News Dabba for 28 February 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 Manish Sisodia challenging arrest in SC, a grievance appellate committee for social media complaints, to Australia blocking Chinese investment in rare earths producer.

Manish Sisodia challenges arrest, NDTV reports

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday challenged his arrest by the CBI in the Supreme Court. NDTV reports that Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, after hearing Sisodia's lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, asked why they did not go to the high court instead before coming to the Supreme Court directly. Singhvi cited the Supreme Court's judgment in the Vinod Dua case as the reason why Mr Sisodia has approached the Supreme Court. After this, Chief Justice Chandrachud said they will hear the matter at 3:50 pm. Read the full report here.

Govt. launches Grievance Appellate Committee for social media complaints, The Hindu

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Tuesday launched the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) portal under the IT Rules, 2021. The Hindu reports that this would allow people who are dissatisfied with complaints to social media companies on content takedown requests, to be heard by one of three Committees constituted by the government. This marks a shift in how social media content is moderated in India, the report says. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 were amended last year to require social media companies to “respect all the rights accorded to the citizens under the Constitution, including in the articles 14, 19 and 21”. Three Committees were formed in January to receive complaints to put these amendments into action. Read the full report here.

Australia blocks Chinese investment in rare earths producer

Northern Minerals Ltd on Tuesday said Australia’s government has blocked the heavy rare earths producer’s largest shareholder from increasing its investment on the grounds of national interest. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports that China’s Yuxiao Fund was blocked from raising its ownership of Northern Minerals. Australian PM Anthony Albanese had said earlier that he favours using rare earths and other critical minerals to make batteries in Australia. The report adds China has criticised Australia for previously blocking Chinese investment on national security grounds. Read the full report here.

BBC reports Israeli-American killed in West Bank as unrest intensifies

BBC reports that an Israeli American has been shot and killed in the occupied West Bank as retaliatory unrest intensifies. Elan Ganeles, 26, was killed in an attack on vehicles on a highway near the city of Jericho. The shooting happened after Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages in the West Bank on Sunday night. The reports say dozens of cars and houses burned. Ganeles was taken by paramedics to a hospital in Jerusalem but was later pronounced dead. Read the full report here.

Centre writes to states on heat-related illness surveillance: Hindustan Times

The central government has written to states regarding daily surveillance on heat-related illnesses starting from March 1, with mercury soaring. Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the daily surveillance under National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH) will be conducted in all states, Hindustan Times reports. He asked the officials to disseminate this guidance document to all districts for effective preparedness of the health department and health facilities. The India Meteorological Department has predicted an early onset of summer. Read the full report here.