News Dabba for 05 February 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 Champai Soren winning the Jharkhand trust vote, Indian troops being asked to exit Maldives by May, to the severe forest fires in Chile.

Maldives President says Indian troops to exit by May, NDTV reports

Sticking to his anti-India stand, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu told the parliament today that the island nation will not allow "any country to interfere with or undermine our sovereignty". As per a report by NDTV, he said New Delhi and Male have agreed that Indian troops will leave The Maldives by May 10. Muizzu said Indian troops on one of the three aviation platforms in the island nation will leave by March 10 and those on the other two will pull out by May 10. He also said the Maldives will not renew the agreement with India to chart the country's inner and underwater charts. The two main opposition parties - MDP and Democrats - boycotted President Muizzu's speech, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Indian Express live updates on Jharkhand Assembly: Champai Soren clears floor test

Indian Express reported that Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren won the trust vote in the state assembly on Monday. While 47 MLAs voted in favour of the trust motion, 29 legislators opposed it in the 81-member assembly. Independent legislator Saryu Roy didn’t participate in the voting process, the report adds. A total of 77 MLAs were present in the assembly during the voting. Arrested former chief minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren on Monday challenged the BJP to prove the corruption charges against him. He said, as per the report, if the accusations are proven, he will leave Jharkhand. Read the full report here.

BBC report on at least 112 dead in Chile forest fires

At least 112 people have been killed by forest fires in Chile's Valparaíso region, BBC reports as per inputs from local authorities. Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency and said he would make "all necessary resources" available to tackle the situation. It is believed to be Chile's deadliest forest fire on record. The report says many of those affected were visiting the coastal region during the summer holidays. A health alert was put in place in Valparaíso by the health ministry. The Chilean government has urged people not to travel to the areas hit by the fires. Read the full report here.

India Today: Poll body asks political parties not to use children in election campaign

The Election Commission on Monday asked political parties not to use children in campaigning "in any form whatsoever", India Today reports, including for the distribution of posters and pamphlets or sloganeering. In an advisory sent to parties, the poll panel conveyed its "zero tolerance" towards the use of children in any manner during the electoral process by parties and candidates. Political leaders and candidates should not use children for campaign activities in any manner, including holding a child in their arms, carrying a child in a vehicle or at rallies, the poll watchdog said as per the report. The mere presence of a child accompanied by their parent or guardian in the proximity of a political leader who is not involved in any election campaigning activity by the political party, will not be construed as a violation of the guidelines. Read the full report here.

Bali to collect tourism tax from February 14: The Straits Times

All foreigners including Singaporean tourists will have to pay 150,000 rupiah (S$12.80) in tourism tax when they visit Indonesia’s Bali from February 14 onwards, The Straits Times reports. The new tourism tax applies to those visiting mainland Bali as well as its surrounding islands such as Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. The reports says that tourists arriving from other parts of Indonesia via land or domestic flights also have to pay the tax. Children are not exempted. Read the full report here.