Saturday, August 31, 2024

After Land Invasion And Death From Above, A New Enemy In Gaza - Polio

A health official said a polio vaccination campaign began in Gaza on Saturday, while an aid worker said a large-scale rollout would begin on Sunday, coinciding with a "humanitarian pause" agreed by Israel and Hamas.

The vaccination drive was announced after Gaza recorded its first polio case in a quarter of a century earlier this month.

Local health officials along with the UN and NGOs "are starting today the polio vaccination campaign", Moussa Abed, director of primary health care at the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, told AFP on Saturday.

An unspecified number of children received the first dose of the vaccination, which involves two doses and is administered orally, at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis.

Among them was Amal Shaheen's three-year-old daughter, who was already in the hospital being treated for pneumonia.

"We have been in the hospital for 17 days... I spend all my days worrying about her," Shaheen said.

"Today she was vaccinated against polio to protect her, like all the children in the hospital have been vaccinated."

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that Israel had agreed to a series of three-day "humanitarian pauses" in Gaza to facilitate vaccinations, though officials had earlier said the campaign was expected to start on Sunday.

'Not a ceasefire'

An international aid worker told AFP that Palestinian authorities had organised a launch event on Saturday and that the vaccination campaign was still expected to begin in full on Sunday.

COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body which oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said on Saturday that vaccines would be given daily from 6:00 am (0300 GMT) until 2:00 pm for three days in central Gaza, three days in southern Gaza and three days in northern Gaza.

"At the end of each regional vaccination campaign, a situational assessment will be conducted for the area," it said.

The Palestinian health ministry distributed a slightly different schedule, with the vaccine programme lasting four days in each location.

The ministry identified 67 vaccination centres -- mostly hospitals, smaller health centres and schools -- in central Gaza, 59 in southern Gaza and 33 in northern Gaza.

Poliovirus is highly infectious and most often spread through sewage and contaminated water -- an increasingly common problem in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war drags on.

The media office of the Hamas-run government in Gaza said on Saturday that the vaccination campaign required an "immediate ceasefire".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said measures to facilitate polio vaccination in Gaza are "not a ceasefire".

The campaign aims to cover more than 640,000 children under 10 years old.

Michael Ryan, WHO deputy director-general, told the UN Security Council this week that 1.26 million doses of the oral vaccine had been delivered in Gaza, with another 400,000 still to arrive

The Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry said earlier this month that tests in Jordan had confirmed polio in an unvaccinated 10-month-old baby from central Gaza.

Poliovirus is highly infectious and most often spread through sewage and contaminated water -- an increasingly common problem in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war drags on.

The disease mainly affects children under the age of five. It can cause deformities and paralysis and is potentially fatal.

'100 per cent safe'

Bakr Deeb told AFP on Saturday that he brought his three children -- all under 10 -- to a vaccination point on Saturday despite some initial doubts about its safety.

"I was hesitant at first and very afraid of the safety of this vaccination," he said.

"After the assurances of its safety, and with all the families going to the vaccination points, I decided to go with my children as well, to protect them."

Abed, the health official, stressed on Saturday that the vaccine was "100 percent safe".

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 which resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 40,691 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.

Incessant Israeli bombardment has also caused a major humanitarian crisis and devastated the health system.


 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Manipur Chief Minister Slams Tejashwi Yadav Over "Racist" Jab At Himanta Sarma

A war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has escalated over the Assam government's move to scrap the practice of two-hour assembly session adjournment for jumma prayers.

While Mr Sarma from the ruling BJP pointed out the decision was taken jointly by all MLAs including Hindu and Muslim leaders, Mr Yadav alleged the Assam Chief Minister's party has made Muslims soft targets to spread hate and polarise society.

What escalated the exchange between the two was Mr Yadav's post on X that took a swipe at Mr Sarma as someone who wants to "gain cheap popularity and become the Chinese version of Yogi," alluding to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The RJD leader did not indicate if he was referring to inferior quality goods from China, or the north-east region, where people have often complained of racist remarks directed towards them.

Responding to Mr Yadav's attack, Mr Sarma said, "Doing away with the two-hour jumma break was not the Chief Minister's decision, but of all Hindu and Muslim legislators. When the assembly Speaker on Friday announced it, no Muslim MLA in the house raised any protest. There are 25 Muslim MLAs in Assam assembly, out of a total 126."

The Assam Chief Minister said the proposal to do away with this provision in the rules of procedures of the assembly was placed before the rules committee, headed by the Speaker, which unanimously agreed to drop the jumma practice.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is from the BJP, waded into the battle and attacked Mr Yadav, alleging that the RJD leader had labelled the Assam Chief Minister "a Chinese just because he is from the northeast."

"It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history and geography of our country. First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it's Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of northeast," Mr Singh said.

Mr Sarma also shot back at Mr Yadav, accusing him of "hypocrisy". "Tejashwi Yadav is criticising me but I want to ask him... is there any such practice in Bihar? You (Mr Yadav) should have implemented a four-hour break when you were deputy chief minister of Bihar. Practice it first before preaching," Mr Sarma said.

He added the decision was being criticised only outside Assam, while the state MLAs showed commitment to work for development.

In May 2021, a blogger from Punjab was charged by the Arunachal Pradesh government for his racial remarks against a Congress MLA. The YouTube blogger Paras Singh had in a video termed then Congress MLA Ninong Ering a "non-Indian" and claimed the "state was a part of China", sparking furore among Arunachal residents as well as people from other parts of the country. Paras Singh was arrested and brought to Arunachal Pradesh, where he said he realised his mistake and sought apology. He was granted bail and allowed to return home.



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On CCTV, Cops Seen Planting Drugs On Man In Mumbai, Suspended After Probe

Four cops were suspended today in Mumbai, police said, after a video showed them allegedly planting drugs on a man went viral on social media. In the video, two officers can be seen frisking a man as two others can be seen standing a few steps away. 

Moments later, one of the them slips something into the suspect's hip pocket, the video shows. The four men then take him into custody for possessing 20 grams of mephedrone.

After an investigation was launched, it was confirmed that all the four men seen in the video are police personnel posted at Khar Police Station in Mumbai.

Those suspended included a police sub-inspector and three constables, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone XI) Rajtilak Roshan told news agency PTI.

According to sources, the man searched by the officers and in whose pocket the drugs were planted was identified as Daniel. The four policemen, attached to the Anti-Terror Cell of the Khar police station, raided an open plot of land in Kalina area of the city on Friday evening and detained him.

While speaking to a local news channel, Daniel claimed that the cops initially threatened to frame him in a drugs case but when they realised that their act was caught on a CCTV camera, he was allowed to go.

DCP Rajtilak Roshan told news agency PTI that disciplinary action was initiated against the four cops for not following set procedure and after their suspected actions were seen in the video, they were suspended pending inquiry.

"They reached the spot after getting information about drugs, but everything (they did) is seen in the CCTV," he said.

An associate of Daniel alleged that he was targeted at the behest of a builder over a dispute regarding the plot where the incident took place.



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RBI Governor On Two Factors That Pulled GDP Growth Rate Down

The slowing of India's economic growth to a 15-month low of 6.7 per cent in the April-June quarter was due to "lower" government spending in the wake of the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the recent Lok Sabha polls, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Saturday.

The RBI had projected a growth rate of 7.1 per cent for the April-June quarter of this fiscal.

"The Reserve Bank projected a growth rate of 7.1 per cent for the first quarter. However, the first advance estimation data released by the National Statistical Office showed the growth rate at 6.7 per cent," Governor Das said.

The components and main drivers responsible for the GDP growth like consumption, investment, manufacturing, services and construction have registered a growth of more than 7 per cent, he said.

Only two aspects have pulled the growth rate slightly down. Those are—government (both central and state) expenditure and agriculture, the RBI governor pointed out.

He said the government expenditure was low during the first quarter perhaps due to elections (April to June) and operation of model code of conduct by the Election Commission.

"We would expect the government expenditure to pick up in coming quarters and provide the required support to growth," Mr Das said.

Similarly, the agriculture sector has recorded a minimal growth rate of around 2 per cent in the April to June quarter. However, the monsoon was very good and spread all over India except a few areas. So, everyone is optimistic and positive about the agriculture sector, he noted.

"Under these circumstances, we have reasonably confident expectations that the annual growth rate of 7.2 per cent projected by the RBI will be materialized in coming quarters," the governor asserted.

Das said that GST, inflation targeting framework and Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) are the three major reforms made during the past 10 years.

Addressing a national conference of chartered accountants (CAs) here, he said, “The primary functioning of the RBI, as defined in its preamble, is to maintain price stability, while keeping in mind the objective of growth. This was a major structural reform made by the government in 2016 by amending the RBI Act.” With this amendment, the RBI is mandated by the law to maintain the price stability with keeping the inflation at 4 per cent, with a leeway of 2 percentage points on either side, he said.

When Covid hit, the RBI reduced the repo rate by 250 basis points. Similarly, after the Ukraine war started, due to various international factors and some domestic weather events, the inflation rose to 7.8 per cent. So, at that time, the central bank had quickly increased the interest rate, he pointed out.

Stating that quality of audit in any organization is very important Das advised the CAs to do a true diagnosis of the health of a company like doctors.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Friday, August 30, 2024

"To Cover Up Delays...": Centre On Mamata Banerjee's Letter On Rape Cases

The Union Women and Child Development Minister has responded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's second letter, seeking a stringent law and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes such as rape and murder.

Ms Banerjee in her second letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought a mandatory provision for time-bound disposal of rape and murder cases. The two letters came amid the CBI investigation into the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The BJP had called her a "liar" over her letters, and questioned her over why she has not done anything to ensure implementation of existing "stringent" rules and regulations to protect women in her state.

"With regard to the information contained in your letter about the status of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and exclusive POCSO courts in West Bengal, I may mention that according to information received from the Calcutta High Court, West Bengal has established 88 Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which are not the same as the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) covered under the Central Government Scheme..." Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi said in her response to Ms Banerjee.

"... ln spite of pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state has not operationalised additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases, as per the state's requirement. As may be seen, the information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction to cover up the delays in operationalizing the FTSCs by the state," Ms Devi said.

 BJP co-incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya has also questioned the Bengal Chief Minister over not doing enough to ensure rules and regulations to protect women and girls are strictly followed.

"It is incumbent on Mamata Banerjee to explain why the West Bengal government hasn't done anything for implementing the stringent rules and regulations, which exist for protecting women and girls," Mr Malviya said in a post on X. "Stop writing letters. Answer the questions. You are accountable," he added.

On Ms Banerjee's demand for permanent judicial officers in FTSCs, instead of only retired judicial officers as prescribed in the FTSC scheme guidelines, the Women and Child Development Minister said, "... I may inform you that the scheme guidelines clearly provide for one judicial officer and seven staff to work exclusively for disposal of Rape and POCSO Act cases. Hence, additional charge of FTSCs cannot be given to any permanent judicial officer or court staff. This position was clarified earlier to the state of West Bengal..."

The rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked outrage across the nation, with doctors and others in the medical profession calling for fundamental reforms to ensure dignity and security at their workplace.

The Trinamool Congress has alleged the BJP has politicised the incident. The BJP has, however, pointed the finger back at Ms Banerjee's party with allegations that the medical college was ridden with insidious corruption.

The college's former principal Sandip Ghosh is under investigation. The Central Bureau of Investigation has also arrested the key suspect Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, who was seen on CCTV outside the seminar room of the hospital where the junior doctor's body was found.



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Behind Telegram CEO's Arrest, A Paris Cybercrime Unit With Big Ambitions

The investigation into Telegram boss Pavel Durov that has fired a warning shot to global tech titans was started by a small cybercrime unit within the Paris prosecutor's office, led by 38-year-old Johanna Brousse.

The arrest of Durov, 39, last Saturday marks a significant shift in how some global authorities may seek to deal with tech chiefs reluctant to police illegal content on their platforms.

The arrest signalled the mettle of the J3 cybercrime unit, but the true test of its ambitions will be whether Brousse can secure a conviction based on a largely untested legal argument, lawyers said.

In an unprecedented move against a major tech CEO, prosecutors argued Durov bears responsibility for the alleged illegality on his platform, placing him under formal investigation on organized crime charges. He is suspected of complicity in running an online platform that allows the posting of child sex abuse images, drug trafficking and fraud. 

Durov's lawyer said on Thursday it was "absurd" for him to be held responsible and that the app abided by European laws, echoing an earlier statement by Telegram itself.

Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates judges consider there is enough evidence to proceed with the probe. Investigations can last years before being sent to trial or dropped. Durov is out on bail, but barred from leaving France.

Brousse's unit began investigating Durov earlier this year after seeing his app being used for countless alleged crimes, and growing frustrated by the "almost total lack of response from Telegram to judicial requests", Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said on Wednesday.

Brousse declined to comment.

In an interview with newspaper Liberation in January, Brousse said her office was overseeing a growing number of probes involving Telegram and rival messaging app Discord, adding that tackling crime on them was "one of my battles". 

Jason Citron, Discord's CEO, did not respond to a request for comment. 

Brousse's J3 cybercrime unit is France's most important, with licence to prosecute nationwide. But it also is small, with just five prosecutors, well below the 55-60 cybercrime prosecutors in Switzerland, a 2022 parliamentary report found. With limited resources, they "prioritize the most serious crimes", Brousse told Le Figaro last year.

Brousse said in a 2022 podcast appearance she wanted to be tough "so cybercriminals believe that if they attack France, they will be judged and punished very severely".

"We want people to be prosecuted, either in their country ... or in France through arrest warrants," she said.

Her office was used to "extremely sensitive cases", she added. "Sometimes, legal and geopolitical issues intersect."

Patrick Perrot, who coordinates AI-assisted probes at the French gendarmerie and advises the Interior Ministry's cybercommand unit, said the J3 had been innovative in seeking to prosecute cases that set an international precedent. 

"I think it shows that you can't do whatever you want with these platforms," he told Reuters. "It's a real question for the future, because these platforms won't stop multiplying, so the challenge of regulation is essential."

TOUGH LEGAL GROUND?

Brousse has led the J3 since 2020, which has given her oversight of one of the most important - and controversial - French cybercrime cases ever. 

In late 2020, the J3 took charge of the probe into Sky ECC, which alongside Encrochat was one of the main encrypted communications services used by gangsters to buy drugs and weapons, or murder rivals. A few years earlier, French, Dutch and Belgian police had hacked into their servers, which were housed in northern France, giving French prosecutors jurisdiction over many of the resulting probes. 

There have been more than 6,500 arrests since the takedown of Encrochat in 2020, according to Europol, with the legality of the intercepts challenged in appeals courts across Europe.

Paul Krusky, the Canadian Encrochat boss, was extradited in February from the Dominican Republic to France, where he now awaits trial. Lawyers for Sky ECC's Jean-François Eap are contesting his French arrest warrant.

Stephane Bonifassi, Eap's lawyer, said his client was innocent, adding that "Sky ECC was not conceived as a tool for criminals, nor commercialized as such".

Krusky's lawyer, Antoine Vey, said his client was innocent.

"The service set up by Paul Krusky, like other services that have enjoyed global success, was only intended to protect the privacy and freedom of exchange of its users, and in no case to support criminal activities," Vey said in a statement.

Two other French lawyers who have worked on Sky ECC and Encrochat cases told Reuters that these earlier probes gave prosecutors the ambition - and a blueprint - to target Durov.

Robin Binsard, who has fought Encrochat cases at France's top court, said prosecutors would need to prove that Durov knew and approved of the criminality on the app, calling their argument "totally questionable".

The fact that Telegram didn't comply with law enforcement requests "does not automatically make one an accomplice to a criminal project", he added.

Binsard said it was clear "France is pursuing encrypted messaging providers", and that other operators of such apps, such as Signal, "should be concerned about whether or not they are in compliance with French regulations. Because the message is clear if they are not, legal action will take place".

Signal did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

A source at the Paris prosecutor's office said the Sky ECC probe had no links to the Telegram investigation.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Thursday, August 29, 2024

Speeding SUV Driven By 17-Year-Old Runs Over Man In Mumbai: Police

A 24-year-old man, distributing milk in the early hours of Thursday, died after a speeding SUV driven by a teenage boy knocked down his two-wheeler in Goregaon area here, police said.

The incident took place in Aarey Colony around 4 am.

Navin Vaishnaw died after a Mahindra Scorpio which was on the wrong side collided with his two-wheeler, said a police official.

As the accused driver is 17 years old, a case was also registered against the SUV owner Iqbal Jivani (48) and his son Mohammed Faz Iqbal Jivani (21), he said.

After hitting the two-wheeler, the SUV hit an electric pole. The teenage driver tried to flee, but he had sustained injuries and was caught by police.

His blood samples were sent to a laboratory to ascertain whether he was under the influence of alcohol, the official said.

Police were also investigating whether the accused had partied with his friends before the accident.  

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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IndiGo Co-Founder's Family Trust Sells Airline Stake Worth Rs 9,549 Crore

InterGlobe Aviation promoter Rakesh Gangwal's family trust on Thursday sold a 5.24 per cent stake in the airline for Rs 9,549 crore through open market transactions.

The share sale is part of Mr Gangwal's decision in February 2022 to trim his shareholding after a bitter feud with co-founder Rahul Bhatia over alleged corporate governance issues.

Over 2.02 crore shares of InterGlobe Aviation were sold by the Chinkerpoo Family Trust in three tranches in a price range of Rs 4,714.95-4,715.89 per scrip, according to bulk deal data on BSE.

This took the combined transaction value to Rs 9,548.95 crore.

The scrip closed with a discount of 2.06 per cent against the benchmark Sensex ending in the green territory.

InterGlobe Aviation is the parent of no-frills carrier IndiGo, which has a domestic market share of more than 60 per cent.

Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte picked up 28.54 lakh shares or a 0.74 per cent stake in InterGlobe Aviation, as per the data on the BSE.

The shares were bought at an average price of Rs 4,714.90 apiece, taking the deal size to Rs 1,345.63 crore.

Details of the other buyers could not be ascertained.

At the end of the June quarter, promoter and promoter group entities held a 55.29 per cent stake in InterGlobe Aviation.

Mr Gangwal held a 5.89 per cent stake in the airline, while the Chinkerpoo Family Trust, whose trustees are Shobha Gangwal and JP Morgan Trust Company of Delaware, owned 13.49 per cent shareholding.

Bhatia and InterGlobe Enterprises owned a combined 35.91 per cent stake in the company, as per the data.

This is the second time this year that Mr Gangwal has sold shares of IndiGo. Since February 2022, Mr Gangwal and his wife Shobha Gangwal have been offloading IndiGo shares.

In August 2023, Shobha Gangwal sold a nearly 2.9 per cent stake in the company for a little over Rs 2,800 crore.

In February 2023, Shobha Gangwal divested a 4 per cent stake in the company for Rs 2,944 crore.

In September 2022, Rakesh Gangwal and Shobha Gangwal sold a 2.74 per cent shareholding for Rs 2,005 crore.

Amid differences with co-founder Rahul Bhatia, Mr Gangwal, in February 2022, resigned from the board of directors of InterGlobe Aviation and also said that he would gradually reduce his equity stake in the airline over the next five years. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Doctors Remove Cricket Ball-Sized Hairball From 8-Year-Old's Stomach

In a rare case, doctors in Bengaluru removed a massive hairball -- as large as a cricket ball -- from the stomach of an 8-year-old girl, the hospital said on Wednesday.

The girl Aditi (name changed) had a rare case of trichophagia -- the compulsive habit of eating hair, also known as the Rapunzel syndrome.

Her parents were baffled by her repeated bouts of poor appetite and frequent vomiting over the last two years. They took her to many doctors including paediatricians, general physicians, and ENT specialists hoping to identify the problem and a cure for her condition.

They diagnosed Aditi's condition to be gastritis and prescribed pills accordingly.

However, doctors at Aster's Children and Women Hospital, Bengaluru, found that she had a trichobezoar -- a term that describes all the hair mass that had accumulated in her gastrointestinal tract.

"Trichobezoar is an extremely rare condition and especially very rare in a child as young as Aditi. It is often associated with trichophagia, a psychological disorder where individuals eat hair. While commonly seen in adolescent girls, finding this in a much younger child highlights the uniqueness of this case," Dr. Manjiri Somashekhar, Lead and Senior Consultant - Paediatric Surgery told IANS

An open stomach surgery, also known as laparotomy, had to be performed on Aditi because the hairball was very large and sticky and the situation was too complicated for an endoscopy to be performed.

This method, which was done in a total of two and a half hours, proved fruitful because it prevented any leakage into the peritoneal cavity, the doctor said.

If left undiagnosed, her condition could have led to severe malnutrition, anaemia, and significant bleeding from the stomach.

Following the surgery, she was placed on a special diet and continues to receive counselling and regular monitoring, the doctor said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Wednesday, August 28, 2024

"Would Lose My Dignity": Malayalam Actor On Why She Filed #MeToo Complaint

Actor Sonia Malhar -- who filed a #MeToo complaint against a fellow actor amid a flood of complaints about longstanding sexual exploitation in Malayalam movie industry -- has told NDTV today that she has done it despite family pressure to "close all the things". "But I revealed the face of that hero, because otherwise it cause loss of my dignity also. If I close the case, that is not good for me," she added.

The actor has spoken to the Special Investigation Team formed to look into the matter. The name of the person she accused, has, however, not been revealed.

 "Maybe within two days I will reveal his name and discuss with my family and go through the cases like that," she said.

Ms Malhar is one of many women actors who have spoken up after the Justice Hema Committee report revealed the dark underbelly of Malayalam film industry, where sexual abuse and exploitation has been rampant for decades.

The women, including a Bengali actress, have gone public with allegations of sexual harassment against some of the best-known faces of Malayalam cinema, including eminent director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh.

Amid the outrage it provoked, Mohanlal, well-known actor and president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, resigned alongside other top officials. AMMA said the administrative panel has resigned, taking moral responsibility for the allegations.

Asked if flagging such incidents and starting the legal process is any easier, given the number of women speaking up, Ms Malhar responded in the negative.

"It is not an easy process for victims, with the trauma, mental stress, money… All people want our body. They never consider that we have a soul or mind," she said.

"I recorded my statement yesterday as I feel justice is getting delayed… We are not sure if we will get 100 per cent justice here or not… In the Hema committee report, it is still not clear who are those heavyweights and politicians involved," she added.



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Paralympics Opening Ceremony LIVE: Focus On Arrival Of Indian Contingent

Paralympics 2024 Opening Ceremony Live Updates: The opening ceremony of Paralympics 2024 is now underway at La Concorde in Paris. A total of 4,400 Paralympic athletes from 167 nations will march around Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysees. India have sent their largest-ever Paralympic contingent of 84 para-athletes and hopes to achieve a record medal tally as well. India won 19 medals, which included five gold, at the Tokyo Paralympics three years to attain their best finish on the medals tally, ranking 24th among 78 nations which won at least one medal at the Games.



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Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Rinku Singh Finally Reveals Rohit Sharma's Message After T20 World Cup Snub

Despite being a consistent run-scorer for Team India and boasting a remarkable average and strike-rate, Rinku Singh was left out of the nation's 15-man T20 World Cup 2024 squad after a patchy IPL 2024 with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, Rinku has now revealed the words of encouragement that India captain Rohit Sharma gave him after he was dropped. Despite winning IPL with KKR, Rinku was left out as India went for four spin options, instead including him as a travelling reserve.

"He (Rohit Sharma) came to me and said that it is okay, I'm still young, and there are many more tournaments to come. There is a World Cup every two years, so I shouldn't be disappointed by this but focus on my game instead," Rinku said in an interview to News24.

Immediately after the tournament, Rinku was included in India's five-match T20I tour of Zimbabwe, where he played in every single game as a middle-order batter. After that, he starred in the T20I series away at Sri Lanka, surprisingly impressing with the ball, picking up two wickets in the penultimate over of the final T20I to turn the game in India's favour.

Presently, Rinku boasts an average of nearly 60 and a strike rate of 174 in 17 T20I innings for India. Remarkably, he has stayed not out in 10 of the 17 innings.

Rinku also acknowledged Virat Kohli's style of leadership.

"I like Virat Kohli as well because aggression is very important while leading a team. So, his captaincy was also very good," he said. Rinku had recently revealed that he would like to play for Kohli's franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) if he is not retained by KKR.

Rinku is currently playing in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League (UP T20), where he is captaining Meerut Mavericks. He has not been included in any of the four squads for the Duleep Trophy to be held in September.



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Monday, August 26, 2024

This Firm's Workers Are Millionaires. But They Are Too Busy To Enjoy Wealth

It's a summer day in Santa Clara, California, and an assortment of luxury cars - Porsches, Corvettes, Lamborghinis - take up parking spots previously occupied by humbler models. Some have new paint jobs in the lime green from Nvidia Corp.'s logo. And they are stuck where their owners want to be: at the office.

Nvidia stock has gained 3,776% since the start of 2019 as the company benefits from selling the main chip necessary for artificial intelligence work, minting many new multimillionaires in the process. But the work hours are just as gruelling and high-stress, current and former employees said, leaving little time for the jet-setting, homebuying and leisure many can now afford. A culture problem is brewing, said the 10 people, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.

The 31-year-old chipmaker has piled on market cap faster than any other company in history. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang has established expectations of scrappiness and overworking, with a chaotic structure where one manager can have dozens of direct reports, the current and former employees said. Rather than firing employees like his competitors, Huang has said he prefers to "torture them into greatness." 

One former employee, who worked in technical support for enterprise clients, said he was expected to work 7 days a week, often until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. He said many of his former colleagues, especially those on engineering teams, worked longer hours. He described the environment as a pressure cooker, noting several company meetings he characterized as yelling fights - but said the pay package made it hard to leave. He left in May and requested anonymity to speak frankly about the company.

Another, who worked in marketing until 2022 and requested anonymity to protect her career, said she often attended 7 to 10 meetings per day, each with more than 30 people involved, often punctuated by bouts of fighting and shouting. But she said she put up with it for two years, because of the "golden handcuffs" - the opportunity for even more wealth. 

Nvidia declined to comment.

Nvidia hasn't had any trouble keeping its employees in recent years, in part because its stock grants typically vest - or become available - over a four-year period, giving workers incentive to stay to earn their whole pay package. In 2023, 5.3% of employees left the company, but after its valuation topped $1 trillion, that same turnover rate dropped by nearly half, to 2.7%, according to its 2024 sustainability report. The overall semiconductor industry's turnover rate is much higher, at 17.7%, according to Nvidia.

The tech industry trope of "resting and vesting" is so common it was ridiculed by Hollywood in HBO's "Silicon Valley" show with a character who squanders away his time playing video games and drinking big sodas waiting for his stock to vest. But it doesn't work at Nvidia. One current employee said it would be embarrassing and even socially difficult to coast.

Those who tried have become the subject of internal critique. During a staff meeting late last year employees complained to Huang that some of their colleagues were in "semiretirement" mode, according to a former employee who attended the meeting. 

Those who have been at the company for close to a decade would have more than enough money to retire, according to a former engineering employee who left the company in June. Many don't, though, because there are millions more waiting when the next stock grant vests, the person added.

The explosive stock rally also means that many Nvidia employees are sitting on bigger nest eggs than peers at other chipmakers. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress, who joined the company 11 years ago, owns stock worth about $758.7 million. Her Intel Corp. counterpart Dave Zinsner, who has a larger pay package but has a shorter tenure, owns stock worth just $3.13 million. At Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Nvidia's nearest rival, which has also seen rapid share growth, CFO Jean Hu, who joined in 2023, owns stock worth $6.43 million. 

The former engineering employee who asked not to be named said that, throughout 2023 and 2024, working at Nvidia meant encountering frequent expressions of wealth among employees of virtually all seniority levels. He said he regularly saw coworkers surfing Zillow and alluding to new vacation homes in casual conversation. He added that it's become common for employees to attend big-ticket sporting events like the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals.

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"It's just always very surprising how much money they have in one stock," said Spencer Hsu, a real estate agent based in Palo Alto, California, who has worked with multiple Nvidia employees this year - on nights and weekends, of course. The clients are making 40% to 60% down payments on multimillion-dollar homes.

Conversations about Nvidia's daily market gain or loss (but usually gain) can be heard in hushed tones at lunchtime, according to several of the recently departed employees. A current Nvidia product manager said that thousands of employees are on a company Slack channel dedicated to exchanging personal finance advice. The group is catered toward employees who have held onto their vested shares - not the many others who sold off much of their stock long before its peak. 

It's not just about the money. Airan Junior, who was at the chipmaker from 2020 to 2023, said that "working at Nvidia is like Disneyland" because of the many teams solving interesting technical problems. He worked on a sales team based out of Brazil, and said the company's culture, however unconventional, contributed to its massive success. Nvidia now accounts for more than 90 percent of sales in the AI chip market. 

Huang, who has 60 direct reports, has no time for bureaucracy, detailed PowerPoint presentations or one-on-one meetings. He'll involve himself in seemingly minor decisions, such as the choice of a photo for a marketing campaign. Huang is well known for making Nvidia employees send a regular email to a centralized email address with a bulleted list of five things they're working on. Huang sometimes responds to these emails directly to ask for more details or dole out directives. 

Huang has said his approach to leadership has been shaped by facing "real adversity" running Nvidia for more than three decades. He tells employees that he's pushing them to do their life's work. "It should be like that," Huang said of his demanding management style in a recent 60 Minutes interview. "If you want to do extraordinary things, it shouldn't be easy."

Most employees appear to approve of Huang's unusual leadership style. His approval rating on Glassdoor is 97%, higher than his peers at Alphabet Inc. (94%), Apple Inc. (87%), Meta Platforms Inc. (66%) and Amazon.com Inc. (54%).

But the ex-marketing employee warned that Huang's flat corporate structure sometimes works differently than intended. She said that in her experience, because of the company's structure, people are incentivized to fight for Huang's attention rather than work together toward Nvidia's long-term success. The same structure applies to those far below Huang - the former technical support employee said his supervisor had more than 100 people directly reporting to him. At a certain point, with a certain amount of money, the stress starts to lose its appeal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Case Filed Against Filmmaker Ranjith After Fresh Sexual Abuse Allegations

The fallout from the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry intensified on Monday as a case was charged against well-known filmmaker Ranjith, and several female actors stepped forward with disturbing accounts of the mistreatment they faced at the hands of their various male counterparts.

The case was charged against Ranjith after a Bengali actress filed a complaint on Monday with the Kochi City Police Commissioner.

The complaint, sent via email, alleged that Ranjith had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie Paleri Manikyam in 2009.

Kochi Police Commissioner S Syamsundar said a case under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been registered against Ranjith.

Another actress, Minu Muneer, who has appeared in a few movies, levelled sexual abuse allegations against prominent actors M Mukesh, who is also an MLA, Jayasurya and Maniyanpilla Raju, as well as small-time actor Idavela Babu who has a prominent role in the actors' association.

A more well-known actress from the 1990s also came forward on Monday with allegations of misconduct from years ago against a noted filmmaker. She has expressed willingness to provide a statement to the police.

The filmmaker has denied the charges.

In a Facebook post, Minu Muneer said, "I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of 1 Mukesh 2 Maniyan Pilla Raju, 3 Idavela Babu, 4 Jayasoorya (Jayasurya), 5 adv Chandrasekaran, 6 production controller Noble and Vichu, in the Malayalam film industry." "In 2013, I was subjected to physical and verbal abuse by these individuals while working on a project. I tried to cooperate and continue working, but the abuse became unbearable," the actress, who signed as Minu Kurian in her Facebook post, alleged.

With the exception of Maniyanpilla Raju, none of the actors have reacted.

On the same day, a junior artist accused actor Baburaj, known for villain roles, of sexual assault.

Rejecting the allegations, Baburaj, an office bearer in the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A), claimed it was an attempt by vested interests in the film industry to prevent him from becoming A.M.M.A general secretary, replacing Siddique, who resigned on Sunday amid similar charges.

Meanwhile, the serious and elaborate revelations of sexual harassment charges against two-time CPI(M) legislator M Mukesh brought embarrassment to the state government.

Though the opposition parties have accused the Left government of protecting the predators, its leaders put up a defence, saying a special investigation team has been formed to probe the allegations.

Yet, the continuing charges against Mukesh, who represents Kollam constituency in the assembly, have put the CPI (M)-led government under pressure.

A harassment allegation levelled by a woman against Mukesh years ago also resurfaced on Sunday.

Hours after Minu Muneer's allegations against Mukesh on Monday, workers from Yuva Morcha and Mahila Congress organised separate marches towards his residence in Kollam, demanding that a case be registered against him and that he resign as a legislator.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan said he expects that, like Ranjith and Siddique, Mukesh will also step down.

Reacting to the revelations against Mukesh, Higher Education Minister R Bindhu said any accusation against any person should be examined on factual grounds. "The wrongdoers should be punished. Innocent people should not be penalised," she told the media here.

Eminent writer Sara Joseph and Kerala Chalachitra Academy Vice-Chairman Premkumar raised objections against the reported inclusion of Mukesh in the film policy committee of the upcoming cinema conclave of the state government.

"The inclusion of Mukesh on the panel is ridiculous. He should resign as MLA if he has any self-pride," Joseph said.

Mukesh has claimed he is being deliberately targeted by vested interests as he is a CPI(M) MLA.

The female actor who accused him has also levelled sexual abuse allegations against three other prominent Malayalam actors.

Actor Maniyanpilla Raju has called for an overall investigation. "Some people will try to capitalise on the situation," he opined. "Among those accused, there will be both innocent and guilty parties. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation is necessary." Meanwhile, leading actor Prithviraj has called for corrective actions from A.M.M.A and a comprehensive investigation into the various allegations.

It came a day after director Ranjith and actor Siddique stepped down from their leadership roles in the Kerala Chalachitra Academy and A.M.M.A respectively, following sexual abuse allegations against them.

Amid mounting pressure on the government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team for the probe into the allegations made in the wake of the Hema Committee report being published.

There is however no move to conduct investigations on revelations made by women victims in the Hema Committee report.

The report by the Justice Hema Committee, constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case has revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Champai Soren To Join BJP On Friday, Announces Himanta Biswa Sarma

Champai Soren, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and veteran JMM leader, is set to join the BJP on Friday, announced Himanta Biswa Sarma in a late night post on X.

Last week, the 67-year-old leader, who had to quit as Chief Minister to make way for Hemant Soren upon his release from jail, said he would not quit politics, asserting that an option to float a new political outfit was always open to him.

Amid huge buzz about his big switcheroo, Mr Soren, two weeks ago, asserted "hum jahan par hain vahi par hain (I am where I am)".  The same week, he arrived in Delhi, claiming he was here for personal work. 

However, the rumors refused to die down. The BJP too played coy, calling him a senior leader and refused to attack him.

Earlier today, Mr Sarma, who is BJP's election in-charge for Jharkhand that will go to the polls later this year, said "I want Champai Soren to join the BJP and strengthen us".

The deal was finalised a few hours later, when Mr Sarma posted a picture of Champai Soren meeting Amit Shah and announcing the new inductee's date of joining. 

Champai Soren had taken oath as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2 this year. He then resigned from the post of Chief Minister on July 3, a day before JMM executive president Hemant Soren took oath as the 13th chief minister of Jharkhand on July 4.



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Sunday, August 25, 2024

UP Man Goes To Cops For Filing Complaint, Told To Get 'Jalebis' First

A man who went to a police station in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur to file a complaint was left shocked by an unusual demand from the cops. Chanchal Kumar, who lost his mobile phone, went to the police station to file a complaint but he was told by a police officer to bring one kilogram of 'jalebis' first. Upset over his lost cellphone, the man had no other option but to fulfil the cop's demand.

The incident happened in Kanaur village, around 91 kms from state capital Lucknow, under Bahadurgarh police station limits. On Saturday evening, Chanchal went out to purchase medicines when he lost his mobile phone. Despite a thorough search, he was unable to find it.

At the police station, after listening to his complainant, the cop asked him to either get Balushahi (a North-Indian sweet) or hot Jalebis for them.

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When Mr Kumar sensed that the cop won't budge, he purchased Jalebis from the shop following which the police officer registered his complaint. 

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Earlier this month, a sub-inspector posted in UP's Kannauj was suspended for demanding "potatoes" as a bribe. Investigation revealed that the word "potato" was used as a code for bribe. The incident came to light after an alleged audio of the cop, Ram Kripal Singh, asking for a bribe to settle a case went viral on social media.

Days later, another police officer was suspended for demanding a cooler as a bribe in Uttar Pradesh. Manish Kumar Prajapati - posted in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Mau district - was accused by a man of asking for a cooler and ₹ 6,000 as a bribe from his wife. The man, Om Prakash Sharma from Katghara Shankar Village, also claimed Mr Prajapati abused his wife on a phone call.

ALSO READ | 9-Year-Old, Alone At Home, Allegedly Raped By Neighbour In UP: Cops

(With inputs from Mohammad Adnan)



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Saturday, August 24, 2024

Congress Targets BJP After Its Request To Postpone Haryana Poll Day

The Haryana unit of the ruling BJP has written to the Election Commission requesting a brief postponement of the assembly poll slated for October 1, citing holidays before and after the election date that could lead to a lower voter turnout.

While the opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the BJP, claiming that the ruling party was panicking as it could sense defeat, Abhay Chautala's INLD too sought the deferment of polls.

A Haryana BJP leader on Saturday said the letter was sent by the party's state unit chief Mohan Lal Badoli to the poll panel.

Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal confirmed that the commission received a copy of the communication on Friday over email.

"We have received the communication from state BJP and forwarded it to the Election Commission," Agarwal told PTI.

Varinder Garg, a member of the BJP's state election management committee, said, "We have reasoned that the Assembly election date of October 1 (Tuesday) is preceded by a weekend and followed by more holidays which might hit the voting percentage as people tend to go on vacation on long weekends." Varinder Garg said September 28-29 are Saturday and Sunday while October 1 is a poll holiday. It is followed by more holidays as Gandhi Jayanti falls on October 2 and Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti on October 3, he said.

"We have written to the Election Commission in this regard. For a better turnout, any new date once the string of holidays is over should be fine," Varinder Garg told PTI over the phone.

By taking a day's leave on September 30, people will have six holidays. Due to this long weekend, there is a strong possibility that several families might go on a vacation and give voting a miss, Mohan Lal Badoli said in his letter to the EC.

If it happens, the voting percentage would reduce drastically, he added.

Mohan Lal Badoli also said that on 'Asoj Amavasya' on October 2, several members of the Bishnoi community of Haryana will leave for Nokha tehsil of Bikaner in Rajasthan to participate in an annual fair held on the occasion.

This too can affect the voting percentage, he further said.

Mohan Lal Badoli wrote that it has been the continuous effort of the EC to ensure that the maximum number of people exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy.

Therefore, it would be appropriate that the date fixed for voting for the Haryana Assembly election be changed. While determining a fresh date for the election, it should be made certain that there is no holiday the previous or the following day, he wrote.

We believe that if the EC does this, more and more voters will be able to participate in the election, he wrote.

Mohan Lal Badoli, in his letter, also mentioned that in the past the date of polling has been changed by the EC. For example, the date declared for voting in Punjab Assembly elections -- February 14, 2022 -- was changed to February 20, 2022, due to Sant Ravidas Jayanti on February 16.

In 2022, the then Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the BJP and its allies, and the BSP had urged the poll panel to postpone the date of voting as lakhs of followers of Guru Ravidas travel to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to celebrate the day.

However, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the BJP's stand shows that it has already accepted defeat.

It has been more than a week since the Election Commission announced the poll date. The BJP wants the polls to be deferred as it has accepted defeat, Bhupinder Hooda, who is Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister of Haryana, said.

Polls should be held according to the date fixed by the EC... People of Haryana don't want to see the BJP government in power even for a day, he said.

Bhupinder Hooda's son and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda while referring to Mohan Lal Badoli's letter, said, "It shows how scared the BJP is of the elections".

The BJP is staring at defeat and is therefore coming up with such childish arguments. It has no issues, work or achievements to show to the people and no candidates to distribute the tickets. This is why the BJP is conspiring to postpone the elections by giving an excuse for holidays, Deepender Hooda said in Hindi on X.

The voters of Haryana are aware. They will not go anywhere for a holiday, but will come to the polling booth in large numbers to vote out the BJP government, he added.

The AAP's Haryana unit said even before the elections took place, the ruling BJP had started looking for excuses as it could sense its impending defeat in the election.

In a post on X, the AAP said if the BJP had done work in the state, it would not have been seeking postponement of polls. This time the BJP's defeat is certain, it said.

Meanwhile, Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) Chautala said the polling date should be postponed by one or two weeks.

Since people usually go on holidays on long weekends, it will adversely affect the voting percentage which is likely to decrease by 15 to 20 per cent, Chautala said.

The EC on August 16 announced that assembly polls in Haryana would be held in a single phase on October 1 and the results would be declared on October 4.

The BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term while the Congress is looking to wrest power from the ruling outfit.

The tenure of the current Haryana Vidhan Sabha ends on November 3.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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No Access To Food: Indian Migrants Stuck For Weeks At Brazilian Airport

Hundreds of migrants from India, Nepal and Vietnam have been stuck in Sao Paulo's international airport for weeks in alarming conditions, sleeping on the floor as they wait to enter Brazil, according to the Public Defender's Office and documents seen by Reuters on Friday.

A spokesman for the office said a 39-year-old migrant from Ghana died two weeks ago of unknown causes. It was not clear whether he died while retained at the airport or on the way to hospital.

At least 666 migrants without visas were waiting to enter Brazil at Guarulhos airport, the official said, with the added uncertainty that the government plans to tighten entry rules on Monday to stem a flow of foreigners using Brazil as a stopover to get to the United States and Canada.

The migrants are held in a restricted area where there is no access to a shower and their movements are limited, making it hard for them to obtain food and water, while children and adolescents are enduring winter cold with no blankets, the official said.

The Public Defender's Office found that the migrants' human rights were being violated with their health deteriorating.

The agency said conditions for the migrants need to be urgently improved while their status is being resolved, and urged authorities in a statement to comply with Brazil's legislation based on the humanitarian principle of accepting refugees and not returning them to their country of origin.

Starting on Monday, foreign travellers without a Brazilian visa who are headed for another country must travel straight on to their destination or return to their home country, Brazil's public security ministry told Reuters on Wednesday.

Brazil has seen a boom in foreign travellers, particularly from Asia, landing in the country for a supposed layover en route to North America, the ministry said in statement.

To enter Brazil, they ask for refugee status, alleging persecution and threats in their home countries, but a majority travel north when they can, according to two reports from authorities seen by Reuters and a senior police source.

Now, those passengers arriving in Sao Paulo without a visa will not be allowed to stay in Brazil, the ministry said.

It was not clear whether the new rules will apply to migrants already at the Sao Paulo airport or apply only to those arriving after the rules go into effect.

Immigration experts are concerned that the proposed rules counter the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Brazil is a party and which calls on countries to take in those at risk in their home country, even if they are undocumented.

The head of Brazil's refugee committee, Jean Uema, told Reuters the rules would apply specifically to Sao Paulo airport and there would be no change to Brazil's policy on asylum seekers.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Friday, August 23, 2024

NDTV's Weekly Quiz #8: Play Now

Get ready for a dive into NDTV's Weekly Quiz. In this week's quiz, test your knowledge of topics like athletics, cricket, movies and global affairs. Discover the latest headlines shaping India's news landscape. Are you up for the challenge? Take the quiz now!

India's news space was dominated by the Prime Minister's visit, the Diamond League and the Election Commission of India announcing polls in two states.



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China's Rocket Debris May Stay In Orbit For Decades, Experts Warn

After accomplishing a noteworthy milestone of launching 18 Qianfan satellites, China's Long March 6A rocket broke apart on August 6, producing almost 300 pieces of trackable debris in low Earth orbit.

The first wave of these satellites was supposed to form China's "own version of Elon Musk's Starlink," the Qianfan ("Thousand Sails") broadband network. The rocket was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre, located in the Shanxi Province of North China.

A report by The Wall Street Journal states that the breakup of the rocket generated a new concern over Beijing's attitude towards space junk.

Also Read | China Rocket Ends Up As 300-Piece Space Junk After Satellite Constellation Launch

The report quoted LeoLabs, a US space-tracking firm, as saying the event might create at least 700 fragments floating some 500 miles above earth, making it one of the largest rocket breakups in history. Starlink said the debris didn't pose significant immediate risks to its fleet, but the fragments are “likely to remain in space for decades due to the incident occurring at a high altitude."

China and other countries are pressing ahead with plans to increase rocket launches, raising risks for humans and satellites in orbit. Yet there is little global policing of unsustainable practices.

“Who can enforce anything in space? It's a bit like the Wild West at times," Quentin Parker, director of the Laboratory for Space Research at the University of Hong Kong, told WSJ.

Darren McKnight, senior technical fellow at LeoLabs, said China's recent record on generating debris related to Long March 6 launches was worrisome. “I hope it's a wake-up call for them, and they'll be part of the international dialogue," he said.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lin Jian, said last week that China “attaches great importance to space debris mitigation" and “has taken active efforts to fulfill relevant international obligations." Without giving details, he said China took necessary measures after the recent rocket breakup.

It also said in the report that the Chinese activities in space are pointing toward a worrisome tendency in the direction of space junk. In 2022, a rocket stage from China had an uncontrolled re-entry into the Sulu Sea, wherein NASA criticised it for less-than-adequate data provision. Major pieces of junk have been created by Chinese rocket launches, including Long March 6A missions, which are notorious for their bad history. While other countries did better, Chinese behavior was largely responsible for space debris that affects low-Earth orbit environments.



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Thursday, August 22, 2024

Watch: Hyderabad YouTuber Throws Money On Street In Viral Video

A YouTuber and Instagrammer tossing cash  into the air in the middle of a road has been widely distributed, drawing massive outrage. The video from Hyderabad's Kukatpally area shows the young man standing amid moving traffic. Then he tosses handfuls of notes in the air.

The traffic comes to a standstill as people get off bikes and auto-rickshaws and scramble to collect the money. The rush for the cash caused massive disruption of traffic and posed a serious risk of accidents. In one video he is seen throwing away cash while riding pillion on a two-wheeler.

The stunt, apparently  performed to gain traction on social media, has been condemned by many on social media. People have called for strict action against the content creator, who has been identified as Power Harsha alias Mahadev , known online as "its_me_power,".

At the end of the video, the YouTuber expressed his intentions to continue such stunts. He even encouraged viewers to join his Telegram channel, where he promised rewards to those who could accurately guess the amount of money he would throw in future videos.

"All that you need to do is to join my telegram channel. Link is in my bio. Many of you know that I have earned a lot of money. You can earn too. Meet me on Telegram channel," he is heard saying.

The Cyberabad Police are yet to take action about the incident.
While throwing away money is not illegal, the chaos it may cause comes under disturbing of peace. 



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Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Democracy, Peace, Kabaddi In PM Modi's Poland Speech: Top Quotes

  1. "This scene is extraordinary. Ever since I landed here, you have not got tired, you have come here from different parts of Poland, and you speak a different language but you are connected with the spirit of Indianness.  I thank you for the grand welcome," the Prime Minister said.
  2. "Since last week, the Indian media is only talking about you. There is also a headline that it's the first time in 45 years that an Indian PM is visiting Poland. A lot of good things are there in my fate. I visited Austria recently. There too, an Indian PM was visiting after four decades. Situations have changed now. For decades, India's policy was to maintain distance from all countries. Today, India's policy is to maintain close ties with all countries," he said.
  3. "For India, it's not about geopolitics, it's about values. This is our legacy that fills every Indian with pride. Poland has been witness to India's 'Sanatan bhava'. During World War II when Poland was going through a tough time and was seeking refuge, Jam Saheb came forward. He constructed a special camp for Polish women and children," Prime Minister Modi said.
  4. "Two decades ago, when an earthquake hit Gujarat, Jamnagar was affected badly. Poland was among the first countries to extend help," he added.
  5. "Today, Indians are known for their efforts, excellence and empathy. Wherever we go, we are seen putting in a lot of effort. In the whole world, we are known for excellence, be it it sector or our doctors, they are known for excellence. We are known for empathy as well, we  are the first to extend help to countries going through crises."
  6. "India is also the biggest endorser of peace. This is not an era of war. It's the time to unite against the forces that pose a danger to humankind. This is why India stresses diplomacy and dialogue/ The way you helped Indian students stuck in Poland (during the Russia-Ukraine War), we saw that. You arranged langars, you opened your doors, Polish government removed visa requirements for our Indian students," he said.
  7. "We sent medicines and vaccines to 150 countries. Whenever there is a natural disaster anywhere, the country's mantra is humanity first, if there is a war, India says humanity first. India always comes forward as first responder," he said.
  8. "There are many similarities between Indian and Polish societies. One of them is democracy. Indians have a lot of faith in it. We have seen that in Indian elections. The Lok Sabha elections were the biggest in the history of polls. The level of efficiency is a big strength of Indians," the Prime Minister said.
  9. "We are connected through the game of Kabaddi as well. This game reached Poland through India and they took it to great heights. Poland is going to host the Kabaddi championship for the first time. I want to wish good luck to their team," the Prime Minister said in his address.
  10. "We have taken financial inclusion to the next level. We opened 500 million Jan Dhan Bank accounts. In the last decade, India's broadband users have increased from 60 million to 940 million. If we combine the US and UK populations, the broadband users will come up to that." 


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"Prosecute Manipur Chief Minister": 10 Kuki MLAs On 'Audio Clip' Leak Row

Ten Kuki-Zo MLAs who have been demanding a separate administration carved out of violence-hit Manipur have requested the Commission of Inquiry, formed by the Home Ministry, to expedite looking into a purported audio tape of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, which, the Kuki-Zo MLAs claimed, proved the Chief Minister was responsible for the outbreak of ethnic clashes in May 2023 in the state bordering Myanmar.

The 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs including from the state's ruling BJP in a statement on Wednesday said the commission must speed up its process and prosecute Mr Singh "for his crimes if his guilt is established."

"He must also be immediately debarred from the office of the Chief Minister so that he is prevented from influencing the outcome of the probe against him," the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs said in the statement.

The Manipur government has refuted the allegations twice - on August 7 when the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) released a part of the audio clip, and on August 20, when the news website The Wire reported about the matter. The state government has said it was a "doctored audio clip" meant to derail peace talks.

The KSO in a statement on Monday said it was "deeply shocked and outraged by the continued inaction of the government of India regarding the leaked audio recording of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh."

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The 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs have also doubled down on their allegations citing a Facebook post by the Chief Minister's brother Rajendro Nong, who the 10 MLAs claimed was "seen threatening those who sold out such sensitive tapes to others."

Citing the purported audio tape, the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs asked the Union government to expedite their demand for a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with legislature, "as that alone is the path to lasting peace in the region."

"The complicity of the CM in the state-sponsored ethnic cleansing, which we have always maintained since day one, has now been established beyond an iota of doubt. The CM can be clearly heard reassuring his audience, which from his tone and tenor can safely be assumed to be members of his militia, that they (central agencies) have to arrest him first before any of them, and that they should not promptly show up when summoned to give him time to intervene," the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs said in the statement, alluding to the Meitei group Arambai Tenggol, or AT, whose members say they were compelled to take up arms soon after May 3, 2023 due to attacks allegedly by heavily armed Kuki insurgents and in the absence of effective law-and-order enforcement.

The Chief Minister, who belongs to the BJP, is from the valley-dominant Meitei community.

In the early days of the ethnic clashes after May 3, AT chief Korounganba Khuman was seen in visuals walking with a bamboo stick, while in the distance smoke was seen rising from a village behind a treeline. More visuals purportedly of May 3, 2023 showed at least three men in camouflage battledress and body armour, carrying AK series assault rifles, walking towards a field with slogan-shouting protesters from the Kuki tribes. In these visuals too, smoke can be seen rising from huts in the distance.

Some Kuki civil society groups have denied any knowledge of the Chief Minister's comment in the state assembly that leaders from the Meitei community and Thadou, Paite, Hmar tribes, among others, have been talking about peace at different levels.

These Kuki civil society organisations, the 10 MLAs, and 25-odd Kuki-Zo insurgent groups that have signed the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement (a ceasefire of sorts, yet to be renewed) - all of them have been demanding nothing less than a separate administration, bringing them together on a common platform.

The SoO groups have been in talks for a separate administration - a political settlement - for many years before May 2023, and so the claim by some Kuki leaders that the violence led to their call to break away from Manipur was a lie, since the intention for separation was always there, two leaders in the Manipur government told NDTV, requesting anonymity.

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"Thousands of Meiteis and Kukis are living in relief camps. The question everyone should be asking is, why are the displaced people who are living in miserable conditions not being allowed to return home safely? Look at who all are opposing the return of displaced people to their homes. It is not difficult to see," one of the two leaders told NDTV on phone from the state capital Imphal.

The 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs who requested the commission to act against the Chief Minister have not attended the state assembly sessions since May 2023. They have cited threats to personal safety, and have declined to share space with the Chief Minister citing the violence broke out under his watch and it led to an exodus of people from the Kuki tribes from Imphal. Meiteis also had to leave their homes in Kuki-dominated hill districts and some foothills.

The clashes between the Meitei community and nearly two dozen tribes under Kukis - a term given by the British in colonial times - who are dominant in some hill areas of Manipur, has killed over 220 people and internally displaced nearly 50,000.

The general category Meiteis want to be included under the Scheduled Tribes category, while the Kuki tribes who share ethnic ties with people in neighbouring Myanmar's Chin State and Mizoram want to have a separate administration, citing discrimination and unequal share of resources and power with the Meiteis.



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Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Day 2 Of Democratic Convention: Obama Set To Praise Kamala Harris

  1. The DNC, the biggest event of the year for the party, officially anointed US Vice President Kamala Harris as a candidate for the 2024 US Presidential Election against Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term.
  2. The four-day event, which is taking place in Chicago, began yesterday and saw Joe Biden giving a fiery speech against Mr Trump and calling him a "loser". "He called soldiers who gave their lives for this country, suckers and losers. Who does he think he is?" Mr Biden asked. "Trump bows down to (Vladimir) Putin. I never have and Kamala Harris will never do it," President Biden said.
  3. On day one, President Biden criticised Mr Trump's "America First" doctrine, which he said had damaged the nation's global image, contrasting his own administration's efforts to unite Europe and counter Russian aggression.
  4. Kamala Harris will make a big speech on August 22, the last day of the event, but one of the notable speakers today will be her husband, Doug Emhoff, a successful lawyer. If Harris wins, then Emhoff will be the first "first gentleman" of the United States. 
  5. The convention also served as a farewell for Joe Biden, who withdrew his nomination in an unprecedented move witnessed in modern US electoral history. In 1968, President Lyndon B Johnson declared in the middle of the Vietnam War that he would not run for re-election.
  6. What followed after a fiery speech was a four-minute-long standing ovation and Kamala Harris making a surprise appearance to thank President Biden for being "incredible".
  7. "I love you," the tearful 81-year-old president told the crowd to deafening cheers, less than a month after dropping out of the White House race against Donald Trump and passing the torch to his vice president.
  8. Today, former US President Barack Obama will hand over the baton of the party's future to Ms Harris. Obama posted on social media that his Democratic National Convention address will lay out "what's at stake" and why Harris and her running mate Tim Walz "should be our next president and vice president."
  9. Kamala Harris will hold a rally ahead of Obama's speech in the Milwaukee basketball arena where Trump attended the Republican convention just a month ago. The 18,000-seater arena has been chosen deliberately to pinch Trump, who is rattled to see the US President's deputy filling venues. In a recent poll, Ms Harris had a marginal lead against Donald Trump. 
  10. Apart from Obama, Hilary Clinton - the first woman to secure a major US party's nomination for the presidential election, also addressed the delegates yesterday. "As president, she (Kamala Harris) will always have our backs and she will be a fighter for us. She will fight to lower costs for hard-working families, open the doors wide for good paying jobs and, yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide," Ms Clinton said


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Bengal Governor Dials RG Kar Doctor's Parents, Seeks Meeting

Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who has shredded the Mamata Banerjee government repeatedly over the young doctor's rape and murder, spoke to her parents today, assuring them that he would make every effort to get them justice. In response to the parents' complaint that they did not even receive a copy of the First Information Report, he said he would look into the matter. He also requested for a meeting, saying he would visit them at their convenience on his return from Delhi.

There was also a message for Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, posted on X by his office soon after the Supreme Court hearing on the matter. 

"The nation, the entire nation, hear with great relief the pronouncements of the Supreme Court. Remember, every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future. Anybody listening? Will Mamata Banerjee please raise her hand?" he said.

Later, from his newly initiated mobile control room for the ongoing agitation over the rape-murder, the Governor spoke to the father of the woman, and said the entire country is standing by them.

"We all are with you. You will get justice. Today I am in Delhi, I held discussions in detail about the matter. I will go to your residence as per your convenience," he was seen telling the father in a video message released by his office.

Mr Bose was in Delhi today, where he met President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.  He reached Cuttack in the evening, from where he dialled the doctor's mother.

His move, though, was strongly criticized by the Trinamool Congress. Party MP Derek O'Brien posted: "Your video today disrespects the high constitutional post you hold... The telephone call you had with the father of the rape victim was recorded by you and then publicized. Tasteless. Unethical. Please do not use your high office and a gruesome tragedy for self publicity."

The mobile control room, the Governor's office said, was meant for the ongoing agitation in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 2nd year PGT female resident doctor of R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Kolkata. "Anyone may call up the numbers if they wish to convey anything to HG (Governor of Kolkata)," added the post.



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Monday, August 19, 2024

Live Updates: US' Democratic National Convention To Kick Start In Chicago

Thousands have gathered in Chicago ahead of the four-day US Democratic Convention to show their support for Kamala Harris as officially-nominated democratic party candidate for US presidential polls 2024. Kamala Harris, 59, will formally accept the candidature at the event. 

The convention will also mark the official nomination of Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. 

US President Joe Biden, who quit the US presidential race last month, will speak at the convention and Kamala Harris is likely to join him on stage, according to news agency reuters. 

Apart from them, several leaders such as former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to speak at the event.

Here are the live updates on US' 2024 Democratic National Conventional-



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Biden To Pass Torch To Kamala Harris At Democratic Convention: 10 Points

  1. The four-day event, which will end on August 22, will officially nominate Kamala Harris's Vice President pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in the presidential elections.
  2. Former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to speak at the National Convention and bid adieu to Joe Biden. The Democrats will also honour Hilary Clinton, their official candidate who lost to Donald Trump in the 2016 US Presidential Elections.
  3. Last month, Mr Biden dropped out of the Presidential race just 100 days before the election, an unprecedented move in modern US political history. Concerns over the 81-year-old's health surrounded the Presidential campaigns, with rival Republicans targeting the Democrats over the issue. The concerns were aggravated after Biden's presidential debate with Trump in June.
  4. To designate a formal nominee, delegates chosen from 50 US states, the US capital and overseas territories attend their party's nominating convention to officially anoint the candidate. Biden backed Kamala Harris as the candidate which was later endorsed by several leaders including former US President Barack Obama.
  5. Joe Biden will give a prime-time address and make a case for his incumbent deputy, Kamala Harris, who is up against Donald Trump, the former US President, with multiple court cases and survivor of an assassination attempt.
  6. In the Primary Election, a poll where parties select their candidates for the general election, Joe Biden won overwhelmingly with 87.1 per cent votes. The 26th Democratic National Convention will serve as a farewell for Mr Biden as he hangs up his boots. In 1968, President Lyndon B Johnson declared in the middle of the Vietnam War that he would not run for re-election.
  7. Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian US Vice President, is expected to share the stage with Mr Biden. Kamala Harris, who considers herself an "underdog" in the race against Trump, earlier said, "A lot of work has to be done to earn the vote of the American people,"
  8. Security has been increased near the convention centre in Chicago after an array of possible threats, including tens of thousands of protesters opposing Biden's support for Israel's actions in Gaza. They are expected to march through the city outside the security perimeter.
  9. The Secret Service, FBI and the local police reportedly spent a year formulating a security plan and cordoning off areas near the United Center Arena where the convention will take place. Musicians and Hollywood celebrities are expected to attend the event.
  10. Last week, Biden and Harris had put up a show of unity in Maryland when they made their first joint trip since the change of the Democratic Party's plans for the Presidential Elections.


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Finances Of Kolkata Hospital During Ex-Principal's Tenure Under Scanner

The financial transactions at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College during the tenure of former Principal Sandip Ghosh will now be looked into following allegations of irregularities. An order from the West Bengal government said a Special Investigation Team has been formed to conduct the probe the alleged financial irregularities, and will submit a report within a month.

Sandip Ghosh, facing massive criticism over the rape-murder of a doctor in the hospital premises, is now being questioned by the CBI. 

A note from the government's Home and Hill Affairs Department Internal Security Branch, said the SIT, headed by Inspector General of Police Dr Pranav Kumar, will have the "liberty to access any relevant document from government departments and private agencies required for expeditious completion of the inquiry".
 
The team will look into the alleged financial irregularities in the period between January 2021 till date. 

"The SIT will submit its first report to the State Government within a month from the date of its constitution," the order read. 

The move came amid massive criticism over its transfer of the principal within hours of his resignation to the city's top medical college -- the National Medical College and Hospital.  The Opposition, civil society and the Calcutta High Court had heaped criticism on the state government over it. 

Questioning how can a Principal, who has failed in his duty to protect his students, be rewarded, the judges said, "Even assuming the resignation was not accepted, the least that can be expected from a responsible higher official of the concerned department is to immediately relieve the Principal from his duties and not assign him any other duty of equal responsibility".

The court has sent Ghosh on a long leave. 

The move to transfer Ghosh had put Mamata Banerjee's government on the backfoot, with women -- staunch supporters of the Chief Minister -- being up in arms over the rape-murder and the police handling of the case.

Stung by adverse comments on social media, Ghosh had stepped down not just from the post, but also government service. A government order four hours later announced his transfer to the National Medical College. 

He is now being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has taken over the probe into the rape-murder that has sparked massive protests across the country.

The agency, sources said, has asked him multiple questions, including ones on hospital security and his resignation. He has also been asked why there was a hurry to declare the death a suicide, the contamination of the crime scene, and the sudden renovation of rooms near the seminar hall where the doctor's body was found.

Officials hinted that the former principal is yet to give satisfactory answers to these questions.

The CBI is also examining his call records and chat, and has asked him to provide details of his phone calls before and after the August 9 incident.
 



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Panel Report Reveals Stories Of Harassment Women Face In Malayalam Cinema

The much-awaited Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry has recorded explosive accounts of harassment, exploitation and ill-treatment of female professionals, and has alleged that a "criminal gang" was controlling the industry where unyielding women are squeezed out.

The panel report also alleged there was a "power nexus" consisting of a handful of producers, directors, actors and production controllers.

The Kerala government constituted the panel after the 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in Malayalam cinema.

The report released on Monday sheds light on the widespread and persistent sexual harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry, with many alleging they were subjected to unwanted advances even before commencing work.

The women actors who are ready to compromise are given code names, and those who are not ready to yield are pushed out of the field, as per the report.

The report highlighted the widespread nature of the issue, sparking concerns about the safety and well-being of women in the industry.

"It has come out in evidence that certain men in cinema, who are well-known and well-reputed for their ability as artist, director or whoever he be in the film industry have shocked certain women in cinema by sexual harassment and physical advances made by them towards them," the expert panel report said.

A copy of the report was given to the media under the RTI Act after five years of its submission to the government.

In a series of shocking and shameful revelations, the report stated that female actors faced harassment, including instances where the doors of their rooms were knocked on by intoxicated individuals in the film industry.

Many of them, who suffered sexual harassment, were reluctant to complain about this to the police due to fear, it said.

"The sky is full of mysteries, with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But scientific investigation revealed that the stars do not twinkle, nor does the moon look beautiful," the report said.

"Do not trust what you see; even salt looks like sugar," the opening lines of the report said.

As per the report, submitted by the three-member panel, the major issue which women face in the film industry is sexual harassment.

"It is the worst evil which women in cinema face in the film industry. The women in cinema are most reluctant to speak out about the sexual harassment which they are subjected to, even to other women or close relatives," it said.

The commission said it was "shocked to hear the sexual harassment stories" revealed to it by women working in the Malayalam film industry.

"The offer to act or for doing any other job in cinema comes to a woman coupled with demand for sexual favours. As I already mentioned, the woman would be asked to adjust and compromise, thereby she is asked to surrender to sexual demands," the report said.

"In most of the hotels, where they are staying, the doors are knocked by the men working in cinema who could be mostly under intoxication. Many women have stated that knocking will not be polite or decent but, they repeatedly bang the door by force," the report detailed.

The panel said even though many sexual acts committed against women in cinema come under the IPC and under the definition of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act (POSH), the women who suffered the atrocities prefer to keep silence.

"An artist added that if they take up the matter before the court or the police, they will face worse consequences, including threat to life. The artist added that threat to life will not only be against the victims but even their close family members will be in danger," the report said.

The report has categorically mentioned that the police should register FIRs against crimes that are being committed in the industry, and many are not coming out fearing for their lives.

The publication of the report, initially scheduled for July 24, was put on hold by the Kerala High Court following a plea from a Malayalam film producer.

The court later dismissed the plea on August 13 and directed the government to release the report within a week.

However, the publication was delayed again due to a plea from an actress, which was heard by the High Court on Monday. The government finally released the report on Monday evening.

State Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan said the government has taken note of the findings and recommendations of the Justice Hema Committee.

The government would convene a cinema conclave in the next two months to discuss and resolve the issues in the film industry, he said.

The opposition Congress expressed shock over the findings of the committee and sought to know whom the government tried to protect by keeping the report without releasing it.

"The action of the government and the chief minister who kept the report in cold storage so far was a criminal offence," Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan told reporters in Kochi.

Actor Siddique, who is also the president of actor outfit AMMA, said they would study the report in detail and take necessary steps to address the issues.

Women in Cinema Collective, an outfit of women professionals in the industry, expressed happiness over the releasing of the report and thanked the panel members, media, women organisations and the lawyers.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



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Sunday, August 18, 2024

Broadcast Ministry Requests GST Exemption On Digital News Subscription

The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has urged the Ministry of Finance to reduce the GST on digital news subscriptions. In a letter dated July 22, I&B secretary Sanjay Jaju requested his revenue counterpart Sanjay Malhotra to either exempt the GST on digital news subscriptions or reduce it from 18 per cent to five per cent.

He cited that newspapers were exempted from GST because the significance of giving "correct and factual information" to citizens was recognised. He also said that a similar disparity between printed books and e-books was addressed in 2018 when the GST Council reduced the GST rate on e-books from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

"The number of paid subscribers for online news in India is very small as compared to the overall number of users accessing news on the internet. In this regard, it is observed that a higher rate of GST on digital news subscriptions may skew further growth of the online news sector towards an advertising model which may impact the quality and credibility of the news content on the internet through practices such as the use of clickbait and sensational headlines, and fake and misleading news, etc," the letter read.

"Recognizing the significance of the availability of correct and actual information for the citizens of the country, printed newspapers are exempted from GST. With the growing internet penetration in India and the nascent stage of the online news industry, it may be
appropriate that online news subscriptions are treated at par with printed newspapers or ebooks for the purpose of GST," Mr Jaju said.

He stated that the 18% GST on the Rs 120 crore online news subscriptions industry brings tax revenue of about Rs. 21.6 crore and that if the GST on digital newspaper subscriptions is brought down from 18% to nil, or to 5% at par with e-books, it may not lead to substantial revenue forgone by the Government exchequer.



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