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Facebook India’s Net Profit Up 43% To ₹505 Crore In FY24

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The Commune
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Facebook India’s Net Profit Up 43% To ₹505 Crore In FY24

Facebook India saw its profit surge by 43 per cent in the last fiscal (FY24), riding on digital advertising and support services offered to its parent company Meta in the US.

The company’s India unit saw its net profit reach ₹505 crore last fiscal. Its revenue from operations increase by 9.3 per cent to ₹3,034.8 crore in FY24, up from ₹2,775.7 crore in FY23, as per data from the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

Facebook India’s overall expenses grew 2.4 per cent to ₹2,349.6 crore and employee benefit expenses increased to ₹476.1 crore, reflecting a 7.8 per cent increase from FY23. The “other expenses” category remained stable at ₹1435.3 crore.

As per the data, depreciation and amortisation costs dropped by 10.8 per cent to ₹271.3 crore, from ₹304.2 crore in FY23. On the other hand, Facebook India’s parent company reported weaker-than-expected user numbers and warned of a significant acceleration in its infrastructure expenses in 2025.

In its third-quarter earnings report, Meta reported $40.59 billion in revenue. Sales in the third quarter jumped 19 per cent year-on-year while net income grew 35 per cent to $15.7 billion from $11.6 billion a year earlier. The social media giant reported 3.29 billion daily active people for the third quarter — up 5 per cent year-on-year.

Meta also raised capital expenditures guidance for the 2024 fiscal year to between $38 billion and $40 billion, up from $37 billion to $40 billion previously. Additionally, the company said it expects capital expenditures to continue to grow significantly in 2025 due to an acceleration in infrastructure expenses.

“We had a good quarter driven by AI progress across our apps and business,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO. “We also have strong momentum with Meta AI, Llama adoption, and AI-powered glasses.”

“Our AI investments continue to require serious infrastructure, and I expect to continue investing significantly there, too,” Zuckerberg added.

–IANS

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Indian Coast Guard Rescues Critical Seafarer From Liberian Carrier MT Babylon

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The Commune
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The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) announced a successful rescue operation on Saturday, saving a 52-year-old Indian seafarer who suffered an acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or stroke aboard the MT Babylon, a Liberian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC).

The incident occurred approximately 350 nautical miles (NM) away from the Indian shores. Indian Coast Guard (Region West) spearheaded the rescue operation in collaboration with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) based in Mumbai and the Indian Navy. The joint effort ensured the timely medical evacuation of the critically-ill seafarer.

In a detailed post on social media platform X, the Indian Coast Guard stated, “IndianCoastGuard (Region West) coordinated a Rescue Operation undertaken jointly by MRCC(MBI) & Indian Navy, resulting in the successful Medical Evacuation of a 52-year-old Indian Seafarer.” The Indian Coast Guard elaborated that the patient experienced an acute CVA/stroke while onboard the MT Babylon, which was operating under the Liberian flag.

The vessel was situated about 350 nautical miles away from the Indian coastline at the time of the medical emergency. It said that immediate action was taken to address the critical condition of the seafarer. Upon successful rescue, the patient was promptly transferred to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention, it said in the post on X.

The Indian Coast Guard has reported that the patient’s condition remains critical, underscoring the severity of the stroke suffered. This recent operation follows another significant rescue mission carried out by the Indian Coast Guard on October 30 this year.

The Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Porbandar coordinated the medical evacuation of an unconscious and critically-ill crew member from the fishing boat Madhuram.

The vessel was located approximately 90 kms from Pipavav, near the west coast of Gujarat. The Indian Coast Guard deployed the ICG Interceptor Boat C-409 for the rescue operation. After successfully evacuating the crew member, the Indian Coast Guard handed over the patient to the Fisheries Authorities for further medical management and care.

–IANS

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Complaint Filed Against Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation For Alleged FCRA Violations

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The Commune
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NGO watchdog Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) against M/s. The Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation Pvt Ltd, alleging multiple violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The complaint, which is addressed to the Joint Secretary of the FCRA Division and copied to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, raises concerns about the improper handling of foreign contributions by the organization.

According to LRPF, Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation, an NGO registered under the FCRA with FC Registration No: 010350009, acquired a 4,840-square-yard land parcel in Mallayapalem, Visakhapatnam, in 1997 using foreign funds. LRPF states that while the property, currently valued at ₹10.64 crore, was purchased with foreign donations, it has remained unused for over three decades. The forum alleges that the NGO failed to disclose this property acquisition to the MHA in its required FC-4 filings, which detail foreign contributions under the FCRA.

In its complaint, LRPF further claims that Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation transferred this land in November 2022 to another NGO, the Society of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, as a “gift deed” at no cost. This action, LRPF contends, violates Section 7 of the FCRA, which prohibits the transfer of foreign-funded assets to other organizations.

Describing the alleged violations as disrespectful toward Indian regulations, LRPF has urged the MHA to revoke the NGO’s FCRA registration and has requested that the District Collector of Visakhapatnam take possession of the land in question. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Vizagapatnam Diocesan Corporation have not yet issued statements on the complaint.

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Chandrababu Naidu Launches Free Gas Scheme; Prepares Tea In Beneficiary’s House

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The Commune
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Chandrababu Naidu Launches Free Gas Scheme; Prepares Tea In Beneficiary's House

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu prepared tea at a beneficiary’s house to formally launch ‘Deepam-2’ — a scheme for providing three free cooking gas cylinders to BPL families in the state. CM Naidu visited the beneficiary’s house in Eedupuram village in Srikakulam district, walked into the kitchen, lit the gas stove, and prepared the tea as the housewife helped him.

Ambati Santhamma also interacted with the Chief Minister and explained how the scheme would benefit her family. While preparing the tea, CM Naidu told Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in a lighter vein that he would have to pay money for this. He then added that he should get the money from the Centre. Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key ally in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. After making the tea, CM Naidu consumed it with Rammohan Naidu, state Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar and other leaders accompanying him. Launching the scheme, the Chief Minister flagged off the transport vehicles carrying the gas cylinders and gathered the opinion of various beneficiaries on the welfare schemes being implemented in the state within 143 days of the TDP-led NDA coming to power.

He then visited the house of one of the beneficiaries and supplied the gas cylinder to her. Chandrababu Naidu also visited the house of another woman beneficiary, Balijepalli Janaki, and personally handed her the NTR Bharosa pension amounting to Rs 4,000. He also enquired about her health. Under ‘Deepam-2′, three free cooking gas cylinders in a year will be given to all eligible women in the state. The Chief Minister, on October 30, handed over cheques of Rs 894 crore to the officials of the petroleum companies for the subsidies for November.

The scheme, part of the TDP and its allies’ Super Six promises, came into implementation on Diwali. The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, at its recent meeting, gave its consent for the total expenditure of Rs 2,684 crore per annum for the supply of these free cylinders. The gas cylinder price of Rs 876, excluding the central subsidy of Rs 25, will be credited to the personal account of every beneficiary in just 48 hours.

–IANS

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CPI-M Leader Divya Questioned For Four Hours In Kerala ADM Suicide Case

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The Commune
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CPI-M Leader Divya Questioned For Four Hours In Kerala ADM Suicide Case

CPI-M leader and former Kannur district panchayath president PP Divya was questioned by the police for about four hours on Friday, a day after she was arrested in the controversial suicide of Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu. After the questioning, Divya returned to the jail. Now, she will have to reside in the jail till Tuesday when her bail plea is going to be heard at a Sessions Court in Thalassery.

Divya surrendered before the police and was sent to a jail in Kannur on Thursday after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected. The sequence of events which led to Divya ending up in jail started, when, she despite not being invited, turned up at Naveen Babu’s send-off function on October 14 and made some critical remarks. Naveen Babu committed suicide the very next day (October 15) and following the furore, Divya first resigned as Kannur district panchayath President and was on the run for several days after a case was filed against her on October 17.

Meanwhile, demands are coming from several quarters that the Kannur District Collector Arun Vijayan and a person T.V. Prasanth who said he paid a bribe to Babu to get a sanction for his petrol pump, should also be included as accused, apart from Divya. The wife of Babu, Manjusha and the family are in no mood to relent and have announced they will go to any extent to ensure that they get to know the truth about why Babu had to commit suicide. Congress and BJP have lent her all the support. But what has come as a big surprise is the way the Pathanamthitta district CPI-M committee has been staunchly supporting the family of Babu, while the Kannur district unit of the party is in wait-and-watch mode.

On the other hand, Divya has been getting solid support from her party. CPI-M’s District secretary in Pathanamthitta, K.P. Udayabhanu, said it’s the responsibility of the Kerala government to take appropriate action against the district collector. He also added that the family of Babu has already raised their complaint against the collector. “With regard to action against Divya, it’s an internal matter of the party,” said Udayabhanu.

–IANS

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Pakistan MP Abdul Rehman Attends Indian National Lok Dal’s Diwali Event At Chautala Village

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The Commune
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Pakistan MP Abdul Rehman Attends Indian National Lok Dal’s Diwali Event At Chautala Village

A felicitation ceremony of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to mark the victory of its two legislators in the Haryana Assembly elections 2014, both hailing from the Chautala family saw the participation of Abdul Rehman Kanju, a Parliamentarian from Pakistan. The event, coinciding with Diwali celebrations turned many heads and also set tongues wagging among locals particularly youth as they curiously discussed the attendance of a Pakistani lawmaker in an event organised at the popular Chautala village in Sirsa.

The party also shared on its social media handle how Chautala residents held a grand reception for the chief guest of the event – Pakistani politician Abdul Rehman Kanju. The felicitation ceremony was organised to celebrate the resurgence of INLD in Haryana politics and also to mark the Chautala clan taking on the mantle of its ancestors. In the 2019 elections, INLD was completely decimated with just Abhay Singh Chautala securing his seat; however, in the 2024 elections, the party’s vote share has seen modest gains. Arjun Chautala won Rania Assembly seat and Aditya Devilal Chautala won Dabwali, both with a margin of about 50,000 votes. Abdul Rehman Kanju thanked the residents of Chautala village for giving a warm reception and said that he was overwhelmed with their love and warmth.

Recalling his ancestral links to a village near Punjab, he said that he lost his father at an early age and talked about the support he got from the Chautala family. He expressed gratitude to the family for supporting him through the difficult phases of life and said that the Chautala family has been committed to people’s welfare for many decades and continues to do so till date. He also extended Diwali greetings to all the villagers and prayed for the long life of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. “I appeal to the youth to always respect their elders as they are our guiding force,” he said addressing the crowd.

The INLD also issued an official statement on last evening’s felicitation Diwali function and said that the chief guest from Pakistan made the event more special. “The hearts of all the villagers and our family member and MP Abdul Rehman Saheb, who came as the chief guest from Pakistan on this special occasion, for the felicitation ceremony organised to welcome Aditya Devi Lal and Arjun Singh Chautala on the land of our ancestral village Chautala yesterday evening, express our deepest gratitude. His participation in the event has made it all the more special. Notably, Chautala village in Haryana’s Sirsa district has been home to as many as five Members of Parliament, 14 MLAs and a Deputy Prime Minister.

–IANS

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‘MahaYuti Will Come Back To Power’, Ajit Pawar Declares In Baramati

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The Commune
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'MahaYuti Will Come Back To Power', Ajit Pawar Declares In Baramati

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is pitted against nephew and NCP-SP nominee Yugendra Pawar, in a bid to cheer up his supporters, declared that “MahaYuti yenar yenar yenar” (MahaYuti will come back to power). Pawar’s announcement was similar to what ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis said in the run-up to the 2019 assembly elections – ‘Mi Punha Yein’ (I will return).

Ajit Pawar, who is camping in Baramati during the Diwali festival, has been visiting villages and meeting the voters since early morning. He is seeking votes on the basis of a slew of development works carried out in Baramati and also a number of welfare and development schemes including Ladki Bahin Yojana implemented by the MahaYuti government. Ajit Pawar, who is not leaving any stone unturned for his victory, especially after his wife Sunetra Pawar lost to his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule in the general elections from Baramati, at Zargarwadi village on Friday, claimed that he will emerge victorious on the strength of development of Baramati.

“I will win based on Baramati’s progress, which was possible due to a number of initiatives launched during my term. In order to benefit Baramati taluka more, no matter what happens tomorrow, the MahaYuti government will come back to power (yenar, yenar, yenar) and I will get a good position in the government,” he said amid thunderous applause from the people gathered for the meeting. Ajit Pawar, who deserted Sharad Pawar and joined BJP and Shiv Sena, dropped hints that voters would vote for MahaYuti in order to further increase the pace of development and get more Central funds. By declaring that MahaYuti will come back to power, his attempt was to appeal to the voters not to get carried away by the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s narrative and especially by NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar’s poll tactics, not only in Baramati, but also in the state.

Further, Ajit Pawar has stepped up his outreach with voters knowing that his mentor and NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, cannot be underestimated in luring voters due to his political career of over five decades. Ajit Pawar, without naming Sharad Pawar, said: “Some had decided to elect Tai (Supriya) to the Lok Sabha and Dada (Ajit Pawar) to the legislative Assembly. However, I won’t say much about it. During the 2019 assembly elections, I was elected by 1,95,641 votes. Because of my election, I brought funds worth Rs 9,000 crore to Baramati.” He appealed to the voters to give him yet another chance to win with a good margin of votes in the Assembly elections slated for November 20. “I have come to you on the basis of my work. My request is… I have been doing your work for five years, now you support me. I am bound to do your work for the next five years,” said Ajit Pawar.

He told the party workers and people from Baramati that he will try to visit every village and interact with them. Ajit Pawar’s move to stay in Baramati during Diwali festival is important as Sharad Pawar is also camping there and meeting people. The senior Pawar addressed several small meetings on Thursday and Friday and tomorrow he will meet a stream of people who will come to Baramati to wish him on the occasion of Diwali Padwa. On November 5, Sharad Pawar will hold meetings at Shirsuphal, Supe, Morgaon and Someshwar in Baramati taluka and on the same day he also interact with businessmen, lawyers and doctors.

–IANS

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J’khand Polls To Decide If B’deshi Infiltrators Will Stay Or Be Expelled: Himanta Biswa Sarma

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The Commune
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Assam Chief Minister and Jharkhand BJP election co-in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma has mounted attack on the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD government in Jharkhand over Bangladeshi infiltration, claiming the coalition relies on the infiltrators for votes.

At an election rally in support of BJP candidate Neera Yadav in Markacho, Koderma here on Friday, Sarma said that there is no district in Jharkhand free of Bangladeshi infiltrators, who he said have become a core vote bank for the JMM, Congress, and the RJD. He urged Hindu voters to unite, warning that a lack of action would embolden these groups. Sarma emphasised that the election will determine if infiltrators will stay or be expelled. “As soon as the BJP forms the government, we will use the law to expel them,” he vowed, adding, “Jharkhand was created not for infiltrators but to protect the rights of locals.” He further criticised past state administrations, attributing issues like sand mafias and corruption to leaders such as Alamgir Alam and Irfan Ansari. In his speech, Sarma accused Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren of dishonesty, labeling him the “nation’s leading liar.”

Referring to the promises Hemant Soren allegedly made such as providing daughters with gold coins or cash for marriage and offering women an annual stipend of Rs 72,000, Sarma said they were never fulfilled. He also hit out at the Chief Minister for stopping old-age pensions. Earlier, Union Minister of State for Defence and Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth called for an investigation into Chief Minister Soren’s election affidavits, accusing him of age-related discrepancies. Seth alleged that in 2019 Soren declared his age as 42, while in 2024, he reported it as 49, an inconsistency Seth claimed could indicate fraud against the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren has requested the Election Commission to allow leave to government employees for upcoming festivals, including Bhaiya Dooj, Sohrai, and Chhath. He said that these are important cultural and religious events, and the refusal of leave by the district administration due to elections and the Prime Minister’s visit has caused discontent among employees. Jharkhand will go to elections for its 81 Assembly seats on November 13 and 20. The nomination and withdrawal processes for both phases are already over, and authorities have instructed government personnel to remain at headquarters on duty.

–IANS

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Congress Stands Badly Exposed: PM Modi Slams Party For Unfulfilled Poll Promises

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The Commune
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Congress Stands Badly Exposed: PM Modi Slams Party For Unfulfilled Poll Promises

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the Congress for “unfulfilled” poll promises and said that the fiscal health of the Congress-ruled states is turning from bad to worse. “The Congress Party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign they promise things to the people, which they also know they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly exposed in front of the people!” PM Modi said in a post on X on Friday.

He claimed that the developmental trajectory of Congress-ruled states is worse. “Check any state where the Congress has Governments today – Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana – the developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse. Their so-called Guarantees lie unfulfilled, which is a terrible deceit upon the people of these states. The victims of such politics are the poor, youngsters, farmers and women, who are not only denied the benefits of these promises but also see their existing schemes diluted,” PM Modi further said. He said, in Karnataka, Congress is busier in intra-party politics and loot instead of even bothering to deliver on development.

“Not only that, they are also going to roll back existing schemes. In Himachal Pradesh, salaries of government workers are not paid on time. In Telangana, farmers are waiting for the waiver they were promised. Previously, in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, they promised certain allowances which were never implemented for five years. There are numerous such examples of how Congress works,” the Prime Minister added. Warning the people of the country, PM Modi said: “The people of the country will have to be vigilant against the Congress-sponsored culture of fake promises! We saw recently how the people of Haryana rejected their lies and preferred a Government that is stable, progress-oriented and action-driven. There is a growing realisation across India that a vote for Congress is a vote for non-governance, poor economics and unparalleled loot. The people of India want development and progress, not the same old fake promises of Congress.”

The Prime Minister’s statement came three days after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar indicated that there is need to revisit the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which provides free bus ride for all women of the state. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had also cautioned the Congress leaders of Karnataka to make only those promises for which there is financial provision.

–IANS

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Waqf Row: Names Changed In Land Records To Curtail Rights Of People & Farmers, Says K’taka Ex-Dy CM

By
The Commune
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Waqf Row: Names Changed In Land Records To Curtail Rights Of People & Farmers, Says K'taka Ex-Dy CM

Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA CN Ashwath Narayan on Friday criticised the Congress government’s decision to transfer the land of farmers and citizens to the Waqf board, alleging that by issuing notices and making land record changes has snatched away the rights of people and farmers. Speaking to media at the BJP state office, Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, he said that these attempts by the Congress government are condemnable.

He demanded that the Waqf property notification be revoked and that the state Waqf and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan be dismissed. He accused Minister Zameer of misusing his power. The former Deputy Chief Minister said a protest across the state will be held on November 4 against the usurping of people’s land in the name of Waqf property. Ashwath Narayan urged the state government to withdraw all declarations of Waqf properties in land records and warned that merely withdrawing notices would not suffice.

In Vijayapura district, land records under farmers’ names have been changed to the name of Waqf, the BJP leader said. Referring to Minister Zameer’s statements and behaviour, Ashwath Narayan alleged: “There seems to be an intention to bulldoze, evict, and bring us down. Minister Zameer in a video is even seen labelling those occupying land alleged to be Waqf property as “demons”.

He also accused the state government, saying that Minister Zameer, with the support of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is seizing lands in the name of Waqf against Hindus and farmers. He alleged that Minister Zameer has initiated a campaign to declare land as Waqf property through the Waqf Adalats. Ashwath Narayan also criticised the state government, saying that instead of directly revoking guarantees, the government is withdrawing Below Poverty Line cards of the poor, depriving them of government benefits. He said that although Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar has spoken of revising the Shakthi scheme, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has opposed the move, highlighting discontent within the Karnataka government.

–IANS

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