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Published : Aug 20, 2021, 8:49 AM IST

Updated : Aug 20, 2021, 1:41 PM IST

13:39 August 20

1. Personal liberty important aspect of constitutional mandate, arrest should not be routinely made: SC

Merely because an arrest can be made as it is lawful does not mandate that it must be made, the Supreme Court has said while observing that personal liberty is an important aspect of constitutional mandate.

2. Punjab CM meets Sidhu, sets up panel for coordination ahead of polls

Projecting a united face just months ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and once his bete noire Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday met at the former's residence near here in a cordial atmosphere and later shared their photos of 'close proximity'.

3. Kamala Harris' popularity dips over Afghanistan crisis

Americans have further soured on Vice President Kamala Harris as she continues her radio silence on the chaotic and tragic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, a new poll indicates.

4. Dehradun resident narrates Indian rescue operation in Afghanistan

As India engaged in evacuating its stranded nationals amidst the worsening situation after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Savita Shahi, who has been working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and US Army medical staff in Kabul for the last eight years, reached Dehradun safely two days ago.

5. Taliban takeover of Afghanistan to benefit Pakistan most: Owaisi

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would benefit Pakistan the most as the country's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) controls the terrorist outfit.

12:33 August 20

1. Johnson & Johnson seeks regulator nod for vax trials in 12-17 age group in India

The American-based pharma major Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has applied to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for permission to conduct a vaccine trial of the Covid-19 single shot Janssen vaccine in India on children of 12-17 age group.

2. China approves three-child policy with sops to encourage couples to have more children

China's national legislature on Friday formally endorsed the three-child policy mooted by the ruling Communist Party, in a major policy shift aimed to prevent a steep decline in birth rates in the world's most populous country.

3. Afghan women journalists say they are now being "barred" from working

Women journalists in Afghanistan have said that they are being barred from working by the Taliban who have overtaken control of the country and who had assured that women would be allowed to work corresponding with Sharia law.

4. Blinken, Jaishankar discuss Afghanistan, agree to continue coordination

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the chaotic situation in Afghanistan for a second time this week and agreed to continue their close coordination over the matter.

5. Tiger 3: Salman jets off to Russia with Katrina, irked by media frenzy at airport

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and gorgeous actor Katrina Kaif jetted off to Russia from Mumbai on August 20 to shoot the international leg of the spy thriller Tiger 3, which was put on hold due to the pandemic. The paparazzi at the Mumbai airport was more than excited to click Salman and Katrina.

11:22 August 20

1. Facebook removes ability to view list of friends for accounts from Afghanistan

Facebook has temporarily removed the ability to view the list of friends for accounts from Afghanistan in an attempt to protect Afghan users from possible reprisal from the Taliban, head of the Facebook security policy Nathaniel Gleicher said.

2. 12.2 million Afghans acutely food insecure: UN

The UN humanitarians have said that the relief crisis in Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly, with 12.2 million people acutely food insecure

3. President Kovind grants assent to OBC Bill

The President of India Ram Nath Kovind on August 18, 2021, granted assent to the Constitution (105th Amendment) Act, 2021, which empowers states to identify and specify the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC).

4. Afghan family settled in Dehradun urge global community to resolve crisis

The fast-changing socio- and political situation in Afghanistan have left the Afghan expatriates world over in a state of shock. In India, family members of Badshah Dost Mohammad Khan of Afghanistan who had settled in India since 1876 are deeply worried about their fellow countrymen after the Taliban took over.

5. Ranveer, Alia's Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani goes on floor, KJo shares video

Filmmaker Karan Johar on Friday announced the commencement of shooting of his new directorial, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. The film has a star-studded cast comprising Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, along with veterans Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi.

10:09 August 20

1. Panel gives clean chit to UP police in Vikas Dubey encounter; but seeks probe into 'erring' officials

A three-member judicial commission that looked into the alleged killing of gangster Vikas Dubey and five others last year in encounters with the Uttar Pradesh police has submitted its report in the state Assembly on Thursday, clearing the police action.

2. COVID-19: India logs 36,571 fresh cases, 540 deaths

A single day rise of 36,571 COVID-19 infections and 540 fatalities push India's tally of cases to 3,23,58,829, death toll to 4,33,589, says the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

3. Taliban ask imams to urge Afghans not to leave nation

The Taliban have asked the imams to urge the Afghans to not leave the country during Friday's sermon as the collapse of government and takeover by the terror group have forced people in Afghanistan to leave the nation, a media report said.

4. Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on his 77th birth anniversary

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday paid tribute to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 77th birth anniversary at Veer Bhumi in the national capital.

5. Bhuj actor Pranitha Subhash's post on Afghanistan goes viral

Multi-lingual actor Pranitha Subhash from Karnataka took a jibe at 'apologists' in the backdrop of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan and her post has gone viral on social media. Pranitha, the popular South Indian actor of Bhuj, has stated that "apologists in India are using 'Hindu terror' as a defence to whitewash what's happening in Afghanistan.

08:50 August 20

1. UNSC deplores terror attacks by 'evil' ISIL, regional affiliates

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday expressed their concerns over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)/Da’esh and other regional affiliates posing a threat to international peace and security.

2. Militant killed in encounter at Khrew Pampore of J&K's Pulwama

A militant was neutralized on Friday in an encounter at Khrew Pampore area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The gun battle between militants and government forces is still underway.

3. 6,000 people at Kabul airport processed for evacuation, will soon board planes: US State Dept

As many as 6,000 are at the Kabul airport right now who have been fully processed by the United States councillor team for evacuation and will soon board a flight, said a US State Department spokesperson.

4. CBI forms 4 teams to probe post-poll violence in Bengal

Hours after the Calcutta High Court handed over the investigation of serious crimes like rape and murder in the post-poll violence in West Bengal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central probe agency on Thursday formed four teams comprising six officers in each of them for the purpose.

5. Afghan president latest leader on the run to turn up in UAE

Afghanistan's president, driven out by the Taliban, is the latest leader on the run to turn up in the United Arab Emirates. Others who found refuge here include Spain's disgraced former king and two Thai prime ministers.

08:40 August 20

1. Israel launches missile strikes at Syria's Damascus, Homs

Israel launched missile strikes at some sites in the Syrian capital of Damascus and the central province of Homs on Thursday night, Syrian state TV reported. The Syrian air defenses responded to the attacks, intercepting most of the Israeli missiles, reported the TV, citing a military source.

2. Dowry harassment: FIR filed against BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, his son

An FIR has been filed against Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, his wife and their son, after their daughter-in-law alleged that she was being harassed and tortured for dowry. The Odisha MP's daughter-in-law had filed a complaint with the Bhopal Mahila police in this regard.

3. Afghanistan crisis: G7 says Taliban must hold their commitments to ensure civilians' safety

The G7 ministers on Thursday underlined the importance of the Taliban holding to their commitments to ensure the protection of civilians and expressed their concerns by reports of violent reprisals in parts of Afghanistan, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement on Thursday.

4. Punjab High Court orders release of former DGP Sumedh Saini

The Punjab and Haryana High court on Thursday night ordered the release of former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini forthwith, who was arrested on charges of cheating and forgery, among others.

5. Guterres says he is ready to speak to Taliban

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that he is ready to talk to the Taliban that has taken over Afghanistan amid fears of widespread human rights abuses. "I'm ready to speak myself when it is clear with whom should I speak, for what purpose," he said on Thursday at a briefing for reporters.