FirstUp: From India’s RAPIDX to Rafah crossing, here’s what’ll make news today

TGIF! The end of another long week is here. But before we make weekend plans, let’s take a look at what’s happening in India and around the world.

Heartbreaking news continues to pour in from the Israel-Hamas war. So far, there is no end in sight. But Gaza is expected to start getting aid back again.

In India, there’s a lot to look forward to. The infrastructure boom continues and the country is getting its first RAPIDX train project. Political parties are getting into election mode. And the Cricket World Cup is living up to the hype.

What’s RAPIDX that PM Modi will inaugurate today?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Corridor today. He will flag off the RAPIDX train connecting Sahibabad and Duhai Depot and with that launch the RRTS in the country.

New trains will be known as “Namo Bharat”, reports PTI.

These air-conditioned trains operate at a speed of 160 kmph. They come with several commuter-friendly features like ergonomically designed seating, wide standing space, luggage racks, CCTV cameras, a laptop or mobile charging facility, dynamic route maps, and an auto-control ambient lighting system, among others.

Sena vs Sena: What’s the latest?

All eyes will be on Maharashtra speaker Rahul Narwekar. He will give his verdict on whether the 34 disqualification petitions against the 54 MLAs should be clubbed or not.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court gave the speaker a final chance to give a realistic timeframe to take a call on cross-petitions filed by the two rival factions of the Shiv Sena, seeking disqualification of each other’s legislators, after the party split.

What to expect from Priyanka Gandhi’s Rajasthan rally

Parties are gearing up for next month’s Assembly elections. Rajasthan goes to polls on 25 November. The Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is a poll plank for the Congress party in the state. Today, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will address a public rally in the Dausa district as part of the party’s awareness campaign on the project.

A Congress spokesperson said the party is running the campaign to protest against the Centre’s decision to not declare the ERCP as a national project.

Why is Punjab holding a special session?

The Punjab government has called a two-day session of the Vidhan Sabha on October 20 and 21 amid a renewed political controversy over a Supreme Court directive on the contentious Sutlej Yamuna Link canal . It’s an extension of the Budget session held in March and a two-day special session in June.

The session is being called after the Centre asked the state governments to approve changes to their respective Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws by October, to enable the setting up of an appellate tribunal with its principal bench in Delhi.

The move is expected to further escalate friction between the AAP government and the governor.

Will the Rafah crossing open today?

It’s Day 14 of the Israel-Hamas war. The crisis in Gaza continues as it is running out of water, food, and aid.

After Joe Biden visited Tel Aviv to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel said on Wednesday that it will allow Egypt to open the Rafah border crossing to deliver limited aid to the Gaza Strip.

The aid will start moving Friday at the earliest, White House officials said.

It’s Australia vs Pakistan

Australia’s World Cup campaign has been disappointing so far. They have lost against India and South Africa. Pakistan too is recovering from the crushing defeat against their arch-rivals India.

Now the Aussies meet Pakistan in Bengaluru. And both the teams need to find mojo. We will bring all the action and the analysis .

This day in history

The 1962 Indo-China war: On 20 October 1962, China’s People’s Liberation Army invaded Ladakh and crossed the McMohan Line in what was then the North-Eastern Frontier Agency. The Indian side did not expect a war to start and made little preparations.

However, Indian forces put up fierce resistance, killing 200 Chinese in the conflict that lasted a month. According to Ministry of Defence figures, 4,126 Indian soldiers died, were wounded and missing in action, and 3,968 were taken prisoner by the PLA.

The war ended on 21 November after China declared a ceasefire.

Happy 50th to the Sydney Opera House: Sydney Opera House celebrates its 50th birthday today. It was officially inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973 and drew an estimated 1 million people on the city’s streets.

The venue has hosted several historic opera performances, the Oprah Winfrey show, a nude art project and more.