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After failed ‘Fake News’ attempt, Govt moves to regulate online news

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After failed 'Fake News' attempt, Govt moves to regulate online news

On the face of it, the government’s stated intent behind the move to establish regulatory framework for online media and news portals seems innocuous enough – as with the order on Fake News that was hastily withdrawn in the face of angry protests.

However, the composition of committee that would go about this task shows what the outcome would be like: seven out of ten members are government officials.

And, interestingly, the Smriti Irani headed Information and Broadcasting ministry, issued the order for the committee on April 4, a day after it withdrew its guidelines on fake news following directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to reports, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry headed by Smriti Irani has set up a committee with its secretary as the convenor to recommend formation of appropriate policy for online media, including news portals.

The 10-member committee includes secretaries of the ministries of Home, Electronics and Information Technology, the departments of Legal Affairs, Industrial Policy and Promotion and the CEO of MyGov. There will be another nominee from any other government or organisation whom the convenor deems fit.

The three media representatives will be from the Press Council of India (PCI), News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and the Indian Broadcasters Federation (IBF).

The Terms of the reference (ToR) of the committee include delineation of the sphere of online information dissemination which needs to be brought under regulation, on the lines applicable to the print and electronic media.

The committee will recommend “appropriate policy formulation” for online media/ news portal and online content platforms, including digital broadcasting, that encompasses entertainment, infotainment and news and media aggregators.

It will do so keeping in mind the existing FDI norms, programmes and advertising code for TV channels and norms circulated by Press Council, code of ethics framed by News Broadcasters Association (NBA), and Indian Broadcasting Foundation’s (IBF) prescribed norms for electronic media.

The committee will also analyse the international scenario on the existing regulatory mechanism with a view to incorporate the best practices.

The order said the content on private television channels is regulated by the Programme and Advertisement Codes, while the PCI has norms to regulate the print media. “There are no norms or guidelines to regulate the online media websites and news portals. Therefore, it has been decided to constitute a committee to frame and suggest a regulatory framework for online media/ news portals including digital broadcasting and entertainment/ infotainment sites and news/ media aggregators,” it said.

Predictably, industry insiders expressed apprehension over the move. The Times of India reported a comment from Anant Goenka of The Indian Express: “The terms of reference of the committee are vague and it is difficult, therefore, to ascertain its scope. How active this committee will be and its repercussions remain to be seen. On a first look, however, I think that there are too many members of government and there isn’t any representation from the segment it hopes to regulate. Having members of the government involved in the free flow of news and information is not welcome. If the committee’s regulations ultimately prove to be the government’s back door attempt to control mainstream news, I have no doubt that they will meet the same fate as similar attempts in the past.”

The report also had a statement from Dhanya Rajendran of The News Minute: “I’m all for a registry of news websites through which they can at least be recognised by the government. State governments often do not recognise them. But a potential regulation should not take away the freedom people currently have to set up a news website.”

On April 2, the ministry had announced norms to contain fake news which said that if publication or telecast of fake news was confirmed, accreditation of the journalist would be suspended for six months in case of first violation and for one year in case of a second violation.

In case of a third violation, his or her accreditation would be cancelled permanently, the ministry had said. However, the guidelines were withdrawn by the ministry on the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the government drew flak from media bodies and opposition which dubbed these norms an attempt to muzzle free press.

The committee, said media professionals, would be a government-dominated body to frame guidelines for a profession that is, at least in principle, supposed to act as a part of the system of checks and balances in a democracy and act as people’s watchdog, rather than serve the government of the day – essentially the political party in charge.

After failed 'Fake News' attempt, Govt moves to regulate online news

India News

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy meets Tollywood actors, filmmakers, says celebrities must control their fans

The Chief Minister held a meeting with Tollywood actors and filmmakers on Thursday amid strained ties between the ruling dispensation and the tinseltown following the arrest of Pushpa 2 actor Allu Arjun

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Telangana CM Revanth Reddy meets Tollywood actors, filmmakers, says celebrities must control their fans

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has assured Tollywood actors and filmmakers that his government stands with the Telugu film industry and made it clear that there will be no compromise on law and order.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with Tollywood actors and filmmakers on Thursday amid strained ties between the ruling dispensation and the tinseltown following the arrest of Pushpa 2 actor Allu Arjun. CM Revanth Reddy said that celebrities must control their fans and the industry must be responsible.

The meeting took place at Telangana State Police Command and Control Centre at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. The delegation of influential people from Tollywood was led by Telangana Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman Dil Raju. Actors such as Nagarjuna, Varun Tej, Sai Dharam Tej, Kalyan Ram, Shiva Balaji, Adavi Sesh, Nithin, and Venkatesh among other attendees.

The meeting also included directors Koratala Siva, Anil Ravipudi, K Raghavendra Rao, Prashanth Varma, Sai Rajesh, and producers Suresh Babu, KL Narayana, Damodhar, Allu Aravind, BVSN Prasad, and Chinna Babu, among others.

Earlier on December 4, when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre, a massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, and chaos ensued when he waved to fans from the sunroof of his car. This resulted in the tragic death of a 35-year-old woman and injuries to her eight-year-old child.

Furthermore, some ruling Congress leaders have found fault with Allu Arjun’s comments last week, describing the stampede incident as purely accidental and denying the allegations made by CM Revanth Reddy on the roadshow before the film screening.

This incident has also sparked political controversy. Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy blamed Allu Arjun for the tragedy, stating in the Assembly that police had denied permission for any event at Sandhya Theatre due to safety concerns. However, the actor dismissed the allegations, calling them an attempt at character assassination.

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India News

ICAI CA final result 2024: Scores expected soon, check updates and how to access

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The Institute of Charter ed Accountants of India (ICAI) is expected to announce the CA Final Results for November 2024 today, with the results likely to be declared by late evening. Candidates can check their scores on the official ICAI website, icai.nic.in, once the results are out.

Key details about the ICAI CA final result 2024

As per the official notification from the ICAI, the results of the Chartered Accountant Final Examinations, which were held in November 2024, will be available for candidates to access on the ICAI website on Thursday, December 26, 2024, in the late evening. Candidates can view their results by entering their registration number and roll number on the official website, icai.nic.in.

When were the ICAI CA final exams held?

The ICAI CA Final exams took place in November 2024. The Group 1 exams were held on November 3, 5, and 7, while the Group 2 exams took place on November 9, 11, and 13.

Passing criteria for ICAI CA final

To pass in a group, candidates must secure at least 40% in each individual paper of the group and at least 50% in the aggregate of all papers within that group.

How to receive ICAI CA final result by Email

Candidates can also opt to receive their ICAI CA Final results via email by following these steps:

  1. Visit the official ICAI website at icaiexam.icai.org.
  2. Click on the Email Registration link on the homepage.
  3. Enter your registration number and password.
  4. Click on the “Results on Email” option to receive your result directly to the email address you registered.

How to check ICAI CA final result

In addition to checking the result on the website or receiving it via email, candidates can also access their ICAI CA Final result via SMS.

Last year’s top performers

In 2023, Madhur Jain topped the ICAI CA Final exam with an impressive score of 619 out of 800, while Sanskruti Atul Parolia secured the second position with a score of 599 out of 800.

Missed credentials? Here’s what to do

In case candidates have misplaced their credentials, they can contact ICAI’s helpline at the following numbers for assistance:

  • 0120 3054 851, 852, 853, 854, 835, 0120 4953.

As the announcement of the ICAI CA Final results approaches, candidates should be prepared to check their scores through the official channels. The results will reflect the hard work and dedication of those who appeared for the exams in November 2024, with many hopefuls awaiting the outcomes of their efforts.

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India News

Big Airtel outage hits multiple cities, users express frustration on social media

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Airtel services down across India

A widespread outage in Airtel’s mobile and broadband services has affected users across several cities in India, with many reporting connectivity issues this morning. According to Downdetector, a website that tracks service disruptions, numerous complaints have surfaced regarding service failures in cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.

Users have flocked to social media platforms, posting SOS messages in an attempt to draw the attention of the telecom provider. The complaints highlight both mobile network and internet connectivity issues, with some users reporting problems lasting up to 24 hours, yet receiving no resolution.

In addition to complaints about service outages in neighborhoods, many users have shared their frustration over the prolonged disruptions, which have left them without reliable mobile and internet access.

Despite the growing number of reports, Airtel has not issued any official statement or response to address the ongoing outage. As the issue persists, users are calling for swift action to restore services and resolve the connectivity problems.

This incident marks another major disruption for the telecom industry, with service outages often leading to customer dissatisfaction and calls for better network reliability. Airtel is yet to comment on the cause of the outage or provide an estimated time for the restoration of services.

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