A look at the headlines today:
1. Fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari reaches Bengaluru from Senegal
Fugitive gangster Ravi Pujari who is wanted in many heinous crimes, including murder and extortion, was brought in the early hours of today from Senegal via France to Bengaluru, police said. "Yes, we have brought him," a police officer told PTI requesting anonymity. The gangster was nabbed in South Africa in a joint operation by the SA police and Senegal security agencies and was later extradited to Senegal, said police sources. On learning about his arrest in Senegal, a team of police officers, including Additional Director General of Police Amar Kumar Pandey and Bengaluru Joint Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil went to Senegal to bring him. The team completed the extradition process and finally brought him to Bengaluru by an Air France flight. The don was arrested by the Senegal authorities last year and the India police tried it's best to catch hold of him but failed as a local court there granted him bail. The gangster then jumped the bail and fled Senegal and had holed up in South Africa, said police sources.
2. UP Sunni Waqf Board meeting today to decide on mosque land
The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board is likely to take a decision in its meeting today regarding the land given by the state government for construction of a mosque. "We have already said about honouring the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya issue," board chairman Zufar Farooqui told PTI on Sunday. "The meeting of the board will deliberate upon the documents pertaining to allotment of land by the government. A decision will also be taken as to what should be built on that piece of land," Farooqui said. Asked about Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma's offer regarding formation of a trust for construction of a mosque, Farooqui said: "The government formed the trust for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on the directives of the Supreme Court. No such instructions were issued for the mosque. This offer will be discussed in the board's meeting." On Friday, the board had said that it did not have the option to reject the alternative piece of land given to it under the Supreme Court's Ayodhya verdict, but would decide how to use it when it meets. In a historic verdict in November on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of construction of a temple. It also ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for a mosque within Ayodhya.
3. US President Donald Trump to arrive in India today
US President Donald Trump will arrive in Ahmedabad today for the first leg of his maiden India trip during which he will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, take part in a roadshow with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and jointly address over one lakh people at a cricket stadium, before heading for Agra to see the iconic Taj Mahal with his wife Melania. Trump, who is also accompanied by daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and top brass of his administration, will get a taste of India's cultural potpourri during his Gujarat itinerary which is high on symbolism, especially after the bonhomie between the two leaders at the 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston during the Indian prime minister's visit to the US in September 2019. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a friend of mine. I had committed to this trip long time back. I will be addressing a big rally," Trump said at the White House. Trump, who is the seventh US president to visit the country, too took to Twitter saying he was looking forward to being with his "great friends" in India as he retweeted a video in which his face was superimposed on the hit Indian movie-character Bahubali, showing him as a great saviour.
4. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to arrive in India today
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will embark on a two-day visit to India from today. He will be in Mumbai and Bengaluru, attending the Microsoft CEO summit. “Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will share his vision for the future of technology and how Indian organisations can lead in an era of digital transformation,” reads the company’s website.
5. Confident India to face plucky Bangladesh in ICC Women's T20 WC
Their confidence on a high after the impressive win over title holders Australia, India will look to carry forward the momentum against a plucky Bangladesh in their second Group A match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup today. Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav's magical spell helped India beat Australia by 17 runs in the tournament opener on Friday but the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side can't afford to take Bangladesh lightly as their eastern neighbours had beaten them twice in the 2018 T20 Asia Cup. Jemimah Rodrigues and 16-year-old promising opener Shafali Verma, who hit a typically aggressive 29 off 15 balls against Australia, were not a part of that Asia Cup team and the duo will need to play crucial roles if India want to beat Bangladesh. In the last five meetings between the two sides, India lead 3-2 on head-to-head record and a win today will take them closer to the knock-out rounds from the five-team group. India will, however, need to improve their batting performance as they scored a below par 132 against Australia. Since the tri-series preceding this World Cup, the Indian batting has been inconsistent and has not posted big totals barring a few matches. They could have lost the match against Australia also, but for Poonam's (4/19) exploits.
6. Newly-elected Delhi MLAs to take oath on today
A three-day session of the Delhi Assembly will begin today, during which newly elected MLAs will take oath and the Speaker will be chosen. According to the schedule, Lt Governor Anil Baijal will address the House on February 25. Sources said Ram Niwas Goel, who was the speaker in the previous assembly, is likely to retain the post. Once the newly-elected legislators take oath, an election to chose the Speaker will take place in the House on today. The 7th Delhi Legislative Assembly was recently constituted after the Aam Aadmi Party won 62 seats in the 70-member House. This will be the first session of newly-constituted Delhi Assembly. The BJP won eight seats while the Congress drew a blank in the city polls.
7. BSNL employee unions call for nationwide hunger strike for delay in relief package
State-run telecom firm BSNL's employee unions have called for a nationwide hunger strike today, to protest against delay in execution of the Rs 69,000-crore revival package announced by the government. "The All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) is organising a country-wide hunger strike on February 24, 2020. This hunger strike is being organised to demand the expeditious implementation of the Union Cabinet's revival package in respect of BSNL, as well as to demand settlement of the grievances of the employees," AUAB said in a statement. In October 2019, the central government approved a Rs 68,751-crore revival package for loss-making BSNL and MTNL, including 4G spectrum allocation and voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), as well as their merger. AUAB said the salient feature of the revival package is the allotment of 4G spectrum, the issuing of sovereign guarantee for raising funds to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore, with share of BSNL at Rs 8,500 crore and Rs 6,500 crore for MTNL, by way of issuing long-term bonds, monetisation of assets and implementation of a VRS.
8. New Zealand thrash India by ten wickets in opening Test
Indian batsmen's inadequacies in adverse conditions were laid bare as they crashed to an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat against a ruthless New Zealand side that wrapped up the opening Test in just over three days today. Starting the day on 144 for four, India were all out for 191 in 81 overs in their second innings. This was a shade better after their dismal 165 in the first innings, which eventually proved to be decisive. Trent Boult (4/39 in 22 overs) and Tim Southee (5/61 in 21 overs), one of the finest but most under-rated new ball pairs in world cricket, showed that when it boils down to playing incisive seam and swing bowling, this batting line-up is still a work in progress. The required target of nine runs was knocked off by New Zealand without much ado for their 100th Test win.
-Inputs from PTI
