News Dabba for 25 February 2026: Five stories for a balanced news diet

Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates, from CJI taking exception to NCERT’s ‘corruption in judiciary’, Minister's 'shock' over BSNL Director's 'task' for officials, to Trump's State of the Union speech.

Indian Express: CJI takes exception to NCERT’s Class 8 book section on ‘corruption in judiciary’

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday took serious exception to a section in the National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) new Social Science textbook for Class 8, on “corruption in the judiciary” and said he “will not allow anyone to defame the institution”. This comes a day after The Indian Express reported about the same. “I will not allow anyone to defame the institution. I know how to deal with it,” the CJI said, after senior advocates A M Singhvi and Kapil Sibal raised the issue during mentioning hours, an Indian Express report over the CJI's reaction said. While Singhvi said it was a case of selective portrayal, Sibal said, “We are deeply disturbed, Class 8 students being taught that judiciary is corrupt.” Read the full report here.

NDTV reports on Minister's 'shock' over BSNL Director's 'Underwear, Hair Oil' task for officials

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has ordered action against BSNL Director Vivek Banzal amid a huge row over the protocol assigned to him for his visit to Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, NDTV reports as per its sources in the government. The minister said the matter was brought to his notice and termed the episode "improper, unacceptable and shocking". According to an official order, Banzal, director (CFA) of the BSNL Board, was scheduled to visit Prayagraj from February 25-26. His trip, however, was cancelled after the official order went viral, the report says. Read the full report here.

Senegal PM proposes tougher anti-LGBT law, doubling prison terms, BBC reports

BBC reports that Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has introduced legislation that could double the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, making them punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The proposal was sent to parliament on Tuesday after cabinet approval last week, after a wave of arrests over alleged same-sex relationships, already banned under Senegal law. Addressing lawmakers, the report adds, Sonko said the bill would punish what it describes as "acts against nature" with prison sentences ranging from five to 10 years, compared with the current one- to five-year terms. Read the full report here.

Meghalaya has highest HIV caseload in India, 10,000 patients on treatment: Hindustan Times

Meghalaya has the highest HIV caseload in India with over 10,000 patients on treatment, Health Minister W Shylla told the Assembly on Wednesday, Hindustan Times reports. He informed that the state has already approved a Rs 25-crore five-year intervention plan to address the situation. The minister said currently, 10,293 people living with HIV are receiving antiretroviral therapy in the state, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera on key takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union speech

United States President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history on Tuesday night, covering an array of his policies on the US economy, crime, trade, immigration and foreign policy, all of which he said contributed to a “turnaround for the ages”. Al Jazeera reports that the first such address of his second term lasted 1 hour, 48 minutes, which surpassed the record of 1 hour and 28 minutes set by former President Bill Clinton in 2000. The report says that he ended the address with a similar sentiment: “Our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder and more glorious than ever before.” Read the full report here.