The controversial Bihar Press Bill, which amends provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure to deal with “indecent or scurrilous” reports, was adopted in the Bihar Council amid uproar. The bill was passed by the Assembly on July 31 in the midst of loud protests from the Opposition. But the tactics of opposition members in the Council were different. They opposed it at every stage, raising procedural and constitutional objections. The opposition members described the Chief Minister as the “murderer” of democracy.
Israel In Beirut
Israeli forces continued to strengthen their position around west Beirut and banned civilians from using the museum crossing that links the eastern and western sectors of the capital. Two hundred Israeli tanks and troop carriers have been deployed in east Beirut and inside the port. The cease-fire continued to hold throughout the city despite a number of explosions reported in southern suburbs.
Indo-Pak Relations
India and Pakistan expressed a keen desire to live in an atmosphere of peace and friendship. The occasion was provided by a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan when Pakistan’s new ambassador, Riaz Piracha, presented his credentials to President Zail Singh.
Kenya Rebels
Rebel Air Force troops, defying a government ultimatum to surrender by noon, seized houses in a Nairobi slum area and told residents they were prepared to “fight to death”. Scattered firing was reported in the Kibera shantytown, located in Nairobi’s western suburbs, and other areas around the capital. But most sources said the force behind the aborted coup by the Air Force had been crushed.