Ashwini Vaishnaw Questions Rahul Gandhi's Stance On 3-Language Policy In Tamil Nadu

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday questioned Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi over his stance on the Tamil Nadu government's resistance towards the three-language policy in the state.

Mr Vaishnaw in a post on X, responded to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's post wherein he said that the push for a "monolithic Hindi identity" is what 'killed' the "ancient mother tongues."

"Poor governance will never be hidden by such shallow attempts to divide society. It will be interesting to know what the Leader of the Opposition,@RahulGandhiJi, has to say on this subject. Does he, as MP of a Hindi-speaking seat, agree?" posted Mr Vaishnaw on X.

Poor governance will never be hidden by such shallow attempts to divide society.

It will be interesting to know what the Leader of the Opposition, @RahulGandhi Ji, has to say on this subject. Does he, as MP of a Hindi-speaking seat, agree? https://t.co/Oj2tQseTno

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) February 27, 2025

This comes after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's post on X on the three-language policy.

"My dear sisters and brothers from other states, Ever wondered how many Indian languages Hindi has swallowed? Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Mundari and many more are now gasping for survival," MK Stalin's post read.

"The push for a monolithic Hindi identity is what kills ancient mother tongues. UP and Bihar were never just 'Hindi heartlands.' Their real languages are now relics of the past. Tamil Nadu resists because we know where this ends," read the post from Stalin.

Tamil organisations and state parties have accused the central government of trying to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, though the Union government has maintained that it respects the Tamil language and is not forcing any other language on the state.

Earlier on February 26, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu, accusing its leaders of corruption and misgovernance.

Speaking at the inauguration of BJP district offices in Coimbatore, Tiruvannamalai, and Ramanathapuram, Shah said, "In cases of corruption, all the leaders of the DMK hold a master's degree. One of their leaders is embroiled in a cash-for-jobs case, another is involved in money laundering and illegal sand mining, and a third is facing charges related to disproportionate assets."

Rejecting CM MK Stalin's allegations that Tamil Nadu was denied central funds, Shah said, "There is no truth in MK Stalin's statement. The Modi government has given Rs 5 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu in the last five years."

Mocking the DMK, Shah said that those involved in corruption should join the membership drive of MK Stalin's party.

The DMK has been vocal about protecting the Tamil language and resisting any efforts to make Hindi 'more dominant', arguing that it would undermine Tamil culture and identity.

The DMK has raised significant concerns over its implications on education in Tamil Nadu, accusing the central government of using the policy to "impose religious ideas on the education system."

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Iran's Near-Bomb-Grade Uranium Stock Jumps: UN Nuclear Watchdog IAEA Report

Iran's stock of uranium close to weapons-grade has jumped since it announced a dramatic acceleration in enrichment in December and there has been no progress on resolving outstanding issues, two reports by the UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday.

The stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% fissile purity, close to the roughly 90% of bomb-grade, has been a long-standing concern for Western powers, which say there is no civil justification for enriching uranium to such a high level. Iran says it seeks only peaceful nuclear energy.

While US President Donald Trump's administration has said it plans to pressure Iran over its nuclear programme, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities.

"The significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a passage that, unusually, was included in both its quarterly reports on Iran.

Those confidential reports, sent to member states on Wednesday and both seen by Reuters, showed that while the stock of 60% material grew by half, there was no real progress on resolving long-running outstanding issues including the unexplained presence of uranium traces at undeclared sites.

The stock of uranium refined to up to 60% in the form of uranium hexafluoride grew by 92.5 kg in the past quarter to 274.8 kg, one of two confidential IAEA reports said.

That is enough in principle, if enriched further, for six nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA yardstick. There is enough for more weapons at lower enrichment levels.

Where before its latest acceleration Iran was producing between 6 and 9 kilograms (13 and 20 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60% per month, now that figure is between 35 and 40 kg, a senior diplomat said. This is just short of the 42 kg that is enough in principle for one bomb, if refined further.

One of the reports spelled out the lack of progress on the outstanding issues such as explaining the uranium traces, which the IAEA has been asking the Islamic Republic to do for years.

"Iran states that it has declared all of the nuclear material, activities and locations required under its Safeguards Agreement. This is inconsistent with the Agency's assessments," it said.

"The Agency is, therefore, at an impasse with regard to resolving these outstanding safeguards issues."

During his first, 2017-21 term as president, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. After Trump pulled out in 2018, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

With the deal now largely in tatters, European powers are seeking to either have the US help agree new limits on Iran's nuclear programme or use a mechanism in the deal to re-impose all sanctions before the deal expires in October.

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Check Schedule For CA Mock Test Paper Series For May 2025 Exam

For students appearing in CA Foundation Course for May 2025 and September 2025 examinations, the Board of Studies is commencing Mock Test Papers Series – I from April 22, 2025 and Series II from May 5, 2025.
The schedule for the same is as follows:

Series 1
April 22, 2025- Paper 1:  Accounting
April 23, 2025- Paper 2: Business Law
April 24, 2025- Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude
April 25, 2025- Paper-5: Business Economics

Series 2
May 5, 2025- Paper-1: Accounting
May 6, 2025- Paper 2: Business Law 
May 7, 2025- Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude
May 8, 2025- Paper-4: Business Economics
 

Intermediate classes
Intermediate classes will be held in virtual sessions as per the following schedule: 
Series I from March 20, 2025 and Series II from April 8, 2025
March 20, 2025, Thursday (11am) -- Paper 1 Advanced Accounting
March 21, 2025, Friday (11 am) -- Paper 3 -Taxation (Section A : Income Tax Laws)
March 22, 2025, Saturday (11 am) -- Paper 4 - Cost & Management Accounting
March 24, 2025, Monday (11 am) -- Paper 6 - (Section A - Financial Management)

March 20, 2025, Thursday (2 pm) -- Paper 2 - Corporate and Other Laws
March 21, 2025, Friday (2 pm) --  Paper 3 - Taxation (Section B :Goods & Services Tax)
March 22, 2025, Saturday (2 pm) -- Paper 5 - Auditing and Ethics
March 24, 2025, Monday (2 pm) -- Paper 6 - (Section B - Strategic Management)

Series 2
April 08, 2025, Tuesday (11 am)--Paper 1 - Advanced Accounting 
April 09, 2025, Wednesday (11 am)--Paper 3 - Taxation (Section A : Income Tax Laws)
April 11, 2025, Friday (11 am)-- Paper 4 - Cost & Management Accounting
April 14, 2025, Monday (11 am)-- Paper 6 - (Section A - Financial Management)

April 08, 2025, Tuesday (2 pm)-- Paper 2 - Corporate and Other Laws
April 09, 2025, Wednesday (2 pm)-- Paper 3 - Taxation (Section B : Goods & Services Tax)
April 11, 2025, Friday (2 pm)-- Paper 5 - Auditing and Ethics
April 14, 2025, Monday (2 pm)-- Paper 6 - (Section B - Strategic Management)

CA Final 
March 24, 2025 (11 am) -- Paper-1: Financial Reporting
March 25,2025 (11 am)-- Paper-3: Advanced Auditing, Assurance and Professional Ethics
March 26, 2025 (11 am)-- Paper-5: Indirect Tax Laws 
March 24, 2025 (2 pm) -- Paper-2: Advanced Financial Management
March 25,2025 (2 pm)--  Paper-4: Direct tax Laws & International Taxation
March 26, 2025 (2 pm)-- Paper-6: Integrated Business Solutions (Multidisciplinary Case Study  with Strategic Management)

April 16,2025 (11 am) Paper-1: Financial Reporting
April 17,2025 (11 am) Paper-3: Advanced Auditing, Assurance and Professional Ethics
April 18,2025 (11 am) Paper-5: Indirect Tax Laws 
April 16,2025 (2 pm) Paper-2: Advanced Financial Management
April 17,2025 (2 pm) Paper-3: Paper-4: Direct tax Laws & International Taxation
April 18,2025 (2 pm) Paper-6: Integrated Business Solutions (Multidisciplinary Case Study with Strategic Management)
 

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For Children Of Jammu And Kashmir, Amit Shah's Message Of Peace

"Naya Kashmir" is evolving rapidly and is moving towards peace and development, and with the help of young people, the government aspires to make it a place where no one dies due to terrorism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said today. Kashmir, once was badly affected by bomb blasts and terrorism, has undergone a remarkable transformation in the last decade, he added.

"Over the last 10 years, not only the level of violence but also the number of civilian killings have dropped by 80 per cent," the minister said while addressing 250 children from Jammu and Kashmir who were visiting Delhi as part of the programme "Apne watan ko jano (Know your motherland)".

"Incidents of stone throwing, bomb blasts and terrorism have been eliminated, allowing schools to function smoothly. Infrastructure development, including roads, hospitals, and universities, has progressed rapidly. Moreover, 36,000 elected public representatives now have their rightful authority at the Panchayat and Municipality levels, strengthening grassroots democracy in the region," he told the gathering.

When terrorism comes to an end, there will be no need for the deployment of police or security forces, the minister said. 

"That day is not far when there will be no weapons in anyone's hands, and there will be no need for police or army with weapons... When there is peace, no police will be required," Mr Shah added.

He tasked the children with going back to their villages and talking to their families and friends about peace, harmony, and development. "When you go home, tell your friends, neighbours that the entire country is living in peace and the people of Jammu and Kashmir should also live in peace," Mr Shah said.

Data from the ministry shows that over the last three decades, 38,000 people have been killed in Kashmir due to violence.

His audience included 250 children from weaker sections of Jammu and Kashmir -- 62 girls and 188 boys in the age group of 9-18 years. The group had earlier visited Jaipur, Ajmer and Delhi under "Watan Ko Jano" programme organized by Social Welfare Department of the J&K government in coordination with Union Home Ministry.

So far, 2,868 young people have participated in "Watan Ko Jano" programme. Ministry officials say the participants are mainly picked from the orphanages located in the districts.

"Preference is given to children from terrorism affected families, destitute children and children from weaker sections," a senior official said.

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Thadou Leaders Meet Home Ministry's Adviser For Northeast, Present Manipur Peace Roadmap

The leadership team of Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) led by its president and general secretary met with the Home Ministry's adviser for the northeast, AK Mishra, and discussed the situation in violence-hit Manipur, TIM said in a statement.

TIM said its delegation presented a peace roadmap for lasting peace in Manipur, "concurrently highlighting the untold sufferings of the Thadou tribe, who have been the most affected yet silenced victims of the tragic violence that broke out on May 3, 2023."

"It was also reiterated and explained that Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki. The atrocities and persecution of the Thadou people because of their Thadou identity at the hands of Kuki supremacist forces, especially the armed Kuki supremacist militant groups and their frontal civil organizations, for the last several decades were also highlighted," TIM said in the statement.

"During the meeting, a highlight was also made about the critically important role played by the peace-loving Thadou community as peacemakers in the best interest and integrity of the community and our nation India. The role has been taken up despite threats of violence and death and actual lethal violent attacks from anti-peace groups and individuals, who are hell-bent on destroying Thadou identity," TIM said.

It said Mr Mishra spoke about peace efforts in Manipur and steps taken up by the Centre, and acknowledged the concerns of the Thadou tribe.

"He also agreed about the prevailing misconceptions about Thadou being often mistaken as Kuki by many people due to ignorance or systematic disinformation. He expressed his deep appreciation and respect for Thadou identity and their stance, role and commitment of the Thadou community and their leadership for peace and non-violent solutions," TIM said, adding the Thadou community, the largest tribe in Manipur, is an important stakeholder for lasting peace and solutions.

During last year's Thadou Convention held in Assam's Guwahati, Thadou tribe leaders had said that Thadou is a distinct ethnic group of people.

"Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki. Any organisation that incorporates 'Thadou' but espouses Kuki and misportrays Thadou as Kuki or a part of Kuki is illegitimate and does not represent Thadou people and interest," the Thadou Convention had said in a resolution.

The Kuki tribes and the Meiteis have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation. The conflict has killed over 250 people and left over 50,000 internally displaced.

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"Folly To Be Wise...": Shashi Tharoor's Cryptic Post Amid Congress Rift Buzz

Amid the buzz of a rift between him and the Congress over his recent praise of certain policies of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led CPI(M) government in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has put up a cryptic post on X, stating, that being wise is sometimes a mistake.

Sharing a quote from English poet Thomas Gray's poem 'Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College', Mr Tharoor wrote, "Though of the Day: "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

Thought for the day! pic.twitter.com/hXDxn9p0rv

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 22, 2025

Mr Tharoor has been at the receiving end of criticism from Kerala Congress leaders for his praise of some of the CPI(M) government's policies in the state and the PM's US visit. 

Mr Tharoor defended his praise for PM Modi's US visit and said that he spoke with India's interests in mind and that "we cannot always speak only in terms of party interest." He noted that PM Modi being the fourth world leader to meet Trump after he took office underscored India's growing importance on the global stage.

Following his praise for Prime Minister Modi, he appreciated the entrepreneurial growth of CPI(M)-led Kerala in an article. The Left party welcomed the Congress MP's validation, terming Mr Tharoor's comments as recognition of Pinarayi Vijayan's administration's achievements.

"As a Member of Parliament from Kerala, I wrote this article focusing on a specific issue -- the transformation of the industrial landscape through the growth of the startup sector. As a Congress worker, I take pride in acknowledging that it was former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who initiated this change," he wrote in Malayalam.

He credited Chandy's policies for laying the foundation for Kerala's startup ecosystem, citing initiatives like the 'Startup Village' and the 'Kerala Startup Mission', which have been continued by the current government.

Kerala Congress vs Shashi Tharoor

The row escalated after, Veekshanam Daily, the Congress party's mouthpiece in Kerala, published an editorial criticising Congress leader Shashi Tharoor -without naming him.

It urged him not to betray the expectations of thousands of party workers ahead of the upcoming local body elections.

The strongly worded editorial stated that an anti-incumbency wave was prevalent in the state and that attempts to suppress it by those responsible for fuelling it represented a 'distorted' political practice.

A day later, Mr Tharoor withdrew a poster from his Facebook, reportedly from the Kerala Congress Committee, which referred to members of the CPI(M) as "cannibals".

Hours after sharing the controversial poster commemorating Kripesh and Sarathlal, the Youth Congress workers who were killed in Periya in Kasaragod district, by CPI(M) workers five years ago, Mr Tharoor made another post, sharing their photos but without any reference to the CPI(M).

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"If Individual Judges Have Quibbles, Correct Thing Is To...": DY Chandrachud

Former chief justice of India D Y Chandrachud said on Friday that if an individual judge has a certain quibble about a particular decision, the correct thing is to approach the chief justice and have a conversation, instead of bringing it out for a public dialogue.

He was responding to questions at an event titled "Fireside Chat" after the inaugural ceremony of "Vidhi Utsav 2025, The Festival of Law, Legal Literature and Luminaries" organised by Oakbridge Publishing.

Justice Chandrachud said judicial institutions cannot function efficiently unless there is a well-laid-down procedure that adds certainty, objectivity and transparency, be it in the preparation of the judge's roster, the procedure to be followed or in terms of the practice directions.

"Speaking for myself, I also feel that if an individual judge in an institution has a certain quibble about a particular decision, the correct thing is to go to the chief justice and have a conversation.

"Laying it up for, you know, public dialogue perhaps detracts from the value of institutional roles. So if you have an issue, the best thing is to talk to the chief justice and get it sorted out," he said.

The former CJI said the bench requires uniformity in certain areas as it is dealing with the bar and the bar expects a degree of certainty on how cases will be taken up.

"You are also dealing with real-life cases of citizens. Now, if a particular high court has, say, 35 or 40 benches and you have 40 different procedural modalities which are followed, there will be chaos.

"And therefore, when it is said that, you know, the chief justice is the master of the roster, which is a highly-debated phrase in today's times, the purpose of this is to bring in a degree of uniformity, because institutions cannot otherwise function and they cannot function efficiently," he said.

Regarding the changes brought in judicial institutions, Justice Chandrachud said these should be institutionalised.

"Very often, the changes which are brought into a system are treated to be individual-centric. Sometimes you find that this is exploited by, maybe the bar on some occasions, it can be exploited by various other quarters to sort of suddenly mark a break from the past once there is a change in the helm of the administration. Speaking for myself, I always believe that the changes which you bring about must be institutionalised and therefore, setting up institutions and processes within the institutions is as important as making actual decisions," he said.

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Bill Gates Warns US Foreign Aid Cut Could Put "Millions" At Risk

Elon Musk's aggressive cost-cutting measures in the US government will put "millions" at risk, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned. If aid funding from the world's largest economy continues to dwindle, lives will be on the line, the philanthropist added.

He hopes some of the measures introduced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will be reversed.

"I'm hopeful that some significant portion of that can be reversed and preserved," the billionaire said in a PBS interview. "Elon, of all the elimination he's done, 99 per cent of it is these employees at USAID who work overseas in very tough circumstances. They allow the US, in addition to our military power, to get out there and help with famine relief and HIV medicines."

Earlier this month, Mr Gates said Trump seemed open to discussions on continuing USAID support. But with Musk and Trump now halting USAID's work - placing staff on leave, freezing spending, and reducing the agency's workforce from thousands to just 300 - those discussions are nowhere in the picture.

"I know a lot of those workers, I know that work," Mr Gates said. "A very, very high percentage of it is stuff every taxpayer would be proud of."

He specifically spoke of the importance of PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) which has saved over 26 million lives through HIV and AIDS prevention with $110 billion in funding since its inception two decades ago.

Mr Gates claimed Musk acknowledged potential missteps in DOGE's approach. Last week, when asked about a $50 million aid payment for condoms in Gaza that was allegedly blocked by mistake, Musk admitted to errors. The payment was reportedly intended for HIV prevention in Mozambique's Gaza region, not the conflict zone in Palestine.

Asked how many lives were at risk if these health programmes weren't reinstated, Mr Gates said the number was "definitely in the millions."

He said that PEPFAR has kept over 20 million alive with HIV drugs. "It was started by President Bush and continued on a bipartisan basis literally up to the day Elon decided it wasn't a good organisation," he said.

"Keeping people alive from HIV - the US has done a great job. Even if we have to reduce that sum, an abrupt withdrawal is a terrible thing."

When the White House announced its 90-day pause on foreign aid, it highlighted that the US spends around $40 billion a year on such funding. But this is a small fraction of total government spending - just 1.6 per cent of the $2.44 trillion spent since October.

Among the aid programs scrapped by DOGE was a $21 million USAID grant to boost voter turnout in India. Trump defended DOGE's budget cuts, saying the agency had already saved over $55 billion by eliminating what he called wasteful government spending.

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Kashmiri Student Brutally Ragged, Assaulted At Karnataka Medical College

A second-year MBBS student was allegedly assaulted at a medical college in Karnataka's Vijayapura. The victim, Hameem, a second-year MBBS student at Al-Ameen Medical College is from Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag. The student has alleged that he was subjected to brutal ragging and threats by senior students from the 2019 batch which reportedly began on Tuesday evening during a cricket match.

On Tuesday at around 4 PM Hameem was watching a match between the 2019 and 2022 batches on the college premises when a senior student ordered him to stay outside the boundary line. Hameem complied without protest, watching from a distance.

Tensions flared when a group of seniors confronted him. They questioned his presence and demanded that he leave but Hameem refused. Then a group of seniors forced him to sing songs, and dance for their amusement. The humiliation did not end there. The seniors allegedly tried to force him into a car. When he took out his phone to record the incident, they became even more aggressive.

Later that night, a group of 6-8 individuals stormed into Hameem's hostel room. They assaulted him, forcing him to record a video apologising under duress. "You have four more years here. We are locals-imagine how terrible we can make your life," the attackers warned him.  

They also told him he would not be allowed to play cricket for the remainder of his time at the college.

All the accused have been arrested now.

Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, condemned the attack in a statement, calling it a "deeply disturbing" case of ragging and violence. 

Kashmiri MBBS Student Brutally Ragged and Assaulted in Karnataka's Al-Ameen Medical College

In a deeply disturbing incident, Hamim, a second-year MBBS student from Anantnag, Kashmir, studying at Al-Ameen Medical College, Bijapur, Karnataka, was subjected to brutal ragging and…

— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) February 19, 2025

"We urge the Karnataka Chief Minister to personally intervene in this matter, ensure swift justice for the victim, and take strict action against those responsible to prevent such incidents from recurring in educational institutions," he said in a social media post. 

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Last Chance To Watch Planetary Parade Until 2040: Check Details

The so-called planetary parade which started last month is heading towards its grand finale. For a brief moment on February 28, all planets in our solar system will appear in the night sky - a celestial phenomenon that scientists have described as rare.

After Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune aligned in the night sky between January 21 and 29, it will be the last time until 2040 that all seven planets, including Mercury, will align to create a spectacular night sky.

What is planetary alignment?

Astronomers use planetary alignment to describe the phenomenon when planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. Any number of planets, ranging from three to eight constitutes an alignment. Five or six planets showing up together is known as a large alignment, with five-planet alignments significantly more frequent than six. However, seven-planet alignments are the rarest of all.

Unlike diagrams and illustrations, the planets will not be visible in a queue. Planets orbit the Sun in different orbits in three-dimensional space which makes it almost impossible for them to come together in a straight line.

"While it's true that they [planets] will appear more or less along a line across the sky, that's what planets always do. That line is called the ecliptic, and it represents the plane of the solar system in which the planets orbit around the Sun," NASA explains.

"This is, incidentally, why we sometimes observe planets appearing to approach closely to each other on the sky, as we view them along a line while they careen around the cosmic racetrack."

Also Read | Planetary Parade 2025: How And Where To See This Rare Celestial Event In India

How to view the planetary parade?

To witness the parade of planets, get far away from city lights to an open area or hill. If the weather is clear, you will be able to see most planets to the naked eye, bar Neptune and Uranus. A telescope might help you witness these two planets.

Notably, Mars will appear in the east, Jupiter and Uranus in the southeast, and Venus, Neptune, and Saturn in the west. While January was special due to the Quadrantid meteor shower and the partial planetary parade, February has the ingredients to be even more special, owing to the rare alignment.

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Taiwan Considering Multi-Billion Dollar Arms Purchase From US: Report

Taiwan is exploring buying arms worth billions of dollars from the United States, sources briefed on the matter said, hoping to win support from the new Trump administration as China continues to apply military pressure on the island.

Three sources familiar with the situation, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, told Reuters that Taiwan is in talks with Washington.

The package is meant to demonstrate to the United States that Taiwan is committed to its defense, one of the sources said.

A second source said the package would include coastal defense cruise missiles and HIMARS rockets.

"I would be very surprised if it was less than $8 billion. Somewhere between $7 billion to $10 billion," the source added.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, US national security adviser Mike Waltz has said he wants to speed delivery of weapons to Taiwan.

Taiwan's defense ministry declined to comment on specific purchases but said it is focused on building its defenses.

"Any weaponry and equipment that can achieve those goals for building the military are listed as targets for tender," it said.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan strongly objects to China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future.

TRUMP-TAIWAN RELATIONS

US President Donald Trump unnerved chip powerhouse Taiwan on the election campaign trail by saying the island stole American semiconductor business. This month, he threatened tariffs on chip imports.

But his administration maintained diplomatic support for the Chinese-claimed island.

Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a joint statement on February 7 opposing any attempt to change the current situation in the Taiwan Strait through force or coercion. The U.S. State Department also removed language on its website that it does not support Taiwan independence, a move praised by the island's government. China has urged the US to "correct its mistakes".

Taiwan plans to propose a special defense budget that prioritizes precision ammunition, air-defense upgrades, command and control systems, equipment for the reserve forces and anti-drone technology, a third source familiar with the matter said.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump established regular arms sales to Taiwan, including multi-billion dollar deals for F-16 fighter jets. The Biden administration continued these sales, though often with smaller price tags.

Taiwanese officials see encouraging signs from Trump's administration even as tariff threats weigh on that optimism.

Taiwan does not believe Trump is looking to make a "grand bargain" with Chinese President Xi Jinping to sell out Taiwan's interests, one of the sources said. Trump is more concerned with putting tariffs on semiconductors, the source said.

In another sign of US commitment to Taiwan, the top US diplomat in Taiwan, Raymond Greene, will retain his post, three sources told Reuters, even as other US diplomatic postings undergo major reshuffles.

The US State Department did not immediately respond to a question about Greene's job status.

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Overweight Doctor Loses 25 Kg In 42 Days, Wins Multiple Fitness Awards

A doctor who shed an impressive 25 kilograms in just 42 days has gone viral on Chinese social media platforms after he ended up winning multiple awards at a fitness contest, according to a report in South China Morning Post. 31-year-old Wu Tiangen, working as a surgeon at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University in central Hubei province, decided to embark upon the fitness journey after gaining weight due to the sedentary lifestyle often associated with hospital work.

Wu was diagnosed with a light fatty liver in 2023 with his weight reaching 97.5 kg last year. In his day job, Wu dealt with obese patients and helped them lose weight through surgery. However, after seeing his condition, Wu decided to shake things up.

"If I cannot save myself, how can I save others?" said Wu.

Wu hired Shi Fan, a top athlete who won the Overall Fit Model championship at the IFBB World Fit Model Championships in Lithuania last year, as his coach and started the weight loss journey.

The student-coach duo chalked up a plan to shed fat and increase muscle over a short period. The only non-negotiables in the process were two hours of exercise every day and consistent six hours of sleep.

Also Read | Man Loses 82 Kg After Struggling To Fit On Plane: "I Would Have Died Before 30"

The competition

His dedication was such that he managed to reduce his weight in roughly six weeks. As the competition approached, Wu intensified his training by spending close to four hours a day in the gym.

"Wu's training intensity exceeds that of many professional athletes," said Shi.

Weighing 73.5 kg and 182 cm tall, Wu took part in the Tianrui Cup Fitness and Bodybuilding Match in January. Being the only doctor in the fray, the challenge was intimidating but Wu managed to win the champion titles in the newcomer and fit models categories as well as the most popular participant.

Quizzed about his advice to those wanting to become healthy like him, Wu said: "You should make a long-term plan to lose weight and insist on it. I do not advocate drastic, short-term methods which require eating very little," said Wu.

As per the report, Wu has already helped about 100 people successfully reduce their weight in recent years.

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BRICS Summit Planned For July In Rio de Janeiro: Brazil

Leaders of the countries known as BRICS will hold a summit in Rio de Janeiro in July, the current chair Brazil announced Saturday.

Other members of the trading bloc include Russia, India, China and South Africa and others.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said on the social media platform X that the summit will be held July 6-7 and feature leaders of 20 countries with full or associate status in the bloc.

At this meeting "we will make very important decisions for the development of all these countries, for cooperation and for improving the living conditions of all their inhabitants," Vieira said.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on the BRICS countries if they undercut the US dollar.

At a BRICS summit in October in Russia, the member countries discussed boosting non-dollar transactions and strengthening local currencies.

The government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said that under the Brazilian presidency the BRICS bloc will focus on strengthening cooperation with developing nations of the so-called Global South and on reforming multilateral institutions.

He said Brazil's priorities for the bloc include "developing means of payment" to encourage trade and investment among member states.

Last month, Brazil's chief negotiator for the BRICS group, Eduardo Saboia, told AFP there is no concrete plan to replace the dollar but rather talks on using local currencies in transactions.

The BRICS group has expanded significantly since its inception in 2009, and now includes countries such as Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Altogether the BRICS coalition accounts for a significant minority of the world's economic output.

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"New Sheriff In Town": US Vice President JD Vance Attacks Europe's Immigration Policies

US Vice President JD Vance launched a withering attack Friday against European policies on immigration, populist parties and free speech, echoing President Donald Trump whom he called Washington's "new sheriff in town".

Vance's speech -- which focussed on key themes of Trump's MAGA campaign -- was a combative broadside at the Munich Security Conference at a time of deep transatlantic discord over Ukraine, defence, trade and other issues.

Vance stressed that Europe must "step up" in managing its own security, a key bone of contention. But he mostly lambasted the EU's members on culture war issues.

"There is a new sheriff in town under Donald Trump's leadership," said Vance in a speech that stunned the room, and was later condemned as "unacceptable" by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.

"We may disagree with your views, but we will fight to defend your right to offer it in the public square," said Vance. "Agree or disagree."

Vance slammed EU "commissars" for stifling free expression and charged that "across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat".

'Change course' 

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had earlier made clear that what had been Berlin's most important diplomatic relationship had sharply deteriorated since Trump returned to the White House.

"The new American administration has a very different world view to ours," Steinmeier said. "One that has no regard for established rules, partnership and established trust."

The German head of state urged European leaders to keep calm in the face of a blizzard of disruptive policy announcements from Washington.

"We must not freeze in fear, or as the English saying goes: Let's not be a deer caught in the headlights."

Vance, undeterred, in his later speech urged European countries, including conference host Germany, which faces elections on February 23, to "change course" on immigration.

His speech came a day after a 24-year-old Afghan man was arrested in Munich over a car-ramming attack that wounded 36 people.

"How many times must we suffer these appalling setbacks before we change course and take our shared civilisation in a new direction?" he said.

"Why did this happen in the first place? It's a terrible story but it's one we've heard way too many times in Europe and unfortunately too many times in the United states as well.

"An asylum seeker, often a young man in his mid-20s already known to police, rams a car into a crowd and shatters a community."

Defending political parties that oppose immigration and their supporters, Vance added: "No voter on this continent went to the ballot box to open the floodgates to millions of unvetted immigrants."

'Meddling' 

Germany warned earlier Friday against foreign "meddling" in its politics after Vance called for a bigger role for Europe's anti-immigration parties, nine days before the German general election.

Vance told the Wall Street Journal: "Unfortunately, the will of voters has been ignored by a lot of our European friends" on the issue and urged governments not to exclude anti-immigration parties.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) looks set for its best ever result of around 20 percent in the election and has received enthusiastic backing from tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk.

Vance said Germany should get used to the Tesla and SpaceX boss weighing in, just as the United States tolerated criticism by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

"If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg's scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk," he said.

"But what German democracy, what no democracy -- American, German or European -- will survive is telling millions of voters that their thoughts and concerns, their aspirations, their pleas for relief are invalid or unworthy."

Vance also touched on a heated German pre-election debate around the need for mainstream political parties to maintain a so called "firewall" of non-cooperation with the AfD.

"Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters," he said. "There's no room for firewalls."

Pistorius blasted Vance, saying "democracy was called into question by the US Vice President for the whole of Europe".

"He speaks of the annihilation of democracy. And if I have understood him correctly, he is comparing conditions in parts of Europe with those in authoritarian regimes... that is not acceptable."

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"How Can Chief Justice..." Vice President's Big Remark On Separation Of Powers

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that the Chief Justice of the country shouldn't be involved in any executive appointment in a democracy like India. "How can in a country like ours or in any democracy, by statutory prescription, the Chief Justice of India participate in the selection of the CBI director? Can there be any legal rationale for it?" Mr Dhankhar wondered.

"I can appreciate that the Statutory prescription took shape because the executive of the day has yielded to a judicial verdict. But the time has come to revisit. This surely does not merge with democracy. How can we involve the Chief Justice of India with any executive appointment?" he added.

His statement has come at a time when a meeting is to be held for the selection of the next Chief Election Commissioner. The selection would be a first since the Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service And Term of Office) Act, 2023, was passed.

The act came after a verdict by the Supreme Court in March 2023 which directed for a three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice (CJI) to operate till Parliament enacted a law. The new law, however, excluded the CJI from the panel. Detractors say the new law amounts to excessive interference of the executive in the appointments and was detrimental to the independence of the poll panel.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar is set to retire on February 18 and the selection committee for appointing his successor is expected to meet possibly on Monday.

The committee - comprised of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, will deliberate on the appointment a day before the Supreme Court hears petitions against the new law.

Jagdeep Dhankhar,while speaking at the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal expressed his deep concern over the breach of the principle of separation of powers and said, "Executive governance by judicial decree is a Constitutional paradox, that the largest democracy on the planet cannot afford any longer. When institutions forget their bounds, democracy is remembered by the wounds this forgetfulness imparts."

He said that these institutions should operate within defined constitutional bounds while "maintaining cooperative dialogue, keeping national interest in mind".

"Executive governance reflecting the will of the people is constitutionally sanctified. Accountability is enforceable when executive roles are performed by an elected government. Governments are accountable to the legislature. And periodically accountable to the electorate. But if executive governance is arrogated or outsourced, the enforceability of accountability will not be there. Exclusively, governance lies with the government with utmost respect, any intervention from any source, in the country or outside, from legislature or judiciary, is antithetical to constitutionalism and certainly not in consonance as with fundamental premise of democracy", he added.

Recalling his stint as Parliamentary Affairs Minister in 1990, Mr Dhankhar said the Supreme Court then had eight judges.

"More often than not, all the eight judges sat together (on a bench hearing a case)....When the strength of the Supreme Court was eight judges, under Article 145(3), there was a stipulation that the interpretation of the Constitution will be by a bench of five judges or more," he said.

"Please note, when this strength was eight, it (size of constitutional bench) was five. And the Constitution allows the highest court of the land to interpret the Constitution," he added.

But under the guise of interpretation, there can be no "arrogation of authority", and the essence and spirit which the founding fathers had in mind under Article 145(3) must be respected, the vice president further said.

Article 145(3) of the Constitution of India states that at least five judges are required to sit on a case involving the interpretation of the Constitution.

Mr Dhankhar, speaking about Judicial review, said, "Parliament is supreme in lawmaking subject to judicial review. It's a good thing. The judicial review has to be on the anvil that the legislation is in conformity with the Constitution. But when it comes to making an amendment in the Indian Constitution, the ultimate repository, the ultimate power, the ultimate authority, and the last authority is only the Indian Parliament."

He said in this case there can't be any intervention from any quarter because the "will of the people is reflected in a representative manner on the most sanctified platform through elections."

Mr Dhankhar further said the judiciary's public presence must be through judgments as "other mode of expression other than through judgments avoidably undermines institutional dignity".

"When we look around the globe, we never find judges reflecting the way we see here on all issues," he added.

Stressing the importance of dialogue, the Vice President said that democracy gets "thinner" if the right to express is "compromised, or throttled, or diluted".

"One facet of expression is right to vote. But more important is to express your views, your point of view. You participate in governance, and administration, by having a voice of expression. And this expression is not standalone. This expression requires dialogue. Expression without dialogue means my way or no way. Dialogue is nothing but reflection, either approval of your expression or the other point of view," he said.

"A difference of opinion should not result in confrontation. A difference of opinion must ignite an urge in us to converse to find a common ground. And sometimes yielding is a better part of discretion," he added.

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After Trump's Peace Talks Announcement, Zelensky Meets JD Vance In Munich

US Vice President JD Vance met Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich on Friday for crunch talks on ending Russia's war, as Kyiv insisted it wanted to hammer out a joint plan with Washington.

The sit-down in Germany was seen as a key moment for Kyiv as it seeks to keep Washington on its side after US President Donald Trump stunned allies by launching peace efforts with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

"I will meet with Russians -- with only one Russian guy, with Putin -- only after we will have a common plan with Trump, Europe," Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference before seeing Vance.

"Only in this case I'm ready to meet."

Vance in the run-up insisted the United States was prepared to pressure Russia to end its three-year war on Ukraine, as he said Europe should "of course" be at the table.

But the vice president also told Europe to "step up" on bolstering its own defence to allow Washington to focus on threats elsewhere in the world.

US officials have sent mixed messages over Washington's strategy after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appeared to rule out Ukraine joining NATO or retaking all of its territory.

That has sparked major worries in Kyiv and Europe that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal that leaves the continent facing an emboldened Putin.

But Vance told the Wall Street Journal that Trump would put everything "on the table" in potential talks, and that Washington could even use "military leverage" against Russia to force a deal.

The vice president did not give more away in a keenly-awaited keynote speech, as he avoided addressing the war in Ukraine and focused instead on scolding Europe over immigration and free speech.

- Trump's phone number -

Trump rattled US allies on Wednesday by agreeing to launch peace talks in his first publicly announced call with Putin since returning to office.

After being named by Trump as a likely venue for a meeting with Putin, Saudi Arabia said it would welcome holding any talks between the two leaders.

Zelensky appeared to play down fears that Trump was leaving Kyiv out in the cold, as he joked the US president had given him his personal number when they spoke.

"If he will choose our side, and if he will not be in the middle, I think he will pressure and he will push Putin to stop the war," Zelensky said.

In a bid to keep Washington close Kyiv has held talks over granting access to its rare mineral deposits in return for future US security support.

- Chernobyl strike -

European allies -- who along with Washington are Ukraine's strongest backers -- demanded that they too be included in negotiations that will impact their continent's security.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warned that forcing Ukraine into a bad deal would harm US interests.

"I believe that by working together, we can deliver that just and lasting peace," she said.

While Europe nervously monitors the US stance on Ukraine, there is little ambiguity on Trump's determination to get Europe to spend more on its defence.

Fears Vance could announce a major US troop reduction in Europe did not materialise, but he repeated warnings that Washington needs to focus more on other parts of the globe.

Amid the diplomatic flurry in Munich, Zelensky said that back on the ground in Ukraine a Russian drone had struck a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, adding that radiation levels were normal.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 133 drones across the country overnight -- including attack drones -- targeting northern regions of the country where the Chernobyl plant lies.

Zelensky said the attack was evidence that "Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations -- he is preparing to continue deceiving the world."

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HSBTE: Haryana State Board Of Technical Education Releases Results For Diploma Courses

The Haryana State Board of Technical Education (HSBTE) has announced the semester results for various diploma courses conducted in December 2024. The HSBTE Result 2025 is available online on the official website, hsbte.org.in.

Candidates who appeared in the exams can visit the official website of the SBTE to check the results. They will be required to enter login credentials such as roll number to access the results. The HSBTE results include subject-wise marks, overall scores and qualifying status. 

Steps to check the results: 

Step 1: Visit the official website of the university - hsbte.org.in
Step 2: Select 'Examination' and click on 'Result'.
Step 3: Click on the 'Result June 2024 Exam' link
Step 4: Fill in the required information and click on 'Show'.
Step 5: The result PDF will appear on the screen
Step 6: Check the results and download the PDF for future reference.

Candidates not satisfied with the results can apply for re-evaluation or re-assessment of paper. In reassessment, the examiner looks over the answer sheet and, if necessary, provides new marks.

The Haryana State Board of Technical Education has been constituted by the Government of Haryana vide Haryana Act No.19 of 2008 to Impart Diploma Education in the field of Engineering & Technology, Architecture, Pharmacy, Management, Accounts, Applied Art & Crafts. The board was established in 2008 to cater for the increasing needs of affiliated institutions and their students. It designs and implements diploma, post diploma and advanced diploma programs for affiliated institutions. At present 191 numbers of Polytechnics are affiliated with the State Board Of Technical Education.

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"Life Bigger Than Exam": Gautam Adani After UP Student Dies By Suicide

Gautam Adani, the Chairman of the Adani Group, on Thursday said that failure is never the final destination, adding that life always gives a second chance.

He wrote a post on X about an 18-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur who suicide after failing to clear the JEE exams.

"I have just this request to all of you - never consider failure as the final destination. Because life always gives a second chance…!" the Adani Group Chairman said on X.

अपेक्षाओं के बोझ तले दबकर एक होनहार बेटी का यूं चले जाना हृदयविदारक है।

जीवन किसी भी परीक्षा से बड़ा होता है- यह बात अभिभावकों को खुद भी समझनी होगी और बच्चों को भी समझानी होगी।

मैं पढ़ाई में बहुत सामान्य था। पढ़ाई एवं जीवन में कई बार असफल भी हुआ, लेकिन हर बार जिंदगी ने नया… https://t.co/3s1WnINLcb

— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) February 13, 2025

Expressing sadness over the death of the student, Mr Adani said: "It is heartbreaking to see a promising daughter go away under the burden of expectations".

The teen had left a note for her parents stating that she was "sorry" for "not fulfilling their dreams".

Sharing the lesson of life, he also advised parents to keep pressures away from themselves and their children.

"Life is bigger than any exam – parents will have to understand this themselves and also explain it to their children," Gautam Adani said.

Further, the Adani Group Chairman also opened up about his personal failures and how he came out of them.

"I was very normal in my studies," he said, adding that he "failed many times in studies and life".

"But every time life showed me a new path," Gautam Adani said.

Meanwhile, to help students fare well in their lives and reduce their exam-related stress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the eighth edition of "Pariksha Pe Charcha' has also discussed mental health and wellbeing.

During the session, the Prime Minister shared valuable lessons on nutrition and wellness; mastering pressure; challenging oneself; the art of leadership; beyond books – 360-degree growth; finding positives and more.

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Trump Speaks To Putin, Says Ukraine Talks To Start "Immediately"

US President Donald Trump said he had a "lengthy and highly productive" call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in which they agreed to "immediately" start negotiations to end the Ukraine war.

Trump said on Truth Social that both leaders had extended invitations of "visiting each other's nations," while the US leader said he would be calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "right now" to inform him about the call.

In an extraordinary thaw in relations between Washington and Moscow, the Kremlin separately said the call lasted one and a half hours and that Putin and Trump had agreed that the "time has come to work together."

Putin also told Trump that a "long-term settlement" of the Ukraine conflict sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion of its pro-Western neighbor was possible, and invited the US president to Moscow, the Kremlin said.

The Trump-Putin call came after a prisoner swap this week that saw Moscow free US teacher Marc Fogel while Washington released Russian cryptocurrency kingpin Alexander Vinnik.

Trump heaped praise on the Russian president in his Truth Social post, saying that Putin "even used my very strong Campaign motto of, 'COMMON SENSE.'"

He said they "both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine" -- with Trump using an unconfirmed figure for the toll in the war.

"We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other's Nations," said Trump.

"We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelensky, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now."

Trump said he had asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff "to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful."
 

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$10 Million Settlement For Family Of Black Woman Shot Dead By US Police

The family of a Black woman shot dead in her home by a police officer in the US state of Illinois has reached a $10 million settlement with the local sheriff's department and county board.

Sonya Massey, 36, a mother of two, was killed by a sheriff's deputy last July in a case that drew national attention and prompted then-president Joe Biden to say she "should be alive today."

Massey, who had received treatment in the past for mental health issues, called the 911 emergency line to report a possible intruder in her home and two Sangamon County sheriff's deputies arrived shortly after midnight.

Police body camera footage showed Massey talking to the officers and searching through her purse after they asked her for identification.

Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson then asked her to check on a pot of boiling water on the stove, saying "we don't need a fire while we're here."

When Grayson stepped back into the living room, Massey asked why, and he responded with a laugh: "Away from your hot steaming water."

Holding the pot, Massey calmly responded "Oh, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus" -- prompting the deputy to draw his weapon and say: "You better fucking not. I swear to God I'll fucking shoot you in your fucking face."

Apologizing, Massey crouched behind a counter as the officer screamed "drop the fucking pot" and fired three shots, killing Massey with a bullet to the face.

The Sangamon County Board approved a $10 million settlement with Massey's estate at a meeting on Tuesday.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of other African American victims of police violence, welcomed the agreement at a Zoom press conference on Wednesday, calling it a "first step in getting full justice for Sonya Massey."

"It is very bittersweet that on what would have been her 37th birthday, we announce this historic settlement, which is only the first step in the journey for justice," Crump said.

Antonio Romanucci, another family attorney, said "Sonya reached out to law enforcement for help and instead received brutal, horrific treatment.

"When Sonya called 911 she didn't know it but that was her death sentence," Romanucci said. "She called in her own death when she called for help."

Grayson, who is white, faces murder charges and has pleaded not guilty.

The United States was rocked by protests in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minnesota.

Floyd's death revived scrutiny of race relations and sparked calls for police reform.

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Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed As Trump's Director Of National Intelligence

The US Senate has confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the new Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under the Trump administration.

Although she has never served on an intelligence committee, as a former Representative from Hawaii, Gabbard brings a distinctive combination of legislative and military experience to the role. Her service in the US House of Representatives, which spanned from 2013 to 2021, was marked by her commitment to various causes. Additionally, her time in the Hawaii Army National Guard, including deployments to Iraq and Kuwait, has earned her recognition.

In her new position, Gabbard will oversee the United States' intelligence community, coordinating operations among various agencies to ensure national security and effective information-sharing. This role comes with significant responsibility, as the DNI plays a critical part in advising the President on intelligence matters.

Gabbard's appointment has raised some eyebrows due to her lack of direct experience in intelligence oversight. Furthermore, her past remarks on US adversaries, including Russia and Syria, have sparked controversy.

Some senators have expressed concerns about Gabbard's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and her 2017 visit to Syria, where she met with then-President Bashar al-Assad while he was under US sanctions. Her previous defence of former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has also been cited as a point of contention.

Despite these concerns, Gabbard has pledged to bring transparency and efficiency to the intelligence community. Her military background and congressional experience will undoubtedly influence her approach to this complex role. As she assumes the position of Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard will oversee 18 intelligence agencies with a budget of approximately $100 billion, advising President Trump on critical intelligence matters.
 

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Scientists Warn Of Climate Threat To Chocolate

Climate change drove weeks of crop-withering temperatures last year in the West African countries that underpin the world's chocolate supply, hitting harvests and likely further stoking record prices, researchers said Wednesday.

Farmers in the region -- which account for some 70 percent of global cacao production -- have struggled with heat, disease and unusual rainfall in recent years, which have all contributed to falling production.

That has caused an explosion in the price of cocoa, which is produced from the beans of the cacao tree, and is the main ingredient in chocolate.

A new report found that "climate change, due primarily to burning oil, coal, and methane gas, is causing hotter temperatures to become more frequent" in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.

The study, by the independent research group Climate Central, found the trend was particularly marked in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the two biggest cacao producers.

Using observational data from 44 cacao-producing areas in West Africa and computer models, the researchers compared today's temperatures with a counterfactual of a world without the effects of climate change.

They looked at the likelihood of these regions facing temperatures in excess of 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) -- above levels considered optimum for cacao trees.

The report calculated that over the last decade, climate change had added an extra three weeks of above 32C heat in Ivory Coast and Ghana during the main growing season between October and March.

Last year, the hottest year globally on record, they found that climate change drove temperatures above 32C on at least 42 days across two thirds of the areas analysed.

Researchers said that "excessive heat can contribute to a reduction in the quantity and quality of the harvest".

Many other factors were also potentially harming cacao trees and boosting prices, they noted, including mealybug infestations, rainfall patterns, smuggling and illegal mining.

Christian Aid published separate research on Wednesday on the vulnerability of chocolate and cacao farmers to weather changes and extremes driven by global warming.

The UK charity said conditions in West Africa have whiplashed from extreme rainfall and spoiled crops during the dry season in 2023 to drought in 2024.

"Growing cocoa is a vital livelihood for many of the poorest people around the world and human caused climate change is putting that under serious threat," said Osai Ojigho, director of Christian Aid's policy and public campaigns.

'Existential threat'

Failed harvests helped drive a meteoric rise in cocoa prices since late 2023 on the London and New York markets where this commodity is traded.

New York cocoa prices were above $10,000 a tonne on Wednesday, below a peak of over $12,500 in mid-December.

New York prices have largely hovered between $2,000 and $3,000 a tonne for decades.

In January, Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli said it would raise prices again this year to offset rising cocoa costs.

Narcisa Pricope, a professor at Mississippi State University, said the crop faces an "existential threat" largely because of increasingly dry conditions in cacao-producing regions.

Pricope was part of recent research from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification that found more than three-quarters of the Earth's landmass has become drier over the past 30 years.

The emissions of planet-heating greenhouse gases are the biggest driver of this aridity, she said in a commentary on the Conversation on Monday, but practices that degrade soils and nature also play an important role.

"Collective action against aridity isn't just about saving chocolate -- it's about preserving the planet's capacity to sustain life," she said.

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Water From Toilet Tap Used For Cooking At Medical College? Video Sparks Outrage

A video from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur has sparked outrage after it allegedly showed water from a toilet tap being used for cooking during a national medical conference last week.

A national-level medical conference, attended by doctors and medical experts from across the country, was held at the medical college on February 6. During the event, food was arranged for participants. However, a viral video now circulating on social media appears to show water being filled from a toilet tap and then being used for cooking.

Amid the uproar, the medical college's administration has issued a clarification. The college's dean, Navneet Saxena said that the water was only being used to clean dirty utensils and not for cooking. He claimed that the context of the video was being misrepresented.

The health department has called for an investigation. Dr Sanjay Mishra, Chief Medical Officer, said, "The conference was organised in the New Academic Block and food is sometimes cooked in open spaces behind it. While the video shows water from a toilet tap being used, the information we have suggests it was meant only for washing utensils. However, since this has been brought to our notice, I have written to the dean for an official investigation."
 

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'Remove Any Kuki Tribes From ST List, Help Organise Peace Talks': Thadou Body Meets Manipur Governor

A top body of Manipur's Thadou tribe met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and requested for deletion of 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the Scheduled Tribes' (ST) list in the violence-hit state.

In a memorandum, which included suggestions for a peace restoration roadmap, the Thadou Inpi Manipur said the government must remove the "vague and ambiguous 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the Scheduled Tribes list of Manipur, as it is not only a threat to the integrity and unity of Manipur, but also a threat to national security from illegal immigrants."

The Thadou Inpi Manipur in the memorandum said the Manipur government "in a significant step forward to right a wrong" wrote to the Tribal Affairs Ministry in February 2023 to delete 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the ST list.

'Any Kuki Tribe' was added to the ST list in 2003 under the then Congress government in Manipur.

"Moreover, it [Any Kuki Tribe] cannot be changed to Kuki tribe simply because there is no such thing as Kuki tribe. There is baseless, false and deceitful propaganda by some ignorant or unscrupulous people that this 'Any Kuki Tribe' of 2003 is the same as the already deleted 'Any Kuki Tribe' of 1951-56," the Thadou Inpi Manipur said in the memorandum.

"The fact is that the tribes of Manipur were broadly grouped into 'Any Naga Tribe', 'Any Kuki Tribe' and 'Any Lushai' in 1951 as a temporary arrangement for the time being only for five years during the process of the linguistic survey of individual tribes of Manipur...

"Whereas Thadou is an indigenous tribe with its own distinct language, costumes, culture, traditions and rich heritage and history, the fake Kuki tribe (Any Kuki Tribe) was created in 2002, and fraudulently added to the Scheduled Tribes list of Manipur in 2003, so that their leaders could exploit this separatist movement for their own personal wealth creation and political control," the Thadou Inpi Manipur, which says it is the highest body of Manipur's recognised distinct Thadou tribe, said in the memorandum submitted to Governor Bhalla on Saturday, a day before Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned.

The Thadou tribe organisation said all indigenous ethnic groups and tribes that call Manipur home should live in harmony and respect one another instead of battling over who is an illegal immigrant and who is an indigenous person.

"People who identify as 'Any Kuki Tribe' but are not illegal immigrants need not be alarmed since they can return to their original tribe if they are Indian citizens or members of one of Manipur's indigenous tribes and are not illegal immigrants or foreigners," the Thadou Inpi Manipur said.

The Thadou Inpi Manipur also requested for insertion of a clause in the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement to include "respect for Thadou human rights", alleging an alarming rate of human rights violations and persecution faced by the Thadou tribe at the hands of Kuki militants, "which has significantly eroded, suppressed, and subdued distinct Thadou identity in Manipur."

"... Thadou Inpi Manipur seeks to include a clause in the SoO agreement, if extended, which had elapsed in February 2024, that would mandate that SoO groups, specifically the Kuki militant groups, respect the rights of the Thadou indigenous tribe as this would also promote a more inclusive and peaceful coexistence among communities in Manipur," the Thadou body said.

While submitting the memorandum, members of the Thadou Inpi Manipur conveyed to the Governor to facilitate a meeting of Meitei and Thadou tribe leaders for community understanding. It said warring groups have unintentionally impacted numerous non-Kuki tribes in the Manipur crisis. The Thadou Inpi Manipur appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manipur Governor and other leaders to facilitate holding a meeting between the Meitei community and the Thadou tribe as soon as possible.

"The Thadou tribe will be represented by the Thadou Inpi Manipur. The Thadous have suffered rampant persecution and human rights abuses and are being forced to reject our own identity, our indigenous tribal name, Thadou," it said in the memorandum.

The memorandum was signed by leaders of the Thadou Inpi Manipur, Thadou Students' Association, Thadou Chiefs' Council, Thadou Elders' Association, and Thadou Human Rights Advocacy.

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Want To Pursue Medical Education In US? Here's What You Need To Know

In India, students aspiring to become doctors must first clear the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Every year, millions of students take this exam, competing for nearly one lakh medical seats. For many, NEET is a daunting challenge, and they fear that failing to score well could shatter their dream of becoming a doctor.

However, several countries do not require NEET for medical admissions, and the United States is one of them. With a growing number of Indian students opting to study MBBS abroad, the US remains a top choice. American medical schools do not mandate NEET scores for admission, though students must clear local entrance tests to qualify.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Doctor In US?

In the US, students must complete a four-year undergraduate degree before applying to medical school. Admission is based on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score. Instead of an MBBS degree, students earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, which takes around 4 to 4.5 years to complete. Overall, becoming a doctor in the US typically takes 7 to 8 years.

Top US Universities Offering Admission Without NEET

Harvard University

Ranked as the top medical university in the US by QS World Rankings.

Offers a 4-year MD programme at its Cambridge campus.

Annual tuition fee: Rs 73 lakh (approx).

Stanford University School of Medicine

Integrates medicine, technology, and business in its curriculum.
Graduates are trained as both doctors and innovators.

Annual tuition fee: Rs 61 lakh (approx)

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Offers a 4-year MD programme in San Francisco.

More affordable compared to other private US medical schools.
Annual tuition fee: Rs 46 lakh (approx)

For Indian students looking to pursue medicine abroad without NEET, the US provides a structured pathway with globally recognized degrees and opportunities in cutting-edge medical research.

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British Council Offers These Free Online Courses For Students And Teachers

The British Council, in collaboration with the UK-based platform FutureLearn, is offering some free online courses aimed at enhancing language skills, teaching methodologies, and workplace communication. Open for registration, these courses provide students and teachers with an opportunity to upskill and expand their knowledge.

Courses For Students And Teachers

Exploring English: Shakespeare

This six-week course delves into the life and works of William Shakespeare. It helps learners improve their English skills while exploring Shakespeare's literary contributions. Both students and teachers can enroll, with a weekly study requirement of two hours.

Courses For Students

English For Your Workplace

Designed for non-native English speakers at a pre-intermediate level (A2 CEFR), this four-week course helps students enhance their English proficiency for workplace communication and career development. Weekly study time is two hours.

Exploring English: Language And Culture

This four-week course introduces students to various aspects of British culture, including music, literature, and the countryside. Participants will also explore English as a global language while dedicating two hours per week to the course.

Courses For Teachers

Teaching For Success: The Classroom And The World

Targeted at English language teachers, this four-week course focuses on integrating technology and essential 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, communication, and creativity, into EFL classrooms. Teachers will engage in three hours of study per week.

Teaching For Success: Lessons And Teaching

This four-week course helps teachers refine lesson planning, resource management, and professional development strategies. It requires three hours of study per week.

Language Assessment In The Classroom

Aimed at secondary and high school language teachers, this four-week course provides insights into effective language assessment strategies. Teachers will explore different types of assessments and their applications, with a weekly commitment of three hours.

Interested participants can register for these free courses on the British Council's official website and start learning at their own pace.

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5-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Sexually Assaulted By Foreign Student In Delhi

Scores of people gathered outside a private school on Friday and held a protest after a five-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a foreign national student in the national capital.

The girl's parents alleged that their daughter was sexually assaulted by her senior who is a foreign national, but police did not apprehended him even after five months of the incident.

On Friday, scores of people gathered outside the school and demanded strict action against the accused.

According to the sources, the incident took place in August last year and an FIR was registered in September under section 75(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The incident came to light on September 16 last year after the child confided in her parents, using concerning language that prompted their inquiries, the sources said.

The parents of the victim reported the incident to the school principal and subsequently got a police complaint filed on September 18.

According to the complaint, the child said she was inappropriately touched by a boy, whom she had seen on the bus.

The family also reported that the child sustained injuries in the assault and has been severely traumatised by the incident, undergoing medical tests and questioning.

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Bengal Government Employee Attacks Colleagues With Knife, Arrested

At least four persons were injured when one of their colleagues attacked them with a knife following a disagreement at a West Bengal government office here on Thursday, police said.

Accused Asit Sarkar, a state government employee at Karigori Bhavan in the city's Newtown area, was arrested by the Techno City police station under Bidhannagar police commissionerate.

"Sarkar, a resident of Ghola in Sodepur, North 24 Parganas district, works in the technical education department. This morning, following a tiff with his colleagues over taking time off, he attacked them with a knife and then tried to flee. We have arrested him," a police officer said.

The injured were identified as Jaydeb Chakraborty, Santunu Saha, Sartha Late, and Sheikh Satabul. Two of them are in serious condition, police added.

"The accused was seen running through the streets of New Town with the knife. Police are investigating the incident to understand the motive behind his action," the officer added.

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IIT Madras Opens Applications For Summer Fellowship 2025, Check Stipend, Eligibility

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is accepting applications for the Summer Fellowship Programme 2025. Interested and eligible candidates can apply for this two-month, goal-oriented internship online through the official website. The deadline for application submission is February 28, 2025, by 5pm.

The fellowship programme aims to foster a deeper interest in high-quality academic research among students from Engineering, Management, Sciences, and Humanities disciplines.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be:

• In their 3rd year of Undergraduate studies (BE/BTech/BSc Engg) or
•  In the 3rd or 4th year of an Integrated/Dual Degree Master's Programme (ME/MTech/MSc)

Additionally, 1st-year MSc/MA and MBA students with outstanding academic record-such as high university exam ranks, published research papers, executed projects, design competition participation, Mathematics Olympiad scores/ranks, or other notable awards/distinctions are encouraged to apply.

Notably, IIT Madras students are not eligible to apply for the Summer Fellowship Programme 2025.

Application Process

•  Visit the official website 
• Click on the registration link available on the homepage.
• Register by verifying your email.
• Fill out the application form with personal and academic details.
• Upload the necessary documents and complete the registration process.
• Log in to your account and select your preferred department for the fellowship.
• Apply and save the confirmation page for future reference.

Participating Departments

Engineering Departments:

• Aerospace Engineering
•  Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering
•  Biotechnology
•  Chemical Engineering
•  Civil Engineering
•  Computer Science & Engineering
• Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
• Engineering Design
• Electrical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medical Science and Technology
• Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
• Ocean Engineering
• Science Departments:
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics

Other Departments:

• Humanities & Social Sciences 
• Management Studies

Key Points To Note

• No need to send hard copies to IIT Madras.
• The submitted application can be accessed through the portal using the username and password sent to your registered email.
• Ensure that all required data and enclosures are uploaded online.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected.
• A bonafide student certificate issued by the Head of the Institution is required.

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CIA Staff Offered Buyouts As Agency Aligns With Trump Priorities

The CIA is moving "swiftly" to align its workforce with the Trump administration's national security priorities, the agency said Wednesday, with staff members understood to have received government buyout offers.

The CIA has become the first US intelligence agency to join a voluntary redundancy program initiated by President Donald Trump, who has vowed to radically downsize the federal workforce in the name of efficiency and frugality.

"Director (John) Ratcliffe is moving swiftly to ensure the CIA workforce is responsive to the administration's national security priorities," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"These moves are part of a holistic strategy to infuse the agency with renewed energy, provide opportunities for rising leaders to emerge, and better position the CIA to deliver on its mission."

Ratcliffe -- who served as the director of national intelligence from 2020-2021 during Trump's first term in office -- was confirmed by the US Senate last month.

He told lawmakers that under his leadership, the agency would "produce insightful, objective, all-source analysis, never allowing political or personal biases to cloud our judgment or infect our products."

"We will collect intelligence, especially human intelligence, in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult," and will "conduct covert action at the direction of the president, going places no one else can go and doing things no one else can do."

Addressing CIA officers, he said: "If all of this sounds like what you signed up for, then buckle up and get ready to make a difference. If it doesn't, then it's time to find a new line of work."

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Union Budget 2025 Provides For 200 Day Care Centres: PM's Big Announcement For Cancer Patients

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in parliament today in his response to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to President's address, made a big announcement about the government's plans for cancer treatment.

Speaking on the World Cancer Day, he said the government is planning to open Day Care centres for cancer patients, that would come as a huge relief to them and their families. 

"If today is cancer day, i would like to say all the MPs can take advantage of this for patients in their area," PM Modi said.

"You know patients face problems because there are not enough hospitals, especially those who come from out of town. This budget envisages creating 200 day care centres. These will be a big help to the patients and their families," he said.

Taking the initiative to provide relief to patients of cancer and rare diseases further, 36 life-saving drugs have been fully exempted from basic customs duty in the Union Budget 2025.

Additionally, 37 more medicines and 13 new patient assistance programmes have also been exempted from the basic customs duty.

"To provide relief to patients, especially those suffering from cancer and rare diseases, I propose 36 life-saving drugs in fully exempted custom duties," Union minister finance Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting her eighth consecutive Union Budget.

In 2018, PM Modi had launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), which has emerged as a revolutionary initiative. 

The scheme is designed to offer health insurance coverage to over 500 million people, especially those who are from the economically vulnerable sections.

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Speaking Marathi In Government Offices Made Mandatory In Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government on Monday made it mandatory for all officials in government and semi-government offices in the state to speak only in Marathi.

The Government Resolution (GR) issued to this effect also said that speaking Marathi is compulsory in local self-government, government corporations and government-aided establishments.

Errant officials will face disciplinary action, the GR cautioned.

The Marathi Language Policy, approved last year, had recommended the use of Marathi in all public affairs to further the steps taken for the preservation, conservation, promotion, dissemination and development of the language.

The GR also stated that PC (personal computer) keyboards in all offices should have Marathi Devanagari alphabets apart from Roman alphabets.

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Rajasthan Law Minister Uses Cuss Word In Assembly, Apologises After Uproar

The Rajasthan Assembly erupted in chaos on Monday when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel used "unparliamentary" language in the House.

Mr Patel made the remarks during the Question Hour, which became a bone of contention when the house resumed after lunch for debate on the Governor's address.

The matter settled when Mr Patel apologised saying he did not mean to use the word.

The incident occurred during a discussion, when Minister Otaram Dewasi was replying to the question raised by Congress MLA Chetan Patel related to crop damage due to floods.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully expressed his displeasure over the minister's answer and asked counter questions, leading to an uproar.

And when Mr Jully asked the minister to give the figures of damage in Sangod of Kota, Mr Patel stood up and used an abusive word.

As soon as the House resumed after lunch, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said, "The House was in session. When the Leader of Opposition was speaking, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister objected to the Leader of Opposition. He did not only objected, but also abused. There can be nothing more unfortunate than this." He added, "What can be more shameful that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister abusing? We come here for the issues of the common people, we do not come here to be abused."

Mr Patel responded by saying he and his party always respected and honoured the members.

"We present our point effectively, we do not lack in this. There was no intention to hurt anyone's dignity," he said.

"I never had the intention to speak unparliamentary words in the House nor will I have in the future. If someone gets excited while speaking in the flow, there was no such intention. Therefore, it should be deleted and such feelings will never be there towards any member in future. I feel sorry for this," he added.

Mr Dotasra reacted saying, "If it came in the record, then an apology should be made. Our Dhariwal ji had apologised, I had apologised on his behalf, you are the Law Minister."

Mr Patel said, "I have not said this and if I have said it, then I feel sorry. We do not remain adamant like you. We respect everyone."

Later, Speaker Vasudev Devnani directed the members to maintain decorum of the House.

"If something goes wrong, we should immediately take action against it. If something happens then I think there is no harm in apologising," he said.

The House proceeded for debate on the Governor's address and adjourned till Wednesday.

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US Secretary Of State Meets Panama Leader Over Trump's Demand For Canal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio entered talks Sunday with Panama's leader to press President Donald Trump's demand that the United States take back control of the Panama Canal.

Trump has refused to back down on threats to seize the vital waterway and it remains unclear what Rubio can achieve diplomatically that would please him, with Panama firmly rejecting any claims against its sovereignty.

Rubio, in his first meeting abroad as the top US diplomat, walked past an honor guard outside the whitewashed walls of President Jose Raul Mulino's official residence in the tropical capital's old quarter.

Rubio shook hands with Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Acha and flashed a thumbs-up sign before heading into talks with Mulino. They made no immediate comments to the press.

Rubio later in the day will tour the Panama Canal, the crucial link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through which some 40 percent of US container traffic passes.

Trump and Rubio say that US competitor China has gained too much power around the canal and could shut it down in a potential conflict, with catastrophic consequences for the United States.

Mulino, in response to pressure, ordered an audit of a Hong Kong based company that controls ports on both sides of the canal.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said it was not enough and that Panama has "totally violated" the understanding when the United States handed back the canal in late 1999.

"They've already offered to do many things," Trump said Friday of Panama, "but we think it's appropriate that we take it back."

Protests for sovereignty 

Scattered protests broke out in Panama ahead of Rubio's visit, with an effigy of him in a red, white and blue suit set on fire.

Diojenes Sanchez, a professor who took part in the protests, vowed to defend Panama's sovereignty.

"We firmly reject the claims of the United States to turn Panama into a protectorate and colony," he said.

The Panama Canal -- which Trump has dubbed as a modern "wonder of the world" -- was built by the United States at the cost of thousands of lives of laborers, mostly people of African descent from Barbados, Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean.

The United States maintained control of the canal when it opened in 1914 but began to negotiate following deadly riots in 1964 by Panamanians angered over foreign control.

Jimmy Carter sealed the agreement that gave the canal to Panama at the end of 1999, with the late president seeing a moral imperative for the United States to respect a smaller but still sovereign country.

Trump takes a vastly different view and has returned to the "big stick" approach of the early 20th century, in which the United States threatened force to have its way, especially in Latin America.

In his first week in office, Trump prepared massive tariffs on Colombia to force the US ally to take back deported citizens on military planes, after the country's leftist president complained that they were not being treated in a dignified way.

Just as Rubio started his trip, Trump on Saturday signed off on sanctions on the top three US trading partners -- Canada, Mexico and China.

Rubio, the first Hispanic secretary of state and a devout Catholic, started his Sunday in Panama City attending Mass at a church built four centuries ago in the old city.

He will travel to four more Latin American countries -- El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic -- where he is expected to press for cooperation on Trump's key priority of deporting migrants from the United States.

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Who Are Gig Workers? Nirmala Sitharaman Announces Major Benefit For Them

In a significant move under Budget 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that gig workers will now be eligible for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the world's largest health insurance scheme. This initiative aims to provide crucial healthcare coverage to gig workers who do not receive traditional employment benefits.

Who Are Gig Workers?

Gig workers are individuals engaged in short-term, flexible jobs, such as driving cabs, online delivery services, or freelance work. This category is growing rapidly, and according to projections, by 2030, gig workers will constitute approximately 4.1% of India's total workforce, or around 23.5 crore people.

What is AB-PMJAY?

Launched in September 2018, AB-PMJAY is a health insurance initiative designed to provide free treatment for up to Rs 5 lakh per year for every eligible family. The scheme is managed by the National Health Authority (NHA) and offers immediate benefits with no waiting period, including coverage for pre-existing conditions. Initially covering 10.74 crore families, it now extends to 14.74 crore families, benefiting nearly 70 crore people.

The inclusion of gig workers in the scheme follows recommendations made by the NHA to expand coverage for those without any form of health insurance. This move aligns with the goals outlined in the National Health Policy 2017, which emphasizes universal health coverage for all.

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