You love the hilariously adventurous show South Park. So you will definitely love our curated list of some more animated shows with the same humour, and the plot twists that can make one binge-watch them. 

If you loved South Park, watch these hilarious animated shows on Netflix, Prime Video, and more

From Mulk to Jolly LLB, a few of these films have impacted society in a way. Here are 8 must-watch Indian courtroom dramas on Netflix, Prime, and other OTT platforms from Criminal Justice to Pink.

8 must-watch Indian courtroom dramas on Netflix, Prime and other OTT

Today on Sept. 9, we are celebrating Adam Sandler's birthday, the king of humor, the master of heartfelt jokes, and global icon of one liners. Here are some refreshing recommendations of his great comedy movies to watch on Netflix, Prime and other OTTs. 


Happy Birthday Adam Sandler: 7 Best Comedy Movies to Watch on Netflix, Prime and Other OTTs

<p>With its extremely high levels of caffeine, a hip new soft drink is raising fears in the United States that it might be dangerous for children, who have been snapping up the beverage since it was launched by famous YouTube personalities.</p>

<p>Prime was created in 2022 by American Logan Paul and Briton KSI, two influential YouTubers whose wacky - and sometimes controversial - videos are devoured by child-heavy audiences.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first drink, Prime Hydration, did not contain caffeine. But in 2023, a second line was launched: Prime Energy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A single can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine - far more than the 30 milligrams in a can of Coca-Cola, for example, or the 80 milligrams in a can of Red Bull.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A launch video showed the two internet stars playing video games and table tennis, very slowly and without enthusiasm at first, then frantically after drinking the beverage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since then, many TikTok videos have featured children proudly brandishing the famous bottles, set to a musical background proclaiming "We got Prime, boys!"</p>

<p>However, medical experts warn about the risks of younger children consuming caffeine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Children under the age of twelve should not consume the chemical at all, according to the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-what-is-arfid-psychologist-reveals-how-intense-trauma-can-ruin-your-relationship-with-food-614306">What is ARFID? Psychologist reveals how intense trauma can ruin your relationship with food</a></p>

<p>And between the ages of 12 and 18, a limit of 100 milligrams per day is recommended - or half a can of Prime Energy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to restlessness, anxiety and headaches, too much caffeine can cause a child to vomit or to suffer from high blood pressure or heart rhythm problems, according to the AACAP. Some children may be more sensitive than others.</p>

<h2><strong>'Eye-popping levels of caffeine'</strong></h2>

<p>"This product has one true target market: children under the age of 18, and that is why I am sounding the alarm," said top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer last week.</p>

<p>Prime Energy comes in Flavors that might attract younger kids, such as orange-mango and raspberry-melon.</p>

<p>But the drink contains "eye-popping levels of caffeine for a child’s body," the Senate majority leader said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The refreshment is fashionable because "it is born from the reels of social media and the enigmatic world of influencers," the senator said in a statement.</p>

<p>Schumer announced he had written to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), demanding an investigation into the levels of caffeine the drink contains and the marketing strategy adopted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The FDA responded this week that it is "reviewing the concerns" raised by the senator, and that it would respond to him directly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We encourage caregivers and families to read a product’s label before giving the product to their child," an FDA spokesperson said in a statement.</p>

<p>The can does feature a discreet line indicating that the drink is not recommended for those under 18, though the warning may not be obvious to everyone planning to pop one open.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The FDA, which has already issued warnings in the past against several companies marketing both alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, noted that adults can generally consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day without harmful effects, or four to five cups of coffee.</p>

<h2><strong>Expanding Market</strong></h2>

<p>Paul partially responded to the controversy in a video posted to social media on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said he was offended by articles in some media that reported that Canada had recalled Prime Energy cans, though the move was only an action against illegal imports, as the drink is not officially distributed there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Prime formulas are complying with each specific country's regulatory bodies," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Actually, it doesn't surprise me that we're being targeted by massive corporate conglomerates and the United States government," he said, claiming "We've effectively created a beverage so disruptive that it is eating the market shares of the biggest companies on the planet!"</p>

<p>The energy drink market is buoyant and expanding, and US supermarket shelves are stocked with several brands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In its first year of operations, Prime sold $250 million worth of products, Paul had previously said in an interview.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


With its extremely high levels of caffeine, a hip new soft drink is raising fears in the United States that it might be dangerous for children, who have been snapping up the beverage since it was launched by famous YouTube personalities.

With its extremely high levels of caffeine, a hip new soft drink is raising fears in the United States that it might be dangerous for children, who have been snapping up the beverage since it was launched by famous YouTube personalities. Prime was created in 2022 by American Logan Paul and Briton KSI, two influential YouTubers whose wacky - and sometimes controversial - videos are devoured by child-heavy audiences. The first drink, Prime Hydration, did not contain caffeine. But in 2023, a second line was launched: Prime Energy. A single can contains 200 milligrams of caffeine - far more than the 30 milligrams in a can of Coca-Cola, for example, or the 80 milligrams in a can of Red Bull. A launch video showed the two internet stars playing video games and table tennis, very slowly and without enthusiasm at first, then frantically after drinking the beverage. Since then, many TikTok videos have featured children proudly brandishing the famous bottles, set to a musical background proclaiming "We got Prime, boys!" However, medical experts warn about the risks of younger children consuming caffeine. Children under the age of twelve should not consume the chemical at all, according to the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). Also read | What is ARFID? Psychologist reveals how intense trauma can ruin your relationship with food And between the ages of 12 and 18, a limit of 100 milligrams per day is recommended - or half a can of Prime Energy. In addition to restlessness, anxiety and headaches, too much caffeine can cause a child to vomit or to suffer from high blood pressure or heart rhythm problems, according to the AACAP. Some children may be more sensitive than others. 'Eye-popping levels of caffeine' "This product has one true target market: children under the age of 18, and that is why I am sounding the alarm," said top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer last week. Prime Energy comes in Flavors that might attract younger kids, such as orange-mango and raspberry-melon. But the drink contains "eye-popping levels of caffeine for a child’s body," the Senate majority leader said. The refreshment is fashionable because "it is born from the reels of social media and the enigmatic world of influencers," the senator said in a statement. Schumer announced he had written to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), demanding an investigation into the levels of caffeine the drink contains and the marketing strategy adopted. The FDA responded this week that it is "reviewing the concerns" raised by the senator, and that it would respond to him directly. "We encourage caregivers and families to read a product’s label before giving the product to their child," an FDA spokesperson said in a statement. The can does feature a discreet line indicating that the drink is not recommended for those under 18, though the warning may not be obvious to everyone planning to pop one open. The FDA, which has already issued warnings in the past against several companies marketing both alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, noted that adults can generally consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day without harmful effects, or four to five cups of coffee. Expanding Market Paul partially responded to the controversy in a video posted to social media on Thursday. He said he was offended by articles in some media that reported that Canada had recalled Prime Energy cans, though the move was only an action against illegal imports, as the drink is not officially distributed there. "Prime formulas are complying with each specific country's regulatory bodies," he said. "Actually, it doesn't surprise me that we're being targeted by massive corporate conglomerates and the United States government," he said, claiming "We've effectively created a beverage so disruptive that it is eating the market shares of the biggest companies on the planet!" The energy drink market is buoyant and expanding, and US supermarket shelves are stocked with several brands. In its first year of operations, Prime sold $250 million worth of products, Paul had previously said in an interview. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Viral caffeine-heavy drink raises concerns for US kids

Top 7 movies to watch on Teachers' Day 2022

Amazon has announced that it is increasing the prices for its Prime subscription service in the United Kingdom due to increased inflation and operating costs.

Amazon Prime to raise monthly subscription price for UK customers

<p>Amazon is raising the price of its Prime service by $20. The service will now be available for $139 per year, up from the $119, which was instated four years ago. "With the continued expansion of Prime member benefits as well as the rise in wages and transportation costs, Amazon will increase the price of a Prime membership in the US, with the monthly fee going from $12.99 to $14.99, and the annual membership from $119 to $139," read a statement by Amazon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The price change will come in effect from February 18 for new Prime members. For current subscribers, the hike will come into effect from March 25.</p>

<p>The global supply chain shortage and disruption of labour across the board has majorly contributed to this increase in subscription's price.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement, Amazon said, “the continued expansion of Prime member benefits as well as the rise in wages and transportation costs” is a reason for increasing the service’s price.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The analysts had expected Amazon to announce a rise in the prices during its earnings call this week. This is because the company has increased wages. Also, it is now offering larger signing bonuses to entice more workers.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/heres-how-jeff-bezos-superyacht-messing-up-with-history-of-this-dutch-port-city-450146"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Here's how Jeff Bezos' superyacht messing up with history of this Dutch port city</strong></a></p>

<p>Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities, while speaking to Reuters said, "It’s about time. Shipping costs have gone up, period.”</p>

<p>The increase in subscription's price comes at a time when Jeff Bezos’ boat has required the temporary dismantling of a historic bridge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rotterdam, a city in the Netherlands will dismantle a historic bridge temporarily to make way for a superyacht built Bezos. The iconic Koningshaven Bridge dates from 1878 and was rebuilt after being bombed by the Nazis in 1940 during World War II.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The superyacht is said to be worth $485 million and is said to be 417ft long as the shipyard building the three-masted mammoth in Alblasserdam, near Rotterdam.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports have mentioned that the local council promised after a major renovation in 2017 that it would never again dismantle the bridge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A spokesman for the mayor of Rotterdam told AFP, "It's the only route to the sea," He further added that billionaire Bezos would foot the bill for the operation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Amazon is raising the price of its Prime service by $20. The service will now be available for $139 per year, up from the $119, which was instated four years ago.

Amazon is raising the price of its Prime service by $20. The service will now be available for $139 per year, up from the $119, which was instated four years ago. "With the continued expansion of Prime member benefits as well as the rise in wages and transportation costs, Amazon will increase the price of a Prime membership in the US, with the monthly fee going from $12.99 to $14.99, and the annual membership from $119 to $139," read a statement by Amazon. The price change will come in effect from February 18 for new Prime members. For current subscribers, the hike will come into effect from March 25. The global supply chain shortage and disruption of labour across the board has majorly contributed to this increase in subscription's price. In a statement, Amazon said, “the continued expansion of Prime member benefits as well as the rise in wages and transportation costs” is a reason for increasing the service’s price. The analysts had expected Amazon to announce a rise in the prices during its earnings call this week. This is because the company has increased wages. Also, it is now offering larger signing bonuses to entice more workers. Also read | Here's how Jeff Bezos' superyacht messing up with history of this Dutch port city Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities, while speaking to Reuters said, "It’s about time. Shipping costs have gone up, period.” The increase in subscription's price comes at a time when Jeff Bezos’ boat has required the temporary dismantling of a historic bridge. Rotterdam, a city in the Netherlands will dismantle a historic bridge temporarily to make way for a superyacht built Bezos. The iconic Koningshaven Bridge dates from 1878 and was rebuilt after being bombed by the Nazis in 1940 during World War II. The superyacht is said to be worth $485 million and is said to be 417ft long as the shipyard building the three-masted mammoth in Alblasserdam, near Rotterdam. Reports have mentioned that the local council promised after a major renovation in 2017 that it would never again dismantle the bridge. A spokesman for the mayor of Rotterdam told AFP, "It's the only route to the sea," He further added that billionaire Bezos would foot the bill for the operation. (With inputs from agencies)

Just when Bezos’ yacht demands unexpected costs, Amazon Prime raises price

PM Narendra Modi arrived in Varanasi on Saturday, 6 July, to launch the BJP's membership drive. He was welcomed upon arrival by BJP Working President JP Nadda, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the party's UP Chief MN Pandey.

PM Narendra Modi reaches Varanasi

Nepal&#39;s new Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda named a minority leader to the key position of home minister in his first appointments on Thursday, seeking reconciliation after months of protests by southern plainsfolk over a new constitution.<br />
<br />
Prachanda,whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, still uses his wartime pseudonym, which means &quot;fierce&quot;. He has promised to keep his cabinet small, after predecessor K P Oli was criticised for appointing a 32-member coalition with six deputy prime ministers.<br />
<br />
After the oath-taking ceremony in capital Kathmandu, Prachanda administered the oath of office to five ministers, including three from his political party and two from the Nepali Congress.<br />
<br />
The sixty-one-year-old former rebel commander has vowed to tackle the grievances of the Madhesi minority that demands a greater say in central government by amending the constitution adopted last September.<br />
<br />
The Madhesis, who have close cultural and family ties with neighbouring India, have staged protests against the charter, saying it marginalised them by dividing their southern homeland into several states.<br />
<br />
Violence, blamed by many Madhesis on the use of excessive police force, claimed more than 50 lives in protests that petered out in February.<br />
<br />
Prachanda appointed Bimalendra Nidhi of the centrist Nepali Congress, the biggest coalition party, as deputy prime minister in charge of the home ministry, officials said.<br />
<br />
Among those appointed to the cabinet was Krishna Bahadur Mahara from Prachanda&#39;s Maoist party, who will also be a deputy prime minister in charge of the finance ministry.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

He has vowed to tackle the grievances of the Madhesis who demand a greater say in central government?

Nepal's new Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda named a minority leader to the key position of home minister in his first appointments on Thursday, seeking reconciliation after months of protests by southern plainsfolk over a new constitution. Prachanda,whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, still uses his wartime pseudonym, which means "fierce". He has promised to keep his cabinet small, after predecessor K P Oli was criticised for appointing a 32-member coalition with six deputy prime ministers. After the oath-taking ceremony in capital Kathmandu, Prachanda administered the oath of office to five ministers, including three from his political party and two from the Nepali Congress. The sixty-one-year-old former rebel commander has vowed to tackle the grievances of the Madhesi minority that demands a greater say in central government by amending the constitution adopted last September. The Madhesis, who have close cultural and family ties with neighbouring India, have staged protests against the charter, saying it marginalised them by dividing their southern homeland into several states. Violence, blamed by many Madhesis on the use of excessive police force, claimed more than 50 lives in protests that petered out in February. Prachanda appointed Bimalendra Nidhi of the centrist Nepali Congress, the biggest coalition party, as deputy prime minister in charge of the home ministry, officials said. Among those appointed to the cabinet was Krishna Bahadur Mahara from Prachanda's Maoist party, who will also be a deputy prime minister in charge of the finance ministry. (Reuters)

Nepal's new Prime Minister names core team, seeks reconciliation

London: Stock markets traded within sight of their highest levels this year on Wednesday as the prospect of stimulative economic policy across the developed world eased immediate concern over Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union.<br />
<br />
The swift moves by the Conservative Party that see Theresa May replacing David Cameron as prime minister on Wednesday have helped fund a recovery that, aside from sterling itself, has wiped out the negative reaction to the June 23 vote.<br />
<br />
Asian markets outside Japan gained another third of a percent to come within a hair&#39;s breadth of the year&#39;s highs from April, while European shares rose 0.2 percent, on course for their fifth straight day of gains.<br />
<br />
Traders say that concerns over the economic and political impact of what promise to be torturous exit talks between London and Brussels have not gone away, but they are certainly on the back burner for a moment.<br />
<br />
U.S. stock futures showed Wall Street set to build further on record highs hit on Tuesday. Expectations that sterling&#39;s fall will help British companies has London&#39;s FTSE index at its highest since last August.<br />
<br />
&quot;This is a short term relief rally thanks to some certainty around the swift handover to a new PM,&quot; said Tobias Davis, Head of Corporate Treasury Sales at Western Union in London.<br />
<br />
&quot;The path ahead still looks incredibly challenging. Equities are only rallying thanks to negative yields across most of the curve in Swiss, German and Japanese markets. In reality, the economic landscape is deteriorating.&quot;<br />
<br />
Sterling, whose 14 percent fall made it one of the main victims of last month&#39;s referendum, hit its highest in more than a week at $1.3340.<br />
<br />
But for every blip higher for the pound at the moment there are more sellers ready to bet it will fall further in the months ahead and it quickly fell back to stand just 0.2 percent stronger on the day at $1.3280.<br />
<br />
The yen, investors&#39; go-to currency in times of market stress was also up half a percent against the euro and dollar after falling sharply on the back of Japan&#39;s move into another round of stimulative policy.<br />
<br />
The debate among currency traders around Thursday&#39;s Bank of England meeting is also now not whether it will cut interest rates but by how much -- some measure of the concern over the economy&#39;s fate for the rest of the year.<br />
<br />
&quot;I&#39;m struck at the enthusiasm of all and sundry to tell us that European and U.S. growth rates will hardly be affected by the UK post-referendum slowdown,&quot; Societe Generale&#39;s Kit Juckes said in a note to clients.<br />
<br />
&quot;That flies in the face of the increased correlation of major economies&#39; growth rates in an ever more connected world.&quot;<br />
<br />
<strong>Stimulus</strong><br />
In commodities, oil prices dropped after industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a surprise build of 2.2 million barrels in US crude stockpiles last week. [O/R]<br />
<br />
Brent crude futures fell 1.6 percent to $47.71 after surging roughly 5 percent on Tuesday on broad improvement in risk sentiment.<br />
<br />
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered a new round of fiscal stimulus spending, as expected, after an election victory on Sunday. His meeting with former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, a proponent of &quot;helicopter money&quot; policies - printing money and directly handing it to the private sector to stimulate the economy - fuelled speculation that some of the stimulus plan could be funded by Bank of Japan easing.<br />
<br />
The European Central Bank is also widely expected to take a dovish stance when it holds its policy review a week later.<br />
<br />
&quot;After being faced with the prospect of a major slowdown in global activity in the wake of the Brexit vote, governments and central banks worldwide are now expected to do their utmost to reassure markets and provide stimulus,&quot; wrote Angus Nicholson, market analyst at IG in Melbourne.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Swift moves by the Conservative Party that see Theresa May replacing David Cameron as prime minister have helped fund a recovery

London: Stock markets traded within sight of their highest levels this year on Wednesday as the prospect of stimulative economic policy across the developed world eased immediate concern over Britain's vote to leave the European Union. The swift moves by the Conservative Party that see Theresa May replacing David Cameron as prime minister on Wednesday have helped fund a recovery that, aside from sterling itself, has wiped out the negative reaction to the June 23 vote. Asian markets outside Japan gained another third of a percent to come within a hair's breadth of the year's highs from April, while European shares rose 0.2 percent, on course for their fifth straight day of gains. Traders say that concerns over the economic and political impact of what promise to be torturous exit talks between London and Brussels have not gone away, but they are certainly on the back burner for a moment. U.S. stock futures showed Wall Street set to build further on record highs hit on Tuesday. Expectations that sterling's fall will help British companies has London's FTSE index at its highest since last August. "This is a short term relief rally thanks to some certainty around the swift handover to a new PM," said Tobias Davis, Head of Corporate Treasury Sales at Western Union in London. "The path ahead still looks incredibly challenging. Equities are only rallying thanks to negative yields across most of the curve in Swiss, German and Japanese markets. In reality, the economic landscape is deteriorating." Sterling, whose 14 percent fall made it one of the main victims of last month's referendum, hit its highest in more than a week at $1.3340. But for every blip higher for the pound at the moment there are more sellers ready to bet it will fall further in the months ahead and it quickly fell back to stand just 0.2 percent stronger on the day at $1.3280. The yen, investors' go-to currency in times of market stress was also up half a percent against the euro and dollar after falling sharply on the back of Japan's move into another round of stimulative policy. The debate among currency traders around Thursday's Bank of England meeting is also now not whether it will cut interest rates but by how much -- some measure of the concern over the economy's fate for the rest of the year. "I'm struck at the enthusiasm of all and sundry to tell us that European and U.S. growth rates will hardly be affected by the UK post-referendum slowdown," Societe Generale's Kit Juckes said in a note to clients. "That flies in the face of the increased correlation of major economies' growth rates in an ever more connected world." Stimulus In commodities, oil prices dropped after industry group American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a surprise build of 2.2 million barrels in US crude stockpiles last week. [O/R] Brent crude futures fell 1.6 percent to $47.71 after surging roughly 5 percent on Tuesday on broad improvement in risk sentiment. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered a new round of fiscal stimulus spending, as expected, after an election victory on Sunday. His meeting with former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, a proponent of "helicopter money" policies - printing money and directly handing it to the private sector to stimulate the economy - fuelled speculation that some of the stimulus plan could be funded by Bank of Japan easing. The European Central Bank is also widely expected to take a dovish stance when it holds its policy review a week later. "After being faced with the prospect of a major slowdown in global activity in the wake of the Brexit vote, governments and central banks worldwide are now expected to do their utmost to reassure markets and provide stimulus," wrote Angus Nicholson, market analyst at IG in Melbourne. (Reuters)

Brexit, what Brexit? Global shares near 2016 highs

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{182}" paraid="1662290056">A few months after he was voted into office in May 2014, Indian&nbsp;Prime&nbsp;Minister Narendra Modi launched the&nbsp;Swachh&nbsp;Bharat&nbsp;Abhiyan&nbsp;or the Clean India Mission.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{189}" paraid="962584056">The campaign aims to clean up India&#39;s cities by the time Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s&nbsp;150th birth anniversary comes round&nbsp;on October 2,&nbsp;2019.&nbsp;Gandhi was big on cleanliness. &ldquo;We can no more gain God&rsquo;s blessing with an unclean body than with an unclean mind. A clean body cannot reside in an unclean city,&rdquo; he wrote in the journal Young India in 1925.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{192}" paraid="1084963738">The Clean India Mission also wants to put a stop to open defecation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{213}" paraid="1292518957">A&nbsp;billion people defecate in the open&nbsp;the world over. South Asia is among&nbsp;the worst offenders.&nbsp;In India&nbsp;597 million people &ndash; or half the country &ndash; defecate in the open, 41 million do so in Pakistan, as do 15 million (that&#39;s more than half the country) in Nepal. Diseases&nbsp;like&nbsp;cholera,&nbsp;diarrhoea&nbsp;and typhoid,&nbsp;for example, is a natural outcome.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{218}" paraid="384175414">Prime Minister Modi kicked off his mission by picking up a broom and sweeping the road near Gandhi&#39;s memorial in Delhi. It is thought of as being one of his pet projects,&nbsp;but he is not going to find the going easy, as a short walk would tell him.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{220}" paraid="1907312861">((insert picture of Modi with broom at&nbsp;Rajghat))&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{242}" paraid="154697890">A&nbsp;stone&#39;s throw from&nbsp;his&nbsp;official&nbsp;residence, 7, Race Course Road,&nbsp;lies the&nbsp;Bhaiya&nbsp;Ram Camp slum. Of the 5,000 people who live here, 90&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;do not have toilets in their homes and have to make do&nbsp;with 16 communal toilets. There are no sewer lines, open drains run through the camp&nbsp;and as many as 90 households share one tap.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{244}" paraid="45645244">The lack of sanitation is frustrating, says&nbsp;Jyoti, who lives in the slum. &quot;The government claims that they have built a million toilets across India but I think the Clean India Mission is active only near their bungalows and not in our slums.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{17}" paraid="1744240119">Jyoti&nbsp;begins each morning with a 400-metre walk to the communal toilets. The toilets do not have running water&nbsp;so&nbsp;she carries a small bucket with her. There is no polite way to say this,&nbsp;but the toilets&nbsp;which&nbsp;Jyoti&nbsp;shows us, are filthy. And they smell.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{23}" paraid="2007065508">Jyoti&nbsp;has had&nbsp;diarrhoea&nbsp;three times since last December.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{30}" paraid="1133764903">That&#39;s not all. &ldquo;The situation worsens at night. Women have been assaulted at night in the communal toilets. So if we need the bathroom after dark we go near the drains behind our homes,&rdquo; says&nbsp;Jyoti. And adds, &ldquo;We have to risk our dignity every time we want to go to the toilet. Why does nobody care about our dignity?&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{56}" paraid="1890053748">Ministry of&nbsp;drinking&nbsp;water and&nbsp;sanitation&nbsp;secretary&nbsp;Parmeshwaran&nbsp;Iyer&nbsp;told WION that the government had&nbsp;built 13 million toilets since the start of the mission.&nbsp;&quot;It&nbsp;is not a number&#39;s game. More important is to look at the shift in&nbsp;behaviour&nbsp;and mindsets.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{65}" paraid="597236208">What he means is that the government might build toilets, but you&nbsp;still&nbsp;have&nbsp;to convince people to use them. That,&nbsp;he says, is going to be the difficult part of the Clean India Mission. &ldquo;Today we have only 13 districts which are open defecation-free.&rdquo; (India has a total of 688 districts.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{74}" paraid="2097714748">Mr&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;could still manage to pull off what even the Mahatma (the honorific means great soul) was not able to. But for that he will have to look for inspiration to his country&#39;s smaller&nbsp;neighbour&nbsp;to the east, Bangladesh, which in the&nbsp;past 15 years has virtually wiped out open defecation from its soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{99}" paraid="450883143">Only&nbsp;1&nbsp;per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s population today does not have access to toilets &ndash; the number was 42&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in 2003. Bangladesh did it by focusing intensively on education, information, and interpersonal communication,&nbsp;which means that they&nbsp;did&nbsp;not&nbsp;just build a toilet in every home,&nbsp;but also talked to and educated their populace on why they should be using toilets.&nbsp;They got non-governmental and other&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;like the World Bank, WHO&nbsp;(World Health&nbsp;Organisation), and UNICEF&nbsp;(United Nations International Children&#39;s Emergency&nbsp;Fund)&nbsp;to help. Somewhat more coercively, the government also encouraged the creation of social pressure and got it to bear on people to get them to change their toilet etiquette.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{111}" paraid="1247452205">Iyer&nbsp;says they&nbsp;are doing the same thing in India. That all hands are needed on deck&nbsp;and that NGOs&nbsp;(non-governmental&nbsp;organisations)&nbsp;and civil society are being roped in.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{122}" paraid="873859267">Jyoti&nbsp;and her fellow residents&nbsp;at&nbsp;BR Camp say thank you and remind&nbsp;Iyer,&nbsp;and Prime Minister Modi,&nbsp;that not only will they have to build toilets but also maintain them. (They are somewhat upset that they seem to have been ignored while the rest of the country undergoes massive change.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{128}" paraid="623064894">Less euphemistically and pointing to the overflowing toilets, the heaps of garbage lying around&nbsp;and the blocked sewers,&nbsp;Jyoti&nbsp;says: &ldquo;The stench is unbearable, children have to walk through this everyday and our health remains at risk.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>


Half of India still defecates in the open including those in the slum on the other side of the road from the PM

A few months after he was voted into office in May 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or the Clean India Mission. The campaign aims to clean up India's cities by the time Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary comes round on October 2, 2019. Gandhi was big on cleanliness. “We can no more gain God’s blessing with an unclean body than with an unclean mind. A clean body cannot reside in an unclean city,” he wrote in the journal Young India in 1925. The Clean India Mission also wants to put a stop to open defecation. A billion people defecate in the open the world over. South Asia is among the worst offenders. In India 597 million people – or half the country – defecate in the open, 41 million do so in Pakistan, as do 15 million (that's more than half the country) in Nepal. Diseases like cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid, for example, is a natural outcome. Prime Minister Modi kicked off his mission by picking up a broom and sweeping the road near Gandhi's memorial in Delhi. It is thought of as being one of his pet projects, but he is not going to find the going easy, as a short walk would tell him. ((insert picture of Modi with broom at Rajghat)) A stone's throw from his official residence, 7, Race Course Road, lies the Bhaiya Ram Camp slum. Of the 5,000 people who live here, 90 per cent do not have toilets in their homes and have to make do with 16 communal toilets. There are no sewer lines, open drains run through the camp and as many as 90 households share one tap. The lack of sanitation is frustrating, says Jyoti, who lives in the slum. "The government claims that they have built a million toilets across India but I think the Clean India Mission is active only near their bungalows and not in our slums.” Jyoti begins each morning with a 400-metre walk to the communal toilets. The toilets do not have running water so she carries a small bucket with her. There is no polite way to say this, but the toilets which Jyoti shows us, are filthy. And they smell. Jyoti has had diarrhoea three times since last December. That's not all. “The situation worsens at night. Women have been assaulted at night in the communal toilets. So if we need the bathroom after dark we go near the drains behind our homes,” says Jyoti. And adds, “We have to risk our dignity every time we want to go to the toilet. Why does nobody care about our dignity?” Ministry of drinking water and sanitation secretary Parmeshwaran Iyer told WION that the government had built 13 million toilets since the start of the mission. "It is not a number's game. More important is to look at the shift in behaviour and mindsets.” What he means is that the government might build toilets, but you still have to convince people to use them. That, he says, is going to be the difficult part of the Clean India Mission. “Today we have only 13 districts which are open defecation-free.” (India has a total of 688 districts.) Mr Modi could still manage to pull off what even the Mahatma (the honorific means great soul) was not able to. But for that he will have to look for inspiration to his country's smaller neighbour to the east, Bangladesh, which in the past 15 years has virtually wiped out open defecation from its soil. Only 1 per cent of Bangladesh's population today does not have access to toilets – the number was 42 per cent in 2003. Bangladesh did it by focusing intensively on education, information, and interpersonal communication, which means that they did not just build a toilet in every home, but also talked to and educated their populace on why they should be using toilets. They got non-governmental and other organisations like the World Bank, WHO (World Health Organisation), and UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) to help. Somewhat more coercively, the government also encouraged the creation of social pressure and got it to bear on people to get them to change their toilet etiquette. Iyer says they are doing the same thing in India. That all hands are needed on deck and that NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and civil society are being roped in. Jyoti and her fellow residents at BR Camp say thank you and remind Iyer, and Prime Minister Modi, that not only will they have to build toilets but also maintain them. (They are somewhat upset that they seem to have been ignored while the rest of the country undergoes massive change.) Less euphemistically and pointing to the overflowing toilets, the heaps of garbage lying around and the blocked sewers, Jyoti says: “The stench is unbearable, children have to walk through this everyday and our health remains at risk.”

Prime Minister Modi says clean India but his voice does not carry across the street from his official residence

Thailand`s junta leader swatted away critics, vowing to stay in power despite &quot;people&#39;s hatred&quot; for him, &nbsp;as tensions simmered before a referendum which the military says will pave the way for elections.&nbsp;<br />
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha seized power two years ago from the elected government when he was army chief, promising to heal a bitter decade-long political divide.&nbsp;<br />
But his regime has curbed free speech, outlawed political activities and penned a new charter designed to entrench the military`s role in government.&nbsp;<br />
&quot;I won`t go anywhere as long as the country is not at peace and in order. I won`t leave, despite how much you hate me,&quot; Prayut, who is renowned for his often irate outbursts, said in remarks to a forum in Bangkok.&nbsp;<br />
While he was speaking Wednesday morning a Thai folk singer was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for royal defamation -- one of several harsh laws the junta has used to curb critics, especially on the Internet.&nbsp;<br />
The singer, known by his stage name Tom Dundee, was convicted for comments he made in a 2013 speech at a political rally organised by supporters of the now-ousted government.<br />
Prayut also defended the sweeping powers granted to him as junta chief, saying &quot;there are still some politicians expressing their opinions&quot;.&nbsp;<br />
On the surface the political climate has calmed significantly under the junta, following years of competing street protests that often turned deadly.&nbsp;<br />
But disquiet is returning before an August referendum on the charter, despite a new law which punishes campaigning in the run-up to the vote with up to 10 years in prison.&nbsp;<br />
The junta has promised elections will go ahead in 2017 but has not clarified what will happen if the charter is rejected in the referendum, raising fears the timetable will slip once again.&nbsp;<br />
Prayut`s speech comes after the junta appeared to be loosening its grip by ending travel restrictions on many former politicians and promising to move its &quot;attitude adjustment&quot; sessions -- a common punishment for critics -- from military camps to government buildings and police stations.&nbsp;<br />
Critics say the regime is bent on dismantling the powerful political network of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose parties have long dominated the polls but are reviled by Bangkok`s military-allied elite.&nbsp;<br />
Analysts say the political troubles are exacerbated by the failing health of the 88-year-old monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej as competing elites jostle for power before the succession.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha had seized power two years ago from the elected government when he was the army chief, promising to heal a bitter decade-long political divide

Thailand`s junta leader swatted away critics, vowing to stay in power despite "people's hatred" for him, as tensions simmered before a referendum which the military says will pave the way for elections. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha seized power two years ago from the elected government when he was army chief, promising to heal a bitter decade-long political divide. But his regime has curbed free speech, outlawed political activities and penned a new charter designed to entrench the military`s role in government. "I won`t go anywhere as long as the country is not at peace and in order. I won`t leave, despite how much you hate me," Prayut, who is renowned for his often irate outbursts, said in remarks to a forum in Bangkok. While he was speaking Wednesday morning a Thai folk singer was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for royal defamation -- one of several harsh laws the junta has used to curb critics, especially on the Internet. The singer, known by his stage name Tom Dundee, was convicted for comments he made in a 2013 speech at a political rally organised by supporters of the now-ousted government. Prayut also defended the sweeping powers granted to him as junta chief, saying "there are still some politicians expressing their opinions". On the surface the political climate has calmed significantly under the junta, following years of competing street protests that often turned deadly. But disquiet is returning before an August referendum on the charter, despite a new law which punishes campaigning in the run-up to the vote with up to 10 years in prison. The junta has promised elections will go ahead in 2017 but has not clarified what will happen if the charter is rejected in the referendum, raising fears the timetable will slip once again. Prayut`s speech comes after the junta appeared to be loosening its grip by ending travel restrictions on many former politicians and promising to move its "attitude adjustment" sessions -- a common punishment for critics -- from military camps to government buildings and police stations. Critics say the regime is bent on dismantling the powerful political network of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose parties have long dominated the polls but are reviled by Bangkok`s military-allied elite. Analysts say the political troubles are exacerbated by the failing health of the 88-year-old monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej as competing elites jostle for power before the succession.

Thailand's junta leader says he will stay in power despite 'people's hatred' for him

<p>Benjamin Netanyahu has turned to a 14-year-old Arab peace plan in trying to project a softer image internationally for a new governing coalition in Israel widely seen as more hardline towards Palestinian statehood.</p>

<p>In what some political commentators and opposition politicians called spin but a spokesman for Netanyahu dubbed &quot;an important development&quot;, the right-wing prime minister said on Monday the 2002 Saudi peace initiative had &quot;positive elements&quot;, although some revisions would have to be made.</p>

<p>He drew&nbsp;attention to Arab countries&#39; past offer of normal relations with Israel, in return for a full withdrawal from occupied territory, at a time when he is trying to counter a French push for an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</p>

<p>Netanyahu&#39;s partial embrace of the Arab plan comes after far-right politician Avigdor Lieberman was sworn in as defence minister in a broadened coalition on Monday, an appointment that has raised concern at home and abroad.</p>

<p>Israel fears it could face strong world pressure for concessions towards the Palestinians once foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, convene in Paris on June 3 in preparation for a full conference in the autumn.</p>

<p>&quot;The Europeans are gathering ammunition, the danger is real.&nbsp;(Netanyahu) is bracing for all this with a regional initiative that has cost him only words for now,&quot; political commentator Ben Caspit, a frequent critic of the Israeli leader, wrote in the Maariv newspaper.</p>

<p>The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu of playing a &quot;public relations game&quot;. But Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N.&#39;s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, welcomed the Israeli leader&#39;s comments.</p>

<p>&quot;This can help advance negotiations on achieving a two-state solution,&quot; said Mladenov, who also referred to a public promise last week by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of warmer ties with Israel if it accepted efforts to resume peace talks with the Palestinians.</p>

<p>Lieberman, who also spoke in English on Monday with an international audience in mind, said he concurred with Netanyahu&#39;s comments on the regional peace proposal. There was no immediate response from Arab countries.</p>

<p>A spokesman for the prime minister declined to discuss what changes Israel might seek in the initiative, which speaks of a &quot;just solution&quot; for Palestinian refugees but whose terms were softened in 2013 to include possible land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians.</p>

<p>Zeev Elkin, a minister in Netanyahu&#39;s cabinet, said on Israel Radio that any division of Jerusalem under the plan - Israel captured the eastern part of the city in the 1967 conflict - is &quot;certainly not acceptable&quot;.</p>

<p>Netanyahu has also said Israel would never relinquish the strategic Golan Heights, territory it annexed in 1981 but which the world considers occupied Syrian land.</p>


Israel Prime Minister has turned to a 14-year-old Arab peace plan to project a softer image of Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu has turned to a 14-year-old Arab peace plan in trying to project a softer image internationally for a new governing coalition in Israel widely seen as more hardline towards Palestinian statehood. In what some political commentators and opposition politicians called spin but a spokesman for Netanyahu dubbed "an important development", the right-wing prime minister said on Monday the 2002 Saudi peace initiative had "positive elements", although some revisions would have to be made. He drew attention to Arab countries' past offer of normal relations with Israel, in return for a full withdrawal from occupied territory, at a time when he is trying to counter a French push for an international conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu's partial embrace of the Arab plan comes after far-right politician Avigdor Lieberman was sworn in as defence minister in a broadened coalition on Monday, an appointment that has raised concern at home and abroad. Israel fears it could face strong world pressure for concessions towards the Palestinians once foreign ministers, including U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, convene in Paris on June 3 in preparation for a full conference in the autumn. "The Europeans are gathering ammunition, the danger is real. (Netanyahu) is bracing for all this with a regional initiative that has cost him only words for now," political commentator Ben Caspit, a frequent critic of the Israeli leader, wrote in the Maariv newspaper. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry accused Netanyahu of playing a "public relations game". But Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N.'s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, welcomed the Israeli leader's comments. "This can help advance negotiations on achieving a two-state solution," said Mladenov, who also referred to a public promise last week by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of warmer ties with Israel if it accepted efforts to resume peace talks with the Palestinians. Lieberman, who also spoke in English on Monday with an international audience in mind, said he concurred with Netanyahu's comments on the regional peace proposal. There was no immediate response from Arab countries. A spokesman for the prime minister declined to discuss what changes Israel might seek in the initiative, which speaks of a "just solution" for Palestinian refugees but whose terms were softened in 2013 to include possible land swaps between Israel and the Palestinians. Zeev Elkin, a minister in Netanyahu's cabinet, said on Israel Radio that any division of Jerusalem under the plan - Israel captured the eastern part of the city in the 1967 conflict - is "certainly not acceptable". Netanyahu has also said Israel would never relinquish the strategic Golan Heights, territory it annexed in 1981 but which the world considers occupied Syrian land.

Netanyahu turns to Arab peace plan to face new challenges

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