On Monday, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with several cabinet ministers, was stopped by police while trying to visit the graves of the July 13 martyrs in Srinagar. Despite the restrictions, Abdullah scaled a wall to access the graveyard, as the main gate appeared locked. A video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account showed him walking toward the cemetery accompanied by security personnel, then climbing the wall to enter.

In his post, Abdullah said he had gone to pay his respects and offer Fatiha at the graves of the 1931 martyrs, accusing the "unelected government" of trying to prevent him from reaching the site. He stated that authorities forced him to walk from Nawhatta Chowk and blocked the gate to the Naqshband Sahib shrine, compelling him to climb the wall. He added that police tried to physically stop him, but he refused to be held back. Another video showed officers attempting to restrain him, which he described as "physical grappling," asserting that he was doing nothing unlawful and demanding an explanation from the authorities under what legal grounds he was being stopped.

According to PTI, many political leaders in the region were placed under house arrest the day before, preventing them from visiting the graveyard on July 13, which has long been observed as Martyrs’ Day in the region. Abdullah further alleged that when he expressed his intention to offer prayers on Sunday, security bunkers were set up to block access, and these remained in place until late at night. He criticized the authorities, stating that those responsible for law and order were instead preventing people from offering simple prayers.

The significance of July 13 dates back to 1931, when a group of Kashmiris gathered outside the Srinagar Central Jail to protest the trial of Abdul Qadeer, who had spoken out against the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. In response, the forces of the Maharaja opened fire on the crowd, killing 22 people. Since then, the day has been marked as Martyrs’ Day in Jammu and Kashmir in memory of those killed. However, after the former state was reorganized into two Union Territories in August 2019, the day was removed from the official list of public holidays in 2020.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Patna on Wednesday to participate in a statewide “chakka jam” protest organized by the INDIA bloc. The protest is being held in opposition to the Centre’s new labour code and the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The announcement was made at a press conference in Patna, attended by senior opposition leaders, including RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar, AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, and Left party representatives. They alleged that the ongoing revision of electoral rolls is being used to manipulate the voter list in favor of the BJP-led NDA.

Rajesh Kumar stated that Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will take part in a march to the Election Commission’s office in Patna. The INDIA bloc claims the electoral revision has led to mass deletion of voters, especially from marginalized communities, under the guise of correcting the voter list.

Tejashwi Yadav added that similar protests will take place across Bihar and criticized the new labour code, calling it exploitative and anti-worker. He called both the labour reforms and the electoral roll revision “attacks on democracy” and urged the Election Commission to act impartially. Opposition leaders demanded immediate intervention by the EC and said the protest aims to restore democratic processes and protect workers' rights in the state.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.

Medical experts have dismissed claims that COVID-19 vaccines are behind a recent rise in heart attack-related deaths, following Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s remarks about over 20 such fatalities in Hassan district. Speaking to ANI, Dr. Mohit Gupta, a cardiology professor at GB Pant Hospital, cited findings from a study involving 1,600 heart attack patients. The research compared outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and showed that those who had received the COVID vaccine had a significantly lower risk of heart attacks, sudden death, and overall mortality. “Not only were the risks lower in the vaccinated group, but the protective benefits extended up to six months,” he said.

Dr. Gupta emphasized that the vaccines are safe and offer a protective effect. “This isn’t just our study—ICMR has validated these findings. Large-scale research from multiple hospitals, a Korean study involving around 200,000 people, and a U.S. COVID collaboration have all shown similar results,” he noted, adding that both Covaxin and Covishield were found to be equally safe.

He firmly rejected any connection between the vaccines and sudden cardiac deaths, saying, “There’s a lot of hype, but if the vaccines were truly the cause, we’d see a noticeable spike in deaths nationwide, which hasn’t happened in the past five years. A few isolated cases cannot justify such a claim—sudden cardiac deaths can occur for many reasons. Scientific data clearly shows no link between the vaccines and sudden deaths.” Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited, also criticized the Chief Minister's statement, calling it factually incorrect to suggest that COVID vaccines were approved in haste or are responsible for the deaths.

Previously, CM Siddaramaiah had posted on X that more than 20 people in Hassan district had died from heart attacks in the past month. He said the state government is taking the issue seriously and has formed a special expert committee, led by Dr. Ravindranath of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, to investigate the deaths and submit a report within 10 days. He also mentioned that a broader study into sudden deaths among young people in Karnataka, including a possible vaccine link, has been underway since February.

On July 2, the Union Health Ministry released a statement confirming that studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have found no direct connection between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden deaths. Multiple agencies have reviewed the matter, and all concluded that the vaccines are not responsible for the reported cases.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjeev Arora has stepped down from the Rajya Sabha after being elected as the MLA from Ludhiana West in the recent Punjab bypolls. His resignation was accepted by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday, in accordance with Article 101(3)(b) of the Constitution. Arora, who won the Ludhiana West by-election, was sworn in as an MLA on Saturday in Chandigarh, with Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan administering the oath. The AAP successfully retained the seat.

Punjab’s New and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora praised Sanjeev Arora as an honest leader and thanked voters for their continued trust in AAP, Arvind Kejriwal, and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He emphasized the public’s faith in AAP’s governance and Sanjeev Arora’s integrity. AAP Punjab chief also stated that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in corruption or the drug trade.

With Arora’s shift to the state assembly, his Rajya Sabha seat has become vacant. The party has not yet announced a replacement. When asked about the vacancy, Sanjeev Arora told ANI that AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal would take the final call. In the bypoll, Arora secured a victory margin of 10,637 votes, receiving a total of 35,179 votes. The seat had fallen vacant earlier this year following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi. Congress had fielded former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, while SAD nominated Parupkar Singh Ghumman.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from X/@VPIndia.

On Tuesday (July 15), Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that "dialogue" should be central to the relationship between Canberra and Beijing during his meeting with President Xi Jinping. In response, Xi praised the "benefits" of the strengthened ties, noting that the relationship had "recovered from past setbacks and made a turnaround." Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman discuss the state of Australia-China relations within the broader geopolitical landscape with Professor Carlyle Thayer, Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales Canberra, based at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.

Paramount Global, which owns CBS News, recently agreed to a $16 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump. This follows similar settlements reached by Disney and Meta with the former president. Jonathan Freedland discusses with Guardian US columnist Margaret Sullivan why major media companies are giving in to Trump's demands and whether concerns about the implications for press freedom are justified.

Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.

The United States has urged Asian countries to raise their defence spending to five percent of GDP in response to what it sees as the threat from China. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman explore whether this is feasible and realistic for the region. They speak with Professor Carlyle Thayer, Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy.
Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from CNA.

How did Zohran Mamdani, a political unknown, manage to defeat Andrew Cuomo, one of New York’s most prominent establishment figures? Rachel Leingang discusses the historic outcome of the New York City mayoral primary with Moira Donegan, exploring how Democratic Party leaders are interpreting the result. Is it time for the party to rethink its approach to better align with voters’ priorities?

Disclaimer: This Podcast is taken from The Guardian.