News Dabba for 27 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 high alert in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division, court ordering NIA probe into Bengal violence, to Mann Ki Baat listenership analysis ahead of the 100th episode.

Court orders probe into Bengal Ram Navami clashes by NIA, NDTV reports

The Calcutta High Court today ordered a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the violence that broke out during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal. NDTV reported that acting on a petition filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the high court ordered the transfer of investigation to the anti-terror agency from the West Bengal police. The court also directed police to transfer all records and CCTV footage to the central government within two weeks, the report adds. Several vehicles were set on fire, stones thrown and shops ransacked during the clashes. Read the full report here.

The Hindu on high alert in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division after Naxal attack in Dantewada

An alert has been sounded in all seven districts of the Naxal-hit Bastar division in Chhattisgarh following the deadly attack by Naxalites in Dantewada, The Hindu reports. The attack claimed the lives of 10 police personnel and one civilian. Bastar region, which comprises seven districts, has witnessed several deadly attacks on security forces in the past, particularly in summer. The report says the rebels carry out the annual 'tactical counter offensive campaign' (TCOC) and step up their offensive activities during this time. Read the full report here.

Pope Francis gives women historic right to vote at meeting, BBC

BBC reeported that the Pope will allow women to vote for the first time at an influential global meeting of bishops in October. The move has been welcomed as a historic first. The new rules announced on Wednesday will give five religious sisters voting rights at the synod, the report says. In the past, women were only allowed to attend the gathering as observers. Men will still cast the majority of the votes at the influential gathering. Read the full report here.

Over 1 lakh hens killed in fire amid shortage of eggs in Japan

The Straits Times reported that about 1,50,000 hens were burnt alive in a fire at a poultry farm in Japan early on Wednesday. This comes amid a nationwide egg shortage resulting from bird flu. A security guard heard an explosion and found one of nine chicken coops at the Minori Farm in Ibaraki prefecture, north-east of Tokyo, in flames. The report says that as per local police, there were around 8,30,000 egg-laying hens on the farm before the fire. No workers were injured. The report also mentions that Japan has culled more than 17 million of the country’s egg-laying hens since the first case of bird flu was detected in October 2022. Read the full report here.

The Wire: Mann ki Baat's 100th Episode promotion hides 'very low listenership' findings

Ahead of the show’s 100th episode to be aired this Sunday, April 30, the Union government has gone all out to launch a promotional blitzkrieg. However, The Wire reports that a study titled ‘MEDIA IN INDIA: Access, Practices, Concerns and Effects’ published by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) found that at least three-fifths of the Indian population has never listened to the PM’s radio address. The report has respected social scientists, Sanjay Kumar, Suhas Palshikar and Sandeep Shastri as advisers. “Across the nation, South Indians are the least likely to have listened to the programme, most probably due to the fact that the PM’s address is in Hindi. That being said, even in the Hindi-speaking States, popularity/listenership of PMMKB is rather low,” the report says. Read the full report here.