Oculus just came out with their first all-in-one, no external sensors VR headset — and navigating a real, complex space while in VR just got a lot more accessible.
While there is a wealth of articles and videos about the accident at Chernobyl, we've curated a list of the best items out there to help you understand the true magnitude of the event.
When you think "Taxi Driver," an image of New York City in the 1970s springs to mind—a dark, depraved city heaving with sleazy decadence and undeniable allure. It is a city that photographer and taxi driver Matt Weber has known all his life on rather intimate terms.
Fulton & Roark practically invented solid cologne — the premium alternative to traditional sprays. Now you can try all 8 fragrances for just $16. Plus, each sample pack comes with a $16 credit for your next purchase.
Both the Russian and US navies are blaming each other for the extremely close call, which saw the warships pass within about 50-100 feet of each other.
Making a vehicle that's completely impervious to bullets isn't impossible, but it would be so bulky and heavythat it would barely be able to move. Unless you build it using a new bulletproofing material that mimics lightweight styrofoam.
There was a time when the iPAQ was ubiquitous part of the handheld market. But before that, the forgotten Compaq-borne brand surfaced in many bizarre contexts.
Light up your surroundings at home, on the trail, or in case of emergency with this Slide-N-Glo 3-in-1 Lantern. It's portable enough to take with you anywhere and can also be used as a wide-angle flashlight. Stock up now for 28% off the regular price — just $17.95.
The decline was the second in four months that payrolls increased by less than 100,000 as the labor market continues to show signs of weakening. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a gain of 180,000.
While it isn't quite universal, a lot of people enjoy a glass of wine now and again. But the world faced a crisis in the 1800s that almost destroyed some of the world's great wines.
Made with anti-theft pockets, a ripstop nylon fabric, and a water-resistant design, this spacious backpack has everything you need to safely store your stuff while hiking and camping.
Swerving into the lane of another car and then cutting it off is never a good move, but it's a particularly bad move when the driver of the other car has the power to give you a ticket.
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft got really up close and personal with the asteroid Ryugu when it dropped a target market on the asteroid's surface on May 30.
The Upper Mustang region in Nepal is one of the most preserved regions in the world. However, in recent years, the threat of globalisation has been unavoidabl
The episode is an embarrassment to the Warriors, as Stevens, a former Sequoia Capital partner who spent nearly 23 years with the firm and today manages his own money through a family office called S-Cubed Capital, is a minority owner of the team as well as an executive board member.
Inequality is unlikely to fall much in the future unless our attitudes turn unequivocally against it. Among other things, we will need to accept that how much people earn in the market is often not what they deserve, and that the tax they pay is not taking from what is rightfully theirs.
The icon will belt her last note at The Colosseum this weekend, 16 years after a gamble on Vegas that forever changed her career, the city, the industry, and fandom.
Birds have excellent natural head stabilization abilities and this clip of a kestrel attempting to hunt in strong winds is one of the best demonstrations we've seen.
The organizers of the parade are not your average aggrieved white men. They are members of a far-right organization with a penchant for anti-Semitic and racist rhetoric.
The new mural "The Chronicles of San Francisco," on display at SFMOMA, is the perfect neoliberal delusion of harmony transcending difference toward a better world.
A journalist who reported on the accusations long before they went viral wonders, "What kind of profession am I in, where stories have no logical reason for unfolding?"
As a customer, you would never have to interact with a single person if you didn't want to. You could hop in, grab a custom-made quinoa bowl and then go back to work.
With a delayed spinoff waiting in reshoot limbo and Deadpool more-or-less being his own thing, "Dark Phoenix" is probably the last time Fox gets to make a big splash with the X-Men on screen — unfortunately, this "Last Stand" isn't too much better than the first.
Condo developer El Ad had grand plans to convert the nearly 100-year-old hotel into some of Manhattan's most expensive apartments. But when one new resident saw what $53.5 million got her, she burst into tears.
#UPDATE Mexico scrambled to slow the flow of Central American migrants to the United States as talks continued in Washington to head of President Donald Trump's threat of potentially catastrophic tariffs on Mexican goods https://t.co/hpQ2dyJhSD
Forces allied to the Syrian opposition launch an offensive against the regime in northern Hama province, make significant progress pic.twitter.com/PBTmjDNm7W
From Wikipedia .... Folke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg (2 January 1895 – 17 September 1948) was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman. During World War II, he negotiated the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps, including 450 Danish Jews from the Theresienstadt camp. They were released on 14 April 1945.[1][2][3] In 1945, he received a German surrender offer from Heinrich Himmler, though the offer was ultimately rejected.
After the war, Bernadotte was unanimously chosen to be the United Nations Security Council mediator in the Arab–Israeli conflict of 1947–1948. He was assassinated in Jerusalem in 1948 by the paramilitary Zionist group Lehi while pursuing his official duties. Upon his death, Ralph Bunche took up his work at the UN, successfully mediating the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and Egypt.
President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron look to flypasts in the Normandy American Cemetery to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, Normandy, June 6. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Under pressure from Trump, Mexico has launched a crackdown on the Guatemala border, arresting activists and holding migrants.
As Donald Trump's deadline for new tariffs on Mexican imports draws near, Mexico has stepped up security along its porous border with Guatemala – deploying police and soldiers to its southern frontier and arresting prominent migration activists.
Trump last week pledged to impose 5% tariffs on Mexican products on 10 June unless Mexico stops Central American migrants from traveling through its territory.
US and Mexican officials met for a second day on Thursday to avert the tariffs, but have not reached an agreement.
US intelligence agencies occasionally make mistakes but should still be trusted and taken at their word, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who once famously boasted that the CIA "lies, cheats and steals."
In an interview with Euronews, the former CIA chief insisted that US intelligence agencies are right to consider Chinese telecom giant Huawei a national security threat – a claim that has been disputed by Washington's European allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro on Dec. 5, 2018, in Moscow. Russia supports the Maduro government through oil imports and by providing military expertise. (Maxim Shemetov/Reuters)
Russia leader says Moscow will not send troops to Caracas, warns US military intervention there will be a 'catastrophe'.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow has no plans to send troops to shore up Venezuela's embattled leader Nicolas Maduro.
Speaking in St Petersburg, Putin also warned that a United States military intervention in Venezuela would be a "catastrophe", claiming even Washington's allies did not support such a course of action.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers remarks on the Trump administration's Iran policy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
In a closed-door meeting last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. has struggled to keep the opposition to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro united, according to The Washington Post.
"Our conundrum, which is to keep the opposition united, has proven devilishly difficult," Pompeo said in audio obtained by the Post. "The moment Maduro leaves, everybody's going to raise their hands and [say], 'Take me, I'm the next president of Venezuela.' It would be forty-plus people who believe they're the rightful heir to Maduro."
* Accident took place at 6.45am near Camp Natural Bridge, a summer training site, at the US Military Academy at West Point in New York * A light medium tactical vehicle weighing 5 tons flipped over on Route 293 * Twenty cadets and two active duty soldiers were involved; 21 survivors of the crash suffered non-life-threatening injuries * The cadets who were injured are rising seniors from the 2020 graduating class * Cadets and soldiers were on their way to a land navigation training site as part of routine exercise * New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is directing State Office of Emergency Management to provide resources to assist
One cadet was killed and 19 others were injured on Thursday after an armored personnel carrier overturned during a training exercise at West Point Military Academy. Two active-service soldiers on the carrier were also hurt.
During a brief press conference held this afternoon, Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the superintendent of US Military Academy at West Point, revealed that a light medium tactical vehicle carrying a total of 20 cadets and two soldiers was headed to a land navigation training site as part of routine exercise when the truck flipped over.
Operation Overlord — or D-Day as it came to be known — was the highest risk venture of World War II. Researching my upcoming book, "Three Days at the Brink: FDR's Daring Gamble to Win World War II," I was struck by the drama involved in the decision to launch an invasion across the English Channel on Western Europe.
At a critical conference in Tehran in November 1943, the "Big Three" – President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin –fiercely debated the wisdom and timing of such a launch. They all knew it was a high-stakes gamble and that failure could lead to a catastrophic bloodbath that would turn the war in German leader Adolf Hitler's favor. And yet, they decided it must be done.
Supreme Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was aware that, despite the peril, Overlord was a necessity.
* President's team is negotiating with Mexico's while he's in Europe this week * VP Mike Pence says there's no deal yet even though Mexico offers to send troops to block migrant caravans from flooding northward toward the U.S. * Trump threatens 5 per cent tariffs on Mexico's exports to the U.S. if it doesn't help block hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers from entering America * U.S. wants authority to deport them and make them wait in the first 'safe' country they enter while the U.S. system crawls toward their asylum hearings * Presently they're held for a short time, given a distant hearing date and released; a majority don't come back and disappear into the interior of the country
Mexico has offered to send up to 6,000 members of its national guard to secure its southern border with Guatemala, telling President Donald Trump's negotiators that it's willing to help contain flows of migrants heading northward to the U.S.
But a deal is still not ready, Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday. Pence led an initial round of negotiations in Washington on Wednesday, saying talks were positive but emphasizing the administration still wants Mexico to commit to working harder to combat illegal immigration.
Vessel can only last six days at sea without resupply but a new base is being built on Fiery Cross Reef
Replenishment issues may emerge as a big drag on the combat capabilities of China's second aircraft carrier, known only as "Type 001A", which is now in its final stage of trials and tweaks before going into service, likely by the end of this year.
The homemade carrier, which runs on marine fuel, is modeled on its predecessor, the Soviet-built Liaoning, and it has the same basic propulsion and powertrain systems as her sister ship.
As with the Liaoning and other Kuznetsov–class vessels from the Soviet era, the new carrier will need to store around 13,000 metric tons of marine fuel for its operations, plus the six to eight guided missile destroyers and corvettes that form a larger combat group.
Sailors direct an F-35C Lightning II assigned to the "Argonauts" of Strike Fighter Squadron 147 on the flight deck of the carrier Carl Vinson. (MC3 Ethan Soto/U.S. Navy)
Currently, the Navy does not have an aircraft carrier — either Ford-class or Nimitz-class — that can support the service's most advanced fighters for a full deployment, service officials told USNI News on Thursday.
Earlier this week, lawmakers expressed their frustration with the Navy for accepting delivery of Ford-class carriers before they can accommodate deploying with F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, while considering the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. But the Navy currently doesn't have a Nimitz-class carrier that can deploy with F-35Cs either.
WNU Editor: WTF!!!!!! The US Navy only announced 3 months ago that the F-35C was combat ready .... U.S. Navy's F-35 Version Is Now Ready For Combat (March 1, 2019), but (of course) there was no mention that they cannot be deployed. And as for the new Ford Class Carriers not being able to launch F-35Cs until 2027 .... no wonder President Trump wants to scrap the current system and replace it with steam.
Washington (CNN)The US government has obtained intelligence that Saudi Arabia has significantly escalated its ballistic missile program with the help of China, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, a development that threatens decades of US efforts to limit missile proliferation in the Middle East.
The Trump administration did not initially disclose its knowledge of this classified development to key members of Congress, the sources said, infuriating Democrats who discovered it outside of regular US government channels and concluded it had been deliberately left out of a series of briefings where they say it should have been presented.
The previously unreported classified intelligence indicates Saudi Arabia has expanded both its missile infrastructure and technology through recent purchases from China.
* Even though the current administration is the one that has led the charge on the trade war with China, he said, "almost all" the 24 Democrats running for president in 2020 have "some sort of anti-Chinese sentiment," says Tim Adams of the Institute of International Finance. * Similarly, he is concerned that Washington does not understand the rhetoric from Beijing. * He pointed out that there could be "miscalculations" in Washington and Beijing, where trade and nationalism are concerned, and that could "potentially trip us into a lower growth trajectory."
Anti-China sentiment is rising in Washington — and Beijing should not underestimate that, a former under secretary for international affairs at the U.S. Department of Treasury said on Thursday.
"I worry that Chinese authorities ... underestimate how broadly the anti-Chinese sentiment is in Washington — it runs across the full political spectrum," said Tim Adams, who is now president and chief executive of the Institute of International Finance (IIF), a trade association.
WNU Editor: When President Trump was threatening to impose tariffs on Chinese two years ago, the mainstream media narrative was overwhelmingly negative. Flash forward to today, the media narrative today has definitely changed, and no one in Congress is rushing to the defense of China. Anti-China sentiment is also not rising just in Washington. There is a rising anti-China sentiment in most Asian countries, and a growing awareness in Africa that China's debt trap only benefits China.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is pursuing the sale of more than $2 billion worth of tanks and weapons to Taiwan, four people familiar with the negotiations said, sparking anger from Beijing which is already involved in an escalating trade war with Washington.
An informal notification of the proposed sale has been sent to the U.S. Congress, the four sources said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the possible deal.
The potential sale included 108 General Dynamics Corp M1A2 Abrams tanks worth around $2 billion as well as anti-tank and anti-aircraft munitions, three of the sources said. Taiwan has been interested in refreshing its existing U.S.-made battle tank inventory, which includes M60 Patton tanks.
* President Trump says he'll wait to put tariffs on the remainder of Chinese of goods until he speaks to leader Xi Jinping this month in Osaka * Trump and Xi are attending the Group of 20 Summit at the month in Japan * The U.S. president has committed to meeting with his Chinese counterpart * He said Thursday in France that he's holding off on $350 billion in new tariffs * 'I make that decision in the next two weeks after the G20,' he said. 'We're probably planning it sometime after G20' * Trump maintains that he has a positive relationship with Xi - even though their countries are at odds on wide array of economic issues like subsides * Yet, he's also said that China is intentionally jerking him around, hoping that a Democratic politician who doesn't value an air-tight trade deal will be elected
President Trump says he'll wait to put tariffs on the remainder of Chinese of goods until he speaks to leader Xi Jinping this month in Osaka.
Trump and Xi are attending the Group of 20 Summit at the month in Japan. The U.S. president has committed to meeting with his Chinese counterpart to discuss their continuing trade war.
He said Thursday in France that he's holding off on $350 billion in new tariffs, because he wants to speak to Xi in person.
'I make that decision in the next two weeks after the G20. I will be meeting with President Xi and we'll see what happens,' he declared. 'We're probably planning it sometime after G20.'
Most Americans believe the United States was right to participate in World War II but many are either skeptical or don't know, according to a poll released ahead of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion that kicked off the liberation of Europe.
The U.S. entry into the war, which was prompted by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, was "completely justified" or "somewhat justified," said 66% of those polled by a YouGov online survey whose results were released Tuesday. Twenty percent said they didn't know and 14% said it was "not very" or "not at all" justified.
Still, the survey found that among those questioned the Allied campaign in WWII received the most support, followed by the American Revolution, which six out of 10 said was justified.
* President hugged 94-year-old Russell Pickett after Macron helped him up * Private Pickett stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy at the age of 19 but was hurt * Veteran is the last known survivor of Company A, who led the charge on D-Day * Company A first on to Omaha Beach in what became known a 'suicide wave'
Donald Trump today offered a rare show of emotion when he hugged a 94-year-old veteran who stormed the beaches of Normandy during the Second World War.
The President embraced former Private Russell Pickett and praised him as a 'tough guy' at the moving ceremony at the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy.
Private Pickett, who was aged 19, was among the elite troops of Company A, 116th Infantry, who were specially chosen to storm the sands of Omaha Beach during the first wave of the D-Day landings.
Their mission was so dangerous it was known as D-Day's 'suicide wave' - and the men gained notoriety for their ferocious fighting of the Nazis 75 years ago today - but unfortunately 50 per cent of them became casualties.
Trump and First Lady Melania flew to France on Thursday to join the leaders of the Allied nations to mark the 75th anniversary of the greatest military invasion in history. They are pictured paying their respects at the Normandy American Cemetery where 9,300 U.S. servicemen are buried
* Donald Trump and Melania flew into Normandy on Thursday to pay their respects to U.S. veterans of D-Day * The President attended a ceremony at Omaha Beach where thousands of Americans fell in the bloody battle * He told crowds at the American ceremony that those who died 'won back this ground for civilization' * At one point during his speech, Trump hugged one of the veterans Russell Pickett, 94, who was a 19-year-old private during the landings at Omaha * Melania Trump placed a bouquet of white flowers at the base of a cross-shaped headstone when they paid their respects to the fallen U.S. soldiers at Normandy American Cemetery * Leaders of the Allied nations gather in northern France above the five beaches stormed by 156,000 soldiers * Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron helped unveil a memorial to British soldiers overlooking Gold Beach * Trump and Macron traveled separately to Caen, France, later on Thursday for a meeting and lunch before Trump is scheduled to return to his golf course in Ireland
President Donald Trump has lauded the heroism of American and Allied service members who participated in the D-Day invasion that changed the fortunes of World War II, saying they 'are among the very greatest Americans who will ever live'.
Trump and First Lady Melania flew to France on Thursday to join the leaders of the Allied nations to mark the 75th anniversary of the greatest military invasion in history.
Gathering at the Normandy American Cemetery, Trump paid tribute to the brave men who fought in the Allied invasion of France. He then joined his wife as they paid their respects to the 9,300 soldiers buried at the cemetery and watched on as fighter jets flew overhead and left a trail of red, white and blue.
Warships and fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy take part in a military display in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018.PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON (WASHINGTON POST) - The US military may be close to falling victim to a "deliberate, patient and robustly resourced" Chinese strategy to blunt the technological advantages of the American armed forces, a new report co-written by the Pentagon's former No. 2 official has warned.
The study - written by former deputy defence secretary Robert Work and his former special assistant, Mr Greg Grant - details what the authors describe as a five-pronged Chinese strategy to end and ultimately outstrip the American military's technological superiority.
The goal in the short term is to make it too costly for Washington to intervene in the Western Pacific, and to eventually become the world's premier military force, according to the study.
Entering 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared to be charting a very new path not only for China but for himself. With the 13th National People's Congress, Xi effectively ended term limits, amending the constitution of the People's Republic of China to ensure he could remain president indefinitely. Since there are not formal term limits on the position of general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the actual top position of power, nor on the attendant chairmanship of the Central Military Commission, this meant Xi could hold the reins of power for as long as he wished. Xi was now the most powerful Chinese leader since Deng Xiaoping.
The US needs to explain its actions properly, as its opponent is a hyper-nationalistic, resentful dictatorship whose leaders will lose everything if they lose power
The US-China trade fight was never going to be easy – just like going to the dentist for long overdue root canal surgery. And like an infection complicating recovery from surgery, once resentment takes hold in nation-to-nation disputes things get harder – and more dangerous.
And the People's Republic of China has now got a full-blown case of resentment.
This isn't surprising, as China always simmers in resentment. But part of the problem is the US Government's failure to explain itself properly.
WNU Editor: I disagree with the above analysis that the U.S. was not clear to China on what they wanted. From my perspective, the U.S. was very clear, but the Chinese choose to not listen and we are where we are today because of it. Beijing, to justify its trade position to its people, is now playing the victimization card. They are also getting very shrill about it, even making comparisons of the U.S. - China war on the Korean peninsula during the Korean war to today's disputes with Washington .... China paper cites drawn-out Korean War talks as reason not to bow to U.S. (Reuters). This did not have to be the case. When President Trump was elected the message was clearly sent to Beijing that when it comes to trade and China's territorial ambitions, the status quo would no longer apply. The U.S. will not back down as they have in the past, and instead would want to redress issues like the massive trade imbalance that they have with China. When Chinese President Xi met President Trump in Florida just a few months after President Trump was inaugurated, President Xi made the personal promise to work and solve this. Unfortunately, he broke that promise. And we are now where we are today. And to add even more salt to the wound, the U.S. is now following through on what they had warned they would do if their concerns were not addressed .... Exclusive: U.S. pursues sale of over $2 billion in weapons to Taiwan, sources say, angering China (Reuters), as well as this .... Trump says tariffs on China could be raised by another $300 billion if necessary (CNBC).
It's Russia's biggest, oldest, and arguably best-known gathering for global investors, a conference in Vladimir Putin's hometown aimed at selling the world on investing in the world's largest country.
It's not an easy sell these days.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum opens in Russia's so-called northern capital on June 6, against the backdrop of continuing Western sanctions, Kremlin efforts to woo China, and concerns about Russia's willingness to protect foreign investors.
U.S. officials and top business leaders are staying away from the event. Chinese officials, however, are not.
WNU Editor: What are the pluses to invest in Russia. Many opportunities. Educated workforce. Low taxes. Access to a lot of capital if you have a good track record. And a great place to live (part time or full time) if you have money. On the downside .... lousy contract law (my pet peeve). Sometimes a lot of red tape (mind you, my brother tells me the red tape to renovate his home in the Bay Area of San Francisco is worse than Moscow). And an unpredictable Kremlin coupled with sanctions and the penalties associated with it.
* Moscow and Beijing could be about to upgrade their relationship to something close to an alliance as both try to fend off pressure from the West, sources say * After meeting with Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin tells Tass that the two nations' agreement on global issues is at 'an unprecedentedly high level'
China and Russia have elevated their already close partnership to a new level, Chinese state media said, as Beijing and Moscow seek to offset pressure from the US.
The decision to upgrade bilateral ties to "comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in new era" was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin following their summit in Moscow on Wednesday, state-owned Xinhua said in a brief report.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany in 1941 at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin walls in Moscow, June 22, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Alexei Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
* Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said the expansive events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of France were painting a "false" picture of who was responsible for winning World War II. * In an article published Tuesday, Lavrov said the West propagated a "false" history of the conflict that minimized the contributions of the Soviet Union, which sustained the heaviest losses of any nation. * "Young people are being told that the main credit in victory over Nazism and liberation of Europe goes not to the Soviet troops, but to the West due to the landing in Normandy," Lavrov wrote. * Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces led by US, Canadian, and British troops landed on the Nazi-occupied French coast at Normandy.
Ahead of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of France, Russia's foreign minister has written an article arguing that the commemorations of the event are part of a "false" history that belittles the contributions of the Soviet Union toward defeating Nazi Germany.
Sergey Lavrov chastised Western powers in an article published in Russia's International Affairs magazine on Tuesday, ahead of events in Europe to mark the D-Day landings on the Nazi-occupied Normandy coast.
My Comment: I have a different take from the above Business Insider article. Everyone in Russia knows that the Allied effort to defeat Germany (and Japan) was just that .... an Allied effort. And while the great battles and sky-high casualty rates were on the Eastern front .... the invasion of Normandy was essential to expedite the end of the war. If the D-Day invasion never occurred, the Russians would still have defeated Germany .... but the human and economic cost would have been even more enormous to both Germany and Russia .... and the recovery for both countries would have taken decades instead of a few years. On a side note. I asked my father who served in the Soviet Army during the Second World War on what was his view of D-Day. He told me that when he first learned about it, he knew that it would speed up the end of the war, and that his odds to survive the slaughter on the eastern front had just increased substantially.
A YOUNG tourist has warned of the dangers of travelling to Dominican Republic after she was subjected to an attempted abduction and a sexual assault in just a matter of weeks.
THE US army is preparing to deploy state-of-the-art laser weapons by 2022, as well as hypersonic missiles a year later, in a move which would move modern warfare into a unpredictable new phase, with China and Russia also poised to roll out similar projects.
THE European Central Bank is considering taking emergency measures in order to kickstart the Eurozone economy amid growing uncertainties of Brexit and global trade wars.
EGYPT archaeologists made an incredible discovery in the waters used by the ancient civilisation to help transfer materials to the Great Pyramid building site, a documentary revealed.
EID AL-FITR 2019 is being celebrated by millions of Muslims around the world - but how long does the religious festival last and when will Eid 2019 end?
EID 2019 is here and Muslims across the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan - but how do you reply to the traditional greeting of Eid Mubarak and what are the best messages to participate in the joyous occasion?
Australian authorities found almost 1.6 tonnes of methamphetamine, also known as ice, hidden inside speakers in a shipment at a Melbourne port, according to the BBC.
The drugs, worth about $840 million, arrived from Bangkok by sea. Police also found more than 80 pounds of heroin worth approximately $13 million in vacuum-sealed packages inside the speakers.
A police statement said the illegal drugs were found during an x-ray scan when “anomalies” were detected.
“This is the largest meth bust we’ve ever seen in this country and demonstrates not only the brazen nature of those involved in this criminal activity, but the resolve of the ABF in Victoria and around the country to stop these imports,” Australia Border Force’s Regional Commander in Victoria, Craig Palmer, said in the statement.
No arrests have been made yet.
Australian Federal Police Commander Peter Bodel said that had the drugs not been found, “the effect of these drugs on the community and families would have been profound.”
Loud drumbeats will be heard near the shorelines of several major cities across Asia on Friday. Crowds will gather on beaches and river banks to cheer on rowers paddling furiously to the beat, trying achieve victory in boat races that mark a beloved holiday in Asia, the Dragon Boat Festival.
Friday’s Google Doodle — which depicts drummers on dragon-shaped boats — is a nod to the festival, also known as Duanwu in Mandarin and Tuen Ng in Cantonese.
Here’s what to know about the holiday, which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar to mark the summer solstice.
Where is it observed?
People across Asia will be celebrating. Friday is a public holiday in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. Other cities, like Singapore, will have races too.
What do people do to celebrate?
As the name suggests, dragon boat racing is an important tradition on the day. Rowers will gather to paddle in festive races in various waterways, with crowds gathering on shore to watch.
In China and a few other places, onlookers will drink local yellow wine and eat sticky rice dumplings called zongzi, which are wrapped in bamboo or lotus leaves. The dumplings are filled with various toppings — in northern China they are typically filled with sweet red bean paste or taro, and in the south pork belly and mushrooms. Taiwanese versions are filled with ingredients like salted eggs, peanuts, chestnuts and squid.
What is dragon boat racing?
Twenty paddlers sit side by side in a long canoe-like boat, usually decorated with a dragon head and tail, facing a drummer who sits in the front of the boat drumming energetically to keep the rowers in time.
Races are typically around 500 meters (about 1600 feet), and last around 2-3 minutes, depending on the fitness of the team.
In cities like Hong Kong, anyone can participate. Professional and recreational teams of locals and foreigners who have taken a liking to the sport duke it out in a series of races that lasts most of the day.
Paddlers train for weeks, and sometimes months, in the lead up to the holiday.
What’s the history behind it?
Although dragon boat racing has been a part of Chinese culture for more than 2,000 years, it only became an official holiday again in 2008, following a long hiatus after Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, when traditional celebrations like the festival were banned.
The holiday commemorates the death of Chinese poet and politician Qu Yuan, who is said to have drowned himself by walking into China’s Miluo River while holding a rock in 278 B.C.
Legend has it that villagers carried their boats into the river to save him, but got there too late. Instead, they banged drums to keep him safe from evil spirits and threw rice into the river to keep fish away from his body.
Now people gather each year on the anniversary of his watery death to commemorate him.
The first time self-described “ocean advocate” Emily Penn was confronted by the magnitude of the plastic pollution problem was during an international sailing expedition 10 years ago. She spotted bits of debris, things like toothbrushes, floating in the water a thousand miles from land, and saw beaches on remote Pacific islands piled high with waste. “I saw these huge changes to our marine environment that I had no idea were happening,” she says.
Now 32, Penn has since led numerous scientific sailing expeditions around the world that have conducted research on things like ocean acidification and toxins in the water. Plastic is a big source of those toxins; according to the U.N., about 13 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year, damaging marine ecosystems and eventually infiltrating the global food chain. The material has been found in the depths of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, the bellies of whales and the excrement of humans. One study suggests that micro-plastics can even be passed from pregnant women to their unborn babies.
Penn believes women must play an integral role in finding solutions, and aims to prepare more women with the skills and experience needed to tackle plastic pollution. Since co-founding eXXpedition, an all-women sailing crew that focuses on the environmental and health impacts of plastic and toxins, Penn has taken part in 11 voyages where women from around the world contribute to research projects and participate in community outreach programs. They have visited the Caribbean, South America and North Pacific Gyre, a massive, swirling soup of marine debris better known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8, Penn spoke with TIME about the perils of plastics, changing how people think about pollution, and the role women play in protecting our oceans.
What drew you to researching plastic pollution and its impact on health?
As we studied the gyres, we realized that the pieces of plastic out there aren’t an island or great big raft, they’re actually breaking down into very small fragments, what we call micro-plastics. We also realized that there are other chemical pollutants in the ocean, in the plastics, and also getting into our bodies, that we really wanted to investigate.
Some of these issues, particularly chemicals getting into our bodies, are quite a female issue because they’re endocrine disruptors, they mimic our hormones. And so we wanted to tackle this problem with a team of women. Hence eXXpedition began, to get women to study this issue of plastic and toxic pollution.
Matt Cardy—Getty Images Emily Penn, co-founder of eXXpedition, in Plymouth, England on Aug. 8, 2017.
When did you realize that micro-plastics are such a big problem?
It was when I started doing scientific work with Pangaea Explorations [an organization Penn co-founded in 2010]. We sailed to the South Atlantic Gyre, between Brazil and Africa, and we set off expecting to go to this accumulation zone where all the plastic was ending up. When we got there, we found surprisingly little floating on the surface, but when we took the net through the water, then we realized that what we were dealing with is trillions of micro-plastic pieces that you can’t see. Trying to clean up these pieces is so hard because they are so small. And now we know that a lot of it is sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
What has impacted you most during the expeditions?
The trip to the North Pacific Gyre, the Great Pacific Garbage patch last summer…it’s so unbelievable. I’ve been working on this issue for over 10 years and we pulled the most dense sample of plastic that I ever have [seen]. Which, given the amount of global awareness on the issue right now, we were hoping for something different.From purely the volume of plastic, that was horrifying.
And also, seeing the albatross swooping down to feed, they’re looking for little squid and things on the surface of the ocean. And knowing that they’re mistaking the plastic for food and taking it back to their chicks was really hard to see, you want to tell them to go away. I found that interaction really hard to watch.
Can you share details about the eXXpedition round-the-world trip coming up this year?
It starts in October and we will be sailing around the world for two years. We want to go to the other four of the five gyres — North Atlantic, South Atlantic, South Pacific and Indian — and also the Arctic, which is a place where plastic is not accumulating but unfortunately we still find evidence there. So we’re going to the most polluted and then technically the least polluted to be able to compare them.
How do you see women playing a role in protecting the ocean?
I guess women by nature have a nurturing instinct and are compelled to protect. We all share one ocean regardless of where we come from so this is an issue that transcends all political boundaries and borders. We need a multi-disciplinary and a multicultural approach to solving the problem. And women do well in mediating and collaborating and coming together for something that they care about. I wouldn’t like to exclude men from the cause. It’s really important that all of us find our role and work together.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
During the month of June, Jupiter will be at its biggest and brightest in the sky, offering even casual skywatchers the opportunity to get a good look at the largest planet in the solar system — with no special equipment required. Jupiter will be easily visible to the naked eye all month long, with the most ideal conditions happening next week; with a pair of binoculars you will be able to get an even more spectacular view of the planet, as well as the four largest Jovian moons.
Here is why Jupiter is so bright this month, and when and where the best place is to see it.
Why does Jupiter look so big this month?
Aside from the Sun, Jupiter is the largest celestial body in our solar system. Despite its size, the massive gas giant is usually the second brightest planet in the sky, behind the much closer planet Venus. But once a year, when Jupiter and Earth reach their closest proximity and align with one another in orbit, Jupiter will appear to outshine Venus as it rises high in the evening sky. The distance between the Earth and Jupiter varies widely throughout the year, due to the distance and speed at which the planets orbit the sun. (It takes Jupiter approximately 12 earth years to orbit the sun.) Since all the planets in the solar system orbit the sun on the same plane, imagine them as runners on a track going at varying speeds.
When is the best time to see Jupiter?
While the planet will be visible through the night all month long, the best time to see it will be between June 10th and 12th. According to Earthsky, Jupiter and Earth will be in opposition — which is the point when both planets are aligned with the sun — on June 10. This alignment occurs once a year, when Earth “laps” Jupiter in orbit.
On the evening of the 10th, Jupiter will rise shortly after the sunset, reach high into the sky before setting around dawn. It will be the brightest visible object in the sky aside from the moon.
However, since the planets have slightly elliptical orbits, the actual point in which they will be closest will be on June 12, at around 11 p.m. EST. At this point, the two planets will be separated by a mere 398 million miles. Regardless, this distinction won’t make too much of a difference for the purposes of casual viewing. And, unlike other astronomical phenomena, your geographical location on Earth shouldn’t impact your ability view Jupiter, provided you have clear skies and minimal light pollution.
If you happen to get your hands on some vision enhancing equipment, you might even be able to make out Jupiter’s largest moons, Europa, Ganymede, Io and Callisto, which were first spotted by Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century. You could also get a glimpse some of the gas giant’s zones and belts, which are the variegated bands of color encircling the planet.
As a backup, and an even more detailed view, NASA’s Juno spacecraft satellite is currently orbiting Jupiter, and has captured some spectacular footage, which you can check out below.
In the arms of the maelstrom: in this view from JunoCam, bright white clouds can be seen popping up in and around the arms of a rotating northern hemisphere storm. https://t.co/p5ms1ZhFa2pic.twitter.com/p0s1KlCPvL
For the cover of the June 17 international issue of TIME on what author Tina Brown calls “the nervous breakdown in Britain” we reached out to British collage artist Christopher Spencer, aka “Cold War Steve.”
Spencer’s satirical artwork, published mainly on his @coldwar_steve Twitter account, has become synonymous with the frenzied zeitgeist of Brexit-era Britain. His surreal collages, where world leaders rub shoulders with minor British celebrities, have appeared in newspapers and magazines in the U.K. and have been exhibited in London galleries. This is one of the first times his highly U.K.-specific work has found a global audience.
Photo-illustration by Cold War Steve for TIME
“While I have never created something specifically for an American/international audience before,” Spencer says, “being commissioned to do the cover of TIME was mind-blowing and capped off a remarkable first half of 2019 for me.”
Asked about his inspiration for the cover, which imagines political and pop-cultural icons in a sinking London bus, Spencer replied: “The sinking London bus is a fairly obvious metaphor–as too the Union flag being waved by Boris Johnson, which is tattered and becoming torn down the middle.”
The accompanying essays, by British novelist Jonathan Coe and former Vanity Fair editor Brown, explore how the Brexit vote of June 2016 has impacted the country in the three years since. Says Spencer: “The saddest impact of Brexit I feel, is the way it has literally ripped the country in half.”
(BERLIN) — Niels Högel liked to bring about cardiac arrests in his patients by injecting them with overdoses of heart medication and other drugs because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. Sometimes he succeeded in bringing them back, but in at least 87 cases they died, making him what is believed to be modern Germany’s most prolific serial killer.
A court in the northwestern city of Oldenburg on Thursday found the 42-year-old nurse guilty of murdering 85 patients, aged 34 to 96, and sentenced him to life in prison. He had earlier been convicted of two other killings. “Your guilt is incomprehensible,” presiding judge Sebastian Buerhmann said as he handed down the verdict. “I felt like an accountant of death.”
Högel worked at a hospital in Oldenburg between 1999 and 2002 and another hospital in nearby Delmenhorst from 2003 to 2005, and the killings took place between 2000 and 2005, the DPA news agency reported.
Högel was convicted in 2015 of two murders and two attempted murders and is already currently serving a life sentence. There are no consecutive sentences in the German system, but Buerhmann noted in his verdict the “particular seriousness” of Högel’s crimes, a finding that all but ensures he will remain incarcerated after the standard 15-year term is up.
During his first trial, Högel said he intentionally brought about cardiac crises in some 90 patients in Delmenhorst because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. He later told investigators that he also killed patients in Oldenburg.
That prompted a wider investigation involving both hospitals, and police and prosecutors reviewed more than 500 patient files and hundreds more hospital records. They also exhumed 134 bodies from 67 cemeteries, and questioned Högel multiple times, concluding that he had used a variety of drugs to attempt resuscitation of his patients, and was fully aware they might die.
Prosecutors noted that many of Högel’s victims were not terminally ill patients, but were on the path to recovery. “The fact is sometimes the worst fantasy is not enough to describe the truth,” Buehrmann said.
In all, Högel was tried in Oldenburg on 100 counts of murder, but the court found him not guilty on 15 counts for lack of evidence, which Buerhmann noted with regret to the family members present. “We were not able to shine light through part of the fog that lay over this trial,” Buehrmann said. “That also fills with a certain sadness.”
Frank Brinkers, whose father was thought to have been killed by Högel, was one of those left wondering because the court could not definitively prove culpability.
“That is very, very bitter,” Brinkers said after the verdict. “I have gone through hell and that is hard to bear.”
Pleas are not entered in the German system but during the seven-month trial, Högel admitted to 43 of the killings, disputed five and said he couldn’t remember the other 52.
Högel testified that he had a “protected” childhood, free of violence. He said his grandmother and his father, who were both nurses, had been his role models for going into the profession. “Now I sit here fully convinced that I want to give every relative an answer,” Högel said during the trial. “I am really sorry.”
An expert testified during the trial that while Högel suffered from personality disorders, he was psychologically competent to stand trial and serve his sentence.
In his closing statement to the court on Wednesday, Högel reiterated his earlier apology, expressing shame and remorse, and saying he realized how much pain and suffering he had caused with his “terrible deeds.”
“To each and every one of you I sincerely apologize for all that I have done,” he said.
Trump joined other world leaders at Normandy American Cemetery in France to honor those who died and participated in the battle. Trump also sought to assure allies skittish about relying on the U.S. under his “America first” brand of leadership, though doing so with a single reference in a 25-minute speech.
“To all of our friends and partners — our cherished alliance was forged in the heat of battle, tested in the trials of war, and proven in the blessings of peace. Our bond is unbreakable,” the president said. Other leaders dwelled on the alliances that were needed to pull off a feat like D-Day.
Under blue skies far quieter than those streaked by gunfire exactly 75 years ago, Trump described the 130,000 service members who fought as the “citizens of free and independent nations, united by their duty to their compatriots and to millions yet unborn.”
He paid particular attention to the few surviving members of that day who likely are witnessing their final remembrance of arguably the world’s most famous battle, singling out a few by telling their personal stories. He described D-Day participants as “among the very greatest Americans who will ever live.”
“Those who fought here won a future for our nation. They won the survival of our civilization and they showed us the way to love, cherish and defend our way of life for many centuries to come,” Trump said.
Trump was joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, who told American D-Day veterans that “France doesn’t forget” what they sacrificed for his country’s liberty from Nazi Germany. “We know what we owe to you veterans: our freedom,” Macron said. “On behalf of my nation, I just want to say, thank you.”
Trump, who participated in D-Day commemoration in Portsmouth, England, on Wednesday, said in France that America’s veterans are the pride of the U.S. He shared the personal stories of several American D-Day veterans with the audience. Many veterans wore military uniforms bedecked with medals.
MANDEL NGAN—AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a French-US ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, northwestern France, on June 6, 2019, as part of D-Day commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy.
After the program and a gun salute, Trump, Macron and their wives walked to an overlook above Omaha Beach, the scene of the bloodiest fighting. They stood silently as a bugler played “Taps” and surveyed a map of the invasion. They also watched as fighter jets and other aircraft, including some that streaked the sky with red, white and blue smoke, flew overhead. At the cemetery, Melania Trump placed a bouquet of white flowers at the base of a cross-shaped headstone.
Trump and Macron then traveled separately to Caen, France, for a meeting and lunch before Trump returns to his golf course in Ireland.
Trump reflected on the commemoration as he sat with Macron and explained that guides had described how D-Day was executed. He said he was struck by the high death toll as the initial waves of troops came ashore. “It’s a lot of courage, and a lot of heartbreak, but an incredible victory,” Trump said.
In his speech, the president said Americans of all stripes are drawn to the shores of Normandy “as though it were a part of our very soul.” Many of the men who lost their lives here “ran through the fires of hell, moved by a force no weapon could destroy — the fierce patriotism of a free, proud and sovereign people.”
The cemetery contains grave markers for more than 9,300 American servicemen. Trump noted that each marker has been adopted by a French family and that people come from all over France to “look after our boys.”
“Today America embraces the French people and thanks you for honoring our beloved war dead,” Trump said.
___
Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
When did Britain go out of its mind? As a transplant from London to New York, I’m often asked that question. Americans, watching the D-Day anniversary this week, find it hard to understand how the British ruling class so profoundly lost the plot since the 2016 vote to say FU to the E.U.
Given that over 70 percent of the British people dislike President Donald Trump, his outsized state visit to the UK was a rare uniting force in the midst of the three-year civil war.
His presence offered some ironic consolation that the last three years of furious argument in Britain are linked to more global fevers. That the country’s economic distress and the vast carelessness of its elite gave rise to mythic nostalgia and tribal chest-beating in other kingdoms, too. Exceptionalism is oh-so-unexceptional.
Photo-illustration by Cold War Steve for TIME
Yet Britain’s nervous breakdown has its own unique loony flavor, providing daily vignettes of a country trying to remember what it stands for. For decades the loss of empire was compensated by the lingering triumph of World War Two. The post-war generation was consumed by the earnest task of building a better world (and Britain). Those events and people are now a long time ago. The last hard patriotic triumph in most Brit’s recall was Margaret Thatcher’s 1982 invasion of an obscure dot in the South Atlantic, the Falkland Islands, to wrest it back from another country no one has time to read about, Argentina. Now all that’s left of Hope and Glory is Brexit champion Nigel Farage’s Union Jack socks and the certainty that the Queen is the last person who still knows how to behave in public.
The irony is that before David Cameron, Theresa May’s predecessor as prime minister, fecklessly called for the referendum just to pacify a rabid arm of his own party, few people in the country at large gave a toss about the issue. Europe came eighth in opinion polls about the nation’s concerns. But the very word “Remain” as a choice on the ballot—with its stench of stagnation—called-up the smugness that was anathema to the boiling white working class. Who wants to “Remain” in a place where Tory austerity cuts have stalled your income for years, where Polish immigrants are ahead of you for a National Health Service appointment, and the Guardian-reading media and political elite tell you you’re racist if you say so? Vote OUT of that, mate! Say Stuff it to Jonny Foreigner! Toffs in the Tory party who despise liberal meddlers had the momentum at last behind their cause, as well as the thrill of slumming it with boisterous blue-collar types. Brexit devolved into an identity war: an English counter-revolution between nationalists and internationalists, country geezers versus young metropolitans, Little England versus Great Britain. The Scottish and Irish Celts are such staunch Remainers that the Scots could be driven at last to vote for Independence and Northern Ireland pushed to unite with the Republic. U.K. RIP.
From the moment a flotilla of pro and anti-Brexit boats dueled on the Thames outside Parliament the week of the Brexit vote, the tone was set for successive national absurdities. Unlikely heroes and anti-heroes emerged. A viral favorite was John Bercow, the barrel-chested Speaker of the House of Commons, whose calls for “Order, Order Order” over the brawling MPs have sound-tracked the opposite of his exhortation. Piquantly, earlier this year, he was spotted with a sticker on his car that read “Bollocks to Brexit.” May’s doomed attempt to play the straight man in a Fawlty Towers world was torpedoed by her stunningly awkward dance-on to Abba at a Tory Party conference, looking, as Allison Pearson noted in the Telegraph “like a stork who had been struck by lightning.” May’s offer (twice) to resign in exchange for getting her own party behind a more sensible, watered-down Brexit deal was, according to Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, “the only time a leader has fallen on her sword and managed to miss.”
Many of the leading characters in the national meltdown don’t even take themselves seriously, let alone require us to. The thatched charlatan Boris Johnson, with his sliding allegiances and faux-Falstaffian ways, depends on everyone being in on the joke that he has no principles. Now that he’s again the frontrunner in the Tory leadership contest to be the next prime minster, he has proved there is no lie you can’t recover from if you have mastered the sly vernacular of British irony and gone to Eton. The gangly country squire and Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg often answers interview questions in Latin.
On the other side, Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, is an unreconstructed seventies socialist who presents as a refugee from the pre-Thatcher Winter of Discontent when undertakers went on strike. His limp endorsement of Remain and anti-Semitism within his party have shorn him of support. This is all good news for Farage, who has capitalized on the boredom most Brits feel with the one-story news-cycle and formed his own Brexit Party to charge off the cliff.
The problem with this daily, long running farce of cultural dementia is that it keeps obscuring Brexit’s dire likely outcome. We are about to see the impoverishment of a shrinking nation in the cause of a mirage of sausage -and-mash “sovereignty.” There is little meaningful talk now of details, or spelling out of calamitous consequences. British politics now lives in a cartoon strip.
Churchill characterized the Tory appeasement government in 1936 as: “only decided to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent.”
People like Farage regard Britain’s Remainers as today’s appeasers. The Brexiteers aren’t at war to safeguard “Great Britain” but to end it.
On a Friday evening in July 2012, 80,000 people gathered at the Olympic Stadium in East London to watch the opening ceremony of the 30th Olympiad. Some 27 million British people watched it on their televisions, and many more around the globe. Expectations were sky-high and tinged with skepticism. Many of us sat down to watch the ceremony in that typically British frame of mind–ironic, self-deprecating, pragmatic–which did not predispose us to be impressed.
But impressed we were. It’s very hard to articulate a resonant, complex vision of your own national identity without resorting to cliché, but the creators succeeded that night. They did it by using humor–by deploying witty and creative use of British icons such as James Bond and Mr. Bean, by digging deep into our great cultural and political heritage. The fact that audiences in other countries were bemused, apparently, by some of the more specific cultural references only confirmed the ceremony’s determination not to project the well-worn, flag-waving, red-London-bus version of Britishness that the rest of the world was used to seeing. As a result, millions of Britons went to bed that night fired up and inspired, proud to be part of such a confident, inventive and quirky country.
Photo-illustration by Cold War Steve for TIME
Fast-forward to just short of four years later: Thursday, June 16, 2016. It’s one week before voting in the Brexit referendum called by David Cameron primarily to heal long-term splits within his Conservative Party. A national debate supposedly about membership in an economic and political bloc had become, instead, about many things–one of them immigration–and discussion had become bitter and polarized. The arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage set a low point that morning, grinning and joking with reporters as he posed before a gigantic poster showing a column of dark-skinned migrants lining up to cross an E.U. border. The tagline: Breaking Point: the E.U. has failed us all. Later that same day, a far-right extremist murdered a young British lawmaker, Jo Cox, in the street. Few British people went to bed that night feeling anything but shock and disgust.
Brexit is a lesson in how quickly a country can degenerate into division and factionalism, and how tenuous are the bonds that hold us together around the vexed issue of national identity. Of those two competing representations, which one shows the real United Kingdom–the intelligent, forward-looking, inclusive one articulated in that Olympic ceremony, or the insular, ungenerous one expressed on that poster? Three years after the vote, the answer is still far from clear. Britain today is just as divided as it was in June 2016, if not more so.
Photo-Illustration by Cold War Steve for TIME; Mcfadden: BBC; Rees-Mogg: Alamy; Getty Images (7)
One thing is certain, at least: Brexit is not primarily about Britain’s membership in the European Union, and never was. Polls conducted before 2016 show the British public was far more concerned with pressing issues like housing, education, health and welfare. Instead, the narrow majority for Leave was patched together from a grumbling coalition of discontents that had been bubbling away beneath the surface of British life for at least 10 years. People were suffering the effects of a punishing government austerity program, ostensibly designed to deal with the shock of the 2008 financial crisis. Anxieties about immigration were being remorselessly stoked by populist newspapers. And there was a growing mistrust of the political class in general, after dubious expense claims by lawmakers were the subject of a lengthy newspaper exposé in 2009.
The majority for Brexit was wafer-thin–just 2% of the population–and casual observers may wonder how Britain should have allowed such a radical change in its constitutional and geopolitical arrangements based on such a shaky mandate. But we Brits live in a winner-takes-all culture: our first-past-the-post electoral system and addiction to reality-TV contests are different symptoms of this. We do not have the political culture of coalitions and compromises upon which our European neighbors’ governing systems depend. Our media also thrives on drama and sensationalism, and in the days after the referendum, it celebrated the result with all the drunken fervor of soccer supporters after a freak goal three minutes into injury time. The days and weeks after the referendum vote could have provided a space for reconciliation and calm reflection. Instead they became an occasion for frenzied triumphalism. The rift between Leavers and Remainers became even more bitter and entrenched, setting the tone for what was to come.
The premiership of Theresa May set these divisions in stone. Chosen by her party to replace Cameron, she did not attempt to unite the country around this fractious issue but instead laid down red lines and talked in populist slogans like “Brexit means Brexit.” As her government twisted itself in knots negotiating a withdrawal deal with the E.U. leadership, her authority slowly slipped away–especially after the disastrous 2017 election in which she lost her parliamentary majority. By the time negotiators emerged with a compromise deal, lawmakers had long refused to engage with the reality of the sacrifices Brexit would require.
At this point, a crucial fact about Leave’s victory in June 2016 became impossible to ignore: namely, that it had not just been narrow, it had been vague. During the referendum, campaigners had been skillful at stirring up resentments but had not set out in sufficient detail the nuts and bolts of leaving the E.U. or what Britain’s future relationship with Europe should be. When Brexit was an ideal, nebulous, undefined notion, just about 52% of the electorate could coalesce around it. When it had to be translated into political reality, nobody could agree what “it” was meant to look like.
And so, after Parliament repeatedly rejected her deal, May announced her resignation and became the latest Conservative Prime Minister–after Cameron, John Major and (arguably) Margaret Thatcher–to have their authority destroyed by the party’s poisoned relationship with the E.U. Now the country must temporarily put aside the business of Brexit as the Conservatives spend time on a wasteful and divisive campaign to find a new leader and Prime Minister. And the leading contender would appear to be the artfully shambolic former London mayor Boris Johnson.
To understand why this should be so, you must appreciate that there is nothing the Brits love more than an eccentric or, better still, a “character.” We pride ourselves on our sense of humor, but have rarely stopped to think how often we use it to avoid thinking seriously about things. It was Johnson, after all, who as a Brussels newspaper correspondent in the early 1990s began to send back dispatches from the E.U. making out that the whole thing was a comical racket run by crazy bureaucrats who filled their time (and wallets) drafting absurd regulations on such ephemera as the shape of bananas on sale in our supermarkets. The myth took hold and, in 2016, overshadowed any serious discussion of the E.U.’s role as a long-term peacekeeper and facilitator of supranational cooperation. That the myth’s wisecracking originator could soon be Prime Minister shows how fundamentally unserious British politics has become since then.
Another figure from outside the mainstream of British politics has stepped into the void created by May’s departure–Farage, the former U.K. Independence Party leader hailed as “Mr. Brexit” by President Donald Trump. This shrewd political operator doesn’t bother much with the minutiae of policy detail but aims to reach his followers at a deeper, more powerful gut level through beery, blokeish plain speaking. Farage staged a series of Trump-style rallies up and down the country this spring stoking the resentment of voters bored and frustrated by the intractability of the Brexit process–and won his new Brexit Party first place in the European election in the process. The narrative of betrayal Farage likes to cloak in his saloon-bar rhetoric is dangerous in Britain’s current febrile atmosphere; the xenophobic energies unleashed by the 2016 campaign, according to the government, led to a 41% spike in hate-crime offenses in the month following the referendum. This lingering trend has contributed to the rise of far-right figureheads like Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, an anti-Islam agitator who goes by the name Tommy Robinson and whose public appearances have stirred up unrest. Feelings also run high on the Remain side, although March’s People’s Vote rally, a hundreds of thousands–strong pro-E.U. protest in central London, passed without violence, and anti-Farage protesters have adopted the tactic of dousing him with milkshakes (the especially thick version from U.S. burger chain Five Guys being the variety of choice).
These incidents testify to the bitterness of Britain’s current political deadlock. Still stunned by the referendum result, and cowed by the way it was talked up in the media as an overwhelming mandate, our political class remains paralyzed by its own commitment to delivering the undeliverable. And so here we are. The U.K. is expected to leave the E.U. on Oct. 31. Nobody is any clearer as to what form this exit will take, or who will be the Prime Minister that oversees it. Meanwhile, all the resentments that lay behind the vote continue to bubble away unaddressed.
Through creativity, humor and a certain sleight of hand, the architects of the Olympic opening ceremony presented, that night in 2012, a vision of Britishness around which most of the country felt they could unite. But it was a fleeting moment, and an illusory one. What the referendum revealed was probably much more truthful: A country at war with itself. A country divided along lines of age, education, wealth and opportunity; a country seen quite differently by the old and the young; a prickly union in which provincial England had a very different sense of identity from metropolitan England, and felt little of the sense of “Europeanness” that Scotland, for instance, expressed strongly through its votes to stay in the E.U. Asked, on June 23, 2016, what kind of collective identity it wanted to assert, the U.K. replied with one loud, clear, unanimous voice: “We don’t know.”
In a strange way, David Cameron did the U.K. a backhanded favor in calling his referendum. We may have no answers to the core, intractable questions that the referendum raised about our culture, national identity and sense of belonging. But at least, now, we have begun to talk about them.
Coe is a London-based writer whose new novel, Middle England, will be published in the U.S. on Aug. 20
Over the course of six weeks in 1989, Chinese students and those they inspired gathered in central Beijing in Tiananmen Square. It began as a spontaneous outpouring of respect and grief following the death of reformist leader Hu Yaobang, but the event then took on a life of its own as mourning became protest against corruption and repression and a call for greater political freedom. The demonstrations expanded to other Chinese cities.
As the crowds swelled, some within the Communist Party leadership began to fear that the protests might continue to expand and to threaten the Communist Party’s political dominance. A cat-and-mouse game began as the state tried to find ways to move security forces into the square to end the Tiananmen occupation and as the protesters looked for ways to block them. As the crowds grew, so did the audience of people watching from around the world.
Then the decision was made. On June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks used the cover of darkness to force their way into the square. In the process, the Chinese government massacred at least hundreds, maybe thousands, of its own people, most of them students.
Three decades later, the fight over Tiananmen continues. On the rare occasion when a Chinese state official addresses these events at all, it is to justify the decision. On June 2, 2019, China’s Defense Minister described the events of 1989 as “political turmoil that the central government needed to quell, which was the correct policy.” Because of this, he said, “China has enjoyed stability, and if you visit China you can understand that part of history.”
On the one hand, it’s hard to understand how a visit to China can shed light on the events of that era. Yes, China’s people have much more access to information today than they did in 1989. Yet, particularly when it comes to a subject as sensitive as the protests and massacre in the square, the Chinese state keeps a tight grip. Those who use social media in China must register accounts under their real names, and the authorities can demand access to those names whenever it wants.
The government also uses state-of-the-art censorship tools to erase mention of a number of politically sensitive search terms or to redirect the user toward other subjects. Video recognition software can detect images related to the square and its bloody history. In short, China’s leaders have come as close as technically possible to erasing all record of what happened.
On the other hand, the Chinese Communist Party leadership has presided over the largest economic expansion in human history. In 1989, when adjusted for differences in purchasing power, China’s economy generated just 4.11% of global GDP. Today it’s 19.24%. There is an obvious human dimension to this success. Market reform in China has undeniably lifted hundreds of millions of people from poverty. Nearly two-thirds of the population lived on $1.90 per day or less in 1990. In 2015, it was less than 1%. Per capita income increased by more than 900% over that period, and infant mortality rates fell by more than 80%.
Thirty years after the murders in Tiananmen Square, China presents a contradictory legacy. Its leadership has provided opportunities for a better life to a larger number of people than any government in history. And China remains a police state, where citizens can’t publicly acknowledge that this mass murder ever took place.
This appears in the June 17, 2019 issue of TIME.
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Before you file for bankruptcy, you need to learn about how the process works, what you need to do first, and how this last-resort choice will affect your financial and maybe even your employment future.
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Appealing an unfavorable or unfair tax ruling through a U.S. Tax Court may be your last chance to save your finances. Although there are other federal courts that you can use, the Tax Court should probably be your first option. This article examines this special court and the role it plays in giving taxpayers a fair hearing.
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Candidates looking for MP PAT Syllabus can download here on this page. We have given the MP PAT 2019 Syllabus in a detailed manner. Hence, the candidates who have applied for the MP PAT 2019 Exam can check the Syllabus Pdf here. Additionally, we have given the MP PAT 2019 Syllabus, so that you can kickstart your exam preparation. Referring to the MP PAT Exam Pattern and Syllabus is the first step for exam preparation. So, refer the Syllabus Pdf to score maximum marks.
MP PAT Syllabus 2019
Did you apply for MP PAT 2019 Exam? Are you looking for the MP PAT Syllabus 2019 Pdf? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. This is because here we have given the detailed topics for maths, physics, chemistry, biology, agriculture, and so on. Read the entire topics mentioned below before the MP PAT 2019 exam to crack the examination.
Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) released the notification for the MP Pre Agriculture Test (MP PAT). This is for the aspirants who want to get admission in B.Sc (Agriculture), B.Tech (Agriculture Engineering), B.Sc (Forestry), & B.Sc (Horticulture) courses in the colleges present in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The MP PAT 2019 Exam is going to be conducted on 29th & 30th June 2019. Therefore, prepare for the exam with the MP PAT Syllabus 2019 Pdf available on this page.
MP PAT Syllabus in Hindi 2019 – Details
Name of the Board
Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MP PEB)
The Madhya Pradesh Pre Agriculture Test (MP PAT 2019) is an Online Entrance Test that is conducted every year under MP PEB. This year the application process started from 30th May to 13th June 2019. Interested aspirants can apply for the given posts and appear for the examination that is going to be conducted on 29th & 30th June 2019. For further details go through the Official Notification.
For each course, there will be 100 questions & a total of 200 Marks
The question paper will be in English and Hindi
The exam duration is 3 hours
Each question carries one mark
No negative marking for incorrect answers
Courses offered by the MP Pre Agriculture Test 2019:
After qualifying this exam, students are eligible for admission in the following courses.
B.Tech (Agriculture Engineering)
B.Sc. (Agriculture)
B.Sc. (Forestry)
B.Sc. (Horticulture)
MP Pre Agriculture Test Syllabus 2019
Would you like to know the MP PAT Syllabus 2019? If so, here it is. In this article, we have provided the detailed MP PAT 2019 Syllabus for various subjects. This includes Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology, Agriculture, and Horticulture.
Download MP PAT 2019 Syllabus for Mathematics
Differential Calculus and Equations.
Linear Programming.
Vector Algebra.
Co-Ordinate Geometry of Two and Three Dimensions.
Numerical Methods.
Integral Calculus.
Download MP Pre Agriculture Test Syllabus 2019 for Science
The MP PAT Science syllabus consists of topics from Physics and Chemistry.
MP PAT Physics Syllabus
Acceleration due to gravity and its variation.
The Conservation of momentum and energy.
Absorption and emission spectra.
Electric power.
Electromagnetic induction induced emf.
Force on a moving charge in a magnetic field (Lorentz force).
Growth and decay of current in L-R circuit.
I. Units, Motion in two dimensions Cases of uniform velocity and uniform.
Refraction, Reflection.
Static and kinetic friction.
Moment of inertia.
Kinetic energy and temperature.
Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws.
Measurement of voltages as currents.
Simple harmonic motion.
Periodic motion.
Unit and dimensions
Wave nature of light.
Madhya Pradesh PAT 2019 Syllabus for General and Physical Chemistry
Chemical Equilibrium, Bond, Kinetic.
Nuclear chemistry radioactive radiations.
The structure of an Atom.
Solid State.
Thermodynamics and Thermochemistry.
Inorganic Chemistry
Chemical periodicity.
Comparative study of elements.
Chemical analysis.
Transition metals.
Coordination compounds.
Principles of metallurgical operations.
Organic Chemistry
Nomenclature, methods of preparation, Chemical properties correlations of physical properties with structures.
Preparation properties and uses of alkynes, cracking octane number, benzene-petroleum, alkynes, gasoline additives.
Nomenclature, correlation of physical properties with structure properties, Physical-chemical properties.
Calculation of empirical and molecular formula of organic compounds, Nomenclature of organic compounds, common functional groups isomerism Structure and shapes of alkanes, alkanes, and benzene.
MP PAT Biology Syllabus
Biology Syllabus for MP PAT 2019 Exam includes Botany & Zoology
Botany
Ecosystem
Five Kingdom classification Binomial Nomenclature
Structural organization of a cell
Role of plants in human welfare
Enzymes and growth hormones concerning their classification
Tissue and tissue systems
Structure and functions of cell organelles
Elementary knowledge of microsporogenesis megasporogenesis.
Difference between prokaryote and Eukaryotes
Zoology
Developmental biology and genetics.
Taxonomy evolution in economic zoology.
Multicellularity – Structure, and function of animal life.
The Latest Indian Army MNS Syllabus is available here. So the candidates who are applied for Indian Army jobs can check this Military Nursing Service Exam Syllabus for exam preparation. Also, the applicants can view the Indian Army MNS Exam Pattern before going to the exam.
Indian Army MNS Syllabus 2019 Pdf
Indian Army MNS Syllabus 2019 is available here. The Indian Army is inviting online applications from female candidates for filling up 210 posts of Military Nursing Service to work on a permanent basis. Candidates who are appearing for the Military Nursing Service Exam will be searching for Indian Army MNS Exam Syllabus. Our website recruitment.guru is providing the Indian Army Nursing & Midwifery Syllabus for the guidance of the applicants. Aspirants can view the Indian Army MNS Exam Syllabus & Exam Pattern provided here.
The Indian Army is the largest component and the land-based branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The primary role of the Indian Army is to ensure national security and unity and also the mission of the Indian Army is for defending the nation from threats and maintaining safety and peace within its borders. Every year Indian Army releases notifications for recruiting candidates in large numbers. Candidates can also check the official website www.indianarmy.nic.in for more details.
Military Nursing Service Exam Syllabus – Brief Info
Candidates applying for the posts of Military Nursing Service need to go through the below selection procedure:
Written Examination
Interview
Check below for Indian Army Nursing Exam Syllabus and exam pattern. Download the MNS Syllabus before starting the exam preparation. With the help of IA MNS Syllabus, the aspirants can estimate the important topics covers in the examination. So that it is easy for them to prepare a schedule covering all the important concepts. As a result, this process of preparation will help the candidates in scoring more marks.
Indian Army MNS Syllabus 2019 – Exam Pattern
Sl.no
Subjects
Duration
1.
General English
90 Minutes
2.
Biology
3.
Physics
4.
Chemistry
5.
General Intelligence
The written examination will consist of Objective Type Questions.
The Exam Duration will be of 90 Minutes.
Indian Army Nursing & Midwifery Syllabus 2019
Indian Army MNS Syllabus 2019 is provided here. The subjects for the Military Nursing Service Exam are as follows:
Indian Army MNS General English Syllabus
Synonyms/ Homonyms.
Antonyms.
Spot the error.
Fill in the blanks.
Spellings.
Detecting Mis-spelt words.
Idioms and phrases.
One word substitutions.
Shuffling of sentence parts.
Shuffling of Sentences in a passage.
Improvement.
Cloze passage.
Comprehension passage.
Indian Army MNS Syllabus for Biology
Taxonomy.
Cell and Molecular Biology.
Reproduction.
Genetics and evolution.
Human health and diseases.
Biochemistry.
Plant physiology.
Human physiology.
Biotechnology and its applications.
Biodiversity, ecology, and environment.
Indian Army MNS Syllabus for Physics
Laws of Motion & Work, Energy, and Power.
Properties of Matter.
Electrostatics.
Current Electricity.
Magnetic Effects of Electric Current.
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current.
Optics.
Dual Nature of Radiation and Atomic Physics.
Nuclear Physics.
Semiconductor Devices and their Applications.
Syllabus of MNS 2019 for Chemistry
Atomic Structure.
p,d, and f – Block Elements.
Coordination Chemistry and Solid State Chemistry.
Thermodynamics, Chemical Equilibrium, and Chemical Kinetics.
Electrochemistry.
Isomerism in Organic Compounds.
Alcohols and Ethers.
Carbonyl Compounds.
Carboxylic Acids and their derivatives.
Organic Nitrogen Compounds and Biomolecules.
Indian Army MNS Exam Syllabus 2019 – General Intelligence
Analysis.
Number Series.
Observation.
Judgment.
Space Visualization.
Decision Making.
Problem Solving.
Similarities and Differences.
Figure Classification.
Visual Memory.
Relationship Concepts.
Non-Verbal Series.
Arithmetical Computation.
Analytical Functions etc.
Download MNS 2019 Syllabus Important Links
The Indian Army Syllabus which is available on our page is only for the reference use. So the candidates who applied for Indian Army jobs can check this syllabus of Military Nursing Service Exam. To start the exam preparation and prepare a nice plan click the below link.
MP Vyapam Sub Engineer Syllabus 2019 Pdf is available for download. So, the candidates who are willing to attend the exam can check the MPPEB Sub Engineer Syllabus here. The candidates can also check the MP Vyapam SE Exam Pattern along with the Syllabus. So, interested aspirants go through the full article and prepare for the examination accordingly.
MP Vyapam Sub Engineer Syllabus 2019
The candidates who have applied for the exam are facing problems while searching for the Madhya Pradesh SE Syllabus 2019. Are you one of them in search of the MP Vyapam Sub Engineer Syllabus 2019? Then there is the solution to your problem because we have provided the MPPEB SE Syllabus here. Applicants can also get more jobs at Sarkari Naukri. Not only the syllabus but also the candidates can check the exam pattern on this page. With the help of the syllabus, the candidates can know the important topics for the examination.
We have given each and every topic present in the syllabus in detail. In case the applicants have prepared all the subjects given below then the chances of qualifying in the examination will be high. Applicants can also get more updates at State Government Jobs. Applicants have already started their preparation but some of them are struggling a lot to find the exact syllabus. For those candidates, we have given the Madhya Pradesh Sub Engineer Syllabus 2019 on this page.
MPPEB Sub Engineer Exam Syllabus 2019 – Details
Description
Details
Name of the Organization
Professional Examination Board (PEB), Madhya Pradesh
Name of the Posts
Sub Engineer (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical), Draughtsmen & Other
Its a great opportunity for aspirants who are applying for the Sub Engineer posts. Candidates will be selected based on the following criteria –
Selection Process:
Written Examination
Interview
MP Vyapam Sub Engineer Exam Pattern 2019
Check the UPdated MP Vyapam Sub Engineer, Draughtsman & Other Posts Exam Pattern 2019 from the table mentioned below. Go through the MP Vyapam Exam pattern for Sub Engineer, Draughtsman & Others and start your Preparation for the written examination going to be conducted on the coming months. Moreover, download the MP Vyapam Sub Engg and Draughtsman Syllabus PDF and Previous Papers PDF below.
MP Vyapam Group-3 Sub Engineer Paper-1
S.No
Subjects
No of Questions
Marks
1
General Knowledge
100
100
2
General Hindi
3
General English
4
General Mathematics
5
General Reasoning Ability
6
General Science
7
General Computer Knowledge
MP Vyapam Group-3 Sub Engineer Exam Paper-2
S.No
Subjects
No of Questions
Marks
1
Engineering Related Subjects
100
100
The questions will be Objective Type only.
Negative Marking will be as per the Board rules.
The Above mentioned Exam Pattern is only for reference.
TASMAC Syllabus 2019 is updated here for the posts of Junior Assistant posts. Candidates who are applying for the TASMAC Jobs can get here the complete Exam Pattern along with Syllabus. Also, get other exam related details like Exam Dates, Old Question Papers here on this page. So, go through the below sections and start preparing for the exam.
TASMAC Syllabus 2019
TASMAC Recruitment 2019 Syllabus is updated here. The Aspirants can check the latest TASMAC Recruitment 2019 notification details for Junior Assistant from the link. Later check the details of the TASMAC Syllabus for Jr Assistant Posts written Examination 2019 below. Also, check the subject wise details TASMAC Syllabus details in the section below. Furthermore, don’t forget to download the TASMAC Jr Assistant Exam Syllabus Pdf from the link given.
Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) is recruiting 500 Junior Assistant posts. Candidates who have done their graduation can apply for this post and start their exam preparation as soon as possible. For applicants to get it easier we have updated here the latest TASMAC JA Syllabus 2019 in detail.
Candidates applying for the post of TASMAC Junior Assistant Jobs will be selected based on the following selection criteria –
Selection Process:
Written Examination
Interview
TASMAC Exam Pattern 2019
The TamilNadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd is conducting the written examination for Jr Assistant Posts 2019. Hence, check out the TN TASMAC Recruitment Syllabus & Exam Pattern for written Exam below. However, we updated the TASMAC written Exam pattern in an easy way in the table below. Also, check the detailed syllabus of each subject in the section below. The Below mentioned syllabus is only for the purpose of reference. The topics may vary from the original. Furthermore, don’t forget to download the TASMAC Junior Assistant Syllabus Pdf from the link given. For more details check the Official TASMAC Website.
TASMAC Jr Assistant Exam Pattern 2019
S.No
Subjects
1
General Knowledge
2
Analytical Reasoning
3
Quantitative
4
Lang Comprehension
5
General Awareness
The Exam will be in both English & Tamil Languages
Marks assigned for each question depends on the type of question
Candidates need to score 30% to get qualified in written Exam
Check out the TamilNadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd written Examination Previous Question Papers for Junior Assistant Posts below. Also, download the TASMAC Jr. Assistant Posts Previous Question Papers PDF from the link below.
Applicants looking for MP PAT Previous Year Question Papers can download it from this page. We have uploaded the old question papers with complete details. Hence, applied candidates can go through the following section and check the Last 5 Years MP Pre Agricultural Test Exam Papers. The previous year question papers are very important for the preparation of the exam. Therefore, for effective preparation, you need to refer these MP PAT Previous Year Papers Pdf with Answers. Also, check exam date, pattern along with model papers.
MP Pre Agricultural Test (MP PAT) Question Paper Pdf
Have you applied for the MP PAT 2019 Exam? Then you must be searching for Madhya Pradesh PAT Previous Year Papers. For those candidates, we have given previous papers for a better understanding of questions, syllabus, and important topics. As you know, it is one of the toughest exams among all, so aspirants need to study hard by referring to the sample question papers pdf. Practicing old question papers can help you a lot with the preparation. Hence, check and download the previous papers in pdf format.
Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board has released the notification for the MP Pre Agriculture Test. Therefore, applicants who want to get admission in B.Sc (Agriculture), B.Tech (Agriculture Engineering), B.Sc (Forestry), & B.Sc (Horticulture) courses can check the details here. MP PEB conducts MP PAT exam every year, so it acts as the gateway to the admission into various agriculture courses in different colleges or institute of Madhya Pradesh State.
MP PAT Previous Year Question Paper – Exam Details
Description
Details
Name of the Board
Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MP PEB)
The interested and eligible students can apply online from 30th May 2019 to 13th June 2019. Further, applicants need to refer the following updated MP PAT sample old exam papers with their solutions pdf and start preparing for the exam.
Madhya Pradesh PAT Previous Papers | Exam Pattern 2019
Aspirants should check MP Pre Agricultural Test exam pattern given on this page along with model exam papers. Exam pattern gives an idea about the structure of the exam and the type of questions asked in the exam. However, check details of PAT exam pattern given in the below table.
The MP PAT Exam Pattern is updated here in the tabular form. Also, read the following details here.
The exam will be conducted Offline, i.e., pen-paper based.
There will be a total of 200 questions for each course.
The question paper will be bilingual, i.e., in English and Hindi.
Applicants will get 3 hours to complete the examination.
For each correct answer, the applicants will get one mark.
There is no negative marking for the wrong answer.
Download MP PAT Exam Papers with Solution Pdf
Applicants can now check the MP PAT Question Paper Pdf in this section. Also, if you want to download it, you can. We have provided the MP PAT Previous Year Question Papers with Solution in completely in Pdf format. Hence, download it and save it for future purpose.
Direct downloading links for MP PAT Exam Sample Papers
Download MP Pre Agriculture Test Exam Paper I – 2013
Download the Latest Indian Army Previous Year Question Paper ofNursing Officer, JCO, Soldier, TES & Other posts here. A number of applicants have applied for the upcoming Indian Army Jobs in 2019 for various posts. Now, all job seekers are searching for Indian Army Question Paper 2019. For those, we have updated the Last Year Indian Army Question Papers with Solutions in pdf format. Hence, click on the link and download the Indian Army Exam Question Papers @joinindianarmy.nic.in.
Indian Army Previous Papers Pdf
Indian Army previous papers pdf will help applicants in the preparation of the exam. Aspirants who are interested and are planning to apply for the various posts under the Army sector in India, this is the best opportunity to appear for the exam with proper preparation and get selected for the post. Use this opportunity to the max and solve all the previous papers given on this page to get prepared for the exam. the direct link of the exam papers pdf is given in the below section of the article.
Indian Army will be releasing recruitment notifications every year for various posts. However, if you are the one who is very much interested in this post and applied or applying for the exam, then go through the entire article, download all the Indian Army solved model exam question papers & start your preparation for the exam.
Check the pattern of the exam for all the posts given in the above table. Having an idea of Indian Army syllabus & exam pattern will help in analyzing exam papers easily and prepare for the exam accordingly. However, here are the links for all the posts exam previous year model question papers pdf.
Post Name
Download Links
Join Military Nursing Service BSc (Nursing) Course – 2019
Military Nursing Services | BSC Nursing Entrance Exam Paper
Applied for the Indian Army Military Nursing Services or BSc Nursing Entrance Exam 2019. Then find the Exam Model Question Paper for Study material of Indian Army Previous Papers in the section below. We advise checking the Syllabus and Exam Pattern details which help the candidates in their preparation.
Participants of Military Nursing Entrance Exam 2019 can refer to the Indian Army Nursing Assistant Books from enclosed links. We displayed the Military MNS Exam Model Papers to make your preparation efficient and easy. Solve the Indian Army Midwifery Previous papers to know the difficulty level of the examination. Practice this MNS Sample papers as much as possible. By this, you can improve the time management skills to speed up while attempting the exam. Download the Indian Army Previous Papers of Military Nursing Service Exam 2019.
Indian Army MNS Previous Papers – BSC Nursing Exam Pattern
Subject
Total Marks
Pass Marks
General Knowledge
200
80
Maths
Biology
Chemistry
Download Indian Army MNS Exam Model Paper – Study Material Pdf
Indian Army Previous Papers for Jr Commissioned Officer Written is available here. The Aspirants who are going to appear for Indian Army JCO Recruitment written test can check the details below. However, download the Indian Army Model Question Papers for JCO Written Exam below. Also, check the Indian Army Syllabus details from the link given.
Indian Army JCO Model Question Papers – Exam Pattern
Paper
Subject Details
No of Question
Marks
1
General Awareness
50
100
2
Specific to Religion Denominations as applied by the Candidates
50
100
Total
100
200
Direct Links to Download Indian Army JCO Model Exam Question Papers Pdf
Applicants applied for Latest Indian Army Jobs can check the Indian Army Previous Papers. We have uploaded the previous year question papers in the pdf format. Hence, go to the following section and check the Indian Army Model papers with their solutions.
Exam Pattern for Soldier General Duty
Name of the Subjects
Questions
Marks
General Knowledge
15
30
General Science
20
40
Maths
15
30
Total
50
100
Indian Army Soldier Technical Exam Pattern 2019
Name of the Subjects
Questions
Marks
General Knowledge
10
20
Maths
15
30
Physics
15
30
Chemistry
10
20
Total
50
100
Direct Download links to Indian Army Previous Papers
The aspirants applied for the Indian Army TES Exam can check the Indian Army Previous Papers Pdf. The Indian Army Officials are inviting applications from 90 eligible and talented candidates for Technical Entry Scheme (TES) Course. Interested applicants who are seeking for Army Jobs can start their preparation by referring to the Indian Army TES Old Question Papers.
CDS Exam Syllabus pdf 2019 is provided on this Page. Download UPSC CDS Syllabus here. Aspirants who have applied for the Combined Defence Services Exam and looking for the Syllabus & Test pattern here is the right Place to get. Get Complete UPSC CDS – 1 Exam 2019 Syllabus from the below sections. – www.upsc.gov.in.
UPSC CDS Exam Syllabus Pdf 2019
The UPSC Combined Defence Services Exam applied candidates are now searching for the CDS Exam Syllabus and pattern. On this Page, various fields like Indian Air Force, Naval Academy, Military Academy and also Officers Training Academy Syllabus is provided. Aspirants can get the CDS Syllabus Pdf according to the Applied field. The Applicants must prepare well for the UPSC Exam to get a Job under Combined Defence Services. Before starting your preparation, you must make a Useful & better Preparation Plan for the Exam. For this Purpose, you have to check the UPSC CDS Syllabus 2019. We provided the UPSC CDS 1 Exam Syllabus along with the Exam Pattern to get an idea of the Exam. With the provided Syllabus you can score good marks in the CDS Entrance Examination. Practice the CDS exam question papers for better performance in the written examination. So, Download UPSC CDS Previous Papers.
The Scheme of Examination for the CDS Examination 2019 comprises of –
CDS Exam Selection Process:
Written Examination
Interview for Intelligence and Personality Test
UPSC CDS Exam Syllabus and Pattern 2019
CDS Syllabus for Indian Military, Indian Naval, and Air Force Academies 2019
S.No
Subjects
Marks
Duration
1
English
100
2 Hrs
2
General Knowlege
100
2 Hrs
3
Elementary Mathematics
100
2 Hrs
Total
300
6 Hrs
CDS Syllabus for Officer Trainee Academy (OTA) 2019
S.No
Subjects
Marks
Duration
1
English
100
2 Hrs
2
General Knowlege
100
2 Hrs
Total
200
4 Hrs
Maximum Marks for both written and Interview are 300 for three Academies and 200 for OTA.
The Question Paper (GK and Maths) will be in both Hindi and English Languages.
No Negative Marking.
Pen Paper Mode of Examination
Question Paper will be Objective Type Multiple Choice Questions.
Download UPSC CDS Syllabus 2019 Pdf
Download Union PSC Combined Defence Services Exam Syllabus along with the Test Pattern for different defense fields. The provided Syllabus is for reference use. Once check the CDS Exam Syllabus and start your Exam preparation as soon as possible. With the provided UPSC CDS Syllabus 2019, Aspirants can get more marks in the Examination. To answer more questions in the Combined Defence Services Exam you need to practice no. of old questions Papers. With the provided UPSC Combined Defence Services Exam Previous papers, you can answer more questions in the Exam. Candidates can get CDS syllabus download Pdf link in below sections www.upsc.gov.in.
English (Code No. 01)
General Knowledge (Code No. 02)
Elementary Mathematics (Code No. 03)
Arithmetic
Algebra
Trigonometry
Geometry
Mensuration
Statistics
UPSC CDS Syllabus Pdf for English
Usage of words.
Grammar.
Vocabulary.
Antonyms & Synonyms.
Parts of Speech.
Direct & Indirect Speech.
Idioms & Phrases.
Active & Passive Voice etc.
Union PSC CDS 1 Exam Syllabus for General Knowledge
Indian History.
Indian Geography.
Current Events – National & International.
Indian Culture & Heritage.
Indian Economy.
General Polity.
Indian Constitution.
Science and Technology etc.
UPSC Combined Defence Services Syllabus for Elementary Mathematics
The IRB Police Syllabus Pdf is available for download from the link given below. Candidates can check the IRB Police Constable Syllabus & IRB Police Constable Exam Pattern here. We advise the applicants to go through this page to get more information regarding IRB Police Constable Syllabus 2019. You can also find the direct link to download IRB Police Constable previous question papers given in the below table of the article.
IRB Police Constable Syllabus 2019
The Indian Reserve Battalion has released a notification for the recruitment of efficient candidates into Constable & Class 4 posts at various states. There are nearly 17000 vacant positions, according to the advertisement. States at which the IRB Batches Notification released include Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, etc. Candidates who possess 10th or 12th from a recognized Institute or Board or equivalent are eligible to apply. Eligible aspirants who are interested in Police Jobs can apply for these posts through online mode. Go through the IRB Recruitment Notification given here.
Candidates who want to appear for this exam can check the IRB Police Constable Syllabus & IRB Police Constable Exam Pattern here. We are providing the IRB Police Syllabus & IRB Police Exam Pattern for the guidance of candidates. The IRB Police Constable Syllabus pdf is available for download from the link given below. The IRB Exam Syllabus is also provided on the official website for download.
Aspirants can visit our recruitment.guru website for more updates regarding IRB Police Recruitment 2016, IRB Police Exam Dates, IRB Police Constable Syllabus & Exam Pattern, IRB Police Previous Papers, etc.
Indian Reserve Battalion Exam Pattern 2019
Candidates for IRB will be selected based on the merit in the written exam. Here you can get the updated exam pattern for IRB Police Constable exam with the selection process details. IRB Written test includes subjects like General Intelligence, English Language, and Quantitative Aptitude. It would help to prepare for the exam according to weightage of marks allotted to each subject.
Indian Reserve Battalions Job Selection Process
Written Exam
Physical Screening Test
Physical Efficiency Test
Medical Exam
Personal Interview
IRB Exam pattern 2019
Subject Name
Exam Type
General Intelligence
Objective Type
English Language
Quantitative Aptitude
Indian Reserve Battalions Police Constable Syllabus 2019
IRB Police Constable Syllabus for General Intelligence
Analogies.
Problem Solving.
Spatial Orientation.
Space Visualization.
Analysis.
Decision Making.
Visual Memory.
Figural Classification.
Relationship Concepts.
Coding and Decoding.
Arithmetical Reasoning.
Arithmetic Number Series.
Statement Conclusion etc.
IRB Constable Syllabus for Quantitative Ability
Number Systems.
Decimals & Fractions.
Whole Numbers.
Fundamental Arithmetical Operations.
Percentage.
Mixtures & Allegations.
Profit & Loss.
Time & Work.
Time and Distance.
Discount.
Data Interpretation etc.
IRB Police Constable English Language Syllabus
Vocabulary.
Fill in the Blanks.
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By Daniel MossIndia is becoming the gold standard for monetary policy in Asia, if not the world. While global markets are giddy from hints that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates, India's central bank has been easing since February. Just as important, the Reserve Bank of India has been very consistent in its message: Borrowing costs need to come down to juice growth. Passive inflation and the central bank's full tank of gas make the case to cut even stronger. After Thursday's trim, the benchmark rate is 5.75%.The RBI's approach is correct. There's no point targeting inflation if growth is waning and the very thing you're aiming at is dormant. Thursday's quarter-point reduction in the benchmark rate, the third in as many policy meetings, underscores the theme: "Growth impulses have weakened significantly,'' according to the central bank's statement. "A sharp slowdown in investment activity along with a continuing moderation in private consumption growth is a matter of concern.'' The RBI made clear that "global economic activity has been losing pace" & declared its stance to be "accommodative." Much focus is rightly given to Beijing's efforts to pull both fiscal and monetary levers; as big as India's economy is, China's is much larger. But the People's Bank of China tends to be opaque and is trying to thread the needle between buttressing the economy and fretting about financial stability. Japan, meanwhile, gets plenty of attention as a pioneer of unconventional policies – yet its economy remains a parable about how booms can end in tears. And remember back in February, the consensus was that the Fed had just paused before resuming hikes. Few serious observers believe that now.So give Governor Shaktikanta Das his due. The RBI's rate cut in February was risky – few economists anticipated it – but appropriate. The signaling power was immense. Officials followed that up with another reduction in April. The outlook has only deteriorated since then. Central banks in Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand concurred. India was, and still is, ahead of the curve – all the more remarkable given emerging markets tend to follow the Fed. Even the chaos surrounding the withdrawal of most banknotes from circulation in 2016 has slipped from the foreground.It's important to separate the manner of Das's arrival as chief and the job he's done since getting there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's team clashed with Das's two immediate predecessors, which cast a whiff of politics over their exits. Das was drawn from the ranks of India's bureaucracy rather than the central bank. It was clear the government didn't want any freelancing.For a while there, it seemed like the RBI chief's office was a revolving door. Given Das's success in monetary-policy development and execution, India would do well to keep him around. Quite right, too, given all the predictions for the country's economic greatness. India needs this to succeed.
Mumbai: Amid corporate delinquency, investor losses, and blame game, India's capital market regulator is examining a 'default probability' framework to keep credit rating agencies on their toes.The plan, which was recently discussed with large rating companies, involves the Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) assigning probabilities to different baskets of rated debts.A default probability, for instance, of one per cent for A-rated debt papers, would mean that a rating company tracking 500 A-rated papers would be pulled up if the number of defaults exceed five in a year. The regulator would similarly set probabilities for various ratings — triple A, double A, triple B, double-B etc."Once implemented, India would probably be the only market to have such default probabilities fixed by the regulator," a person familiar with the matter told ET. "The impact of such a rule would be a reduction in the number of top-rated companies which may not be a bad thing. In fact, number of triple-A companies in India is far more than that in the US or some of the advanced markets," said a senior fund manager. An implicit sovereign guarantee for a large number of state-owned companies which regularly raise debt and the backing of business houses or groups to several companies result in higher ratings on securities issued or loans taken by these entities. 69682211 Since the IL&FS default that was followed by a spate of rating downgrades by several notches in quick succession, rating agencies have come under the lens of regulators as well as SFIO, the central investigative agency. IL&FS bonds were downgraded from 'triple A' (or, highest rating) to 'D' (or, default grade) in just 40 days. About 25,000 companies are rated in India, of which half are estimated to be below 'investment grade'.Inrecent years, rating agencies have become fiercely competitive. In the absence of any regulation on the fees they charge, there is often a wide variation in their fees. Some of the agencies have even deviated from the indicative fee laid down by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for rating of bank loans. The rating business has expanded after RBI's decision that banks would have to maintain higher capital for unrated loans.In reducing conflict of interest & make rating agencies more independent, one of the suggestions that has cropped up is compulsory rotation of rating agencies every five years — the kind of regulation that applies to auditors, some of whom have come under the glare of government enforcement agencies investigating the IL&FS fiasco. "This is being resisted by some of the large agencies on the grounds rotating agencies would disturb the long-term data on a bond issuer's rating movements. But does historical data really matters?," said a source.
By Nilanjan MukhopadhyayFor much of the 20th century, Bengalis prided themselves on Gopal Krishna Gokhale's observation, 'What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.'The Lok Sabha polls and subsequent developments in West Bengal demonstrate this being reversed to 'What India thought yesterday, Bengal thinks today'. This is borne by the surge in BJP's support in the state — 18 seats out of a total of 42 with a vote share of 40.25%. The party is now the primary opposition to Mamata Banerjee's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), and in line to form the next state government in 2021— or before.West Bengal, in many ways, was the 'final frontier' for the BJP, as well as its affiliates wedded to Hindu nationalism. The state, after all, was considered the 'crucible of modernity' via the Bengal Renaissance in the 19th century, providing early leadership to social reform & later national movements. Undivided Bengal witnessed major communalisation through the 1940s, eventually ending in the terrible 'Great Calcutta Killings' and riots of 1946-47.A Soft Fadeout… But after the initial post-Independence flourish, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh-Hindu Mahasabha combine became politically extinct, suggesting that in the subsequent decades, the people had ruled Hindutva, in any of its forms, to be politically incorrect and against the modernist spirit. Anger at the post-Independence dream going awry was expressed through radical politics of the Naxals and West Bengal remained, post-1960s, the perennially romanticised 'alternate utopia'.Even when people eventually voted the Left out after a 34-year period in 2011, social equations remained unchanged, criminalisation of public life continued unabated, and the state was left with little but its 'glorious past'. Yet, people stayed proud of their 'secular fabric' remaining intact, claiming they are Bengalis first, Hindus or Muslims later.During the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation in the early 1990s, VHP mobilisation was limited in the state. Consequently, BJP was identified in West Bengal as a party of the Hindi heartland and any occasional electoral success was chiefly due to tactical alliances. So, political acceptance in the state has been BJP's crowning glory in these elections. It would be unwise to conclude that the vote for BJP is symptomatic of the state being now on the brink of another communally polarised rupture.Yet, it would be naïve not to acknowledge that the vote for BJP indicates a significant 'coming out' of 'Hinduness' in the state. This is testimony that the Hindu vote continued to exist even after the death of Jan Sangh founder in the early 1950s but remained untapped. But in its success also lies the challenge ahead before BJP.The nationwide rise of BJP's vote share from 31.3% in 2014 to 37.4% in 2019 is principally on the back of major Hindu consolidation. The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) post-poll survey estimated that compared to 36% of all Hindu voters in 2014, this time BJP has secured 44% of their vote. When one factors the vote share of allies, the support for NDA among Hindus rose to 51%. But the growth within West Bengal is exponential: from 21% in 2014 to 57% today.This dramatic rise of 36-percentage point support among Hindus is matched by the corresponding growth of TMC support among Muslims. In 2014, the Muslim vote was divided between TMC (40%), Left Front (31%) and Congress (24%). In 2019, the support for TMC among Muslims has risen to 70%, suggesting that polarisation on religious lines has risen manifold. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee's statement — 'Jo humse takraega, woh choor choor ho jayega' (Those who cross our paths will be shattered into pieces) — on Wednesday during Eid celebrations, suggests that she remains committed to further consolidation of her Muslim vote base.…Or Was It? BJP can't respond to such provocative politics in the way it mostly does in other states since its stakes are higher in Bengal. If the party leadership allows BJP state leaders to respond in the same coin, the state could well be sucked into a cauldron of communal violence.This may be superficially beneficial, as it may open the window for central intervention. But it will negatively impact Modi's prime ministerial pursuit of his economic and international objectives. Social strife in a major state is the last issue that the PM wants to tackle when he wants to press ahead with job creation, reviving growth and increasing global clout.BJP's spectacular performance in Bengal, with the state's above-national average Muslim population, also shows the sufficiency of the Hindu vote. The redundancy of the Muslim vote raises the spectre of further alienation of the community. However, this verdict must not be read as just a Hindu vote in response to Banerjee's courtship of extreme elements within the Muslim community. The BJP votes cast was also due to the 'Modi factor' in which he was the Dada standing up to Didi.Banerjee once symbolised the middle-class working girl straight out of Ritwik Ghatak's 1960 classic film, Meghe Dhaka Tara (Cloud-Covered Sky). Today, many of West Bengal's Hindus have judged her as a failed deliverer. Aspirations, too, have changed, and in Modi, many in West Bengal, like in the rest of India, see the realisation of their dreams.Tempering anti-Muslim belligerence is Modi's big challenge. His project to secure vishwas (trust) of the minorities can be inaugurated in West Bengal. The final frontier will then be his first victory podium.
Bengaluru: Chairman Azim Premji led by example, and for Wipro employees, he was a professional who backed his staff to take the decisions that would go on to make the IT services provider what it is today.In fact, Premji credited the thousands of Wipro employees who had shaped and built a successful, ethical and socially-responsible organisation in the letter announcing his retirement.The company may have faced obstacles, but Premji trusted his colleagues and backed them as long as they had done enough homework."The first thing is his intensity. He has a never-say-die attitude. I have never seen anything like that," said Dilip Ranjekar, CEO of Azim Premji Foundation, who has worked with Premji for over 43 years. "The second thing is his professionalism. He is a proprietor, yet extremely professional. He ran the organisation on merit and facts."Ranjekar added: "The other thing is his extremely middle-class values. There is no flashiness, no flaunting. He knows that what he does or doesn't do affects the organisation. He always ran a tight ship at Wipro."Wipro created the largest number of executives who went on to become successful managers across the IT industry. "The freedom he gave helped us to become better decision makers," says a former CEO, who had worked in Wipro.KK Natarajan, the chairman of Mindtree, who was a Wipro campus hire in 1981, said Premji's rigour and attention to detail was a great lesson that he applied in his journey as a manager. "He also gave space to his people. There is nothing you cannot disagree with Mr Premji. You can disagree with him in a public forum, and once a decision is taken, he doesn't carry anything into a future interaction," Natarajan, who quit Wipro to help cofound Mindtree, said.Premji also inspired him to be more philanthropic, Natarajan said, which meant not just writing a cheque, but addressing the most difficult problems, such as primary education, and delivering results."What stands out about Azim Premji is that he is a very humane person. He never asked us to do anything which we would ever be ashamed of," said Sudip Banerjee, Independent Director of LTI, who spent nearly 25 years with the company and last served as president of its enterprise solutions business. "It was a real privilege to work with him when the IT services industry started taking off from India. I always admired his sense of integrity and fairness."Banerjee recalled how Premji had once driven him half-way home and had hailed a cab for the rest of his journey. "I said, do not embarrass me anymore.""Azim Premji's extraordinary leadership of Wipro for over 50 years, his pioneering role in the global IT industry, and his unique contribution by demonstrating that businesses can be successful while being committed to integrity, have made him a legend," Abidali Z Neemuchwala, CEO of Wipro, wrote in a letter. He said, one of the "greatest privileges of my life has been to work with Azim Premji." 69683961
In an exclusive interview with ET, Sajjan Jindal, chairman of JSW Steel, the largest Indian steelmaker by market capitalization, said that his budget for the alloy-maker may have been just about half of what the European steelmaker is paying.Going by that valuation yardstick, it might not be incorrect to say that even JSW Steel could be overpaying for Bhushan's assets.ArcelorMittal's bid for Essar Steel's 10 million tonne (MT) asset values it at Rs 50,000 crore. JSW Steel has offered almost Rs 20,000 crore for Bhushan Power's 3 MT capacity. Tata Steel paid Rs 35,200 crore for Bhushan Steel and Power's 5.2 MT capacity.Analysts believe that all the bidders may have ended up paying more. The steel cycle has reversed over the past few months and this could stretch the balance sheets of the acquirers. Steel prices have corrected more than 15% from their peaks of 2018 and are expected to further fall. According to analysts, fair valuation, given the industry situation and falling earnings, would be 5.5 to 6.5 times EV/EBIDTA, depending on the assets.As Essar Steel is unlisted, its financials are not publicly available. However, analysts estimate that while acquiring its assets, EBIDTA/ tonne of Rs 7,000- Rs 7,500 must have been assumed. The products are low-value (hot rolled coil) and the iron ore mines are not close to the plants.Of Essar's 10 MT, 8.5 MT is fully operational and the remaining 1.5 MT may need some capex. Assuming these calculations, ArcelorMittal has paid 7.8 times EV/EBIDTA, which is expensive in a downcycle. ArcelorMittal's earnings have dropped to less than a third in just three quarters to $537 million in March.But analysts also believe that this acquisition would give Arcelor the much-needed meaningful entry into India, justifying the premium. The capacity gives Arcelor a 10% market share.Tatas considered EBIDTA/tonne of Rs 10,000 for Bhushan, analysts said. This acquisition was valued at 6.8 times EV/EBIDTA, which too appears steep. Bhushan has higher value-added products, mainly for cars. However, it has been affected due to slowdown in auto demand.JSW Steel may be able to achieve Rs 8,000 per tonne EBIDTA, given proximity of iron ore mines for the 3 MT acquired capacity. Valuation in this case comes to 7.7 times EV/ EBIDTA. However, JSW has also got large land parcels, which it could use to expand into the north.
KOLKATA: Phone companies want the government to auction spectrum in the 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands for 5G services in the upcoming sale, and suggested that the telecom department (DoT) urgently seek the sector regulator's views on pricing these premium airwaves.The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), in a recent letter to telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan, said India must emulate the US, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, who have already auctioned 28 GHz spectrum and started deployments without waiting for the International Telecom Union (ITU) to identify the band, given the increasing ecosystem around this millimeter wave spectrum. Such a scenario, it said, would enable India to leverage "the concerted global 5G ecosystem developments around this band," which is considered ideal for ultra-fast wireless broadband services.The COAI, which represents Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm, has also urged secretary Sundararajan to send an early "reference to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to include the 28 GHz band along with 26 GHz in the latter's upcoming discussion paper on pricing of 5G spectrum bands" in the run-up to the next auction.Earlier this week, new telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad set a 100-day deadline to start 5G trials, and said the next spectrum auction, which would include 5G airwaves, would be held within calendar 2019.COAI's director general Rajan Mathews said India "must particularly recognise the importance of the 28 GHz 5G frontier band and push for its early adoption as it can transform local manufacturing opportunities".
Kolkata: Economic expansion and inflation forecasts for the current fiscal have been written down by the Reserve Bank of India after growth rate fell to a five year low, but a modest quarter point policy rate reduction raised skepticism whether the action is enough to lift investments.With monetary transmission remained less than half for the first two rate cuts this year amid weakening investment and falling consumption demand, the market is now looking for some more impetus for growth."A 25 bps repo rate cut along with the change in policy stance to accommodative may mean that over a period of two months we might get a total of 50 bps cut including the current one," said B Prasanna, group head for global markets at ICICI Bank. "Besides, if RBI decides to keep liquidity positive then that would act as a catalyst for animal spirits in the economy. This would prompt banks in aggressively buying assets with the surplus money leading to better transmission in money market rates fuelling higher corporate investment."The benchmark 10-year bond yield closed lower at 6.93% from an intra-day high of 7.012% following RBI signals. HDFC Bank chief economist Abheek Barua said the announcement of a committee to review the liquidity framework could trigger the movement towards 6.8% in the short-term. "Global growth worries, increasing expectations of a rate cut from the US Federal Reserve, and decline in the oil prices could also support the momentum trade towards 6.8% in our view," he said.State Bank of India chairman Rajnish Kumar said the decision to lower the Basel III leverage ratio would augment the lendable resources of the banks. Besides rate cuts, the RBI will also be focusing on ensuring higher monetary transmission to revive growth.This is the first time this year that all the Monetary Policy Committee members voted in favour of 25 basis point rate, and also for a change in the policy stance to accommodative from neutral, in a reflection that the falling investment have cast a bigger shadow on the economy.The MPC observed that growth impulses have weakened significantly as reflected in a further widening of the output gap compared to the April 2019 policy. "A sharp slowdown in investment activity along with a continuing moderation in private consumption growth is a matter of concern," RBI said.The central bank has lowered its GDP projection for 2019-20 20 basis points to 7% while the path of CPI inflation is revised upwards to 3.0-3.1% for first half of the fiscal from 2.9-3% and revised downwards for the second half to 3.4-3.7% from 3.5-3.8% projected earlier."Although headline inflation is expected to remain contained in first half, we expect it to harden in the second half. Further, we believe that real GDP growth will weaken further to about 6.5% in FY20," said Nikhil Gupta, chief economist at Motilal Oswal Financial Services.
The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday cut interest rates by 25 basis points in a widely expected move, while also changing its monetary policy stance to "accommodative" after the economy grew at its slowest in over four years, Reuters reported.Repo is the rate at which the central bank lends to commercial lenders, and the cut signalled a drop in cost of funds for corporates and individual borrowers though domestic banks have not been very efficient in quickly passing on the benefits of past rate cuts to their customers. This was third rate cut in a row by the central bank, and the move was largely in line with Street expectations. Here's how Dalal Street analysts and economists reacted to the third straight rate cut:Naveen Kulkarni, Head of Research, Reliance SecuritiesWhile the rate cut of 25 basis points was in line with our expectations, concerns over growth and challenges regarding liquidity continue to linger. The market is not necessarily cheering the rate cut as it had already factored in and something more was expected.Ajay Bodke, CEO, PMS at Prabhudas LilladherNo specific measure has been announced that would provide immediate relief to the much-troubled NBFC sector. In the presser RBI Governor did reiterate multiple times that RBI will do whatever it takes to ensure financial stability of the system. Jittery markets are facing a crisis of confidence with respect to the precariously perched NBFC (including HFCs) & fixed-income mutual fund sectors. It looks highly unlikely that these broad, motherhood statements will assuage market concerns. Specific & targeted solutions to rescue these besieged sectors alone can stem the panic and stop a further contagion. Inadequately forceful response to the ILFS bankruptcy has already created fear psychosis among market participants which is getting compounded by an almost blaśe regulatory treatment towards other troubled groups like DHFL, Essel, ADAG etcRupa Rege Nitsure, Chief Economist, L&T Financial HoldingsToday's policy actions are perfect and give a clear signal that the RBI will continue with easy monetary conditions until it sees a definite improvement in growth-inflation mix. Transmission will happen meaningfully if the banking system witnesses surplus liquidity conditions for a sizeable period and if the RBI undertakes confidence boosting measures for the NBFC sector.Devendra Pant, Chief Economist, India RatingsBy changing its stance, the RBI has communicated to the market that the growth slowdown is real. A working group on liquidity is a welcome step. With system liquidity in surplus mode in the past few days, lending rates should come down. The forthcoming budget is the real test for the government. The government has to find money for social spending and undertake some hard reforms to improve tax collection and adhere to the fiscal consolidation trajectory. Garima Kapoor, Economist, Elara CapitalDrawing comfort from consistent softness in inflation trajectory, MPC cut policy repo rate for the third time this year to support benign growth conditions. A shift in the stance to accommodative is welcome as it will pave way for transmission to lending rates, which so far have been inadequate. We expect MPC to cut rates by an additional 50 bps through the year while continuing to fine tune liquidity support through a combination of OMO purchases, forex swap and CRR cut.Romesh Tiwari, Head of Research, CapitalAim The downward revision of GDP growth reflects concern over slowdown and supports shifting of RBI stance to accommodating policy. We expect banking shares to remain strong in the midterm while NBFCs may further correct before consolidating. Largely market will not be driven by this news. Current valuations do not justify Nifty and Sensex and are due for a correction soon. Now all the eyes will be on the Budget session which may bring some big measures for revitalizing the economy. Short term target for Nifty is 11,880 and breaking below that may take the Nifty 11,660 levels in the medium term.Shishir Baijal, Chairman & Managing Director, Knight Frank IndiaThe first rate cut in the newly elected government regime is certainly a welcome step, especially for the real estate sector.The cash-crunched NBFCs will definitely benefit from inflow of capital which will in turn benefit developers as well as home-buyers. NBFCs have been facing a liquidity crisis and this has negatively impacted their loans to real estate, including construction finance. Besides capital infusion into this important financier segment, this rate cut will also improve the home-buyers affordability and stimulate housing demand at this critical juncture.Anagha Deodhar - Economist, ICICI SecuritiesPurely from 'inflation-targeting' perspective, the MPC has enough room to cut rates. Moreover, the GDP numbers show that growth is faltering. Given the challenging domestic and global environment, growth is likely to remain weak in H2FY20. Although supporting growth is not the MPC's primary mandate, in the current environment it has assumed greater significance. Given the lower growth and inflation expectations, it was apt to change the stance to 'accommodative'. It indicates that more rate cuts are on the table – possibly in the next policy itself.Deepthi Mathew, Economist, Geojit Financial ServicesIt was not a surprising move, as there was a lot of pressure on the RBI for a rate cut, with the GDP growth registering one of the lowest rates in the last quarter of FY 2018-19. The market has even expected a rate cut by 50 basis points. The Central Bank has also revised the CPI inflation to 3.0-3.1 percent from the earlier 2.9-3 percent for H1FY20. The rising food prices are one of the major factors for the upward revisions in the CPI inflation rate. Food and beverages registered a growth rate of 1.38 percent in April, with vegetables prices registering a growth rate of 2.87 percent in April from a negative growth rate of 1.49 percent in March.Anuj Puri, Chairman - ANAROCK Property ConsultantsFor the housing sector, this rate cut may only send out positive notional signals -- its real gain can be realised only if banks pass on the benefits to actual homebuyer borrowers. The apex bank will need to ensure that this actually happens at the ground level since there has been little evidence of such transmissions in the recent past. In the current scenario bereft with rising NPAs and the ongoing NBFC crisis, things look quite bleak at the moment. The reason why most banks are not really able to pass on the benefits of RBI's rate cuts is that their deposit rates are still very high. This ultimately makes reducing interest rates to borrowers unfeasible Joseph Thomas, Head Research, Emkay Wealth ManagementThe RBI policy is exactly on the lines expected by most of the market participants. The repo rate cut of 0.25% and the change of stance from 'neutral' to 'accommodative' is key to supporting the sagging economic growth. The projected growth has been lowered to 7%. The policy also has broad indications of more actions on the liquidity front from the RBI in the coming days. This also confirms the commitment of the central bank to better transmission of the rate-cut effects through liquidity.Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic ResearchThe RBI is now keen on looking to improve growth trajectory since the ongoing liquidity crisis has hurt the cost of borrowings, and further stressed the system. The distress in rural demand and near-monsoon prediction has also put some stress since it can push inflation a bit higher. The trajectory stated by RBI is at 3 - 3.1%. The accommodative stance is now focused on the liquidity and concerns over it. The cost of borrowing is now one concern that needs to be stressed and banks would /should likely to pass the benefit to end consumer. RBI has also put a stance further that it may take necessary actions that will help to keep financial stability. (With inputs from Reuters)
1945 Wipro incorporated as a cooking oil company Western India Vegetable Products Ltd in Amalner, Maharashtra.1946 Company went public1966 After his father, MH Hassam Premji's death, Azim Premji, when he was 21, came back from Stanford University and took charge as the company's chairman1981 Wipro changed focus and concentrated on booming technology industry.1982 Entry into IT products business.1989 Established a joint venture with GE.1990 Entered into third party R&D and IT services business.1995 Premji starts taking correspondence classes to complete his engineering degree from Stanford2000 Lists on NYSE and enters into2002 Company becomes fastest wealth creator in five years (1997-2002 BPO business)2004 Achieves $1 billion in revenue.69684128 2008 Company appoints Girish Paranjpe and Suresh Vaswani as co-CEOs.2011 Experiment with co-CEOs fails; TK Kurien elevated as CEO.2013 Demerges its Diversified Business into a separate company as Wipro Enterprises Ltd. Wipro Ltd to focus exclusively on IT Business.2015 Introduces Wipro Digital having key capabilities acquired through DesignIt and Appirio2016 Abidali Neemuchwala takes over as CEO, Kurien retires2016 Acquires HealthPlan Services, a technology and business process as a service provider in the US health insurance market69684134 2016 Ranked 755th on the Forbes Global 2000 list2017 Launches new brand identity2018 Loses the tag of third-largest IT services firm to rival HCL Technologies2019 Azim Premji announces his decision to step down as Chairman and MD.
Differently abled topper hopes to get into AIIMS Karvanna Prabu K.K., who has scored 572 and been ranked fifth among the male candidates with physical handicap in the country in NEET, wants to study
'Tamil Nadu won't accept Hindi' Tamil Nadu will not accept Hindi in any form under any circumstances, senior AIADMK leader and Minister D. Jayakumar said here on Thursday."As for the
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