Good Morning: January 2025

Friday, January 31, 2025

Recall notification on MKU V-C Search Committee, says R.N. Ravi

The Higher Education Department issued a G.O. notifying the search committee on January 9.

The Hindu Bureau 31.01.2025

CHENNAI

Governor-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University R.N. Ravi has called on the State government to recall the notification it has issued on the constitution of a Vice-Chancellor Search Committee for the university.

In a statement, the Raj Bhavan said the government’s notification “is in difference to the search committee” the Governor had constituted and sent for issuing notification. Mr. Ravi had constituted a committee that included the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman’s nominee, besides those of the Chancellor, the Syndicate, and the Senate of the university, “as per the provisions of the Madurai Kamaraj University Act, 1965, and as per the prevailing regulations of the UGC, 2018, which is held to be mandatory by the Supreme Court.”

He had directed the State government to notify the constitution of the committee through a letter dated December 16, 2024, consisting of four members, with the Chancellor’s nominee as the convener. The Higher Education Department, however, issued a Government Order (G.O.) on January 9, notifying the search committee but “deliberately excluded the UGC Chairman’s nominee, in violation of the Supreme Court judgment,” the statement said.

It cited the case of Prof. (Dr) Sreejith P.S. vs. Dr. Rajasree M.S. and others (Civil Appeal numbers 7634-7635 of 2022, SLP(c) Nos, 21108-21109 of 2021) that any Vice-Chancellor appointment made on the recommendation of a search committee constituted without adhering to the provisions of the UGC Regulations shall be void ab initio.

Server Busy’: Is DeepSeek Really Competing With Chat GPT?

DeepSeek, China's artificial intelligence chatbot that rose to compete with OpenAI's Chat GPT, has been making the headlines ever since China released the software across multiple app stores.

By: Srishti Mukherjee

January 29, 2025 1:10 pm Asia/KolkataIST, Updated 2 days ago

DeepSeek, China's AIchatbot that rose to compete with OpenAI's Chat GPT, has been making the headlines ever since its release

DeepSeek, China’s artificial intelligence chatbot that rose to compete with OpenAI’s Chat GPT, has been making the headlines ever since China released the software across multiple app stores. But is it really as good as it seems?

While DeepSeek promises to produce results comparable to other modern LLMs, such as OpenAI’s GPT-4o and o1, when in use, users have reported a lack of response from the DeepSeek servers after the initial few attempts. “It responded to my prompt twice before it started saying that the server is busy and this continued for the next half hour. How much does one wait? I swiched back to Chat GPT for my assignment,” said a user.

DeepSeek’s Servers Busy

While DeepSeek had a good user response in the first few days of its release, the online users are beginning to find it difficult to get responses from the Chinese chatbot. Users have stated that they have to refresh the chat multiple times and give the prompt again and again until the chatbot offers a response.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

NEWS TODAY 30.01.2025

Classroom ‘wedding’ with student puts Bengal college prof in a spot

Poulami Roy Banerjee & Ashis Poddar | TNN 3.01.2025

Kolkata/Haringhata : An assistant professor of applied psychology at Bengal’s Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology has been sent on leave & ordered to face an inquiry over a set of viral videos showing her decked out as a bride & exchanging garlands with a first-year student during a purported “wedding psychodrama” inside a classroom.

Payal Banerjee, the teacher seen in the videos, said Wednesday that she had resigned and would be initiating legal action against “a jealous colleague” allegedly out to malign her. She said her students con ceptualised the mock wedding as part of a freshers’ welcome event on Jan 16 and that she played along, not knowing a scandal would erupt over videos allegedly circulated by her unnamed colleague. “They (the students) requ ested me to play the main character, and I agreed.

Other faculty members knew about it and agreed to the programme; no one objected then. My first-year students and I acted per the script. There was nothing serious about it,” she said. An e-invitation designed for the “psychodrama” mentions Jan 9 as the date for the “haldi ceremony” and Jan 14 for “mehndi and sangeet”. The “wedding day” was Jan 20. The events purportedly took place inside the same classroom at the institute's campus in Haringhata, around 60km from Kolkata. Interim vice-chancellor Tapas Chakrabarty said the inquiry committee consists of five faculty members.

‘Egregious error’ done by HC, state govt‘responsible’ for it: SC

JUDGES HUMANS, THEY MAKE MISTAKES TOO: SC

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesofindia.com 30.01.2025

New Delhi : Though admitting that Punjab and Haryana high court committed ‘egregious error’ by reversing acquittal order of three people by invoking its revisional jurisdiction, not allowed as per law, and that too without granting them a hearing, Supreme Court, however on Wednesday blamed state govt for it as the public prosecutor did not correct the judge during proceedings.

Reversing the order of the high court which led the accused unjustly subjected to rigorous imprisonment for over three months before SC intervened, a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan directed the state to pay them ₹5 lakh each as compensation. “Judges are human beings and at times they do commit mistakes. The sheer pressure of work at times may lead to such errors. At the same time, the defence counsel as well as the public prosecutor owes a duty to correct the court if the court is falling in some error and for all this, we hold the state govt responsible. It is the state govt who appointed the concerned public prosecutor. The state govt should be asked to pay compensation to the three appellants herein,” the bench said.

The bench noted various defects both on procedural aspect as well as law point while convicting them to 20 years after they were acquitted by trial court, including ‘shocking aspect’ of HC relying upon the police statement of a witness under Section 161 of the CrPC instead of his oral testimony before the trial court. Putting the blame on the prosecutor for not correcting the HC, the court said, “the public prosecutor instead of assisting the learned Judges in the right direction by pointing out the correct position of law went to the extent of praying before the court that the appellants herein deserved capital punishment. It is a different thing that high court rejected the prayer.” Full report on www.toi.in

TN clears way for minibuses to operate on 2,000 routes Several City Suburbs Too Will Get Private Buses

Ram.Sundaram@timesofindia.com 30.01.2025

Chennai : Private minibuses have been given the goa head to operate on 2,000 routes, including areas in Chennai such as Thoraipakkam, Alandur, Ambattur, Manali and Thiruvottiyur. The move, aimed at improving first and last-mile connectivity, comes after finalising fares for existing operators. Under the newly notified comprehensive minibus scheme, 2024, permits will be issued to private operators running 25-seater minibuses on routes where govt-run services are absent or inadequate. As per the transport department’s order dated Jan 24, any locality must have at least four daily bus trips. If state-run services, including Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) Villupuram, fail to meet this requirement, private operators will be allowed to step in.

District collectors across TN have identified close to 2,000 routes till date. District collectors will review applications from private operators and assess the necessity of minibuses before granting permits. Each selected route will ideally have a single operator, but if multiple applicants emerge, the permit will be awarded through drawing lots. Only high-demand routes with significant passenger traffic will allow multiple operators. Private minibuses will have a maximum operational distance of 25km, which can be extended by an additional km if a hospital, school, college, market, collectorate, taluk office or railway station is located near the terminal point. Commuters have welcomed the move, citing chronic connectivity gaps and the limited fleet of 140 small buses run by MTC. “We barely get one or two buses a day because most small buses serve only as Metrorail feeders. MTC had a monopoly for years and ignored requests to improve

services. This competition from private operators might finally push MTC to do better,” said Ganesh Babu, a resident-activist from Varadharajapuram, Tambaram. However, MTC, TNSTC and transport workers' unions have opposed the plan, arguing it will divert passengers away from govt run buses and impact revenue.

Ola, Uber services likely to be hit as cabbies plan strike

Jan 30, 2025, 04.01 AM IST

Chennai: Ride-hailing services are likely to be disrupted from Saturday as a section of auto and cab drivers plan to indefinitely boycott aggregators such as Ola and Uber, citing 25%-40% commissions that eat into their earnings.

Drivers stated they will continue operating through apps such as Namma Yatri that charge a fixed daily subscription fee instead of commissions. Meanwhile, auto drivers unaffiliated with any app-based service have announced their own fare structure 50 as base fare, followed by 18/km.

“We have been demanding a fare revision for 12 years, as directed by Madras high court, but state govt is yet to act. The transport minister has repeatedly said the proposal is awaiting cabinet approval,” said Zahir Hussain A, coordinator of the Confederation of Drivers’ Unions, Chennai.

Aggregator rules, meant to regulate peak-hour surcharges and commission percentages, have been stalled for years. “With commissions as high as 40%, we are sometimes forced to charge above the app-estimated fares, leading to conflicts with passengers. This indefinite strike and our new fare system aim to resolve these issues,” he added at a press conference on Wednesday.

Asked about possible govt action for not following the official fare structure, drivers said they were prepared to face consequences. “We have no choice. We need to sustain our livelihoods, pay rent, clear loans, and support our children’s education. We are not asking for crores from the govt, just a simple order announcing revised fares,” Hussain said.

The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. D Amit, a Mumbai native working in Taramani, recalled how auto drivers in Chennai never adhered to the fares fixed in 2013, even before ride-hailing apps gained popularity. “They didn’t even have fare meters and often overcharged passengers, especially newcomers to the city,” he said.

Week after praising TN, Governor Ravi now says women not safe in Chennai

Week after praising TN, Governor Ravi now says women not safe in Chennai Addressing the inaugural session of the annual All India Women's Conference a

https://www.dtnext.in/news/tamilnadu/tn-guv-ravi-expresses-concern-over-womens-safety-in-chennai-contradicting-earlier-praise-821062

Guv says Chennai seen as unsafe for women, calls for better safety

TNN | Jan 30, 2025, 03.59 AM IST

Chennai: Governor R N Ravi said female students, who won gold medals in Tamil Nadu state universities, felt that Chennai was not safe for women, and that steps should be taken to make cities, including tier-2 and tier-3 cities, safer for them.

Addressing the 93rd annual All India Women’s Conference in Chennai on Wednesday, governor said the term ‘women’s empowerment’ sounded condescending and did not resonate with him. He said women’s empowerment was being talked about for ages, since pre-Independence and after Independence.

“We held conferences, made rules and regulations, but they eventually proved to be ineffective and insignificant because we did not address the fundamentals of the issue,” the governor said.

He said as chancellor of state universities, he found that education was not the problem and girl students outnumbered boys even in the gold medal category. But when he interacted with girls, who won gold medals and discussed their aspirations, they told him with tears in their eyes that their parents did not think Chennai was safe for them.

“Although there are more gold medallists among female students, we still don’t find their representation adequate because educated women face major challenges,” the governor said. To bridge this gap, creche and playschool facilities should be institutionalised, and awareness should be created to make men share responsibilities, he said. Even when it came to children with autism or the elderly, it was the women who took care of them. So, women’s organisations should come up with solutions to these problems and create awareness, he said.

Airtel brings recharge plan for SMS and calls, you will get 365 days validity

ByShyamu Maurya

January 28, 2025

Airtel brings recharge plan for SMS and calls, you will get 365 days validity

Airtel has launched two new prepaid plans for users who use only voice calls and SMS services. Following TRAI’s instructions, telecom companies were asked to introduce plans that are specifically designed keeping in mind keypad phone users

Smartphone deals

Airtel has launched two new prepaid plans for users who only use voice calls and SMS services. Following TRAI’s instructions, telecom companies were asked to introduce plans that are specifically designed keeping in mind keypad phone users. The price of these new plans is Rs 1,849 and Rs 469. The special thing is that no data benefits are being given in these.

Rs 1,849 prepaid plan

Validity: 365 days

Benefits:

Unlimited calling

3,600 SMS

Free Hello Tunes subscription

Access to Airtel Xstream

Smartphone deals

Apollo 24/7 Circle membership for three months

This plan is perfect for those looking for long validity. It can be purchased from the Airtel app, offline stores and third-party platforms.

Rs 469 prepaid plan

Validity: 84 days

Benefits:

Unlimited calling

100 SMS per day

Free Hello Tunes subscription

Three months of Apollo 24/7 Circle membership

This plan is a cheaper alternative to the Rs 1,849 plan, but there is no data benefit in it.

Reliance Jio’s voice-only plan

Like Airtel, Reliance Jio has also introduced special plans for voice and SMS. Jio’s Rs 458 plan comes with a validity of 84 days. It includes unlimited calling and 1,000 SMS.

Why are these plans special?

These plans are great for those users who only use calling and SMS. Especially those using keypad phones will get a lot of relief from these plans. Both Airtel and Jio have launched these plans keeping in mind the users of this segment.

Smartphone deals

Parasakthi: Another Ugly War Cooking?

By Manaswini K Updated 20:15 January 29, 2025

In the Tamil industry, title disputes between two stars are nothing new, but when the same title is needed for two films, it inevitably stirs up heated debates. This is exactly what’s happening now, as the title Parashakthi is causing a battle between two big projects. Sivakarthikeyan’s upcoming pan-India periodic drama with Sudha Kongara was recently confirmed with the title Parasakthi.

On the same day, another film titled Parashakthi, starring Vijay Antony and directed by Shakti Tirumagan, also made waves with its official announcement and poster release. This created confusion as both films now share the same title.

Adding fuel to the fire, Vijay Antony’s film had registered the Parashakthi title with the South Indian Film Chamber on July 22, 2024, and this fact has been posted on social media which means Sivakarthikeyan’s film might have to go for a different title. A few associations have voiced concerns, citing that Parashakthi is a classic 1952 film that holds a historical significance in Tamil cinema. They demand that the title should not be reused, although no legal actions have been initiated yet.

Currently, it seems that Vijay Antony’s film is on track for an early summer 2024 release. The issue now revolves around the potential confusion among audiences if Sivakarthikeyan’s movie retains the same title. The industry is eagerly awaiting to see if the two stars will reach a compromise, or if one of them will relent.

Parashakthi is considered a cult title in Tamil cinema, much like Sholay in Hindi and Maya Bazaar in Telugu, and it holds a special place in the hearts of fans. This situation raises questions about the use of such iconic titles for commercial films with mixed reactions among Tamil film audiences. While similar disputes have occurred in Telugu cinema over classic names like Missamma, Shankarabharanam, and Adivi Ramudu, they have not resulted in major confrontations. The big question remains: Will Sivakarthikeyan’s project keep the title, or will they change it? And if both stars remain adamant, will this dispute end up in court? Only time will tell.

Read more at: https://www.m9.news/tamil-movie-news/sivakarthikeyans-parasakthi-vs-vijay-antonys-parashakthi-another-ugly-war-cooking/

WhatsApp no longer supports old versions of iOS: what you need to know.

JournalistSvyatenko Tamara

yesterday, 11:28210

Updated iOS versions are not supported by WhatsApp

WhatsApp for iPhone no longer supports old versions of iOS. In the new beta version of the app for iOS (version 25.2.10.72) via TestFlight, users must have iOS 15.1 or a newer version of the operating system. It was noted that support for old versions of iOS will be discontinued on May 5, 2025.

This means that users of the standard WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business versions who do not update their devices will no longer be able to send messages or make calls. To check your iOS version, you need to go to your smartphone settings and view device information.

If the iOS version is 15.1 or higher, everything will work without issues. However, if the version is lower, you need to update iOS or consider buying a new iPhone.

The restrictions will affect owners of iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, and older models with iOS 14 and below.

With ₹1000-crore loss and 223 flops, 2024 spelled one of the worst years for Tamil cinema

ByLatha Srinivasan

Jan 29, 2025 02:53 PM IST

Tamil cinema faced a disappointing 2024, with producers losing ₹1000 crore despite spending ₹3000 crore on 241 films.

Though Tamil cinema celebrated the success of several movies in 2024 like Amaran, Maharaja and Garudan, the year was, in fact, one of the most disappointing ones for the Tamil film industry. According to reports, nearly ₹3000 crore was spent by Tamil film producers in 2024 on making films but producers and distributors eventually ended up incurring an overall loss of around ₹1000 crore. Of the 241 films released last year, only about 18 films were successful at the box office meaning that 223 failed. Now, Kollywood is hoping that 2025 will be a better year and some are looking to recalibrate content while others are focusing on budgets. But what led to this humungous loss for producers in 2024? Was it the content, quality of films and/or audience fatigue that made the year a challenging one for filmmakers? ire Song: Suriya in a still from Kanguva. The film failed to impress at the box office.

Dominos fall

One of the major factors attributed to the ₹1000 crore loss by producers is the fact that numerous big budget films - with stars like Suriya, Kamala Haasan and Rajiniaknth no less - unexpectedly sank at the box office. Take Suriya’s much-hyped pan-Indian flick Kanguva for instance. Reportedly made on a budget of ₹350 crore, the film was extensively promoted across India with the producer KE Gnanavel Raja confident that the movie would post at least ₹1000 crore at the box office on release. Unfortunately, it bit the dust and Kanguva managed just to make just a shocking ₹106 crore. Director Shankar’s Indian 2 was said to have been made on a budget of ₹250 crore but it collected only around ₹150 crore at the box office. The audience rejected these films, as well as other big films like Rajinikanth’s Vettaiyan, sending Kollywood into a tizzy.