Tamil writer Perumal Murugan has been announced as the winner of the JCB Prize for Literature for his novel titled Fire Bird. This award-winning book is an English translation of Murugan’s Tamil novel Aalanda Patchi. In other news, the Uttar Pradesh government has implemented a ban on the labelling of halal on various food items including dairy products, sugar, bakery items, peppermint oil, savouries, and edible oil. This move has sparked a debate on religious freedom and food labelling practices. Additionally, political parties in India are focusing on wooing women voters ahead of the upcoming elections by making promises of cash assistance, subsidised LPG cylinders, free education, and free rides on public transport. The passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament has also given more visibility and importance to women voters. In Uttarkashi, rescue workers are exploring alternative routes to reach workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel. Authorities are considering drilling from the top of the mountain face to access the workers, but this alternative approach may take a longer time to execute. Tamil writer Perumal Murugan’s novel Fire Bird, which won the JCB Prize for Literature, has been praised for its captivating storytelling and thought-provoking themes. The translator of the book is Janani Kannan, and the work has been published by Penguin. Farmers in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are demanding action from the state governments to control the growing population of nilgais and stray cattle that destroy their crops. They want the governments to learn from Bihar and Uttarakhand where controlling the population of nilgais is considered a priority. The upcoming India-Australia 2+2 Ministerial dialogue is expected to focus on the Quad summit and the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Regional developments, including the West Asian crisis, will also be discussed during the dialogue. The Haryana government plans to move the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s verdict quashing the 75% reservation in private sector jobs for residents of the state. This decision has created political tension between the ruling BJP-JJP coalition government and the opposition parties. SpaceX faced setbacks during the test flight of its mega rocket Starship, as both the booster and the spacecraft were lost during the mission. The failure occurred eight minutes after liftoff from South Texas, and SpaceX has acknowledged the mission’s failure. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab has intensified its attacks on opposition parties, setting the tone for next year’s parliamentary elections. During a rally in Hoshiarpur, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticized the previous governments for the deterioration of the state. In the Maldives, President Mohamed Muizzu has vowed to remove Indian troops deployed in the archipelago. This announcement comes after Muizzu was sworn into power and marks a significant development in the country’s foreign policy. Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma expressed his preparedness for the ICC World Cup final against Australia at a press conference held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Sharma, known for his patience and humor, stated that the team has been preparing for this day since he became the captain. Tight security measures have been put in place with over 6,000 security personnel deployed in Ahmedabad for the final match between India and Australia.