Trump attacks USAID, yet again claiming $18 million given to India to help with elections
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the Biden administration allocated $18 million in funding to India to help with its elections, arguing that the country doesn’t need this money. His remarks during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday (February 22, 2025) after he repeatedly attacked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for allocating $21 million in funding to India for “voter turnout”. In his speech, Mr. Trump also accused India of taking advantage of the U.S. Meanwhile, the latest annual report of the Finance Ministry has disclosed that the agency funded seven projects worth $750 million in 2023-24. The report said funds were committed for Sustainable Forests and Climate Adaptation Program and Energy Efficiency Technology Commercialization and Innovation Project.
On Women’s Day, women achievers to take over PM Modi’s social media accounts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday (February 23, 2025) that he will hand over his various social media accounts to women achievers in different fields to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8. In his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, he said these successful women in different fields will speak about their work and experience on his social media accounts. “Let’s us celebrate and respect the indomitable spirit of women,” he said, lauding the increasing participation of women in different sectors. With followers in tens of millions on X, YouTube and Instagram among other handles, PM Modi is one of the most followed global leaders on social media.
Telangana tunnel collapse: Silted muck making progress of rescue operation difficult
Silting of large quantity of muck, for over 3-meter height, on the tunnel bed beyond 13.5 km of its length from the mouth is making it difficult for the rescue personnel to move towards the spot, where the eight engineers, technical staff and workers of the SLBC tunnel work are trapped, along with the life support and rescue material. According to the engineers of the irrigation department, a team of the Army personnel who went beyond the mud-silted portion of the tunnel through the air pipe, which is used to pump fresh air from outside into the tunnel to maintain the oxygen levels, were understood to have found the tunnel boring machine (TBM) damaged badly with parts of it falling apart as debris. It is being assessed that the persons trapped inside could have fainted, not in sense, due to lack of food, water, heath and pressure, even if the air being pumped is reaching them.
Atishi chosen as Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly
Former Delhi chief minister and MLA from Kalkaji constituency Atishi was chosen as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly at a meeting of AAP MLAs in New Delhi on Sunday (February 23, 2025). AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal was also part of the meeting of the party’s 22 MLAs. In a press conference, AAP’s Delhi unit convenor Gopal Rai said by consensus all AAP MLAs have chosen Atishi as the leader of the House. MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha, proposed Ms. Atishi’s name as LoP and all MLAs supported the proposal, said Mr. Rai, who is also the MLA from Babarpur.
BJP MLAs meet ahead of Delhi Assembly’s first session
The BJP legislature party in a meeting on Sunday (February 23, 2025) discussed do’s and dont’s and agenda for the first session of the newly constituted eighth Delhi Assembly scheduled to commence on Monday (February 24, 2025). Leader of the House and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the members of her cabinet and party MLAs attended the meeting at Delhi BJP office. The party MLAs were given tips about the session as many of them are first time MLAs. The coordination with the government and the party organisation in coming days was also discussed in the meeting, the BJP legislators said. The party may form a coordination committee for the purpose in future, they said.
Unwarranted publicity of business notices tantamount to breach of privilege: J&K Speaker
Taking a serious note of the publicity of the House business notices ahead of the Budget Session, Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather has asked the members to desist from the “breach of privilege”. He said it is improper to give unwarranted publicity to the notices of questions, Bills, resolutions and other similar matters connected with business of the House. The Budget Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is scheduled to begin on March 3. “According to parliamentary practice, usage and established convention, and prevalent rules of this house, it is improper to give unwarranted publicity to the notices of questions, bills, resolutions and other similar matters connected with the business of the house,” the statement said, quoting the Speaker.
Shashi Tharoor stirs fresh controversy by underlining ‘absence of a leader in Kerala’s Congress’
Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Shashi Tharoor, MP, appeared to have ruffled his party’s feathers by purportedly underscoring the “absence of a leader in Kerala’s Congress” in a newspaper interview published from New Delhi on Sunday (February 23, 2025). Arguably, Mr. Tharoor also appeared to advocate for his candidacy as the party’s leader ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls, supposedly claiming in the interview that opinion polls from independent agencies indicated he was “ahead of others in leadership stakes in (the Congress) in Kerala.” Mr. Tharoor also seemed to fire a shot across the Congress leadership’s bows by “remarking” that he was “available for the party” but had other “options”, including speaking tours and books, if Congress did not require his services.
Pope Francis conscious, receiving supplemental oxygen, had a peaceful night following respiratory crisis
Pope Francis was conscious but still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen on Sunday (February 23, 2025) following a respiratory crisis and blood transfusions, as he remains in critical condition with a complex lung infection, the Vatican said. The brief statement early Sunday (February 23, 2025) didn’t mention if Francis was out of bed or eating breakfast, which it had on previous days. “The night passed quietly, the Pope rested,” it said. The Vatican later said Francis was conscious, continuing to receive supplemental oxygen and that further clinical tests were being conducted. A more detailed medical update was expected later Sunday (February 23, 2025). Earlier, doctors said the 88-year-old Pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, was in critical condition after suffering a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection.
Tens of thousands attend Beirut funeral of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah five months after his killing
Tens of thousands of people packed into a stadium in Beirut early Sunday (February 23, 2025) to attend the funeral of Hezbollah’s former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, nearly five months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Nasrallah died after Israel’s air force dropped more than 80 bombs on the militant group’s main operations room in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital. His death was a major blow for the Iran-backed group that the late leader transformed into a potent force in the West Asia. Sahar al-Attar, a mourner who traveled from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley for the funeral said she still “cannot believe what happened.” The late Hezbollah leader will be laid to rest in Beirut while Safieddine will be buried in his hometown in southern Lebanon. Both had temporarily been buried in secret locations. As the coffins were paraded before the huge crowd, men on a platform tossed flowers, while some threw clothing articles in the hope they come in contact with the coffin, believing it would bless them.
Israel ramps up West Bank offensive, says troops to remain in some areas ’for the coming year’
Israel said Sunday (February 23, 2025) it was scaling up a weekslong offensive in the occupied West Bank, sending in tanks to a militant stronghold and pledging to keep troops in place for the next year in areas where Palestinians have fled. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to prepare to remain in some of the West Bank’s refugee camps, from where he said some 40,000 Palestinians had fled, leaving the areas “emptied of residents.” He said in a statement he had ordered the military to “prepare for an extended stay in the camps that were cleared for the coming year and to not allow the return of residents or for terror to grow again.” The military said that it was expanding the raid in the West Bank to other areas and was sending tanks to Jenin, long a bastion of armed struggle against Israel.
Discontented Germany votes in an election with economy, migration and far-right strength in focus
German voters are choosing a new government in an election on Sunday (February 23, 2025) dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europe’s biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine and Europe’s alliance with the United States. The center-right opposition is favored to win, while polls point to the strongest result for a far-right party since World War II. Germany has been Ukraine’s biggest second-weapons supplier, after the U.S. It will be central to shaping the continent’s response to the challenges of the coming years, including the Trump administration’s confrontational foreign and trade policy. Center-right opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s Union bloc has consistently led polls, with 28-32% support in the most recent surveys, and Merz is favored to replace Scholz. Scholz’s Social Democrats have been polling between 14-16%, which would be their worst postwar result in a national parliamentary election.
Sudan’s RSF, allies sign charter for rival government: sources
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and its allies have agreed to set up a parallel government, sources said Sunday (February 23, 2025), despite warnings such a move could further fragment the war-ravaged country. “It’s done,” a source close to the organisers of the signing ceremony in Nairobi told AFP. The signatories said the charter paves the way for a “government of peace and unity” in rebel-controlled areas of the northeast African country. The move comes nearly two years into a devastating war with the regular army that has uprooted more than 12 million people and caused what the United Nations calls the world’s worst hunger and displacement crises. The signing, delayed multiple times, took place behind closed doors in the Kenyan capital. Among those who agreed to it was a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, which controls parts of the southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
Jasprit Bumrah receives his ICC awards for 2024 during India-Pakistan match in Champions Trophy
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah on Sunday (February 23, 2025) received his ICC honours, including the Men’s Cricketer of the Year and Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year awards, before the start of the Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan in Dubai. The 31-year-old was present in Dubai to collect the awards, which also includes a place in the Men’s Test and T20I Teams for 2024. The ICC posted photographs of Bumrah with each of his four awards — including two caps — and wrote on X, “Jasprit Bumrah receives his #ICCAwards and Team Of The Year caps for a stellar 2024.” Bumrah had an outstanding Test season last year, taking 71 wickets in 13 matches with the second-best effort coming from England’s Gus Atkinson who claimed 52 wickets in 11 matches.
Follow the IND vs PAK, Champions Trophy 2025 LIVE here
Published – February 23, 2025 07:25 pm IST