TODAYS TOP NEWS
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1. Sadbhavana Diwas is observed today on 20 August to mark former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The meaning of the word “Sadbhavana” is translated as goodwill, harmony, and mutual understanding.
2. The Union Cabinet approved five projects, including four railway projects and one highway project. Briefing media after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the projects worth Rs 13,041 crore were approved today by the Union Cabinet under the leadership of PM Modi.
3. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the government’s foremost priority is to provide high-quality infrastructure while maintaining cost-effectiveness. He emphasized that there can be no compromise on the quality of infrastructure development.
4. Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) has started a new service of the Joint Parcel Product – Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). The service marks a key milestone towards strengthening rail-based parcel logistics and providing faster, reliable and scheduled transportation solutions for cargo transportation.
5. In Ladakh, Indian Army organised the ‘Adab Aur Saqafat – Literary Festival 2026’ in Kargil to celebrate the rich literary heritage, cultural traditions and artistic spirit of Ladakh under the theme “Celebrating the Culture of Ladakh Highland” at GDC Kargil.
6. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the Southern Zonal Council (SZC) meeting tomorrow in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. The council comprises the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
7. Union Minister of Education Pralhad Joshi met with senior officials of the Department of Higher Education to review the implementation of the initiative to provide free online coaching to youth preparing for competitive examinations.
8. The Ministry of Science and Technology informed about a new smart drug that can replace traditional chemotherapy. The drug named RK-251 is designed to target cancerous cells without damaging healthy cells.
9. West Bengal hosted its first Kaushal Mahotsav on 18 August 2026 at Balurghat Stadium in Dakshin Dinajpur district. It was the 11th Kaushal Mahotsav held in India and was organised by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the National Skill Development Corporation, and the Government of West Bengal.
10. The National Medical Commission (NMC) issued the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on 11 August 2026. The draft proposes a centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number for registered medical practitioners in India through the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB).
11. Maharashtra declared snakebite a notifiable disease on 18 August 2026 under the state public health framework. The order makes reporting mandatory for government hospitals, private hospitals, medical colleges, and healthcare practitioners for every suspected, probable, or confirmed case and death.
12. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall over Chhattisgarh, Eastern Madhya Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh.
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LEGAL REPORT
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1. The Department of Telecommunications has directed telecom operators to deny new mobile connections to subscribers who already have nine SIM cards registered in their name. From 23 August, a representative image of each subscriber who has reached the prescribed limit will also be made available on the DIP.
2. Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Fund Conflict of Interest policy was protected by stringent safeguards to ensure protection of Taxpayers’ Money as well as private capital.
3. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has foiled an attempt to illegally export around 56 kilograms of methamphetamine from India to Saudi Arabia and arrested two persons in connection with the case. According to DRI, during the operation the powder form of methamphetamine was recovered from an export consignment at Nava Sheva Port.
4. The Supreme Court stressed the need to institutionalise the NTA with secure infrastructure and robust systems to prevent future paper leaks.
5. In Jharkhand, the 26-day-long student agitation over irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations has been called off following the state government’s decision to cancel several recruitment exams and order investigations into the issue.
6. A court in West Bengal’s Nadia district has ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra for failing to appear before it in an alleged hate speech case. The Krishnanagar court also directed that a report on the execution of the warrant be submitted by the 28th of August.
7. Tamil Nadu announced 365 days of maternity leave for women state government employees for a third child. The policy applies to women government employees in the Tamil Nadu state service and gives the same leave period as the first two deliveries.
—— MISHAPS———-
1. In Maharashtra, two elderly women were killed and 31 passengers injured when a State Transport bus collided with a truck near Bodhe Phata on the Malegaon-Chalisgaon road in Nashik district.
2. Flood situation in northern Odisha remains a major concern, with the Subarnarekha River rising rapidly in Balasore and heading towards a major flood threat.
3. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda, who underwent angioplasty on Monday, has been discharged from AIIMS Delhi. Last week, Mr Nadda was admitted to AIIMS after experiencing uneasiness.
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DEFENCE News
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1. DRDO and the Indian Air Force will conduct carriage and release flight trials of the indigenous PGB-500 precision-guided bombs from the Su-30MKI fighter aircraft during September and October 2026, marking a significant step in expanding India’s precision strike capability.
2. The Defence Research and Development Organisation has set out demanding parameters for a high‑altitude heavy‑fuel vertical take‑off and landing logistics drone to support Indian Army posts along the Line of Actual Control and the Line of Control.
3. Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, inaugurated the Launch and Recovery System (LARS) Test Plinth at the Submarine Rescue Unit (East), Visakhapatnam.
4. Pakistan is expanding its defence engagement beyond its immediate neighbourhood through a new security agreement with Somalia.
FINANCE
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INDIAN RUPEE VALUE
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€ Euro : ₹109(Approx)
USD ₹ 96(Approx)
🇨🇦 Canada :CAD ₹68
🇦🇺 Australia : ₹ 67
🇦🇪 UAE Dirham : ₹ 26
🇨🇳 China Yuan ¥ : ₹ 14
🇲🇻 Maldives Rufiya : ₹ 6.17
🇧🇹 Bhutan ngultrum : ₹ 1.00
🇳🇵 Nepal Rupee : ₹ 0.63
🇧🇩 B’desh Taka* : ₹ 0.77
🇵🇰 Pak Rupee : ₹ 0.34
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Rupee : ₹ 0.30
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BSE SENSEX
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Rates in Financial Capital Mumbai
GOLD : ₹ 15,500/ 01gm (24 krt)
SILVER : ₹ 2,45,000/KG
1. Lakshmanan Meyyappan has been awarded the title of a Chartered Accountant, having received the Guinness World Record as the world’s youngest male Chartered Accountant at the age of 16 years and 141 days in Dubai.
Notably, his achievement is not limited to his age but also represents an impressive speed and breadth of his academic and professional path in finance.
2. India is getting ready to host Semicon India 2026, which will be the fifth installment of the largest event held in the country related to its semiconductor industry from September 17th to 19th at Yashoobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, New Delhi.
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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Superstar Rajinikanth completed 51 years in Indian cinema on August 15. The actor marked the milestone with the team of his upcoming film Dharman. He started in 1975.
20 Aug (Thursday)
Vedic Ritu/ Varsha
Drik Ritu : Varsha (Monsoon)
पक्ष :: Shuklapaksh
(In Purnimanta calendar)
Vikram Samvat – 2083
Month : Shravan 21,
(In Amanta calendar)
Shaka Samvat – 1948
Month : Shravan 08 Tithi : Ashtami
Nakshatra: Swati (up to 6:46 am)
Vishaka
Rahu : 12:30 PM – 02:05 PM
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