TODAY NEWS ON February 04, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

National News

• PM Modi set to hold talks with U.S. President Trump in Washington on February 13
• Amid global tumult, Rupee breaches 87 against dollar
• Campaigning for Delhi polls concludes
• Supreme Court fixes February 12 hearing on pleas challenging CEC/EC appointments law
• Suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases rise to 163 in Maharashtra
• After stampede, ‘Amrit Snan’ on Basant Panchami continues without hitch at Maha Kumbh
• SC appoints amicus, issues notice in plea challenging Bihar PSC Chairman
• India, U.K. to resume talks on proposed trade agreement from Feb. 24

International News

• Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico after they pledge to boost border enforcement
• Donald Trump orders creation of U.S. sovereign wealth fund, says it could buy TikTok
• USAID staffers lockout of Washington headquarters after Musk said Trump agreed to close it
• United Airlines flight evacuated after engine sparks fire on wing during takeoff at Houston airport
• Grammys 2025 | Indian-American musician and entrepreneur Chandrika Tandon bags Best New Age album award
• At least 15 killed in car bomb explosion in northern Syria

Headlines

PM Modi set to hold talks with U.S. President Trump in Washington on February 13

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to pay a two-day visit to the U.S. from February 12 to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on a range of issues including trade and defence, people familiar with the matter said on Monday (February 3, 2025). As per the plan, Mr. Modi will travel to Washington D.C. after concluding his two-day visit to Paris, they said.

Amid global tumult, Rupee breaches 87 against dollar

The Indian Rupee slumped almost 0.6% or 49 paise to breach the 87 mark against the U.S. Dollar on Monday, amid a meltdown for most emerging market currencies and stock markets across Asia and Europe on the first day of trading after President Donald Trump imposed higher tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. The Rupee, which had crossed the 86 mark vis-à-vis the dollar on January 10, closed at 87.11 after slipping close to 87.3 during the day.

Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico after they pledge to boost border enforcement

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (February 3, 2025) agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. The pauses provide a cool-down period after a tumultuous few days that put North America on the cusp of a trade war that could have crushed economic growth, caused prices to soar and ended two of the United States’ most critical partnerships.

Campaigning for Delhi polls concludes

Campaigning for the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls ended at 6 p.m. on Monday (February 3, 2025). The triangular battle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP and the Congress saw multiple rallies and campaigns by senior leaders, trying to convince the voters on the multitude of welfare schemes announced in their manifestos.

Supreme Court fixes February 12 hearing on pleas challenging CEC/EC appointments law

The Supreme Court on Monday (February 3, 2025) agreed to hear on February 12 petitions challenging the legality of a new law dealing with the appointments of chief election commissioners (CEC) and election commissioners which gives the Central government a dominant role. The hearing comes close to the day of retirement of CEC Rajiv Kumar. The petitioners ideally want a decision on the law before the appointment of the next CEC.

Suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases rise to 163 in Maharashtra

The number of people suspected to have contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in Maharashtra rose to 163 on Monday (February 3 2025), from 158 the previous day. The number of suspected deaths by the syndrome remained at five. The number of confirmed cases of the rare auto-immune neurological disorder stood at 127 on Monday, with 28 of them on ventilator support, on Monday, according to data from the State Public Health Department.

Donald Trump orders creation of U.S. sovereign wealth fund, says it could buy TikTok

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday (February 3, 2025) ordering the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments to create a sovereign wealth fund and said it may purchase TikTok. “We’re going to stand this thing up within the next 12 months. We’re going to monetise the asset side of the U.S. balance sheet for the American people,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters. “There’ll be a combination of liquid assets, assets that we have in this country as we work to bring them out for the American people.”

After stampede, ‘Amrit Snan’ on Basant Panchami continues without hitch at Maha Kumbh

Millions of people from across the globe converged at the Sangam from break of dawn on Monday (February 3, 2025) for the third grand ‘Amrit Shan’ of the Maha Kumbh, the ritual holy dip on Basant Panchami starting smoothly and proceeding without a hitch. The bathing ritual assumed special significance as it came days after a stampede during the previous ‘Amrit Snan’ on Mauni Amavasya (January 29) killed at least 30 people and left 60 others injured.

SC appoints amicus, issues notice in plea challenging Bihar PSC Chairman

The Supreme Court on Monday (February 3, 2025) appointed an amicus curiae and issued formal notice to the State of Bihar challenging the appointment of State Public Service Commission Ravi Manubhai Parmar. A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Manoj Misra appointed advocate Vanshaja Shukla as the amicus curiae in the petition filed by advocate Brajesh Singh to declare the appointment as “illegal and void”.

USAID staffers lockout of Washington headquarters after Musk said Trump agreed to close it

Staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were instructed to stay out of the agency’s Washington headquarters on Monday (February 3, 2025), according to a notice distributed to them, after billionaire Elon Musk announced U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed with him to shut the agency.

India, U.K. to resume talks on proposed trade agreement from Feb. 24

India and the U.K. are expected to resume the talks for the proposed free trade agreement from February 24, an official said. The U.K. Trade Minister is likely to visit the national capital soon, the official said. The talks for the proposed FTA began in January 2022. The 14th round of talks stalled as the two nations stepped into their general election cycles.

United Airlines flight evacuated after engine sparks fire on wing during takeoff at Houston airport

Passengers were evacuated via slides and stairs from a jetliner at Houston’s main airport on Sunday (February 2, 2025) after an engine problem during takeoff caused smoke and fire on the right wing. United Airlines flight 1382 to New York City was halted while still on the runway shortly after 8:30 a.m. at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

Grammys 2025 | Indian-American musician and entrepreneur Chandrika Tandon bags Best New Age album award

Indian-American vocalist and entrepreneur Chandrika Tandon has won the Grammy award for the album Triveni in the Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album category. The 67th edition of the biggest musical awards night, organised by the Recording Academy, was held on Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

At least 15 killed in car bomb explosion in northern Syria

At least 15 people were killed and dozens wounded on Monday (February 3, 2025) when a car bomb exploded on the outskirts of a northern Syrian city, local civil defence and a war monitor reported. The car on the outskirts of the city of Manbij detonated next to a vehicle carrying agricultural workers, killing 14 women and one man, the local Syrian civil defense reported.