Elon Musk Says He Would Reverse The Twitter Ban On Donald Trump

HT Daily News Wrap

Elon Musk says he would reverse the Twitter ban on Donald Trump, Pakistani rupee plunges to an all-time low against US dollar: Report, 'why can’t sedition law be put on hold,' Supreme Court asks Centre, fully supportive of Lanka’s democracy and stability: India, and other top news in this bulletin.
Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said Tuesday he would reverse Twitter’s ban on former U.S. President Donald Trump, while speaking at the Financial Times Future of the Car conference. Musk, who has called himself a “free speech absolutist,” recently inked a $44 billion deal to acquire the social media platform. The decision to ban Trump from Twitter did not silence the former president’s voice, but rather amplified his views among people on the political right, Musk said, calling the ban “morally wrong and flat-out stupid.” Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter shortly after the Jan. 6 riot on the U.S. Capitol. Twitter cited “the risk of further incitement of violence” in its decision. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Tuesday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms. Via Twitter, the billionaire philanthropist said he will isolate until he is again healthy. “I’m fortunate to be vaccinated and boosted and have access to testing and great medical care,” Gates wrote. The Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the most influential private foundation in the world, with an endowment of about $65 billion. Bill Gates has been a vocal proponent for pandemic mitigation measures, specifically access to vaccines and medication for poorer countries. The Gates Foundation in October said it will spend $120 million to boost access to generic versions of drugmaker Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pill for lower-income countries. The Pakistani rupee slumped to an all-time low against the US dollar on Tuesday in the interbank market. The value of the greenback surged by 82 paisa in early trade and currently trading at rupees 188.35 in the interbank market, hitting an all-time high, reported ARY News. According to forex dealers, the exchange rate remained under pressure as the US dollar continued its upward spiral against the local currency. The forex dealers have further shared that the greenback is being sold above rupees 189 in the open market. The US dollar on the other day closed at rupees 187.53 in the interbank market, reported ARY News. According to experts, the surging dollar has shattered the confidence of the rupee-based economy and its stakeholders. The gloomy macros will continue to put pressure on the local unit, they said. Meanwhile, the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign exchange reserves fell by USD 328 million to USD 10.558 billion during the week that ended on April 23, data released by the central bank showed, reported ARY News. The Supreme Court on Tuesday set a deadline of 24 hours for the Union government to decide if the penal provision of sedition in India can be put on hold “to protect people” from arrests until the government reviews the colonial-era law. A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana, put the government in the dock a day after the Centre filed an affidavit to state that it has decided to review Section 124A (sedition) in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and hence, the court should hold its hands till this exercise gets over. On Tuesday, the top court was unequivocal that it will accept the government’s request to pause the judicial scrutiny for a few months, but added a rider — the pending criminal prosecutions under the sedition law as well as the cases that may be lodged in future should be kept in abeyance across the country for the time being. Expressing serious concerns over misuse of the sedition law and the neglect of the guidelines issued by the top court in its previous judgments, the bench said that a mechanism must be put in place immediately to “protect the rights and liberty of people” since the Centre wants suspension of the court proceedings till the government takes a call on the issue. Section 124A is a non-bailable offence punishable with jail term ranging from three years to life. India on Tuesday said it is “fully supportive” of Sri Lanka’s democracy, stability and economic recovery, adding that it had historical ties with the nation, a day after the island’s prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned amid deadly protests over its financial crisis. “India will always be guided by the best interests of the people of Sri Lanka expressed through democratic processes,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. “As a close neighbour of Sri Lanka, with historical ties, India is fully supportive of its democracy, stability and economic recovery,” he added. Sri Lanka’s armed forces have been ordered to shoot at any “person damaging public property or threatening lives”. The island nation has been hit by violence that has left at least eight people dead and 200 injured amid its worst economic crisis in history. “In keeping with our Neighbourhood First policy, India has extended this year alone support worth over US$ 3.5 billion to the people of Sri Lanka for helping them overcome their current difficulties,” the external affairs ministry said.