NEW DELHI, 25 February, 2021 (TON): The capital communal clashes of February 2020 have been listed for 26 March this year by the Delhi High Court.

As a batch of petitions related to the last year’s violence that broke out in north-east Delhi last year in February have been adjourned and listed for March 26 by a division bench headed by Chief Justice D.N. Patel.

Communal clashes broke out in north-east Delhi in February last year following clashes between the anti-CAA supporters and protesters, which left at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

One of the petitions sought a direction to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT). It further sought registration of FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, Waris Pathan, Akbaruddin Owaisi, and Mehmood Pracha for alleged hate speeches.

Another petition by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind sought to set up a special investigative team under either a retired High Court or Supreme Court Judge.

PUDUCHERRY, 25 February, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, several key projects launched in Puducherry by PM Modi, just days after a Congress government collapsed in the state.

He is on a one-day visit to poll-bound Puducherry and Tamil Nadu on Thursday to lay the foundation stone for various projects.

The four projects included the four-laning of a part of National Highway 45-A which connects the union territory of Puducherry to Tamil Nadu. The cost of the 56-km long Sattanathapuram-Nagapattinam project will be about Rs 2,426 crore.

He stressed the need for good roads to ensure farmers' produce get access to better markets, he laid the foundation of a medical college building in Karaikal, and a port at Puducherry.  

Addressing a BJP rally at Puducherry, the Prime Minister launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led government which had to step down on Monday on account of the loss of numbers in the Assembly.

YEREVAN, 25 February, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, Nikol Pashinyan the Armenian PM warned of an attempted military coup against him after the army demanded he and his government resign.

Many protests and calls have been carried away calling Pashinyan to resign after what his critics say was the disastrous handling of a six-week conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

Pashinyan has rejected calls to step down and called his supporters on Thursday to rally in central Yerevan to back him while he took to Facebook to address the nation in a live stream.

He also fired the head of the general staff of the armed forces, media reported.

It seemed to be unclear whether the army was willing to use force to back its statement or whether its call was for him to step down was just verbal.

NEW DELHI, 25 February, 2021 (TON): Bharat Bandh to take place on Friday, as CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal says not only traders but even small industries, hawkers, and women entrepreneurs among others will also join the bandh.

Going ahead with their protest against arbitrary regulations and changes in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and alleged norm violations by e-commerce giants, traders across the country will go on a day-long strike on Friday.

In a statement, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) the umbrella body which has called for the strike said that over 8 crore traders belonging to more than 40,000 trade associations across the country will observe the 'Bharat Vyapar Bandh' to protest against some of the "draconian, arbitrary and critical" amendments made recently in GST rules.

Sources reported that in order to prevent violation of law by foreign e-commerce companies, it will also urge the government to rectify glitches in e-commerce.

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD, 25 February, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, India and Pakistan reviewed the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and agreed for strict observance of all agreements, and understandings said the Indian Army.

In a joint statement issued in New Delhi and Islamabad, the Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact.

Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings, and cease firing along the LoC and all other sectors with effect from midnight 24 February and 25 February, 2021.

"The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Control and all other sectors in a free, frank, and cordial atmosphere," the statement said.

The two DGMOs agreed to address each other's core issues and concerns which have the propensity to disturb the peace and lead to violence in the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders.

"Both sides reiterated that existing mechanisms of hotline contact and border flag meetings will be utilized to resolve any unforeseen situation or misunderstanding," the statement said.

There is definitely a great improvement in the internal security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, said Indian Army Chief General M.M. Naravane on Wednesday on a webinar.

It is likely to expect that with continuous engagement of both the countries, there could be some sort of an understanding because unsettled borders and violence on the borders help no one.

SANA'A, 25 February, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, Yemen information minister Muammar Al-Eryani said that the Iranian regime is using the Houthi militia as a pressure card against the international community and the US administration to extract concessions on the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The official claimed to say Iran is pressuring the Houthis for a military escalation in Yemen through suicide bombing in Marib province, as well as attacks against civilians in Saudi Arabia.

After the militia failed in carrying out the tasks assigned to it with the depletion of its fighters and armaments in Marib, it is facing a major deadlock.

He called on the international community, the United Nations, and the permanent members of the Security Council to take firm stances regarding Iran’s role in Yemen.

In Marib, dozens of Houthis and government troops were killed in fierce clashes earlier this month, which prompted warnings from local officials and NGOs the heavy fighting further impact the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

SOWETO, 25 February, 2021 (TON): In solidarity with the front line workers, the health care workers and trade unionists at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, gathered before the South African Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, delivers a yearly budget speech.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) and the Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP) urged their members to stay away from work to protest what they say is a high level of unemployment, persistent corruption in the government, and an abysmal distribution of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for frontline workers.

Motebang Ralake, SAFTU provincial leader said, "They have a big stomach like this. Most of them, are dying of over-eating. We have the people in this country who are dying of overeating while the majority of our people are dying of hunger."

The government will unveil its fiscal 2021 spending plans on Wednesday as the continent's most industrialized economy grapples with the fallout from the pandemic on top of a recession.

ISTANBUL, 25 February, 2021 (TON): Charged with insulting the President, a Turkish lawyer Mert Yasar has been arrested over a controversial tweet that included sexist remarks directed at the ruling Justice and Development Party MP Ozlem Zengin.

On Tuesday, the police raided Mert Yasar’s house and detained the lawyer after an investigation by the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office. 

Zengin sparked widespread anger recently with dismissive comments on alleged human rights violations and strip searches in Turkish prisons, ridiculing the claims of dozens of conservative women who said they had been subjected to intrusive searches in recent years.

Fahrettin Altun, presidential communications director, immediately issued a statement urging the “independent Turkish judiciary to punish this creature named Mert Yaşar in the severest way possible.”

“What will the opposition do in the face of this dishonor? They will, most probably, hide their heads in the sand. We will follow it up,” he said.

Yasar was arrested on charges of insulting the president according to Article 299 of the Turkish penal code that stipulates that the person who insults the president shall be punished by imprisonment from one to four years, and if the crime is committed publicly, the punishment will be increased by one to six years.

However, critics say it leads to the disproportionate use of this clause since his tweet targeted an MP, not the president himself.

DHAKA, 25 February, 2021 (TON): On Friday, 26 February the National 9-Ball Championship 2021 will begin in Dhaka at the House of Billiard & Sports.

The latest edition of the prestigious event boasts a prize pool of Tk 1, 36,000 and will be contested by elite cueists from around the country. The winner will take home Tk 50,000 and the runner-up will receive Tk 30,000.  

An entry fee of Tk 2,000 to compete in the tournament is required by each participant.

The matches will be broadcast live on the social media platform.

The tournament is officially sanctioned by the Bangladesh Billiard & Snooker Federation.

DHAKA, 25 February, 2021 (TON): Twelfth anniversary of the Peelkhana massacre observed by Bangladesh on Thursday.

The incident killed 74 people, including 57 armed personnel. The mutiny by some members of the then Bangladesh Rifles started in the Peelkhana headquarters of the border guards in the capital Dhaka on 25 February, 2009, and ended the following day, however, it drew international attention.

Several dignitaries paid tribute to the martyrs by laying wreaths on their graves at the Banani military graveyard on Thursday morning. Afterward, a minute's silence was observed.

Family members of the martyrs were also present at the graveyard.

The Border-Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has chalked out elaborate programs in memory of the bloody day.

It will organize special prayer services at the central mosques of all the cantonments to seek forgiveness for the departed souls, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said.

On Friday, a special prayer and Milad mahfil will be held at the BGB Central Mosque, Dhaka Sector Mosque, and Border Guard Hospital Mosque after Jumma prayers. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan will be present as the chief guest at the BGB Central Mosque, the BGB said.