1. No error in treatment provided to Jayalalitha: The AIIMS panel, constituted under the guidance of the Supreme Court, concluded that treatment given to former TN CM J Jayalalitha by the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai was as per correct medical practice and ruled out any error in the care provided.
2. NRT under essential medicines may help those wanting to quit cigarettes: Central government plans to include Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). NRT is a WHO-approved 12-week regimen that helps smokers quit smoking gradually.
3. Chinese-backed online extortion gang busted: Delhi police busted an App network extorting money to the tune of Rs.3000 crore in the guise of giving instant loans and arrested 22 people. Police have found that some Chinese entities were directly involved in the scam.
4. Center assures FCI has enough wheat reserve: After the Food Corporation of India said wheat reserves are at their lowest for the month in 14 years, the Department of Food and Public Distribution clarified that the government is not planning to import wheat as it has sufficient stock to address domestic requirements.
5. Anand Sharma quits Chairmanship of Steering Committee in Himachal: Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma announced that he is resigning from the Chairmanship of the Congress Steering Committee for the Himachal Pradesh elections. Emphasizing that Congress ideology runs in his blood, he added that continuing exclusion and insults left him with no choice.
6. Security enhanced ahead of farmer’s group protest: Security has been tightened across the Delhi-Haryana border ahead of a protest call from farmers at the national capital. Meanwhile, Delhi Police detained Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on his way to the protest site at Jantar Mantar and has asked him to return.
7. Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif desires ‘permanent peace with India’: Speaking to a Harvard University student delegation, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif said his country wants ‘permanent peace with India’ as war is not an option for both nations to resolve the Kashmir issue.
8. Coastal security increased after threat message to Mumbai police: After Mumbai Police received a threat message on WhatsApp warning of an attack similar to 26/11, the coast guard was immediately placed on high alert. The text message, according to police, came from a number with Pakistan’s country code.
9. IMF team to travel to Lanka next week: IMF on Friday said that its team would visit Colombo between August 24-31 to continue discussions on the “economic and financial reforms and policies” of Sri Lanka. The team would assess Sri Lanka’s total debt before arriving at a restructuring plan, as Colombo urgently needs a funding package from the IMF.
10. Alexander Dugin’s daughter was killed in a car bombing off Moscow: Daria Dugina, daughter of Alexander Dugin, was killed in a car bombing some 40 km from Moscow. Alexander Dugin, referred to as ‘Putin’s Rasputin,’ believed to be the original target, escaped as he decided to travel in a different car at the last minute.