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[00:00:09] Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. I am your host, Vaati Ajed and these are the major news stories of Saturday, Feb 15, 2025. World No. 1 Yannick Sinna has accepted a three-month ban from tennis after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency over two positive drug tests from last year. The 23-year-old Italian player who recently won the Australian Open will be suspended from 9 February to May 4.
[00:00:38] Despite the ban, Sinna will still be eligible to compete in the next Grand Slam event of the year, the French Open, which begins on 19 May. Vaati had appealed the initial decision to clear Sinna of doping. The agency stated that the contamination was unintentional and resulted from his physiotherapist's use of the substance. Three Israeli hostages were released on Saturday after successful mediation by Egyptian and Qatari officials.
[00:01:03] The hostages had been taken by Hamas militants during an attack on 7 October 2023. They were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which then transported them to Israeli forces. The release is a part of a prisoner swap agreement under which 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed in exchange for the three Israeli hostages. This agreement marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to uphold a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
[00:01:30] The three hostages had been held captive for several months before their release. Reports indicate that they were in good health and were spotted holding gift bags and certificates marking the end of their captivity. Amid U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration, a second U.S. plane carrying 119 deported internationals is set to arrive at Punjab's Amritsar airport around 10 p.m. today.
[00:01:53] Among them, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, 8 from Gujarat, 3 from Uttar Pradesh, 2 each from Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan and 1 each from Himacharya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The deportations are likely to continue on a bi-weekly basis, with similar flights bringing back internationals in the coming weeks until all undocumented immigrants have returned.
[00:02:14] Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwan Man has criticised the centre over the upcoming arrival of another flight carrying Indian immigrants deported from the United States. He accused the BJP-led central government of intentionally trying to defame Punjab by selecting Amritsar as the landing site for these flights. The Central Board of Secondary Education board exams for Class 10 and 12 began on Saturday, with over 42 lakh students set to appear for them at over 7,800 centres across the country and abroad.
[00:02:44] According to board officials, a total of 24.12 lakh Class 10 students will appear for exams in 84 subjects, while over 17.88 lakh students will appear for Class 12 exams across 120 subjects. The exams are scheduled at 7,842 centres in India and 26 centres abroad. The Class 10 exams are scheduled to end on March 18, while Class 12 board exams will conclude on April 4.
[00:03:10] Thiruvanthubaram MP Shashitaroor has once again sparked controversy within the Congress by openly praising both the BJP-led Union Government and the LDF Government in Kerala. Congress leaders, including opposition leader VD Satishan, criticised Tharoor for supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit and for his article on Kerala's startup economy. In response, the KPCC leadership has submitted a letter of dissent against Tharoor to the AICC High Command. On Saturday, Satishan also questioned the credibility of Tharoor's data on startups.
[00:03:40] Meanwhile, Shishidharu responded that he has always been someone who praises good initiatives, even if they are introduced by opposing parties. I made these observations based on the global startup ecosystem ranking, not just the government's claims, he said. That brings us to the end of this episode. Thanks for listening to Daily News Doors, hosted by me, Swati Ajit and produced by Kannan. Follow www.onmar.com for detailed updates on the latest news and be sure to come back tomorrow.