What Happened Today

Uddhav firm on CM demand, says talking to Cong & NCP

• Uddhav Thackeray told his party legislators that he would not settle for anything but the CM’s post and that the Congress and NCP were in touch with the party.

My Opinion: I guess this is one of the first times when the BJP is seeing such strong defence in the state. I am sure that is not going down well with them, and thus, now this seems more like an ego battle. Although I appreciate a strong opposition, it is time that we narrow down on the Cabinet and the CM.

Link: https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM%2F2019%2F11%2F01&entity=Ar00109&sk=1C195F10&mode=text

Govt asks WhatsApp to explain breach amid phone snoop row

• The government said it had asked WhatsApp to explain how Israeli spyware ‘Pegasus’ had been used to infect the phones of many Indian rights activists and journalists to spy on them, and how the company would protect the privacy of Indians.
• The response, articulated by IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, followed WhatsApp’s revelation that 1,400 people had been targeted worldwide, including in India, by surveillance technology so invasive that it can read and transmit the entire content of a phone as well as operate its camera.
• NSO, said it sells Pegasus only to vetted governments and their agencies.
• Those targeted in India were mainly rights activists, lawyers and journalists fighting for or speaking out for tribals, Dalits and people fighting the government in court.

My Opinion: It is of core importance to understand that the NSO said that Pegasus is only sold to VETTED GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR AGENCIES. 

Link: https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM%2F2019%2F11%2F01&entity=Ar00105&sk=118F44B6&mode=text

Unesco tags Mumbai, Hyd as creative cities

• Mumbai entered the global network of creative cities under the film category and Hyderabad under gastronomy.
• Till now, Varanasi (music), Chennai (music) and Jaipur (crafts & folk art) were in the network, which was on Thursday expanded to 246 members, with the inclusion of 66 cities, including Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Link: https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM%2F2019%2F11%2F01&entity=Ar00106&sk=A9B1384E&mode=text

Twitter’s ban on political ads gets guarded welcome

• Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced early on Thursday that the platform will no longer run political advertisements, saying that “political reach should be earned, not bought.”
• Ads in support of voter registration will still be allowed, it added.

Link: https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM%2F2019%2F11%2F01&entity=Ar01109&sk=10AFA42E&mode=text

Passengers choosing BEST over taxis, autos

• Slashed fares increase BEST’s passenger count by over 11 lakh
• “In July 2019, the average number of daily passengers was around 19 lakh which has now risen to 30 lakh,” said Manoj Varade, deputy PRO of BEST.
• According to AL Quadrose, leader of Mumbai Taximen’s Union, after the revision of bus fares the taxi drivers have suffered a loss of 15 to 17 per cent passengers 

Link: https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/MumbaiMirror/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=MMIR%2F2019%2F11%2F01&entity=Ar00901&sk=C629F205&mode=text