Morning Digest: Parliament session may end by mid-next week, Chennai begins IPL 2020 campaign with win over Mumbai, and more

A select list of stories to read before you start your day

Parliamentarians in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi on September 19, 2020.

National Education Policy 2020 | New curriculum, assessment system to roll out from academic year 2021-22

Students who are currently in Class 7 will be the first to write their school-leaving board examinations using a fully transformed examination pattern in 2025-26, according to the Centre’s proposed implementation timelines for the National Education Policy .

Indian Premier League 2020 | Chennai beats Mumbai by five wickets in IPL opener

Ambati Rayudu smashed a 48-ball 71 to guide Chennai Super Kings to a comprehensive five-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the 13th IPL in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Chasing 163 to win, Rayudu blasted six fours and three sixes in his blitering innings, while Faf du Plessis cracked 58 off 44 balls as CSK romped home with four balls to spare.

Opposition trains guns on PM CARES

The Lok Sabha cleared the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020, here on Saturday, despite strong criticism from the Opposition which said the Bill was aimed at giving an “all clear to the PM CARES Fund”.

Parliament’s monsoon session likely to be curtailed, may end by mid-next week

All political parties have unanimously agreed to cut short the monsoon session of Parliament that was scheduled to end on October 1, at an emergency business advisory committee meeting called by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, owing to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

IPL 2020 | Spin-heavy Delhi Capitals takes on heavy hitting Kings XI Punjab

Two greats, Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble, will match wits as Shreyas Iyer and K.L. Rahul marshal their resources on field in the clash between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab here on Sunday.

Dhoni more popular than Tendulkar: Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar on Saturday said Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s popularity in India has exceeded the level of fandom even the great Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli enjoy in the cricket-crazy nation.

Govt. introduces codes on occupational safety, social security and industrial relations in Lok Sabha

The government on Saturday introduced three Bills in the Lok Sabha to amalgamate laws on social security, occupational safety and industrial relations, which would, among other changes, allow companies with less than 300 workers to terminate employment without prior approval and provide gig and platform workers social security schemes.

Battle begins for Ruth Bader Ginsburg replacement

Within hours of  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death , Washington found itself preparing for an expected and fierce battle on Friday over the timing of a replacement justice for the court, weeks away from the presidential election.

External debt increases almost 3% to $559 billion at March-end

India’s total external debt increased by 2.8% to $558.5 billion at the end of March mainly on account of a rise in commercial borrowings, a Finance Ministry report showed. External debt was $543 billion a year earlier.

Army races to complete stocking in Ladakh ahead of winter

As  India and China  prepare for another round of Corps Commander talks for disengagement and de-escalation along the  disputed boundary in Ladakh , the Army is racing to complete advance winter stocking in forward locations and build habitat for the thousands of additional troops deployed in high altitude areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a defence source said.

TikTok says it already committed to government oversight of U.S. data security

Video-sharing app TikTok said on Saturday it has already committed to the U.S. government oversight of data security in the country, and that it was ”disappointed” by the Trump administration's decision to ban it from U.S. app stores from Sunday.