News Dabba for 27 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 Union Cabinet clearing Waqf Bill, Iran’s government hitting out at crypto again, to  suspended AAP MLAs blocked from Delhi Assembly.

Hindustan Times: Trump says US companies can now hire Indians under new citizenship plan

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said American companies can now hire Indian graduates from US universities under the newly proposed ‘gold card’ citizenship initiative, Indian Express reports. The move, seen as a significant boost for Indian students, follows Donald Trump's unveiling of the ‘gold card’ on Wednesday—a pathway to US citizenship for wealthy foreign investors willing to invest $5 million. Donald Trump, during his first Cabinet meeting, said he hoped the gold cards would “sell like crazy”, the report says. Read the full report here.

Union Cabinet approves revised Waqf Bill, Indian Express

The Union Cabinet has cleared the 14 amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposed by the Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP), Indian Express reports. The 14 amendments, approved by JCP on January 27, were proposed by NDA members who are part of the parliamentary panel examining the contentious Waqf Bill. The 44 amendments suggested by the Opposition members in the panel were rejected by the committee after the voting. The report adds that these 44 amendments were against the changes planned in the Bill to the Waqf Act of 2013. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera on Iran’s government hitting out at crypto again as currency freefalls

Iranian authorities have again been cracking down on cryptocurrencies and online exchanges, Al Jazeera reports, as the value of the national currency plummets in an economy in turmoil. Last month, the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) suddenly stopped rial payments in all cryptocurrency exchanges, leaving more than 10 million crypto users unable to spend rials on Bitcoin and other global online currencies. The goal was to counter further depreciation of the embattled national currency by stopping it from changing hands for foreign currencies. Read the full report here.

Suspended AAP MLAs blocked from Delhi Assembly in new showdown with BJP, NDTV

AAP MLAs were stopped from entering the Delhi Assembly on Thursday, days after they were suspended for three days for creating a ruckus in the House. India Today reports that the MLAs claimed that barricades were placed at the entry road to prevent them from accessing the Assembly complex. Atishi, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, took to X to condemn the move, alleging that the BJP had taken "dictatorship" to new heights, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Leaked recordings challenge Greek account of deadly shipwreck, BBC reports

BBC reports that leaked audio instructions by Greek rescue co-ordinators have cast further doubt on Greece's official version of events in the hours before a migrant boat sank along with up to 650 people onboard. The Adriana went down in the early hours of 14 June 2023 in international waters – but within Greece's rescue zone - after leaving Libya days earlier. Survivors later told the BBC that coastguards had caused their overcrowded fishing boat to capsize in a botched attempt to tow it and then forced witnesses to stay silent. Read the full report here.