This year, buyers will be choosing between the iPhone 11 (starting at $700) and the iPhone 11 Pro (starting at $1000). Is it worth springing for the three cameras and the Super Retina XDR display on the 11 Pro?
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
If you're tired of dealing with junky razors, invest in this shaving kit from Harry's. The best part? This set comes with a bonus gift card that can be redeemed for four additional blades.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Demand for "healing" crystals is soaring — but many are mined in deadly conditions in one of the world's poorest countries. And there is little evidence that this billion-dollar industry is cleaning up its act.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
If just one person had sat me down when I signed my first book contract and explained how publishing works, how nothing is guaranteed, and how it often feels like playing Russian Roulette with words, I would have made much sounder financial and creative decisions.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
The Pudding fed thousands of Congressional tweets to a machine learning algorithm in order to recognize political issues. These are the topics that dominate members of Congress' public discourse.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
"The planet as a whole is not going to run out of water. However, certain locations may face water scarcity — when their built water supplies are unable to meet their water demands intermittently or for long durations."
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
12min gives you access to hundreds of micro books in text and narrative form for you to explore. Every month, you'll get 30 new titles that are designed to be read and digested in just 12 minutes so you can learn on the go.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
A congressional report Clinton helped pen during Watergate was later used to justify impeaching her husband. Now it's guiding Democrats angling to oust Trump.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Mahul poses a dystopian and disturbing picture of what happens when you're forced to live amidst extreme pollution. It's a story that can only end in death, unless residents somehow scrape together the resources to leave.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
If you grew up with "Sonic," "Earthworm Jim" and "Phantasy Star," this nostalgic collection is an easy sell. The Genesis Mini launches this week, so get your pre-order in now.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Xfyro has made the first-ever fully waterproof wireless earbuds. They're comfortable, secure, and magnetically connect to the battery case so you can enjoy a total listening time of 20-30 hours before having to recharge your case. Use coupon "BOOST10YUN-QITHIS" for $10 off.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Since August 2018, NPR has been tracking about 80 items sold at a Georgia Walmart with an eye toward products caught in the trade war. On average, prices rose 3%. Tariffs are one of many factors.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Few sounds paint the picture of the town's past, present and future like the thunderous roar of a calving Jakobshavn Glacier 30 miles away. This glacier, known as Sermeq Kujalleq in Greenlandic, is the fastest moving in the world.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
The number of manned fire lookouts in the US is dwindling, as technology is increasingly used to spot and monitor wildfires. But can technology replace a human watch?
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
A member of one of Mexico's wealthiest families was arrested on manslaughter charges after his 11-year-old son died on a family boating trip in the San Francisco Bay.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Growing up in the 1960s and '70s, Steven B. Smith couldn't wait to escape the small, nearly all-Mormon town of Springville, Utah. In those Cold War years, many Mormons believed the apocalypse was imminent, in the form of a nuclear holocaust.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
No one knew where the box came from. One of the managers hauled it onto a desk and called a team meeting. Everyone gathered around, wide-eyed and excited. The box was massive, Chris Kirby noted. He got a look at the shipping label. Some words were written in English. Others were Japanese kanji.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
A recent drilling project recovered a long core of rock from the Chicxulub impact crater, leading to greater clarity about how the calamity played out — including on that first day.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
While you've probably never heard of Maspro Denkoh, a Japanese company founded in 1952 that makes various TV reception equipment, among other things, they will likely forever be remembered in the annals of business lore thanks to a rather oddball decision made by executive Takashi Hashiyama.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
We're not sure what we think about being on the same road with a veritable optical illusion, but kudos to the owner for designing such a, um, unique car.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Initially known as The Great American Pyramid but often referred to by locals simply as The Pyramid, this monumental anachronism has been through a lot in its few short decades of existence.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Thanks to some goofy-looking modifications and a whole lot of CGI, this pogo stick is unlike anything ever seen on Earth. Or anywhere else, for that matter.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
The Philippine capital of Manila is notorious for its worsening, bumper-to-bumper traffic. But the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group believes it has found a solution.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
In the aftermath of the most dramatic attack on Saudi oil facilities that we have ever seen, the price of oil has exploded higher. The Wall Street Journal is calling this attack "the Big One", and President Trump appears to be indicating that some sort of military retaliation is coming. Needless to say, a direct military strike on Iran could spark a major war in the Middle East, and that would be absolutely devastating for the entire global economy. Just about everything that we buy has to be moved, and moving stuff takes energy. When the price of oil gets really high, that tends to create inflation because the price of oil is a factor in virtually everything that we buy. In addition, a really high price for oil also tends to slow down economic activity, and this is something that we witnessed just prior to the financial crisis of 2008. And if this crisis in the Middle East stretches over an extended period of time, it could ultimately result in a phenomenon known as "stagflation" where we have rapidly rising prices and weaker economic activity simultaneously. The last time we experienced such a thing was in the 1970s, and nobody really remembers the U.S. economy of the 1970s favorably.
WNU Editor: Almost 20% of the world's oil supply flows out of the Persian Gulf. A war would shut this traffic down, and needless to say the global economic impact will be massive.
Amazing — in a summit with two of Saudi Arabia's archrivals in the region, Putin says Riyadh should buy Russia air defense to protect its infrastructure against any attacks. All while the Iranian foreign minister & president are giggling. pic.twitter.com/s2nP0HHeYr
Israelis have begun voting in an unprecedented repeat election that is seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli leader is seeking a fourth consecutive term as he braces for a likely indictment on corruption charges. https://t.co/Elq8LxJmNW
Britain's Boris Johnson says that a #Brexit deal was beginning to emerge, but the EU said he offered nothing to break the impasse during a visit to Luxembourg where he was harangued loudly by protesters. More here: https://t.co/kajm7BQ1Sopic.twitter.com/PbN7ED4XSJ
This photographer captured stunning video of a plane leaving rainbow contrails. Scientists say this happens when ice crystals — formed when cold, moist air condenses around particles from the plane exhaust — are aligned at the right angle with the sun. https://t.co/ETGQMJOggypic.twitter.com/fpHkyKVVlD
* The CIA released documents about its secret animal testing program Thursday * During the Cold War, it spent a decade trying to train animals to spy for them * Among the animals tried were cats, dolphins, ravens, pigeons and a cockatoo * They hoped the animals could be used for surveillance purposes * Testing produced mixed results and the agency eventually abandoned the idea
Newly released documents reveal that the US Central Intelligence Agency had high hopes of training a variety of animals - on the ground, in the air and at sea - to help them spy on the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
On Thursday, the CIA released dozens of files from its tests on cats, dogs, dolphins and on birds from pigeons to some of the smartest: ravens and crows.
Among them, Do Da was top in espionage class in early 1974, on the way to becoming a high-flying CIA agent. He was said to have handled himself better in the rough, carried heavier loads, and could brush off attackers.
President Donald Trump has declared that, once it has been verified that Iran was indeed responsible for last weekend's attack on major Saudi Arabian oil facilities, the U.S. is "locked and loaded." To do what, exactly, is unclear.
Trump has previously threatened the Islamic Republic with "overwhelming force," but only if it attacked American targets. Last month, he ordered — and then canceled — an American bombing run against Iranian sites, but that was in response to the downing of an American drone.
Trump's close circle is now bereft of its fiercest proponent of bombing Iran — freshly fired John Bolton — and his remaining political and military advisers will likely urge caution. With the United Nations General Assembly opening in New York this week, Trump will have an ideal platform from which to unleash rhetorical fusillades, instead of real bombs, against Iran. Perhaps that will satisfy him.
Concept art released by the the Air Force Research Lab in 2018 shows a potential next-generation fighter concept, or F-X. (Air Force Research Laboratory)
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is preparing to radically alter the acquisition strategy for its next generation of fighter jets, with a new plan that could require industry to design, develop and produce a new fighter in five years or less.
On Oct. 1, the service will officially reshape its next-generation fighter program, known as Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, Will Roper, the Air Force's acquisition executive, said during an exclusive interview with Defense News.
US President Donald Trump said Monday that it is "probably not" the right time for him to visit North Korea but he could see doing so sometime in the future.
"I don't think we're ready for that," Trump told reporters when asked about visiting Pyongyang for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "I think we have a ways to go yet.
"The relationship is very good," Trump added, but the time was not right for a visit to Pyongyang.
"I would do it at sometime, at sometime in a later future," he said. "And depending on what happens, I'm sure he'll love coming to the United States also."
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, faces his toughest political battle for survival in years, as the country holds unprecedented repeat elections Tuesday.
This is the second time Israelis are going to the polls in less than six months. Netanyahu, 69, forced the do-over in a last-minute move, just weeks after April elections, because he secured a narrow win but failed to build a parliament majority.
The results of Tuesday's elections may be just as inconclusive, casting a cloud on Netanyahu's political future and potentially prompting yet another round of elections.
WNU Editor: Tensions are sky-high in the Middle East right now, with talk of war being covered 24/7. Will Israeli voters decide to change their government in the middle of this crisis? I am willing to bet that the answer is no, and PM Netanyahu will gain enough support to retain power.
From left: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to a trilateral meeting on Syria in Ankara on Monday. Photo: AFP
Strike on Saudi oil facilities could have been a power play by Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps
After bilateral talks between Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan and Erdogan and Iranian President Rouhani in Ankara in the course of the day, the three presidents met on Monday night for the fifth summit under the Astana Process to discuss joint steps toward a political solution to the nine-year turmoil in Syria.
Given the frantic actionism and theatrical threats following the Saturday attacks on Saudi oil facilities that go for US diplomatic activity and military planning these days, Syria will not have been the only item on the three leaders' agenda.
Indeed, Russian and Turkish pressure on Iran's President Rouhani to withdraw Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps forces from Syria might have motivated Saturday's drone and/or cruise missile attack on Saudi oil production plants, strategic analysts in several countries believe. The IRGC may have instigated the attacks to preempt a deal that would have reduced its forces in Syria after a bloody multi-year campaign against Sunni rebels backed by Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
WNU Editor: It is hard not to believe that Iran was involved in Saturday's military strike on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure. The intelligence that needed to be gathered and the weapons that needed to be used .... it screams Iran in every way. In that case, the only group in Iran that is capable of conducting such an operation are the Revolutionary Guards. As to why would the Iranian Revolutionary Guards green light the operation .... I think the reasons are many. There is the geopolitical one (as described by the above post), but the growing unrest in Iran may have been another motivation for the IRGC to conduct this strike in order to divert Iranians away from focusing on their tough times. And if the news from the Middle East is any indication, I would say that it is working.
The United States doesn't know how to respond to the attack on its ally's oil plant—or who to hold responsible for it.
An oil facility in eastern Saudi Arabia burst into flames on Saturday, sending oil prices and tensions in the Middle East skyrocketing. After it became clear that the explosions were the result of an attack, all the fingers have been pointing at Iran and its allies—and there is talk of an armed response.
The explosions tore apart a processing facility in Abqaiq, halting over half of Saudi Arabia's daily oil exports and one twentieth of all oil production in the world. The price of both crude oil and consumer gasoline jumped by around 10 percent in the United States.
* Saudi Arabia blames Iran for attack on refinery and oil field that hit global supply * Military spokesman said preliminary investigation shows weapons were Iranian-made and were not fired from Yemen, as Houthi rebels have claimed * Comes after Trump said US was 'locked and loaded depending on verification' * Tehran has denied responsibility, calling suggestions to the contrary 'baseless' * Iranian president Hassan Rouhani claimed on Monday evening that the drone attacks were a response by Yemen to Saudi aggression in the country
Saudi Arabia has declared that Iran is directly responsible for the drone attacks on an oil field and refinery at the weekend, with satellite photos revealing how precise the strikes were.
Colonel Turki al-Malki said initial investigations show the strikes were not launched from Yemen, as the Iran-backed Houthi rebels there have claimed, and were carried out using weapons manufactured by Tehran.
* Putin's operatives in Washington, New York, and San Francisco were reportedly able to access the location of FBI teams and communications between them * The reported breach was said to be behind the decision by then President Barack Obama to expel 35 diplomats weeks before Donald Trump took office * One former senior official called the hack a 'stunning' technical breakthrough * Another said it was a 'lightbulb' moment for the US when the activity was found * The CIA were also reportedly forced to stop some communications with sources * The reported threat resulted in meetings between lawmakers, the CIA and FBI * 'It was a very broad effort to try and penetrate our most sensitive operations', a CIA official told Yahoo News, with the reported breach sparking fears of a mole
Russia has been accused of hacking encrypted FBI communications in 2010, giving their spies access to the U.S. intelligence services most sensitive communications, in what one official has called a 'stunning' breach.
The move meant Vladimir Putin's operatives in Washington, New York and San Francisco were able to access both the location of FBI surveillance teams and communications between them, Yahoo News reports.
The breach also reportedly influenced the decision by then-President Barack Obama to expel 35 Russian diplomats weeks before Donald Trump took office.
1) Breaking: #ISIS' Furqan Foundation releases audio speech from group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, coming four and a half months after he appeared in a video. This new speech is titled, "Do Deeds!" pic.twitter.com/0UVZRnWzEr
2) Baghdadi's speech is heavy on religious content & comments on 2nd "Battle of Attrition" (Aug 2-11; 152 attacks claimed in 10 provinces), indicating it was recorded recently. He calls on fighters to redouble efforts: preaching, media, military, security https://t.co/mLBNoyQef3
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. service member was killed in Afghanistan on Monday, the NATO-led Resolute Support mission said, after the collapse of talks between the United States and Taliban to end the nearly 18-year old war.
It said the service member was killed in action but did not provide further details.
This brings the number of U.S. service members killed in combat in Afghanistan to 17 this year.
A little more than a week ago, U.S. President Donald Trump called off talks with Afghanistan's Taliban leaders planned for Camp David, Maryland, after an American soldier was killed by a suicide bomber in the capital Kabul earlier this month.
WNU Editor: From Task & Purpose ..... A total of 20 U.S. troops have been killed supporting operations in Afghanistan so far in 2019. Seventeen of those troops were killed in combat. The other three died in non-combat incidents. At least two U.S. military veterans who were working as defense contractors have also died in Afghanistan.
More News On A U.S. Green Beret Killed In Action In Afghanistan
* Oil prices spiked more than 10% Monday following the drone attack against Saudi interests over the weekend. * If there is an extended Saudi outage that lasts more than six weeks, prices of Brent crude could rise about $75, Goldman Sachs warned Monday. * The EU imports 6.6% of its crude oil from Saudi Arabia and 27.3% from Russia, but it could boost its energy dependence on Russia if supplies from the kingdom stall.
Although Europe's energy dependence on Saudi Arabia is very small, the effects of a prolonged decline in oil production could have a serious impact on European economies. The obvious impact will be the increased fuel-supply costs and the consequent effect on oil and gas prices, but the most serious political side effect could be an increase in the EU's energy dependence from Russia.
The stability of the EU's energy supply is already fragile, as most of the fuel imports to the European continent come from a few countries. In 2018 almost 27.3% of the EU's crude oil imports came from Russia, and a small proportion, 6.6%, came from Saudi Arabia.
WNU Editor: Tight oil supplies and high oil prices is nirvana for the Kremlin. It means the EU will need to go to Moscow to insure stable energy supplies, as well as China and other major Asian economies.
Tiny, cheap, unmanned and hard-to-detect aircraft are transforming conflicts across region
In the history of modern warfare, "own the skies, win the war" has been a constant maxim. Countries with the best technology and biggest budgets have devoted tens of billions to building modern air forces, confident they will continue to give their militaries primacy in almost any conflict.
Tiny, cheap, unmanned aircraft have changed that, especially over the battlefields of the Middle East. In the past three months alone, drones have made quite an impact in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and possibly now Saudi Arabia, where half the country's oil production - and up to 7% of the world's global supply – has been taken offline by a blitz that caused no air raid sirens and seems to have eluded the region's most advanced air warning systems.
Official spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, Colonel Turki Al-Malki speaks during a news conference, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 16, 2019. Ahmed Yosri/Reuters
* Saudi Arabia on Monday said Iranian weapons were used in strikes on two of its major oil facilities that have caused oil prices to surge. * Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are allied with Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. But a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen on Monday said the strikes did not originate in Yemen. * "The preliminary results show that the weapons are Iranian ... The terrorist attack did not originate from Yemen as the Houthi militia claimed," Colonel Turki al-Malki told reporters. * This came after US officials blamed Iran for the attack and hinted at a possible military response.
Saudi Arabia on Monday said Iranian weapons were used in devastating strikes on two of its major oil facilities, Reuters reported, which came after US officials blamed Iran for the attack and President Donald Trump alluded to possible military strikes as a response.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place on Saturday, but that assertion has been called into question. The Houthi rebels said the attack was conducted via 10 drones that targeted the oil plants.
Colonel Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that's battling the Houthis, said preliminary results of an investigation into the attack shows it did not originate in Yemen.
Tens of millions worth of seized Iranian government properties have been sold off in Canada and the proceeds handed to victims of terrorist groups sponsored by the regime, Global News has learned.
According to a document filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice last month, the victims got a share of the money earned through the sale of Iran's buildings in Ottawa and Toronto.
The properties went for more than $28-million, documents show. The recipients were victims of Hamas and Hezbollah — terrorist groups bankrolled, armed and trained by Iran.
Oil prices were soaring Monday morning after a weekend drone attack, potentially conducted by Iran, knocked out more than half of Saudi Arabia's production. West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude oils were both up more than 10 percent to $60.48 and $66.69, respectively as of 8:54 a.m. ET.
Saudi Arabia, OPEC's most influential member and the world's second-largest oil producer, accounts for more than 10 percent of daily crude oil production. A prolonged production stoppage or military conflict would have a big impact on oil prices and potentially dire consequences for the global economy.
"A full-blown US-Iran conflict" could cause oil to soar to $150 a barrel this year, according to London-based Capital Economics.
WNU Editor: What's my worst case scenario. If it is proven that these attacks were launched from Iran, Saudi Arabia will need to respond, probably with military strikes against Iranian targets. From there the conflict becomes a full scale war with the U.S. becoming directly involved. The impact on oil exports and prices will be immediate, with global shortages and prices going through the roof.
* America is awaiting for confirmation Iran was behind attacks on Saudi oil plants * Trump tweeted: '[The US] is locked and loaded depending on verification' * He also said he is waiting to hear from Saudi officials about how to proceed * The extraordinary statement suggesting Saudi Arabia will have a say in how the US moves forward was quickly slammed by critics * On Sunday, a senior Trump administration official said Iran launched close to a dozen cruise missiles and over 20 drones from it's territory during the attack * President confirmed he had authorized release of reserve oil to stabilize prices * Comes after Tehran warned the US that Iran was 'ready for full-fledged war' * Attacks on two plants at the heart of the kingdom's oil industry Saturday knocked out more than half of Saudi crude output
Donald Trump says America is 'locked and loaded' as it waits for confirmation Iran was behind drone attacks on Saudi oil plants on Saturday, after Tehran warned America it was 'ready for full-fledged war'.
The President tweeted on Sunday night: 'Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!'
TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian voters appear to have up-ended their nation's politics in Sunday's presidential election, rejecting established leaders for two outsiders with 39% of votes counted.
Kais Saied, a conservative law professor, and Nabil Karoui, a media magnate held in detention since last month, have an apparently solid lead over a moderate Islamist candidate and seem set to advance to a runoff vote next month.
Eight years after Tunisians staged the first of the Arab Spring revolutions to overthrow autocratic rule, Sunday's vote represents a sharp rebuke of democratically elected governments that struggled to improve living standards or end graft.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan walk during their meeting in the Black sea resort of Sochi, Russia, 14 February 2019. Sergei Chirikov/Pool via REUTERS
Trilateral summit to focus on ensuring required conditions for voluntary return of refugees, Turkish presidency says.
Turkey's president is set to host his Russian and Iranian counterparts in Ankara to discuss developments in war-torn Syria, where Moscow-backed government forces push on with an offensive to retake Idlib, the rebels' last major stronghold.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani are expected to hold one-on-one meetings before Monday's summit on the Syrian conflict, their fifth since 2017. Later, they will speak to reporters at a closing news conference with a view to presenting a joint declaration.
WNU Editor: Turkish President Erdogan wants to get rid of his Syrian refugees, and both Russia and Iran are focused on ending and winning the Syrian war. I do expect an understanding between all sides to come out of this summit.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Monday President Hassan Rouhani will not meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the United Nations, a day after the White House left open the possibility of talks between them.
"Neither is such an event on our agenda, nor will it happen. Such a meeting will not take place," Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in remarks carried by state TV.
Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected a meeting and any talks with Washington while Iran is subject to sanctions, which Trump re-imposed after withdrawing last year from Tehran's 2015 nuclear accords with world powers.
Iran earlier condemned as "unacceptable" U.S. accusations it was behind an attack on Saudi oil plants, after the United States said it was "locked and loaded" for a potential response. The strikes were claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels.
JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER was accused of being "drunk" while trying to order steak after the Brussels bureaucrat launched an attack on the hospitality of Belgium's coastal towns.
ITALY'S new government suffered its first monumental setback last night after former prime minister Matteo Renzi quit the Democratic Party leaving the already fragile coalition on the brink.
EDWARD SNOWDEN could be granted asylum in France with French President Emmanuel Macron being encouraged to defy Donald Trump and help the American whistleblower by advisors.
CHINA has imposed a mysterious and dramatic lockdown in Beijing as the country's military transports top-secret advanced technology - sparking alarm in the West.
EDWARD SNOWDEN, the American whistleblower and former CIA employee, has said he will return to the United States on one condition - but where is he now?
AS dusk fell, a mother black bear climbed on to a broken beaver dam a short amble from a glacial lake. We watched as she sized up the sockeye salmon leaping their way up a stream to spawn. Then she grabbed one in her powerful jaws.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis began voting Tuesday in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power despite a looming indictment on corruption charges.
Netanyahu, the longest serving leader in Israeli history, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, and fifth overall. But he faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud.
Both parties could struggle to form a majority coalition with smaller allies, though, forcing them into a potential unity government.
Netanyahu has tried to portray himself as a statesman who is uniquely qualified to lead the country through challenging times. Gantz has tried to paint Netanyahu as divisive and scandal-plagued, offering himself as a calming influence and an honest alternative.
Tuesday’s vote marks their second showdown of the year after drawing even in the previous election in April.
Netanyahu appeared poised to remain in office at the time, with his traditional allies of nationalist and ultra-religious Jewish parties controlling a parliamentary majority.
But Avigdor Lieberman, his mercurial ally-turned-rival, refused to join the new coalition, citing excessive influence it granted the ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. Without a parliamentary majority, Netanyahu dissolved parliament and called a new election.
Opinion polls have forecast similar results this time around, potentially putting Lieberman in the role of kingmaker.
The performance by the Soviet-born politician’s Yisrael Beitenu party is just one of the factors that could determine Netanyahu’s future. Several small parties are fighting to squeak past the minimum 3.25% threshold for entering parliament. The performances of these parties could make or break Netanyahu’s ability to form a coalition. Heavier turnout by Arab voters, many of whom stayed home in April, could hurt Netanyahu.
The longtime Israeli leader is desperate to secure a narrow 61-seat majority in parliament with his hard-line religious and nationalist allies who are expected to approve legislation that would grant Netanyahu immunity from prosecution.
Israel’s attorney general has recommended pressing criminal charges against Netanyahu in three separate corruption cases, pending a long delayed pre-trial hearing scheduled next month.
With his career on the line, Netanyahu has campaigned furiously and taken a late hard turn to the right in hopes of rallying his nationalist base.
He’s staged a flurry of media appearances to beseech supporters to vote in large numbers to stave off the prospect of a left-wing government he says will endanger the country’s security. He also has accused his opponents of conspiring with Arab politicians to “steal” the election, a message that has drawn accusations of racism and incitement.
Aron Shaviv, who managed Netanyahu’s 2015 re-election campaign, said Netanyahu believed “there’s no such thing as bad coverage.” But he thought his former boss may be making a mistake by appealing so heavily to hard-liners and giving up on moderate voters.
“He’s turned people off, playing the right-left polarization as far as he possibly can,” he said.
A centerpiece of his eleventh-hour agenda has been the pledge to extend Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank and to annex all the Jewish settlements there, something Netanyahu has refrained from doing during his decade-plus in power because of the far-reaching diplomatic repercussions.
His proposal sparked a cascade of international condemnation, including from Europe and Saudi Arabia, an influential Arab country that has quiet, unofficial ties with Israel. The U.S., however, had a muted reaction, suggesting Netanyahu coordinated his plan with the Americans ahead of time.
Netanyahu has also been flaunting his close ties to President Donald Trump, and the prospect of a defense pact between their countries shortly after the election, as part of his frantic push get out the vote and dictate the election’s agenda on his terms.
In his attacks on Arabs, Netanyahu has made unfounded claims of fraud in Arab voting areas and unsuccessfully pushed for legislation to place cameras in polling stations on election day.
He also claimed to have located a previously unknown Iranian nuclear weapons facility and said another war against Gaza militants is probably inevitable. In some of his TV interviews, the typically reserved Netanyahu has raised his voice and gestured wildly as he warned of his imminent demise.
Yohanan Plesner, president of the non-partisan Israel Democracy Institute think tank and a former lawmaker, said he didn’t think it reflected genuine panic.
“I think you’re observing Israel’s most seasoned and competent politician who knows exactly how to fire up his base and is now using all his tools at his disposal in order to ensure victory,” he said.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday with exit polls expected at the end of the voting day at 10 p.m. Official results are projected to come in overnight.
That’s when the real jockeying may get under way, with attention shifting to President Reuven Rivlin who is responsible for choosing a candidate for prime minister. He is supposed to select the leader who he believes has the best chance of putting together a stable coalition. The honor usually goes to the head of the largest party, but not necessarily. Just as important is the number of lawmakers outside his own party who recommend him to the president.
Rivlin’s selection will then have up to six weeks to form a coalition.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump declared Monday it “looks” like Iran was behind the explosive attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. But he stressed that military retaliation was not yet on the table in response to the strike against a key U.S. Mideast ally.
Oil prices soared worldwide amid the damage in Saudi Arabia and fresh Middle East war concerns. But Trump put the brakes on any talk of quick military action — earlier he had said the U.S. was “locked and loaded” — and he said the oil impact would not be significant on the U.S., which is a net energy exporter.
The Saudi government called the attack an “unprecedented act of aggression and sabotage” but stopped short of directly pinning blame on Iran.
Iran denied involvement.
Trump, who has repeatedly stressed avoiding new Middle East wars, seemed intent on preserving room to maneuver in a crisis that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had immediately called Iran’s fault. Pompeo said Saturday, “Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply.”
Trump, too, had talked more harshly at first. But by Monday afternoon he seemed intent on consultations with allies.
“That was an attack on Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“It wasn’t an attack on us, but we would certainly help them,” he said, noting a decades-long alliance linked to U.S. oil dependence that has lessened in recent years. The U.S. has no treaty obligation to defend Saudi Arabia.
Trump said he was sending Pompeo to Saudi Arabia “to discuss what they feel” about the attack and an appropriate response.
One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the U.S. was considering dispatching additional military resources to the Gulf but that no decisions had been made. The U.S. already has the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group in the area, as well as fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and air defenses.
Trump, alternating between aggressive and nonviolent reactions, said the U.S. could respond “with an attack many, many times larger” but also “I’m not looking at options right now.”
American officials released satellite images of the damage at the heart of the kingdom’s crucial Abqaiq oil processing plant and a key oil field, and two U.S. officials said the attackers used multiple cruise missiles and drone aircraft.
Private experts said the satellite images show the attackers had detailed knowledge of which tanks and machinery to hit within the sprawling Saudi oil processing facility at Abqaiq to cripple production. But “satellite imagery can’t show you where the attack originated from,” said Joe Bermudez, an expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who examined the images.
“What the photos indicate is that someone planned a sophisticated, coordinated attack that really impacted the production of oil at this facility,” he said.
The U.S. alleges the pattern of destruction suggested Saturday’s attack did not come from neighboring Yemen, as claimed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels there. A Saudi military alleged “Iranian weapons” had been used.
The Saudis invited United Nations and other international experts to help investigate, suggesting there was no rush to retaliate.
Jon Alterman, the chief Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Saudi caution reflects the kingdom’s wariness of taking on Iran.
“I don’t think there’s a great independent Saudi capability to respond,” he said. “You don’t want to start a war with Iran that you don’t have an idea how you’re going to end.”
In New York, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft, condemned the attack and said that “emerging information indicates that responsibility lies with Iran.”
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Mark Esper suggested Iranian involvement, too. In a series of tweets after meeting with Trump and other senior national security officials, Esper said the administration was working with partner nations “to address this unprecedented attack and defend the international rules-based order that is being undermined by Iran.”
Iran rejected the allegations, and a government spokesman said there now is “absolutely no chance” of a hoped-for meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Trump at the U.N. General Assembly next week.
“Currently we don’t see any sign from the Americans which has honesty in it, and if the current state continues there will be absolutely no chance of a meeting between the two presidents,” spokesman Ali Rabiei said.
Downplaying any talk of imminent U.S. military action, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, told reporters at the White House that Trump’s “locked and loaded” was “a broad term that talks about the realities that” the U.S. is “safer and more secure domestically from energy independence.”
The new violence has led to fears that further action on any side could rapidly escalate a confrontation that’s been raging just below the surface in the wider Persian Gulf in recent months. There already have been mysterious attacks on oil tankers that Washington blames on Tehran, at least one suspected Israeli strike on Shiite forces in Iraq, and the downing of a U.S. military surveillance drone by Iran.
Those tensions have increased ever since Trump pulled the U.S. out of Iran’s 2015 agreement with world powers that curtailed Iranian nuclear activities and the U.S. re-imposed sanctions that sent Iran’s economy into freefall.
The weekend attack halted production of 5.7 million barrels of crude a day, more than half of Saudi Arabia’s global daily exports and more than 5% of the world’s daily crude oil production.
The U.S. and international benchmarks for crude each vaulted more than 14%, comparable to the 14.5% spike in oil on Aug. 6, 1990, following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
U.S. stocks were down but only modestly. Major stock indexes in Europe also fell. Markets in Asia finished mixed.
At a news conference, Saudi military spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki said, “All the indications and operational evidence, and the weapons that were used in the terrorist attack, whether in Buqayq or Khurais, indicate with initial evidence that these weapons are Iranian weapons.”
Russia’s Foreign Ministry, while expressing “grave concern” about the attack, warned against putting the blame on Iran, saying that plans of military retaliation against Iran would be unacceptable.
___
AP Writers Jon Gambrell and Aya Batrawy contributed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP writers Zeke Miller and Michael Biesecker contributed from Washington, Tali Arbel from New York, Elaine Kurtenbach from Bangkok, Nasser Karimi from Tehran, Dave Rising from Berlin, Samy Magdy from Cairo and Qassim Abdul-Zahra from Baghdad.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A minority group of opposition parties in Venezuela agreed Monday to enter negotiations with President Nicolas Maduro’s government without the participation of U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó, eroding his efforts to hold together a coalition to confront the socialist administration.
The agreement was signed by representatives of several opposition parties alongside Maduro’s top aides in a nationally televised event attended by foreign diplomats.
It marks the first significant split in the anti-Maduro camp since Guaidó, as head of the opposition-controlled congress, declared himself interim president in January, citing what was seen as Maduro’s fraudulent re-election last year. Guaidó quickly drew recognition from the U.S. and more than 50 nations.
“Everyone who wants to join and sign this agreement is welcome,” Maduro said later Monday. “The starting point is to accept our difference and seek peace.”
Lawmaker Timoteo Zambrano, an opposition lawmaker who signed the agreement, was critical of the efforts led by the larger anti-Maduro parties. He didn’t directly mention Guaidó.
Zambrano said he and the others seek to recover time lost due to the “ambition of some and the mistakes of us all.” He urged support from the international community.
“We ask the governments of the region and the world to listen, value and support this path,” Zambrano said.
The talks will focus on reforming Venezuela’s electoral board as well as finding a solution to the impasse caused by the creation of a pro-government constitutional assembly to rival the opposition-controlled congress.
At least four opposition leaders appeared on state TV to sign the agreement launching the negotiations, though they represent less than one-tenth of seats in the National Assembly. They wield far less power than parties like Guaidó’s Popular Will, experts said.
Guaidó appeared at a separate event Monday, saying he considered the announcement of sideline negotiations with the minority opposition parties a “maneuver” that Maduro’s government has employed before to split the opposition.
“We already know what the conclusion was,” Guaidó told The Associated Press, noting that those attempts failed to reach solutions.
Guaidó a day earlier said that negotiations with the government brokered by Norway had been exhausted, saying Maduro and his allies “have blocked a political solution” to the crisis by “refusing to discuss and agree on a sensible proposal.” Until recently, the talks held on the Caribbean island of Barbados had been seen as the best chance at resolving Venezuela’s crisis. Leaders in Oslo, however, said they left open the possibility of talks.
Despite Guaidó’s brave face, some in the opposition acknowledged that by absorbing the attention the new dialogue attempt would muddle efforts both inside and outside Venezuela to secure Maduro’s removal.
Geoff Ramsey, a researcher at the Washington Office on Latin America think tank, said this division will complicate negotiations such as those in Barbados. Maduro will be able to claim he’s made meaningful concessions, while doing the bare minimum, Ramsey said.
“The opposition formally announcing the end of talks provided the regime with an opening,” Ramsey said. “There are plenty of opportunists among the fringes of the opposition that are happy to steal the limelight.”
The international community will never endorse agreements from the new negotiations, he said, because democracies around the world have been denouncing Maduro’s government as illegitimate for the past eight months, and any deal that doesn’t lead to new presidential elections is going to be a “non-starter.”
Many of the same issues, such as reforming the electoral board, had also been raised by Guaidó’s envoys in the Barbados talks. So the government can legitimately claim that it is at least partially addressing longstanding opposition demands.
Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodríguez said that agreements have already been reached on some issues. Both sides are working on an agenda to continue negotiations on further agreements, he said.
“We have not closed, nor will we close, any doors to any initiative that will allow Venezuelans to resolve our troubles,” Rodríguez said, urging other countries not to interfere. “These issues only concern us as Venezuelans.”
Rodríguez also said members of the ruling socialist party would soon return to the opposition-controlled National Assembly, having abandoned the body in 2016 and then forming their own legislative body.
Even with the defections by a few lawmakers representing the opposition parties who signed Monday’s accord, forces aligned with Guaidó would still hold a solid congressional majority despite the arrest and exile of several lawmakers. Guaidó is counting on a majority to thwart any attempts to have him removed as head of congress when his one-year term expires in January.
It remained to be seen how Guaido’s international backers would react. But there was no indication the U.S. — the first of some now 50 countries to recognize Guaidó as Venezuela’s rightful leader — would ease pressure on Maduro.
___
Associated Press writers Fabiola Sanchez and Jorge Rueda contributed to this report.
BANGKOK (AP) — More than half the tigers rescued three years ago from a Buddhist temple in Thailand where they served as a popular tourist attraction have died of disease, wildlife officials said Monday.
The tigers were vulnerable to illness because of inbreeding, leading to laryngeal paralysis causing respiratory failure, said national parks official Patarapol Maneeorn. Eighty-six of 147 rescued tigers kept at government-run wildlife sanctuaries have died.
The DNA of all 147 confiscated tigers could be traced to six tigers who were the original breeding stock, said Patarapol, head of the department’s Wildlife Health Management Division.
Such inbreeding “affects their well-being, resulting in disabilities and weakened health condition,” he said at a news conference. “And when they have weakened genetic traits, they also have problems with their immune system as well.”
The temple in the western province of Kanchanaburi served for more than a decade as a de facto zoo where tourists could feed tigers and pose for photos with them, despite concerns about possible mistreatment and suspicions of wildlife trafficking.
Police found tiger skins and teeth and at least 1,500 amulets made from tiger bones when they raided the temple, as well as 60 cub carcasses stuffed in freezers and in formaldehyde in jars.
Tiger parts, such as ground bones, are popular as traditional medicine in Asia. Tiger hides can sell for tens of thousands of dollars in China.
There are estimated to be more than 1,000 tigers in captivity in Thailand, but only about 200 in the wild out of a global wild population of about 4,000.
Patarapol said Thai authorities would do their best to care for the surviving rescued tigers.
“We are mobilizing team members, increasing our readiness and adjusting our plan,” he said. “We will provide the best care possible.”
(KIGALI, Rwanda) — Friends of Albert Nabonibo, a well-known gospel singer in Rwanda who recently came out as a gay man, do not want their names revealed. It is too shameful, one says. Another says he is anguished because his family knows he often used to socialize with Nabonibo.
The singer shocked many Rwandans in August when he revealed in an interview with a Christian YouTube channel that he is gay, in a country where such a public assertion of homosexuality is unheard of. Although the central African nation has been relatively free of the anti-gay rhetoric commonly heard in some other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, homosexuality is still widely despised, and LGBT people keep a low profile.
Nabonibo told The Associated Press that he came out in order to live normally. Yet the reaction he has received, from family and friends to strangers, has been mostly “horrible,” underscoring the intolerance faced by LGBT people in many parts of Africa. “But there is no going back, because I have to live my real life,” Nabonibo said in an interview in the capital, Kigali. “It’s so sad to see people you know abusing you.”
Nabonibo, who is 35 and also a qualified accountant, said he had become an outcast at his workplace as friends isolate him. He is worried he could lose his job. Even at home, news of his homosexuality shocked many relatives, although some have been acting tolerant, he said.
Although Rwanda’s penal code does not explicitly proscribe gay sex, same-sex marriage is banned. This means that many homosexuals are forced to live underground lifestyles in order to avoid the harsh judgment of society. Nabonibo said he was compelled to come out because he could no longer “live in denial.”
“There is a long list of them (gays) in your midst and they include pastors or churchgoers,” he said. “This pretense encouraged me to speak out.”
William Ntwali, a Rwandan human rights activist, said society in the country still stigmatizes gay people even when they are safe under the law. “If you are gay, members of your community ostracize you,” he said. “People think you are not normal, and they look at it as an abomination.”
Some of Nabonibo’s best friends who spoke to the AP said they were too embarrassed even to talk about him. They requested anonymity for their own privacy. “This is crazy. I don’t understand why he thinks this is normal,” said one friend, shaking his head.
Another friend, a man who attends the same church as Nabonibo, said he was in a state of “agony” since the rest of his family knows he used to hang out with Nabonibo. Now he has blocked Nabonibo from all phone contact, saying he wants to “keep safe.”
There has been a similar reaction on social media, with many Rwandans questioning Nabonibo’s intentions and others condemning him. One wondered on Twitter: “How can a gospel singer be gay?”
A senior government official, however, expressed support for Nabonibo, saying he is protected under the law and urging the singer to continue his worship ministry. “All Rwandans are born and remain equal in rights and freedoms,” Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s state minister for foreign affairs, said on Twitter.
According to Human Rights Watch, 32 African nations have varying laws criminalizing homosexuality. In many cases most of the anti-gay laws are left over from the colonial era, one reason gay rights activists have fought vigorously to have the laws jettisoned.
In June, the gay rights movement in Africa scored a victory when a court in Botswana, upholding the rights of LGBT people, overturned laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relations. But there have been some setbacks.
In 2017, Chad enacted legislation criminalizing same-sex relations for the first time in the country’s history. In May, a court in Kenya ruled against overturning a colonial-era law criminalizing homosexual acts between consenting adults. Activists there who had challenged the law in court said they faced discrimination and threats to their dignity.
And in neighboring Uganda, a government minister in charge of ethics is threatening to introduce another version of an anti-gay law passed in 2014, and subsequently voided by the country’s constitutional court, that provided for jail terms of up to life for those convicted of engaging in gay sex. The original version of that bill, first introduced in 2009, had included the death penalty for what it called aggravated acts of homosexuality.
In Rwanda, the way ahead can be challenging, Nabonibo said. Some neighborhoods in Kigali are filled with gossip about how a certain gay man might spoil other citizens, he said.
“Criticism and sadness. What does it matter? What’s important is that I have taken my choice,” he said softly.
(SEOUL, South Korea) — You can sell North Korean food in South Korea. But you’re likely to get into trouble if you decorate your restaurant with pictures seen as praising North Korea.
Authorities say the owner of a restaurant under construction in Seoul “voluntarily” removed signs with images of North Korean leaders and the North Korean flag from the restaurant’s exterior on Monday, after they were criticized on social media over the weekend. Police quoted the owner as saying the North Korea-themed decorations were intended to attract attention and make the restaurant more profitable.
Police said they are looking at the possibility that the owner violated South Korea’s security law, under which praising North Korea can be punished by up to seven years in prison.
Full enforcement of the National Security Law has been rare in recent years as relations with North Korea have improved greatly since the Cold War era. In the past, military-backed governments in South Korea often used the security law to imprison and torture dissidents until the country achieved democracy in the late 1980s.
Many restaurants in South Korea sell North Korean-style cold noodles, dumplings and other food. Some refugees from North Korea also run restaurants featuring food from their hometowns. But none is believed to have portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, the late grandfather and father of current leader Kim Jong Un, or a North Korean flag.
Portraits of the two Kims are at the core of North Korea’s state-sponsored personality cult that buttresses the family’s more than 70 years of authoritarian rule. Such portraits must be hung on the walls of all households and public offices in North Korea, and North Koreans are required to wear lapel pins bearing the images of the late leaders.
Lee Jin-man—APA letters reading ‘Pyongyang,’ center, is seen at the North Korea-themed restaurant under construction in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.
Despite the removal of the images, the restaurant’s exterior still has socialist-style propaganda paintings with parodies of North Korean slogans such as “More booze to comrades” or “Let’s bring about a great revolution in the development of side dishes.” It wasn’t immediately clear whether the owner would remove those decorations as well. The owner hasn’t expressed any intention of changing the restaurant’s concept, according to a Seoul police officer who requested anonymity, citing department rules.
Both police and local officials refused to reveal details about the owner, citing privacy concerns. South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles relations with North Korea, said it had no comment on the restaurant.
The restaurant is being built in Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood, a bustling area known for fancy bars and nightclubs. It’s registered as an ordinary restaurant with the name of “Pyongyang Pub,” according to local officials. There used be a Japanese restaurant on the site, but it closed this summer after widespread public boycotts of Japanese products erupted as a result ofa bitter trade dispute between Seoul and Tokyo, according to South Korean media.
During a visit to the site on Monday, some residents expressed opposition to the restaurant, while others said they were curious about what it would be like once it opens. “I think it is too early to do this kind of thing (displaying portraits or the North Korean flag). But once this place opens for business I would come here purely out of curiosity,” said Park So-hyun, a company employee.
Another citizen, Oh Sang-yeop, said, “I see they have taken down the portraits and flag, so I think it will be OK.”
First there was the moving of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. Then came a recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, followed by a qualified U.S. statement that Israel has the right to annex portions of the West Bank. All positive declarations, all contested issues in an eventual peace process, all exercises in declaratory futility, not substance. All these, while Trump’s long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian “Deal of the Century” is yet to be laid out – if at all.
Now, ostensibly, comes a new stunt: A U.S.-Israel Defense pact or Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), which conveniently serves two personal-political agendas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu desperately needs the appearance of a diplomatic coup ahead of the Sept. 17th election. President Donald Trump, seeking re-election next year, will be happy to oblige.
Israel’s relations and effective alliance with the U.S. are the central tenet of its national security, a diplomatic shield and a military force multiplier. These relations are an invaluable and irreplaceable asset that Israel cherishes deeply. A formal “defense pact”, however, would be an entirely different story — and the reasons for and against it bear some thinking about.
In the past, Israel refrained from raising the issue of a formal treaty, since the U.S. demanded two prerequisites that Israel could not deliver: Permanent and recognized borders, and signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Additionally, a defense pact would require approval by the U.S. Senate. This is not necessarily a process Israel wants.
Those in Israel who supported such a pact argued it would amplify Israel’s deterrence, that it would formalize the existing defense relationship and elevate Israel’s stature in U.S. foreign policy, and that it would enhance regional stability. A U.S.-Israel defense treaty, the thinking went, would also conceivably serve as a component of a regional security system, under U.S. auspices, in a foreseeable future.
These arguments are undoubtedly not without merit and substance. But in 2019 they are flawed in one major way: They were predicated on a different Middle East, in a totally different regional and global reality. In its 72nd year of independence Israel is under no existential threat and enjoys an unrivaled military advantage and technological superiority. The military threats Israel does face are from non-state actors, not amenable to conventional deterrence. U.S. support of Israel, both diplomatically and militarily, is already factored into their behavior and calculus. In short, a treaty would not deter anyone or anything.
The arguments against a defense pact, shared by a majority in the Israeli defense and diplomatic establishment, were more compelling in our view.
The main argument against a pact was that it would not be realistically practicable, at a time when some form of a “peace process” still existed: that in exchange for a pact, Israel would be asked to make major concessions and take such security risks that a pact would not adequately address.
A full defense pact would also run contrary to Israel’s idea of self-reliance, the principle that Israel would never ask another to physically defend it. Material support, state-of-the-art-military systems, yes. Soldiers, no. Never. Conversely, the public in Israel would not endure casualties of IDF soldiers in a distant U.S. war mission, say, in Afghanistan, South America or Saudi Arabia.
Such a pact would invariably require coordination, cooperation, pre-approval and U.S. effective veto power over Israeli military actions. Let’s say there was a U.S.-Israel defense pact in place on June 5, 1967 or June 7, 1981 or Sept. 6, 2007. Israel could not have carried out the preemptive strike against Egypt (the Six-day War), the destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor in Osiraq, or the demolition of the nascent Syrian nuclear reactor in Al Kibar, respectively.
The most compelling argument, finally, was that a pact, notwithstanding the legal requirements and complications in the U.S. regarding pacts and treaties, would do little more than formalize what already exists. And that would poke adversaries in the eye, after Israel has gone out of its way to impose operational limitations upon itself to avoid infringing on U.S. interests.
Today, there is a yet more pressing argument against such a pact — that it would significantly narrow and constrict Israel’s maneuvering room and operational flexibility, at a time when the U.S. is disengaging from the Middle East, when Iran and Russia are entrenched in Syria, and when Iran’s Hezbollah proxy is present in Lebanon.
Yet these arguments are redundant, when all is said and done. Because there is no “Defense Pact” or “Mutual Defense Treaty.” What lies behind the tweets, the headlines and the frantic Washington-Jerusalem consultations is a political gimmick, designed to attain meaningless public relations points ahead of a difficult election. A defense treaty concocted by Prime Minister Netanyahu for political benefits and possibly entertained by President Trump or his staff is not a treaty. It’s nothing more than a hollow stunt.
President Donald Trump says the United States is “locked and loaded” after an attack against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, an American ally and a major producer of the world’s energy supply.
A rebel group in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attacks, which targeted a facility belonging to Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom’s national oil company. However, American officials claim Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival, is to blame.
The finger-pointing has led to a rapid escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran, already at a fever pitch following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from a nuclear agreement with Tehran, as well as a series of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane.
Here’s what to know about the drone attacks in Saudi Arabia and what lies ahead as the U.S. grapples with an attack against a key ally.
What happened in Saudi Arabia?
Oil facilities belonging to Saudi national energy company Saudi Aramco were struck by a drone attack on Saturday.
The strikes hit the Abqaiq processing facility, the largest crude processing plant in the world, and the Khurais oil field, which is said to produce more than 1 million barrels of crude oil a day, the Associated Press reports. The attacks caused major fires and a large plume of smoke.
The U.S. released satellite photos that it says shows that two Saudi energy facilities had been struck at least 19 times, the AP reports. Saudi oil facilities have been hit by similar strikes in recent weeks, but previous attacks didn’t cause as much damage.
Saudi Aramco said in a statement that no one was injured in the assault.
Who took responsibility for the attacks?
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. The Houthis are a Shi’ite Muslim minority who oppose Yemen’s Saudi-backed government. The United Nations has described the situation as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, and said in a 2019 report that the conflict is expected to be responsible for 233,000 deaths through this year.
Speaking on a Houthi satellite news channel, spokesman Yahia Sarie said that the rebels had launched 10 drones against the Saudi facility. He threatened to escalate the attacks if the Yemeni war goes on, the AP reports.
The Houthis have used drones since the start of the conflict, including models that are similar to Iranian drones. Iran has denied supplying the rebels with weapons.
-—AFP/Getty ImagesAn image grab taken from a video made available by al-Houthi Media Office shows Houthi military spokesman Brigadier-General Yahia Sarie speaking at a press conference on Sept. 14, 2019, during which Yemen’s Iran-aligned rebels claimed responsibility for the drone attacks on Saudi Aramco’s processing plants in Abqaiq and Khurais.
Who does the U.S. think is responsible?
In a pair of tweets on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo blamed Iran for the attacks, writing that there is “no evidence” that the drones came from Yemen.
“We call on all nations to publicly and unequivocally condemn Iran’s attacks. The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression,” Pompeo wrote.
Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!
U.S. officials claimed that satellite images it released showed that the attacks appeared to come from Iran or Iraq, not Yemen, the AP reports.
President Trump tweeted on Sunday that the U.S. has “reason to believe” who attacked the facility, but it is waiting for Saudi Arabia to say who was responsible and share its response. Trump’s tweets came after a White House National Security Council meeting that included Pompeo as well as Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!
Iran denies responsibility for the attack. On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi called the American accusations “maximum lies,” the AP reports.
How is the incident affecting oil prices?
The attacks instantly cut the Kingdom’s oil production in half, causing the worst disruption to international oil supplies in history, according to the AP. Saudi Arabia will take weeks to return to its full oil production capacity, according to Bloomberg. The country was responsible for about 12% of the world’s oil production in 2018, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The supply interruption is leading to increases in the cost of oil. Benchmark Brent crude, which works as a reference point in the global oil marketplace, gained about 20% on Monday, its biggest jump since the 1991 Gulf War, the AP reports. West Texas crude, the U.S. benchmark, increased by about 8%. U.S. gasoline and heating oil prices were up by more than 8% and 7% respectively, according to the AP.
“We have never seen a supply disruption and price response like this in the oil market,” said Saul Kavonic, a Credit Suisse Group AG energy analyst, told Bloomberg.
Those price increases may eventually trickle down into the cost of gasoline for cars and other vehicles.
How will the U.S. respond?
President Trump tweeted Sunday that the U.S. is “locked and loaded,” although the U.S. is waiting for a response from Saudi Arabia.
An anonymous U.S. official told the Associated Press that no decisions were made Sunday, but that all responses, including military action, are on the table.
Trump also announced that he authorized the release of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to keep the market “well supplied.” The President added that he’s asking federal agencies to speed up approvals for permits for oil pipelines in Texas and other states. It’s unclear if any such project could be built in time to have a material affect on oil prices in the immediate aftermath of this weekend’s attack.
Based on the attack on Saudi Arabia, which may have an impact on oil prices, I have authorized the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, if needed, in a to-be-determined amount….
….sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied. I have also informed all appropriate agencies to expedite approvals of the oil pipelines currently in the permitting process in Texas and various other States.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, called for an attack on Iranian oil refineries. “Iran will not stop their misbehavior until the consequences become more real, like attacking their refineries, which will break the regime’s back,” Graham wrote.
Iranian supported Houthi rebels who attacked Saudi oil refineries is yet another example of how Iran is wreaking havoc in the Middle East. The Iranian regime is not interested in peace – they’re pursuing nuclear weapons and regional dominance. https://t.co/RElvTDFYb2
It is now time for the U.S. to put on the table an attack on Iranian oil refineries if they continue their provocations or increase nuclear enrichment.
(DUESSELDORF, Germany) — Saeid Mollaei has been in hiding since he left the Iranian judo team last month, saying he had been ordered to withdraw from the world championships on political grounds. Now he’s training for next year’s Olympics without a guarantee he can compete.
Mollaei was the defending world champion, and Israel’s Sagi Muki his biggest rival for the gold medal. There was one problem — Iran has a policy of boycotting all competitions against Israelis, even if that means an athlete’s training was all for nothing.
Mollaei told The Associated Press he was ordered to lose a preliminary bout against a Russian in order to cover up the reason for his withdrawal. When he refused and won, he received more intimidating calls from senior officials. “For once, I decided to live as a free man for myself, and prove to the world that I am a brave man,” Mollaei said in a recent interview in Germany, where he’s living in an undisclosed location.
“I did this for my human soul. For myself. I wanted to practice and compete with freedom, with peace of mind,” said Mollaei, speaking in Persian. “I didn’t want to worry about whom to compete with and whom not to compete with. I’ll compete with anyone, to honor the Olympic charter.”
In the end, Mollaei lost a bronze-medal bout and didn’t face Muki, who won gold. The International Judo Federation, which is supporting Mollaei, said he received demands to withdraw from an Iranian deputy sports minister, embassy staff and the head of the Iranian Olympic Committee.
Mollaei’s likeliest route to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is now the International Olympic Committee’s team for refugees. The IJF is helping him but said he will need refugee status from the United Nations.
Michael Probst—APIn this photo taken Sept. 12, 2019, Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei poses for a portrait photo at an undisclosed southern city of Germany. Mollaei has been in hiding since he left the Iranian judo team last month, saying he had been ordered to withdraw from the world championships on political grounds.
So far, adapting to life in Germany is hard. “Even the clothes you can see on me (are gifts). I had nothing when arrived in Germany. I just decided to come and I came,” he said. “I had a lot of gifts from friends and this is how I live now, with the help of a few friends and the IJF. I’m still waiting to see what will happen later, how I can compete, but obviously from the very beginning of my arrival here in Germany I started my training. Where and how I will compete later, I don’t know yet.”
Mollaei said he has not asked for asylum in Germany. Instead, he is living on a visa issued when he competed in German club events, and is cautious about security.
Powerfully built, with broad shoulders, Mollaei speaks softly and chooses his words carefully. “Even when I want to contact my family I do it through a friend in Tehran because my family is under surveillance and I can’t talk about many issues,” he said. “I don’t have much contact with any of my friends.”
Mollaei told the AP he had been given similar orders to avoid Israeli competitors on three previous occasions. The last time was in February, when he failed to appear for the medal ceremony at a competition in France because it would mean sharing the podium with Muki. “Almost all Iranian athletes have received such orders when it is linked to Israeli athletes,” he said.
Iranian officials have said Mollaei was somehow manipulated into leaving the team, and that he would be welcomed if he returned home. He is skeptical, pointing to an Iranian letter to the IJF in May pledging to comply with Olympic non-discrimination rules. At the time, it was hailed as a signal Iran would end its sports boycott of Israel. “I can assure you that they didn’t comply with the Olympic Charter. So how can we trust them?” Mollaei said of Iran’s sports officials.
Mollaei’s break with the Iranian authorities comes at a time when activists are using sports to defy government demands.
Female Iranian activists have campaigned for years to be allowed to attend sports stadiums, particularly for men’s soccer games, and staged protests at last year’s World Cup in Russia. Last week, Iranian news outlets reported 29-year-old soccer fan Sahar Khodayari had died after setting herself on fire upon learning she could spend six months in prison for trying to sneak into a game.
Mollaei expressed sympathy for Khodayari and other female campaigners. “I wondered why this happened, why Iranian women can’t freely live like other girls, and enjoy sports and enjoy watching sports,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on, and why such difficulties should only happen to Iranians and the Iranian sport community.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m just sad and disappointed. I just hope that one day the girls and athletes in my country can live freely and can enjoy life.”
You are subscribed to email updates from World – TIME. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.
Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States
The Alibaba Group follows a business model that differs from e-commerce leaders in the United States and allows the firm to play the middleman to various types of buyers and sellers across the globe.
Zero coupon bonds are bonds that do not make any interest payments until maturity, you won't put a single penny of interest in your pocket for two decades.
T. Rowe Price has been around since 1937 and specializes in actively managed mutual funds. Vanguard is a popular choice for individual investors looking for low-cost funds.
Commodity prices are believed to be a leading indicator of inflation. But, that may not alway ring true. Globalization contributes to changes in trends.
Before entering the foreign exchange (forex) market, you should define what you need from your broker and from your strategy. Learn how in this article.
Samsung has established itself as one of the largest companies in the world through acquiring and managing subsidiaries in various industries and locations.
There are four main drivers behind inflation. Among them are cost-push inflation, or the decrease in the aggregate supply of goods and services stemming from an increase in the cost of production, and demand-pull inflation, or the increase in aggregate demand.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Three U.S. pot firms are well-positioned to benefit from a growing cannabis market, making their stocks look like bargains compared to Canadian rivals.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
APSPDCL Results 2019 Released @ apspdcl.in | Check APSPDCL JLM Results, APEPDCL Energy Assistant Cut off Marks: Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) has declared the Junior Lineman Grade II (Energy Assistant) Result on 16th September 2019. Applicants those who have participated APSPDCL JLM Exam 2019 on 3rd to 7th September 2019, can download your Result by logging onto official website apspdcl.in. Here on this page, we have provided a direct link to download APSPDCL Result 2019 Merit List.
APSPDCL Results 2019 @ apspdcl.in
Dear Candidates, here we have updated the latest result link for the APSPDCL Recruitment 2019 Results. Applicants can get your results just by clicking the direct link provided below in the table. The APSPDCL JLM Result 2019 Released on 16th September 2019. Moreover, Along with the results, all the candidates can get the APSPDCL JLM Cut off Marks 2019 and APSPDCL JLM Merit List 2019 from the below sections. As we know that all the candidates who had attended the Pole climbing, Meter reading & Cycling tests from 3rd to 7th September 2019 are searching for the APSPDCL Energy Assistant Result 2019. All candidates can get the results from the direct link provided below.
APSPDCL JLM Results 2019 – Overview
APSPDCL JLM Result 2019 | APEPDCL Energy Assistant Cut off Marks, Merit List
Description
Details
Organization Name
Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL)
Pole climbing, Meter reading & Cycling tests and Document Verification
Official Website
apspdcl.in
All the applicants those who have participated in the APSPDCL Recruitment 2019 can get the highlighted points from the above table. Candidates can check your APSPDCL Results from the below link. Also, we have provided a direct link for the Circular Wise Cut off Marks of Junior Lineman Grade II (Energy Assistant). Even we have given an APSPDCL Results 2019 Pdf from the below link. The APSPDCL Selection process contains the Pole climbing, Meter reading & Cycling tests.
APSPDCL JLM Merit List 2019
The candidates who pass the Pole climbing, Meter reading, Cycling tests alone will be considered for selection, based on merit in total marks in SSC. If the aspirant scores highest marks in the Pole climbing, Meter reading & Cycling tests will be listed in the APSPDCL JLM Merit List 2019 and are called for the next level of the selection process (Document Verification). You can check the APSPDCL JLM Merit List 2019 after notified by the APSPDCL officials on the official webs portal apspdcl.cgg.gov.in results. Also, applicants can follow the simple steps to download the APSPDCL JLM Results easily.
How to check APEPDCL JLM Result 2019?
Candidates must visit the Visit official website of the Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) @ apspdcl.in
The home page of the Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) appears on the screen.
You will have a "JLM Recruitment 2019" box on the top right side of the home page.
Tap on that "JLM Recruitment 2019"
A new page related to the Junior Lineman Grade II (Energy Assistant) will be opened.
Search for the link related to download the APSPDCL/ APEPDCL JLM Result 2019 and click on that link.
Enter the application number, password of the aspirant and click on the submit button.
Download the APSPDCL Energy Assistant Result 2019, APSPDCL Junior Lineman Result 2019.
Direct link to download APSPDCL Results 2019
Download APSPDCL JLM Result 2019 (Energy Assistant)
CCL Recruitment 2019 – Apply Online for 750 Trade Apprentice Job Vacancies. Central Coalfields Limited invites online application for the Trade Apprentice Post. Human Resource Health Department shortlist the applicants by either written test/ interview/ merit-based. Aspirants can apply through Online mode only. Interested can submit their Central Coalfields Limited Online Application from 16th September 2019.
Candidates who have passed with SSLC and ITI can apply for the vacancy. The last date to submit the application for the CCL Recruitment is 15th October 2019. Aspirants looking for Central Government Jobs can use this opportunity. As per the Apprenticeship Scheme of CCL Recruitment 2019 training will be provided for the selected aspirants with a stipend.
ITI in Mechanic earth moving machinery/ Mechanic & repair of heavy vehicle
COPA
Passed ITI
Pump Operator cum Mechanic
Machinist
Turner
Age Limit:
Minimum Age Limit – 18 years
Maximum Age Limit – 30 Years
CCL Apprentice Salary:
Candidates selected for the Apprentice training will be provided a stipend during the training period. Refer to the Official Notification of CCL Recruitment 2019
Application Fee:
Refer to the CCL Recruitment Official Notification 2019.
Selection Process:
Written Examination.
Interview.
How to Apply ONLINE for CCL Recruitment – Apprenticeship 2019?
Click on the Apply Online link given below.
Register yourself for the CCL Apprentice job.
Fill the personal, contact, qualification and other details in the registration form.
Upload scanned copies of photograph and age proof certificate.
Tick on the declaration tab and submit the registration form.
Now, click on the Apply for the Apprentice training option on the home page.
Then fill the basic details in the application form.
Recheck the details and submit the application form.
Take a printout for future reference.
Important Dates for CCL Apprentice Recruitment 2019
Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) is a backup of Coal India Limited (CIL), an endeavor of the Government of India. CCL deals with the nationalized coal mineshafts of the Coal Mines Authority, Central division. CCL headquarters is at Darbhanga House, Ranchi, Jharkhand. It by and by has 65operative mines (20 underground and 45 opencast) in zones of East Bokaro, West Bokaro, North Karanpura, South Karanpura, Ramgarh Giridih and Hutar. Coal India Limited is the biggest coal delivering organization in the nation. Coalfields are situated on remote timberland or stream banks where there isn’t just the absence of restorative office yet in addition absence of fundamental offices.
Coal India is required to set up its restorative administrations viz Dispensary, Kalari Hospital and Regional Hospital in the coal belt. Has been made with the goal that the representatives can improve therapeutic offices, their workers and their wards A backup organization of the harvest region to deal with individuals from the Health Central Coalfields Ltd., Coal India Ltd., Has set up dispensaries for beginning social insurance in a three-layered framework in each task. Local Hospital has been set up for the second stage of well-being examination.
RRB Staff Nurse Result 2019 LIVE | Get RRB Paramedical Staff Result Expected Cut off here @ indianrailways.gov.in – Hello Folks! The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has released the RRB Paramedical Result 2019 Pdf. According to the report, the RRB officials have announced the Result through online on 08th September 2019. A huge number off applicants have applied for the RRB/ CEN 02/2019 of (1937) Paramedical Staff Posts. All those candidates have appeared for the Computer Based Test (CBT) on 19th to 21st July 2019 are waiting for the Result now. Here we will be updating the latest result link and live updates, so Applicants can get the active links from this article.
New Update: The RRB Paramedical Staff Result has announced on 08th September 2019.
RRB Staff Nurse Result | RRB/ CEN 02/2019 @ Out Now!!
Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) has announced the Centralized Employment Notice 02/2019 for the RRB Paramedical Staff Nurse Recruitment 2019. After that RRB has announced the RRB Paramedical Admit Card 2019 to attend the Online Test. Now everyone has attended the Examination and waiting for the RRB Staff Nurse Result 2019 Date. Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) is going to declare the result of RRB Paramedical 2019 in online mode at the zonal websites of the RRBs. For each phase, RRB Paramedical Staff Result 2019 will be announced separately. The result will be available to the candidates in the form of merit list and scorecard. Candidates can get the RRB Staff Nurse Result link from the end of this article.
RRB Paramedical Staff Result 2019 (CEN 02/2019) Out!!!
RRB Paramedical Staff CBT Result 2019 | Cut Off Marks, Merit List
Description
Details
Organization Name
Railway Recruitment Board (RRB)
Post Name
Paramedical Staff (Dietician, Staff Nurse, Dental Hygienist, Dialysis Technician, Extension Educator, Health And Malaria Inspector Grade III, Lab Superintendent Grade III, Optometrist, Perfusionist, Physiotherapist, Pharmacist Grade III, Radiographer, Speech Therapist, ECG Technician, Lady Health Visitor, Lab Assistant Grade II) Posts
We have dedicated this page to update all the latest news regarding the RRB Paramedical Results. All the registered applicants can get the RRB Paramedical Result 2019 Pdf from this page. Normally it will take 10 to 15 days to announce the result and now RRB is almost ready with the RRB Staff Nurse Results. Apart from this, candidates can get an overview of RRB Paramedical Staff Nurse Merit list 2019 by referring to the above table. Candidates who pass the RRB Paramedical CBT Exam will be called for the next stage exam. More information related to the selection process can be obtained by visiting the official website of the candidate’s department www.rrbcdg.gov.in. The appointments of candidates to be selected on the posts of RRB paramedical will be done in different zones of the railway.
Get Direct link to RRB JE Result 2019 – Click Here
According to the reports, 60 to 65 questions were resolved with ease in the RRB Paramedical Staff CBT. Therefore, it is expected that RRB CBT cut-off can go up to 85 marks for General category, 80 marks for OBC, 65 marks for SC and 55 marks for ST class. In the examination of the Indian Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) Paramedicals, a total of 100 questions were asked 1-1. On answering any question incorrectly, 1/3 mark will be deducted from the correct question.
Even Applicants can refer to the RRB Staff Nurse Previous Year Cut off to get an idea. Moreover, candidates can get RRB Paramedical Results and estimated cut off at www.rrbcdg.gov.in. The category-wise minimum passing percentage has been announced by the officials along with the release of RRB Paramedical Notification. The category-wise minimum passing percentage is listed below:
UR/EWS – 40%
OBC – 30%
SC – 30%
ST – 25%
RRB Paramedical Staff Nurse Merit list 2019
All the Applicants can check your Merit list from the official website. But the RRB Paramedical Staff Nurse Merit list 2019 will release after the announcement of the RRB Staff Nurse Results. Because based on the Merit list the officials will calculate the Merit List. RRB Paramedical Staff Nurse Merit list contains the Names and Roll Numbers of the candidates who got top or highest marks among all the exam appeared candidates. The officials of the RRB release the Staff Nurse Merit List 2019 on their official web portal that is rrbcdg.gov.in. If the applicants will secure top Merit List, they will qualify for the Document Verification process.
Download RRB Paramedical Staff Answer Key 2019 PDF – Click Here
How to check the RRB Paramedical Result 2019 Pdf?
All the exam participants can check the official web site of the RRB i.e, rrbcdg.gov.in.
RRB official home page will open, where applicants can search the Results Section.
Then search for the link RRB Paramedical Staff CBT Result 2019.
Enter your details like Hall Ticket Number and Date of Birth.
Now you will get your RRB Paramedical Staff Result 2019 on your Screen.
Check whether you have qualified for the further rounds or not.
Direct link to download RRB Staff Nurse Result 2019
Download RRB Paramedical Staff Answer Key 2019 PDF
TNPSC Group 4 Result 2019 | Get Tamil Nadu PSC Exam Result for Group IV Services Answer Key & Result@ tnpsc.gov.in – The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission is going to release the Group IV Services Examination Result. Check TNPSC Group Result Current news on this page. Applicants those who have written the TNPSC Group Exam can get the Result link from the below section. The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission has conducted the Group 4 Combined Civil Services Exam on 01st September 2019. Now it’s time to discuss the TNPSC Group 4 Answer Key and Results. All the exam participants will soon receive the TNPSC Group Exam Result Date and Answerkey for the Examination. We advise the applicants to keep track on this page to get TNPSC CCSE Exam Updates.
TNPSC Group 4 Result Latest Updates: The TNPSC Group 4 Official Answer Key 2019 has released on 10th September 2019, Applicants can get a direct link below for the Answer Key. The Department will be shortly declared the Tamil Nadu PSC Group 4 Result 2019 on its official website and we expect the result byDecember 2019 (Tentatively).
TNPSC Group 4 Result 2019 – Get Latest Updates
Here on this page, we will help you out with the TNPSC Group 4 Combined Civil Services Result 2019. A huge number of candidates are waiting for the TNPSC Group Result latest updates. We will constantly update all the latest news and TNPSC Group Result link on this article. Along with the Results, we will update the direct link for the TNPSC Group cut off Marks and provided some steps to download TNPSC Group IV Result @ tnpsc.gov.in. All the applicants can check and download your results with the help of Admit card details like Registration number wise and Name wise Results. TNPSC Group 4 2019 Selection process consists of Written Test and Personal Interview.
TNPSC Group 4 Results 2019 – Overview
TNPSC Group 4 Updates | Check Combined Civil Services Cut Off Marks, Merit List
Description
Details
Organization Name
Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission
Exam Name
Combined Group IV Civil Services Exam 2019
Post Name
Village Administrative Officer, Junior Assistant (Non – Security), Junior Assistant (Security), Bill Collector Grade I, Field Surveyor, Draftsman, Typist, Steno-Typist (Grade – III))
Minimum Qualifying Marks for selection (All Communities) Minimum Qualifying Marks for selection (All Communities)
90 Marks
Official Website
tnpsc.gov.in
Applicants those who are searching for the TNPSC Group 4 Result link can get the direct link from the below table. Also from the above table applicants can get the complete details of TNPSC Group 4 Updates. Here we have mentioned the Exam details, Result date, and the TNPSC Group 4 Result official website link tnpsc.gov.in result. Also, we will mention the TNPSC Group 4 Certificate Verification Date, Interview Schedule date after the Result announcement. Therefore, candidates are advised to keep their admit cards or hall tickets ready in advance before trying to check or access the results online. Also, applicants should check the TNPSC CCSE Group IV Cut Off for the Next round.
TNPSC Group 4 Exam will play a major role in the Selection process. The applicants should get the TNPSC Group Result 2019 Cut off Marks and should attain into the TNPSC Group IV Merit list. So the candidates will get a higher priority at the time of the interview process. TNPSC Group IV Result login page is hosted on the official website of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission i.e. TNPSC, to ensure easy accessibility to it for the candidates. However, candidates who are not familiar with the online checking process for TNPSC Group IV Result name list can follow the steps provided below. Along with the CCSE Group 4 result, candidates can check your TNPSC Group 4 Answer Key from the below table.
TNPSC Group 4 Results 2019 – CCSE IV Result, Cutoff Marks, Merit List Download @ tnpsc.gov.in
Also, applicants should check the TNPSC Group 4 Minimum Qualifying Marks 2019 Details and Tamil Nadu PSC Group IV Cut off Marks 2019 to get more knowledge about the Results.
TNPSC Group 4 Minimum Passing Marks for Typist Jobs (Last Year)
Category
Male Marks
Female Marks
Unreserved
172
171
BC
169
167
MBC
168
167
How to check TNPSC Group IV Results 2019?
Visit the official website of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission i.e, tnpsc.gov.in
On the home page search for the TNPSC Group IV Result link
Find and click on Group 4 Result login
Then it will be redirected to a new page and click on 'Tamil Nadu PSC Group IV Exam Result' option
Enter your Registration number in the provided fields
Click on the search button, Then TNPSC Group IV Exam Result displayed on the screen
Download or take a print out of the result for further reference.
BEL Recruitment 2019 – Apply Offline for 30 Contract Engineers Vacancy. Bharat Electronics Limited has released a Notification for the Contract Engineer Posts. There are 30 vacancies are available for the Contract Engineer post under Electronics and Communication & Mechanical Discipline. Engineering graduates of respective discipline with one-year relevant work experience are only suggested to apply for the vacancies. The application process is through Offline mode. BEL Application form for the Contract Engineer post is accepted from 12th September 2019.
Aspirants will be selected for the Contractual basis work of one year and it may extend or short closed depends on the candidate’s performance and project progress. Candidates who have qualified in the written examination will be called for an Interview. Selected candidates will be placed at Hyderabad and Bhatinda. Interested aspirants send your application to the concerned address on or before the last date 3rd October 2019.
Recruitment of BEL Contract Engineer 2019 – Overview
BEL Recruitment 2019 – Apply Online for 50 Graduate Engineer Vacancy. Bharat Electronics Limited Jobs Notification has published for the Engineering graduates. This notification is to engage the eligible engineering graduates of various disciplines for the Apprentice training. Aspirants who have passed their engineering graduate in AICTE or GOI are only eligible to apply for the BEL Vacancy. Aspirants willing to apply for the Graduate Apprentice should register in BOAT Apprentice Portal. Registration for BEL Job Openings is available from 10th September to 21st September 2019.
Candidates who have shortlisted will be called for a written examination and Interview. Selected candidates will be provided an Apprentice training period for one year at Ghaziabad. Applications are invited only from the Indian Nationals. Other important details like educational qualification, age limit, vacancy, stipend and application process are mentioned below. Get Bharat Electronics Career @ bel-india.in
BEL Recruitment 2019 – Apply Online for 11 Senior Engineer & Manager Vacancy. Latest Job Notification for Bharat Electronics Career has been announced. Online Applications are invited from promising and energetic engineers to work in the execution of projects throughout the country. BEL Recruitment Apply Online link will be available from 28th August 2019. Bharat Electronics Limited has allocated the vacancies for site installation, commissioning, operations & maintenance support, design, production, testing, product assurance, quality assurance, sales, commercial, marketing, sub-contract, etc of BEL Equipments/ Systems at various sites across India.
Indian Citizens are only eligible to apply for BEL Vacancy. The closing date of the application for BEL Careers is 21st September 2019. Aspirants will be recruited for both permanent and fixed basis work. Candidates willing to apply for the Bharat Electronics Recruitment go through this article and check with your eligibility for the BEL Recruitment 2019.
BEL was set up to meet the particular electronic hardware necessities of the Indian Defense Services. While this keeps on being its prime center, the Company has a critical nearness in the regular citizen showcase, as well. BEL trades a portion of its items and administrations to various nations also. BEL has been laying incredible accentuation on Research and Development directly from the early years. It has additionally had the option to effectively accomplice as generation organization with numerous DRDO labs. From a small turnover of Rs.2 lakhs in 1956-57, BEL has developed complex to record a turnover of Rs.7,510 crores (temporary) in 2015-16.
Beginning from a solitary Unit in Jalahalli, Bangalore, BEL has built up its quality the nation over by setting up eight different Units – in Ghaziabad, Pune, Machilipatnam, Panchkula, Kotdwara, Navi Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Every Unit has a particular item blend and client center. BEL has likewise set up a wide system of workplaces and administration focuses countrywide just as two abroad workplaces – at New York and Singapore.
IBPS RRB Result 2019 Out!! | Check IBPS RRB Officer Scale 1 & Office Assistant Result @ ibps.in- The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has recently uploaded Officer Scale 1 & Office Assistant Result on 29th August 2019. Those Candidates who have attended the Examination for the post can check and download your result from the below link. Here on this page, all the applicants can get complete details of IBPS RRB Result 2019.
Latest Updates: IBPS CRP RRB VIII Officer Scale I (Prelims) Result has released on 16th September 2019.IBPS RRB PO Result 2019 preliminary exam soon on its official website, the link for which is ibps.in.
IBPS RRB PO (Prelims) Result 2019 – IBPS RRB Result (PO) 2019 for prelims exam result to be announced soon @ ibps.in. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducted the IBPS RRB Prelims Exam for the posts of PO and Clerk on 4th August and 17th August respectively. Candidates who appeared for the exam can check their result on the official website after the declaration of results. Those Candidates who have appeared for this Recruitment can check and download results from the below link. Check your results via the link mentioned below. Hence, all those might be looking for the IBPS RRB Result (Prelims) Result 2019 now!
IBPS CRP RRB VIII Officer Scale I Prelims Result 2019 – The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has recently uploaded Prelims Result for the Post of Officer Scale I, II, III Recruitment 2019 on 16th September 2019. Those Candidates who have appeared for this Recruitment can check and download results from the below link. Check your results via the link mentioned below. Hence, all those might be looking for the RRB VIII Office Assistant, Officer Scale I Prelims Exam Result now!
IBPS CRP RRB VIII Officer Scale I Prelims Result 2019
IBPS CRP RRB VIII Officer Scale I Prelims Result 2019 – Click Here
IBPS RRB VII Office Assistant, Officer Scale I Allotment Reserve List 2019 – The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has recently uploaded Allotment Reserve List for the Post of Office Assistant (Multipurpose), Officer Scale I, II, III Recruitment 2019 on 29th August 2019. Those Candidates who have appeared for this Recruitment can check and download results from the below link. Check your results via the link mentioned below. Hence, all those might be looking for the RRB VII Office Assistant, Officer Scale I Allotment Reserve List now!
IBPS RRB VII Office Assistant, Officer Scale I Allotment Reserve List 2019
IBPS RRB VII Office Assistant Result – Click Here IBPS RRB VII Officer Scale I Result – Click Here
IBPS RRB Prelims exam 2019 was conducted to fill a total 8354 vacancies to the posts of Office Assistant (Multipurpose), Officer Scale-I, Officer Scale-II (Agriculture Officer), Officer Scale-II (Marketing Officer), Officer Scale-II (Law), Officer Scale-II (CA), Officer Scale-II (IT), Officer Scale-II (General Banking Officer), and Officer Scale – III.
IBPS RRB Result is generally released within a month of conduction of exam. Going by the trends, it is highly expected that the IBPS might release the result by this week (30 August 2019). IBPS RRB PO Expected Cutoff is listed below for all categories (Gen/OBC/SC/ST). IBPS RRB (PO). Candidates who appeared for the exam shared that the difficulty level of the exam was 'Moderate'. Candidates were able to make around 55-64 good attempts out of a total of 80 questions from Reasoning & Numerical Ability sections. As per the exam analysis, the difficulty level of the exam was 'Easy to Moderate' level. Candidates made around 60-72 good attempts in the Clerk examination.
IBPS RRB PO Prelims Expected Cut off 2019
After considering the thorough exam analysis of the IBPS RRB PO & Clerk Prelims exams and taking in view the total number of candidates who appeared for the exam and total vacancies, we have listed here the expected cutoff of the IBPS RRB PO Prelims 2019 and IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims 2019 (Category-wise).
IBPS RRB PO Prelims Expected Cut off 2019
Category
Cutoff
General
57-62
OBC
52-56
SC
46-50
ST/PWD
40-45
IBPS RRB Clerk Prelims Expected Cut off 2019
Category
Cutoff
General
60-70
OBC
54-59
SC
48-52
ST/PWD
45-50
The table above covers the previous cut off marks. This cut off marks is decided by the board and it varies for each category. Applicants those who meet the minimum qualifying marks will be allowed to take up further rounds.
How to Download IBPS RRB Prelims Result 2019?
Visit the IBPS RRB official portal i.e ibps.in
On the home page, applicants can see the IBPS RRB Prelims Result 2019
You will get the link like IBPS RRB Prelims Result 2019
Enter the required details on the link
Now, your IBPS RRB Prelims Result 2019 will displayed on the screen.
Download or take a print out of the Result for further reference.
Haryana Police Constable Admit Card 2019 will be available soon to download. The board will release the admit card before 10 days of the examination. Moreover, the exam date will be announced shortly on its official portal. Hence, Download the hall ticket from the end of the section and carry for the examination.
Haryana Police Constable Hall Ticket 2019 – Highlights
Haryana Police Constable Hall Ticket 2019 – Download Here
Haryana Police Constable Admit Card 2019 – It is hereby informed that Haryana Service Selection Commission 6000 Police Constable examination will be held on 13th July to 18th October 2019. Candidates need to provide their valid credentials for the exam. The most important factor is Haryana Police Constable Admit Card 2019. Without the Admit Card candidates will not be allowed for the examination.
Haryana Police Admit Card 2019
Candidates who want to appear in the written stage must carry the print out of the HSSC Police Constable Admit Card well in advance. A lot of times they have a minor error in the personal details and sometimes major mistakes like photo misplace. Hence, download the Haryana Police Admit Card 2019 and cross-check all the details in that. Follow the instructions given in the admit card. The Haryana Police Admit Card will be released according to the Exam Date.
Haryana Police Constable Hall Ticket 2019 – Overview
Required Information to Check-in Haryana Police Constable Admit Card 2019
The Haryana Service Selection Commission will release the admit card on the Official Website i.e, hssc.gov.in for HSSC Admit Card 2019. Hence, all the Candidates who applied for the post of Police Constable can download the HSSC Admit Card once it released. Moreover, Applicants can get the direct link to download the admit card from the end of the section.
Name of the Applicant.
Exam Date, Time & Centre.
Post Applied for.
Application or Registration Number
Father Name and
Important Instructions.
Haryana Police Constable Exam 2019
Haryana Service Selection Commission has announced the Haryana Police Constable Exam Date from 13th July to 18th October 2019. However, Candidates go through the exam pattern given by the board. Get Haryana Police Constable Syllabus from the below section.
The written test will be multiple choice objective type.
There shall be one composite paper carrying 100 questions.
The medium of examination shall be Hindi except for knowledge of the English language.
Each question shall carry 0.80 marks. So paper will be of total80 marks.
The duration of the test will be 01:30 hours (90 minutes).
There shall be at least 10 questions relating to computer basic knowledge.
Prerequisites to download Haraya Police Constable Admit Card 2019
To download the HSSC Admit Card/Haryana Police Admit Card candidates have to carry their registration number and password received at the time of making the application. Therefore, Aspirants are suggested to keep the registration details safe during the whole process of recruitment. Moreover, while downloading the HSSC Hall Ticket candidates may find mistakes. At that time Aspirants can contact to the higher officials without delay. Appear for the exam along with the corrected Haryana Police Constable Admit Card.
College ID
Driving License
2 or 3 latest photographs
PAN Card
Aadhar Card
Voter ID
Passport
Bank Passbook
Ration Card
Employee ID
The photograph on any ID Proof declared by the State or Central Government
Any Authorised ID Proof Announced by Gazetted Officer
Western Railway Syllabus 2019 – Railway Recruitment Board has released a notification regarding the Western Railway Senior Clerk Jobs. Interested candidates can register for the RRC Western Railway Clerk 2019 Exam Notification. The RRC Board has planned to conduct the Western Railway Clerk Exam in the upcoming months. So we have gathered and listed out the Wester Railway Clerk Syllabus and Railway Recruitment Cell WR Exam Pattern details here. Moreover, candidates could find the complete Western Railway Clerk Exam 2019 Details here.
Western Railway Syllabus 2019 Pdf
Download the Western Railway Clerk Exam 2019 Notification Details @ www.rrc-wr.com. Candidates those who are determined about their career in RRC Western Railway, here comes a chance for you to enrol now. Railway Recruitment Cell is going to conduct Written Exam to choose the candidates for Western Railway Senior Clerk Post. So, we have prepared an article regarding the Western Railway Clerk Exam 2019 Notification. This article will let you know the detailed Western Railway Clerk Syllabus & Railway Recruitment Cell Exam Pattern 2019. We have listed out the RRC WR Clerk Syllabus according to subject wise. Aspirants can take a look down and make sure you do not skip any of the RRC Western Railway Syllabus Topics in your preparation.
IOCL Result 2019: This page provides all the latest released IOCL Exam Result 2019 for various posts released by the officials. Indian Oil Corporation Limited release it’s IOCL Result, Merit List, Cut Off and the Final Result online. The result will be announced here when released by the officials at www.iocl.com. However, we have provided direct links to help applicants get their IOCL Results 2019. For any queries or for more details visit the official Indiana Oil Corporation Ltd Website.
Latest Updates:Check your IOCL Selection Status for Engineers/Officers/Assistant Officers Posts Here Now!!! Updated the Selection for Chemical, Electrical & Comp. Sc & IT, E&C and Metallurgy disciplines from the below link.
Latest IOCL Result 2019
Post Name
Result Date
Result Link
Technical and Non-Technical Trade and Technician Apprentices
IOCL Trade and Technician Apprentices Selection list 2019 – Indian Oil Corporation Limited has announced the call letter for the post of Apprentices. Applicants can check your Call letter to attend the Document verification. However, the aspirant needs to enter their login details to check their IOCL Result & Call letter. Get Direct link for the IOCL Careers Page.
IOCL Trade and Technician Apprentices Selection list 2019
IOCL Trade and Technician Apprentices Call Letter for Document Verification – Click Here
IOCL Trade and Technician Apprentices Selection list 2019 – Indian Oil Corporation Limited has announced the call letter for the post of Apprentices. Applicants can check your Call letter to attend the Document verification of IOCL MD Southern Region 2019-20 Phase II. However, the aspirant needs to enter their login details to check their IOCL Result & Call letter. Get Direct link for the IOCL Careers Page.
IOCL Trade and Technician Apprentices Selection list 2019
IOCL Trade and Technician Apprentices Call Letter for Document Verification – Click Here
IOCL Electrical & Chemical Selection list 2019 – Indian Oil Corporation Limited has announced the selection status for the post of Engineers/Officers/Assistant Officers on 21st August 2019. Applicants can check your Electrical & Chemical Selection List 2019 from the below link. The Candidates who appeared the exam can check the Result from the link given below. However, the aspirant needs to enter their login details to check their IOCL Result for Electrical & Chemical Selection List 2019. Get Direct link for the IOCL Careers Page.
IOCL Result 2019 – Electrical, Chemical Selection List
Check IOCL Selection status (Instrumentation discipline) – Click Here Check IOCL Selection status (Mechanical discipline) – Click Here Check IOCL Selection status (Civil discipline) – Click Here Check IOCL Selection status (Electrical discipline) – Click Here Check IOCL Selection status (Chemical discipline) – Click Here Check IOCL Result through GATE 2019 – Click Here
Indian Oil Corporation Limited Result for Officer/Engineer Exam 2019 is available now. The Candidates who appeared the exam can check the Result from the link given below. However, the aspirant needs to enter their login details to check their IOCL Result for Engineer Posts 2019.
IOCL Result 2019 – Grade IV: Great news for applicants in search of IOCL Exam Result. The officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited has released it’s IOCL Merit List 2019 for the post of Grade IV. The result consists of the name of shortlisted applicants and only such can take up further rounds. However, we have provided direct links to help applicants easily check their IOCL Results 2019. Only by checking results contenders can evaluate their performance. The result is released by the officials and hence there can be no ambiguity. Make use of the link given below to check your results.
IOCL Result 2019: Great news for applicants in search of IOCL Exam Result 2019. The officials have released its IOCL Merit List 2019 for the post of Trade Apprentice. Candidates those who have applied for the post and attended the examination can make use of this page to check their IOCL Results 2019. By checking results contenders can evaluate their performance. Refer the link given below for more details.
IOCL Trade Apprentice (Non-Technical) Results – Click Here
Candidates can check their IOCL Result 2019. Indian Oil Corporation Limited has released its IOCL Exam Result 2019 for the post of Secretariat & Accounts Asst. A huge number of contenders had applied for the post and attended the examination. Hence such candidates can make use of this page to check their IOCL Results 2019. By checking results candidates can evaluate their performance. Refer the link given below to check your results.
IOCL Secretarial & Accounts Asst Result – Click Here
Indian Oil Corporation Limited Result 2019
IOCL Result 2019: The officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited has released the results for the post of Technician Apprentice interview list. A good number of candidates had applied for the post and had attended the exams hence such applied contenders are now eagerly waiting to check their results. By checking results applicants can evaluate their performance in the examination. Hence appeared contenders can check their results in the link given below.
IOCL Technician Apprentice Interview List (BKPL) – Click Here
Technician Apprentice IOCL Interview List(GSPL) – Click Here
IOCL Technician Apprentice Interview List(NRPL) – Click Here
Technician Apprentice IOCL Interview List(WRPL) – Click Here
IOCL Technician Apprentice Interview List(SRPL) – Click Here
Technician Apprentice IOCL Interview List(SERP) – Click Here
IOCL Technician Apprentice Interview List(ERPL) – Click Here
The IOCL Result 2019: Candidates can make use of this page to check their IOCL Exam Results 2019. The officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited has announced its interview list for the post of Research Officer (chemistry). However, the selected applicants have to attend the personal interview. Only those aspirants who have taken up the examination can check their IOCL Results 2019 on the link given below.
Research Officer (Chemistry) Interview Interview List – Click Here
IOCL Exam Result
ICOL Result 2019 – Research Officer Interview List: Are you guys in search of IOCL Merit List 2019. Then there is the great news for such contenders. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited has declared the interview list for the posts of Research Officers. However, selected aspirants have to attend the personal interview. Applied contenders can check their status below.
Applicants can check their IOCL Result 2019 – Research Officer Interview List: The officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited has declared interview list for the posts of Research Officers. Selected candidates have to attend for personal interview. Applicants can check their status below.
IOCL Result 2019: The Indian Oil Corporation Limited will release it’s IOCL Exam Result 2019 for the post of Trade Apprentice. Only those candidates who have attended the examination can check their IOCL Results 2019 here for various regions of Trade Post. The results will be available on our page when released by the officials at www.iocl.com. However, aspirants can make use of this page to check the IOCL Merit List 2019. Hence contenders get ready with your hall ticket to check results here.
The IOCL Result 2019 released. IOCL Haldia Refinery announced the Recruitment notification for 74 Jr. Engineer Assistant-IV posts. All the applicants of Indian Oil Corporation limited attended the written exam of Jr. Engineers on 2nd July 2019. Now candidates are eagerly looking for the IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant-IV Result 2019. The IOCL Board will release the results on its official website www.iocl.com. Download the IOCL 2019 result. Candidates can also check the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd result 2019 on our page. We are providing the direct link to Download the IOCL Junior Engineer Assistant Result 2019 in this article. So, Candidates can also check the exam, result date, cut off, merit list details from the below sections.
IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant-IV Result 2019
Indian Oil Corporation limited Haldia Refinery published the notification to recruit 74 candidates for the various posts. And the vacancies are for Junior Engineering Assistant – IV, Junior Materials Assistant – IV & Quality Control Analyst – IV. Moreover, Many candidates interested in IOCL Jobs applied for this notification. IOCL is also looking for the efficient and talented candidates to work for its organization. So, it successfully conducted the written examination for Jr. Engineer Assistant posts. Now, all the individuals are eagerly searching for the IOCL 2019 Result date. Officially, IOCL does not announce the Result Date. So, We update the IOCL Results on our site as soon as they are released by the officials of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. www.iocl.com is the official website to check the IOCL Result, cut off merit list details.
IOCL Result – Indian Oil Corporation Limited notification Details @ iocl.com
IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant Exam Details
Organization
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
Name of the Post
Junior Engineering Assistant – IV Junior Materials Assistant – IV & Quality Control Analyst – IV
IOCL 74 Junior Engineer Assistant Cut off – IOCL Merit list
We know that IOCL Haldia Refinery wanted to recruit 74 candidates for various Jr. Engineer Assistant posts. And all the interested candidates applied for the Jr. Engineer Assistant -IV posts. And the bard successfully conducted the written exam on 2nd July 2019. So, candidates can check the Cut off marks here. Cut off marks gives the idea regarding the minimum marks required to get qualify for the exam. Only written exam qualified candidates are eligible for the Next round which is Interview.
Candidates can also check the IOCL JEA Merit list 2019 from the official website www.iocl.com. The Merit list is obtained by entering your Registration number. IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant Merit list contains the names of qualified candidates. Hence, Only these candidates are eligible for the Interview Round.
How to Check Online IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant Result 2019?
At first, visit the official website of IOCL i.e., www.iocl.com.
The home page of Indian Oil Corporation will appear on the Screen.
There check for the IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant – IV Result 2019 of Haldia Refinery.
Click on the result link.
Now, a new window will open.
There enter the registration number and other valid data.
Check the entered details.
Then, click on the Submit Button.
Now, your IOCL JEA Result 2019 will appear on the screen.
Download the Results.
Finally, take the printout of the IOCL Result 2019 for future use.
iocl.com IOCL 74 Jr. Engineering Assistant-IV Result 2019
IOCL Haldia Refinery conducted the written examination for the posts of Junior Engineering Assistant – IV, Junior Materials Assistant – IV & Quality Control Analyst – IV on 2nd July 2019. So, candidates are eagerly searching for the IOCL Result 2019 on the internet. The IOCL Board will soon announce the IOCL 2019 Result. Moreover, candidates can get information regarding the results on our page All India Results. We update the Result on our page as soon as they are announced the Indian OilCorporation Ltd officials. The Direct link to check the Results is provided below. Only qualified candidates in the written exam are eligible for the Interview round. So, keep visiting our site regularly for the latest information on IOCL Junior Engineer Assistant-IV Result 2019.
Direct link to Download IOCL Jr. Engineer Assistant Result 2019
A report by a law firm has revealed financial irregularities at CG Power and Industrial Solutions (CG) that may have led the company to lose as much as Rs 3,000 crore, sources close to the development told ET. "Most of these transactions were to help parent company Avantha Holdings; the scary part was that some were routed through third parties," a source close to the development told ET.The company had mandated law firm Vaish Associates for an investigation that revealed that at least nine such transactions were allegedly carried out by CG's brass without following due procedure, or being approved by the board. ET has a copy of the summary of this report.The transactionsIn 2016, CG sold its land in Nashik and the factory on it to a company named Blue Garden Estate Private for around Rs 200 crore. CG passed on Rs 145 crore to Avantha Holdings (AHL) and Rs 53 crore to a company named ACTON. The report states both Blue Garden Estate Private and ACTON were shell companies with no real businesses. ET found out from the MCA database that both the companies were incorporated in March 2016 and have the same registered address and authorised capital of Rs 1,00,000.In a similar transaction in 2017, CG sold its Kanjurmarg land in Mumbai to the same Blue Garden Estate for Rs 190 crore without board approvals, after its pact to sell this land to another company for Rs 499 crore fell through. The proceeds were again transferred to ACTON and two employees of CG were paid Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore, respectively, as a part of the deal. The Vaish report said that both these transactions were structured to raise advances for remitting to companies outside the CG group, and there were no approvals of the board and the risk and audit committee (RAC).The probe was initiated after a cheque issued by CG in favour of Yes Bank bounced. The cheque bouncing issue was brought to the notice of an 'operations committee' (OC), which was formed around the same time in April after CG's parent Avantha Holdings' (AHL) creditors started invocation of pledge of the former's shares in March. AHL had taken a Rs 500 crore-loan for its own use from Yes Bank, which came with a condition that it will issue post-dated cheques as per repayment schedule.The cheques were issued by CG without approval from its board or RAC. After one of these cheques bounced on April 2, Yes Bank asked for a fresh cheque which was declined by CG board, citing lack of knowledge about the transaction. Yes Bank issued a legal notice under Section 138 of the 'Negotiable Instruments Act' to CG, its directors and the two officials who signed the cheques, ex-CFO VR Venkatesh and B Hariharan, group director (finance) at Avantha Group."This was not the only transaction undertaken by CG without board approval and due processes. Some employees informed the OC of five transactions that were executed without authorisation and not appropriately recorded in financial statements of CG," a source told ET.Subsequently, SRBC & Co, one of CG's statutory auditors, highlighted four other transactions that needed investigation. The RAC then appointed Vaish Associates as legal counsel to assist with the investigation, which, in turn, got Deloitte on board to investigate from an accounting perspective. Yes Bank declined to comment.At the time of going to the press, detailed queries to CG Power and Gautam Thapar were unanswered. "All transactions as far as I know were proper and with requisite approvals. It seems that you have access to the Vaish report. I do not but I understand that it is inconclusive and heavily disclaimed," B Hariharan said in response.Overseas armsCG's overseas arms were also used to divert money through on-lending to Avantha Group entities, and in one particular case, to an investment firm owned by the promoter. The Singapore arm took a loan facility of $44 million (Rs 348 crore) for general corporate purposes in 2017.This was diverted as an interestfree loan to Avantha International, a private investment arm of the group's promoter Gautam Thapar. "The on-lending to AIA was neither approved by CG board, nor permitted by the facility document," the report said.Board's actionAnother such transaction was routed through CG Middle East which took a foreign currency term loan of as much as $40 million (Rs 284 crore). This amount was drawn down in the account of guarantor CG International BV, which transferred it to CG India and then to CG PSOL in the UK which finally extended 97% of the total amount as an interest-free loan to Solaris, an Avantha group company outside of CG group.In another instance, CG made advances of around Rs 100 crore in three tranches between March and July 2018 to a vendor in Singapore, Mirabelle Trading, which is a trading arm of Avantha Group's Ballarpur Industries. These payments were not supported by documentary evidence and did not have board approval.There were two other transactions, one involving transactions with the Middle East and another relating to a loan to subsidiary CG PSOL, which lacked approvals. Since the financial irregularities came to light, the board of CG has asked the chairman Gautam Thapar and CFO to step down, and sent its CEO on leave.
NEW DELHI: The government on Monday exhorted iPhone maker Apple to expand manufacturing base in India, and use the country as export hub, as it promised to line up fresh incentives and sops to galvanise electronics as well as phone industry in coming 2-3 months.Apple's manufacturing investment so far is only the "tip of the iceberg", IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, adding the government wants global giants like Apple & Samsung to have a "robust presence" here."India will offer you Human Resource, investor-friendly policies, and incentives for making in India, and for exports," the minister said after holding a CEOs roundtable with over 50 electronics and phone companies.Apple and Samsung are international players and should work as a team with domestic companies to transform India into a global powerhouse, he said, adding he did not foresee any conflict of interest between the two sides."Apple has started manufacturing iPhones in India... making components and are exporting as well...Apple is on board as far as India's success story is concerned," Prasad said.Apple, which works with Taiwanese contract manufacturer Wistron in India, currently makes iPhone 6S and 7 here. Sources said Apple is looking at assembling more models in the country, although there has been no official word from the company on the same.The minister's day-long brainstorming session with CEOs comes at a time when India is trying to pitch itself as an international hub for electronics, and grab opportunities that have cropped-up in the backdrop of rising trade tensions between the US and China, a global manufacturing destination.India is looking to galvanise smartphone and component manufacturing and position itself as a global hub, dishing out incentives to sweeten the deal for international brands. It also wants to attract supply chain and ancillary firms, and increase value addition.Prasad said the government will roll out, in the next 2-3 months, a complete roadmap including incentives and sops that will act as catalyst for companies to deepen their manufacturing and export commitments.Niti Aayog will bring out a plan soon in this regard in consultation with the IT Ministry, he added.The plan to incentivise manufacturing will entail various aspects including sops by states as well as favourable policies related to land and energy.Prasad also asserted that India must become a hub for 5G, and that such an ecosystem needs to be backed by Intellectual property (IP), patents and Research and Development.India is also open to companies that want to levearge it purely for exports, he said.Earlier in the day, the minster asked captains of electronics and mobile industry to step up investments as well as manufacturing in India and asserted that fundamentals of the economy remain strong despite global turbulence.Addressing heads of leading electronics and mobile companies like Apple, Dell, Oppo and Samsung, Prasad had made an aggressive pitch, urging players to look at India "with greater vigour, and more commitment".India has set its sight on creating a USD 400 billion (around Rs 28.43 lakh crore) electronic manufacturing ecosystem by 2025, and notified a new policy to boost manufacturing activities.Prasad also instructed the ministry to set up an institutionalised mechanism in form of a taskforce that would regularly interact with the industry, take their suggestions and address concerns.The closed-door meeting included representatives from all major verticals of electronics sector such as mobile handsets, consumer electronics, strategic electronics, medical devices, electronics manufacturing services, components, telecom and LED lighting, among others.Big names in the electronics and manufacturing industry including Vivo, Oppo, Qualcomm, Xiaomi, Dell, HP, Bosch, Cisco, Flextronics, Foxconn, Nokia, LG, Panasonic, Intel, Wistron, and Sterlite Technologies attended the meeting.The minister said the players discussed various challenges pertaining to single window clearance, component manufacturing, among others.Over the last few years, there has been a visible ramp up of smartphone production in India, as new mobile factories mushroomed across the country to cater to data-hungry smartphone users.Steps taken by the government in the past years to promote electronics manufacturing include Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme, phased manufacturing programme, electronics manufacturing clusters and electronics development Fund.The National Electronics Policy 2019 - cleared by the Cabinet earlier this year - plans to bolster mobile manufacturing in the country to 1 billion units worth USD 190 billion (about Rs 13 lakh crore) by 2025, of which 600 million units worth USD 110 billion (about Rs 7 lakh crore) will be exported.The government had recently relaxed FDI norms for single-brand retail, offering players like Apple more flexibility on local sourcing norms. It also did away a provision that required companies to mandatorily set up a brick-and-mortar store before getting into online retail trading.MAIT (Manufacturers Association of Information Technology) President Nitin Kunkolienker said during the discussion, the industry body highlighted the need for creation of a component manufacturing hub in India that needs to be promoted aggressively by incentivisation by the government.The recommendations include offering production-linked export incentive, leveraging India's geo-political influence and FTA influence with countries to accept BIS and TEC standards as sufficient to access their markets.
Kolkata: How long should a phone ring before a disconnection? That's the focus of the sector regulator's latest consultation paper, wherein the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has sought views on the maximum call ringing time permissible to ensure optimal usage of phone network resources, including spectrum.Trai has also sought feedback on whether mobile users must be given the option to customise the ringing duration to improve customer convenience, and possible ways to do so.Maximum ring-time is now configured in the phone network, beyond which the network releases the connection forcefully, if the called-party does not answer."The maximum time allowed to answer calls takes on more importance in mobile networks as the alerting phase engages scarce radio spectrum resources," said Trai in a discussion paper, titled `Duration Alert for Called Party,' issued Monday.More so, since mobile users carry their handsets in person, & can respond much quicker, unlike in case of an incoming landline call where the instrument is likely to be away from the user.Ringing or alerting for a long time, when the called-party is unlikely to answer, Trai said, "would lead to non-optimal uitilisation of resources". But the regulator also conceded that if ring time is configured "on the lower side," it could undermine customer experience, especially if the duration is lower than the time usually taken to answer a call. A particular telco, it said, had reduced the call ringing span to 20 seconds, a scenario that could impact the network performance of other mobile and landline operators with longer durations, building a case of bringing uniformity to the call ringing span.Ring time in mobile networks is typically, 30-45 seconds, while for landline networks, it hovers between 60 and 120 seconds.Accordingly, Trai, in its discussion paper has sought feedback on whether guidelines are needed to configure call ringing time uniformly. Whether cutting-edge new age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) should be adopted to determine appropriate ringing spans to separate classes of telecom users.The sector regulator has also sought views on whether steps ought to be taken to enable customers to distinguish between commercial and regular calls by their ringing duration to boost user convenience.The deadlines for stakeholder comments and counter-comments for Trai's new discussion paper are September 30 and October 7 respectively.
Economic growth during April-June fell to a 25-quarter low, and consumption — which makes up for nearly 60% of GDP — has slumped. Across most sectors, consumption has been hit harder than it was in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008-09. Economic revival will need consumer spending to grow in the festive season, which is just weeks away. This season traditionally accounts for 35-40% of annual sales of consumer durables, and also sees an uptick in spends on other items. Indeed, this is the most crucial Diwali for the Indian economy in 10 years. ET explains. 71160312 71160323 71160329 Why is Diwali traditionally so important and what companies are hoping forConsumers tend to step up spending during Diwali, upgrade productsConsumption boom leads to increase in industrial activity and investments, which creates more jobsDespite the possibility of a festive boost, companies are still scepticalSales growth of more than 5-6% (year-on year) will provide some relief to consumer goods companies8-9%-plus sales growth will signal an economic turnaroundLower EMIs on car and housing loans and festive bonus payouts may lift sentiment 71159770 71159773 ConclusionWhether government stimulus packages announced so far will have an impact on festive consumption is a big question. An even bigger question is whether consumers, who are coping with flat-lining incomes and a poor job market, will respond to the incentives offered by companies. If this Diwali fails to sparkle in terms of consumption demand growth, outlook for the next few quarters will get much gloomier.
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has intensified its "fit and proper" checks on the managements of Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) and Indiabulls Housing Finance (IHF), which plan to merge, following fresh accusations of wrongdoing and the sudden exit of the bank's CEO. It has also told the companies not to exchange information and barred management interaction pending approval, two people familiar with the matter said.The heightened scrutiny follows a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court seeking a special investigation into alleged irregularities, diversion of funds and other violations said to have been committed by the promoters of IHF.The PIL filed by NGO Citizens Whistle Blower Forum alleges that the Indiabulls promoters have been advancing dubious loans to companies owned by large corporate groups. The latter route a part of these funds back to the accounts of companies owned by the promoters of Indiabulls.Indiabulls has described the PIL as "malicious" and "malafide" with the intention of scuttling the planned merger. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Indiabulls, said at a hearing last week that the petition had been copied from an earlier plea filed by one Abhay Yadav in the Supreme Court. That had subsequently been withdrawn and the facts stated in it were also said to be wrong with Yadav issuing an apology. The next hearing in the current case will be held on September 27.71159756 "This PIL is now sub judice, so it is only fair that it is decided by the court," said one of the people cited earlier. "The RBI is hence in no hurry to make a decision on this case."Deal has CCI Nod"There are also enquiries being done by agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and income tax, which the RBI will access. Only after they receive all this information will a considered decision be made," the person said.An RBI spokesperson didn't respond to queries and neither did Indiabulls.The two sides announced that LVB will be acquired by IHF subject to regulatory approval on April 5. LVB shareholders were to get 0.14 equity share of the merged company for each held in the bank. However, on May 4, the contours of the deal changed. The two companies said that IHF and its subsidiary Indiabulls Commercial Credit Ltd (ICC) will be merged into Lakshmi Vilas Bank.Just after the deal was announced in April, in an unprecedented clarification on its website, the RBI said that the presence of additional directors nominated by it on the LVB board didn't imply central bank approval of the merger proposal.LVB CEO P Mukherjee, who has been at the helm of the bank since 2015, quit late last month citing personal reasons. He hadn't completed a year of the two-year extension the RBI gave him in January 2019.Both entities had sent five nominations for the board of the merged entity. They include Indiabulls chairman Sameer Gehlaut, vice chairman Gagan Banga and executive director Ajit Mittal. From the LVB side, the names include KR Pradeep, who is the largest shareholder in the promoter group of the bank with a 2.01% stake, and P Mukherjee, who has since resigned.The deal has got the approval of CCI but the National Housing Bank and the RBI are yet to take a call. "We have no new information from the RBI. Whatever we have got is in the public domain," said LVB CFO S Sundar."As part of the diligence process, there are regular RBI, NHB inspections and RBI's inspection is likely to end by the end of next week," said one person close to Indiabulls. "RBI has looked into the credentials of incoming promoters between May and July. RBI will now look at the resultant capital position, asset classes and final business plan. It will take four months after issuing in-principle licence to the final one."Another person close to LVB said that the RBI is likely to scrutinise names recommended for chairman and MD of the merged entity more closely.
NEW DELHI: As part of the Delhi's draft electric vehicle (EV) policy, the city will need around 500,000 new EVs in the next five years and it will help save Rs 6,000 crore in oil and liquid natural gas imports and 4.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.The report, prepared by the Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) of Delhi and the Rocky Mountain Institute, submitted to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot here on Monday, identifies the economic and environmental benefits of the national capital's electric mobility future.The report, titled 'Accelerating Delhi's Mobility Transition: Insights from the Delhi Urban Mobility Lab', says to meet the draft EV policy target of the 25 per cent share in new registrations of EVs by 2024, Delhi will need to register 500,000 EVs in five years."Over their lifetime, these EVs are estimated to help save Rs 6,000 crore in oil and liquid natural gas imports and 4.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to CO2 emissions from nearly 100,000 petrol vehicles over their lifetime," the report says.These vehicles will also help avoid about 159 tonnes of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) tailpipe emissions, a known cause of respiratory diseases and premature deaths.The report proposes 10 actionable solutions to accelerate Delhi's mobility transition by summarising discussions and suggestions of a 200-people workshop, held on June 26-27 here, to develop sustainable mobility solutions for the city.On the report, Gahlot said, "As Delhi looks to take steps towards inducting large number of electric buses and taking leadership in fighting air pollution, this report will become an important reference point for all our agencies on various reforms needed to ensure a successful transition to EVs."The report proposes steps on policy, institutional, technical and financial interventions that can help support rapid adoption of EVs and other urban mobility solutions in Delhi."One proposed solution is the creation of a single-window clearance system for clearer and simpler processes for both registering and permitting EVs as well as commissioning charging and battery swapping infrastructure. Another is a more attractive financing for EVs through a government-led interest rate subvention scheme. Others include data solutions, awareness campaigns and capacity-building programmes," the government said in a statement.The draft EV policy, released in November 2018, is awaiting notification.
The Indian economy is unlikely to slip into a recession, but the probability of a global recession is about 40% over the next 24 months, said Bharat Iyer, head of India equity research at JP Morgan. In an interview ahead of JPMorgan's India Investor Summit 2019, he told Rajesh Mascarenhas that large banks with a strong liability franchise, sectors that benefit from government spending and some state-owned companies with dominant franchises should deliver healthy returns in the current environment. Edited excerpts:Many analysts believe a recession is coming globally and the fall could be bigger than what we have seen in 2008. How is India positioned to face such an event?Our global macro team estimates the probability of a recession at about 40% over the next 24 months. Policymakers are easing monetary and fiscal policies in response to the slowdown and the impact of these measures remains to be seen. Developments on the USChina trade dispute will also have a meaningful bearing on the global economy and trade. India is a relatively small part of the global supply chain. Our economy is driven more by internal factors — consumption, supported by demographics and investments, supported by the need for infrastructure — rather than trade. So, we do not see the Indian economy slipping into a recession. But a global recession will have an adverse impact on growth due to slowing international demand and increased competition from imports. Also, our equity markets are relatively open and will be impacted by the volatility in global financial markets that a recession would suggest.What do India's macros suggest? Are we on the right track or heading towards a major slowdown?India's economic indicators are a mixed bag at this stage. On the positive side, there is macro stability. Inflation is well-behaved, giving policymakers substantial leeway in terms of easing monetary policy. The central government's focus on fiscal discipline needs to be lauded. That said, growth has slowed down meaningfully over the last few quarters due to a bunching up of supply-side issues. We see a gradual revival as we go into the second half of the fiscal year, driven by increased government spending post the elections and improved transmission of easier monetary policy. A more robust revival should come through over the medium term, as capacity utilisation levels in the economy improve, triggering a meaningful pick up in the private sector investment cycle. Attracting FDI at a faster rate and aggressive divestments by the government to boost finances could fast-track the investment cycle. The surge in crude oil prices over the weekend needs to be watched. If sustained, it could be a source of pressure for the economy and markets.What impression are you getting on foreign investors' outlook for India?Currently, foreign portfolio investors are on aggregate running a neutral position on Indian equities vis-Ã -vis the benchmark. Most of them appreciate the structural appeal that India has and its defensive nature in the context of emerging markets and that explains why they did not turn underweight even during the slowdown in the recent past. That said, the earnings trend has underwhelmed for a few years now. We believe signs of a meaningful pickup herein will be the catalyst for FPIs (foreign portfolio investors) to turn overweight on Indian equities.How long do you see the dollar rally last and what is your outlook for the rupee?As far as the US dollar-Indian rupee is concerned, it would be futile to look at absolute levels in such an environment. Policymakers would be well served to maintain a competitive currency. We are not an export-led economy and do not need an undervalued currency to boost exports. But an overvalued currency will expose our economy, particularly the manufacturing sector to dumping from trade partners looking to diversify their exports and boost growth, even as their traditional markets are slowing down or turning more protectionist.Don't you think midcaps have been oversold? What is your outlook for the mid- and small-cap stocks?The midcap space in India is very vast in terms of numbers and varied in terms of composition. So, there will always be unique bottom-up opportunities. That said, for the entire complex to perform, we need a booming economy which is still some time away. Not to mention that valuations for well-managed midcap companies are still not cheap.How do you see earnings going ahead and what is your view on India equities from here on?Given the growth slowdown and gradual recovery expected, we estimate earnings growth in low double digits for the current fiscal year, driven mainly by lower credit costs for the large financials. Earnings growth should recover to the mid-teens by next year if our thesis on the economy plays out. Valuations for the broad market at about 20 times FY20 estimated earnings are at the higher end of the trading range. On balance, we believe we are in a modest return, high-volatility environment for equities over the next 9-12 months and target returns of about 8-10%.Where are the opportunities right now?Large banks with a strong liability franchise should do well in the current environment as monetary policy is supportive, credit costs are peaking and loan growth for the banking system is picking up. Insurance remains a structural theme given low penetration levels. Sectors that benefit from government spending like roads, affordable housing and water should do well. Some state-owned companies with dominant franchises are trading at very attractive valuations and should deliver healthy returns if there is a well-articulated divestment plan.What is your advice for retail investors in the current situation?For a 12-month time horizon, we would recommend a portfolio balanced across equity and debt with some exposure to gold as well.
We knew that the growth will be very slow but I must say 5% came as a surprise, I cannot sort of have any pretensions about that but we knew that growth momentum was slowing down and therefore a 35 bps rate cut was necessary, says Shaktikanta Das, Governor, RBI. Excerpts from an interview with ETNOW's Mythili Bhusnurmath. In the last monetary policy review, the MPC and the RBI reduced the GDP estimate marginally to 6.9%. Since then, we have seen that the numbers for the last quarter came in much lower. In hindsight, how would you look at GDP now?The first quarter number came as a surprise. In fact, almost everybody had projected more than that. We had projected 5.8% for Q1 and all others had projected around 5.5%. So, the Q1 GDP number came as a big surprise and we are also examining it internally if we missed out on something. If you look at the PMI numbers, in June they were better. There was an improvement. In July, it has come down. The July data was not available at that time. Are you as confident about your recovery in the second half?I will explain very briefly. We are now examining the GDP much more closely. We were doing a close analysis. We were doing that earlier also. For example, in inflation forecasting, now we are almost on the dot and the margin of error has considerably come down compared to the earlier months or years. In GDP also, we are examining where we need to improve. But as far as Q1 GDP is concerned, I must say the PMI gave a different picture. Conflicting signals were coming up but we are looking at possible areas of improvement. Are you hopeful of a recovery in the second half?I do not want to give a timeline on recovery. I take it that you are implying that when the growth rates will be better. 71151107 Yes. I cannot and I would not like to say when the recovery will take place. We have to see the Q2 numbers now and see how whether that kind of a slowdown is sustained or things will improve. As early as February MPC, we had recognised that growth momentum particularly investment and consumption are slowing down and therefore we went for a 25 bps rate cut as early as February. We have kept that pace all through. So we did expect growth to slow down in the current year and we had also said that growth is losing traction and growth has to be the matter of highest priority in August. From RBI side. so far as monetary policy is concerned, it has a particular assigned, defined role in the economy and there RBI will do whatever instruments it has at its disposal. But so far as the other wings of economy, the other stakeholders and policy makers are concerned, everybody has a role and the three rounds of announcements made by the government in automobile sector, real estate, exports and few other sectors, should play a positive role. In hindsight, now that we have the GDP numbers and we are seeing the slowdown, did that 35 bps cut which at that time seemed almost very generous, seem inadequate now?This is what I want to say we did. In fact, for the first time I think in August minutes, we said that growth is a matter of highest priority and in my minutes I had said very clearly that it can no more be business as usual and the economy needs something more. Therefore, we knew that there is a definite slowdown in investment and contraction in demand. We had recognised it and therefore we went for 35 bps cut. It is hindsight for others but we knew that the growth will be very slow but I must say 5% came as a surprise, I cannot sort of have any pretensions about that but we knew that growth momentum is slowing down and therefore 35 bps rate cut was necessary. If at that stage you felt 35 bps cut was necessary, now that things have become worse, would it be even more necessary to be even more expansive?No that would be a giveaway so far as the next MPC is concerned. I cannot, I would not like to. Many things happened all around the world. For example, the Saudi oil crisis, this drone strikes have come. They are having an impact on oil prices. We have to see whether… what kind of whether this impact, how durable it is likely to be and what is the counter-measure in terms of substituting that shortfall in supply; what is the contingency measures which the Saudis as well as the US will take to dip into the oil reserves that they have and substitute it by alternative production. All that roadmap will play out in the next one week or ten days. So you will not let any cat out of the bag?No, I will certainly not let the cat out of the bag. It is a privilege issue. Absolutely, except in December, when the MPC met at that time they reiterated they kept the repo rate at 6.5% and talked about calibrated tightening. In February just two months later, when you came, you got them to change the stance and since then we have seen successive rate cuts. How did you do this? How did you change the MPC hawks into doves? Whoever occupies the chair, the governor of the Reserve Bank has his assessment of the situation, the way he looks at things, definitely carries a lot of weight. In the February MPC, we had considerable internal discussion and the signs of slowdown were clearly visible as early as February. Therefore, after detailed discussion, to tell you that we did not require it, I was prepared to use my casting vote. But we did not need it. Your powers of persuasion are very strong.No, not my powers of persuasion alone, it was a joint decision. It was Michael Patra…Let us not discuss individuals. When facts change, the views have to change. In February, the facts had changed. One has to be fair to the December decision of the MPC. There are reasons why they did it. So it is not correct to say that the December decision was wrong and it is not correct. I am not saying it is wrong. I am saying the Governor's view matters much more.But the facts and circumstances warranted a stance, which the MPC took rightly in December. By February, more facts had come to our notice and the slowdown signs were clearly visible. At the cost of attracting some amount of criticism that the RBI is playing to the gallery, the MPC did realise that there is a slowdown around the corner and in order not be behind the curve. If you read the MPC minutes, we had said that there is a need for decisive policy action. We did not want to be behind the curve and therefore, from February onwards, we have been cutting by 25 bps and last time very clearly we had articulated that it cannot be business as usual any longer and the economy needs us stronger on push. Since then, things have become even worse. You have shown a willingness to be unconventional with that 35 bps cut. Can we hope that you will continue to be live up to that same trend and may be have an out of MPC cut? What will happen in future, what we will do I cannot give a forward guidance on that. But a lot depends on the incoming data and monsoon has been good. Earlier it looked as if there will be a deficit. Now monsoon is surplus by 3% and there is a deficit rainfall only in the eastern and the north eastern part of India. There is a little bit of shortfall in the north western part, but there is again forecast of rain in the coming days in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other places. So. you are seeing some silver linings?There are silver linings but then as I mentioned the impact of the Saudi oil crisis on international crude prices and its possible impact on our domestic oil prices and on inflation, will have to be taken into consideration. We had said in the last meeting that growth is a matter of highest priority. There is no doubt about that. There has been a lot of demand that monetary policy should do the heavy lifting. We have heard the FM and everybody saying that. But as we have seen from ECB, Draghi has clearly said that monetary policy has its limits, because it is a broad brush. You can make loans cheaper but ultimately demand has to be there. Has the RBI expressed its view ever to the government because the government seems very determined to stick to that 3.3% fiscal deficit line. Are there any limitations to monetary policy?Two points, number one the situation in Eurozone, the Indian situation, the Emerging Market situation, all vary from place to place. But the world over, almost every central bank is in an accommodative mode. RBI was perhaps one of the first central banks which changed its stance to accommodative and which went on an accommodative mode by cutting interest rates. Now almost every central bank is on board. Draghi has also done it for the European Commercial Bank. So far as the Indian fiscal situation is concerned, we had a lot of discussions with the government internally. On the fiscal, as we stand at this point of time, the tax numbers are coming in and the government is also reviewing the incoming data and simultaneously there is also a need for the government to maintain the capital expenditure which is there in the budget. There was a review in government to ensure that the capital expenditures are frontloaded to the extent possible. Therefore that discussion with the government is a continuous process. The other part of your question on how much of heavy lifting RBI can do, I would not like to say that monetary policy has a limited role. I would like to say that the monetary policy has a certain role in any economy and RBI will play that role as per the requirement of the situation. In the current situation, every stakeholder, every policy maker will have to deal with the situation to their best whatever space they have. Now when I say stakeholder, it also includes the private sector players, the investors or let us say the NBFC players who have to find market based resolution for their problems, they have to go for stake sale, they have to find market mechanisms to deal with the situation. So far as the authorities are concerned, not just RBI, other regulators also need to deal with the situation without diluting the essence of the fundamental principles of financial stability. Everybody has a role to play. The three rounds of announcements that the government has made means the government is also alive to the situation. There is a constant call for RBI to lower interest rates but the RBI also has to balance the interests of depositors and borrowers because unless you have deposits, banks will not be able to lend. Are we losing sight of that because there is a call for lowering interest rates by say 200 bps, 100 bps but what does that leaves the savers? How does RBI hope to balance this interest of the savers and that of the borrowers?You are absolutely right. It is a very delicate balancing that we have to do. With regard to call from outside to cut your rates by 200 bps or 100 bps, one thing I can tell you that our eyes and ears are open but we take our own decision. We do listen to people, everybody who suggests a rate cut of 100 or 200 bps, but we take our own decision and it is a balancing game, we have to look at the interest of the overall economy, rate cut, the aspect of transmission or what impact it is likely to have on whether we should not be again cutting rates when there is a build up of inflation, because that is our primary target. We also have to keep in mind the depositor interests and in India many salaried class people, many retired persons depend on their bank deposits. What we have now done as a part of our external benchmark is that we have left the entire process of spread to be decided and determined by the banks themselves. Earlier, the MCLR was too prescriptive. Each component of MCLR was prescribed by the RBI and the banks were told this is how you should work out on MCLR. Of course… But you used to specify the external benchmarks. Now banking licences are virtually available on tap. Why not leave it to banks? In our pursuit of monetary transmission, might we be taking away from skills that banks have learnt very slowly over the years? I will complete my reply to your earlier question then I will deal with this external benchmark matter and the points which you are mentioning. On depositors interest, this time the spread is to be decided by the banks. We have left that flexibility entire with the banks. So the spread has to be decided by the banks, what are the components of spread, how much they want to load on that, is left entirely to the banks. There is total flexibility. Therefore to that extent, the current system compared to MCLR is much less of micro management and gives complete flexibility. All that we have said is that once you decide your spread, whenever there is an external benchmark, you link yourself to any external benchmark not necessarily the repo rate, then the transmission becomes much more transparent and is much faster and better. In the current system, the banks have room to take care of the interest of the depositors. On the other side, the transmission will become transparent and what we have done helps to boost the new loans as well as the existing loans and this places both public and private sector banks on a common footing. Old loans are also taken care of. After all let us remember that when we do the rate cut, the rate cut is too revive growth. Now rate cut is to revive growth by giving boost to demand. How does that happen unless transmission takes place? Therefore the transmission is very important. The monetary policy has an impact on the real economy so far as the independence of banks are concerned, the flexibility of the banks are concerned. The current system gives them much more; it is much more flexible. Only thing is it is much more transparent compared to the earlier system and we are not telling the banks how much spread they should have. It is for them to keep their spreads taking into account their liabilities and their outlook on liability. Today the SBI chairman is saying that can I give housing loan at fixed rate initially because I cannot possibly link a 30-year housing loan to a one day repo. It is going to create so many problems.No we have nowhere said… I have my problem only with repo.We have nowhere said that you link it with repo. It is one of the options.It is one of the options and let us also see this external benchmark. Let me add two more points. There was a committee which was appointed in RBI in 2017, the report of the committee was placed in the public domain, comments were received, RBI's response on that was uploaded in the website I think in February of 2018. It was announced in December MPC. When I came banks had represented that they have certain difficulties so therefore we had deferred it, we had said that we are deferring it and we will review it further. Over the last one month, before we announced the external benchmark, already many banks had announced linking their new loans to the repo rate so it is a process which had already commenced and last month in an event, while participating in an event in Mumbai, I had said that now the time has come to formalise what is already happening so the banks were already linking their new loans to repo rate. All that we did was to formalise what was already being done by the public sector banks and some private sector banks. Some private sector banks had also announced it. The time had come to formalise that arrangement and by adopting the external benchmark, we have formalised that arrangement and let me say that under this system, the transmission will be much more transparent, faster and the flexibility and autonomy of the banks is entirely available to them with regard to the spread they decide to have. You mentioned about some problem that they are having. How does he link a seven-year loan to a one-day repo rate? We are not saying you link it to one-day repo rate. We said any other benchmark which is published by the FBIL despite that if the banks have some problem, we have a very close interaction with the banks. In fact, it is a very close interaction and dialogue goes on with the banks both public and private sector. If the banks bring any specific issue to our notice, we will certainly deal with that. Yes except that the banks are always little reluctant to pick up an issue really with the regulator.No, please ask the banks whether they have any difficulty. That I will see, far better than before.No I do not want to be comparative, let us not compare but the banks do meet the deputy governors. They do meet me from time to time in groups and individually also they meet me. Any problem they have we are always open to listening to them and whatever is the difficulty we are willing to address that.DEALING WITH SLOWDOWNDo you see the slowdown as more cyclical where anti-cyclical measures can help or do you think we need to do more? Are the packages the government is announcing, the right way of taking sectoral approach or do we need a broad brush macro loosening? You were also present in the last post MPC press conference on 7th of August. Remember what I had said that time. We have again reiterated that in our annual report that at this point of time, it appears to be a soft patch which has morphed into a cyclical slowdown. Nevertheless, there is need for structural reforms. We did not categorise the situation as countercyclical structural because if you try to fix it into specific vision holes, then your policy response gets fragmented. 71152368 Wherever you feel there is a cyclical issue you have to deal with it in a counter-cyclical manner. Wherever there are structural corrections needed, you have to do structural measures. Therefore the responses at the current point of time have to be both cyclical and structural and structural or things like reforms in agricultural marketing. For example, that is one example which I have been always saying and I do have reasons to believe that something positive will happen in this direction also. We have seen three PSU bank mergers from the government, Was RBI consulted in these packages as far as mergers were concerned?I am not saying specifically with regards to merger or wherever required and even otherwise also, in matters relating to economy, a lot of interaction goes on between the government and the RBI. These are not obviously in the public domain. A lot of consultation, lot of dialogue goes on between the government and the RBI. But in the mergers for instance, the government has been very generous and frontloading its recapitalisation. But has the timing of mergers been a little ill timed given that you are giving so much money to top management of the banks that almost all the energy will be spent on ensuring that the merger goes through?On the issue of merger, it is very important to manage the transition process because in the intervening period, the normal activity of the bank with regards to sanction or disbursement of credit or recovery of loans or any other matter has to be a non-disruptive and very smooth. I would like to emphasise that each bank internally should have its own mechanism to see that the monitoring of the transition process is done very carefully and the transition is non-disruptive. The government has announced that banks will have their own internal mechanisms to deal with this process. It is important how you deal with the transition process. So was this seen as urgent, that the merger was something that had to be done here and now?It was announced by the government as early as 2014. That was announced in Narasimham Committee so many years ago. They sat on it.In 2014, it was announced post the Gyan Sangam. It was announced that eventually the government is looking at about eight or nine large PSU banks. Public sector banks generally look up to the RBI to fight their "case." On one hand we are talking about improving of governance of public sector banks and on the other hand, we are talking about mergers, we are asking them to implement 59-minute loan, open Jan Dhan accounts. Are we serious about governance reforms? You see Reserve Bank as the regulator of the banks will always take the action that is assigned to it. In terms of regulating the banks effectively, maintaining their stability and dealing with overall financial stability of the system, including that of the banking sector. RBI will continue to play its role. Whether too many things are happening simultaneously or they should happen sequentially, it is a decision which the government takes and so far as the large banks are concerned, in the long term and also in the medium term, the large banks definitely will be in a better place to mobilise deposits and also to play their role in the sector. Take the example of a south-based bank. It gets a bank which is based in eastern part of India and therefore that bank would be able to get deposits from eastern part of India and it has got a more national presence. Larger banks definitely have greater leverage to play their role more effectively. It also helps stability of these banks small banks have their own problems of long- term viability. The process of merger which has taken place in any case was announced earlier and all that the government has done is to implement it. But so far as RBI's role is concerned, we will play our role effectively. We have already governance reforms with the government. We have given our suggestions to the government. But the government does not seem to be listening to the Reserve Bank?No, I think the finance minister made a statement or announcement. I think not the last one, but the previous one. The finance minister has said that the focus will be also on governance reforms. One of the real learnings from the global financial crisis was that the linkages between banks and non-bank players should be kept strictly as much under control as possible. One of the alarm signals that the RBI did not pick up in the past was the increase in NBFC lending. Are we repeating the same mistakes by encouraging banks to increase rather than decrease the linkages?We are not asking anybody. I can assure you the RBI is not asking any banks to lend or not to lend. You are making it easier for them to lend to NBFCs.We are doing more to harmonise our regulations. RBI exposure norms had been based on BASEL. While the BSEL requirement is 75%, we were at 125%. Before that, we were at 100%. So 100% had been increased to 125% in a certain situation and today we have brought it down to 100%. While providing all this enabling framework in all our interaction with the banks, when I have interaction with the banks or when our supervisory teams visit the banks, this aspect of credit appraisal whether the credit appraisal in individual the large cases are being done correctly or not, the role the management committee and the audit committees in the banks have to play are always highlighted. So far as RBI is concerned, our highest focus while providing an enabling framework to banks is that we should not have artificially difficult regulations. We felt that today there is a need to bring down exposure in certain category of loans from 125 to 100, so we brought it down. It does not mean that we have compromised any principle of diligence. We reduced it to 100% because BASEL is still at 75% so we are still very much ahead or above the prudential sops. Can we hope for further reduction?No, I am not saying that we will give. In any case, we do not give. For example, in the case of the exposure of banks to NBFCs, for a single NBFC we increased the exposure from 15% to 20%, but we have not said that with the permission of the board, you can take it to 25% which is there for other entities. But we have not done that for NBFCs because we felt that at the current juncture, increasing from 15% to 20% also helps the good NBFCs to get money. Today as we are talking here about NBFC crisis, let us remember that there are good number of NBFCs which are doing well and which are able to get money from the market at pre IL&FS crisis rates. Therefore there is a requirement to put money into the NBFC sector. We increased it from 15% to 20% but did not give that leverage to banks. With the permission of the board, they can go up to 25%. RBI does a very calibrated and careful regulation without compromising the basic macro prudential requirements.As far as supervision is concerned, regulation is one thing. In the matter of supervision, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Reserve Bank of India for the quality of its supervision.I thought we were pulled up by the Supreme Court on the RTI issue.No not only RTI, there were some comments made by the Supreme Court judges on the quality of RBI inspection. They had only a limited number of banks and supervision was stretching the RBI supervisory capacity. You have taken on the supervision of NBFCs also. I know you quite forming a special cadre and all the rest of it but that will take time. Are you worried?As you said, we are creating a separate supervision and regulation cadre within RBI. We are also deciding the strategy on how to go about this supervision. In any case, even before the formal amendment to the law giving power to RBI with regard to regulation of the housing finance companies or with regard to some additional power with regard to NBFCs, we had already started supervision of top 50 NBFCs. These top 50 NBFCs account for 75% of the loan outstandings of NBFCs.So we had already started the process and the additional powers were considered necessary. Today given the interconnectedness between banks, NBFCs and other financial sector players including housing finance companies, it was necessary for RBI to have powers with regard to NBFCs almost on par with that of the banks and also to have regulatory powers over HFCs.Since resolution of NBFC crisis is proving to be so problematic, is there any prospect of the FRDI Bill coming back to the front burner because we have no resolution mechanism for financial entities?Specifically with regard to the FRDI Bill, the government has already said it is withdrawn. So, I do not want to comment on that. That is a policy decision taken by the government. But having said that, there is a need for a resolution mechanism so far as NBFCs and similar entities are concerned, which has a legal basis. In the past RBI had made this argument that their powers with respect to the public sector banks are not comparable with private sector banks. But, private sector banks have not fared very much better. Kotak Mahindra Bank has been openly defying RBI. Does RBI feel that it is not being taken as seriously as it used to be in the past? No RBI is taken very seriously by the banks -- whether public sector or private sector banks. RBI imposes fines on everyone.Has Kotak paid?Yes of course. Individual cases I would not like to discuss but wherever we have levied penalty, the penalties have been paid. I do not want to reply on a specific case which you are saying, it is not proper. But wherever penalties have been levied, they have paid. Basically so far as RBI's regulations are concerned, they are taken very seriously by the regulated entities. Therefore, it is not correct to say that somebody is defying it or somebody is not listening to that.With regard to the RBI regulating the entities, the public sector or the private sector banks, so far as private sector banks are concerned, our powers are more; with regard to public sector banks, we do have certain limitations but I do not see that as a limiting factor. What we can do directly with regard to the private sector banks, in case of PSBs, we can do it through the government. Supposing we want a particular chief executive or somebody to be replaced, if RBI gives an indication to the government, I am sure the government will act upon it.When can we expect to hear something on the Lakshmi Vilas Bank and Indiabulls merger?I do not want to comment on individual applications. Whenever a banking license is received, RBI does as you would be aware -- a fit and proper test. We analyse it from the perspective of fit and proper criteria and it is a very rigorous process because banking license is a very important and sensitive matter. Therefore RBI does a thorough check of whether the applicant meets the requirement of being fit and power. It does take time. If you look at past cases also, they have taken even longer than what we have taken at present.A lot of fintech companies have gone through a lot of cash burn and there are reports that many of them are hoping to get a small finance bank licence or some other licences. In the past, we saw the DFIs, then the NBFCs and now the fintech players. Does it seem as if everybody thinks that getting a bank licence is a sure way of getting "out of trouble"?What they are thinking I do not know but RBI will continue to apply the principles of it and proper criteria very carefully it has done in the past.Is the RBI disappointed by the way IBC is panning out? Everything seems to be landing up in court. Is the RBI going to advise the government for a rethink on 29A the kind of relaxations?The liquidation numbers are larger because when the IBC process started, many cases which were already in BIFR and which had almost outlived their existence, got transferred to NCLT and they got liquidated. A large number of liquidation cases are basically legacy cases which were transferred from the BIFR to the NCLT. Now under the IBC, there has been a delay in a number of cases while it should be faster. In more than 20 of those cases, it has already taken more than a year and some of them are even going up to two years now. That is definitely a matter of concern.In fact Minister of State for Finance, Anurag Thakur, has recently been telling banks to not send every stressed assets to the NCLT. The government also perhaps is realising that there might have been some overreach?I would not be able to comment on that but there is a delay now. There are various reasons for it now. The stakeholders, the interested parties exercise their right to go to the courts. You cannot take away that power, the article 226 is a fundamental component of our constitution. You cannot take away that power from anybody. If the operational or some other creditor or somebody you know goes to the court, you cannot take away that right from them. The courts also do the hearing and in some cases, it does take time but having said all this, there is no two opinion that the cases need to be resolved faster. In the past, in some cases, even the Supreme Court has heard the cases on a fast track mode and have given out the judgements. It is necessary to fast track all the cases by all the players concerned.On the issue of sovereign bond, for sometime, their talk went to the backburner. We saw the prime minister talk about the need and importance of the sovereign bonds. Has RBI's position undergone any change?I said it earlier also that as debt manager, we have conveyed our views internally to the government. But what the prime minister said, I do not know if we are referring to the same one. The prime minister did not refer to sovereign bonds, the prime minister said that there is a lot of money available.Surplus liquidity is available and there is an opportunity for us to tap…That is right.So should we interpret that as sovereign bond or borrowing?Interpretation is yours but I just wanted to put the record straight that the prime minister did not specifically refer to sovereign bonds. He said there is a lot of liquidity available internationally which we need to tap. It can be tapped through various routes. We have the ECB route. We have liberalised quite a lot…Ultimately ECB routes sounds attractive but most Indians do not hedge. As a result, externalisation has to happen. Excessive opening up to ECB could also be dangerous?Let us remember that on ECB, we have a cap of 6.5% of the GDP. As long as we have a macro prudential cap, a well defined cap which we have arrived at after doing a lot of analysis and as long as you have space in that cap, any amount of borrowing within that is not an issue at all. Even today for the short term, the hedging requirement is still there. For any borrowing, which is 10 years and above, it is as good as . Therefore, the hedging requirement has been done away with that. So hedging requirements for short term it continues. ECB liberalisation is very much within that 6.5% of GDP. Therefore macro prudential norms have not been compromised at all. But there is liquidity in the international markets and an appetite domestically. So, we should provide the link.One advantage that you have vis-Ã -vis many predecessors is that you have handled many of these issues when you were in the finance ministry. But today you are in the Reserve Bank of India, on this side of the table. Do you have now a greater empathy for RBI than you might have had when you were in the finance ministry? You strongly defended the government on the issue of demonetisation. I always to the best of my ability try to take a balanced call wherever I am -- when I was in government and even now when I am in the RBI, I always try to take a balanced call and to the best of my capacity and I try to take what is good for the economy and I am not influenced by the fact that I am coming from here or I am coming from there.So where you sit is immaterial..It is material, it is not totally immaterial, but the final decision should be what is good for the economy, not because I am sitting in the government and therefore I would like this or I am sitting in RBI therefore I should not like this. One has to take a balanced call. Even when I was in government, on many issues we were consulting the Reserve Bank very closely and on many issues, RBI's position was appreciated and kept on board. That has been the trend all along.Would you agree with one of your predecessors, who is also a very seasonal bureaucrat like you, who said that the RBI is completely free within the limits set by the government?You should ask the person who said this. I have lots of respect for all my predecessors. But there is something called the sovereign and the RBI is not a sovereign state, RBI works under the sovereign. The RBI has to exercise its autonomy in decision making that the RBI continues to exercise even today. Let me assure you that when decision making is concerned, the RBI is completely free and autonomous. We listen to everybody, we interact with everybody, we consult all stakeholders but the final decision is ours and it is decided entirely by RBI.So at night when you go to bed, do you count your lucky stars you are not Jerome Powell and at least whatever happens, nobody is going to call you a bonehead?I try to get to sleep as quickly as possible.
NEW DELHI: An interministerial panel set up by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to develop India as a hub for electronics exports will release its policy, focused on how to further boost handset manufacturing, within one month, top government officials said.A larger policy for the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem will also be put in place in the next two to three months, which will include fresh incentives and sops to promote India as a global manufacturing hub. Electronics and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who chaired a day-long meeting with chiefs of electronics companies, said the time had come to make India a big hub for export of electronics and components. "India will offer you human resource, investor-friendly policies and incentives for making in India, and for exports," he said, urging companies such as Apple and Samsung to expand their manufacturing base in India and use the country as an exports hub.Apple and Samsung should, together with domestic companies such as Lava, transform India into a global powerhouse, Prasad said, adding he did not foresee any conflict of interest between the two sides. "Apple has started manufacturing iPhones in India... making components and are exporting as well... Apple is on board as far as India's success story is concerned," he said.Top executives from 54 companies including Apple, Samsung and Nokia, along with eight industry bodies and officials from the ministries of telecom and commerce, attended the meeting. Industry officials raised concerns about the end of incentives, lack of focus on components, skilling and infrastructure issues. "We have increased the production of electronics from $29 billion in value terms to $70 billion in 2019. Sky is the limit now. We have taken note of all the suggestions and will work on them," Prasad added.Amitabh Kant, CEO of think tank Niti Aayog, said the report, by a panel headed by him, will be released in 20 days. He also said India needs to create "champion" companies exporting out of the country. Revenue secretary Ajay Bhusan Pandey was also present at the meeting.Prasad said the government was working on a "plan" with bodies such as Niti Aayog on how to promote the global industry, including measures such as having a robust land policy, job creation, etc. "Niti will release the detailed policy… I will also be vetting it," he said.Prasad also said that a task force will be set up to take care of the industry's concerns and make sure that the industry has a favourable work environment. Ajay Prakash Sawhney, secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and IT, said that industry had mentioned about a need for new incentives, after policies such as the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (MSIPS) came to an end last year. "There are three new schemes in the making, the inputs received today will go into refining those policies," he said.He added that the government will come up with policies and incentives to act as catalysts for the growth of the industry."The Minster and his A-team, in a marathon session, understood the concerns of the global and domestic mobile phone and electronic industry. The serious intent of the government to create outcomes was clear," said Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association.According to the National Electronics Policy 2019, the government is aiming at a turnover of $400 billion in domestic electronics manufacturing by 2025, of which $190 billion is expected to be contributed by exports. "If we have to develop India as a hub for exports, we have to look at incentives offered by some of the Southeast Asian countries and try to better them since the impact of this sector is huge on areas such as jobs and ancillary industry," said George Paul, CEO of Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology (MAIT)."The government was in a listening mode," said a senior executive who attended the meeting on Monday, adding that representation from a number of sectors were made, including mobile phones, televisions, IT, components and makers of electronics in medical and auto industries.Several issues were raised by companies including building of global companies from India, besides strengthening the local ones, improving ease of doing business and making the country's program for skill development more effective than it is at present.
MUMBAI | NEW DELHI: Sleepless nights, bouts of anxiety and shooting blood pressure — senior managers helming Indian companies are grappling with severe mental stress as they hold course amid a protracted economic downturn. Psychiatrists and psychologists in cities now have more callers who complain about pressing work schedules, unrealistic targets and fears of losing jobs.Several studies indicate a jump in depression and anxiety-related disorders over the past six months. Take, for instance, a study conducted by Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences (CIMBS), which shows a threefold increase in degenerating mental health among senior professionals. According to Optum, a top provider of employee-assistance programmes to companies, stress-related complaints from employees have doubled from a year earlier to 16% in 2019."The profile of people who came up with anxiety disorders, where work-related stress or financial matters is concerned, comprised not only professionals working in organisations, but also self-employed entrepreneurs and even their spouses," said Shobhana Mittal, a psychiatrist at CIMBS.71159809 In a majority of cases, professionals were worried about financial risk, loss of job, loss in business or financial uncertainty that triggered the anxiety disorder, said experts. In a few instances, financial loss and subsequent stress had triggered even suicidal behaviour.No Definitive Remedy"Our call volume has gone significantly high," said Amber Alam, the head of business (India) at Optum International. Counsellors and mental health experts said a large number of the calls were from sectors that were more impacted by the economic downturn, such as automobile, telecom, real estate and financial services. There is an increasing awareness among professionals to seek out counselling, they said.Promoters and CEOs of India Inc are aware of rising stress levels, but there isn't any definitive remedy to the problem. "One has to find own ways of mitigating stress," said Marico chairman Harsh Mariwala. "Overall, competitive environment has intensified, making it difficult for organisations to succeed on a perpetual basis. In addition to this, there is disruption and unknown competition, expectation from the capital market and private equity players adding to stress," he said.Adding to their woes are heightened rules, regulations and scrutiny by regulators and other government agencies. The environment has become incredibly hostile for companies that are not well-governed or are facing sectoral or cyclical headwinds, said industry experts. That apart, life in big cities comes with its own set of stress. "Different people react in different way to stress. In a business context, for a senior leader, it could be if someone overpromises a performance and the economic cycle goes down then the stress can be overwhelming. In this case, the stress is more self-created. Or if the board puts an unrealistic target and the individual's conviction is not with it, that can also lead to tremendous stress," said Santrupt Misra, the CEO of the carbon black business at the Aditya Birla Group.However, a seasoned CEO should know that economic cycle comes and goes, advised Misra. "One must focus on factors that are controllable by the individual and the organisation. Things that you cannot control, there is no point sweating about it." India is facing a serious mental health crisis, with an estimated 56 million people suffering from depression and 38 million from anxiety disorders, according to a report by the World Health Organization One in five employees in India Inc is said to be suffering from workplace depression. "There is high demand on CEOs to perform, coupled with a complex and uncertain environment. The job of a senior manager has become quite complex and demanding," said Mariwala. Employers, on their part, are increasingly helping professionals deal with stress."This (rising stress level) is largely due to unprecedented disruption in all walks of working life. There is the 'fear of unknown'.… Employees are not sure of what the future has in store," said Sanjev Vaid, the head of HR (wellbeing, reward & employment) at RBS India.However, at the same time, there is more openness and awareness among people to reach out to counsellors and medical practitioners. "We find the young generation open to seeking help which is very encouraging. Seeking professional help for work life issues is no longer a taboo," said Alam from Optum.
Mumbai: BEST comfort for your journey to home? With 32 lakh daily passengers, the newly inducted 21-seater AC mini buses may witness rush during peak hours
Union Minister Giriraj Singh promises aid to Pak Hindu refugees Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh have made announcements to provide better civic facilities in a visit to a colony near Mubarak Chowk in Delhi.
Operations begin to rescue villagers stranded in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan Earlier, other states like Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, and Goa managed to stay afloat after receiving heavy rainfall.
Uttar Pradesh: Girl spins her murder story to elope with boy Gorakhpur resident Kajal met Hari Mohan of Agra through a dating app. Talks soon turned into love
Ministry of Home Affairs assures Kartarpur Corridor to be open for public by November 11 A team of the Home Ministry officials inspected the ongoing construction work on Monday
A year on, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi State BJP leaders raise eyebrows over timing and intention of the meeting
Two parties interested in dialogue to resolve Ayodhya: Mediators ask Supreme Court to resume The committee has referred to representations received by two parties to the Ayodhya title suit seeking resumption of talks to solve the dispute and has sought the way forward.
What the fart! Surat to see flatulence contest Two friends in Surat, Mul Sanghvi and Yatin Sangoi, are all set to host the city's first farting competition: 'WTF-What the Fart'.
Spy planes spot China warship in south IOR This comes a fortnight after intelligence agencies warned that China was allegedly spying on Indian Naval bases in the Indian Ocean through its advanced surveillance ship in the A&N Islands
Dear Candidates, here we have updated the latest result link for the APSPDCL Recruitment 2019 Results. Applicants can get your results just by clicking the direct link provided below in the table. The APSPDCL JLM Result 2019 Released on 16th September 2019. Moreover, Along with the results, all the candidates can get the APSPDCL JLM Cut off Marks 2019 and APSPDCL JLM Merit List 2019 from the below sections. As we know that all the candidates who had attended the Pole climbing, Meter reading & Cycling tests from 3rd to 7th September 2019 are searching for the APSPDCL Energy Assistant Result 2019. All candidates can get the results from the direct link provided below.
CCL Recruitment 2019 – Apply Online for 750 Trade Apprentice Job Vacancies. Central Coalfields Limited invites online application for the Trade Apprentice Post. Human Resource Health Department shortlist the applicants by either written test/ interview/ merit-based. Aspirants can apply through Online mode only. Interested can submit their Central Coalfields Limited Online Application from 16th September 2019.
