TODAY News on February 20, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

Rekha Gupta, first-time MLA, named as Delhi Chief Minister

Rekha Gupta, the debutante MLA from Shalimar Bagh, has been chosen to be Delhi’s next Chief Minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party said after a Delhi legislative party meeting at its national headquarters on Wednesday evening. Ms. Gupta, 50, will be the fourth woman to head the government in the State.

Delhi CM pick Rekha Gupta is a grassroots leader with RSS–ABVP background

With a 30-year career in politics, Shalimar Bagh’s Rekha Gupta is set to take over as the next Chief Minister of Delhi on February 20. A grassroots leader with an RSS–ABVP background, she began her political journey while she was a B.Com student at Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College. She joined the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in 1992.

Maha Kumbh 2025: NGT pulls up U.P. Pollution Control Board for inadequate info on high faecal coliform bacteria levels

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) for not submitting adequate information to the court, including onfaecal coliform levels in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers at Prayagraj during the ongoing Maha Kumbh.

Four women Maoists killed in encounter with police in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat

At least four women Maoist operatives were gunned down by Madhya Pradesh Police during an encounter in Balaghat district on Wednesday (February 19, 2025), officials said, adding that a search operation is going on to find the outlawed organisation’s fighters who were injured.

Zelenskyy ‘a dictator without elections’, says Trump as Ukraine President accuses him of living in ‘Russian-made disinformation space’

Relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump deteriorated rapidly on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) as Mr. Zelenskyy said Mr. Trump was living in a Russian-made “disinformation space” and Trump called Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” in comments that were sure to complicate efforts to end the war.

Gunmen identify, kill seven Punjabi travellers in Pakistan: govt official

Gunmen in volatile southwest Pakistan shot seven bus passengers dead after identifying them as being from another region, officials said Wednesday (February 18, 2025) .Security forces have been battling sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence for decades in impoverished but mineral-rich Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

Russia praises Trump for saying NATO was a major cause of war in Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lauded U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) for saying that previous U.S. support of Ukraine’s bid to join the NATO military alliance was a major cause of the war in Ukraine.

U.S. SEC asks India’s Law Ministry to serve its complaint to Adanis

Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to hit the pause button on the U.S. anti-bribery law — a move viewed as a big relief for Indian billionaire and top industrialist Gautam Adani — the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has now written to Indian authorities to serve a complaint on the Adani Group founder and his nephew Sagar Adani for their alleged involvement in securities fraud and a $265 million bribery scheme, according to a court filing.

Apple iPhone 16e launched with A18 processor, 48 MP camera and Apple Intelligence

Ending speculation about its new launch, Apple on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) launched the new iPhone 16e instead of the iPhone SE 4 featuring the new A18 processor, Apple Intelligence and iOS 18 out-of-the-box. With the new iPhone 16e, the U.S. based company introduced a new identity of ‘e’ phones in its cavalry.

Vulgarity on social media: Centre issues advisory to OTT platforms, self-regulation bodies

Amid a row over vulgar jokes on social media, the Centre has cracked the whip and warned OTT platforms against transmitting content that is prohibited by the law.

In an advisory to over-the-top (OTT) platforms and self-regulatory bodies, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also asked them to strictly adhere to the Code of Ethics prescribed under the IT Rules-2021 while publishing content, including stricter adherence to the age-based classification of content.

Supreme Court stays Lokpal’s order that it has jurisdiction over High Court Judges

The Supreme Court on Thursday (February 20, 2025) stayed an order by top anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal that it has jurisdiction over High Court Judges.

A Special Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, Surya Kant and A.S. Oka issued notice to the Union Government and sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and P.B. Suresh. Justice Gavai said the Lokpal order delivered by a Bench headed by former Supreme Court Judge, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, was “disturbing” and concerned the independence of the judiciary.

Indian deportees from U.S. arrive in Panama

Panama has informed India about the safe arrival of a group of Indians deported from the U.S. and the Indian mission in the country is working closely with the host government to ensure their wellbeing after obtaining consular access to them.

The Embassy of India in Panama, Costa Rica & Nicaragua took to ‘X’ on Thursday (February 20, 2025) to share the information but did not provide data on the number of Indians arriving in Panama.

Tension prevails at Samsung factory as workers’ protest intensifies

Tension prevailed at Samsung India’s factory in Sriperumbudur in Kancheepuram district on Thursday (February 20, 2025) as members of Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU), backed by Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), intensified their protest, which entered the 16th day, over the suspension of three union members.

Pope Francis, in hospital for pneumonia, alert and eating, Vatican says

Pope Francis, spending his seventh day in hospital as he battles pneumonia, is alert and got out of bed to eat breakfast on Thursday (February 20, 2025) morning, the Vatican said. The 88-year-old pontiff is undergoing treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was admitted on February 14 after struggling with breathing difficulties for several days.