Top news: BCCI asks ICC to sever ties with nations that sponsor terrorism

Here are the day’s biggest stories:

CBI issues lookout circular against former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, two others: Reports

The Central Bureau of Investigation said on Friday that it has issued a lookout circular against former ICICI Bank Chief Executive Officer Chanda Kochhar, and revived the circulars against her husband Deepak Kochhar and Videocon Managing Director Venugopal Dhoot. The circulars were issued nearly a week after a case was registered against them, the agency said.

Kerala: Two students of Malappuram college arrested on charges of sedition

Two students from Kerala’s Malappuram were arrested on Thursday for allegedly putting up posters inside a college campus seeking sovereignty for Kashmir and Manipur. The Kerala Police has booked the two students of Malappuram Government College under charges of sedition. At least seven students from the college have been reportedly booked in the matter so far, while two have been arrested.

Pulwama attack: Mention of Jaish in UNSC statement was in general terms, not a judgement, says China

China on Friday tried to downplay the statement issued by the United Nations Security Council condemning the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 soldiers last week. The statement had named Masood Azhar’s Jaish-e-Mohammad, which had claimed responsibility for the attack. China, a permanent member of the Security Council, has repeatedly blocked efforts to list Masood Azhar as a terrorist at the United Nations.

Pakistan claims ‘some staged incident’ always takes place in India ahead of important events

The chief of the media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces on Friday suggested that the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 was “staged”, given that this was an “important month” for the country. “Whenever there is an important event in Pakistan or when Pakistan is becoming more stable, some sort of incident is staged in India or Kashmir,” Major General Asif Ghafoor said.

Global watchdog says Pakistan has made ‘limited progress’ in curbing terrorism financing: Reports

The Financial Action Task Force on Friday said Pakistan has made “limited progress” in curbing financing of terrorism and has failed to show a proper understanding of risks posed by such groups. The Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental body that sets standards for fighting illicit finance globally. Pakistan was put on the “grey list” in February 2018 and was given a 27-point action plan that it had to implement to be taken off the list.

Assam: Opposition MLAs walk out of Assembly over special powers to Assam Rifles

Members of the Opposition walked out of the Assam Assembly on Friday after their demand for an adjournment motion to discuss the special powers granted to paramilitary force Assam Rifles was turned down. The Centre on Thursday granted the Assam Rifles the power to arrest anyone and search a place without warrant in border districts in five northeastern states.

‘Decision on India-Pakistan tie will be taken later’: Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday wrote to the International Cricket Council asking them to sever ties with nations where terror activity allegedly takes place. In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, there have been widespread calls for India to boycott their marquee group-stage clash against Pakistan in Manchester on June 16.

Rahul Gandhi calls Narendra Modi ‘Prime Time Minister’ for film shoot on the day of Pulwama attack

“The people of India and the martyrs’ families were deep in mourning, and the prime minister was laughing at a photoshoot deep in a valley,” Gandhi tweeted. The Congress chief also attached photographs showing Modi at the Jim Corbett National Park.

Assam: Fourteen die of alcohol poisoning in Golaghat

District officials said over 30 people had gathered for a celebration on Thursday night. Four women collapsed and died soon after consuming the country liquor, according to The Hindu. Ten more people died on Friday.

Twitter says its CEO Jack Dorsey won’t appear before Parliamentary panel

The Parliamentary panel had summoned Dorsey to appear before it on February 11, over concerns that Twitter may be used to interfere in the Lok Sabha elections, which are expected to be held in April and May. The panel had sought Dorsey’s opinion on complaints about perceived bias against right-wing handles on the platform.

JNU sedition case: 3 BJP MLAs marshalled out of Delhi Assembly after they protest delay in action

The 70-seat Delhi Assembly has four BJP MLAs, and the rest are from the Aam Aadmi Party.

Forfeiting World Cup match against Pakistan would be worse than surrender, says Shashi Tharoor

The BCCI’s Committee of Administrators has reportedly drafted a letter to International Cricket Council Chairman Shashank Manohar to exclude Pakistan from the World Cup, which starts on May 30 in England.

Pakistan says it has no objection to India diverting eastern rivers as Indus Water treaty allows it

Earlier on Thursday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari had reiterated New Delhi’s decision amid strained ties between the two countries in the aftermath of a terror attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Forty CRPF personnel were killed in the attack on February 14, which was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Uttar Pradesh: Two alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists arrested, say police

State police chief OP Singh said a team of the Anti-Terrorism Squad had raided the module at a hostel in Deoband on Thursday night based on intelligence inputs.

Editors Guild seeks police action for journalists’ abuse, asks social media firms to be responsible

A statement by the guild condemned the “recent tirade of abuse and intimidation against the media and many senior journalists, especially women, in the wake of their reportage and commentary” ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The statement urged the managements of social media platforms, especially Twitter, to exercise caution and responsibility.

J&K government moves Supreme Court seeking to transfer seven Pakistani militants to Tihar jail

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking to transfer seven Pakistani militants from Jammu jail to Tihar jail. The government alleged that the Pakistani militants were indoctrinating local prisoners.

Russia might meddle in upcoming Lok Sabha elections, warns noted US author Thomas Friedman

Noted American author and columnist Thomas Friedman has warned that Russia might meddle in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections through unregulated media such as Facebook, just as it as alleged to have done during the United States presidential elections.

Karnataka audio clips: BS Yeddyurappa gets interim stay on inquiry from High Court

The Karnataka High Court’s Kalaburagi bench on Friday ordered an interim stay on the investigation into allegations that Bharatiya Janata Party state president BS Yeddyurappa tried to bribe a Janata Dal (Secular) MLA. Yeddyurappa had filed a plea to get a first information report against him quashed.

‘Caravan’ defamation case: Delhi court reserves order on whether to summon Congress’ Jairam Ramesh

A Delhi court on Friday reserved its order on whether to summon Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, The Caravan’s editor and a reporter as accused in a defamation plea filed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s son Vivek Doval.

PM Narendra Modi receives Seoul Peace Prize, dedicates it to people of India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday received the Seoul Peace Prize and dedicated it to the people of India. The prize was announced by the Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation in October last year.

BJP ally Akali Dal asks president to act against Meghalaya governor for Kashmiri boycott comment

Bharatiya Janata Party ally Shiromani Akali Dal on Thursday demanded that the president penalise Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy for calling for a boycott of “everything Kashmiri.

SC issues notices to Centre, 10 states on plea against alleged attacks on Kashmiri students

The Supreme Court on Friday sent notices to the Centre and 10 states asking for their responses on a petition seeking intervention to prevent alleged attacks on Kashmiri students following the Pulwama suicide bombing.

Farmers’ long march to Mumbai called off after successful talks with state Cabinet ministers

Thousands of Adivasis, farmers, students and workers who had started their second long march from Nashik to Mumbai withdrew the agitation late on Thursday after holding talks with Maharashtra cabinet ministers Girish Mahajan and Jayprakash Rawal.

IOC suspends talks of hosting Olympic-related events in India after Pakistan visa denial

The International Olympic Commission announced suspension of all discussions with India regarding rights to host any future sports and Olympic-related events in the country.

UNSC condemns Pulwama attack, says need to hold perpetrators accountable

The United Nations Security Council late on Thursday condemned the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 soldiers last week. The statement, accessed by The Hindu, named Masood Azhar’s Jaish-e-Mohammad, which had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Not interested in Rafale deal in current phase, says HAL Chairperson R Madhavan

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited chairperson and Managing Director R Madhavan on Thursday said that the state-run company “was not interested in the Rafale project any more in the current phase”. “We are not interested in offsets and direct purchases,” he said.

Gauri Lankesh murder: Rahul Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury get summons for linking BJP-RSS to killing

A Mumbai court has summoned Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Communist Party of India General Secretary Sitaram Yechury for linking the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh with the “BJP-RSS ideology”.

NHRC condemns killing of Pakistani inmate in jail, issues notices to Rajasthan authorities

The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday condemned the killing of a Pakistani prisoner who was murdered allegedly by fellow inmates at the Jaipur Central Jail.

NDA ally Ramdas Athawale protests exclusion from BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment and Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party had excluded his outfit from its alliance with the Shiv Sena.