Facebook threatens to block Australian publishers from sharing news stories

The social network said the Australian move would force it to pay arbitrary and theoretically unlimited sums for information that makes up only a small fraction of its service

Facebook threatened to block Australian publishers and individuals from sharing news stories on its platform in reaction to an Australian measure that could require it to compensate media organisations for its use of their stories. The social network said the Australian move would force it to pay arbitrary and theoretically unlimited sums for information that makes up only a small fraction of its service.

The measure would force Facebook to choose between either removing news entirely or accepting a system that lets publishers charge us for as much content as they want at a price with no clear limits, the company’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Will Easton, wrote in a blog post. No business can operate that way. Campbell Brown, a former NBC and CNN anchor who now serves as Facebook‘s vice president of global news partnerships, said the cutoff threat has nothing to do with our ongoing global commitment to journalism.

Brown’s post, which cited a variety of individual Facebook programs intended to support news organizations, was titled Our Continued Commitment to Journalism. Google, meanwhile, issued an open letter that cast the proposed Australian law as a potential threat to individual privacy and a burden that would degrade the quality of its search and YouTube video services, but did not threaten a cutoff.

Mark Zuckerberg is happy to let Facebook be a tool to spread misinformation and fake news, but is apparently fine with Facebook dropping real news altogether, John Stanton, co-founder of the Save Journalism Project, said in a statement. Regulators need to reign in the tech giants’ total domination of the online marketplace before it’s too late.

Tablighi Jamaat: Police file chargesheet against 69 foreigners of 9 nations

The police filed six charge sheets in various courts indicting 69 foreign nationals from nine countries for attending Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi

The police on Tuesday filed six charge sheets in various courts indicting 69 foreign nationals from nine countries for attending Tablighi Jamaat congregation here allegedly indulging in missionary activities in violation of visa norms and breaching anti-COVID-19 guidelines of the government, said a lawyer.

The charge sheeted foreigners belong to Indonesia, Brazil, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, Nigeria, South Africa and the US, the lawyer said. Three charge sheets were filed at Karkardooma District court and three at the Tis Hazari District Court here. The six charge sheets were filed on Tuesday in the cases registered at the police stations of Seelampur, Sadar Bazar, Bara Hindu Rao, Sarai Rohila and Dayalpur, said advocate Ashima Mandla, counsel for some of the foreigners.

The 69 Tablighi Jamaat members against whom the charge sheets were filed belonged to a group of 955 others who were booked earlier by the Crime Branch of Delhi police in six cases but were allowed by the relevant court to be deported to their native countries after they admitted their guilt and pleaded for lenient punishments under the provisions of plea bargaining…

Indoor airborne spread of Covid-19 under certain conditions possible: WHO

In a change to its previous thinking, WHO noted that studies evaluating C-19 outbreaks in restaurants, choir practices and fitness classes suggested the virus might have been spread in air

The World Health Organisation is acknowledging the possibility that Covid-19 might be spread in the air under certain conditions after more than 200 scientists urged the agency to do so. In an open letter published this week in a journal, two scientists from Australia and the US wrote that studies have shown beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air.

The researchers, along with more than 200 others, appealed for national and international authorities, including WHO, to adopt more stringent protective measures. WHO has long dismissed the possibility that the coronavirus is spread in the air except for certain risky medical procedures, such as when patients are first put on breathing machines.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE: India records over 25,000 cases in a day, US adds 61,000

In a change to its previous thinking, WHO noted on Thursday that studies evaluating COVID-19 outbreaks in restaurants, choir practices and fitness classes suggested the virus might have been spread in the air. Airborne spread "particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons cannot be ruled out, WHO said.

Australia govt says climate change targets can’t risk economy, jobs

Australia may continue to be an exporter of thermal coal in 2050, according to Anthony Albanese, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, that’s targeting net zero emissions by that date.

Australia’s government will work to set new long-term plans on reducing greenhouse gas emissions ahead of a key global summit this year, though signaled it won’t pursue policies that pose risks to jobs or growth. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has faced pressure over his climate and energy strategy in the wake of Australia’s deadly wildfires, has criticized opponents for pledging to target net zero emissions by 2050 without detailing how they’ll safeguard economic expansion.

“If we make the wrong decisions, not only would we be harming the Australian economy, harming Australian workers, we would also be harming the global environment,” Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said in an interview on Sky News. Australia’s plans will need to account for the production of materials including liquefied natural gas, which is exported to markets like China or Japan and typically displaces more polluting energy sources, Cormann said. “We know that that helps reduce global emissions by more,” he said.

Following the fires, Morrison, who won a national election in May and won’t face a new poll until late 2022, has appeared to signal he’ll resist any quick shift to more extensive cuts to carbon emissions. His Liberal-National coalition government also remains cautious over the impact on a coal sector that employs about 50,000 workers, according to the Minerals Council of Australia, an industry group…

Aus vs NZ: Warner nears ton, Labuschagne survives as Australia pile on runs

Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all four Tests at home

Sports News: David Warner was approaching his 24th Test century and Marnus Labuschagne endure a dropped catch as Australia followed brisk hurries to set up a presentation in the third Test against New Zealand on Monday. Australia extended their general lead to 375 runs at lunch on the fourth day with Warner charging along to arrive at 89 and Labuschagne on 36 in the their group’s 172 for one at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Runs were coming effectively against the debilitated Kiwi bowling assault with a probable presentation expected at some point in the second session of play.

Warner had confronted 130 balls and his 31st Test 50 years was his first time he passed 50 since his unbeaten 335 against Pakistan in Adelaide a month ago. Labuschagne, falling off his profession Test-high 215 in the main innings, was given a ‘real existence’ on four when Todd Astle dropped a guideline got and bowled chance at guts stature. He ordinarily sunk into his innings and played various turn around compasses to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Joe Burns again neglected to go on after a beginning and lost a leg before wicket survey after not picking leg-spinner Todd Astle’s wrong’un. Consumes, who has neglected to nail down the opener’s spot nearby Warner, was out for 40 off 79 balls with two sixes. Consumes completed the Test summer with 256 runs at 32.00. Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all four Tests at home — two each against Pakistan and New Zealand — after retaining the Ashes by drawing the series 2-2 in England…

Keep Reading: Cricket News

Bushfires burn dangerously out of control across southeast Australia

By late night, Victoria had 14 flames evaluated at crisis or clear admonition levels, and New South Wales had 11 appraised crisis, with in excess of 150 others consuming over the states

Bushfires consumed hazardously crazy on Australia’s east coast on Saturday, fanned by high temperatures and solid breezes that had firemen doing combating to spare lives and property, as an adjustment in wind conditions combined a few huge fire fronts. By late night, Victoria had 14 flames appraised at crisis or empty admonition levels, and New South Wales had 11 evaluated crisis, with in excess of 150 others consuming over the states. New flames had begun, and others had broken control lines.

“There are various flames that are meeting up – solid, extremely huge, exceptional flames that are making a portion of these fire-created tempests,” New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said at a night preparation. “Furthermore, sadly regardless we have numerous hours to go of these raised and perilous conditions.”

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said conditions were weakening quickly as a windy southerly wind switch pushed up the coast and smoke tufts from the flames activated tempests. Specialists are concerned the flames could end up being more regrettable than New Year’s Eve, when they consumed huge tracts of bushland and constrained a huge number of occupants and summer holidaymakers to look for asylum on sea shores..

Keep Reading: Australia Bushfire

Fearing more bushfires, Australia orders mass evacuation before heatwave

Guests are being cautioned to leave before Saturday, which is estimated to bring blasting breezes and temperatures taking off over 40 degrees Celsius

International News: A large number of voyagers have been given under 48 hours to clear fire-assaulted beach front networks as Australia props for a heatwave Saturday expected to fan destructive bushfires. Calamitous bursts tore through swathes of the mainland’s south-east on New Year’s Eve, killing, in any event, eight individuals and stranding holidaymakers as ocean side towns were ringed by flares.

The New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service on Thursday morning announced a “traveler leave zone” extending around 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the well-known occasion spot of Bateman’s Bay along the normally beautiful south-east coast to neighboring Victoria state, where individuals are likewise being asked to empty Australia fire-compromised regions.

Guests are being cautioned to leave before Saturday, which is the gauge to bring blasting breezes and temperatures taking off over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). That climate will make risky fire conditions that authorities state will be as terrible – if not more regrettable – than Tuesday, Australia’s deadliest day of flames in a months-in length bushfire emergency.

Numerous travelers and occupants went through two evenings segregated with no power or media communications, and decreasing nourishment supplies, before experts on Thursday esteemed a few streets out of the locale incidentally safe to utilize. NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance told open telecaster ABC it would be the “biggest clearing of individuals out of the district ever”, with thousands getting ready to leave in front of another “horrendous” day of flames…

Thousands trapped on Australia beaches as bushfire leaves no escape by land

Australia’s remarkable bushfires have been consuming for a considerable length of time, yet the most recent in a progression of heatwaves and high breezes have fashioned new destruction

A great many holidaymakers and local people had to escape to sea shores in fire-desolated southeast Australia Tuesday, as blasts tore through well known visitor territories leaving no way out via land. 4,000 individuals were caught on the foreshore of the town of Mallacoota and numerous others looked for shelter on sea shores in fire-surrounded ocean side towns here and there a 200-kilometer (135-mile) segment of coast.

A few inhabitants with vessels even took to the ocean, seeking after shelter from one the most noticeably terrible days yet in Australia‘s months-long bushfire emergency. Many properties were dreaded to have been crushed since late Monday and in any event seven individuals were unaccounted for in New South Wales and Victoria states as flares arrived at well-populated towns like Batemans Bay.

In certain spots the blasts were so exceptional, the smoke so thick and the fire-incited dry lightning storms so extreme that aeronautical observation and waterbombing must be ended, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said. In Mallacoota, smoke went day to night and the specialists said close by flames were causing outrageous tempests and “coal assaults”. “We have a fire that resembles it’s going to affect on Mallacoota,” Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp told open supporter ABC, including that firemen had been conveyed to ensure the gathering…

Vaughan calls ICC rankings ‘absolute garbage’ over England, NZ’s position

India are currently ranked number one in ICC Test team rankings, followed by New Zealand, South Africa, England and Australia

Sports News: Previous England chief Michael Vaughan has hammered the International Cricket Council’s positioning framework, naming it as “outright trash”. India are at present positioned number one in ICC Test group rankings, trailed by New Zealand, South Africa, England and Australia.

The cricketer-turned-pundit feels New Zealand and England don’t have the right to get the second and fourth spot in the ICC Test rankings as they haven’t won enough Test arrangement over the most recent two years. “I will be dead legitimate about the ICC rankings. I think they are total trash,” Vaughan was cited as saying by the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’.

“I have no clue how – New Zealand have prevailed upon a lot of arrangement the course of the most recent two years – yet for them to be second, and where it stands apart for me that the rankings can’t be correct is that England in Test coordinate cricket are third, and England for three or four years have battled in Test coordinate cricket, especially abroad,” he said.

The 45-year-old, who has captained England Test group from 2003 to 2008, said the ICC positioning is befuddling. “They have won arrangement at home. They have just barely attracted the Ashes English conditions, they just barely beat Ireland. I think the rankings are somewhat befuddling…

Dhoni’s poor form a worry for India ahead of second ODI against Australia

Dhoni’s 51 off 96 balls and failing to rotate the strike has brought to focus the rejigging that skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri will have to fret upon

Sports News: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s inability to set the pace during middle overs will remain a major cause of concern when India take on Australia in a do-or-die second ODI on Tuesday in their bid to keep the three-match series alive.

Hardik Pandya’s sudden suspension on disciplinary grounds has badly affected the balance of the batting order, which was apparent during team’s 34-run defeat in the opening match despite vice-captain Rohit Sharma’s 22nd hundred in 50-over format. Dhoni’s 51 off 96 balls and failing to rotate the strike has brought to focus the rejigging that skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri will have to fret upon.

Also Read: India tour of Australia 2019

With Dhoni being slotted at No 5 even though vice-captain Rohit wants the veteran to bat a notch higher but cues from India’s training session made it clear that the team is unlikely to tinker with the batting order. India’s batting order did come under the spotlight at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The top three (Rohit, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli) have enjoyed a fairly consistent run since 2016.

But it was a rare occasion when Dhoni had to come out in the fourth over of the innings. Dhoni averages 52.95 while batting at number four, which is higher than his current career-average of 50.11 over 333 games. It is even higher than his favoured batting positions of number five (50.70) and six (46.33) but batting lower down the order, strike-rate becomes paramount….

Contain Source by Business Standard or BS

Rishabh Pant has technical issues in keeping wickets: Farokh Engineer

Pant had also scored a blazing hundred, the first by an Indian wicket keeper in Australia

Sports News: Rishabh Pant might have created a new record for an Indian wicket keeper by taking 11 catches in a Test in Australia, but former stumper Farokh Engineer says the Delhi youngster has a lot of technical problems in his primary job, while praising the left hander’s batting heroics.

Engineer said Pant reminds him of his young days.

“His approach is same as M S Dhoni’s. But don’t praise him sky-high at the moment. Encourage him. (But) He’s technically so incorrect,” said the one-time flamboyant wicket keeper batsman at Legends Club’s talk show at the Cricket Club of India here Wednesday evening.

Continue Here: India tour of Australia 2019

Pant had also scored a blazing hundred, the first by an Indian wicket keeper in Australia, in the drawn final Test at Sydney to top his record number of catches behind the stumps in the first match of the series at Adelaide.

Pant’s flamboyant batting exploits, however, have impressed Engineer so much that he wondered how the Indian selectors can afford to leave him out in favour of the seasoned Dhoni for this year’s World Cup in England.

“Question is, for the World Cup will you pick Dhoni? How can you drop Pant? He’s done so well. These are the questions for the selectors the three selectors who between them must have played one and a half Tests,” he said, before he was corrected that there was a five-man selection panel now with two more additions to the list.

Source By: Business Standard or BS

Wasim Akram lauds India’s triumph in Australia, praises batting effort

Akram, one of the game’s greatest fast bowlers, said that the team gelled well as a unit and were ably led by Virat Kohli

Sports News: The Pakistan cricket fraternity, including the legendary Wasim Akram, lavished praise on India for becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia.

Akram, one of the game’s greatest fast bowlers, said that the team gelled well as a unit and were ably led by Virat Kohli.”I think Virat Kohli deserves lot of praise for this performance and I would think this success can be put down to the solid domestic cricket structure in India,” Akram said at a function here.

Click Here: India tour of Australia 2019

On Tuesday, the country’s Prime Minister and former cricket captain, Imran Khan, congratulated India on becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia. “Congratulations to Virat Kohli and the Indian cricket team for the first ever win by a subcontinent team in a test series in Australia,” Khan had tweeted.

Another ex-captain, Moin Khan, said that winning in Australia was never an easy task for any team from Asia and India deserved credit for their victory. Former opener Mohsin Khan said that India had built their success around their batsmen and the bowlers had backed them to the hilt.

Read Source: Business Standard or BS

King Kohli’s India script history with maiden Test series win in Australia

India scored 622 for 7 in their first innings and then bowled out Australia for 300 thereby enforcing the follow-on

Sports News: India scripted history winning their first ever series on Australian soil beating the home team 2-1 after the fourth and final Test ended in a tame draw due to inclement weather.India scored 622 for 7 in their first innings and then bowled out Australia for 300 thereby enforcing the follow-on.

However persistent drizzle washed out day five thereby keeping the victory margin down to 2-1. Coming into this fifth Test, India had an unassailable 2-1 series’ lead after winning the first Test in Adelaide by 31 runs and the third Test in Melbourne by 137 runs. Australia had won the second Test in Perth by 146 runs.

Click Here: India tour of Australia 2019

The morning began with similar murky clouds as seen throughout Sunday, and right at the supposed start of play at 10 am local time, rain arrived to prevent any possibility of cricket happening at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The match was called off at 2.30 pm local time, with no possibility of further play. On days one and two, Cheteshwar Pujara (193) and Rishabh Pant (159 not out) helped India to a grand first innings’ total of 622-7 declared.

Australia were reduced to 236-6 at stumps on day three when bad light had stopped play, and they were bowled out for 300 runs in their first innings on day four, when Kuldeep Yadav (5-99) picked his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Only 25.2 overs were possible on day four as Australia were at 6-0 following on in their second innings when play was called off due to bad light….

Read Source: Business Standard or BS

Kohli was silly and disrespectful during the second Test: Johnson

Johnson said that Kohli didn’t his keep words after making pre-series claims that he won’t initiate any confrontations

BS: Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson slammed India captain Virat Kohli, describing his behaviour as “disrespectful” and “silly” during the second Test here. Kohli and Australia captain Tim Paine were involved in a series of heated exchanges, which at one point prompted umpire Chris Gaffaney to step in to dissolve the tension.

However, once the second Test ended with Australia beating India by 146 runs, both the captains played down the issue, saying no line was crossed. But Johnson was extremely critical of Kohli’s behaviour during the Test.

“At the end of the match, you should be able to look each other in the eyes, shake hands and say ‘great contest’,” he wrote in a column for Fox Sports. “Virat Kohli could not do that with Tim Paine, shaking the Australian captain’s hand but barely making eye contact with him. To me, that is disrespectful.

“Kohli gets away with more than most cricketers simply because he is Virat Kohli and he gets placed on a pedestal but this Test left the Indian captain looking silly,” he wrote. BCCI on Tuesday came out in support of Kohli, rubbishing media reports in Australia which claimed that Kohli had bragged about being the best batsman in the world while ridiculing Paine as a “stand-in captain”.

Keep Reading: Business Standard 

‘keep your cool Virat’, Kohli, Paine resume verbal duel; Umpire warns both

The respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and Gaffaney had to step in

Sports: Warring captains Virat Kohli and Tim Paine on Monday resumed their verbal duel, forcing on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney to warn both the players on the fourth morning of the second Test between India and Australia here.

During the 71st over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah, the respective captains were seen exchanging words after Kohli decided to field close to the non-striker and Gaffaney had to step in.

“You’re the one that lost it yesterday. Why are you trying to be cool today?” Paine told Kohli.

“That’s enough, that’s enough,” Gaffaney interrupted.

“Come on, play the game. You guys are the captains. Tim, you’re the captain.”

Paine replied: “We’re just having a conversation. There’s no swearing … keep your cool Virat.”

Kohli said something which couldn’t be picked up by the microphones…..

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India vs Australia: Rain plays spoilsport in warm-up match in Sydney

The play was impossible at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the tourists are scheduled to play a non-first class tour match against an understrength representative side

The start of India’s only warm-up match for the test series against Australia was delayed by torrential rain on Wednesday, with the four-day clash against a Cricket Australia XI looking unlikely to get underway before Thursday.

Storms battered the New South Wales coast on Wednesday morning, flooding streets, railway stations and homes as the extreme weather caused commuter chaos, grounded flights and left hundreds of homes without electricity.|India vs Australia

The play was impossible at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the tourists are scheduled to play a non-first class tour match against an understrength representative side featuring just one international, D’Arcy Short. The test series begins in Adelaide on Dec. 6, with further matches in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney over the following month.

US- backed ‘Quad’ quietly gathers steam as way to balance China’s might

The resurgence of the Quad — first conceived more than a decade ago during the Bush administration — reflects growing unease over Chinese President Xi Jinping’s more assertive foreign policy

International News |Potentially the most important meeting in Asia this week isn’t on any official summit agenda, features no head of state and certainly doesn’t include China.

Senior officials from Australia, India, Japan and the US — a set of countries known as “the Quad” — plan to meet Thursday on the sidelines of a regional summit in Singapore. It will be only the third meeting of the group since its revival last year as a counterweight to China’s growing economic and military might.

The resurgence of the Quad — first conceived more than a decade ago during the Bush administration — reflects growing unease over Chinese President Xi Jinping’s more assertive foreign policy. The four countries aim to provide an alternative model to China’s authoritarian rule and state-directed lending for infrastructure projects, which has in some cases saddled poorer nations with debt and increased their dependence on Beijing.(BUSINESS STANDARD OR BS)

Australia sees the Quad as an “important sort of architecture in the region” that can cooperate economically, militarily and strategically, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters Wednesday. The Quad’s origins date back to the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that devastated large parts of Asia, after which the four countries joined together to provide humanitarian relief. Key early advocates included Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had a brief stint as leader more than a decade ago, and then US Vice President Dick Cheney…Read More

Shark pulls woman overboard by biting finger in Australia

A woman who was pulled into crocodile-infested waters in northwestern Australia when a shark bit her finger as she attempted to feed it has described the terrifying moment which nearly cost her a digit.

Melissa Brunning said she was on a yacht in the remote Kimberley region some 2,500 kilometres (1,553 miles) north of Perth when she tried to hand-feed up to four Tawny nurse sharks hanging around the back of the boat.

The two-metre (6.6-foot) creature — which has strong jaws and rows of sharp teeth — sucked at her right index finger “like a Hoover (vacuum cleaner)”, she told The West Australian late yesterday.

“I think the shark was in shock as much as I was… the only way I can describe it is this immense pressure and it felt like it was shredding it off the bone,” the 34-year-old said.

“I came up and I was like, ‘I’ve lost my finger, my finger’s gone’.” Mobile phone footage of the incident at Dugong Bay in late May, aired by commercial broadcaster Channel Seven yesterday, showed Brunning screaming as she was dragged into the water before the boat’s crew and friends quickly pulled her out.

She sustained cuts, a fracture, a torn ligament and a bad infection on her finger as a result of the encounter, but miraculously did not lose the digit.

“It’s not the shark’s fault at all, but it could have been a lot worse,” Brunning said, adding that she had learnt to “respect marine life, and look at it in awe, but just leave them alone”.

Brunning said she did not realise that she should have left the piece of fish in front of her and watch the shark suck it up, instead of trying to hand-feed it.

“This is not a shark attack, this is just a blonde doing a stupid thing…. When you’re in the water, they’re top of the food chain, it’s their domain. We’re not meant to be in the water, if we were we’d have gills,” she added.

Apart from sharks, saltwater crocodiles — which can grow up to seven metres long and weigh more than a tonne — are also found at the bay.

ARTICLE SOURCE : BUSINESS STANDARD

Modi govt's new restrictions on cattle slaughter will hurt farmers the most

The government's move will lead to an explosion in the number of 'stray' cattle

Gazette No. 396, issued by the Government of India on May 23 and titled the ‘Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017’, promises to be the final death knell of cattle and buffaloes in India, and along with them, the destruction of what little remains of a dignified life and livelihood for farmers.

This completely innocuous sounding amendment, issued under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act – a Central law – imposes in section 22 a set of ‘Restrictions on sale of cattle’. These require the owner of cattle being brought to the market for sale, in other words the farmer, to produce and submit to the Animal Market Committee a written declaration stating that “the cattle has not been brought to the market for sale for slaughter”. In turn, the buyer of the animal has to undertake “that the animal is being bought for agriculture purposes and not slaughter”

The committee will further keep records of the sale of animals to ensure they are not resold within six months of purchase. They will also keep ID records of the buyer, seller and animal.

The rules defines ‘cattle’ to mean “cow, calf, bull, bullock, buffalo, heifer, steer and camel”.

By equating ‘slaughter’ with cruelty and criminalising the trade and transportation of animals for slaughter at animal markets as an act of cruelty, the Central government has effectively enforced a country-wide ban on the slaughter of buffaloes and cattle, and the consumption of beef, despite statements of denial from the environment minister.

Animal markets are crucial nuclei of the production cycle of animals, through which animals pass from farmers to others and vice-versa. These new rules effectively choke the free movement of animals via the market space and, more critically, completely undermine the freedom and rights of farmers, traders and all others whose livelihoods are linked to this production cycle, which ultimately is what sustains cattle and buffaloes of this country.

The right of farmers to life and livelihood is at stake: their dairy livelihoods and bullock-based agricultural livelihoods stand to be completely destroyed with this cruel law – cruel for farmers and cruel for animals.| READ MORE....

 

Ian, Greg Chappell call on Adani to abandon coal mine project in Australia

The letter calls on Adani to invest in renewables instead

 

#LATEST | Cricket legends Ian and Greg Chappell are among 90 prominent Australians who have signed an open letter calling on Indian energy giant Adani to abandon its controversial coal mine project in Queensland, warning it could damage bilateral ties and even affect sporting links.

The 21.7 billion dollar Carmichael coal mine project, one of the world's largest, to start construction this year after being given the green light by the federal and Queensland state governments.

The project involves dredging 1.1 million cubic metres of spoil near the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which will then be disposed off on land.

The letter addressed to Gautam Adani, the company's founder and chairman, cites public opposition, risks to miners' health, climate change and potential impact on the Great Barrier Reef as reasons not to proceed.

"Cricket has a bit to do with the feeling between India and Australia," said Ian Chappell.

"The thought that this [mine] could affect the relationship, hopefully that'll get through."

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The letter calls on Adani to invest in renewables instead, and concludes that it would be a "great shame" were the mine to "damage the image of India in Australia".

Besides the former Australian Test cricket captains, authors Richard Flanagan and Tim Winton, Telstra chair John Mullen and investment banker Mark Burrows have also signed the letter.

The letter is expected to be delivered to Adani's Gujarat headquarters by an Australian community delegation currently visiting India.

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