World

Social media ban for children under 16 becomes law in Australia

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Under the world-first law, children and teenagers under the age of 16 in Australia will be banned from using social media from the end of next year, a move the government and the opposition party argue is necessary to protect their mental health and well-being, Xinhua news agency reported

Published Date – 29 November 2024, 10:08 AM


Social media ban for children under 16 becomes law in Australia

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Canberra: With bipartisan support, the bill of social media ban for children under 16 passed the Senate of Australia.

Under the world-first law, children and teenagers under the age of 16 in Australia will be banned from using social media from the end of next year, a move the government and the opposition party argue is necessary to protect their mental health and well-being, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the bill passed by a comfortable margin, with Labor and most of the Coalition voting together. However, most of the crossbench voted against the bill.

Under the law, social media companies could be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars (about $32.5 million) for failing to take “reasonable steps” to keep children under 16 off their platforms.

There are no penalties for young people or parents who flout the rules. Social media companies also won’t be able to force users to provide government identification, including the Digital ID, to assess their age.

“Messaging apps,” “online gaming services” and “services with the primary purpose of supporting the health and education of end-users” will not fall under the ban, as well as sites like YouTube that do not require users to log in to access the platform.

Middle East

Syrian army hits militants’ positions in southern Idlib

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According to the Al-Watan newspaper, Syrian forces targeted militants’ positions in the al-Ruweiha, Khan al-Sabil, and Maardabsa, as well as in the Jebel al-Zawiya mountainous area in southern Idlib and the city of Mareya north of Aleppo.

Syria’s army command said earlier that government forces continue repelling attacks by Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates.

The Syrian army command reported on November 28 that units of Jabhat al-Nusra had staged a large-scale attack on Syria’s northern governorates the day prior. The terrorists attempted to seize a number of neighborhoods and military facilities and attacked the positions of government forces.

Later, the Al Mayadeen television channel said that the Syrian government army had launched a counteroffensive on the militants’ positions after they seized 20 settlements to the north and west of the city of Aleppo.

MP/

Sports

Rohit Sharma hails India, Australia relations at Australian Parliament

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The Indian players met the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Aussie PM hosted a reception at the Federal Parliament House ahead of the tour game

Published Date – 28 November 2024, 03:36 PM


Rohit Sharma hails India, Australia relations at Australian Parliament

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma

Canberra: Rohit Sharma hailed the strong relationships between India and Australia in his speech at the Australian Parliament on Thursday and vowed to build on the series-winning momentum in the ongoing tour.

The Indian players met the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the Aussie PM hosted a reception at the Federal Parliament House ahead of the tour game.

“India and Australia. We go back a long way, whether it’s sport, whether it is trade relations. Over the years, we have enjoyed coming to this part of the world, playing cricket, and enjoying a variety of the culture in the country. And obviously, Australia is one of the challenging… players to come and play cricket because of the passion people have, the competitiveness that every player possesses. Which is why for us, it’s always been a great challenge to come here and play cricket,” Rohit said in his speech.

“We’ve had some success in the past and the previous week as we look to build on that momentum, we also do want to enjoy a culture that Australia has. The variety of the cities gives us a different feeling. We do love coming here and enjoy our trip, and hopefully in the next few weeks, you know, we can entertain the Australian public and as well as the Indian fans who are here to play a massive role in achieving what we want to achieve. It’s never easy,” he added.

“We look forward to playing some cricket and at the same time, enjoying the country as well. It’s a wonderful place, as we all know. Look forward to a very good month coming up. We are all excited and hopefully we can entertain. Thank you sir, for having us here. It’s a pleasure,” Rohit concluded.

The Indian team landed in Canberra from Perth on Thursday morning. They will play the day-and-night game against the Prime Minister’s XI, scheduled at the Manuka Oval, on Saturday.

India registered a monumental 295-run victory over Australia in the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Perth to go 1-0 up in the five-Test series. The second Test, which is a day-night match, is scheduled to take place from December 6 to 10 in Adelaide.

Business

Ola Electric set to lay off 500 employees amid poor results-Telangana Today

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The company reported 43% increase in net loss at Rs 495 crore in the July-September period, from Rs 347 crore in the previous quarter

Published Date – 22 November 2024, 11:10 AM


Ola Electric set to lay off 500 employees amid poor results


New Delhi: Ola Electric, mired in controversies amid a government probe and mounting losses, is set to lay off at least 500 employees as part of an restructuring exercise.

The Bhavish Aggarwal-led electric vehicle (EV) company is trying to boost its operational efficiency by reducing redundancies and ‘drive profitability’, according to multiple reports. The restructuring exercise will impact employees from several departments, the reports added. According to an Inc42 report, citing sources, “the aim is to cut expenses to drive profitability and improve margins. There’s no set time period for the completion of the exercise”.

Ola Electric did not immediately comment on layoffs. The company reported a 43 per cent increase in net loss at Rs 495 crore in the July-September period (Q2 FY25), from Rs 347 crore in the previous quarter (Q1 FY25). The electric two-wheeler company also saw its revenue slump 26.1 per cent to Rs 1,214 crore (on-quarter) from Rs 1,644 crore in the first quarter of this fiscal.

The net loss, however, narrowed on a year-on-year basis. In the post-quarterly earnings call, Aggarwal said the company’s operating expenses had decreased quarter-on-quarter and that the company will focus on cost efficiencies. “As we continue to scale distribution, revenue will keep growing while the operating expenses are likely to remain flat or even decline over the next few quarters,” Aggarwal added.

The company also saw its market share plunge to 33 per cent in Q2, down from 49 per cent in the previous quarter. According to experts, increased competition and service network challenges have impacted Ola Electric’s market dominance. The shares of Ola Electric continue to slide, more than Rs 38,000 crore worth of investors’ money has been eroded in the company’s stock in just a couple of months.

On Friday, the company’s share was hovering around Rs 67 apiece, way below its market debut price of Rs 76 and more than 56 per cent down from its all-time high of Rs 157.40. The market cap had reached an all-time high of around Rs 69,000 crore, which has come down to around Rs 31,000 crore. Several Ola Electric customers have reported problems with software, battery and jammed tyres. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has also ordered a comprehensive probe into the EV company over its consumer complaint redressal practices.

Top News

Amid ED searches, Raj Kundra says he’s fully complying with authorities, requests to not drag wife Shilpa’s name

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He shared that he is fully complying with the authorities, and has also requested the media not to drag his wife’s name in matters which are not related to her.

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 02:43 PM


Amid ED searches, Raj Kundra says he’s fully complying with authorities, requests to not drag wife Shilpa’s name


Mumbai: Businessman Raj Kundra, who is also the husband of actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra, has now issued a statement on his social media over the recent raid at their premises by Enforcement Directorate (ED).

He shared that he is fully complying with the authorities, and has also requested the media not to drag his wife’s name in matters which are not related to her.

Raj took to the Stories section of his Instagram on Saturday, and penned a long note. He wrote, “To whom it may concern, While the media seems to have a flair for drama, let’s set the record straight: I’m fully complying with the ongoing investigation that has been unfolding for the last four years. As for the claims of ‘associates’, ‘pornography’ and ‘money laundering’, let’s just say that no amount of sensationalism will cloud the truth, in the end, justice will prevail”.

He further mentioned, “A note to the media: It’s unacceptable to repeatedly drag my wife’s name into unrelated matters. Please respect the boundaries. #ED”.

The recent ED searches were part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged money laundering case.

On October 3, Kundra, who is facing accusations of money laundering through bitcoin, received a notice from the Enforcement Directorate, instructing him to vacate his Juhu bungalow and Pune farmhouse. In response, he filed a petition with the Mumbai High Court challenging the notice.

The businessman was arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch in July 2021 in connection with the case, facing multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology Act. He was later granted bail by a city court.

Hyderabad

World’s tiniest wild cat seen in Telangana’s Mahabubabad

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The cat, rated under the near-threatened category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is rarely seen in Telangana

Published Date – 30 November 2024, 02:41 PM


World’s tiniest wild cat seen in Telangana’s Mahabubabad

Rusty Spotted cat

Sangareddy: A Rusty Spotted cat, considered the world’s tiniest wild cat, was spotted in Mahabubabad district on Saturday morning. The cat, rated under the near-threatened category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is rarely seen in Telangana.

Farmers spotted the cat, which is rivalled only by the black-footed cat when it comes to size, at Kauslyadevipally in Narasimhulupet mandal. Forest officials, who rushed to the spot following information from villagers, rescued it.

District Forest Officer Vishal said they released the cat into the reserve forest area after a medical examination and finding that it was healthy with no injuries.

Vishal said they were very happy to see the rare cat in the area. The cat is spotted only in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, while the black-footed cat, also a classified vulnerable species, is mostly seen in Africa.

World

Iran urges EU to change ‘self-centered, irresponsible’ behavior

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An Iranian deputy foreign minister has urged the European Union to change its “self-centered and irresponsible” behavior toward Tehran as talks between Iranian and European diplomats are set to begin in Geneva. 

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, provided a briefing on the Iranian delegation’s Thursday meeting with Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, in Geneva.

The Iranian delegation, he wrote on X on Friday, “had a frank discussion” with Mora on “a variety of issues, including the perspective of nuclear and sanctions lifting negotiations in light of recent developments.” 

“It was reaffirmed to him that EU should abandon its self-centered and irresponsible behaviour towards issues and challenges of this continent and international matters,” he stressed. 

“Europe should not project its own problems and mistakes onto others, including with regard to the conflict in Ukraine,” he added. 

Gharibabadi added that Europe “lack any moral ground” to lecture others on human rights given the complicity of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in the ongoing Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, where more than 44,300 Palestinians have been killed since October last year by Western-back Israeli regime.

Turning to Iran’s nuclear program, the Iranian diplomat said “Europe has failed to be a serious player due to lack of self-confidence and responsibility. Europe is in need of self-recovery.”

According to Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the three European countries, also known as the E3, will meet on Friday.

He reaffirmed Iran’s principled stance on interaction and cooperation with other countries based on dignity, wisdom and interests.

Baghaei explained that the upcoming meeting with the three European countries will be a continuation of the talks held with the trio in September on the sidelines of the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Tensions between Iran and European countries have escalated over the past two years due to European accusations. European nations claim Iran has supplied ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict, an allegation that Tehran has categorically rejected. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also stated that no such missiles were delivered to Russia.

In a recent action against Tehran, the European troika pushed the adoption of a resolution in the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The resolution accused Tehran of poor cooperation with the agency and demanded a “comprehensive” report on its nuclear activities by spring 2025. In response, Iran said it has activated a “series of new and advanced centrifuges.”

Middle East

South Africa's anti-Apartheid effort to isolate Israel

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A coalition of high-profile individuals from across the world has launched the South African chapter of the anti-Apartheid movement against Israel.

After its inaugural international conference held in May in Johannesburg, South Africa, the anti-apartheid movement against Israel has now kick-started a new global effort designed to alienate the Zionist entity from the civilized world.

The initiative saw the participation of government representatives, activists, lawyers and civil groups from around the world.

Marking the launch, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, noted that Israel must be stopped.

This is not only the murder and the massacre of people, but genocide at a massive scale, of unimaginable proportion, happening in the full view of all of us, hence we are really encouraged by this movement that is starting today, because you are going to shine the spotlight, you will coordinate and help the international community.


Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola

The Reverend Frank Chikane, a coordinator of the global anti-apartheid movement, highlighted the fact that Israel upholds two principles that have caused extensive suffering throughout the world; racism and colonial thinking.

He also held Western powers to account for the continued supply of arms to Israel, which enabled its brutal aggression. But countries like South Africa have also not done enough.

Activists say the government has dragged its feet in prosecuting South Africans who are on active duty in the Israeli occupation’s military machine, despite countless cases being filed with the prosecuting authority.

Whilst we applaud the actions taken by our government In the ICJ case, we must look at the issues right here at home, we must ask the question as to, why are these criminals still walking free on our shores.


Why have they not been arrested?


Why has action not been taken?


Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela, Grandson of Nelson Mandela

At the international level, Mandela has added his voice to calls for the suspension of the Zionist regime from the United Nations.

The Anti-Apartheid Movement against Israel was inspired by the Al-Aqsa flood operation, which triggered a global awakening about the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

This coordinated campaign will now see the emergence of sister movements in countries around the world, which will pressure governments and international bodies to isolate Israel, just as it did with the South African apartheid regime.

Sports

Australian great “don’t want Kohli full of confidence for rest of BGT”

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Allan Border expresses his disappointment over the team’s inability to contain Virat Kohli during the first Test in Perth

Published Date – 29 November 2024, 10:43 AM


Australian great “don’t want Kohli full of confidence for rest of BGT”

Virat Kohli

Melbourne: Expressing his disappointment over the team’s inability to contain Virat Kohli during the first Test in Perth, former Australia captain Allan Border questioned the tactics of skipper Pat Cummins.  Kohli, who had not scored a Test century in 18 months, roared back to form with an unbeaten 100 in the second innings as India secured a thumping 295-run victory over the hosts.

“I was really disappointed in the way we let Kohli roll on to a hundred without much resistance. We don’t want this guy full of confidence for the rest of the series,” he said. Border said Australia allowed Kohli to regain his rhythm after his struggles against New Zealand in the recent home series. Kohli’s century marked his seventh ton on Australian soil.

Former opener Matthew Hayden also took aim at Cummins, criticising the field placements after Kohli’s arrival in the middle. “They missed a few tricks with Virat Kohli in the early part of his innings. Nathan Lyon had mid-on back, one on the off-side catching and a mid-wicket. I felt like it was so easy for him to get off strike,” Hayden had told Channel 7 after India’s win.

“You can’t cut a sucker an even break when a bloke is under pressure as he was. The field we actually finished with – two slips, no point, a man straight – it offered up the outside edge of his bat as well. He found it a little more frustrating. When he got the bit between the teeth, it was too late.

Hayden also pointed to tactical lapses during India’s earlier partnership, noting the delayed use of short-ball strategies. “Jaiswal looked vulnerable against it. Maybe tiny things with Pat Cummins, the ability to think through these decisions. They were shell-shocked from the average batting performance (in the first innings) and as we see now, again, bombs are going,” he said.

Business

Majority of Adani Group stocks trade lower for second day on trot-Telangana Today

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Adani Green Energy dropped 10.95 per cent and Adani Energy Solutions tumbled 8.57 per cent to hit the 52-week low of Rs 637.85 on the BSE

Updated On – 22 November 2024, 11:42 AM


Majority of Adani Group stocks trade lower for second day on trot

File Photo

New Delhi: Shares of eight of the ten listed Adani Group firms were trading lower during the morning trade on Friday after billionaire Gautam Adani was charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay $265 million (about Rs 2,200 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts.

Adani Green Energy dropped 10.95 per cent and Adani Energy Solutions tumbled 8.57 per cent to hit the 52-week low of Rs 637.85 on the BSE. The stock of the group’s flagship firm, Adani Enterprises, slumped 6.98 per cent to hit its 52-week low of Rs 2,030.

Shares of Adani Power tanked 6.38 per cent, Adani Total Gas went lower by 6.11 per cent, Adani Ports declined 5.31 per cent, Adani Wilmar plunged 5.17 per cent to hit the one-year low of Rs 279.20 and NDTV dipped 3.41 per cent. In contrast, ACC and Ambuja Cements were trading over 2 per cent higher even after falling in the opening deals.

In the equity market, the BSE benchmark Sensex quoted 781.02 points higher at 77,936.81 and the NSE Nifty climbed 228.90 points to 23,578.80. Shares of Adani group firms fell sharply on Thursday.

The stock of Adani Enterprises had plunged 22.61 per cent, Adani Energy Solutions tanked 20 per cent, Adani Green Energy plummeted 18.80 per cent, Adani Ports dived 13.53 per cent, Ambuja Cements cracked 11.98 per cent, and Adani Total Gas tumbled 10.40 per cent on the BSE.

Shares of Adani Wilmar declined 9.98 per cent, Adani Power slumped 9.15 per cent, ACC fell 7.29 per cent, and NDTV dipped 0.06 per cent. Adani group on Thursday denied charges of paying bribes to secure favourable terms for solar power contracts, saying the allegations by US prosecutors are baseless and the conglomerate is compliant with all laws.

It said all possible legal recourse will be sought. “The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied,” the group spokesperson said in a statement.