News Dabba for 16 February 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 polling in Tripura, Syrian refugees in Turkey rushing to return home after quake, to a lack of women representation in Nigeria election.

The Hindu's live updates on Tripura elections

Tripura recorded a voter turnout of 51.35 percent till 1 p.m. on Thursday, the Election Commission informed. The Hindu says that reports of violence also emerged from the Northeastern State as voting in 60 Assembly constituencies is underway since 7 am. The polling will continue till 4 pm. The report adds that CPI(M) leader and former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and TIPRA chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman alleged that the “BJP miscreants” were indulged in violence in some parts of the State. Read the full report here.

Syrian refugees in Turkey rush to border crossings to return home, The Straits Times

Thousands of Syrian refugees in Turkey lined up at border crossings on Wednesday in hopes of returning home temporarily, The Straits Times reported. Syrian border officials announced that Turkey had agreed to let the refugees leave and return later while it copes with a disastrous earthquake. The report adds many of those crossing at three border posts were carrying suitcases, plastic bags and potato sacks holding whatever personal belongings they had been able to salvage from destroyed homes. Read the full report here. 

10 BBC employees have spent 2 nights in office, NDTV reports

NDTV reported that at least 10 senior employees of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in Delhi have not gone home since the Income Tax department launched a "survey" at their Indian offices. The operation entered its third day on Thursday. Officials gathered financial data from staffers and made copies of documents of the news organisation in an action that comes weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary "India: The Modi Question" on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 2002 Gujarat riots. As per the report, a BBC staffer in Delhi said they were broadcasting their news like usual and many employees were working from home. Read the full report here.

Indian Express: Uttarakhand approves relief policy for affected families in Joshimath

Indian Express reports that the Uttarakhand state cabinet Wednesday approved the proposed policy regarding compensation to be given to the families/individuals of the Joshimath area affected by land subsidence. So far, 868 structures in Joshimath town have developed cracks – out of those 181 are in the ‘danger zone’. According to the policy, the report adds, the owners of the affected houses in Joshimath can choose one of the three options. They can either take the entire compensation in the form of money, as per the rates decided for houses and land, or the owners can take monetary compensation for the house and the government will provide them land to build a house, or owners can demand a new house, against their land and existing house. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera report on lack of women representation in Nigeria election

Half of Nigeria’s population are women, but only 4 percent were elected in the 2019 election. Al Jazeera reports that only one woman has ever occupied any of the top four positions in Nigerian governance – a five-month stint as speaker in 2007 – since the country’s independence from Britain in 1960. Further, only five percent of Nigeria’s federal lawmakers are women, one of the lowest representation rates globally. Uju Ken Ohanenye, the only woman among the 23 aspirants, withdrew from the contest in favour of the eventual winner and national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu. Read the full report here.