Daily News Dose: No diplomatic intervention for Kerala nurse on death row in Yemen | Apr 12, 2022

Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. I'm your host, Princy Alexander, and these are the major news stories of the day

Delhi High Court rejects plea seeking diplomatic intervention by India for Keralaite woman on death row in Yemen

K-Rail, Revenue Dept in dilemma over resumption of stone laying for the controversial SilverLine project 

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's aide and accused in the 7,000 crore bank fraud case Subhash Shankar brought to India

Kerala ranks second, Gujarat tops in NITI's energy and climax index

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued yellow alert in 4 Kerala districts anticipating thunderstorms till April 16 

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to direct the central government to negotiate the payment of blood money to save Nimisha Priya, a Keralite woman who is on death row in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national. The court observed there was no merit in the appeal by 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council' against the single judge's order asking the Centre to pursue legal remedies against the conviction in Yemen, provide consular assistance and interpreters as well as facilitate the travel of the convict's family. It said  no direction can be passed to the government to enter into negotiation with the deceased's family for payment of blood money. The single judge, in its order passed last month, had also refused to direct the involvement of the central government and said  no embassy can be part of negotiations to pay blood money. Nimisha, an Indian nurse working in Yemen, was convicted in 2020 for the murder of the Yemini national Talal Abdo Mahdi in July 2017 after injecting him with sedatives to get back her passport that was in his possession.  

Confusion prevails in the Kerala revenue department and K-Rail in connection with the resumption of SilverLine project survey, which had been suspended following widespread protests across the state. Considered one among the Left government's most ambitious projects and estimated to cost Rs 63,000 crore, the K-Rail is expected to lessen commuting time between Thiruvananthapuram in the south and the northernmost district of Kasaragod to four hours from 12. Despite the K-Rail authorities claiming that stone laying had not been stopped as part of the survey at any place, the fact is that no such activity has happened in the state for the past two weeks. Though the authorities had extended the time given to agencies for conducting social impact study, they are yet to carry out the exercise. It seems the K-Rail authorities and revenue department are also awaiting the government's decision on the matter in the wake of the continuing protests and tension prevailing in several parts of the state. The state government is keenly pursuing the K-Rail project but there are apprehensions that the Centre might put in stiff opposition to the project. 

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Subhash Shankar Parab, a key accused in the Rs 7,000 bank fraud case, involving diamantaire Nirav Modi, was deported from Cairo on Tuesday after a long diplomatic and legal process, officials said here. A CBI team had gone to Egypt's capital to bring back 50-year-old Parab, who was allegedly kept in illegal confinement in a Cairo suburb by Modi, the fugitive diamantaire, they said.The CBI had been chasing Parab, Deputy General Manager (Finance) in Modi's Firestar Diamond and understood to be a key witness to the Letters of Undertaking submitted to the Punjab National Bank to siphon off over Rs 7,000 crore, they said. Soon after the scam broke in 2018, Parab was one of the executives who went missing along with Modi's family members and his uncle Mehul Choksi. The latter found refuge in Antigua and Barbuda, a Carribbean island country, they said. India had issued an Interpol Red Notice against Parab to track him and bring him back.

Kerala has attained second position in the Niti Aayog's State Energy and Climate Index-Round 1 (SECI) among larger states after Gujarat. Niti Aayog ranks states and union territories study based on  six parameters, including discoms' performance, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. The index is based on 2019-20 data. Releasing the report, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said that this index that compares states and Union Territories across many indicators will encourage them towards energy transition, and all the necessary steps must be taken to achieve this. 

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms in Kerala over the next five days. The southern districts of Kerala will receive heavy spells of rain on April 13 and 14.

The IMD cited a cyclone, which has formed over the Southwest Bengal Sea, North Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, and a low pressure depression over south India as the cause of the rough weather. The Met department has sounded a yellow alert for Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki will be under yellow alert. Since the Kerala coast can expect turbulent seas till Tuesday midnight and winds may blow up to speeds of 60km/hr, authorities have warned fishermen against venturing out to the sea until further instruction.

That brings us to the end of this episode. Be sure to come back tomorrow. As always, thanks for listening to Daily News Dose.