News Dabba for 01 April 2024: Five stories for a balanced news diet

Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates, from extreme heat warning in India, the state of Gaza hospitals after Israeli attacks, to Pakistan HC suspending Imran Khan's sentence.

SC refuses to stop Hindu prayers in southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque, Hindustan Times

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stop Hindu prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, Hindustan Times reports. However, the top court ordered status quo on the religious observances by the Hindus inside the mosque premises. “Bearing in mind the fact that the Namaz is offered by Muslim community unhindered after the orders dated Jan 17 and Jan 31 and the offering of pooja by Hindu priest is confined to the area of tehkhana, it is appropriate to maintain status quo so as to enable both the communities to offer worships in the above terms,” the bench said. The Supreme Court has fixed the plea of Gyanvapi mosque committee against nod for Hindu puja in southern cellar of mosque for final disposal in July, the report adds. Read the full report here.

IMD warns of above-normal temperatures in most parts of country till June, Indian Express

Indian Express reports that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that most parts of the country will witness above-normal temperatures from the ongoing month of April till June. The central and western peninsular parts of the country are expected to witness heatwaves, the weather office said in a release on Monday. However, normal to below-normal maximum temperatures will likely be recorded over some parts of the western Himalayan region, northeastern states and north Odisha, said IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, as per the report. Above-normal heatwave days are likely over most parts in the plains during this period. Read the full report here.

The Straits Times on Isreli troops pulling out of Gaza hospital

Israeli soldiers pulled out of the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital complex on April 1 after an intensive two-week military operation. The Straits Times reports the have left behind charred buildings and bodies strewn at the sprawling complex. Israel said it battled Palestinian militants from Hamas hiding inside Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital, killed at least 200 of them and recovered large stockpiles of weapons, explosives and cash. The health ministry in Gaza said, as per the report, that after heavy Israeli air strikes and tank fire, “the scale of the destruction inside the complex and the buildings around it is very large”. Read the full report here.

Severe infighting in Gujarat BJP, The Wire reports

For the first time in decades, say analysts as per The Wire, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat is facing serious internal resistance to choice of candidates and political decisions made by the top leadership. Fights amongst factions in Amreli were said to have ended up with many political workers of the BJP in hospital. As per a local newspaper, as the BJP had dropped the sitting MP, Naranbhai Kachhadiya, “severe infighting” had erupted between supporters of the outgoing MP and those of the new party nominee, Bharat Sutariya. The report says at least five other BJP candidates for the 26 Lok Sabha seats, set to go to polls on May 7, are facing dissent and open protests. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera: Pakistan court suspends Imran Khan’s prison sentence in state gifts case

A court in Pakistan has suspended former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s jail sentence in a case related to illegal selling of state gifts. Al Jazeera reports that Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were each handed a 14-year sentence in the case on January 31 – just a week ahead of the February 8 elections, which Khan’s party alleges were rigged. The Islamabad High Court on Monday said the couple’s sentence will remain suspended until a decision is taken on the case after the Eid holidays, which begin in 10 days. The case was brought by Pakistan’s anticorruption agency, which accused Khan and his wife of unlawfully buying and selling the gifts, the report adds. Read the full report here.