Tag: india

India orders Meta to remove ads promoting child sexual abuse material on Instagram

HYDERABAD, July 6 -- India has ordered social media giant Meta to remove all child sexual abuse material from ads on Instagram following reports that the platform allegedly promoted such content. According to news agency PTI, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has directed Meta to "deactivate all advertisements and content that promote and facilitate access" to child sexual exploitation and abuse material.  The directive was issued after Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ordered officials to summon Meta executives following criticism and media reports alleging that advertisements on Instagram promoted child sexual abuse content. The US-based company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, was also ordered to take immediate action against content that was boosted by algorithms, in addition to submitting a detailed response to the government within seven days, according to a report on the NDTV website. The BBC recently reported that Instagram was running paid ads promoting child sexual abuse material in India. According to the report, the ads used terms such as "rape videos" and "child videos", as well as linking users to channels on the Telegram messaging app that offered the material for as little as 99 rupees (about US$1). -- BERNAMA 

HYDERABAD, July 6 — India has ordered social media giant Meta to remove all child sexual abuse material from ads on Instagram following reports that the platform allegedly promoted such content. According to news agency PTI, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has directed Meta to “deactivate all advertisements and content that promote and facilitate […]

Significant progress made in US-India trade talks

HYDERABAD, JUNE 18 -- India says "significant progress" has been made in efforts to seal a long-awaited trade deal with the United States (US). This was among the issues discussed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump during their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Evian, France on Wednesday. "The leaders expressed satisfaction at the significant progress made in the negotiations towards an Interim Bilateral Trade Agreement and directed their respective officials to finalize an agreement that is balanced, mutually beneficial and of significant commercial value as soon as possible," said a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. According to the statement, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will visit India next week regarding the matter. Responding to a question about the ongoing trade talks, Trump described Modi as a "tough" negotiator. "We've been going through this process for some time and he's a very tough negotiator, one of the toughest," Trump said, pointing at the Indian leader. The US and India agreed on an interim trade deal in February this year which saw the US reduce tariffs to 18 percent. In 2025, Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on India as well as an additional 25 percent penalty for buying oil from Russia. -- BERNAMA

HYDERABAD, JUNE 18 — India says “significant progress” has been made in efforts to seal a long-awaited trade deal with the United States (US). This was among the issues discussed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump during their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in […]

India Strengthens Ebola Surveillance At Airports

HYDERABAD, May 27 -- India has heightened Ebola watch at its airports after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the latest outbreak of the disease in parts of Africa as a public health emergency. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be adopted at airports, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said in a post on X on Tuesday. Airports have strengthened health surveillance measures for passengers arriving from or transiting through affected countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan, with mandatory self-declaration and health screening protocols in place, the top airport operator said. India on Sunday issued a travel advisory for its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan. There were more than 900 suspected cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC and 220 suspected deaths, WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus said on Monday. -- BERNAMA

HYDERABAD, May 27 — India has heightened Ebola watch at its airports after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the latest outbreak of the disease in parts of Africa as a public health emergency. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be adopted at airports, the Airports […]

Interpol-Wanted Rames Gang Leader Arrested During International Flight

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 -- A man believed to be the leader of the notorious Rames Gang was arrested during an international flight operation last Friday under Op Tiga, following close cooperation between Malaysian, Thai and Indian authorities. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M. Kumar said the suspect was detained while travelling on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand to Hyderabad, India, before being brought back to Malaysia for further investigation. According to Kumar, the suspect is being investigated under Section 130V of the Penal Code for alleged involvement in an organised crime group. The offence carries a prison sentence of between five and 20 years upon conviction. He added that the suspect, who has been remanded until Friday, is also being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. Kumar said the Sungai Petani Magistrate’s Court in Kedah had issued an arrest warrant against the suspect on March 25 in connection with two separate murder cases in Padang Serai and Bedong that took place in February and August last year. He also revealed that Interpol issued a Red Notice against the suspect on April 24, paving the way for international cooperation in tracking and arresting him. The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), he said, expressed appreciation to both Indian and Thai authorities for their assistance in the operation. “PDRM remains committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring national security as well as public safety are continuously protected,” Kumar said in a statement on Monday. -- MINUTESMY / SUGAN BALAN

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 26 — A man believed to be the leader of the notorious Rames Gang was arrested during an international flight operation last Friday under Op Tiga, following close cooperation between Malaysian, Thai and Indian authorities. Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M. Kumar said the suspect was detained while travelling on a […]

L’Oréal Invests in Future of AI-Powered Commerce and the Creator Economy with Tech Startups from South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa

SINGAPORE, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — L’Oréal is officially calling for the next generation of tech pioneers in Singapore to co-create the future of beauty. Applications are now open for the 2026 Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program across the SAPMENA region. Entering its third year, the biggest beauty tech open innovation competition has become […]

Malaysia, India Strengthen REE And Biodiversity Conservation Cooperation

PUTRAJAYA, May 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and India are committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation in biodiversity conservation, rare earth elements (REE), and green technology through various strategic initiatives discussed during a courtesy call by the Indian delegation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES). The Indian delegation, led by India’s High Commissioner to Malaysia B. N. Reddy, was hosted by NRES deputy minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. NRES, in a statement today, said that among the main discussion points was Malaysia’s active participation as a founding member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). According to the ministry, the international commitment is in line with Malaysia’s domestic success in achieving a 100 per cent completion rate for the Minister’s 100-Day Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in biodiversity enforcement. “Through Khazanah Integrated Operations (OBK), Malaysia has demonstrated its firm commitment to protecting wildlife, with seizures valued at RM413.1 million recorded since 2019. Malaysia is scheduled to participate in the 1st IBCA Summit in New Delhi on June 1, 2026, to finalise the Delhi Declaration on the conservation of big cat species, including the Malayan tiger,” it said. In the natural resources sector, NRES said Malaysia had also expressed interest in exploring strategic collaboration in the REE industry with Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL). Malaysia hopes to learn from India’s operational models and midstream processing technology to ensure the country’s REE industry can sustainably generate high added value. “This cooperation is expected to include aspects of technology transfer and the development of local expert capacity,” the ministry said. In addition, NRES said Malaysia had also invited the Indian delegation to leverage the platform of the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM), scheduled to take place from Oct 7 to 9 this year. “As the largest green technology hub in Southeast Asia, IGEM is the best platform for both countries to drive investment in the circular economy and low-carbon,” it said. According to NRES, the meeting also touched on preparations for collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority regarding the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) framework, as well as developments involving the National Climate Change Bill, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament this June. NRES said Malaysia and India remain committed to ensuring resilient mineral supply chains and inclusive environmental conservation efforts for shared prosperity in the region. -- BERNAMA

PUTRAJAYA, May 7 (Bernama) — Malaysia and India are committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation in biodiversity conservation, rare earth elements (REE), and green technology through various strategic initiatives discussed during a courtesy call by the Indian delegation to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES). The Indian delegation, led by India’s High Commissioner […]

India requested citizens in Iran to stay indoors for 48 hours

HYDERABAD: India on Tuesday issued a new advisory to its citizens in Iran to stay indoors and avoid upper floors of buildings. The Indian government had previously asked its citizens to leave Iran due to the ongoing war. "Following the previous advisory, Indian nationals still in Iran must remain in their respective locations for the next 48 hours, stay away from all electrical appliances, military facilities and upper floors of high-rise buildings, remain indoors, and coordinate any movement on highways transparently with the Embassy," the Indian Embassy said in a statement. The new advice comes as Israel and the United States threaten to destroy power plants, bridges, rail infrastructure and other public facilities in Iran. -- BERNAMA

HYDERABAD: India on Tuesday issued a new advisory to its citizens in Iran to stay indoors and avoid upper floors of buildings. The Indian government had previously asked its citizens to leave Iran due to the ongoing war. “Following the previous advisory, Indian nationals still in Iran must remain in their respective locations for the […]