United States former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was seen mimicking a ‘sex act’ on a microphone stand in between the campaign rally after he faced some technical difficulties.

People were shocked to see Trump's gesture during his Milwaukee&nbsp;rally in Wisconsin on Friday night (Nov. 1).

Complaining about the microphone, Trump said to the people gathered that the stand was too low.&nbsp;

“I came in today, I said, and, you know, this is after four of these things I’ve been in all fairness. I mean, I’m a human being, right? I come in, and here’s the problem," said Trump.

Grabbing the microphone stand, Trump made weird gestures with his hands and said, “Way too low”.

Expressing his frustration, Trump said, “I think this mic stinks. And then we don’t pay the contractor. I say don’t pay the contractor, then they write a story, Trump doesn’t pay his bills, he’s a bad guy.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-presidential-polls-if-this-election-goes-the-wrong-way-michelle-obamas-veiled-dig-at-trump-772928">US presidential polls | 'If this election goes the wrong way...': Michelle Obama's veiled dig at Trump</a>

"You’ve gotta be kidding. Do you want to see me knock the hell out of people backstage? I don’t mind if they want to come up a little forward or something but it’s a pretty stupid situation, but that’s OK,” he added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Never, ever thought I'd see a Presidential candidate imitating a sex act, but then came Donald BJ Trump. It all makes sense now. <a href="https://t.co/zRnXr9I7R5">https://t.co/zRnXr9I7R5</a>
— November 5 Blue Wave (@SilverEulalia) <a href="https://twitter.com/SilverEulalia/status/1852583560739271155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“I get so angry, I’m up here seething. I’m seething, I’m working my ass off with this stupid mic. I’m blowing out my left arm. Now I’m going to blow out my right arm, and I’m blowing out my damn throat too, because of these stupid people,” he further stated.&nbsp;

<h2>Netizens react to Trump's weird gestures</h2>

A short video of the bizarre gestures went viral on social media and was also posted by the KamalaHQ Twitter profile with a question mark in the caption.

Watch:&nbsp;US Elections: Trump, Harris To Hold Flurry Of Rallies In Swing States

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-elections-trump-harris-to-hold-flurry-of-rallies-in-swing-states-772916/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, The View’s Ana Navarro wrote on X, “Ask yourself: what would happen if&nbsp;Kamala Harris&nbsp;did this?”.&nbsp;

“Yes. You saw right. This is Trump on stage at a rally, pretending to perform a sex-act on a microphone. This is not normal. Trump is disgusting, unhinged and unfit to represent the United States. Vote him out," she added.

(With inputs from agencies)

United States former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was seen mimicking a ‘sex act’ on a microphone stand in between the campaign rally after he faced some technical difficulties.

United States former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was seen mimicking a ‘sex act’ on a microphone stand in between the campaign rally after he faced some technical difficulties. People were shocked to see Trump's gesture during his Milwaukee rally in Wisconsin on Friday night (Nov. 1). Complaining about the microphone, Trump said to the people gathered that the stand was too low. “I came in today, I said, and, you know, this is after four of these things I’ve been in all fairness. I mean, I’m a human being, right? I come in, and here’s the problem," said Trump. Grabbing the microphone stand, Trump made weird gestures with his hands and said, “Way too low”. Expressing his frustration, Trump said, “I think this mic stinks. And then we don’t pay the contractor. I say don’t pay the contractor, then they write a story, Trump doesn’t pay his bills, he’s a bad guy.” Also Read: US presidential polls | 'If this election goes the wrong way...': Michelle Obama's veiled dig at Trump "You’ve gotta be kidding. Do you want to see me knock the hell out of people backstage? I don’t mind if they want to come up a little forward or something but it’s a pretty stupid situation, but that’s OK,” he added. Never, ever thought I'd see a Presidential candidate imitating a sex act, but then came Donald BJ Trump. It all makes sense now. https://t.co/zRnXr9I7R5 — November 5 Blue Wave (@SilverEulalia) November 2, 2024 × “I get so angry, I’m up here seething. I’m seething, I’m working my ass off with this stupid mic. I’m blowing out my left arm. Now I’m going to blow out my right arm, and I’m blowing out my damn throat too, because of these stupid people,” he further stated. Netizens react to Trump's weird gestures A short video of the bizarre gestures went viral on social media and was also posted by the KamalaHQ Twitter profile with a question mark in the caption. Watch: US Elections: Trump, Harris To Hold Flurry Of Rallies In Swing States Meanwhile, The View’s Ana Navarro wrote on X, “Ask yourself: what would happen if Kamala Harris did this?”. “Yes. You saw right. This is Trump on stage at a rally, pretending to perform a sex-act on a microphone. This is not normal. Trump is disgusting, unhinged and unfit to represent the United States. Vote him out," she added. (With inputs from agencies)

Donald Trump battles microphone malfunction on stage, appears to emulate ‘sex act’

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting&nbsp;has&nbsp;withdrawn the new draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024,&nbsp;after criticism that the government was trying to exert greater control over online content. The draft raised several questions on freedom of speech and expression, and the government’s powers to regulate it.

The new draft of the Broadcast Service Bill, 2024, was introduced but&nbsp;faced criticism as concerns were raised about the government's potential abuse of power.

Last month, the bill was not shared in the public&nbsp;domain but was instead sent to certain stakeholders for suggestions and opinions. Later, stakeholders were advised to return the draft&nbsp;without any suggestions.

“A senior government officer and the two industry executives have confirmed&nbsp;that the ministry asked the stakeholders to return the new broadcast draft,” said sources as per an Indian&nbsp;Express report.

The ministry posted a statement on X, referring to an earlier draft bill placed in public domain in November 2023, and said it “is holding a series of consultations with the stakeholders” and is offering them “further additional time” till October 15 for their comments. “A fresh draft will be published after detailed consultations,” it said.

"In response, multiple recommendations/ comments/ suggestions were received, including from various Associations. Ministry is holding a series of consultations with the stakeholders on the draft bill," the statement said.&nbsp;

Additional time is being provided to solicit comments and suggestions till October 15, and a&nbsp;fresh draft will be published after detailed consultations, the ministry said.

The draft included policies aimed at reshaping the entire broadcasting sector. The provisions suggested actions concerning OTT platforms and social media sites, including YouTube, Instagram, and even X. It proposed that creators and influencers who exceed&nbsp;a certain level of viewership would be required to pre-certify their content through a content evaluation committee.&nbsp;

The new version also defined&nbsp;a “digital news broadcaster” in sweeping terms, and required prior registration with the government. 
 
There was confusion about whether the same policies would be applicable to non-news online content creators. According to the draft, such creators are included in the same category as OTT broadcasters.&nbsp;

Failure to meet the content evaluation committee requirements can result in a maximum penalty of up to Rs 50 crore for the violation of any provision, including damage to publishing and broadcast media infrastructure. It also includes provisions relating to advisory, warning, and censorship. 
 
It will become necessary for any broadcaster or broadcasting network to appoint a self-regulating body, the CEC, which has the power to impose fines up to Rs 5 lakh. The government also has the right to form a broadcast advisory council for the inspection of broadcasting networks to ensure they follow the provisions of the bill.

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has withdrawn the new draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, after criticism that the government was trying to exert greater control over online content.

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has withdrawn the new draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, after criticism that the government was trying to exert greater control over online content. The draft raised several questions on freedom of speech and expression, and the government’s powers to regulate it. The new draft of the Broadcast Service Bill, 2024, was introduced but faced criticism as concerns were raised about the government's potential abuse of power. Last month, the bill was not shared in the public domain but was instead sent to certain stakeholders for suggestions and opinions. Later, stakeholders were advised to return the draft without any suggestions. “A senior government officer and the two industry executives have confirmed that the ministry asked the stakeholders to return the new broadcast draft,” said sources as per an Indian Express report. The ministry posted a statement on X, referring to an earlier draft bill placed in public domain in November 2023, and said it “is holding a series of consultations with the stakeholders” and is offering them “further additional time” till October 15 for their comments. “A fresh draft will be published after detailed consultations,” it said. "In response, multiple recommendations/ comments/ suggestions were received, including from various Associations. Ministry is holding a series of consultations with the stakeholders on the draft bill," the statement said. Additional time is being provided to solicit comments and suggestions till October 15, and a fresh draft will be published after detailed consultations, the ministry said. The draft included policies aimed at reshaping the entire broadcasting sector. The provisions suggested actions concerning OTT platforms and social media sites, including YouTube, Instagram, and even X. It proposed that creators and influencers who exceed a certain level of viewership would be required to pre-certify their content through a content evaluation committee. The new version also defined a “digital news broadcaster” in sweeping terms, and required prior registration with the government. There was confusion about whether the same policies would be applicable to non-news online content creators. According to the draft, such creators are included in the same category as OTT broadcasters. Failure to meet the content evaluation committee requirements can result in a maximum penalty of up to Rs 50 crore for the violation of any provision, including damage to publishing and broadcast media infrastructure. It also includes provisions relating to advisory, warning, and censorship. It will become necessary for any broadcaster or broadcasting network to appoint a self-regulating body, the CEC, which has the power to impose fines up to Rs 5 lakh. The government also has the right to form a broadcast advisory council for the inspection of broadcasting networks to ensure they follow the provisions of the bill.

Govt withdraws new draft of broadcast bill, to publish it afresh with revised provisions

As the Indian government plans to roll out new data rules under the Data Protection Act, India could erase the data of inactive users. Upcoming rules include a consent framework to verify a child's age. Watch the video to know more!

India: New data deletion plan under DPDP Act

In a new update from Pakistan where the country's Supreme Court has ruled on an important act that there has been much talk about the practice and procedure act 2023. Watch this report to know more.

Pakistan's 'Practice and procedure Act 2023'

Amid the&nbsp;controversy which has erupted after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi allegedly made a ‘flying kiss’ gesture in the parliament, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has come to his defence and said that his gesture was “affectionate”.

"I don't understand that when he was speaking, all the ministers were standing up. Ministers were creating obstructions. He made an affectionate gesture, what problem do you have with it? You are habitual of so much hatred that you fail to understand any gesture of love, of affection,” Chaturvedi stated.&nbsp;

She further added that the words of Rahul Gandhi were not driven by animosity, even though he faced disqualification and subsequently clinched legal victory.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "I don't understand that when he was speaking, all the ministers were standing up. Ministers were creating obstructions. He made an affectionate gesture, what problem do you have with it? You are habitual of so much hatred… <a href="https://t.co/IudK9YS0zw">https://t.co/IudK9YS0zw</a> <a href="https://t.co/6VJNqoFpv9">pic.twitter.com/6VJNqoFpv9</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1689236399223156736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-slams-govt-in-first-speech-since-return-as-mp-manipur-not-alive-anymore-623782">Rahul Gandhi slams govt in first speech since return as MP: Mother India has been murdered</a>

“You disqualified Rahul Gandhi as an MP and ousted him from his residence. He came back after winning his cases. Still, he is not talking to you out of hatred. If you have a problem, it is your problem and nobody else's,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader stated.

<h2>Flying kiss controversy&nbsp;</h2>

A massive controversy erupted after Rahul Gandhi was accused by Smriti Irani of passing a flying kiss inside the Parliament premises, which also has women members.

“The one who was given the chance to speak before me, displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. Such undignified conduct has never before seen in the Parliament of the country...," Irani stated.&nbsp;

Asking for strict action to be taken against Rahul Gandhi, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) women MPs wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla. In the letter, they alleged that the Congress MP made inappropriate gestures and displayed indecent behaviour in the House.

WATCH |&nbsp;Rahul Gandhi 'flying kiss' storm

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/rahul-gandhi-flying-kiss-storm-623928/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I would like to draw your attention towards the incident in the House by Rahul Gandhi, MP from Wayanad, Kerala. The said member has behaved in an indecent manner and made inappropriate gestures towards Smriti Irani, Union Minister and Member of this House while she was addressing the House. We demand stringent action against such behaviour by the Manner, which has not only insulted the dignity of women members in the House, it has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House," the letter stated.&nbsp;

In a complaint, which was signed by more than 20 women parliamentarians, it was stated that the Congress member made an "inappropriate gesture" towards Smriti Irani while she was speaking in the House.

You can&nbsp;now write for wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

<main>
<section>
WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" data-gtm-yt-inspected-20="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-25="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-30="true" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>
</section>
</main>

Amid the controversy which has erupted after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi allegedly made a ‘flying kiss’ gesture in the parliament, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has come to his defence and said that his gesture was “affectionate”.

Amid the controversy which has erupted after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi allegedly made a ‘flying kiss’ gesture in the parliament, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has come to his defence and said that his gesture was “affectionate”. "I don't understand that when he was speaking, all the ministers were standing up. Ministers were creating obstructions. He made an affectionate gesture, what problem do you have with it? You are habitual of so much hatred that you fail to understand any gesture of love, of affection,” Chaturvedi stated. She further added that the words of Rahul Gandhi were not driven by animosity, even though he faced disqualification and subsequently clinched legal victory. #WATCH | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "I don't understand that when he was speaking, all the ministers were standing up. Ministers were creating obstructions. He made an affectionate gesture, what problem do you have with it? You are habitual of so much hatred… https://t.co/IudK9YS0zw pic.twitter.com/6VJNqoFpv9 — ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023 × ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi slams govt in first speech since return as MP: Mother India has been murdered “You disqualified Rahul Gandhi as an MP and ousted him from his residence. He came back after winning his cases. Still, he is not talking to you out of hatred. If you have a problem, it is your problem and nobody else's,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader stated. Flying kiss controversy A massive controversy erupted after Rahul Gandhi was accused by Smriti Irani of passing a flying kiss inside the Parliament premises, which also has women members. “The one who was given the chance to speak before me, displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. Such undignified conduct has never before seen in the Parliament of the country...," Irani stated. Asking for strict action to be taken against Rahul Gandhi, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) women MPs wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla. In the letter, they alleged that the Congress MP made inappropriate gestures and displayed indecent behaviour in the House. WATCH | Rahul Gandhi 'flying kiss' storm "I would like to draw your attention towards the incident in the House by Rahul Gandhi, MP from Wayanad, Kerala. The said member has behaved in an indecent manner and made inappropriate gestures towards Smriti Irani, Union Minister and Member of this House while she was addressing the House. We demand stringent action against such behaviour by the Manner, which has not only insulted the dignity of women members in the House, it has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House," the letter stated. In a complaint, which was signed by more than 20 women parliamentarians, it was stated that the Congress member made an "inappropriate gesture" towards Smriti Irani while she was speaking in the House. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Rahul Gandhi's ex-colleague defends his ‘flying kiss’ act, calls it an ‘affectionate gesture’

The US House has approved the Inflation reduction act. President Biden lauded the passage of the bill. The bill is aimed at reducing inflation and tackling climate change.

U.S. House approves inflation reduction act; President Biden lauds passage of the bill

German parliament's upper house on Thursday approved the Infection Protection Act that has given rise to a controversy. The last hurdle before the passage of the law is the president's signature.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had asked parliament for temporary powers to enforce a nationwide coronavirus lockdown after several regions failed to impose agreed curbs to bring a third wave of the pandemic under control.

As per the draft law presented to the cabinet, a compulsory national "emergency-brake" will be introduced if the number of new infections per 100,000 residents in a district or city exceeds 100 for three consecutive days within a week.

The measures include curfews between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., as well as limiting private gatherings to one household plus one other person.

No shops barring the essential ones will remain open. Opening of cultural and recreational facilities such as theatres, museums and zoos will be prohibited.

Schools will have to return to distance learning if the virus incidence rises above 165 per 100,000 for three consecutive days.

The change to the law will apply until June 30.

Police clashed with protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as they tried to disperse a rally against the coronavirus lockdown while parliament debated the law to give the national government more powers to fight a third wave of the pandemic.

Germany reported a rise of 24,884 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to nearly 3.19 million. Some 80,634 people have died and doctors have warned that unless action is taken, intensive-care units may struggle to cope.

(With inputs from agencies)

German parliament's upper house on Thursday approved the Infection Protection Act that has given rise to a controversy. The last hurdle before the passage of the law is the president's signature.

German parliament's upper house on Thursday approved the Infection Protection Act that has given rise to a controversy. The last hurdle before the passage of the law is the president's signature. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government had asked parliament for temporary powers to enforce a nationwide coronavirus lockdown after several regions failed to impose agreed curbs to bring a third wave of the pandemic under control. As per the draft law presented to the cabinet, a compulsory national "emergency-brake" will be introduced if the number of new infections per 100,000 residents in a district or city exceeds 100 for three consecutive days within a week. The measures include curfews between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., as well as limiting private gatherings to one household plus one other person. No shops barring the essential ones will remain open. Opening of cultural and recreational facilities such as theatres, museums and zoos will be prohibited. Schools will have to return to distance learning if the virus incidence rises above 165 per 100,000 for three consecutive days. The change to the law will apply until June 30. Police clashed with protesters in Berlin on Wednesday as they tried to disperse a rally against the coronavirus lockdown while parliament debated the law to give the national government more powers to fight a third wave of the pandemic. Germany reported a rise of 24,884 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to nearly 3.19 million. Some 80,634 people have died and doctors have warned that unless action is taken, intensive-care units may struggle to cope. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: German parliament's upper house approves law to give government emergency powers

&ldquo;When the earth is sick and polluted, human health is impossible.... To heal ourselves we must heal our planet, and to heal our planet we must heal ourselves&rdquo; --Bobby Mcleod, Aboriginal poet and activist,&nbsp; 
 
These words provide us with a poignant reminder about what needs to be done to save our planet. Fast-paced consumerism and insatiable materialism have come to define our species and in the process set our planet on the path to destruction. Our rapacious greed has put a question mark on the future of the only known planet in the universe that can sustain life. 
 
The time could not be more ripe to launch aggressive self-correction measures. Unfortunately, our leaders are still in a game of establishing onus on the basis of traditional responsibility, rather than coming together to take strong and decisive measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions. While the political economy of climate change goals has led to some sort of a stalemate in the international arena, there are solutions which can be adopted by cities to rein in rising air pollution levels without much dependence from political leaders. These solutions can be implemented by business models that inherently support environmental goals.&nbsp; 
 
For example, one of the biggest sources of pollution is automobiles. While moving to cleaner and more efficient fuel-operated vehicles is the most ideal option for curtailing city pollution levels, in emerging economies considerable time is needed before complementary infrastructure can be created to support this move. Thus, there is a dire need to think of short-term solutions that can address the challenge of rising car ownership and pollution levels in the city. 
 
Recently, the role of transporting people from point A to point B in a city has been assumed by technology aggregators. A complex innovation displayed in the simplest form is solving the inefficiencies that have haunted the urban transportation sector for centuries. But do these players solve other challenges through their technology? In particular, aren&rsquo;t the aggregators simply adding more cars on the road and adding to traffic snarls and city pollution levels? The answer is no!&nbsp; 
 
The sophistication of technology has allowed them to build products that marry innovation with traditional concepts aimed at reducing congestion and pollution. One such product is &ldquo;carpooling&rdquo; or &ldquo;ridesharing&rdquo; as these aggregators are calling it today. Simply put, the idea is aimed at efficient utilisation of existing assets while directly impacting a city&rsquo;s space availability and carbon emissions generated by vehicles. The concept is old but the advancement in technology has navigated the challenges the idea encountered in a non-digital space such as optimising conflicting schedules, making sharing a ride comfortable, et cetera. However, amid all the talk about decongestion of cities and cheaper transport options that have been generated by these options, a quiet revolution has the potential of making significant value additions to our climate change goals. 
 
Ridesharing promotes more people in fewer cars and results in the reduction of emissions, because the number of kilometres driven across a city and fuel burned are reduced significantly. Further, as more people embrace this means of transportation, a wonderful and complementary relationship is created between public transport and these services, which disincentivises car ownership substantially. At a time when cities like Delhi have a vehicular density of 80 vehicles per kilometre and 27 lakh personal vehicles with 1,463 new vehicles added to the city every day, one is compelled to think of scenarios which can reverse this trend. 
 
A &ldquo;stick&rdquo; approach would entail levy of congestion charges and other related taxes, but a more innovative solution comes in the form of people using their existing personal vehicles to offer rides to other people travelling to the same destination or nearby. The experiment has already generated positive impact from both a decongestion and environmental perspective. 
 
For example, Uber&rsquo;s study of ridesharing in LA revealed that in eight months it managed to reduce 1,400 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. In San Francisco, the monthly reduction totalled 120 metric tonnes. As this model is scaled, it will further benefit the environment not only because of reduced emissions but also because of the opening up of urban space which would otherwise be earmarked for public parking or extension of road lengths. The free space could be used for environmental goals, such as the creation of public parks.&nbsp; 
 
It is estimated that every carpool helps remove four cars from the road, which is as good as planting 4,000 trees. Imagine the impact we can have on Delhi&rsquo;s abysmal air pollution levels if we turned on the private ridesharing switch on each of its its 27 lakh personal vehicle. 
 
This is essentially the way forward for ensuring sustainable development &ndash; building profitable business models led by technology-driven solutions that also benefit collective environmental goals. Such ideas require public and government support. An enabling regulatory landscape would help environmentally-conscious companies to scale their business and effect momentous transformation in the way we have traditionally operated. 
 
To this end, while we continue to bicker over the Intended Nationally Determined Commitments (INDC) and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), there is a real opportunity for local government, citizenry and businesses to come together and bring about incremental changes to reduce emissions.

As climate change worsens cleaner transportation is essential, but waiting for politicians to act is taking forever...

“When the earth is sick and polluted, human health is impossible.... To heal ourselves we must heal our planet, and to heal our planet we must heal ourselves” --Bobby Mcleod, Aboriginal poet and activist, These words provide us with a poignant reminder about what needs to be done to save our planet. Fast-paced consumerism and insatiable materialism have come to define our species and in the process set our planet on the path to destruction. Our rapacious greed has put a question mark on the future of the only known planet in the universe that can sustain life. The time could not be more ripe to launch aggressive self-correction measures. Unfortunately, our leaders are still in a game of establishing onus on the basis of traditional responsibility, rather than coming together to take strong and decisive measures aimed at reducing carbon emissions. While the political economy of climate change goals has led to some sort of a stalemate in the international arena, there are solutions which can be adopted by cities to rein in rising air pollution levels without much dependence from political leaders. These solutions can be implemented by business models that inherently support environmental goals. For example, one of the biggest sources of pollution is automobiles. While moving to cleaner and more efficient fuel-operated vehicles is the most ideal option for curtailing city pollution levels, in emerging economies considerable time is needed before complementary infrastructure can be created to support this move. Thus, there is a dire need to think of short-term solutions that can address the challenge of rising car ownership and pollution levels in the city. Recently, the role of transporting people from point A to point B in a city has been assumed by technology aggregators. A complex innovation displayed in the simplest form is solving the inefficiencies that have haunted the urban transportation sector for centuries. But do these players solve other challenges through their technology? In particular, aren’t the aggregators simply adding more cars on the road and adding to traffic snarls and city pollution levels? The answer is no! The sophistication of technology has allowed them to build products that marry innovation with traditional concepts aimed at reducing congestion and pollution. One such product is “carpooling” or “ridesharing” as these aggregators are calling it today. Simply put, the idea is aimed at efficient utilisation of existing assets while directly impacting a city’s space availability and carbon emissions generated by vehicles. The concept is old but the advancement in technology has navigated the challenges the idea encountered in a non-digital space such as optimising conflicting schedules, making sharing a ride comfortable, et cetera. However, amid all the talk about decongestion of cities and cheaper transport options that have been generated by these options, a quiet revolution has the potential of making significant value additions to our climate change goals. Ridesharing promotes more people in fewer cars and results in the reduction of emissions, because the number of kilometres driven across a city and fuel burned are reduced significantly. Further, as more people embrace this means of transportation, a wonderful and complementary relationship is created between public transport and these services, which disincentivises car ownership substantially. At a time when cities like Delhi have a vehicular density of 80 vehicles per kilometre and 27 lakh personal vehicles with 1,463 new vehicles added to the city every day, one is compelled to think of scenarios which can reverse this trend. A “stick” approach would entail levy of congestion charges and other related taxes, but a more innovative solution comes in the form of people using their existing personal vehicles to offer rides to other people travelling to the same destination or nearby. The experiment has already generated positive impact from both a decongestion and environmental perspective. For example, Uber’s study of ridesharing in LA revealed that in eight months it managed to reduce 1,400 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. In San Francisco, the monthly reduction totalled 120 metric tonnes. As this model is scaled, it will further benefit the environment not only because of reduced emissions but also because of the opening up of urban space which would otherwise be earmarked for public parking or extension of road lengths. The free space could be used for environmental goals, such as the creation of public parks. It is estimated that every carpool helps remove four cars from the road, which is as good as planting 4,000 trees. Imagine the impact we can have on Delhi’s abysmal air pollution levels if we turned on the private ridesharing switch on each of its its 27 lakh personal vehicle. This is essentially the way forward for ensuring sustainable development – building profitable business models led by technology-driven solutions that also benefit collective environmental goals. Such ideas require public and government support. An enabling regulatory landscape would help environmentally-conscious companies to scale their business and effect momentous transformation in the way we have traditionally operated. To this end, while we continue to bicker over the Intended Nationally Determined Commitments (INDC) and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), there is a real opportunity for local government, citizenry and businesses to come together and bring about incremental changes to reduce emissions.

Technology and business must combine to help commuters navigate congested cities

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people.

&quot;This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band,&quot; the American pop rock group said on its website on Friday.

&quot;We don&rsquo;t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.&quot;

With a law passed in March, North Carolina became the first state in the country to require transgender people to use multiple-occupancy public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity.

The law, approved by the Republican-led legislature in a one-day special session, also blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances that include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

It has sparked lawsuits by both supporters and opponents of the law, and a mounting backlash from corporations, conventions, tourists and entertainers. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department asked a federal district court to declare that the state is violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

On Tuesday, renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman also backed out of a scheduled performance in North Carolina in protest of the law. Other performers who have canceled shows in the state include Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Boston, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and the group Cirque du Soleil.

The upcoming shows by Maroon 5, known for hits such as &ldquo;Moves Like Jagger,&rdquo; were to be held in Raleigh and Charlotte. The band&#39;s decision drew praise and criticism from fans posting comments on its website.

&quot;You shouldn&#39;t punish your fans who have no control over the politics!&quot; one post said.

Republican Governor Pat McCrory&#39;s campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz questioned the timing of the band&#39;s &quot;political statement.&quot; McCrory is up for re-election in November.

&quot;At this point, the only people they are hurting by hypocritically targeting North Carolina for selective outrage are their fans and the hardworking men and women servicing these shows while they keep tour dates overseas &ndash; even in Russia,&quot; Diaz said in a statement.

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people.

The band Maroon 5 is cancelling concerts planned in North Carolina, the latest musical act to take a stand against a state law on bathroom use that has been criticized as discriminatory against transgender people. "This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band," the American pop rock group said on its website on Friday. "We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right AS WE FEEL EVERYONE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY." With a law passed in March, North Carolina became the first state in the country to require transgender people to use multiple-occupancy public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity. The law, approved by the Republican-led legislature in a one-day special session, also blocks local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances that include protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. It has sparked lawsuits by both supporters and opponents of the law, and a mounting backlash from corporations, conventions, tourists and entertainers. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department asked a federal district court to declare that the state is violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act. On Tuesday, renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman also backed out of a scheduled performance in North Carolina in protest of the law. Other performers who have canceled shows in the state include Bruce Springsteen, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Boston, Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr and the group Cirque du Soleil. The upcoming shows by Maroon 5, known for hits such as “Moves Like Jagger,” were to be held in Raleigh and Charlotte. The band's decision drew praise and criticism from fans posting comments on its website. "You shouldn't punish your fans who have no control over the politics!" one post said. Republican Governor Pat McCrory's campaign spokesman Ricky Diaz questioned the timing of the band's "political statement." McCrory is up for re-election in November. "At this point, the only people they are hurting by hypocritically targeting North Carolina for selective outrage are their fans and the hardworking men and women servicing these shows while they keep tour dates overseas – even in Russia," Diaz said in a statement.

Maroon 5 cancels shows in North Carolina in protest against transgender bathroom law

Act, News on Act, stories on Act, articles on Act, Act stories at Wion, Act news, Act latest news