News Dabba for 26 February 2025: 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 Chile's power cut, Bihar cabinet expansion, to the Centre's opposition to lifetime disqualification of convicted lawmakers.

Chile power cut leaves millions without electricity, BBC reports

BBC reports some power has been restored in parts of Chile's capital, Santiago, after a near-nationwide cut left huge swathes of the country without electricity. A state of emergency was declared, with a curfew in affected areas, where soldiers have been deployed. The Viña del Mar festival, the largest music event in Latin America, has had its third day cancelled. Hospitals and prisons across the country are on emergency generators and transport is severely disrupted. The government blamed a system failure, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Indian Express: Appointment of Professor ‘proud of Godse for saving India’ as NIT Calicut dean

Indian Express reports that the appointment of Dr A Shaija, a National Institute of Technology Calicut professor who praised Nathuram Godse on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary last year, as the institute’s dean has sparked a row on the campus. The Congress said it would launch an agitation at the institute demanding the withdrawal of the decision appointing Dr Shaija as the dean (planning and development) starting April. The report mentions that Dr Shaija is currently a professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NIT Calicut. On Gandhi’s death anniversary in 2024, she posted on Facebook, “Proud of Godse for saving India.” She was commenting on a post by an advocate that read, “Hindu Mahasabha activist Nathuram Godse, a hero of many in Bharat.” Read the full report here.

India Today on 7 BJP leaders taking oath as Nitish Kumar's ministers

The Bihar cabinet expansion took place today as seven ministers took oath and were inducted into the cabinet. India Today reports that the expansion assumes significance as the state will head to the polls later this year. The seven MLAs who joined Nitish Kumar's Cabinet are Sanjay Saraogi (Darbhanga), Sunil Kumar (Biharsharif), Jibesh Kumar (Jale), Rahu Kumar Singh (Sahebganj), Moti Lal Prasad (Riga), Vijay Kumar Mandal (Sikti) and Krishan Kumar Mantoo (Amnour). Earlier in the day, BJP's state President Dilip Jaiswal announced his decision to resign as Revenue Minister, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Ukraine agrees on US minerals deal: The Straits Times

Ukraine has agreed on the terms of a minerals deal with the United States and could sign it on Friday, the two countries said. The Straits Times reports that Kyiv hopes the move will lay the ground for future security guarantees from Washington. US President Donald Trump, in part of a dramatic shift of policy that includes reaching out to Russia, has demanded that Ukraine give access to its rare earth minerals to compensate for the billions of dollars of wartime aid it received under former president Joe Biden. Read the full report here.

Centre opposes lifetime disqualification of convicted lawmakers, Hindustan Times

The Union government has opposed a plea seeking a lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers from contesting elections, Hindustan Times reports, asserting before the Supreme Court that there is “nothing inherently unconstitutional in limiting the effect of penalties by time” to ensure deterrence while avoiding “undue harshness”. The report adds that the Centre defended the existing legal provisions that limit the disqualification of convicted legislators to six years after completing their jail time. In an affidavit submitted before the top court, it argued that the impugned provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, are based on the principles of “proportionality and reasonability”, and that Parliament, as the exclusive lawmaking authority, has the discretion to decide the period of disqualification or penalties for convicted lawmakers. Read the full report here.