Bosnia prosecutor seeks detention of separatist Serb leaders amid mounting tensions
The Bosnian Prosecutor's Office issued the order after Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic and Parliament Speaker Nenad Stevandic failed to answer two summons for questioning.
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TechCrunch
6 hours ago
- TechCrunch
India bans real-money gaming, threatening a $23 billion industry
India's lower house of parliament on Wednesday passed a sweeping online gaming bill that, while promoting esports and casual gaming without monetary stakes, imposes a blanket ban on real-money games — threatening to disrupt billions of dollars in investment and significantly impact the real-money gaming industry, which could see widespread shutdowns. Titled the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, the legislation aims to prohibit real-money games nationwide — whether based on skill or chance — and ban both their advertisement and associated financial transactions, as TechCrunch earlier reported based on its draft version. 'In this bill, priority has been given to the welfare of society and to avoid a big evil that is creeping into society,' India's IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in parliament while introducing the bill. The proposed legislation restricts banks and other financial institutions from allowing transactions for real-money games in the country. Anyone offering these games could face imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to ₹10 million (approximately $115,000), or both. Additionally, celebrities promoting such games on any media platform could be liable for up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of ₹5 million (roughly $57,000), the bill states. Vaishnaw said the decision to bring the legislation was to address several incidents of harm, including cases where individuals reportedly died by suicide after losing money in games. However, industry stakeholders largely attribute these incidents to offshore betting and gambling apps, which many believe will not be addressed by this legislation. 'This law is bound to face litigation as it fails the test of proportionality under Article 19(1)(g),' said Meghna Bal, director of the New Delhi-based think-tank Esya Centre. 'Instead of safeguarding consumers, it dismantles compliant onshore companies while opening the door wider for illegal offshore betting platforms that are the real source of financial harm.' Article 19(1)(g) of India's Constitution guarantees citizens the right to practice any profession or carry on any occupation, trade, or business. Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital, Elad Gil — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $600+ before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW Ahead of the bill's introduction in the Indian Parliament, industry bodies wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening, urging him to intervene. The letter — sent by the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports, All India Gaming Federation, and E-Gaming Federation, a copy of which was reviewed by TechCrunch — warned that the proposed legislation could benefit 'illegal offshore gambling operations' while forcing Indian businesses to shut down. These industry bodies represent Dream Sports, MPL, WinZO, Gameskraft, Nazara Technologies, and Zupee, among other real-money gaming companies. 'By shutting down regulated and responsible Indian platforms, it will drive [millions] of players into the hands of illegal matka networks, offshore gambling websites, and fly-by-night operators who operate without any safeguards, consumer protections, or taxation,' the letter stated. (Matka is a form of illegal gambling that originated in India, involving betting on random numbers.) The three industry bodies estimated that real-money gaming startups in India have a combined enterprise valuation of ₹2 trillion (approximately $23 billion), generate cumulative revenues of ₹310 billion (around $3.6 billion), and contribute ₹200 billion (roughly $2.29 billion) annually in direct and indirect taxes. They also project a 28% compound annual growth rate that would double the industry's size by 2028. The industry groups warned that the blanket ban could result in the loss of more than 200,000 jobs and the closure of over 400 companies. A similar letter was also written to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah by these three industry associations. Some Indian and global investors are also calibrating their response, a person familiar with the matter told TechCrunch. The source did not want to be named, as the plans are not yet public. Publicly-listed Nazara Technologies, which has previously invested in real-money gaming platforms including PokerBaazi and Classic Rummy, saw its share price fall 12.84% on Wednesday to close at ₹1,220 (about $14). The company, however, earlier clarified in a stock exchange filing (PDF) that it has 'no direct exposure' to real-money gaming businesses and that these platforms do not contribute to its revenues based on its latest reported financials. Nazara Technologies' Stock price on Wednesday Image Credits:Google Finance Dream Sports and MPL, two of the top real-money gaming startups, declined to comment, while WinZO, another popular real-money startup, did not respond. The bill was passed by voice vote in a noisy lower house less than seven minutes after it was introduced for debate. It now requires approval from the upper house and the president to become law. Meanwhile, some companies in casual gaming and esports have welcomed the move. 'We applaud this decision as it allows us to focus on the ongoing concerns as a business — monetization, retention, and most importantly, building great IP for India and the world, rather than having to explain to our audiences what we are to begin with,' said Sumit Batheja, CEO and co-founder of Ginger Games, which is part of Krafton's Indian gaming incubator and makes hyper casual games. Krafton is the South Korean gaming company behind the popular battle royale game PUBG. I welcome the Govt's decision to prohibit Real Money Gaming & establish a strong regulatory framework. 🇮🇳 Too many young lives were being lost to addiction & debt. This decisive step safeguards our youth while unlocking the future of Indian gaming — driven by original IP,… — Vishal Gondal (@vishalgondal) August 20, 2025 Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of esports company NODWIN Gaming, which is also a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, said the law needs to have clear distinctions between esports, online gaming, online social gaming, and online money gaming that are clearly defined and uniformly understood. 'The absence of precise definitions has often led to ambiguity and conflation around the term 'esports'. Such overlaps can create confusion not just for regulators, but also for players, teams, investors, and organizers who are working hard to build this industry,' he stated. Bal also told TechCrunch that the bill 'decimates esports,' as an authority set up by the Indian government would decide the validity of esports. 'The impact goes beyond real money gaming to the broader ecosystem of businesses that depend on it and indeed presents grave implications for the AVGC [Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics] sector as a whole,' she said. In 2023, the Indian government amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to curb 'user harm' from real-money games and proposed self-regulatory bodies to limit illegal betting and gambling while allowing legitimate games. However, the self-regulation approach faltered due to conflicts among industry stakeholders over enforcement and standards. New Delhi imposed a 28% tax on online gaming in 2023 to curb real-money play, prompting an outcry from industry stakeholders. Top investors — including Tiger Global, Peak XV Partners, and Kotak —urged Modi to reconsider, warning of $2.5 billion in write-offs and the potential loss of one million jobs. The tax, however, remained in place, even as companies challenged its retrospective application in the Supreme Court. Recent reports suggest it may be revised upward to 40% under new rules. Rohit Kumar, a founding partner of the New Delhi-based public policy firm The Quantum Hub, told TechCrunch that the real problem with the new bill is a lack of due process. 'Regulation is necessary, but abrupt moves like this undermine India's reputation as a stable, predictable investment destination. If concerns existed, the government should have signaled them clearly from the outset,' he said.
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Associated Press
Nigeria mosque attack death toll rises to 50, lawmaker says
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The death toll from a shooting at a mosque in northwestern Nigeria has risen to 50, a local official said Wednesday. Gunmen stormed the mosque in the town of Unguwan Mantau, in Katsina state, during morning prayers on Tuesday, according to lawmaker Aminu Ibrahim. 'The bandits killed 30 people and burnt 20 others during attacks on several villages,' Ibrahim told the state parliament on Wednesday. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Such attacks are common in Nigeria's northwestern and north-central regions, where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. An attack last month in north-central Nigeria killed 150 people. The prolonged conflict has become deadlier in recent years, with authorities and analysts warning that more herdsmen are taking up arms. On Tuesday the Katsina state commissioner, Nasir Mu'azu, said the army and police have deployed in the area of Unguwan Mantau to prevent further attacks, adding that gunmen often hide among the crops in farms during the rainy season to carry out assaults on communities. He said the mosque attack was likely in retaliation for a raid by Unguwan Mantau townspeople at the weekend when several gunmen were ambushed and killed. Dozens of armed groups take advantage of the limited security presence in Nigeria's mineral-rich regions, carrying out attacks on villages and along major roads. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence. Separate from the conflict between farming and herding communities, Nigeria is battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
The Hill
14 hours ago
- The Hill
Palestinians deserve a state now for the same reasons Jews did in 1948
Soon, the Palestinian people will be recognized as a sovereign nation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by most countries. They now have the political and moral momentum toward achieving this goal. The world owes Palestinians independence and sovereignty for the same reasons it granted the Jews living in British Mandatory Palestine their independent state in 1948, only a few years after six million Jews had been gassed to death in German concentration camps. This will happen despite an expected U.S. veto next month in the United Nations, and in spite of the political alliance between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump is pragmatic; he will come to support the creation of a Palestinian state, as most Americans already do. This is because the case for Palestinian independence has been getting clearer and more urgent with every Israeli bombing of mostly innocent Gazans, and with every death from starvation caused by Israel's withholding of food. Most countries now recognize a sovereign Palestinian state. In total, 147 members of the United Nations, or 76 percent of its members, have already recognized the Palestinian state. And of the five members with power to reject Palestinian independence, China and Russia are already known supporters. France and the United Kingdom said they will support sovereign Palestine next month before the U.N. votes on the matter. The lone veto is expected from the U.S., but Trump is likely to change his mind. Ehud Olmert, Israel's Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009, supports an independent Palestinian state. A large segment of Israelis already supports the creation of an independent Palestine, though such support has has declined as the war has progressed. Hundreds of high ranking past members of the Israeli government, the Israeli Parliament, and Israel Defense Forces support Palestinian independence. And for the first time, Israeli human rights organizations such as B'Tselem, and medical associations are calling on the international community to stop the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians by the Israel's Defense Forces. The Arab League of twenty-two Arab nations has called Hamas to disarm and relinquish the Gaza Strip to make peace possible. According to recent Gallup poll, 55 percent of Americans and 41 percent of Republicans support an independent Palestine. And according to The Times of Israel, President Trump recently said that the destruction, killing, and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza were done by Benjamin Netanyahu to keep him in office. This points to a likely U.S. backing of independence. Furthermore, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — a ardent Trump supporter — recently characterized Israel's actions against the Palestinians in the Strip as genocide. Netanyahu himself is partly responsible for the expected creation of an independent Palestinian state because of his increasingly brutal tactics and strategies against the Palestinians. For example, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel's actions have violated the Genocide Convention and issued a warrant for Netanyahu's arrest. Israel had worldwide sympathy and empathy when Hamas invaded its territory and savagely murdered 1,200 Israelis. That action led to a declaration of war against Hamas. But the situation has since changed. The war quickly devolved into a war against all Palestinians in the strip. If the strategy were to get rid of them through indiscriminate killing and mass starvation of innocent people, I am not sure what they would be doing differently. Netanyahu's failure has led much of the world community to believe that that the war in Gaza is no longer a retaliation against Hamas for the atrocities of October 2023, but rather a war to do away with a whole people. The world community in the U.N. will soon reject such behavior and vote to grant independence to Palestine. It is about time for the U.S. to join such cause.
