1. “Media trials unhealthy for democracy”: CJI Ramana slammed the media for running Kangaroo courts and called ill-informed and agenda-driven debates detrimental to the health of democracy. He added that justice delivery has become challenging with media campaigns against judges.
2. Bengal minister faces arrest: Bengal cabinet minister and TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee was arrested after 20-hrs of grilling by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). ED has also seized Rs. 22 crores from his close aide Arpita Mukherjee.
3. Congress targets Irani over Goa bar: Congress cites an RTI reply to say Union Minister Smriti Irani’s daughter runs an illegal bar in Goa with a fake license. Irani has called the charges malicious and that her daughter is studying in a college, not running a bar.
4. EC asks warring Sena factions to submit claims: Election Commission has directed Shiv Sena factions led by CM Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray to submit their claims for party name and symbol in writing by August 8.
5. “Tri-color at every home”: The Center has amended the Flag Code of India, allowing the public to display the nation’s tricolor flag “day in and day out.” As the country is preparing to celebrate its 75th Independence day, the government wants 100 crore people to unfurl the national flag between August 13 and 15.
6. Loco pilot and sports champion, Saini, rescues a helpless boy: Ravindra Kumar Saini, Loco pilot and boxing player with national level medals in railway tournaments, rescued a 12-yr-old boy helplessly moving along the Panvel-Roha rail track. Upon inquiry, Saini found that the boy was from Budheda and was living with his maternal grandparents.
7. Seer dies after self-immolation bid: Seer Vijay Das, who immolated himself while protesting against illegal mining, at Deeg in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, has succumbed to burn injuries. He was treated at Delhi’s Sardarjung Hospital with 80% burns.
8. Farewell function for President Ram Nath Kovind: Outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind said Parliament, too, is a family with diverging views. However, it should remain united as a family in the nation’s interest. He also added that “the country is slowly but surely realizing the dreams of Dr. Ambedkar.”
9. WHO declares Monkeypox a global health emergency: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern.” The number of cases is steadily rising, with 75 nations reporting 16,000 Monkeypox cases.
10. Cash-strapped Pakistan takes the ordinance route to sell state assets: Pakistan’s cabinet has approved an ordinance to allow the emergency sale of its state assets to foreign countries to avoid default. The move might facilitate the sale of state-run powerplants to UAE to raise $2-2.5 billion.
Image: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse