Google launches paid-for news platform in Australia

Google launches paid-for news platform in Australia

Canberra:  07.02.2021 

Google on Friday launched a platform in Australia offering news it has paid for, striking its own content deals with publishers in a drive to show legislation proposed by Canberra to enforce payments, a world first, is unnecessary.

Only rolled out previously in Brazil and Germany, the News Showcase platform was originally slated for launch last June. But Alphabet-owned Google delayed plans when Canberra moved to make it a legal requirement for Google and Facebook to pay Australian media firms for content, unprecedented anywhere else in the world.

The tech firm, still lobbying the Australian government in private meetings, has previously said was the legislation was “unworkable” and would force it to pull out of the country altogether if implemented. With the legislation now before a parliamentary inquiry, Friday’s launch of News Showcase in Australia will see it pay seven domestic outlets to use their content.

Financial details of the content deals weren’t disclosed.

Google said on Friday it looked forward to striking deals with more Australian publishers, whose position has been bolstered by Canberra’s aggressive push back against Facebook and Google. Google declined to add further comment.

“This provides an alternative to model put forward by the Australian government,” said Derek Wilding, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney’s Centre for Media Transition. “What remains to be seen is if larger publishers sign on to the product,” he said.

Under Canberra’s proposed legislation, Google and Facebook would have to pay Australian publishers and broadcasters for content.While Google’s public stance on potentially leaving the country remains firm, Australia’s treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Google’s approach had been “constructive” in recent days during private meetings. “The PM (Scott Morrison) and myself... had a very constructive discussion with the head of Google just yesterday.... they re-committed to Australia, we re-committed (to the legislation).” REUTERS

‘25 nations in queue for Indian vaccine’

‘25 nations in queue for Indian vaccine’

Amaravati: 07.02.2021 

India has so far supplied COVID-19 vaccine to 15 countries and another 25 nations are in the queue at different levels for the jab, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Saturday.

He said there are three categories of countries which are keen to get the vaccine from India- poor, price sensitive nations and other countries which directly deal with pharmaceutical companies that make the antidote.

"I think right now we have already supplied to about 15 countries (as per my recollection).

I would say there would be another about 25 countries which are at different stages in the pipeline. But what it has done is today it has put India on the map of the world," Jaishankar told reporters in a press conference.

The minister said some poor countries are being supplied the vaccine on a grant basis while some nations wanted it on par with the price that the Indian Government pays to the vaccine makers.

Some countries have direct contracts with the Indian vaccine producing companies and have negotiated commercially, he said.

The Centre has already given the nod for two COVID-19 vaccines-- Covaxin of city-based Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford, being manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune, which are being administered to frontline workers from January 16, under Emergency Use Authorisation. PTI

WHO hails India’s Covid measures

Acclaiming public health measures taken by India and its significant progress in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, director-general of WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has suggested that other countries could adopt similar methods to tackle the disease. Tedros said: “This shows us that if we can do these simple public health solutions, we can beat the virus...With vaccines being added, we would even expect better outcomes.” TNN

She ditched medical for agri, bags 12 gold medals!

AAU CONVOCATION

She ditched medical for agri, bags 12 gold medals!

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Vadodara/Anand:  07.02.2021 

Clinching the highest number of 12 gold medals at Anand Agricultural University’s 17th annual convocation, this student showcased why she preferred a not-so popular course for farmers’ prosperity, when she could have easily got into any of the choicest medical colleges after Class XII.

Meet Radhika Ghetiya, a native of Rajkot, whose cap of feathers is shini ng bright from her brilliant performance on Thursday. Currently, she is studying agricultural statistics at AAU. “I could have become a doctor but chose agricultural sciences as I want to pursue further research in the field and use it for the benefits of farmers,” said Ghetiya. Forty other students of AAU too received gold medals and cash prizes. In all 686 students received their graduation, post-graduation and doctorates degree at the convocation.

“As the environment is fast changing, the young minds should conduct more research for its protection,” said Acharya Devvrat, Gujarat governor and chancellor of the university, in his convocational address.

He also added that traditional Indian methods of agricultural methods should be used for farming to bring the change.

“The young generation should come forward and strengthen agri supply chains to overcome changes and problems in the sector,” said R S Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) who was the chief guest.

Radhika Ghetiya

HC tells college to pay student ₹25k

HC tells college to pay student ₹25k

Institute Had Failed To Cancel His Admission

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:07.02.2021

The Gujarat high court ordered an ayurveda college to pay Rs 25,000 to a student besides the fees for retaining his admission even after Gujarat Ayurveda University cancelled his admission and ordered that his fees be returned.

The case involved Utsav Patel, who cleared his board exams in 2019 with 43.9% and got admission to the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course at JS Ayurveda Mahavidhyalaya in Nadiad. Patel cleared the NEET exam and got admission in the all-India quota through the centralized admission process.

When the university learned that students had been admitted to BAMS courses despite scoring less than 50% in the board exams, which is the minimum eligibility for admission. In February 2020, the university informed the colleges to cancel such admissions and return their fees to the students. The college did not do this for three months.

When Patel learned of the university’s decision to cancel his admission, he moved the high court stating that it was not his fault and that he paid fees and continued to attend classes online during the lockdown. The university as well as the central government reiterated that the admission was cancelled because the student did not fulfill the eligibility criteria. Moreover, Patel was not the only student whose admission was cancelled.

The college, on the other hand, expressed ignorance about the affair. This infuriated Justice Biren Vaishnav, who observed, “Much could be said about the recalcitrance and negligence of the college for which the student has suffered but for the college granting admission in the face of him being ineligible and the petitioner being constrained to approach this court and particularly when the petitioner continued to pursue his studies albeit online with the college’s stand being that it only was an executing and implementing authority shows a complete indiscreet response.”

The court rejected the student’s petition against admission cancellation, but ordered the college to pay Rs 25,000 to him for forcing him into litigation.

Man beats wife for SUV money

Man beats wife for SUV money

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmeabad:07.02.2021

A woman from the Chandkheda filed a case of domestic violence against her husband and five in-laws on Friday alleging that she was beaten often over a demand to seek dowry from her parents so that her husband could buy an SUV.

The woman, 27, states in her FIR with Chandkheda police that she got married to the man, 32, from IOC Road in Chandkheda on May 11, 2018.

“Earlier, I was living happily at my in-laws’ place but six months later my husband suddenly began demanding an SUV in dowry. He told me to get Rs 15 lakh from my father so that he could buy an SUV car,” she states in the FIR.

She states that her father sought time for some days to arrange the money, but her husband felt offended and created a ruckus at her parents’ home in inebriated condition.

After that incident, her father managed around Rs 2 lakh so that he could make the down payment for the SUV and assured the accused that he would pay the EMI. However, the accused spent all the money in booze parties with friends, she alleges in the FIR. She states that he again began seeking money from her father and as he could not give money again, he drover her away forcing her to stay at her parents’ place.

RGUHS CONVOCATION 2021

 

5 feel uneasy after jab, recover in hours

5 feel uneasy after jab, recover in hours

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Shivamogga:07.02.2021

Five nursing students experienced uneasiness after taking their first Covid-19 vaccine dose on Friday. They were admitted to McGann Teaching District Hospital in Shivamogga, but recovered the next morning. District health officer Rajesh Suragihalli said that it might be a case of anxiety.

The five, who study at a private nursing college, took the shot at McGann hospital in the morning and returned to their hostel. After lunch, they complained of uneasiness and a headache. One of them also spoke about breathing problems. The warden suggested that they should be immediately taken to the hospital.

Suragihalli said that initially, one student was brought to the hospital. Later, four others arrived. Doctors decided to keep them under observation for the night. “They were discharged early on Saturday. It may have been anxiety. So far, there have been no complaints of vaccine side effects in Shivamogga,” he added.

Two weeks ago, junior doctors from the Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences wrote to health minister K Sudhakar, saying the government should allow healthcare workers to choose from the two available vaccines. Earlier, a 60-year-old doctor, who had taken his first jab, passed away. Officials said the death was not linked to the vaccine.