Morning Filter: BJP goes in poll mode

1. G20 Film Festival to open on Wednesday with Ray’s ‘Pather Panchali’ Satyajit Ray’s “Pather Panchali ‘‘ will be the opening film at the G20 Film Festival, aiming to celebrate and showcase the vibrant and collaborative partnership existing amongst the G20 and invited countries in the field of cinema. Organised by the India International Centre (IIC) and G20 Secretariat of the Ministry of External Affairs, the festival will be inaugurated by veteran actor Victor Banerjee and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. It will take place at IIC here from August 16 to September 2. 2. BJP to hold CEC meeting on Wednesday, review preparations for polls in five States The BJP has called a meeting of its Central Election Committee (CEC) at the party headquarters on Wednesday evening as part of preparations for assembly polls to five states later this year.The meeting is expected to be attended by all 15 CEC members including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda.BJP is gearing up its preparations for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram polls. 3. Second day of the four-day visit of U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna Calling Mahatma Gandhi the person who has had the “most influence” in his life, U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna paid tributes at Rajghat on August 15 as part of a four-day visit by a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation to India. The delegation, that has been hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs, also attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence day address at Red Fort, which Mr. Khanna called a “meaningful” occasion. The delegation is due to meet Mr. Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar before flying back to Washington on Wednesday. 4. Pakistan: Maqbool Baqar to take oath as Punjab Caretaker CM on Wednesday Pakistan’s Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar is all set to take oath on Wednesday after he was picked for the top slot, Geo news reported on Tuesday.Baqar name was approved after three rounds of discussion between outgoing Singh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Leader of Oppositon in the dissolved Singh Assembly Rana Ansar.After both the leaders nodded on the name of Baqar, a summary was sent to Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who approved his appointment without any hurdles, observed Geo news. 5. Imran Khan’s party president Chaudhry Pervez Elahi remanded to NAB custody till Aug 21 in corruption case A Pakistani court on Tuesday remanded the president of the former primer Imran Khan’s party, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, to the custody of the National Accountability Bureau till August 21 in a corruption case. Elahi,77, has been in jail in one or another case since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party supporters allegedly attacked the military and state buildings on May 9, in reaction to Khan’s first arrest in a corruption probe. According to the PTI party, there has been immense pressure on Elahi from the military establishment to quit the party, and on his refusal, he is re-arrested after securing bail. 6. Delhi Assembly session likely to witness uproar over GNCTD (Amendment) Act The Delhi Assembly session beginning Wednesday, the first after the enactment of the GNCTD (Amendment) Act 2023 on the control of services in the national capital, is likely to witness noisy scenes involving legislators of the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act came into being on Saturday following presidential assent. The law gives the Centre control over bureaucracy in the national capital and seeks to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers. In his Independence Day speech at Chhatrasal stadium on Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Act has snatched powers of the elected government of Delhi and the AAP dispensation will restore them 7. Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi arrested in connection with Nuh violence Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi was arrested on Tuesday in connection with communal clashes that erupted in Haryana’s Nuh district on July 31, police said. Bajrangi alias Rajkumar was questioned in connection with a fresh FIR registered him at Nuh’s Sadar police station based on a complaint by Assistant Superintendent of Police Usha Kundu, they said. Police said Bajrangi, the president of an outfit called the Goraksha Bajrang Force, was taken initially detained by the Crime Investigation Agency team of Tauru for questioning. A spokesperson of Nuh Police said Bittu Bajrangi was arrested after the questioning and will be produced in a city court on Wednesday. 8. Assam flood: Nearly 46,000 people hit in 5 districts The flood situation in Assam improved considerably on Tuesday even though nearly 46,000 people are still reeling under the deluge across five districts, an official bulletin said. According to the daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 45,700 people are hit due to the floods in Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar districts. Sivasagar is the worst hit with nearly 23,000 people suffering, followed by Dhemaji (20,500) and Chirang (1,500), it added. 9. TMC delegation to visit Jadavpur University student’s bereaved family on Wednesday A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation will on Wednesday visit the bereaved family of the Jadavpur University student who died after allegedly falling from the balcony of the university’s hostel, the All India Trinamool Congress said. In a message on X, the All India Trinamool Congress wrote, “The untimely demise ofSwapnadeep Kundu, a bright first-year student of Jadavpur University has left us not only appalled but also incensed.” 10. UN to hold emergency meeting on Azerbaijan’s blockade of road from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday in response to a call from Armenia saying the mainly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in neighboring Azerbaijan is blockaded and 120,000 people are facing hunger and “a full-fledged humanitarian catastrophe.” Armenia’s U.N. Ambassador Mher Margaryan asked for the meeting on the dire situation in Nagorno-Karabakh in a letter to the ambassador of the United States, which holds the Security Council presidency this month. The U.S. Mission to the U.N. said Monday the emergency open meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon. 11. Kerala Women’s Commission to host regional consultation meet of southern states, UTs The Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) would be hosting here on Wednesday a regional consultation meet of southern states and union territories organised by the National Commission for Women. The meet will include representatives from women’s commissions, women and child departments, social justice departments, NGOs and academicians among others from the five southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well as the two UTs of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, a KWC statement said. The one day consultation meet will focus on NGOs on Swadhar Grehs, centres under Ujjwala Scheme and one stop centres, it said. 12. Biden heads to battleground Wisconsin to talk about the economy a week before GOP debate In a show of preemptive counter-programming, President Joe Biden on Tuesday travels to Wisconsin to highlight his economic policies in a state critical to his reelection fortunes, just a week before Republicans descend on Milwaukee for the party’s first presidential debate. His trip comes on the eve of the anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, major economic legislation that he signed into law with great ceremony but polls show that most people know little about it or what it does. Wisconsin is among the handful of critical states where Biden needs to persuade voters that his policies are having a positive impact on their lives, and he is expected to visit frequently to make his case. 13. Russian finance ministry won’t hold OFZ bond auction this Wednesday Russia’s finance ministry on Tuesday said it would not hold a weekly OFZ treasury bond auctions as usual this Wednesday in order to help stabilise the market situation. Yields for Russia’s benchmark 10-year OFZ bond reached their highest point since April 2022 on Tuesday of 12.08%, before dropping slightly after the central bank hiked its key interest rate by 350 basis points to 12% as it tries to halt sharp rouble weakening. 14. Australia has captured its continent as it faces England for a spot in the Women’s World Cup final Sam Kerr released her autobiography roughly three weeks before Australia’s national team opened the Women’s World Cup. Kerr is the leader of the Matildas — she’s actually among the best players in the world — and as captain of the tournament’s co-host team, she was supposed to be the star of the show. But Kerr was injured and missed all of group play. And Australia didn’t really get buzzworthy until the Aussies knocked off Denmark to earn a quarterfinal match against France. Now this rugby-mad nation is paying attention to soccer — women’s soccer, no less — and sold-out crowds are turning out for the Matildas’ historic run. Kerr at last delivered against France when she came off the bench, played through extra time and made her penalty kick in Australia’s 7-6 shootout win over France. Now Australia is in its very first semifinal, Wednesday at supersized Stadium Australia, against European champion England. 15. Under-pressure Mohun Bagan hope to return to winning ways in AFC Cup Smarting from the recent defeat to arch-rivals East Bengal, Mohun Bagan Super Giant will switch their focus from domestic to international competition as they face an in-form Machhindra FC of Nepal in the AFC Cup here on Wednesday. Up against an in-form opponent in the preliminary round two clash, there will be no margin for error for the Juan Ferrando-coached side, which is looking to overcome their its first derby defeat in almost five years. The reigning Indian Super League champions lost 0-1 to traditional foes East Bengal in the Durand Cup three days ago. [logo] The Morning Filter 16 August 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Morning Filter newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories and events to follow today. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today 1. G20 Film Festival to open on Wednesday with Ray’s ‘Pather Panchali’ [ A still from ‘Pather Panchali’ ] Satyajit Ray’s “Pather Panchali ‘‘ will be the opening film at the G20 Film Festival, aiming to celebrate and showcase the vibrant and collaborative partnership existing amongst the G20 and invited countries in the field of cinema. Organised by the India International Centre (IIC) and G20 Secretariat of the Ministry of External Affairs, the festival will be inaugurated by veteran actor Victor Banerjee and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant. It will take place at IIC here from August 16 to September 2. 2. BJP to hold CEC meeting on Wednesday, review preparations for polls in five States The BJP has called a meeting of its Central Election Committee (CEC) at the party headquarters on Wednesday evening as part of preparations for assembly polls to five states later this year.The meeting is expected to be attended by all 15 CEC members including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda.BJP is gearing up its preparations for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram polls. 3. Second day of the four-day visit of U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna Calling Mahatma Gandhi the person who has had the “most influence” in his life, U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna paid tributes at Rajghat on August 15 as part of a four-day visit by a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation to India. The delegation, that has been hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs, also attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence day address at Red Fort, which Mr. Khanna called a “meaningful” occasion. The delegation is due to meet Mr. Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar before flying back to Washington on Wednesday. 4. Pakistan: Maqbool Baqar to take oath as Punjab Caretaker CM on Wednesday Pakistan’s Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar is all set to take oath on Wednesday after he was picked for the top slot, Geo news reported on Tuesday.Baqar name was approved after three rounds of discussion between outgoing Singh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Leader of Oppositon in the dissolved Singh Assembly Rana Ansar.After both the leaders nodded on the name of Baqar, a summary was sent to Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who approved his appointment without any hurdles, observed Geo news. 5. Imran Khan’s party president Chaudhry Pervez Elahi remanded to NAB custody till Aug 21 in corruption case [FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro/File Photo/File Photo] A Pakistani court on Tuesday remanded the president of the former primer Imran Khan’s party, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, to the custody of the National Accountability Bureau till August 21 in a corruption case. Elahi,77, has been in jail in one or another case since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party supporters allegedly attacked the military and state buildings on May 9, in reaction to Khan’s first arrest in a corruption probe. According to the PTI party, there has been immense pressure on Elahi from the military establishment to quit the party, and on his refusal, he is re-arrested after securing bail. 6. Delhi Assembly session likely to witness uproar over GNCTD (Amendment) Act The Delhi Assembly session beginning Wednesday, the first after the enactment of the GNCTD (Amendment) Act 2023 on the control of services in the national capital, is likely to witness noisy scenes involving legislators of the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act came into being on Saturday following presidential assent. The law gives the Centre control over bureaucracy in the national capital and seeks to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers. In his Independence Day speech at Chhatrasal stadium on Tuesday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Act has snatched powers of the elected government of Delhi and the AAP dispensation will restore them 7. Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi arrested in connection with Nuh violence Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi was arrested on Tuesday in connection with communal clashes that erupted in Haryana’s Nuh district on July 31, police said. Bajrangi alias Rajkumar was questioned in connection with a fresh FIR registered him at Nuh’s Sadar police station based on a complaint by Assistant Superintendent of Police Usha Kundu, they said. Police said Bajrangi, the president of an outfit called the Goraksha Bajrang Force, was taken initially detained by the Crime Investigation Agency team of Tauru for questioning. A spokesperson of Nuh Police said Bittu Bajrangi was arrested after the questioning and will be produced in a city court on Wednesday. 8. Assam flood: Nearly 46,000 people hit in 5 districts The flood situation in Assam improved considerably on Tuesday even though nearly 46,000 people are still reeling under the deluge across five districts, an official bulletin said. According to the daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 45,700 people are hit due to the floods in Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar districts. Sivasagar is the worst hit with nearly 23,000 people suffering, followed by Dhemaji (20,500) and Chirang (1,500), it added. 9. TMC delegation to visit Jadavpur University student’s bereaved family on Wednesday A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation will on Wednesday visit the bereaved family of the Jadavpur University student who died after allegedly falling from the balcony of the university’s hostel, the All India Trinamool Congress said. In a message on X, the All India Trinamool Congress wrote, “The untimely demise ofSwapnadeep Kundu, a bright first-year student of Jadavpur University has left us not only appalled but also incensed.” 10. UN to hold emergency meeting on Azerbaijan’s blockade of road from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday in response to a call from Armenia saying the mainly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh in neighboring Azerbaijan is blockaded and 120,000 people are facing hunger and “a full-fledged humanitarian catastrophe.” Armenia’s U.N. Ambassador Mher Margaryan asked for the meeting on the dire situation in Nagorno-Karabakh in a letter to the ambassador of the United States, which holds the Security Council presidency this month. The U.S. Mission to the U.N. said Monday the emergency open meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon. 11. Kerala Women’s Commission to host regional consultation meet of southern states, UTs The Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) would be hosting here on Wednesday a regional consultation meet of southern states and union territories organised by the National Commission for Women. The meet will include representatives from women’s commissions, women and child departments, social justice departments, NGOs and academicians among others from the five southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well as the two UTs of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, a KWC statement said. The one day consultation meet will focus on NGOs on Swadhar Grehs, centres under Ujjwala Scheme and one stop centres, it said. 12. Biden heads to battleground Wisconsin to talk about the economy a week before GOP debate In a show of preemptive counter-programming, President Joe Biden on Tuesday travels to Wisconsin to highlight his economic policies in a state critical to his reelection fortunes, just a week before Republicans descend on Milwaukee for the party’s first presidential debate. His trip comes on the eve of the anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, major economic legislation that he signed into law with great ceremony but polls show that most people know little about it or what it does. Wisconsin is among the handful of critical states where Biden needs to persuade voters that his policies are having a positive impact on their lives, and he is expected to visit frequently to make his case. 13. Russian finance ministry won’t hold OFZ bond auction this Wednesday Russia’s finance ministry on Tuesday said it would not hold a weekly OFZ treasury bond auctions as usual this Wednesday in order to help stabilise the market situation. Yields for Russia’s benchmark 10-year OFZ bond reached their highest point since April 2022 on Tuesday of 12.08%, before dropping slightly after the central bank hiked its key interest rate by 350 basis points to 12% as it tries to halt sharp rouble weakening. 14. Australia has captured its continent as it faces England for a spot in the Women’s World Cup final Sam Kerr released her autobiography roughly three weeks before Australia’s national team opened the Women’s World Cup. Kerr is the leader of the Matildas — she’s actually among the best players in the world — and as captain of the tournament’s co-host team, she was supposed to be the star of the show. But Kerr was injured and missed all of group play. And Australia didn’t really get buzzworthy until the Aussies knocked off Denmark to earn a quarterfinal match against France. Now this rugby-mad nation is paying attention to soccer — women’s soccer, no less — and sold-out crowds are turning out for the Matildas’ historic run. Kerr at last delivered against France when she came off the bench, played through extra time and made her penalty kick in Australia’s 7-6 shootout win over France. Now Australia is in its very first semifinal, Wednesday at supersized Stadium Australia, against European champion England. 15. Under-pressure Mohun Bagan hope to return to winning ways in AFC Cup Smarting from the recent defeat to arch-rivals East Bengal, Mohun Bagan Super Giant will switch their focus from domestic to international competition as they face an in-form Machhindra FC of Nepal in the AFC Cup here on Wednesday. Up against an in-form opponent in the preliminary round two clash, there will be no margin for error for the Juan Ferrando-coached side, which is looking to overcome their its first derby defeat in almost five years. The reigning Indian Super League champions lost 0-1 to traditional foes East Bengal in the Durand Cup three days ago. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Caught between the Taliban’s restrictions and India’s no-visa ‘policy’, Indian citizen in Herat longs for freedom to return] Caught between the Taliban’s restrictions and India’s no-visa ‘policy’, Indian citizen in Herat longs for freedom to return]( [[Consumption-based poverty estimates have relevance] Consumption-based poverty estimates have relevance]( [[Awaiting the age of moderation] Awaiting the age of moderation]( [[Scientists solve Manipur salamander ‘puzzle’] Scientists solve Manipur salamander ‘puzzle’]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](