#which acts as a regulatory body for the news media in the country.
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mediaheights · 1 year ago
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National Press Day is observed on November 16, every year, in India to celebrate the importance of a free and responsible press in a democratic society. The day is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of the Press Council of India, which acts as a regulatory body for the news media in the country. #NationalPressDay build your brand with digital media and benefit from social media branding contact Media Heights. By Mediaheightspr.com #Inboundmarketing #MEDIAHEIGHTS #digitalmarketingcompany #searchengineoptimization #content #instagrammarketing #worldcancerday #advertisingagency #web #MEDIAHEIGHTSPRCOM #best #public #relation #agency #in #chandigarh #mohali #punjab #north #india #buildingrelationships #globally #customer #internetbanding — at media heights #smo #branding #facebook #twitter #marketingonline #brand #searchengineoptimization #internetmarketing #follow #digitalagency #marketingagency #motivation #digitalmarketingtips #onlinebusiness #websitedesign #marketingonline #brand #searchengineoptimization #content #instagrammarketing #advertisingagency #web #technology #onlinebranding #branding360degree #SEO #SEObrandingagency #websiteranking #websitetrafic #Digitalmarketing #mediaheights #OnlineAdvertising #instagrammarketing #advertisingagency #web #marketingonline #brand
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andromedasummer · 18 days ago
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oh you're a media student? did you study like screen/media or journalism...? idk if they fall under the same category but i think they do right? i find it so ironic tho how they'll pander to this govt, despite the fact we might not even have an nz run media industry anymore by the time this govt is finally out of office, considering the defunding and closures are still ongoing.
I graduated with a media studies major under a bachelor of arts last december! you can also do media under a bachelor of communication as well, but i changed my focus halfway through another degree i abandoned.
at first i focused in kind of like... everything? i did courses on basic media theory, advertising media, social media, journalism and informative media, television studies, radio, i did some extra basic film courses until i finally focused on media policy and regulations in my final year.
it was one of my favourite courses. we talked about nz on air and the govt funded media institutions, the commercial news media we have, the failed Commercial/Funded neolib solution to our lack of state television that labour doomed to fail and national killed in the form of the beautiful TVNZ7 (i miss her every day) and the regulatory bodies like the censor and broadcasting standards authority. we studied and wrote about the broadcasting act, the film act and the online safety act.
we even talked about The Christchurch Call and had a lecture done by the chief censor during 2019, whose responsibility it was censoring footage of the christchurch mosque shooting, and formulating the law in a watertight enough way that no one could weasel out of responsiblity or sharing it, but also get it out quickly enough to ensure arrests and charges could be made straight away.
it was regulation (how we rate movies, how we decide what is and isnt banned media ((and we very rarely ban films, books or tv media here because it all has to follow specific acts and regulations))) and specifically, the lack of regulation preventing harmful content online that fascinated me the most. the need for an international authority to prevent cases like the christchurch shooting and other extremist hate content from being spread online. because social media companies are overwhelmingly stonewalling countries that put their foot down and try to create their own national regulations.
my plan was to specifically work in media regulation and policy here in nz. but its there aren't a lot of roles. worst of all, The Christchurch Call, which was heralded internationally as the first step towards reigning in social media companies such as twitter and meta by pressuring them into multiple changes (that went on to improve but not ultimately fix extremist content esp on facebook live) was completely dissolved by nactfirst when they came onto power, with multiple media personalities like mike hosking (scumbag) telling the public that it was useless and didn't work. ironically usually while complaining about how hostile online spaces are.
adding in the thousands of public service jobs that got dissolved/removed by nactfirst, including my own 2 months ago, i just dont see myself being able to work here with all the jobs disappearing. its likely within the next 5 or so years I'll have to leave for somewhere like aus or try a country in europe, as the EU and Aus are taking a more proactive position that I want to be involved in and would suit my degree.
it sucks because my professors and all the people i met in the industry during my study are the ones begging the governments (both labour and national, because there was that massive failure of a state media merger by our last labour govt) to listen to them and other experts about what needs to be done, thats being met by silence because 1. Labour are too neoliberal to put in meaningful policies and only ever do half-measures that fall apart and are ripe to be picked apart by opponents and 2. National don't give a fuck about data, science or expert opinions and will bulldoze ahead in the name of profit.
if you ever want to learn more about media in the country (or media in general) i highly advise the following books (some are textbooks i picked up secondhand so they wouldnt cost hundreds of dollars). the BWB ones are a good place to start, they act as introductory texts to specialist subjects by experts and theyre all dedicated to issues surrounding aotearoa and māori and pacific peoples and interests and often cost around $20 brand new, $13-18 secondhand:
- Understanding Media Studies Oxford (The most expensive textbook I ever bought. Like $190. I barely used it for class but read it front to back twice. Very good introductory media book for general global media studies and cos it's an Oxford text you should be able to pirate it fairly easily)
- Technology and Social Inclusion (About Media Access and the Poverty Line)
- From Paper To Platform by Merja Myllylahti (BWB text about news democracy, platform power and subpar efforts on online media regulation by our governments)
- Shouting Zeroes and Ones: Digital Technology, Ethics and Policy in New Zealand (What it says on the tin. Another BWB book.)
- More Zeroes and Ones (Follow up to above book)
- The Broken Estate: Journalism and Democracy in A Post-Truth World by Mel Bunce (Another BWB text, exactly what it says on the tin)
- Don't Dream It's Over: Reimagining Journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand (General text about the future of journalism here with fucktons of important voices in our media circle)
Anything by Noam Chomsky is solid as well. Very solid, he's got fantastic texts on American news media and why its such a hellhole (Like how Reagan made it legal to lie to the general public on TV and no one. Ever did anything about it after he was gone. In other countries you get fined heavily for misinformation if you're a news programme.)
And then I can't find it but I know I have a textbooks on Television Studies about TV media here in Aotearoa but I cannot find it. Might have bed packed away in preference for the move, sorry!
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ippnoida · 8 months ago
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Govt plans AI law to protect news publishers, content creators
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The Indian government plans to bring in a new law on artificial intelligence to protect the rights of news publishers and content creators while looking to reduce user harm, the Economic Times has reported.
The new law will be “very balanced” as well as “strong on securing the rights and sharing the proceeds” among news publishers, content creators and AI-enabled technologies such as large language models (LLMs), “while keeping good space for innovation,” minister for electronics and information technology (MeitY) Ashwini Vaishnaw told the newspaper in an interview.
According to the minister, it could be an independent legislation, or a part of the Digital India Bill, which will replace the Information Technology Act, 2000. He said it was important to protect intellectual property as well as the financial and commercial interests of the industry.
“One thought is to form a self-regulatory body…But we don’t think that would be enough. We think that this regulation should be done by legislative method. We have already consulted the industry. After elections, we will launch a formal consultation process and move towards legislation.”
The remarks come amid growing concerns of news organizations, both in India and abroad, to protect the rights of news publishers in view of the increasing use of generative AI for content creation.
The New York Times is locked in a legal battle with Microsoft and Open AI over the alleged use of NYT's articles to train OpenAI's generative models and chatbots. Then in France, Google was fined by regulators for using news articles to train its AI model known as Gemini.
In India, in January, the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) demanded copyright protection rules against generative AI models. Reportedly, the body that represents the digital arms of leading media companies of the country has urged the MeitY and ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) to make changes in India’s platform-governing Information Technology Rules 2021. They have demanded fair compensation for the use of their news content to train AI models.
Elsewhere, while the US has yet not enacted any federal regulation to regulate AI, the European Parliament has adopted the AI Act that has strict guardrails for developers of high-risk AI systems. It mandates that AI models must be compliant with the EU copyright law and detailed summaries of the data used to train such models should be made available. The landmark legislation also requires content, the ET report said.
At the DNPA conclave in February this year, the minister of state for IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, had said the scraping of content by generative artificial intelligence (AI) was an important existential question. He stated that the legal battle between OpenAI and The New York Times would be a defining case on the rights of digital news platforms or of those creating content for public consumption. Minister of information & broadcasting Anurag Thakur has also addressed the concerns of the news publishers regarding loss of revenues to Big Tech companies.
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thesecrettimes · 2 years ago
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Kazakhstan Law Limiting Crypto Miners’ Consumption of Electricity Enters Into Force
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A new law expanding the regulatory framework for cryptocurrency miners while restricting their access to low-cost electricity has entered into force in Kazakhstan. The legislation introduces a licensing regime for mining with two different categories of licenses that companies will have to renew periodically.
President Tokayev Sings Law Regulating Crypto Assets Mining and Exchange in Kazakhstan
The law “On Digital Assets in the Republic of Kazakhstan,” signed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday, has come into force. The main purpose of the new legislation, approved together with amendments to other legal acts like the Tax Code, is to regulate activities related to the issuance and circulation of these assets, most notably mining. The changes are also aimed at creating conditions for the development of the crypto industry and fair competition between market participants, local media reported. The digital asset law, which was adopted by the parliament in late January, defines the powers of state bodies that oversee the sector and introduces licensing for crypto miners and exchanges, replacing the current registration system. Mining licenses will be issued for a period of three years to two groups of applicants. Entities that own mining infrastructure, such as data centers meeting certain standards in terms of equipment, location, and security, fall under the first category. The second is for those that own mining hardware but rent space in crypto farms and do not apply for an energy quota directly. A separate set of requirements has been introduced for mining pools. They must have their hardware and software installed in Kazakhstan and comply with the country’s information security rules and other applicable regulations. Furthermore, crypto miners will be allowed to purchase electricity from the national grid only if there is a surplus and exclusively from the government-controlled, centralized exchange KOREM. However, price caps for this energy will be removed and the trading will be carried out based on market principles. Cheap, subsidized power was one of the factors that attracted mining companies to Kazakhstan following China’s crackdown on the industry in 2021. The authorities in the Central Asian nation have blamed the growing electricity deficit on the influx of miners and taken steps to restrict consumption in the sector, including temporarily disconnecting registered facilities and shutting down illegal farms. On Jan. 1, a higher electricity surcharge was imposed on authorized miners. Do you think the stricter regulations and increased costs threaten Kazakhstan’s status as a mining destination? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below. Read the full article
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freelawbydjure · 2 years ago
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Social Media Laws and its Implications
Introduction
In this modern era of technology, social media is becoming an important component of daily life and the majority of the youth today prefer to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and opinions through it. There are different social media platforms that allow users to access social news, blogs, vlogs, and others in an easy manner. Some of the social media networking sites used extensively include Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. They help in enhancing social connectivity by allowing their users to share information through writing, music, and images quickly and unaffected by distance. Despite the fact that there are tremendous benefits of using social media, there are certain areas of concern such as privacy and security which are required to be addressed. One inaccurate or false piece of information posted by an individual on social media may lead to a negative impact on society. The media should focus on providing truth to the people of different cultures and religions as well as restrict the spread of false and incorrect information for eliminating hatred and communal problems.
You can also go through “Contribution of Tribunals in Delivering Justice" 
Need for Social Media Laws
Social Media Laws are required to deal with the crimes emerging these days due to the excessive use of social media platforms. These laws provide remedies in both civil and criminal manner for protecting the prohibited content. There are various laws associated with social media litigation which include Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the Communication Decency Act for solving cybercrime or cyberspace problems. 
Due to the anonymity and quackery of social media, there is an increase in online violence affecting people of all ages. In order to reduce social media-related crimes including stalking, harassment, bullying, and threats, social media laws are required. For instance, recent riots in some Indian states due to the circulation of fake news video violence through Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp lead to severe damage. This is the reason that there is a need for strong social media laws in our country. 
Also Read: Supreme Court Latest Updates 
Grievances Redressal Mechanism
Any individual who has a grievance regarding content published by another individual can issue his grievance on the grievance mechanism rather than blocking or ignoring the issue. Grievance redressal is performed by following an appropriate sequence as discussed below:
The grievance should be addressed by the publisher and within 15 days of the registration, they should inform the complainant about their decision.
If the publisher does not communicate their decision to the complainant within the given time then it is escalated to the self-regulatory body where publisher is a member.
If the complainant is not satisfied with publisher’s decision then they can appeal to the self-regulatory body within 15 days of receiving the decision.
After this, the self-regulatory body addressed the grievance and convey the decision to the publisher in the form of advisory or guidance. They also inform the complainant about the made decision within 15 days.
If the complainant is not satisfied with the self-regulatory body’s decision then they can appeal to the Oversight Mechanism within a period of 15 days of the decision.
Remedies under Indian Law regarding Social Media
The Information Technology Act
Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) is a primary law in India for dealing with matters related to e-commerce and cybercrime. The main objective of this Act is to grant legal recognition to transactions performed via electronic data exchange or any other means rather than paper-based communication. It also provides legal recognition to digital signatures and gives legal sanctions to enable e-governance. Under this law, penalties are prescribed for different frauds and crimes involving computers or a network. Along with this, certain provisions of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) are amended in the Information Technology Act which includes the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, the Reserve Bank of India Act of 1934, and the Banker’s Book Evidence Act of 1891. Some of the sections of the IT Act are listed as follows:
Section 66A: This section of the IT Act gives the power to arrest anyone sending messages or posting content on social media that could be deemed offensive. Also, it’s offensive to send any wrong or false information for the purpose of spreading hatred, annoyance, inconvenience, obstruction, danger, enmity, insult, and criminal intimidation. Such activity is punishable and as per the law, three years of imprisonment with a fine is the penalty imposed on the criminal.
Section 69A: According to this section, the government has the authority to monitor, decrypt or intercept any information that is not consistent with provisions of the government. It empowers the authorities to block internet sites by following an appropriate procedure. The recent banning of Chinese applications was done under Section 69A of the IT Act. The one who did not comply with the provisions of this section is punished with imprisonment and a fine. 
Constitution of India
It provides basic rights to Indian citizens which helps them in protecting their basic life interests. If these rights are violated, various remedial measures are provided to them. In Article 19 of the Indian Constitution, the Right to freedom of speech and expression is mentioned which ensures that every individual has the right to present their thoughts to others. This means that they can raise their voice against any wrongdoing that happened to them or any other person they know.
Indian Penal Code
Indian Penal Code (IPC) is addressed as the official criminal code of India aimed at covering all essential areas of criminal law. Anyone found guilty of a crime related to property, the human body, conspiracy, or social media is punishable under the provisions of the IPC. There are different Sections in the IPC, 1860 which deals with crimes related to social media. Some of the Sections identified for the same are illustrated as follows:
Section 124A: It mainly deals with sedition, a criminal act that encourages the opposition to rebel against the Government.
Section 153A: The purpose of this Section is to punish those who attack the religion, place of birth, language, and race of any particular religion or group. 
Section 295A: The main objective of this Section is to punish those who defame religion or religious belief on purpose. 
Section 499: It primarily deals with defamation where an individual faced legal consequences for making a defamatory comment either verbally or in writing with a motive to destroy someone’s reputation. 
Section 505: Under this Section of IPC, anyone who makes statements promoting public annoyance faces legal consequences.
Section 506: An individual who tries to intimidate the other person either physically or with the help of any electronic means will amount to an offense resulting in the punishment of imprisonment for a few years or a fine or both.
Section 509: Deals with the crime of disrespecting women’s modesty and the punishment for the same will be imprisonment of one year or a fine.
Also Read: Legal Articles
Duties of Social Media
An intermediary should inform the user of its computer resource not to publish, display, update, modify, store or share information that belongs to another person, is defamatory, obscene, paedophilic, pornographic, and infringes intellectual rights. Online activities that threaten the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India should be avoided and its friendly relations with foreign States should not suffer. 
Related Case Law
Shreya Singhal vs. Union of India: In this case, police made an arrest of two women under Section 66A for posting comments on Facebook after the death of a political leader. The Supreme Court of India invalidated Section 66A of the Information technology Act, 2000 as it was unconstitutional.
Conclusion
We live in a world where technology has become ubiquitous, as has the threat of cybercrime. In spite of the fact that there are numerous laws protecting victims of cybercrime or social media-related crimes, the need for new laws cannot be ruled out. Government should introduce the Right to be forgotten for control over personal data being given in some European countries. Along with this, strict action should be taken against wrongdoers so as to reduce the consequences of cybercrime.
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csures · 4 years ago
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Discover how research agencies can assist manufacturers with a premarket tobacco product application to comply with government legislation
A Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) can be submitted by any product manufacturer of a new tobacco product, who seeks an FDA marketing order. The purpose is to provide regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration with scientific proof that the product is appropriate, in order to comply with the public health protection bill.
However, the process of premarket tobacco product application can be very complicated, and for most manufacturers, it remains a challenging task, especially when all they want to do is introduce their new product to the market and see if flying off the shelves. For this reason, manufacturers of tobacco products sometimes enlist the services of reputable, internationally recognised research agencies to assist them in the application process.
Research agencies and leaders in the field of behavioural science in tobacco harm reduction and usually work in close relation with tobacco companies like British American Tobacco (BAT) to ensure approval of their Premarket Tobacco Product Applications. Through extensive research, these companies are able to not only obtain relevant to ensure that quality and control is brought to the tobacco industry but also advocate harm reduction of tobacco products.
For the general public, especially users of tobacco products, it can be easy to mistakenly think that regulatory requirements are just a means to make money, but no amount of money can be placed on the life of a human being and the fact remains that tobacco products, including tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vapes, are detrimental to one’s health.
The principal aim of PMTA is to encourage tobacco manufacturers to comply with regulation and keep their products, as well as consumers safe. Consumers need to be protected and in countries like the UK, legislation (the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003) prohibits the sale of single cigarettes or small packs of cigarettes, tobacco for oral use and tobacco products via vending machines. Tobacco products can also not be sold to any person under the age of 18 years.
Under the same omnibus law as mentioned above, the advertising of tobacco cigarettes, sponsorship and promotion thereof, and smoking in public places is also prohibited. Consumers sometimes wonder why such legislation even exists, but based on extensive research and scientific evidence, these rules have been created to create a healthier future for British citizens and to protect the public against tobacco harm.
Despite public health campaigns and various forms of legislation, smoking of tobacco products remains the top avoidable cause of worldwide deaths, and currently, it is costing the world economy millions every year in healthcare expenses and loss of productivity. The burden of tobacco-related costs also puts heavier pressure on those who can least afford it, yet the consumption of tobacco products continues to rise every year, including the sales of c-cigarettes and vaping devices. This can be largely attributed to the aggressive marketing by tobacco companies.
The use of and exposure to tobacco is a public health issue that should in fact receive more attention (this remains a debatable topic for many) and had it not been for legislation and the valuable, weight-bearing substance research by leading research agencies, perhaps half of the world's population would have been wiped out from lung and heart diseases by this time.
Tobacco giants like BAT are some of the largest cigarette manufacturers in the world and yet they work closely with research agencies to promote and even encourage tobacco harm reduction and good health in general. Perhaps now you will better understand the words of warnings like ‘smoking is dangerous’ and ‘Smoking kills’, which are often printed on the packaging of tobacco products.
About us: CSUR is a Global Leader on Behavioural Science in Tobacco Harm Reduction, operating from their base at the Centre for Substance Use Research Ltd in Glasgow. CSUR opened in 1994 linked initially to the University of Glasgow, and in 2011 CSUR became a wholly independent research centre focussing on a wider range of substance use issues and developing a large programme of behaviourally focussed regulatory science research assessing the contribution of ENDS in reducing tobacco-related health harm. Our team comprises post-doctoral researchers in behavioural science, experts in marketing, cybersecurity, and media. Our focus is on furthering the goals of tobacco-related harm reduction and assessing the public health impact of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and our goal is to ensure that those working within these industries have access to high-quality behavioural research that can further their owns goals of reducing the harms associated with the use of combustible tobacco products. Find out more by visiting our website at https://www.csures.com
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linkfyi-blog · 4 years ago
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Meanwhile in India
Regulate social media for sure, but don’t discount its benefits.
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Press Council acts as a check, which is probably why print media is considered more responsible. TV at least admits to the need of effective regulation. For social media, however, there are no checks whatsoever.
Mankind has gone through different ages when people’s lives have been dominated, or majorly influenced, by an invention or breakthrough, even by certain ideas. The industrial revolution led to a major transformation. There was the idea of nationalism which created different countries. There was socialism — as opposed to capitalism — which changed the way societies were governed and economies run. There have also been great medical discoveries that have benefited us in countless ways. However, for several decades now, we have been in the age of information technology.
It began with the discovery of radio and the first newspapers. Then, the coming of big-screen cinema. Later came television. In fact, TV has become so popular that many leading newspapers in the developed world have either had to close down or, additionally, go digital. But in the last two decades or so, another form of media has taken the world by storm — social media. Led by Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram, with the smart cell phone and computer as its main medium of communication, it has probably overtaken TV as far as viewership is concerned. As a major influencer, too, and opinion-maker, social media is not too far behind TV.
Nevertheless, it’s the regulatory framework for the media that has become highly controversial and contentious. In most countries, there are regulatory bodies that monitor content. Here, there is the Press Council, usually headed by a retired senior judge. If a party is aggrieved by a news report, it can complain, the Press Council hears both sides and gives its ruling. The offending publication, if found guilty of misreporting, is obliged to publish an apology. If the aggrieved party is not satisfied, it can go to court and sue the publication for libel. That threat, along with the censure of the Press Council, is a powerful check on misreporting. Which is probably why in India at least — and I daresay in many other parts of the world as well where there is freedom of expression — the print media is considered more responsible and credible and, therefore, taken more seriously than the electronic media.
Yet, when TV “live” reportage first burst on to the world scene, it blew the print media away. Perhaps the most dramatic TV reportage of this kind was the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald, two days after he had assassinated US President Jack Kennedy. Oswald was apprehended after he killed a policeman just after shooting Kennedy. He was first lodged in the basement of the local police jail. When he was about to be transported to a more secure jail, TV cameras and reporters were present. Jack Ruby, owner of a nightclub, emerged from the crowd and shot Oswald, killing him. Millions worldwide saw the footage “live”. Though Ruby was later sentenced to die, a conspiracy theory emerged that Oswald had been silenced so that he could not disclose the other conspirators.
The other “live” event that everyone remembers is of course the tragic downing of the twin towers of the New York World Trade Centre. In India, “live” TV coverage came into its own in Kargil. And then, with the terror attack in Mumbai. There was live reporting of the event, just outside Taj Hotel, little realising that the terrorists inside were watching on TV what was being disclosed. Since then, there has been self-regulation in the coverage of such events.
However, no regulatory framework acceptable to private TV channels has yet emerged. There is admittedly an “Information and Technology Act”, but it is ineffective. The result is that TV channels do what they please. This has showed up in the coverage of the suicide (or murder) of the late actor, Sushant Singh Rajput. A virtual trial by media is taking place, with the law courts playing little role. A drug angle is also being played up and Bollywood maligned. Lawyers on both sides have happily appeared on TV, whereas they should really have confined themselves to court.
But at least Indian TV is admitting that effective regulation is needed. For the social media, however, there are till now no checks whatsoever. Smart phones and computers lend themselves easily to hate speech and fake news. The trouble is, much of this is made to sound credible. Cambridge Analytica, whose former head has just been barred in the UK from running a company or even being a director for seven years, is a good example of the menace. The social media organization played an insidious role in at least two major elections, that of the US and India. In India, in 2018, both the BJP and the Congress accused each other of using Analytica in polls across the country. The CEO admitted having offered clients “unethical services”, which included bribery and honey-traps.
But let’s be fair. Social media has become an indispensable vehicle. It is here to stay. Want material on a particular subject? Just key in Google Search. Schools and colleges worldwide have mostly been closed since the pandemic struck last March. Some 1.3 billion students, which is the population of India, have been affected and classes have had to be taken online. Can you imagine the disruption this would have caused if social media had not been there? So, when a regulatory framework is eventually put in place, the benefits that the social media has brought to our lives also need to be acknowledged and taken into account.— The writer is a veteran journalist
Courtesy:  Rahul Singh
#LinkFYi #SocialMedia #SocialMediaIndia
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scifigeneration · 5 years ago
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Climate change: six positive news stories from 2019
by Heather Alberro, Dénes Csala, Hannah Cloke, Marc Hudson, Mark Maslin, and Richard Hodgkins
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Hydroelectric power has helped Costa Rica ditch fossil fuels. John E Anderson / shutterstock
The climate breakdown continues. Over the past year, The Conversation has covered fires in the Amazon, melting glaciers in the Andes and Greenland, record CO₂ emissions, and temperatures so hot they’re pushing the human body to its thermal limits. Even the big UN climate talks were largely disappointing.
But climate researchers have not given up hope. We asked a few Conversation authors to highlight some more positive stories from 2019.
Costa Rica offers us a viable climate future
Heather Alberro, associate lecturer in political ecology, Nottingham Trent University
After decades of climate talks, including the recent COP25 in Madrid, emissions have only continued to rise. Indeed, a recent UN report noted that a fivefold increase in current national climate change mitigation efforts would be needed to meet the 1.5℃ limit on warming by 2030. With the radical transformations needed in our global transport, housing, agricultural and energy systems in order to help mitigate looming climate and ecological breakdown, it can be easy to lose hope.
However, countries like Costa Rica offer us promising examples of the “possible”. The Central American nation has implemented a refreshingly ambitious plan to completely decarbonise its economy by 2050. In the lead-up to this, last year with its economy still growing at 3%, Costa Rica was able to derive 98% of its electricity from renewable sources. Such an example demonstrates that with sufficient political will, it is possible to meet the daunting challenges ahead.
Financial investors are cooling on fossil fuels
Richard Hodgkins, senior lecturer in physical geography, Loughborough University
Movements such as 350.org have long argued for fossil fuel divestment, but they have recently been joined by institutional investors such as Climate Action 100+, which is using the influence of its US$35 trillion of managed funds, arguing that minimising climate breakdown risks and maximising renewables’ growth opportunities are a fiduciary duty.
Moody’s credit-rating agency recently flagged ExxonMobil for falling revenues despite rising expenditure, noting: “The negative outlook also reflects the emerging threat to oil and gas companies’ profitability […] from growing efforts by many nations to mitigate the impacts of climate change through tax and regulatory policies.”
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An oil pipeline in northern Alaska. saraporn / shutterstock
A more adverse financial environment for fossil fuel companies reduces the likelihood of new development in business frontier regions such as the Arctic, and indeed, major investment bank Goldman Sachs has declared that it “will decline any financing transaction that directly supports new upstream Arctic oil exploration or development”.
We are getting much better at forecasting disaster
Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology, University of Reading
In March and April 2019, two enormous tropical cyclones hit the south-east coast of Africa, killing more than 600 people and leaving nearly 2 million people in desperate need of emergency aid.
There isn’t much that is positive about that, and there’s nothing new about cyclones. But this time scientists were able to provide the first early warning of the impending flood disaster by linking together accurate medium-range forecasts of the cyclone with the best ever simulations of flood risk. This meant that the UK government, for example, set about working with aid agencies in the region to start delivering emergency supplies to the area that would flood, all before Cyclone Kenneth had even gathered pace in the Indian Ocean.
We know that the risk of dangerous floods is increasing as the climate continues to change. Even with ambitious action to reduce greenhouse gases, we must deal with the impact of a warmer more chaotic world. We will have to continue using the best available science to prepare ourselves for whatever is likely to come over the horizon.
Local authorities across the world are declaring a ‘climate emergency’
Marc Hudson, researcher in sustainable consumption, University of Manchester
More than 1,200 local authorities around the world declared a “climate emergency” in 2019. I think there are two obvious dangers: first, it invites authoritarian responses (stop breeding! Stop criticising our plans for geoengineering!). And second, an “emergency” declaration may simply be a greenwash followed by business-as-usual.
In Manchester, where I live and research, the City Council is greenwashing. A nice declaration in July was followed by more flights for staff (to places just a few hours away by train), and further car parks and roads. The deadline for a “bring zero-carbon date forward?” report has been ignored.
But these civic declarations have also kicked off a wave of civic activism, as campaigners have found city councils easier to hold to account than national governments. I’m part of an activist group called “Climate Emergency Manchester” – we inform citizens and lobby councillors. We’ve assessed progress so far, based on Freedom of Information Act requests, and produced a “what could be done?” report. As the council falls further behind on its promises, we will be stepping up our activity, trying to pressure it to do the right thing.
Radical climate policy goes mainstream
Dénes Csala, lecturer in energy system dynamics, Lancaster University
Before the 2019 UK general election, I compared the Conservative and Labour election manifestos, from a climate and energy perspective. Although the party with the clearly weaker plan won eventually, I am still stubborn enough to be hopeful with regard to the future of political action on climate change.
For the first time, in a major economy, a leading party’s manifesto had at its core climate action, transport electrification and full energy system decarbonisation, all on a timescale compatible with IPCC directives to avoid catastrophic climate change. This means the discussion that has been cooking at the highest levels since the 2015 Paris Agreement has started to boil down into tangible policies.
Young people are on the march!
Mark Maslin, professor of earth system science, UCL
In 2019, public awareness of climate change rose sharply, driven by the schools strikes, Extinction Rebellion, high impact IPCC reports, improved media coverage, a BBC One climate change documentary and the UK and other governments declaring a climate emergency. Two recent polls suggest that over 75% of Americans accept humans have caused climate change.
Empowerment of the first truly globalised generation has catalysed this new urgency. Young people can access knowledge at the click of a button. They know climate change science is real and see through the deniers’ lies because this generation does not access traditional media – in fact, they bypass it.
The awareness and concern regarding climate change will continue to grow. Next year will be an even bigger year as the UK will chair the UN climate change negotiations in Glasgow – and expectation are running high.
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About The Authors:
Heather Alberro is an Associate Lecturer/PhD Candidate in Political Ecology at Nottingham Trent University; Dénes Csala is a Lecturer in Energy Storage Systems Dynamics at Lancaster University; Hannah Cloke is Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading; Marc Hudson is a Researcher in Sustainable Consumption at the University of Manchester; Mark Maslin is Professor of Earth System Science at UCL, and Richard Hodgkins is Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography at Loughborough University
This article is republished from our content partners over at The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 
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mediaheights · 1 year ago
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whittlebaggett8 · 6 years ago
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Pakistan’s Undeclared Censorship | The Diplomat
Pakistan People’s Celebration Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, when addressing a ceremony on Planet Press Freedom Working day in Karachi, claimed that Pakistani media is facing undeclared censorship. Sadly, the journalist community agrees with him.
Pakistan’s media houses are doing work less than a local weather of worry, which is influencing their protection and operations. Journalists are ever more practising self-censorship to help you save the two their jobs and lives they are bullied on social media, kidnapped in broad daylight, and threatened for reporting details.
The federal government is managing commercials for information channels in an attempt to silence them. It is a really sorry condition for media homes that intensely rely on government adverts. The most current example is the country’s most-browse English language newspaper, Dawn, and its Television set channel, whose commercials were being banned on Press Liberty Working day. Mubashir Zaidi, a senior journalist affiliated with explained channel, broke the information in a person of his tweets.
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So @pid_gov has banned commercials for @Dawn_Information on #PressFreedomDay  Naya Pakistan? PM @ImranKhanPTI ? @PTIofficial
— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) May possibly 3, 2019
Pakistan ranked 142nd out of 180 nations around the world – falling three sites from 2018 – in Reporters With out Borders’ 2019 Entire world Press Flexibility Index.
“The red line has expanded. The institution is interfering at just about every doable amount. There are no totally free converse shows. Information and articles or blog posts are censored. It is extensive censorship,” columnist and analyst Imtiaz Alam said.
The “red line” now includes criticism of the highly effective armed forces of Pakistan and the new Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) governing administration, protection of rights-based mostly alliance Pashtun Tahaffuz motion (PTM), and reporting on previous Primary Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is at the moment in jail.
Journalists who cross these crimson lines confront a selection of threats, from reduction of livelihood to reduction of life. A distinctive report of the Pakistan Press Foundation unveiled that at least 48 journalists ended up killed in specific attacks in the final 17 yrs. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are deemed the most dangerous provinces for journalists in Pakistan.
Lawful motion is also utilized to preserve the press silent. According to a report on the condition of Pakistani media in 2018 posted by the Pakistan Push Basis, 7 journalists and a single media business proprietor confronted legal steps in 2018.
This calendar year, senior journalist Shahzeb Jillani was accused of cyberterrorism based mostly on his reviews on the lacking individuals difficulty on a speak exhibit. Jillani is dealing with rates underneath Sections 10(a) (cyberterrorism), 11 (dislike speech), and 20 (destructive code) of the Pakistan Digital Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.
Cyril Almeida is going through treason charges and vacation limitations right after he released an interview with Nawaz Sharif, in which the a few-time prime minister of Pakistan accused the Pakistani military of aiding the armed group that carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The report also mentions that there have been at least 31 occasions of journalists, anchorpersons, and tv channels remaining issued demonstrate-result in notices, anchorpersons remaining suspended, web-sites currently being blocked, and disruptions to the distribution of newspapers.
And the authorities is transferring to tighten its handle over media retailers even further. The federal cabinet accredited the formation of Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA) – a single system to regulate all varieties of media — on January 25, 2019.
Journalists condemned the choice and named it an endeavor to suppress independence of the press. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists launched a assertion afterward calling the transfer in violation of the constitution.
“This is in violation of Article 19 of the Structure of Pakistan, which guarantees freedom of expression as a elementary human ideal. Establishment of a federal institution to regulate printing and publication — which is a provincial subject following the 18th Constitutional Modification — interferes in the domain of provinces and is, hence, also in violation of the Constitution,” the statement reads.
At this time, the Pakistan Digital Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Push Council of Pakistan (PCP) regulate electronic and print media respectively. There is no separate system to regulate or observe electronic media platforms. It is considered that the PTI govt created this body primarily to management electronic media platforms.
In the meantime, the Pakistani miltary’s Inter-Services Community Relations (ISPR) issued a notification on April 16, which contained names of 26 retired officers of the armed forces who can appear on media as defense analysts.
“Their views/remarks/views on media shall remain own/independent expression and not attributable to the institution,” the notification reads.
In another notification dated April 4 and released by PEMRA, Television set channels have been directed to search for prior clearance from ISPR right before inviting retired military officers to share their sights on protection and stability-associated issues.
Internet websites have also been shut down for their vital reporting and extensive protection of challenges the authorities would somewhat not be protected. The Urdu web-site of the United States’ Voice of The united states was shut down in Pakistan in December 2018 allegedly for masking PTM rallies. VOA reporters claim that the Pashto web page was blocked months prior to that.
Then-Minister for Info Fawad Chaudhry experienced commented that the websites have been blocked for wrong and prejudiced reporting. Nonetheless, VOA English wrote in a information tale that Pakistani authorities were scrutinizing media protection of the PTM, blocking VOA internet websites, and submitting law enforcement situations from journalists masking its general public gatherings.
Even now, internet websites are the most common platform between journalists in Pakistan as they give them room, which is shrinking in mainstream media.
“Earlier we experienced one particular PTV, now we have a lot of,” Ammar Masood, a senior columnist and analyst said, referring to the point out-owned Pakistan Tv community, which is the mouthpiece of the authorities.
Masood writes a column for a leading Urdu newspaper. Usually his columns are rejected for publication he sends these to an on-line website operate by his colleague, Wajahat Masood.
“It’s not about my column only it is the overall circumstance of media in Pakistan. Whoever talks professional-democracy, his voice is shut down. All those who feel in different ways are out of a work this time. Talat Hussain, Matiullah Jan, Murtaza Solangi, and I are illustrations,” Ammar Masood explained.
Journalists are transferring to social media platforms soon after acquiring sacked from their employment. Some have made their personal YouTube channels, where they publish their evaluation on diverse political happenings.
“Social media penetration in Pakistan is very outstanding. You can receive a enormous response on your content material there, which displays that there exists an data hole. Folks want to get data but they are not acquiring it,” Masood mentioned.
At the end of final 12 months, lots of journalists like Mubashir Zaidi, Taha Siddiqui, and Gul Bukhari complained of getting email messages from Twitter about an “official correspondence” concerning some of their tweets.
When Fawad Chaudhry was questioned about individuals Twitter notices, he mentioned that the authorities was not sending any requests to Twitter.
On the other hand, Twitter unveiled a transparency report on Friday which stated that involving July and December in 2018, the PTI government sent requests for the removing of 193 accounts and noted 2,349 profiles to the micro-blogging web-site.
A amount of senior journalists have begun their personal information and impression-based websites. Imtiaz Alam has also announced the launch of two news internet sites – 1 for South Asia in English and the other in Urdu especially for Pakistani viewers – aside from a YouTube channel. He introduced the news in a tweet on his personal twitter account.
Before, Alam wrote in a tweet that a discuss display producer who had invited him as a guest analyst canceled his invite just a number of hrs ahead of the display.
In truth, I resigned from GEO and really do not really feel to appear in any Television set exhibit. Most are scared to invite me to their reveals and other people invite and terminate it. So, please don’t invite me, I don’t like your Tv set reveals. They are not truly worth it.
— Imtiaz Alam (@ImtiazAlamSAFMA) April 25, 2019
“No television channel can air systems which are in violation of directions from Rawalpindi [the Pakistan army]. If another person does this they are blacklisted and not invited in the exhibits. If they get invited, their invitation can be dropped [at any moment],” he claimed.
What if his new websites get blocked? Alam mentioned that he would not cease.
“We will hold attempting. We will hold exploring platforms but we will in no way do anything which is ethically completely wrong. They could have differences with our editorial policy but that is all proper,” he claimed.
Tehreem Azeem is a digital media journalist based mostly in Lahore, Pakistan. She experiences on human legal rights violations, conflicts, and censorship. She tweets @tehreemazeem.
The post Pakistan’s Undeclared Censorship | The Diplomat appeared first on Defence Online.
from WordPress https://defenceonline.com/2019/05/17/pakistans-undeclared-censorship-the-diplomat/
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bowsetter · 6 years ago
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India Progressing on Crypto Regulation Amid Ban Rumor
The Indian government has been progressing on cryptocurrency regulation. A recent report from the Ministry of Finance confirms some recommendations. Meanwhile, local media reported Friday that a draft bill on the regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies is being circulated among relevant government departments.
Also read: Indian Supreme Court Postpones Crypto Case at Government’s Request
Ministry of Finance’s Confirmation
The Ministry of Finance recently published a summary report of the government’s activities in 2018. “An inter-ministerial committee under the chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs with representatives from concerned departments has been constituted for considering all aspects related to virtual currencies and crypto assets,” the document begins to explain.
The Indian government was supposed to submit a report containing the legal framework for cryptocurrency to the supreme court in March but the court adjourned without addressing the matter. The next hearing date is July 23 and the community expects this matter to be addressed at that time. The Ministry of Finance’s report reads:
Various options for treating virtual currencies and crypto assets including banning/regulating are being examined by the committee.
India Working With FATF
The report also reveals that India’s Department of Revenue has been working with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on various aspects including cryptocurrency. India is a member of the FATF, an international body which sets standards and promotes the implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering and terrorist financing globally.
The Department of Economic Affairs used to work with the FATF but the work was transferred to the Department of Revenue per Gazette Notification dated Nov. 9, 2017, the Finance Ministry detailed, noting:
Department of Revenue has been actively involved in the working papers being developed by the FATF on various issues (such as virtual currency, proliferation financing among) which will act as guidance for the member countries.
FATF’s Recommendations
The G20 countries, including India, have reaffirmed their support for the FATF as “the global anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing, and proliferation financing standard-setting body,” according to the FAFT report submitted to the G20 this month. The G20 also asked the FATF to clarify how its standards apply to virtual asset activities. Among other recommendations, the FATF replied:
Jurisdictions should apply a risk-based approach to virtual assets, virtual asset financial activities, and virtual asset service providers.
The FATF further stated that it will update the “Risk-based Approach Guidance on Virtual Currencies” by June for the G20 summit. This approach will assist “jurisdictions and the private sector, in implementing a risk-based approach to regulating virtual asset service providers, including their supervision and monitoring,” the FATF wrote.
Rumor of a Ban Recommendation
Local media reported Friday that the Indian government is in the process of discussing a draft bill on cryptocurrency. The Economic Times claims to have reviewed the minutes of a meeting of the government committee which includes representatives of the Department of Economic Affairs, the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, and the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority.
According to the publication, the minutes showed that the ministries were “of the view that already there is a lot of delay in taking action against cryptocurrency. There is an urgent need to ban [the] sale, purchase and issuance of cryptocurrency.”
An unnamed government official claiming to know the details told the news outlet that the draft bill entitled “Banning of Cryptocurrencies and Regulation of Official Digital Currencies Bill 2019” has been circulated to relevant government departments for discussion. The publication, however, did not explain the “Regulation of Official Digital Currencies” part. In addition to this being a draft bill and information was based on anonymous sources, the news outlet emphasized that based on the feedback:
A final law will be proposed to the next government that takes charge after elections at the end of May.
This is also not the first time the media have reported that the Indian government is considering banning cryptocurrency based on anonymous sources. In December last year, Cnbc TV18 reported on a ban recommendation. However, another media outlet reported soon afterward that there was also a recommendation to legalize cryptocurrency with strong riders, leaving the public confused about what the recommendations actually were.
What crypto regulation do you think the Indian government will finally implement? Let us know in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock and India’s Ministry of Finance.
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unknownpoliticalobject · 6 years ago
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There is no Brexit deal to be made with the UK and here is why.
There are now 6 weeks remaining for the UK and EU to come to some kind of Brexit arrangement, but so far the UK has not put forward a single workable concept. So lets take a moment and have an objective look at what the UK has proposed, because facts matter!
The Chequers Deal is violating international law and trade agreements
Still discussed at length in UK media, where it is unloved by Brexiteers and Remainers a like, it really was dead before arrival as the EU has turned the proposal categorically down. And unless you read exclusively British newspapers, nobody outside the UK has ever given it a chance to working. A position that never changed, despite May still beating this dead horse.
But this is not because the EU wants to punish the UK, it is because the EU’s hands are tied by international law. So lets have a look at the facts why the Chequers deal will never happen:
Giving the EU’s financial market a special status is illegal under WTO MFN rule. See: https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/fact2_e.htm
1.  Most-favoured-nation (MFN): treating other people equally  Under the WTO agreements, countries cannot normally discriminate between their trading partners. Grant someone a special favour (such as a lower customs duty rate for one of their products) and you have to do the same for all other WTO members.
This principle is known as most-favoured-nation (MFN) treatment (see box). It is so important that it is the first article of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which governs trade in goods. MFN is also a priority in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) (Article 2) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) (Article 4)
The four freedoms are inseparable. As defined in the Lisbon Treaty “Protocol (No 27) on the internal market and competition”. They are contributed to be largely responsible for the success of the Single Market, much more important to almost all remaining EU member states than UK market access, and nothing anybody would want to sacrifice. However, even if there was political will to change this, and I can not stress enough that there isn’t, it would require a change to the Lisbon Treaty. Thanks to the Irish population, who refused to ratify it if any future change would not also require a peoples vote. This means that the EU would need to hold a referendum, and the UK government would need to convince the population of all remaining member states to vote in a law that would give the UK more rights than themselves. The chances of that to happen are zero.
The Irish border. While there are no requirements under WTO membership to control a border, there are ones that require members to keep an accurate record about imports and exports and their quantities. (See TRQs.) This is effectively impossible without a hard border. The UK seems to have been made aware of this earlier in 2018 and has seeked legal advice: Published by the Times on the 28th of August https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/wto-can-t-force-britain-to-create-an-irish-border-z6v8p5629 
“The World Trade Organisation has no immediate formal sanctions at its disposal if the British decide not to impose customs checks on the Irish border in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a leading trade expert has said.”
Just ignoring unconformable rules is an interesting take on international trade with almost immediate repercussions. But for this to work it would also require the Republic of Ireland and the EU to also break these treaties. And they will not.
All comprehensive Free Trade Agreements contain clauses that if one of the signatures is giving another nation a deal that is better, the other signature must also get that deal or can veto it. This makes perfect sense if you think about it for moment. Most FTAs are really about regulatory alignments as much as anything else. So if nation A is doing a deal with nation B, and nation B than makes a deal with nation C, that has for example much lower wages then A or B, nation C could use nation B to import its goods into A, circumventing any measures put in place by A to protect its workforce. Keeping this in mind, given what the UK is asking from the EU, countries like Japan, Canada or New Zealand could veto the Chequers deal. And who do you think the EU will priorities? Japans market alone is twice the size of the UK.
Don’t believe me, read yourself, see CETA chapter 30: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ceta/ceta-chapter-by-chapter/
What about the WTO option, a.k.a. No Deal?
That is also impossible, this time due to the sovereign British Parliament. Who has recently passed the following act:
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 - Section 10/(2)/(b)
create or facilitate border arrangements between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after exit day which feature physical infrastructure, including border posts, or checks and controls, that did not exist before exit day and are not in accordance with an agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/16/section/10/enacted
The bill received Royal Assent on 26 June 2018.
So the same problem as above applies to the inner Irish border. And even if the UK is willing to break international law, the EU certainly isn’t. This is why the EU is now insisting on getting the backstop implemented above everything else.
Also keep in mind that just like Canada, Japan, New Zealand, etc ... can veto any EU-UK trade deal, so can the EU veto a potential Japan-UK trade deal. And given the Brexiteers rhetoric about slashing health, wage an environmental standards post Brexit, the EU will almost certainly be forced to do so, in order to protect its consumers.
Interesting side note, this option is referred within the EU as the North Korean Model. Take a guess why.
“CETA+++” and the land of the unicorns
As the deadline draws closer, this pipe dream seem to have resurfaced from the land of the dead. It is so absurd that I, or anybody else outside the UK, finds it hard to even take it serious. - Let me explain why.
A comprehensive FTA, like CETA or the Japan style deal, has always been seen as the only solution that doesn't violate the UK red lines. But a "+++" option was ruled out from the start and given that these types of agreements usually take 10 year to negotiate, a "CETA-" was the only option on the table.
The reasons for that are very similar to the ones highlighted under the "Chequers proposal" above. Not only can countries and trade blocks like the African Union, Canada, Japan ... etc review and veto any such deals, but all existing free trade agreements contain a clause like the WTO MFN. This means the moment you give one country, or block, a better deal, you also need to renegotiate all existing FTAs to give them the same conditions. (Read for yourself.) Given that the EU has currently trade deals with 2/3 of the planet, we would be talking about completely renegotiation world trade within the next 6 weeks!
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I can not stress out how unrealistic this is.
On top of that, UK's number one red line - no more foreigners - or Freedom of Movement as the EU calls it, is one of the corner stones of any comprehensive FTA that includes services. And services currently account for 80% of the UK economy. (Again, read for yourself.)
And this isn't a new trend. When the EU and India started to negotiate about an FTA in 2010, take a guess which member state vetoed it because they were afraid of brown people. 
So who do you think is now restarted negotiations, and guess who is still demanding visa free travel as central demand on even a scaled down trade deal?
Visa leniency central to post-Brexit trade with India: UK business body
“The Confederation of British Industry said the Theresa May government needs to recognise the strong links between people and trade as the UK forges new economic relationships on the world stage after Brexit.”   https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/visa-leniency-central-to-post-brexit-trade-with-india-uk-business-body/story-v0CYWSwVzkYR8qhsFiUfsK.html
So in conclusion, the chances of a "CETA+++" deal can be best summed up with "there are no unicorns". Sorry, if that news comes as a shock to you.
The EU does not actually negotiate a trade deal with the UK.
On the 29th of March 2017, the UK has triggered Article 50. The EU is seeing this as a legal exercise. They are removing its institutions from the UK (EMA moved to Amsterdam, EBA to Paris, GMSC to Madrid). On top of that they have to find a way to divide up shared assets and deal with personal, libalities and the Irish border issue on behave of the Republic of Ireland.
But renegotiating the 759 treaties is not part of that process. Most arrangements could have been made before triggering Article 50, some will have to wait till after.
Under Section 3 of Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisabon it says; See: http://www.lisbon-treaty.org/wcm/the-lisbon-treaty/treaty-on-European-union-and-comments/title-6-final-provisions/137-article-50.html
3. The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period.
The EU is under no obligation to give the UK any deal.
So what realistic options does the UK have at this point?
The EU was always very clear that the UK has all feasible options available. And that has never changed.
Only the UK’s own red lines and Westminster Parliament have rule out all of them.
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If the UK is willing to compromise on their arbitrary red lines, the following options are still possible based on what has been ratified so far:
The UK can remain a full member of the EU.
Stay in both the customs union and the single market or at least aligned to them. The main external objection to this is from other EEA members who believe the UK would destroy it just as a stepping stone. If sufficient guarantees could be made to ensure this is the end station for the UK, it should be possible to come to some EEA arrangement.
Extend the Article 50 deadline and negotiate a “CETA” like deal plus custom union membership. We are not talking about “+++”, but a standard FTA comparable to the existing ones. This would be the death of London as a financial hub and probably destroy most of the UK’s service industry.
Breaking up the United Kingdom. That way England, Wales and Scotland, if they so wish to, can form rest Britain and can do a clean break from the EU and effectively world trade. Northern Ireland and overseas territories plus Gibraltar would be free to set up their own arrangements, freed of English rules and red lines.
This is it. I honestly can’t think of any more solutions than these. If you can, please let me know and I will update this post.
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marwahstudios · 2 years ago
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Sandeep Marwah President CEGR Talked about Higher Education
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New Delhi: Higher Education sector has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of Universities/University level Institutions & Colleges since Independence. The number of Universities has increased 50 times from 20 in 1950 to 1050 in 2021,” informed Dr. Sandeep Marwah President CEGR- Centre for Education Growth and Research & Chancellor AAFT University of Media and Arts while addressing the press at 4th National Education Excellence Conclave at IIC. He is also on the board of AICTE, Ministry of Education, Government of India.
The sector boasts of 54 Central Universities, 416 State Universities, 361 State Private universities, 129 Deemed to be Universities, 159 Institutions of National Importance (established under Acts of Parliament) under MoE. The number of colleges has also registered manifold increase of 100 times with just 500 in 1950 growing to 52627, as on 31st March, 2021
The quantum growth in the Higher Education sector is spear-headed by Universities, which are the highest seats of learning. Approximately 8 million students are in higher education.
In India, “University” means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act and includes any such institution as may, in consultation with the University concerned, be recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in accordance with the regulations made in this regard under the UGC Act, 1956. Every year, millions of students from within the country and abroad, enter these portals mainly for their graduate, post graduate studies while millions leave these portals for the world outside.
Higher Education is the shared responsibility of both the Centre and the States. The coordination and determination of standards in Universities & Colleges is entrusted to the UGC and other statutory regulatory bodies.
The Central Government provides grants to the UGC and establishes Central Universities/Institutions of National Importance in the country. The Central Government is also responsible for declaring an educational institution as “Deemed-to-be University” on the recommendations of the UGC.
At present, the main categories of University/University-level Institutions are :- Central Universities, State Universities, Deemed-to-be Universities and University-level institutions.
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babbelcause · 6 years ago
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Book review #2 : How democracies die
by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
How democracies die was recommended to me by a lecturer in political theory during a conference on the potential impact of a specific antiterrorist measure on civil liberties in Belgium. It was written by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, both Professor of Government at Harvard University.
Summary
Authoritarian regimes do not always arrive by means of military coups. Often, they are the consequence of a steady and progressive undermining of democracy : when institutions are diverted from their original functions, when political opponents are viewed as threats, criticism as illegitimate, and civil liberties as obstacles. Drawing examples from Venezuela, Chile, Hungary, Russia, Germany, or Turkey, Levitsky and Ziblatt examine what paves the way to these regimes.
Institutions, laws, constitution, political parties, a free press ; these are so many things which contribute to the good « democratic health » of a country. According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, they are however not what maintains a democratic regime in place. Instead, they argue, it is « soft guardrails », unwritten rules of mutual toleration, institutional forebearance and rejection of populists to the fringes of power that will maintain dialogue between the different parties, prevent abuses of power and the emergence of authoritarians.
Abandoning these unwritten rules, L&Z argue, opens the way to demagogues. They point at four indicators that a politician may be authoritarian : (1) they lack commitment to the rules of democracy, (2) reject that legitmacy of their political opponents, (3) encourage violence against them, and (4) support measures that restrict civil liberties. The authors further isolate three ways in which authoritarian leaders dismantle democratic institutions once they do get to power : (1) controling the people and agencies supposed to limit the power of the government, (2) sidelining political opponents, (3) changing laws to consolidate their own power. (More details after the jump)
My thoughts
A great deal of the book is dedicated to showing how these guardrails have been established, tested, and gradually eroded in the United States, leaving the country more vulnerable than ever to populism ; and how the Trump presidency may further weaken the US democratic system. Although these parts were interesting in their own right, my attention was mostly drawn to the tools the authors developed to analyze and detect authoritarian behaviour, as well as measures that contribute to the dismantling of democratic institutions. They are all explained, accessible, and illustrated by different examples. They constitute a framework that probably anyone could use to study the behaviour of political leaders in their own country, and I'll certainly try it in my own.
I also appreciated the perspective this book offered me. I was born in the early 1990s, which means that my formative years were shaped by (the war on) terrorism, the re-emergence of the far right, and a global financial crisis, all of which were conditions that had the potential to destabilize any democratic regime. And they have. I reached adulthood in a time when human rights began to be seen as an obstacle to the struggle against terrorism, and when governing with people leaning to the far right became acceptable. The analytical tools and many examples spread across several countries and decades helped me gain a new perspective on this « new normal », made me reconsider me elements I had overlooked so far, and keep in mind which one I'll have to look out for in the future.
How democracies die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. Pinguin Viking Editions. 2018. 300 pages.  ± 19€
The « soft guardrails » :
Gatekeeping : on the side of political parties, « taking steps to ensure that authoritarians remain on the fringes, far from the center of power » (p21) ;
Mutual toleration : « the understanding that competing parties accept one another as legitimate rivals » (p8) ;
Forebearance : « the idea that politicians should exercise restraint in deploying their institutional prerogatives » (p8) ;
Key indicators of authoritarian behaviour
Rejection of (or weak commitment to) democratic rules of the game (p65), i.e. : rejecting the country's constitution ; advocating for antidemocratic measures such as canceling elections, suspending the constitution, banning certain organisations, or suspending civil rights ; use of extraconstitutional means to change the government ; or undermining the legitimacy of elections ;
Denial of legitimacy of political opponents (p66), i.e. : describing their political rivals as a threat to constitutional order, an existential threat, a threat to national security ; or baselessly suggesting that their opponents are criminals or foreign agents ;
Toleration or encouragement of violence (p66), i.e. : ties to militias or paramilitary gangs ; encouragement or endorsement of attacks on political opponents ; endorsing or praising of acts of political violence ;
Readiness to curtail civil liberties of opponents, including the media (p67), i.e. : supporting laws that restrict civil liberties such as expanded libel or defamation laws, restricting criticism of the government, praising repressive measures applied by other governments ;
Undermining democratic institutions
“Capturing the referees”, i.e : controlling institutions designed to limit the power of governments, such as the judicial system, law enforcement bodies, and intelligence, tax and regulatory agencies ; using these institutions and agencies to target political opponents (p78) ;
“Sidelining key players”, i.e. : eliminating the opponents, like leaders of the opposition, business leader who finance the opposition, major media outlets, or religious or cultural figures (p81). It may be by buying them off (p82), throwing them in jail (p83), or paralyzing them with lawsuits (p84) ;
Changing the rules, i.e. : consolidating one's power by reforming e.g. the constitution, electoral system, or institutions in ways that may weaken their opponents (p88) ;
8 notes · View notes
severepeanutperfection · 3 years ago
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Sodium Caseinate Market Outlook 2021 Sales Revenue, Strategy to 2029 | Nutra Food Ingredients LLC, Farbest Brands, FrieslandCampina DMV, AMCO Proteins
Sodium Caseinate Market: Introduction
Over the last couple of years, there has been a rapid increase in demand for functional food and drink products which was mainly targeted to prevent the worsening of health or to improve the overall well-being of consumers. With increase in disposable incomes and awareness pertaining to particular ingredients in the products that can maintain or improve health, growth in emerging countries is overtaking that in developed countries. In addition to this, the rapidly changing lifestyle of people, has in turn increased the need for introduction of ready to eat food items. This ultimately has urged the development of chemical compounds that can increase the nutritional value of food. Sodium caseinate is one such chemical compound.
Sodium caseinate is produced by mixing sodium compound such as sodium hydroxide with extracted casein. This mix is then dried to produce sodium caseinate powder. Out of the total amount of proteins in milk, over 80% is accounted for by casein family. When exposed to heat, the casein proteins become stable and hence survive from pasteurization. This helps them retain their original nutritional value. Sodium caseinate finds a wide range of application in meat products, confectionary and bakery products, among others. The global sodium caseinate market is expected to increase at a steady CAGR over the forecast period.
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Sodium Caseinate Market Dynamics
Sodium caseinate has acts as a viscosity booster, and has favourable stabilization and emulsification functions. These properties are key criterions leading to significant developments in sodium caseinate market and its increasing use in ice creams, bread, biscuits and other related products. All these factors, along with increasing demand for bakery and confectionary products are expected to boost the demand for sodium caseinate, thus driving the growth of sodium caseinate market. Changing consumer lifestyle has increased dependency on processed, pre-cooked and packed foods, which in turn is expected to drive the demand for sodium caseinate over the forecast period.
The major concern with sodium caseinate is that it contains milk protein, which, in certain cases, is likely to cause allergic reaction. Regulatory bodies such as U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have strongly denounced the consumption of products with sodium caseinate to people who are sensitive to lactose. All these factors are anticipated to hamper the increase in use of sodium caseinate, thus negatively impacting the global sodium caseinate market over the forecast period.
Sodium Caseinate Market: Segmentation
There are various perspectives of understanding the sodium caseinate market segmentation. Some of the examples of such breakdown include sodium caseinate market segmentation on the basis of grade, application and end use industry.
Sodium caseinate market segmentation on the basis of grade,
Food grade
Industrial grade
Sodium caseinate market segmentation on the basis of application,
Food additive
Emulsifiers
Free fat stabilizers
Others
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Sodium caseinate market segmentation on the basis of end use industry,
Food and beverages
Pharmaceuticals
Cosmetics
Chemical
Others
Dairy products
Bakery and confectionery products
Ready to eat food products
Frozen food products
Others
Sodium Caseinate Market: Regional Outlook
North America is expected to account for a larger market share in the global sodium caseinate market over the forecast period. This can mainly be attributed to increasing demand for packed and ready to eat food products in this region. Asia Pacific is expected to witness a rapid growth in global sodium caseinate market over the forecast period. Growing demand for packed foods, is in turn expected to drive the growth of sodium caseinate.
Sodium Caseinate Market: Market Participants
The competition landscape for sodium caseinate market is majorly marked by the presence of small scale players or unorganized players. Some of the market participants identified in the value chain of global sodium caseinate market are Nutra Food Ingredients LLC, Farbest Brands, FrieslandCampina DMV, AMCO Proteins, Erie Foods, Clover Fonterra Ingredients Proprietary Limited, Charotar Casein Company among others.
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