Good morning teachers and fellow students. Here is today's morning news roundup for August 20, covering major updates in national governance, educational reforms, and global developments.

Top National Headlines
 

1. ‘Will boost connectivity, tourism’: PM Modi hails Cabinet's decisions on Railway, Highway projects

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the Union Cabinet's approvals of four railway projects and a four-lane highway in Bihar and said these initiatives will improve connectivity, commerce and tourism.

 

2. Bangladeshis among 9 killed in Kolkata fire; Bengal orders safety audit of hotels, guest houses

Kolkata: Nine people, including a four-year-old child and two women, were killed and six others injured on Wednesday in a fire at a dingy five-storey building here that houses several hotels, prompting the West Bengal government to order a probe into the blaze, officials said.

 

3. Modi govt's Gen Z outreach: One minister to visit one university every day

New Delhi: In a major outreach to Gen Z, the Modi government is planning to send one Union minister to one university every day to engage with the youth, discuss their concerns and better understand their perspectives on issues facing the country.

 

4. Congress to take ‘paper-leak’, ‘chanda chori’ to grassroots; demands PM's apology on ‘shuddhikaran’

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday resolved to corner the government on the issues of paper leaks, the overall education system, as well as “chanda chori” at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya at the grassroots level.

 

5. Modi govt 'destroyed' future of students; time for Cong to prepare roadmap for youth: Kharge

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused the Modi government of “destroying” the future of students and asserted that the time has come for the Congress to formulate a comprehensive ‘Education-to-Employment Roadmap’ for the youth.

 

6. NCERT reconstitutes textbook development team for class 11, 12 political science; at least 4 members have RSS links

New Delhi: The NCERT has reconstituted the Textbook Development Team for class 11 and 12 political science with a mandate to integrate cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems and inclusion, with at least four of the members having direct or indirect links with the RSS.

 

7. US to re-evaluate travel advisories for JK, steps taken to make it safer: Envoy Sergio Gor

Srinagar: The United States will reconsider the advisories on travel to Jammu and Kashmir as the central government and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have taken steps to make it a safer place, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Wednesday.

 

8. ED raids SP leader Azam Khan's Trust and university in UP

Lucknow: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday raided premises linked to the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and University of jailed Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan as part of a money laundering investigation, officials said.

 

9. No death during NEET paper leak agitation but many killed in protests under Congress rule: Rijiju

New Delhi: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday asserted that no life was lost during students' protests over the NEET paper leaks, but many were killed in police firing during Congress governments.

 

10. J'khand job exam row: Protesters halt stir on 26th day, give govt 2 months to resolve issues

Ranchi: Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams on Wednesday suspended their 26-day agitation and gave a 2-month ultimatum to the state government to resolve issues.

 

11. With ballots, Israelis want to choose leaders who will rule Palestinians with bullets: Palestinian envoy

New Delhi: Ahead of Israel's parliamentary elections, Palestinian people are once again being made to "pay the price" for that country's domestic politics, Palestine's envoy to India Abdullah M Abu Shawesh said on Wednesday and alleged that with ballots, Israelis want to choose leaders to "rule us with bullets".

 

12. PM should show he actually cares: Dipke suggests using PM Cares Fund to improve schools

New Delhi: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Wednesday said the PM Cares Fund can be used to improve infrastructure in rural schools and build more than 1,000 new high-tech schools.

 

13. Delhi SIR schedule revised, final voter list to be out on November 4

New Delhi: The schedule of the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Delhi was revised on Wednesday by the Election Commission, fixing November 4 for the publication of the final voter list, with officials saying the extension was needed for the rationalisation of polling stations.

 

14. Bihar: Tejashwi detained amid RJD's march to Lok Bhavan over police action during NEET protests

Patna: RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday braved water cannons before being detained in Patna, where he was leading thousands of supporters during a march to the Lok Bhavan over the recent police action on students who demonstrated against the NEET paper leak.

 

15. Spurious liquor claims 4 lives in Gujarat's Bhavnagar; 18 hospitalised

Bhavnagar: Four persons have died and 18 others were hospitalised, eight of them in critical condition, after consuming spurious liquor in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district, officials said on Wednesday.

 

19. TN CM's windfall announcement for MLAs; govt vehicle, Rs 1 lakh allowance for 'honest work'

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday announced that MLAs in the state will get a government vehicle and a monthly allowance of Rs one lakh--all for transparent, good governance.


20. Action against drivers without Marathi knowledge from Aug 20: Maharashtra Minister

Mumbai: Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Wednesday announced that a drive will begin on Thursday to act against auto rickshaw and taxi drivers without a "working knowledge" of Marathi.

 

21. NEET: SC directs Centre to inform about steps taken to implement Radhakrishnan panel recommendations

New Delhi: Observing that there is a need to institutionalise the reforms in the National Testing Agency, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to inform it about the steps taken to implement recommendations of the Radhakrishnan panel and the Nandan Nilekani committee.

 

22. Delhi court sends Satyendar Jain, 4 others to judicial custody in corruption case

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday sent former minister Satyendar Jain, ex-Delhi Jal Board CEO Udit Prakash Rai and three others in the alleged corruption case involving the tendering process for sewage treatment plant projects of the DJB to 14-day judicial custody. 

 

23. No OMR tampering in NEET-UG retest: SG Tushar Mehta tells Delhi HC

New Delhi: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that there was no tampering with the OMR sheets of candidates of the NEET-UG re-test.


24. India beat Pakistan 5-3 in men's hockey World Cup

Amstelveen: Skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek scored a brace each to help India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 5-3 in their final Pool D match of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup here on Wednesday.

 

25. Sitharaman, Goyal in Singapore for talks to deepen trade, investment ties

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal are in Singapore for high-level talks aimed at deepening economic ties with the Southeast Asian financial hub.

 

Top international headlines
 

1. Indian diplomat meets Palestinian PM Mustafa, discusses bilateral partnership

Jerusalem: A senior Indian diplomat met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah on Wednesday and discussed ways to further strengthen the longstanding bilateral partnership and cooperation across key areas of mutual interest.

 

2. US green card seekers to face fresh hurdles from Sept 18

Washington: Immigrants seeking green cards or permanent residency in the US will face fresh hurdles as the Trump administration has expanded the definition of "public charge" to deny applications to those availing benefits such as Medicaid, food stamps or any subsistence aid from the government.

PTI