News Dabba for 8 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 Parliament Budget Session, the Turkiye-Syria earthquake death toll crossing 9,000, to New Zealand PM announcing minimum wage hike. 

The Hindu on Parliament Budget Session: Opposition mounts attack on government

The ongoing Budget Session of Parliament began on Wednesday with the BJP demanding action against Rahul Gandhi for his remarks against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Hindu reports that the session has witnessed repeated disruptions over the Adani issue. On Tuesday, Gandhi led the Opposition attack as he targeted the BJP dispensation over the Adani issue. he Congress leader linked the rise in the business fortunes and personal wealth of businessman Gautam Adani to the Modi government coming to power in 2014. The report adds his remarks drew a sharp response from the treasury benches. Today, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the BJP for highlighting the tribal background of Droupadi Murmu. Read the full report here.

BBC: Rescuers warn time running out as quake toll passes 9,000

BBC reported that rescuers warn time is running out to find survivors in southern Turkiye and northern Syria after two huge earthquakes on Monday. More than 9,000 people are now known to have been killed. The report adds that in freezing temperatures, the death toll could continue to surge. Despite the rescue mission over a vast area, some survivors in Turkiye, as per the BBC report, said that they are angry at the slow response by the authorities. In northern Syria, some international aid is getting through, but access to rebel-held areas is severely limited because of damaged roads. Read the full report here.

Uganda says it will not renew mandate of UN human rights office, Al Jazeera

Uganda has said it will not renew the mandate of the United Nations human rights office in the East African country, citing the development of its own sufficient capacity to monitor rights compliance. As per an Al Jazeera report, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted progress Uganda had made in developing a domestic capacity to monitor rights as the main reason for its decision. “The ministry wishes to convey the government’s decision not to renew the mandate of the OHCHR Country office in Uganda beyond the current term,” said the letter by the ministry. Read the full report here.

New Zealand PM woos voters with minimum wage hike, The Straits Times

Recently appointed New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins unveiled a higher minimum wage on Wednesday, The Straits Times reports. With New Zealand in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis, Hipkins said the minimum wage would rise by 95 US cents to US$14.22 an hour from April 1. The report further says it is the first major policy announcement from Hipkins, who was sworn in as prime minister in January after Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation. Hipkins is almost neck and neck with conservative opposition leader Christopher Luxon in opinion polls. Read the full report here.

The Quint's fact check report on Anti-Islam Quote Attributed to Rushdie

A statement attributed to novelist Salman Rushdie that warns other religions and cultures about Islam is going viral on social media. The report mentions that referring to the attack on Rushdie in New York on August 12, 2022, he was quoted as saying, "I want to warn the world that Islam will not rest till every society, culture, and religion is either annihilated or converted.(sic)" Rushdie took to Twitter to clarify that the quote wasn't his. "Fake quote. Not said by me," he wrote on Twitter, the report adds. Read the full report here.