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India tops in asking for content restrictions: Facebook

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facebook

New Delhi: Facebook blocked 5,832 pieces of content, including anti-religious matter and hate speeches, during July-December 2014 on orders of Indian government, the highest by any country on the social networking giant’s platform.

In its Global Government Requests Report for July to December 2014, the California-based firm said it has “restricted” 5,832 pieces of content.

“We restricted access in India to content reported primarily by law enforcement agencies and the India Computer Emergency Response Team within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, including anti-religious content and hate speech that could cause unrest and disharmony,” the social networking platform said.

Facebook’s report includes information on government requests it received for content removal and account data and national security requests under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and through National Security Letters.

India is followed by Turkey at 3,624 number of pieces of restricted content, then Germany at 60, Russia (55) and Pakistan (54), the report stated.

Besides, India made 5,473 requests for data, mostly concerning criminal cases, to Facebook in July-December 2014.

According to Facebook, government officials sometimes make requests for data about people who use Facebook as part of official investigations. The vast majority of these requests relate to criminal cases like robberies or kidnappings. In many of these cases, government requests seek basic subscriber information such as name and length of service. Other requests have asked for IP address logs or actual account content, it added.

“Each and every request we receive is checked for legal sufficiency. We require officials to provide a detailed description of the legal and factual basis for their request, and we push back when we find legal deficiencies or overly broad or vague demands for information.

“Even where we determine that local law would compel disclosure, we frequently share only basic subscriber information,” Facebook said.

The requests covered 7,281 user accounts and Facebook provided “some data” on 44.69 per cent of the requests.

(PTI)

Furore over Sharad Yadav's remarks on women's complexion

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Conversion Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a furore over Sharad Yadav’s remarks on women’s complexion, as sharp words were exchanged between the JD-U leader and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani.

The comments created a ruckus in the upper house after union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the member to withdraw his comments.

The Janata Dal-United chief said his comments last week on women’s complexion were misinterpreted and refused to apologise. He said he was ready for a debate on the topic.

Yadav, during the debate on the insurance bill in the Rajya Sabha last week, spoke on India’s obsession for fair skin. “Your god is dark like Ravi Shankar Prasad, but your matrimonial ads insist on white-skinned brides.”

Referring to the complexion of south Indian women, he said: “The women of the south are dark but they are as beautiful as their bodies… We don’t see it here. They know (how to) dance.”

He got away lightly when he made the comments last week, as several members laughed over them. Only DMK leader Kanimozhi had protested.

On Monday, Prasad said: “Comments were made on south Indian women, I was also mentioned, I remained quiet. I want to keep myself away from that comment.”

“I completely disagree with the comment. Ask the member to withdraw the comment,” he urged the chair.

Trying to clarify, Yadav said his comments were misinterpreted.

“There are more dusky women in India and in the world… I can discuss the issue with anyone, we are in favour of Indian culture.”

Irani, responding sharply, said the member (Yadav) should not comment on the complexion of women in any way.

“I appeal through you (chair) to the gentleman, do not make comments about the colour of any woman’s skin. You (Yadav) are a senior member, a very wrong message is going to the rest of the country,” she said.

Yadav responded by saying: “I strongly refute the allegation.”

“From (Mahatma) Gandhi to (Ram Manohar) Lohia, I have all the record of what has been said about women. A lot of struggle has been done for women with dark complexion,” he said, to which Irani responded by saying: “Please don’t do this.

Naming Lohia and Gandhi and commenting on women.”

Kanimozhi joined Irani in her protest against Yadav. “Women from all parties are together, we demand a regret on it,” she said.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said he would not allow a discussion on the issue.

“White complexion or dark complexion, it is all the same, I am not allowing a discussion on this,” Kurien said.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the issue should not be discussed as it will get more complicated.

Yadav, however, said he was ready for a discussion.

“There has been a long struggle against discrimination based on colour… I am ready to participate in a debate any time,” he said.

Women leaders on Monday slammed the JD-U leader outside the house also.

Kanimozhi said: “The issue is why women’s body and colour was being discussed in a such a derogatory way in parliament.”

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat said: “The time has now come for a code of conduct for our members of parliament and that should be very strict as far as use of languages is concerned. These are senior leaders and what they say influences people.

“It is shocking that none of the other MPs said a word,” she said.

Yadav, however, decided to brazen it out by humming a popular song — “Mora Gora Rang Laile” — from 1960s Bimal Roy-directed film “Bandini” to justify his point.

(IANS)

No snooping on Rahul, it is 'transparent profiling': Jaitley

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Rahul-Gandhi

New Delhi: Government today countered the Congress charges of snooping on Rahul Gandhi saying it was making a “mountain out of what is not even a molehill” as information collection was part of a transparent security profiling used on 526 VIPs, including Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Ministers.

Responding to charges of snooping and spying on political opponents by Opposition Congress and SP in Rajya Sabha, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the police has been collecting such information since 1987 on VIPs operating out of Lutyens Delhi through a profoma form as part of security profiling.

The proforma, which was revised in 1999, has been used to profile former prime ministers H D Dewa Gowda, I K Gujral, Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The same was also used to profile Congress President Sonia Gandhi in October 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Finance Minister said.

Pranab Mukherjee, before becoming the President, was profiled in 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012, while senior BJP leaders L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj, Ahmed Patel of Congress, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury and Sharad Yadav of JD-U were also profiled, he said.

“526 persons have been profiled using the present form,” he said, adding this was part of “transparent, security profiling and not associated with any kind of snooping or sypying.”

“It is not that it has been started in the last 8 months,” he said and proposed to sit with Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to go through the 526 forms filled during the previous UPA rule.

On the proforma seeking information on shoe size, colour of eyes and other such information, Jaitley said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was identified by his shoes after his assassination.

Security needs and profiling should be left to security experts and “we should not attempt to become one”, he said, adding “the issue raised is making mountain of what is not even a molehill.”

Jaitley said the practice of security profiling started in 1987 under Congress rule.

Maintaining that he had given a notice under Rule 267 to suspend business so as to take up the issue, Azad said in his 35 year career, including as a top security protectee, he had not seen such a proforma for security profiling.

Rahul Gandhi, he said, has been a SPG protectee right since his father Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister and it was beyond comprehension why Delhi Police was only now collecting such information like his shoe size, colour of hair, habits, his associates, friends and aides.

After an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Special Branch of Delhi Police visited Rahul Gandhi’s 12 Tughlaq Lane Residence on March 2, two senior officers had again visited his place on March 14 to gather information on his aides, Azad said.

Charging the government with snooping and spying on political opponents, he said the government was “resorting to threats, coersion and pressure to quell political dissent”.

“If you raise voice, the Central Government can use any measure,” he said demanding that Home Minister Rajnath Singh should come to the House and explain.

Last year there were reports of NDA government minister’s telephone being tapped, he said, adding since BJP assumed power in May 2014, religious and political freedom have been curbed. “The Delhi Police action is against privacy and against democracy,” Azad said.

K C Tyagi (JD-U) said the security profiling has “never been heard of” and demanded a discussion on invasion of privacy as well as corporate and political espionage.

Naresh Agarwal (SP) alleged that one lakh telephones were being tapped everyday without requisite permission and warned that the privacy of individuals should not be challenged.

(PTI)

Tension in Haryana village after church attack

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Chandigarh: Tension prevailed in a village in Haryana’s Hisar district on Monday after an under construction church was attacked and vandalised by miscreants and the idol of a Hindu god was placed inside the premises.

Police officials said on Monday that 14 people were booked for rioting, damaging place of worship, theft and promoting enmity following a complaint from the church priest in Kaimri village in Hisar district, 260km from here.

No arrests have been made so far. The attackers allegedly damaged the cross at the church and took away some other items.

The priest told media that certain activists of the Bajrang Dal and others had threatened him earlier. He alleged that the same people could be behind the attack on the church.

“I was threatened by Bajrang Dal activists and other locals last month,” the priest, Subhash Chand, said.

Haryana has a BJP government since October last year. Local residents in the village alleged that the priest was trying to construct the church despite the fact that there was no Christian in the entire village.

(Agencies)

 

'Fresh and fit' Kejriwal discharged from Bengaluru

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Arvind-Kejriwal-Bangalore

Bengaluru: A “fresh and fit” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was discharged on Monday from a hospital here after 10 days of naturopathy treatment to cure his chronic cough and high blood sugar and immediately left for the national capital.

“Kejriwal left for airport in a private vehicle to board an evening flight to Delhi. He has recovered from the twin symptoms he had when he came here on March 5 and is fine,” Jindal Naturecure Institute medical officer Jayachandran told media later.

 

Before leaving the hospital on the city’s outskirts, Kejriwal told the media that he was feeling “fresh and fit” and was excited to return home by late evening.

“My cough and blood sugar level are under control now. I am feeling fresh and fit after treatment at Jindal,” Kejriwal said after discharge.

Expressing gratitude to the hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, for taking care of him, Kejriwal said he was relieved to be free from nagging cough and high blood sugar as they affected his health and work.

“I am looking forward to be at home with family by night and resume work soon. I have been told to strictly keep away from aerated drinks and oily food. I have learnt a lot about the importance of diet, rest and regular exercises to stay fit and remain healthy,” Kejriwal pointed out.

He added in a tweet: “Am excited to return (to Delhi) to resume work.”

The 46-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was driven to airport by the party’s state unit convener Prithvi Reddy, followed by a dozen volunteers.

Kejriwal, however, declined to comment on the crisis in the party, saying he was pre-occupied with the naturopathy treatment and had no time to discuss the issues with his colleagues in Delhi or here.

Kejriwal is accompanied by his parents Gobind Ram and Gita Devi, who too got treated for age related symptoms.

Asked about the cost of the treatment, Kejriwal hastened to say that he paid the hospital bills from his own money and won’t seek reimbursement from the Delhi government.

According to hospital sources, Kejriwal was billed Rs.17,000 a day for accommodation in a three-bed room cottage ‘Nest’ located in the midst of the sprawling institute campus on the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway.

“Total cost of treatment, including therapies, massages, yogic exercises and ayurvedic liquids, fresh juices and dietary food, would have been Rs.10,000-12,000 a day,” a source said on the condition of anonymity.

Aware of Kejriwal’s hectic schedule and pre-occupation with political and other engagements, doctors have advised him to maintain a strict diet, take food at the prescribed hour and go to bed early and to get up early.

“As Kejriwal is unable to extend his stay here due to the upcoming budget session (of the Delhi assembly) and other pressing engagements, we have prescribed a regime comprising naturopathy treatment, diet and exercises,” Jindal medical director Babina Nandakumar told IANS.

Kejriwal was earlier treated at the institute when he came with noted social activist Anna Hazare in February 2012. He then had high blood sugar level but no cough.

“Kejriwal stayed with us for 16 days and followed our nature cure regime, diet and treatment instructions meticulously. On discharge, his sugar level was within normal limits without medication,” Nandakumar recalled.

During the last three years, due to pre-occupation with social and political activities and punishing schedules, Kejriwal could not maintain the lifestyle changes he had learnt at the institute.

Preliminary tests on March 5-6 showed that Kejriwal’s faulty and stressful lifestyle, including consumption of aerated drinks, irregular eating habits, high level of pollution in Delhi and accumulation of toxins in his body had resulted in chronic cough and high blood sugar.

“We gave detoxifying treatment in the form of yogic therapy and diet comprising vegetable and fresh juices, sprouts, ayurvedic liquids, soup, boiled vegetables and chapathis to rejuvenate his entire system,” the director added.

The institute has advised Kejriwal dietary changes and daily practice of prescribed yogasana, pranayama and kriya — a form of breathing technique to cleanse the inner body — when he returns to Delhi.

(Agencies)

Pakistan court orders release of Mumbai attacks plotter

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Islamabad High Court declares detention of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi under Maintenance of Public Order void.

Lakhvi is accused of being the mastermind of the 2008 gun and bomb attacks in Mumbai which claimed the lives of 166 people.

Lakhvi is accused of being the mastermind of the 2008 gun and bomb attacks in Mumbai which claimed the lives of 166 people.

by Asad Hashim, Al Jazeera

Islamabad: A Pakistani court has declared the continued detention of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the operational chief of the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, void.

The Islamabad High Court accepted an appeal from Lakhvi that challenged his detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Act during a hearing on Friday.

It is unclear if Lakhvi, who has been in prison since 2009, will be released, as the government has challenged similar judgments in the past. He is currently in custody at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

Lakhvi is accused of being the mastermind of the 2008 gun and bomb attacks in Mumbai which claimed the lives of 166 people and left more than 300 injured. The assault, which lasted more than 60 hours, was one of the worst attacks in India’s history, and badly affected India-Pakistan relations.

While no group claimed responsibility in the aftermath, India blamed it on the banned LeT, and in 2009 Pakistan responded by charging Lakhvi and others with responsibility.

On December 18, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi granted Lakhvi bail in a casewhere he was named as the “mastermind” of the Mumbai attacks.

The government, however, challenged the court’s decision to grant bail, and held Lakhvi under the MPO. When Lakhvi challenged his detention under that law, which allows authorities to hold suspects for up to 90 days without a warrant, the Supreme Court sided with the government in maintaining his detention, saying the Islamabad High Court had rushed the decision to release Lakhvi.

On Friday, the High Court, after holding hearings on the matter, returned the same verdict. The government continues to challenge the original decision to grant Lakhvi bail, in a petition whose hearings are pending before the same court. In the petition, the Federal Investigation Agency’s special prosecutor states that prosecutors and witnesses have been threatened in connection with the case, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported.

Lakhvi had also been granted bail on January 9 in another case pertaining to the 2009 kidnapping of Anwer Khan, an Afghan citizen, from a suburb of Islamabad.

Park Street rape survivor dies of encephalitis

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RAPE

Kolkata: The Park Street woman who survived rape inside a moving car in Kolkata three years ago died on Friday due to multiple organ failure after she was diagnosed with encephalitis, her counsel said.

“She was hospitalised a few days back where she was diagnosed with encephalitis. She suffered multiple organ failure and died today (Friday) morning,” her counsel A. Guha Thakurta said.

Coming out of a night club in Park Street, the mother of two was allegedly raped at gun point inside a moving car in February 2012 and later thrown out.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had courted controversy after she dubbed the incident as “fabricated”.

However, police subsequently cracked the case arresting those involved, although the prime accused continues to be missing and untraced yet.

She revealed her identity in 2013 and marched on streets of Kolkata to protest a series of rapes and murders in the state.

(IANS)

Karnataka budget: Petrol, liquor, tobacco to be costlier

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Karnataka budget

Bengaluru: Liquor and tobacco products are set to become more expensive as CM Siddaramaiah increased the VAT on them from between 17 to 24 percent, while presenting his 10th state budget on Friday.

He also announced 1 percent hike in tax on petrol and diesel in the state budget for 2015-16.

There was a small relief for consumers as he made mobile phone chargers, footware, manufactured sand, wick stove, industrial cables, solar panels and solar inverters cheaper.

There was also some tax relief low-salaried individuals as professional tax for those earning up to Rs 15,000.

Siddaramaiah said he was presenting a responsible budget by keeping fiscal deficit within 25 percent for 2015-16 as mandated in Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The total receipts are estimated at Rs 1,39,476 crore from this budget, while the total expenditure is pegged at Rs 1,42,534.

As usual, Bengaluru got the CM’s attention: in order to make city roads safer for pedestrians, Siddaramaiah announced 25 new skywalks that will be built under PPP model. Meanwhile, Rs 80 crore has been allocated to develop underpass and flyover at Hebbal junction, which witnessed a horrible road incident last month. Rs 44 crore has been allocated for a flyover at Doddanakundi.

Besides, several CCTV cameras will be installed across Bengaluru at an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore and free WiFi zones will be established across the city in phased manner.

25 skywalks

In much needed investment to develop sky-walks and underpasses in the city, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today announced 25 new sky-walks would be built under the PPP model.

Rs 80 crore was also earmarked for extension of underpass and flyover at Hebbal junction where last month two people were crushed to death and five other injured by a speeding tanker. The BBMP has already come up with the design of a proposed skywalk to be constructed at the busy junction and expects to complete it within two or three months. Ballari road and Jayamal road to be widened.

He also announced Rs 44 crore for flyovers and Doddanakundi while providing Rs 270 crore to deal with the garbage situation in the city. 50 solid waste removal machines are also to be procured.

Rs 2,900 crore has been alloted to BBMP for development work. Rs 1000 cr also allotted for Bengaluru under CM’s city improvement scheme. For better security management CCTVs are to be installed across Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 8 cr.

(Agencies)

Siddaramaiah announces Pashu Bhagya scheme for farmers

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Photo: IE

Photo: IE

Bengaluru: Presenting his state budget for 2015-16, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced Pashu Bhagya scheme to provide subsidies to farmers to set up cattle, sheep, goat, pig and poultry units.

The new scheme, which was announced in the State budget-2015 presented by the chief minister, seeks to provide subsidy to the tune of 33 per cent to farmers from the Scheduled Castes/Tribes and 25 per cent to other small and marginal farmers on the loans to a maximum extent of Rs. 1.20 lakh availed from commercial banks.

The Chief Minister also announced setting up of a Centralised Helpline facility to provide veterinary services at the farmers’ doorsteps by levying service charges.

Similarly, it has also been proposed to provide interest-free short-term loans through co-operative banks on the lines of crop loans for taking care of expenses towards cattle feed and other maintenances. To encourage sheep/goat rearing, grants to the Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation has been proposed to be increased by fourfold. In the present year, an allocation of Rs. 25 crore would be made to this Corporation.

The budget also proposes to widen the network of Karnataka Milk Federation by setting up 750 new milk producers’ co-operative societies in north Karnataka at a cost of Rs. 16 crore.

(Agencies)

LDF, Yuva Morcha activists lay siege around Kerala Assembly

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LDF Yuva Morcha Kerala Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: Hundreds of activists of LDF and Yuva Morcha have converged around the state Assembly Complex here as part of a protest siege to check state Finance Minister K M Mani from presenting the budget today over the bar bribery issue.

Though a high level security was placed and barricades had been set up by police in the vicinity, activists began to pour in large numbers in the area since last evening.

Tension mounted in the state capital after CPI(M)-led LDF opposition warned the Congress-headed UDF government that they would go to any extent if Mani, facing allegations in the bar bribery case, would try to present the budget and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy made it clear in the Assembly that Mani himself would present the budget as he has the constitutional right for it.

Putting pressure on the ruling Front, the LDF MLAs stayed in the Assembly complex last night as part of their plans to check Mani inside the House while he comes to present the budget in the morning.

Apparently fearing the blockage and siege, Mani and some of his cabinet colleagues also stayed back inside the Assembly complex last night.

Taking up the challenge of the Opposition, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy maintained in the Assembly yesterday that allegations against Mani were part of a “political conspiracy” and asserted that the minister himself would present the budget.

Reacting to Chandy’s stand, CPI(M) veteran and Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said the government would have to face consequences if it let “tainted” Mani present the budget and Chandy alone would be responsible for that.

Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had registered a case against Mani in December last year in connection with the allegations that he had accepted bribe from bar owners to renew liquor licences.

The allegations were levelled by Kerala state Bar Hotel Owner’s Association Working President Biju Ramesh.

(PTI)

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