Business
Indian app industry cheers South Korea move to rein in Apple and Google

The South Korean Parliament on Tuesday passed a Bill that is expected to rein in the control that Apple and Google have over payment systems in their app stores. The legislation is now awaiting the signature of the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.
This Bill is the first major legislation in the world to specifically target in-app markets and payment systems, even as market giants Apple and Google are facing global criticism for mandating the in-app use of their proprietary payment systems, and charging commissions of up to 30 per cent on the sale of apps and subscriptions through the app stores. Developers across the world have questioned these moves, and have demanded freedom to choose alternative methods of payment and distribution, such as via third-party app stores installed on the iOS or Android operating systems.
On Tuesday, South Korean legislators voted to approve amendments to their Telecommunications Business Act, with the intent of promoting fair competition in the app market industry. The bill prohibits app market business operators from taking advantage of their dominant status to force developers to use a specific payment system. It also prohibits app store service providers from engaging in activities such as preventing apps from registering on their stores, inappropriately delaying app registration and unfairly deleting apps from the app market. The move would also enable app developers to avoid the hefty commissions, and thus reduce costs both for developers and end-consumers.
In addition, the bill also empowers South Korea’s Minister of Science/ICT and the Korea Communications Commission to conduct an inquiry into the operations of the app market, to help the government more actively identify app-market related disputes and prevent acts that hinder fair competition and consumer interests.
This move comes as regulators worldwide have turned their attention to app stores and the fees they are charging developers. In the US, three senators introduced a bipartisan Bill earlier in August to promote fair competition by regulating in-app purchases and forcing dominant players from excluding third-party app stores from their operating systems. In India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating Google for potential abuses of its dominant position in the market to promote its proprietary payment services.
Apple and Google have both publicly opposed attempts to regulate their business practices through legislation.
Meanwhile, several industry players have reacted positively to the developments in South Korea. Rakesh Deshmukh, Co-founder & CEO of Indus App Bazaar, India’s largest third-party app store, shared his support for the move. He said that “policy needs to support innovation. We hope that Google enhances developer choice by allowing the listing of app distribution platforms like Indus App Bazaar on the Play Store. That would help us to formulate a B2C journey. I hope that App Stores like ourselves are allowed a fair play environment on Google Play and Android. Furthermore, in India, we need to look into developer choice for app distribution & payment gateways from a policy perspective.”
Sijo Kuruvilla, Executive Director of the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a startup alliance, welcomed the move by tweeting “Any legislation on the matter anywhere in the world will set a precedent for other nations to adopt and build on. To fair markets.”
Commenting on the developments from the US, the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), an industry association of apps, reacted positively, terming it a momentous step forward, with Meghan DiMuzio, the Executive Director of CAF saying, “South Korean lawmakers and President Moon Jae-in have made history and are setting an example for the rest of the world. This law will hold app store gatekeepers accountable for their harmful and anti-competitive practices. The Coalition for App Fairness hopes U.S. and European lawmakers follow South Korea’s lead and continue their important work to level the playing field for all app developers and users.”
Match Group, that operates the largest portfolio of dating and social discovery apps such as Tinder and OKCupid, thanked South Korean Legislators in a statement, also saying that the legislation “… marks a monumental step in the fight for a fair app ecosystem…” and “…will put an end to mandatory IAP in South Korea, which will allow innovation, consumer choice, and competition to thrive in this market…” The statement adds, “We look forward to the bill being quickly signed into law and implore legislative bodies around the globe to take similar measures to protect their citizens and businesses from monopolistic gatekeepers that are restricting the Internet.”
Meanwhile, many Indian players have also noted these developments with interest, more so in context of opposition to Google’s “app tax” on in-app purchases and its impacts on local players.
NFN Labs, developers of popular apps like Screeny and Vookmark, who have had their share of run-ins with Google, Twitter, and Apple, have also been welcoming of alternative stores and choices of payment gateways.
Rajesh Padmanabhan, cofounder, NFN Labs in a statement said, “For our IoT product, Vookmark launching on Indus App bazaar has boosted our growth with a new set of engaged users…Additionally, we are exploring the ability to distribute and collect payments through alternative channels for our browser extensions, Android, and iOS packages. An alternative distribution that allows free uploads like Indus App Bazaar & lower commissions will certainly help to redirect funds for R&D and help us grow faster.”
The implications of the move in the Indian market remain to be seen, but Rakesh Deshmukh of Indus App Bazaar feels there is more that can be done with app distribution in India, “It’s about the choice of distribution; we all know that Google Play Store and App Store will continue to exist but we need more competition. We believe that choice is central to competition and hence when developers choose to distribute via our infrastructure, we allow a choice of payment gateway. This choice we believe would allow developers leverage to negotiate a reasonable fee with the two companies and payment gateway providers.”
National
Bengaluru stampede: K’taka govt releases details of deceased; families raise questions

Bengaluru, June 5: The Karnataka government on Thursday released the details of the 11 people killed in the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory celebrations on June 4.
Among the dead, one hailed from Udumalapet near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and the rest are from Bengaluru and other districts of the state.
According to the details shared by the Chief Minister’s Office, the deceased have been identified as 14-year-old Divyanshi, a resident of Yelahanka in Bengaluru; 26-year-old Akshata Pai, a resident of Karwar; 19-year-old Bhoomik, a resident of M.S. Ramaiah Layout in Bengaluru; 23-year-old Sahana, a native of Kolar; 19-year-old Chinmaya Shetty, a resident of Doddakallasandra in Bengaluru; 20-year-old Manojkumar, a resident of Nagasandra village in Tumakuru district; 20-year-old Shravana K.T., a resident of Kallahalli village in Chikkaballapura district; 17-year-old Shivu aka Shivalinga, a resident of Honigeri village in Yadgir district; 20-year-old Poornachandra, a resident of Rayasamudra village in Mandya district; 29-year-old Kamakshidevi, a resident of Udumalapet near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and 22-year-old Prajwal, a resident of Yelahanka New Town in Bengaluru are the deceased persons.
Laxman, the father of deceased Bhoomik (19), stated he was given information that his son was serious and asked to arrive at the hospital. “My son never watched cricket matches, he had gone along with his friends. I was informed that when the stampede occurred, there was no ambulance, and my son was shifted to the hospital in a police vehicle.”
He further expressed his outrage that he pays the government tax up to Rs 5 lakh per month, and the government wasn’t able to provide an ambulance to his son.
Suresh Babu, the father of deceased Sahana (23), stated his daughter informed him that she is going to attend the RCB victory celebrations at noon. “She had gone to the office in the morning, and later she went to the Chinnaswamy Stadium. “I wanted to see my daughter’s marriage and but now I am garlanding her dead body. She completed her engineering studies and worked at Bosch Company in Bengaluru for two years. She never caused us pain. I had asked her to be careful. The system has failed,” he stated.
The mother of the deceased, Prajwal (22), said she had to run from one hospital to another after being informed about the tragedy. She stated that Prajwal was her only son, and being a labourer, she managed somehow to complete the engineering course. “The government has snatched away my only son. Do they know how it feels to lose a son?” she asked.
The state government has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and also ordered a magisterial probe.
The BJP has said that the deaths were government-sponsored murders and demanded the immediate resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara.
Taking cognizance of the stampede incident, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday registered a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and sought a report from the Congress-led Karnataka government.
The division bench, headed by acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwar Rao, expressed concern over the tragedy.
Social activist Snehamayi Krishna filed a complaint with the Cubbon Park police on Thursday against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, office-bearers of the KSCA, and others. In his complaint, Krishna demanded that the police register the case under Section 106 of the BNS Act.
International
Trump signs proclamation banning travel from 12 nations

Washington, June 5: US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation imposing a travel ban on 12 countries and restricting the entry of seven others to the US, citing national security concerns.
According to the proclamation, the 12 countries that were banned include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Additionally, the order partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals of the following seven countries — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The announcement of the ban followed a recent violent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, on participants of a peaceful rally calling for the safe return of Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas. We don’t want them,” Trump said in a video statement released by the White House on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, US Homeland Security officials said that the terror attack perpetrator in Colorado, Mohammed Sabry Solima, was allowed entry into the country under the former Biden Administration and overstayed his visa.
The White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson took to social media stating that President Trump is protecting Americans from foreign actors who pose security threats to the country.
“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm. These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information. President Trump will always act in the best of interest of the American people and their safety,” Abigail Jackson said on X.
The recent proclamation echoed a series of travel bans issued during the first term of Trump’s administration to seven majority-Muslim nations from coming to the US.
It included Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. The move witnessed legal challenges before President Joe Biden repealed it after he assumed office in 2021.
Crime
NIA raids multiple locations in Kashmir in terror funding-conspiracy case

Srinagar, June 5: Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out raids at multiple locations in Kashmir Valley as officials said these raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a terror funding and conspiracy case.
Assisted by police and the CRPF, NIA sleuths raided many locations in the Reban area of Shopian district, Nildoora and Chak-e-Choland in Kulgam district; Manzgam, Devsar, Sonigam and Bugam in Pulwama district; Sopore in Baramulla district and Kupwara district.
Reports said the NIA raids are going on at 32 locations in Jammu and Kashmir.
NIA sources said a statement would be issued by the agency after the conclusion of the day’s operations by its sleuths.
By the time this report was filed, there was no information available regarding any arrests or recoveries.
More details are awaited.
Sources said the searches were being conducted in a terror conspiracy case against overground workers (OGWs) of various terrorist organisations.
All high-profile crimes, including some dastardly terror attacks in the union territory, are being investigated by the NIA. The April 22 terror attack carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam is also being investigated by the NIA.
Terrorists killed 26 civilians, including one Naeplai national, after segregating them on the basis of religion in Baisaran. The innocent victims of terrorists included 25 tourists and a local pony owner who sacrificed his life while trying to save the tourists. All the victims, except one, were Hindus.
NIA is also investigating the Reasi terror attack carried out by terrorists on June 9, 2024, on a bus carrying pilgrims. Nine pilgrims were killed and 33 others, including women and children. They were killed when terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims to Katra from the Shiv Khori temple.
The NIA arrested and investigated cases against JKLF chief, Yasin Malik, senior separatist leaders, Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and MP Engineer Rashid.
-
Crime3 years ago
Class 10 student jumps to death in Jaipur
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
Mumbai Local Train Update: Central Railway’s New Timetable Comes Into Effect; Check Full List Of Revised Timings & Stations
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City
-
Maharashtra8 months ago
False photo of Imtiaz Jaleel’s rally, exposing the fooling conspiracy
-
National News8 months ago
Ministry of Railways rolls out Special Drive 4.0 with focus on digitisation, cleanliness, inclusiveness and grievance redressal
-
Crime8 months ago
Baba Siddique Murder: Mumbai Police Unable To Get Lawrence Bishnoi Custody Due To Home Ministry Order, Says Report
-
Maharashtra7 months ago
Maharashtra Elections 2024: Mumbai Metro & BEST Services Extended Till Midnight On Voting Day
-
National News9 months ago
J&K: 4 Jawans Killed, 28 Injured After Bus Carrying BSF Personnel For Poll Duty Falls Into Gorge In Budgam; Terrifying Visuals Surface