San Francisco: With an extended offline mixtape feature, YouTube Music would now automatically download up to 500 songs based on users’ likes and listening history for offline listening.

This new version of the mixtape feature is called ‘smart downloads’ and the selection would download songs from users’ Liked Songs playlist, other favourite playlists and albums, The Verge reported on Wednesday.

As part of the feature, users would be able to set a limit for how much music smart downloads would pull down and the process only happens at night, when the phone is connected to Wi-Fi.

As of now, elaborated roll-out details of the feature remain unclear.

Other apps including video-streaming platform Netflix are also moving into this lane.

Netflix’s smart downloads feature lets users save the next episode of whatever’s being watched and automatically delete episodes users have already finished.

Earlier in March, YouTube Music made the second big debut of the global music streaming giant in India after Swedish platform Spotify made its way into the country in May.

Within the first week of its launch in India. the app had hit the three million downloads mark.

Earlier in May, between YouTube Music and Google Play Music, Google crossed the 15 million global subscribers mark.

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Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The VHP on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, accusing the state government of weakening a law that has deterred illegal cattle transport.

The organisation's Go Raksha Wing, Karnataka South, has also announced district-level protests on December 8.

According to officials, the existing law mandates a bank guarantee for securing the release of vehicles seized for alleged illegal cattle transportation.

On December 4, the state Cabinet proposed an amendment enabling the release of such vehicles on an indemnity bond instead.

Addressing reporters in Udupi, VHP leader and Prantha Goraksha Pramukh Sunil K R, said the government's move amounted to "sympathy for cattle lifters" and claimed that it was part of broader actions "targeting Hindus".

He argued that the law in its current form is stringent and has played a crucial role in reducing incidents of illegal cattle transport and theft.

Under the Act, vehicles involved in offences can be surrendered and, upon conviction, permanently seized by authorities. "Diluting these provisions will embolden offenders," Sunil said.

The VHP leader warned that easing the process of vehicle release would not only encourage violators but also result in rising cruelty against cattle.

Sunil further claimed that the strict enforcement of the 2020 law had brought down cases of cattle-related offences significantly. Rolling back these provisions, he said, could reverse those gains and would lead to an increase in illegal transport.

He reiterated that the government must reconsider its decision and preserve the integrity of the existing law.