News Dabba for 16 December 2022: 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 Minister Smriti Irani calling global hunger index indicators flawed, the Wire's report on cancellation of pre-Matric scholarship, to 18 Months in prison for Peru's former president.

Union Minister says Hunger Index rank does not reflect India’s true picture, The Hindu

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani dismissed India’s ranking in the Global Hunger Index, terming the indicators as “flawed”, in a reply to Lok Sabha on Friday. The Hindu's updates on the Winter session of the Parliament said that Irani also spoke about the steps taken by the Central government to provide sufficient funds to meet the inflation effect and fix under various schemes. In Lok Sabha, the bills that will be taken for consideration and passing on Friday are - Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2022; Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022 and Anti Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019. Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Friday wrote to the Lok Sabha speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman urging them to suspend the day’s business in both houses of Parliament to discuss the issue of women’s safety on the 10th anniversary of the Nirbhaya gangrape incident. Read the full report here.

At least 16 campers dead in Malaysia landslide, BBC

At least 16 people have been killed and more remain missing after a landslide enveloped a campsite in Malaysia's Selangor state, officials say. BBC reports that campers were sleeping in their tents when a landslide occurred around 03:00 am (local time) Friday at the farm stay in Batang Kali township. More than 90 people - including children - had been camped at the base. The report adds Hundreds of rescuers were at the scene on Friday morning wading through mud to try to find survivors. Read the full report here.

Muslim students struggle with cancellation of pre-Matric scholarship, The Wire's report

The Wire's report analyses the impact of the Union Government's decision to cancel the pre-matric scholarships for students from classes 1 to 8 belonging to minority communities from the academic year 2022-23. Analysing the impact in Gujarat in particular, the report says that students and parents from minority communities will suffer because of this decision. The Union government also withdrew the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF). Gujarat had opposed the pre-Matric scholarship back in 2008 when it was launched, the report adds, saying that it is a scheme based on religion and the Centre cannot compel the state to implement it. Read the full report here.

NDTV report on S Jaishankar's Response To Pak Journalist on terrorism

The world sees Pakistan as the "epicentre" of terrorism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday. NDTV report says that he asserted that the international community has not forgotten where the menace stems from, despite the brain fog induced by over two years of Covid-19. He made the remarks while addressing reporters at the UN Security Council stakeout. Jaishankar was responding to a question on Pakistan Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar's recent allegation that "no country had used terrorism better than India". Read the full report here.

18 Months in prison for Peru's former president Castillo, TeleSUR reports

Peru's Judicial Power (PJ) issued 18 months of preventive imprisonment against former president Pedro Castillo (2021-2022) for the alleged crime of rebellion, TeleSUR reports. On Thursday, a hearing was held to analyse the request of the prosecution to remand Castillo in custody for the alleged crimes of rebellion, conspiracy, abuse of authority and attempt against public tranquility. The report says The PJ admitted the request in all its extremes, considering that there was an imminent danger of Castillo's flight from the country. The former president has requested asylum in Mexico. Read the full report here.