News Dabba for 26 March 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 Baltimore bridge collapse, Prakash Ambedkar's ultimatum to MVA, to poll panel issues advisory for voters' safety amid heatwave warning.

'Mass casualty event' as Baltimore key bridge in US collapses, BBC reports

BBC reports that a bridge in the US city of Baltimore has entirely collapsed into the Patapsco River after being hit by a container ship. Up to 20 people and several vehicles have fallen into the river, said Baltimore City Fire Department, who are declaring this a "mass casualty event". The report mentions that the fire department says a large vessel hit a column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge at around 01:30 am local time. Videos on social media appear to show the bridge entirely descending into the water. Read the full report here.

Prakash Ambedkar extends his ultimatum to MVA: Indian Express

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday gave the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra one more day to decide on his demands for seats to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, Indian Express reports. Ambedkar had severed ties with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and issued a March 26 ultimatum to the MVA to finish seat-sharing talks. "Yes, I have given the MVA one more day to decide. I have also canceled my press conference scheduled for today," Ambedkar told The Indian Express. While Ambedkar had earlier demanded 16 seats to contest for his party out of the total 48 in Maharashtra, the MVA coalition of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) offered him four seats. The VBA chief hit back at the MVA, the report adds, saying they could keep the four seats to themselves. When asked about the seats his party wanted to contest, Ambedkar has now refused to comment. Read the full report here.

Poll panel issues advisory for voters' safety amid heatwave warning

The Election Commission of India (EC) today issued an advisory ahead of the Lok Sabha elections for the safety of the voters amid heatwave warnings by the weather agency. India is likely to see above-normal temperatures in most parts of the country from March to May, the India Meteorological Department has said, the report by NDTV mentions. Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Read the full report here.

Al Jazeera on South Sudan being on the brink after oil exports derailed by Sudan’s civil war, Al Jazeera

Violence and insecurity could worsen in South Sudan after one of its key oil pipelines to international markets, which passes through neighbouring Sudan, was damaged last month. Al Jazeera reports that the incident occurred in early February in Sudan’s White Nile state, prompting the Dar Petroleum Oil Company to suspend loadings. The rupture happened in an area controlled by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which is fighting the Sudanese army for power in the country. A team of technical experts has been unable to fix the pipeline due to ongoing fighting, the report adds, raising fears that South Sudan’s political economy could collapse. Read the full report here.

Delhi HC to hear Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest

The Delhi high court on Wednesday will hear Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest and remand by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy case. Hindustan Times reports that the matter will be heard by a bench of justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. Kejriwal is in ED custody till March 28 after being arrested by the central agency in the Delhi excise policy case. Read the full report here.