Category: News

In New Delhi, the IT and Information Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw talked about how news publishers aren’t getting enough money from big tech companies like Google and Meta. He asked the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) to suggest clear steps to help news outlets shift from traditional media to digital platforms. Vaishnaw emphasized the need for fair payment for quality content created after careful checks.

Sanjay Jaju, the information secretary, added that the government is thinking about new rules to ensure fairness and modernization in the news industry. He pointed out that many media companies create great content but aren’t getting enough money in return, which could hurt quality journalism.

At the same conference, IndiaAI CEO Abhishek Singh announced plans to work with Prasar Bharati and All India Radio. This partnership aims to gather news in multiple languages, which will help people creating AI models. Singh encouraged news publishers to share their multilingual content, which can be valuable for developing AI applications.

Singh mentioned that the first version of the IndiaAI Datasets Platform will launch soon and that they have chosen 30 useful applications aimed at helping farmers and diagnosing diseases. There are ongoing efforts to clean and organize government data that can help develop AI services too.

During the event, IT Secretary S. Krishnan stated that existing laws are good enough to handle problems like deepfakes and misinformation, although new rules might be introduced if needed. He said AI can benefit society far more than it can harm it, and regulations should support growth while protecting people.

The topic of AI and copyright was also important during the conference. The DNPA and some of its members are involved in a lawsuit over copyright issues concerning AI-generated content. Jaju expressed concerns that AI often favors certain stories without paying original creators, which raises important questions about ownership.

Jaju highlighted the need for a fair revenue-sharing system to keep quality journalism alive. He warned that misinformation and sensational journalism could hurt democracy, and the current laws are sometimes misused to avoid accountability for spreading false news. He urged media platforms to take responsibility for the dangerous effects of their algorithms.

In New Delhi, leaders from India and the European Union (EU) are meeting to further discussions on a significant free trade agreement (FTA). This meeting is crucial as it comes after US President Donald Trump suggested imposing high tariffs on EU goods.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in New Delhi with a group of EU officials to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers. This visit marks the first time the official EU group has come to India.

Von der Leyen emphasized the friendship and strategic partnership between India and Europe via a social media post. This meeting is particularly important given Trump’s threats, which hint he might charge a 25% tax on EU products, including cars.

In response, the EU has stated it will take strong action against what it views as unfair tariffs. During their meeting, Modi and Von der Leyen will focus on promoting trade and cooperation in key sectors like technology, defense, and climate change.

They will also discuss a second meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, a group focused on collaboration in technology and trade. Plans include working together on 6G technology, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors.

Enhancing defense cooperation is another goal, including better coordination between the Indian Navy and European navies, particularly in areas like the Red Sea.

Von der Leyen began her trip by honoring Mahatma Gandhi. After their meeting, India’s external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, praised her commitment to strengthening ties between India and Europe.

While the EU will likely bring up the Russia-Ukraine conflict and sanctions against Russia, India is clear that solutions can only come from discussions between the two countries. Despite challenges, the trade relationship between India and the EU is strong, with substantial growth over the past decade.

In summary, this meeting aims to enhance economic ties, defense collaboration, and technological partnerships between India and the EU.

In Jaipur, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minority Morcha had a shocking fight during a meeting. A video showed two leaders, Javed Qureshi and Jackie, grabbing each other’s collars and hitting each other in front of everyone. People were surprised as they witnessed the fight.

The trouble started when Jackie tried to help BJP leader Madan Rathore get to the stage, but Javed Qureshi blocked him. They began arguing, and their words turned into a physical fight.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan state assembly is still stuck because of comments made by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Congress party members are refusing to attend the meetings and even held a mock session outside the assembly.

This situation got worse when Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra made comments that upset Speaker Vasudev Devnani. Congress members held signs and protested outside, asking for an apology from the minister. They also acted out a mock Question Hour, where one member pretended to be the chairperson while others asked about the actions of BJP leaders.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully stated that they tried to discuss the problems, but the minister wasn’t replying. He said they are ready to talk to the Chief Minister to solve the issues, but the government seems scared and doesn’t want to run the assembly properly.

The Delhi High Court is waiting to make a decision about a request from Delhi University (DU). DU wants to challenge a ruling made by the Central Information Commission (CIC). This ruling told DU to provide information about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bachelor’s degree. DU argued in court that it does not mind showing this information to the court itself.

DU’s lawyer, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, told the court that there is a Bachelor of Arts degree from 1978. Justice Sachin Datta listened to everyone’s arguments and said that the decision would come later.

During a past court meeting, DU said that it holds students’ information like a secret and that just being curious is not a good reason for someone to ask for this private information under the Right to Information (RTI) law. They said that the RTI Act has become a “joke” because people are asking for records about all students who passed their BA exams in 1978, including Modi.

The CIC had an earlier order that allowed a person named Neeraj to see details of students who took the DU bachelor’s exam in 1978, the same year Modi graduated. On December 21, 2016, the CIC told DU to let Neeraj look at the records of everyone who passed that year. The CIC rejected DU’s argument that this was private information, saying it was not legal or fair. They instructed DU to allow someone to inspect the records and to give a certified copy for free. However, the high court put a hold on this CIC order on January 23, 2017.

Three lawmakers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi want to change the names of some neighborhoods. They are asking to rename Najafgarh to Nahargarh, Mohammadpur to Madhavpuram, and Mustafabad to Shiv Vihar. This is part of a trend where BJP leaders have changed names in other areas to move away from names connected to Mughal rulers.

Anil Sharma, who represents the RK Puram area where Mohammadpur is located, said he will push for this name change in the assembly. He pointed out that there was a proposal from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to change the name before, but the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government didn’t do it. Now that the BJP is back in power after 27 years, Sharma believes the name change will finally happen.

Another lawmaker, Neelam Pehalwan, wants to rename Najafgarh to honor local hero Raja Nahar Singh. She said that the people of Najafgarh feel they have been treated unfairly and changing the name is important for them.

Parvesh Verma, a Delhi minister, supports this name change as he feels it is overdue. Mohan Singh Bisht, who will soon be the deputy assembly speaker, announced that Mustafabad would become Shiv Vihar. He mentioned that this was a promise made during the elections, although part of Mustafabad will keep its original name.

Neelam Shinde, a student from Satara, Maharashtra, is facing a serious health crisis after a car accident in California on February 14. She has been in a coma in the hospital ever since, suffering major injuries to her head, hand, and chest.

Her family wants to visit her urgently but needs a visa to enter the United States. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is helping them speed up the visa process. They are working with U.S. officials to get her family to her side as soon as possible.

Supriya Sule, a leader from the Nationalist Congress Party, highlighted Neelam’s situation in a post. She shared that Neelam’s father, Tanaji Shinde, is desperately trying to travel to the U.S. due to the medical emergency involving his daughter.

Tanaji said that they learned about the accident on February 16, just two days after it happened, and have been trying for a visa since then. Unfortunately, they have not received it yet. The last time they spoke with Neelam was on February 12, just before the accident occurred.