News Dabba for 21 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 the aftermath of the viral Manipur video, PM Modi's talks with the Sri Lankan President, to the hottest July in hundreds of years.

PM Modi holds talks with Sri Lankan President, The Hindu

India expects Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment and ensure a life of “dignity and respect” for its Tamil population, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The Hindu reported that the PM held talks with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in India today. Modi informed that both sides have held talks on a number of infrastructure projects that can ensure greater connectivity between the two countries and announced a development assistance package for the Tamils of Indian origin. The report adds that the Tamils in Sri Lanka are marking 200th anniversary of their arrival into the island nation. President Wickremesinghe expressed his government’s “profound appreciation” for the support that India extended to Sri Lanka over the last year. Read the full report here.

Indian Express on Manipur video: Rape FIR gathered dust for 62 days

Indian Expres reports that in the 62 days between a complaint being filed in connection with the sexual assault of two women in Manipur and a video of the incident coming to light, the FIR gathered dust at two police stations. The state saw several high-level meetings during this time to discuss the security situation, the report adds. It took over a month for the FIR to be transferred to the relevant police station. The women were stripped and paraded on May 4 in the valley district of Thoubal and a police complaint was filed by the husband of one of the victims on May 18. Yet, it was only after the video surfaced Wednesday that police took action, Indian Express says. Read the full report here.

Amsterdam bans cruise ships to limit visitors, BBC reports

Amsterdam's council has banned cruise ships from the city centre as the Dutch capital tries to limit visitor numbers and curb pollution, BBC reports. Politicians said the vessels were not in line with the city's sustainable ambitions. As per the report, this means the central cruise terminal on the River IJ near Amsterdam's main train station will close. It is the latest measure to clamp down on mass tourism in the city. In March the city launched an online campaign urging young British men considering holding their bachelor parties in Amsterdam to stay away. Read the full report here.

Government bans rice export with immediate effect: India Today

India Today reports that the world's biggest rice exporter, India, has banned some overseas sales of the grain "with immediate effect", the government said. The move could drive international prices even higher. India would ban exports of non-basmati white rice -- which accounts for around a quarter of its total -- the consumer affairs and food ministry said. Ministry's statement says that the move would "ensure adequate availability" and "allay the rise in prices in the domestic market". Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera quotes NASA climatologist: July to be hottest in hundreds of years

A prominent NASA climatologist has said this July will probably be the world’s hottest month in “hundreds, if not thousands, of years”, Al Jazeera reports. This month has already seen daily records shattered. The effects cannot be attributed solely to the El Nino weather pattern, which “has really only just emerged”, Gavin Schmidt said in a NASA briefing. The warning comes as a wave of extreme heat, wildfires, torrential rain and flooding wreaked havoc across the world in recent days. Read the full report here.