Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. Tune in to get updated about the major news stories of the day.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
[00:00:09] Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. I am your host Vaati Ajit and these are the major news stories of Sunday, Feb 16, 2025. At least 18 people were killed in the overnight stampede at the Pact, New Delhi railway station, with a senior railway official saying on Sunday that the incident occurred after some passengers slipped and fell on others while coming down from a foot-over bridge.
[00:00:33] More than a dozen people were also injured in the stampede on Saturday night at the railway station which witnessed a surge of passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbis underway on platform No. 14 and 15 of the station. A compensation of Rs 10 lakh each has been announced by the railways for the next of kin of those killed in the stampede. Those seriously injured will get Rs 2.5 lakh and those with minor injuries 1 lakh, the railway said.
[00:00:58] The Delhi police said that confusion between two similarly named trains, Prayagraj Express and Prayagraj Special led to the stampede at the railway station. Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has announced its latest coast-cutting move by cancelling millions of dollars in funding for various countries. Among the affected locations is $21 million meant for voter turnout in India. The BGP reacted strongly to this decision, calling it external interference in India's electoral process.
[00:01:27] The party further questioned the implications of the move stating who gains from this, not the ruling party for sure. The development comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump at the White House for bilateral talks. During the meeting, both leaders made significant announcements aimed at strengthening India-US relations. However, the doggy's latest move was not mentioned in the joint statement or during the press conference.
[00:01:54] The third batch of Indian immigrants is set to arrive in Amritsar on Sunday evening as the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration continues. A total of 157 deportees will be on board a US military flight scheduled to land at Amritsar airport. The majority of them are from Haryana. The latest batch of deportees is arriving just today after 117 Indians were flown back from the US on Saturday evening aboard a military plane.
[00:02:21] An Israeli airstrike in Rafa's southern Gaza Strip killed three policemen on Sunday, according to the Hamasran Interior Ministry. The ministry called the attack a breach of the fragile January 19th ceasefire. The policemen were reportedly stationed in the area to secure the entry of aid trucks into Gaza. In a statement, the ministry condemned the attack and urged mediators and the international community to intervene. It called for pressure on Israel to stop targeting the police force, describing it as civilian apparatus.
[00:02:48] The Israeli ministry said the strike targeted several armed individuals who were moving toward forces deployed near the area and hits were identified. The chief examination of eight witnesses in the case pertaining to the murder of Dr. Vandana Das has been completed. The witness examination began on February 12th at the additional district sessions, Court 1, Kollam, before Judge P. N. Vinod.
[00:03:11] Dr. Vandana Das, a house surgeon at Kottarakara Taluk Hospital, was stabbed to death by the accused Sandeep on May 10, 2023, when he was brought by the police for treatment. The murder of a doctor in the line of duty had sparked widespread outrage among the medical community. During the chief examination, prosecution witness 1, Dr. Mohamed Shiban, told the court that he had seen the accused Sandeep inflicting fatal stab wounds to the head and neck of Vandana.
[00:03:36] He also identified the accused, the weapon he had used to stab Vandana, and the dress she had worn. That brings us to the end of this episode. Thanks for listening to Daily News Doze, hosted by me, Swati Ajat, and produced by Kannan. Follow www.orman.com for detailed updates on the latest news and be sure to come back tomorrow. Bye-bye.