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Meta to start labelling AI-generated content and manipulated media on Facebook, Instagram and Threads from May

ANI
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Meta to start labelling AI-generated content and manipulated media on Facebook, Instagram and Threads from May

Meta will begin labelling a wider range of video, audio and image content as “Made with AI” on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram starting in May to counter manipulated media, according to its official statement.

Meta’s new policy is a response to feedback from its independent Oversight Board, which urged an update to the current policy.

“We are making changes to the way we handle manipulated media based on feedback from the Oversight Board and our policy review process with public opinion surveys and expert consultations,” Meta said.

The labels could be generated through self-disclosure when a user posts content, as a result of advice from fact-checkers, or via Meta detecting invisible markers of AI-made content.

“We will begin labelling a wider range of video, audio and image content as “Made with AI” when we detect industry standard AI image indicators or when people disclose that they’re uploading AI-generated content,” it added.

Meta also underscored the usage of realistic AI-generated tools to create content like audio and photos and its evolution at present.

“In the last four years, and particularly in the last year, people have developed other kinds of realistic AI-generated content like audio and photos, and this technology is quickly evolving. As the Board noted, it’s equally important to address manipulation that shows a person doing something they didn’t do,” it said.

New AI video tools increase worries of deepfakes ahead of elections. Experts worry malicious actors could use AI tools to create deepfakes, confusing and misleading voters in an election year. The video that OpenAI released to unveil its new text-to-video tool, Sora, has to be seen to be believed.

Earlier last month, in a candid conversation with Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the challenges posed by AI and underlined the significance of initially using watermarks on AI-generated content to make users aware and prevent misinformation.

“Addressing the challenges AI presents, I have observed that without proper training, there’s a significant risk of misuse when such powerful technology is placed in unskilled hands. I’ve engaged with leading minds of AI, I suggested that we should start with clear watermarks on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. This isn’t to devalue AI creations but to recognise them for what they are,” PM said.

“Data security remains a paramount concern and while India has a legal framework in place,. For instance, I have initiated storing all university certificates in the cloud to reduce costs and fulfil various needs efficiently. Previously, there was a push for stringent compliance requirements. I advocated for simplification, suggesting that data be uploaded to the cloud with shared IDs, enabling us to access necessary information directly. This approach underscores my commitment to leveraging technology not just to enhance services but to significantly improve the ease of living for our citizens,” he added.

Bill Gates also acknowledged the challenges that AI presents and said that the technology is also a huge opportunity.

“It’s early days in AI and I think everyone uses it. On the same day, you’re surprised at how good it is, and you’re also surprised at how bad it is. It’ll do things you think are hard, and then it’ll fail to do some things you think are easy. I started my trip here in Hyderabad, which was a nice occasion because Microsoft is celebrating 25 years in the country, and that’s been such a fantastic experience,” Bill Gates said.

“So I was definitely challenging the team there. Hey, we have to make the accuracy better. And for now, it’s like a Copilot. It helps suggest things. But the final decision about the medicine or the letter you want to write, the final decision, we still have to review that, even though it may make us a bit more creative and a bit more productive. You know, it seems like AI is a huge opportunity, but there are some challenges that come with that,” Gates added.

Present “manipulated media” rules apply only to “videos that are created or altered by AI to make a person appear to say something they didn’t say.” Starting in February, the company began to add “Imagined with AI” labels to photorealistic images made with the Meta AI feature.

This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Pakistan: Punjab province CM accuses Chinese nationals of resenting to follow security protocols after five Chinese Engineers killed in suicide bombing

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Punjab province CM accuses Chinese nationals of resenting to follow security protocols after five Chinese Engineers killed in suicide bombing

On Friday (5th April), the Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, Maryam Nawaz, blamed Chinese nationals living in Pakistan for not following security protocols. She made the remarks targeting Chinese nationals days after five Chinese engineers were killed in a suicide bombing in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Apart from not following security protocols, Maryam added that the Chinese nationals also get “resentful” when they are asked to follow security protocols. 

Notably, Maryam Nawaz is the daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. After the recently concluded elections in February 2024, she became the first-ever woman chief minister of a province in Pakistan. 

While addressing her maiden Apex Committee meeting, Maryam said, “The Chinese living here do not want to follow security discipline. They are resentful when they are asked to follow security protocols. They don’t want to come under any discipline as they fret over it.” Referring to Chinese nationals, she added that this might be uncomfortable for you (Chinese nationals) but we value you.

Conspicuously, her remarks aimed against Chinese nationals have been blacked out by the Pakistani media to not ire relationship with Beijing, however, the same can be heard 20-minute into the official video of the meeting uploaded by PMNL’s official X handle.

The apex committee meeting was also attended by Corps Commander Lahore Lt Gen Syed Aamer Raza and other senior military officers. 

During the meeting, Maryam stated that her government would provide foolproof security to the Chinese nationals working on development projects in Punjab. 

The meeting condemned the killing of Chinese engineers in Bisham. Last week, five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide bombing. The incident took place when they were travelling between Islamabad and a hydroelectric dam construction site in Dasu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The bus was attacked in Bisham city of Shangla district.

This was the second suicide attack on those involved in a China-backed project in the region since 2021. After the suicide bombings, the Chinese company overseeing the project halted its civil construction operation and laid off hundreds of employees at a hydropower project in Pakistan.

Notorious as a terrorist-sponsoring nation against its adversaries, Maryam argued that terrorism has taken the shape of difficult warfare while presenting Pakistan as a victim of terror. 

She said, “Terrorists got digitalised and we need to be ahead of them on such platforms. Besides, terrorists have the latest weapons and technology. They have the US weapons that they got in Afghanistan. The weapons coming from Afghanistan are a big challenge for the law enforcement agencies.”  

She admitted that Pakistani youth are also being brainwashed and recruited by terrorists. She further pointed out, “And social media is one of the major tools being used for the purpose.” 

Meanwhile, on Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed all the security agencies to ensure foolproof security arrangements for the Chinese nationals working on various projects in the country.

In a statement, Shehbaz Sharif said he had decided to “personally review the meetings with respect to the overall security of the country, especially the security of the Chinese citizens”. 

He also claimed that Pakistan’s war against the menace of terrorism will continue till its complete eradication from the country.

Repeal of CAA, restoration of Article 370, restrictions on FDI, reservation in private sector and more: CPIM manifesto reveals the party’s dangerous agenda

Dibakar Dutta
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Repeal of CAA, restoration of Article 370, restrictions on FDI, reservation in private sector and more: CPIM manifesto reveals the party’s dangerous agenda

On Thursday (4th April), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party, which has only 3 seats in the lower House of the Parliament, elaborately laid out its nefarious agenda in a 44-page document [pdf].

CPIM has vowed to scrap the visionary National Education Policy 2020, enacted by the Modi government. It has also assured the introduction of caste-based reservation in education and employment in the private sector if the party is elected to power (Page 13 of the manifesto).

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has promised to undo legislations that have been historically used against terrorists and criminals of the highest order. This includes repeal of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and National Security Act (NSA).

Not only that, the CPIM has promised to replace the anti-corruption law, Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and strip central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of its powers.

Moreover, it has assured its supporters to scrap the Citizenship Amendment Act, a humanitarian law aimed at fast-tracking the citizenship of persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have been staying illegally in India before 31st December 2014 (Page 14 of the CPIM manifesto)

Not only that, the party has also promised to remove the provision of the death penalty altogether, which is currently reserved for the rarest of rare cases such as the infamous Nirbhaya case of 2012.

CPIM and its sinister plans to isolate India

To ensure that India does not encourage foreign investors, the CPIM has declared in its manifesto that it will restrict Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows across various sectors such as finance, defence, higher education and the media (Pages 17, 21, 36 and 42 of the manifesto).

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also expressed its intention to globally isolate the nation by exiting from alliances such as QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), the India-US Defence Framework Agreement and the I2U2 Group. While the QUAD is an alliance between the United States, Australia, Japan, and India, the I2U2 Group comprises of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the US.

On the 25th page of its manifesto, the CPIM said that it would eliminate nuclear weapons from India and thus leave the nation vulnerable to attacks from rogue and hostile countries like Pakistan.

Creating a state of social and economic chaos

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also assured to bring back unrest in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir by restoring the controversial constitutional provisions of Article 370 and Article 35A, which were revoked by the Modi government in August 2019.

It has also promised to rid school textbooks and syllabi of higher classes of ‘communal bias and prejudice’, which essentially means that the books will be re-designed to brainwash children with Marxist ideology. (Page 15 of the manifesto).

The CPIM has also announced that it would repeal anti-conversion laws enacted by several States to counter the growing menace of grooming, entrapment and forced conversions. In the absence of such legislation, criminals will become as emboldened as before the enactment of the anti-conversion laws.

On Page 27 of its manifesto, the party declared that it would scrap the ‘New pension scheme’ and thereby overburden the economy of the nation. To exacerbate the situation further, it has promised to waive off both institutional loans and private debt of all ‘distressed farmers.’

CPIM and appeasement politics

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has left no stone unturned in its manifesto to appease Muslims and divide the Hindu community further along caste lines.

It has vowed to enact a central law to incorporate caste-based reservations in the private sector, conduct a caste census and extend reservations to so-called ‘Dalit Christians and Muslims.’ (Page 32 of the manifesto)

Just like the Congress party, the CPIM also sought to exploit the suicide of a former PhD student named Rohith Vemula. The left-liberal ecosystem had thrown its weight behind this particular case, calling his untimely death a consequence of ‘caste discrimination’.

During the investigation, it came to light that Vemula was not a Dalit and that his suicide had nothing to do with caste. The Andhra Pradesh government had also decided to cancel the ‘SC certificate’, which was fraudulently obtained by Rohith Vemula and his mother.

Despite being well aware of the findings in the case, the CPIM has decided to keep the pot boiling and promised to enact legislation in his name (Page 36 of the manifesto).

The party has also hinted at introducing reservations in the Judiciary (Page 44 of the CPIM manifesto), including so-called ‘OBC Muslims’ in the OBC quota, and enacting the ‘Prevention of Atrocities Against Minorities Act, which is likely to be used to target the Hindu community.

The CPIM even went on to announce that 15% of bank loans would be earmarked for Muslims if it is elected to power, besides providing compensation to Muslims ‘acquitted’ in terror cases. (Page 33 of the manifesto)

To further pacify its Muslim voters, the party has stated that it would strive for the establishment of Palestine (with pre-1967 borders), sanction the State of Israel and sever all ties of India with the Jewish nation. (Page 24 of the manifesto)

CPIM goes ‘woke’

On Page 34 of its manifesto, the CPIM has dedicated a section for the LGBTQ+ community. Promises made by the party include amending the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and giving legal recognition to same-sex couples at par with marriage.

Not only that, it has also declared that crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals will be treated similarly to crimes against straight people, thereby insinuating that a differential legal treatment exists in India for virtue of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Communist Party has vowed to pass an anti-discriminatory bill that covers LGBTQ+ and grant reservations to them in educational institutions and employment (besides the caste-based reservation that the party has already promised to introduce in the private sector).

Foreign policy

In the foreign policy section on page 24 of the manifesto, CPIM has talked about promoting all-round relations with China. It says, that the party stands for “negotiated settlement of the border dispute with China and promotion of all round relations.” As mentioned above, the party has promised to scrap all security and military ties with Israel, and demand UN-imposed sanctions against Israel. It wants the creation of a Palestine state with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital.

While CPI(M) wants to promote ties with China, it wants to withdraw from all strategic alliances with the US.

Conclusion

Nonetheless, the party has announced to repeal the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act of 2019 (Page 27 of the election manifesto), which introduced heavy fines for flouting traffic rules.

The CPIM has also assured to withdraw the government-funded PMJAY/Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, which drastically improved the access to quality healthcare services for poor people. (Page 37 of the manifesto).

The party has promised to scrap the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023) under the pretext that it encourages ‘digital authoritarianism'(Page 41 of the manifesto).

In conclusion, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has been eyeing to plunge India into a state of complete economic and social chaos as evident from its pre-poll promises.

Pro-Congress YouTuber Ajit Anjum runs away after suffering a meltdown over uncomfortable questions by journalists; video goes viral: Watch

OpIndia Staff
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Pro-Congress YouTuber Ajit Anjum runs away after suffering a meltdown over uncomfortable questions by journalists; video goes viral: Watch

Ajit Anjum, a pro-Congress YouTuber known for peddling propaganda under the garb of journalism, was all hot and bothered after receiving a reality check from a group of conscientious journalists who raised questions about his journalistic practices and personal bias.

In a video that has gone viral on the internet, Anjum was seen getting out of a car and yelling at fellow journalists. Anjum says, “You are bhakts of Asaram Bapu,” to which, the other journalists responded by saying, “Why did you defame a girl? How much did you get to defame the girl?”

A flustered Anjum sits back in his car and flees away. The video is undated, though it appears to be recent.

X users had a field day over the meltdown Ajit Anjum had during his interaction with a group of journalists.

X user @Being_humor took a swipe at Ajit Anjum by saying that people chased him out of a ‘chicken-pakoda’ shop.

The pakoda reference stems from a viral image of a tweet that Ajit Anjum claims he never posted. The tweet read, “I (Ajit Anjum) will sell chicken pakoras if Yogi Adityanath returns to power in 2022 Assembly Elections.” The screenshot of the tweet went viral, as did the pakoda memes. The reference, however, stuck, and it has been used since to mock Anjum. Last year, on April 8, 2023, netizens trolled YouTuber Ajit Anjum on the micro-blogging site Twitter on the occasion of his birthday. Hashtags like “PakodakingAjitAnjum” kept on trending throughout the day. 

Several others mocked Anjum over the viral video.

Ankur Singh, a popular X user, enquired what was the matter that Anjum was running away from journalists.

Past antics of Ajit Anjum and the origin of ‘Pakoda King’ sobriquet attached to him

Nevertheless, this is not the first time Ajit Anjum has been the talk of the town because of his viral video. In 2020, a video of a scuffle between farmers and an unknown person at the protest site along the Delhi Border had gone viral. Several social media users had shared the video, claiming that the unknown person was none other than senior journalist Ajit Anjum, who was ‘beaten up’ by the farmers while reporting about the ongoing farmers’ protests.

However, soon after the video went viral with the claim that Ajit Anjum had been at the receiving ends of the blows rained by the protesting farmers, the journalist quickly took to Twitter to refute the allegations that he had had a scuffle with the protesters. Anjum claimed that he was in the middle of the chaos because he was trying to settle the matter between the two sparring parties.

More recently, in November 2023, Anjum almost got manhandled for forcing women to give their reactions during voting for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

In this video, Ajit Anjum is seen forcing the voter women repeatedly to answer his questions like whom they have given their vote, whose government they want in the state, etc. When a woman came out of the polling booth but did not respond to his queries, Ajit Anjum took a brief run to the two other women who left the booth earlier. Ajit Anjum followed the women in a nearby lane and started forcing them to answer to his questions. At this point, a man approached him from behind and angrily asked Ajit Anjum why he was forcing the women to talk when they were not willing to answer him.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams Congress for not promising to repeal CAA in manifesto, accuses it of following RSS policies

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams Congress for not promising to repeal CAA in manifesto, accuses it of following RSS policies

On Saturday (6th April), Kerala’s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed its ally in the I.N.D.I. Alliance Congress party. The criticism by the CPI(M) leader was regarding the recently published election manifesto of the grand old party. Vijayan said that the Congress failed to meet the challenges posed by Hindutva politics. He even accused Congress of taking a stand similar to that of the Sangh Pariwar.

Addressing people at Alappuzha in Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan said, “While the CPI(M) manifesto clearly states its intention to cancel the divisive CAA, the Congress manifesto maintains a conspicuous silence on the matter.” The CPI(M) manifesto pledged to eliminate what it criticised as “draconian” statutes, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Vijayan, an outspoken opponent of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) who has previously declared that his administration will not enforce it in the state, stated that a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliated group initiated the issuance of eligibility certificates for citizenship under the CAA. He said, “Despite these developments, the Congress does not openly comment on the law. This stance raises questions about the Congress party’s attitude towards the Citizenship Amendment Act. Congress’ stand always aligned with that of the Sangh Parivar.”

He added, “People have understood that there is no point in voting for the Congress party from their experience in the last five years. The Left parties seek votes from the people to uproot the BJP which has been implementing dangerous policies in the country. We don’t change our politics for the sake of a few votes.” Vijayan remarked that the forthcoming elections will determine the trajectory of the nation, emphasising that casting votes for the Congress would be futile.

About the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “We are contesting this election to bring down the BJP from power and that’s why we have actively joined the anti-BJP front at the national level. We would like to make one thing clear. The BJP will not only face defeat in all 20 seats, they will even fail to secure the second position in any constituency this time.” Kerala has 20 Lok Sabha and it is scheduled to vote on 26th April during the second phase of the general elections. Vote counting is slated for 4th June.

CPIM also published its manifesto one day after Congress

On Thursday (4th April), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party, which has only 3 seats in the lower House of the Parliament, laid out its nefarious agenda elaborately in a 44-page document [pdf]. CPIM has vowed to scrap the visionary National Education Policy 2020, enacted by the Modi government. It has also assured the introduction of caste-based reservation in education and employment in the private sector if the party is elected to power.

Woman entitled to maintenance on breakup after a live-in relationship: Madhya Pradesh High Court

OpIndia Staff
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Woman entitled to maintenance on breakup after a live-in relationship: Madhya Pradesh High Court

In a major development in Live-in Relationship, the Madhya Pradesh High Court recently ruled that a woman living with a man for a considerable period is entitled to maintenance after a breakup, even if they are not legally married. The court gave this ruling while dismissing a petition by a 38-year-old man Shailesh Bopche. The petitioner had challenged the trial court’s verdict which directed him to pay a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to respondent Anita Bopche (48), his wife/ex-live-in partner. The couple also had a child together. 

A bench of Justice JS Ahluwalia ruled that maintenance cannot be denied if there is “evidence of cohabitation” between the couple. Justice Ahluwalia cited the findings of the trial court which concluded that the man and woman had been living as husband and wife. The bench further ruled that the birth of a child within the relationship cemented the woman’s right to monthly maintenance.

As per the case, petitioner Shailesh Bopche had challenged the trial court’s ruling to pay maintenance arguing that the respondent (Anita) could not prove if they had got married in a temple. Notably, the trial court also found that the marriage between Shailesh and Anita did not happen at a temple. 

However, the trial court noted that since Anita had a child with Shailesh, she was entitled to an allowance.

In its order, the trial court had noted, “The trial court has not given a specific finding that the respondent is not the legally wedded wife of the applicant. However, the findings are that the respondent could not prove the rituals as well as the fact that marriage was performed in the temple, but later on, the trial court gave a finding that since the applicant and respondent were living as husband and wife for a considerable long time. The respondent has also given birth to a child, therefore, the respondent is entitled to maintenance.” 

Justice Ahluwalia upheld the trial court’s order noting that the only “bone of contention” of the petitioner’s counsel is that since the “respondent is not the legally wedded wife, (the) application under Section 125 of CrPc is not maintainable”. 

According to Section 125 of the CrPc, if an individual with adequate resources declines to support his wife, who is incapable of maintaining herself, he must pay a monthly allowance. 

The High Court remarked, “Since the applicant and respondent were residing as husband and wife for a considerably long time and in the absence of any specific finding by the Trial Court that respondent is not a legally wedded wife of the applicant, this Court is of considered opinion that the Trial Court did not commit any mistake by awarding maintenance to the respondent under Section 125 of CrPC.” 

Uttar Pradesh: Muslims of Amroha protest Congress candidate Danish Ali while going to namaz; hundreds gherao the MP and attempt to vandalise the car

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Muslims of Amroha protest Congress candidate Danish Ali while going to namaz; hundreds gherao the MP and attempt to vandalise the car

On Friday (5th April) Muslims in Amroha took to the streets to oppose the Congress MP candidate Danish Ali while he was going to offer namaz in the evening. The mob of Muslims angry over his candidature from the Congress party gheraoed the cavalcade of the MP and attempted to vandalise his car. The angry Muslims in the mob also raised slogans against Danish Aliu and created a huge ruckus.

Danish Ali was earlier an MP from the Bahujan Samaj Party but recently he got an MP ticket from the Congress party for the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

MP Danish Ali, accompanied by his supporters, visited the Jama Masjid in Amroha on Friday, followed by a campaign stop in Naugaon Sadat to solicit votes from the residents. Upon his arrival at the Jama Masjid in Naugaon Sadat Nai Basti to offer prayers, his car was promptly encircled by a sizable crowd of local Muslims.

Upon finding himself surrounded, Danish Ali chose to remain seated inside the car. Amidst the commotion, a youth attempted to climb onto the car’s bonnet. However, several individuals were observed trying to calm the agitated crowd. Notably, Pratik, the son of Samarpal Singh, MLA from the Naugaon Sadat assembly seat, was seen actively working to diffuse the tension among the angry constituents.

The irate crowd demanded answers from Ali regarding his performance over the past five years, particularly his work in Naugaon Sadat. It was only after the dispersal of the assembled mob that Ali’s car was able to proceed forward. Those in the crowd recorded the entire incident on their mobile devices. Later in the evening, two videos depicting the gherao of the MP’s car circulated widely on social media platforms. It is alleged that the individuals causing the disturbance are linked to the Samajwadi Party.

The footage depicting a crowd surrounding the vehicle of MP Danish Ali is rapidly gaining traction on social media platforms. The Congress party has nominated Danish Ali as its candidate for the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency. Previously, Ali secured victory in the 2019 elections under the BSP banner. However, he faced suspension from the BSP over accusations of engaging in anti-party activities.

Guardian article claims India was inspired by Jamal Khashoggi murder to kill terrorists in Pakistan, here is how this proves it is a work of fiction

Raju Das
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Guardian article claims India was inspired by Jamal Khashoggi murder to kill terrorists in Pakistan, here is how this proves it is a work of fiction

The Guardian on 5th April published an article claiming that the Indian government ordered the assassination of several terrorists in Pakistan. The report based on anonymous Pakistani ‘sources’ was meant to attack the Modi government accusing it of indulging in ‘extra-territorial killings,’ however, the report ended up giving ammunition to the Modi govt and BJP by claiming that the govt is taking actions against terrorists even in foreign countries.

The article authored by anti-India propagandist Hannah Ellis-Petersen was riddled with errors, raising questions on the quality of research that went behind it. While Modi government would not dislike the ‘allegation’ that it killed terrorists in Pakistan, the fact is that there is no evidence backing the claims made by Guardian, and the entire article is based on anonymous “Indian and Pakistani intelligence operatives” who allegedly spoke to the Guardian.

The article claims that R&AW (incorrectly spelled Raw by Guardian) was inspired to kill enemies abroad after the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey. The report quotes an anonymous Indian official, “It was a few months after the killing of Jamal Khashoggi that there was a debate among the top brass of intelligence in the prime minister’s office about how something can be learned from the case. One senior officer said in a meeting that if Saudis can do this, why not us?”

The report further cited, “What the Saudis did was very effective. You not only get rid of your enemy but send a chilling message, a warning to the people working against you. Every intelligence agency has been doing this. Our country cannot be strong without exerting power over our enemies.”

However, this entire claim proves that the entire article is work of fiction. Here is why.

The article talks about India killing terrorists in Pakistan, but Jamal Khashoggi was not a terrorist, he was a journalist highly critical of the Saudi government. And the most important point, he was killed inside Saudi consulate in Istanbul, proving without that doubt he was killed by the Saudi govt.

First, while there are claims that India is behind the mysterious murder of terrorists in Pakistan, there is no evidence of the Indian govt taking such extreme against journalists critical of the govt. In fact, there are dozens of journalists, many with known links with India’s enemies like George Soros, and such journalists continue to keep attacking the Modi government without any fear daily. Therefore, the claim that India will take inspiration from the murder of a journalist is completely unbelievable.

More importantly, Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate (wrongly called Saudi Embassy by the Guardian report) on 2 October 2018, which means it was clear that Saudi government officials were behind the murder. After killing the journalist, the Saudi officials cut the body into pieces, wrapped them in plastic and put in suitcases, which were taken out the consulate.

At first the Saudi govt had denied that he was killed in the consulate, but it was busted after Turkey disclosed audio recordings of Jamal and the Saudi hit squad inside the consul office, which proved the murder. Turkey had initially claimed that the recordings were obtained from Khashoggi’s Apple Watch, saying that he turned on recording on his watch while entering the consulate and then uploaded the clips to his phone and iCloud.

However, experts had ruled out this possibility, and later it was proved that the Saudi consulate was bugged by Turkey, because audio recordings of conversations among Saudi operatives before Jamal entered the building were also revealed. It is open secret that host countries often bug embassies and consulates, because these offices also work as bases for intelligence operations of the respective countries. Therefore, murder of Jamal Khashoggi was not a secret mission, even though Saudi may have hoped to keep it secret. He was almost openly murdered by a Saudi hit squad, on the orders of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, inside a campus under surveillance by the host country.

Further, the claim is an officer said that killing of Jamal Khashoggi was “very effective” is completely false. US had come close to imposing sanctions against Saudi Arabia for the murder, and the murder was widely condemned across the world. And no, every intelligence agency is not killing journalists in diplomatic locations in foreign countries, it was a single incidence which will probably be never be repeated in near future.

While intelligence officials may advocate running kill missions in foreign countries, they are unlikely to suggest a Jamal Khashoggi like operation. It was like a gangster killing his enemy in own den, and not a secret assassination by an intelligence agency.

Therefore, the claim that India’s R&AW officials were inspired by this murder to kill terrorists in Pakistan is completely meaningless. It is unlikely that any Jihadi terrorist will enter India’s diplomatic missions in Pakistan, giving Indian operatives a chance to kill them. Moreover, Indian High Commission in Islamabad and other diplomatic locations in Pakistan are certainly under high surveillance of Pakistan’s ISI, which means any ‘secret killing’ in those places are not possible.

Indian govt has denied ordering any killings anywhere in the world. But even if agencies wanted to carry out such missions, Jamal Khashoggi murder certainly can’t be an example to follow. Countries across the world do execute such murders, which took place most commonly during the cold war, when USA and Russia targeted its enemies in foreign countries. Similarly, Israel is also known to have executed such operations.

Therefore, if India wanted to conduct such operations, the officials will study such operations by Israel, Russia, USA and other countries, not the Jamal Khashoggi murder. This proves that the entire article by Guardian is work of fiction.

Moreover, the article claims that two Indian intelligence officers talked to it and revealed all India’s dirty secrets. The article has been authored by anti-India propagandist Hannah Ellis-Petersen, Aakash Hassan and Pakistani ‘journalist’ Shah Meer Baloch, and it is highly unlikely that any real Indian intelligence officer will talk to them and reveal India’s alleged kill missions in Pakistan.

Since the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, the government’s record in keeping secrets is impressive. While earlier the media will often report upcoming govt decisions, such ‘leaks’ have completely stopped under the NDA govt. Media didn’t get any hint before the govt announced demonetisation, abrogation of Article 370, Covid-19 lockdown, Balakot air strikes and many other such decisions.

Any discussion on ordering kill in a foreign country will involve even more secrecy, and will be known to a very few select people. Therefore, the claim that the Guardian journalists were able to access what Indian Intelligence officials discussed about eliminating terrorists in Pakistan is highly unlikely, and almost impossible.

Therefore, while India could have played a role in the murder of some terrorists in Pakistan, even though the govt has denied it, the fact is that the Guardian article offers no concrete evidence to back its claims. The entire report is more likely a work of fiction, presenting claims, imaginations and unproven assumptions as fact.

Kerala: Migrant worker Ashok Das of Arunachal Pradesh beaten to death by a mob for visiting a female co-worker; 10 arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Migrant worker Ashok Das of Arunachal Pradesh beaten to death by a mob for visiting a female co-worker; 10 arrested

Ten individuals were apprehended following an instance of mob lynching in Muvattupuzha, Kerala. The incident occurred when a 24-year-old migrant worker Ashok Das was allegedly tied to a pole and fatally beaten by the mob on Thursday (4th April) for visiting one of his female co-workers. Ashok Das hailed from Arunachal Pradesh. Soon after the incident, he was admitted to the hospital but he succumbed to the injuries and died on Friday.

Ashok Das had come to Kerala in search of a job and was living in rented accommodation in Valakam, Muvattupuzha. He worked as a cook. As per the First Information Report (FIR), the victim was tied to a pole and questioned by a group of residents when he visited his female acquaintance, who lived in the same vicinity, on Thursday evening.

Ashok Das had suffered severe injuries as a result of the assault. He was taken to a nearby general hospital in an injured state. He was later shifted to to the Kolencherry Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries and died on Friday.

So far, the Kerala police have arrested ten individuals in this case. Initially, a case was filed under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code for failure to adhere to an order from a public servant. However, after an initial investigation, the charge was elevated to include Section 302 of the IPC, which deals with murder.

The Kerala police stated that they are actively investigating the factors surrounding the attack. It’s noteworthy that the woman whom Asok Das had visited did not file any complaint against him.

China could deploy Artificial Intelligence including AI anchors and memes to disrupt 2024 Lok Sabha poll in India: Microsoft

OpIndia Staff
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China could deploy Artificial Intelligence including AI anchors and memes to disrupt 2024 Lok Sabha poll in India: Microsoft

Tech giant Microsoft has warned that after a test run in the Taiwan presidential election, China could potentially utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated content to influence the Lok Sabha poll in India. According to a Microsoft Threat Intelligence report, state-sponsored cyber groups in China would also attempt to target polls in South Korea and the United States with assistance from North Korea.

The report pointed out, “With major elections taking place around the world this year, particularly in India, South Korea, and the United States, we assess that China will, at a minimum, create and amplify AI-generated content to benefit its interests. Despite the chances of such content affecting election results remains low, China’s increasing experimentation in augmenting memes, videos, and audio will likely continue and may prove more effective down the line. We can expect to see North Korea continue to steal cryptocurrency to fund space, missile, and nuclear programs as well as launch supply-chain attacks on the defence sector.”

The research stated that in the early fall and winter of 2023, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and the United States were the targets of a Chinese cyber actor named Flax Typhoon, which often targets the telecommunications industry. According to the Microsoft study, Storm-1376, an actor associated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), shared videos featuring an AI-generated anchor in both Mandarin and English and claimed that the upheaval in Myanmar was caused by the United States and India.

The technology giant further asserted that the communist country is polling people on their areas of difference to sow discord and potentially sway the outcome of the United States presidential election. It is doing this by creating bogus social media profiles. “China has also increased its use of AI-generated content to further its goals around the world. North Korea has increased its cryptocurrency heists and supply chain attacks to fund and further its military goals and intelligence collection. It has also begun to use AI to make its operations more effective and efficient.” the blog post read.

It mentioned, “The Taiwanese presidential election in January 2024 saw a surge in the use of AI-generated content to augment IO operations by CCP-affiliated actors. This was the first time that Microsoft Threat Intelligence has witnessed a nation-state actor using AI content in an attempt to influence a foreign election. The group we call Storm-1376, also known as Spamouflage and Dragonbridge, was the most prolific.”

The post added, “Storm-1376 has promoted a series of AI-generated memes of Taiwan’s then-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate William Lai, and other Taiwanese officials as well as Chinese dissidents around the world. These have included an increasing use of AI-generated TV news anchors that Storm-1376 has deployed since at least February 2023.”

A cyber gang with ties to the Chinese state claimed to have attacked the Home Ministry, the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office), and companies including Reliance and Air India in February. The investigation revealed that the hackers also gained access to 95.2 terabytes of Indian official immigration data. The compromised data was shared on GitHub.

A seven-phase Lok Sabha election is scheduled to commence on 19th April and conclude on 1st June. On 4th June, the poll results will be announced. Interestingly, Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month to talk about the use of artificial intelligence and the threat posed by deepfake content created with a variety of AI techniques. PM Modi remarked, “In a vast country like India, there is always a possibility of misguiding through deepfake. What if somebody puts out an obnoxious piece on me? People may believe it initially.” 

He highlighted, “I think that there is a significant risk of misuse when a powerful technology like AI is placed in unskilled hands, in untrained hands. I suggest that we should start with clear watermarks on AI-generated content to prevent misinformation. This isn’t to devalue AI creations but to recognise them for what they are. Also, in the case of deepfakes, it is crucial to acknowledge and present that a particular deepfake content is AI-generated along with the mention of its source. These measures are really important, especially in the beginning. We, thus, need to establish some Dos and Don’ts.”


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