News Dabba for 17 April 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 the Supreme Court allowing Mumbai Metro to remove 177 trees from Aarey, RSF and army clashing in Khartoum for the third day, to the Indian government's views on same-sex marriage.

Supreme Court allows Mumbai Metro to remove 177 trees from Aarey forest: Indian Express

Indian Express reports that the Supreme Court on Monday permitted the Mumbai Metro Corporation limited to fell 177 trees from the Aarey forest. The court said a stay on tree felling will lead to the “project being halted.” However, the report adds that the top court observed that the Mumbai Metro has made an attempt to overreach the court’s jurisdiction and directed it to pay Rs 10 lakh fine within two weeks for felling of trees in Aarey forest beyond permission. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said it was improper on Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (MMRCL) part to move the tree authority for felling of any trees in excess of 84. Read the full report here.

RSF and army clash in Khartoum for third day, BBC reports

Fierce clashes have been reported across Sudan as fighting between rival armed factions continues to spread. BBC reports violence between the army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued overnight into its third day. Nearly 100 people have been killed, a doctors' union said and one estimate put the number of injured at 1,100. the report adds. Both sides claimed to control key sites in the capital Khartoum, where residents sheltered from explosions. Read the full report here.

March wholesale inflation at record 29-month low of 1.34 pc, Hindustan Times

Hindustan Times reported that India’s wholesale inflation eased to a 29-month low of 1.34 percent in March 2023. Prices across commodities and food segments declined steeply, showing disinflationary trends, official data released on Monday showed. The report also adds that retail prices cooled to 5.66% in March, the lowest in 15 months. The wholesale price index rose at its slowest level since October 2020, but the gap between consumer or retail prices continues to be high. Wholesale prices had come in at 3.85% in February. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera on Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza sentenced to 25 years in prison

Al Jazeeraa reported that a Russian court on Monday sentenced Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for treason and denigrating the military. The report adds that this is the harshest sentence of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine. The charges against Kara-Murza stem from a March 15 speech he made to the Arizona House of Representatives in the United States, in which he denounced Russia’s war in Ukraine. Investigators added the treason charges while he was in custody. Read the full report here.

The Hindu: Government says same-sex marriage is a ‘mere urban elitist view’

The Centre on told the Supreme Court that the demand for legal recognition of same-sex marriage is merely a voicing of “urban elitist views” for the purpose of social acceptance. Indian Express reported that the government added that the court should not try to judicially create a “new social institution” by endorsing same-sex marriages. The judges should leave the task to the Parliament, the people would decide whether such a “marriage of a different kind” is socially and religiously acceptable or not, the Centre said. The report adds that the government has filed this affidavit on the eve of the hearing of the same-sex marriage case before a Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. Read the full report here.