Swati Maliwal assault case: Delhi Court extends Bibhav Kumar’s judicial custody till June 22
He was remanded to judicial custody on May 31 after his interrogation in AAP MP Swati Maliwal alleged assault case.
Ranked choice voting and the love-hate relationship both Democrats and Republicans have with it
Depending on who you ask, ranked choice voting can either reward extreme and wealthy candidates in elections or lead to a more publicly-palatable electoral process and encourage voter engagement. The practice has grown in prevalence in recent elections – particularly in Alaska and Maine, plus Virginia, to some extent – entailing a hierarchical approach to election tallies. Several rounds of tabulation occur after voters are asked at the polls to choose their candidates in order of preference. In the first round, totals for each candidate are tabulated, and the candidate with the fewest “first votes” is eliminated, and the “second votes” of that candidate’s supporters are added to the totals of the remaining candidates until a winner is decided. A Republican former Alaska U.S. Senate candidate fell on the side of RCV critics, while a Republican former state lawmaker in Virginia credited it with leading to a political shakeup in his state. Democrats appeared similarly divided. Democrats in Maine and New York have praised the system, while one Democratic governor appeared to throw up a potential roadblock in the way of his state’s implementation. He later stated that he would support the will of the people in a forthcoming ballot measure. ALASKA SUES FEDS OVER ‘KNOWINGLY’ POLLUTED NATIVE LANDS Ballot measures implementing or banning RCV will appear in Oregon, Alaska, Nevada, Missouri and Colorado. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Kentucky also have pre-emptively banned RCV. Former Virginia State Del. Chris Saxman, a Staunton Republican who is now executive director at the free-enterprise non-profit Virginia Free, told Fox News Digital that RCV worked in the selective way it was implemented in his state. During the 2021 gubernatorial sweeps, Virginia Republicans utilized RCV in their primary candidate selection process, which led to Glenn Youngkin winning the nomination. Virginia Republicans voted to hold a convention rather than a primary that year. After Youngkin was selected, Saxman told Fox News Digital, a consultant approached him at the convention to complain that supporters of perceptibly more conservative candidates had been stymied from attacking the nominee. GAS CRISIS: ALASKA GOVERNOR SAYS ‘BIDEN IS SEARCHING FOR OIL ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET EXCEPT AT HOME’ “If it wasn’t for this damned ranked choice voting, we could have gone after Youngkin harder, but we couldn’t afford to alienate his voters,” the consultant complained, according to Saxman. “I was like, ‘So, it’s a problem not to attack a fellow Republican?’,” he said, citing former President Reagan’s noted rule. Saxman said that situation showed there is value in nuanced reforms to elections like the way the party utilized RCV. “Complex systems reward small change,” he said, going on to claim that because of the surgical way Virginia Republicans implemented RCV, it led to a political earthquake that November. Saxman noted the GOP had been out of power in Richmond since the Bush era, but now, suddenly, Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares supplanted the Democratic establishment. Saxman said national fundraising groups had largely dismissed Virginia’s governor’s race as a lost cause, but in part thanks to RCV, funding poured in after the Youngkin-Sears-Miyares ticket was announced. Separately, in New York City, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated 2021’s contest as the “biggest ranked choice voting election in America,” while many of the competitive races fell during the Democratic primary. IN THE ONLY STATE BORDERING RUSSIA, ALASKA GOVERNOR SAYS DEFENSES ARE STRONG On the other side of the country, however, Alaska Republicans appeared ready to dispense with the recently-implemented system, which many blamed for the election of Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, in a solidly red state as a replacement for the late five-decade GOP mainstay Don Young. Proponents of RCV in Alaska said in multiple reports that the new system worked in the 2022 race there, in that Peltola – a liberal – Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, – a moderate – and Gov. Mike Dunleavy – a conservative, all won races in the same election. But Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican who ran for Murkowski’s seat in the nonpartisan primary that year, told Fox News Digital that Alaskans were fooled by proponents of RCV who claimed it would take dark money and extremism out of elections. She noted how Peltola had prevailed after facing Republicans Nick Begich III – scion of a famous Alaskan political family – and former Gov. Sarah Palin. Tshibaka said she fully supports the effort to get rid of RCV in the Last Frontier, as its repeal is poised to be a statewide ballot initiative in November pending a legal challenge to the measure. She pointed to the failed candidacy of Al Gross, a Democrat-turned-Independent who, at times, led in the primary but dropped out. Tshibaka claimed that Gross had been forced from the ballot to make way for Peltola, who was to his left – and therefore claims that RCV quells extremism are unfounded. WHAT IS RANKED CHOICE VOTING, THE NEW ELECTION PROCESS USED IN ALASKA? Gross said at the time it was “just too hard to run as a nonpartisan candidate in this race” and that the country was “broken.” Tshibaka also argued that the system leads to a much smaller pool of voters ultimately electing a candidate as other votes are canceled out in tabulation rounds. “So, it’s very deceptive on how they sell it to the public,” she said, adding that 2022 is largely seen as the most negative election in the state’s history despite RCV being sold to voters as a moderating force. “We are baiting the water for negativity. You might have a one-off anecdote here or there. However, what we saw in Maine and Alaska … we’re seeing an increase in extreme negativity.” Judy Eledge, a former schoolteacher in the Arctic oceanside community of Barrow – or Utqiagvik – who is active in Alaskan conservative circles, said the RCV system has shown to be very confusing to voters: “You basically don’t get your first choice of who you want to win, and it enables people that otherwise would
Biden looks to capitalize on star-studded Hollywood fundraiser after Trump’s massive cash haul in blue state
After a lucrative three-day swing by former President Trump through California, President Biden returns to the West Coast to tap into the Democratic-dominated state’s political ATM. With less than five months to go until the November election, late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel will interview Biden and former President Obama as they team up with Hollywood heavyweights George Clooney and Julia Roberts at a star-studded fundraiser that’s expected to haul in millions. It’s the latest case of national politicians coming to California to pad their campaign coffers. According to figures from the Federal Election Commission, Biden and Trump have raked in more money in California this cycle than from any other state. “When politicians look to the west, they see a field of green,” veteran California-based political scientist Jack Pitney at Claremont McKenna College told Fox News. TRUMP HAULS IN PLENTY OF GREEN DURING SWING THROUGH BLUE BASTION Tickets for the gala at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, which an invitation described as a “historic night,” ranged from $250 for a single person to get in the door to half a million dollars for special access, photos with Biden and Obama and invitations to an after-party. The president arrives in California one week after Trump left the Golden State. Trump’s team said that when all the money is counted, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was expected to haul in roughly $27.5 million from three fundraisers in California and one in Las Vegas, a senior campaign official told Fox News. WHY TRUMP’S SAN FRANCISCO FUNDRAISER WAS FRUITFUL IN MORE THAN ONE WAY And the Trump campaign said an additional $6 million was raised for outside groups supporting his 2024 election rematch with Biden. Trump has been aiming to close his fundraising gap with Biden. In April, his campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) for the first time raised more than the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Trump’s campaign announced a week ago it and the RNC, fueled in part by the former president’s guilty verdicts in his recently concluded criminal trial, hauled in a stunning $141 million in May. Trump was found guilty of all 34 felony counts in the first trial of a former or current president in the nation’s history. The former president’s campaign noted that in the first 24 hours following the verdict, it and the RNC brought in nearly $53 million, which counted toward May’s total. The Biden campaign has also been raising money off the Trump verdict, and a source told Fox News “the 24 hours after the verdict were one of the best fundraising 24 hours of the Biden campaign since launch.” While Trump’s California fundraising haul was fueled by top-dollar GOP donors, including tech industry investors and hedge fund giants, Saturday’s fundraising for Biden is being orchestrated by the Democratic Hollywood machine. It’s no surprise. The entertainment industry, which showered presidents Clinton and Obama with campaign cash, has long been known for its Democratic leanings. And while the 81-year-old Biden doesn’t have the tight relationships with Hollywood that his Democratic predecessors enjoyed, he can still draw a crowd. “Any Democratic presidential candidate is going to be able to raise a lot of money in California, and an incumbent president has a big advantage. When the president enters a room, it fills up with cash,” Pitney said. Major strikes by two Hollywood labor unions representing film and television writers and actors from May through November of last year delayed Biden from raising money in Los Angeles entertainment circles. But the president started making up for lost time in December with a major fundraiser hosted by famed directors Steven Spielberg and Rob Reiner. Saturday’s mega-fundraiser was orchestrated by media mogul and Democratic rainmaker Jeffrey Katzenberg, who’s a Biden campaign co-chair. Katzenberg also put together a major fundraiser with Biden, Obama and Clinton in March at New York City’s famed Radio City Music Hall, which raked in $26 million. The Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee have enlisted the help of plenty of stars and well-known performers from the entertainment world as the president runs for a second term. Among those lending a hand is famed actor Robert De Niro, who headlined a Biden campaign news conference outside the New York City courthouse during the final days of Trump’s trial. The news conference went viral after De Niro, who portrayed mobsters in such cinematic masterpieces as “The Godfather Part II” and “Goodfellas,” screamed at nearby Trump supporters that “You are gangsters” as they yelled obscenities at the actor. Actor Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga, made a recent unannounced appearance at the White House briefing room to praise the president and called Biden “Joe-Bi-Wan-Kenobi.” Spielberg has helped the DNC with its storytelling efforts, and Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer campaigned with Vice President Kamala Harris on a recent swing through battleground Michigan. Trump, whose final California fundraiser took place last weekend at a tony gated community in upscale Newport Beach, California, and included veteran actor Jon Voight, will spend this weekend in Michigan, holding multiple events, including a roundtable discussion at a northwest Detroit church. The Trump campaign argued the former president will be meeting with “everyday Americans” while “Biden will be at a glitzy fundraiser in Hollywood with his elitist, out-of-touch celebrity benefactors that own him.” The Trump campaign and Republican allies also criticized the president for skipping a peace conference on Ukraine being held this weekend in Switzerland to appear at the California fundraiser. Vice President Kamala Harris will represent the U.S. at the peace talks. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
North Carolina Gov. Cooper vetoes bill that would have required more juveniles to be tried as adults
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, vetoed a bill Friday that would have mandated that more minors accused of serious crimes automatically be tried as an adult in court. As it currently stands, some criminal cases involving youth defendants may remain in juvenile proceedings. House Bill 834 passed the House and Senate with significant bipartisan support before the veto from Cooper, who sided with critics of the measure who warned the changes scale back the provisions of the 2019 “Raise the Age” law that ended a mandate that children of ages 16 and 17 be tried in the adult criminal justice system. The opposition to automatically prosecuting children in adult court was considered a way to help more young people avoid public, lifetime criminal records for one-time mistakes, while also giving them access to youth-centered resources within the juvenile system, which does not make records public. NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL SEEKS FUNDS TO CREATE FENTANYL, COLD CASE UNITS “I remain concerned that this new law would keep some children from getting treatment they need while making communities less safe,” Cooper wrote in his veto message. The American Civil Liberties Union wrote in a letter to the governor ahead of his veto that prosecuting children as adults “causes significant harm to young people and does nothing to address the underlying causes of youth crime.” “The juvenile justice system requires far more accountability, counseling, education, and family involvement than the adult system and it works better,” the letter reads. “Recidivism is significantly higher when children go through the adult system rather than receive the services and punishment from the juvenile system.” Republican Sen. Danny Britt, who spearheaded the bill, said lawmakers worked to change the law to reflect the reality that young people charged with serious felonies ultimately ended up in adult court and that the legal efforts to move them there from juvenile court were clogging up prosecutors’ juvenile caseloads. “From a practical standpoint this process improves efficiency in our courts,” Britt told The Associated Press, adding that he supported the “Raise the Age” legislation and still believes it was the correct move. The bill now returns to the General Assembly, where lawmakers will attempt to override the governor’s veto. Eighteen Democrats in the House and Senate combined voted with all Republicans except one in favor of the legislation. Republicans hold veto-proof majorities in the General Assembly, and overrode all 19 of Cooper’s vetoes last year. A bill that the governor vetoed earlier this year has not yet had a vote to override the veto. According to juvenile justice law, cases of children ages 16 and 17 accused of the most serious felonies must be moved to adult court after a notice of an indictment or when a hearing determines there is probable cause that a crime was committed. Prosecutors have discretion not to try in adult court children these ages accused of some lower-grade felonies. H.B. 834 would have ended the transfer requirement for most of these high-level felonies, but instead placed the cases of these minors in adult court automatically. North Carolina was the last state where minors of ages 16 and 17 were automatically prosecuted as adults when “Raise the Age” was enacted. Children these ages are still being tried in adult court for vehicle-related crimes. UNC BOARD OF GOVERNORS VOTES TO REPEAL DEI MANDATES FOR NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES “Most violent crimes, even when committed by teenagers, should be handled in adult court,” Cooper said. “However, there are cases where sentences would be more effective and appropriate to the severity of the crime for teenagers if they were handled in juvenile court, making communities safer. This bill makes this important option highly unlikely.” The bill would also have established a new process in which a case could be moved from Superior Court to juvenile court if the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney agree to the transfer, and the adult records would be deleted. Children ages 13 through 15 who are accused of first-degree murder will still be automatically transferred to adult court after an indictment or hearing that determines probable cause. The legislation would also have raised penalties for adults who solicit a minor to commit a crime. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Team preview: Can Italy repeat as European champions at Euro 2024?
⚽ Italy – Key Euros Stats ⚽ Euro appearances: 10Euro Titles: 2Best finish: Winners (1968, 2020)Euros Record: W21 D18 L6Goals scored: 52Biggest win: 3-0 (vs Turkey and vs Switzerland in Euro 2020)Player to watch: Federico DimarcoWorld ranking: 9thGroup Fixtures: 15 June: Italy vs Albania (BVB Stadion, Dortmund, 9pm local/19:00 GMT) 20 June: Spain vs Italy (Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, 9pm local/19:00 GMT) 24 June: Croatia vs Italy (Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, 9pm local/19:00 GMT) How to follow our Euro 2024 coverage: UEFA Euro 2024 on Al Jazeera Italy arrives at the Euros as defending champions, but the title comes without the aura; it has been gradually eroding since that incredible summer night at Wembley, London, in 2021. Less than a year after their crowning glory at the Euros, the Azzurri encountered the ignominy of missing out on the 2022 Qatar World Cup after a stunning stoppage time goal saw them lose their playoff semifinal to football minnows North Macedonia. Their qualification campaign for Euro 2024 was similarly fraught. After their first two qualifiers – a loss to England and a win over Malta – Italy were rocked by the resignation of manager Roberto Mancini after more than five years in the job. He was replaced by Luciano Spalletti, whose first game in charge was a 1-1 draw, which also happened to be against their 2022 nemesis, North Macedonia. With only one victory in their first three games, Euro 2024 qualification suddenly looked precarious. A run of three wins in four matches saw Italy go into the final group game against Ukraine, knowing a loss would see them enter the playoffs. A tense goalless draw secured direct passage to the Euros owing to their superior head-to-head record. Bet gone wrong To go along with their qualification woes, the Italian side’s preparations were rocked by a betting scandal that saw the police visit the national team’s Coverciano training centre ahead of their qualifiers in October to question Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo. The duo subsequently left the camp and Tonali was later handed a 10-month ban by the Italian Football Federation. Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli was also handed a seven-month ban after being found guilty in the investigation, but he was named in Italy’s final 26-man squad for Euro 2024. His inclusion is indicative of the dearth of attacking options in front of Spalletti. Zaniolo and forward Domenico Berardi were ruled out of the tournament through injury, while Marco Verratti and Lorenzo Insigne no longer play their club football in Europe and have faded from national favour. Injuries have hindered Federico Chiesa’s progress, with the 26-year-old Juventus forward yet to recapture the form that saw him light up Euro 2020. Gianluca Scamacca, who scored 19 goals for Europa League winners Atalanta this season, is expected to lead the front line but he has scored just once for Italy in his 15 appearances. Giacomo Raspadori is the other striking option at Spalletti’s disposal, but he has managed only 12 goals across the last two seasons. Sandro Tonali’s 10-month ban for his part in a betting scandal added to Italy’s Euro 2024 qualification woes [Lee Smith/Reuters] Defence is the best form of attack All this points to a side that will be built around its defence. Unsurprisingly, Azzurri are not lacking for talent in this department – their 30-man preliminary squad features 11 eleven defenders. Of these 11, four were from Inter Milan – prior to Francesco Acerbi’s late injury withdrawal – and given the Nerazzurri’s parsimonious defence this year, the remaining three Inter defenders are all likely to start in Germany. The 22 goals Inter conceded in the Serie A this season are the lowest among all clubs in Europe’s top five leagues. The feat was achieved playing a back-three. So, replicating a system with a group of defenders already comfortable playing in it feels an almost no-brainer for Spalletti’s national team at Euro 2024. The manager fielded a three-man defence for the first time in his tenure in the March 2024 friendlies against Venezuela and Ecuador, with Italy going on to win both. The sample size is small but the ceiling could be high. A backline comprising of Alessandro Bastoni and Alessandro Boungiorni – the likely Acerbi replacement – with Federico Dimarco and Matteo Darmian at wing-back is, on paper, one of the best defences at Euro 2024. But will that be enough to take them deep in the tournament? Spalletti admitted in an interview with Sky Italia that there are other countries that are at a higher level than Italy but backed his team to compete with them. “Our target is to return from Germany and hear Italians say, ‘We are proud of you,’” he said. Italy’s Matteo Darmian (L) and Federico Dimarco will need to fortify the Italian defence if the reigning champs are to hold on to their title at Euro 2024 [Jennifer Lorenzini/Reuters] Drawn in a difficult group that includes Spain, Croatia and Albania, even a quarterfinal finish would go a long way towards helping Spalletti meet this objective. If the Italians can pull off an unlikely tournament coup, they will join Germany and Spain as the record three-time European champions. ⚽ Italy’s final squad for Euro 2024 ⚽ Captain: Gianluigi Donnarumma Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris St Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur) Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Torino), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (Roma) Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Nicolo Fagioli (Juventus), Michael Folorunsho (Hellas Verona), Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan), Jorginho (Arsenal), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma) Forwards: Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio) You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated Euro 2024 tournament page with all the match buildup and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings and real-time match results & schedules.
‘Absolute priority’: UN agencies must work unhindered in Gaza, G7 says
The Palestinian refugee agency of the United Nations (UNRWA) must be allowed to work unhindered in Gaza, Group of Seven (G7) leaders say as the wealthy nations wrapped up day two of their annual summit in Italy. “We agree it is critical that UNRWA and other UN organisations and agencies’ distribution networks be fully able to deliver aid to those who need it most, fulfilling their mandate effectively,” G7 nations said in their final communique. They called for all parties to facilitate “rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need” in Gaza, particularly women and children. “Securing full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access in all its forms – consistent with international humanitarian law and through all relevant land crossing points, including the Rafah crossing, through maritime delivery routes, including through Ashdod Port – throughout all of Gaza remains an absolute priority.” UNRWA, which coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza, has been repeatedly targeted by Israel since the war on Gaza began on October 7. In their statement, the G7 leaders repeated concern at the “unacceptable number of civilian casualties” in the war. They again endorsed a truce and captive release deal. “We are deeply concerned by the consequences on the civilian population of the ongoing ground operations in Rafah, and the possibility of a full-scale military offensive that would have further dire consequences for civilians. We call on the government of Israel to refrain from such an offensive,” it said. “We condemn the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which undermines security and stability in the West Bank, and threatens prospects for a lasting peace.” The international charity Oxfam reacted to the G7 communique by saying: “Israel and its G7 allies must move from words to action, implement their proposals, remove Israeli forces from Gaza, and end the occupation. Hopes must become reality, the time for talking is done.” ‘Crucial moment in history’ On Friday, the G7 nations turned their attention to migration, artificial intelligence, economic security and the Asia-Pacific region. Their leaders stressed their determination to meet global challenges “at a crucial moment in history”. The gathering in a luxury resort in Italy’s southern Puglia (Apulia) region also discussed other major topics, such as financial support for Ukraine, climate change, Iran, the situation in the Red Sea, gender equality, and China’s industrial policy and economic security. “We are working together and with others to address the pressing challenges of our time,” the final communique said. Migration was the first topic of discussions on Friday with the leaders mulling ways to combat trafficking and increase investment in countries from which refugees and migrants start out on often life-threatening journeys. The topic is of particular interest to summit host Italy, which lies on one of the major routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Right-wing Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, known for her hardline stance on migration, has been eager to increase investment and funding for African nations as a means of reducing migratory pressure on Europe. The leaders “launched the G7 Coalition to prevent and counter the smuggling of migrants”, the summit’s final declaration said, noting the seven nations would “focus on the root causes of irregular migration, efforts to enhance border management and curb transnational organized crime, and safe and regular pathways for migration.” Apart from the G7 nations of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, the Italian hosts also invited several African leaders – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Kenyan President William Ruto and Tunisian President Kais Saied – to press Meloni’s migration and development initiatives. But rights groups decried what they said was a lack of ambition in support for developing countries. The ONE Campaign, which advocates for investment in Africa, said it had found the G7’s and European Union’s share of aid going to Africa was at its lowest point since 1973. “Without any concrete action, the G7 in Italy amounts to no more than pointless platitudes,” said David McNair, executive director at the ONE Campaign. Although the summit’s final statement “reflects promises of increased partnership between the G7 and Africa, there are very few specifics on what new financing, if any, will be available”. Adblock test (Why?)
Working in ‘hellfire’: Gig workers bear the brunt of India’s heatwave
New Delhi, India – Every morning before stepping out of his rented accommodation in New Delhi, India, gig worker Aman fills three plastic bottles with water from a small earthen pot and packs them with some leftover food inside a sling bag. To support his family, in 2018 the 26-year-old moved from Bihar to New Delhi to work as a delivery person at a logistics company. And it’s the hottest work he’s ever experienced; he’s never endured such scorching working conditions, he says. Parts of India are currently engulfed by an extreme heatwave. In the last month, the mercury in Delhi rose to the highest temperature ever recorded: 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.2 degrees Fahrenheit); however, weather officials later issued a statement pushing the maximum temperature lower, in the high 40s (113-120F). In 2021, a report identified India as one of the top five countries in the world with the most exposure to extreme heat. “When I am driving my two-wheeler during work, the hot air blowing on my body makes it feel like I am sitting outside a furnace,” says Aman, who goes by a single name. Last month, he fainted due to the heat while making a delivery in a remote area of Delhi, he recounts, adding that a shopkeeper came to his aid and poured cold water over his head. “Since that incident, I make sure to carry small water bottles and sprinkle water over my head and face multiple times during the day to remain conscious,” says Aman, his clothes drenched in sweat. Delivery driver Aman pours water over his head to cool himself after making a delivery [Parthu Venkatesh/Al Jazeera] According to a recent report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the rising temperatures in India will reduce daily working hours 5.8 percent by 2030. With 90 percent of workers in the country employed in the informal sector, the loss of labour hours brings significant challenges. Aman’s family has been worried about his health and safety. However, quitting or switching to another job is not an option. “While driving, I think about what would happen if something unforeseen happens to me due to heat,” he says. “That scares me, but unfortunately, I have no other skills than driving – and a family to look after – so I cannot leave this job at any cost.” The scorching temperatures affect him mentally, he says, but also economically because they impact his ability to meet his delivery targets. In the winter, his daily earnings were around 750 Indian rupees ($9). That has now dropped to 500 rupees ($6). “It really haunts me how I will take care of my family,” he laments while getting ready to deliver the last parcel of his day, finishing a 10-hour shift. According to a report by government think-tank NITI Aayog, there are 7.7 million gig workers in India — a number that is expected to grow to 23.5 million by 2029-30. Outside a small eatery in South Delhi, Sharukh, 25, who works with a food delivery platform Zomato, stands opposite an old, rusted cooler installed by the owner. “Posh restaurants don’t even allow us to stand in front of their outlets while we are there to collect orders,” Sharukh says, adding that delivery people also have to ask for water in the unbearable heat and are made to feel like “untouchables”. Since the heatwave began, Sharukh has avoided accepting orders from higher-end restaurants, preferring small establishments where “they have the humanity to offer us water and a place to rest while they prepare the order”. “After all, I am not a machine who can work all day in this unbearable temperature,” he says, disheartened, while waiting to collect the seventh order of his shift. Each day he typically brings home 500 to 650 rupees ($6 to $7.80). From March to May, there were approximately 25,000 cases of suspected heatstroke and 56 fatalities in India’s severe heatwave. May was the worst month, with 46 heat-related deaths alone, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). News outlets including Reuters and The Hindu have reported that heatwave-related deaths could be as high as 80 or even 100. Last month, while delivering an order, Sharukh experienced extreme pain and cramps in his stomach. Since then, he has been skipping heavy meals to stay light and drinking lemonade from roadside stalls to keep hydrated. “My health has been badly impacted due to heat this year. After work, I feel exhausted and, at times, have severe headaches,” he says. The high temperatures also impact him at home, where frequent power outages prevent him from getting proper rest, making his condition worse. He says his mother insists that he find a different job, but that’s not an option considering the nation’s high unemployment. “Also, our companies aren’t doing much for our safety and wellbeing,” Sharukh says, wrapping a gamcha (soft cotton towel soaked in water) around his face before leaving to deliver his next order. Situations such as prolonged working hours, pressure to meet delivery targets, carrying heavy loads, irregular income and lack of social security like health insurance all negatively impact gig workers’ physical and mental wellbeing, according to a 2024 report by Janpahal, a Delhi-based non-profit. “Although we all live in similar temperatures, the burden of heat isn’t shared equally,” explains Selomi Garnaik, a campaigner at Greenpeace India. “Heatwaves disproportionately impact outdoor workers, forcing them to endure extreme temperatures and putting their health and safety at grave risk.” She says that Greenpeace India is demanding the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) declare heatwaves as a national disaster to ensure “effective fund allocation for heatwave adaptation, mitigation and relief”. “Unfortunately, the heat action plans are reduced to being mere guiding documents; this needs to change,” Garnaik adds. “The heat action plans should prioritise outdoor workers and pay attention to their needs, including reducing working hours during peak heat, providing work absence allowances, and ensuring accessible basic public
IMD weather update: Severe heatwave alert in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other states, maximum temperature to go up to…
Heatwave conditions are predicted to last till June 17 in the northwest states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Division; until tomorrow in Madhya Pradesh; and until today in Chhattisgarh, according to the meteorological forecast.
Gujarat: Toddler falls into 50 feet borewell in Amreli, dies after being trapped for 17 hours
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Amreli fire team, and 108 ambulance service were jointly engaged in operations to rescue the girl. The operation that commenced post noon on Friday afternoon at 12.30 pm continued till early this morning.
Delhi HC orders Sunita Kejriwal to take down video recording of court proceedings in excise policy case
The high court also directed the social media intermediaries to take down similar content if it is brought to their notice that it has been re-posted.