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Highway projects, Indian Oil pipeline and CARO: Read about PM Modi’s infra gifts during public event in Sangareddy, Telangana

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Highway projects, Indian Oil pipeline and CARO: Read about PM Modi’s infra gifts during public event in Sangareddy, Telangana

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled various development projects worth Rs 7,200 crore at Sangareddy, Telangana on Tuesday.

The projects are related to multiple key sectors such as road, rail, petroleum and natural gas.

The PM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for three National Highway projects. The two National Highway projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister include four lanes of 40 km long Kandi to Ramsanpalle section of NH-161.

The project is a part of the Indore – Hyderabad Economic Corridor and will facilitate seamless passenger and freight movement between Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The section will also substantially reduce travel time between Hyderabad and Nanded by about 3 hours.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the upgradation of the 47 km long Miryalaguda to the Kodad Section of NH-167 to two lanes with paved shoulders. The improved connectivity will boost tourism as well as economic activity and industries in the region.

Further, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the six-laning of the 29 km long Pune-Hyderabad Section of NH-65. The project will also provide improved connectivity to major industrial centres in Telangana like Pashamylaram industrial area near Patancheru.

The Prime Minister also flagged off the inaugural MMTS Train Service from Ghatkesar – Lingampalli via Moula Ali – Sanathnagar. This train service extends the popular suburban train service in the Hyderabad – Secunderabad twin city regions to new areas for the first time.

It connects the new areas in the eastern part of the city like Cherlapalli, and Moula Ali with the Western part of the twin city region. The safe, fast and economical mode of transport connecting the eastern with the western part of the twin city region will be highly beneficial for commuters.

Further, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the Indian Oil Paradip-Hyderabad Product Pipeline.

The 1212 km product pipeline with a capacity of 4.5 MMTPA traverses through the states of Odisha (329 km), Andhra Pradesh (723 km) and Telangana (160 km). The pipeline shall ensure safe and economical transportation of petroleum products from Paradip Refinery to delivery stations at Visakhapatnam, Atchutapuram, and Vijayawada (in Andhra Pradesh), and Malkapur near Hyderabad (in Telangana).

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Civil Aviation Research Organization (CARO) centre in Hyderabad.

It has been set up at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad by the Airports Authority of India to upgrade and enhance the Research and Development (R&D) activities in the civil aviation sector.

It is envisaged to provide a global research platform for the aviation community through in-house and collaborative research to provide indigenous and innovative solutions. Built at a cost of more than Rs 350 crores, this state-of-the-art facility is compliant with 5-STAR-GRIHA Rating and Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) norms.

CARO will utilise a set of comprehensive laboratory capabilities to support future research and development initiatives. It will also leverage data analytics capabilities for operational analysis, and performance measurement.

The primary R&D activities in CARO shall include: Airspace and Airport related Safety, Capacity and Efficiency improvement programs, addressing the major airspace challenges, looking into major airport infrastructure challenges, and developing technologies and products in identified fields for the futuristic airspace and airport needs, among others.

PM Modi is on three visits to Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar from March 4 to 6.

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

Jay Shetty, monk turned author and lifestyle coach, under scanner for faking his past and plagiarising social media posts: Details

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Jay Shetty, monk turned author and lifestyle coach, under scanner for faking his past and plagiarising social media posts: Details

Jay Shetty, a popular life coach and influencer who officiated Hollywood actors Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s wedding in 2022, is under fire after reports claiming that he misrepresented parts of his life story and plagiarised numerous social media postings.

Jay Shetty, who was born in London and raised by Indian parents, has received international recognition for his inspirational videos and motivational talks since 2016. He is also popular for his podcast ‘On Purpose’.

The 36-year-old, who is also well-known in Bollywood, currently heads a meditation firm worth an estimated USD 2 billion. He has also published two best-selling books: Think Like a Monk, a memoir, and self-help manual based on his time studying Hinduism, and ‘8 Rules of Love’, which helps people navigate their romantic relationships more effectively.

Shetty’s upbringing has been an important part of his story. He claims to have spent his school vacations living with monks in India before becoming a monk himself for three years. According to Shetty’s official website, “During his school years, Jay Shetty spent vacations living with monks in India, immersing himself in their wisdom and teachings.”

However, the Guardian claims Shetty lied about spending three years in an Indian temple. He has frequently recounted his life experience on talk shows and written about it in his best-selling books. He claimed that while in business school in London, he had a profound spiritual awakening after hearing a talk by Gauranga Das, an Iskon monk. The report reveals inconsistencies in this account.

Shetty claims to have followed the monk to Mumbai and served him for many years. However, according to the report, his pals and Iskon sources, as well as Das himself, appeared to disagree. 

Additionally, Shetty’s colleagues, including a past girlfriend, stated that he attended Iskcon before meeting Das in 2007. “It doesn’t make sense,” Chaitanya Lila, an Iskcon member who dated Shetty from June 2008 to December 2009, was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “He was in Iskcon before 2007,” she affirmed. 

In an article by journalist John McDermott in The Guardian, several others who knew Shetty confirmed that he did travel to India at the time, but not for as long as he claimed. Some of his erstwhile colleagues informed the publication that he spent most of his monastic years at Bhaktivedanta Manor, an estate outside London, rather than in Mumbai.

Reports meanwhile claimed that he only stayed a few months there before returning to India. Shetty referred to Bhaktivedanta as the main ashram on his travel blog at the time, and in a 2011 post, he talked about returning from “almost four months in India” before hanging out at London’s City University and “distributing flyers and books on the streets all over the UK and enjoying festivals!”

Jay Shetty even officiated Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s wedding on August 20, 2022, in Savannah, Georgia. According to reports, Lopez was so taken by Shetty that she requested that the “Hindu monk” officiate the marriage.

According to the Guardian, Shetty attended a State Dinner at the White House in June 2023 to visit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also conducted a one-on-one discussion with Joe Biden about the US administration’s mental health programs.

Despite his popularity and endorsements from celebrities such as Michelle Obama and Matt Damon, recent charges cast doubt on Shetty’s past. Jay Shetty has remained mute on the issue, providing no clear response to the allegations levied against him.

Insanity of responses from Google AI is staggering: Tech Billionaire Elon Musk criticises Google for their shoddy product ‘Gemini’

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Insanity of responses from Google AI is staggering: Tech Billionaire Elon Musk criticises Google for their shoddy product ‘Gemini’

Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind companies like SpaceX and Tesla, has taken aim at Google’s chatbot, Gemini, accusing artificial intelligence (AI) of mirroring the biases and mistakes of its creators.

In a recent tweet, Musk lambasted Google’s AI efforts, suggesting that the technology’s flaws were evident in Gemini’s generation of biased and unreliable data and images.

Expressing his disbelief, he posted, “The sheer insanity of that actual response from Google’s AI is staggering! They will fix it to be less obvious in the future, but the bias will still be in there. AI mirrors the mistakes of its creators. When people wonder how things might go wrong if AI controlled the world, this example clearly illustrates the point. The best approach to AI safety – in my opinion, the only approach that would work – is to be maximally truth-seeking. Honesty is the best policy”.

In another post Musk also accused Google and Facebook of political bias “Google and Facebook/Instagram have a strong political bias. Hard to say if they were the deciding factor in any given election, but they certainly put their thumb on the scale. That video of Google execs holding an all-hands struggle session after Trump won was disturbing.”

Musk went on to express his concerns about the potential consequences of AI controlling the world, emphasizing the importance of honesty and truth-seeking in AI development.

The criticism directed towards Gemini comes after Google decided to pause the chatbot’s image generation tool amid accusations of racism.

The chatbot faced backlash for being “too woke” and “racist,” prompting Google CEO Sundar Pichai to acknowledge the issue and admit that the company “got it wrong.”

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, also weighed in on the matter, highlighting the legal consequences faced by platforms that provide or describe illegal content.

Minister Chandrasekhar, tweeted, ”No platform offers absolute security or a free pass to illegal content. Platforms that provide or directly describe illegal content face legal consequences under existing laws (both criminal and technology laws).”

This controversy adds to the scrutiny surrounding Google’s AI products, with accusations of bias in queries related to Prime Minister Modi leading to a notice issued by the government.

While Google apologized for Gemini’s unreliable results, it claimed to have worked swiftly to address the issue.

The tech giant’s struggles in the AI arena have been exacerbated by setbacks in product rollouts, with Google’s parent company, Alphabet, experiencing a market value loss of over USD 100 billion in February 2023 due to inaccuracies in its Bard (now Gemini) chatbot ads.

The competition with OpenAI, especially since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, has further intensified pressure on Google to deliver robust AI solutions.

As the debate surrounding AI ethics and accountability continues, Musk’s critique underscores the challenges faced by tech companies in ensuring the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence.

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

Haryana gangster Kala Jathedi gets parole to marry Rajasthan’s lady don Anuradha aka ‘Madam Minz’ who is out on bail

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana gangster Kala Jathedi gets parole to marry Rajasthan’s lady don Anuradha aka ‘Madam Minz’ who is out on bail

On Monday (4th March), Delhi’s Dwarka court granted gangster Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi custody parole to solemnise his ceremony with lady don Anuradha Chaudhary alias ‘Madam Minz’.

The court allowed Kala Jathedi a six-hour custody parole on the 12th March for the wedding ceremony in the national capital and ‘Grih Pravesh’ on the 13th March in Haryana’s Sonipat.

The court has directed that Kala Jathedi be taken with police custody for his marriage on the 12th of March between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and that Delhi police make security and safety arrangements. The court also ordered the police to take Jathedi to his village on March 13 for the Grih Pravesh ceremony between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Notably, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Deepak Wason granted the relief after examining the submissions made by Kala Jathedi’s lawyer and analysing the Delhi Police’s reply.

Reports say that Kala Jathedi requested custody parole on humanitarian grounds to attend his wedding and subsequent Grih Pravesh ritual wherein the newlyweds will enter their matrimonial home together. 

Lawyer Rohit Dalal filed applications arguing that the right to marriage is recognised as a constitutional right under Article 21. It was argued that both the applicant or accused and his fiancee are of legal age under the rules of the Hindu Marriage Act, of 1955. It was additionally contended that denying the applicant/accused marriage would cause prejudice and violate Article 21 of the Constitution.

There is nobody in the home to look after the mother of the accused as his father is also bedridden, the plea stated.

Sandeep aka Kala Jathedi was arrested in 2021 and carried a Rs 7 lakh reward. The Delhi Police’s special cell apprehended him at Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, almost 200 kilometres from the national capital.

According to authorities, Sandeep was wanted for extortion, murder, and other major offences in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana. Furthermore, the Delhi Police collaborated with the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to resolve the Jatheri case.

Notably, Sandeep met Anuradha in the year 2020 when both were on the “most wanted” list of Delhi Police. While Jathedi has been behind bars since 2021, Anuradha got bail and the couple continued their relationship via meetings through legal channels. Anuradha aka Madam Minz, the gangster, a computer applications graduate, has been accused of involvement in several cases of murder, extortion, and kidnapping in Rajasthan.

According to those familiar with their love affair, Jathedi was enamored with Anuradha’s ability to speak fluent English and fire Kalashnikov bursts, TOI reported.

“For Anuradha, life had seemingly ended with the death of her former friend — the dreaded gangster Anandpal, who was killed in a police encounter in the summer of 2017. Anuradha then came on the radar of Anandpal’s rival, Raju Basodi. This was when gangster Balbir Banuda lent her support. By 2019, she had come in contact with Bishnoi and eventually became friends with Jathedi,” TOI quoted a senior police official as saying.

‘Why the photo-op?’ Jharkhand govt criticised for videoshoot of Rs 10 lakhs compensation to the husband of Brazilian woman who was gang raped in Dumka

OpIndia Staff
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‘Why the photo-op?’ Jharkhand govt criticised for videoshoot of Rs 10 lakhs compensation to the husband of Brazilian woman who was gang raped in Dumka

On 4th March, Deputy Commissioner of Dumka, Jharkhand, handed over Rs 10 lakhs compensation to the husband of the Spanish woman who was gang-raped on the night of 1st March.

In a statement, Deputy Commissioner Anjaneyulu Dodde said, “We did fast investigation and from the side of district administration, we are providing all the help to them (rape survivor and husband)…Under the victim compensation scheme, we have given them Rs 10 lakhs…we will try for a speedy trial and conviction(of the accused).”

Husband of the rape survivor says, ” Thank you for the very fast investigation…”

However, Netizens expressed their dismay as handing over Rs 10 lakhs compensation was made a photo-op session. X user The Skin Doctor said, “As if the international shame brought about by the gangrape of a Spanish woman wasn’t enough, the Jharkhand govt decided to go a step further, offering a 10 lakh rupee compensation to the woman’s husband with a photo-op. Insensitive and embarrassing!”

X user the Placardguy wrote, “WTF is wrong with Indian Babus Giving money to compensate a r@pe survivor? And doing a photo op No wonder why we’re getting laughed at by foreigners, because instead of doing the job, these babus are more interested in photo ops.”

X user AndColorPockeT wrote, “Honey, wake up! Babudom has unleashed a fresh wave of embarrassment.”

X user JIX5A wrote, “This is absolutely outrageous and parading him for photos while giving 10 lakh rupees for his wife being raped.”

X user Saket71 said compensation could have been given without camera and with a press release. He said, “This protocol should be changed if there is a protocol. They aren’t handing out best vlogging award. Could’ve been done without Camera and with a press release.”

Dumka gang rape

On the night of 1st March, a Brazilian woman was gang raped in Kurmahat of Hansdiha police station area in district Dumka of Jharkhand. Three people were detained and sent to custody after being presented in court.

As per reports, two tourists from Spain, a woman and her Spanish partner, who were on a bike ride to India, made a halt and were staying in a makeshift tent. At around 10 PM, approximately 7 to 8 local men arrived at the location and thrashed the couple before sexually assaulting the woman. The couple sustained injuries and was taken by the police to Saraiyahat Community Health Center for treatment.

Bangladesh: Hindu priest murdered in Gopalganj, temple looted but no arrests so far

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Hindu priest murdered in Gopalganj, temple looted but no arrests so far

On Sunday (3rd March), the dead body of a female Hindu priest was discovered at the Malibata Bishwabandhu Sevashram in Gopalganj district in Dhaka Division of Bangladesh.

As per reports, the victim was identified as 70-year-old Hashilata Biswas. She had slept at the temple on Saturday (2nd March) night. When the locals visited the temple the next morning, they found the doors open.

Later, they discovered the body of Hashilata Biswas. The mouth and hands of the Hindu priest were tied by ropes.

The cupboard and the donation box of the Malibata Bishwabandhu Sevashram were found broken and looted. A preliminary investigation into the matter suggested that Hashilata Biswas was killed during the theft.

The victim had been conducting the puja at the Malibata Bishwabandhu Sevashram for the past year. Before that, her late husband Dipin Biswas was at the helm of religious affairs for 10 years.

While speaking about the matter, Sadar Police Station OC Mohammad Anichur Rahman informed, As soon as we got the news, we rushed to the crime scene. Thereafter, we recovered the dead body and sent it for autopsy.”

He further added, “The matter is being seriously investigated. Efforts are underway to identify and arrest the accused.”

The general secretary of the Malibata Bishwabandhu Sevashram in Gopalganj condemned the killing of Hashilata Biswas and said, “There have been several incidents of theft in this ashram. This time too the culprits may have entered to steal.”

Paltu Biswas, President of Gopalganj District Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad, also added, “It seems that the priest was killed after the theft in the temple. We believe that such incidents will be reduced if the culprits are given exemplary punishment.”

Attacks on Hindu community continue unabated

The minority Hindu community in Bangladesh has been living in fear ever since the federal elections in Bangladesh were conducted on 7th January this year.

As per a report by the Bangladeshi newspaper ‘The Daily Ittefaq’, the Hindus had to brave arson attacks, forcing many to flee their homes.

There have been communal attacks across Bangladesh including Faridpur, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Jhenaidah, Pirojpur, Kushtia, Madaripur, Lalmonirhat, Daudkandi, Thakurgaon, Munshiganj and Gaibandha.

Screengrab of the news report by The Daily Ittefaq

On 7th January 2023, two Hindus named Piplu Saha and Ranjan Saha, supporters of the Awami League party, were brutally attacked by sharp weapons at the Begum Amena Sultan Govt. Girls’ High School in Daudkandi in Comilla.

On the same day, Islamists associated with the Awami League attacked the homes of Hindu supporters of independent candidate AK Azad in the Faridpur-3 constituency of Bangladesh.

According to The Daily Ittefaq, about 15 people were injured in Majhipara in the post-poll communal violence. Two Hindus namely Suresh Chowdhury and Pankaj Chand were attacked by Awami League supporters in Boalkhali Upazila in Chittagong.

Karnataka: Abin Shibi from Kerala throws acid on a minor girl after ‘rejection’, injures her 2 friends too in Kadaba govt college

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Abin Shibi from Kerala throws acid on a minor girl after ‘rejection’, injures her 2 friends too in Kadaba govt college

On Monday, a 24-year-old man from Kerala was arrested by the Karnataka Police after he attacked three college-going girls with acid. The accused attacked just as the victims were preparing to enter the exam hall at Kadaba Government College in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district. The accused has been identified as Abin Shibi, an MBA student from Malappuram’s Nilambur.

According to preliminary reports, three girls who were attacked have been identified as Aleena, Archana, and Amrita. The three suffered injuries after the accused Abin threw acid at them in the college. The college administrators apprehended the accused before he fled the scene and turned him over to the authorities.

A preliminary investigation into the incident found that the accused meant to target one of the victims, who suffered third-degree facial burns. The girl was attacked after she rejected his relationship advances. However, as he attacked the victim, two other girls who were with the victim during the attack also suffered injuries. 

The incident is said to have occurred when the victims were about to enter the exam hall at Kadaba government PU college for Class 12 exams.

“The girls were preparing for the Pre-University Course (PUC) exams while sitting in the corridors of the college when the accused, Abin Shibi, wearing a mask and a cap to conceal his identity, arrived and threw a bottle of acid at the girl who had rejected his advances. While the girl suffered third-degree facial burn injuries, two others sustained minor injuries after some amounts of acid spilled on them. All the three are undergoing treatment,” Kabada Police confirmed.

“The stalker who was wearing the college uniform was nabbed by college staff immediately after the incident and handed over to the police. He has been arrested. He wore a school uniform and gained entry into the school premises as a student to carry out the crime. We are investigating who gave him the uniform,” the officer added.

BJP leader and Udupi Lok Sabha MP Shobha Karandlaje took cognizance of the incident and targeted the ruling Congress over the alleged deteriorating law and order in the state. “The recent acid attack on female students at Kadaba Govt Junior College, carried out by an accused from Kerala, highlights a dire law & order situation. The victims’ future hangs by a thread,” she said in a post on X.

As per the reports, it has come to the fore that the main victim belongs to the same community as that of the accused and hails from Kerala. She had come to the state of Karnataka for her further studies. “It looks like an act of desperation due to rejection of love,” the Police said.

At present, an FIR against the accused under section 326(A) of the Indian Penal Code that deals with acid attacks has been filed based on the complaint filed by the college authorities. “If the parents of any of the girls file a complaint, we will also invoke provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act against the accused,” the Police added.

Further investigations into the case are underway.

Haryana: 5 hospitalised after consuming mouth freshener at a restaurant in Gurugram, viral video shows bleeding from mouth

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana: 5 hospitalised after consuming mouth freshener at a restaurant in Gurugram, viral video shows bleeding from mouth

As many as five people fell ill when they allegedly consumed mouth freshener after having dinner at a restaurant in Gurugram sector 90, police said on Monday (4th March). The incident occurred when one Ankit Kumar, along with his wife and friends, visited the restaurant in Gurugram.

Ankit told the police in his complaint that he went to a restaurant Laforestta Cafe in Gurugram’s Sector 90 with his wife Neha Sabarwal, Manik Goenka, his wife Preetika and Deepak Arora with his wife Himani. He said that after having their meals, they were offered mouth fresheners by restaurant staff, which resulted in an immediate deterioration of their health. Ankit said that since he was carrying his one-year-old daughter, he didn’t consume the mouth freshener.

According to Ankit, his wife and friends, who consumed the mouth fresheners began vomiting and bleeding from their mouths.
He alleged that despite their worsening condition, the restaurant management and staff did not assist them and remained indifferent, thus they called the police and informed them about the incident.

“Upon consuming it [mouth freshener], they experienced a burning sensation in their mouths, followed by bleeding… they started throwing up blood. I did not consume the mouth freshener as I was holding my one-year-old daughter, Durvaksi, in my lap. We inquired about the contents of what we were given and then the waiter showed us an open polythene packet, which I took possession of,” Ankit said in his complaint lodged at Kherki Daula Police Station.

Later, the victims were rushed to Aarvi Hospital. After reaching the hospital, the doctor said the mouth fresheners contained ‘dry ice’, which is a toxic substance that can lead to death. The police have registered a case under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison).

The police said that the restaurant staff mistook the dry ice for mouth freshener. The sample has been sent to FSL to determine what substance it is, the police said.  Further investigation in the matter is underway. Meanwhile, Gagan, the restaurant’s manager, stated that the incident was caused by the staff’s negligence. 

Notably, the solid form of carbon dioxide referred to as “dry ice” is used as a cooling agent for food items such as ice cream and frozen desserts. It is widely used to keep food cold or frozen without the use of mechanical refrigeration. However, if not handled appropriately, it may risk human health since it sublimes into enormous amounts of carbon dioxide gas, which can cause breathlessness (hypercapnia). As a result, it should be used/exposed to open air in well-ventilated environments.

(With inputs from ANI)

DRDO confirms China was sending military-grade CNC machines to Pakistan, for possible use in nuclear ballistic missile development

OpIndia Staff
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DRDO confirms China was sending military-grade CNC machines to Pakistan, for possible use in nuclear ballistic missile development

On 4th March, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) confirmed that China was sending large Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines to Pakistan that could be used for military applications. Reportedly, a DRDO team submitted its official report to the competent authority in this regard. The cargo originating from China being sent to Pakistan was intercepted by Indian authorities recently as there was a possibility that it could be used in Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme.

The team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) examined the consignment, which is primarily suspected of being used in Pakistan’s nuclear initiatives, particularly in manufacturing critical components for missile development.

DRDO was called to check Pakistan-bound cargo seized by Indian authorities

On 2nd March, it was reported that the Malta-flagged merchant ship, CMA CGM Attila, was halted on 23rd January based on intelligence received by customs officials. Upon inspection, they discovered a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine manufactured by an Italian company known for its precision and efficiency when controlled by a computer system.

A team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) examined the consignment and confirmed its potential use in Pakistan’s nuclear initiatives, particularly in manufacturing critical components for missile development. CNC machines are classified under the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international arms control regime aimed at curbing the spread of items with both civilian and military applications, with India being an active participant. Notably, North Korea has previously used similar CNC machines in its nuclear program.

Investigation into the matter revealed discrepancies in the shipping details, suggesting potential evasion tactics to conceal the true recipients. This incident follows previous seizures of dual-use military-grade items transiting from China to Pakistan, raising concerns about illicit procurement activities.

According to documentation such as bills of lading, the consignor was listed as “Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd,” and the consignee was “Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd” of Sialkot. However, further investigation by security agencies indicated that the 22,180-kilogram consignment was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and intended for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan.

Earlier, Indian authorities intercepted such dual-use military-grade items en route from China to Pakistan. Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defence supplier, has been under scrutiny since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments, once again at Nhava Sheva port.

‘My body my choice’: France makes abortion a constitutional right, parliament votes overwhelmingly in favour

ANI
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‘My body my choice’: France makes abortion a constitutional right, parliament votes overwhelmingly in favour

 France became the first nation in the world to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution on Monday, according to CNN.

The proposal was approved by lawmakers in both chambers of the French Parliament, with a vote of 780 to 72 in favour, meeting the necessary three-fifths majority to change the French constitution.

Notably, after the US Supreme Court in 2022 reversed the Roe v. Wade ruling that recognised women’s constitutional right to abortion, a campaign was started in France to explicitly protect the right in its basic law.

The last stage of the parliamentary procedure was the voting on Monday, which took place at the Palace of Versailles, southwest of Paris, during a special assembly of legislators.

The legislation was overwhelmingly passed earlier this year by the French National Assembly and Senate.

According to the amendment, abortion is a “guaranteed freedom” in France.

Legislators and certain groups had pushed for tougher wording that would clearly designate abortion as a “right.”

Hailed by lawmakers as a historic step, the measure demonstrated France’s unwavering support for reproductive rights at a time when abortion rights are under attack in the US and in regions of Europe like Hungary where far-right parties are gaining ground, according to CNN.

“My body, my choice” was illuminated on the Eiffel Tower after the results of the vote.

Before the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that MPs owed women who had previously been compelled to undergo illegal abortions a “moral debt.”

“Above all, we’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you,” Attal said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would hold a formal ceremony celebrating the amendment’s passage on Friday, International Women’s Rights Day, CNN reported.

France first legalized abortion in 1975, after a campaign led by then-Health Minister Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who became one of the country’s most famous feminist icons.

According to CNN, while abortion is a highly divisive issue in US politics that often falls along party lines, in France it is widely supported. Many of the lawmakers who voted against the amendment did so not because they opposed abortion, but because they felt the measure was unnecessary, given the wide support for reproductive rights.

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

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