SONIA GANDHI WAS NAMED INTERIM CONGRESS PRESIDENT ON SATURDAY, RETURNING TO THE HELM AFTER ALMOST 20 MONTHS. LIFE IS GRADUALLY RETURNING TO NORMAL IN J&K AFTER CENTRE'S MOVE TO REVOKE ARTICLE 370 PROVISIONS. PROHIBITORY ORDERS WERE LIFTED IN 5 DISTS IN JAMMU REGION ON SATURDAY. VETERAN CONGRESS LEADER AND FORMER PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH, WHOSE TENURE AS A RAJYA SABHA MEMBER ENDED IN JUNE, IS LIKELY TO RETURN TO THE UPPER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT FROM RAJASTHAN. DR. SINGH, WHO EARLIER REPRESENTED ASSAM IN RAJYA SABHA, WILL FILE HIS NOMINATION PAPERS FROM RAJASTHAN ON AUGUST 13. JP LEADER AND UNION HRD MINISTER RAMESH POKHRIYAL HAS STOKES A FRESH CONTROVERSEY. THE FLOOD SITUATION IN SOUTH INDIA CONTINUED TO REMAIN GRIM ON SATURDAY, WITH KERALA AND KARNATAKA BEING THE WORST HIT, AS 83 PEOPLE HAVE SO FAR LOST THEIR LIVES IN BOTH STATES. AFTER EXPRESSING ANGER OVER INDIA’S MOVE TO END THE SPECIAL STATUS OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR, PAKISTAN HAS REITERATED THAT IT WILL MOVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL AGAINST NEW DELHI.
