
Diplomat's daughter sues NY for $1.5m
An Indian diplomat's daughter is suing the city of New York for $1.5 million for wrongful arrest.
Krittika Biswas — daughter of the vice-counsel at the Indian consulate in Manhattan, Debashish Biswas — was taken from her high school in handcuffs on February 8 and held for more than 24 hours on suspicion of sending obscene emails to her teacher. The 18-year-old was later cleared as another student was found to be the culprit.
Biswas claims she was also not allowed to use the bathroom for a long time while in custody. "Eventually, I had to go in front of everyone", she said, referring to a toilet in a shared cell.
Her lawyer, Rajiv Batra, said Biswas had diplomatic immunity and that neither her father, nor the consulate general of India were informed about the arrest. However, the consulate general said US authorities had told him the immunity did not extend to family members.
"They based it on nothing," Biswas said, adding that the school did not suspend or arrest the real culprit. "I don't know why he wasn't arrested... the principal pushed for my arrest."
The city law department declined to comment. Sources said India has taken up the matter with the US. "We are intrigued that the student who sent the emails went scot-free."

Biden admin to let H-1B spouses work
- The reversal comes as a huge relief for a community that had lived with mounting uncertainty after former President Donald Trump’s administration sought to take away their work authorisation.

Former ISI chief Asad Durrani in touch with RAW since 2008: Pakistan
- Durrani has faced problems from Pakistan’s military establishment since he co-authored the book The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace with former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief AS Dulat in 2018.

US leaders dial Indian counterparts; talk cooperation in defence, Indo-Pacific
- In an introductory telephone call from US secretary of defence Lloyd Austin to Rajnath Singh, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and the strategic partnership.

Deforestation soars in Amazon forest in 2020, analysis finds
- A first look at deforestation in the full year of 2020 shows that roughly 21,000 square kilometers (8,108 square miles) of old-growth forest was cut or burned down, about the size of New Jersey, the US-based non-profit group found in its analysis of satellite data.

Biden’s UN nominee urged to counter China, defend 2019 speech

US issues terror alert over anti-govt extremists, urges to avoid large crowds

Pakistan unveils plan to administer Covid-19 vaccine across country

French Holocaust memorial vandalized on remembrance day
- The Israeli Embassy in France tweeted a photo of the pro-Uighur graffiti scrawled on a wall etched with the names of tens of thousands of French victims of the Holocaust. The embassy expressed “horror and anger” at the vandalism “on such a symbolic day.”

Biden admin scraps Trump-era rule ending work permit for some H-1B spouses

Oil slips as Covid-19, demand concerns weigh ahead of supply report

Man to plead guilty in plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer

UK plant producing Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine evacuated
- The UK arm of Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company Wockhardt, which is producing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in north Wales, said it notified authorities after receiving the package on Wednesday morning. The company had recently hosted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

South Korea sees one of strongest recoveries among major economies

South Africa cracks down on Bitcoin after alleged ponzi scheme

Britain cracks down on travel to stop virus spread
- Travellers arriving in Britain from high-risk Covid-19 countries will have to quarantine for 10 days in government-provided accommodation, while those wishing to leave will need to explain why in a process checked before departure, interior minister Priti Patel said on Wednesday.