AAP files criminal complaint against 3 news channels for airing fake JNU videos

New Delhi, Apr 29: WhatsApp on Tuesday said it will now allow up to eight people to connect on a group video call as an increasing number of people turn to digital platforms to connect with friends and family amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Facebook-owned company said over the last month, people on average are spending over 15 billion minutes talking each day on WhatsApp calls, well above a typical day before the pandemic.

"...we see that people all over the world are turning to voice and video calling on WhatsApp more than ever before. Group calling has been particularly useful and our users have asked to connect with more people at once," WhatsApp said in a blogpost.

Starting Tuesday, the company is doubling the number of participants one can have on a WhatsApp video or voice call from 4 to 8 people at a time, it added.

WhatsApp emphasised that like written messages, all calls on its platform are protected with end-to-end encryption.

"We have built group calling in a way that makes it available for as many users as possible, including people on lower-end devices and slow network conditions," it added.

Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

WhatsApp said that to access the new, higher participant limit on WhatsApp calls, all participants in a call need to update to the latest version of WhatsApp available on iPhone or Android.

Video calling tools like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and others have also seen a significant jump in userbase and traffic as people connect while maintaining social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Last week, Facebook had introduced Messenger Rooms that will soon hold up to 50 people with no time limit.

It had added that the company will also add ways to create rooms from Instagram Direct, WhatsApp and Portal.

Noting that between WhatsApp and Messenger, more than 700 million accounts participate in calls every day, Facebook had said, adding that video calling on Messenger and WhatsApp more than doubled in many countries.

Also, views of Facebook Live and Instagram Live videos have also increased significantly in March, it said.

Mangaluru, Jan 18: The Muslim Central Committee of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi has claimed that around 3 lakh people had gathered at Shah Gardan, Adyar-Kannur in Mangaluru on January 15, even though their expectation was just 1 lakh people.

The protest against CAA, NPR, NRC and police atrocities against minorities was jointly being organised by the various Muslim organisations of twin district under the leadership of Muslim Central Committee.

“We had just expected around 1 lakh people. But the Mangaluru witnessed the largest gathering in its history on Jan 15. Around 3 lakh people had participated in the protest,” Ibrahim Kodichail, vice president of the committee told media persons today.

K S Mohammed Masood, president of the committee, added that the event was a grand success and fretful, besides being peaceful. He wholeheartedly thanked all those who strived hard to make the protest a great success and to those who had taken part in it.

“At least 28 organisations have come together. As a result 3 lakh people assembled. I thank all those organisations,” he said.

He also opined that police too had helped to maintain law and order and cooperated with the protesters at the venue.

SM Rasheed Haji, B M Mumtaz Ali, Syed Ahmed Basha Thangal, Kasim Ahmed H K and Mansoor Ahmed Azad were present at the press meet among others.

Bagalkot, April 7: A group of villagers on Monday attacked three Muslim men at Bidari village in Bagalkot district accusing them of being responsible for the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The three men belonging to Mahalingapura village were walking on the road when they were attacked with sticks by people even when they said that they were nowhere connected to Tablighi Jamaat.

This incident happened within the limits of Mudhol Police Station.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Lokesh Jagasalar said that the police is investigating the matter and no one will be spared who all are involved in this act.

"No one will be spared and we have taken the incident seriously and finding whoever harassed three Muslim men, at no cost the incident be defended by anyone, it was unexpected and case will be booked and stringent action will be taken against those who are involved in the incident," Lokesh told news agency.