Bye bye, broadcast bill

Researched by: Aarthi Ramnath, Anannya Parekh, Aakriti Anand & Raghav Bikhchandani

Bye bye, broadcast bill

The context: In December 2023, the government unveiled a new broadcast bill that would regulate everything you watch on a screen—be it the TV or computer. Last month, they distributed a revised version of the bill to a small number of “stakeholders”. The leaked details showed the proposed law would have bludgeoned the independent press into submission—or bankruptcy. And it would have regulated social media influencers—including Dhruv Rathee and Beer Biceps—as “digital broadcasters.” All of which created great furore among activists, journalists, and the Opposition. For more, check out our recent Big Story.

What happened now: The government has withdrawn this revised draft—asking those “stakeholders” to return the super-secret—and watermarked—copies given to them. As for what’s next:

[The Information and Broadcasting] Ministry is holding a series of consultations with the stakeholders on the draft bill. Further additional time is being provided to solicit comments/suggestions [until October 15]. A fresh draft will be published after detailed consultations.

Free speech activists have claimed a temporary victory. The withdrawal is also seen as a sign of BJP loss of majority in the Lok Sabha. The lower house has only passed three out the 11 bills introduced this session—as of now.

The funny bit: The government has not acknowledged the existence of that super-secret revised version of the bill—leaving some in a muddle:

The statement has confused stakeholders, especially those who were not part of the group with which the government shared the 2024 version of the draft Bill. “Are we supposed to send our comments on the November 2023 version of the now withdrawn draft, because a copy was never formally shared with us,” said a person from the industry, requesting anonymity.

Indian Express has lots more.

US Elections: Hackers target Trump campaign

Politico was contacted by an anonymous person who claimed to have access to the Trump campaign’s accounts. They shared various files—including the vetting doc for his running mate JD Vance. The person also claimed to have a “variety of documents from [Trump’s] legal and court documents to internal campaign discussions.”

The campaign confirmed it had been hacked soon after the leak—and blamed Iran for hacking the account of a senior campaign official back in June. Reminder: This is also when Microsoft released a report warning that Iranian hackers were targeting the election. According to the Washington Post, the FBI has also been investigating phishing attempts targeting both presidential candidates since then. (Washington Post, splainer gift link)

Speaking of hacking Trump: The former president kissed and made up with the platform formerly known as Twitter. He did an interview with Elon Musk—who is now one of his most ardent supporters. But it was marred by numerous tech glitches—which Musk blamed on a "massive" denial-of-service attack (DDOS)—as in, flooding a site with data to overwhelm it and knock it offline. Reminder: Musk has set up a $160 million effort to turn out 800,000 voters in swing states for Trump. (Reuters via The Telegraph)

Other Trump campaign woes: include being sued by the family of Soul music icon Isaac Hayes for using the song ‘Hold on, I’m Coming’ at his rally. He’s already been spanked by Celine Dion for the same—except the song was ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from ‘Titanic’—which is kinda funny. Also: Photos of JD Vance dressed in drag—for a Halloween party—are now circulating on the internet (see below). Reminder: Vance has viciously attacked the LGBTQ+ community in the past, including calling them “groomers.” (The New Republic)

Oyo has new funding from…

…its own founder Ritesh Agarwal. An investment firm he owns—Singapore-based Patient Capital—put in $99 million in a funding round that raised $175 million. What’s interesting: The company’s valuation has dropped from $10 billion in 2019 to $2.37 billion now—making OYO’s shares way cheaper for Agarwal.

Point to note: He has pulled the same stunt before—taking a massive $2 billion loan from Japanese banks Nomura and Mizuho to purchase an additional 20% stake, back in 2019. Agarwal used a Cayman Islands-based special purpose vehicle called RA Hospitality at the time. The unusual move shocked the global startup community at the time. Also: no one knows how he’s paying for this investment. (The Arc)

A US ‘regime change’ plot in Venezuela

The context: On July 30, President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of the presidential elections—earning himself another six-year term. He claims to have won 51% of the vote—which is almost certainly false. The Opposition insists the vote was rigged—as does the United States. Protests against the result turned lethal in Caracas and other parts of the country.

What happened now: According to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report, the US has offered Maduro amnesty in secret talks in Doha—if he steps down. claiming that they have strong evidence that Maduro actually did lose his re-election bid. It offers a flicker of hope for the Venezuelan opposition—who have evidence that their candidate Edmundo González won in a landslide.

But, but, but: It is very unlikely that Maduro will budge—after 11 years in power:

One person close to the regime said Maduro’s position hasn’t changed, for now. Maduro has said that he is open to talks as long as Washington shows him respect. At other times, he tells the U.S. to mind its own business. “Don’t mess with Venezuela’s internal affairs, that’s all I ask for,” Maduro said in a news conference Friday.

Wall Street Journal (splainer gift link) has the exclusive.

Himachal’s lethal monsoon spell

North India has experienced a brutal monsoon this year. Himachal Pradesh has been especially hard hit. Landslides and floods have blocked 338 roads—including four national highways. Also severely damaged: electricity and water supply. Over 100 people have died in rain-related incidents since June 27—which have also resulted in Rs 8.42 billion (842 crore) in losses. Reminder: Last year, floods killed 348 people in the state. (The Hindu)

Say hello to electric bandages!

Scientists have created an electric bandage that heals chronic wounds 30% faster than traditional bandages. How this works:

These disposable dressings have electrodes on one side and a small, biocompatible battery on the other. When applied to a wound, a drop of water activates the battery, creating an electric field that promotes healing for several hours.

Electricity helps wounds heal faster: “the cells of our skin are sensitive to electric current. So when placed in an electric field, the cells are likely to start moving toward the direction of the area.” Why this matters: Chronic wounds tend to heal very slowly—and are especially common among diabetics, and could lead to amputations, or even death. (Interesting Engineering)

In good news for diabetics: Scientists have developed a “smart” insulin which can respond to changing blood sugar levels in real time. Essentially, it “lies dormant in the body and only springs into action when needed.” Why this matters: People with type 1 diabetes—who may have to inject themselves 10 times a day—might only need to take insulin once a week. (The Guardian)

Found: The world’s oldest calendar!

A new study reveals that the carvings on a pillar at Göbekli Tepe—a 13,000-year-old archaeological site in Turkey—may be the world’s oldest calendar. It likely recorded movements of the sun, moon, and constellations—and each V-shaped symbol represented one day. What’s extra special about it: This calendar was probably carved to mark a catastrophic comet strike that triggered the Ice Age. See a part of it below. (Live Science)

what caught our eye

business & tech

Engineering students in Ghaziabad have created a low-budget humanoid robot called Anushka—with a vision to turn her into a robot receptionist.
Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi unveiled its first-ever electric car, the SU7, during the recently-concluded Paris Olympics. The company also took the car for a lap around the Nürburgring circuit in Germany.
A good read on the Hindenburg-Madhabi Puri Buch controversy: The Morning Context (paywalled) analyses how the SEBI chair’s wealth of experience risks being a major liability—instead of an asset—for the regulatory body.

sports & entertainment

Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe—who passed away aged 55 on August 5—suffered from depression and anxiety until he “took his own life”, his family has revealed to commentator and long-time teammate Michael Atherton.
Speaking of mental health: Financial Times (splainer gift link) has a piece on how athletes handle the post-Olympics blues, and other mental health concerns.
NBA star Kevin Durant has decided to invest in the football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), reportedly picking up a 12.5% stake in the team.
Disney World has announced that Villains Land will be added to Disney World's Magic Kingdom park, with rides and attractions dedicated to its evil characters.

as for the rest

Wall Street Journal has an exclusive report on US military operations in Syria, which are trying to contain the resurgence of the Islamic state.
Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly slammed his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for questioning his ‘Total Victory’ goal in the war on Gaza—suggesting that Gallant is harming the chances of a deal to release the Israeli hostages.
A report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) shows that it is harder for young people to get jobs in a post-COVID economy, with their chances decreasing with a decline in the income level of their country.
Following the brutal rape and murder of a doctor on duty in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital (see: our August 12 edition) the institute has become the hub for ongoing protests, with doctors from other hospitals joining in.
The top university in India is Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, according to the 2024 rankings released by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

Five things to see

One: Climate change has made wildfires in Greece a common occurrence during summer. This one near Athens has spread “like lightning” to about 35 km and reached a height of 25 m. You can see the blaze here. Reuters has more.

Two: Meanwhile in the NCR, torrential rain has flooded the most poshest parts of Gurgaon–including the Golf Course Road–where flats sell for Rs 100 crore. Enjoy the schadenfreude below. (Moneycontrol)

Three: Aussie breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn went viral for her disaster-class during the Olympics—and became the subject of a thousand mocking memes. But she showed true resilience—and a sense of humour—doing a victory lap on the shoulders of rower Angus Widdicombe’s shoulders. Even better: She danced, again! Lol. Watch the clip here. (The Guardian)

Four: How about a movie on the iconic SNL? Jason Reitman’s film ‘Saturday Night’, recreates the chaotic 90 minutes leading up to the first-ever ‘SNL’ broadcast—helmed by a bunch of 20 year olds! The movie releases in theatres on the show’s 50th anniversary—October 11. Watch the trailer here. (Variety)

Five: Sticking with trailers, check out this one for the Tamil film ‘Kanguva’—which reflects the pan-India trend in moviemaking. The cast includes Suriya, Bobby Deol, and Disha Patani. The film releases on October 10, with dubbed versions in 38 different languages. (The Hindu)