iWorld
Import tariffs hike to hurt telcos’ network expansion: Report
MUMBAI: The government, on Thursday, announced a plan to rein in imports and bolster a falling rupee. It will raise import tariffs on several electronic items and communication devices. The tariff hike was the second such move by the government in a two-week span according to Reuters.
The government attempts to raise import barriers to curtail the import of goods it deems as "non-essential" items. The list including wearables like smartwatches, voice over internet protocol equipment and phones, and Ethernet switches, among other items.
Last month, it raised import tariffs on 19 "non-essential items," including air conditioners, refrigerators, footwear, speakers, luggage and aviation turbine fuel, among other items.
The gambit is part of a plan to contain a slide in the rupee, which has weakened more than 14 per cent against the US dollar this year, hit by a rout in emerging markets and other domestic factors such as a widening current account deficit.
The plan, which becomes effective on Friday, will potentially also hurt Indian telecom carriers such as Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Idea, said Neil Shah of tech research firm Counterpoint.
"This will slow down the rollout of high-speed broadband which uses optical fibre and LTE networks," Shah told Reuters, adding however that it could help local telecom equipment makers like Tata Teleservices that manufacture some of this equipment locally.
India announced higher import tax on electronics products such as mobile phones and television sets in December, and then on 40 more items in the budget in February. These include goods as varied as sunglasses, juices and auto components.
iWorld
Beware: Fake war lockdown notice mimicking official government order circulates on WhatsApp
The spoof document mimics an official government order but opens to reveal a jester and the words “April Fool”
MUMBAI: It looked official. It had the Ashoka Emblem. It had the formal layout of a government circular. And it was called “War Lockdown Notice.” Thousands of WhatsApp users across India forwarded it in a panic — only to open it and find a cartoon jester waving cheerfully above the words “April Fool.”
The document, which circulated rapidly on Tuesday, was designed to look like a genuine government order, carrying enough official-looking detail to alarm recipients and prompt frantic resharing. The punchline was the entire point. The danger, however, is real.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has cautioned citizens that sharing fake messages and rumours carries serious consequences. In severe cases, it could result in police action or imprisonment.
The warning is timely. Viral hoaxes dressed up as official government communications have a long and damaging history in India, stoking panic, spreading misinformation and, in some cases, triggering real-world consequences. A forged document bearing the national emblem, however briefly intended as a joke, is no laughing matter in the eyes of the law.
April Fool’s Day or not, WhatsApp forwards deserve a hard look before the finger hits share. The jester on that document was not the only fool in the room.
