The Punjab Assembly's Government Business Committee has raised serious concerns over the distribution of de-addiction medicines in jails. Reports reveal that inmates consumed 43.44 crore Buprenorphine tablets in the last four and a half years. The supply of these tablets in prisons has increased eight-fold since 2022. While Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh attributed the rise to the expansion of OOAT clinics, the committee questioned whether the government is merely replacing one addiction with another. The committee noted that the government lacks data on the actual number of individuals who have successfully recovered from addiction, raising doubts about the long-term effectiveness of the current de-addiction program. https://khalastv.com/the-government-was-exposed-in-the-assembly-on-the-issue-of-drug-addiction-listen-to-the-surprising-revelations/

Akali Dal Waris Punjab has announced its first candidate for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. During a press conference in Amritsar, acting president Tarsem Singh and MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa named Satwant Singh, son of Shaheed Kehar Singh, as the candidate for the Bassi Pathana constituency. The party also appointed Sukhwinder Singh Agwan to its parliamentary board. The leadership emphasized their commitment to Panthic principles and honoring families who made sacrifices for the community, dismissing claims that such families were being sidelined. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/punjab/waris-punjab-announces-first-candidate/

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials conducted a raid at a protest site in Calgary where international students, mostly from Punjab, have been demonstrating for 10 days. The students are protesting the mass rejection of Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applications and have been on a hunger strike. Officials checked immigration documents of over 1,000 graduates. While IRCC claims rules only clarified existing requirements for non-credit programs, students argue they completed their studies based on prior permit eligibility assurances and are demanding administrative reviews. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/nation/canada-student-protest-cbsa-raids-student-protest-site/

Chandigarh Police Operation Cell busted an international arms smuggling syndicate linked to foreign-based gangster Deepak Nandal. Four individuals, including three shooters from Haryana and a cross-border smuggler from Amritsar, were arrested. The prime accused, Nishan Singh, allegedly received weapons from Pakistan via drones. Police recovered one Zigana pistol, two Chinese-made PX3 pistols, and 19 live cartridges. The gang was planning a major shooting and extortion incident in Gurugram, which was successfully averted by the police. https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zeephh/chandigarh/chandigarh-police-busts-international-and-interstate-arms-smuggling-gang/3286436

Raksha Bandhan 2026 will be celebrated on August 28. According to astrological calculations, the Shravan Purnima Tithi will end at 9:48 AM on August 28. A significant highlight for 2026 is the absence of Bhadra Kaal during the festival, as it ends before sunrise. The most auspicious time to tie Rakhi is between 5:57 AM and 9:48 AM on Friday. However, people are advised to avoid Rahukaal, which occurs from 10:46 AM to 12:22 PM. The article also details the traditional rituals involving the puja thali and tilak for brothers. https://www.ptcnews.tv/news-in-punjabi/when-is-the-festival-of-raksha-bandhan-2026-know-shubh-time-and-bhadra-timing-4428094

A tragic road accident occurred on Nahan Road in Himachal Pradesh where a vehicle fell into a deep gorge in the Renuka area. The accident resulted in the death of four people. Local authorities and police reached the spot for rescue operations and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/nahan-road-accident-4-renuka-himachal-news-994861.html

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema addressed a state-level seminar on Guru Ravidas Ji's teachings at Amity University, Mohali. He emphasized that Guru Ji's message of equality and social justice is timeless. Cheema announced that the Punjab government is establishing a state-of-the-art 'Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Study Centre' at Dera Ballan with an investment of ₹25 crore, for which ₹11 crore has already been spent on land purchase. He urged students and scholars to study the concept of 'Begampura' to build a discrimination-free society. https://sanjhisoch.com/%E0%A8%B8%E0%A9%8D%E0%A8%B0%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%97%E0%A9%81%E0%A8%B0%E0%A9%82-%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%B5%E0%A8%BF%E0%A8%A6%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%B8-%E0%A8%9C%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%B9%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%BE-2/

Gurjit Singh Talwandi, Youth President of Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjeet, met Damdami Taksal chief Sant Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa at Chowk Mehta. During the meeting, they discussed various panthic and Punjab-related issues in a closed-door session. Talwandi emphasized that the blessings from the Taksal head would strengthen his resolve to serve the community. This meeting is seen as significant in Akali and Panthic politics due to the long-standing historical relationship between the Talwandi family and Damdami Taksal. https://punjab.news18.com/news/punjab/the-blessings-of-sant-baba-harnam-singh-ji-dhumma-will-be-our-strength-gurjit-singh-talwandi-ak-994974.html

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed over 2,000 lives, with government data confirming 4,381 cases. This outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which no approved vaccines exist. Health officials are struggling due to rebel conflicts, poor infrastructure, and worker strikes. The death toll doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 in just three weeks, indicating the crisis is outpacing containment efforts. With a case fatality rate of 45.9%, it is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history after the 2014-2016 West Africa crisis. https://www.etvbharat.com/pa/international/congo-says-several-people-have-died-in-its-ebola-outbreak-the-fastest-growing-on-record-pbs26081107247

Gurjit Singh Talwandi, Youth President of Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit, met Sant Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, chief of Damdami Taksal, at Chowk Mehta. During the meeting, Talwandi received blessings and was honored with a Siropa. The two leaders held a private discussion on various Panthic and Punjab-related issues. This meeting is considered significant due to the long-standing historical ties between the Talwandi family and Damdami Taksal, potentially signaling new political equations in Punjab. http://www.quamiekta.com/2026/08/13/66583/