Top news of the day: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeals for aid trucks to be allowed into Gaza; Delhi government calls for firecracker ban in entire NCR, and more

Top news updates from The Hindu on October 20, 2023

Israel-Hamas war | U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeals for aid trucks to be allowed into Gaza

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid a visit to the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on October 20 to oversee preparations for the delivery of aid to the war-torn enclave. Cargo planes and trucks have been bringing aid to the crossing for days but so far none has been delivered to Gaza, which Israel has besieged and bombed for 13 days in response to a deadly cross-border attack by Hamas militants on October 7. Israeli authorities announced plans to evacuate the northern city of Kiryat Shmona on the day, after days of clashes with Hezbollah fighters along the border with Lebanon. “A short while ago, the Northern Command informed the mayor of the city of the decision. The plan will be managed by the local authority, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Defence,” the Israeli military said in a statement. Meanwhile, China has sent an envoy to the region to push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the latest sign of its ambition to play a larger role in the region.

Delhi government calls for firecracker ban in entire NCR in meeting of states with Centre

In a joint meeting of states with the Centre on October 20, the Delhi government urged the Union Environment Ministry to impose a complete ban on firecracker burning and the movement of diesel buses across the National Capital Region. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai told reporters that Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav held a meeting with Environment Ministers of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. During this meeting, Delhi suggested several measures to curb pollution in the entire NCR region, he said.

PM flags off first train of Delhi-Meerut RRTS service

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 20 inaugurated the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) called Namo Bharat in Ghaziabad. The 17 km priority section on the Delhi-Meerut line from Sahibabad to Duhai will be open to passengers from October 21. The entire Delhi-Meerut corridor is scheduled to be completed by 2025.

BSF lodges protests with Pakistan Rangers over unprovoked cross-border firing along IB in Jammu