Report: White House delaying release of voting machine security study

• Custodians of a prominent Hindu religious institution in Bangladesh announced the indefinite suspension of construction for the country's largest proposed Ram murti. • The project, detailed in a June 15, 2026, report by Hindu Voice, was intended to be a landmark monument but has instead become a center of national controversy.

• Afghanistan has launched strikes against targets located within Pakistan, significantly escalating cross-border tensions between the two nations. • The attacks represent a direct threat to the fragile ceasefire currently in place, marking a volatile shift in diplomatic relations.

• Tensions have escalated within the ruling INDIA bloc in Jharkhand following the Rajya Sabha election results. • RJD leader Lalu Prasad directly blamed Jharkhand Congress in-charge K Raju for the defeat of candidate Pranav Jha.

• The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) rescued 115 youth from rural Assam, including 39 minors, who were trafficked to Bihar under the false promise of employment. • The operation was triggered after a female victim contacted her sister and the Assam Centre for Rural Development (ACRD) NGO to report the racket.

• The European Parliament's committees are convening this week to address a diverse range of global and regional issues, including support for Ukraine and the International Criminal Court (ICC). • Key discussions will feature high-level participants such as Pascal Lamy and Sabine Weyand, focusing on economic security, Israel, Switzerland, and Africa.

• China has officially welcomed the signing of a phase-one Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran. • Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged all involved parties to honor their commitments to ensure the agreement's stability.

• Rival factions of the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray, celebrated the party's foundation day through separate events. • The split celebrations occur against a backdrop of political tension and speculation surrounding a rumored strategic move termed "Operation Tiger."

• Former Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman suggested a "collective movement" is underway within the UK's Labour Party to replace Prime Minister Keir Starmer. • Andy Burnham, the 56-year-old politician known as the "King of the North," decisively won the Makerfield seat in northwestern England, defeating Reform UK's Rob Kenyon.

• The White House has delayed the release of a U.S. government report detailing significant vulnerabilities in the nation's voting machines. • The report has been withheld for several months, coinciding with the approach of the November midterm elections.

• The White House delayed the release of a federal government report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) regarding voting machine security. • The report concludes that U.S. voting machines may have software vulnerabilities and require additional protections, such as updated software, to ensure security.

• A Uttar Pradesh minister has claimed that several MPs and MLAs from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress are in contact with the ruling party, suggesting potential defections. • The Samajwadi Party has denied these claims, asserting that their house is in order and all their lawmakers are fully accounted for.