Washington, Sep 29: US President Donald Trump has ordered an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against his US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, throwing his confirmation into doubt.
A Senate committee voted on Friday to approve Kavanaugh's nomination to the top US court. But a Republican member only backed the move on the understanding that such an inquiry would occur, the US media reported.
As a result, a full Senate vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation has been delayed for up to a week. He has been accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford, a professor of psychology in California, in 1980s.
"I've ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh's file," Trump said in a statement. "As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week."
Trump's announcement followed a letter from the Senate judiciary panel seeking an expedited probe of the allegations pursuant to a bipartisan agreement to put off a vote on the nomination.
According to CNN, the developments mean that the full Senate will not vote early next week, as expected. Members voted on Friday night to formally open consideration of Kavanaugh's nomination, a procedural move allowing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to keep his options open.
The delay was the result of a last-minute change of heart by Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, whose move to force an investigation was quickly backed by several senators considered swing votes on Kavanaugh's confirmation.
Flake made the demand for the Federal Bureau of Investigation probe after a chaotic scene at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting in which the panel advanced Kavanaugh by a 11-10 party line vote -- saying his vote was conditioned on a probe taking place, and that he would oppose Kavanaugh on the floor of the Senate unless his demand was met.
The judiciary committee officially requested the FBI investigation, saying it should probe current "credible allegations" against Kavanaugh. Republicans said it would be up to the FBI to decide what allegations were considered credible.
It was Flake, Alaska GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski and Maine GOP Senator Susan Collins who set the terms of the investigation, CNN said.
Kavanaugh, who denies all allegations against him, said that he would "continue to cooperate" with the FBI. He accused Democrats of politicising the process and harming his family and good name.
Three women, including Ford, have accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting them several decades ago.
Ford appeared at a judiciary committee hearing on Thursday to testify that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her in 1982 when both were teenagers.
Ford's lawyer Debra Katz welcomed the decision of calling for the probe but questioned the time limit of a week. "A thorough FBI investigation is critical to developing all the relevant facts... No artificial limits as to time or scope should be imposed on this investigation."
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Bengaluru: The Azim Premji Foundation has announced the Azim Premji Scholarship for the academic year 2025–26, aimed at supporting up to 2.5 lakh girls across 18 Indian states who are pursuing higher education after completing school. An official release from the foundation also stated that in the coming years the scholarship will be implemented across the country.
When to Apply:
According to a release from the foundation, the application process for the Azim Premji Scholarship 2025–26 will commence in September 2025. “Details of the program and any changes in the program design or coverage will be notified at the start of the application process,” the release added.
Where to Apply:
According to the release, the scholarship this year will be implemented across 18 states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Students residing in these states and enrolled in recognised higher education institutions will be eligible to apply.
How to Apply:
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Girls who have completed their Class 10 and 12 education in government (public) schools and have secured admission in a bona fide higher education institution either a government-run college/university or select private institutions can apply for the scholarship.
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Once the application portal opens in September, students will be required to submit personal details, educational qualifications, proof of admission, and bank account information.
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The scholarship amount ₹30,000 per year will be transferred directly into the students' bank accounts in two instalments each academic year, read the release.