Top stories on 26 February in a capsule
Sridevi's funeral ceremony gets delayed as legal procedures continue in Dubai
Ongoing medical and legal procedures in Dubai delayed actress Sridevi's final homecoming to India for yet another day on Monday. The actress who passed away on 24 February had collapsed in her hotel room in Dubai, where she had gone with husband Boney Kapoor and daughter Khushi for a family wedding. An autopsy report handed the report over to the family and the Indian consulate says the cause of death is "accidental drowning" and traces of alcohol were also found in her blood. UAE's leading daily, Gulf News said the actor fell into the bathtub of her room at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers, lost consciousness and drowned. Meanwhile, Boney Kapoor was called in by the Bur Dubai police station to record his statement over the episode, which is a traditional procedure for any medical case in Dubai. "The Police took his statement after which he was allowed to go back to his hotel room," reported Press Trust of India, quoting Gulf News.
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BJP suspends Bihar MLA who mowed down 9 children by car
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US Court rejects Trump’s decision for immediate deportation of young immigrants
The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the appeal of President Trump’s administration to end the Obama-era program, protesting over 700,000 young immigrants from deportation, also known as the ‘Dreamers Act.’ The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program was pulled down by Trump, on grounds of being ‘unconstitutional use of power’, by his predecessor Barack Obama. The two federal judges, who presided Monday’s hearing ordered the government to maintain ‘major pieces of the program.’ With this move, the immigrant population is secured from immediate deportation and the government is bound to continue to accept renewal applications for the same.
In another landmark move for the Saudi Arabian government, the country has now allowed women to join the military services, as part of the Vision 2030 social program. Making the announcement, the General Directorate of Public Security has welcomed applicants from all over the nation. Some of the requirements to join the defense forces are to be between 25-35 years old, hold a high school degree as minimum qualification and pass a mandatory medical check-up. As of now, the King Salman bin Abduaziz led government has allowed women to join air traffic control department in airports, to enter stadiums and watch men’s football and removed driving ban on women in Riyadh.
The Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) on Monday announced that poor performance in the pre-boards examinations is no ground to hold a student from appearing for his/her boards. The statement comes in the wake of CBSE receiving many complaints of admit cards of students being withheld and extra fee being charged for the same. “In no case, the heads of affiliated schools shall detain eligible candidates from appearing at the examination. The practice has been viewed very seriously by the board and is violative of the bye-laws,” Controller of examination KK Chaudhary said. The CBSE exams are all set to start from March 5.
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Saudi Arabia allows women to join military
In another landmark move for the Saudi Arabian government, the country has now allowed women to join the military services, as part of the Vision 2030 social program. Making the announcement, the General Directorate of Public Security has welcomed applicants from all over the nation. Some of the requirements to join the defense forces are to be between 25-35 years old, hold a high school degree as minimum qualification and pass a mandatory medical check-up. As of now, the King Salman bin Abduaziz led government has allowed women to join air traffic control department in airports, to enter stadiums and watch men’s football and removed driving ban on women in Riyadh.
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Pre-board result no ground to stop students from giving exams: CBSE
The Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) on Monday announced that poor performance in the pre-boards examinations is no ground to hold a student from appearing for his/her boards. The statement comes in the wake of CBSE receiving many complaints of admit cards of students being withheld and extra fee being charged for the same. “In no case, the heads of affiliated schools shall detain eligible candidates from appearing at the examination. The practice has been viewed very seriously by the board and is violative of the bye-laws,” Controller of examination KK Chaudhary said. The CBSE exams are all set to start from March 5.
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New bill proposes to seize assets of defaulters fleeing country
In a bid to strengthen laws on loan defaulters, the center will introduce the ‘Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill’ in the second part of Budget Session commencing on March 6. The Bill will enable the government to impound and sell assets of absconding corporate defaulters, a move that will allow quicker recovery of dues through a special court. Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill in the second part of Budget Session commencing on March 6. The Bill will enable the government to impound and sell assets of absconding corporate defaulters. Once voted into law the new legislation will empower investigating agencies to confiscate, and vest with themselves, any property of the absconding offenders if the loan amount exceeds 100 crores.
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Punjab CM’s son-in-law named in fraud case, BJP questions Congress silence
The BJP on Monday questioned Congress silence over the Rs 109 crore fraud case, which involves the Punjab CM Captain Amrinder Gill’s son-in-law Gurmit Singh Mann. Mann, who is the Chairman and Managing Director of Sambhaoli Sugars Ltd has been accused of allegedly defaulting loans from Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) since 2015. Questioning Congress on the same, BJP chief Amit Shah today said it is shameful that the Congress is looting the money meant for hard-working farmers. "Punjab CM’s son-in-law pockets money meant for India’s hardworking farmers. What can be more shameful than this! #CongressLootsFarmers," he tweeted.
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South Africa pacer Morne Morkel to retire from international cricket
South Africa pacer Morne Morkel on Monday announced that he will retire from international cricket at the end of his team’s upcoming Test series against Australia. The player said, “I have a young family and a foreign wife, and the current demanding international schedule has put a lot of strain us. I have to put them first and this decision will only benefit us going forward”. Morkel is expected to continue being available for domestic and franchise cricket. He has recorded 188 wickets in 117 one-day internationals, and 47 in 44 Twenty20 Internationals, making a combined tally of 529 wickets in international cricket.
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Iraq rules death by hanging for 16 women for getting married to ISIS members
The Iraqi Central Criminal Court has sentenced 16 women to death by hanging for getting married to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorists and joining the group in Syria. The women, in their confession, have accepted that they joined the ISIS and ‘provided logistics aid to the group,” Judge Abdul Sattar al-Beeraqdar, who announced the judgment said. Iraq has been on an alert ever since the country came under attack from the militant group in 2016 to 2017. In December 2017, Iraqi forces had declared that ISIS has been wiped out from the country. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), all Iraqis who were affiliated with the ISIS have either been awarded life imprisonment or death sentences.
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