TODAY NEWS ON March 21, 2025

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Source: THE HINDU

No notice to X on Grok AI responses, govt official says; informal discussions under way

As the AI chatbot Grok romps through X, formerly Twitter — responding freely to hotly political questions and responding to expletive-laden provocations in kind — the Union government has taken notice, and has started what one official described as “informal discussions” with the social media platform on the matter. No notice has been sent to X, the official said, requesting anonymity to freely discuss the matter.

Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives. Mr. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. Republicans said they will introduce a bill to achieve that.

Farm leaders go on fast in custody; Samyukt Kisan Morcha groups say AAP, BJP stand for corporate interests

After all 28 leaders of the protesting farmers who attended a discussion with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on various issues, including the demand for statutory Minimum Support Price (MSP), were arrested on Wednesday (March 19, 2025), the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha-Non Political (SKM-NP) blamed both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government of working together to protect the interests of corporate houses.

Supreme Court action sought against Allahabad High Court judge who sparked public outrage in ‘attempt to rape’ case

An Allahabad High Court judge’s recent observation that a man allegedly grabbing an 11-year-old girl’s breasts, breaking her pyjama strings, and dragging her under a culvert is not enough to charge him with ‘attempt to rape’ has sparked widespread outrage and calls for the Supreme Court’s intervention. People from all sections of society and across the political spectrum have slammed the ruling by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra.

Government cannot deport Indian scholar until court rules, U.S. judge orders

A federal judge has ordered immigration officials not to deport a Georgetown scholar that the government detained until the court has had a chance to rule. U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, ordered that Badar Khan Suri “shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court issues a contrary order.”

CBI registers three cases to probe Sports City projects ‘scam’ in Noida

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered three cases following the Allahabad High Court directives to probe an alleged conspiracy between unknown Noida Authority officials and the builders involved in the allotment, development, and sanction of Sports City projects during 2011-14. The suspected loss to the State exchequer is almost ₹9,000 crore.

Israeli strikes across Gaza hit multiple homes, killing at least 85 Palestinians

Israeli strikes killed at least 85 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday (March 20, 2025), according to local health officials. Hours later, Hamas fired three rockets at Israel without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel ended their ceasefire with a surprise bombardment of Gaza on Tuesday.

Zelenskyy tells EU to keep pressure on Russia ahead of new talks

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders on Thursday to step up weapon supplies to Ukraine and keep pressuring Russia, as officials from Kyiv and Moscow readied to hold fresh talks with the United States next week. Europe is scrambling to weigh on the outcome as U.S. President Donald Trump forges ahead with Russia on ending its war on Ukraine, and top military brass gathered in London on Thursday to thrash out how to police any peace deal.

Defence Chiefs Meet in London to Discuss Post-Ceasefire Peacekeeping in Ukraine

Defence Chiefs of some thirty Western countries gathered in London on Thursday for a “planning” meeting to discuss peacekeeping in Ukraine in a post-ceasefire scenario with Russia. This was “a chance for the thirty nations that represent the ‘coalition of the willing’ to come here to start the military planning as to what that force might look like”, Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said in a broadcast interview to the BBC.

Kirsty Coventry to lead International Olympic Committee

Kirsty Coventry was elected President of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday (March 21, 2025) and became the first woman and first African to get perhaps the biggest job in world sports.“It is a signal that we are truly global,” the Zimbabwe sports minister and two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist said.

Twenty two Maoists killed in twin Bastar encounters

At least 22 Maoists and a security personnel were killed in two separate anti-Maoist operations in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Thursday (March 20, 2025).

Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv in response to Israeli attacks in Gaza

Hamas said it fired rockets at Israeli commercial hub Tel Aviv on Thursday (March 20, 2025) in its first military response to the growing civilian death toll from Israel’s resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza. Israel said it had closed off the territory’s main north-south route as troops expanded the ground operations they resumed on Wednesday (March 19, 2025).

Chiranjeevi honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award in UK Parliament: ‘Heart filled with gratitude’

Indian cinema luminary Chiranjeevi was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Public Service through Cultural Leadership from Bridge India at the British Parliament on Friday (March 20). The event took place at the House of Commons in London, UK where Chiranjeevi was felicitated for his contributions to cinema and society.

MVA leaders meet Governor; complain about ‘bias’ of Assembly speaker, council chairman

Leaders of the Opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra on Thursday (March 20, 2025) met Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan here and submitted a memorandum accusing the presiding officers of both houses of the State legislature of “bias”.

50 journalists died due to Covid in Odisha: CM

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday (March 20, 2025) informed the House that 50 journalists died due to COVID-19 in the State. Replying to a question by BJD legislator Souvic Biswal, Mr. Majhi said ex gratia of ₹15 lakh each was given to the next of kin of 49 journalists.