The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which manages the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, has appointed retired Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In another significant development, Dr Nirmala Yadav has been inducted into the Trust as its first woman trustee. The decisions were taken during a meeting of the Trust as it moves to strengthen the administrative structure overseeing the Ram Mandir and its growing operations in Ayodhya.

Jeetendra Mishra, a former senior Indian Air Force officer, brings extensive experience in military leadership and administration to the new position. He served in the IAF for several decades and held important operational responsibilities before retiring from service. His appointment as CEO is being seen as an effort to introduce a more structured and professional management system within the Trust.

Mishra's military career included senior command responsibilities, including his tenure with the Western Air Command. He was also associated with India's military planning and operations during Operation Sindoor in 2025. His experience in managing large organisations and coordinating complex operations is expected to be useful as the Ram Mandir Trust deals with increasing administrative responsibilities.

The appointment follows a formal selection process for the newly created CEO position. Reports said that thousands of applications were received from candidates across the country before the search committee shortlisted a smaller group for further consideration. Mishra was eventually selected for the post. The Trust has also made history with the appointment of Dr Nirmala Yadav as its first woman trustee. Yadav, a former college principal from Shikohabad, has a long background in education and administration. Her induction marks a notable change in the composition of the Trust's governing body.

Yadav has indicated that the convenience and safety of devotees would be among the areas receiving attention under the new administrative setup. With millions of pilgrims expected to visit Ayodhya, managing crowds, security, sanitation, accommodation and other visitor-related facilities has become an increasingly important responsibility.

The Trust has simultaneously made changes to several other key positions. Mahesh Bhagchandka has been appointed treasurer, while Swami Govind Dev Giri, who previously held the treasurer's position, has taken over as general secretary. Madan Mohan Pandey, an Ayodhya-based lawyer and former Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh, has also been inducted as a trustee.

The restructuring comes at a time when the Trust is managing the expanding responsibilities associated with the Ram Mandir. Apart from religious activities, the organisation has to oversee financial management, infrastructure, security arrangements, visitor services and coordination with government agencies.

The creation of a dedicated CEO position could provide the Trust with a clearer administrative chain of responsibility. The appointment of a retired Air Marshal with experience in large-scale operations also signals an emphasis on professional management as the temple complex and pilgrimage activity around it continue to grow.

Nirmala Yadav's appointment is equally significant because she becomes the first woman to serve on the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Together, the new appointments represent a broader administrative restructuring of the organisation responsible for the management of the Ram Mandir. The changes are expected to shape the Trust's functioning in the coming years as Ayodhya continues to emerge as one of India's major pilgrimage destinations and the number of visitors to the Ram Mandir increases.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers staged a protest outside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, accusing the Congress government of failing to fulfil its promises related to employment and government jobs. The demonstration took place during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, with BJP members raising slogans against the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government. The Opposition alleged that despite making major commitments to create jobs, the Congress government had failed to provide adequate employment opportunities to the state's youth.

Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the Congress had promised to provide one lakh government jobs during its first Cabinet meeting after coming to power. He said the party had subsequently promised to create five lakh jobs during its five-year term. Thakur claimed that almost four years had passed since the Congress government assumed office, but the employment promises had not been delivered. He also alleged that the number of government employees in the state had declined rather than increased.

According to Thakur, the government workforce during the previous BJP administration had reached around 1.9 lakh, while the figure had now dropped to approximately 1.71 lakh. He argued that the decline raised questions over the government's claims of generating employment and said the BJP would continue to raise the issue in the Assembly under Rule 120.

The former Chief Minister said the Opposition's primary objective was to ensure that unemployed people in Himachal Pradesh received meaningful employment opportunities. He maintained that job creation should remain a priority for the state government, particularly for young people looking for stable careers. The BJP protest also targeted the government's decision to restart lottery operations in Himachal Pradesh. Thakur demanded that the move be withdrawn, arguing that the state should not promote another potentially addictive activity at a time when it is already dealing with concerns surrounding drug abuse.

He said the government should instead concentrate on strengthening the economy and generating sustainable employment. According to Thakur, while a lottery may provide financial gains to a limited number of people, it cannot serve as a reliable foundation for the state's economic development. Thakur also criticised the government's approach towards cannabis cultivation. He questioned the financial benefits of the policy and asked the government to explain how much revenue had actually been generated from the move.

He recalled that a committee had previously been formed to study cannabis cultivation and assess its possible implications. Thakur claimed that the committee had not recommended legalising cultivation in the manner subsequently pursued by the government. He said the government had yet to provide sufficient clarity on the expected economic gains or actual revenue generated. The BJP leader further attacked the Sukhu government over alleged delays in salaries and other dues owed to government employees and pensioners. He claimed that employees and retired workers had repeatedly staged protests across the state over pending payments.

Thakur questioned the government's handling of its finances, saying that while the administration had cited financial difficulties, employees continued to raise concerns over their outstanding dues. He alleged that the Chief Minister had not provided satisfactory answers on the issue. The Opposition leader also claimed that there was growing dissatisfaction among people over the functioning of the state government. He said unemployment, financial difficulties, employee payments and other issues would continue to be raised by the BJP during the Assembly session.

The employment issue is expected to remain a key point of debate during the ongoing Monsoon Session. The BJP has indicated that it will continue questioning the Congress government over its job promises while demanding measures aimed at creating stable employment opportunities for Himachal Pradesh's youth. With the Assembly session underway, the political confrontation between the BJP and Congress is likely to intensify over employment, the state's financial position, government employees' dues, lottery operations and the proposed cannabis cultivation policy.

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Bihar Cooperative Minister and BJP MLA Ram Kripal Yadav on Tuesday welcomed the water-sharing agreement signed between Bihar and Jharkhand over the Sone River, saying the long-standing dispute had finally been resolved. He thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the chief ministers of both states for their efforts in settling the issue, which had affected irrigation in several villages for years.

Bihar and Jharkhand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on Monday, bringing an end to a 25-year-old disagreement over the distribution of Sone River water. As per the agreement, Bihar will receive 5.75 million acre-feet (MAF) of water, while Jharkhand has been allocated 2.00 MAF.

Yadav, who is the MLA from Danapur, said the prolonged dispute had caused considerable losses and left many villages without sufficient irrigation facilities. Welcoming the agreement, he expressed his appreciation for the role played by the Centre and the governments of both states in finding a solution. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary. Senior officials from the central and state governments also attended the ceremony.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their proactive involvement and continued discussions in resolving the issue. He said the agreement represented more than just an arrangement for sharing water and could usher in a new phase of cooperation, trust and development between Bihar and Jharkhand.

The dispute originated after Jharkhand was created in 2000. Under the 1973 Bansagar Agreement, the then-undivided Bihar was entitled to 7.75 MAF out of the Sone River's total 14.25 MAF allocation. Following the bifurcation of Bihar, disagreements emerged over how the existing share should be divided between the two states.

A breakthrough was achieved during the 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council in Ranchi in July 2025, when Bihar and Jharkhand reached a consensus on the distribution of the river's water. The latest agreement is expected to improve water availability in drought-prone and plateau regions of South Bihar and Jharkhand. It could help expand irrigation, address drinking-water shortages and support industrial growth while providing greater long-term water security to both states.

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The Supreme Court on Monday deferred the hearing of the ongoing Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to September 15, after Tamil Nadu urged the court to direct Karnataka to make up for the shortfall in water releases. Karnataka, however, told the court that it was already releasing more than the required 9,000 cusecs. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta asked both sides to place subsequent developments on record before the next hearing.

During the proceedings, senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, representing Tamil Nadu, argued that Karnataka had not cleared the accumulated deficit in Cauvery water releases. He referred to the Cauvery Water Management Authority's records, which had noted the shortfall. Vaidyanathan said around 24,700 acres of farmland in Tamil Nadu depend on Cauvery water and highlighted a considerable deficit in the water recorded at Biligundlu. He requested the Supreme Court to direct the authorities to reconsider Tamil Nadu's demand for the accumulated shortfall to be addressed.

Representing Karnataka, senior advocate Shyam Divan said the state had released 9,888 cusecs on August 30 against the stipulated 9,000 cusecs. He added that Karnataka was releasing more than 11,000 cusecs on Monday and would make efforts to maintain the required 9,000-cusec release. The bench noted that Karnataka had increased its water release from 11,000 cusecs to 12,000 cusecs from August 12. When Tamil Nadu pressed its demand for the backlog to be considered, the court observed that Karnataka was already releasing the 9,000 cusecs currently being sought by Tamil Nadu.

The court also said that any challenge to a decision of the Cauvery Water Management Authority would have to be raised before the appropriate forum. Vaidyanathan pointed out that Tamil Nadu had filed a review before the authority on August 27 and requested reconsideration of the state's demand. The Supreme Court observed that the authorities were already examining the matter and issuing orders every 15 days. It said the next CWMA decision could take into account the submissions made by both states.

Tamil Nadu had earlier approached the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of a CWMA direction requiring Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days. The state government filed its plea on August 3, challenging the alleged non-implementation of the authority's July 30 order concerning water releases from Karnataka's Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara reservoirs.

Tamil Nadu sought a total release of 4.536 TMC, equivalent to 3,500 cusecs per day for 15 days, and requested that the stipulated quantity be released by August 12. The dispute has also been taken up by the DMK, which sought directions from the Supreme Court for Karnataka to immediately comply with the February 16, 2018 judgment and subsequent directions issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee and the CWMA.

The DMK referred to the CWRC's July 28, 2026 direction, later upheld by the CWMA on July 30, requiring Karnataka to ensure a daily flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu for 15 days starting July 29. The party also sought closer monitoring of releases from Karnataka's reservoirs and the flow recorded at Biligundlu, along with regular compliance reports to the Supreme Court. The Cauvery dispute has remained a longstanding source of tension between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with disagreements over water releases frequently resurfacing during periods of agricultural demand and changing reservoir levels. The Supreme Court will hear the matter again on September 15.
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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has announced a broad set of initiatives covering family support, housing, technology and Singapore’s national resilience. Hairianto Diman and Justine Moss speak to SMU School of Law Associate Professor Eugene Tan about the major measures, their significance for Singaporeans and what they reveal about the Government’s priorities for the country’s next stage of growth.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Myanmar's military government has released rare images of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi meeting a Red Cross official, marking her first known contact with the outside world since the 2021 coup. The photos were released just ahead of junta chief Min Aung Hlaing's first official visit to Thailand, prompting speculation about their political significance.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

In a conversation with political editor Tom McIlroy and chief political correspondent Dan Jervis-Bardy during the 50th Labor conference in Adelaide, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas discussed his state’s political battle with One Nation. He said progressive groups should avoid dismissing or talking down to Pauline Hanson’s supporters, arguing that their concerns need to be understood rather than ignored. Addressing the ongoing debate over the AUKUS submarine deal, Malinauskas acknowledged concerns after the US revealed that Virginia-class submarine production rates had not improved. However, he maintained that walking away from the agreement would create greater strategic risks than the challenges surrounding the controversial defence partnership.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

On Made in SG, Melanie Oliveiro chats with Singaporean singer-songwriter Frances Tan, who recently competed in the Commonwealth Song Contest — an international music competition featuring participants from all 56 Commonwealth countries. Tan shares her experience of being chosen as a Grand Finalist, representing Singapore alongside six other finalist nations. She also discusses her original track, Just Me, which she submitted as her contest entry.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.