The Centre will introduce three constitutional amendment bills in the Monsoon session to mandate removal of the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, and State/UT Ministers if arrested on serious criminal charges. Under the proposal, any official in custody for 30 consecutive days for an offence punishable with five years or more will be required to step down or face automatic removal on the 31st day. The bills seek amendments to Articles 75, 164, 239AA, Section 54 of the J&K Reorganisation Act, and Section 45 of the UT Act, aiming to strengthen accountability in governance. (PC: NDTV)  

On August 19, 2025, a Mumbai monorail train became stranded mid-journey between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park in pouring rain. With power and air conditioning gone, over 580 commuters, including senior citizens and children, resorted to using phone flashlights and napkins to fan themselves amid rising heat and suffocation. Rescuers deployed snorkel lifts and broke window panes to evacuate them in a 3½-hour operation. Simultaneously, a second overcrowded monorail also stalled, bringing the total number rescued to approximately 782—spotlighting urgent concerns over transit safety and crowd control during extreme weather.   

The central government will introduce three key bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, August 20. These bills aim to create a legal framework for removing the prime minister, union ministers, chief ministers, and state ministers if arrested on serious criminal charges. The proposals say leaders held in custody for 30 days for offences carrying at least five years’ jail must resign or face automatic removal. Union home minister Amit Shah will move to send the bills to a joint parliamentary committee. The Opposition is set to oppose, as the bills require no court conviction for removal. (PC: HT File)

The Union Cabinet has approved the Online Gaming Bill to regulate digital gaming in India. Sources said the Bill will ban all money-based gaming transactions and advertisements for real-money games. Banks and financial institutions will not be allowed to process or transfer funds for such platforms. The Bill promotes e-sports and non-monetary skill-based games while targeting unregistered and illegal sites. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will act as the central regulator. The move comes after concerns over fraud, addiction, and high taxes on online gaming. The Bill will be introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. (PC: Indian Today)

In Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, India’s first Garbage Cafe is giving people meals in exchange for plastic waste. For 1 kg of plastic, people get rice, curries, dal, roti, salad, and pickles. For half a kg, they get snacks like samosas or vada pav. The project, started in 2019, helps reduce hunger and plastic pollution. The Ambikapur Municipal Corporation funds the scheme, which has already collected 23 tonnes of plastic. Other cities like Siliguri, Mysuru, and Mulugu have started similar cafes. Locals say it provides both food security and cleaner streets. Experts call it a small but important step. (PC: BBC)

The Press Club of India and Indian Women Press Corps condemned sedition charges filed against senior journalists Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar of The Wire by Assam Police’s Crime Branch. The FIR, filed under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, comes despite Supreme Court protection earlier granted to Varadarajan and other Wire journalists. The groups said Section 152 was a “repackaged sedition law” and is being used to silence the press. They demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIR and repeal of Section 152, calling it a threat to free speech and press freedom in India. (PC: The Hindu)

Heavy rain crippled Mumbai on Tuesday, causing severe waterlogging, flight delays, and traffic chaos. The weather office issued a red alert for the city and suburbs. According to Flightradar, 155 outbound and 102 inbound flights at Mumbai Airport were delayed. Central Railway trains also ran 20–30 minutes late, while BEST buses were diverted from flooded routes. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared a holiday for schools, colleges, and government offices. Several areas including Dadar, Andheri, and Sion were submerged. In Vasai, nearly 400 people were trapped due to flooding. Vikhroli recorded the highest rainfall with 255.5 mm in 24 hours. (PC: India Today)

A small village in Tripunithura, Kerala, has honoured a stray dog named Eldho with a lifelike statue at Kozhivettumveli junction. Eldho came to the locality 14 years ago and soon became part of the community. He joined weddings, festivals, school runs, and even escorted children and the elderly. Locals say he loved milk cake, which they called “Eldho cake.” When he passed away, residents led by autorickshaw drivers decided to immortalise him. Sculptor Jayan V K and his nephew Nibin V G made the statue. The memorial reflects love, loyalty, and compassion between people and their four-legged friend. (PC: Times Now)

India’s rabies vaccine market is set to grow after the Supreme Court ordered the removal, sterilisation, vaccination, and sheltering of all stray dogs within eight weeks. The ruling is expected to raise demand for both human and veterinary rabies vaccines. India accounts for 36% of global rabies deaths, with 18,000–20,000 deaths each year, according to WHO. Dog bite cases rose from 21 lakh in 2022 to 37 lakh in 2024. The human rabies vaccine market is valued at ₹500 crore, while the veterinary segment is projected to grow faster than expected. Experts say timely access remains a public health challenge. (PC: Business Today)

Airtel mobile users in Delhi-NCR faced major network issues on Monday, with many reporting call drops, weak signal, and slow internet. Complaints flooded social media, where users said they were unable to make or receive calls and even missed OTPs. Airtel Cares, the company’s support team, admitted to the outage and assured subscribers that the problem was being resolved. “We are currently experiencing a network outage, our team is actively working to resolve the issue and restore services promptly,” Airtel posted. However, the company has not shared the cause of the disruption or the expected time for full restoration. (PC: Reuters)