News Dabba for 03 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 Taiwan earthquake, MHA cancelling FCRA licenses of five NGOs, to Indian Express investigation on opposition leaders crossing over to the BJP gettinng reprieve from probe agencies. 

NDTV: Arvind Kejriwal says "sole purpose of arrest to humiliate me"

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal - arrested last month in the alleged liquor policy scam - lashed out at the probe agency Wednesday afternoon, NDTV reported. He declared that "the sole purpose of the arrest is to humiliate me... to incapacitate me". Arguing for bail before the Delhi High Court, the report says, Kejriwal said the ED had arrested him "without any inquiry, sttement, or material that could be basis of arrest". Kejriwal is currently in Delhi's Tihar Jail. He was jailed till April 15. Read the full report here.

Seven dead, over 700 injured after 7.4-magnitude quake rocks Taiwan: The Straits Times

Taiwan’s biggest earthquake in at least 25 years killed seven people on Wednesday, The Straits Times reports, injuring more than 700, with 77 trapped in tunnels and collapsed buildings. Rescuers used ladders to help some people descend to safety. Television broadcast images of buildings tilted at precarious angles in the mountainous, sparsely populated eastern county of Hualien, near the epicentre of the 7.4-magnitude quake, which struck just offshore at about 8am local time. The quake hit a depth of 15.5km, the report adds, setting off a tsunami warning for southern Japan and the Philippines that was later lifted. Fire authorities said about 60 of the roughly 77 trapped were caught in a tunnel just north of Hualien city. Read the full report here.

MHA cancels FCRA licences of five NGOs: Hindustan Times

The ministry of home affairs has cancelled the foreign contribution registration act (FCRA) licences of five non-government organisations including Church of North India (CNI-SBSS) for alleged violation of the foreign funding law, Hindustan Times reports. Other NGOs whose foreign funding licences have been revoked include Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS), Church Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), and Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFOI). The ministry has maintained the stance that any organisation found violating any provisions of the FCRA will face action. Read the full repot here.

Ukraine lowers combat call-up age to boost numbers, BBC reports

BBC reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law a bill lowering the military mobilisation age by two years from 27 to 25. Kyiv has faced heavy losses on the battlefield after two years of war, whereas Russia has benefited from a sizeable advantage in manpower. The move will allow Ukraine to call up more people to replenish its reserves, after volunteer numbers dropped. Zelensky said in December that 5,00,000 more soldiers were needed, the report adds. Read the full report here.

23 of 25 Opposition leaders facing probe, who crossed over to BJP, got reprieve: Indian Express investigatin

Since 2014, as many as 25 prominent politicians facing action from Central agencies for alleged corruption have crossed over to the BJP, Indian Express says in its investigative report. They cut across party lines: 10 are from the Congress; four each from NCP and Shiv Sena; three from TMC; two from TDP; and one each from SP and YSRCP. In 23 of these cases, their political move has translated into reprieve, an investigation by The Indian Express has found. Three of the cases have been closed; 20 others remain stalled or in cold storage. Read the full report here.