News Dabba for 6 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 the deadly earthquake in Turkiye, the Delhi Mayor polls getting postponed again, to Iran acknowledging that 'tens of thousands' detained in protests.

BBC's live updates on Turkiye earthquake: Hundreds kills, hundreds more injured

BBC reports that hundreds of people are dead and several hundred more injured after a huge earthquake struck south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border. Statements from officials in Turkey and Syria put the death toll at more than 500, but that is likely to rise. Rescue teams are still searching for survivors after the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Turkey and Syria in the early hours of Monday. As per the report, Turkey has declared a state of emergency and has urged people not to use mobile phones to allow rescuers to coordinate. The report says millions of people across Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus and Israel felt the earthquake - the epicentre was near the Turkish city of Gaziantep. Read the full report here.

NDTV updates on the Delhi Mayor polls getting postponed again

A third attempt to elect a Delhi Mayor failed today as protests erupted after a major change in rules. NDTV reports that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleges will favour the BJP, which recently lost control of the civic body after 15 years. The municipal corporation meeting was called off until further notice amid huge protests by the BJP and AAP after 10 councillors nominated by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena were allowed to vote. The report adds that the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act says nominated members, or aldermen, cannot vote in house meetings. AAP says it will approach the Supreme Court for court-monitored mayoral polls within 10 days. Read the full report here.

The Hindu: Bombay HC asks BMC about notice cut 177 trees at Aarey,

The Bombay High Court on February 6 directed the Mumbai civic body to clarify how it has issued a public notice seeking to cut 177 trees at the Aarey Colony area for a Metro car shed project when the Supreme Court in 2022 permitted felling of only 84 trees. The Hindu report says a division bench of Acting Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Zoru Bhathena challenging the notice. Read the full report here.

Iran acknowledges ‘tens of thousands’ detained in protests, Arab News

Iranian activists on Sunday dismissed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s decree reportedly ordering amnesty or a reduction in prison sentences for “tens of thousands” of people detained amid nationwide anti-government protests shaking the country. Arab News reports that it has thus acknowledged for the first time, the scale of the crackdown. “Khamenei’s hypocritical pardon doesn’t change anything,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam of the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights. The decree by Khamenei, part of a yearly pardoning by the supreme leader before the anniversary of the 1979 revolution, comes as a long-detained opposition leader called for a nationwide referendum on whether to write a new constitution for Iran. Read the full report here.

Sonia Gandhi writes on Budget 2023-24 for Indian Express

Congress MP Sonia Gandhi writes on Budget 2023-24, calling it a silent strike on the poor. She writes Indians are being punished by the triple menace of price rise, unemployment and falling incomes, budget only exacerbates the problem. The article says the 2023-24 Budget not only fails to address these critical challenges, but also worsens them by slashing allocations meant for the poor and the vulnerable. She further writes that the "deadly combination of insufficient funding and rising inflation directly hurts our nation’s poorest and most disadvantaged". Read the full report here.