News Dabba for 25 November 2024: 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 Maharashtra Congress Chief quitting, far-right candidate's lead in Romania's presidential elections, to aftermath of Laos' methanol poisoning.

FIR lodged against SP MP, MLA’s son, day after Sambhal clashes: Indian Express

A day after multiple people were killed and at least 20 police personnel injured following clashes over a survey at the Shahi Jama Masjid in western UP’s Sambhal, Indian Express reports that a first information report (FIR) was registered Monday against Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq, and the son of an MLA from the party in connection with the case. The death toll in the clashes went up to four on Sunday after a 19-year-old boy passed away due to gunshot wounds, the police said. On Sunday, three people had died during the clashes, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Nana Patole quits as Maharashtra Congress Chief, NDTV reports

Maharashtra State Congress chief Nana Patole has stepped down after the main Opposition party won just 16 out of the 103 seats it contested, NDTV reports. Patole barely scraped through in Sakoli with a margin of just 208 votes. Patole, a former MP, took charge of Maharashtra Congress in 2021 when he replaced Balasaheb Thorat, the report mentions. Read the full report here.

BBC on far-right candidate takes shock lead in Romania presidential election

A far-right, pro-Russia candidate has taken a surprise lead in the first round of Romania's presidential election, BBC reports, with preliminary results putting his pro-Europe rival in close second. With 96 percent of votes counted, ultranationalist Calin Georgescu was on 22%, and Marcel Ciolacu, the prime minister, had 20 percent, according to the Central Electoral Bureau. The report adds that the strong showing of Georgescu, who has no party of his own, and campaigned largely on the social media platform TikTok, came as the biggest surprise of the election. He is now on track to join Ciolacu in a final run-off for the presidency on 8 December. Read the full report here.

SC upholds inclusion of ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in Preamble, Hindustan Times

Hindustan Times reports that the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a batch of petitions challenging the inclusion of the words “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble to the Constitution through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and justice PV Sanjay Kumar reaffirmed Parliament’s “incontrovertible” power to amend the Constitution under Article 368, provided such amendments do not violate its basic structure. The bench held that the addition of these terms could not be invalidated merely on the ground that the Preamble retained its original adoption date of November 26, 1949, the report adds. Read the full report here.

Laos’ methanol poisoning deaths send chill through backpacker paradise, Al Jazeera

The streets of Vang Vieng are quieter than usual as global scrutiny falls on the backpacker hotspot following the deaths of six foreign tourists from suspected methanol poisoning. Al Jazeera reports that two Australians, a British citizen, two Danes, and an American have died in what is believed to be a case of mass poisoning from methanol, an industrial chemical often used in bootleg alcohol. News reports say the victims visited nearby Jaidee Bar before being found unconscious at Nana Backpackers Hostel. The report also says that the hostel’s manager has reportedly been taken into police custody. Read the full report here.