waqf Act of 1995. The JPC is expected to submit its report in the first week of the winter session of Parliament.


India and Japan to Hold 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on August 20; Japanese Foreign and Defense Ministers to Visit New Delhi

The third 2+2 ministerial dialogue between India and Japan is set to take place on August 20 in New Delhi. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara will participate in the talks. This meeting follows previous 2+2 dialogues held in India in 2019 and Japan in 2022. The discussions will focus on strategic relations between the two nations and the current situation in the Indo-Pacific region.


Four JJP MLAs Resign Ahead of Haryana Assembly Elections; Likely to Join Congress and BJP

Ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, four MLAs from the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) have resigned from the party. The resigning MLAs include Ramkaran Kala from Shahabad, Ishwar Singh from Guhla Cheeka, Devender Babli from Tohana, and former Labor Minister Anoop Dhanak. Sources close to the MLAs suggest that Ramkaran Kala, Ishwar Singh, and Devender Babli are likely to join Congress, while Anoop Dhanak may align with the BJP.


Union Health Minister JP Nadda Reviews Monkeypox Situation; No Cases Reported in India Yet

Union Health Minister JP Nadda held a meeting on Friday to review the situation regarding the Monkeypox virus, which has been spreading in neighboring countries. During the meeting, Nadda directed officials to maintain vigilance and ensure all preparations are in place. As of now, no cases of Monkeypox have been reported in India. However, with three cases recently recorded in Pakistan, India is taking precautionary measures.


Army and Air Force Conduct Parachute Drop Operation at 15,000 Feet; Successfully Test Arogya Maitri Health Cube

The Indian Army and Air Force jointly conducted a parachute drop operation at an altitude of 15,000 feet to test the Arogya Maitri Health Cube. According to the Ministry of Defence, this operation was the first of its kind, involving the indigenous Arogya Maitri Health Cubes developed under Project Bhishma. The Air Force utilized the advanced C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for the mission.


FIR Filed Against Ramgiri Maharaj in Maharashtra’s Thane for Allegedly Inciting Religious Sentiments

Police in Maharashtra’s Thane have registered an FIR against Hindu religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly making derogatory comments against Prophet Muhammad and Islam. The FIR was filed in connection with a statement made during a program in Shah Panchale village in Sinnar Taluka of Nashik district. Ramgiri Maharaj has been booked under sections related to inciting religious sentiments.


Bomb Threats at Malls in Gurugram and Noida; Police and Bomb Squad Conduct Searches

Bomb threats at Ambience Mall in Gurugram and DLF Mall in Sector 18, Noida, caused panic on Saturday. Both malls received threatening emails, prompting immediate evacuation and police intervention. Bomb squads conducted thorough searches of the malls, though no suspicious items have been found so far. The search operation is ongoing.


Congress Suspends Two MLAs in Meghalaya Over Alleged Anti-Party Activities; Party’s Strength Weakens Further

In Meghalaya, the opposition Congress has suspended two of its MLAs, Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar, for allegedly colluding with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP). With only four MLAs in the state assembly, the suspension of two has further weakened the party’s position. According to a senior Congress leader, an internal inquiry confirmed the anti-party activities of the suspended MLAs.


Congress Appoints Tariq Hameed Karra as Jammu and Kashmir PCC Chief; Keshav Mahto Becomes Jharkhand Congress Chief

Following the announcement of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Tariq Hameed Karra as the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief. Additionally, Tara Chand and Raman Bhalla have been named Working Presidents. In Jharkhand, Keshav Mahto has been appointed as the PCC Chief. These appointments come shortly after the Election Commission announced the schedule for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.


Lok Sabha Secretariat Announces Formation of Key Parliamentary Committees; Congress’s Venugopal Appointed as PAC Chairman

The Lok Sabha Secretariat announced the formation of key parliamentary committees on Friday. Congress’s KC Venugopal has been appointed as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). BJP’s Sanjay Jaiswal will head the Estimates Committee, and Baijayant Panda will chair the Committee on Public Undertakings. These are major financial committees in Parliament, with a tenure of one year, tasked with overseeing government accounts and the functioning of public undertakings.


Police ASI Found Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances in Srinagar’s Ahmed Nagar Area; Investigation Underway

A Police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Srinagar’s Ahmed Nagar area. ASI Mohammad Shafi was found unconscious in his room on Friday night and was later declared dead at the hospital. The police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of death.


Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia Offers Prayers at Kalkaji Temple; Says Kejriwal Will Also Be Out of Jail Soon

Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia offered prayers at Kalkaji Temple on Saturday. Sisodia expressed hope that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also be released from jail soon. He maintained his innocence and stated that he has been falsely implicated in the ongoing cases.


Schoolgirls Tie Rakhis to Soldiers Stationed at Akhnoor Border in Jammu; Symbol of Brotherhood Ahead of Raksha Bandhan

In a heartwarming gesture, schoolgirls tied rakhis to Indian Army soldiers stationed at the Akhnoor border in Jammu ahead of Raksha Bandhan. The soldiers blessed the girls and promised to protect them. The festival of Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on August 19.


Delhi’s Three Municipal Corporations to be Unified; New System to be Implemented from August 15

The unification of Delhi’s three municipal corporations will come into effect from August 15. The Central Government has notified the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, following the President’s assent. Under this act, the North, South, and East Municipal Corporations of Delhi have been merged into a single entity.