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West Asia News Live: Gaza catastrophe, Iran's FIFA push, Turkiye-Syria realignment and more
UK ministers urged to help Gazan students with university scholarships
UK ministers are facing growing pressure to intervene for 40 students in Gaza who cannot take up full university scholarships in the UK due to bureaucratic obstacles, according to a report in The Guardian. The students are unable to provide required biometric data for their visas because of the ongoing conflict and lack of facilities, which prevents them from travelling for the September term. Following calls from MPs and campaigners, a high-level meeting was reportedly held at the Home Office on July 22 to address the situation, which has been described as life-threatening for some of the students.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Sights set on 2027 Gujarat polls, AAP sends cadres from Punjab
1 2 Jalandhar: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has sent its leaders and office-bearers from Punjab to Gujarat to work at the ground level and expand its base there. Although AAP workers have been going from Punjab to other states, including Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat, especially during electioneering, this time they were assigned the task of expanding the party's footprint in Gujarat two years ahead of the 2027 assembly election. Some AAP leaders and workers who have already reached the western state have posted pictures of themselves working in Gujarat or informing local supporters that they would be away in Gujarat. Some of these people include individuals who hold public offices in Punjab. Punjab Agri Export Corporation chairman Mangal Singh Bassi has been posting on his Facebook account pictures of his meetings with AAP functionaries and workers with the title 'Mission Gujarat AAP Zindabad'. Former Punjab SC Commission member and Jalandhar's Rampur village sarpanch Prabh Dyal posted on his Facebook account that he was assigned duty at Ahmedabad, so he would be away for 10-12 days. AAP functionaries from other districts have also been posting pictures from Gujarat. Having expanded its organisational structure in Punjab and created different wings, AAP has the scope for adjusting active workers to different posts from local to state level. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo It is learnt that most such appointees were picked for duties in Gujarat. The assembly election in Gujarat are expected to be held in Dec 2027, nine to ten months after Punjab. This seems akin to its earlier model implemented in Punjab when observers and several other party workers from other states, available with the party's central leadership in Delhi, were assigned duties in Punjab, especially from 2015 to the 2017 assembly election and then almost a year ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. Though Congress is the main opposition party in Gujarat, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has been trying to project his party as the main challenger to BJP there. At the beginning of this month, while addressing a party gathering in Ahmedabad, Kejriwal alleged a secret pact between Congress and BJP. "They meet in secret due to fear of society. Society won't accept their marriage. Be cautious of them, they are dangerous," he said. He made it clear that AAP was no longer a part of the INDIA bloc and emphasised it was limited to the 2024 parliament polls only. Now, also ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, AAP made it clear it had nothing to do with the opposition bloc. In the second week of this month, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann ridiculed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits and then called home minister Amit Shah "tadipaar", which made it an AAP versus BJP equation in Punjab, at the level of the narrative.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
To issue manual for new Income Tax Bill's digital searches, seizures, says CBDT Chief
Even as Parliament's Select Committee on the new Income Tax Bill retained the digital search and seizure provisions without any significant changes in its report this week, the Income Tax Department is in the process of defining tighter procedures to protect the privacy of the taxpayer after concerns were raised by digital rights activists. In an interview with The Indian Express, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Ravi Agrawal said the Tax Department is going to issue a manual that will outline the procedure for the analysis of digital evidence. 'From a regulatory point of view, statutory permissions are there which mandate the Tax Department to actually not part with the data in an unauthorised manner. It's a legal obligation…we have come out with the search and seizure manual. We are also coming up with the digital manual for analysis of digital evidence. There also we would be actually taking care of it. So, we will address it,' he said. Stating that it is a 'genuine concern' of the taxpayers, Agrawal said there is a mechanism wherein such information would be scrutinised in a sanitised environment by authorised people only. 'We are in the process of defining procedures wherein these things could be made more tight to take care of a taxpayer. It is a genuine concern of the taxpayer,' he said. The tax authorities, however, may face an issue during investigations as digital records would also include personal communications. For this, Agrawal said it would be the responsibility of the Tax Department to analyse just the relevant data and redact the rest. 'How do you investigate? There's a mobile, there is a personal chat also here, there's a financial transaction also. So, say, it's WhatsApp, it's both (personal and financial). You got to maintain the evidentiary value of this mobile also. It cannot be that at that point in time, you say I'll take this but I'll not take the other part. There would be continuity. So, therefore, to maintain the evidentiary value, you have got to capture the data in toto. But then once you have captured the data, it's the responsibility of the Tax Department to ensure that whatever investigation is done, only the relevant data is actually analysed, and the other data is redacted,' he said. Apart from the key concern of an infringement upon the right to privacy, stakeholders, in their suggestions to the Select Committee on the new Income Tax Bill, had flagged the need to define clear guidelines for the use of personal data obtained during searches; removal of the power to cover any person who is present in the premises of the search operation; and introduction of restrictions for protecting privileged communication such as those between husband and wife, with doctors/ lawyers etc. The Income Tax Bill, which was tabled in Lok Sabha in February this year, had defined 'virtual digital space' – in the powers to call for information during surveys, searches and seizures – as 'any digital realm that allows users to interact, communicate and perform activities' through computer technology. It had also allowed tax authorities to break open, or 'override' access controls, such as passwords, set up by users for digital communication on social media platforms, email services, and other communication on encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp. Aanchal Magazine is Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and reports on the macro economy and fiscal policy, with a special focus on economic science, labour trends, taxation and revenue metrics. With over 13 years of newsroom experience, she has also reported in detail on macroeconomic data such as trends and policy actions related to inflation, GDP growth and fiscal arithmetic. Interested in the history of her homeland, Kashmir, she likes to read about its culture and tradition in her spare time, along with trying to map the journeys of displacement from there. ... Read More
News18
5 hours ago
- News18
New Russian Law To Punish VPN Users, Track Search History For 'Extremist' Content
Last Updated: To define what constitutes 'extremist' content, the Ministry of Justice has released a list of over 500 pages. In a move to tighten internet censorship, Russia is working on a controversial new law that would punish individuals for searching online for 'extremist' content. The legislation was approved by the State Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, on July 22, and is now headed to the Federation Council for review, according to a report by Reuters. Once cleared, it will be sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin for final approval and is expected to come into effect on September 1. According to the Russian government, the law targets individuals who intentionally seek out banned or extremist content online, including those who use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass existing internet restrictions. The legislation is part of a broader crackdown on digital freedoms in the country. To define what constitutes 'extremist' content, the Ministry of Justice has released a list of over 500 pages including topics deemed illegal. This includes references to Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, the international LGBTQ+ movement, content supporting Ukraine, songs glorifying Ukrainian resistance, and even links to Meta Platforms, which operates Facebook and Instagram, both banned in Russia. Individuals found violating the new law by searching for restricted content may face fines ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles. Those found advertising or distributing VPN services could be fined 50,000 to 500,000 roubles. This legislation is the latest step in Russia's growing efforts to control the internet. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian authorities have banned or limited access to several social media platforms and foreign tech companies. Under the new law, law enforcement agencies would also have the authority to monitor users' search history and data from internet providers and mobile operators. Earlier, President Putin had called for restrictions on software and tech products from 'unfriendly countries," sparking fears that popular apps like WhatsApp could soon be banned. The law has faced backlash from the public and opposition lawmakers. In the State Duma, 14.9% of lawmakers voted against the bill, while 22 abstained — signaling internal dissent. Critics warn that the vague definition of 'extremist' content leaves room for abuse and could be expanded at the government's discretion. Still, Sergei Boyarsky, head of the Duma's information technology committee, defended the legislation. The Business Day cited him saying, 'This bill concerns a narrow group of people who look for extremist content because they are already one step away from extremism." view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 23:02 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
