Month: February 2021

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) is looking to make changes to certain sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act to make social media intermediaries, such as Google,Facebook and Twitter, and OTT platforms, including Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video, more accountable for the content shared through their platforms.   IT , Law and Justice minister Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Rajya Sabha that the government was working to bring new rules to make social media intermediaries more responsive to the government’s directions as well as its law enforcement…

India’s ‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala, just weeks ahead of the state Assembly elections.   “A great day for Kerala which looks forward to politics based on development agenda. Welcome to BJP Metro Man,” the party’s Kerala handle tweeted. Sreedharan, last week had confirmed the news about his entry into BJP. On asking about his decision he said that he had been living in Kerala for the last ten years and tried his best to bring in development in the state but had met…

Ever rising in the fuel prices in the previous weeks has taken petrol to cross historic high levels of Rs 100 a liter in several cities across the country. It is a rising concern on why the Government is not in a position to control.   In Mumbai, the petrol price is just Rs 3 per liter short of (Rs 97.34 a liter) touching the three-digit mark of Rs 100 per liter for the very first time ever. Diesel price in the city is closing on Rs 90 a liter…

Amid the coronavirus cropping its head again in a few states of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that in view of the rising COVID-19 cases, all political, religious and social gatherings will be prohibited in the state from Monday. In his televised address, he also said that political agitations will not be allowed for the next few days as they attract crowds.   “The pandemic is raising its head in the state, but whether it is another wave will be known in eight to 15 days,” he said. “Lockdown…

PM Narendra Modi on Monday hinted that the first week of March may undergo ballot dates for four states — Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala — and the Union Territory of Puducherry at the potential for the Election Commission.   “In 2016, assembly poll dates were announced on March 4. This year, it is my assumption that the EC will announce the dates by March 7,” he stated on his third go in a month to poll-bound Assam.   PM Modi later travelled to Bengal’s Hooghly, the place he…

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar distributed masks in the Dadar vegetable market on Tuesday to raise awareness among people.  The cases in Maharashtra seem to have cropped up again. A few places in the state have suffered a huge COVID slap.   “We are aware that people have to come out of their homes for their basic needs including buying vegetables, that is we came here to distribute masks and urged them to use them, sanitize hands and maintain social distancing,” Pednekar said while speaking to reporters. The Mumbai Mayor also said…

After Facebook blocked Australian users from sharing or viewing news content on the platform, Australian PM Scott Morrison said he has discussed the situation with PM Narendra Modi and Canada’s Justin Trudeau for support in his fight against Facebook over a proposed law that aims to make the social media giant pay for sharing content from media organisations.   It is the first step of a plan to mobilise global support to stop Facebook ‘bullying’ elected governments. He said his government’s world-first legislation to force Facebook and Google to pay…

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope confirmed that he has tested positive for coronavirus infection. In a social media message, the Minister of Public Health said, “I have tested positive for COVID-19.”My health condition is fine. I appeal to those who have come into contact with me recently to get tested at the earliest,” he said.   “I will get better in the coming days and will be ready to serve the people of this state again,” he added.   He also further asked the people who came in his contact…