February 7: Top news at 1 pm

16 US Attorney Generals challenge Trump's immigration ban

As many as 16 US Attorney Generals have opposed President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, saying the "discriminatory" order is "unconstitutional and un-American". The Executive Order signed by Trump banning countries that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been halted by a federal court in Seattle. The Trump Administration has challenged this stay order before the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, before whom Attorney Generals from as many as 16 States have filed amici curiae brief against the Executive Order.

"No president or administration is more powerful than our laws and our Constitution. As state AGs, it is our job to hold this administration accountable and stand for the interests of our states and our residents. We are united in this effort," said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.

Intruder shot dead by BSF in Pathankot's Bamiyal sector

Border Security Force today shot dead an alleged Pakistani intruder along the Indo-Pak International Border at the Simbal border post in Bamiyal sector of Pathankot in Punjab, the same spot from where terrorists had infiltrated last year to attack an IAF base. Officials said the BSF observation post detected suspicious movements of an intruder around 8:15 am at about 50 metres from the IB fence. They said the troops challenged the intruder but seeing no response they fired which killed him on the spot. Officials said as the area is witnessing heavy fog, the border troops are yet to retrieve the body from near the fence.

Theft at Satyarthi's house, Nobel citation stolen

Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi's house in southeast Delhi was burgled and his Nobel citation allegedly stolen, police said today. The Nobel medal itself is safe in Rashtrapati Bhavan as Satyarthi had dedicated his award to the nation. Police said they received a call about the alleged theft of the citation and teams are at the spot to get details of the items stolen. Satyarthi is currently abroad, they said. The child rights activist won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. He shared the prize with Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai.

Coal scam: Court grants bail to ex-Coal Secretary, others

Former Coal Secretary HC Gupta was today granted bail by a special court in Delhi in connection with a case related to alleged irregularities in allocation of a Chhattisgarh-based coal block to SKS Ispat and Power Ltd. The court also granted the relief to senior public servant K S Kropha, the firm's two directors Anil Gupta and Deepak Gupta, and three others Amit Singh, Rakesh Singh and Jagan Nath Panda in the case. The accused persons and the firm were summoned by the court for allegedly misrepresenting the facts before the Screening Committee in relation to the land and net worth of company. Further proceedings are on March 23.

US changes in export control laws benefit India

Recognising India's status as a 'Major Defence Partner', the US has made necessary changes in its export control laws that would benefit India by facilitating smoother transfer of technologies and arms to it. The new rule "creates a presumption of approval" for Indian companies seeking to import Commerce Department-controlled military items, except Weapons of Mass Destruction-related goods. This means that only under the rarest circumstances will India be denied licenses, a source familiar with the changes said. The rule will make business substantially easier for Indian companies in the defence sector, especially those partnering with American companies.