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EU Regulator Bans Meta's Use Of Personal Data For Targeted Advertising

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EU Regulator Bans Meta's Use Of Personal Data For Targeted Advertising

The EDPD said it took the decision following a request from Norway’s data regulator.

Brussels, Belgium:

The European Data Protection Board said Wednesday it had adopted a binding decision that will result in Facebook and Instagram owner Meta being banned from using the personal data of users for targeted advertisements.

The order will “impose a ban on the processing of personal data for behavioural advertising on the legal bases of contract and legitimate interest across the entire European Economic Area,” the EDPB said in a statement posted on its website.

The EDPD said it took the decision following a request from Norway’s data regulator, which earlier this year imposed a ban on sending Facebook and Instagram users targeted advertisements based on their personal data which the social media platform collects without their explicit consent.

The EDPB decision forces Ireland’s data regulator, which has authority over Meta’s operations in Europe, to take final measures on the issue within two weeks, with a ban to enter force a week later.

The statement said Meta was informed Tuesday of the EDPB’s decision and indicated that it plans to ask for consent to use personal data to target ads that users see when they use the apps.

“The EDPB takes note of Meta’s proposal to rely on a consent based approach as legal basis” and said this was being evaluated.

Facebook had some 300 million daily users in Europe at the end of 2022, out of about two billion users worldwide, with Europeans generating about a fifth of Meta’s advertising sales.

Losing the ability to target ads may deal a financial blow to Meta if advertisers reduce their spending.

EDPB Chairwoman Anu Talus said in a statement that the decision to impose a ban was taken after Meta was found not to have complied with orders issued at the end of least year.

“It is high time for Meta to bring its processing into compliance and to stop unlawful processing,” she 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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Siddaramaiah Writes To PM, Seeks Help For Treatment Of 15-Month-Old Boy

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Siddaramaiah Writes To PM, Seeks Help For Treatment Of 15-Month-Old Boy

The Karnataka chief minister has appealed for waiving import taxes, and monetary support to the family.

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking help for the medical treatment of a 15-month-old boy with a rare disease.

The Karnataka chief minister has requested PM Modi’s assistance in securing financial support from the Centre for the child’s treatment and urged the consideration of waiving import taxes on the required Zolgensma injection.

In his letter to PM Modi, chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the baby, Maurya, from Karnataka, is battling a severe health condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

“Our medical community has informed us of a potential cure in the form of an injection named Zolgensma. However, the exorbitant cost of this single-dose medication stands at approximately Rs 17.5 crore, presenting a formidable challenge for the family to access this crucial treatment,” he said.

“While the drug’s price itself is overwhelming, the added import taxes substantially increase the financial burden, making the acquisition of this lifesaving medication nearly unattainable for them,” chief minister Siddaramaiah said.

Mr Siddaramaiah, in his letter, requested intervention from PM Modi in two critical aspects: first, to direct the Ministry of Finance to waive off the import taxes on Zolgensma required for the child’s treatment; and second, to consider allocating monetary support from the PM CARES Fund to assist with the procurement of the injection.

He also emphasised that these compassionate steps will significantly alleviate the financial burden on Maurya’s family and reflect the nation’s commitment to championing the health and well-being of its youngest citizens.

“While I recognise the unique nature of this plea, I genuinely believe that the gravity of this situation and the life of a young child hanging in the balance warrant our collective action and support. I am confident that with your kind intervention, we can extend our collective support and offer a ray of hope to young Maurya and his family,” Siddaramaiah further said in his letter.

“I thank you for your attention to this matter and eagerly await your positive response,” he added.

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

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US Believes Hamas Cannot Govern Gaza In Future

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US Believes Hamas Cannot Govern Gaza In Future

More than 8,000 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli strikes since war began.

Washington:

 The United States does not believe the pro-Iranian Palestinian militant group Hamas can be involved in the future governance of the Gaza Strip when the war with Israel is over, the White House said on Wednesday.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby, speaking to reporters as President Joe Biden flew to Minnesota, also said the United States does not support a permanent settlement of Gaza civilians outside of Gaza, which has been run by Hamas.

With the civilian death toll rising in Gaza in the Israel-Hamas war, Kirby said Washington does not believe now is the time for a general ceasefire, but that humanitarian pauses in hostilities are necessary.

As the United States and its allies and partners discuss options for post-war Gaza, Kirby said having Hamas in charge would be problematic in the wake of its slaughter of 1,400 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

“We do believe that Hamas cannot be the future of governance in Gaza. They can’t,” said Kirby. “What comes after the conflict, we don’t have all the answers yet but we are working with our partners in the region to explore what governance in Gaza can and should look like.”

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

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'Kemon Acho' To 'Kem Cho', Gujarat Minister's Unique Investment Pitch In Bengal

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'Kemon Acho' To 'Kem Cho', Gujarat Minister's Unique Investment Pitch In Bengal

Mr Sanghavi said Gujarat is a role model for development.

Kolkata:

Emphasising the similarities in the style of celebrations as well as language between West Bengal and his state, Gujarat Minister Harsh Sanghavi made a pitch for investment at a roadshow which was part of a Vibrant Gujarat event in Kolkata. 

“Just like we say kem cho, you say kemon acho (both mean “how are you”) when you meet someone familiar,” Mr Sanghavi said, leaving the audience in splits.

Addressing a gathering of industry representatives and investors, the Gujarat minister, who holds the Home and Industries portfolios, among others, said, “I have visited several parts of West Bengal and I have seen so many similarities between Gujarat and the state. Gujarat and Bengal can march ahead together.”

During the interactions, Mr Sanghavi shared insights into the success of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit and emphasised that Gujarat has become a role model for development and a preferred investment destination over the past two decades.

He also highlighted Gujarat’s cumulative FDI of $55 billion between 2002 and 2022, attributing the state’s attractiveness to its policy-driven approach, including initiatives like Gujarat Renewable Policy 2023, Atmanirbhar Gujarat Scheme 2022, Integrated Logistics and Logistics Park Policy 2021, Electric Vehicle Policy 2021, Tourism Policy, and Textile Policy.

Mr Sanghavi also spoke of Gujarat’s industrial development, specifically highlighting special investment zones such as Gift City, Dholera, and Mandal-Bechraji, as well as Petrochemicals Investment Zones, Dream City, Sanand Manufacturing Hub, Logistics Park, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, and Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail to stress that the state has world-class infrastructure.

Urging investment in Gujarat and encouraging active participation in the nation’s developmental journey, he also invited the audience to participate in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

Mr Sanghavi’s pre-scheduled visit comes close on the heels of Tata Motors’ announcement on Monday that the arbitration proceedings over the loss of its capital investment made in the Singur Tata Nano project had gone in its favour and it could now recover Rs 765.78 crore plus interest from the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.

Tata Motors had decided to shift the project from Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat, despite the factory being in an advanced stage of construction, after protests over land acquisition. The West Bengal government had won the case over the land for the project in the Supreme Court, which had termed the land acquisition for the project illegal.

In a veiled dig, Mr Sanghavi said, “I cannot tell you to take your business to Gujarat because, if I do that, you will face problems here. But consider setting up businesses in Gujarat. I can tell you that you will recover the value of every penny of investment in Gujarat.”

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Padma Shri Bangaru Adigalar passes away at 82

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A large crowd gathered at his residence in Melmaruvathur, in Chengalpet district, to pay their last respects

Published Date – 09:24 PM, Thu – 19 October 23


Padma Shri Bangaru Adigalar passes away at 82

A large crowd gathered at his residence in Melmaruvathur, in Chengalpet district, to pay their last respects

Chennai: Padma Shri recipient and the founder of ‘Melmaruvathur’ temple Bangaru Adigalar passed away here on Thursday evening after a heart attack. He was 82 years old.

A large crowd gathered at his residence in Melmaruvathur, in Chengalpet district, to pay their last respects.

Spiritual leader Bangaru Adigalar revolutionised spiritualism in Tamil Nadu by allowing women into the sanctum sanctorum of ‘Shakti’ temples.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019 for his spiritual services to the nation.

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Varun Tej marries Lavanya Tripathi in Italy

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Father of Varun Tej, Konidela Naga Babu, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the marriage picture.

Updated On – 11:37 PM, Wed – 1 November 23


Varun Tej marries Lavanya Tripathi in Italy



Hyderabad: Tollywood stars Varun Tej and Lavanya Tripathi tied the sacred knot at the Borgo San Felice Resort in Tuscany, Italy on Wednesday.

The destination wedding was attended by close family and friends, including Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, and Sai Dharam Tej.

Father of Varun Tej, Konidela Naga Babu, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the marriage picture.

‘Your blessings are earnestly sought for the newly married couple, Varun Tej Konidela and Lavanya Konidela,’ Naga Babu wrote on Twitter.

The celebrity couple kicked off the celebrations of their new life together with a grand cocktail night on October 30.

On June 9, 2023, Varun Tej and Lavanya Tripathi celebrated their engagement, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives together.

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Temba Bavuma Hails Proteas' "Clinical Display With Bat" After Win vs NZ

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South Africa captain Temba Bavuma was pleased with his team’s clinical display with the bat after defeating New Zealand by 190 runs on Wednesday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Proteas came out on top against close competitors New Zealand, recording their first win over the Blackcaps since 1999 in the men’s World Cup. Bavuma lavished praise on centurions Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen for their clinical display with the bat. To assist the Proteas win their sixth game in seven, De Kock blasted his fourth century of the World Cup, and Van der Dussen also slammed a ton.

South Africa reached 357-4 thanks to innings from De Kock (114) and Van der Dussen (133), who scored his second century. In the final 10 overs, the Proteas added 119 runs to their total as David Miller tormented the New Zealand bowlers with a thirty-ball fifty-three.

“Clinical display with bat. Handled the challenge with the ball nipping around. We applied pressure with the ball. We tried to pounce on bad balls, Quinny started slowly, hung in there and cashed in at the end. More than the score, we were trying to stay in till 30 and go big later on. We were always looking to dominate with the new ball and middle overs. Knew they’d come hard at us and we’d get opportunities,” Bavuma said in a post-match presentation.

Throughout the competition, Proteas fired a warning shot with five totals above 300, including more than 400 against Sri Lanka.

Gotta hear the permutations about making the semi. After tomorrow, it’s back to business, gotta prepare for the next game,” he added.

South Africa was bolstered by Marco Jansen’s twin wicket in the opening powerplay and Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee then claimed wickets of their own. Keshav Maharaj struck in his opening over and removed the reliable Daryl Mitchell, finishing with a figure of 4-46, ensuring the spinners had their say.

South Africa moved to the top of the World Cup 2023 points table with a thumping 190-run victory in Pune. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s NRR took a big hit as they slid below Australia into fourth.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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UN Says Israeli Strikes On Gaza Refugee Camp Could Be War Crimes

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UN Says Israeli Strikes On Gaza Refugee Camp Could Be War Crimes

The UN Human Rights on Wednesday slammed Israel over attack on Gaza refugee camp.

United Nations:

Deadly Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip’s largest refugee camp “could amount to war crimes”, the UN Human Rights Office said on Wednesday.

Israeli strikes have targeted the Jabalia refugee camp twice in two days, killing and wounding dozens, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.

Israel said Tuesday’s raid was a successful hit on top Hamas commander Ibrahim Biari.

“Given the high number of civilian casualties & the scale of destruction following Israeli air strikes on Jabalia refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes,” the office wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Israel has relentlessly pounded Gaza in retribution for the worst attack in the country’s history.

Hamas gunmen stormed across the border from Gaza on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 230 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

Israel’s retaliatory bombing campaign has killed 8,796 people, mainly women and children, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry.

AFPTV images from Wednesday’s strike on the camp showed extensive damage and rescuers clawing through rubble to extract blood-stained casualties.

The large death toll from the strikes has drawn a chorus of international condemnation, with Bolivia severing diplomatic ties with Israel in protest.

Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel “to condemn the Israeli war that is killing innocent people in Gaza”.

UN chief Antonio Guterres is “appalled over the escalating violence in Gaza, including the killing of Palestinians, including women and children in Israeli air strikes in residential areas of the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.

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

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Flat Demolished On Supreme Court Orders, Builder Asked To Pay Rs 22 Lakh

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Kochi Flat Demolished On Supreme Court Orders, Builder Asked To Pay Rs 22 Lakh

The complainants were a retired Naval officer and his wife.

Kochi:

A district consumer forum here has directed a private company to pay over Rs 20 lakh to a couple to whom it had sold a flat in Maradu here, which was later demolished on the orders of the Supreme Court.

The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed Holy Faith Builders and Developers to refund over Rs 17 lakh to the couple as balance consideration of the flat and also Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the deficient service and unfair trade practice on the part of the realty firm.

The Commission also directed the firm to pay Rs 25,000 to the complainant couple towards the cost of litigation.

The Commission said that the Supreme Court had found that the apartment complex constructed by the builder was in violation of the law.

“This unequivocally establishes that the first opposite party’s (builder) actions amount to a deficiency in service and unfair trade practices,” it held.

The consumer forum further held that the firm “inadequately performed the service as contracted with the complainants and hence, there is a deficiency in service, negligence, and failure on the part of the first opposite party (builder) in failing to provide the complainants the desired service which in turn has caused mental agony and hardship, and financial loss, to the complainants”.

The complainants, a retired Naval officer and his wife, had bought a flat from the firm by availing a loan and claimed that they were given false assurances by the builder regarding the legality and approvals for the apartment complex constructed by it.

The Supreme Court had in 2019 directed the Kerala government to demolish the apartment complexes in Maradu that were built in violation of the coastal zone regulations.

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

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Kerala In Huge Financial Crisis: State Government Informs High Court

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Kerala In Huge Financial Crisis: State Government Informs High Court

Our state is now passing through a phase of financial constraints, the government said in its affidavit.

Thiruvananthapuram:

The ruling Left government in Kerala has told the High Court here that the state was facing a “huge financial crisis”.

The submission was made by the government in an affidavit placed before the court in a matter related to repaying a depositor of the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC) Ltd.

“Our state is now passing through a phase of financial constraints. Any monetary benefit has to be allowed within the financial resources available with the government,” the government contended.

The submission by the government did not find favour with the High Court, which questioned whether Kerala was in a state of financial emergency.

The state also said in its affidavit that the KTDFC and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) can mortgage the property or sell one or two items of the property to outside parties or government agencies to solve their financial issues.

“But, unfortunately, no positive steps have been taken by KTDFC or KSRTC,” it told the court, adding that the two entities together have immovable properties worth about Rs 1,000 crore in the state.

The government also claimed that despite facing a huge financial crisis, it has released Rs 8,440.02 crore to KSRTC for various expenditures from 2018-19 to October 15, 2023.

“Even though the government is supporting Public Sector Undertakings, including KSRTC, in different ways, it is obvious that the government is not legally bound to give financial support to meet its day to day affairs,” it said in the affidavit.

The affidavit came in response to a private company’s plea urging the government to intervene and direct KTDFC to release the money deposited with it by the petitioner’s company.

The contention comes amidst the Keraleeyam 2023, a week-long mammoth celebration announced by the Left government to showcase Kerala’s progress, achievements, and cultural heritage to the world, which commenced on Wednesday.

The Congress-led UDF opposition had boycotted the event alleging extravagant expenditure by the Left administration at a time the state was going through a huge financial crisis.

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