NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK
GOOGLE’S POLICY CHANGES CEO SUNDAR PICHAI OUTLINED FULFIL MANY OF THE PROTESTERS’ REQUIREMENTS. BUT IT IS DISAPPOINTING AS IT IS DISMISSIVE TOWARDS THE DEMAND FOR EQUITY. IT IS LEFT TO SEE IF GOOGLE CAN FULFIL THE CHANGES IT HAS PROMISED.
SUNDAR PICHAI
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has promised changes to the tech giant’ sexual harassment policies, a week after thousands of its employees across the world, including in India, walked out in protest against the company reportedly shielding some top executives accused of sexual misconduct. CEO said, “We recognise that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that. It’s clear we need to make some changes.”
MAITHRIPALA SIRISENA
Sri Lanka plunged deeper into crisis on Saturday after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked parliament and called a snap election, leaving the country facing a further two months of damaging political paralysis. Political parties representing a majority of members in the 225- member parliament closed ranks to denounce the dissolution. Shortly before sacking the legislature, Sirisena took over the police department by attaching it to his defence ministry. Sirisena set elections for January 5.
PRINCE CHARLES
Prince Charles recently said he was not “stupid” to keep speaking out on contentious public issues once he becomes king. The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II has long been seen as interfering because of his private lobbying of ministers and public statements on a range of subjects. He told the BBC in a documentary that he did not intend to be a meddling king. “I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So of course I understand how that should operate,” he said.
KCR
With less than a month left to go for the elections, a survey has showed that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is set to sweep the December 7 state elections. The Telangana PSE poll was conducted across 17 parliamentary constituencies in the state, with a sample size of 6,877. The results seem to suggest that the early dissolution of the state Assembly to advance elections was indeed the “masterstroke”. Unusually, the poll showed that there was a strong pro- incumbency wave helping Mr Rao.
ALOK VERMA
CBI Director Alok Verma on Thursday met Central Vigilance Commissioner K. V. Chowdary and denied corruption charges levelled against him by his deputy and special director in the probe agency Rakesh Asthana, officials said. The Supreme Court had on October 26 asked the CVC to complete within two weeks its inquiry into allegations against Mr Verma levelled by Mr Asthana. Mr Verma and Mr Asthana were sent on leave by the government. Officials said Mr Asthana also met the CVC.