'Answer for 22-yr rule in Gujarat': Rahul to ask Modi a question every day

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi said he would demand answers for 22 years of BJP's rule in the state

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi a question every day in the run-up to the Gujarat Assembly elections, the party said.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday said Gandhi would ask a question to the Prime Minister every day.

"Rahul Gandhi is asking a question every day, why did mis-governance of 22 years create such a situation," he tweeted.

ALSO READ: Rahul shows up as 'non-Hindu' in Somnath visitors' list; BJP rakes up issue

Gandhi wrote on Twitter on Wednesday "22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab. (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP)".

He said he would demand answers for 22 years of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) rule in the state and the promises made to the people.

"First question to the Prime Minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat -- In 2012, promises were made to provide 50 lakh new houses but built 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the Prime Minister tell, whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?" Gandhi posted on Twitter.

ALSO READ: BJP indulging in gutter politics: Congress on 'Rahul not a Hindu' remark

Congress spokesperson Deepender Singh Hooda said he hoped Modi and the BJP would answer Gandhi's queries on "22 years of mis-governance" in Gujarat.

"We expect that the Prime Minister and the BJP to find time and answer the questions asked to them by Rahul Gandhi," he said.

"The BJP is working for the super rich and middlemen. The party's (BJP) economic policy was at the cost of the poor," he added.

Click here to Read → Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017

Gujarat polls not a referendum on implementation of GST: Derek O'Brien

Says PM Modi was playing to 'Gujarati pride' in next month's Gujarat polls and not focusing on development

Trinamool Congress leader says that Gujarat assembly elections should not be seen as a referendum on the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

O'Brien, the national spokesperson of Trinamool Congress and its leader in the Rajya Sabha, also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was playing to "Gujarati pride" in next month's Gujarat assembly poll and not focusing on development.

"Why should any election be a referendum? This is the home player playing in his home state. 'I am one of you, how can you insult me' - so now you are playing to Gujarati pride. Come and play on development, come and answer the question on jobs, under-performance, demonetisation, GST and economy, O'Brien told IANS in an interview.

He was asked if the assembly poll in Gujarat, the first assembly election being held after the GST was rolled out on July 1, should be seen as a referendum on the way it had been implemented.
The opposition has been accusing the government of flawed implementation of GST. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has consistently raked up the issue in his campaign in Gujarat, referring to it as "Gabbar Singh Tax."

Following perception about unease among small traders over some of the stipulations concerning GST, the Modi government has eased filing norms. Decisions have also been taken to reduce the rate on 50 items of mass consumption from 28 per cent to 18 per cent besides providing relief to exporters.

O'Brien's first political book 'Inside Parliament: Views From The Front Row', which was released last week, has a chapter on GST titled 'Far From a good and simple tax."

The book says that in countries like Germany and Japan, businesses were given at least one year of trial and adjustments before transitioning to a new tax system.

"In India, the prime minister and his BJP ministers learn on the job and they want the rest of the country to learn as they go along," it says.

On the GST roll-back, the book says, "We noted with great amusement the 'khakra special' GST rollback announced weeks before the Gujarat elections."

Asked about the outcome of Gujarat elections, O'Brien said it has to be as to be seen in the context of results of 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the state where BJP secured about 60 per cent votes and Congress about 33 per cent.

"The 2017 election has to be judged on that," he said.
Click Here to Read →  Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017

Babri demolition, 25 years on: BJP's transition from Ram to reform to Ram

BJP's political narrative has been re-defined after 2014, with a new Hindutva mascot

Today's Paper : The year was 1989. The first general election in which the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) manifesto explicitly talked about reconstructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya. “By not allowing the rebuilding of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, on the lines of Somnath Mandir built by the Government of India in 1948, it has allowed tensions to rise, and gravely strained social harmony,” the party’s manifesto that year stated.

The year 1989 was in many ways the BJP’s chance at redemption after its predecessor Bharatiya Jana Sangh got its first shot of power along with its socialist allies after Emergency. In 1984, the party had managed to win just two seats in the parliamentary elections. The Congress, riding high on a sympathy wave following Indira Gandhi’s assassination, swept the country by winning 404 out of the 533 seats.

So, BJP’s redemption song in 1989 was going to be the Ram Mandir. With mandir on its mind, the BJP won 85 seats, and so began the party’s push for a Ram temple in Ayodhya, with none other than L K Advani leading the charge with his Rath Yatra.

The VP Singh-led National Front government that tried to throw a spanner in Advani’s Rath Yatra was derailed after the BJP withdrew support following Advani’s arrest at Samastipur in Bihar while galvanising foot soldiers for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The BJP’s egression from the National Front government set the stage for yet another election in 1991. The 1991 elections, widely dubbed as the Mandir vs Mandal elections, was perhaps when the Ram temple pitch in the BJP reached a crescendo.

Yes, 1989 was the year when Mandir found a mention in BJP’s manifesto for the first time. But its decibel still hadn’t reached the feverish pitch that came in 1991. The BJP’s electoral push was largely powered by the ammunition it had against the then prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi. And Gandhi had given his principal opposition quite a few of them – Bofors, India’s humiliation in Sri Lanka and economic regression, among other things. The BJP minced no words while describing him in the run-up to the 1989 elections in its manifesto, “Everything Rajiv Gandhi touches ends up in a bloody mess. A man who waded to his office through the blood-soaked streets of Delhi will be leaving behind a gory legacy. This country is not safe in the hands of such a man or such a party.”
Click here to read → Babri Masjid Demolition

Rahul shows up as 'non-Hindu' in Somnath visitors' list; BJP rakes up issue

The BJP tried to make an issue of this faux pas, pouncing on this opportunity to corner the Gandhi scion

In a major goof-up, the media coordinator of Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wrote "non-Hindu" against the name of the Congress Vice President in the register of the famed Somnath temple, leading the BJP to pounce on it as evidence that Gandhi is "not a Hindu".

Rahul Gandhi's media coordinator Manoj Tyagi later clarified that he had entered the Congress leader's name in the register as a means to take along his entire delegation inside that included security personnel and media persons.

The Congress Vice President, who arrived on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the poll-bound state of Gujarat, was to pay a visit to the temple for prayers before beginning his election campaign in Saurashtra region. | Today's Paper

Ahead of the visit, Manoj Tyagi made an entry in the register for Ahmed Patel, a non-Hindu, who was to accompany the Congress Vice President inside the temple and also wrote the name of Rahul Gandhi in the register.

The BJP tried to make an issue of this faux pas, pouncing on this opportunity to corner the Gandhi scion.

The saffron party is worried about the soft Hindutva line that Rahul Gandhi has been following in his several visits to the state, which are being seen as a successful tactic in the election-bound state.

The BJP stated that, "The Congress has always tried to project Rahul Gandhi as a Hindu. But the fact is that he is not. Rahul has visited over 20 temples of multiple Hindu deities since October. The Congress has been lying. The entry shows that he is not an Hindu," said Raju Dhruv, BJP spokesperson in Saurashtra region.

Manoj Tyagi on his part later issued a statement that he had just entered Gandhi's name in the register in order to take media personnel inside the temple and not of Rahul Gandhi or Ahmed Patel. "These would have been added later," he said in the statement.

Somnath temple, located on the shores of the Arabian sea on the southernmost part of Gujarat, is revered by Hindus and enshrines the first of 12 'jyotirlings' of Lord Shiva. Through a notice in June 2015 the Shree Somnath Trust (SST) - the institution managing the temple -- had made it mandatory for non-Hindus to seek permission of the Trust before entering the main temple.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel is incumbent chairman of the Trust, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National president Amit Shah and retired Chief Secretary of Gujarat, P.K. Laheri, are its trustees.

Rahul signed only visitors' book: Somnath temple trust official
Seeking to clear the controversy, the Somnath temple authorities on Wednesday said that Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi did not sign the register maintained for non-Hindus during his visit to the temple.

Hours after the controversy erupted over the visit, the temple trust's Secretary PK Laheri said that Gandhi only put his signature in the visitors' book and nowhere else.

"'This is an inspiring place' - is what Rahul Gandhi wrote and he did so in the presence of our general manager Vijaysinh Chawda," Laheri told the media.

"This is the only place where he signed," he added.
On reports about entry as a non-Hindu, Laheri said: "Such a separate register is being maintained for the last three years for security purposes.

"But Rahulji did not sign it, maybe his media coordinator did. I am not sure. There was nobody there. This non-Hindu register generally remains with the security guard," he added.

IS threat to blow up Mumbai Air cargo complex puts airport on high alert

The cargo terminal area has been evacuated and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad is at the spot

Security officials went on high alert after a note was found warning of an ISIS attack on Mumbai Airport's Air Cargo Complex (ACC) on Republic Day (January 26), or "anytime", official sources said here on Wednesday.

The note was discovered in one of the toilets of the sprawling and bustling ACC building, located around 3.5 km away from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on the Sahar Road sometime on Wednesday afternoon. | Today's Paper 

It read "attack the cargo on 26.01.18 or anytime - ISIS".

Immediately the Central Industrial Security Force, Mumbai police and bomb squads got into action and started evacuating the entire cargo section, and launched a search. It was also decided that people will now be allowed inside only after thorough screening, said officials.

The cargo terminal area has been evacuated and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) is at the spot, an airport spokesperson said.

Though the threat note has been received two months in advance, the airport security agencies are not taking any chances.

The note looks like a hoax, sources said, adding anti- sabotage checks were being conducted in the cargo area.

"While the cargo area is not secured by the CISF, passenger checks and vigil has been enhanced in the main airport terminal area," a senior CISF officer said.

In late January 2016, a telephonic threat was received warning that the CSMIA would be blown up within a fortnight, by February 2016.

Though the security agencies concluded it was a "non-specific threat", all teams were on high alert to ward off any untoward incident.

Is your phone safe? Google detects Tizi app that steals FB, WhatsApp data

The company has removed the app from Play Store, notified all known affected devices and suspended the account of the app developer

Today's Paper : Google has detected an app 'Tizi', which has been stealing information from call records and also from social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and also take pictures from mobile phones without even displaying them on the screen of the device.

"Tizi App is a fully featured backdoor that installs spyware to steal sensitive data from popular social media applications. The Google Play Protect security team discovered this family in September 2017 when device scans found an app with rooting capabilities that exploited old vulnerabilities," a post on Google security blog said.

The company has removed the app from Play Store, notified all known affected devices and suspended the account of the app developer, the post dated November 27 said.

The post said that earlier variant of Tizi did not have rooting capabilities but it developed later on and thereafter started stealing sensitive information from devices.

"The rooting capabilities give an app full control of the device. It can bypass all restriction posted on it by the Android security system. An app with rooting is like a user using the device. Presence of such app on Google Play Store raises concerns about secure apps on the app store," cybersecurity expert Jiten Jain said.

The post said that after gaining rooting capability, Tizi steals sensitive data "from popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, LinkedIn, and Telegram."

The backdoor capability of Tizi was common to commercial spyware, such as recording calls from WhatsApp, Viber, and Skype, sending and receiving SMS messages, and accessing calendar events, call log, contacts, photos, Wi-Fi encryption keys, and a list of all installed apps

"Tizi apps can also record ambient audio and take pictures without displaying the image on the device's screen," the post said.

The post said that in and after April 2016 vulnerabilities in devices which could have been affected by Tizi were fixed with new software codes.

"If a Tizi app is unable to take control of a device because the vulnerabilities it tries to use are all patched, it will still attempt to perform some actions through the high level of permissions it asks the user to grant to it, mainly around reading and sending SMS messages and monitoring, redirecting, and preventing outgoing phone calls," the post said.

I am LeT's biggest supporter; Hafeez Saeed likes me too: Pervez Musharraf

The former president added he was always in favour of terrorist action in Kashmir

Today's Paper : Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has come out in support of the terror groups, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Pervez Musharraf said, "I am the biggest supporter of the LeT and I know they like me and the JuD also likes me."

He further said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and had met him.

The former president added he was always in favour of terrorist action in Kashmir, and the LeT and the JuD were the biggest forces to take on the Indian Army in the state.

"I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and of suppressing the Indian Army in Kashmir and they [LeT] are the biggest force," Musharraf said.

He also accused India of declaring the LeT and the JuD as terror groups with the help of the United States.

"India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the US," Musharraf said, adding," Yes, they [LeT] are involved in Kashmir and in Kashmir it is, between, we [Pakistan] and India."

Earlier this week, the US strongly condemned the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution.

The White House in a statement, said, "The United States strongly condemns the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution."

"A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeed's culpability-he was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice," it read.
Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.

The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trump's White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism.

N Korea fires most powerful missile toward Japan; can handle it, says Trump

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs,

Today's Paper : North Korea on Wednesday fired a ballistic missile that landed into the Sea of Japan, the media reported citing officials.

The missile, believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Pentagon based on initial assessments, was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea and flew roughly around 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan, Fox News reported.

The missile flew east for about 53 minutes before landing off the north of Honshu, Japan's largest island, the New York Times reported.

The missile was fired high into the air, reaching a maximum altitude of over 4,500 km, in an arc similar to the North's two previous intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, which were launched in July.

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

David Wright, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile performed better than the two fired in July, with a potential range of more than 12,000 km, able to reach Washington or any other part of the continental US.

"It's pretty impressive," Wright said of the test flight. "This is building on what they've done before. It's muscle-flexing to show the US that they're going to continue to make progress."

Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, said the new launch appeared to be the "most robust" ICBM test yet by the North Korea.

"Early calculations suggest that it could reach the East Coast of the United States," he said.
"However, that doesn't take into account the payload mass, which could limit the range."

Click to read → North Korea Ballistic Missile

Maggi fails lab test again, UP imposes Rs 45 lakh fine on Nestle India

According to authorities, it had collected the samples last year in November and sent them for lab test, which had found ash content above the permissible limits of human consumption

The district administration of Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has slapped a fine on Nestle India and its distributors after its popular noodles brand Nestle Maggi allegedly failed to pass the lab test, even as the FMCG major maintained that "it's a case of application of incorrect standards".

The district administration had imposed a fine of Rs 45 lakh on Nestle, Rs 15 lakh on its three distributors and Rs 11 lakh on its two sellers. | Today's Paper 

According to the district authorities, it had collected the samples last year in November and sent them for lab test, which had found ash content above the permissible limits of human consumption.
Questioning the lab findings, Nestle India said it has not received the order yet and would file an appeal urgently once it receive the order.

"While we have not received the orders passed by the adjudication officer, we have been informed that the samples are of year 2015 and the issue pertains to 'ash content' in Noodles," said a Nestle India spokesperson.

He further said: "This appears to be a case of application of incorrect standards, and we will file an appeal urgently once we receive the order."

In 2015, Nestle India and other companies had represented to the relevant authorities, via industry associations, to set standards specific to instant noodles to avoid confusion amongst enforcement officers and consumers.

"The standards have since been introduced and the product complies with these standards. We regret the confusion it may cause to consumers," he said, adding that "We strongly reiterate that Maggi Noodles are 100 per cent safe for consumption."

Maggi was banned by FSSAI in June 2015 for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing Nestle India to withdraw the product from the market. Even in 2015, the Maggi trouble for Nestle had begun in UP.

Following legal battles, the popular noodles brand was back in the market in November 2015.

PM Modi flags off first Hyderabad Metro train from Miyapur, takes a ride

Commercial operations of the Metro project will begin November 29, Hyderabad Metro Rail officials said

Today's Paper : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated first phase of 30-km stretch Hyderabad Metro Rail project, touted as the world's largest public-private partnership (PPP) in the sector. Commercial operations of the Metro project will begin November 29, Hyderabad Metro Rail officials said.

After inaugurating the first leg of Hyderabad Metro project from the Miyapur metro rail station on Tuesday, PM Modi took a ride in the metro.

The project has overcome many hurdles such as default by the first concessionaire Maytas Infra-led consortium and subsequent developments, crucial land acquisition by the state government and logjam for some time over route alignment, among others.

Here is the timeline of the project.

May 2007: Formation of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited.

September 2008: Concession Agreement signed between Andhra Pradesh Government (undivided) and Maytas Metro Ltd (MML).

July 2009: Termination of CA with MML and invoking of Bank Guarantee for Rs 60 crore (plus Rs 11 crore).

July 2010: Financial Bids (RFP) opened for the second time.

September 2010: Concession Agreement signed with LTMRHL (L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited).

January 2011: Allotment of 104 acres of land at Uppal.

March 2011: Financial Closure, submission for Escrow, Substitution Agreement, Common Loan Agreement.

March 2012: Handing over of Miyapur Depot land (104 acres) to LTMRHL.

April 2012: Commencement of ground works by the concessionaire.

May 2012: Appointment of Keolis as O&M contractor by LTMRHL.

November 2012: Formal inauguration of Metro Rail works by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (undivided).

May 2013: Final approval of Viability Gap Funding of Rs 1,458 crore by the Centre.

September 2014: Notification of the alignment of three corridors of Hyderabad Metro Rail project under Central Metro Acts by the Centre
.
January 2015: Approval of Signalling and Telecom system of HMR project by Railway Board.

Click here to read → Hyderabad Metro Train

Flipkart founders booked for cheating Bengaluru businessman of Rs 10 cr

A first information report (FIR) was filed with the Indiranagar police

The Bengaluru police is investigating a case of cheating against Flipkart co-founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, along with three other employees after a city-based businessman accused them of withholding payment amounting to Rs 9.96 crore.

Naveen Kumar, owner of a computer shop C-Store in Indiranagar, alleged he had supplied 14,000 laptops to Flipkart, of which, about 12,500 were sold. However, the payment for the remaining laptops was not made. | Today's Paper

On contacting Flipkart, he alleged the company’s response stated it had returned 4,000 laptops. The resultant loss to his business amounts to Rs 9.96 crore, Kumar stated in his complaint.

A first information report (FIR) was filed with the Indiranagar police, which said it had registered a complaint under three Sections of the Indian Penal Code for common intent, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Business Standard has reviewed the police complaint. “He supplied 14,000 laptops, of which 1,482 were returned. Flipkart did not pay for the remaining laptops. It also did not pay TDS and shipping charges. When we asked them, Flipkart falsely said it had returned 3,901 laptops and has withheld a sum of Rs 9,96,21,419,” the complaint stated.

Flipkart denied the accusations and said the complaint filed was fales and baseless. “Flipkart strongly denies all the allegations, and averments made in the FIR in entirety. Further, Flipkart is exploring all available legal possibilities to safeguard its interests, including but not limited to initiating proceedings for defamation against the complainant,” the company said in a statement late Monday evening.

The FIR appears to be nothing but an endeavour to harass and pressurise the company to succumb to baseless demands,” Flipkart added.

Egypt bombing: Who are the Sufis and why does IS see them as threatening?

Many Muslims, not just militants, consider shrine devotion as superstitious and idolatrous

Today's Paper : The aftermath of the Egypt bombings. Over 200 people were killed and many more injured in an attack on a Sufi mosque in Egypt’s North Sinai region on Friday. The assault began with a bomb exploding as people were finishing their Friday prayers. As people fled and ambulances arrived, militants opened gunfire on them. It is the deadliest ever attack on civilians in Egypt’s modern history.

Who are the Sufis?
The origins of the word “Sufi” come from an Arabic term for wool (suf). It references the unrefined wool clothes long worn by ancient west Asian ascetics and points to a common quality ascribed to Sufis – austerity.

Commonly Muslims viewed this austerity as stemming from a sincere religious devotion that compelled the Sufi into a close, personal relationship with God, modeled on aspects of the Prophet Muhammad’s life. This often involved a more inward, contemplative focus than many other forms of Islamic practice.

In some instances, Sufis challenged contemporary norms in order to shock their Muslim neighbors into more religiously intentional lives. For example, an eighth-century female Sufi saint, known popularly as Rabia al-Adawiyya, is said to have walked through her hometown of Basra, in modern-day Iraq, with a lit torch in one hand and a bucket of water in another. When asked why, she replied that she hoped to burn down heaven and douse hell’s fire so people would – without concern for reward or punishment – love God. | Egypt Mosque Attack

Sufi veneration
Many Sufis are trained in “tariqas” (brotherhoods) in which teachers carefully shape students.
Rumi, for example, founded the famous “Mevlevi” order best known as “whirling dervishes” for their signature performance.

A place of interfaith worship?
So, why do some groups like the so-called Islamic State violently oppose them?
I argue, there are two reasons: First, some Sufis – as illustrated by Rabia, the Sufi from Basra – deliberately flout the Islamic conventions of their peers, which causes many in their communities to condemn their unorthodox views and practices.

Second, many Muslims, not just militants, consider shrine devotion as superstitious and idolatrous. The popularity among Muslims and non-Muslims of tomb veneration alarms many conservative Muslims.

Success of Sufi traditions
Sufi customs reflect a vastly underreported quality about Islamic traditions in general. While some revivalist Muslim movements such as the Wahhabis and other Salafis see only one way of being Muslim, there are others who embrace the diversity of Islamic traditions.

Many Muslims proudly defend Sufi customs such as shrine devotions because they are so integral to Muslim and non-Muslim communities, not only in South Asia but in various regions of the world. Today, about 15 percent of Egypt’s population belong to Sufi orders or practice Sufi traditions. They play crucial roles in their locale and region. For many, Sufi sites offer an Islamic expression of what it means to love God. | READ MORE

Bali volcano alert at highest level, airport closure affects 445 flights

A significant eruption could be imminent: Senior state volcanologist Gede Suantika

Today's Paper : The alert for a volcano belching huge plumes of smoke on Indonesia's resort island of Bali has been raised to the highest level, officials said on Monday, with fears a significant eruption could be imminent.

"The volcano's alert level has been raised to the highest level," said senior state volcanologist Gede Suantika. "Constant tremors can be felt.

The closure of I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport on the Indonesian island of Bali due to a volcanic eruption has affected 445 flights, including 196 international routes, its operator said on Monday.

PT Angkasa Pura, the operator, has prepared five alternative airports for airlines to divert their inbound flights, including ones in neighboring provinces, it said in a statement.

Bali airport's official website showed flights operated by Singapore Airlines, Sriwijaya, Garuda Indonesia , Tiger Air, Malaysian Airlines and Jetstar had been cancelled.

Malaysia Airlines will cancel all flights between Kuala Lumpur and Denpasar-Bali today following the volcanic activity at Mount Agung in Bali.

"The airline is monitoring the situation closely and will adjust its flight operations into and out of Ngurah Rai International Airport when necessary," a statement by Malaysia Airlines read.

Thereafter, Malaysia Airlines will allow affected passengers to - apart from a full refund or deferment of travel until end of February 2018 - a change of destination (subject to seat availability) to Jakarta, Surabaya or any ASEAN destination the airline flies to.

Jet Airways 9W4622 from Bali Denpasar Airport (DPS) to Singapore has also reportedly been cancelled.

Indonesia has raised an alert for the volcano on the tourist island of Bali and have ordered evacuation of people within 10 kilometres.

The eruption at Mount Agung has become magmatic, the country's disaster management agency said, warning that a larger eruption could be imminent. As a result, the alert status for the surrounding area has been raised to level 4, the highest level.

Mount Agung spewed smoke reportedly as high as 4,000 m above its summit and disrupted at least 28 flights departing and arriving at the island.

The region around Mount Agung has been on alert since late September when more than 140,000 people were told to evacuate over fears of an imminent eruption.

Mount Agung last erupted in 1963, killing nearly 1,600 people in one of Indonesia's most devastating eruptions.

Only God can save us, say officials as BJP, AAP, Cong spar over Delhi smog

An estimated $600 mn is needed to provide farmers with alternatives, but the BJP of PM Narendra Modi and Opposition parties in power in New Delhi and nearby Punjab are squabbling over who will pay

Today's Paper : As pollution level climbed to 12 times above the recommended limit this week in India’s capital, government officials said they knew what was needed to control the smoky haze, but nothing would be done, at least this year.

A major source of the smog at this time of year across northern India, including New Delhi, is farmers burning the stubble of the previous crop to prepare for new plantings in November.

An estimated $600 million is needed to provide farmers with alternatives, but the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opposition parties in power in New Delhi and nearby Punjab states are squabbling over who will pay, said three federal government officials who have been briefed on the situation.

“Nothing more is likely to happen this year,” said one of them. “We’re now praying. Only God can save us.”

The official said he had bought pollution masks for his family and installed air purifiers at his home in New Delhi, now the most polluted city in the world, according to the Brookings Institute. The city is home to more than 20 million people.

Click Here To Read → Delhi Air Pollution

OnePlus 5T launched with 6-inch screen, face unlock feature from Rs 32,999

This is OnePlus' first smartphone to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio display

OnePlus on Thursday launched its next iteration of its flagship OnePlus 5T in New York. The smartphone, which uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, can be purchased in 64GB and 128GB storage options at a price of Rs 32,999 and Rs 37,999 respectively. OnePlus 5T will go on early-access sale on November 21 at 4.30 PM on Amazon India – for Prime member only -- and OnePlus online store. The device will also be available through all sales channels starting November 28.
This is OnePlus' first smartphone to feature an 18:9 aspect ratio display and Facial recognition features that could help to compete with Apple and Samsung.

As for launch offers, OnePlus 5T users will be eligible for a complimentary 12-month accidental damage insurance by Servify on downloading the Kotak 811 savings account and activating it with an initial deposit of Rs 1,000 in the introductory period. Additionally, those who get the OnePlus 5T will get 100GB data from Idea. Moreover, HDFC Bank debit and credit cards users are eligible for a Rs 1,500 instant discount on purchase of OnePlus 5T through Amazon India till December 2017.

ALSO READ: OnePlus 5T sets benchmark; 1.1 mn people subscribe for more info on Amazon

Chinese firm OnePlus today said it will continue to focus on the premium smartphone category in the Indian market, competing with heavyweights like Samsung and Apple.

"There was a duopoly in the premium segment in India. With our entry three players now account for about 98 per cent of the segment. We have been able to secure a significant part of the segment by offering feature-rich device at a competitive price," OnePlus India General Manager Vikas Agarwal said.

According to Counterpoint Research, OnePlus had over 30 per cent market share in the premium category smartphones (handsets priced above Rs 30,000).

Features

The OnePlus 5T marks the introduction of a 6-inch "Full Optic AMOLED Display" with an 18:9 aspect ratio to deliver a more immersive viewing experience.

The device features a new "Sunlight Display" that adapts automatically to harsh light.

OnePlus has moved its fingerprint sensor to the back of the device.

The OnePlus 5T comes with the same main camera as that of OnePlus 5 but also houses an improved secondary camera for superior low-light photography.

Click here to read → OnePlus 5T

Padmavati row: Karni Sena wants Bharat Bandh, Bhansali gets security cover

Bhansali has been facing the ire of various groups and self-styled experts on what they term as ‘erroneous’ depiction of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati.

Today's Paper : The Shri Rajput Karni Sena on Wednesday called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ (shutdown) on December 1 if Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie “Padmavati” releases on that date, while the Maharashtra government provided a precautionary security cover for the filmmaker in view of the increasing controversies and growing threats. 

“We will hold rallies across the country, including Gurugram, Patna, Lucknow and Bhopal before the release date,” Lokendra Singh Kalvi, founder-patron of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, an organisation of the Rajput community, told media persons in Jaipur.

He said all communities, including Muslims, supported the Sena on the issue.

“We demand a complete ban on the film. Now, we don’t want any pre-screening of the movie. All we want is a ban,” he said.

He claimed that as per the Cinematography Act, the government can withhold the release of a movie for three months even after a go-ahead by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and it can be extended further.

“We request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter,” Kalvi said.

Bhansali has been facing the ire of various groups and self-styled experts on what they term as ‘erroneous’ depiction of Rajput queen Rani Padmavati.

There have been protests and violence against Bhansali and opposition to the film right from the time it was being shot at various locales in different parts of India and now, as it prepares for release globally soon.

Barring these groups and individuals, the entire film fraternity and civil society members have expressed support to Bhansali for his latest film venture.

The Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) has thanked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for providing security cover to Bhansali, who lives and works in Mumbai.

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GST relief for consumers: These 178 items became cheaper from Nov 15

From shampoo and detergents to fans, wires and cable, here is the list of items that became cheaper from Wednesday after the GST Council moved 178 items from the 28% GST bracket to 18%

After the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council at its 23rd meeting on November 10 recommended a major GST relief in rates on certain goods, a set of 178 items of common use were moved from the highest tax bracket of 28 per cent to 18 per cent with effect from November 15.

With the rate reduction coming into effect, consumers get the benefit in the form of a corresponding reduction in the price on these goods. | Today's  Paper

ALSO READ: From chocolates to cutlery: 200 items cheaper as GST cuts notified

According to the government, the 178 items that have become cheaper for consumers can be classified as under:

* Wires, cables, insulated conductors, electrical insulators, electrical plugs, switches, sockets, fuses, relays, electrical connectors
* Electrical boards, panels, consoles, cabinets etc for electric control or distribution
* Particle/fibre boards and plywood; articles of wood, wooden frame, paving block
* Furniture, mattress, bedding and similar furnishing
* Trunk, suitcase, vanity cases, briefcases, travelling bags and other handbags, cases
* Detergents, washing and cleaning preparations
* Liquid or cream for washing the skin
* Shampoos; Hair cream, Hair dyes (natural, herbal or synthetic) and similar other goods; henna powder or paste, not mixed with any other ingredient;
* Pre-shave, shaving or after-shave preparations, personal deodorants, bath preparations, perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations, room deodorisers
* Perfumes and toilet waters
* Beauty or make-up preparations
* Fans, pumps, compressors
* Lamp and light fitting
* Primary cell and primary batteries
* Sanitary ware and parts thereof, of all kinds
* Articles of plastic, floor covering, baths, shower, sinks, washbasins, seats, sanitary ware of plastic
* Slabs of marbles and granite
* Goods of marble and granite such as tiles
* Ceramic tiles of all kinds
* Miscellaneous articles such as vacuum flasks, lighters
* Wrist watches, clocks, watch movements, watch cases, straps, parts
* Articles of apparel & clothing, accessories of leather, guts, furskin, artificial fur and other articles such as saddlery and harness for any animal
* Articles of cutlery, stoves, cookers and similar non-electric domestic appliances
* Razor and razor blades
* Multi-functional printers, cartridges
* Office or desk equipment
* Doors, windows and frames of aluminium | READ MORE

Google marks India's first woman lawyer Sorabji's 151st b'day: Who was she?

Cornelia was the first female graduate from Bombay University, first woman to read law at Oxford University and the first Indian national to study at any British university

Google on Wednesday paid its tributes to Cornelia Sorabji, India's first woman lawyer, through a dedicated doodle on the occasion of her 151st birth anniversary.

A woman with many accolades to her kitty, Cornelia was the first female graduate from Bombay University, the first woman to read law at Oxford University and the first Indian national to study at any British university, the first female advocate in India, and the first woman to practise law in India and Britain. |Today's Paper

Cornelia was born in Nashik as one among nine children to Reverend Sorabji Karsedji and his wife, Francina Ford, who had been adopted and raised by a British couple. She enrolled in Deccan College, and claims to have topped the Presidency in her final degree examination, which would have entitled her to a government scholarship to study further in England.

However, according to Sorabji, she was denied the scholarship, and instead took up a temporary position as a professor of English at a men's college in Gujarat. After becoming the first female graduate of Bombay University, Sorabji wrote in 1888 to the National Indian Association for assistance in completing her education. This was championed by Mary Hobhouse (whose husband Arthur was a member of the Council of India) and Adelaide Manning, who contributed funds, as did Frabji thus arrived in England in 1889 and stayed with Manning and Hobhouse. In 1892, she was givlorence Nightingale, Sir William Wedderburn and others.

Soen special permission by Congregational Decree, due in large part to the petitions of her English friends, to take the Bachelor of Civil Laws exam at Somerville College, Oxford, thereby becoming the first woman to ever do so.

Upon completing her education and returning to India in 1894, Sorabji was involved in social and advisory work on behalf of the purdahnashins or women, who, according to Hindu law, were forbidden to communicate with the outside male world.

Click here to read → Cornelia Sorabji

Skincare Tips for Glowing and Radiant Skin Naturally

Controlling stress levels and caring for your skin depending upon its type and the surroundings is also important.

Skincare is much more than just cleaning of the skin, factors such as consuming a healthy balanced diet and getting enough sleep are also associated deeply with skincare. Controlling stress levels and caring for your skin depending upon its type and the surroundings is also important. Natural ways to care for the skin includes eating ample amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding food items that cause skin damage such as oily fast foods and including food items such as dark chocolate and healthy fats that are good for the skin in daily diet.

Caring for the Skin on the Face

There are differences and similarities in the way one should care for the skin on the face and on the body. The first step to keep skin on the face and body healthy and glowing is by keeping it clean from dirt and toxins. To clean the face, use a face-wash rich in natural ingredients. Avoid usage of chemicals in form of cosmetics and fragrances. These chemicals can cause damage to the skin and even lead to hormonal issues. Homemade face-wash made using honey and lemon can help moisturize the skin naturally. Facial scrubs using sugar can help exfoliate the skin and remove dead cells. Finally natural face packs are a great way to care for the face rather the skin on the face. One can use a face-mask of oatmeal for 20 minutes and then remove the same using warm water for a refreshed and glowing skin.

Caring for the Skin on the Body

Castile soap which is made using olive oil is good for the skin. Salts scrubs mixed with almonds may be used to massage and clean the body. One can use exfoliating gloves available in the market to scrub the skin clean.

Click Here To Read → SkinCare Tips

Bharat 22 ETF opens today, aims to raise Rs 8,000 crore

Bharat 22 ETF aims to bring broad-based ownership pattern to public sector enterprises: Department of Investment and Public Asset Management

Today's Paper : The Bharat 22 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) announced earlier this year as part of the government's disinvestment programme will open for investors on Tuesday and end on November 17.

With the initial issue size of Rs 8,000 crore, the ETF will open for anchor investors on Tuesday, for non-anchor investors on November 15, and close on November 17, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Joint Secretary Anuradha Thakur told reporters here.

"Bharat 22 ETF aims to bring broad-based ownership pattern to public sector enterprises. The disinvestment programme now forms the core of the government's investment strategy," she said.
"While the initial issue size for the ETF is Rs 8,000 crore, we can also consider going beyond looking at the response," she added.

A discount of 3 per cent has been offered to all categories of investors.

The Bharat 22 ETF comprises 22 companies, or investments, from among central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) and public sector banks (PSBs).

"The ETF is well diversified with investments across six core sectors, including industrials, finance, utilities, energy, FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) and basic materials, and offers good investment opportunity and expect an overwhelming response to this new fund offer," Thakur said.
No sector crosses the 20 per cent sectoral capping and there is a stock capping of 15 per cent. | READ MORE

Escaping the gas chamber: Helpless residents now start Quit Delhi campaign

As the pollution in the city has hit 70 times the World Health Organisation's safe limit, doctors have advised people to wear N90 masks whenever they go out

"For weeks the breathing of my 8-year-old son, Bram, had become more laboured, his medicinal inhaler increasingly vital. And then, one terrifying night nine months after we moved to this megacity, Bram's inhaler stopped working and his gasping became panicked," New York Times correspondent Gardiner Harris wrote in May 2015 in a piece about how he was leaving Delhi because of its air pollution.

Two years later, others, both expatriates and Indian citizens, are staring at the same situation: Should we continue staying in a city that is killing us with every breath we take or quit while we're ahead?
As the pollution in the city has hit 70 times the World Health Organisation's safe limit, doctors have advised people to wear N90 masks whenever they go out, as exposure to air pollution can lead to cancer and heart disease.

ALSO READ: Airpocalypse: Band-aid solutions won't fix Delhi's grave air problem

The residents of the city are battling the health menace as best as they can. Speaking to news agency ANI on Sunday, a jogger at India Gate said, "We are facing breathing problems now. We are taking precautions to protect ourselves from respiratory problems." Another citizen of the city said, "It is tough to breathe and the situation needs to be fixed." (Read more here)

Time to quit the city?

However, for some Delhiites, the only 'precaution' left is to pack their bags and leave the city. |Delhi Smog

TV anchor and foodie Mayur Sharma, of Highway on My Plate fame, who had spent his life in Delhi, left the city last November. A Times of India report reveals why: With Delhi overtaken by air pollution and blanketed by smog, Sharma and his wife pulled their two children out of school and went to Goa for three months. However, after returning to Delhi, they came to the decision that it was time to leave the city for good.

"It was a hard but obvious decision because it comes down to this: if a few years later, my child is sick or dying, all this won't matter," Sharma told the national daily. | Readmore

Only 50,000 pilgrims to be allowed at Vaishno Devi per day: Green court

If this number is exceeded during the course of the day, any more pilgrims will be stopped at Ardhkuwari or Katra town, the green tribunal said

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday capped the number of pilgrims that can visit the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir at 50,000 per day.

If this number is exceeded during the course of the day, any more pilgrims will be stopped at Ardhkuwari or Katra town, the green tribunal said. | Today's Paper

Further, the NGT said that a new path to Vaishno Devi would come up exclusively for pedestrians and battery-operated car services would be started from November 24.

As reported earlier, in 2017, over 683,000 pilgrims visited the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district till March 11. (Read more)

Gurugram sees biggest drop in house prices: Report

Bengaluru was followed by Kolkata, a 44 per cent decrease, and Ahmedabad, a 42 per cent decline

 

Gurgram drops house prices:  A year after demonetisation, Gurugram saw an 18 per cent decline in house prices in the first eight months of 2017, the biggest year-on-year drop among top 10 residential markets, said a new study.

“Almost all the cities witnessed a drop (5-10 per cent) in weighted average absorbed price after demonetisation as many developers reduced rates and offered freebies during the period worth five to seven per cent, resulting in a discount or correction of up to 15 per cent,” said the report by data analytics firm PropEquity.

Cities such as Gurugram, Kolkata and Chennai witnessed a considerable dip in weighted average absorbed price (month-wise year-over-year comparison) while Gurugram witnessed the launch of lottery projects impacting the price to a considerable extent, it said. It said in the resale market, prices witnessed a dip of 10-15 per cent immediately after the demonetisation. Gurugram witnessed a 10 per cent drop in prices in the resale market in the first eight months of 2017, the highest among top markets.

economy policy 

“Price corrections happened after implementation of goods and services tax, particularly for ready-to-move-in properties and properties nearing completion. Some (four to five per cent) recovery has been witnessed in the past two to three months,” it said.

The country’s information technology hub, Bengaluru, saw a 45 per cent dip in residential sales in the first eight months of this year, the biggest among the top 10 residential markets in the country.
Bengaluru saw absorption of 20,505 units between January and September as compared to 37,200 units a year ago, said PropEquity. The average sales drop in the top 10 cities is about 36 per cent, PropEquity said.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls: BJP, Cong slug it out for 68 seats today

Political observers say the contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is neck and neck as there is no clear wave in favour of any party

Today's Paper : Sixty-eight Assembly seats will on Thursday go to the polls in a single phase in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, where the BJP is determined to take power. Officials said everything was in place for a smooth conduct of the polling in 7,525 booths.
A total of 5.025 million electorate, including 1.9 million women and 14 transgenders, will decide the fate of 338 candidates including 19 women. The vote count will be held on December 18 along with those of Gujarat.
The CPI-M has fielded candidates on 14 seats while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which made its debut in the hill state in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, has preferred to stay away.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2017

Political observers say the contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is neck and neck as there is no clear wave in favour of any party.
It is literally a do-or-die battle for both the Chief Ministerial faces. Both are struggling for their political survival.
One is veteran Congress leader and incumbent Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, 83, who is pushing hard to get to the helm for the seventh time.
The other is the BJP’s Prem Kumar Dhumal, 73, who is making a strong bid to ensure the party’s win with a record margin to silence his detractors within the party.

Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017

 For almost two decades, both the parties in the state have fought almost every Assembly and Lok Sabha polls under their leadership.

 

“This time, Virbhadra Singh is fighting on two fronts — one is to establish his son Vikramaditya Singh, who is contesting his maiden Assembly election, and the second is to ensure the party’s repeat as he forced the Congress to announce him as the Chief Ministerial candidate despite all odds,” a political observer told IANS.

I-T raids on houses, offices of Sasikala and Dhinakaran across 160 places

Offices of Namadhu MGR, Jaya TV and Jazz Cinemas, residence of Sasikala's husband Natarajan also raided

Income-tax officials have been raiding homes and companies belonging to the jailed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader VK Sasikala and her relatives, including TTV Dhinakaran. Both Sasikala and Dhinakaran are rivals to the ruling AIADMK faction. (IT raids on Dinakaran)

The raid started at 6 am this morning across 160 places in Tamil Nadu, besides Bengaluru, Puducherry and Delhi. These places included former Jayalalithaa's house at Poes Garden, Dhinakran's house at Adyar and residence of other leaders, their relatives and party functionaries, in addition to the offices of Jaya TV as well as Jaya TV's top official and management houses . Among the companies being raided are the AIADMK mouthpiece Namadhu MGR, Jaya TV and Jazz Cinemas.
Dhinakaran's faction alleged that this is a personal revenge against him. They also alleged that ruling faction is trying to take control of Jaya TV and Namadhe MGR.

The residence of Sasikala’s husband Natarajan in Thanjavur was also raided.(Today's Paper)

At the offices of Namadhu MGR and Jaya TV, very few staff members were present when the I-T officials raided. I-T officials also visited the residence of Dhinakaran in Adyar.

Living in a gas chamber: Delhi’s air to worsen in coming days; schools shut

At the severe level, even healthy people will be affected while those who have existing diseases will be severely impacted

Delhi air pollution  hit a dangerous level on Tuesday, putting residents at risk, forcing the closure of schools, and bringing calls from doctors for the city’s half marathon to be canceled.

Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the city had once become a “gas chamber”. Schools for younger children were ordered shut on Wednesday and all outdoor activity at high schools suspended.
A thick fog that hung over the sprawling city worsened conditions. Residents complained of smarting eyes and irritation in the throat. (Today's Paper)

The air quality index, which measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter in the air, hit the “severe” level of 451 on a scale where the maximum reading is 500 and where anything above 100 is considered unhealthy by the Central Pollution Control Board.

At the severe level, even healthy people will be affected while those who have existing diseases will be severely impacted, it said.

In some parts of Delhi, the air quality was so poor that it was beyond the maximum level, according to the US Embassy’s real-time air quality index. It stood at 999 for RK Puram area beyond which no readings are available.

That level is equal to smoking 50 cigarettes a day, Dr. Arvind Kumar, chairman for chest surgery at Sir Ganga Ram hospital, said.

“We are in a state of medical emergency, schools should be shut, we need to bring these levels down. We are all shortening our lives.”

The Indian Medical Association urged Delhi’s biggest running race, due on Nov. 19, to be called off to protect runners and volunteers from exposure to high levels of deadly particulate matter that lodge deep in the lungs.

It said the air quality is particularly poor early in the day when the race will be run.
The air quality index measures concentrations of PM 2.5, PM 10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide among other indicators.

Emergency Measures
The air quality is likely to worsen in the next few days as a northwesterly wind is expected to bring toxic smoke from the neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana where farmers burn crop stubble before the new planting season.

Delhi’s deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said emergency measures such as banning the entry of trucks into the capital and suspension of construction activity will kick in, if the pollution level rose further….READ MORE

Black day vs anti-black money day: BJP, Opposition face off over note ban

Manmohan Singh said if anyone benefited demonetisation, GST, it was China whose imports to India grew by 23% in just 1 year

A year into demonetisation - Anti-Black Money Day, the opposition and the government on Tuesday exchanged verbal blows over the action with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh calling it disastrous while Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected the charge saying there was an ethical and moral rationale behind the decision which had given a "new direction" to the economy.

Jaitley, however, acknowledged that the "benefits may not be immediately visible" but would make future generations proud.

Fielded by the party in poll-bound Gujarat, Manmohan Singh said the measure had failed its ostensible purpose of curbing wealth accumulated through tax evasion as it was known by now that none of the stated objectives of eliminating black money, terror financing and counterfeit currency have been met.

ALSO READ: War of words: It's govt's 'anti-black money day' vs Oppn's 'black day'

"The fact that more more than 99 per cent of the (spiked) currency came back into the banking system has punctured the government's claim. There are also widespread reports of the rich converting their black money into white while the poor have undergone immense suffering," he said, "invoking the memory of more than a hundred people who lost their lives last year in the wake of the demonetisation".

Calling the withdrawing of 86 per cent of legal tender in one single stroke as undemocratic and a coercive move, the former Prime Minister said "the demonetisation was clearly not the solution" to end the menace of black money and tax evasion in India.

"Demonetisation has proved to be a mere bluster to reap political dividends while the real offenders have escaped," he said, again calling it "an organised loot and legalised plunder". | READ MORE

What Saudi purge and Prince Salman’s game of thrones means for West Asia politics

The purge of the princes, unprecedented in recent Saudi politics, is clearly aimed as clearing the way for Prince Mohammed bin Salman to ascend the throne

 

Saturday, November 4, was an extraordinary day: it witnessed three developments which, taken together, suggest a major escalation in the armed conflict in West Asia is in the offing, even as the region is already groaning under the violence of bloody wars in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, in which half a million people have been killed and several million have been displaced.

Saudi Arabia is at the heart of all these developments. First, in a dramatic coup within the royal family, engineered by Prince Salman and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 11 princes have been detained, along with four sitting ministers and several former ministers and officials.

Three developments
Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, the commander of the National Guard, the country’s powerful domestic security force, has been summarily dismissed, so that force has now also come under the control of the crown prince. The instrument used to effect these changes is the anti-corruption committee set up by the king on Saturday, with the crown prince as its chairman.

The second development was the sudden announcement in Riyadh by the Lebanese prime minister, Saad Hariri, that he was resigning. Hariri had taken charge only in December 2016 after entering into a power-sharing agreement with President Michel Aoun. In his public remarks, Hariri said that Iran had planted “disorder and destruction” in his country and had made Hezbollah a “state within a state” in Lebanon…..READ MORE

HDFC Life IPO opens today: From anchor investment to mkt share, all you should know

The price band of the IPO has been fixed at Rs 275 to Rs 290 per equity share

HDFC Standard Life Insurance, one of the top three private life insurers in profitability, will open its Rs 8,700-crore initial public offering (IPO) today and close it on Thursday. This will be the fourth IPO of an HDFC arm.

The HDFC Life IPO is an offer for sale (OFS), consisting of 191,246,050 equity shares by HDFC Life and up to 108,581,768 equity shares by UK-based Standard Life.

Here are key things to know about the company's IPO:

1) Super demand from anchor investors
We have received superlative response from anchor investors, including a global investor who has never invested in the Indian IPO market or any Indian insurance IPO, informed Chaudhry. The company will share the details of anchor book investment on Monday.

2) Open to acquisition of small, big players
Chaudhry also said the company is open to any kind of acquisition, including of Max Life if the "structural issues" that hampered its earlier deal are resolved.

"If the right kind of business comes along, we will definitely look at it. We are not saying that we will look to gobble up only small players. There could be some large players also which could come to the table," he said.

3) Business overview
The company's flexibility and ability to adapt to changes in the Indian life insurance industry has allowed business to grow and profitability to improve. During FY15-17, the total premium saw a CAGR of 14.5%, driven by a CAGR of 12.6%, 43.6% and 7.3% in individual New Business Premium (NBP), group NBP and renewal premiums, respectively. In addition, the company improved its Value of New business (VNB) margins from 18.5% in FY15 to 22% in FY17 by bettering cost efficiencies, increasing persistency ratios and selling a balanced product mix.

4) Dividends
The company paid dividends (including dividend distribution tax) totalling Rs 760 crore between the first in FY14 and FY17. Chaudhry informed the next dividend will be announced in December and the new shareholders of the company will be eligible to receive that.

5) LIC losing market share?
In the presentation, Chaudhry noted that the private sector gained higher market share than LIC, for the first time in FY16, after regulatory changes in FY11. LIC's market share slipped below 44% during the first half of FY16 according to the Individual Weighted Received Premium (WRP), he said, quoting IRDAI and Life Insurance Council.

6) Key risks
i) Given the fact that each bank can now act as a non-exclusive corporate agent for up to three life insurers, three general insurers and three health insurers. Thus, the company’s bancassurance arrangement with HDFC Bank is no longer exclusive in nature, and the latter has entered into bancassurance arrangements with other life insurers. | READ MORE

Paradise Paper leaks reveal Wilbur Ross’ offshore ties to Putin ‘cronies’

Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary, retained investments in a shipping firm with business ties to Russian President Vladimir V Putin’s inner circle

 

Paradise papers :After becoming commerce secretary, Wilbur L. Ross Jr. retained investments in a shipping firm he once controlled that has significant business ties to a Russian oligarch subject to American sanctions and President Vladimir V. Putin’s son-in-law, according to newly disclosed documents.

The shipper, Navigator Holdings, earns millions of dollars a year transporting gas for one of its top clients, a giant Russian energy company called Sibur, whose owners include the oligarch and Mr. Putin’s family member. Despite selling off numerous other holdings to join the Trump administration and spearhead its “America first” trade policy, Mr. Ross kept an investment in Navigator, which increased its business dealings with Sibur even as the West sought to punish Russia’s energy sector over Mr. Putin’s incursions into Ukraine.

ALSO READ : Millions Of Leaked Paradise Papers Reveal Where The Elite Hide Their Money

Partnerships used by Mr. Ross, whose private equity firm has long been the biggest shareholder in Navigator, have a 31 percent stake in the company. Though his personal share of that stake was reduced as he took office in February, he retained an investment in the partnerships valued between $2 million and $10 million, and stood to earn a higher share of profits as a general partner, according to his government ethics disclosure and securities filings.

Mr. Ross’s stake in Navigator has been held by a chain of companies in the Cayman Islands, one of several tax havens where much of his wealth, estimated at more than $2 billion, has been tied to similar investment vehicles. Details of these arrangements surfaced in a cache of leaked files from Appleby, one of the world’s largest offshore law firms, which administered some 50 companies and partnerships in the Caymans and elsewhere connected to Mr. Ross…..READ MORE