News Dabba for 24 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 search operation following the Poonch terror attack, evacuation of foreigners from Sudan, to Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar meeting.

Search operation after Poonch terror attack enters fourth day: The Hindu

More than 40 persons have been detained for questioning as part of a massive search operation currently underway to track down the terrorists involved in the Poonch terror attack, officials said. The Hindu reported that additional troops have been inducted to further intensify the cordon-and-search operation (CASO) in Bhata Dhurian-Tota Gali and neighbouring areas. As the operation entered the fourth day on Monday with the engagement of multiple security agencies, the entire belt is put under cordon, they said. Five Army personnel were killed and a sixth was seriously injured when their vehicle caught fire during a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on Thursday. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera report: Foreigners evacuated as factions battle in Sudan’s Khartoum

Foreign nations are rushing to get their citizens out of Sudan as rival military factions battle in the capital Khartoum, Al Jazeera reports. Millions of residents are trapped inside their homes, many running low on water and food, as clashes continue. The eruption of fighting on April 15 between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has triggered a humanitarian crisis. Al Jazeera reported that the United States said special forces using MH-47 Chinook helicopters spent one hour on the ground to bring out fewer than 100 people. Germany and France announced Sunday that they had begun evacuating their nationals and those from other countries. Italy, the Netherlands and Greece, also said they were planning rescue efforts, the report adds. British diplomats and their families from Sudan were evacuated on Sunday. Read the full report here.

NDTV reports Mamata Banerjee says "No Ego" as Nitish Kumar pitches 'Opposition Unity'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a brief meeting with her Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav today. NDTV reports that she said after the meeting there is "no ego clash" regarding a grand alliance of anti-BJP parties and that it's going to be the people vs BJP in next year's general elections. She claimed, as per the report, she has earlier too said that she has no objection to all like-minded Opposition parties getting together for the big electoral battle. Calling it a "very positive discussion", Nitish Kumar said they discussed making all preparations ahead of the upcoming elections. Read the full report here.

Govt panel’s preliminary report silent on allegations against Brij Bhushan, Indian Express

The government shot off a letter to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha, asking the body to make ‘suitable interim arrangements for managing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Indian Express reports that this comes as the wrestlers continued their stir against the WFI. The government, which also put on hold the WFI elections scheduled to take place on May 7, the report adds. These developments took place even as the country’s top wrestlers continued their stir against Brij Bhushan, demanding an FIR be filed against him for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers. Read the full report here.

The Straits Times on Lisbon barring cars from driving through city centre from April 26

Lisbon will become the latest European city to bar through-traffic from its city centre. The Straits Times reports that the plan will be introduced for a three-month trial period on Wednesday. It will see cars barred from driving through (but not from driving to) the heart of Lisbon’s downtown. A larger zone beyond this will bar access to most vehicles over 3.5 tonnes – including tourist buses but excluding all forms of public transit – between 8am and 8pm. The report says it could significantly reduce traffic through the Portuguese capital’s historic heart. Read the full report here.