News Dabba for 13 July 2023: 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 possible talks of UPI in France, flooding in Delhi, to BBC Verify's report on the migrant shipwreck.

India Today reports Assam moves to ban polygamy

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the government is planning to ban polygamy immediately in the state. India Today reports that a bill will be introduced in the upcoming Assembly session.Polygamy, the practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time, has become a recurring topic in the ongoing discussions about the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India. The Assam government had formed an expert committee to explore the legal aspects to implement the move. The report adds that Sarma had earlier said the ban on polygamy would be achieved “through consensus and not aggression”. Read the full report here.

NDTV on Delhi flooding: Roads underwater, Metro hit, schools, colleges shut

The water level in the swollen Yamuna in Delhi rose further during the night. NDTV reports that it has flooded homes, affected public transport and prompted emergency measures. The water level in Yamuna was 208.62 metres at 1 pm today, the report adds. The Arvind Kejriwal government had urged the centre to step in and stop the water discharge, but the centre replied that excess water from the barrage had to be released. The posh Civil Lines area in Delhi was waterlogged as river water entered nearby localities. The report says that traffic has been diverted to alternate routes, leading to massive traffic jams. Further, Metro services have also been affected. Read the full report here.

Thailand parliament begins voting for new PM, Al Jazeera reports

Thailand’s parliament has begun voting for a new prime minister, Al Jazeera reports. Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is running unopposed in what will be a critical test of his political clout. The report says the 42-year-old faced a tough battle on Thursday with his eight-party coalition short of the absolute majority in the 749-member bicameral parliament. There were 676 legislators in attendance for the vote on Thursday, according to local media reports. Read the full report here.

France likely to have UPI system with India, first in Europe after Singapore: Hindustan Times

India and France are poised to take giant steps in co-operation in areas such as the digital economy, manufacturing and clean energy during Modi's visit to France. Hindustan Times reports that the big ticket item that is currently work in progress between the two countries is the possible launch of the digital payment technology Unified Payments Interface or UPI in France. In 2023, UPI and Singapore’s PayNow signed an agreement, allowing users in either country to make cross-border transactions. The report says that if the Macron government agrees to do the same with UPI, then France will become the first European country to have UPI. NPCI, the company behind UPI and France’s Lyra have been working on this for a year, it adds. Read the full report here.

BBC Verify report on migrant shipwreck: Greek coastguard 'pressured' survivors to blame Egyptian men

New evidence found by BBC News casts further doubt on the Greek coastguard's version of events surrounding last month's deadly migrant boat sinking. Up to 600 people are feared to have died in the tragedy in the Mediterranian last month. Two survivors have described how the coastguard pressed them to identify nine Egyptians on board as traffickers, BBC report says. A new video of the overcrowded boat foundering at sea also challenges the Greek coastguard's account. It was taken when the boat was said to be on a "steady course". BBC Verify has confirmed the footage was filmed when the coastguard claimed the boat was not in need of rescue. Read the full report here.