British Deputy High Commissioner Alba Smeriglio met with Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh in Chandigarh. They discussed various issues concerning the Punjabi diaspora in the UK, including immigration fraud and legal challenges. Dr. Ravjot Singh urged NRIs to stay alert against fake travel agents and invited them to the upcoming NRI Milni event scheduled for August 26 in Bathinda to voice their concerns directly to the government. https://punjab.news18.com/news/punjab/british-deputy-high-commissioner-alba-smeriglow-meets-minister-dr-ravjot-singh-ak-994799.html

The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision to acquit Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati murder case. A bench led by CJI Surya Kant scheduled the final hearing for the week starting November 16. The petition was filed by the deceased journalist's son. Ram Rahim, who was previously sentenced to life imprisonment by a CBI court in 2019, is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Sunaria jail for the rape of two disciples. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/nation/petition-against-ram-rahims-acquittal-accepted-for-hearing/

Chaos erupted in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha as the session began, with Congress MLAs staging a sharp protest. The opposition leaders raised slogans against the government, leading to significant disruptions in the assembly proceedings. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/punjab-vidhan-sabha-993462.html

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/

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/

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organized a religious event at Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Gurbaksh Singh to commemorate the historic act of Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mehtab Singh, who punished Massa Ranghar for desecrating the Golden Temple. During the event, Giani Parvinderpal Singh shared historical insights about the Sikh warriors' dedication and urged the community to draw inspiration from their bravery. The program included Akhand Path Bhog and Gurbani Kirtan by Ragi Jathas. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/punjab/event-to-commemorate-the-revision-of-massey-ranghar/

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

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has recommended a 10-day parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, citing his 31-year imprisonment and his mother's poor health. The state government has expressed no objection to the parole and the recommendation has been forwarded for the Governor's approval. https://punjab.news18.com/news/punjab/chandigarh-cm-bhagwant-mann-speaks-on-jagtar-hawara-parole-recommends-10-days-parole-local18-994563.html