Morning Digest | Uttar Pradesh bans halal branding on food items, Perumal Murugan wins JCB Prize for Literature, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on November 19, 2023

Uttar Pradesh bans halal branding on food items

The Uttar Pradesh government has banned labelling halal on eatables such as dairy products, sugar, bakery items, peppermint oil, savouries and edible oil.

Come poll season, parties woo women voters, but are not interested in fielding them as candidates

Cash assistance, subsidised LPG cylinders, free education from kindergarten to postgraduation, and free rides on urban public transport — it is election season in five States and political parties are bending over backwards to woo women voters with a slew of promises. Coupled with the historic passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Special Session of Parliament in September, it would seem that women have arrived electorally in the country.

Uttarkashi tunnel rescue | Authorities eye drilling from the top

Rescue workers at the collapsed tunnel in Uttarkashi started exploring other ways to reach workers, including from the top of the mountain face through which the tunnel is being constructed, officials announced on Saturday. The longer 170 metre route from the top, running simultaneously with other approaches, may take far longer to bore through than the approximately 60 metres of rubble at the southern entrance.

Perumal Murugan wins JCB Prize for Literature, to get ₹25 lakh cash prize