Scott Dittman — better known to his friends as Howie — says he doesn't wake up in the morning thinking of himself as an LGBT ally. But, last weekend, he still made a big impact.
The real-estate market in job-rich cities like San Francisco does not work for the vast majority of young people. That's why so many housing debates in big coastal cities feel like generational warfare.
To thank Stewart for his continuing support, a group of first responders gifts him with the bunker coat of a late firefighter whom he had a deep relationship with.
If you're looking for editing software to give your photos a professional feel (without the hefty price tag), check out this Award-Winning Luminar 3 Software Bundle. It includes an image editor and photo library rolled into one, perfect for amateur photographers and professionals alike. Get it now for 47% off, just $49.
The F-35 has had several previously unreported "category 1" flaws — military parlance for issues that can prevent a pilot from accomplishing their mission.
It is sold as a force that can help us cope with the ravages of modern society, but with its inward focus, mindful meditation may be the enemy of activism.
Made with anti-theft pockets, a ripstop nylon fabric, and a water-resistant design, this spacious backpack has everything you need to safely store your stuff while hiking and camping.
It's been nine years since we saw Woody, Buzz and the gang in a tear-jerking end to the "Toy Story" trilogy. The fourth installment is premised on the toys pondering the nature of their existence — does it justify its own? Here's what the reviews have to say.
Coral reefs are bleaching around the globe, but marine biologists in Florida are grappling with a new, more mysterious epidemic. And to fight it, they're using a weapon scientists never thought they'd unleash.
When did recommendation sites like the Wirecutter and The Strategist become such a central part of the online economy? And are they changing the way we shop?
The NBA's lone Canadian team won the first NBA championship in their 24-year history, beating the Golden State Warriors, 114-110, in Game 6 of the finals on Thursday night.
"Often the youngest actor on set, Yelchin's intense focus inspired many actors around him — Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pine and John Cho share revealing insights into his character."
There's currently another bill pending that would allow children to ask for vaccines even if their parents disapprove, an issue that has come to light as the kids of anti-vaxxers grow up.
NBA shooting coach David Nurse calls Han Xu a Kristaps Porzingis-like player, someone capable of combining height with outside shooting to change how the women's game is played. The coach of the Chinese National Team says she has the talent to be the best player in the world.
The company's system for targeting ads — especially for housing and jobs — is under fire for gender and ethnic bias. In some cases, the cure could be worse than the disease.
In railroad lore, one steam engine stands above the rest as the ultimate expression of American Industrial art and science. Dormant for decades, it now lives again, restored in all its glory.
That old adage that you can be anything you want? Well, Jeremy Wilson has lived it for years, crisscrossing the country and inventing new identities. A war hero, an MIT grad, a Hollywood journalist, an IRA operative — Jeremy has claimed to be all those things and more. And oh, what a mess he's made.
While there are now more women writing for late night shows than ever before, female hosts, like female presidents, largely remain a figment of the Hollywood imagination.
The electric was a perfectly viable automobile for city traffic, superior to the gas car in many ways. Yet it provided neither the thrill and danger that rescued William Vanderbilt from his ennui nor the romance of the open road and escapism of the bicycle.
The current American way of war will not work against China and Russia. They have gone to school on our way of war, but DoD's concepts and weapons systems haven't kept pace. https://t.co/nKbqeZEdFC
— Christopher M. Dougherty (@C_M_Dougherty) June 12, 2019
A new report has warned that America's military planning for potential conflicts with Russia and China is flawed, and argued that Pentagon's enormous budget will be going to waste unless it undertakes a major strategic overhaul.
In the report published Wednesday, Chris Dougherty of the Center for New American Security said America needs to develop a "new way of war" more suited to conflict with the world's great powers.
Though the Pentagon's 2018 National Defense Strategy stressed the need to pivot from a counter-insurgency focus to one of great power competition, Dougherty argued that the Defense Department is still investing its huge resources in "flawed concepts."
As US officials say they have video of an Iranian Navy boat removing an unexploded mine from a tanker in the Gulf of Oman, Commander Kirk Lippold offers his expertise.
GULF OF OMAN , June 13, 2019 — The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) responded to a distress call from the M/V Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman the morning of June 13. https://t.co/TVOdAgfDWKpic.twitter.com/qDIAZBRApa
* B-2 Stealth Bomber seen below Southwest Airlines Flight above Colorado * Arrow-shaped plane seen cruising and leaving a white trail behind it * One of 20 of the planes operated by US Air Force and is very difficult to detect
This is the fascinating moment a B-2 stealth bomber is spotted cruising below a US passenger plane.
The bomber was seen and filmed above Colorado by a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Chicago last week.
The footage shows the arrow-shaped plane - one of 20 operated by the US Air Force - flying beneath the passenger's plane and leaving a white trail behind it.
Attacks on two oil tankers on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman left one ablaze and both adrift, driving oil prices up over worries about Middle East supplies. ISNA/via REUTERS
* New Air Force One jets are due in 2024 and Trump wants a different paint job * He showed off a red, white and blue color scheme in the Oval Office * It would replace the 57-year-old livery that Jackie Kennedy dreamed up with an industrial designer the year before her husband was assassinated * That design didn't include any red, the color of the Republican Party * Democrats in Congress are trying to hamstring Trump's ability to micromanage the details * His favored colors look more like his own private plane than like the current presidential aircraft
President Donald Trump revealed his design this week for a new Air Force One, showing off a set of drawings in the Oval Office that replace the Kennedy-era light blue paint job with a more masculine red, white and black.
The current livery is dominated by blue, the color of the Democratic Party. Trump's re-do has splashes of Republican red.
The result resembles the color scheme of Trump's personal Boeing 757, which 2016 campaign crowds called 'Trump Force One.'
'We had different choices, here,' Trump told ABC News, saying that he had come up with the design concepts himself. Artists' renderings show variations in the color of the engines and the depth of the underbelly's dark tones.
Military officials say imagery shows Iranians in boats at the tankers, handling a mine and trying to capture crew members.
Hours after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for a pair of attacks on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz early Thursday morning, a military spokesman released a video, photos, and a timeline purporting to show Iranian boats near the ships immediately after the attacks.
According to Capt. Bill Urban, U.S. Central Command's top spokesman, the video shows men aboard an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military patrol boat returning to one of the abandoned tankers, the M/T Kokuka Courageous, and removing an unexploded mine from its damaged hull.
The weapon is only the latest relatively advanced addition to the Iranian-backed rebel group's already extensive missile and drone arsenal.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for an apparent cruise missile strike on an airport in neighboring Saudi Arabia. The group has released video showing its fighters launching a missile that is visually similar to Iran's Soumar ground-launched cruise missile. The footage offers additional evidence that the Yemeni militants' arsenal, which already contains suicide drones and short-range ballistic missiles, has expanded to include another relatively advanced weapon system.
That the US immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran—w/o a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence—only makes it abundantly clear that the #B_Team is moving to a #PlanB: Sabotage diplomacy—including by @AbeShinzo—and cover up its #EconomicTerrorism against Iran.
* The US Navy discovered an unexploded limpet mine attached to one of the two tankers attacked on Thursday. * The mine, which was discovered by the USS Bainbridge, is a potential smoking gun because it very likely points to Iran's involvement in the attack on the commercial vessels. * Iranian forces are not only suspected of using limpet mines in the attack on four tankers last month, but Iran also used mines in the Tanker Wars in the 1980s. * The US pinned the blame for the attack on Iran Thursday afternoon. The announcment sent the US West Texas Intermediate crude futures surging to $52.88 per barrel, or up 3.4% from the day's start.
The US is accusing Iran of carrying out attacks on two tankers just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which more than 30% of the world's seaborne crude oil passes, and the US Navy has reportedly discovered an unexploded mine that may very well be evidence of Iran's culpability in Thursday's attacks.
The USS Bainbridge, a US warship deployed to the Middle East, spotted a limpet mine on the side of one of the two tankers hit on Thursday, CNN reported, citing a US defense official. Another defense official confirmed the discovery to Fox News, telling reporters that "it's highly likely Iran is responsible." The US is accusing Iran of carrying out attacks on two tankers just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which more than 30% of the world's seaborne crude oil passes, and the US Navy has reportedly discovered an unexploded mine that may very well be evidence of Iran's culpability in Thursday's attacks.
The apparent attack on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday represents a dramatic escalation in regional and international tensions. Coming just one month and one day after an attack on four other oil tankers in the same area, oil prices have spiked upward in fear of what might happen next.
DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two oil tankers were attacked on Thursday and left adrift in the Gulf of Oman, driving up oil prices and stoking fears of a new confrontation between Iran and the United States, which blamed Tehran for the incident.
"It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the Gulf of Oman today," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters without providing explicit evidence to back up the U.S. stance.
It is the assessment of the U.S. government that Iran is responsible for today's attacks in the Gulf of Oman. These attacks are a threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation, and an unacceptable escalation of tension by Iran. pic.twitter.com/cbLrWNU5S0
* Two tankers, the MT Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous, were hit by explosions in the Gulf of Oman today * Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters that the U.S. is convinced Iran was responsible * He cited 'intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to executive the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area' could have done it * The Norwegian-owned Altair was hit by a suspected torpedo attack, suffered three explosions and caught fire * Forty-four sailors on the Altair and the Japanese-owned vessel Kokuka Courageous were brought to safety * Britain has urged 'extreme caution' amid spiralling tensions in the Middle East after similar attacks last month * Iran said it was 'suspicious' about the attack during Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's visit to Tehran to calm tensions * Washington has pointed the finger at Iran, saying it was 'highly likely' that Tehran was behind today's attacks * Japanese PM Shinzo Abe warned yesterday of an 'accidental' war breaking out between Iran and America
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. believes Iran was responsible for attacks that damaged two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. American forces found an unexploded mine on one of the damaged vessels.
A fireball erupted on the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair after a suspected torpedo attack caused three explosions, forcing the crew to abandon ship.
Sailors on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous also had to flee after it was hit by another explosion, in a pair of apparent attacks today which have left the Middle East on high alert.
'It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the Gulf of Oman today,' Pompeo told reporters at the State Department.
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon flies over Afghanistan, Jan. 21, 2019. A U.S. airstrike killed six Afghan soldiers sometime between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, June 12, 2019, after the coalition forces mistakenly exchanged gunfire. CLAYTON CUPIT/U.S. AIR FORCE
KABUL, Afghanistan – A U.S. airstrike killed six Afghan soldiers between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday after an exchange of gunfire between allied forces, according to Afghan officials and statements by U.S. Forces-Afghanistan.
The deaths mark the third reported mistaken American bombing on Afghan troops in 92 days.
Prior to the bombing, a joint American and Afghan patrol was moving through Kunduz province late at night sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday, an Afghan defense spokesman told Stars and Stripes.
* Kellyanne Conway repeatedly violated federal law when she mixed politics with her administration work, the Office of Special Counsel found * The independent watchdog recommended she be fired from the White House * 'Given that Ms. Conway is a repeat offender and has shown disregard for the law, OSC recommends that she be removed from federal service,' the OSC said * The White House demanded the agency retract its 17-page report on Conway * The White House argued the OSC was violating Conway's right to free speech * Office of Special Counsel is separate entity from special counsel Robert Mueller
Kellyanne Conway repeatedly violated federal law when she mixed politics with her administration work, the Office of Special Counsel found Thursday and recommended she be fired from the White House.
'Given that Ms. Conway is a repeat offender and has shown disregard for the law, OSC recommends that she be removed from federal service,' the official government watchdog announced in a statement.
The OSC is a permanent independent federal investigative agency that is in charge of enforcing the Hatch Act. It is run by Henry Kerner, whom Trump nominated to the post.
Conway was found guilty of multiple violations of The Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in political activity in the course of their work.
WNU Editor: When does a top White House adviser to the President never talk about politics or attack the President's opponents? This OSC ruling is bizarre.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said relations between Moscow and Washington were getting worse and worse, noting in an interview published on Thursday that the current U.S. administration had imposed dozens of sanctions on Russia.
Putin made his gloomy assessment ahead of a G20 summit in Japan later this month at which he might meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S.-Russia ties remain strained by everything from Syria to Ukraine as well as allegations of Russian interference in U.S. politics, which Moscow denies.
WNU Editor: The transcript of Russian President Putin's interview is here .... Vladimir Putin's interview to Mir Interstate Television and Radio Company (Kremlin). As to what is my take. For the past few years the environment in Washington has made it impossible for any headway with Russia. I expect this to continue, and probably even intensify if President Trump wins the 2020 election.
* Canadian PM asked for call with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in January to 'personally advocate' for immediate release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor * Beijing has placed the blame entirely on Canada, asking that Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou be released 'immediately'
Canada should take the "entire responsibility" for a spiralling diplomatic row, China said Thursday, after Ottawa said Beijing had spurned a request for dialogue.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since December when police in Vancouver detained Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on a US arrest warrant.
LONDON (Reuters) - Boris Johnson, who has pledged to deliver Brexit on Oct. 31, surged closer to power on Thursday, winning by far the most support from Conservative lawmakers in the first round of the contest to replace Prime Minister Theresa May.
Three years since voting 52%-48% to leave the European Union, the United Kingdom is heading toward a possible crisis over Brexit as most of the candidates vying to succeed May are prepared to leave on Oct. 31 without a deal.
While parliament has indicated it will try to stop a no-deal Brexit, which investors warn would hurt financial markets and the world economy, some of those running say it may be the only way for Britain to leave the bloc without further delay.
Johnson, the face of the official campaign to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum, won the support of 114 Conservative lawmakers in the first round of the contest to replace May. A total of 313 lawmakers voted.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes the US will not decide to scrap the F-35 fighter jet program as a result of its air defense deal with Russia. Erdogan is set to meet with President Trump later this month.
Ankara has already bought a Russian anti-aircraft missile system, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his AK party members on Wednesday.
The air defense system would be delivered to Turkey in July, the president added.
Turkey's plan to buy the Russian air defense system has been a cause of tension within the NATO military alliance, which both the United States and Turkey belong to. The US and other NATO members fear Russia could spy on NATO aircraft through the S-400 system.
....call the FBI about these calls and meetings? How ridiculous! I would never be trusted again. With that being said, my full answer is rarely played by the Fake News Media. They purposely leave out the part that matters.
* President Donald Trump told ABC's Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos that if any foreign government had information about his opponents, he would 'take it' * Trump said, 'I think you might want to listen, there isn't anything wrong with listening' and said he would then determine whether to go to the FBI * He maintained that accepting what he called 'oppo research' (opposition research) from foreign actors was not the same as interference in US elections * Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress during testimony that 'the FBI would want to know about' any foreign election meddling * Trump said, 'The FBI director is wrong, because frankly it doesn't happen like that in life,' before hedging with, 'Now maybe it will start happening' * Trump made the remark during an exclusive interview with ABC News over the course of two days, while on a visit to Iowa and back in Washington * An hour-long special from the interview will air next week, only on ABC, which includes 'ABC News Live,' the network's streaming news channel
President Donald Trump has said that if foreign governments offered his campaign damaging information against his 2020 rivals during the upcoming presidential race, he would 'take it in' before going to federal authorities.
When asked by ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos in the Oval Office on Wednesday whether his campaign would accept such information from foreigners such as China or Russia or hand it over the FBI, Trump said, 'I think maybe you do both.'
He continued: 'I think you might want to listen, there isn't anything wrong with listening. If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] "we have information on your opponent," I think I'd want to hear it.'
What Trump is describing is illegal under campaign finance law, as this kind of information would be considered highly valuable, and thus impermissible for a foreign actor to provide to a candidate for public office.
WNU Editor: President Trump is defending his remarks .... Trump defends remarks about accepting information from foreign government (The Hill). What's my take. This is a non-story even though some in the press are jumping all over his remarks. The Mueller report outlined numerous situations where intel from foreign sources was offered to the Trump campaign in 2016 and it was declined. But the punchline is that it is the Democrats themselves who have seeked intel on Trump from foreign sources. From paying a former British intelligence officer to get dirt from his Russian intel sources, to US Representative Schift accepting a call that he believed was from Ukrainian government sources who claimed that they had dirt on Trump .... Audio: Russian Comedians Prank Called Rep. Adam Schiff, Promised Him Naked Photos Of Trump (RCP). Bottom line. Dirt is always being offered to political parties and candidates, and people listen regardless of the source.
More News On President Trump Would Be Willing To Listen To Foreign Sources If Dirt Is Offered On Political Opponents
Two oil tankers were damaged in a suspected attack off the Gulf of Oman early Thursday, prompting the rescue of dozens of crew members.
The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet told Reuters it was assisting two tankers in the Gulf of Oman after receiving two distress calls. Details of the incident were unclear, but one of the operators made an unconfirmed report that a torpedo had hit its ship, Reuters reported.
"We are aware of the reported attack on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time and a second one at 7:00 a.m.,'' Joshua Frey of the Fifth Fleet said. The Fleet did not blame anyone for the attack.
A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer is responding to two distress calls amidst reports two oil tankers have come under attack in the Gulf of Oman.
USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) is providing assistance to ships that had called U.S. 5th Fleet for help, spokesperson Cmdr. Joshua Frey told USNI News on Thursday morning.
"We are aware of the reported attack on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time and a second one at 7:00 a.m.," Frey said in a Thursday statement to USNI News. "U.S. Navy ships are in the area and are rendering assistance."
(Bloomberg) -- Two oil tankers were damaged on Thursday in a suspected attack near the entrance to the Persian Gulf, stoking fears that high-stakes diplomatic efforts won't avert a military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. Oil prices surged.
The incidents, including an attack on a Japanese-operated vessel, were the second in a month to hit ships near the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, through which about 40% of the world's seaborne oil travels. They come as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a rare ally of both Donald Trump and Iranian leaders, visits Tehran in an effort to ease tensions.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the attack on two tankers in the Sea of Oman amid a landmark visit by the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Iran is suspicions, calling for the promotion of dialogue among regional countries.
Taking to his official Twitter page on Thursday, hours after the attacks occurred, Iran's top diplomat said, "Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning."
Highlighting the fact that attacked tankers were bound for Japan, Zarif noted, "Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers occurred while PM @AbeShinzo was meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei for extensive and friendly talks."
LONDON (Reuters) - Suspected attacks on two tankers off the coast of Iran saw oil markets erupt out of their recent slump on Thursday and kept traders gobbling up ultra-safe government bonds, gold and the Japanese yen.
Brent surged as much 4% after reports of the attacks added to already heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. The area is near the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of global oil consumption passes from Middle East producers.
The crude spike helped Europe's oil producers pull stock markets there higher and lift Wall Street futures. There were also some stellar gains in the telecoms sector as Germany dished out new 5G mobile network licenses to some new entrants.
DONALD TRUMP'S USA boasts the most powerful armies the world has ever seen – but today military experts warned they would NEVER beat Iran in a military conflict even as the possibility of a hot war between Iran and the USA increased as British and US servicemen raced to the aid of two oil-tankers attacked off the Iranian coast in the Gulf of Oman.
AMANDA Knox - the US student nicknamed Foxy Knoxy who spent nearly four years in an Italian jail for allegedly murdering British flatmate Meredith Kercher - returned to Italy yesterday for the first time since being freed.
SOCIAL MEDIA users are turning their profile pictures blue in solidarity with the people of Sudan amid harrowing reports of ongoing violence against protestors. So what is the significance of the blue?
IRAN's Rouhani put global leaders on high alert as he claimed US actions present a "serious threat to stability" in the Middle East – hours after President Trump said Washington was "not ready" to do a deal with Tehran.
THE Philippines foreign secretary, Teodoro Locsin has snubbed any international support when it comes to the South China Sea following reports Beijing sunk a Philippine fishing boat.
HONG KONG reportedly saw almost one million people out on the streets protesting on Sunday, June 9, but why were people protesting and what is China's extradition law?
(LONDON) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to appear at hearing in a London court via video link as he continues his fight against extradition to the United States.
The 47-year-old Assange is currently in Belmarsh Prison on the outskirts of London serving a 50-week sentence for jumping bail in Britain.
He was too ill to appear at a recent hearing but is expected Friday to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video link.
U.S. officials have made clear their intention to prosecute Assange under the Espionage Act, blaming him for directing WikiLeaks’ publication of a huge trove of secret documents that disclosed the names of people who provided confidential information to American and coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange asserts that he is a journalist with First Amendment protections.
Members of Congress have reintroduced a bill defending Hong Kong’s autonomy in the wake of violent protests over a controversial proposal to amend the city’s extradition law that would allow the transfer of suspects to mainland China.
The bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Senators and members of the House, “reaffirms U.S. commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law at a time when these freedoms and Hong Kong’s autonomy are being eroded,” according to a press release.
The legislation would require an annual assessment of Hong Kong’s political autonomy to determine whether it still qualifies for special trade status with the U.S. It would also threaten sanctions and travel restrictions against individuals found to be involved in disappearances in the semiautonomous region.
“We introduce this legislation today because democracy and freedom are under assault in Hong Kong,” U.S. Representative Jim McGovern said in the press release.
Hong Kong has been rocked by protests since June 9, when an estimated one million people took to the streets in opposition to the proposed extradition bill. Critics say it represents a further erosion of the city’s freedoms and would allow China to round up opponents to face trial on the mainland, where justice is opaque.
The former British colony was handed over to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 under an agreement called “one country, two systems,” which guaranteed that its political system would remain unchanged for 50 years. The city enjoys political and social freedoms that don’t exist elsewhere in China, but those freedoms have come under increasing threat by Beijing.
Organizers estimated that more than a million people turned up for the march on Sunday, which would make it the biggest demonstration in the city’s history. Tens of thousands returned to the Hong Kong legislature Wednesday for a protest that postponed debate on the controversial bill descended into violence later in the day, as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowds of mostly young people.
Extradition is just the latest flashpoint in the city as Beijing has sought greater influence in recent years, attempting with varying degrees of success to exert control over Hong Kong’s national security, education and electoral framework.
“It is in everyone’s interest that Hong Kong remain a free and prosperous bridge between China and the world,” McGovern said.
“But if Beijing intends to force Hong Kong into becoming just another mainland Chinese city under authoritarian rule,” he added, “we must reevaluate whether Hong Kong warrants the special status granted under U.S. law.”
(CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand) — The man accused of the New Zealand mosque attacks smirked as his lawyer entered not guilty pleas to terrorism, murder and attempted murder charges Friday before a judge who set his trial for next May.
The courtroom was filled with 80 survivors and family members of the 51 who were slain, while about another 60 watched the hearing on video in an overflow room at the Christchurch High Court. Four cultural advisers and other staff were assigned to help the victims and family members understand the proceedings and the next steps in the case.
A man who addressed the survivors said they had been praying during the holy month of Ramadan and that the Muslim community would help and support each other during the coming weeks and months.
Brenton Tarrant, the 28-year-old Australian accused of the attacks, appeared at the hearing via video link from a small room at the maximum security prison in Auckland where he’s being held. The link was muted and he didn’t attempt to speak.
Other than smirking a couple of times, Tarrant showed little emotion during the hearing. When Judge Cameron Mander asked if he could hear and see what was going on in the courtroom, Tarrant nodded. At times he looked around the room and stretched his neck.
The judge did not allow cameras or video in the courtroom although did approve a sketch artist commissioned by The Associated Press.
Tarrant has been charged with 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one terrorism charge in relation to the March 15 shootings.
Mander said the findings of two mental-health assessments showed Tarrant had no issues related to his ability to enter pleas and stand trial. The assessments are standard in murder cases.
The judge scheduled a six-week trial to begin May 4. Tarrant will remain in custody ahead of his next hearing in mid-August.
Outside the court, police and court security staff escorted a man away after he got into an argument with survivors and family members, who later said the man was saying things supportive of white supremacist ideology. It wasn’t immediately clear if the man had been arrested.
Janna Ezat wore a shirt that she’d designed which featured an image of her son Hussein Al-Umari, who was killed in the attacks. She said the court hearing had made her angry.
“Before I was OK and calm and believe in this life my son died and he is in a good place,” she said. “But when I saw the terrorist, he was just, he’s nothing. Just sitting like that. Pretending that he’s innocent and nothing is wrong.”
She said she thought the shooter deserved to be given the death penalty, even though New Zealand no longer institutes the punishment.
“It’s not easy to lose your child. Not only my child, but 50 people,” Ezat said. “It’s unfair. It’s unfair. And he was laughing.”
Abdul Aziz, who is considered a hero for confronting the gunman at the Linwood mosque, said he wouldn’t say the suspect’s name.
“He’s a coward. And behind the cell he’s laughing,” Aziz said. “He should have laughed when I faced him. Then I would see how he laugh. He run like a dog. He run like a chicken.”
In the March 15 attacks during Friday prayers, 42 worshippers were killed at the Al Noor mosque and seven were killed at the Linwood mosque. Two more people died later at the Christchurch Hospital.
The shooter livestreamed much of the attack on Facebook.
Tarrant had earlier published a 74-page manifesto espousing a white supremacist philosophy and detailing his plans to attack the mosques.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has vowed never to say the accused man’s name. Last month she helped lead a global pledge named the “Christchurch Call,” aimed at boosting efforts to keep internet platforms from being used to spread hate, organize extremist groups and broadcast attacks.
On May 19, President Donald Trump appeared to set a red line in a tweet: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!”
Nearly a month later, Iran has put Trump’s red line to the test with apparent attacks on two foreign tankers transiting through the Gulf of Oman that drove up oil prices and escalated tensions.
The U.S. military released grainy black-and-white video footage late Thursday of what officials said were Iranian forces on a patrol boat removing an unexploded mine from a ship — allegedly attacked just hours earlier — in an effort to destroy incriminating evidence.
It was an extraordinarily rare move for the military to quickly declassify such imagery for public consumption, but the footage provided compelling documentation to support the Administration’s claims about Iran’s role in sabotage.
Still, the events Thursday pose a dilemma for Trump. Not responding to the latest attacks, if they were perpetrated by Iran, could encourage even more in coming days. Ruling out even limited military action, such as sinking several small fast-boats belonging to the IRGC, which often harass U.S. Navy ships in the region, could encourage Iran to launch even more brazen attacks.
But a large military response would spike shipping insurance rates and oil prices, cost lives and further destabilize the region, officials said. The Gulf of Oman, where the attacks took place, is near the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, through which much of the world’s oil passes.
Iran denied its involvement in the attacks, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials had indicated Iran’s culpability. He provided no evidence to support the assertion at the time, but laid out the Administration’s case. “This assessment is based on intelligence, weapons used, level of expertise needed, recent similar Iranian attacks, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication,” he told reporters at the State Department.
It was the latest of several recent attacks in the Middle East that Pompeo attributed to Iranian government. The incidents, he said, included an earlier assault on four tankers in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, armed drone attacks against Saudi oil facilities, a deadly bombing in Afghanistan and a rocket attack on the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where the U.S. embassy is located.
“Taken as a whole, these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security, a blatant assault on the freedom of navigation, and an unacceptable campaign of escalating tension by Iran,” Pompeo said.
Seven hours later, the U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees all forces in the Middle East, released footage and a detailed timeline that revealed what U.S. reconnaissance aircraft observed while responding to the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous. The crew of 21 was forced to abandon their damaged ship and clamber aboard the USSBainbridge. American sailors observed an unexploded magnetic mine, called a limpet mine, attached to Kokuka Courageous.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military says, a patrol boat belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an arm of the Iranian military, sidled up to the hobbled ship. Footage shows grainy figures on a crowded deck of a small boat floating next to a massive ship. An individual on the boat reaches up and dislodges an object from the ship’s hull.
“At 4:10 p.m. local time an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat approached the M/T Kokuka Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous,” said Capt. Bill Urban, Central Command’s spokesman.
The video footage matches a color photograph, also released by the military, which apparently shows the unexploded mine before it was removed.
The military condemned Iran’s actions, but indicated the best approach is to find a way out of the growing stand-off. “The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East,” Urban said. “However, we will defend our interests.”
The Administration appears divided over how to proceed. There is no dispute that Iran is a bad actor intent on expanding its influence in the Middle East, either directly as its military forces and Iranian-backed political groups have done in Iraq, or by funding and equipping proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine. The dispute is how to respond.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jason Waite—U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge render aid to the crew of the M/V Kokuka Courageous on June 13, 2019.
Some intelligence, diplomatic and military officials warn that a U.S. attack on Iran in response to an Iranian attack that neither sank the ships nor injured any crew members could spin out of control.
While Iran is no match for the U.S. militarily, two officials said after the Twitter video was posted, if it decides to respond, Iran is most likely to mount an asymmetrical response, perhaps launching cyberattacks or strikes by terrorist groups Tehran supports.
It could take time to prove that Iran was responsible for such attacks, and even if there was conclusive proof, U.S. counterattacks would risk endangering the U.S. and other economies, one of the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity without authorization to discuss the issue publicly.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have steadily increased since Trump walked away from the landmark multilateral nuclear deal a year ago. The Administration’s mounting pressure on Iran began with a war of words but has escalated toward more serious confrontations.
While Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton have argued for a more aggressive response, Trump has been reluctant to use military force and some officials in the intelligence community, the military and the State Department have warned that a military response could easily spin out of control.
“It is quite stunning that Pompeo gave no time and space for conducting a proper investigation before blaming Iran,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. “If Iran was behind these attacks, it clearly shows that Trump’s maximum pressure strategy has rendered Tehran more, not less, aggressive. If Iran is not the culprit, it is clear that some other actor could be trying to engineer a Gulf of Tonkin-type of incident to push the U.S. into a conflict with Iran.”
Either way, the Administration’s aggressive maneuvers and Iran’s responses have created an environment ripe for inadvertent conflict.
Last month, Trump authorized deploying additional troops and firepower to the Middle East to deter what his Administration says is “malign behavior” by Iran that is intended to damage the United States and its allies. A squadron of 12 jet fighters, several spy planes, Patriot missile batteries, a B-52 bomber task force, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets have already been dispatched to the region.
In the latest incident, the U.S. Navy confirmed it received two separate distress calls from the two attacked ships, Marshall Islands-flagged MT Front Altair and the Kokuka Courageous, beginning at 6:12 a.m. local time. Images taken at one of the incidents show flames blanketing the ship’s hull while clouds of black smoke billow into the clear sky.
It’s not yet clear how the IRGC could be allowed to get anywhere near the Kokuka Courageous, let alone make away with the only smoking gun that could’ve possibly linked Iran directly to the attacks. The innards of the unexploded limpet mine would’ve undoubtedly provided telltale clues that could help identify the perpetrator.
However, circumstantial evidence is mounting. Last month’s oil tanker attacks were also carried out with a magnetic mine. Adm. Michael Gilday, the U.S. military’s Joint Staff director, told reporters at the Pentagon last month that the IRGC was directly responsible for the sabotage of four tankers in the Gulf of Oman. When pressed about the evidence, Gilday said the intelligence was too sensitive to disclose.
One U.S. official said the assessment that Iran is responsible rests partly on the idea that “only Iran has the resources to do this.” While that makes sense, this official said, limpet mines are relatively simple and cheap, and could be triggered remotely or by timer like a roadside bomb, without advanced triggering mechanisms.
While it’s far more likely that Iran did this, this official said, it would be better have positive intelligence rather than an absence of other likely suspects before responding with military action, given the danger of escalation.
Another issue, said one official after Pompeo’s remarks, is distinguishing between the Revolutionary Guard and its Quds Force on the one hand, and Iran’s civilian government on the other. “The Revolutionary Guard is an entity unto itself, so it’s conceivable that the IRGC could have launched these attacks without orders from [Iranian President Hassan] Rouhani,” the official said.
In April, the Trump Administration designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, which restricts members’ banking transactions and ability to travel. It marked the first time the U.S. designated an arm of a nation’s government as a terrorist group. “After being designated a terrorist organization and sanctioned, the Guard certainly had a motive, given the effect the sanctions will have on its economic interests,” the official said. “It’s not like Iran has civilian control of the military, so what’s the right response?”
Since abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal, the Trump Administration has turned the global financial system into a weapon against Tehran. The policy has triggered an exodus of corporations and financial institutions that would rather abandon their investments in Iran than risk U.S. Treasury Department sanctions.
Iran’s economy-sustaining oil exports have plunged to historic lows from their peak of 2.5 million barrels per day peak in April 2018. As a result of U.S. sanctions, more than 2 million barrels per day have been taken off the market, which has crippled the Iranian economy.
“No economic sanctions entitle the Islamic Republic to attack innocent civilians, disrupt global oil markets, and engage in nuclear blackmail,” Pompeo said. “The international community condemns Iran’s assault on the freedom of navigation and the targeting of innocent civilians.”
The June 17 international cover of TIME featured a familiar red London double-decker bus with an assortment of public figures (some of them perhaps less familiar) sinking beneath the Thames River. A waving Theresa May at the front, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the rear, and a mix of high- and low-profile British politicians and celebrities spread throughout. The artist behind the illustration, Cold War Steve (whose real name is Christopher Spencer), is known for his satirical photo collages that capture the U.K.’s current political climate. For this issue of TIME, his design — along with essays by former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown and London-based author Jonathan Coe — examined the aftermath of the Brexit vote three years on.
Spencer will take over TIME’s Reddit account and answer your questions about his work this Friday in a Reddit Ask Me Anything. The AMA will take place at 11 a.m. ET (4 p.m. BST) in the subreddit r/unitedkingdom.
“The sinking London bus is a fairly obvious metaphor––as too the Union flag being waved by Boris Johnson, which is tattered and becoming torn down the middle,” Spencer told TIME.
This was the first time Spencer created art targeted at an audience beyond Britain. Besides the cover, he made two photo-illustrations for the magazine’s feature package.
Photo-illustration by Cold War Steve for TIMEPhoto-Illustration by Cold War Steve for TIME; Mcfadden: BBC; Tapir: Courtesy Leipzig Zoo; Alamy (3); Getty Images (17)Photo-Illustration by Cold War Steve for TIME; Mcfadden: BBC; Rees-Mogg: Alamy; Getty Images (7)
(MILAN) — Amanda Knox, a former American exchange student who became the focus of a sensational murder case, arrived in Italy Thursday for the first time since an appeals court acquitted her in 2011 in the slaying of her British roommate.
Knox arrived at Milan’s Linate airport en route to the northern city of Modena, where she is scheduled to participate Saturday in a panel discussion on wrongful convictions.
She was accompanied by her mother and fiancee, and escorted by plainclothes officers. She kept her eyes down as she exited the airport and did not respond to reporters’ questions.
The killing of Knox’s roommate in the university town of Perugia, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, on Nov. 1, 2007 attracted global attention, especially after suspicion fell on the photogenic Knox, and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito.
Kercher’s nude body was found under a blanket in her locked room; investigators said her throat was slit and she had been sexually assaulted.
Knox’s October 2011 acquittal – following a lower court conviction that brought a 26-year prison sentence – was one step in the long legal process that saw multiple flip-flop rulings before she and Sollecito were definitively acquitted in 2015 by Italy’s highest court.
Knox’s slander conviction and three-year sentence for having wrongly accused a Congolese bar owner, however, remained intact.
In all, Knox spent four years in jail, including during the investigation, before her 2011 acquittal freed her to return to her native Seattle, where she has lived since. An Ivorian immigrant, Rudy Guede, is serving a 16-year murder sentence for Kercher’s slaying.
Europe’s human rights court in January ordered Italy to pay Knox 18,400 euros ($20,000) in financial damages for failures to provide adequate legal and translation assistance during her early questioning.
The European Court of Human Rights noted that Knox “had been particularly vulnerable, being a foreign young woman, 20 at the time, not having been in Italy for very long and not being fluent in Italian.”
After the decision, Knox, who has been active in raising awareness around wrongful convictions, wrote on her blog that the court’s ruling meant her slander conviction was unjust.
Before traveling to Italy, she published an essay titled “Your Content, My Life,” about the decision to accept the panel invitation from the Italy Innocence Project. She talked about the impact intense media coverage and social media amplification had on her case – and continues to have on her life.
“While on trial for a murder I didn’t commit, my prosecutor painted me as a sex-crazed femme fatale, and the media profited for years by sensationalizing an already sensational and utterly unjustified story,” Knox wrote. “It’s on us to stop making and stop consuming such irresponsible media.”
The race to replace Theresa May as U.K. Prime Minister is in full swing, and with it, scrutiny of those who hope to take her job.
Ahead of Thursday’s first round of voting, media focus was not so much on the candidates‘ Brexit policies, nor on their plans to avert environmental catastrophe. Instead, admissions of past drug use by eight out of the ten candidates on the ballot dominated the front pages of the U.K.’s newspapers. After the first round of voting, six out of the seven candidates still standing had previously admitted taking drugs.
The bizarre start to the leadership race reflects that coming clean on past drug use no longer carries the same political weight it once did. “I think these days, because you can’t really prevent these drug stories from coming out, that honestly is the best policy,” says Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London.
A bigger issue is what that drug use might show about a candidate’s character. “The damage done by appearing to cover something up, or by being accused of hypocrisy, is greater than the damage done by admitting you’ve done something in your youth,” says Bale. That’s particularly true for candidates aspiring to lead the Conservative Party, which continues to oppose liberalizing tough drug laws.
Why have so many candidates admitted to taking drugs?
The trend began last week when Environment Secretary Michael Gove, one of the frontrunners, was forced to admit that he had taken cocaine on social occasions when he was a young journalist, after a section from a forthcoming biography was published.
“The book is correct,” Gove said on June 8. “I did take drugs.” The story dominated the weekend newspapers, and soon his competitors were being quizzed on their drug-taking histories.
Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, soon admitted to having a “cannabis lassi when I went backpacking through India.” Dominic Raab, another competitor, admitted to trying cannabis at university, though “not very often as I was into sport.”
Things soon got even more bizarre. Rory Stewart, an outsider candidate, admitted he had smoked opium at a wedding in Iran. “I was invited into the house,” he said by way of explanation. “The opium pipe was passed around,” he said, before speculating that he may not have felt the drug’s effects because the family was poor and therefore may have put only a small amount of opium into the pipe.
On television news, another challenger, Andrea Leadsom, admitted that she had smoked cannabis as a university student. Quizzed repeatedly, she refused to disclose whether she enjoyed it, nor whether she had used a joint or a bong. (Leadsom was knocked out of the race on Thursday.)
And at his campaign launch on Wednesday, the frontrunner Boris Johnson dodged questions about his past use, or otherwise, of cocaine––which he had previously alluded to on a television quiz show. He said in 2005: “I think I was once given cocaine, but I sneezed and so it did not go up my nose. In fact, I may have been doing icing sugar.” On another occasion, he also admitted to having smoked cannabis: “There was a period before university when I had quite a few [joints]. It was jolly nice.”
The candidates who have admitted to taking drugs are: Michael Gove (cocaine), Matt Hancock (marijuana), Jeremy Hunt (marijuana), Boris Johnson (marijuana, and has alluded to having taken cocaine), Dominic Raab (marijuana) and Rory Stewart (opium). The only remaining candidate who said he had never taken drugs was Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary.
What effect might admissions of drug use have on the Conservative leadership race?
“To be honest, I think it depends on the candidate,” says Bale. “It depends on what they have done and said about drugs beforehand.”
For Gove, that could be a problem. Roughly around the time of his drug-taking, he penned newspaper columns criticizing cocaine. And, in his former job as Justice Secretary, he was responsible for enforcing tough laws against drug use. That “appears to indict him of hypocrisy, which is one of the worst political sins in this country,” Bale says.
Johnson could get off more lightly. He referenced drug use back in 2005––in a move which might be compared to Barack Obama’s admission, years before he ran for office, that he had smoked marijuana and taken “maybe a little blow” (cocaine) in his youth.
But in dodging questions on that alleged drug use at his campaign launch on Wednesday, Johnson might be opening himself up to attack, Bale says. “I think there is a bit of a problem if somebody is seen to have lied, and lied serially about something so serious.”
The people casting the votes will make a difference, too. The voters in the first rounds of the leadership race are not the whole U.K. electorate, but rather Conservative lawmakers, who will be choosing as much based on political leaning, ambition and personal relationships as on drug use. While lawmakers may take admissions of drug use into account when deciding whether any candidate can garner support among the electorate, it’s unlikely to be high on their lists.
In the final round, the franchise will be extended, if only slightly, to paid-up members of the Conservative Party. Unsurprisingly, they lean towards social conservatism, however the party does have sections of support from young and university-educated cohorts, Bale says, both of which are likely to be more forgiving on past drug use.
There are no recent polls on attitudes toward drug use among Conservative members, however a YouGov poll of 1,677 people from September 2018 showed that 56% of Britons believed having taken cocaine should disqualify a person from public office. Only 31% believed the same for cannabis.
Two oil tankers on Thursday morning were reportedly attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil transport route that sits between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, echoing a similar attack last month and stoking fears about escalating tensions in the region.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for Thursday’s attacks, but the U.S. blamed Iran for last month’s bombing of four tankers in the same general area, without offering a clear explanation as to why. Iran denied that allegation, but it is embroiled in several conflicts in the region. It has long feuded with U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—tensions only heightened by a clash over the civil war in Yemen—and Thursday’s incident fueled fears that tensions in the region are approaching a breaking point.
The vessels attacked Thursday were identified as the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Front Altair, which was lit ablaze, and the Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous, which sustained structural damage, according to the Associated Press. Crew members from both ships had to be evacuated, according to AP, and one sailor aboard the Kokuka Courageous reportedly suffered minor injuries.
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet said in a statement that it was “aware of the reported attack on shipping vessels” and dispatched the USS Bainbridge for assistance.
The alleged attack also comes amidst escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Last month, National Security Adviser John Bolton accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, and said any attacks in the Persian Gulf would prompt a “very strong response” from the U.S. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denied that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons, but said “America could not do anything” about it if it were, according to AP.
The New York Timesreports that Iran has also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would greatly disrupt oil transport.
Oil prices spiked following the latest conflict, with the price of Brent Crude Oil hitting more than $62 a barrel Thursday morning.
As the head of the United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres works to solve the world’s thorniest issues from humanitarian crises to international terrorism knowing that the nature of these conflicts prevents any definitive resolution.
But climate change is different, he tells TIME.
As populist leaders around the globe have sowed doubts about multilateral institutions like the U.N., Guterres says that climate change, perhaps the biggest collective action problem, offers an opportunity like no other issue for the system to “prove its value.”
“We are involved in the prevention of conflicts, and we are involved in trying to solve Libya, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan. But those are areas in which what we can do is limited,” he said in a May 22 interview at the U.N. headquarters in New York. “Climate change is for me, clearly an area where the U.N. has the obligation to assume global leadership.”
Average global temperatures have risen 1°C since the start of the industrial era. And they will rise to about 3°C by the end of the century without new policies, according to an analysis from Climate Action Tracker.
Nonetheless Guterres says the system is working, pointing to the landmark Paris Agreement, agreed to by nearly 200 countries in 2015. In the lead up to that deal, countries announced concreteplans to reduce their emissions. In the agreement itself, they committed to work to keep temperature rise to “well below” 2°C and ideally to 1.5°C. Guterres also cited last year’s climate talks in Poland, where countries agreed on the rules to implement the deal, as an example of the U.N. bringing countries together to fight global warming.
Guterres hopes that the climate summit he is hosting this fall will be another opportunity for the world to tackle global warming — and this time bring commitments to reduce emissions closer in line with a maximum temperature rise of 1.5°C by the end of the century.
The purpose of the summit is not “to convene a conference to come to a consensus on a document,” he says. “It is to make country by country assume leadership and assume this ambition that is necessary.”
There are hints that this could work: just this week the United Kingdom committed to eliminating its carbon emissions by 2050 and Japan’s cabinet approved a plan to work to go carbon neutral. Last month, Germany too said it would work toward net zero emissions by 2050.
In response to a question about influencing governments that have been resistant to climate change, like the Trump Administration, Guterres said he has looked to encourage movements and people on the ground as a means to get governments into action.
“200 years ago, the decisions were made by the king,” he said. “Now more and more, we see government’s following public opinions.”
Guterres, who is on the cover of TIME this week, also discussed his recent visit to the Pacific, where he met with world leaders who are facing the effects of climate change firsthand. He described meeting a family in Tuvalu whose home is threatened by rising seas and recounted the call for urgent action he received from local leaders.
“The good thing about going to the Pacific is to see some of these people that we can rescue,” he said. “That gives us — an enormous, on one side moral obligation, but on the other enormous enthusiasm to do things.”
The excerpts below from TIME’s interview with Guterres have been lightly edited for clarity.
How does climate permeate through the portfolio of issues that you work on?
When you look into the agenda of the United Nations, you have a number of areas that are absolutely central to our activity, peace and security, etc. We are involved in the prevention of conflicts, and we are involved in trying to solve Libya, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan. But those are areas in which what we can do is limited.
We do everything we can… But as you know the Security Council is many times divided on these issues, so there’s a lot of damage control that needs to be done in order to seize all opportunities… It’s not an area where you can have easily a global leadership for a simple objective. And the same applies to several other questions.
Now, climate change is for me, clearly an area where the U.N. has the obligation to assume global leadership. There’s not a question of diplomacy… It’s absolutely essential for the planet, and we have the obligation to do everything we can to try to push this present situation to be reversed. And so this is clearly one of the areas where I believe the U.N. has the obligation to assume a global leadership and to try to push and to bring together everyone.
Do you see the destabilizing effect of climate as a threat to multilateralism?
On the contrary, I think climate change has, to a certain extent, boosted multilateralism in the sense that you had the Paris Agreement. Katowice was a success, compared to other areas. I think what’s now put more into question multilateralism in many societies are problems like the lack of capacity in the international community to properly manage migration, for instance. Climate change is not a problem for multilateralism, climate change is a problem for us all. But I think climate change offers an opportunity for multilateralism to prove its value.
How do you reconcile the dire situation in the Pacific with the sort of optimism or the inspiration that you might get from seeing their resilience?
I was for 10 years high commissioner for refugees. That was the best in my life: to be able to be in regular contact with the people in the most dramatic circumstances, and to be able to do something, and there it was clear I could do it, to do something that could change their lives…
Now, here it’s more difficult because it’s more complex but at least with climate change I have something in which if I am able to assume the leadership, I’m able to mobilize leaders and make them take the right decisions, lots of people will not die, lots of people will see their lives improved. It’s not as direct as high commissioner for refugees because there I would be there immediately, but the good thing about going to the Pacific is to see some of these people that we can rescue. And that gives us — an enormous, on one side moral obligation but on the other side enormous enthusiasm to do things.
How has your job changed dealing with cities and states and institutions and other things that are filling the void of some of these countries that might be lagging? And do you see that as part of your remit?
This is an intergovernmental organization, so we have to deal essentially with governments. And that is large part of the work. But it is true that more and more power is distributed in societies… It is clear that if you want to achieve results, you need to mobilize those that have an influence in the way decisions are made. 200 years ago, the decisions were made by the king and that was easy, convince the king…
Now more and more, we see governments following public opinions, and so looking at the polls and looking at these things. To deal directly with societies becomes more and more important to influence political decisions. And so I think it’s my obligation when we deal with issues like climate change that are global issues, to of course deal with governments, but to concentrate a lot of my time in dealing with those that can progressively shift public opinions to make governments necessarily follow.
One thing I hear from various ministers and leaders of some of these vulnerable countries is that some of the processes like with the Green Climate Fund, or even with the UNFCCC, where one country can drag down the process, have become very difficult to deal with that. Are there various reforms that you think would be helpful?
Our effort now is less in relation to these mechanisms of decision and more and more — that’s why we are convening the climate summit — to ask countries to do their part. We all know what needs to be done. I mean the scientific evidence is there. We all know what needs to be done, and so we are pushing countries. I must say I feel we are having some success, but of course it’s still early. We’ll see how the summit goes. But to push countries to come with their pledges because they will have to renew in 2020 their nationally determined contributions and according to the Paris Agreement this is done country by country so the appeal, especially to the most important interlocutors here, the G20, is country by country there are things you need to do and to convince them. And I have to say that this dialogue has been quite interesting and I am hopeful that this will produce results. It’s not to convene a conference to come to a consensus on a document. It is to make country by country assume leadership and assume this ambition that is necessary… So my feeling is that this is the moment, not to look into the bureaucratic procedures, but to really raise ambition and make decision makers understand that this is the battle of our lifetime.
What concrete expectations do you have from countries? They don’t need to come up with their new NDCs [Nationally Determined Contributions] yet, but you also want more than just rhetoric. What’s the line?
The objective is to have NDCs in 2020, because that’s when the NDCs are supposed to be renewed, that are fully compatible with 1.5 degrees at the end of the century… September is an impulse in that direction, and a mobilization of more and more countries in order to make them understand… It’s to create a movement and to involve the public opinion, involve the business community, to involve the cites. What we need now is to mobilize the public opinion, and to mobilize the governments, and to mobilize the key stake holders, the key actors, for a common understanding that we need to do it. I mean it’s a challenge. But one thing is clear: we cannot lose this battle.
Once again, Italy and the E.U. are headed toward confrontation. They fought a protracted battle last year over the impact of Italy’s budget on its debt before arriving at a compromise in December, but the problem has re-emerged, and it’s not clear whether a larger fight can be avoided.
In recent days, Italy’s technocratic Prime Minister has pledged to resign if leaders of the Five Star Movement and the League, the two parties that make up the country’s fractious coalition government, fail to put aside differences to agree on a budget the E.U. will accept, one that won’t saddle Italy with ever more dangerous levels of debt.
At first, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s threat seemed to have worked. League leader Matteo Salvini and Five Star head Luigi Di Maio emerged from a meeting on June 10 talking of a “shared goal” of avoiding E.U. action against Italy “while safeguarding economic growth, employment, as well as tax cuts,” according to a statement from Salvini. “I’m not interested in fighting with the E.U.,” Di Maio said on June 11, “but we must get the results Italians are interested in.”
The reasoning is straightforward. Italy’s economy is weak; the Bank of Italy has cut its 2019 economic growth forecast to 0.3%. Five Star wants to respond by spending more to help people manage hardship, creating a minimum wage and continuing a “citizen’s income” scheme, similar to the idea of basic income. The League wants sharp personal and corporate tax cuts that its leaders say will jump-start growth and reduce unemployment.
But the E.U. says Italy is already on track to spend too much. Its rules say Italy must keep deficits at 3%, and the European Commission has forecast a nominal deficit of 3.5% for next year. Italy’s budget will violate E.U. rules. The only real question is by how much–and what Brussels will do about it.
E.U. fears are well founded. Italy’s €2.3 trillion ($2.6 trillion) debt is about 132% of its 2018 economic output. Only Greece is in worse shape, and Greece’s economy is small enough that it can be bailed out. Italy’s economy, the euro zone’s third largest, is far too big for that.
That’s why Italy’s worries are well founded too. The E.U. has power to impose fines, cut funding and order Italy to cut spending and raise taxes to meet its commitments. The greater concern is market fear, underlined by Prime Minister Conte, that ratings agencies could downgrade the country’s credit rating, making it more expensive for Italy to borrow. E.U. action, even if it doesn’t come with specific penalties, makes these troubles more likely.
Underneath the market jitters are fresh concerns that Five Star and the League are competing with each other to please voters in advance of potential snap elections. Five Star remains the coalition’s senior partner, but it’s the League that is gaining popularity and political momentum. Both sides know that austerity measures will anger the electorate, and both have won votes in the past by attacking the E.U. and its rules.
The risks of defying those rules forced the two populist parties to climb down last year. That will probably happen again. But this year, Italy’s debt could cause more than just political infighting–it could lead to Europe’s next major crisis.
This appears in the June 24, 2019 issue of TIME.
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NCERT Result 2019 Date Out!!! Applicants those who have appeared for the RIE Common Entrance Exam 2019 are eagerly waiting for the NCERT Result 2019. Yes, for the Applicants we are going to announce the Result Date now. The National Council Of Educational Research And Training is going to announce the result for B.Sc.B.Ed./ B.A. B.Ed./ M.Sc. Ed on 10th July 2019. Also, it’s going to announce the result for B.Ed./ B.Ed. M.Ed./ M.Ed on 20th July 2019. Here we will be updating the latest result link, it will work once the result will publish it by officially.
NCERT Result 2019
Officials of the NCERT have mentioned that they are going to release the Results for both B.Sc.B.Ed./ B.A.B.Ed./ M.Sc.Ed & B.Ed./ B.Ed.-M.Ed. (integrated)/ M.Ed. programs on two different dates. RIE Common Entrance Exam has been conducted on 09th June 2019. Those who have been appeared for the Common Entrance Exam can check their results from the official website of the National Council Of Educational Research And Training i.e, cee.ncert.gov.in. Also here on this page applicants can get the NCERT CEE Score Card and Counseling details from the below section of this article.
NCERT CEE Result 2019 – Overview
Description
Details
Organization Name
National Council Of Educational Research And Training
Exam Name
Regional Institute of Education Common Entrance Examination 2019
B.Sc.B.Ed./ B.A. B.Ed./ M.Sc. Ed: 10th July 2019 B.Ed./ B.Ed. M.Ed./ M.Ed: 20th July 2019
Official Website
cee.ncert.gov.in
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has invited the Applicants for the admission into various Teacher Education programs, run under Regional Institutes of Education. All the Eligible & Interested Applicants Applied for Admission and attended the Examination. Here on this page Applicants can download their CEE Results without any hesitation. Because we will provide a direct link to verify your results. After releasing the RIE CEE Result 2019, within one or two weeks the higher officials from the National Council Of Educational Research And Training will release the Score Card.
Applicants those who need to attend the cee.ncert.gov.in Counselling 2019 should have the RIE CEE Score Card 2019. The RIE CEE Rank Card 2019 will have information such as the Name of the Candidate, Father Name, Date of Birth, Hall Ticket Number, Exam Name, Course Details, Marks Obtained in the RIE CEE, Rank. Also, Applicants need to know more details about NCERT Result 2019 can refer to this article.
NCERT CEE Counselling 2019
Once the results and Score Card will be issued to the Candidates, they should attend the Counseling process to take admission. So the applicants will be waiting for the date of Counseling. Until now the Organization has not announced the Counselling dates. Once it will announce the NCERT CEE Results, they will publish the Counseling date. Here on this page, we will be providing the latest Updates about the Counseling Process. We advise the applicants to bookmark this page to get the latest and updated information.
Steps to check the RIE CEE Result 2019
Visit the official site of the National Council Of Educational Research And Training at cee.ncert.gov.in
Then search for the RIE CEE 2019 link
Find the RIE CEE Result 2019 link and click on it
A new page will be open, should enter required details
Your NCERT Result 2019 will be open with pdf file
Download or take a print out of the result for further reference.
Important links to download RIE CEE Result 2019
Download RIE CEE Result 2019 – Link will be available soon
Searching for Haryana Police Syllabus 2019 pdf? Then you are in the right destination for your search. Here we have given detailed Haryana Police Constable/SI Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2019 Pdf and also download link to check the details offline. Candidates who are searching for updated syllabus and exam pattern can get it over here. Its a great opportunity for the aspirants who have passed their graduation in any stream. But, the competition will be very high thus practice for exam forehead to score good marks in the exam. For further details read the entire article and also check the official site for additional information.
Haryana Police Syllabus 2019
Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) various Police vacancies are out now. Applicants who are applying for the Haryana Police exam 2019 and are searching for the exam syllabus. For those aspirants, we are providing Police Constable & Sub Inspector exam pattern and syllabus to help applicants in getting an idea of the exam.
Haryana Police Recruitment 2019 released notification to fill up to 6400 male & female candidates for Police Constable and Sub Inspector posts. The application process started on 12th June 2019. The applicants who have not yet applied and yet planning to apply, do it before the last date. The last date to fill the application form is on 28th June including application fee payment. So, applicants searching for Haryana Police Constable/SI Syllabus 2019 & Exam Pattern can get it in the below sections.
Haryana Police Constable/ SI notification 2019 – Details
The Selection process of Haryana Police Vacancy 2019 is of 4 stages in total. They are:
Written Exam
Physical Screening Test
Physical Measurement Test
Document Verification
Haryana Police Constable/SI exam pattern 2019
Exam pattern of HSSC Police Constable
Topics
No. Of Questions
Marks
General Knowledge
100
80
Reasoning Ability
Numerical Ability
Agriculture
Current Affairs
Animal Husbandry
General Science
The exam questions will be of Objective type questions.
Each correct answer carries 0.8 marks.
The exam paper will be in both English & Hindi.
Minimum 10 10 questions are expected from Computer Awareness section.
For much more information of HSSC Police Constable and Sub Inspector syllabus & exam pattern 2019 related to PST, PMT & Document Verification details check the syllabus pdf link given in the below table.
Download HSSC Police Constable/ SI Syllabus 2019 pdf
The Syllabus for Constable/SI post is given in detail over here. The syllabus is given in subject wise so it will be easier to prepare for the exam according to subjects. Applicants who are appearing for Haryana Police exam 2019 can go through the detailed syllabus.
General Knowledge & Current Affairs
History of India (Haryana mostly) & its Adjacent Countries
Culture
Geography
Economical Scenario
Constitution of India & State Administration
Political series of Country Five-Year Plan
Contribution of Haryana in the National Movement.
Reasoning Ability
Analogies
Similarities and differences
Problem-solving
Relationship
Arithmetical computation and other analytical functions
Venn diagrams
Relationship concepts
Ability to observe and distinguish patterns etc.
Numerical Ability
Number Systems
Simplification
Decimals
Fractions
L.C.M.
H.C.F.
Ratio & Proportion
Percentage
Average
Profit & Loss
Discount
Simple & Compound Interest
Mensuration
Time & Work
Time & Distance
Tables & Graphs, etc.
General Science
Scientific methodology concepts, principles, and techniques
Physics
Chemistry
Life sciences (Biology)
The earth/space sciences, technologies, etc.
Agriculture
History/ Facts of Agriculture
Fruits & Vegetable
Crop Production
Soil
Fertility
Fertilizing
Irrigation and Damage
Weed/Pests Control
Types of Crops
Soil & Land
Horticulture
Plantation and Deforestation etc.
Animal Husbandry
Importance of animal
Livestock farming
Animal Nutrition and nutritional importance
Dairy
Animal breeds
Diseases and symptoms in animal etc.
Related Links to Haryana police Syllabus 2019
Get HSSC Haryana Police Official Syllabus 2019 Pdf
RRB Paramedical Admit Card 2019: Railway Recruitment Board has Officially out the recruitment notification for filling the Paramedical Vacancies. All the Aspirants who have applied for the RRB Paramedical Examination can check their application status and can download the Admit Card after it released. So, Aspirants do check with our webpage frequently to know the Admit Card status.
RRB Paramedical Admit Card 2019
Railway Recruitment Board has invited application for the post of Various Paramedics. Hence, the Admit Card has not yet released. But, Candidates don’t get panic about the Hall Ticket. We are here to help you in downloading the Admit Card. The Call Letter will be available before 10/15 days from the exam date. So, Aspirants frequently visit the Official Website of Railway Recruitment Board.
RRB Paramedical CBT Exam Hall Ticket 2019 – Overview
While downloading the admit card, candidates should check that all the details mentioned on the admit card is correct as per their knowledge. The following details are going to be mentioned on the RRB Paramedical Admit Card 2019.
Full Name of the Candidate.
Name of the Applicant's Father.
Gender (Male/ Female).
Registration Number
Candidate's Date of Birth
Exam Centre, Code, and Venue.
Duration of the Examination.
Hall Ticket/ Roll Number.
Name of the Test.
Important Guidelines for the Exam.
Space for Invigilator's Signature.
Reporting Time to the Exam Cell.
Photograph of the Applicant.
Space for Candidate's Signature.
RRB Paramedical CBT Exam Pattern 2019
Railway Recruitment Board has not yet announced the Exam Date and furtherly Exam Dates will be declared in the Official Website. Moreover, Candidates let start their preparation for the examination because the Board will declare the exam date at any time. So, Make preparations similarly. Candidates should make sure that they carry the necessary documents on the day of the exam. In case a candidate fails to bring the relevant documents then he/she will not be allowed to appear for the exam. Candidates can check the documents mentioned below which they need to carry it on the exam day.
Subjects
Number of Questions
Professional ability
70
General Awareness
10
General Arithmetic, General Intelligence, and reasoning
10
General Science
10
Total
100 Questions
The Examination will be in Multiple Choice Questions.
Each question carries 1 Mark.
The time duration will be 1 hour and 30 minutes.
For PWD Candidates, the time duration will be 2 hours.
Download RRB Paramedical Admit Card 2019
Aspirants will be issued by the Admit Card from RRB and hence download it whether if you are the one who has applied in the Online Registration. RRB Paramedical Exam Date 2019, Venue will be available in the admit card. Candidates are advised to keep a track on the official website for latest updates regarding Railway Paramedical Admit Card 2019. Bring the listed ID Proof to the Examination Center at the date of Examination.
Aadhar Card
RRB Paramedical Admit Card
College ID
Ration Card
Driving License
PAN Card
Voter ID
Any Valid ID Proof Issued By Gazetted Officer
Bank Passbook
Passport
How to Download RRB CBT Admit Card 2019?
1st Step: Click on the Direct Link of “RRB Paramedical Admit Card” 2nd Step: Enter the Registration Number/ Roll Number on the page. 3rd Step: Enter the Captcha given on the page. 4th Step: Now, Login and the Admit Card will appear on the screen. 5th Step: Fill all the credentials into it. 6th Step: Finally, Submit the Admit Card and download it. 7th Step: Take a print out of the Admit Card for future use.
Direct Links to Download RRB Paramedical Admit Card 2019
WBPDCL Admit Card 2019: West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited has released the Admit Card for the registered aspirants. Moreover, all correspondence will be done through Email or Mobile access for the registered candidates. The WBPDCL Hall Ticket is released in the month of June 2019. So, the aspirants can download it from the below-given link.
WBPDCL Admit Card 2019
West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited officials have announced Admit Card For the written examination conducted by the authorities for various posts. Responsibility for downloading and printing of the Admit Card shall be that of the candidate. The WBPDCL will not be responsible for any failure of email sent to the invalid email ID provided by the candidates or delivery of emails to SPAM/ BULK mail folder etc.
The Applicants who downloaded the WBPDCL Call Letter 2019 are advised to check the details on the admit card. However, we are listing out the important West Bengal Phase II Exam Admit Card details below. Also, don't forget to carry the WBPDCL Admit Card to the exam center. Likewise, without the WBPDCL Admit Card, the candidate will not be allowed to write the examination. Hence, check the details below.
Name of the Applicant.
Exam Date, Time & Centre.
Post Applied for.
Application or Registration Number
Father Name and
Important Instructions.
WBPDCL Recruitment 2019
West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL), a Government of West Bengal Enterprise, engaged in the business of Generation of Electricity in the State of West Bengal, has invited applications from Indian Nationals to fill up the 328 positions for its Corporate Office and Power Stations / Projects located at different places across West Bengal. Hence all the Aspirants who are eligible for the Examination of the Board can download the Admit Card from the below link. Candidates should be in touch with the Official website of West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited. Visit this Page WBPDCL Operator/ Technician Admit Card.
Download WBPDCL Exam Hall Ticket 2019
WBPDCL Operator Admit Cards are available in the official portal www.wbpdcl.co.in. All the required hopefuls who want to get the hall ticket or call letter must visit the above mentioned official website. After downloading the admit card aspirants must check all the details which have mentioned in the admit card. If the applicants find any mistakes in the admit card must correct them and take a printout and carry them into the examination hall. Unfortunately, aspirants forget carrying the admit card into the examination hall they are unable to write the examination. So to help the applicants we have also given official links in the below of the article. Carry the mentioned Original and Photocopy of the ID Proofs along with the Admit Card.
Aadhar Card
College ID
Ration Card
Driving License
PAN Card
Voter ID
Any Valid ID Proof Issued By Gazetted Officer
Bank Passbook
Passport
How to Download WBPDCL Call Letter 2019-20
Click on “WBPDCL Admit Card” Link.
The home page opens.
Enter the Registration Number and Submit.
Now, the Admit Card will appear on the Screen.
Fill all the Valid Particulars in it.
Finally, Submit the Admit Card and Download it.
Take a print out of the Admit Card for future use.
Direct Links to download WBPDCL Phase II Admit Card
SAIL Previous Papers for Medical Officer/ Medical Specialist, Management Trainee, OCTT, ACTT, Junior Manager & other exam is available here. Also, Sail Previous Year Question Paper for Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Chemical, Fitter & Other can be found here. Also, check the exam pattern and exam date details for the respective vacancies in the particular sections below.
SAIL Previous Papers
Steel Authority of India Previous Year Question Papers is helpful for the applicants in preparation. Aspirants who applied for the SAIL vacancies might be in search of model paper. Hence, to help the job seekers in their preparation we have given the direct download link below. Hence, find the respective SAIL Previous question paper links and download the pdf for free of cost.
Every year SAIL used to conduct the written test followed by Trade/Skill Test to recruit efficient candidates. Hence, applicants are advised to check the exam pattern and SAIL Exam Syllabus details before starting preparation. This helps the candidates in the preparation and analyzing the question paper pattern. However, download the free SAIL Previous year question paper and start your preparation.
SAIL Previous Year Question Papers Pdf
Steel Authority of India Recruitment 2018-19 Details
Organization Name
Steel Authority of India (SAIL)
Post Name
Medical Officer and Medical Specialist, Management Trainee, Mining Sirdar, OCTT, ACTT & Other
Previous Year SAIL Question Paper for Medical Officer
SAIL Exam Papers for Medical Officer and Medical Specialist posts are available here. Candidates who are applying for the SAIL Vacancy 2019 can get here complete SAIL Previous Year Question Papers in detail. Also, download SAIL Old Question Paper Pdf from the below links.
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has recently released 129 vacancies for the posts of Medical Officer and Medical Specialist (E3 and E1). Aspirants who have applied for the posts need to appear for the Online Written Examination that is going to be conducted on 21st July 2019 (Afternoon). For those, we have provided here the SAIL Exam Question Papers to get an idea of the examination. Download the Previous Papers links from below.
SAIL Exam Pattern 2019 for Medical Officer & Medical Specialist
Sl No
Subjects
Marks
Duration
1
General Awareness
20
90 Mins
2
Medical Content Test
80
Total Marks
100
The online written test will consist of Objective Type Questions
Total Marks for the examination is 100 Marks
Download SAIL Exam Question Paper Pdf
Here, we have given the SAIL previous year paper pdf download links for reference purpose only. Aspirants appearing for the written examination need to prepare for the Medical Content Test according to NEET Examination for MD Course. Hope the given SAIL Old Question Papers will help the candidates to prepare well for the examination.
SAIL Exam Previous Year Question Paper – General Awareness
Steel Authority of India (B0karo) given the official notification for Attendant-cum-Technician (Trainee), Operator-cum-Technician (Trainee), Junior Manager, Nurse & other Posts. However, the board is going to conduct the written test for all the posts above. Hence, here are the direct download links for SAIL Previous Year Question Papers for Mechanical, electrical & Other.
The Applicants of Steel Authority of India Recruitment 2018 can find the previous Question Paper free pdf download links here. Furthermore, just click on links and download Pdf. Refer the SAIL Exam Paper – Model Paper Pdf. The board has given official notification to fill 156 ACTT and OCTT Posts and 235 OCTT, Junior Asst, Nurse & Other posts. All the listed Posts are having a written test. Hence. check the latest and updated details in the section below and start your preparation.
Steel Authority of India Exam Pattern for OCTT, ACTT Exam 2018-19
Download SAIL Apprentice Previous Year Question Papers
SAIL Question Paper for Trade Apprentice is available on our page. As the candidates are in search of SAIL previous year question paper for apprentice written exam. we have given the study material to help the applicants in the preparation. The applicants who applied for the TA vacancies will have written exam and skill test as part of the selection.
However, check the exam pattern details and list of subjects applicants need to cover for the written exam. Also, find the direct download links for the SAIL question paper and get the pdf for free of cost. Hope our material will help you in the preparation. The paper given is only for reference and same questions won’t come in the main examination. Hence, download and refer all the SAIL Exam Model Question Paper below. Interested aspirants can check the official SAIL website @sail.co.in for more details.
Exam Pattern for Steel Authority of India Bhilai Exam 2018
S.No
Exam Type
Name of the Subjects
1
Objective Type Question
Aptitude
2
English
3
Reasoning
4
General Knowledge
Get SAIL Exam Paper – TA Previous Papers Pdf Download
Candidates searching for SAIL Management Trainee Question Papers can find in this section. The Official SAIL Previous Year Question Papers for Management Trainee are not found. Hence, we have given the study material and SAIL exam model question paper in the tabular section below. Interested aspirants can check the official SAIL Exam Papers page for more details.
The exam pattern for management trainee examination is updated below. Aspirants who are interested can check the exam pattern details below and start your preparation. The exam pattern gives the overview of SAIL exam paper pattern. Candidates can analyze the question paper pattern easy and prepare well. Hence, refer to all the study material given below before going to the main examination. The candidate who clear written is only eligible for the interview round. And the online written examination is going to be conducted on 21st July 2019.
Exam Pattern for Steel Authority of India MT Examination
S.No
Part
Name of the Subjects
Marks
Duration
1
Domain Knowledge Test
100
40 Mins
2
Aptitude Test
Quantitative Aptitude
25
80 Mins
3
English Language
25
4
Reasoning
25
5
General Awareness
25
Total Marks
200
120 Mins
It will consist of Objective Type Questions
The total marks for the examination are 200
Total time duration is 2 Hours
Download SAIL Management Trainee Exam Question Papers Pdf
Steel Authority of India has given the notification for Mining Sirdar, Overman, Surveyor recruitment 2019. Aspirants who are eligible have applied for the vacancies. Now they might be in search of SAIL mining sirdar previous question paper pdf. However, for those candidates, we are providing some material for preparation.
Applicants of SAIL mining sirdar can find the exam model paper pdf in this section. The material given on our page is only for reference. Hence, download and refer all the papers. Check the exam pattern details given before starting your preparation. Having knowledge of exam paper pattern helps a lot in preparation.
RPF Constable Admit Card 2019. The Railway Protection Force released the Admit Card for the post of Constable Ancillary in various Trade Recruitment 2019. Hence, those Candidates who have appeared in the recruitment can download the PET/ PMT Admit Card released by the board. The Hall Ticket is needed for Computer-based exams, Trade Exams, and Phase IV Exams. All the details about the Admit Card, how to download steps and others are available in the below section.
RPF Constable Admit Card 2019
Railway Police Force Constable Ancillary Admit Card is now available in the official website of RPF Board. But Aspirants can download the Hall Ticket from the direct link given below. We direct you to download the RPF Call Letter in an easy manner. So, start downloading the PET/ PMT Admit Card and start preparations for the upcoming examinations which is going to be conducted by the RPF Board. The RPF Call Letter will be available from 12th June 2019.
RPF Constable Ancillary Hall Ticket 2019 – Overview
Aspirants who are applied in Railway Police Force to join as a Constable Ancillary can download the Admit Card. Though, Contenders are strictly advised to get the RPF Hall Ticket before the examination. Notice, the Candidates who have successfully cleared the CBT Test will be eligible to download the PET/ PMT Admit Card. Candidates have to enter the valid Login Credentials in order to get the RPF Call Letter. Check whether all the below mentioned details are clearly entered in the process of filling the RPF PET/ PMT Admit Card 2019.
Full Name of the Candidate.
Name of the Applicant's Father.
Gender (Male/ Female).
Registration Number
Candidate's Date of Birth
Exam Centre, Code, and Venue.
Duration of the Examination.
Hall Ticket/ Roll Number.
Name of the Test.
Important Guidelines for the Exam.
Signature of the Commission Councillor.
Space for Invigilator's Signature.
Reporting Time to the Exam Cell.
Photograph of the Applicant.
Space for Candidate's Signature.
RPF Constable Ancillary Exam 2019
RPF had organized an online Computer-based test (CBT) in all zonal railways and RPSF. Now Selected Candidates Will be Called for The PET / PMT. Admission to all stages in the recruitment process shall be purely provisional. On the day of the exam, candidates must make sure that they carry admit card, along with a valid photo id proof and passport size photograph. To grasp more detailed information about RPF Constable Ancillary Admit Card 2019, candidates can go through this article. The examination will be conducted in the month of June 2019/ July 2019. The exam date will be mentioned in the Admit Card.
Physical Efficiency Test(PET)/ Physical Standard Test 2019
All Candidates Qualifying CBT Will be Called for PET & PMT. PET/PMT is qualifying in nature. No marks are to be awarded.
Category
800 meters run
Long Jump
High Jump
Constable (Ancillary)
3 min 40 secs
9 Feet
3 Feet
For the 800 meters event, only one chance will be given. For the Remaining events viz Long Jump & High Jump, the candidates will be given up to 2 chances each.
Ex-Serviceman shall be exempted from PET. However, they will have to undergo PMT.
Category
Height Male (Cms)
Chest Male (Cms)
Height Female (Cms)
UR/OBC
165
80 – 85
157
SC/ST
160
76.2 – 81.2
152
From Garhwalis, Gorkhas, Marathas, Dogras, Kumaonese, and Other Categories Specified by Govt.
163
80 – 85
155
Download RPF PET/ PMT Admit Card 2019
Candidates can go through the above table for the eligibility. Later, the eligible examiners can download the Hall Ticket. If once the admit card was downloaded it cannot be changed. Do check with the Admit Card details while filling it. Because corrections could not be made after you download it. The Board will not take any responsibility for any type of mistakes. So, make it perfect while entering the details. The Admit Card can be downloaded until the examination date.
Aadhar Card
RPF Constable Admit Card
College ID
Ration Card
Driving License
PAN Card
Voter ID
Any Valid ID Proof Issued By Gazetted Officer
Bank Passbook
Passport
How to Download RPF Group E Admit Card 2019?
1st Step: Click on the Direct Link of “RPF PET/ PMT Admit Card 2019” which is available below 2nd Step: Enter the Registration Number/ Roll Number on the page. 3rd Step: Clear the Captcha has given on the page. 4th Step: Now, Login and the Admit Card will appear on the screen. 5th Step: Fill all the credentials into it. 6th Step: Finally, Submit the Admit Card and download it. 7th Step: Take a print out of the Admit Card for future use.
Direct Links to Download RPF Constable Ancillary Admit Card 2019
Are you searching for HSSC Canal Patwari Syllabus 2019? Then, you are in the right place for your search. Here we have given Haryana Patwari syllabus 2019 pdf download link to check the latest syllabus & exam pattern before starting to prepare for the exam. Also, check for Haryana (HSSC) Canal Patwari exam pattern 2019 along with syllabus. For much more details go through the below sections of the article and start preparing for the exam.
HSSC Canal Patwari Syllabus 2019 Pdf
Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) various vacancies are out now. Candidates who are planning to apply for Patwari post under HSSC Board may be looking for the exam syllabus. For those, we are providing here the complete written examination pattern along with syllabus so that it gets easier for the aspirants to get an idea of the examination.
HSSC Haryana Patwari notification is released to fill up 588 Patwari posts. The online applications will be accepted from 14th June 2019 to 28th June 2019. Since the HSSC patwari exam will be coming soon, stay in touch to get all the updates regarding Haryana patwari exam date 2019. So, applicants who are searching for Haryana HSSC Patwari Recruitment 2019 syllabus can get here the latest syllabus in the below sections of the article.
Applicants who are applying for the EPFO Assistant Posts will be selected based on the following criteria –
Selection Process:
Written Exam (Exam will be either online CBT OR OMR Based)
Socio-Economic Criteria & Experience
HSSC Canal Patwari Exam Paper Pattern 2019
Haryana (HSSC) patwari exam pattern
Subjects
Marks
Written Exam
90
Socio-Economic Criteria & Experience
10
90 Marks of written examination divided into 2 sections i.e.
75% weightage given to General awareness, reasoning, maths, Science, Computer, English, Hindi, and concerned subjects.
25% weightage for History, Current Affairs, Literature, Geography, Civics, Environment, Culture, etc.
Socio-Economic criteria and experience allocated as follows:
If neither of family members is a former employee of any Government of India.
If the applicant is a widow.
The first or the second child and his father had died before attaining the age of 42 years
The first or the second child and his father had died before the the applicant had attained the age of 15 years
For much more details related to HSSC Patwari syllabus Pattern check the official site i.e. hssc.gov.in.
Subject Wise Haryana Patwari Syllabus in Hindi Pdf
The HSSC Patwari vacancy 2019 Syllabus for the post of Patwari is given here in detail. Following are the subjects from which the questions will be asked for the exam. Aspirants who are preparing for the Haryana HSSC Patwari Exam 2019 can go through the detailed syllabus.
Haryana Patwari 2019 Syllabus – Reasoning
Analogies
Similarities and differences
Spatial visualization
Spatial orientation
Problem-solving
Analysis
Judgment
Decision making
Visual memory
Discrimination
Observation
Relationship concepts
Arithmetic Reasoning
Verbal and figure classification
Arithmetical number series
Non-verbal series
Coding and decoding
Statement conclusion
Syllogistic reasoning
HSSC Canal Patwari Syllabus – General Awareness
Current Events – Haryana, National, International.
Yes Bank will not be impacted by the liquidity crisis that has affected a few non-banking financial institutions, and there are unlikely to be any nasty surprises due to higher bad loans or slippages from its watch list, new CEO Ravneet Gill has said.The private sector lender, which dropped out of the list of the top 10 most valuable banks on Thursday after rating and brokerage downgrades, has come clean on potential bad loans and provided for contingent liabilities, Gill said. Untitled Carousel 69781049 "I spoke to both our auditors and concurrent auditors, and whether they had looked at this aspect closely," Gill told ET in an interview. "Both said they have gone really deep and found absolutely no linkages," he said in reply to a question on speculation about Yes Bank's dealings with Indiabulls Housing Finance, Dewan Housing Finance Corp Ltd and Reliance Capital.'Fears of More Bad Loans Unfounded'"To the best of my knowledge, I do not see anything lurking and which has not been highlighted, which can move the needle," Gill said.Yes Bank shares fell 13% to a five-year low of Rs 117.20 on the BSE on Thursday over fears the lender could get caught up in the liquidity crisis plaguing companies such as Reliance Capital, Indiabulls Financial Services and DHFL.There was drama at the bank's shareholders' meet on Wednesday over the possible return of cofounder Rana Kapoor to the board of directors. Brokerages had downgraded the Yes Bank stock on fears of a rise in stressed assets.Fears of more bad loans are unfounded, Gill said on Thursday, adding that Yes Bank is not in the same league as other lenders that have faced problems of expanding 'watch list' because their industry-wise exposure ran into cyclical issues."The market looks at what happened when they came up with watch list," said Gill. "In our case, there are a handful of names that are facing liquidity issues. These are not names that are in one industry or sector. There are resolutions underway. In some cases, it is asset sale. It may not be visible to the market."Gill also dismissed as speculation reports of Kapoor's possible reinduction on to the board. "If you look at it from the point of view of being the largest shareholder, it is in his interest to see a stable board and a stable institution. I don't see him doing anything that will destabilise that."Kapoor issued three tweets on Thursday, saying the promoter group fully supported and had voted in favour of all 19 resolutions at the bank's 15th annual general meeting on Wednesday. "The leadership team, MD & CEO Ravneet Gill and Board of Directors have my fullest support," Kapoor said.ET had reported on Tuesday about Kapoor's demand to be re-inducted on to the Yes Bank board.Gill, the former head of Deutsche Bank India, took over in March and has been attempting to restore confidence in Yes Bank after the RBI refused another three-year CEO term to Kapoor. It is believed the regulatory action was due to compliance issues. At least five directors have quit the Yes Bank board in the past year — two of them this week.But Gill said those issues were in the past, and that the bank has begun hiring to fill up the vacancies. He said many of the board panels, including the credit and nominations & remunerations committees, could be reconstituted to give comfort to investors."On the back of two exits that we have had, we will look to reconstitute the (board) committees. This is one of the points that was discussed given that we have three new members, including Mr Gandhi (former RBI deputy governor R Gandhi, who was appointed by the RBI to the Yes Bank board in May)."
MUMBAI: Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran Thursday said there has been some improvement when it comes to group companies working together, but there is both the need as well as the room for more collaboration between them.Addressing the annual general meeting of TCS, the cash-cow of the salt-to-software conglomerate Chandrasekaran said group companies work at an arm's length and there is full transparency, but exhorted the need to work together more."We have seen some improvements, but we need to improve a lot more," Chandrasekaran said.It can be noted that since taking over in February 2017, Chandrasekaran has embarked on a strategy for increased integrations between group companies, which includes getting companies from a particular vertical together like defence, and also merging companies--as he did with Tata Chemicals and Tata Global Beverages.The USD 100-billion plus group is working on a comprehensive plan to get down its water usage and carbon footprint, he said.Chandrasekaran, a career TCSian who rose to the top of the group, said there is a case for senior employees at the largest software exporter to be paid more.Replying to shareholders' queries on a rise in the number of employees drawing a salary of Rs 1 crore and above, he said the staff cost is only 53 percent of the revenue, which is very low compared to the peers.To a specific query on his brother and TCS chief operating officer N Ganapathy Subramaniam getting an extension, he said all the related party decisions are done at the appropriate fora.He said while TCS has a retirement age, the presence of extraordinary skillsets essential to negotiate the market landscape has resulted in 10-15 employees like Ritu Anand and Barindra Sanyal and others getting extensions.Chandrasekaran said while TCS has adequate women representation on the board and also 36 percent of the over 4 lakh employees are from the fairer sex, there is a need for more diversity among the management team.On the massive rise donations to political parties, by the Tata Trusts in the just concluded hustings, he said all the group firms contribute for the trusts ahead of an election every five years and the combined pool is split between political parties as per their strength in the Lok Sabha.It can be noted that the Tatas gave around Rs 600 crore in political funding in the 2019 hustings, which is over 20 times of what it had given for the 2014 polls. Of this, as much as Rs 220 crore was contributed by TCS.The company has thousands of patents, but those are largely to claim rights over new technologies such that they can be deployed for customers, he said, adding TCS is not looking at licensing the patents now.He said it is the shift to digital which is at the core of driving the business and that the company has invested in retraining all employees in the past few years."We are seeing beginning of a new cycle, demand environment will be strong. TCS is in for a multi-year cycle, help customers and grow its revenue," he said.TCS managing director and chief executive Rajesh Gopinathan said digital revenue has been growing at 50 percent annually and constituted over USD 6 billion of the overall USD 20 billion revenue in FY19.He said the company was able to close new deals of over USD 21.9 billion in the last fiscal.On the demand situation, he said it continues to be robust structurally but there are "lingering issues" on various fronts like Brexit or trade wars, and added that technological investments are high.There is volatility in deal pipeline, but the overall trend is strong, he said.The company expects the new finance minister to present a growth-oriented budget and re-ignite the digital India initiative with investments in technology, he said.
NEW DELHI: New Delhi: The government has reduced the contribution under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Act to 4% from 6.5%, a move expected to increase the takehome salary of workers as well as reduce the financial burden of employers. The decision will benefit 36 million workers and 1.28 million employers.This includes a reduction of 1.5% in employers' contribution to 3.25% from 4.75% and 1% reduction in employees' contribution to 0.75% from 1.75%, the labour ministry said in a statement on Thursday."The reduced rate of contribution will bring about a substantial relief to workers and will bring more and more workforce into the formal sector," the ministry said.Similarly, it said, a reduction in the share of contribution of employers will reduce the financial liability of the establishments, leading to improved viability of these establishments, and also lead to enhanced ease of doing business.The ESI Act 1948 under the labour ministry covers employees with salary up to Rs 21,000. Aiming to increase the country's formal workforce, the government had raised the wage ceiling in December 2016 to Rs 21,000 from Rs 15,000.The government's move to raise the wage ceiling for coverage under the scheme has resulted in an increase in enrolments under the scheme.The ESI Act provides for medical, cash, maternity, disability and dependent benefits to the insured persons funded by the contributions made by the employers and the employees. The Employees' State Insurance Corporation, under labour ministry, administers the scheme.Labour ministry data shows 36 million workers were insured under the scheme in 2018-19, with a contribution of Rs 22,279 crore.
NEW DELHI: India is looking to establish a single, mega staterun general insurer under New India Assurance, possibly revising its earlier plan to have two such firms. A government official confirmed that discussions are on between the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management to examine all possibilities. New India Assurance is the country's biggest general insurer.India has 25 general insurers, of which four are state-owned companies — New India, Oriental, National and United India.The initial plan, as announced in FY19 budget, had been to merge Oriental, National and United Insurance into one entity, keeping New India Assurance, which listed in 2017, separate. The first three entities are unlisted."There are already so many private sector entities operating in this sector… Why should two large state-run firms undercut each other's business," said the official cited above.The government is open to the plan outlined in the budget going ahead, followed by New India taking over the merged entity. Such a plan would create an entity in the general insurance space that's analogous to the stateowned Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC), besides allowing the government to get a payoff."If we first merge the three and then New India acquires this firm… This option can also be looked at," said another official aware of the development. "This will depend on the financial strength of New India and the government may raise some proceeds in the process."69780864 Meeting Solvency RatioNew India had a market share of 16.80% in terms of gross direct premium at the end of May, according to the latest Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) data. The combined share of the other three state-run insurers was about 25%.The finance ministry has been pushing the state-run general insurers to restructure loss-making portfolios, improve claim management and avoid pricing battles among each other in the last few years."Their capital requirements are also being looked at," said one of the officials cited above. The public-sector insurers' losses shrank to Rs 12,603 crore in FY18 from Rs 16,012 crore in FY17.Thanks to special dispensation from the insurance regulator, Oriental, United and National were able to meet the mandatory solvency ratio of 1.50% at the end of March 2018, said people with knowledge of the matter. Solvency ratio is the excess of capital and value of assets over insured liabilities. It indicates the buffer an insurer has to settle claims in extreme situations.Oriental's former chairman RK Kaul said, however, that it would be best to merge the three smaller companies first and let them stabilise. "New India Assurance is already doing fine and it has a significant international presence," he said. "This may not be the time to disrupt its operations in any way."The latest IRDAI annual report states that the non-life insurance sector grew by an inflation-adjusted 16.7% in 2017, with penetration rising to 0.93% from 0.56% in 2001.
MUMBAI: India's aviation regulator has cancelled critical authorisations to Jet Airways' engineering department, rendering it defunct and the grounded airline unable to carry out any maintenance work on aircraft, said three people aware of the matter.The action taken by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will impact the airline's most critical assets, its planes, which are in constant need of maintenance and preservation even as they are grounded. Experts said the development left very little value for Jet Airways' flying permit.The bankrupt airline now has 14 planes left in its fleet, primarily comprising the wide-bodied Boeing 777 planes that it owns. Most of its other planes were leased and have been deregistered by lessors as Jet Airways defaulted on monthly rentals. The airline still has around 500 engineers on its rolls.The DGCA's action also bars the airline from doing any third-party aircraft maintenance work for other airlines."Jet wasn't meeting the minimum criteria for its engineering department to do any maintenance work on planes, which is why the action has been taken," said a senior civil aviation ministry official, who did not wish to be identified.The regulator has cancelled authorisations under the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) M, 145 and 147, the official said.CAR M "specifies certain technical requirements to be complied by organisations and personnel involved in the maintenance of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances in order to demonstrate the capability and means of discharging the obligations and associated privileges thereof", according to the DGCA website. "It also specifies conditions of issuing, maintaining, amending, suspending or revoking certificates attesting such compliance."CAR145 "establishes the requirements to be met by an organisation to qualify for the issue or continuation of an approval for the maintenance of aircraft and components" and is required for an airline to do third party maintenance work. CAR 147 covers the training of personnel to carry out plane maintenance functions."The move leaves scant value for Jet's flying permit," said Mark Martin, founder of Martin Consulting, an aviation advisory firm. "While the dissolution of CAR M was expected, there was in my mind no need to dissolve CAR 145 and 147. Why would one want to club the third-party plane maintenance business as part of the Jet Airways airline entity? More so, since the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) has value with its infrastructure and technically is a service delivery unit."The DGCA's move happened after the airline's quality manager Biju Fernandes and continuing airworthiness manager D. Shyamsundar quit on May 31.
NEW DELHI: Japanese retail brand Miniso, which started operations in India in August 2017, is eyeing revenue of Rs 450 crore by the year-end, said Tyrone Li, India head, Miniso. Last year, its revenue was Rs 180 crore.India is the most important market for Miniso even though the US, Indonesia and Canada are fetching higher revenue, Li said. The country will also become the second biggest purchase market for Miniso globally, after China, in the next three years. "We plan to have 100 suppliers in India," said Li. In China, the company has 200 suppliers. Currently, it has just five suppliers in India, from where it will soon source textiles and cosmetics for the global market.Minoso has partnered with Indian-origin B2B ecommerce firm Achhacart to sell its products online. The retailer has also invested Rs 5 crore for a small stake in Achhacart. Its products will soon be available on other sites, such as Amazon and Flipkart.The Japanese retailer, which has found loyal customer base in India, will increase store count to 165 by the end of this year, from the current 105. Miniso, which operates as a single brand entity in India, has 80 franchisee-owned stores.It sells fashion accessories, household items, cosmetics, stationery, toys, kitchenware and electronics priced at Rs 75-1,500, targeting value-conscious consumers, especially the young.Miniso has already invested Rs 350 crore in India and this will increase significantly when it invests in manufacturing units of its suppliers. It also plans to build one more warehouse soon.
Mumbai: The financial market is waking up to dormant risks that are ignored in calmer times.Today, there is a lurking concern that jumpy investors may force corporate borrowers to pay back well before a bond matures by exercising features and covenants such as 'put options' and 'ratinglinked acceleration' in bonds and debentures.'Put options' on bonds allow investors to demand corporates to immediately pay back the debt while a 'rating-linked acceleration', giving investors similar power, can be triggered if credit rating of the security slips.When the going was good, many savvy investors had insisted on such conditions to protect their exposure in the event of a rating downgrade of the bond-issuing company or default. In a downgrade, there would be provision to redeem the investment or increase the coupon interest rate to reflect the new, riskier rating of the borrower. On one hand, these conditions were aimed at improving the liquidity of the investment; on the other hand, several companies agreed to the terms to lower funding cost."But, now, borrowers and lenders are in a catch 22 situation," said A Balasubramanian, CEO, Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund. "Borrowers thought these conditions ensured better rates and they would never be invoked. For lenders, they felt that they were protected. In the current scenarios, all these convictions are being challenged."Till recently, these covenants hardly mattered as defaults were fewer and the bond market sentiment was better. That changed as the IL&FS crisis boiled over to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), developers and other leveraged groups. Some fund managers said the exercising of such covenants, mainly the put options, is looming over companies especially the ones with lower ratings. Such actions are expected mostly from High Networth Individuals (HNIs)."To protect our interest as a lender in few cases we negotiate for a prepayment or higher coupon in case of sharp drop in rating. We also negotiate for put options across different timelines for a long maturity debt. Obviously from a borrower's point of view these are very stringent conditions. In a scenario when a company falls of on a rating curve their ability to refinance comes down, compounding their ALM mismatch. But most companies do not agree on such onerous terms," said Nilesh Shah, MD of Kotak Asset Management Co.According to Somasekhar Vemuri, senior director at CRISIL Ratings, if exercised, rating-linked triggers only end up creating more stress on terms of higher quantum of debt suddenly coming up for repayment and that too for issuers who would already be facing pressures resulting from downgrades. "Institutional investors understand this dynamic and have mostly refrained from exercising such triggers," said Vemuri.Invoking the put option of a bond investment when a company is least ready to repay is bound to lead to a default, downgrade, and a mark down of the Net Asset Value (NAV) of a debt mutual fund scheme holding the paper."Investors need to be sensible in such times as invoking put options could lead to an extreme situation of not getting the money back in a timely manner and could create permanent damage too," said Balasubramanian. "Abnormal situation needs unconventional approach to find solution".
In Thursday's rangebound trade, the headline Nifty50 swung nearly 100 points on either side before ending the day with minor gains. The session remained very much on expected lines as Nifty did not see any runaway rise but at the same time, played to the tunes of weekly expiry of the index options.The market saw a negative opening and then drifted lower as the session progressed. However, in the second half of the day, the index recovered all its losses on the back of short covering fueled by the expiry of weekly options. Going into Friday's trade, make sure not to get carried away by the short covering-led rally we saw on Thursday. These are classic symptoms of distribution happening at higher levels, and the market breadth continues to remain negative. These factors can potentially push the market into some corrective moves going forward. 69776496 Though a flat start is likely on Friday, the 11,950 and 12,000 levels would continue to act as strong resistance points. Supports, on the other hand, may come in at 11,810 and 11,750. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart stood at 56.4438. It remained neutral and did not show any divergence against price. The daily MACD has shown a negative crossover; it is now bearish and trades below the signal line. Apart from a white body candle that emerged on the candles, no important formations were noticed.Pattern analysis of the daily charts showed Nifty has taken support at its short-term 20-DMA. This level might act as short-term support, and any breach on the downside will make Nifty weaker.With signs of distribution happening at higher levels, it would be wise not to chase the momentum on the upside. The weekly options data showed stiff resistance near the 12,000 mark, and this may prevent Nifty from making any runaway moves. We expect the market to keep encountering stiff resistance at higher levels. Traders should use every rise whenever they occur to protect profits at higher levels. Overall exposures should be kept limited. A selective approach is advised for the day.(Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA is Consultant Technical Analyst at Gemstone Equity Research & Advisory Services, Vadodara. He can be reached at milan.vaishnav@equityresearch.asia)
NEW DELHI: Chinese handset maker Oppo said its Indian manufacturing units will serve as its second largest global manufacturing base after China to cater to the needs of markets in South Asia, the West Asia and Africa.The company is currently helping set up an electronic manufacturing cluster, along with six other companies, in Greater Noida at an investment of Rs 3,500 crore over five years. The project is expected to be completed by the year-end and will bolster Oppo's manufacturing for domestic and export needs."It will not just make for India but for exports as well… we are talking to our global component partners to set up operations in India… the component ecosystem is critical," Will Yang, chief marketing officer-South Asia at Oppo, told ET.Oppo, which bets mainly on the Rs 20,000-30,000 range, was the fourthlargest smartphone company in India with a 7.6% market share in January-March, according to International Data Corp. Oppo is also looking to increase investments in its local research and development (R&D) centre, set up as part of the company's global strategy. It will be investing $1.4 billion to work on 5G, artificial intelligence and internet of things."Technology and R&D are the main focus areas for global and for the Indian operations. $1.4 billion was the global R&D investment plan and the way Indian R&D is performing, the budget will keep increasing," Oppo Mobile India vice-president Tasleem Arif told ET.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has agreed to reinstate internal SSC marks: Aaditya Thackeray The internal evaluation of 20 marks had been discontinued last year. The system existed between 2008 and 2018.
Cyclone Vayu brings relief, rainfall helps arrest soaring mercury in the Ahmedabad Isolated rainfall, a cloudy sky, and moisture-laden winds helped in arresting the soaring mercury in the city that was giving a tough time to citizens.
CBI books former Samajwadi Party MP Ateeq Ahmad over abduction of businessman According to the CBI, real estate dealer Mohit Jaiswal was abducted from Lucknow and taken to a jail in Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, where he was assaulted by Ahmad and his aides
Big housing scheme to have a political impact in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections Opposition downplays the scheme as BJP's political grandstanding
BMC hospitals start fever OPD to tackle monsoon-related illness The civic body started the concept of opening fever OPD a few years ago looking at the increase in a number of cases because of monsoon-related illnesses.
Scolded over TikTok, Tamil Nadu woman commits suicide TokTok, owned by Chinese firm Bytedance, claims to have over 50 million active users in India. It allows users to create short videos with special effects
Opposition to go nullah hopping, 'expose' BMC Congress corporators along with Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora will inspect nullahs on Friday to expose the civic body's claims.
BJP not at peak yet, push harder: Amit Shah to partymen Shah told the officer-bearers that the BJP has not achieved its peak yet, and it is incumbent upon them to strengthen the party in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra
