News Flash (18th September 2020): Top 10 Stories Of The Day

Delhi HC directs schools to provide free gadgets to students for online classes

The Delhi HC has directed private unaided schools and government schools in the state of Delhi to make gadgets and internet packages available to Economically Weaker Section (EWS)/ Disadvantaged Group (DG) students free of cost to ensure the smooth imparting of education. 

Application submission date for MU final exam extended till Sept 20

The Mumbai university has extended the application submission date to September 20, Uday Samant, Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister officially announced. “It’s going to be an online exam but those who don’t have the facility will be allowed to appear physically,” the minister told the media in a review meeting. 

Lok Sabha passes agriculture bill, farmers protest against it

Two bills were passed in the Lok Sabha, through voice vote — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. This bill however is being protested by farmers. Farmers in Punjab have are going to conduct a three-day protest against the bills by holding a ‘rail roko’ agitation across the state starting from September 24-26. The reason for the protest is that farmers believe that the bills will make the current MSP procurement system ineffective, and allow dominance of “big farmers” over them. 

In an attempt to boost trade & curb smuggling, Pak to set up markets along border

Pakistan is soon to set up 18 markets along its border with nations like Afghanistan and Iran with the motive to boost trade with them and also curb the menace of smuggling that has had a harmful effect on the nation;s economy. Following a meeting chaired by the PM, Imran Khan, Pakistan has decided to first begin with 3 markets– two in Balochistan and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A total of 18 markets are to be set up as per the government’s plan. 

Plea of 169 Indians against temporary ban on H-1B visas rejected by the US

An Indian-American federal judge has rejected an appeal by 169 Indian citizens challenging the US government’s decision to bar foreign nationals on H-1B visa from entering the country till end of 2020. The appeal was filed by Indian nationals who recently went back to India after living in the US on work visas and are now attempting to return.

Lakmé Fashion Week to be conducted digitally for the first time ever in October

Lakmé Fashion Week’s first-ever digital edition will be held from 21 to 25 October. The event will be conducted on a virtual platform, which has been specially created for the Lakmé Fashion  event. “With the first-ever digital edition, Lakmé Fashion Week will…put the spotlight back on the future of fashion,” Ashwath Swaminathan, Head of Innovations at Lakmé, said.

Paytm removed from Play Store over Policy Violations

The Paytm app has been pulled out from Google’s Play Store for consistent violation of its gambling policies, reported TechCrunch. The app is India’s largest digital wallet having 50 million monthly active users. It is the strongest competitor of Google Pay. After the app was taken out of the store, it took to Twitter and assured its users that their money was safe with the company. 

New text books introduced in Nepal with revised map incorporates Indian areas

The  new textbooks introduced in Nepal school include the country’s revised political map which show three strategically-important Indian areas as part of Nepal’s territory, amidst a border dispute with New Delhi. India has maintained that the political maps that are featuring Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas as Nepal’s, in actuality belongs to it..

UN requests the world’s billionaires to aid 3 cr people struggling with starvation

UN food chief David Beasley has called out to the world’s billionaires asking for help save around 3 crore people who are at a risk of [losing their lives at the hands of starvation. “We need $4.9 billion to feed, for one year,” the food chief said. Around 27 crore people are headed towards the brink of starvation, he further added.

After the resignation of Shinzo Abe, Japan gets Yoshihide Suga as its new Prime Minister

After the resignation of Shinzo Abe due to deteriorating health, Japan elected its new Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga. He has become the country’s first new premier in nearly eight years. The new PM belongs to the Liberal Democratic Party. He is soon to enter the office as the country’s new leader and form his cabinet.