The Assam government on Thursday placed in the assembly a detailed district-wise list of people whose names were excluded in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) currently being updated under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

The state government’s move came up in the House even though the top court had earlier asked the State Coordinator of National Registration (SCNR) to submit a report in a sealed cover, terming the issue as a “human problem with great magnitude”.

The list placed in the House showed that the percentage of names excluded from the draft NRC is higher in the districts bordering Bangladesh than other districts. 

Against Supreme Court’s direction

Under the Supreme Court’s directions, the first draft of the NRC was published on December 31, 2017 and the final draft on July 30, last year where 40 lakh odd people were left out.

On August 16, 2018, the Supreme Court had asked court-mandated coordinator Prateek Hajela to file “in a sealed cover, the percentage of the population in each district (district-wise) who have been left out of the final draft NRC,” Indian Express reported.

The Supreme Court on July 23 extended the deadline for publication of final NRC by a month to August 31.

Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC which was first prepared in 1951.

Exclusion higher in Bangladesh-bordering districts

Assam Accord Implementation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary laid the district-wise list of inclusion, rejection and non-inclusion of applicants’ names in the NRC.

The list showed the total number of applicants was 3,29,91,385 and out of which 40,07,717 names, which is 12.15 per cent, were not included.

According to the list, the percentage of non-inclusion of names in Bangladesh bordering districts of South Salmara was 7.22, Dhubri 8.26 and Karimganj 7.67.

In the non-border districts, the list showed Hojai and Darrang districts to have the highest non-inclusion rate at 32.99 per cent and 30.90 per cent, respectively.

“It is a matter of concern that the percentage of names excluded from the draft NRC is higher in the Bangladesh border districts than compared to the rest of the state,” Patowary said.

The SCNR came under fire from ruling BJP members in the state assembly, who expressed doubt whether a correct NRC will be published.

The treasury bench members claimed that the rate of exclusion of NRC applicants in the districts bordering Bangladesh was less than the state average - 12.15 per cent.

This is a proof that a section of the people residing in border districts of Assam has wrongly been included in the NRC, they said and criticised the SCNR.

Patowary said, there has been gross misuse of the legacy data in various districts, particularly in the districts bordering Bangladesh.

“Due to this misuse, comparatively less number of people’s names were left out of the draft NRC in those districts”, the minister said in a statement.

BJP MLAs Debanana Hazarika, Shiladitya Deb and Numal Momin and AIUDF member Nurul Amin raised the issue during Zero Hour.

Only seven per cent of the applicants from the Bangladesh border districts have been excluded from the NRC draft list, Hazarika said and asked why the sample verification as ordered by the Supreme court was not done.

Deb claimed that only eight per cent names were dropped from bordering Dhubri district and its neighbour Barpeta, while 14 per cent names were dropped in Karbi Anglong, which is not a border district.

Momin said while 5-7 per cent of the names from the border districts were excluded from the draft NRC, 18 per cent names of indigenous people were dropped from the list.

“We want an error-free NRC that will include the names of Indian citizens and without the names of foreigners,” Patowary said.

(With PTI inputs)

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Thursday said it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute but he was ready to assist if the two South Asian neighbours wanted him to help in resolving the decades-old issue.

Trump was referring to his last week’s meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, wherein he offered to help resolve the Kashmir issue.

India has rejected the offer, while Pakistan has welcomed his statement. “It’s really up to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi (to accept the offer of mediation),” Trump told reporters responding to a question on India not accepting his offer of mediation on Kashmir.  

“Have they accepted the offer or not?”, Trump sought clarification when asked about India’s rejection of his mediation offer.

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“I think they are fantastic people — Khan and Modi ― I mean. I would imagine they could get along very well, but if they wanted somebody to intervene, to help them, and I spoke with Pakistan about that and I spoke frankly in (sic) India about it,” Trump said.

He rued that the issue of Kashmir had been going on for a long time. 

When asked how would he “want to resolve the Kashmir issue”, Trump said, “If I can, if they wanted me to, I would certainly intervene.”

Last week, in his joint media appearance with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in his Oval Office, Trump stunned India by saying that Prime Minister Modi sought his mediation/arbitration on the Kashmir issue. 

Trump said the Prime Minister asked for this during their bilateral meeting in Japan in June on the sideline of the G-20 Summit.  

India quickly denied it and said the Kashmir issue was never discussed between Modi and Trump.  

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar refuted that Modi ever made that request. 

“We heard remarks by President Donald Trump in a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan, to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan, on Kashmir issue,” he said in a statement to the Parliament.

NDTV’s Ravish Kumar has been awarded the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the institution announced on Friday.

Kumar, Senior Executive Editor at NDTV India, has been awarded the honour “for harnessing journalism to give voice to the voiceless”, it said in a tweet. 

The award’s citation called Kumar one of India’s most influential TV journalists and said that his ‘Prime Time’ programme “deals with real-life, under-reported problems of ordinary people”.

“If you have become the voice of the people, you are a journalist,” the citation added.

Other recipients of the award this year include Myanmar’s Ko Swe Win, Thailand’s Angkhana Neelapaijit, Philippines’s Raymundo Pujante Cayabyab and South Korea’s Kim Jong-Ki.

BANGKOK — External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday made it clear to his American counterpart Mike Pompeo that any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally, days after US President Donald Trump offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue.

Jaishankar is in the Thailand capital to attend a number of conferences, including the ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting, the 9th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 26th ASEAN Regional Forum and the 10th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting.

“Held wide ranging discussions with @SecPompeo on regional issues,” Jaishankar tweeted.

“Have conveyed to American counterpart @SecPompeo this morning in clear terms that any discussion on Kashmir, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally,” he tweeted. 

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He met US Secretary of State Pompeo on the sidelines of the second day of 9th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers meet in Bangkok. This was the first official meeting between the two top officials after President Trump’s controversial comments on him mediating between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.

Following the Days of Play 2019 sale and PS4 discounts, Sony India has a new promotion known as the Independence Sale. During this period a host of games will be discounted. The PS4 Independence Sale starts on August 2 and ends on August 19 at stores both online and offline. Considering the relatively high price of games and accessories, any price reduction is welcome. However this latest set of offers is disappointing for a host of reasons.

For one, it’s pretty much the same set of games that were discounted during the Days of Play 2019 sale, with some glaring omissions that we’ll get to in a moment. The sole addition is Days Gone at Rs. 2,499. Given how that title was received, it appears that Sony is looking at an opportunity to clear existing stock.

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Secondly, while sales to offload excess inventory is nothing new, the lack of killer titles is perplexing. Nothing from Sony’s stellar back catalogue like Everybody’s Golf, Gravity Rush 2, Gravity Rush Remastered, or The Last Guardian. Even heavyweights from Sony’s Western studios like Spider-Man and God of War are missing despite featuring in Days of Play 2019. And yes, PS Plus subscriptions aren’t discounted either.

Finally, and the biggest drawback is the lack of discounts on the PS4 or PS VR itself. Granted, Sony has faced supply issues for both throughout the year and retailers have even been told that the PS4 Slim 500GB has been discontinued but you have to wonder what exactly is happening when supply issues plague a market for a greater part of the console’s seven year existence.

That said, if you had to pick up anything from Sony’s PS4 Independence Sale, here’s what we recommend.

PS4 Independence Sale 2019 best deals

• Shadow of Colossus Rs. 1,499 (MRP Rs. 2,499)
• Bloodborne Game of the Year Edition Rs. 1,499 (MRP Rs. 1,999)
• DualShock 4 controllers in Red, Black, White, Blue, or Camouflage Rs. 4,050 (MRP Rs. 5,050)

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would impose an additional 10% tariff on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports starting Sept. 1, as talks aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies continue.

“Trade talks are continuing, and during the talks the U.S. will start, on September 1st, putting a small additional Tariff of 10% on the remaining 300 Billion Dollars of goods and products coming from China into our Country. This does not include the 250 Billion Dollars already Tariffed at 25%,” Trump tweeted.

In a string of tweets, Trump also faulted China for not following through on promises to buy more American agricultural products and personally criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping for failing to do more to stem sales of the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

US stock prices fell after Trump’s announcement, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling into negative territory.

US and Chinese negotiators ended two days of talks in Shanghai on Wednesday with little sign of progress, although both countries described the negotiations as constructive. Another round of meetings between the negotiators has been scheduled for September.

The United States and China have been locked in a trade war marked by tit-for-tat tariffs since last year. The tensions have disrupted global supply chains and roiled financial markets.

(Reporting by Makini Brice and Susan Heavey; editing by Tim Ahmann, Dan Grebler and Jonathan Oatis)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia published new laws early Friday that loosen restrictions on women by allowing any citizen to apply for a passport and travel freely, ending a long-standing guardianship policy that gave men control over women.

The changes are a potential game-changer for Saudi women’s rights in the kingdom. The legal system has long been criticized because it treated women as minors throughout their adult lives, requiring they have a man’s consent to obtain a passport or travel abroad. Often a woman’s male guardian is her father or husband, and in some cases a woman’s own son.

The changes were widely celebrated by Saudis on Twitter, including posting memes showing people dashing to the airport with luggage and others hailing the 33-year-old crown prince believed to be the force behind these moves. But the changes also drew backlash from conservatives, who posted clips of senior Saudi clerics in past years arguing in favor of guardianship laws.

Other changes issued in the decrees allow women to register a marriage, divorce or child’s birth and to be issued official family documents. It also stipulates that a father or mother can be legal guardians of children.

Being able to obtain family documents could ease hurdles women faced in obtaining a national identity card and enrolling their children in school.

Still in place, however, are rules that require male consent for a woman to leave prison, exit a domestic abuse shelter or marry. Women, unlike men, still cannot pass on citizenship to their children and cannot provide consent for their children to marry.

Under the kingdom’s guardianship system, women essentially relied on the “good will” and whims of male relatives to determine the course of their lives. There were cases, for example, of young Saudi women whose parents are divorced, but whose father is the legal guardian, being unable to accept scholarships to study abroad because they did not have permission to travel.

Saudi women fleeing domestic abuse and the guardianship system occasionally drew international attention to their plight, as 18-year-old Rahaf al-Qunun did before Canada granted her asylum. The stories of runaway women have created a flurry of negative headlines for the kingdom.

To leave the country, some Saudi women say they had to hack into their father’s phone and change the settings on a government app to allow themselves permission to leave the country. There were calls in Washington for Google and Apple to block access to the app entirely.

In a lengthy study of Saudi male guardianship laws in 2016, Human Rights Watch criticized it as “system that was ripe for abuse.”

The new rules, approved by King Salman and his Cabinet, allow any person 21 and older to travel abroad without prior consent and any citizen to apply for a Saudi passport on their own.

The decrees, issued Wednesday, were made public before dawn Friday in the kingdom’s official weekly Um al-Qura gazette. It wasn’t immediately clear if the new rules go into effect immediately.

A number of sweeping changes have been promoted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he drives an ambitious economic reform plan that encourages more women to enter the workforce. He was behind lifting the ban on women driving last year, loosening rules on gender segregation and bringing concerts and movie theaters to the country.

He has also led a simultaneous crackdown on activists, including detaining the country’s leading women’s rights activists who had demanded an end to the very male guardianship rules now being curtailed. The women, among them Loujain al-Hathloul, are facing trial and allege they were tortured in prison.

The crown prince continues to face widespread international criticism over the killing of Washington Post columnist and critic Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year. Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement by the prince, while the kingdom’s own investigation acknowledged the operation was planned by two of the prince’s top aides.

As noted by the Saudi newspaper Arab News, the decrees outlining changes to travel are written in gender-neutral language removing prior restrictions specific to women, rather than outright stating that women no longer need male consent.

News of the changes had been teased in state-linked Saudi media for weeks, possibly to ready the public and to gauge reaction.

The ways in which the decrees were announced and the language used to announce the changes signal how sensitive these moves are among conservatives in the country. For years, state-backed preachers told the Saudi public that women should not travel longer than a night alone and that this was rooted in Islamic practice.

Other Muslim countries, however, do not have similar restrictions on women’s travel.

Still, clerics in Saudi Arabia have supported the imposition of male guardianship based on a verse in the Quran that states men are the protectors and maintainers of women.

Other Islamic scholars argue this misinterprets fundamental Quranic concepts like equality and respect between the sexes.

NEW DELHI—Last month, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting bids for the creation of an Automated Facial Recognition System. Facial recognition works by identifying distinct points on an individual’s face and creating a unique map of it. It is therefore more akin to a fingerprint rather than a photograph.

The RFP envisages the creation of a database of photographs, which could help the police identify a potential suspect, a missing person or unidentified dead bodies. If implemented, the proposed database will be made available to police stations across the country, including as a mobile application to help officers who are in the field. 

Attempts to modernize methods of investigation are undoubtedly essential. However, this RFP comes at a time when several city administrations in the United States of America have issued unequivocal bans prohibiting the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement.

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A similar sentiment was more recently echoed by British Parliamentarians, calling for a moratorium on the use of automatic facial recognition, including any trials, until concerns about the technology had been fully addressed, and a legislative framework had been established.

But most importantly, this RFP comes at a time when the Delhi Police itself has stated that the accuracy of its facial recognition systems is a dismal 2%. 

Facial recognition is unreliable and prone to discriminatory outcomes 

The cautious approach towards adoption of facial recognition technology internationally is encouraging given that there is now a growing body of scholarship warning against its use. There is mounting evidence in other countries to show that facial recognition systems are less accurate in identifying ethnic minorities and women, leading to a higher possibility of misidentification—and therefore discrimination—against communities that are already more vulnerable.

It is telling that the NCRB’s RFP appears to have been issued without any public consultation, or even a feasibility study to ascertain its usefulness. The RFP requires that the proposed system be able to run photos, video grabs, and even sketches against the database of images, in order to help identify a person of interest.

Given how inaccurate even sophisticated facial recognition systems can be, attempts to match such images may increase the danger of discriminatory outcomes exponentially. 

Legitimate aim but disproportionate means

It is no one’s case that the police should not exploit technological advancements to improve criminal investigation techniques. However, the unreliability of facial recognition technology is exacerbated when deployed in in the absence of a legislative framework governing its limits.

If implemented, the proposed system would operate without any oversight on which images can be collected and stored by the NCRB, whether an individual is even aware that their image is a part of the database, and how long the NCRB is entitled to store it for. 

The RFP further states that the proposed database will be populated using images from the passport database, the prisons database, images available with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, or ‘any other image database available with police’ or any other entity.

This implies that this database is not limited to images of convicts, or even under trails, but could potentially include images of every resident, giving the police access to personal information without having to establish any cause. 

It is easy to imagine how this can become a tool for harassment for vulnerable groups, minorities or activists. To take an example, the Delhi Government’s ambitious CCTV programme contemplates the police having access to footage generated from cameras installed across the city.

If implemented, the automated facial recognition system would enable the police to use CCTV footage from a peaceful protest and potentially identify – or worse, wrongly identify – citizens attending such a protest. This can be used to create ‘watchlists’, inviting excessive scrutiny and harassment at places such as airports and public events.

Without a legal framework, those on such watchlists would have no knowledge about being on this list, let alone contest their inclusion on it. The proposed facial recognition system can therefore have a disproportionate impact on the freedom of association and expression. 

In its landmark decision affirming the right to privacy in 2017, the Supreme Court unequivocally held that privacy extended to public spaces. It also imposed an obligation on the state to ensure that citizens are not subject to indiscriminate collection and exploitation of their personal information. Even if personal information is required by the state for a legitimate purpose (such as criminal investigations), the means employed must be proportionate to achieving such purpose.

The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 drafted by the Srikrishna Committee, which otherwise exempts law enforcement from many of the obligations under the Bill, too mandates that collection of personal information is permissible only if pursuant to a law, and proportionate to its aims.

The routine collection of biometric personal information contemplated by the NCRB’s proposed facial recognition system makes it a tool for mass surveillance, rendering constitutional freedoms illusory.

For this and the fact that governments across the globe appear to exercising caution regarding its use, the NCRB would do well to reconsider its RFP on setting up a facial recognition system.

Comics culture in India has been growing fast—Comic Con kicked off in Delhi less than a decade ago, but a huge number of Indian writers and artists are now featured in each edition

Although when you say ‘Indian comics’, many people still think of Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha and Diamond Comics (Nagraj, Phantom, and others) there is also a wide variety of graphic novels written by Indian authors, spanning a range of different topics.

We’ve picked out five of our favourites — there is no particular filter beyond choosing comics by Indians that might have flown under your radar — and there are many more amazing works from authors in the country.

If you haven’t been following Indian graphic novels, this is a great list to get you started. And if you’re already a fan, maybe there’s something here you haven’t discovered yet?

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’Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir’ by Malik Sajad

Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir, by Malik Sajad, was published in 2015, making it the most recent book in this list. It’s been likened to Maus by Art Spiegelman, because in ‘Munnu’, Sajad depicts Kashmiris as the endangered Hangul deer, in the way Maus shows Jews as mice and Germans as cats. But the similarities run deeper as Munnu is a very personal story of a young Kashmiri boy growing up in the time of the “troubles” in the Valley.

Through this story, Sajad wries about violence in Kashmir, and how a young boy can get caught between militants and the Army, even as he goes through the ‘normal’ stages of life like becoming popular, meeting girls and more. 

Munnu features beautiful art and powerful writing, and forces you to engage with a subject matter than many Indians might find uncomfortable.

‘Kari’ by Amruta Patil

This 2008 graphic novel stood out when it was published, a slice-of-life story about a young lesbian trying to find her place in the big city. It builds momentum and tension like a poem, and remains one of the best works by Amruta Patil, who went on to complete the ambitious Adi Parva and Sauptik, based on the Mahabharata.

The art in Kari is striking, and although the heavy shading and play of light will catch your eye at first, it is often the small details, a smile, or an object in the background, that can add meaning to the frame.

Kari can be dark and even difficult to read, and it starts with a double suicide attempt which could be uncomfortable or triggering. However, the relatable characters and the striking art make this book a rewarding read.

‘Delhi Calm’ by Vishwajyoti Ghosh

Published in 2010, this is a novel that seems ahead of its time. ‘Delhi Calm’ takes an in-depth look at the Emergency, from 1975 to 1977, an event that is still frequently referenced by politicians, but may be ancient history for many young people today.

The book shows what life can be like when your rights have been suspended. There’s joblessness and people being arrested for criticising their leaders, and the book is a detailed look at life in this period.

The characters have all been fictionalised but it’s easy to see the real history behind Delhi Calm. In today’s polarised times, it’s a worthwhile read to remember what’s happened in India in the past, and what could happen again if we aren’t alert.

‘Kashmir Pending’ by Nasser Ahmed and Saurabh Singh

Another graphic novel set in the Valley, Kashmir Pending by Nasser Ahmed and Saurabh Singh tells the story of the state through multiple perspectives, but the character who gets the most focus is a former militant in jail.

It’s a short book that packs in a lot, and the art, with its splashes of red and brown, stands out. The narrative can be quite disturbing—the story is a lot more direct than Munnu—and the grim style of the art also drives home this feeling.

After reading it, you may wish that the author had spent some more time fleshing out the characters and their backstories, but this 2007 graphic novel still holds up well.

‘Moonward’ by Appupen

Moonward: Stories from Halahala by Appupen is a 2009 graphic novel that matches very disturbing artwork with a dark sense of humour in the writing. The author tells connected stories from a place called Halahala, which is a distorted mirror of reality.

The visuals are a very important part of Moonward, and there are many “silent” pages in the book. The details and the strong linework will hold your attention and the cynical tone fits the art wonderfully.

For readers who enjoy stories of dystopia, or for anyone trying to know more about Indian graphic novels, Moonward should be a must-read.

Australia’s Steve Smith is being hailed by former cricketers and on Twitter for his century against England on day one of the Ashes series. Smith, who was playing his first Test after completing a ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal last year, made 144 runs. 

Smith, who returned to Australia duty in the recent Cricket World Cup that England won, has been subjected to repeated jeers by the crowd during matches, according to AFP.

At Australia’s match with India in World Cup 2019, he was booed by Indian fans. Indian skipper Virat Kohli urged them to calm down and instead cheer his batting. Kohli later said he apologised to Smith on behalf of the fans. 

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After his century on the first day of the Ashes series, he said there were times in the last 15 months where he didn’t know if he was ever going to play cricket.

“I lost a bit of love for it at one point, particularly when I had my elbow operation.

“It was really bizarre that it was the day I got the brace off my elbow, I found a love for it again,” he was quoted as saying by AFP.

“I don’t know what it was, it was like a trigger that just said ‘right I’m ready to go again, I want to play and I want to go out and play for Australia and make people proud and just do what I love doing’,” he added, according to the report. 

Smith’s return has been hailed by Virender Sehwag:

VVS Laxman was also all praise for the Australian player:

Twitter is also loving Smith’s comeback. Here are a few reactions:

Salma Hayek had no idea she was being considered for the cover of Meghan Markle’s guest-edited September issue of Vogue UK.

In fact, the actress told CNN in an article published Wednesday that the two had never spoken until British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful called to put her on the phone with Meghan. At first, she “thought it was a joke.” 

Even as the two were talking, Hayek said, she still didn’t understand she would later be one of 15 women featured on the “Forces of Change” cover for the iconic September issue. 

“She said, you know, she was the guest editor of British Vogue, and I’m thinking maybe it’s going to be an article on what we’re doing,” Hayek said. “And she said no, ‘I’m [doing a cover], I’m not going to be the cover, I’m putting my favorite women on the cover. And you’re definitely one of them. You one of the first ones.’” 

“I did not see it coming that way. She started talking about how she’s been watching me and why me,” the 52-year-old said. 

Hayek told CNN the news left her “completely shocked,” though she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone about the project ― not even her husband, daughter or publicist.

“I loved that she didn’t want to be on the cover,” Hayek added. “She used her light to put it upon others, the ones who inspired her.”

As Enninful said in a letter about the issue, the duchess didn’t want to put the spotlight on herself for the cover as she thought it would come off as “boastful.” 

Alongside Hayek are 14 other women on the cover inspiring change: models Adwoa Aboah, Adut Akech Bior and Christy Turlington Burns; boxer Ramla Ali; New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; activists Sinéad Burke and Greta Thunberg; actors Gemma Chan, Laverne Cox, Jane Fonda, Jameela Jamil and Yara Shahidi; ballerina Francesca Hayward; and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

There’s also an intentional blank space on the cover of the issue, which is supposed to symbolize a mirror. 

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How’s this for a little #TBT action? 

The stars of the Netflix Show “Queer Eye” appeared on “The Tonight Show” Tuesday and faced some of their bolder fashion choices from back in the day. 

Oh, how far they’ve come. 

Tan France, who’s known for his shiny gray locks, had one of the most surprising throwback looks. And he had serious old-school Justin Bieber vibes. 

“He didn’t realize it was me who had inspired him,” France joked. 

Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown and Antoni Porowski also shared their faux pas. 

Jonathan Van Ness didn’t have a throwback photo because, as he said, “I’ve been this beacon of personal style my whole life. I wanted to participate, but there’s no bad pictures.” 

Never change. 

The Evolution Championship Series or Evo has its 2019 event this weekend from August 2 to August 4 in Las Vegas. As with every Evo, all digital storefronts will have sales on fighting games and the Steam Evo 2019 sale has just begun following the Xbox One sale. Just like on Xbox One, it is worth noting that Dragon Ball FighterZ is not available on Steam in India. The games featured below are from the discounts across both the headlining games, and the Anime Evo games featured in the deals.  

Steam Evo 2019 Sale: best games to buy

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle – Rs. 524
• Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition – Rs. 1225
• UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[st] – Rs 674
• Soulcalibur VI – Rs. 849
• Soulcalibur VI Deluxe Edition – Rs. 1479
• Million Arthur: Arcana Blood Limited Edition – Rs. 1349
• Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- – Rs. 182
• Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- Deluxe + REV2 Deluxe – Rs. 294
• The King of Fighters XIV Steam Edition Ultimate Pack – Rs. 949
• Melty blood Actress Again Current Code – Rs. 123
• Puyo Puyo Champions – Rs. 184

It is worth noting that Steam also has a free play weekend for games like BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[st], Puyo Puyo Champions, Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, and more.

The Steam Evo 2019 deals end on August 5.

The Mako Reactor is your one-stop destination for everything Japanese gaming in India.  

The Unnao rape survivor’s family is at liberty to take a call on shifting her to AIIMS in Delhi from the Lucknow hospital, the Supreme Court said on Friday.

The rape survivor is currently on life support at King George’s Medical University’s Trauma Centre.

The court took note of a statement made by senior advocate V Giri that said the rape survivor is unconscious and on ventilator, and her family has expressed that she be treated at the Lucknow hospital for the time being. Giri is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter. 

The court has also ordered shifting of the survivor’s uncle from Raebareli jail to Tihar jail in Delhi. 

No media house will directly, indirectly or in any manner disclose the identity of Unnao rape survivor, the court said.

The Supreme Court had on Thursday directed the transfer of all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.

Acting in compliance with a Supreme Court order, the UP government handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the Unnao rape survivor’s family.

On Sunday, the car in which the Unnao rape survivor, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by a truck in Rae Bareli, killing her two aunts and leaving her and the advocate critically injured.

The CBI, which has taken over the investigation into the road accident, booked 10 people for murder, including expelled BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is already in jail, charged with the rape of the Unnao woman when she was a minor in 2017.

The police on Monday filed a murder case against Sengar and nine others after the rape survivor’s family filed a complaint alleging conspiracy behind the accident.

KOLKATA — Skipper Virat Kohli and his deputy Rohit Sharma can have “differences off the field” but it should not matter as long as their on-field commitment is up to the mark, former skipper Kapil Dev said on Thursday.

There are reports of an alleged rift between Kohli and Sharma post India’s World Cup semifinal exit though the Indian captain rubbished them ahead of the team’s departure to the United States on Monday. 

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“There can be off the field differences but it depends how you play on the field. Everyone should look into that,” Kapil said

“Off the field, the way of thinking can be different, approach can be different. But when you’re playing there’s only one aim — how we can win a match. That is important. Differences of opinion does not mean you will be pulling somebody down,” said Kapil, whose hot and cold relationship with Sunil Gavaskar used to be headlined during the early and mid 80′s.

He also took a dig at the media urging them to be more responsible while reporting.

“You have to do your job, right. Thoda bahut toh aap bhi help karte ho naa rumour banane mein. (You people also do your bit in spreading rumours),” he said.

The Rajya Sabha on Friday passed the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which will empower the government to declare individuals as terrorists. The Opposition has criticised the new law as “draconian”, saying it could be misused against anyone opposed to the ruling establishment.

“Individuals can be declared terrorists if they commit or participate in acts of terrorism, prepare or promote terror,” home minister Amit Shah said while defending the bill in Parliament.

Rajya Sabha rejected an opposition-sponsored motion to send amendments to the terror law to a select committee with 104 votes, compared to 85 in favour.

Home minister Amit Shah’s defence of UAPA

— Track record of NIA in conviction in terror cases is outstanding

— Out of 278 terror cases registered by NIA, charge sheet filed in 204 cases; conviction in 48 out of 54 cases so far

— Declaring individuals as terrorists required as they float different organisations once an institution is banned.

— Amendment will expedite prosecution in terror cases

— No one’s human rights will be violated, there will be four-stage scrutiny

— Terrorism has no religion, terrorists are against humanity; all should support stringent laws against it

The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on 24 July.

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Criticism against the bill

Elamaram Kareem (CPM) said the government was imposing “state terrorism” and dissenting individuals can be declared terrorist. “This will lead to large-scale harassment and injustice,” he said.

The amendment would give NIA “open license to go to any state and do anything at their will and pleasure” without informing the state government, he said, accusing the BJP-run government of taking a “soft approach” towards certain extremist organisations such as Sanathan Sansthan.

“Why are you not listing it as terrorist organisation,” he said, adding a BJP minister had escorted Masood Azhar out of the country some years back.

Citing the previous POTA and TADA laws, he said thousands of Muslims were arrested.

“We are not afraid of your majority. We are not afraid of your money power and muscle power,” he said, adding he would continue to oppose the law even if he was the lone member of Left parties.

Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) said to frame someone as a terrorist is very easy.

Calling its provisions draconian, he says the Bill essentially panders to an ideology that conflates nation with the government. “If I criticise the government I am called anti-national,” he said.

He cited jailing of Ram Manohar Lohia in 1947 by then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel and said he was not released despite Jawaharlal Nehru pleading for his release.

Jha said persons arrested as terrorists are being acquitted after 15-16 years. “With folded hands I plead with you... you have most powers, the state is all over. Why do you need additional powers,” he said.

DMK’s P Wilson demanded that the bill be referred to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha or the standing committee for greater scrutiny.

He said the intention to curb terrorism is welcome and terrorism should be curbed with an iron hand but the amendment will be subject to abuse and misuse.

When an organisation is declared a terrorist organisation, it is adjudicated by a tribunal headed by a retired high court judge after inquiry. “For persons who are branded terrorist, there is no such safeguard,” he said.

“Simple belief of a central official is enough to declare an individual as terrorist,” he said.

“The act doesn’t state who is the officer in the Central government, who will brand the person as a terrorist. The officer is not a judicial authority. The designation can happen arbitrarily,” he added.

People Democratic Party MP Mohammad Fayaz said such laws are most misused in Jammu and Kashmir and cited acquittal of five youth after 24 years.

He narrated the ordeal their families went through and demanded that the bill be referred to a standing committee.

In Kashmir, if a militant at gun point seeks shelter in a house and demands food, this bill will enable branding of even those innocent people as terrorists, he said.

Fayaz also asked Home Minister Amit Shah why 25,000 troops were being sent to the Valley.

Binoy Viswam (CPI) opposed the amendments, saying the NIA has been made almighty.

Nominated member and noted lawyer KTS Tulsi, while opposing amendments, opined it may be struck down by courts and declared unconstitutional.

Support for the bill

While extending support of YSRCP, V Vijayasai Reddy said his party will support every move to strengthen hands of the government to fight terrorism.

On criticism that law would be misused by the government, he said it is the principal opposition party which brought laws like MISA and TADA and “grossly misused” them.

He alleged the principal opposition party had developed expertise in managing investigative agencies and put rivals in jail.

K Ravindra Kumar (TDP) said the amended law should not be misused, while Narendra Jadhav (nominated) opined that stricter laws are required to fight terrorism to protect citizens.

Senior BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra said his party would strengthen hands of government to deal with terrorism.

He also asked the government to ensure the law is not misused. “We don’t find anything faulty” in the amendments, he said.

(With PTI inputs)

The Supreme Court on Friday said that the mediation panel in the Ayodhya case “has not been able to achieve any final settlement” and the court will start hearing the appeals from August 6. 

The Supreme Court was considering the “outcome” of mediation proceedings conducted by a panel set up to amicably resolve the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, on July 18, had asked the three-member mediation panel, headed by former apex court judge F M I Kalifulla, to inform the court about the outcome of the mediation proceedings as on July 31 by August 1 to enable it to proceed further in the matter.

It is understood that the Kalifulla panel has submitted its report on Thursday in a sealed cover about the progress made in the in-camera mediation proceedings.

The bench, which had perused a report about the progress of mediation process till July 18, had said that its contents will remain confidential as per its earlier order.

(With PTI inputs)

Doctors are sounding a warning over cellphone chargers after a 19-year-old Michigan woman suffered second-degree burns to her neck reportedly after her charger conducted an electrical current through her chain necklace.

The incident was detailed in a case report in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, which emphasizes the risk to children and adolescents and highlighted the safety concerns surrounding off-brand charging products.

The report, published July 17, said the young woman was taken to the pediatric emergency department at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a severe burn around her neck.

“She was lying in bed wearing a chain necklace, with the charger underneath her pillow and plugged into an electrical outlet, when she felt a sudden burning sensation and severe pain around her neck,” the report said.

“She likely sustained an electrical injury from the charger as it came in contact with her necklace, causing a burn.”

The young woman was released on the same day after treatment and was prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection.

The report’s lead author, Dr. Carissa Bunke, a pediatrician at the University of Michigan hospital, said in a statement that generic electronics chargers could cause burns and electrocutions, so parents should be cautious. 

“Teens and adolescents are particularly at risk of injury due to their frequent mobile device use. They should be advised to not sleep with their phones or mobile devices charging in bed and avoid leaving the charger plugged in when it is not connected to a phone.”

The Annals of Emergency Medicine report said several companies had investigated the difference in safety and quality of generic versus Apple-branded chargers, with the findings indicating the majority of off-brand chargers failed basic safety testing. 

HuffPost spoke Friday with technicians at several electronics and phone repair stores who were unable to provide details about the specific health risks of using off-brand chargers. However, the resounding advice was to stick to the branded products. 

Rob Wang at WhatTheFone iPhone Repair Fix in Brisbane, Australia, said that generic brand chargers could also cause damage to the phone itself. 

“I always say it’s better to buy the original cable,” Wang said. “It’s not expensive, $29 from the Apple store instead of $10 from Target or Kmart, so it’s better to just buy the original cable.”

Eddie Prestopine, manager of CPR Cell Phone Repair in Shreveport, Louisiana, told ABC affiliate KTBS3 he had multiple customers a day report burns to clothing or skin using uncertified chargers.

“There are different types of cables, you have Apple certified and non-certified. Apple has a tiny chip that corresponds with the phone; if it doesn’t have the chip it could bring too much power to the phone and overheat it,” he told KTBS3.

Another incident cited by the case report described a young man who was thrown from his bed when using an original Apple-brand cord that came into contact with a chain he was wearing.

The authors urged families to educate themselves about the safe use of charging devices.

This article has been updated with comment from store technicians.

This week, Hannah tweeted to say she was struggling with chemotherapy and asked people to send pictures of their animals. The internet responded by delivering immensely cute pet pics and – considering everything that’s going on in the news right now – it warmed our hearts completely.

Hannah was grateful too, she tweeted: “I’m literally obsessed with all these photos, thank you sm [so much].”

And now for some more wonderful animal stories to end the week with... 

1. Is This Grumpy Cat 2.0?

Following the sad passing of Grumpy Cat earlier this year, I’ve had a sad-faced, cat-shaped hole in my life. Until, that is, Juno the angry cat came along. Juno has an incredibly miffed off look about him. He looks like most of us do on a Monday morning.

2. Doggo Puts Herself To Bed Like A Boss.

Daisy doesn’t need someone else to tuck her in, she’s got everything under control. According to owner Charlie, she does this little manoeuvre at least three or four times a day. “She just does it because she loves being comfy,” says Charlie. We think she’s a cutie. 

3. Cat Brings The Sass In Pregnancy Pics.

Gracie knows she’s the sh*t. 

4. Tiny Tapir Is Born In Chester.

It’s a truly devastating reality that half of the world’s Malayan tapirs have been lost in the last 40 years, with fewer than 2,500 remaining on the planet. But some good news at least, conservationists at Chester Zoo were thrilled to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet this week after a tapir calf was born.

It’s only the second Malayan tapir to ever be born at the zoo, which shared some extremely adorable pics of the baby with proud mum Margery (great name). Weighing just 5kg, keepers already know it’s a boy, and now want the public to help give him a name. You can vote to call him either Rony or Thom via a poll on the zoo’s social media pages.

5. More Babies. WE CANNOT. 

It’s been a baby-filled week as two  meerkats named Peek and Boo bravely left their den to explore their enclosure at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling. Cuties.

SRINAGAR —Security forces have recovered a Pakistan-made mine and a huge cache of arms from along the Amarnath Yatra route, the Army said on Friday. 

Searches were launched along the pilgrimage route after specific intelligence that Pakistan-based terrorists might target the Yatra using improvised explosive devices and attack pilgrims, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon said in a joint briefing by security forces here.

The forces launched a massive operation along the Amarnath Yatra route, during which a huge a cache of arms was recovered and it included a mine with a Pakistan Ordnance Factory stamp and an American sniper rifle M-24, he said.

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Dhillon refused to give the exact location from where the recovery was made as the search operation was still going on.

He said the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Jammu and Kashmir is more “pronounced” in the hinterland even as the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) remains “largely peaceful”.

Regular infiltration attempts are being made by Pakistan-based terrorists but the Army is thwarting their bids at the LoC, he said.

On the reports of additional troops being sent to the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said security personnel were on regular duty during the year because of elections, among others, with no time to relax.

He said there were also “fresh inputs of increase in violence by terrorists” which made it necessary to “strengthen the counter intelligence grid” on the ground.

Refusing to give the exact number of additional troops being sent to the Valley, Singh said they will give on-ground troops some time to relax and strengthen the security system.