News Highlights: Former CM Atishi chosen as Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly

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11:39 PM

Nepal's FATF grey list inclusion sparks political row, Opposition seeks PM Oli's resignation

Nepal's inclusion in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list has sparked a political row, with the opposition CPN-Maoist Center demanding Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's resignation. This is the second time Nepal has been placed on the grey list, which includes countries with strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) regimes. Nepal was on the FATF grey list from 2008 to 2014.

11:07 PM

White paper should be published on use of foreign funds in Indian politics: CPI(M)

Alleging that foreign funds were being used in West Bengal since the 2011 Assembly elections, the state CPI(M) on Sunday demanded that the central and the state governments publish a white paper on the matter.

CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohammed Salim's accusations came amid a row over US President Donald Trump questioning the USAID's funding of USD 21 million for voter turnout in India.

10:46 PM

Twelve Indians arrive in Delhi days after deported to Panama by US

Twelve Indian nationals, who were deported to Panama by the US, returned to India from the Latin American nation on Sunday evening, officials said. The deportees arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, marking the first batch of Indians returning from Panama following their deportation by the US.

10:35 PM

Language row: Activists blacken Hindi in TN railway nameboards

Amid the language row in Tamil Nadu where the ruling DMK has been alleging Hindi imposition by the Centre, pro-Tamil activists blackened the Hindi words painted in the nameboard at two railways stations in the state on Sunday. In a viral video, the activists were seen painting black paint on "Pollachi Junction" written in Hindi, but officials later rectified it.

9:34 PM

Maha Kumbh: Railway Minister initiates trial for crowd control measures at New Delhi station

The Railways conducted a trial for crowd control measures on Saturday at New Delhi Railway Station by restricting movements of unreserved passengers to a single platform and scheduling all Maha Kumbh special trains from there as and when demand arose. According to the Railway Ministry, the whole exercise was carried out on the suggestions and under the constant monitoring of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw who was assisted by Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar and other senior officials. All of them kept a close watch on the trial from the War Room of the Rail Bhawan in New Delhi.

8:57 PM

Maha Kumbh: Over 350,000 people visit Digital Anubhuti Kendra

More than 3.5 lakh people have visited the Digital Anubhuti Kendra set up in Sector 4 here to get a digital experience of Maha Kumbh since its inauguration, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement on Sunday. The Digital Anubhuti Kendra introduced the devotees coming here to the ancient mythological stories and beliefs of Sanatan faith with the latest technology of AI, virtual reality and hologram, said the statement, adding this centre especially attracted young and foreign tourists.

8:43 PM

Oppn to raise deportation of illegal immigrants issue in 2-day Punjab Assembly session

The opposition parties will try to corner the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on a host of issues including law and order, rising state debt, deportation of many illegal Indian immigrants and farmers' plight in the two-day session of the Punjab Assembly commencing on Monday. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha session will start with obituary references on February 24. Subsequently, legislative business will be transacted during the session.

8:08 PM

Jharkhand Cong discusses strategies for upcoming Budget session of assembly

The Jharkhand Congress on Sunday discussed strategies for the budget session of the assembly, which commences on February 24. During a meeting here, state Congress in-charge K Raju asked the party MLAs to actively participate in the House proceedings. "All MLAs were asked to ensure 100-per cent attendance," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Radha Krishna Kishore told reporters after the meeting.

7:44 PM

BJP MLAs discuss party strategy ahead of J-K Assembly Budget Session

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday held a meeting with newly elected BJP legislators here to discuss the strategy for the Budget Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly which is scheduled to begin on March 3, party leaders said. The luncheon meeting, held at the Trikuta Nagar residence of the minister, was attended by Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Sat Sharma and leader of the opposition Sunil Sharma among others.

6:23 PM

PM Modi on two-day visit to Assam from Feb 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive here on a two-day visit to Assam on Monday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. During the visit, the PM will inaugurate the 'Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit' on Tuesday, Sarma said.

6:02 PM

Israel ramps up West Bank offensive, says troops will remain in some areas for year

Israel's defence minister said Sunday troops would remain for the coming year in parts of the occupied West Bank where they have launched a weekslong offensive and would prevent tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians from returning, as Israel deepens its crackdown on the Palestinian territory.

Israel launched a broad offensive on the northern West Bank on January 21 two days after the ceasefire that paused the war in Gaza took hold and then expanded it to include other nearby areas.

5:21 PM

Customs intercepts exotic wildlife at IGI Airport

The Customs department on Sunday seized a large number of exotic wildlife from three passengers who arrived at Delhi's IGI Airport from Bangkok, officials here said. The wildlife species seized included five corn snakes, eight milk snakes, nine ball pythons, four bearded dragons, four crested gecko lizards, 11 Cameroon dwarf gecko lizards and one gecko lizard.

4:54 PM

India to host two-day conference on women peacekeepers

India will host a two-day conference beginning Monday on women peacekeepers at UN missions to highlight their contributions.

The conference will bring together women peacekeepers from 35 Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) from the Global South.

4:39 PM

Samajwadi Party, Congress can never do good for country: Keshav Prasad Maurya

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday targeted the opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress, saying those who do politics of nepotism and appeasement can never do good for the state and the country.

"Those who only do politics of nepotism and appeasement can never do good for the state and the country," Maurya said in a post on 'X'.

4:11 PM

Telangana tunnel collapse: Rescuers reached tunnel boring machine spot, says official

As eight persons got trapped around 14 km inside the tunnel of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal project after part of its roof collapsed on Saturday, a rescue team made headway and reached the spot where a tunnel boring machine was working during the incident, Nagarkurnool District Collector B Santhosh said on Sunday.

However, silt poses a challenge to move further to reach the spot where the people are believed to have been trapped, he added.

3:35 PM

Madhya Pradesh: PM Modi prays at Bhageshwar Dham temple

Just before laying the foundation stone for Bageshwar Dham Medical and Science Research Institute in Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid obeisance at the Bhageshwar Dham temple. The PM is on a two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh to lay the foundation stone for the Bageshwar Dham Medical and Science Research Institute in Chhatarpur and also inaugurate the Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025 in Bhopal, representatives from over 60 countries and 300 major business leaders from India are expected to participate in.

3:16 PM

India's ONOS to democratise access to high-quality academic content: Cambridge University Press

India's One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS) initiative will democratise access to high-quality academic content, which only wealthier institutions could afford earlier, according to Mandy Hill, Managing Director of Academic Publishing, Cambridge University Press (CUP). In an interview with PTI, Hill, however, flagged that unlocking the potential of Indian academia is not just about access but about empowering researchers to make meaningful contributions to the global knowledge economy.

2:59 PM

Hit-and-run cases made up 38% of Mumbai's road crashes in 2023: Report

Hit-and-run incidents accounted for 38 per cent of all the fatal crashes on Mumbai roads in 2023, and majority of the victims, at 54 per cent, were pedestrians, as per a report published by the city traffic police. Occupants of the two and three-wheeler vehicles and pedestrians were majority of the victims in the road crash deaths here in 2023, an official on Sunday said quoting the data.

2:38 PM

3.7 magnitude earthquake strikes Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district

An earthquake of moderate intensity hit Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district at 8.42 am on Sunday. Tremors were felt in parts of the district, though no loss of life or property was reported, officials said. According to the MeT office, the earthquake was of 3.7 magnitude, and the epicentre was located at 31.48 degrees latitude and 76.95 degrees longitude in the Mandi region.

2:22 PM

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta meets Amit Shah a day ahead of Assembly session

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence, just a day before the Delhi Assembly convenes for the first time since the formation of the new government. The Assembly session of the national capital will commence tomorrow. On the first day (February 24), the swearing-in of all the MLAs and the election of the speaker will take place.

2:04 PM

Former CM Atishi chosen as Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly

In the legislative party meeting today, it has been unanimously decided that Atishi will be the leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly, says AAP leader Gopal Rai.

1:55 PM

PM Modi to lay foundation stone of Bageshwar Dham Medical Science Institute in MP today

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Bageshwar Dham Medical and Science Research Institute in Garha village, Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh at 2 PM today.  Ensuring better healthcare services for people from all walks of life, the Cancer hospital, worth over Rs 200 crore will offer free treatment to underprivileged cancer patients.

1:40 PM

UP Police conducts inspection on loudspeakers use in Sambhal

Assistant Superintendent of Police Shrish Chandra informed that the inspection regarding the use of loudspeakers was held on Sunday in the Sambhal City, Hayat Nagar, Nakhasa area. Chandra warned of appropriate legal action over the use of loudspeakers. Chandra said, "Loudspeakers have been removed. If loudspeakers are installed against the law or operated, then appropriate legal action will be taken. Today inspection in Sambhal city area Hayat Nagar Nakhasa were held.

1:30 PM

Rahul Gandhi asks Telangana govt to leave no stone unturned to save trapped workers

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy over the ongoing rescue operations at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel collapse site. The Congress leader appreciated the steps taken and the constant vigil and monitoring and asked the government to leave no stone unturned to try and save the trapped workers, an official release said.

1:03 PM

620 mn devotees visited Maha Kumbh, one of century's rarest events, says UP CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that 62 crore devotees have come to the Maha Kumbh so far and the gathering of such a large number of people during a certain period is in itself "one of the rarest events of the century". Welcoming all the guests at the Unicorn Companies Conclave in Agra, Chief Minister Yogi said, "I can call it the Unicorn Maha Kumbh of the startup world. There is an attraction towards the Maha Kumbh at this time."

12:46 PM

AAP's legislative party to meet today, discuss agenda for Delhi Assembly

The Aam Aadmi Party is scheduled to hold a meeting Sunday afternoon with their legislative party members, to finalise the name of who will be the Leader of Opposition, and to discuss the agenda they will raise in the first session of the Delhi Assembly. Party's national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also be present in the meeting. According to sources, the legislative party's meeting will be at its headquarters 1, Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla lane in the national capital and members will decide on their Leader of Opposition.

12:36 PM

India, UK to resume negotiations on proposed trade agreement from Feb 24

After a gap of over eight months, India and the UK will resume negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) here from February 24, an official said. UK's Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds will be here for resumption of the talks. He will hold a bilateral meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the official said. The India-UK FTA negotiations were launched on January 13, 2022.

11:48 AM

Will hand over social media accounts to inspiring women to mark Women's Day, says PM Modi

During 119th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a special initiative for Women's Day on March 8, he would hand over his social media accounts, including X and Instagram, to inspiring women across the country. They will share their work and experiences, offering a platform to showcase their contributions and inspire millions.

11:38 AM

Credit for conservation of tiger goes to Soliga Tribe in Karnataka, says PM Modi

In the 119th Episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "In Karnataka's BRT Tiger Reserve, the population of tigers is steadily increasing. Much of the credit goes to the Soliga Tribes, who worship tigers. Because of them, the man-animal conflict is almost non-existent in this region."

 

11:25 AM

PM Modi highlights successful launch of Isro’s 100th rocket during 119th Mann Ki Baat

PM Modi highlighted the successful launch of Isro’s 100th rocket, calling it a testament to India’s determination to push the boundaries of space science. The scope of Isro's successes has been quite large, with about 460 satellites launched in the last 10 years, including those from other countries.