Latest news with #G20Summit
Daily Maverick
13 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
G20 alert — the assault on information integrity is intensifying
The Group of 20 is easily dismissed as a talk shop with little substance. The gathering of ministers and heads of state of the world's richest economies is dissed for being a bloated bureaucracy, a clubby talkshop that lacks legitimacy, inclusivity and impact. It passes by the general public annually as background noise. But thanks to Donald Trump and his theatrical threats, it is well known not only in South Africa but globally that this year's G20 is being hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa – the first time an African head of state has been handed the honour. What remains background noise are the engagements taking place weekly in the build-up to the G20 Summit in November, which is centred on three core themes: solidarity, equality and sustainability. Just take a glance at the packed G20 calendar to get an idea of the weighty agenda right now. The G20 programme encompasses 13 engagement subgroups from an array of interests, including the O20 (Oceans), C20 (Civil), W20 (Women), B20 (Business) and Y20 (Youth). The absence of Media in the formal structure is conspicuous. But no matter, the media has a window of opportunity to nudge public interest issues onto the agenda, and into key declarations, through the creation of its own M20. The M20 is a parallel, collaborative initiative operating outside the G20 tent. This year, it has been initiated by the SA National Editors' Forum, Media Monitoring Africa and other partners. Key media issues elevated during the Brazil G20 presidency in 2024 are being pursued again. Priorities are information integrity, artificial intelligence, copyright, sustainability and climate reporting. The starting blocks are already in place, emerging from the 2024 G20. The Digital Economy Working Group published a declaration that incorporates attention to the importance of digital inclusion for all, and the Brazilian government launched a Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change. There is an urgency to build on these gains, especially at a time of heightened unaccountability, counterfeit journalists, deepfakes, bullying, attacks on journalists and a daily struggle by the media to stay afloat. It is hard to keep track of the assaults on media and threats to information integrity. This week, for instance, a journalist in Ethiopia, Ahmed Awga, was given a two-year jail sentence for ' disseminating hateful information via a Facebook post he did not author'. In South Africa, the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection issued a 'fake news' alert after an analysis about the interest of Elon Musk's Starlink in South Africa was circulated on X under the false pretence that it was penned by its executive director, Joel Netshitenzhe. Also in South Africa, word broke that the Mail & Guardian, which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary of gutsy investigative journalism, is on its knees and slashing jobs to stay afloat. In the US, all remaining staff at Voice of America were expecting termination notices, 'effectively shutting down the international broadcasting network, according to Politico. Yet, against this disruptive backdrop, the first published M20 policy brief notes that the G20 programme gives less attention to information integrity this year compared with 2024. The G20 will, however, host a workshop on generative AI 'and its evolving ability to produce high-quality deepfakes at a lower cost, and the impact on information integrity, and consideration of possible recommendations'. The policy brief, which is open for comment, spells out both the potential for the G20 to make a difference, and the threat in the media space right now: 'Media engagement on the G20's interest in 'information integrity' can make a difference as to whether journalism's strength and standing can make gains – or if current troubling media trends stay as they are, or go more horribly wrong.' Right now, the outlook is bleak. The public interest media space is wilting, as the offensive against information integrity is advancing. Now is not the time to let cynicism silence a call to action. DM Janet Heard is involved in the M20 initiative. She writes in her personal capacity.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
India Hosts G20, Pakistan Hosts Top 20 Terrorists? Priyanka Chaturvedi Blasts Islamabad in UK
/ Jun 02, 2025, 10:30AM IST top 20 global terrorists—while India leads global diplomacy through free trade agreements and the successful G20 Summit. Speaking at India House, Chaturvedi praised India's armed forces and highlighted how Pakistan has repeatedly harbored terror masterminds like Osama Bin Laden. Her remarks come as India signs new FTAs and cements its global economic leadership.#priyankachaturvedi #indiafta #pakistanterror #g20summit #t20terrorists #modigovernment #indiadiplomacy #osamabinladen #terrorism #toibharat
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
India's cities drown in greed's flood
The rains of May 2025 have unleashed a merciless reckoning on India's urban giants—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru—turning their streets into raging rivers, their homes into swamps, and their dreams into tragedies. Homes were swept away. Uprooted by rain rage, venerable trees collapsed on cars, killing people. In Bengaluru, a young boy stepped out of a bus and was sucked into a manhole by swirling waters. In Delhi, a wall collapsed and killed labourers. On May 2, the capital was battered by over 80 mm of rain in mere hours, marking the city's wettest May since 1901. Minto Bridge, Azadpur and areas near Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 submerged, stranding commuters and damaging vehicles; a car was seen swallowed by water at Minto Road. Mumbai, hit with 104 mm of rain in a single hour at Nariman Point on May 26, saw the Mithi River—choked by encroachments—spill over, flooding Kurla and suspending Metro Line 3 services. Flooding claimed eight lives in Kurla, including 15-year-old Ayesha, whose family shop was destroyed, their livelihood washed away. Bengaluru, grappling with incessant downpours, watched its IT corridors like Whitefield drown, with an X post decrying a 'tech city sinking in filth'. Ironically, Mumbai can move billions of dollars across continents in seconds. But its billionaire residents living in multimillion-dollar condos can't move from one street to another during the monsoons. Delhi can host the G20 Summit over 3 sq km, but its residents must wade through foul water spewed from decrepit sewage systems. Bengaluru's Vrishabhawathi river is a black, toxic stream—80 percent of the city's 1,800 million litres of sewage per day is untreated. It can connect the world, but not disconnect from despair. An X post lamented, 'IT parks gleam, but floods expose our shame.'
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Cities drown in greed's flood
The rains of May 2025 have unleashed a merciless reckoning on India's urban giants—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru—turning their streets into raging rivers, their homes into swamps, and their dreams into tragedies. Homes were swept away. Uprooted by rain rage, venerable trees collapsed on cars, killing people. In Bengaluru, a young boy stepped out of a bus and was sucked into a manhole by swirling waters. In Delhi, a wall collapsed and killed labourers. On May 2, the capital was battered by over 80 mm of rain in mere hours, marking the city's wettest May since 1901. Minto Bridge, Azadpur and areas near Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 submerged, stranding commuters and damaging vehicles; a car was seen swallowed by water at Minto Road. Mumbai, hit with 104 mm of rain in a single hour at Nariman Point on May 26, saw the Mithi River—choked by encroachments—spill over, flooding Kurla and suspending Metro Line 3 services. Flooding claimed eight lives in Kurla, including 15-year-old Ayesha, whose family shop was destroyed, their livelihood washed away. Bengaluru, grappling with incessant downpours, watched its IT corridors like Whitefield drown, with an X post decrying a 'tech city sinking in filth'. Ironically, Mumbai can move billions of dollars across continents in seconds. But its billionaire residents living in multimillion-dollar condos can't move from one street to another during the monsoons. Delhi can host the G20 Summit over 3 sq km, but its residents must wade through foul water spewed from decrepit sewage systems. Bengaluru's Vrishabhawathi river is a black, toxic stream—80 percent of the city's 1,800 million litres of sewage per day is untreated. It can connect the world, but not disconnect from despair. An X post lamented, 'IT parks gleam, but floods expose our shame.'
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Delhi floats tender for 12K plantations to beautify SP Marg
New Delhi Around 12,000 flowering trees and shrubs, including amaltas and bougainvillaea, will be planted along the Sardar Patel Marg to beautify it and a tender has been floated for the same, officials of the Delhi forest and wildlife department said on Wednesday. A similar drive in June 2023—wherein Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena asked the forest department for a five-layered plantation of around six flowering species at the ridge, including chinar and cherry blossoms, in the run-up to the G20 Summit—did not yield desired results, a senior forest department official said on condition of anonymity. The drive focused on the side facing SP Marg as it provided access to visitors and dignitaries commuting between central Delhi and the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. The forest department official said the plantation drive is likely to commence in monsoon season, and fully grown saplings—around 10 to 12 feet high—will be planted. 'The aim is to beautify the initial part of the stretch adjacent to the forest with flowering trees and shrubs. This will make the approach aesthetically pleasing and we are focusing on native species,' the official said. They said over 1,000 each of amaltas, Lagerstroemia speciosa (Queen's crepe myrtle), and Tabebuia rosea (rosy trumpet tree) will be planted, and around 8,400 bougainvillea will be planted, according to the tender. The last date for submitting bids is June 2, as per the tender dated May 26. The forest official said that while the species are not expected to flower this year, there is a possibility some species may flower by next year. Experts, however, questioned the choice of species selected. Environmentalist Pradip Krishen said that barring amaltas, the remaining three species were not native to the ridge. 'Even bougainvillaea may survive in the ridge, but that does not mean it is a good reason to plant it there. Just because a species is able to grow on thin rocky soils, you cannot let ornamental exotic plants be introduced there. On one hand, the forest department says is ecologically restoring the ridge, but at the same time, it is opting for such species which are not native at all,' he said. Delhi has four prominent ridge areas, with a total area of around 7,784 hectares. The largest—the Southern Ridge—is spread over 6,200 hectares. Central Ridge is the next largest, with an area of 864 hectares. The South-Central Ridge in Mehrauli is spread across 626 hectares and the Northern Ridge is spread across 87 hectares. The Nanakpura south-central ridge is spread across seven hectares.
