HT Daily News Wrap

Massive protest erupts at IIT Guwahati after student found dead in hostel room | Morning News

Episode Summary

Kolkata Rape-Murder Case Updates: Victim's mother says Mamata lied about never offering money; BJP backs it with video, 'We Want To Know Socio-Economic Position Of Lower Classes': Rahul Gandhi Vouches For Caste Census, BJP Reacts, Massive protest erupts at IIT Guwahati after student found dead in hostel room, Apple debuts iPhone 16 with test AI software rolling out this year and next, Alfonso Cuaron Takes On TV With 'Disclaimer'

Episode Transcription

1. Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Monday evening said they would continue their ‘cease work’ to demand justice for the RG Kar hospital medic who was raped and murdered, despite Supreme Court directions to resume duties by 5 pm on Tuesday. Demanding the resignation of the state’s health secretary and director of health education, the striking medics said that they would also take out a rally to 'Swasthya Bhavan' – the headquarters of the health department in Salt Lake – on Tuesday noon. "Our demands are unfulfilled and justice is not meted out to the victim. We will continue our agitation as well as the ‘cease work’. We want the health secretary and DHE to resign. Tomorrow noon, we will hold a rally to the Swasthya Bhavan," one of the protesting doctors told PTI after their governing body meeting. The body of the postgraduate trainee was found with injury marks in a seminar room of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. She was allegedly raped and killed while on duty. The incident has triggered nationwide outrage and protests.
2. The Congress Party will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place, which is not the case right now, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition has said. Gandhi made these remarks while talking to students at the prestigious Georgetown University. “We will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place. And India is not a fair place,” Gandhi told students at the university in Washington,in response to a question on reservation and how long it would continue. “When you look at the financial numbers, then tribals get 10 paise out of 100 rupees; Dalits get 5 rupees out of 100 rupees, and OBCs get a similar number. The fact of the matter is that they're not getting participation," Gandhi said.
3. A third-year Computer Science student of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati was found dead in his hostel room on Monday, police said. The body of the male student, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was found in his room in the Brahmaputra Hostel, they said. Investigation is underway, a police officer said, adding, the body has been sent for postmortem examination. This is the fourth death of a student in IITG this year. On August 9, a female student was allegedly found hanging in her room. As the news of the death spread, a section of students gathered in front of the administration building, demanding justice for the deceased and necessary mental health support for those studying at IITG. “The deceased student was suffering from physical health issues and was disturbed mentally. He was undergoing treatment and unable to concentrate on his studies,” a protesting student claimed. The protesters alleged that though he had submitted the required medical certificates, it was not considered and he subsequently became more depressed. The dean of students’ welfare held talks with the agitating students, and assured them that their physical and mental well-being is IITG's top priority.
4. Apple on Monday unveiled its long-awaited, artificial intelligence-boosted iPhone 16 and promised improvements in its Siri personal assistant as it rolled out new software, beginning in test mode next month. "The next generation of iPhone has been designed for Apple Intelligence from the ground up. It marks the beginning of an exciting new era," Chief Executive Tim Cook said at a product launch. Shares of Apple closed barely changed for the day at $220.91. Apple's event came hours before China's Huawei launches a tri-fold phone, underscoring the competitive challenge the iPhone maker faces. Apple has yet to announce an AI partner in China to power the 16s. Apple and technology companies around the world are racing to add AI to products, and phones are expected to be among the most important battlegrounds. The Cupertino, California-based company also is betting the AI feature will drive consumers to upgrade amid a slowdown in iPhone sales. Apple Intelligence, the company's AI software, will be used to improve Siri as well as enhancing features such as understanding and identifying objects captured by the phone camera, executives said.
5. Director Alfonso Cuaron is taking on prestige television with "Disclaimer," a seven-part psychological thriller starring fellow Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, but he said Monday the end result is still a film -- a very long one. It is not the first time that the Mexican filmmaker has worked on the small screen -- he co-created the short-lived series "Believe," which aired on NBC a decade ago. But "Disclaimer" -- which was screened at the Toronto film festival on Monday after a world premiere in Venice -- is his first major TV project since he scooped up Academy Awards for directing "Gravity" and "Roma." The limited series, the first project in Cuaron's multi-year deal with Apple TV , stars Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a journalist whose life is upended when she receives a novel that seemingly recounts the intimate details of her darkest secret.