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Meta’s fact-checking programme will now include more Indian languages

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Meta, formerly known as Facebook, on Tuesday announced that it is adding four new languages to its fact-checking programme in India.

The programme will now include Kashmiri, Bhojpuri, Odia and Nepali, in addition to the existing 11 Indian languages, the company said in a statement.

In addition, it has also partnered with NewsMeter, a fact checker primarily focused on the southern states in the country.

The partnership will help connect people to accurate and verified information and enhance Meta’s fact-checking capabilities in regional Indian languages including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Tamil, the company said.

Globally, Meta works with more than 80 fact-checking partners that review and rate content in over 60 languages.

All of its fact-checking partners have been certified through the independent, non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network.

With the new partnership, Meta will have 11 fact-checking partners in India, making it the country with the most number of third party fact checking partners globally.

“We are committed to combating the spread of misinformation and have built the largest global fact-checking network,” said Manish Chopra, Director, and Head of Partnerships, India at Meta, in the statement.

“The partnership with NewsMeter is an important step in enabling us to curb misinformation in regional Indian languages across Facebook and Instagram,” he added.

Each time a fact-checker rates a piece of content as false, altered or partly false, Meta reduces its distribution so that fewer people see it.

It also notifies people who try to share the content, or who previously shared it that the information was rated by a fact-checker.

Further, a warning label is also added to the content with links to the fact-checker’s article to provide more information about the claim.

To help tackle the issue of misinformation online, Meta has also partnered with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) to fund a fact-checking news fellowship programme designed exclusively for Indian news organisations.

Business

Indian stock market shrugs off midweek volatility, ends week on robust note

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Mumbai, June 21: The Indian equity benchmarks wrapped up the session on a robust note last week, decisively breaking through critical resistance level, propelled by sustained institutional accumulation, analysts said on Saturday.

The Nifty 50 convincingly closed above the psychologically significant 25,000 mark on Friday, underscoring bullish momentum. At the closing bell, the Sensex rallied 1,046.30 points, or 1.29 per cent, to settle at a fresh high of 82,408.17, while the Nifty 50 advanced 319.15 points, or 1.29 per cent, to end at 25,112.40.

“Relentless inflows from institutional investors — both Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs)—acted as key tailwinds, offsetting headwinds from prevailing geopolitical uncertainties and reinforcing positive sentiment across the street,” according to a note by Bajaj Broking Research.

Nifty Index formed a sizable bull candle with a higher high and higher low signaling resumption of up move after recent corrective consolidation. The index in the process closed firmly above the 25,000 levels signalling strength.

“Going forward, we anticipate the index to retest the upper boundary of the recent five-week consolidation zone, currently pegged near the 25,200 mark. A decisive breakout above this resistance band could open the door for an upward extension towards the 25,500 zone in the near term,” said the note.

The Indian stock market shrugged off midweek volatility triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East and a sharp spike in crude oil prices.

The Reserve Bank of India’s relaxation of project financing norms provided a boost to financial stocks.

“The RBI’s continued dovish tone — signalling potential rate cuts on validating subdued inflation — further reinforced market confidence, positioning monetary policy as a key stabilizing force amid global uncertainty,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd.

Crude prices surged early in the week due to geopolitical unrest, sparking concerns over inflation. However, the pace of growth in oil prices tapered significantly after the initial spike, helping to ease fears of a sustained inflationary rebound.

Investor sentiment toward the pharmaceutical sector has turned cautious following the proposed imposition of new tariffs, said analysts.

With the deadline for a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs approaching, markets are closely tracking trade negotiations and deal-making activity expected to unfold over the next two weeks.

“Meanwhile, geopolitical uncertainty continues to loom, as statements from world leaders regarding possible military involvement in the Middle East keep markets on edge. Investors will also keep a close eye on upcoming U.S. GDP and PCE data, along with India’s PMI figures, for cues on the strength and direction of economic recovery at home and abroad,” Nair noted.

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Business

Stock market exhibits resilience, RBI’s rate cut icing on the cake

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Mumbai, June 7: After starting the week with consolidation, the domestic market exhibited resilience amid concerns over tariff wars and geopolitical escalations, analysts said on Saturday.

Markets consolidated for the third consecutive week but managed to end higher by nearly a per cent, buoyed by favourable domestic cues.

After remaining range-bound for most of the week, benchmark indices surged sharply on Friday and settled near the week’s high, with the Nifty closing at 25,003 and the Sensex at 82,118.99.

“The highlight of the week was the RBI’s policy announcement, which took the market by surprise. The central bank implemented a sharper-than-expected 50 bps repo rate cut and a 100 bps CRR reduction, signalling a strong pro-growth stance. Notably, the policy stance was also shifted from ‘accommodative’ to ‘neutral’ — a move that came sooner than expected,” said Ajit Mishra, SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd.

By front-loading its easing measures, the RBI has underscored its commitment to reviving domestic growth amid global uncertainties. While such a bold approach was expected to unfold gradually, this decisive action reinforces confidence in the central bank’s intent to support economic recovery while managing inflation risks.

This week, sectoral performance was broadly positive, with rate-sensitive sectors witnessing strong buying interest. Realty, auto, and banking stocks led the rally, reflecting improved outlooks for credit growth and consumer sentiment. Financials and NBFCs also gained, as lower interest rates are expected to enhance borrowing conditions.

Conversely, IT stocks underperformed due to persistent global uncertainties, particularly in the U.S. and European markets. In the broader markets, both midcap and smallcap indices outperformed the benchmarks, reflecting a risk-on sentiment among investors, with gains ranging between 2.8 per cent and 4 per cent.

According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd, bolstered by supportive macro indicators such as strong Q4 GDP, GST collection and a favourable monsoon, investors focused on domestically oriented and interest-sensitive sectors such as financials, real estate, retail and FMCG, which saw strength, supported by strong institutional inflows.

Profit booking was visible during the week on account of the ongoing global uncertainty. Mid and small caps generally outperformed large caps, driven by better earnings and valuations.

“While China’s rare earth restrictions pose long-term risks and investors await the inflation print in the US, the aggressive RBI rate cut, backed by cooling inflation and a steady GDP outlook, is likely to support investor confidence amidst the ongoing global uncertainties,” Nair noted.

Going forward, market participants will focus on key macroeconomic data for further cues. High-frequency indicators such as CPI inflation will be closely tracked to gauge demand trends and the central bank’s next steps, said experts.

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health

India takes lead in extreme heat risk management under PM Modi’s leadership

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New Delhi, June 7: India has taken a proactive and forward-thinking approach to extreme heat risk management under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Delivering the keynote address during the Special Session on Extreme Heat Risk Governance in Geneva, he underlined that rising temperatures posing a systemic risk to public health, economic stability, and ecological resilience.

“India welcomes the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (UNDRR) initiative to advance the Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance as a platform for shared learning, guidance, and collaboration,” he told the gathering, according to a Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) statement on Saturday.

Dr Mishra pointed out that India has moved beyond disaster response toward integrated preparedness and mitigation strategies. Since 2016, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed comprehensive national guidelines on heatwave management, revised in 2019, which laid the foundation for decentralised Heat Action Plans (HAPs).

He acknowledged the pioneering ‘Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan’, which demonstrated how early warnings, inter-agency coordination, and community outreach can save lives.

“Over 250 cities and districts across 23 heat-prone states have operational Heat Action Plans, supported by NDMA’s advisory, technical, and institutional mechanisms”, said the Principal Secretary, underscoring that strengthened surveillance, hospital readiness, and awareness campaigns have significantly reduced heatwave-related mortality.

India’s approach is whole-of-government and whole-of-society, engaging ministries from health, agriculture, urban development, labour, power, water, education, and infrastructure.

“Extreme heat deeply impacts communities, and India has actively incorporated traditional wisdom and local experiences into its response”, said Dr Mishra.

He noted that schools have become catalysts for behavioural change, educating children about climate resilience. He also emphasised that hospitals and primary health centres must be strengthened to ensure swift and effective emergency responses.

Outlining India’s transition from a preparedness-only approach to long-term heatwave mitigation, including cool roof technologies, passive cooling centres, urban greening, and the revival of traditional water bodies, Mishra affirmed that India is integrating Urban Heat Island (UHI) assessments into city planning.

He called for a global focus on developing a localised heat-humidity index based on real-time data to enhance early warning systems, advancing building technologies and passive cooling innovations that are affordable and culturally appropriate and addressing equity concerns, as extreme heat disproportionately affects women, outdoor workers, the elderly, and children.

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