Today in History (September 4th, 1781)
On this day, Spanish settlers laid claim to what became Los Angeles, which is now the second most populous city in the U.S. and home to Hollywood, a name synonymous with the American motion-picture industry.
Summary of Today’s News
Bengal Bill moots capital punishment for rapists
The West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024. Key provisions include life sentences without parole for certain convicts and capital punishment for those whose victims are left dead or in a vegetative state. A task force will ensure that cases are resolved within 21 days of the preliminary report and trials conclude within 30 days. The Bill also increases punishments for rape, gang rape, and offenses by public servants, amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Introduced after the rape and murder of a doctor, it was hailed as “historic” by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Centre gives L-G the power to constitute any authority, board.
The Centre has granted Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena absolute powers to establish authorities, boards, or commissions, including the Delhi Commission for Women and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission. The Union Home Ministry confirmed these expanded powers through a notification. Subsequently, the Municipal Commissioner announced the appointment of presiding officers for zonal committee polls, following Saxena’s directive after Mayor Shelly Oberoi declined to make the appointments.
Why is Google accused of being an illegal monopoly?
Google lost a court case filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, which accused it of being an illegal monopoly due to its dominant market position. The court ruled that Google misused this position, primarily by paying billions to manufacturers like Apple to be the default search engine. With over 90% market share, critics argue this is harmful to competition, while supporters claim its dominance is based on service quality. Future court proceedings may lead to significant changes, including potential revenue-sharing bans and a user choice mandate for default search engines.
Putin visits Mongolia after brushing aside ICC warrant
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia, marking his first trip to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member country since an arrest warrant was issued against him for alleged war crimes related to the Ukraine invasion. He was warmly received in Ulaanbaatar, where he signed agreements for a power plant upgrade and a continuous aviation fuel supply. Protests occurred, with some detaining individuals who attempted to display Ukrainian flags. Ukraine had urged Mongolia to arrest Putin, raising EU concerns about compliance with the ICC warrant.