With "Gemini Man," about an assassin and his much younger clone, the actor was forced to confront his career choices — and his director's view of his career choices.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
President Trump, no stranger to self-regard and derision, took to Twitter on September 26 to lambaste Representative Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Poaching the apostrophe from Li'l Abner and affixing it onto "Liddle," one of his characteristically garish attempts at cruel whimsy.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
There were dozens of ears listening to President Donald Trump's 30-minute phone call with the leader of Ukraine that is at the center of a House impeachment inquiry , and as many eyes that saw what he said.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Forget about getting to the Red Planet. Imagine that's easy to do. What will happen once people actually get there? How will they survive its harsh living conditions?
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
The most haunting thing about dead girls is that they were alive at some point. Zefyr Lisowski discusses our fascination with dead girls in literature.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Running out of storage? Avoid data loss with an ultra-secure backup solution. Right now, Polar Backup will give you 1TB of cloud backup for life with smooth data transfer for only $39.99. That's 89% off.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
The troubled singer discusses his new face tattoo and the media in an awkward interview on the red carpet celebrating the 100th episode of "Marriage Boot Camp."
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Chief among the sophisticated creations was the Advanced Inertial Reference Sphere (AIRS) guidance system, designed to help navigate a ballistic missile known as the MX Peacekeeper. Development of that missile first began in 1971, and built upon technological advances already made during the first 25 years of the Cold War. While the AIRS guidance system may look clunky and dated, the honing device is comprised of 19,000 individual parts, and helped to bring the accuracy of its precision down to just 130 feet
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dons an armored vest and appeared with a heavy security detail at a major election rally.Officials would not reveal the nature of the threat. https://t.co/TPn2t2zTEz
My favorite part is the complete lack of blast/burn damage on the exterior of the ship which was allegedly struck with a missile. https://t.co/p1l1wfuu1X
* Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis warned Sunday that ISIS will 'absolutely come back' with the removal of U.S. troops from Syria * 'ISIS is not defeated. We have got to keep the pressure on ISIS so they don't recover,' he told Chuck Todd on Meet The Press * On Thursday, President Trump defended his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria and abandon America's Kurdish allies to a Turkish invasion * Trump also suggested that he isn't worried about ISIS fighters being held by the Kurds escaping amid Turkish attacks, because 'they'll go back to Europe'
Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis is warning that ISIS will 'absolutely come back' with the removal of U.S. troops from Syria.
'ISIS is not defeated. We have got to keep the pressure on ISIS so they don't recover,' Mattis told Chuck Todd Sunday on Meet The Press when asked if President Trump made the right decision by pulling troops from Northern Syria last week.
'It's in a situation of disarray right now,' Mattis, who resigned as Secretary of Defense in January, said of the situation between Turkey and Syria.
'Obviously the Kurds are adapting to the Turkish attacks. We'll have to see if they can maintain the fight against ISIS. It's going to have an impact. The question is how much.
'We may want a war over; we may even declare it over. You can pull your troops out as President Obama learned the hard way out of Iraq, but the ''enemy gets the vote'', we say in the military. And in this case, if we don't keep the pressure on, then ISIS will resurge. It's absolutely a given that they will come back.'
WNU Editor: Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis is probably right. One can only hope that since Turkish President Erdogan has broken everything, he now owns it.
WNU Editor: I suspect that food/medicine/and water deliveries are now suspended. Here is an easy prediction. People are going to flee these camps because they nothing to lose.
Turkish forces who launched multiple artillery rounds near a U.S. Special Operations outpost in northeastern Syria on Friday have known for months that Americans were there, according to four current and former U.S. officials, raising questions whether Turkey is trying to push American troops farther from the border.
The incident occurred on a hilltop base overlooking the town of Kobane as Turkey continues an operation launched Tuesday against Syrian Kurds, some of whom the United States has partnered with for years in its campaign against the Islamic State. The incursion has focused on an area 60 miles to the west of Kobane, but U.S. officials believe Turkey has long-term aspirations to control a much larger swath of Syria.
WNU Editor: A battlefield is nothing but chaos, so it is possible that the Turks made a mistake. But from the American perspective, this was deliberate.
* Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces were said to have seized Ras al-Ain town * The death toll rose to 74 Syrian Kurdish-led fighters and 30 civilians on Saturday * Intense gunfire heard within Ras al-Ain as Turkey stepped up its bombardment * Syrian Kurdish-led administration said 200,000 people have been displaced
Some 200,000 people have been displaced in a military assault in northern Syria as Turkish forces claimed on Saturday they have seized control of a key border town.
Turkey-backed Syrian troops were said to have taken over Ras al-Ain this morning as Turkey's offensive against a Kurdish militia in the region entered its fourth day.
'The [Syrian rebel] national army took control of the town centre this morning. Inspections are being conducted in residential areas,' a senior Turkish official said.
Kurdish authorities have, however, denied this is the case. 'Ras al-Ain is still resisting and clashes are ongoing,' the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said.
DUBAI (Reuters) - An Iranian government spokesman on Saturday described as a "cowardly attack" an incident that Iranian media have called the apparent targeting by missiles of an Iranian-owned oil tanker, and said Iran would respond after the facts had been studied.
The tanker Sabiti was hit in Red Sea waters off Saudi Arabia on Friday, Iranian media have reported, an incident that could stoke friction in a region rattled by attacks on tankers and oil installations since May.
"Iran is avoiding haste, carefully examining what has happened and probing facts," government spokesman Ali Rabei was quoted as saying by the official news agency IRNA.
* President Lenin Moreno has ordered army onto the street to enforce curfew as Ecuador hit by protests * Ecuadorian capital rocked by 10 days of violent protests over austerity plan to end fuel subsidies * Triggered backlash with indigenous group bringing city of Quito to a standstill and four people left dead * Government has announced it will hold direct talks with President Lenin Moreno to ease the clashes * The President is faced with a $64 billion debt and a $10 billion annual deficit, and is raising taxes, liberalizing labor laws and cutting public spending in an attempt to win $4 billion in IMF financing
Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno has ordered the army on to the streets of the capital after a week-and-a-half of mass protests over a scrapped state fuel subsidy descended into violence.
Masked protesters attacked a television station, newspaper and the national auditor's office, setting it ablaze and sending black smoke billowing across the capital Quito's park and cultural complex around 1pm local time.
About two hours later, a group of several dozen masked men swarmed the offices of the private Teleamazonas television station in northern Quito, set fires on the grounds and tried to break into the building where about 20 employees were trapped.
WNU Editor: The Ecuadorian government is swamped with debt and bills that it cannot pay. Another poster child on what happens when governments run up their debt to levels that they cannot pay.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on Friday told a House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump that Trump ousted her based on "unfounded and false claims" after she had come under attack by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
Marie Yovanovitch, the ambassador who was abruptly recalled from Kiev in May, spent more than nine hours in a closed-door meeting with House members and staff. She had been expected to appear last week, but was told not to by the State Department at the behest of the White House, according to Democratic House members. Lawmakers then issued a subpoena for her appearance and she complied.
WNU Editor: The main stream media is praising her .... 'Careful, Meticulous, Whip Smart.' Here's What to Know About the Ukraine Ambassador Trump Recalled (Time/AP). But as a former diplomat I find her complaints and sense of entitlement leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Ambassadors represent the leadership from the country that they are from. When you address them, you are "diplomatically speaking" to the Ambassador's leader. That is why politically appointed ambassadors resign when a new leader assumes power. Everyone knows a new leader wants to put his/her own loyalists in these diplomatic posts to represent him. Career diplomats like former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch are different. They walk a finer line, and if there is even a little hint that they are doing something independent, the hammer will fall down. I know from my own personal contacts through family and friends in Ukraine that U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch had irked a number of officials in President Zelenskiy's new administration. Her close ties with the former Poroshenko administration had put her under a cloud, and they did not trust her. We also now know through the media that she knew that President Trump was also not pleased with her performance as Ambassador, and that he had lost trust in her. If this is true, she should have resigned immediately. Any diplomat with integrity would. The signs were all there, she even knew it, but she refused to budge until she was recalled. And to now run to a Congressional Committee that is doing an inquiry on impeachment to cry about all of this .... not cool.
The small machines bristle with antennas and sometimes weapons. Video demonstration shows that the little robots can be fitted with sensor masts, too. (Hossein Zohrevan / Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces)
On screen, the small robot slides perfectly underneath the textureless tank. It is a modern iteration of an old promise in remote warfare, rendered with all the processing power of a desktop PC from 1994. Can a small, cheap robot prove useful against the vehicles of an enemy at war?
A recent exhibition of unmanned ground vehicles by Iran suggests that the possibility, if not the reality, is already in development.
Designed by the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the Iranian Army, the Heidair-1 is almost certainly bound for life as an expendable battlefield platform.
President Donald Trump listens to his newly announced White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien in Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 18, 2019. File photo by REUTERS/Tom Brenner
One week after President Trump ordered a serious reduction in staff at the National Security Council, National security adviser Robert O'Brien has announced the size and scope of the cuts, promotions, and other organizational matters following the departure of John Bolton.
Speaking at a late Thursday town hall event, O'Brien said he's aiming to eliminate approximately half of the 178 staff members at the NSC over the next 15 months, according to PBS - while Politico has the details on promotions.
WNU editor: Under previous administrations the National Security Council had a staff of about 100. Under President Obama this staff ballooned to about 400. President Trump currently has about 180, and they have certainly not served him well. White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien is going to clean up house, something that should have been done at the beginning of President Trump's Presidency.
WNU Editor:Major networks and news websites are carrying this story from the Associated Press .... Anatomy of the phone call now imperiling Trump's presidency (AP). But when I read it I immediately noticed how this is just another example of the media taking a story and distorting it to fit its narrative or biases.
To begin, AP says President Trump ....
.... showered the 41-year-old Ukrainian, a novice politician and former comedian, with praise following his party's victory in parliamentary elections. Zelenskiy chatted about how he wanted to "drain the swamp" in Kyiv and how he wished the European Union would provide more financial support. He told Trump that Ukraine was ready to buy more Javelin anti-tank missiles from the United States.
But the transcript (see here) shows a different narrative. It is Ukraine President Zelenskiy showering praise and thanks to President Trump. He is also thanking President Trump for his support on military aid, and is telling President Trump that they will soon be able to buy Javelin anti-tank missiles (i.e. they are not ready now).
But the part of the AP story that caught my eye is the following ....
.... The next 10 words that came out of Trump's mouth — "I would like you to do us a favor, though" — are what triggered the House impeachment inquiry that has imperiled his presidency.
Trump asked Zelenskiy to work with Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr to look into Biden and his son, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
The AP does not quote what President Trump says after asking the favor because the favor that President Trump is asking for has nothing to do with the Bidens. President Trumps focus is on CrowdStrike ....
.... I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows alot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike ... I guess you have one of your wealthy people... The server, they say Ukraine has it. There-are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation.
The best part of the AP story is the end where it brings up the whistle-blower's complaint. No mention from the AP on the errors that are in this whitleblower's complaint, but the AP uses anonymous sources to say that President Trump was pressuring the Ukrainian leader to investigate the Bidens. This contradicts what the transcript says, and Ukraine President Zelenskiy has denied all reports that he was pressured.
As the security situation in the region erodes, the carrier question becomes more pressing for Seoul.
A senior South Korean lawmaker has said the country should reconsider proposals for acquiring either light or medium aircraft carriers with Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery, or CATOBAR, configurations to respond to growing regional security threats. These were alternatives to South Korea's reported decision to purchase a number of large amphibious assault ships capable of supporting fixed-wing short takeoff and vertical landing combat jets, namely the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. This call for reassessing that choice comes as the South Korean Ministry of Defense may be leaning toward acquiring 20 more conventional F-35A models rather than B variants, further deferring plans to develop a fixed-wing naval aviation capability.
This past weekend, former U.S. Navy Commander David Fravor was a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Fravor, who was the subject of a New York Times article about his 2004 UFO sighting, discussed a spooky new sighting a fellow pilot revealed to him after they were both out of the Navy.
According to Fravor, the eyewitness was a former pilot of the MH-53E Sea Dragon, the Navy version of the Marine Corps' CH-53E Sea Stallion, based at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, on the island of Puerto Rico. Twice while recovering spent practice munitions out of the water, the pilot spotted a weird underwater object.
* Eliud Kipchoge is the first runner to finish a marathon in under two hours * The Kenyan completed the course in Vienna with incredible time of 1:59:40 * The time will not be an official world record but is nonetheless a historic moment * Kipchoge said after: 'I want to inspire many people, that no human is limited'
Amid jubilant scenes in Vienna on Saturday morning, Eliud Kipchoge became the first runner to finish a marathon in under two hours.
The 34-year-old Kenyan completed the course in Vienna, in an incredible one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds.
He celebrated with his arms outstretched and waved to the crowds as he sprinted over the line before he was greeted by a loving embrace from his wife Grace.
WNU Editor: This is not an official world record. The venue was deliberately chosen to help Eliud Kipchoge in his attempt to beat the 2 hour mark, and he was also "assisted" during the race. But this is still an incredible achievement.
Smoke rises over the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, as seen from the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, Sanliurfa province, Turkey, October 11. REUTERS/Kemal Aslan
The incident underscores just how risky the situation is becoming for American troops as Turkey targets their local Syrian Kurdish partners.
Details are still limited, but a report has emerged that U.S. special operations forces working with the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, have found themselves under attack from the Turkish military in northeastern Syria. Turkey launched a major operation into the area, targeting the U.S.-backed forces, just two days ago. This incident comes shortly after U.S. Army General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that authorities in Turkey knew where American personnel were situated "down to explicit grid coordinate" in order to avoid such mistakes.
WNU Editor: The situation on the ground must be incredibly fluid right now. There is no way that the Turks can know accurately where all U.S. forces are at any given time.
An Update On U.S. Special Forces Soldiers Under Fire From Turkish Artillery
It was a small airbase on the border with Cambodia. It bordered a town of 6,000 that survived on the proceeds of local rubber plantations. The airbase was guarded by a few hundred South Vietnamese regulars supported by 11 U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers. But it would host a 10-day battle that would see hundreds of North Vietnamese forces killed while that tiny force held the ground.
The small town and airbase were important for two reasons. First, the airbase was a logistical hub for military and espionage operations conducted by the U.S.; something communist forces were keen to excise. But the town was also the district capital. With a new president awaiting inauguration in Vietnam, the North Vietnamese wanted to embarrass him before he took office.
WNU Editor: When the fighting had ended, the U.S. had lost 50 dead and hundreds wounded. If that happened today in Afghanistan or Syria, with those type of casualties, there would be a huge debate in the U.S. where the media would be saying that the U.S. had lost, and it is time to withdraw.
(KATHMANDU, Nepal) — Xi Jinping on Saturday became the first Chinese president in more than two decades to visit Nepal, where he is expected to sign agreements on several infrastructure projects.
Xi arrived Saturday from New Delhi, where he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nepal is expected to tread cautiously while building relations with big neighbors India and China.
India has extensive influence on Nepal’s economy and politics, while China and Nepal share a border covered with high mountain peaks.
Jiang Zemin had been the last Chinese president to visit Nepal, making the trip in 1996, but other Chinese leaders — including premiers and foreign ministers — have since paid official visits to the Himalayan nation.
Tanka Prasad Karki, a former Nepalese diplomat, said that a Chinese president had not visited Nepal in such a long time because “China was waiting for a strong government in Kathmandu, as the last few decades were marked by a Maoist war, frequent changes of government and political instability.”
Xi was received by Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli at the Kathmandu airport.
Trans-Himalayan connectivity and an extradition treaty will be high on the agenda during official talks on Sunday, said Narayan Kaji Shreshta, a spokesman for the ruling Nepal Communist Party. He said the countries are also expected to sign a project report on constructing a rail link between Kathmandu and Keirung in Tibet.
Nepalese officials ruled out the possibility of any immediate agreement on the extradition issue. China has been pressing Nepal to sign the treaty for some years to improve administration of border areas and fight against illegal border crossing and transnational crimes like banking fraud, trafficking and the smuggling of gold and wildlife parts, Nepalese officials said.
Police said they had arrested 22 people, including some Tibetan refugees, since Friday to prevent any protests during Xi’s visit.
Xi’s two-day visit to India came at a time of tensions over Beijing’s support for Pakistan, India’s archrival, in opposing New Delhi’s downgrading of Kashmir’s semi-autonomy and continuing restrictions in the disputed region.
Indian Prime Minister Modi told Xi on Saturday that relations between their countries had attained stability and momentum in the past year, and that it should enable them to manage their differences and avoid disputes.
The two leaders avoided the vexed Kashmir dispute from clouding their summit in the seaside temple town of Mamallapuram. Modi said both countries agreed to be sensitive to each other’s concerns as they held delegation-level talks.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the two countries decided to set up a group at the finance ministers’ level to discuss trade and investment issues, especially India’s whopping $63 billion trade deficit with China.
According to India’s Commerce Ministry, India’s exports to China amounted to $13.33 billion in the 2018 financial year, compared with imports of $76.38 billion.
Tensions in Kashmir, which is divided between Pakistan and India but claimed by both in its entirety, have escalated since August, when India downgraded the semi-autonomy of Indian-administered Kashmir and imposed a security and communications lockdown.
China supported Pakistan in raising India’s actions at the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York. China said India should not act unilaterally in Kashmir, a portion of which China also controls.
Xi arrived in India two days after hosting Pakistani Prime Minister Khan in Beijing.
India accuses neighboring Pakistan of arming and training insurgent groups fighting for Kashmir’s independence or its merger with Pakistan. Pakistan denies the charge. The two countries have fought two wars over the region’s control since they won independence from British colonialists in 1947.
On Saturday, Eliud Kipchoge became the first person in recorded history to run a 26.2-mile marathon in less than two hours.
The 34-year-old Kenyan runner clocked in at 1:59:40.2 at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria. The run, organized specifically for Kipchonge to break the two-hour marathon barrier, was organized by chemical company INEOS and featured an electric pacer car that shot a laser beam to mark the best position on the road. A team of 41 professional runners also rotated running alongside him to set his pace.
“Today we went to the moon and came back to Earth! I am at a loss for words for all the support I have received from all over the world,” Kipchoge tweeted Saturday. “Thank you to all who gave me the opportunity. Asante.”
Today we went to the Moon and came back to earth! I am at a loss for words for all the support I have received from all over the world.
YASUYOSHI CHIBA—AFP via Getty ImagesKenyans watch a big screen on October 12, 2019, in Nairobi as they celebrate Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge victory. SIMON MAINA—AFP via Getty ImagesKenyans watch a big screen on October 12, 2019, in Nairobi as they celebrate Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge victory.
Kipchoge is one of the best male marathon runners in the world. He has won at least eight major world marathons and three Olympic medals.
His history-making accomplish won’t be in the official record book though; The New York Timesreports that Kipchoge’s time won’t be recognized as an official world record because it was not run under open marathon conditions (Kipchoge was the only person running) and featured a constant rotation of pacers.
But not to worry. Kipchoge still holds the world record for men’s marathon from his 2:01:39 time in the Berlin Marathon 2018.
(CEYLANPINAR, Turkey) — Turkey’s military said it captured a key Syrian border town under heavy bombardment Saturday as its offensive against Kurdish fighters pressed into its fourth day with little sign of relenting despite mounting international criticism.
Turkish troops entered central Ras al-Ayn according to Turkey’s Defense Ministry and a war monitor group, marking the most significant gain since the invasion began Wednesday. The ministry tweeted: “Ras al-Ayn’s residential center has been taken under control through the successful operations in the east of Euphrates” river.
Turkey’s continued push into Syria comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump cleared the way for Turkey’s air and ground offensive, pulling back U.S. forces from the area and saying he wanted to stop getting involved with “endless wars.” Trump’s decision drew swift bipartisan criticism that he was endangering regional stability and risking the lives of Syrian Kurdish allies who brought down the Islamic State group in Syria. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces was the main U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State group and lost 11,000 fighters in the nearly five-year battle against the extremists.
An Associated Press journalist across the border in Turkey heard the sound of sporadic clashes as Turkish howitzers struck the town and Turkish jets screeched overhead.
Syrian Kurdish forces appeared to be holding out in some areas of the town.
The Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces released two videos said to be from inside Ras al-Ayn, showing fighters saying that it is Saturday and they are still there.
The fighting was ongoing as the Kurdish fighters sought to reverse the Turkish advance into Ras Al-Ayn, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Earlier in the day, Turkish troops moved to seize control of key highways in northeastern Syria, the Turkish military and the Observatory said.
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said that Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces had taken control of the M-4 highway that connects the towns of Manbij and Qamishli.
The SDF said that Turkish troops and their Syrian allies reached the highway briefly before being pushed back again.
Turkish troops also cut the route linking the northeastern city of Hassakeh with Aleppo, Syria’s largest city and once commercial center, according to the Observatory.
Since Wednesday, Turkish troops and Syrian opposition fighters backed by Ankara have been advancing under the cover of airstrikes and artillery shelling, reaching the Manbij-Qamishli road about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of the Turkish border.
Turkey has said it aims to push back the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, which it considers terrorists for its links to a decades-long Kurdish insurgency within its own borders. The YPG is a main component of the SDF.
The U.N. estimated the number of displaced at 100,000 since Wednesday, saying that markets, schools and clinics also were closed. Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian crisis, with nearly a half-million people at risk in northeastern Syria.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday Turkey won’t stop until the Syrian Kurdish forces withdraw below a 32 kilometer (20 miles) deep line from the border.
The Turkish military aims to clear Syrian border towns of Kurdish fighters’ presence, saying they are a national security threat.
A civilian wounded in a mortar strike from Syria the previous day in the Turkish border town of Suruc died, Anadolu news agency also reported Saturday, bringing the civilian death toll to 18 in Turkey. Turkey’s interior minister said hundreds of mortars, fired from Syria, have landed in Turkish border towns.
The Observatory that keeps track of Syria’s civil war said 74 Kurdish-led SDF fighters have been killed since Wednesday as well as 49 Syrian opposition fighters backed by Tukey in addition to 21 civilians on the Syrian side.
Turkey’s defense ministry said it “neutralized” 415 Syrian Kurdish fighters. The number could not be independently verified. Four Turkish soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the offensive, including two who were killed in Syria’s northwest.
France’s leader warned Trump in a phone call that Turkey’s military action in northern Syria could lead to a resurgence of Islamic State activity.
President Emmanuel Macron “reiterated the need to make the Turkish offensive stop immediately,” his office said in a statement Saturday.
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
TYPHOON HAGIBIS has wrought destruction across Japan after the barrelling 100mph twister hit on Saturday. Here's all the latest images and videos of the damage as Japan begins its recovery from the monster storm.
JAPAN is currently being engulfed by the strongest typhoon seen in a decade, and an earthquake just struck the same region. Are these two disasters connected?
POPE FRANCIS is facing a potential religious coup from within the Catholic Church, but there is also an emerging threat from outside the Vatican as Italian populist Matteo Salvini sets his sights on the progressive Pope.
INDIA have secured a big step forwards in its fight with Pakistan over disputed Kashmir after Islamabad ally China suggested military cooperation with New Delhi.
TYPHOON HAGIBIS pounded Japan this weekend, the strongest storm of its kind to hit the region in more than 60 years. So how does it compare to 2013's Typhoon Haiyan?
BRO Recruitment 2019: Dear Candidates !!BROLatest Recruitment 2019 announcement is here. The Board Roads Organisation has released a recruitment notification for the selection of 540 Multi Skilled Worker job vacancies. Applicants who are seeking central govt jobs can use this chance. Interested candidates can apply for this post through the Offline mode. Aspirants can get their dream job through this wonderful opportunity.
As per the BRO Vacancy 2019 Notification, 540 vacancies are allocated for Multi Skilled Worker (Driver Engine Static) Posts. Aspirants must be satisfying some eligibility conditions to apply for this post. Applicants should have completed the prescribed educational qualification and age limit. Eligible candidates should send the filled application form to the given address on or before 26th November 2019. Well, People who look forward to applying for Multi Skilled Worker post in BRO Job Vacancy can get the complete recruitment information from the below sections of this page.
Eligibility Criteria for BRO Vacancy 2019 Notification
An Applicant who wishes to apply for BRO Recruitment 2019 must satisfy the eligibility term and conditions to apply for Multi Skilled Worker post in BRO Recruitment. To apply for this post easily, candidates must know the eligibility details like Educational Qualification, Age Limit, Pay Scale, Application Fees, Selection Procedure and also other details. Eligible and aspiring candidates go through the below information to apply for BRO Job Vacancy.
Educational Qualification:
Candidates must have Matriculation from a recognized Board or equivalent.
Candidates must possess a certificate of Mechanic Motor /Vehicles / Tractors from Industrial Training Institute / Industrial Trade Certificate / National Council for Training in the Vocational Trades / State Council for Vocational Training.
Candidates must have Passed Class 2 course for Driver Plant and Mechanical Transport as laid down in Defence Service Regulations.
Age Limit:
Minimum Age Limit: 18 Years
Maximum Age Limit: 25 Years
Age Relaxation:
SC/ST: 05 Years
OBC: 03 Years
Physically Handicapped: 10 Years
Jammu & Kashmir Migrant: 05 Years
Pay Scale:
Rs.18,000/ Level-1
Selection Procedure:
BRO recruitment process may be based on
Written Examination
Physical Test
Practical Test
Application Fees:
For GEN/ EWS/ Ex-servicemen : Rs. 50/-
For Other Backward Class: Rs. 50/-
Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe & PWD: Nil
Candidates must pay the application fee through Online payment.
How to Apply BRO Recruitment 2019?
An Applicant must go through the terms and conditions as prescribed in the Official Notification PDF.
Candidate can check and verify the eligibility terms to apply for this post.
After a clear glance, download the application form through the link given below.
And then fill the application form with the required information.
Paste your recent color passport size photograph in the application form.
After that read the Declaration section completely.
Duly sign the application form and put your left-hand thumb impression.
Ensure the details are correct and accurate before covering it
Finally, cover the application form and post it to the Respective Address given below.
Office Address:
Commandant GREF Centre, Dighi camp, Pune- 411 015.
Latest BRO Recruitment 2019 Notification released for Multi Skilled Worker, Driver, Operator & Other Jobs. Border Roads Organisation issued this announcement for 337 Vacancies. Any Eligible candidates if satisfy the eligibility conditions can apply for these Jobs. The Border Roads Organisation Jobs advertisement released on 5th August 2019. The aspirants have to send their application form through Offline after 45 days from publication of job announcement i.e. September 2019 @ www.bro.gov.in
The Jobholders who are waiting eagerly for Central Govt Jobsthis BRO Multi skilled worker jobs probably helps you. Candidates can get information about BRO Recruitment 2019 through the official website www.bro.gov.in. Here you can get BRO application form of Multi-skilled worker, Driver & other vacancies. So, these jobs provided the excellent opportunity for those who are waiting to apply Border Roads Organisation Recruitment 2019.
Border Roads Organisation Jobs @ bro.gov.in
One has to check BRO Notification about Multi skilled worker jobs before they apply. Since Candidates have to satisfy eligibility conditions to apply for these vacancies. Here we provided the complete details regarding the Border Roads Organisation Jobs as given in the BRO Notification. Therefore for further information about this recruitment, i.e., about Age Limit, Educational Qualification, Selection Process, Application fee, Pay scale details are briefly given below.
BRO Job Openings 2019 for Multi Skilled Worker Jobs
The Workseekers can get all the Latest News about any State Government jobs and Central Govt jobs in Employment News page in www.recruitment.guru website. The Aspirants before they apply should know all the details about the hiring procedure. With the help of this information, one can participate in Border Roads Organisation Jobs 2019.
Name of the Organisation: Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
Official Website: www.bro.gov.in
Application Mode: Offline/Online
Total Vacancies: 337 posts.
Posts: Multi Skilled Worker, Draughtsman, Supervisor & others
You can check all recently released government jobs in Latest Govt Jobs page of recruitment.guru website. So, that you can get all latest updates on Govt Jobs from different states of India.
Border Roads Organisation Vacancy 2019 Details
The individuals have to check the vacancy details because it will help them while filling the BRO application form. So, Check the Vacancy details and participate in Recruitment of Border Roads Organisation Jobs 2019.
Sl. No
Name of the Post
UR
SC
ST
OBC
EWSs
Total
1.
Draughtsman
19
05
03
10
03
215
2.
Hindi Typist
11
03
01
05
22
05
3.
Supervisor Stores
18
05
02
09
03
22
4.
Radio Mech
02
00
00
00
00
40
5
Lab Assistant
01
00
00
00
00
02
6
Welder
08
02
01
03
01
15
7
MTS (Mason)
89
32
16
57
21
215
8
MTS (M/WTR)
04
00
00
01
00
05
Total
152
47
23
85
30
337
Border Roads Organisation Eligibility Criteria – BRO Jobs 2019
The Jobholders who planned to participate in BRO Recruitment 2019 have to check Eligibility conditions to apply. If they satisfy those BRO Multi skilled worker jobs eligibility, then anyone can apply for these vacancies. Here they are conditions according to Border Roads Organisation Notification:
Educational Qualification
Draughtsman: 10+2 with science subjects, Two years Certificate in Architecture or Draughtsmanship/ National Trade Certificate.
Vehicle Mechanic:Matriculation, Certificate of Mechanic in Motor Vehicle / Diesel / heat Engine/ Internal Combustion Engine/ passed the Defence Trade Certificate from an Army Institute.
Multi-Skilled Worker (Driver Engine Static): Matriculation and Certificate of Mechanic Motor / Vehicle / Tractors from Industrial Training Institute / Industrial Trade Certificate / National Council for Training in the Vocational Trades / State Council for Vocational Training. Should qualify in proficiency test, physical tests, physical and medical standards.
Multi-Skilled Worker (Cook): Matriculation from a recognized Board.
Driver Mechanical Transport (Ordinary Grade): Matriculation from a recognized Board. Should have heavy Motor vehicle/ Road Roller driving license and experience of six months in Road Roller Driving.
Operator Excavating Machinery (Ordinary Grade): Must have Matriculation and a heavy Motor vehicle driving license.
Age Limit
Minimum Age – 18 Years
Maximum Age – 25 Years
Application fee
Individuals applying for this Border Roads Organisation Jobs have to pay the application fee as follows:
General, Ex-Servicemen: Rs. 50/-.
OBC: Rs. 50/-.
No fee for SC/ ST & Physically handicapped persons.
Pay the Non-Refundable application fee by depositing directly in favor of Commandant, GREF Centre, Pune 411015, in Public Fund Account No. 11182905409 of State Bank of India, Khadki Branch Pune Code No. 01629.
BRO Recruitment 2019 – Latest Central Govt Jobs
Selection Process
The Eligible and Interested candidates in BRO Multi skilled worker jobs, will undergo the selection process through Physical Test/ Written Examination/ Practical test as per posts.
Pay Scale
Applicants chosen in this AP Revenue Jobs then, the salary, (as per Previous Notification) would be
Draughtsman: Rs. 5200-20200/- with Grade pay of Rs. 2800/-.
MTS – Rs.18,000/- per month
Hindi Typist, Welder – Rs.19,900/- per month
Supervisor Stores, Supervisor Nursing: Rs. 5200-20200/- with Grade pay of Rs. 2400/-.
Hindi Typist, Vehicle Mechanic, Welder: Rs. 5200-20200/- with Grade pay of Rs. 1900/-.
Multi Skilled Worker: Rs. 5200-20200/- with Grade pay of Rs. 1800/-.
Driver Mechanical Transport, Driver Road Roller, Operator Excavating Machinery: Rs. 5200-20200/- with Grade pay of Rs. 1900/-.
How to Apply Border Roads Organisation Vacancies 2019
The Eligible job seekers of Border Roads Organisation Jobs 2019 and, for application, follow the below provided steps:
Initially, Go to Official website www.bro.gov.in OR
Directly open the BRO Notification and below given the application form to apply.
Read all the instructions and requirements needed to apply.
Keep all Documents ready as mentioned in Notification if required to include along with the form.
Fill the application form carefully with the required information and.
Later on, verify the details and pay the application fee.
Finally, Send the Border Road Organisation Jobs application form to below address.
Postal Address:
The Commandant,
GREF CENTRE,
Dighi Camp, Pune-411 015.
Important Dates
The Last Date for application submission:20th September 2019
Therefore Border Roads Organisation Jobs Details are given. For any other information about the BRO Recruitment application form, vacancies, Jobs Requirements, Refer the official notification in which given below.
HPPSC Admit Card 2019 Released for Physical Test. Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission has issued the hall ticket for various posts on their official portal. Hence, Aspirants can download the admit card from the below table. The Physical Eligibility Test will be held from 14th to 16th November 2019.
HPPSC Inspector Admit Card 2019 – Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission is yet to release the admit card for 54 Inspectors. The Commission will issue the admit card to the participants after the declaration of the exam date. The HPPSC Prelims and Mains exam date will be announced soon on its official portal. So, Make sure to download the admit card once the board releases it.
HPPSC Inspector Hall Ticket 2019 – Download Here (Available Soon)
HPPSC Admit Card 2019 – Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission has issued the admit card for the post of 78 Scientific Officer & Others. Hence, the admit card will be available in the month of August 2019. Therefore, the board decides to conduct the examination in the month of August 2019. Thus, download the admit card from the below segment. Therefore, the link will be activated once the board releases the admit card on the official website.
HPPSC Assistant Hall Ticket 2019 – Download Here (Available Soon)
HPPSC Admit Card 2019 for all Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission Recruitment tests can be downloaded here. Aspirants who are looking for an officer, civil services and other posts can find the download link for hall ticket below. Also, check the exam dates and find the steps to download the admit card online @hppsconline.in.
HPPSC Exam Admit Card
HPPSC allows the applicants to download the admit card online. Generally, the board announces the admit card 15-20 days before the date of examination. Candidates who clear the written are called for the interview round. Hence, aspirants can visit our page to download the HPPSC interview call letter 2019. Find the exam dates and steps to download the admit card/hall ticket and interview call letter online below. Also, check the important documents to carry for written and interview rounds in the sections following.
Himachal Pradesh PSC has given the notification for officer vacancies. A huge number of applicants has been applied for the posts and might be looking for Admit Card 2019. Therefore, all the candidates who are waiting to download the HP PSC Officer Admit Card can get it via the link present below. The HPPSC Officer Hall Ticket 2019 has been released for Law Officer in Department of Labor & Employment, Law Officer Personnel Secretariat Administrative and Sub Editor.
All the candidates looking for HPPSC Admit Card do not need to search anywhere. They can directly use the link present above to Download the HPPSC Hall Ticket 2019. However, Candidates can visit the official site @ hppsconline.in to download the Himachal Pradesh PSC Admit Card 2019. Follow the following steps to download Himachal Pradesh Hall Ticket 2019 from the original site.
Candidates need to visit the HPPSC official site
There find a link to download the released Admit Card
Click on the link where you will find released Admit Card.
Enter the details they ask for and download you HPSSC Hall Ticket 2019
HPPSC Exam Dates – Examination Details 2019
The HPPSC Exam will be conducted in the month end of October or at the start of November 2019. The Himachal Pradesh PSC Exam is for the post of Law Officer in Department of labour & Employment, Law Officer Personnel Secretariat Administrative and Sub Editor. We have mentioned the link to download HPPSC Admit Card for the Examination. Because The Date of HPPSC Exam has already available.
Law Officer, in the Department of Labour & Employment, H.P
30-10-2019
Law Officer (English), in the Department of Personnel (Secretariat Administrative Services)
02-11-2019
Sub Editor, in the Department of Information & Public Relations, H.P
03-11-2019
HPPSC Result 2019
The HPPSC Result 2019 will be declared soon after the commencement of the HPPSC Exam. The Exam date has been scheduled in the coming days so download your HPPSC Admit Card 2019. You can access your results when the HPPSC Board releases the Result. The Himachal Pradesh PSC Results will also be updated on our site @ recruitment.guru.
NPCIL Recruitment 2019: Apply online for 58 Assistant Vacancies. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited has issued a job notification for its Rawatbhata Rajasthan Site for several posts. The NPCIL Notification 2019 expects to fill a total of 58 vacancies for Assistant job vacancies. Government job aspirants in the Rajasthan can make use of this opportunity to get their dream job. Aspirants who wish to apply for this post can apply through online from 17th October 2019.
NPCIL Recruitment has released the following vacancy details with their recent recruitment. They invite 58 Candidates to fill the Assistant job vacancies. Aspirants are requested to go through the NPCIL Job Notification fully, Before applying to this job. Candidates must have prescribed eligibility terms and conditions to apply for this post. Interested and aspiring candidates have time until 06th November 2019 to apply for NPCIL Vacancy 2019. You can check their job vacancy details below.
NPCIL Jobs Recruitment 2019: Here is a wonderful opportunity for the job seekers who are looking for Govt Jobs in Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited. NPCIL Job Notification inviting the candidates to fill the 08 vacancies of Driver cum Pump Operator cum Fireman post. Aspirants who are willing to apply for this post can apply online. NPCIL Recruitment 2019 online application form progress will start from 17th October 2019. Candidates must be satisfying the desired eligible conditions to apply for NPCIL Careers Recruitment. Eligible candidates can apply for this post online before 06th November 2019. The detailed eligibility criteria and application process are given below.
NPCIL Recruitment 2019– Openings for 08 Driver cum Pump Operator cum Fireman posts
NPCIL Careers Recruitment 2019: Apply online for 29 Steno post vacancies. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited has currently advertised a notification for the candidates who are searching for Govt Jobs in Rajasthan. NPCIL Recruitment 2019 officials are inviting the candidates for filling the vacancies of 29 Steno posts. Interested candidates can apply for this post through online mode from 17th October 2019. Aspirants who desire to apply for Steno post must have some eligibility terms ad conditions. Eligible candidates can apply for NPCIL Job Recruitment 2019 before it gets expired. The last date to apply for this post is 06th November 2019. The detailed information is given in the below sections clearly.
NPCIL Latest Notification – Openings for 29 Steno Posts
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is an Indian public sector undertaking based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Corporation is owned by the Government of India and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL was created in September 1987 under the Act of 1956, “with the objective of undertaking the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the atomic power stations for generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programs of the Government of India under the provision of the Atomic Energy Act 1962.” All nuclear power plants operated by the company are certified for ISO-14001 (Environment Management System). NPCIL was responsible for constructing and operating India’s commercial nuclear power plants till setting up of BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam) in October 2003. On 10th August 2012, the company had 21 nuclear reactors in operation at seven locations, a total installed capacity of 6780 MWe.
DRDO CEPTAM Admit Card 2019 & Exam Date OUT !! Dear Candidates Here is a way to download the DRDO Hall Ticket & Let we discuss the Tier 1 exam details on this page. The Organisation has released the admit card for the Tier 1 Exam. As per the official notification, the board is going to conduct the examination on 23rd October 2019. So, the Defence Research and Development Organisation has issued the admit card on 10th October 2019. Applicants are suggested to download the hall ticket from the bottom of the section.
DRDO CEPTAM Admit Card 2019
Aspirants who have applied for the post of Technician A in DRDO should undergo the exam conducted by the organization. After the registration process, the board had released the shortlist of the applicants who are eligible for the post. Those candidates must download the DRDO Admit Card to take down the examination. Follow the steps given below to get the hall ticket.
Candidates must download DRDO CEPTAM Hall Ticket by entering the valid information. Get the valid admit card by providing the needed details in it. Check the details in the hall ticket before downloading it. The Tier 2 Admit Card will also be available on this page once the Tier 1 result released on its official site.
Candidates Name
Name of the Candidate's Father
The venue of the Exam Centre
Date & Time of the Test
Reporting Time to the Exam Hall
Gender (Male/ Female)
Roll Number
Duration of the Online Test
Space for Invigilator's Signature
Registration Number
Name of the Test Centre
Category of the candidates
Space for Applicant's Signature
Name of the Exam Conducting Board
Photograph of the Candidate
Applicant's Date of Birth
Name of the Written Test
Important Guidelines for the Exam Takers
Full Name of the Applicant
Examination Centre Code
Signature of the Board Counselor
DRDO CEPTAM Tier 1 Exam Pattern
The Defense Research and Development Organisation has declared the exam date on its official website. The DRDO Tier 1 Exam Date is on 23rd October 2019. Exam appearing candidates can download the DRDO CEPTAM Syllabus to prepare for the examination. Hence, Aspirants may also check with the previous paper pdf from this section. Get the DRDO CEPTAM Admit Card from the end of the section before the exam date.
Follow the below-given steps to download the admit card. Make sure to bring the Government Documents to the exam hall. Invigilators will ask the original documents at the time of the verification process. So, Make sure with the details entered in the DRDO Admit Card before downloading it.
Original Photograph
Voter Card
Pan Card
Employee ID
College ID
PAN Card
Passport
Driving License
Any other ID proof issued by a Gazetted Officer
Bank Pass Book with the photograph
DRDO CEPTAM Admit Card Download Steps 2019-20
Click on the DRDO CEPTAM Call Letter.
Enter the Registration Number and Password to get the admit card page.
Enter the Captcha shown on the page.
Now the DRDO CEPTAM Admit Card will appear on the screen.
Fill all the valid details in the hall ticket page.
Check the details before submitting it.
After the clear glance Submit the Admit Card.
Finally, Download the Call Letter.
Take a print out of the admit card and carry it for the Tier 1 Examination.
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) Previous Papers for Technician A & Senior Technical Assistant B (STA-B) Posts are available in this article. Applicants who are interested in these posts and applying for DRDO Ceptam 9 exam 2019 might be searching for previous year question papers. Thus, go through our page and also, find free download links for DRDO Model exam question papers along with exam pattern & exam date details. For more information related to DRDO exams visit the official site.
DRDO Previous Year Question Papers
Welcome to our DRDO Previous Papers page for CEPTAM 9. Looking for a DRDO Previous Papers for CEPTAM 9 Examination 2019? Then you are in the right place. However, we provide you a direct link for DRDO CEPTAM Previous Papers for Technician A (Tech-A), Senior Technical Assistant B (STA-B) Jobs 2019 below. Hence, just click on the link and download the DRDO Previous Papers for both the Posts of 2019.
Also, download the DRDO Previous Questions Papers for Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Science and others in the section below.
DRDO CEPTAM Previous Papers – Model Papers Pdf
Description
Details
Board Name
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)
Post Name
Technician A, Senior Technical Assistant B (STA-B)
In the below sections check the exam pattern for both Tech-A and STA-B Posts. Having knowledge of the syllabus helps in analyzing the question paper and preparing for exams. Here are the links for Technician-A & STA-B exam previous papers pdf
DRDO previous year question paper is available here for the post of Technician-A (Tech-A). The post comes under DRDO CEPTAM 9 section. candidates who are applying for this post and are in search for exam model papers can get it on this page along with syllabus, exam pattern and exam date details. Also, direct links to download previous exam papers and solved sample papers are given which can help in the preparation of the exam.
DRDO CEPTAM 9 Tech-A Exam Pattern 2019
Tier
Scope of Examination
No of Questions
Maximum Marks
I CBT (Provisional Selection)
Section A: Quantitative Ability/ Aptitude, General Intelligence & Reasoning Ability, General Awareness, English Language (Basic Knowledge), General Science
150
150
Section B: Specific to trade/ discipline of a postcode
II Trade Test (Qualifying in Nature)
Specific to trade/ discipline of a postcode
The Tier-I will consist of Computer Based Test (CBT)
The total duration for Tier I is 12o Mins i.e. 2 Hours
The Tier-II Trade Test will be of qualifying in nature
The total duration for the trade test will be of 1 to 2 hours duration
Senior Technical Assistant – B Previous Year Papers
The Aspirants who are applying for DRDO Senior Technical Assistant B (STA-B) posts and are in search of previous exam papers can find it here along with exam pattern details. For further more details related to STA-B exam go through the article completely.
DRDO STA-B Exam Pattern – Tier-1: Computer Based Test
Subjects
No of Questions
Marks
Duration
Quantitative Ability/Aptitude
150
150
120 Mins
General Intelligence & Reasoning Ability
General Awareness
English Language
General Sciences
DRDO STA-B Tier 2 Exam Pattern: Computer Based Test
Subjects
No of Questions
Marks
Duration
Questions Related to Post applied for
100
100
90 Mins
The questions will be Objective Type Questions.
Negative Marking will be as per the Board rules.
The Above mentioned Exam Pattern is only for reference.
Download DRDO Previous papers – Exam Question Paper Pdf
A self-liquidating loan is used by businesses to purchase assets, such as additional inventory, that will generate sufficient income to repay the loan.
There are several student loan repayment options you can choose from to pay off your debt. Learn what they are and how to make the right choice for you.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
The Nash Equilibrium is a concept within game theory where the optimal outcome of a game is where there is no incentive to deviate from their initial strategy.
A peer-to-peer (P2P) service is a decentralized platform whereby two individuals interact directly with each other, without a third-party intermediary.
Before you take out student loans to pay for college, learn how federal and private student loans differ, what their interest rates are, and the pros and cons of each.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
In terms of numbers, there are very few categories where Stash outperforms Betterment. This is to be expected as Betterment is one of the top robo-advisors we reviewed.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
A minimum down payment is the minimum cash contribution that must be made by a borrower toward the purchase of a home in order to qualify for a mortgage.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Active risk is a type of risk that a fund or managed portfolio creates as it attempts to beat the returns of the benchmark against which it is compared.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Learn more about what kind of lifestyle you can lead on a $1,000 monthly budget in Mexico, and find out whether the country is the right place for you.
Flip the script by temporarily renting out your home, and earn cash while you still retain the title to your own home. If you own your home but temporarily can't afford the payments and can't find a cheaper place to live, renting your home may be the solution for you.
You need a co-signer to get that loan or apartment, but you don't have anyone you can ask. What can you do instead? And how to decide if it makes sense.
Online trading accounts use certain terminology. Learn how brokerage account value, cash value, and purchasing power are calculated and the meaning of trading on margin.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Tenancy in common is a way for two or more people to maintain ownership interests in a property. These joint owners may control differing percentages of the property and have the right to bequeath their share to a beneficiary.
Discover why Warren Buffett found Coca-Cola an attractive investment in 1987. One criteria of a Buffett stock pick is a moat that protects market share.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
This day trading tutorial covers general principles and common day trading strategies including how to decide when to buy and sell, and how to limit losses.
ETFs are growing in popularity as a result of recent shifts in the markets and Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. But where are they headed in the future?
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Investopedia ranks the best online stock brokers for trading options. They offer education around trading derivatives and specialized tools for options traders.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now
Investopedia ranks the best online stock brokers for day trading. These trading platforms allow the trader to monitor price, volatility, liquidity, trading volume, and breaking news.
Robinhood is commission-free but cuts corners to book profits while TD Ameritrade's discount commissions provide clients with an impressive basket of resources.
Find out how you can be the best help to a family member experiencing financial problems. Learn how to help your ones financially—without hurting yourself in the process.
Sample Size Neglect is a cognitive bias whereby users of statistical information make false conclusions by failing to consider the sample size of the data in question.
BEIJING: A partial US-China deal may only offer a temporary tariff reprieve because it lacks specifics and leaves the thorny issues for later, analysts said, allowing both economic powers to claim success. Friday's initial agreement -- which included increasing US farm product purchases, and also covers intellectual property, financial services and currencies -- finally breaks an 18-month trade spat. Engulfed in an impeachment inquiry, US President Donald Trump heralded the deal as a major breakthrough. But it will take weeks to finalise and the details are not clear -- nor will it roll back tariffs already in place on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade. "The lack of specificity and even the fact this baby stepped agreement could take weeks to iron out, quickly cooled trader optimism," said Axi Trader analyst Stephen Innes. After earlier attempts at a truce between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping did not pan out businesses remained cautious, Innes said. There is "fear this could be more of the same old lather rinse and repeat trade detente followed by trade escalation," he said. For now, Washington will hold off on a massive tariff increase planned for next week and -- as negotiations progress -- new December tariffs could also be cancelled, US officials said. Trump said China had pledged to rapidly increase purchases of American farm products to $40-50 billion -- a stunning feat, and more than double 2017 levels. But China is yet to confirm these details. "Substantial progress had been made in such areas as agriculture, intellectual property rights protection, exchange rate, financial services, expansion of trade cooperation, technology transfer and dispute settlement," state-run Xinhua news agency reported citing Liu He, the country's top negotiator. "The two sides also discussed arrangements for future consultations," Liu said when he met Trump Friday, according to Xinhua. Previously, Trump has blamed China for backtracking on its promises.Major deal unlikelyOn Friday, the US president played up the "substantial phase one" deal as a result of his hard-line stance with China. "It's not much and it doesn't get us very far in the big issues, so whether it will lead to anything important is still very unclear," said Barry Naughton, an expert on China's economy at the University of California, San Diego. The Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily warned in an editorial Saturday the trade war would only be resolved by "abolishing all tariffs." But to get there, the two sides need to address issues such as scaling back Chinese government subsidies that have skewed competition, and opening up sectors dominated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In a step in towards that, China recently announced a timetable to remove foreign ownership limits in finance companies beginning next year. Beijing also passed a foreign investment law in March, promising a level playing field for overseas investors, addressing a major US complaint. But "a significant improvement is... not very likely," said Song Houze, a research fellow at The Paulson Institute. "The existence of thorny issues like SOE and tech make a major deal unlikely, which means the existing tariff will most likely stay." The latest truce, however, was essential for both sides as both face cooling domestic growth, he said.Off the tableUS restrictions on Chinese investments in its high-tech sectors -- blocking Huawei from government contracts -- and sanctions on a series of China's tech giants have also cast a shadow on trade negotiations. The US commerce department said last week it will blacklist 28 Chinese entities it says are implicated in rights violations & abuses in China's Xinjiang region. "Even if the US and China reach a comprehensive trade deal, the US will likely tighten restrictions on China's access to technology in the coming years," said Wang Tao, head of Asia economics at UBS Investment Bank. "The US has elevated this issue to national security and it may be hard to reverse, no matter what kind of agreement they reach (or not) on Huawei," said Wang Tao, head of Asia economics at UBS Investment Bank.
It's the season of shopping — and of air pollution. The month of Diwali is when every seller across consumer goods categories — from electronics to gold — gears up for a festival bonanza. Jai Dhar Gupta in Gurgaon is also readying for what's emerging as the latest in the endless list of must-have Diwali accessories — anti-pollution products. For the last three years, thousands of orders pour in daily on his company website during this period, often crashing the site. Forty-seven year-old Gupta's company Nirvana Being sells a range of products to meet the Indian consumer's growing need to combat air pollution — from air purifiers to masks to "air bags". It has also made `12-15 crore in annual revenue in the process. "While the air quality is hazardous in several Indian cities throughout the year, it is between mid-October and mid-March that we see peak traffic on the site," says Gupta. "Owing to the bursting of firecrackers and burning of crop stubble, the level of toxicity in the air shoots up. Consequently, people, especially in Delhi-NCR, are concerned about air pollution at this time of the year," says Shashi Ranjan, scientist and cofounder of healthcare solutions company PerSapien Innovations. Two years ago, it launched nasal filters under the brand name Airlens. He claims to have sold lakhs of nasal filters across the country. Over the last two-three years, Amazon India has seen a sharp rise in the demand for products in anti-pollution category — air purifiers, masks, humidifiers — from different parts of the country. 71557073 "As per our search data trends, we have seen a 70-140% increase this year over the last two years combined in searches for air-purification options like masks, air purifiers or plants," says Shalini Puchalapalli, director, category management, Amazon India. "We have seen a significant rise in the growth of air-pollution masks and are looking to serve 5x the number of customers this year over the last two years combined," she adds. The growing numbers have prompted another ecommerce player, Snapdeal, to organise "special pollution stores" online where users can find all anti-pollution products in a curated collection, says a company spokesperson. During winter, Snapdeal gets several orders for pollution masks with neck warmers from north India. Air-quality sensors, air purifiers for home and car, and seeds of indoor plants are other popular items in the category. 71557074 That's not all. Anti-pollution items have permeated the beauty category too. A basic search for "anti-pollution" on beauty portal Nykaa throws over 400 product results across 100-odd brands. Six months ago, Nykaa's beauty vertical, Nykaa Cosmetics, launched an anti-pollution foundation in 15 different shades to suit different skin tones. The company claims the product contains biosaccharide gum-4, a plant extract, that prevents skin damage from dust, micro particles and UV rays. "It is now 30% of our entire foundation business," says Reena Chhabra, CEO of Nykaa's private label arm FSN Brands. Brands like Pond's, Vaseline, Colorbar, and Faces Canada have introduced a range of anti-pollution creams and face washes over the last couple of years. While many homegrown companies fret about the seasonal demand for antipollution products, they claim the popularity isn't limited to Delhi-NCR. The region does comprise 70% sales in the category at Snapdeal, but this year it is "already witnessing an increase in search and purchase from various cities in north India, including Chandigarh, Ambala, Amritsar, Meerut and Kanpur", says its spokesperson. One-tenth of Airlens' orders come from Chennai, Bengaluru, Indore and Pune, says Ranjan. Even Nirvana Being receives 10% of its sales from Mumbai, Pune, Goa and the Northeast. Gupta has seen a 40-60% year-on-year growth in overall revenue from consumer sales over the last three years. Ranjan's Airlens saw a 200% hike in sales between 2017 and '18. He has sold over 50,000 filters this year. 71557084 "When it comes to air pollution, we have gone from mitigation to adaptation. Dealing with it is part of our lives. Now we are designing our lifestyle accordingly," says Shrey Goyal, a social entrepreneur who shuttles between Paris and Delhi for work and uses air purifiers at home and nasal filters outdoors. Anti-pollution accessories are a worldwide phenomenon now, he says. People in China, Japan and Korea wear masks in daily lives. Cyclists in London's rush hour wear them like one would wear a helmet. "Back home in Delhi, I have seen women wearing patterned masks," says Goyal. 71557085 It points to another aspect of this trend — the glamourisation of anti-pollution products. A couple of years ago, Nirvana Being collaborated with fashion designer Manish Arora to launch a range of masks. Gupta says, "There's a stigma around wearing masks. We try to combine fashion and function to remove that stigma. People buy masks in several designs to match their outfits." Nirvana Being is the regional distributor of Vogmask, a US-based brand popular for its "stylish filtering respirators". "We run design contests for fashion students. Selected designs get money & recognition from Vogmask," says Gupta. Four new designs have been launched in India ahead of Diwali, he adds. 71557086 Airlens' nasal filters are also designed with fashion-conscious users in mind. "Unlike masks, nasal filters don't cover three-fourths of your face but fit inside your nostrils so they are barely visible. Plus, they allow you to talk and eat with ease," says Ranjan. During research for Airlens, he found that the human nose has a complicated structure. "After studying a great deal, we came up with two sizes of filters that could work for 70-80% of Indian noses." Even then, last year, Suneel Ranaut, a user who made a verified purchase of Airlens on Amazon, posted a picture of the nasal purifiers he had received and wrote: "Colour should be brown it is black (sic)." It also means that when you mix fashion with functionality, you have to be sensitive to a range of your customers' concerns, including skin tones.
When Xi Jinping drove out of the Chennai airport in his own Hongqi L5, he made a subtle but definitive power statement that cannot be missed. China may be battling numerous demons internally and externally, but this is a power that has arrived. Therefore, the second Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping informal summit, which began on the beaches of picturesque Mamallapuram, exhibited a different sort of power dynamic.From the Wuhan Spirit to the Chennai Connect (the Modi government loves alliterations), the distance India and China have travelled is not long. Despite the protestations of cooperation, the two countries remain far apart on strategic and tactical issues. And that is the real reason why Modi and Xi should continue to meet in these informal settings where, whatever else, the two sides can understand each other better, red lines are clearer and potential areas of cooperation, however narrow, can be identified.Leaders like Modi and Xi, who are dominant personalities in their respective systems, use summitry to move the needle, either on trade or security, beyond their sclerotic administrations. This is both a statement of confidence and a recognition that for both countries management of a complex relationship and bilateral stability is crucial in the here and now. The good news is that the summit and its format is acquiring traction- Xi just invited Modi for the third one in China next year. The two countries set up a new high-level mechanism on trade, investment and manufacturing that will have Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the Indian side and the Chinese vice premier, Hu Chunhua, on the other. Possibly the most important understanding was on RCEP with Xi conceding that the 16-country FTA had to be "balanced" for it to make sense for India.If Pakistan expected a discussion on Kashmir between Xi and Modi, that did not happen. Instead, Xi shared with Modi his account of Imran Khan's most recent visit to Beijing two days before Xi was supposed to travel to India. It showed, again, the gap that the Indian system perceives between dealing directly with Xi and dealing with his administration. This gap had been most persistent when the two sides were negotiating the Doklam crisis. That was, more than many other things, the trigger for Modi to propose this informal summit format.The issues that divide India and China are not going anywhere. China will continue to be obdurate on India's accession to the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group). It will continue to prop up Pakistan and its terror proxies to keep India bogged down. China will oppose the Indo-Pacific policy just as India will oppose China's showpiece Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).One issue that was not discussed was India's decision on 5G and Huawei. India is currently weighing whether to permit Chinese telco Huawei to set up 5G networks in the country, in light of concerns around snooping the US has raised. When India does take the decision, it will sharply redefine its relations with the major powers because it will signal India's global alignment that affects its political and security relationships across the globe.The Modi-Xi summit cannot be plucked out of the current international context both countries find themselves in. Xi and his delegation's attention this weekend was divided between Modi and Washington, where China's chief negotiator, Liu He, met his US counterparts to achieve a bare-bones trade agreement. The deal, whatever it is, eases the pressure on China (and the US). It may give Xi the room he wants to wait out the Trump administration and see what the 2020 elections bring to the White House before attempting a "reset".The MEA press statement issued at the end of the summit states that both "Leaders shared the view that the international situation is witnessing significant readjustment". As the US-China divide sharpens, and it promises to outlive Trump, powers like India will try to do two things- utilise the space to manoeuvre itself into a "pole" in what will necessarily be a multipolar world while trying to balance all sides.That is the ultimate seductive lure of India's foreign policy to its practitioners, which has always delivered sub-optimum results but never fails to find adherents within the system.In one of his speeches in Washington during what is now dubbed "the full Jaishankar", the Indian foreign minister said the almost simultaneous Japan-India-US trilateral and India-China-Russia trilateral meetings denoted some kind of equivalence. "The country that fares best is the one which has the least problems with his peer group and the broadest acceptance beyond," he said.China understands well the implications of India's tilt to the US and the West, even if many Indians don't. That will always colour China's actions vis-a-vis India because they are practitioners of realpolitik. India can use the China challenge to step on the gas to reform its economy and unshackle enterprise and agriculture, which will have the added advantage of giving it more elbow room as global politics readjusts to a new reality.China is India's most important neighbour and its most complex relationship. What we saw in Chennai this weekend was a fantastic display of spectacle summitry. Modi and Xi go back with a better understanding of each other & their priorities. Their strategic communication has gotten stronger and, perhaps, deeper. How this will transform the daily politics of two rising powers remains to be seen.
When Kiran Gupte saw televised images of anguished depositors breaking down and weeping outside the branches of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC) over the last fortnight, bitter feelings came flooding back. Since 2014, whenever he has heard of someone considering depositing money in a cooperative bank, he has advised them against it, because he wouldn't want anyone to go through what he has. When the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed Mumbai's CKP Co-operative Bank under restrictions on withdrawals and lending in 2014, it changed Gupte's life. Nearly Rs 12 lakh, about 85% of his life's savings, are stuck at the bank, with no clarity on if and when he might get the money back."I really don't know what will happen to us now," says the 72-year-old former employee with a chemical company, who lives with his wife in Dombivali in Mumbai.He found CKP attractive for the higher interest rate on fixed deposits the bank offered, compared with larger state-owned or private commercial banks.Gupte has only managed to get Rs 15,000 from his savings account and has not been getting interest on his fixed deposit, which amounts to Rs 85,000 annually, for five years now. A group of depositors sends periodic representations to banking authorities and the prime minister. They haven't heard much back.Gupte is among the tens of thousands of depositors who are faced with financial ruin as a consequence of the potential folding of a poorly managed or fraud-hit cooperative banking institution.PMC Bank, which has lately been in the news for fraudulently extending loans to Housing Development & Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL), imperilling deposits of numerous customers, is just the latest in a series of cooperative banks that have been placed under restrictions by the RBI. As of March 2019, 26 urban cooperative banks (UCBs) were placed under directions of the central bank for putting depositors at risk, thanks to mismanagement or fraud. This means operations are restricted and, often, deposits are stuck.Every time a crisis such as PMC surfaces, there's some sympathy over the plight of depositors, and debates around the need to regulate cooperative banks better. But then the world moves on, leaving hapless depositors to pick up the pieces of their lives, and denting people's faith in the banking system ever so slightly.The regulatory inaction leaves room for the next crisis at another bank somewhere else.Why have institutions that are called banks but are not entirely within the purview of mainstream banking regulations? Especially in a country with low financial literacy, where depositors sometimes discover the difference only after a bank run?The answer is complicated, and any potential regulation requires consensusbuilding among differing parties, such as central and state institutions. That's partly what has come in the way of effective regulation so far. Now, however, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the government will assess if legislative amendments are needed to implement effective regulation. If that happens, it might just be the silver lining on the PMC crisis.71559032 Long HistoryCo-operative banking institutions account for about 8% of deposits and 9% of advances and loans in India. Periodic tumult notwithstanding, they remain essential to the banking ecosystem in some ways, especially at the lower end of the income pyramid.71559008 "Co-operative banks are still relevant because they cater mostly to first-time borrowers who may not be looked at positively by public-sector banks or private banks. We understand these borrowers because we come from the same ecosystem," says Gautam Thakur, chairman of Saraswat Co-operative Bank, India's largest scheduled UCB by assets.71558953 While this is true, co-operative banks charge a higher rate of interest on loans to compensate for the higher risk, and consequently are able to offer more attractive rates to depositors.The Indian co-operative credit movement has its origins in the late 19th century when it was attempted as an alternative to usurious moneylenders in villages.The enactment of the Co-operative Credit Societies Act, 1904 (later amended in 1912), provided an impetus to the idea as more co-operative credit societies were set up in rural and urban areas.71558662 R Gandhi, former deputy governor of the RBI, does not think the problem lies in the ownership structure of co-operative banks. "In fact, dispersed ownership is good. The problem is, in a co-operative structure, you cannot have a professional board." The board of directors of a co-operative bank is elected by the bank's members and the process is often gamed by politicians to gain control of the bank. Politicians also wield a lot of influence in other co-operative institutions, such as sugar mills in Maharashtra. In many states, political control of such institutions plays a key role in the maintenance of the networks of political patronage, through loans as well as jobs at such institutions.71558674 In 1966, co-operative banks with paid-up share capital and reserves of more than Rs 1 lakh were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, kicking off dual regulation of UCBs that continues to this day. While the state registrar of co-operative societies is responsible for monitoring the administration and audit of these banks, the apex bank regulates their banking functions. Multi-state UCBs come under the ambit of the central registrar of co-operative societies.This dual control has been cited as one of the key reasons why irregularities in UCBs often escape detection. UCBs do not need the RBI's approval to appoint their chief executive, unlike commercial banks.With the RBI's liberalisation of licensing norms in 1993, the number of UCBs swelled from 1,311 to 1,926 in 2004. But a third of these new banks became financially sick within a short period and the RBI stopped issuing new licences in 2004. The Madhavpura Mercantile Cooperative Bank scam, in which there was a run on the bank in 2001, following revelations of the bank's exposure to entities linked to tainted stock broker Ketan Parekh, only added to RBI's caution. There have been 129 mergers of UCBs between 2004 and 2018, and as of March 2019, there were 1,542 UCBs, 54 of which were scheduled and the rest non-scheduled. Scheduled banks have more stringent norms than non-scheduled banks and can borrow from the RBI for their normal banking requirements, unlike the latter. Bengaluru has the most UCBs in India, at 263, followed by Nagpur (254) and Mumbai (241).71558690 Besides their higher interest rates, UCBs continue to be popular also because of the localised personal attention they provide their clientele, which is missing in large commercial banks. "Around 90% of the staff in our branches are locals. There is a sense of comfort for the borrower when the staff knows him," says Thakur. Some UCBs are also appealing to people because of their long history. One of the reasons why Chandrashekhar Lad decided to open an account with CKP Bank in the late 2000s was that the bank had been around since 1915."I had never kept money in a cooperative bank but this was a 100-year-old bank and their branch was close to my house," says Lad, a 61-year-old chartered accountant in Mumbai. But now he is not sure if he is going to get his Rs 35 lakh back from the bank.PMC Bank also has an administrator now. Its suspended managing director Joy Thomas, its former chairman Waryam Singh and the promoters of HDIL Rakesh and Sarang Wadhawan have been arrested. "People's trust in co-operative banks is broken after this," says Kiran Tare, a retired design engineer in Thane who has Rs 3 lakh in PMC Bank. For Tare, this is a double whammy of sorts, having earlier lost `6 lakh to the freeze on CKP Bank. He says he closed his accounts with various co-operative banks but decided to continue with PMC Bank. "The bank's balance sheet was good and it was giving good dividends. We had no clue what was really happening."PMC Bank's losses from not declaring some of the loans given to HDIL as non-performing assets (NPAs) even after they had turned bad have been pegged at Rs 4,355 crore."Any UCB that is under directions of the RBI is either merged with another bank or is liquidated," says Vidyadhar Anaskar, vice-president of the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies. In case of liquidation, only deposits up to Rs 1 lakh are insured. As of March 2019, Rs 4,822 crore had been paid on insurance claims on deposits in 351 co-operative banks, compared with Rs 296 crore in 27 commercial banks.71558780 Though UCBs perform better than commercial banks on NPAs, return on assets and return on equity, 46 of them have negative net worth, according to the RBI. "Even those UCBs which are fine now may become problematic later," says S Mahendra Dev, director of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research.71558873 A committee headed by Gandhi in 2015 suggested that multi-state UCBs with a business of more than Rs 20,000 crore convert into commercial banks and that smaller UCBs become small-finance banks. "Once they cross a certain threshold, greater discipline is needed," says Gandhi. This would bring these UCBs completely under the control of the RBI. But, not surprisingly, there is resistance from the sector. "There are only 5-6 big UCBs. If they convert to commercial banks, depositors will pull out and the sector will collapse," says Anaskar, who is also chairman of Pune-based Vidya Sahakari Bank, a UCB.The RBI did not respond to ET Magazine's questions.UCBs are just one part of the co-operative banking system. Rural co-operative banks account for two-thirds of all co-operative banks' assets. The short-term rural co-operative credit consists of three tiers in most states — state co-operative banks (StCBs), district central co-operative banks (DCCBs) and primary agricultural credit societies (PACs). Diminishing RoleTill the nationalisation of commercial banks in 1969, co-operative banks were the primary institutional source of agricultural credit. But with the expansion of commercial banks and the advent of regional rural banks in 1976, the role of co-operative banks has waned. Their share of agricultural credit has declined from three-fourths in the mid-1970s to 12% in 2018-19, according to the RBI and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), which has been delegated the power to inspect StCBs and DCCBs by the RBI. PACs, however, are not regulated by the central bank.71558735 Despite their diminishing contribution to farm credit, co-operative banks and societies are still crucial in villages. Somnath Satras, a sugarcane and onion farmer at Uralgaon village in Pune district, needed a loan of Rs 12 lakh to instal lift irrigation in his farm in 2015.He first went to a private bank, which kept him waiting for two months before turning him down. Then he went to the PAC near his village and his loan was processed within eight days. "There is not much paperwork and everything happens quickly at the credit society," he says.71558917 PACs borrow from DCCBs and StCBs to lend to farmers. Satras is not averse to borrowing from commercial banks. He has an account with Bank of India and has borrowed from HDFC Bank to buy a car and a motorcycle. "But for farm loans, co-operative banks are the best option." There are 33 StCBs, 364 DCCBs and around 95,600 PACs in India.71558803 Days after the Union government scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes in November 2016, the RBI said DCCBs could not accept these notes, as commercial banks were allowed to do, ostensibly because the RBI feared unaccounted money was being laundered through these banks. Despite the pernicious influence of politicians on rural cooperative banks, they are important to the rural economy, according to B Subrahmanyam, MD, National Federation of State Cooperative Banks. "They service a lot of small and marginal farmers who don't go to commercial banks." Small and marginal farmers constitute 70% of PACs' members.While there is consensus on the need for more regulation of co-operative banks, there are some who advocate a different approach to co-operative banks than to commercial banks. "Because co-operative banks are people's institutions, they should have more flexible norms. The amount of profits they can make from banking activities is severely limited. The norms for UCBs can be a little more stringent than for rural co-operative banks," says R Ramakumar, professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai. He adds that co-operative banks' time has not passed.Gandhi concurs: "One advantage with having a large number of UCBs is their local focus and they develop the habit of banking among people." And it is true that irregularities are hardly restricted to co-operative banks, as the Nirav Modi scam at Punjab National Bank has shown. Nonetheless, it's clear that there is an urgent need to implement checks and balances to make sure ordinary depositors aren't left at sea.
NEW DELHI: Assuring account holders of troubled Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank of support, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that she has spoken to the RBI governor, who assured that customers' concerns will be taken on top priority.The bank was put under "directions" by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month due to weak financial health, wherein the central bank has capped the deposit withdrawals at Rs 25,000."Spoken to governor @RBI on the #PMCBank matter. He assured me that clients & their concerns will be kept on top priority. I wish to reiterate that @FinMinIndia will ensure that customers concerns are comprehensively addressed. We understand the justified worries of the customers," she said in a tweet. Spoken to governor @RBI on the #PMCBank matter. He assured me that clients & their concerns will be kept on top pri… https://t.co/BRHsLNVVR6— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) 1570859819000 PMC is in bad health allegedly due to its exposure to near-bankrupt realty player HDIL, to which it has loaned over 70 per cent of its Rs 9,000 crore in advances.Earlier this week during a media interaction, she had said, ''Finance Ministry may have nothing to do with it (PMC bank matter) directly because RBI is the regulator. But from my side, I've asked the secretaries of my ministry to work with Rural Development Ministry and the Urban Development Ministry to study in detail as to what is happening".Secretaries from the department of financial services and economic affairs will be meeting a deputy governor of RBI soon to look into the "shortcomings" of the functioning of multi-state cooperative banks and see if any amendments can be made to the laws, she had said."They will discuss legislative steps needed to prevent such incidents from happening and empower the regulator better," she had said.The government will bring in a legislation to this effect in the winter session of Parliament, she had said.
MUMBAI: The public sector Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) has revealed around Rs 44.1 crore loan exposure to the absconding diamantaire Mehul Chinubhai Choksi, here on Saturday.This is the first time the 111-year-old bank has come clean on the default perpetrated by Choksi, who has now settled as a citizen of Antigua & Barbados, the West Indies.The New Delhi-based PSB has issued notices proclaiming him as a "willful defaulter" who owes the bank the amount for which it has initiated recovery proceedings against him.According to PSB, Choksi's company, Gitanjali Gems Ltd., including its merged entity Gitanjali Exports Ltd., had availed the loan from the bank.Choksi is a director plus a guarantor in the company and legal heir to Guniyal Choksi in the loan account.However, since they failed to clear the loan amount, the PSB declared it as a 'non-performing asset' on March 31, 2018, days after it dawned that Choksi and his family had already fled the country in February that year.The bank has now demanded that Choksi cough out the loan amount plus interest and other costs with effect from October 23, 2018 onwards.As he failed to comply, the PSB on September 17, 2019 declared him as a 'wilful defaulter'.With this, Choksi joins the bank's band of 27 other defaulters from different fields, based mainly in New Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh, one in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and two in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, against whom it has filed recovery suits.The latest development makes PSB the third prominent government-owned bank to reveal its exposure after Oriental Bank of Commerce came clean of loan defaults by Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi totaling to around Rs 289 crore..The 'mama-bhanja' diamantaire duo shot into limelight in February 2018 after the Punjab National Bank revealed a massive fraud perpetrated by them running into over Rs 13,500 crore, sending shudders in the country's banking industry."Besides PSB, which has been a perpetually loss-making entity, several other banks have exposure to Choksi-Modi and their group companies. Why can't all the government banks come clean and jointly take legal action to recover their dues," former and Trade Unions Joint Action Committee (TUJAC), Maharashtra Convenor Vishwas Utagi told IANS.Utagi said the other bigger questions are: what action has been taken against the departments and officers dealing in foreign exchange in Reserve Bank of India and other affected banks, how much of the outstandings from (Nirav Modi-Choksi and others) accused have been recovered so far and whether the details emerging now are under pressure' before the upcoming merger of banks.He has demanded a 'forensic audit' into all the accounts in all Indian banks held by the realty, gems & jewellery sectors on priority to reveal the extent of defaults and the collateral damage to society in the public interest.Earlier this year, the State Bank of India (SBI) had first bared its chest on a Rs 405 crore outstanding loan from Choksi and his family members.The SBI's disclosure had come barely two days after it became public that Choksi had surrendered his Indian citizenship and taken the nationality of Antigua & Barbados Islands.In March this year, millions in India were stunned to see a relaxed and well-dressed Nirav Modi sauntering down a street in London, and the subseqeunt furore led to his arrest by the United Kingdom authorities.Currently, India is making all-out efforts to get the uncle-nephew extradited from Antigua & Barbados, and UK to face the laws here.
By Samantha LamasWhat are your top investing goals? Every investor must face this question, and it's surprisingly difficult to accurately answer it. That's because we tend to refer to what's readily available in our minds, which may not always be our true, long-term goal.For example, someone may have recently read an article about a vacation in Italy. When asked about long-term goals, they might respond with: "I'd like to take exciting vacations," even though they also care deeply about leaving a legacy of charitable works.It's not that the person is insincere or that his/her other goals aren't deeply held — it's just that s/he is relying on what's top of mind and easy to recall.Changing the way we talk about goalsTailoring your financial plan around your personal goals can both increase your total returns and motivate you to stay on track. But the success of this technique depends entirely on having the right goals—which research suggests we, as investors, struggle to identify.Thankfully, gaining a more thorough and considered understanding of your goals isn't difficult; it just takes a different approach. To understand how this works, please try the technique out yourself:1. First, take out a notepad and write down your top three investing goals.a) Most important goal: ______________________________________b) Second most important goal: ________________________________c) Third most important goal: __________________________________ 2. Now, take a look at the following master list of common investing goals. Are there any goals here that you consider important but didn't include in your initial list? If so, write them down.Figure 1: Master List of Common Investing Goals 71551673 3. Taking both your initial list and the master list into consideration, think about your top three investing goals again and write them down. Has your list of top goals changed? If so, how has your list changed?A simple, but effective approach: Using a master listIf your goals did change, you are not alone. In a recent study conducted by Morningstar, researchers tested two different ways of asking people about their goals. First, they asked people to simply list their top investing goals. Then they used the master list, and asked them to reselect their top goals, drawing from both lists. In other words, the second round included a prompt to help people remember other things that might be important to them.In the study, 73 per cent of people changed at least one of their top goals after seeing the master list. The researchers found that, for many people, their final list of top investing goals was quite different from their initial list. After considering the master list, some people who initially thought in broad, vague terms about their goals, began to formulate goals that were more specific and vivid. The master list also helped many respondents with initial goals that focused solely on financial outcomes, which tend to be impersonal and potentially unmotivating, to reframe their goals in terms of their emotional and personal value.There's much more to learn from the study. If there's one immediate lesson for investors and advisers, it's this: Using a master list helps investors think broadly about the range of goals they may have for investing.So, next time you are faced with this question, try using a master list to aid your decision. This can help make sure that you answer with your true goals, and not just ones that are top-of-mind.(Samantha Lamas is a Behavioral Researcher at Morningstar. Views are author's own)
Defensives and corporate banks have been frontrunners this far and we have seen that outperformance in the recent rally as well, Rahul Shah of Motilal Oswal Financial Services said. Excerpts from an interview with ETNOW.How are you assessing the markets fundamental especially now that the earnings season is officially started, TCS and Infosys delivered their numbers. Next week, we are expecting big boy Reliance, HUL, Zee Entertainment, etc. So, what is it that you are expecting?Two, three trends have been very clear in the market. The market is just focussed on the few stocks and it is more concerned about those stocks' numbers. So starting with TCS and Infosys, the numbers are slightly better than what the Street was estimating, For IndusInd Bank, again, the numbers were good enough. So, going forward, there are certain things one needs to look at in the financial space. Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank and Bajaj Finance are the other names which you would like to see. In last six to eight months, we have seen corporate banks doing quite well, be it Axis or ICICI Bank. So I feel this is the focus list for next week.There was a lot of negative news flow in the week gone by—Glenmark Pharma, Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla as well on Friday. Can you help us understand how this US FDA's negative news flow is likely to shape up going forward? If you look at it, there are observation issues since last two, two-and-a-half years and we have been seeing the entire pharma space underperforming. Till the time the issues are not resolved, I do not think the stocks will outperform. We have seen latgecaps like Lupin, Sun Pharma underperforming in a big way. Then we saw Aurobindo and Glenmark last week hitting their 52-week lows. So, I think this will continue for a while. Till the times earnings come up, till the time these issues are not sorted, they will still underperform, while a few others will outperform. Biocon looks interesting from here in terms of valuations and in beaten down space in the large cap name I think Sun Pharma looks attractive with the valuations what it trades at. So, I think the downside in both these two stocks looks limited. So, there could be some decent upside in both the stocks from current levels.Reliance Industries is likely to come out next week. There is HUL as well which is one of the biggest names from the consumption space. What can we expect this time around as far as the Nifty Q2 performance is concerned?It looks like the numbers will be good. I think they have been doing quite well in the last two quarters. They are bang on their targets and slightly above what their own commentary. So I think instead of results, more important thing is the guidance, what people would be looking for is the prospective. Secondly, for HUL, the volume growth is the most important thing. Somewhere, we have seen the stock has appreciated quite well in the last few sessions and valuations obviously are expensive. But I think if you look at the consumer names like Unilever, Nestle—we have seen PE multiples have always been revalued and they have gone higher and higher. For Reliance, the most important thing is how the Jio is going to be in the new regime of the costing structure in the telecom space. Which stocks would you like to talk about, which are the ones you are tracking closely?I think defensives and corporate banks are in the front seat and we have seen that outperformance in recent rally as well. So, among defensive stocks, I like HDFC Life and HUL are at the top of my mind. So, I think these two stocks look quite interesting. And, among corporate banks, I think ICICI has been the leader and has done quite well.
Anantya Anand, 10, has been on cloud nine for the past two weeks. Late last month, she met and hung out with actor Madhuri Dixit while working on a sponsored video. "Most girls her age like Alia Bhatt, but Anantya has always been a Madhuri fan. Shaking a leg with the actor was like a dream come true for her," says Anantya's mother Nisha Anand, who has her own cookery channel on the video-sharing platform.Like the actor, Anantya is a star, too. Over the last five years, the Noida-based kid has drawn 4.5 million subscribers to her slice-of-life-video channel MyMissAnand on YouTube. One of the latest videos on the channel is about how "normal" kids behave during the weeklong Navratri festival. The video, which subtly takes a dig at "rich" kids' antics during this period, has over 5 million views. A video on cheating in exams showcases why the practice will get you in trouble. Another one, on fake versus real friendships, has over 11 million views and counting. 71557585 71557589 Anantya belongs to a new breed of content creators — the kids' influencers. They are six-to-12-year-olds featuring in videos across genres — including singing, dancing, slime-making, sketches, challenges and reviews of toys, games and movies. "They have a novelty factor attached to their content and a cuteness quotient," says Lakshmi Balasubramanian, founder of digital marketing agency Greenroom. "And they are extremely talented kids. Ergo, a lot of brands in toys, games, food and clothing for kids, are keen to collaborate with them."In the past year, Anantya has worked on sponsored videos with channels Disney and Nickelodeon, toymaker Mattel, and fast-food company McDonald's, her mother says. But Anand is reluctant to talk about revenue. However, digital marketing agencies count Anantya among the most premium influencers in the category and say she can charge up to Rs 2-3 lakh per video. 71557761 While Instagram is the mainstay of online influencers, YouTube is where the little creators are most active. "Kids are more into watching DIY videos and cartoons, a space better served by YouTube at the moment," says Arjun Sahu, Anantya's uncle who manages the business for her channel.Their towering presence across social media platforms gives them an edge companies look for — influence on followers. Marketing agencies peg the influencer marketing space to be worth Rs 1,200 crore in India. The kids' influencers market is only a fraction of the whole pie right now, though the market size is not available. "In a few years, it could be one-tenth of the most revenue-generating segment in that industry — the tech influencers, who are known to charge up to Rs 25 lakh per video," says Balasubramanian. "Yet," she adds, "many of these kids are paid on a par with fashion and beauty bloggers — second in the influencer hierarchy after tech bloggers — because of increasing demand and limited supply of content creators."Relevant brands that ET Magazine reached out to said it was early days to comment on their influencer campaigns. Balasubramanian says: "The category is small but rising. With more kids entering the space, more brands will show interest."They have every reason to. According to the Indian Kids Digital Insights 2019 — a study conducted by Totally Awesome, an international children's digital media company — 73% of kids consuming digital content ask their parents to buy something because a child influencer had it or used it. 81% of parents buy things their kids want because they were advertised by a child influencer, the study adds.Besides Anantya, there are at least 7 prominent kids' influencers in India at present. One of them is a pair of siblings from Kota in Rajasthan whose YouTube channel Aayu and Pihu Show has over 3.9 million subscribers. Featuring Ayush (Aayu) Kalra, 6, and his elder sister Prakruti (Pihu) Kalra, 12, the show consists of comedy sketches and challenge videos that end with a moral. 71557659 71557673 Down south, Nihal Raj, 9, has a cookery channel called KichaTube. The pinned video on this channel, with close to 37,000 subscribers, is a clip from The Ellen DeGeneres Show that little chef Kicha, as he is popularly known, was invited to three years ago. Dressed in a chef's uniform, Raj seems stoked about teaching the eponymous show's popular host and actor how to make puttu, a steamed rice-cake dish, in a puttu kutty, a vessel used for making the popular breakfast item of Kerala. 71557867 These channels are run by parents who spearhead content writing and production — with a few inputs from the kids — in addition to engaging with brands. Advertising regulatory bodies in India and abroad discourage brands from featuring kids below eight in their ads without adult supervision. Showing children in an ad directly talking to kids is also avoided. Therefore, most brands prefer featuring influencer kids' parents in these videos, too.These guidelines notwithstanding, child influencers are all the rage right now in many parts of the world. One in every five British children wants to be a social media influencer, says a 2019 study by Awin, a global affiliate marketing network. Over the last couple of years, the UK has also seen institutions like Firetech Camp offer courses for aspiring child YouTubers at $1,000 a week. Stories of big earnings have added to the buzz.In South Korea, a 6-year-old YouTuber Boram made news for buying a house worth $8 million from her influencer income. Last year, Forbes said an 8-year-old Los Angeles-based YouTuber, Ryan Kaji, was the highest-earning YouTuber of 2018, across all age groups and genres. His annual earning was $22 million. 71557831 However, the good in social media is often followed by the ugly. Kids' influencers deal with the anxiety of subscriber count, likes and dislikes, and nasty comments. What makes this a problem is that they are at an impressionable age, often not able to grapple with the harsh realities of internet fame. There isn't a single kids' influencer who hasn't had their fair share already. Anantya, who urges viewers to help her achieve a certain target of likes per video, is often criticised by her schoolmates for her videos. "People also tend to remark how we are earning off her," Anand adds.Most parents of these influencers avoid talking money with their wards. Anantya's family, however, has kept nothing in hiding, says Anand. "We wanted her to know from us that money is coming in through these videos, before someone else told her."In the US, especially in states like California, the law dictates that 15% of earnings from a child's labour of any kind must be kept in a trust fund called "Coogan account" till they turn 18. In India, and many other countries, there are no such guidelines.Child therapist Sascha Kirpalani says parents play a vital role in helping these influencer kids deal with the ramifications of social media fame. "Children in the 6-12 age group value parents' opinions. In their teens, peer influence tends to take over," she says.Anand often tells her daughter not to take criticism to heart. Anantya, though, doesn't want to let go of her viewership. "Earlier, if someone said they didn't like my video, I felt I did something wrong. Now, I ask them what exactly they didn't like so I can work on it," she says.Instant stardom doesn't seem to have hit her hard as almost everyone in her family is a YouTube star in their own right — her mother and her aunt run popular channels in the food, fashion and beauty segments.But that is not the case with everyone.In the case of the Kalra siblings, parents Piyush and Ruchi avoid discussing any numbers — likes, shares, subscribes, sponsored content — around the kids. While Piyush works on content and production, Ruchi handles comments and also features in the videos. Every weekend, fans, mostly children, come in droves to their home to meet the children. "We worry that fame shouldn't go to their heads. We address their followers as 'friends' instead of 'fans' in front of them," says Piyush. Pihu, the elder of the two kids, is often told her brother acts better than her. "I don't take it to heart even if it is intended that way," she says. "He is my brother. I am happy if he is doing well." Aayu is not all that modest. "I like it when people say they like my acting. I like it, even more, when they say I act better than my sister," he quips.Comments, sadly, are not limited to sparking a harmless sibling rivalry. In the case of 8-year-old You-Tuber Kyra Kanojia, it has gotten a tad ugly. In the comments section on her channel Kyrascope Toy Reviews — where she reviews toys, games and movies for kids — some people started mocking her English pronunciation. "Some even made racist comments saying an Indian child is reviewing expensive toys and games," says Manish Kanojia, her father.Kyra seems to have taken the criticism well. "She is more conscious of her enunciation and questions whether something is even worth reviewing as she feels a sense of responsibility," says Noida-based Kanojia, 43.Platforms do have some protection for minors. In September, YouTube issued a revised policy guideline for all kids' content. One of them was disabling comments from all videos under children's channels right away. Both Instagram and Facebook require a user to be at least 13 years old before she can create an account. "We allow parents or representatives to have an account representing someone who is under 13 as long as it is clear in the bio that the account is run by the parent or representative," a Facebook spokesperson says.No matter what platforms do, parents have their task cut out. "They should try to help children identify the difference between a social media presence and their actual identity, and help them realise their worth is not determined by the number of likes or followers," says Kirpalani, the therapist from Mumbai.However, it is not the criticism but the addiction to fame that is worrisome. A year away from teenage, Pihu from Kota says she always wanted to be famous. "Now that I am famous, I want to keep working hard to stay famous."Ask Anantya what are the three most important things in her life and she promptly rattles off: "My parents, my grandma, and my videos," only to quickly bump her "friends" over "videos". "If I have the videos and no friends, then what is the point," she adds.
