Quick Reads
News Dabba for 1 February 2023: Five stories for a balanced news diet
Here are the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites.
Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates, from Union Budget 2023, two years of the Myanmar coup, to ChatGPT owner launching 'Imperfect' tool.
Myanmar observes 'silent strike' to mark two years of Military rule, BBC
Pro-democracy activists in Myanmar are holding a "silent strike" to mark two years since a military coup. BBC reports that protesters have urged the public to remain indoors and for businesses to close for Wednesday's anniversary. The call came as the UK, US, Canada and Australia announced fresh sanctions against army-linked firms. The military has said the country is facing "unusual circumstances", prompting fresh doubt over its pledge to hold an election this year. Read the full report here.
No tax on income up to Rs 7 Lakh: NDTV's Budget updates
The central government today increased the income level up to which no income tax is payable: Rs 7 lakh a year from the 2023-24 financial year. NDTV reports in its Union Budget 2023 updates, that it was Rs 5 lakh so far. Introduced in 2020, this New regime has none of the usual exemptions on insurance premiums, mutual funds and other such investments. The report adds it did not gain traction as it resulted in a higher tax burden in many cases. Those choosing the Old regime continue to get exemptions on investments. Read the full report here.
Rupee falls 2 paise to close at 81.90 on Budget day, The Hindu reports
The rupee pared initial gains and settled 2 paise lower at 81.90 (provisional) against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2023-24. The Hindu's report on the same said that Forex traders said investors stayed on the sidelines, as they are waiting for the outcome of the US Federal Reserve meeting later in the evening. On Tuesday, the rupee depreciated by 36 paise to close at a three-week low of 81.88 against the U.S. dollar after the Economic Survey 2022-23. Read the full report here.
ChatGPT owner launches 'imperfect' tool to detect AI-generated text
The Straits Times reported that OpenAI, the creator of the popular chatbot ChatGPT, has released a software tool to identify text generated by artificial intelligence (AI). ChatGPT is a free programme that generates text in response to a prompt, including articles, essays, jokes and even poetry. The report adds the programme has gained wide popularity since its debut in November, while raising concerns about copyright and plagiarism. The AI classifier aims to distinguish text that is written by AI. Read the full report here.
HT report on massive avalanche hitting skiing resort in J&K's Gulmarg
A massive avalanche has hit a skiing resort in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg. The Hindustan Times reported that two bodies have been recovered so far and 19 foreign nationals have been rescued. Several others, including some skiers, are feared trapped. A rescue operation is being carried out by Baramulla Police along with other agencies. Read the full report here.
