Jared Johns found out too late that swapping messages with the pretty girl from a dating site would mean serious trouble. If only he had known who she really was.
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Ten years ago, Folgers coffee first aired their now-infamous "Coming Home" ad. Little did they know, it would go on to inspire everything from parody videos to severely NSFW fan fiction. Here, GQ talks to the people involved in this holiday miracle.
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The EPA rated the new 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo's range at just 201 miles on a charge. That's worse than almost every other electric car on sale today, and far worse than the 300 miles Porsche teased a couple of years ago, so what made the EPA figure so low?
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PMP is one of the top project management certifications around, and it can seriously elevate your earning potential. Get certified with help from The Official PMP 6 Certification Training Course, now $79.
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A new study shows that the deepest point on land is under the Denman Glacier in East Antarctica. Glaciologists were mapping the area only to find that the trough under the glacier went far deeper than they had imagined.
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I cried, I laughed, I cheered. It was about as good an ending as I dared hope for, especially after episode eight left me fearing the producers had so many balls up in the air that they couldn't possibly hope to catch all of them.
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Prominent figures from Jacob Gottlieb to Betsy DeVos got help from a reputation management firm that can bury image-sensitive Google results by placing flattering content on websites that masquerade as news outlets
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As the final film in the third Star Wars trilogy, "The Rise of Skywalker" will have the last word on whether the Jedi are helpful or hurtful, necessary or dispensable.
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Teams have looked for a "fifth force" in the universe within the Earth's mantle, ultra-vacuum chambers, and in hypothetical particles such as "X17." Finding it could help explain mysteries around dark matter and dark energy.
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After a few weeks on the antidepressant I noticed the birds were chirping a little louder, and my self-critical inner voice had decreased to a whisper.
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Twenty years ago, people thought that bugs might lead to bank failures and plane crashes come January 1, 2000. They didn't. But these books remain amazing.
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A new generation of reactors will start producing power in the next few years. They're comparatively tiny — and may be key to hitting our climate goals.
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The secret unit former U.S. counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke helped the UAE create had an ominous acronym: DREAD, short for Development Research Exploitation and Analysis Department. In the years that followed, the UAE unit expanded its hunt far beyond suspected extremists to include a Saudi women's rights activist, diplomats at the United Nations and personnel at FIFA, the world soccer body.
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According to TV report, Turkish navy intercepts Israeli boat, orders it to leave; Turkey's recent maritime deal with Libya has fueled regional tensions over drilling rights
Turkish navy ships intercepted an Israeli research ship in Cypriot waters two weeks ago and drove it away, Channel 13 news reported Saturday, quoting senior Israeli officials.
The ship Bat Galim, of the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research institution, was approached by Turkish vessels while conducting research in coordination with Cypriot officials and the Cypriot government, the report said.
The unnamed senior officials said the vessels radioed the Israeli ship, demanded to know its business in the area — despite not having jurisdiction there — and then ordered it leave. The Israeli ship had no choice but to comply and depart.
The Democratic-controlled House plans to vote Wednesday on two articles of impeachment against President Trump. Democrats expect support for impeachment from all but a few of their members; no Republicans are expected to join them. https://t.co/UgiLyhsRo3
Brigadier General Larry Nicholson addressed Marines before they conducted a helicopter assault into Marja, a Taliban stronghold in Helmand Province. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times
Top Defense Department officials have largely brushed aside questions surrounding reports that U.S. officials lied about progress in the 18-year Afghanistan war, with experts saying it's unlikely the documents will change the administration's approach to the long-running conflict.
The bombshell reports, which were released the same week the House Judiciary Committee readied and then advanced two articles of impeachment against President Trump, have largely been sidestepped by defense officials when speaking to lawmakers and the media.
"I haven't read all the stories frankly… but the stories spanned multiple administrations, multiple uniformed and civilian officials and I think it's good to look back. I think at this point where I'm looking is forward," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday.
Trump had made clear to his advisers earlier this year that he wanted to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the November 2020 election.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration intends to announce the drawdown of about 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as early next week, according to three current and former U.S. officials. The withdrawal will leave between 8,000 and 9,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the officials said.
The announcement would come just days after Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad rejoined diplomatic talks with the Taliban, which had broken down in September. On Thursday, Ambassador Khalilzad said the U.S. was "taking a brief pause" in talks after a Wednesday attack near Bagram Airfield killed two Afghan civilians and wounded 70 more.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Small groups of protesters gathered in shopping malls across Hong Kong on Sunday amid brief scuffles with riot police as attention turned to an upcoming meeting between Hong Kong's leader and China's president.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam is scheduled to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday and some observers say the visit could yield fresh directives including a possible cabinet reshuffle.
Lam, however, appeared to play that down before she left, saying the first task was to curb violence and restore order.
On Sunday in the peak shopping season ahead of Christmas, groups of masked protesters, clad in black, marched through several malls chanting slogans including "Fight for freedom" and "Return justice to us".
Partial agreement at COP25 that countries must be more ambitious to fulfil Paris goals
Climate talks in Madrid have ended with a partial agreement to ask countries to come up with more ambitious targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet the terms of the 2015 Paris accord.
Few countries came to this year's talks with updated plans to reach the Paris goals, though the EU finally agreed its long-term target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Experts say more ambitious emissions cuts are needed globally if the Paris pledge to hold global heating to no more than 2C is to be met.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 3rd right, and Fayez Al-Serraj, 3rd left, the head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and their delegations posing during their meeting in Istanbul. (AFP)
Ankara ready to defend government in Tripoli in latest policy to inflame tensions with US, EU, Greece and Middle East countries
The threat of a military clash in the Mediterranean has drawn nearer following talks in which Turkey has underlined its willingness to send troops to Libya to defend the country's UN-recognised government.
Such a move would risk a direct military confrontation with General Khalifa Haftar, the eastern Libyan military warlord who is thought to be planning a decisive assault on the government of national accord in Tripoli, or GNA. Either the UAE or Egypt, which are supporting Haftar's forces, might also become involved.
The violence comes ahead of political consultations that are expected to rename Saad Hariri as prime minister. His reappointment would likely further inflame protests against political elites.
Lebanese security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets and water canon to disperse anti-government protesters in central Beirut on Sunday night in the second day of violent protests that have wounded dozens of people.
The unrest comes ahead of consultations between the president and parliamentary blocs on Monday in which resigned Prime Minister Saad Hariri is expected to be renamed to the post.
Hariri stepped down on October 29 in the face of protests against political elites widely viewed as corrupt and responsible for plunging the country into a deepening economic crisis.
"As part of your rehabilitation, it's crucial that you admit you have a problem - you are hijacking the Intelligence Committee for political purposes while excusing and covering up intelligence agency abuses." -Devin Nunes to Adam Schiff
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has written perhaps the most brutal 'I told ya so' letter in recent memory to Adam Schiff, his Democratic rival and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
After last week's Inspector General report on FBI FISA abuse revealed Schiff was peddling lies to the American public in a February, 2018 'counter-memo' to Nunes's now-proven claims, Schiff passed the buck - telling Fox News host Chris Wallace on Sunday that he was 'unaware' of certain things unccovered by the IG - while failing to admit he's been dead wrong on an ongoing basis about a number of things.
WNU editor: Rep. Devin Nunes' letter to Rep. Schiff can be read from here. Here is an easy prediction. Rep. Schiff is not going to read Rep. Nunes' letter.
Democrats in the US have urged Republicans to vote to impeach President Donald Trump, saying he poses a "clear and present danger" to democracy.
Top Democrats have made a last-minute pitch to Republicans as to why they should put partisanship aside and vote to impeach US President Donald Trump.
Mr Trump is expected to become the third US president to be impeached when the full Democratic-led House of Representatives votes on the charges, likely this week.
If the House votes in favour of the charges it will set up a trial in the Republican-controlled US Senate.
"It's kind of odd to be voting to say the guy is a clear and present danger… but I'm going to hangout at the White House," a senior administration official said.
While Judiciary Committee Democrats worked to impeach President Donald Trump, six House Democrats accepted invitations and attended the White House's Congressional Ball on Thursday night, according to Axios.
The report cites two sources with knowledge of who attended, and one White House official said of them, "It's kind of odd to be voting to say the guy is a clear and present danger to the globe, but I'm going to come and hang out at the White House for a black tie affair."
Very big developments may be afoot in Iraq. The indispensable Abu Ali reports on a series of 9 unusual and worrying events that have taken place in the last 24 hours -- which, when the dots are connected, paint a worrisome picture. They are:
WNU Editor: Check out the thread for the above tweet. What caught my eye are reports that Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Qods Force of the IRGC, is in Baghdad right now. Wherever he goes, trouble always follows.
Ukrainian SOF conduct visit, board, search and seizure training in the Black Sea with U.S. SOF, July 19, 2017 during exercise Sea Breeze. Sea Breeze is a U.S. and Ukraine co-hosted multinational maritime exercise held in the Black Sea and is designed to enhance interoperability of participating nations and strengthen maritime security within the region.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Congress is poised to allow the sale of coastal defense and anti-ship weapons as part of future security assistance packages to Ukraine, through the 2020 defense policy bill.
The National Defense Authorization Act passed the House this week and is expected to be passed in the Senate next week; President Donald Trump has already announced he will sign the sweeping policy bill.
The change comes as U.S. military aid is at the center of impeachment proceedings playing out against Trump in Washington. The impeachment has dragged Ukraine into the spotlight at a time the European nation continues to struggle with ongoing military activities from Russia.
WNU editor: Aside from all the rhetoric coming from Washington on this sale of anti-ship missiles, these weapons will not bring peace or stability to Ukraine, and it will not certainly not resolve the bitter ethnic divisions that exist in that country.
Just as was true when the Mueller investigation closed without a single American being charged with criminally conspiring with Russia over the 2016 election, Wednesday's issuance of the long-waited report from the Department of Justice's Inspector General reveals that years of major claims and narratives from the U.S. media were utter frauds.
Before evaluating the media component of this scandal, the FBI's gross abuse of its power – its serial deceit – is so grave and manifest that it requires little effort to demonstrate it. In sum, the IG Report documents multiple instances in which the FBI – in order to convince a FISA court to allow it spy on former Trump campaign operative Carter Page during the 2016 election – manipulated documents, concealed crucial exonerating evidence, and touted what it knew were unreliable if not outright false claims.
WASHINGTON — The American government secretly expelled two Chinese Embassy officials this fall after they drove on to a sensitive military base in Virginia, according to people with knowledge of the episode. The expulsions appear to be the first of Chinese diplomats suspected of espionage in more than 30 years.
American officials believe at least one of the Chinese officials, who were with their wives, was an intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover, said six people with knowledge of the expulsions. The group evaded military personnel pursuing them and stopped only after fire trucks blocked their path.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam on Monday, and said the semiautonomous territory has yet to “come out of its dilemma” as protests continue to roil the city and disrupt the economy.
Speaking at the Great Hall of the People, Li insisted more needs to be done to “study the deep-rooted conflicts and problems in Hong Kong’s society and economy.”
Pointing to the recession Hong Kong has fallen into, he said, “The city is facing unprecedented, serious and complicated situations,” according to the Hong Kong government’s video of his remarks.
This is the first meeting between Lam and Li, China’s head of government, since the protests broke out in June. Lam, who is in Beijing for an annual visit, also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the day.
In November, Xi reiterated his support for Lam and instructed Hong Kong to end violence in the city.
Lam’s sit-downs followed a weekend of protests in Hong kong that ended in police firing tear gas to disperse crowds in the tourist district of Mong Kok. Two journalists were injured in the chaos, including a reporter for a campus publication who was struck by a police-fired projectile near his eye, according to local media reports.
Earlier that day, protesters gathered at shopping centers across the city, and vandalized restaurants perceived to have mainland Chinese ties in at least one mall.
In a separate event Sunday, police supporters held a rally for the embattled force, which has been accused of being excessive in its response to the protests. According to police estimates, 10,000 people attended the demonstration at a park along the harbor front.
Some held placards criticizing the U.S. Last month, President Donald Trump approved legislation aimed at protecting human rights in Hong Kong.
The anti-government protest movement, which began in June over a controversial extradition bill, passed the sixth-month mark last week.
While relative peace followed the pro-democracy camp’s landslide victory in the city’s local elections, the protests have become increasingly violent compared to its early days. Last week, police said they deactivated two home-made bombs at a high school. The report followed the discovery of weapons — including a semi-automatic pistol and five magazines — that police believed were going to be used during a large weekend march.
Taiwan and Hong Kong are on the frontlines of a battle to preserve media freedom from the Chinese government, according to a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
As Beijing actively tries to manipulate global opinions about its growing role in the world, Taiwan and Hong Kong’s media landscapes provide case studies in how China exports censorship, CPJ argues.
While both markets are bastions of free press, Beijing has increasingly put them under strain as it attempts to influence editorial content and spread propaganda, says the report, “One Country, One Censor,” which was published Monday.
“The era of total censorship that Xi Jinping has ushered into China after becoming president in 2013 increasingly threatens to undermine the press freedoms enjoyed in both Hong Kong and Taiwan,” says Steven Butler, Asia Coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
In Taiwan, China has used commercial pressures to influence media, according to CPJ. A deluge of disinformation aims to sway public opinion ahead of presidential elections in January 2020 when incumbent Tsai Ing-wen faces off against pro-Beijing candidate Han Kuo-yu.
The CPJ report alleges that some media outlets in Taiwan have taken instruction on “how to slant coverage.” Although the media agencies have denied the allegations, Taiwan’s National Communications Commission told CPJ the case is under investigation.
In Hong Kong, a semiautonomous Chinese territory, around half the mainstream media outlets have close political ties to the mainland, according to the CPJ.
“China-influenced publications and broadcast channels have come to dominate the media scene in Hong Kong while a scrappy, underfunded independent sector battles for audience and revenue,” Butler said.
Last year, immigration officials cancelled the visa of a foreign correspondent after he hosted a talk with an independence activist that upset local and Chinese authorities. The move was widely seen to signal Beijing’s growing grip on the financial center.
The treatment of journalists covering pro-democracy protests that have rocked Hong Kong since June further highlight the region’s deteriorating media landscape, the report says. During demonstrations, police have reportedly targeted journalists with tear gas, pepper spray and blinding lights to prevent them from filming.
“The repeated police attacks on journalists trying to cover the turmoil, with no apparent consequences for the police, speaks to the broader concern that over the decades, the rise of China’s influence in Hong Kong has gradually squeezed the once-freewheeling local press,” the report says.
China’s longstanding animosity toward free press has been well-documented. As of December 2019, it held 48 journalists behind bars, more than any other country in the world, according to an annual survey compiled by the CPJ.
(SEOUL, South Korea) — A senior U.S. diplomat said Monday that Washington won’t accept a year-end deadline set by North Korea to make concessions in stalled nuclear talks and urged Pyongyang to return to a negotiating table immediately.
“On this point, let me be absolutely clear: The United States does not have a deadline,” Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, told reporters. “We are fully aware of the strong potential for North Korea to conduct a major provocation in the days ahead. To say the least, such an action will be most unhelpful in achieving lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
Biegun, who was in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials, called on North Korea to sit down for talks.
“Let me speak directly to our counterparts in North Korea: It is time for us to do our jobs. Let’s get this done. We are here. And you know how to reach us,” he said.
Biegun later held separate meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, Seoul’s point man on North Korea. Moon’s office said that during his visit to the presidential Blue House, Biegun said the Trump administration wouldn’t give up on seeking diplomatic progress with North Korea, but it did not elaborate further.
It’s unclear if North Korea will reach out to the U.S. to resolve their widening differences on how to achieve North Korean denuclearization.
Senior North Korean officials have recently said denuclearization is already off the negotiating table and have threatened to lift a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. In past months, North Korea has also conducted a slew of short-range missile and other weapons tests.
Worries about a major North Korean provocation grew after the country said Saturday that it had successfully performed an unspecified “crucial test” that will strengthen its nuclear deterrent. Experts say the North could launch a satellite-carrying rocket or an intercontinental ballistic missile if the U.S. fails to meet the year-end deadline.
Friday’s test was the second in a week at a rocket facility where North Korea has conducted missile-engine tests and launched satellites in what the U.N. called cover for testing its long-range missile technology.
North Korea’s military chief, Pak Jong Chon, asserted Saturday that the North has built up “tremendous power” and that the findings from the recent tests would be used to develop new weapons to allow the country to “definitely and reliably” counter U.S. nuclear threats.
The test-flight of an ICBM would likely completely derail diplomatic efforts as President Donald Trump has viewed the North Korean weapons test moratorium as a major foreign policy achievement.
Biegun called the latest North Korean statements “so hostile and negative and so unnecessary.” He said they don’t reflect the spirit and content of the discussions the two countries have had since the North entered talks with the U.S. last year.
He said the United States has offered “any number of creative ways to proceed with feasible steps and flexibility in our negotiations to reach balanced agreements that meet the objectives of both sides.”
(MADRID) — Marathon U.N. climate talks ended Sunday with a slim compromise that sparked widespread disappointment, after major polluters resisted calls for ramping up efforts to keep global warming at bay and negotiators postponed debate about rules for international carbon markets for another year.
Organizers kept delegates from almost 200 nations in Madrid far beyond Friday’s scheduled close of the two-week talks. In the end, negotiators endorsed a general call for greater efforts to tackle climate change and several measures to help poor countries respond and adapt to its impacts.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “disappointed” by the meeting’s outcome.
“The international community lost an important opportunity to show increased ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance to tackle the climate crisis,” he said. “We must not give up and I will not give up.”
The final declaration cited an “urgent need” to cut planet-heating greenhouse gases in line with the goals of the landmark 2015 Paris climate change accord. But it fell far short of explicitly demanding that countries submit bolder emissions proposals next year, which developing countries and environmentalists had demanded.
The Paris accord established a common goal of keeping temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. So far, the world is on course for a 3- to 4-degree Celsius rise, with potentially dramatic consequences for many countries, including rising sea levels and fiercer storms.
After two nights of fractious negotiations, delegates in Madrid decided to defer some of the thorniest issues to the next U.N. climate summit in Glasgow in November.
Chile’s Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt, who chaired the meeting, said she was “sad” no deal had been reached on the rules for international trading in carbon emissions permits.
“We were on the verge,” she said, adding that the goal was to establish markets that are “robust and environmentally sustainable.”
Economists say putting a price on carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, and allowing countries or companies to trade emissions permits, will encourage the shift to away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy.
Some observers welcomed the failure of a deal on carbon markets, though, and the European Union and developing countries had said beforehand that no deal was better than a bad one.
“Thankfully, the weak rules on a market-based mechanism, promoted by Brazil and Australia, that would have undermined efforts to reduce emissions, have been shelved,” said Mohamed Adow, director of Nairobi-based campaign group Power Shift Africa.
Helen Mountford, from the environmental think-tank World Resources Institute, said that “given the high risks of loopholes discussed in Madrid, it was better to delay than accept rules that would have compromised the integrity of the Paris Agreement.”
The talks in Spain took place against a backdrop of growing worldwide concern about climate change. The past year saw large protests in hundreds of cities around the globe and climate activists staged several rallies inside and outside the conference venue to express their frustration at the slow pace of the talks.
The meeting was moved from Chile’s capital Santiago to Madrid at a month’s due to violent protests against the Chilean government, which was under pressure to deliver a positive result.
Delegates made some progress on financial aid for poor countries affected by climate change, despite strong resistance from the United States to any clause holding big polluters liable for the damage caused by their emissions. Countries agreed four years ago to funnel $100 billion per year by 2020 to assist developing nations, but so far nowhere near that amount has been raised.
Under the Paris accord, countries are supposed to regularly review their national emissions reduction targets and increase them if necessary. Last week, the European Union agreed a goal of becoming carbon neutral by mid-century, but the move did little to sway discussions in Madrid about setting more ambitious targets in the medium term, an issue that will be on the agenda again in Glasgow.
The United States will be excluded from much of those talks after President Donald Trump announced the country’s withdrawal from the Paris accord, a process than comes into force Nov. 4, 2020.
Scientists said the longer countries wait to cut emissions, the harder it will be to meet the Paris temperature target.
“The global emissions’ curve needs to bend in 2020,” said Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research near Berlin.
“Emissions need to be cut half by 2030, and net zero emissions need to be a reality by 2050,” he said. “Achieving this is possible — with existing technologies and within our current economy. The window of opportunity is open, but barely.”
(TOKYO) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke at Sunday’s official completion of the new national stadium, the venue for the opening and closing ceremony of next year’s Tokyo Olympics. It will also host track and field and some soccer.
He could have spoken for anyone who has been inside the creation of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, whose venue is sure to be up for many design prizes.
“It blends with its surrounding and the natural environment,” Abe said, noting it showcased Japan’s ties to nature with its use of wood lattice work around the stadium’s rim and roof, and earth-tone colors in the seats that are randomly colored brown, gray, two shades of green and white.
Jae C. Hong—APA photographer stands on a step stool to photograph the new National Stadium on Dec. 15, 2019, in Tokyo.Jae C. Hong—APA man takes pictures during a tour at the new National Stadium on Dec. 15, 2019, in Tokyo.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike pointed out the other strong feature as she spoke. “This stadium uses a lot of trees in its structure,” she said, speaking of the greenery that is everywhere — from flower planters, to trees and shrubs.
Although Tokyo is densely urban, it is also dotted with many parks and green areas. The stadium works off that theme, making sure it is functional and linked to nature.
A walkway on the fifth level is called the “Grove of the Sky.” It’s about 30 meters (100 feet) above street level and runs 850 meters (1/2 mile) around the entire circumference of the stadium. It’s lined with benches, flowers and trees. A stroll offers a breathtaking view of Tokyo, and on a clear day Mt. Fuji is visible to the west.
Makoto Sato, a spokesman for the Japan Sport Council, a national government body that built the venue, said the walkway will be open to the public on days when there are no events after the Olympics.
“We have tried to emphasize all four seasons and people can use it around the year and enjoy it,” he said.
Jae C. Hong—APA videographer records the field at the new National Stadium on Dec. 15, 2019, in Tokyo.Jae C. Hong—APA general view of the new National Stadium is seen on Dec. 15, 2019, in Tokyo.
The stadium seating rises in a steep gradient from the field level and the nine-lane track, getting steeper the higher it goes. The colors of the seats also get lighter the higher up you go with more brown seats near the bottom — the earth — and more green, gray and white near the top.
“Because of the gradient, it creates an atmosphere where people can feel close,” said Takeo Takahashi, another Japan Sport Council spokesman.
The stadium is sure to be the centerpiece of the 2020 Olympics, built at a cost of 156.9 billion yen, about $1.43 billion at the present exchange rate. The capacity for the Olympics will be 68,000 and can be expanded later to 80,000.
Tokyo’s 1964 Olympics left behind several architectural jewels, the most famous of which was Kenzo Tange’s Yoyogi National Stadium. It was the swimming venue in ’64 — American swimmer Don Schollander won four gold medals there — and will host handball this time, and badminton and wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics.
The new stadium also feature items from the old national stadium, which was razed in 2015. The most prominent are two mosaic-tile murals featuring the Greek goddess Nike and Nomino Sukune, a legendary sumo wrestler. They are located at the Aoyama Gate entrance.
The venue will be open to the general public on Dec. 21, which will also feature a visit by eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. The first real event will be Jan. 1, 2020 with the Emperor’s Cup, the championship of the Japan football league.
Jae C. Hong—APA member of the media sits on a bench in the area called “Grove of the Sky” at the new National Stadium on Dec. 15, 2019, in Tokyo. The stadium is officially completed.
Governor Koike noted that the Olympics open in just over seven months — July 24, 2020.
“I can already envision the scene where the athletes are sprinting on this field and spectators are cheering for them in this stadium,” she said.
(Bloomberg) — Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu said he wants the U.S. Ambassador to leave the country after the diplomat criticized the African nation for sentencing a gay couple to 15 years of imprisonment for having a consensual relationship.
“We have complained officially to the American government, and we are waiting for their response because we don’t want such people in our midst,” Lungu said Sunday in comments broadcast on state-owned ZNBC TV. “We want him gone.”
U.S. Ambassador Daniel Foote said last month that he was “personally horrified” after the high court sentenced the two men and called on the government to reconsider laws that punish minority groups.
(LONDON) — Chinese television pulled coverage of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Manchester City after Mesut Ozil, a forward for the London club, criticized Beijing’s brutal mass crackdown on ethnic Muslims in the country.
Ozil added to condemnation of the detention of more than 1 million Uighurs and other minorities in so-called reeducation camps in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, where they are subjected to political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and food deprivation, as well as denial of religious and linguistic freedom.
A social media post from Ozil on Friday denounced China for burning Qurans, closing mosques and the killing of religious scholars. The Arsenal player complained that “Muslims stay quiet.”
The Chinese Football Association expressed “great indignation and disappointment” at Ozil’s comments, according to the Global Times newspaper published by the ruling Communist Party.
China’s government increasingly uses the threat of loss of access to the country’s growing market as leverage to try to control what companies, universities and others say or do abroad about political issues.
China is the Premier League’s most lucrative overseas broadcast market, with the rights sold for $700 million in the 2019-2022 cycle.
The sports channel of Chinese state television canceled a live broadcast of Arsenal’s game against Manchester City that was due to be shown early Monday, according to the channel’s schedule app and social media account. It was replaced with a recorded match between Tottenham and Wolverhampton from earlier in the day. A showing of Arsenal’s match also was canceled by streaming service PPTV.com.
Arsenal distanced itself from Ozil’s comments in a post on Chinese social media network Weibo. “The content he expressed is entirely Ozil’s personal opinion,” the London club said. “As a football club, Arsenal always adheres to the principle of not being involved in politics.”
Arsenal will be hoping to avoid the backlash faced by the Houston Rockets earlier this year after the NBA team’s general manager, Daryl Morey, tweeted support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong, angering fans and officials in China.
The tweet was deleted soon after it was posted, and Rockets owner and billionaire casino and restaurant owner Tilman Fertitta quickly rebuked his GM with a tweet saying that Morey does not speak for the team.
The tweet caused some Chinese corporations to suspend relationships with the NBA.
There is a growing a backlash in China against Ozil, who is Muslim of Turkish descent. “I think he is very wrong,” lawyer Chen Wangshu said in Beijing. “As a sportsman, his most important responsibility is to do his job well, or to play good football.”
In 2018, Ozil quit Germany’s national team following criticism over his decision to pose for a picture with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“He should be responsible for his career and refrain from making any comment raising and inciting anger in other nations,” Wangshu said.
(MAZAIKEWALE, Pakistan) — Sold by her family as a bride to a Chinese man, Samiya David spent only two months in China. When she returned to Pakistan, the once robust woman was nearly unrecognizable: malnourished, too weak to walk, her speech confused and disjointed.
“Don’t ask me about what happened to me there” was her only reply to her family’s questions, her cousin Pervaiz Masih said.
Within just a few weeks, she was dead.
David’s mysterious death adds to a growing body of evidence of mistreatment and abuses against Pakistani women and girls, mainly Christians, who have been trafficked to China as brides.
AP investigations have found that traffickers have increasingly targeted Pakistan’s impoverished Christian population over the past two years, paying desperate families to give their daughters and sisters, some of them teenagers, into marriage with Chinese men. Once in China, the women are often isolated, neglected, abused and sold into prostitution, frequently contacting home to plead to be brought back. Some women have told The Associated Press and activists that their husbands at times refused to feed them.
A list attained by the AP documented 629 Pakistani girls and women sold to China as brides in 2018 and up to early 2019. The list was compiled by Pakistani investigators working to break up the trafficking networks. But officials close to the investigation and activists working to rescue the women say that government officials, fearful of hurting Pakistan’s lucrative ties to Beijing, have stifled the investigations.
“These poor people have given their daughters for money, and (in China) they do whatever they want to do with them. No one is there to see what happens to the girls,” said David’s cousin, Masih. “This is the height of cruelty. We are poor people.”
David’s death, at the age of 37, shows the extremes of the cruelties trafficked women face. Other women have described being cut off without support, abused physically and mentally. Previously, the AP spoke to seven girls who were raped repeatedly when forced into prostitution. Activists say they have received reports of at least one trafficked bride killed in China but have been unable to confirm.
David now lies buried in an unmarked grave in a small Christian graveyard overgrown with weeds near her ancestral village of Mazaikewale in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province.
Before her marriage, she lived in a cramped two-room house with her brother Saber and her widowed mother in Francisabad Colony, a congested Christian neighborhood of small cement and brick houses in a warren of narrow streets in the Punjab city of Gujranwala. Christians are among the poorest in Pakistan, a mostly Muslim nation of 220 million people.
Her brother took money from brokers to force her into marriage with a Chinese man, Masih said, though the brother denied doing so. The marriage certificate, a copy of which was obtained by the AP, was signed by a local pastor who has since fled police seeking him on suspicion of working with traffickers in multiple cases. A few months after their marriage in late 2018, David and her husband left to China. “When she left for China she was healthy. She looked good and strong,” said Masih.
Her husband was from a relatively poor, rural part of eastern Shandong province that has long struggled with lawlessness. The conservative culture in such areas strongly favors male offspring, which under China’s strict population control policies meant that a great deal of little girls were never born, hence the demand for trafficked foreign wives. Overall, China has about 34 million more men than women.
K.M. Chaudary—APIn this April 14, 2019 photo, Samiya David talks to the Associated Press, in Gujranwala, Pakistan.
After two months, her brother got a phone call telling him to pick his sister up at the airport in Lahore. He found David in a wheelchair, too weak to walk.
The AP met David in late April. Living again in the house in Francisabad Colony, she showed her wedding photos, taken six months earlier. In one, she was dressed in a white gown, smiling, looking robust, with long, flowing black hair.
David barely resembled the woman in the picture. Her cheeks were sunken, complexion sallow, her tiny frame emaciated and frail. She seemed confused, her speech incoherent. When asked about her wedding or time in China, she lost focus — her words wandering — and at one point suddenly stood to make tea, mumbling about the sugar. She paced, repeating, “I am ok. I am ok.” When asked why she looked so different in the wedding photos, she stared vacantly into space, finally saying, “There is nothing wrong with me.”
“She has the evil eye,” said her brother, who was present at the interview. She died a few days later, on May 1.
Dr. Meet Khan Tareen treated David on her one visit to his clinic in Lahore.
“She was very malnourished and very weak,” with anemia and jaundice, he said in an interview. Preliminary tests suggested several possible ailments, including organ failure, and he said he told her brother she needed to be hospitalized. “She was so malnourished . . . a very, very, very low weight,” he said.
Her death certificate listed cause of death as “natural.” Her brother has refused to talk to the police about his sister. When contacted by the AP in November, he said there was no autopsy and that he had lost her marriage documents, copies of her husband’s passport and the pictures David had showed the AP.
David’s cousin said the family is hiding the truth because they sold her as a bride. “They have taken money. That is why they are hiding everything,” said Masih, who is a member of the town’s Union Council, which registers marriages and deaths.
Breaking a family’s silence is difficult, said a senior government official familiar with the investigations into the sale of brides.
“They might sell their daughters, and even if they discover that the marriage was bad or she is suffering, they would rather ignore it than lose face in front of friends and family,” he said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The trafficking networks are operated by Pakistani and Chinese brokers who cruise Christian areas willing to sell daughters and sisters. They are known to pay off pastors, particularly at small, evangelical churches, to encourage their flock to do so.
Christian activist Salim Iqbal, who was among the first to sound the alarm last November about bride trafficking, is in touch with a number of Pakistani women in China via groups on the messaging app We Chat. He said one girl recently told him her husband doesn’t give her food or medicine.
Another woman, Samia Yousaf, who was 24 when she was forced into marriage, told the AP of the abuses she suffered in China.
K.M. Chaudary—APIn this Nov. 12, 2019 photo, Samia Yousaf wipes tears while narrates her ordeal, in Lahore, Pakistan.
She and her husband went there after she became pregnant. When she arrived, nothing was as her husband had promised. He wasn’t well off. They lived in one room on the edge of a field, infested with spiders.
She gave birth by cesarean section. Her husband’s sister refused to let her hold her son after the birth and controlled when and for how long she could see the child during her six days in the hospital. “I started screaming at her one time when she took my baby,” Yousaf recalled.
Her husband refused to let her breastfeed her son until doctors implored him to allow her to, she said. Unable to walk without assistance, the doctors asked her husband to take her for a walk and he repeatedly let her fall, refusing to help her back up.
After she left the hospital, abuses continued. Her husband denied her food. “He was cruel. I thought he wanted to kill me,” she said.
Three weeks later, authorities threatened her with jail because her visa had expired. Her husband had kept her passport. Frightened and unwell, she pleaded with him to let her and her son go home to Pakistan.
But he refused to let her take the baby. She discovered her name was not on her son’s registration, only her husband’s. The last time she saw her son was in September 2017, just before her return.
“Every day I think of my baby,” said Yousaf, who works as a nanny in Lahore. “I wonder what he looks like. My heart is always sad.”
___
Associated Press writer Shahid Aslam in Lahore, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
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Shivaji University Results 2019: Dear Folks !!! Welcome to Shivaji University Results Page. Students of Shivaji University, Kolhapur its time for you people to check out the exam result details. The University has released the examination results for UG/PG Semester Exams 2019. Those who are waiting for the exam results can check it through the Online process. This article will let you know about the University and the details of the results along with that candidates can also get the revaluation result details. Check out how to download the process and get your Shivaji University Kolhapur Results correctly.
Shivaji University, Kolhapur (SUK) has declared the Annual and Semester exam results on the official website. Those candidates who have undergone the semester examination can check out here to know your performance in the examination. As that the students studying under the Shivaji University, Kolhapur can check the semester exam results for the UG and PG Courses through Online Mode. And here we have attached the direct links which leads to the official website without any blackguards. As soon as the website releases the Examination Results we will update it on our page. So candidates are requested to keep in touch with our site ie. recruitment.guru to get the latest Shivaji University Results 2019.
Latest Shivaji University Exam Results 2019
Latest Declared Result 2019
Released Date
Download Link
B.Sc.Information Technology(Entire) CBCS Semester III EXAMINATION HELD IN Oct-2019
Here in this section, you will get a small description of the Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Check it out!!
The Shivaji University was established in 1962 and located at Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Kolhapur is a city named especially for education. The university has a strength of 3,00,000 students and 271 colleges which is affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur. The university offers all kinds of UG/PG courses like B.Com, B.A, B.Sc, BBM, MBA, MCA, M.Tech, Diploma, and other certification programs. Hence, check out more details of Shivaji University from the official website i.e, www.unishivaji.ac.in
Shivaji University Regular & Supplementary Results 2019-20
Those students who have attended the regular examination under Shivaji University, Kolhapur and still failed. Here comes one more opportunity to clear the examination. To increase your scoring along with that students to fail in the previous examination will get a chance to clear through Revaluation Exams Shivaji University Results. For each and every semester Students can apply for the revaluation after the announcement of the main examination results. Shivaji University, Kolhapur will take a week or more to process the exam papers to announce the Revaluation results. Do stay updated with the Shivaji University Official Website to know about the Revaluation Exam Results.
HNGU Result 2019 Released: Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University has released the Results for October – December 2019. Students who are studying under the Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University can check their results from the official website of the University. Currently, the university has published the results for UG/PG Semester Exams. Here on this page, we have provided a direct link to get the results for the particular results. Students can make use of the below links to download the HNGU Result 2019 also they can verify from the official website of the University i.e, ngu.ac.in.
HNGU Result 2019 @ngu.ac.in
Dear Students!! Here on this page, we have provided a direct link to download the HNGU Result 2019. Students can get all the information regarding the Result, apart from this on this webpage we will help you out with the Time Table, Admit Card and others. From the official website of the university students can get the results for Regular/ Supplementary, Distance education for all Graduates (Under Graduate/Post Graduate) Students. We have mentioned Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University UG/PG Results in a detailed manner. Also, students can download their results from this webpage recruitment.guru. All Students keep in touch with this page to get the latest updates of HNGU Result 2019.
Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University is a public university in Patan, Gujarat, India. It was established by Ordinance No. 5 of 1986 dated 17 May 1986 which was later passed as the North Gujarat University Act No. 22 of 1986 on 11 September 1986 by the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. This university was carved out of Gujarat University. On bifurcation, the North Gujarat University inherited no physical assets from its parent university. The managing council of the colleges was kind enough to let the infant university rent its two hostel buildings to accommodate its offices. Thus the university began to operate and serve 41 colleges scattered over the three districts of Banaskantha, Mehsana, and Sabarkantha.
Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University Supply/Revaluation Results
Those students who have attended the regular examination under Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University and still failed. Here comes one more opportunity to clear the examination. To increase the scoring along with that students to fail in the previous examination will get a chance to clear through Revaluation Exams Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University Results. For every semester Students can apply for the revaluation after the announcement of the main examination results. Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University will take a week or more to process the exam papers to announce the Revaluation results. Do stay updated with the University to know about the Revaluation Exam Results.
DRDO Result 2019 Released – DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Result Available here. Recruitment & Assessment Center (RAC) has Uploaded the Scientist B, Executive Engineer Selection list Recently on the official website. Applicants who have attended the Written Examination on 09 – 10th October 2019 can check and download your result from the below link. Candidates who have secured high marks in the GATE Score 2017/2018/2019 minimum aggregate 80% marks in IITs/NITs can check the Selection list from the below section.
DRDO CABS JRF Result 2019 Declared @ drdo.gov.in | Here, we have the latest updates regarding the DRDO CABS Junior Research Fellow Result 2019 for all the aspirants. In this, the selection process is based on the marks secured in Degree/Postgraduate Degree and valid GATE score and then will be called for interview. Deference Research & Development Orgsination released the DRDO JRF Merit List 2019 for all the sub-branches of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
DRDO RAC Result 2019 will Declare @ rac.gov.in. Moreover, the higher authority of RAC will announce the DRDO RAC Result in the month of December 2019 (Tentatively). Therefore the DRDO Recruitment & Assessment Center has conducted the examination for Scientist B, Executive Engineer on 15th December 2019. Many aspirants have appeared for the Examination and searching for the Results. This is the right place to get your DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Result 2019. And also Check the DRDO RAC Cut Off Marks, Merit List details from this page. We will attach the direct link to the Results and it will be activated at the Official announcement.
DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Result 2019- Click Here
RAC Selection List 2019
Candidates who had applied under the subjects of 5,6, 9,12, 13, 14, 15,16, 17 can go through this article to know the RAC Selection List 2019. Moreover, the administrators of DRDO not yet released the shortlisted candidates of the above-given subject. Once the officials release the RAC Selection List 2019 then we will update the direct link from this page.
DRDO Merit List & Cut off Marks 2019
DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Cut Off Marks 2019 will be given for all the candidates based on there categories of SC, ST, BC, OC. So the aspirants can check the DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Cut Off Marks 2019 based on their relevant category.
Once the final interview is completed then we will place here the DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Merit List 2019 which is provided by the officials of the Recruitment & Assessment Center. Check the DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Merit List 2019 and know the highest marks scored in the interview.
How to download DRDO RAC Scientist B, Executive Engineer Result 2019?
Visit the official website of Recruitment & Assessment Center rac.gov.in
On the home page, click on the Latest Section gets updated
Applicants can click on the Advertisement 136 link
A new page will open, enter the Item no, email and Password
Then, hit on the login button
Download your DRDO RAC Result for further reference.
Dear Folks !!! Check out Kerala University Result 2019 for B.Tech, B.Pharm, B.Com and also various Other Courses. The University has declared the results for various courses every day. Currently, The University has released the results of 3rd sem B.Sc, LL.B 5th year, LL.B 1st Sem 3yr, LLM, M.A Political Science, and other Courses results available here. Students who have appeared for these exams can check the results from Kerala University’s official website i.e, keralauniversity.ac.in. Hence more, Kerala University Exam Result Student Login here to get the Latest Exam Results 2019 on this web page. Also, our team recruitment.guru provides the Kerala University Revaluation Result here.
Kerala University Result 2019
If you are in search of the Kerala University Exam Result 2019, then you came to the right place. Here, you can check out the semester wise results of this University regarding all the courses. So, candidates can get their respective scores of this Kerala University Exam Results 2019. Here, find the results for Kerala University Degree Result, Kerala Technical University Result, Kerala University Distance Education Result along with Kerala University Revaluation Result. Recently, the University has published some results, and the future will release some Courses Result. Here we will be updating the Upcoming Kerala University Result link, it will work once the University will release it officially. Students anyone can check their results from this site now, here we have provided a direct link to get your Result without any confusion.
Latest Kerala University Exam Result 2019
Name of the Exam
Announcement Date
Download Link
FOURTH SEMESTER B. TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, JULY 2019 (2008 SCHEME) SUPPLEMENTARY & MERCY CHANCE (All branches except Applied Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering)
Fourth Semester B. Com Degree Examination November 2018 (2010 & 2011 Admission- Mercy Chance and 2012 Admission – Supplementary ) of the First Degree Programme under CBCS System July 2019
Third Semester B. Com Degree Examination December 2018 (2010 & 2011 Admission- Mercy Chance and 2012 Admission – Supplementary ) of the First Degree Programme under CBCS System g June/July 2019
SECOND SEMESTER M.TECH (FT/PT), FOURTH SEMESTER M.TECH (PT), SECOND SEMESTER M.ARCH (2013 SCHEME- SUPPLEMENTARY) DEGREE EXAMINATION, MARCH 2019 SESSION, HELD IN JULY 2019 BRANCH: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING, ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING, COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING & M.ARCH-URBAN DESIGN
Career Related First Degree Programme under CBCSS Group 2(a) Fourth Semester B.Sc. Botany & Biotechnology (247) Degree Examination November 2018 (Prior to 2013 Admn.) (2012 Admission: Supplementary, 2010 & 2011 Admission: Mercy chance)
FIRST SEMESTER (APRIL 2019), THIRD SEMESTER (MAY 2019), FIFTH (APRIL 2019) AND SEVENTH SEMESTER (JUNE 2019) – FIVE YEAR MBA (INTEGRATED) DEGREE EXAMINATIONS (2015 SCHEME)
Third Semester B.Com Commerce with Computer Application (138) Career Related First Degree Programme Under CBCSS Group 2 (b) (Prior to 2013 Admission.Mercy Chance 2010&2011 Admns.& Supplementary 2012 Admn) Degree Examination June 2019
FOURTH SEMESTER POST GRADUATE DEGREE EXAMINATIONS SEPTEMBER 2019 MSc Bioinformatics Chemistry Applied Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Geography Zoology MA Political Science
Rank List of Fourth semester MA Philosophy, MA Sanskrit Language and Literature, MA Business Economics, MA Public Administration, MA Human Resource and Management and MA Tamil Language and Literature examinations September 2019.
FOURTH SEMESTER POST GRADUATE DEGREE EXAMINATIONS, SEPTEMBER 2019 – MA – Philosophy, Sanskrit Language and Literature, Business Economics, Public Administration, Human Resource Management.
The University of Kerala, formerly the University of Travancore, is an affiliating university located in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the state of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937. Kerala University has sixteen faculties and 41 departments of teaching and research in addition to study centers and other departments. Teaching, Research, and Knowledge extension are the mandate of the Departments. They primarily focus on post-graduate programs, MPhil programs, and doctoral research.
Kerala University Supply/Revaluation Results
Students are waiting for the results if they scored well they will lead to next year. But if they will not get more marks they can apply for the Revaluation Results. Once they applied for the Examination, the higher level Examiner will check the paper again. They can get the revaluation results within the time. Also if they still get fail marks, they can apply for the Supplementary examination. For each and every semester Students can apply for the revaluation after the announcement of the main examination results. The University of Kerala will take a week or more to process the exam papers to announce the Kerala University Revaluation Results. Do stay updated with the University to know about the Revaluation Exam Results.
Punjab and Sind Bank Result 2019 willDeclare soon for Punjab And Sind Bank SO Exam @ psbindia.com. Therefore the Higher Authority of Punjab and Sind Bank has commenced the online Test for the posts of Specialist Officer on 30th November 2019. Whereas, the Board is planning to release the Punjab and Sind Bank SO Result 2019 in the month of December 2019 (Tentatively). So, the aspirants can check the Punjab And Sind Bank Result 2019 by using this site. Furthermore, Candidates can also check Punjab And Sind Bank SO Cut Off, Merit List 2019 here. We will give direct links to download Result and it will get activated at the time official announcement.
Punjab and Sind Bank Result 2019 – Download here
The Board of Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) will declare the results for Specialist Officer posts as soon as possible on their official website @psbindia.com. Many Aspirants have appeared for the Online exam. After completing the Online Test candidates are waiting for the Punjab And Sind Bank Charted Accountant, Agriculture Field Officer, Other Post Result 2019. Moreover, the result will be released in the month of December 2019 (Tentatively). Hence, you can check and download PSB Result 2019 using our website.
Punjab and Sind Bank SO Result 2019 – Overview
Description
Details
Organization Name
Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB)
Post Name
Specialist Officer (Charted Accountant, Agriculture Field Officer, Security Officer, Law Manager, Software Developer & Other Posts)
However, the Authority will release the Punjab and Sind Bank Specialist Officer Exam Result 2019 based on the performance of the participants in the Examination. To check the Result the Candidates must have login Credentials like roll number and password along with them. Here, the Selection process consists of two rounds. They are the Online Test and Interview.
Punjab and Sind Bank Specialist Officer Cut Off Marks 2019
PSB Cut off Marks 2019 will be released only after the declaration of the Results. The Cut Off Marks will be decided based on the Catagories of Candidates SC, ST, BC, OC. The Aspirants should score maximum Cut Off Marks to qualify for the next level of the interview process. Contenders can check and download Punjab and Sind Bank Specialist Officer Cut Off Marks 2019 from this site.
PSB Specialist Officer Merit List 2019
If the Candidate got high Marks in the PSB Exam then they will be shortlisted in the Punjab And Sind Bank Specialist Officer Merit List 2019. The Applicants in the Merit List will get more priority during the interview process. Whereas, the Punjab and Sind Bank SO Merit List 2019 will also release after the announcement Charted Accountant, Agriculture Field Officer, Other Post Result 2019. Hence, the Participants must concentrate on Cut Off Marks and Merit List. Further, we can have some instructions to download the PSB Specialist Officer Result 2019.
How to check the Punjab And Sind Bank SO Result 2019?
Firstly, visit the official website of the Punjab And Sind Bank @ psbindia.com
Secondly, the Homepage of Punjab And Sind Bank appears on the Screen.
Then go to the Recruitment Section at the bottom of the homepage.
Click on the Recruitment tab.
And Search for the link related to the recruitment of Specialist Officer and see the latest updates.
Click on the Punjab And Sind Bank SO Result 2019.
Finally, Check and download the Result.
Direct Links to Download Punjab and Sind Bank Result 2019
Burdwan University Results 2019 Released: Burdwan University has declared the BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BCA, BBA Semester wise Exam Results & for various Courses. Recently, the University has published Provisional Review Result of BCA(H) Part-I Examination-2018 and various other UG, PG Exam Results. Students who have appeared for the examinations can check their results from the official website of the University i.e, buruniv.ac.in. Moreover, you can get the complete details regarding the Exam dates and Result dates from this site easily. Check out the Burdwan University Results 2019 on the official website.
Burdwan University Results 2019 @buruniv.ac.in
The University of Burdwan has published the results of BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BCA, BBA, and other Courses results are available here. Everyone who has been appeared for those examinations can check the results from the official website as well as on this page. Students can download the results for all Post Graduate, Under Graduate, Supplementary, Regular and Distance Education. The university publishes all the results only through the online mode. Burdwan University notifies the students about the university results through its official website. Hereby, students can stay in touch to get the updated Burdwan University Results. Also, Students can regularly check our website to get the latest updates related to the results.
Latest Burdwan University Exam Results 2019
Name of the Exam
Download Link
Under Graduate Examination Results
Review Result of B.A. (Honours) Semester III Examination, 2018
The University of Burdwan is a public university in Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. It was established by the West Bengal Government as a teaching and affiliating university on 15 June 1960 with six graduate departments and thirty undergraduate colleges spread over three districts that come under the jurisdiction of the university. Burdwan University offers more than 30 undergraduate and 66 postgraduate courses. In Burdwan University, there are 227 Esteemed Faculties and 189 affiliated colleges (including degree colleges, B.Ed. colleges and also other private professional institutes.
Burdwan University Supply/Revaluation Results
Students who scored well will lead to next year. But if they will not get more marks they can apply for the Revaluation Results. Once they applied for the Examination, the higher level Examiner will check the paper again. They can get the revaluation results within the time. Also if they still get fail marks, they can apply for the supplementary examination. For each and every semester Students can apply for the revaluation after the announcement of the main examination results. The Burdwan University will take a week or more to process the exam papers to announce the Burdwan University Revaluation Results. Do stay updated with the Burdwan University Official Website to know about the Revaluation Exam Results.
Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2019: Apply Offline for 20 Steno Typist Jobs!! Punjab and Haryana High Court has released a notification announcing 20 vacancies. The vacancies are for the post of Steno-Typist. Applications are invited from eligible candidates to fill up the vacancies. Interested candidates can apply offline for Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment from 16th December 2019. The last date to send the application form is 15th January 2020. Candidates must make sure their application reaches the Punjab and Haryana High Court on or before the last date. Job location is Chandigarh.
Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2019-20
Interested candidates can start applying using the link given below. Before applying, a candidate must check if they are eligible for Punjab and Haryana High Court Jobs. The candidates can check eligibility using the details given below. They can also refer to the official notification with the link below. Apply now for Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2019 for Steno Typist Jobs.
Overview of Punjab and Haryana High Court Jobs 2019
Details of Punjab and Haryana High Court Vacancy 2019-20:
The details of the vacancy as given in the Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2019 is as below
Steno-Typist – 20
Eligibility Criteria for Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2019
Candidates interested in Punjab and Haryana High Court Jobs can check their eligibility with the details below to apply. Candidate must be a graduate between the age of 18 to 30 years old. Selection will be done based on the Transcription Test. Rs. 10,300/- to Rs. 34.800/- per month will be paid as salary along with grade pay and other emoluments. Candidates will have to serve in Chandigarh High Court (Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh)
Academic Qualification:
Graduation or equivalent in a recognized university/board in India
Proficiency in operations of computers (Word processing and spreadsheets)
Read the official notification for more details on Punjab and Haryana High Court Careers.
Age Limit:
As on 15th January 2020, the age limit as given in the Punjab and Haryana HC Recruitment is
Minimum – 18 Years
Maximum – 30 Years
Age relaxation on upper limit is available as below
SC/ ST/ BC candidates – 3 Years
Physically handicapped candidates – 10 Years
Ex-servicemen – Number of years of defence service plus 3 Years
Selection Process:
Transcription Test/ Word Processing
Spreadsheet Test
Pay Scale for Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2020:
Rs. 10,300/- to Rs. 34,800/- per month
Rs. 3,200/- Grade Pay
Other emoluments will be paid as per the rules
Punjab and Haryana High Court Application Fee:
SC/ ST/ BC Candidates from Punjab, Haryana & Chandigarh – Rs. 250/-
Pay the application fee only through Demand Draft/ Postal Order. Details of the same are available below
In favour of – Registrar General, High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh
Payable at – Chandigarh
How to apply for Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment 2019?
Visit the official website using the link given below
Click on recruitments
Find the advertisement for Steno Typist Recruitment (Use the notification link below for easy access)
Read the notification clearly
Make sure you are eligible for Punjab and Haryana High Court Recruitment
Download the application form from the notification
Duly fill all the details in the form
Make sure to sign and attach a picture and other documents as mentioned
Submit the application form to the address given below. The form should reach the address on or before 15th January 2020
General Information :
No TA/ DA will be paid for appearing for the test
Any application received after 15th January 2020 will be rejected
Candidates must make sure that they fulfil all the conditions for attending the examination as on the last date of submission of application, 16th January 2020
Visit the official website regularly for updates
Read the entire notification before applying
Postal Address:
Coordination Branch (Receipt and Dispatch) of Punjab and Haryana High Court,
Chandigarh – 160001
Important Links for PHHC Recruitment 2019-20:
Official Notification Pdf and Offline Application Form Download
The High Court of Punjab and Haryana is the High Superior Court of the Indian states of Haryana and Punjab and the Territory of the Union of Chandigarh, based in Chandigarh, India. As of March 21, 2015, the High Court had 55 judges, including 45 permanent judges and 10 additional judges. Jagdish Singh Khehar, who was raised in the Supreme Court of India, is a former judge. The courthouse is known as the courthouse. Designed by Le Corbusier, it was inscribed in July 2016, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, with several of its works.
The Supreme Court of Punjab and Haryana were formerly known as the Supreme Court of Lahore, found on March 21, 1919. The jurisdiction of that court covered the undivided Punjab and Delhi. From 1920 to 1943, the Court received extraterritorial jurisdiction over the part of China that a part of the British Consular District of Kashgar, which was previously under the jurisdiction of the British Supreme Court for China. This ended with the ratification of the British China Convention to abolish extraterritorial rights in China.
NEW DELHI: Several measures aimed at plugging revenue leakages under the goods and services tax (GST) regime are expected to figure at the upcoming GST Council meeting on Wednesday as the Centre and the states look to perk up collections.A concept paper based on the report of the committee of officials on revenue mobilisation is likely to be presented to the council, said a government official. A row has also been brewing between states and the Centre about releasing compensation payments.The states remain divided on the issue of raising rates or carrying out a significant revamp of the structure at this time. Punjab and Kerala have backed raising rates or tweaking them to make up for the revenue shortfall while others do not see this as an opportune time due to the economic slowdown. A final call on this will be taken by the GST Council.The concept paper will highlight key reasons for the shortfall in revenue. They include lowering of tax incidence following the GST rollout, a large number of exemptions and administrative loopholes. 72724699 Goods and services such as hospitalisation in deluxe rooms, mobile phones and fabrics such as linen could be in focus with some states keen to shrink the list of exempted items or raise rates on some.Tweak in GST SlabsThere are suggestions that the slab of 5% be raised to 8% or 10%, and the 12% and 18% slabs be bumped up into one of 20%. The GST Council secretariat had, at the end of last month, sought the views of states to address the issue of revenue shortfall, including rate rationalisation.The Centre is expected to ask the states to share the burden of revenue loss on the count of cuts in tax rates as also exemptions. Some of these changes had been made at the behest of state governments themselves.GST collections crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark in November after three consecutive months in which there were below this mark.The panel of officials has also suggested administrative tightening measures, including the extensive use of data to plug evasion, which could be taken up by the council, the official said.Compensation delayThe upcoming meeting could be a stormy one with states, especially the Opposition-ruled ones, expected to try and pin the Centre down over the delay in the release of compensation in lieu of revenue loss on account of the shift to GST."I would request Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to expeditiously release the August-September compensation instalment," Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi said. Seven states including Kerala have threatened to approach the Supreme Court against the Centre over the delay.A senior official from another state said the delay in compensation will need to be addressed urgently if the Centre wants harmony to prevail on the council."Delays in release of funds have hurt state finances," the official said.Another state government official pointed out that the opening balance for the current financial year was over Rs 47,000 crore. A payout of Rs 65,151 crore was made to states and cess collections stood at Rs 41,574 crore, leaving a fund balance of Rs 23,695 crore with the Centre. "Payment to states can well be made on ad hoc basis... Actual shortfall, if any, would reflect only in the last quarter."
The government is working hard to get the economy back on track. "The worse than expected slowdown in growth calls for urgent measures. We need a big-bang growth Budget," says V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services. Three months ago, the corporate tax rate was slashed to boost the corporate sector. But though the move is expected to improve the bottomline of companies, it has failed to spur consumption. "The cut in corporate tax rate can increase the profits of a company. However, for a sustained growth in business, more people must buy its products. The demand side needs to be addressed by increasing the disposable income of customers," says G. Pradeepkumar, CEO, Union Mutual Fund.One way to do this is by cutting personal income tax rates. Already, hopes are high that the coming Budget will offer a big relief in taxes. "The cut in corporate tax was a major reform. It is only logical that the benefit is extended to individual taxpayers too," says Vijayakumar. However, a cut in personal income tax rates won't be easy when the exchequer is already reeling under the impact of revenue foregone due to the corporate tax rate cut. The government will have to strike a balance between the expectations of taxpayers and the resources at its disposal.ET Wealth reached out to financial services companies and common taxpayers for measures they want to see in the coming Budget. Most of the suggestions are likely to put pressure on the government's finances. But experts believe these steps could kickstart the economy. If the basic exemption limit is increased to Rs 10 lakh, the increase in disposable income may lead to higher consumption, which in turn could lead to a virtuous cycle of higher capacity utilisation by industries, more investments and creation of more jobs. "The overall benefits are far more likely to outweigh the short term revenue loss," says Pradeepkumar.Similarly, making rental income tax free may appear a radical idea, but it will give an adrenaline shot to the real estate sector. "A meaningful improvement in the real estate sector can have a cascading impact on the entire economic ecosystem," says A. Balasubramanian, Managing Director & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. It will create employment, boost demand for raw materials and ancillary industries and also enhance revenues for the government by way of GST collections, stamp duty and municipal charges. "These incremental benefits could compensate for the tax loss on rental income," adds Balasubramanian.As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her team sit down to prepare the Union Budget, we hope they will take note and some of these ideas will find their way into the Finance Bill.Offer tax breaks for education savings: Nitin Vyakaranam CEO and Founder, Arthayantra 72596752 In Pic: Nitin Vyakaranam CEO and Founder, ArthayantraSaving to buy a house, children's education and retirement planning are the top three goals of Indian investors, though not necessarily in the same order. Though tax rules offer several benefits for those saving to buy a house or for retirement, the education goal has been largely ignored. Education expenses account for almost 25% of the total expenditure of the average Indian family. These expenses are growing at 12% per year, the second highest inflation after healthcare. These expenses are primarily met from the monthly cash flows, making it precarious for families in case an emergency crops up. Parents dip into retirement savings (PF or PPF) or take expensive personal loans to fund these costs.The Budget should encourage investors who want to save for their children's education. This can be done by providing tax benefits to saving instruments, much like the I-529 plan in the US. At the same time, tuition fee should be removed from Sec 80C and a separate deduction should be offered for education expenses. These measures will not only reduce the stress on the family finances but also encourage families to start saving for this critical financial goal.Separate deduction for education expenses: Ruchi Sehrawat, 36 Assistant Professor, Gurgaon. 72596790 In Pic: Ruchi Sehrawat, 36 Assistant Professor, Gurgaon."The deduction limit of Rs 1.5 lakh under Section 80C is too low. Considering the high cost of education these days, the deduction for children's tuition fees should be in an altogether different basket." Deduction for home and vehicle insurance: Anik Jain Co-founder & CEO, Symbo India Insurance Broking Limited 72596843 In Pic: Anik Jain Co-founder & CEO, Symbo India Insurance Broking LimitedIndia is grossly underinsured compared to the developed world and while tax deductions are in place for health and life insurance, it is desirable to extend such deductions to asset insurance as well. Apart from motor insurance, which is mandatory by law, the penetration of other types of asset insurance remains low. Extending tax deductions to products such as home insurance and vehicle cover would substantially reduce the cost of insurance and would go a long way in making a large section of the country's populace adequately insured.Exempt switches between schemes from capital gains tax: Ajit Menon, CEO, PGIM India 72596891 In Pic: Ajit Menon, CEO, PGIM IndiaRetirement is a long-term goal and investors often have to make changes in their asset mix or choice of investment during the span of the investment. Mutual funds score over other options in terms of liquidity, costs and transparency but the tax rules governing mutual funds are a drawback. There is no tax when an investor switches from one fund to another in a Ulip, a pension plan or the NPS. However, in case of mutual funds, switching from one scheme to another is treated as a sale transaction and could lead to capital gains, which are taxable in certain situations. For instance, if you switch out of debt funds and conservative hybrid funds before three years, any profit made is a short-term capital gain and gets added to your income. If the switch is made after three years, gains are taxed at 20% after indexation benefit. When switching out of equity funds or aggressive hybrid funds before a year, the gains are taxed at 15%. After one year, gains of up to Rs 1 lakh are tax free. Any gain beyond this threshold is taxed at 10%.To bring parity in the tax treatment of retirement savings, switching between one scheme to another should be exempt from tax as long as the investment is held in the same folio. This will help retail investors manage asset allocation through market cycles in a more tax efficient manner and also promote a long-term orientation.Abolish triple taxation: Dr V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services 72596927 In Pic: Dr V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial ServicesThere are five taxes on capital in India—corporate tax, dividend distribution tax, tax on dividend above Rs 10 lakh, capital gains tax (long-term and short-term) and securities transactions tax. Companies pay tax (corporate tax) on the profits they earn. When dividend is paid to shareholders from the post-tax profits, the dividend distributed is taxed (dividend distribution tax). The 15% DDT is, including surcharge and education cess, effectively 20.35%. Finally, when the individual taxpayer pays personal income tax, he pays tax if the dividend exceeds Rs 10 lakh. This triple taxation is pernicious and makes the tax system complex. The Budget needs to streamline and rationalise the capital market tax structure. It should abolish the DDT, thereby removing the perversity in taxing the same income thrice. If DDT is removed, it will augment the investible funds of the corporates and boost capital formation. The consequent higher growth and tax buoyancy will compensate for the revenue loss.Extend additional home loan deduction to everyone: Raj Khosla, Managing Director, Mymoneymantra 72597092 In Pic: Raj Khosla, Managing Director, MymoneymantraThe government has announced several measures to ease the problems facing the real estate sector as also rolled out several tax incentives to encourage buyers, especially first-time homebuyers and the middle class segment. Under the new Section 80EEA, first-time homebuyers with loans of up to Rs 35 lakh can claim an additional deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh for the interest paid provided the value of the house does not exceed Rs 45 lakh. This deduction is over and above the Rs 2 lakh deduction for home loan interest under Section 24.However, restricting this additional tax benefit only to houses worth Rs 45 lakh and for loans up to Rs 35 lakh means only the lower slabs of the market (the affordable housing segment) will see an upsurge in demand. For the rise in demand to be truly secular, these restrictions should be removed and a higher deduction should be extended to all home buyers.There is a compelling reason for raising the deduction under Sec 24. The Finance Minister will note that the deduction was last revised in 2014, when the limit was raised from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. In the past five years, property prices across the country have risen. Even a modest 2-BHK house in a metro now costs upwards of Rs 70-80 lakh. Assuming a loan to cover 75% of the value of the property, the buyer requires a loan of Rs 50-60 lakh. The deduction of Rs 2 lakh will not be able to fully cover the interest paid on such a loan and therefore the limit needs to be hiked to at least Rs 5 lakh, regardless of the price of the property.Reduce TDS for professionals: Gaurav Pingle, 32, Finance Professional, Pune 72597134 In Pic: Gaurav Pingle, Finance Professional, PuneThe 10% TDS on fees for professional or technical services is a big hassle. The amount is deposited with the government, but in most cases it eventually gets refunded to the taxpayer when he files his return. To avoid lock-in of funds and reduce the hassles of refund, the Budget should reduce TDS for professionals to 5%.Tax-free savings to buy a house: Vikas Gupta, CEO & Chief Investment Strategist, OMNISCIENCE 72597214 In Pic: Vikas Gupta, CEO & Chief Investment Strategist, OMNISCIENCEBuying a house is a universal need. The Budget should roll out a special investment and savings account where individuals can save to pay for the downpayment or buy their dream house. Such 'homebuyer accounts' should allow contributions of up to Rs 5 lakh a year (which can increase with inflation every year). If this contribution is given a tax break and the gains are tax free as well, it will encourage people to save for buying a house. This would increase home ownership in the future as prospective buyers start saving much before they actually buy.Make rental income tax free to encourage investment in real estate: A. Balasubramanian, Managing Director & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund 72597609 In Pic: A. Balasubramanian, Managing Director & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual FundThe government should consider making rental income completely tax free, irrespective of the value of the property or aggregate income arising from such income. As it is, rental income in India is low, with rental yields ranging from 1.5 to 3%. The tax on this rent reduces the effective returns from real estate investments.If rental income is made tax free, more people will be encouraged to invest in property. Yes, the move will impact the revenue collections to some extent, but it will also boost demand for real estate, especially in metros. A meaningful improvement in the real estate sector can have a cascading impact on the entire economic ecosystem. From employment creation, to boosting demand for raw materials such as cement and steel, generating demand for household items like home textiles, electricals, decorative goods, sanitation ware, and kitchen appliances among other things. Revival of the real estate sector will also enhance revenues for the government. The GST collections, stamp duty and maintenance charges to municipalities will see an upsurge. These incremental benefits could compensate for the tax loss on rental income. This move could potentially remove the logjam in the real estate sector's high inventory levels and create enough leg-room for new asset building.Encourage entrepreneurship and boost internship: Sudhir Kaushik, Co-founder and COO, Taxpanner.com 72597657 In Pic: Sudhir Kaushik, Co-founder and COO, Taxpanner.comEntrepreneurs are forever in need of funds for their businesses. Two years ago, a new Section 54GB was introduced, under which the capital gains were made exempt if the sale proceeds of property were used to buy specified assets of a new/eligible business within a specified time. The objective was to encourage entrepreneurship, thus increasing employment to some extent. However, this benefit should not be limited to specified assets and businesses. Instead of setting up a plant or purchasing machinery, a businessman in the services sector may want to use the sale proceeds to hire more employees. The Budget should extend this benefit to him as well. In fact, investments in startup companies should be eligible for tax deduction.India has not been able to encash its demographic dividend because the fresh graduates churned out by our education system don't have the skills the corporate sector requires. Besides boosting employment, the Budget should encourage companies to hire more interns by offering 200% deduction for internship expenses. So, if a company spends Rs 1 crore on stipends and other costs relating to interns, it should be allowed to claim a deduction of Rs 2 crore as business expenses. This will allow corporates to offer decent stipends to interns without hurting their profits. On the other hand, new joinees would get employed faster and receive solid industry experience. However, internship should be clearly defined so that it doesn't become a tax evasion tool.Hike tax threshold for LTCG from equities: Sailaxmi Reddy, 23 Bank Executive, Mumbai 72597704 In Pic: Sailaxmi Reddy, Bank Executive, Mumbai"The tax on gains beyond Rs 1 lakh has dented investor sentiment. The threshold should be hiked to at least Rs 3 lakh."Raise basic exemption to Rs 10 lakh: G. Pradeepkumar, CEO, UNION AMC 72597747 G. Pradeepkumar, CEO, UNION AMCReducing the corporate tax rate has increased the profitability of the corporate sector. However, the demand side needs to be addressed as well by increasing the disposable income of consumers. The basic exemption limit should be increased to Rs 10 lakh to spur demand, which in turn can take the economy into a virtuous cycle of higher capacity utilisation, more investments, more jobs and higher consumption. The overall benefits are far more likely to outweigh the short term revenue loss on income tax.Raise presumptive tax rate to augment revenues: Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO, Cleartax 72597784 In Pic: Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO, CleartaxPresumptive taxation is a simple scheme that allows small businesses (or proprietors) and professionals to file basic returns without having to pay advance tax or do full fledged book keeping. Last year's Budget had extended the presumptive taxation scheme to professionals with annual receipts under Rs 50 lakh and increased the limit for small businesses from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore. This led to better compliance and higher tax collections. Small businesses currently offer 8% (or 6% if digital) of their turnover as income on which tax is levied. This percentage may be increased for specific businesses, especially service-oriented businesses, where income is likely to be much higher than the 8% limit. This could help check tax evasion as also help small neighborhood businesses that do not have the means to do full circle compliance. They can be compliant and yet the effort required is minimal. This increase in tax rate is suggested to compensate for a tax relief that may be in the works for the salaried. Due to pressure on collections, it may not be possible to afford a tax cut without a corresponding increase in taxes elsewhere.Rationalise tax rates and tenures for capital gains for different assets: Rajesh Cheruvu, Chief Investment Officer, Validus Wealth 72597828 In Pic: Rajesh Cheruvu, Chief Investment Officer, Validus WealthOften investment decisions or advice are simply driven by post-tax returns and not by the core qualities of the asset. But the taxation of capital gains is quite complicated. Gains from equity funds, aggressive hybrid funds and stocks are long term capital gains if the holding period is more than one year. In case of real estate, this minimum holding period is two years. And for gold, gold funds and all other mutual funds (including foreign equity and global funds), it is three years. The tax rates also differ. The Budget should rationalise the capital gains tax structure to ease tax compliance for individuals. Uniformity in taxation has also been recommended by the task force on the Direct Tax Code.Increase basic exemption for senior citizens: B.C. Joshi, 76 Retiree, Delhi 72598120 In Pic: B.C. Joshi, Retiree, Delhi"Even with the additional exemption of Rs 50,000 for interest income, the basic exemption for senior citizens is too low at Rs 3 lakh. It should be enhanced to at least Rs 4 lakh."Make NPS more attractive for investors: Amit Maheshwari, Partner, Ashok Maheshwary & Associates 72598159 In Pic:Amit Maheshwari, Partner, Ashok Maheshwary & AssociatesNumerous surveys have shown that Indian investors score low on retirement readiness. Many Indians are just not saving enough for that critical goal. The National Pension System stands out as a flexible, robust and cost-effective avenue to save for retirement. It also offers unique tax breaks to taxpayers, which has attracted many investors to the scheme. Yet, despite the many advantages it offers, NPS is still not the instrument of choice for most Indians. To make it more attractive, the Budget should enhance the tax deduction offered under Sec 80CCD(1b). If the limit is raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, investors will be encouraged to save more for retirement. Secondly, the deduction limit under Section 80CCD(2) needs to be reviewed. Under this section, an employee can voluntarily contribute a higher amount to the NPS and claim tax deduction. The limit is 14% of the basic pay for government employees, but only 10% for private sector employees. The deduction limit for self-employed professionals was raised from 10% to 20% of gross income in 2017. It is time, therefore, to raise the limit for private sector employees to 14% to bring them at par with government employees.Separate deduction for term insurance plans: Vineet Arora, MD & CEO, Aegon Life 72598336 In Pic: Vineet Arora, MD & CEO, Aegon LifeThe Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) estimates that the protection gap between insured losses and economic losses in the country is 70-80%, and insurance penetration is 3.7% of the GDP. Given this huge protection gap and its potential impact on the nation, the Budget should incentivise pure protection term plans. A separate deduction of Rs 25,000 for term plan premium would certainly nudge buyers to secure themselves. It would especially be helpful for young Indians who join the national workforce every year.Increase deduction limit for health insurance: Pushan Mahapatra, Managing Director & CEO, SBI General Insurance 72598212 In Pic: Pushan Mahapatra, Managing Director & CEO, SBI General InsuranceHealthcare costs have shot up in recent years and continue to rise at a fast pace. Moreover, the incidence of critical illnesses has seen a dramatic rise. To counter this, people need to take a higher health insurance cover. The Budget should incentivise this by raising the deduction limit for medical insurance premium under Section 80D from Rs 25,000 to at least Rs 50,000 for self and family. The limit for senior citizen dependent parents should be raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000. At the same time, the GST for personal lines of insurance (health, home, accident) should be reduced from 18% to 5%. These measures will be a huge relief for those who are struggling to meet rising healthcare costs.Roll out a voluntary disclosure scheme: Vivek Jalan, Co-chairman, Taxation Committee of Bengal Chamber of Commerce 72598251 In Pic: Vivek Jalan, Co-chairman, Taxation Committee of Bengal Chamber of CommerceThe Budget should announce a dispute resolution scheme wherein pending tax disputes can be settled after paying a certain portion of the disputed amount. There could also be a voluntary disclosure scheme to encourage taxpayers to come clean on their undeclared wealth. Such a scheme would increase the taxpayer base as most individuals would grab the opportunity to make a fresh start.Extend tax relief on interest income to all taxpayers: Panna Bhandari, Founder, Emerald Investments 72598281 In Pic: Panna Bhandari, Founder, Emerald InvestmentsFixed deposits and small savings schemes are the staple investments of retail investors in India. Considering that retail savings have been adversely impacted by falling interest rates and defaults by debt issuers, a small tax break on interest income will provide some relief. The 2018 Budget had given senior citizens an exemption of up to Rs 50,000 for interest earned on bank deposits, post office schemes and bonds. This should be extended to all taxpayers. The exemption to Rs 50,000 interest income would effectively mean that there will be no tax implication for taxpayers in the general category who invest up to Rs 8 lakh in a fixed deposit at 6.25%.(With Sanket Dhanorkar)
Thousands of employees at Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel are looking out, after the telecom companies posted unprecedented losses and stare at huge statutory dues, recruiters said. Despite some relief from the government and tariff hikes, employees are still seeking other opportunities, the recruiters added. Take the case of an area sales manager at one of the telecom companies, who has approached a Bengaluru-based search firm. "I have to leave because I was not sure what the future of the company and sector will be in the coming years. I was advised to take a 25% raise at the very minimum but am so eager to leave that I can (go) for a 10-12% hike," the employee said. Kamal Karanth, cofounder of specialist staffing company Xpheno, said that over the last few weeks, some 7,000 profiles of Vodafone Idea and around 5,000 at rival Bharti Airtel's have been out in the market. Xpheno aggregated data from candidate resumes that were updated or added on job portals, social media sites and sent directly to the staffing company. This means about 70% of Vodafone Idea's roughly 10,000 staffers and over 30% of Airtel's nearly 16,000 employees are looking for jobs. The government has said it wants both the telecom companies and the sector to flourish, and that it backs three private telecom players in India. "Overall, around 40% of the people (in the wider telecom sector ecosystem) are looking out," said Karanth, speaking of a sector that employs 180,000 workers directly in telecom, tower companies and vendor firms, among others. These numbers are only expected to increase. Recruiters cite data on job portals to point out that telecom professionals in areas such as sales, marketing, accounts, administration and HR make up for a bulk of the candidates looking to shift out. They may find it easier to get jobs in other industries compared with those in niche profiles like network integration. 72726914 Airtel and Vodafone Idea did not respond to emails seeking comment. An Airtel executive, however, said it was work as usual. "The spirit within the company is good, the company has faced many difficult situations in the past and come out stronger," the executive, who did not want to be identified, said. "Business leaders in the circles are visible, driving the business and all our key leaders in the head office are also travelling and teams are highly engaged. It is business as usual for the operations." Recently, Vodafone Idea chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said it would have to shut if it does not get any relief on the over Rs 53,000 crore adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues that it owes to the government. Soon after, Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal said that the telecom industry was facing its worst crises ever and urged the Centre and the judiciary to give "sympathetic consideration" to the industry's appeal for relief, after the Supreme Court's order on AGR left companies struggling. Airtel also faces AGR dues of over Rs 35,500 crore. "The operators will now have to look at ways to ensure future viability of their company, which includes investments in network rollout, technology upgrades, expansion plans and manpower costs," said Rajan Mathews, director general of lobby group Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). "All details regarding compensation such as increases, retention, stock options and headcount right sizing etc., will be up for review." In this backdrop, selling a job profile in the sector has now become tough as well, say recruiters. A Mumbai-based IT professional who worked in a food technology company cleared all rounds with Vodafone Idea before the AGR verdict was announced. After seeing the scramble for government relief, however, he declined the offer to join at the telco's Mumbai office, the recruitment firm working on his profile said.
State Bank of India is set to get about Rs 12,161 crore as the largest acquisition through the three-year-old Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) is completed on Monday. Essar Steel's sale to the Arcelor Mittal-Nippon Steel consortium will also allow two of the world's top three steel makers to gain a foothold in the growing Indian market, giving tough competition to incumbents Tata Steel and JSW Steel. SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar has been closely involved in supervising the deal and has seen the various twists and turns as the matter went right up to the apex court, forcing changes in the bankruptcy law. In an interview with ET, Kumar expressed relief at the completion of the transaction and explains the impact it will have on SBI's balance sheet. Excerpts:Can we finally say that the Essar deal is done?Yes, we can now say that it is done. The full money has come into an SBI escrow account on Friday. It will now be distributed among the creditors on Monday. We can now look ahead. It has been a longdelayed transaction.Boost to SBI Balance SheetBut what can we say? All is well that ends well. I can only say that it is a big relief for me and for my bank that this transaction has finally been completed.How will you use the money?We are getting a write-back of more than Rs 12,000 crore and it will directly go to our profit and loss account, in the pre-provision operating profit to be exact. We plan to use this money to shore up our capital and provisions. We have been making provisions all along but RBI norms on provisions are strict, so we will shore up provisions.How will this recovery impact your balance sheet and profitability?We do not have any targets for profitability. But yes, this recovery will strengthen the balance sheet of the bank. As I said, we can use the extra money to make more provisions according to RBI norms. We still have to measure the full impact of this recovery but this and other recoveries should help us in reducing our gross NPAs (nonperforming assets) by 1.5 to 2 percentage points at the end of the fiscal. I think by the end of March our gross NPA should come down somewhere around 6% (SBI's gross NPAs were at 7.19% at the end of September 2019).Essar is done now but what is the outlook for recoveries going ahead?This transaction will expedite recoveries and have a far-reaching impact on other resolutions as a lot of clarifications have been made because of this. We are expecting a steady pipeline of recoveries till the end of this fiscal. Taking Essar into account, we could gain Rs 18,000 crore to Rs 20,000 crore by the end of the fiscal. Like Bhushan Power & Steel, where resolution is expected to be soon and where we stand to gain Rs 4,000 crore. We also received money from Prayagraj Power last week. Then there is Alok Industries where we expect Rs 1,800 crore and Ruchi Soya where Rs 800 crore will come to our P&L. The impact on our balance sheet will be different depending on how much provisions we have made.Will higher recoveries mean that SBI will now be able to concentrate on lending more?We never moved away from focussing on lending and that will continue. Yes high-profile recoveries like Essar take some toll, so to that extent we can focus better. Lending will continue and asset quality will also improve. But this is a business and some big slippages like DHFL (Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Ltd) have an impact on the whole system.
NEW DELHI: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Abbott, AstraZeneca, Lupin and other big drugmakers have come under the scanner of India's drug pricing watchdog for excluding products from the price control regime without first applying for such an exemption, according to documents that ET has seen and people with knowledge of the matter. This is in violation of the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO).The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has found that companies such as Lupin and Boehringer Ingelheim, apart from those mentioned above, launched products bypassing the regulatory framework.The NPPA noted that these drug companies had launched anti-diabetes drugs under para 32 of the DPCO, without submitting the requisite application. This allows the NPPA to exempt certain classes of drugs from price control for a period of five years. It says that the price cap won't apply if a new drug is developed through a unique and indigenous process, is patented under the Indian Patents Act and is not produced elsewhere. Taking strong objection to "self-invoking" of para 32 of DPCO 2013, the authority called for action against "wilful defaulters," according to the minutes of a meeting held on December 9 that ET has seen.Cos Asked to Provide Data"Self-invoking of para 32 of DPCO 2013 would tantamount to bypassing the regulatory framework and lead to chaos in product pricing, grievously impacting choices before the hapless consumers," said the NPPA minutes. "Such attempts need to be checked forcefully in order to safeguard public health and safety." 72724203 The companies have been asked to provide data on manufacturing, import and sales since the launch of the products. "The NPPA shall take further necessary action as applicable," according to the minutes."The NPPA can direct the companies to get prices fixed, fix a price and recover if it is overpriced," said an official, one of the persons cited above.The companies named above didn't respond to queries.The authority noted that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd had previously applied to fix the retail price of its anti-diabetes drugs RemoM and RemoZenM tablets containing remogliflozin etabonate and metformin hydrochloride. The application was withdrawn before the retail price was fixed. Glenmark subsequently launched RemoM and RemoZenM tablets containing the same ingredients without seeking exemption from NPPA.The NPPA noted that Lupin and Boehringer Ingelheim had launched empagliflozin-metformin combination tablets and Sun Pharma and AstraZeneca had launched dapagliflozin-metformin combination tablets without seeking prior approval.Following Glenmark's representation, the NPPA analysed data from pharmaceutical audit agency Pharmatrac and it was observed that Abbott Healthcare had also launched dapagliflozin-metformin combination tablets without obtaining approval. Accordingly, the NPPA issued showcause notices to Glenmark, Lupin, Sun and Abbott.In response to the showcause notices, the companies stated that the formulations are "patented products," which are within the purview of para 32 of DPCO 2013 and are therefore exempted.The authority noted that para 32 stipulates that companies seeking exemption under it have to submit the requisite documents. "This has been the procedure that has been adopted by the authority in all the four exemptions given so far under para 32 of DPCO 2013," it added. The NPPA found "no room to assume ignorance of the procedure being adopted for all such cases.""An exemption under para 32 of DPCO 2013 is not a one-time measure but also subsequent exemption from provisions relating to annual price increase," the minutes further said. "Therefore, self-invocation of para 32 of DPCO 2013 needs careful examination to safeguard public interest to obviate any possibility of misuse."
State Bank of India is set to get about Rs 12,161 crore as the largest acquisition through the three-year-old Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) is completed on Monday. Essar Steel's sale to the Arcelor Mittal-Nippon Steel consortium will also allow two of the world's top three steel makers to gain a foothold in the growing Indian market, giving tough competition to incumbents Tata Steel and JSW Steel. SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar has been closely involved in supervising the deal and has seen the various twists and turns as the matter went right up to the apex court, forcing changes in the bankruptcy law. In an interview with ET, Kumar expressed relief at the completion of the transaction and explains the impact it will have on SBI's balance sheet. Excerpts:Can we finally say that the Essar deal is done?Yes, we can now say that it is done. The full money has come into an SBI escrow account on Friday. It will now be distributed among the creditors on Monday. We can now look ahead. It has been a longdelayed transaction.Boost to SBI Balance SheetBut what can we say? All is well that ends well. I can only say that it is a big relief for me and for my bank that this transaction has finally been completed.How will you use the money?We are getting a write-back of more than Rs 12,000 crore and it will directly go to our profit and loss account, in the pre-provision operating profit to be exact. We plan to use this money to shore up our capital and provisions. We have been making provisions all along but RBI norms on provisions are strict, so we will shore up provisions.How will this recovery impact your balance sheet and profitability?We do not have any targets for profitability. But yes, this recovery will strengthen the balance sheet of the bank. As I said, we can use the extra money to make more provisions according to RBI norms. We still have to measure the full impact of this recovery but this and other recoveries should help us in reducing our gross NPAs (nonperforming assets) by 1.5 to 2 percentage points at the end of the fiscal. I think by the end of March our gross NPA should come down somewhere around 6% (SBI's gross NPAs were at 7.19% at the end of September 2019).Essar is done now but what is the outlook for recoveries going ahead?This transaction will expedite recoveries and have a far-reaching impact on other resolutions as a lot of clarifications have been made because of this. We are expecting a steady pipeline of recoveries till the end of this fiscal. Taking Essar into account, we could gain Rs 18,000 crore to Rs 20,000 crore by the end of the fiscal. Like Bhushan Power & Steel, where resolution is expected to be soon and where we stand to gain Rs 4,000 crore. We also received money from Prayagraj Power last week. Then there is Alok Industries where we expect Rs 1,800 crore and Ruchi Soya where Rs 800 crore will come to our P&L. The impact on our balance sheet will be different depending on how much provisions we have made.Will higher recoveries mean that SBI will now be able to concentrate on lending more?We never moved away from focussing on lending and that will continue. Yes high-profile recoveries like Essar take some toll, so to that extent we can focus better. Lending will continue and asset quality will also improve. But this is a business and some big slippages like DHFL (Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Ltd) have an impact on the whole system.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Plc is exploring its exit from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), the Indian unit of Unilever Plc, early in the New Year, said people with knowledge of the matter. This comes about a year after the former's publicly traded nutrition business, GSK Consumer Healthcare, agreed to merge with the country's largest pure play consumer goods company, said multiple people aware of the matter.GSK Plc said it would sell the stake once the merger was completed in early 2020. It didn't say when it would do so and that the sale would occur in "tranches".The company is hoping to cash out what will be a near 6 per cent stake in HUL after a pending merger approval comes through, possibly by the end of this month. The groundwork has already been initiated with feelers going out to some marquee institutional investors keen to buy into the India consumption story.On completion of the merger, GSK's stake, based on the Friday close of Rs 2,005.90 per share, could be valued at Rs 26,580 crore ($3.7 billion) on an expanded equity base. That could make it one of the largest block trades in India. The valuation is a near 17 per cent appreciation over the price at which the merger had been announced. 72727604 GSK Plc said in October that the value of HUL shares to be received on the disposal of Horlicks and other consumer healthcare brands had risen £247 million in nine months. The cumulative increase in value since the deal was signed is £345 million."I can confirm that the divestment of Horlicks is progressing well and we are currently working towards completion in Q1, 2020, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals," said Simon Steel, a spokesperson of GSK Plc. "Following completion of the transaction, we intend to sell down our holding in HUL. Such sell-down will be in tranches and at such times as GSK considers appropriate. We can't comment further on specifics at this time."The deal structure announced in December 2018 valued GSK Consumer Healthcare at Rs 31,700 crore. Its shareholders were to receive 4.39 shares of HUL for each of their own. After the merger, which was to get completed in a year, GSK Plc was to become the second-largest shareholder in the merged entity with a 5.7 per cent stake while Unilever's holding in HUL was to fall to 61.9 per cent from 67.2 per cent.After shareholder and Competition Commission of India (CCI) approvals earlier in the year, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) assented to the merger. However, GSK Consumer is yet to receive the approval of the NCLT bench in Chandigarh, forcing a revision of the closure outlook from the earlier CY2019."Work has begun though the process is likely to kickstart in the New Year. The target is January or February, depending on approvals and market dynamics," said an executive."This will be a market trade distributed among institutional investors and with no rights… Considering the size, it's not clear yet if it will be done in a single tranche or in multiple blocks like Daiichi Sankyo and Sun Pharma in April 2015… GSK needs the cash to pay off its global obligations, so it would want to do it at the earliest as per its stated position."The UK pharma and consumer giant had syndicated bridge loans worth $13 billion in April 2018 from a group of global underwriters, including Barclays, JP Morgan and Citi, to finance its purchase of the stake held by Novartis a consumer healthcare joint venture. That also led to a strategic review of the India business along with its flagship brand Horlicks and the eventual sale to HUL.Morgan Stanley, according to sources, is advising on the share sale. One more global investment bank is also likely to be mandated to manage such a large trade.Feelers have gone out to Canadian investors and pension funds such as CPPIB as well as sovereign wealth funds like GIC and Temasek among others that are also active in public market, said one of the people cited above. This could not be independently verified from multiple sources.CPPIB and Temasek declined to comment. GIC didn't respond to queries.Analysts said the trade will be profitable for GSK, especially since the pound has not moved much last year. The HUL stock on the other hand has appreciated, benefiting from tax cuts and momentum in large-cap counters."At 74 per cent, even post the merger, HUL boasts of the highest return on equity (RoE) in our coverage universe," said IIFL analyst Percy Panthaki. "The stock is not cheap at 47x FY21 EPS, but deserves a premium due to its superior portfolio and execution."HUL has been a steady performer compared with most peers in the consumer staples space that are grappling with overall market sluggishness on the back of a sustained rural slowdown. The July-September quarter saw its margins expand 150 basis points with the premium laundry, skin care, colour cosmetics and food and refreshments portfolio remaining bright. The company is also taking corrective action to recoup market share in parts of the skin cleansing portfolio.(Additional Reporting by Reghu Balakrishnan)
By Julian LeeThere was an elephant in the room during the recent OPEC+ meeting: The record-breaking initial public offering of Saudi Arabia's mammoth oil company Saudi Aramco occurring at exactly the same time.The coincidence meant that the output cuts agreed by OPEC and its allies were designed as much to bolster the share price of Saudi Arabian Oil Co., as they were to balance the oil market going into 2020. This will greatly complicate matters for Saudi Arabia when it finds itself having to impose discipline on fellow producers looking for ways to adhere to their targets without actually cutting production. The deal is much weaker than it looks.The headlines out of Vienna took markets by surprise. The group cut their collective output target by a further 500,000 barrels a day for the first quarter of 2020, taking the reduction from 2018 baselines to 1.7 million barrels a day. Saudi Arabia, the kingmaker in all oil matters, said it would reduce its own target by a further 400,000 barrels a day on top of that — as long as all the other participants adhered to their pledges.That appeared to indicate that OPEC+ output would be slashed by a very substantial 900,000 barrels a day, with 770,000 of them coming from OPEC and the rest from its partners. But in reality, the difference the agreement will make to physical production is really quite small, even if everyone sticks to their new goals. Saudi Arabia's new voluntary target of 9.744 million barrels a day is just 5,000 barrels a day below what it pumped on average over the past nine months, according to the production numbers it supplies to OPEC. That's no cut at all. In fact, by tying the 400,000 barrels a day to full compliance by everybody else, its offer was actually a thinly-disguised threat that the kingdom would increase output if any of the other countries fail to meet their commitment.Angola's production will also go up rather than down in the coming months. The West African country has no new projects to offset steep decline rates at its deep-water fields after the 2014 price crash killed off foreign investment in its oil sector. In November, it pumped about 200,000 barrels a day below its target. Oil Minister Diamantino Azevedo has no realistic prospect of boosting his country's output to its target level, but should be able to restore about half of its shortfall now that maintenance has ended at key fields.So even if everybody else does what they have promised, the real cut in output from November levels will be closer to 385,000 barrels a day. And even that is optimistic. 72674409 The group's biggest problems are Iraq and Nigeria. Iraq must contribute almost half of the outstanding OPEC cut, but has failed to get anywhere close to its 2019 target so far. For seven out of 11 months this year the group's second-largest producer has actually been pumping above its baseline — rather than below — for cuts as spelled out in the agreement. Things have at least been moving in the right direction in recent months, but Iraq remains the group's biggest over-producer. If anti-government protests spread to oil fields, civil unrest may do what government action has so far failed to deliver.Nigeria is trying to reclassify some of its output as condensate — a light form of crude extracted from gas fields. Because OPEC doesn't regulate such production, the change would allow the biggest oil producer in Africa to comply with the new goals without actually cutting production at all. 72674430 At the Vienna meeting, Russia, the key non-OPEC contributor to the cuts, secured such an exemption, allowing it to deliver another 40,000 barrels a day of cuts without actually removing a single additional barrel. Other OPEC+ producers with significant condensate volumes — Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman and Malaysia — may seek similar treatment.We could easily end up with a deal that is met on paper with very little new oil taken off the market.Will Saudi Arabia follow through with its threat to open the taps if the rest don't step up? This game of chicken is a high-stakes one. With many in the OPEC+ group already pumping close to capacity, a Saudi output boost might not start a production free-for-all, but it would certainly undermine oil prices. And that wouldn't help the share price of just-listed Saudi Aramco. Foreign investors balked at a $2 trillion valuation for the company, leaving the IPO a decidedly local affair. The valuation of Aramco was at the heart of Saudi thinking at the OPEC and OPEC+ meetings, according to one delegate who was in the closed-door sessions. And that fixation will continue as the kingdom seeks to maintain the company's stock price.The $2 trillion valuation was reached, briefly, on the second day of trading in the stock. How it will fare over the long term is a different matter, and may be even harder to control than OPEC+. Saudi Aramco may be forced to keep cutting its own output to bolster the share price whatever the rest of the producer group does.(This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of economictimes.com, Bloomberg LP and its owners)
BENGALURU: TikTok is seeing a wider range of brand verticals advertising on the platform and many of its pilot initiatives are turning into repeat contracts, a senior executive told ET.As TikTok diversified its content from mainly teenagers lip-syncing videos to educational, cooking, makeup, fitness and DIY videos, the brands advertising have expanded to include telecom, food, automobiles, fintech firms, job portals and health tech firms from mostly ecommerce and fashion brands earlier."Behind diversification of content, there is diversification of user base. As various people come on, they start having different kinds of conversations, and then different kinds of brands want to connect with those people," said Sameer Singh, vice-president, Monetisation (India) at TikTok. "Initially it was entertainment, song, and dance but it has gone beyond that."TikTok competes with Facebook and Google for ad dollars in the attention economy. Even though American technology giants continue to monopolise the digital advertising market, ByteDance is managing to convert pilots into sustained brand contracts."The proof of the pudding is in sustained love," said Singh, who joined ByteDance a few months after TikTok started monetising the platform."The most important thing we are seeing (on) the platform is repeat participation from brands. There is momentum building up."ByteDance's TikTok has about 200 million users in India, of which 120 million are active on a monthly basis, said the firm. TikTok started monetising the platform in April by placing ads on its video feed. Companies like Pepsi, Snapdeal, Shopclues and Meesho were among its first advertisers."TikTok is putting up a challenge. Google and Facebook need to take notice of this. Despite their deep penetration in India, they are still considered urban. TikTok is the media of the hinterlands, not the top big 8 cities in India. All of a sudden big city brands, aspiring for rural India consumers, are sitting up and noting the fact that TikTok is popular," said brand consultant Harish Bijoor.Brands advertising on the platform include Oppo, Samsung, Bajaj, Honda, Pizza Hut, Zomato, Amazon, Flipkart, KFC and Khatabook.TikTok claims that brands are slowly uncovering its potential, as it is "the most popular and engaging" content creation platform for a lot of new internet users in the country. It believes the platform is an opportunity for advertisers to connect with audiences across the country."18-25-year-olds are key to what brands are trying to do. This is consumer base that is hardest to reach out to. It is not TV first, it is into multi-tasking and have shorter attention spans. This is where we see a great fit for TikTok, which is mobile-first, easy-to-consume content on, and has short-format videos that are entertaining," Singh said.
BSNL wants govt to pay its Rs 5,000-crore AGR dues Private telecom operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Teleservices have already filed a limited review petition in the apex court seeking a waiver of interest, penalty, and interest on penalty.
Emission control: Power plants set to miss deadline, again Among the power plants given the deadline to cut emission levels, 11 with total capacity of 12,800 MW are located in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
A gift given to children shall not be taxable, both in her hands or her children's hands as a gift received from specified relatives (including mothers and mothers-in-law) is not taxable, according to the Act Source: LM
If you are below the 20% tax bracket, you can consider buying NCDs to diversify your debt portfolio, but check the rating and limit your exposure.No matter how attractive an NCD may seem, don't invest more than 5% in NCDs of a single company Source: LM
Clogged toilets are an inconvenience since they are unusable until they're fixed and have a risk of flooding. If your toilet is clogged and you don't have a plunger nearby, you can still use many other things in your household to loosen the blockage. For a serious clog, you may need to use a special toilet auger to break it apart. When you're finished, your toilet should work like new!
Add of dish soap to your toilet and let it soak for 25 minutes. Pour liquid dish soap directly into the toilet bowl so it can sink to the bottom. Over the next 25 minutes, the soap will make the pipes more slippery so it's easier for the clog to move through the toilet. During this time, you may notice the water level go down as the clog loosens up.[1]
Pour of hot water into the toilet bowl. Use the hottest that comes out of your bath faucet. Slowly add the water to the toilet bowl directly over the drain to help force the clog down. The hot water paired with the soap should break apart the clog so your toilet can flush again.[2]
Only pour hot water into the bowl if there's no risk of it overflowing.
You can also add 1 cup (200 g) of Epsom salt to help break apart the clog.
Try flushing the toilet to see if the clog went through. Flush your toilet as normal and see if it drains completely. If it does, then the dish soap and hot water worked as intended. If not, you may try again or try to break the clog a different way.[3]
Pour 1 cup (230 g) of baking soda into your toilet bowl. Dump the baking soda directly into the water. Try to spread it evenly throughout the bowl so it covers all of the surfaces. Wait until the baking soda sinks to the bottom of the toilet before moving on.[4] of hot water to help break apart the clog.}}
Add of vinegar to toilet. Slowly pour the vinegar into your toilet. Work in a circular pattern so the vinegar evenly distributes through the bowl. As it mixes with the baking soda, it will start to fizz and bubble due to a chemical reaction.[5]
Make sure the vinegar doesn't fizz over the edge of your toilet or else you'll have a bigger mess to clean.
Let the mixture sit for 1 hour before flushing it. As the vinegar and baking soda react, they'll break down the clog so it can fit through your pipes easily. Use another bathroom or wait until 1 hour has passed before trying to flush it.[6]
If the water still doesn't go down, try adding the same amount of baking soda and vinegar, but let it sit overnight.
Unwind a wire hanger except for the hook. Grab the hook with a pair of needle-nose pliers to hold it secure. Grab the bottom part of the hanger and twist it counterclockwise to unwind it. Once it's unwound, straighten out the hanger as much as you can, leaving the hook intact so you can use it as a handle.[7]
Tie a rag around the end of your hanger. Use the end of the hanger that doesn't have the hook. Wrap the rag around the hanger and tie a knot so it stays in place. The rag will help prevent any damage to your toilet as you feed it into your pipes.[8]
Choose a cleaning rag that you don't need to save since it will get very dirty when it breaks apart the clog.
Pour of dish soap into your toilet. Let the soap settle on the bottom of your toilet bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before you use your hanger. During this time, the soap will help lubricate the clog and make it easier to break apart.[9]
If you don't have liquid dish soap, you can also use any other sudsy liquid cleaner, such as shampoo or body wash.
Feed the end of the wire hanger with the rag into the toilet bowl. Hold the hook of the hanger securely in your non-dominant hand. Push the end of the hanger with the rag into your toilet so it goes into the drain. Keep feeding the hanger into your pipes until you feel a clog or until you can't feed anymore.[10]
Wear rubber cleaning gloves if you don't want the toilet water to splash up.
Jostle the hanger in your pipes to break apart the clog. Use swift up and down movements to hit the clog. The clog should loosen and the water level in your toilet will go down. Keep breaking apart the clog until you can't feel the obstruction anymore.[11]
If you don't feel a clog or obstruction, it may be deeper in your pipes.
Flush your toilet. Once the hanger is removed, try flushing your toilet like normal. If the hanger was effective, then the water should drain easily. If not, then you can try again to break the clog more.[12]
If the hanger doesn't work for a second time, call a plumber to assess the problem.
Battery-operated tealights are great alternatives to real tealights, but did you know that they have other uses too? Turned on their side, they look almost like a snowman's face! All you have to do is add some eyes, a mouth, and some accessories.
Get a battery-operated tealight. You can find them in arts and crafts stores as well as in the candle section of a supermarket. A white tealight would work best, but you can also get a white glitter one for a fancier snowman.
Turn the candle so that the flame is pointing away from you. Set the candle down on the table first, then rotate it until the tip of the flame is pointing away from you. Most battery-operated tealights have a flame that curves slightly to one side, rather than pointing straight up.[1] Having the flame tilted upward will make the snowman look more jolly.
Draw a simple snowman face using a black permanent marker. Make two dots above the flame for the eyes. Make four to five dots below the flame to make the mouth.[2] Make sure that the tip of the flame is pointing upwards, towards the eyes.
For a more dimensional look, use black puff paint.
If you are using a glitter tealight, draw the face using black puff paint. Regular marker won't show up.
Consider coloring the flame in with an orange permanent marker. The flame will look yellow-orange when it is turned on, but it will look white when it's turned off. You can fix this by coloring the flame in with an orange permanent marker.[3]
Don't use a washable "kid's" marker. The color will rub off.
Don't use paint or paint pens. They are opaque, and the color won't shine through.
Cut an 11-inch (27.94-centimeter) long piece of thin ribbon and tie the ends together to form a loop.[4] You can use any color you want, but red, white, or green are most commonly associated with winter and Christmas. Choose the thinnest ribbon you can find, about 1/16 to 1/8-inch (0.16 to 0.32-centimeter).
Hot glue the ribbon to the back of the tealight. Place a drop of hot glue on the back of the tealight, close to the top. Press the knotted part of the ribbon into the glue, and let it set.
Cut a 2½-inch (6.35-centimeter) long piece of pipe cleaner. You can use any color you want, but red or green would work best.
Hot glue the pipe cleaner to the top of the tealight. Draw a line of hot glue around the top edge of the tealight, right above the eyes. Quickly press the pipe cleaner into the glue. If you need to, gently curve the pipe cleaner first, so that you don't risk accidentally touching the glue.
Hot glue two mini pompoms to either end of the pipe cleaner. Choose two pompoms in a contrasting color. Place a drop of hot glue at either end of the pipe cleaner. Quickly press the pompoms into the glue.[5]
Cut a 4½-inch (11.43-centimeter) long piece of ribbon.[6] Choose a thin ribbon, about ¼ to ½ inch (0.64 to 1.27 centimeters) wide. Use a color that matches your ear muffs.
If you can't find any ribbon, use a strip of felt instead.
Cross the ends together to form a loop, and secure them with a drop of hot glue. Cross the left end over the right to form a loop, sort of like the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon. Secure the loop with a drop of hot glue.[7]
Glue the scarf to the tealight. Place a drop of hot glue on the back of the tealight, close to the bottom. Press the inside part of the loop against the glue, so that the crossed part is in front. Make sure that the tail ends of the ribbon are pointing down.[8]
Trim the ends of the ribbon, if needed. The ribbon should pop up against the bottom of the tealight. If it keeps hanging down, use a drop of hot glue to keep it in place.
Emotional abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse. If you're in a cycle of abuse, it's normal to feel a lot of negative emotions. You can learn to shut down abuse by standing up for yourself in the moment and looking for positive ways to interact with the person abusing you, such as talking about something else. If the situation doesn't change, you can also plan how to safely remove yourself from the relationship. If you are the person doing the abusing, it's great that you want to make a change. That's a big step in the right direction. One option is to seek professional help to learn to change your behavior.
Recognize the signs of emotional abuse. Emotional abuse might be harder to identify than physical abuse. But if you think something is wrong with the way you're being treated, you're probably right. Remember that no one has the right to make you feel bad or treat you poorly in any way. It's not your fault. Signs to look out for include:[1]
Constant criticism
Name calling
Humiliation
Exerting financial control
Issuing ultimatums
Shaming or blaming
Stand up for yourself in the moment. It can be really difficult but try to shut the abuse down as it is happening. Let the other person know that it is not okay to speak to you that way. Aim to speak in a clear, confident voice. It might be hard, but try to make eye contact as you tell them to stop speaking to you the way they are.[2]
You could say, "Please don't talk to me like that. Maybe we can talk later when you are calm."
You can also try using "I statements" such as, "I feel bad when you say things like that. I don't deserve to be treated like this." Using "I statements" is a good idea because it can prevent the other person from feeling defensive.
Walk away from the situation if possible. If the person is still saying negative things, you can try walking away from the situation. For example, if you're at home, you could go take a walk around the block. If you're at work, excuse yourself to go to the restroom. Hopefully, by the time you return, the other person will have moved on to a new topic or behavior.[3]
You can say something like, "I need a few minutes by myself" or even, "There's something I need to take care of. Please excuse me."
Walking away can also give you time to collect yourself. It's really stressful to be abused, so it can really help to take some calming breaths and let your heart rate slow down.
Walk away for however long you need to. It can be a few minutes or longer.
Put yourself in the abuser's shoes. This doesn't mean that you need to excuse the abusive behavior in any way. But trying to understand where the other person is coming from can help you remember that the abuse is about them, not you. You might think to yourself, "I know they are really upset about their mom being sick. That doesn't make the behavior okay, but I know they are taking out their frustrations on me. This is not personal."[4]
Maybe your partner is dealing with depression or anxiety. That doesn't make it right for them to abuse you, but acknowledging their situation can help you understand and process the situation.
Look for positive ways to interact with the person. If someone is always putting you down, try to find a neutral way to interact with them. For example, if you have a co-worker who always criticizes your ideas, try changing the subject. Instead of responding to the abuse, say "Hey, how was your vacation last week?"[5]
This might seem like you're ignoring or validating the abuse. In reality, it's a good way to stop the abuse in the moment and continue on with your day.
This typically will be most effective in a work or social setting. If it is a family member or partner who is abusing you, you'll want to try other methods, too.
If emotional abuse at work is persistent, speak to your manager or HR.
Reduce stress to help yourself cope. Stress can take its toll on you, emotionally and physically. It might seem really hard, but if you can lessen your stress, it might be easier to deal with the emotional abuse. To reduce stress, try:[6]
Ask your friends and family for support. It can be really difficult if someone you're close to is the one abusing you. If it is a family member or partner, it can feel awful. This is hard, so lean on family and friends. Choose someone who you trust and tell them what you've been going through. They might be able to give you some advice, especially if they also know the other person.[7]
You could say to your sister, "I'm having a really tough time with Taylor lately. They seem angry all the time and keep saying it's my fault. This is hard for me to talk about, but I wondered if you could listen and offer me some advice?"
You can share as much or as little as you want. You can also just ask someone to spend some time doing something fun with you, like going to a movie.
They can also just lend you a shoulder to lean on. It can make you feel better if you know that someone is in your corner.
Visit a therapist to get professional help. It's totally normal if you are coping with depression or anxiety as a result of emotional abuse. You're not alone! Fortunately, a professional can offer you a lot of support. It's also really helpful to have a safe space to talk about your emotions.[8]
Consider couples counseling or family counseling with the other person, if they're willing. You might be able to find new, healthy ways to communicate.
Call a helpline to get information. There are a lot of support systems available to help you. If you don't feel comfortable talking to someone you know, you can call a hotline to get some support. The staffers or volunteers will be specially trained to help someone in your position.[9]
Do a quick online search for a hotline in the country where you live.
There are also helplines that offer text chats and online chats, as well.
Make a safety plan. If you are worried that the abuse might escalate or that you simply can't cope with being yelled at anymore, make a plan so that you're ready to leave your home quickly. You might feel more secure if you know that you have a plan in place. Consider having:[13]
Emergency funds in an account that only you have access to
All of your important papers (ID, passport, etc.) all together in a secure place
Your phone fully charged at all times
Somewhere you can go at a moment's notice, like a friend or family member's house
End the relationship if the abuse is severe. It's possible to love your abuser and to know that you shouldn't be around them. This is a really hard thing to go through. However, if the abuse doesn't stop, you might need to end the relationship. You can explain that you don't think the relationship is healthy and that you no longer want to be part of it.[14]
If you live with the abuser, make sure that you have a plan in place before you end the relationship. For example, have your new living situation already arranged.
Allow yourself to grieve the relationship. While you made the right choice, you'll still need time to process a wide range of emotions. Be patient and kind to yourself.
Be more compassionate to yourself to change how you treat others. If you find yourself yelling at, shaming, or criticizing someone else, you might want to find ways to stop this behavior. Typically, emotional abuse comes from some sort of resentment that you are feeling. The best way to handle this is to be more compassionate to yourself. This will help you understand how others want you to treat them.[15]
Stop criticizing yourself. If you have negative thoughts about yourself, replace them with positive ones. Do the same when you find yourself criticizing someone else.
Stop rationalizing your behavior. Although there might be reasons behind your abusive behavior, that doesn't excuse it. You are responsible for your own actions. Instead of making excuses for yourself, acknowledge that your actions are not acceptable.[16]
For example, if you find yourself isolating someone from others, take a step back. Say to yourself, "This is not okay. I need to find a more positive way to interact with this person."
Get sober if you abuse substances. Drug and alcohol abuse are often related to emotional abuse. Both can cause you to be more emotional and volatile. If you drink alcohol, try limiting yourself to 1 drink a day. This will make it easier to stay in control of your emotions. You should stop using drugs and alcohol if they are impacting your behavior. Drugs are unhealthy for a lot of reasons, so quitting is the best plan.[17]
It can be really hard to quit. Don't be afraid to seek professional help. There are support lines and mental health professionals who can help you.
Avoid situations where you might be offered alcohol or drugs.
Look for positive ways to interact with the person you abuse. This can help you see that person in a better light. If you are abusing someone at work, ask them to go to lunch with you outside of the office. Getting to know them might help you to be nicer to them.
If you are abusing a loved one, make it a point to look for ways to have fun with them. For example, if you and your spouse regularly fight about how to raise your kids, do something on your own to shift the focus back to the positive part of your relationship.
Seek professional help to learn ways to change. Try going to counseling to help figure out how to behave differently. Talking through your situation can be a great way to learn some coping mechanisms. Maybe you're dealing with a lot of stress or anger. A professional can help you learn to process your emotions in a more healthy way.[18]
Ask your doctor or friends or family for a recommendation to a therapist.
If possible, try a joint session with the person that you are acting negatively towards. You can hopefully find new ways to communicate.
Are you looking for a sweet candy gift to share with a friend during the holidays? Would you like to make a candy that looks gourmet while being easy to make? A batch of Eggnog Truffles will impress your friends while being very easy to prepare.
Add cream cheese, powdered sugar, nutmeg and rum extract to a mixing bowl. Mix together cream cheese mixture using a cooking spoon.
Add 8 ounces (1/2 pound) white chocolate to a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Open the microwave oven door and place microwave-safe mixing bowl in the microwave oven. Close the microwave oven door. Proceed to cook white chocolate on high (100% power), for 30 seconds.
Remove bowl from microwave oven and stir until chocolate is smooth. Use a cooking spoon to mix together the white chocolate.
Add the chocolate mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth using a cooking spoon. Cover mixing bowl with food safe plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator and allow the candy mixture to chill for about 2 hours. The mixture will be slightly firm when ready to make the truffles.
Line baking sheets with waxed paper. To do this, pull out waxed paper from waxed paper box until the waxed paper is the size you need to line the baking sheet. Tear off the waxed paper and lay it on the baking sheet.
Add the remaining white chocolate] to a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave oven. Close the microwave oven door and set the microwave oven to the high (100%) setting. Melt remaining chocolate using the high setting (100%), stir chocolate once or twice during cooking. Cook until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Use a cooking spoon to stir the chocolate.
Remove bowl of melted chocolate from microwave oven. Place the mixing bowl on a clean kitchen counter. Remove the cream cheese and chocolate mixture from the refrigerator, and roll the candy mixture into one-inch balls using your impeccably clean hands.
Dip the one-inch balls into the melted chocolate. You can use a fork or candy dipper to dip the candy balls into the melted chocolate. Place the one-inch candy ball onto the fork, or the candy dipper, and dip the candy into the melted chocolate. Be sure to cover the candy in a thin layer of melted chocolate. Place the dipped candies onto the wax paper lined baking sheets.
Allow the candies to set (the candy shell will harden) before placing onto a pretty platter. You can also place the candies into miniature muffin paper liners and add to food-safe gift boxes to share with friends.
