American pop star Rihanna and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg were burned in effigy in New Delhi days after they had posted support on social media for India’s farmers who for months have been protesting new farm laws. Activists from the United Hindu Front who took to the streets last week also burned effigies of former adult film star Mia Khalifa and photos of Meena Harris, an American lawyer who is a niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris. Meena Harris had also tweeted in support of the farmers. Some of the protesters carried signs that read, “No one is…
Author: zenger.news
ISLAMABAD — Ethical issues related to journalists’ use of social media are again in the spotlight after an international correspondent resigned rather than remove a letter she wrote in Jan. to US President-elect Joseph R. Biden, pleading for him to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan, her home country. “I beseech you find a logical solution to the problems in Afghanistan that is acceptable to all,” wrote Zarghona Mangal, a journalist working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in the Czech Republic. “I once again humbly ask you, in the development of any future policies towards Afghanistan, to think kindly, humanely, and…
The Indian government is planning to bring a law to curb the use of bitcoins. It is also looking to introduce an ‘official digital currency’, to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021, is slated to be introduced in the ongoing session of Parliament. It seeks “to create a facilitative framework for creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India. The Bill also seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, however, it allows for certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology…
An online photo contest asks artists to document one reality we all share: chaos. “Have things felt chaotic lately? I am pretty confident they did for you, as much as they did for me. I also believe now is our chance to look at the chaos around us differently than before,” writes Inbal Arieli, an ISRAEL21c columnist, entrepreneur and author of Chutzpah: Why Israel is a Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Arieli’s Chutzpah Center has partnered with social-outreach nonprofit PHOTO IS:RAEL in sponsoring an international photomarathon on the theme of chaos. Arieli’s Chutzpah Center and PHOTO IS:RAEL invite people to…
Power grids around the world weather all kinds of storms. But Florida faces singular threats, such as alligators and hurricane damage. To cope, the state uses a special tool: drones. Florida Power & Light Company, which serves 10 million people in the Sunshine State, employs drones made by Israeli company Percepto that autonomously carry out security and maintenance missions on power lines and in sensitive areas. The autonomous drones work around the clock and in difficult weather conditions to identify power failures and get them fixed swiftly, reports Percepto. The drones, which can fly for 40 minutes between charges, are…
Yona Rabinowitz, 20, has won medals in Israeli Special Olympics swimming competitions since she was 7. Like any athlete, her physical condition is paramount. But people with intellectual disabilities often feel stressed and frustrated by doctor visits — even routine exams like vision tests — when medical providers don’t have the time or ability to communicate with them patiently and productively. This problem can seriously impact the quality of healthcare for athletes like Rabinowitz, who has Down syndrome. In fact, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia President and Managing Director David Evangelista cites U.N. data showing that people with intellectual disabilities have…
Being a bus driver has always been a dangerous and challenging job. Road rage, stress and unruly passengers are among the struggles they overcome each day. However, what was just difficult and dangerous has become one far riskier due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. No matter the country, bus drivers are essential workers who help thousands reach their destinations on time. Some bus drivers dedicate nearly 15 hours a day to driving their buses around the cities. “I work from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.,” said Mariano Lagunes Ordaz, a bus driver of the ‘Miguel Alemán’ route in the city…
Flash floods triggered by a glacier burst in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Feb. 7 have almost washed away two big hydropower projects and many lives, mostly plant workers. At least 11 have died and more than 153 are missing. The collapse of the Nanda Devi glacier led to rippling flash floods in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga, and Alaknanda rivers. Dhauli Ganga is joined by Rishi Ganga river at Raini in Chamoli district where the disaster took place. Five bridges were also washed away. The Kundan group’s 35 Megawatt (MW) project on Rishi Ganga river was the first to get affected. NTPC’s 520 MW project on…
Tens and thousands of people marched through Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar, and converged on Hledan township on Feb. 7 to protest the military rule and demanded the release of the country’s elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, along with President Win Myint and dozens of other leaders in their National League for Democracy were detained in pre-dawn raids on Feb. 1. On Feb. 7, the new military government (junta) also restored internet access, which was blocked a day earlier. There was, however, no official comment from the junta in the capital Naypyitaw, more…
Power demand in India hit an all-time high in Jan. despite the country being in recession after two successive quarters of negative growth. The peak electricity demand recorded a new high of 189.6 gigawatts (GW) on Jan. 30. Demand had touched 187 GW on Jan. 22, and 185.82 GW on Jan. 20, respectively. The peak demand during Jan. last year stood at 170.97 GW, data from the Ministry of Power showed. “A fresh record has been created in power demand breaching the previous record of 1,85,820 MW,” Raj Kumar Singh, power minister, had tweeted on Jan. 22. “Today the power demand touched…