Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Headlines Trending in India and World: Politics, E-Commerce, Lifestyle, Sports, Health & Entertainment on 18th February 2025
The ‘Biggest’ Stories in World and Indian Headlines – February 18th, 2025
1. Gyanesh Kumar Appointed as India’s New Chief Election Commissioner
India names new chief election commissioner, new law to guide poll watchdog NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India on Monday appointed Gyanesh Kumar as its new chief election commissioner (CEC) to replace Rajiv Kumar, who will step down after he turns 65.
Kumar’s appointment signals a fresh start for the country’s electoral process as he is the first CEC to be appointed under a new law governing election commissioners. Kumar’s name was finalised by a high-level selection committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The selection process was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in South Block, where the committee deliberated over the credentials of several aspirants before zeroing in on Kumar for the post. – Gyanesh Kumar, an IAS officer of 1988 batch from the Kerala cadre, was previously the Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation and served for five years in the Ministry of Home Affairs, where he was instrumental in the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.
A B-Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, he further pursued studies in Business Finance, but his long experience in governance makes him a crucial figure in overseeing India’s electoral processes in the coming months.
2. Protests Erupt at KIIT University Following Nepali Student’s Death
Protests break out at KIIT in Odisha after student’s suicide: Reports
NEW DELHI: Protests broke out at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) here today after the body of a 20-year-old Nepali girl was found hanging in her hostel room in suspicious circumstances on Tuesday. The girl, a third-year Computer Science student, had allegedly committed suicide after being harassed by a male student.
The accused, son of BJP leader Manoj Srivastav from Lucknow, has been arrested for abetment to suicide. Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Pinak Mishra said the police have taken custody of the victim’s mobile phone and laptop for examination for evidence. “Based on preliminary investigation, we have found that the accused had clicked her private photos and was blackmailing her. She was in severe emotional distress, ” Mishra said.
The killing triggered outrage among students who said the victim had complained to the university in the past but had been ignored. Authorities reportedly evicted protesting students from their hostels, prompting Nepal’s prime minister to urge a fair investigation.
3. Delta Airlines Plane Flips on Landing in Toronto, Injuring 18 Passengers
Delta jet flips on landing at Toronto Pearson OTTAWA (AP) — A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped over after landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport Monday morning in gusty winds and icy conditions. The Delta Air Lines flight, a CRJ900 operated by Delta’s Endeavor Air subsidiary, was headed to Toronto from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with 80 passengers and four crew members.
The landing injured 18 people, three of them critically, including a child, witnesses said. “The plane touched down, the plane tilted sideways and then it overturned, ” one witness said. “There was a lot of screaming, there was people running all over the place, ” said another witness. Video showed fire engines spraying water on the plane as emergency personnel rushed to evacuate the passengers.
Canadian aviation authorities said they were investigating the cause of the crash, but early indications pointed to icy conditions on the runway and strong crosswinds.
4. Elon Musk Introduces Grok 3 AI, Claiming It to Be the Smartest Yet
Elon Musk has gotten himself in the news again after launching what he’s calling “the smartest AI on Earth. ” Designed by his AI company xAI, Grok 3 was built to beat existing AI models at science, coding, and mathematical problem-solving.
Musk said during the demo, which was livestreamed to nearly 100, 000 viewers, that the model “is [an] order of magnitude more capable” than its predecessor. The AI has “been computationally enhanced 10x, ” he said, and can now “learn on the fly. ” The tool’s main feature is called DeepSearch, an AI-powered search tool that “gives you answers but also explains why it arrived at those answers. ”
Grok 3 is already available to Premium+ subscribers on X (formerly Twitter), but xAI is rolling out a new subscription plan called SuperGrok for those who want to access the AI on multiple platforms.
5. Tesla Begins Hiring in India, Indicating Market Entry Plans
Tesla has officially started hiring in India, giving a strong indication that the electric vehicle (EV) maker is all set to enter the country’s EV market. The move comes just a few weeks after Elon Musk met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, which led to speculation about Tesla expanding its operations in India.
The company has put up job listings for 13 positions that include Tesla Advisor, Inside Sales Advisor, Customer Support Specialist and Service Technician. The hiring process is currently underway in Mumbai and Delhi, which could indicate that these will be the company’s first launch markets in India.
6. India and Qatar Expand Trade Beyond Energy, Focus on AI and Semiconductors
India is looking to expand trade with Qatar beyond energy, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said here today on the sidelines of India-Qatar Business Forum. “India is looking to expand trade with Qatar beyond energy, and focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors and emerging technologies, ” he said.
“During the forum, attended by Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, two agreements were signed—one between the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the other between Invest Qatar and Invest India. Minister Goyal also confirmed the elevation of the Joint Working Group on trade and commerce to the ministerial level, reflecting the strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries. ”
7. Prayagraj River Water Fails Bathing Standards Amid Maha Kumbh Mela
The river water in Prayagraj has failed to meet the bathing quality norms during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela, according to a report released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It said that the water samples analysed during the past three days had high levels of faecal coliform contamination, which indicated sewage discharge into the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
But, more than 54. 31 crore devotees have already taken a dip in the Triveni Sangam since the festival began on January 13. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is now hearing petitions to put in place stricter measures to ensure the water remains safe for religious bathing.
8. RCB Secures Dominant Win Over Delhi Capitals in WPL 2025
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Delhi Capitals by 8 wickets in WPL 2025 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by eight wickets in the second match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 here on Tuesday. Captain Smriti Mandhana scored an unbeaten 81-run knock, her highest score in the tournament so far. Danielle Wyatt-Hodge scored 42 runs as RCB chased down the target of 141 with 3. 4 overs to spare.
The bowling was also very impressive with Renuka Singh Thakur and Georgia Wareham taking three wickets each to bowl out DC’s batting line-up.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo Skips Al-Nassr Match, Enjoys Padel Game Instead
Al-Nassr leave Ronaldo out of squad as they rest star for Persepolis clash RIYADH (AP) — Al-Nassr left out Cristiano Ronaldo from their squad for their AFC Champions League clash with Persepolis on Wednesday, as the Saudi side rested the 40-year-old Portuguese superstar. While his teammates departed for Tehran, Ronaldo was spotted streaming the final of the Riyadh Premier Padel on his YouTube channel, and even joined the broadcast as a commentator.
His absence prompted speculation over his future at Al-Nassr, but the club say he is just being rested for future games.
10. BCCI Revises Travel Policy for Champions Trophy Amid Player Requests
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has eased its travel restrictions for the ICC Champions Trophy. The board had earlier banned players’ families from travelling to Dubai, but after several requests, it has now permitted each player to take one family member along for one match.
India will start against Bangladesh on Thursday and then face Pakistan and New Zealand in the most important games in a tournament that will decide whether the visa easing will continue in future.
Watch Our News Channel On: You Tube
Also read: 12 Exciting OTT Releases Coming This 14th February Weekend Weekend
New Year 2025 Wishes: Share These and Inspire Fresh Beginnings
Top 15 Incredibly Beautiful Women from Across the World
Krystyna Pyszkova, Representing The Czech Republic, Crowned Miss World 2024!
Navratri and Nine Forms of Goddess Durga: A Deeper Insight into the Divine Feminine
Mahindra Thar Roxx Unleashes New Era of Adventure with Cutting-Edge Features
Celebrate India’s Independence Day with these Inspiring Messages and Quotes
Source: Google Google News NSE BSE
News Desk: News Lounge 24×7
Watch Our News Channel On: You Tube
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above in news headlines are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of News Lounge 24×7. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Discover more from News Lounge 24x7
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
