Tag: Ladakh News

Iran sentences couple for over 10 years in prison after dancing in public

[ad_1]
Tehran: An Iranian couple was sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail on Tuesday for dancing in Azadi Square in Iran’s capital Tehran.
The Instagram influencers— 21-year-old Astiyazh Haghigi and her fiancee 22-year-old Amir-Mohammad Ahmadi, shared a video of themselves dancing in the streets.
Astiyazh Haghigi (right) with her fiance, Amir Mohammad Ahmadi. Photo: Instagram
The 16-second video clip, posted on Instagram, showed the couple dancing romantically without the fiancee wearing a headscarf, which activists considered a symbol of defiance of the regime.
Haghigi did not wear a headscarf in defiance of the strict dress code imposed on women in Iran, where women are not allowed to dance in public or mix with men.
Watch the video below
Haghigi and Ahmadi were reportedly arrested on November 10 in 2022, after their video went viral.
Tehran court sentenced each of them to ten years and six months in prison, a two-year ban from using the internet, and a two-year ban from leaving the country, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Protests in Iran continues
Iran has been witnessing protests since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, on September 16, after she was arrested in Tehran by the morality police on suspicion of not respecting the country’s dress code.
The demonstrations involved people from all walks of life and different sects in Iran after Amini’s killing.

Iranian women are at the fore in the demonstrations, in which many young people participate, to chants of “Woman life freedom” and “Death to the dictator.”
The protests represent one of the country’s boldest challenges since the 1979 revolution.
[ad_2]
#Iran #sentences #couple #years #prison #dancing #public
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Saudi Arabia: American comedian Kevin Hart to perform in Riyadh
[ad_1]
Riyadh: The famous American comedian Kevin Hart is set to perform in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of his Reality Check tour of the Middle East.
Kevin Hart will perform a one-off concert on Saturday, February 25th, at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh City Boulevard.
Hart concerts in the Middle East
Cairo on February 21, 2023
Abu Dhabi on February 22, 2023
Sakhir in Bahrain on February 24, 2023
Riyadh, February 25, 2023
43-year-old Kevin Hart is considered one of the most prominent international faces in stand-up comedy shows and has a high audience in various countries of the world, as the halls and stands in which he presents his creations are filled with fans of stand-up comedy art.
During his career, Hart achieved many international awards, and was nominated for Emmy and Grammy Awards, while tickets for his performances are highly competitive as soon as they are released.
Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Saudi #Arabia #American #comedian #Kevin #Hart #perform #Riyadh
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )
February 1, 2023
Saudi Arabia to sponsor FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

[ad_1]
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s tourist authority is reportedly set to be sponsor of FIFA’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year, local media reported.
Visit Saudi is expected to join global brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa under FIFA’s new “commercial partnership structure”.
🚨 Visit Saudi to be unveiled as sponsor of 2023 Women’s World Cup. Brands other than FIFA’s long-term partners (Coca-Cola, adidas etc) offered chance to endorse event & Gulf nation’s tourist board will have its name to 1st 32-team #FIFAWWC @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/0Hz6KEuAhN
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 30, 2023
The 2023 Women’s World Cup competitions in Australia and New Zealand will start on July 20, and will end on August 20.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup will witness for the first time an increase in the number of teams to 32 teams, and also for the first time that it will be held in two countries, after it was 24 teams in the 2019 edition in France.
Despite the huge strides women’s football has made in recent years, the announcement that Visit Saudi will become the headline sponsor has sparked condemnation.
In recent years, the Kingdom has been criticized for its record on human rights and women’s rights.
In 2022, it was ranked as the second worst human rights violation worldwide by Human Rights Watch due to the execution of 81 men in one day.
This sponsorship will be the latest in a series of major sports investments by Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has begun to enter the women’s football arena with full force since the country implemented its ambitious plan for Saudi Vision 2030, as the country has two degrees of competition, through the Women’s Premier League with the participation of 8 teams, and the First Division League with the participation of 17 teams.
At the beginning of this year— 2023, Saudi Arabia organized the first international women’s football championship, under the name — Women’s International Friendly Championship 2023 in the Saudi city of Khobar, which witnessed the participation of Mauritius, Comoros, Pakistan and the Saudi landowner, who won the title.
In June 2022, the country organized the West Asian Championship for Futsal Women 2022 in Jeddah, which ended with the landowner winning the runner-up, in exchange for the championship title going to the Iraqi national team.
Women were allowed to attend football matches in Saudi Arabia for the first time in 2018, and the country introduced a women-only national football team for the first time in 2022.

[ad_2]
#Saudi #Arabia #sponsor #FIFA #Womens #World #Cup
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Amit Jogi calls on KCR in Hyderabad

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: Janata Congress party President Amit Jogi on Wednesday called on Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao here.
The son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, along with his party leaders, held a meeting with KCR.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Jogi discussed with CM KCR Telangana’s development, political developments taking place in the country, and national affairs.
He was curious to know about the aims and objectives of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and KCR explained these to him.
Jogi, who felt the need for alternative political forces in national politics, welcomed the formation of the BRS national party. He congratulated KCR for setting the Telangana governance as a role model for the country in a short time and working hard to make Telangana at the forefront of the country in the fields of welfare and development.
He also presented the autobiography of his father to KCR.
Janata Congress Party has three MLAs in the Chhattisgarh Assembly.

Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Amit #Jogi #calls #KCR #Hyderabad
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Saudi Arabia to host 2027 Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Cup

[ad_1]
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday, announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) won the hosting of the 2027 Asian Nations Cup, for the first time in its history, since its inception in 1956.
This came during the work of the 33rd Congress of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which kicked off on Wednesday, February 1, in the Bahraini capital, Manama.
The Kingdom was the only bid presented at the Congress in Manama after India’s withdrawal in December 2022.
After the announcement, the Saudi Al-Ekhbariya channel quoted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying, “This victory is an opportunity to create the future of football in the Kingdom and the continent of Asia, and we look forward with determination to open new horizons for Asian football.”
The Saudi Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, expressed, in a speech on the occasion, his country’s welcome to the countries of Asia in 2027, stressing that “the Kingdom is making great strides in hosting the largest international sporting events.”
The Saudi Arabia 2027 committee concerned with the Saudi file to host the 2027 Asian Nations Cup on Wednesday revealed the new and developed stadiums that will be worked on to host the tournament.
هل تخيّلت يومًا أن هذه “الدرّة” بإمكانها أن تصبح أكثر جمالًا؟ 🤩
◉ رفع عدد المقاعد
◉ إزالة المضمار
◉ مرافق جديدة
في #السعودية2027: سيظهر استاد الملك فهد بهذا الشكل 🔥😍 pic.twitter.com/GACbzctxoO
— Saudi 2027 (@saudi2027) February 1, 2023
On October 17, the AFC Executive Committee selected a shortlist of those wishing to host the continental event held once every four years, which included Saudi Arabia and India, but the final decision to be made by the General Assembly, postponed it until early February.
The Kingdom obtained the vote of 43 countries to organize the 2027 Asian Nations Cup out of 45 votes, and Palestine and Turkmenistan abstained from voting.

It is noteworthy that Qatar will host the next edition of the Asian Cup, from June 26 to July 16, 2023.

[ad_2]
#Saudi #Arabia #host #Asian #Football #Confederations #Asian #Cup
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
FM proposes to do away with tax exemptions on high value life insurance policies

[ad_1]
New Delhi: Maturities of life insurance policies with an annual premium of Rs 5 lakh and above taken after April 2023 will now be taxed after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman removed the tax exemptions on them.
For better targeting of tax concessions and exemptions, Sitharaman in her Budget on Wednesday proposed to cap deduction from capital gains on investment in the residential house to Rs 10 crore.
“Another proposal with similar intent is to limit income tax exemption from proceeds of insurance policies with very high value,” she said.
The proposal is “to provide that where aggregate of premium for life insurance policies (other than ULIP) issued on or after 1st April 2023, is above Rs 5 lakh, income from only those policies with aggregate premium up to Rs 5 lakh shall be exempt”.
This will not affect the tax exemption provided to the amount received on the death of a person insured. It will also not affect insurance policies issued till March 31, 2023, the minister said.
Nidhi Manchanda, Certified Financial Planner, Head of Training, Research & Development at Fintoo, said that one of the major setbacks that are given in the finance bill is related to the taxability of the maturity proceeds of a life insurance policy.
“One should note that if an individual has more than one life insurance policy, which is issued on or after the 1st of April 2023 and also if the aggregate amount of premium of such policies exceeds Rs 5 lakh, then the maturity amount will be taxable,” Manchanda said.
The memorandum to the Finance Bill 2023 said that over the years, it has been observed that several high net-worth individuals are misusing the exemption provided under clause (10D) of section 10 of the Act by investing in policies having large premium contributions (as it is acting as an investment policy) and claiming exemption on the sum received under such life insurance policies.

Kapil Mehta, a co-founder, SecureNow Insurance Broker, said the proposal will dampen the interest of individuals to buy high-value traditional insurance. The government’s proposal may, however, increase the focus on term plans and pure risk covers, which is good.
“A concern is that it should not result in a significant shift towards purely investment-oriented unit link insurances,” he said.
Following the announcement in the Budget Speech, shares of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company dropped 10.97 per cent to close at Rs 402.55 on the BSE.
HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd fell 10.96 per cent, Max Financial Services Ltd (9.45 per cent), SBI Life Insurance Company Ltd (9.31 per cent) and Life Insurance Corporation of India (8.38 per cent).
Life insurance stocks witnessed significant selling-on-demand concerns as the budget proposals made life insurance schemes less appealing as a tax-saving instrument, said Cyril Charly, Research analyst at Geojit Financial Services.
In order to curb misuse of the existing provisions, the memorandum said: “It is proposed to tax income from insurance policies (other than ULIP for which provisions already exist) having premium or aggregate of premium above Rs 5,00,000 in a year. Income is proposed to be exempt if received on the death of the insured person”.
The minister also proposed that a TDS at the rate of 20 per cent will apply on the withdrawal of taxable components from Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme in case of non-submission of PAN. Currently, such withdrawals attract TDS at the rate of 30 per cent.
[ad_2]
#proposes #tax #exemptions #high #life #insurance #policies
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Morbi bridge collapse: Oreva group MD Jaysukh Patel sent in 7-day police custody

[ad_1]
Morbi: A court in Gujarat’s Morbi town on Wednesday sent managing director of Oreva Group Jaysukh Patel in seven-day police custody in a case related to the Morbi suspension bridge collapse which claimed 135 lives last year.
Chief Judicial Magistrate M J Khan sent Patel in the custody of the special investigation team (SIT) formed by the state government to probe the case till February 8.
The SIT had sought a 14-day remand, government prosecutor Sanjay Vora told reporters.
As many as 135 people were killed and many others injured when a suspension bridge on a river collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi town on October 30, 2022.
Patel, whose company was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the bridge, surrendered before the court on Tuesday evening after the court issued an arrest warrant against him. He was later arrested by the police.
As part of maintenance, the company carried out only cosmetic repairs of the bridge rather than changing the cable wires, the prosecution told the court, Vora said.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Morbi #bridge #collapse #Oreva #group #Jaysukh #Patel #7day #police #custody
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Morbi bridge collapse: Oreva group MD Jaysukh Patel sent to 7-day police custody

[ad_1]
Morbi: A court in Gujarat’s Morbi town on Wednesday sent managing director of Oreva Group Jaysukh Patel in seven-day police custody in a case related to the Morbi suspension bridge collapse which claimed 135 lives last year.
Chief Judicial Magistrate M J Khan sent Patel in the custody of the special investigation team (SIT) formed by the state government to probe the case till February 8.
The SIT had sought a 14-day remand, government prosecutor Sanjay Vora told reporters.
As many as 135 people were killed and many others injured when a suspension bridge on a river collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi town on October 30, 2022.
Patel, whose company was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the bridge, surrendered before the court on Tuesday evening after the court issued an arrest warrant against him. He was later arrested by the police.
As part of maintenance, the company carried out only cosmetic repairs of the bridge rather than changing the cable wires, the prosecution told the court, Vora said.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Morbi #bridge #collapse #Oreva #group #Jaysukh #Patel #7day #police #custody
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Hyderabad: 2 booked for death of 5 cows, 3 bulls by RGIA police

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) police has booked a case against two truck drivers following the death of five cows and three bulls during shifting to a slaughter house at Bahadurpura.
On Wednesday early hours, the RGIA sub inspector Dasari Apparao was on night patrol at Kishanguda flyover when he along with other policemen noticed a truck passing by suspiciously.
The sub inspector immediately stopped the lorry and checked that nearly 74 cattle were found – 51 cows and 23 bulls.
“Five cows and three bulls were found dead and the driver Syed Javid and Ibrahim Khan on instructions of a truck owner Imran transported the cattle from Hanuman Junction in Eluru to Bahadurpura,” said J Suheela, sub inspector, RGIA police station.
“In that truck 74 cattle were tied together, one on top of the other so that they could not breathe and they covered the lorry with tarpaulin sheet,” J Suheela added.
A case is booked under Sections 5,6,10, r/w 11 of Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act 1997, and Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Hyderabad #booked #death #cows #bulls #RGIA #police
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Google testing ChatGPT-like products, including chatbot Apprentice Bard

[ad_1]
San Francisco: Google is testing ChatGPT-like products, which use its LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) technology, media reports said.
Under new AI-powered chat products, the tech giant is testing a chatbot called “Apprentice Bard,” where employees can ask questions and receive detailed answers similar to ChatGPT, also a new search desktop design that could be used in a question-and-answer form, reports CNBC, citing sources.
The testing follows an all-hands meeting where employees expressed concerns about the company’s competitive edge in AI, given the sudden popularity of ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, a Microsoft-backed startup.
Moreover, Google’s parent company Alphabet is working on a project under its cloud unit called Atlas, which is a “code red” response to ChatGPT, the large-language chatbot that took the public by storm late last year, said the report.
Further, it mentioned that Apprentice Bard, which looks similar to ChatGPT, includes a feature in which answers can include recent events, which ChatGPT doesn’t have yet.
“As a result of ChatGPT, the LaMDA team has been asked to prioritise working on a response to ChatGPT,” read one internal memo viewed by CNBC.
“In the short term, it takes precedence over other projects,” the email said.
Apprentice Bard took the place of “Meena”, a previous version of a smart chatbot that had been launched internally but was later discontinued, said the report.

Meanwhile, Microsoft announced a multi-year, multi-billion dollar investment in OpenAI, the developer behind AI-driven ChatGPT which has become a rage.The tech giant, which infused $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019, did not divulge the investment amount in the “third phase of our long-term partnership with OpenAI”. Earlier reports had claimed Microsoft may infuse up to $10 billion in OpenAI.
[ad_2]
#Google #testing #ChatGPTlike #products #including #chatbot #Apprentice #Bard
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023