#UPDATE Fifty-three soldiers are killed in a "terrorist attack" on a Mali military post in the northeast of the country, one of the deadliest strikes against Mali's military in recent Islamist militant violence https://t.co/I8ul72tVcM
Demonstrators converged on Algiers in the thousands for a massive anti-government rally called to coincide with official celebrations of the anniversary of the war that won Algeria's independence from France https://t.co/MShjaoF4Ko
I think it should be law that, at government expense, @cgberube be deployed to the ramparts of Ft. Wool off Norfolk to give a bagpipe farewell to all deploying warships.
Mali's army has been struggling in the face of a jihadist revolt that has spread from the arid north to its centre, an ethnically mixed and volatile region (AFP Photo/Souleymane Ag Anara)
Bamako (AFP) - Fifty-three soldiers were killed Friday in a "terrorist attack" on a Mali military post in the northeast of the country, the government said.
The assault is one of the deadliest strikes against Mali's military in recent Islamist militant violence.
A civilian was also killed at the outpost in Indelimane, in the Menaka region, close to the border with Niger, the country's communication minister Yaya Sangare said on Twitter.
"The situation is under control. A search and the process of identifying the bodies is continuing," he added, after giving the latest update on the death toll.
He said 10 survivors were found at the outpost, which suffered "significant" damage.
Annual growth rate for 19-nation bloc continues steady slowdown
Fresh evidence of the impact of global trade wars on the eurozone has emerged with official figures revealing growth in the 19-nation single currency bloc was 0.2% in the three months to September.
Data from the EU's statistical agency, Eurostat, showed activity expanded by 0.2% in the latest quarter – unchanged on the three months to June.
Eurozone growth was slightly stronger than financial markets had been expecting, suggesting Germany, Europe's biggest economy, narrowly avoided slipping into recession in the third quarter.
Last month I asked @USTreasury to conduct a CFIUS review of @tiktok_us. Because any platform owned by a company in #China which collects massive amounts of data on Americans is a potential serious threat to our country.
* The U.S. government will investigate Beijing-based TikTok owner ByteDance's acquisition of social media app Musical.ly. * TikTok has been growing more popular among U.S. teenagers at a time of growing tensions between the U.S. and China over trade and technology transfers. * Last month, Musical.ly founder Alex Zhu, who heads the TikTok team, started to report directly to ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming.
The U.S. government has launched a national security review of TikTok owner Beijing ByteDance's $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media app Musical.ly, according to two people familiar with the matter.
While the $1 billion acquisition was completed two years ago, U.S. lawmakers have been calling in recent weeks for a national security probe into TikTok, concerned the Chinese company may be censoring politically sensitive content, and raising questions about how it stores personal data.
TikTok has been growing more popular among U.S. teenagers at a time of growing tensions between the United States and China over trade and technology transfers. About 60% of TikTok's 26.5 million monthly active users in the United States are between the ages of 16 and 24, the company said earlier this year.
Last week, I gave a birds-eye view of how Russian military policy and NATO's Eastern European military policy shape each other. This week, I'd like to home in on the areas in which those policies would converge, starting with the Suwalki Gap.
The Suwalki Gap
The frequently cited Suwalki Gap is the only communication route connecting Poland – the operational base of NATO and the U.S. – to the Baltic states, which abut Russia and thus are vulnerable to Moscow's military advances. This narrow area is essential to sustaining NATO cohesion and guaranteeing the collective security afforded by NATO. In military terms, NATO's Line of Communication, or LOC, through the gap is extremely difficult to establish and maintain; it traverses a challenging terrain over a long distance, from Warsaw to Tallinn, and since it is flanked by Belarus and Kaliningrad, it is vulnerable to Russian anti-access/area denial assets. (Indeed, the importance of Belarus and Kaliningrad cannot be overstated. They affect NATO's general strategy, the escalation ladder, nuclear aspects, political dimension, cohesion of the alliance, and so on.)
WNU Editor: Russia is not going to invade Eastern Europe. The Kremlin has more than enough problems to focus on, and starting World War III and the probable use of nuclear weapons is not on the agenda.
* GCHQ was founded on November 1, 1919 when the government combined two rival intelligence bodies * The Admiralty's Room 40 and the War Office's MI1(b) were merged in the Government Code & Cypher School * The Queen has been receiving GCHQ intelligence briefings for longer than anyone else in the world * The organisation was not publicly acknowledged until 1983 when the government admitted its existence
Rapid changes in technology are posing 'unique challenges' to the security services which will face 'enormous complexity' in the future, the boss of GCHQ has said.
Speaking 100 years since Government Communications Headquarters was formed, director Jeremy Fleming described society as being in a 'period of accelerated change' with technological advances leaving the spy agency needing to alter the way it works.
GCHQ, which rarely speaks publicly about its work but has tried to become less secretive in recent years, is marking its centenary with a series of events including an exhibition at the Science Museum in London.
WNU Editor: "A U.S. Air Force colonel convinces the Allies during World War II that a daylight bombing raid of Germany will bring a quick end to the war.
Demonstrators gesture and carry national flags during a protest against the country's ruling elite, on the anniversary of the 1954 revolution against French colonial rule, in Algiers, Algeria November 1, 2019. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina
As the last of the Middle Eastern summer fades away, is the region slipping into a new Arab spring?
In Iraq, demonstrators are being shot dead in the streets. In Lebanon, protesters have paralysed the country and seem set to bring down the government of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri. In recent weeks the Egyptian security forces crushed attempts to protest against the police state of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi.
Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt have plenty of differences. But the protesters have grievances in common, and they are shared by millions of people, particularly the young, across the Arab Middle East.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Iraqis thronged central Baghdad on Friday demanding the root-and-branch downfall of the political elite in the biggest day of mass anti-government demonstrations since the fall of Saddam Hussein.
One woman died after she was struck in the head by a tear gas canister, Iraq's Human Rights Commission said, and at least 155 people were wounded on Friday as security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters camped out in the capital's Tahrir Square.
Five people died on Thursday night from similar injuries.
At nearly $11 billion, Camp Humphreys is the largest construction project in U.S. Defense Department history, most of it paid for by the South Koreans. (Army)
Soldiers on the Korean Peninsula are in the final stages of a relocation plan that consolidates U.S. forces at a new hub south of Seoul, in an area North Korea appears to have labeled a "fat target" for its new weapons.
Now the largest U.S. base overseas, the Army's Camp Humphreys has been built up in the last decade in part to put distance between U.S. soldiers and the North Korean artillery sighted in on their long-time home of Yongsan Garrison in downtown Seoul.
But since the relocation plan was set in motion, North Korea has developed large caliber rockets and ballistic missiles, as well as a nuclear capability, likely capable of reaching the expanded base 40 miles south of Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
WNU Editor: There is some truth from those who are saying that this massive U.S. base is nothing more but a big target for North Korea's missiles and long range artillery.
Key Point: North Korea has 13,000 artillery pieces that would kill thousands.
Pyongyang on May 9, 2019 launched a second "projectile," South Korean officials said.
The May tests of at least one apparently nuclear-capable short-range missile startled foreign observers and threatened to elevate tensions between the United States and its allies South Korea and Japan on one side and, on the other side, North Korea and its main patron China.
But a less dramatic test of North Korea's heavy artillery that occurred at the same time as the May 4 rocket launch arguably is more important.
* North Korea fired two projectiles from an airbase that flew 230 miles Thursday * On Friday it confirmed it had tested a 'super-large' rocket artillery system * It said rockets can destroy targets with 'super-powered blows' in surprise attacks * Test is the Hermit Kingdom's twelfth this year, and comes ahead of a year-end deadline that Kim has set Trump to restart stalled nuclear talks
North Korea confirmed it carried out a successful new test of its 'super-large multiple rocket launcher' system on Friday.
State-run media said the test confirmed the 'combat performance and perfection of the supersonic weapon', which the Hermit Kingdom has tested twice before.
It comes a day after South Korea said it had detected two projectiles launched from North Korea's South Pyongan which flew approximately 230 miles.
U.S. armored vehicles and infantry troops have arrived in eastern Syria as part of a new deployment to defend oil facilities from falling into the hands of the Islamic State, according to the U.S. military, a move that reflects the Trump administration's back-and-forth Syria policy.
As many as 500 American troops could be part of the new force announced just three weeks after President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of the 1,000 U.S. troops in northeastern Syria, saying, "It's time to come back home."
Syrian President Assad said on Thursday that President Trump is the best type of president for a foe due to his open talk of annexing Middle Eastern oil. pic.twitter.com/B9AZdnwoRK
Syrian President Bashar Assad says he thinks Donald Trump is the "best American president" ever – because he's the "most transparent."
The embattled ruler's comments come as U.S. troops returned to eastern Syria to protect oil fields the Pentagon does not want to see fall back into the Islamic State's hands.
"When it comes to Trump you may ask me a question and I'll give you an answer which might seem strange. I tell you he's the best American president," Assad said, according to a translation. "Why? Not because his policies are good, but because he is the most transparent president."
Huge cache thought to have come from Russia in order to bankroll general's war effort
The Maltese government has seized a massive shipment of unofficial Libyan banknotes believed to have been destined for Khalifa Haftar, the military commander leading an offensive to dislodge the UN-backed government in Tripoli.
Security services in Malta confirmed two 2,000-cubic-foot (56-cubic-metre) containers packed full of the recently introduced currency were discovered at the end of September when the shipment stopped in Malta.
The cash is thought to have originated from a Russian-owned mint, which has been printing money for the unrecognised Libyan government, based in the eastern city of Bayda. It is claimed the money has been used to fuel the war on Tripoli.
Russia has been providing military support to Mozambique to fight local Islamist groups since 2017, but as recently as October this year denied having any troops in the country (pictured, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov shakes hands with Mozambique leader Jose Pacheco)
* Seven Russian mercenaries killed in two separate attacks in Mozambique * One attack saw four fighters ambushed, shot and then beheaded by extremists * ISIS began claiming attacks in Mozambique's northern provinces in June * Russia signed a deal with the Mozambique government to provide military aid in 2017, but has previously denied having any troops in the country
Seven Russian mercenaries have been killed by ISIS-linked militants in Mozambique - including four who were shot and then beheaded.
The Russians, fighting for the shadowy state-affiliated Wagner Group, were killed in two separate attacks last month, according to sources in the Mozambique military.
Both attacks were ambushes in Mozambique's northern Cabo Delgado state, where ISIS first announced its presence in June this year.
Turkish and Russian troops have started their first joint ground patrols in northeast Syria under a deal between the two countries that forced a Kurdish militia away from territory near Turkey's border.
Turkey and allied Syrian rebels launched a cross-border offensive on October 9 against the Kurdish YPG militia, seizing control of 120 kilometres of land along the frontier.
Last week, Ankara and Moscow agreed to remove the militia fighters to a depth of at least 30 kilometres south of the border, and Russia has told Turkey that the YPG left the strip.
Demonstrators stand on a bridge decorated with a national flag during an anti-government protest along a highway in Jal el-Dib, Lebanon, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
As governments in Iraq and Lebanon stagger and stumble under huge waves of popular protest, powerful factions loyal to Iran are pushing to quash political upheaval which challenges Tehran's entrenched influence in both countries.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has resigned and the government of Iraq's Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has been pushed to the brink of collapse.
Both governments have enjoyed backing from the West. But they have also relied on the support of political parties affiliated with powerful Iran-backed Shi'ite armed groups, keeping allies of Tehran in key posts.
* China is muscling in on the weapons market using cut-rate pricing, predatory financing and bribery, says a senior US State Department official * The US supplies 36 per cent of global arms exports, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Buy American weapons, not low-quality Chinese armaments that risk killing not only your enemy but your own military personnel, a senior State Department official told potential foreign buyers in a pitch in Washington on Thursday.
The United States hands out some US$10 billion annually in security and defence grants to allies around the world, but China is muscling in on the weapons market in a bid to weaken US clout using cut-rate pricing, predatory financing and bribery, said R. Clarke Cooper, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs.
Brian Hook, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, says Tehran has spent some $16 billion to fund Shi'ite-led militias in Syria and Iraq.
Hook made the comments in an interview broadcast on October 31 by Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya but did not specify what period of time he was citing.
Shi'ite Iran has wielded influence in Iraq since dictator Saddam Hussein's ouster following a 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and it backs powerful Shi'ite militias in the country, including Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, often in conflict with the country's Sunni minority.
Washington still provides Baghdad with military, political, and financial aid, and Iraq has attempted to balance its ties to both the United States and neighboring Iran.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is a mess developmentally, but it is one wicked-looking ship in a Star Wars Imperial Cruiser kind of way.
The Ford class supercarrier program has been a massive boondoggle, which I have been reporting on it at great length for years, and the problems it is experiencing were so avoidable one can't help but cringe. Putting those issues aside, or the fact that a single ship costs $13B—it's the most expensive warship ever made, in fact, it's the most expensive weapon ever made—it is pretty damn cool looking. These photos, which show the 1,106-foot long nuclear-powered ship executing some impressive high speed turns and heading out on sea trials following a long servicing period, are the best I have seen of her yet.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attends the Mexico's Independence Day military parade in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, Sept. 16, 2019. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua)
MEXICO CITY, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador denied on Thursday discord among the upper echelons of the military, after a newspaper published the alleged speech of an army general sharply criticizing the government and a "politically polarized society."
Lopez Obrador took office late last year pledging to pacify the country with a security policy that deemphasizes armed confrontation, following years of military-led conflict with powerful drug cartels.
Asked about a report published on Wednesday by newspaper La Jornada detailing a recent speech by an army general blaming Lopez Obrador for polarizing the country and offending the military's leadership, Lopez Obrador denied any widespread discontent within the ranks.
"Regarding risks of division in the army, that doesn't exist," he said during his regular morning news conference.
The South Korean Navy's Anti-Submarine Warfare Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (ASWUUV) appears larger than U.S. Navy and Chinese Navy large displacement UUVs.H I Sutton
The pace of change in underwater warfare has become palpable. There are signs that the long-promised dawn of underwater robots is upon us.
Barely a month after China revealed its first large underwater robot, another country has stepped into the arena with an even more ambitious project: a submarine-hunting unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). That county may not be the one you are expecting.
South Korean manufacturer Hanwha Systems unveiled the ASWUUV (Anti-Submarine Warfare Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) in a defense show on October 22. It is designed to prowl the ocean, at depth of up to 1,000 feet, hunting for enemy submarines. Once detected, it will alert friendly forces so the prey can be trapped and destroyed. It is not yet in production but is expected to hit the water next year. Read more ....
WNU Editor: I can understand why the South Koreans want this underwater drone fleet as quickly as possible. North Korea's submarine fleet has always been a threat to their security.
World Organisation for Animal Health warns spread of disease has inflamed worldwide crisis.
About a quarter of the global pig population is expected to die as a result of an epidemic of African swine fever (ASF), according to the intergovernmental organisation responsible for coordinating animal disease control.
In the last year the spread of the disease has taken policymakers by surprise, and has been particularly devastating in China – home to the world's largest pig population. The disease is also established in other Asian countries such as Vietnam and South Korea, and continues to wreak havoc in eastern Europe, where the current outbreak began in 2014.
WNU Editor: This disease once introduced into a herd has a fatality rate of almost 100%. The impact on people's diet, especially in countries like China, has been devastating. In the past few months I have received requests from some of my contacts in China if I can refer them to someone in Canada so that they can import some pork products.
(GENEVA) — The World Trade Organization said Friday that China can impose tariffs on up to $3.6 billion worth of U.S. goods over the American government’s failure to abide by anti-dumping rules with regard to Chinese products.
The move hands China its first such payout at the WTO at a time when it is engaged in a big dispute with the United States. The two sides have recently imposed tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of goods, but did not do so through the WTO, which helps solve trade disputes.
Friday’s announcement from a WTO arbitrator centers on a case with origins long before the current trade standoff: a Chinese complaint filed nearly six years ago seeking over $7 billion in retaliation.
The decision means China can impose higher tariffs against the United States than China is currently allowed under WTO rules, and will be given leeway as to the U.S. products and sectors it would like to target.
Parts of a WTO ruling in May 2017 went in favor of China in its case against some 40 U.S. anti-dumping rulings, involving trade limits on Chinese products that the United States says are or were sold below market value.
However, the WTO arbitrator honed down the award to base it on some 25 Chinese products — including diamond sawblades, furniture, shrimp, solar panels, automotive tires and a series of steel products — that were affected by U.S. anti-dumping measures. That explains why the award was less than the sum China had sought.
The decision comes as the United States is fresh off a high-profile WTO award against the European Union over subsidies given to European plane maker Airbus, which has let Washington slap tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of EU goods including Italian cheese, Scottish whiskey and olives from Spain.
That was a record award from a WTO arbitrator in the trade body’s nearly quarter-century history. The award announced Friday ranks as the third-largest.
In the Chinese anti-dumping ruling, the WTO faulted two techniques that the United States uses to set penalties for dumping. Its so-called “zeroing methodology” — long a problem for the trade body — involves cherry-picking violators and neglecting law-abiding producers in a way that lets U.S. officials artificially inflate the penalties imposed.
The other technique involves treating multiple Chinese companies of a product as a single entity, in essence penalizing some producers that do not violate anti-dumping rules along with those that do.
While these tariffs are allowed by the WTO under international trade law, the Trump administration has in its disputes with China and other commercial partners exchanged tariffs unilaterally, without any green light from the WTO.
The U.S. and China have filed a number of complaints with the WTO against each others’ tariffs, but dispute resolution can take years.
This summer, Dylan Jones, a 48-year-old woodworker, walked into an art gallery in his hometown of Caersws, Wales, and found himself drawn to a collection of photographs depicting the harvesting of olives in a small village in the West Bank. He observed grey skies and golden landscapes, men and women reaching up toward the branches of towering olive trees, and piles of purple olives nestled atop a large gray tarp, spread out on the ground.
The photographs were taken by Margaret Munyard, a retired therapist who lives in the nearby Welsh town of Llanidloes. Next to the photos were a series of write ups, detailing the significance of the olive harvest for Palestinians, the destruction of countless centuries-old olive trees by Israeli settlers and army forces in the West Bank, and the risks that farmers take to harvest their olives every year. “It has struck at the core of the Palestinian identity,” Munyard wrote in her captions. She also noted the role of “internationals,” referring to the international volunteers who travel to the West Bank to assist Palestinian farmers during the harvest season—a global brigade of civil peacekeepers. Munyard had taken the photographs six years earlier, when she traveled to the West Bank village of as-Sawiya to do just that.
Jones had never thought of himself as a particularly political person, let alone an activist. His own expertise lies in homegrown timber: the process of cultivating Welsh forest trees into wooden furniture. “Anywhere around the world, it’s a fundamental right to be able to harvest your crop of whatever type. And to see people stopped from doing that, and seeing trees cut down and burnt—I found that shocking, on both a personal and environmental level,” he tells Time. “That was my link in. That was the light bulb moment.” After the exhibition, he contacted Munyard, and a few months later, Jones was on a flight headed toward Tel Aviv.
The olive harvest in the West Bank lasts roughly October through November, a festive season of family and friends coming together to pick olives, often on groves passed on through generations of ancestral inheritance. In the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, 45 percent of agricultural land is planted with olive trees, with the olive oil industry making up a quarter of the region’s gross agricultural income, and supporting the livelihood of about 100,000 families. The olive tree also has broader meanings—historically, the long-living, slow-growing, and drought-resistant olive tree represents peace and resilience for Palestinians, and also holds symbolic value across the religious scriptures of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Dating back at least 4,000 years, Bethlehem’s Al-Badawi is one of the oldest olive trees in the world, a living reminder of the tree’s presence in the region. It issaid to have beennamed after a villager in the Palestinian town of Al-Walaja, who could often be found sitting under the shade of the tree—resting and reflecting—over two centuries ago.
Alaa Badarneh—EPA-EFE/ShutterstockA Palestinian farmer collects olives in an olive grove on the outskirts of the West Bank village of Raba, near the city of Jenin, on Oct. 19, 2019.
The politicization of the olive tree is evident at every twist and turn of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including this year’s Israeli election. Days after Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign promise on September 10 to formally annex the Jordan Valley, the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) issued an order to uproot hundreds of olive trees owned by Palestinians in the valley right before a planned harvest. As Israeli settlements continue to expand in the West Bank, clashes between settlers and Palestinians have surged, often manifesting in the targeting of farmers and their properties—particularly during the harvest season. Over 800,000 Palestinian olive trees have been uprooted by Israeli authorities and settlers since 1967, according to research from the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem. In 2012, two E.U. heads-of-mission reports found that violent Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians especially targeted farmers. Between 2005 and 2013, Israeli NGO Yesh Din found that, out of 211 reported incidents of trees that were cut down, set ablaze, stolen, or otherwise vandalized in the West Bank, only four have led to police indictments.
In 2006, nine human rights organizations filed a petition urging the Israeli high court to allow Palestinian farmers safe access to their olive groves during the harvest. It was unanimously granted. “Our policy is to allow Palestinians to get every last olive from every last tree, even if that tree is in the middle of a settlement,” a spokesman for the ICA, the Israeli governing body in the West Bank, told the LA Times when the decision was first announced. While it was considered a victory at the time, the various ways in which the ruling has not been upheld, or has proved ineffective, has fueled an enduring global response.
For over a decade, hundreds of volunteers from around the world have traveled to the West Bank each year to accompany Palestinian farmers to olive groves in high risk areas. To Be There, the organization through which Jones planned his expedition, was formed in 2013 by a group of local Palestinians, and is one of many local and international groups who recruit volunteers for the harvest. “Their impact is multidimensional,” says Baha Hilo, one of its founders. “It’s about understanding, bearing witness, and buying time so that families can harvest as much as they can.” The description of the harvest program on To Be There’s website makes clear the protective function of international volunteers: “One of the most important roles you play during your visit is that of a witness,” it reads. “From experience, we have observed that Israeli settlers and soldiers behave differently in the presence of ‘internationals’ which contributes to a greater sense of safety felt by Palestinians. They feel more assured in the knowledge that they, and their plight under occupation, are not being ignored – that they are not invisible.”
The notion that international volunteers provide a deterrent presence to settler and army attacks is one that is echoed among farming communities and rights groups in the West Bank. “Usually, they want to improve their public image in front of the internationals, the people that come from America and the U.K., as if to say, ‘Hey, look, we treat them decently’,” says 52-year-old Mahir Shtewi, who owns olives groves near the Israeli settlement of Kedumim, in the West Bank village of Kafr Qaddum. Shtewi’s olive trees have suffered much damage at the hands of settler attacks, often before the harvest even begins. Last year, he arrived at his field with a group of British volunteers to find more than 20 of his olive trees cut down. He shared with TIME photos of damaged olive trees, their branches cut apart and scattered on the ground beneath them. “It’s like seeing your children cut down in front of you,” he said. “What can I tell you? I would never abandon it. This land is as dear to my heart as my own children are, but I swear—sometimes I wish I had never inherited it because of all of these incidents.”
Jaafar Ashtiyeh—AFP via Getty ImagesA Palestinian tries to extinguish a fire in an olive grove near the Palestinian village of Burin in the northern West Bank by the Israeli settlement of Yitzhar, on Oct. 16, 2019.
Like many other Palestinians who own fields in close proximity to Israeli settlements, Shtewi’s land is subject to the Israeli permit system, which requires him to seek permission from the ICA before harvesting his own olive trees. The ICA then allots specific times when farmers are allowed access to their land—often as little as three days, as is the case for Shtewi—during which Israeli forces are deployed on the ground to supervise. “My wife and I can’t even go to the bathroom—the soldiers are hovering right behind us the entire time,” says Shtewi. “Ten hour days working the fields… and we can’t even use the bathroom.”
Maggie Foyer, a South African-born former ballet dancer and instructor who has picked olives with Shtewi, has made her way to the West Bank for the olive harvest for the past 16 years. She is one of the earliest members of a group of 20-30 mostly British volunteers called Friends of Madama and Burin, named after two neighboring villages in the West Bank. This year, their group spanned the ages of 23 to 78, including a recent college graduate, an archaeologist, a doctor, and a casting director. They wake up around 6.30 a.m., pack water and food, split up into groups of four and head toward the olive groves for the day. Foyer says the atmosphere during the harvest tends to be light-hearted, the volunteers picking alongside the farmers and families with whom they have built a close friendship with over the years, playing Arabic pop songs on their phones, singing and dancing and cracking jokes.
But Foyer also touched on the darker side of this year’s harvest: while attacks against international volunteers are typically rare, locals have reported an uptick in the targeting of volunteers, including the confiscation of their cameras and mobile devices, tear gassing attacks, detainment and physical assaults. One such incident took place on Oct. 16, when masked settlers attacked a group of local farmers and 10 volunteers—four from Friends of Madama and Burin, and six others from Rabbis For Human Rights (RHR), an Israeli human rights organization that also recruits volunteers for the harvest from all over Israel and beyond—who were picking olives on a field in the village of Burin. The attackers came from the nearby settlement of Yitzhar, and charged toward the group with crowbars and stones in hand, injuring five, including an 80-year-old rabbi who sustained a broken arm. In the midst of the attack, the settlers ignited a fire, ultimately destroying hundreds of olive trees.
“The point was to make us scared so that we don’t go back and continue to help with the olive harvest,” says Isaac Johnston, a 23-year-old RHR volunteer from Chicago, who required four stitches to the top of his head as a result of the attack. “In the end, I can come back home to my bed completely safe, but the farmers whose fields were destroyed, who were attacked, they have to go back to living next to Yitzhar, the settlement where the attackers came from, with zero protection.”
Alaa Badarneh—EPA-EFE/ShutterstockPalestinian farmers collect olives in an olive grove on the outskirts of the West Bank village of Raba, near the city of Jenin, on Oct.19, 2019.
“When Palestinians are threatened, you cannot take the easy way out, which is to kick them out ‘for their own good,’” says Arik Ascherman, the former head of RHR, who helped petition for the 2006 Israeli high court decision. He describes the improper use of these military orders as a direct violation of the ruling, and one of the many ways in which the decision has not been honored over the years. Eighteen years ago, Ascherman took part in organizing the first joint activity between Israelis and Palestinians after the second Intifada broke out. It consisted of breaking through the blockade on the Palestinian village of Haris in order to accompany farmers to the olive harvest—a venture that helped pave the way for other local and international organizations to recruit olive harvest volunteers for years to come.
Thirteen years have passed since that promise to allow Palestinians the right to pick every last one of their olives. To many, it seems a distant pipe dream. Still, every year, civilians from around the world have stepped in where governments and their institutions have not. Dylan Jones has spent nine days in the West Bank working the olives groves, and in between, exploring the shops of Bethlehem’s famous wood carvers, whose creations are made out of pruned local olive trees. “Just got back from a great day picking. Such a beautiful valley, climbing up trees as old as 2,000 years. There must have been around 20 of us from many different countries,” he wrote in a text message toward the end of his time in the West Bank. “An unofficial United Nations in the trees.”
It’s common in the U.S. for President Donald Trump to call into friendly radio or TV shows like Fox & Friends. But such a thing is unheard of in the U.K. Which could explain the commotion Trump caused when he phoned his pal Nigel Farage’s radio program Thursday and weighed in on Brexit, the upcoming U.K. election and Meghan Markle’s public battle with the British press.
Trump’s interview was criticized by many U.K. politicians, including opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who accused the U.S. President of interfering in Britain’s Dec. 12 election.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had to scurry to make a statement to defend his Brexit deal Friday morning after Trump criticized it and said it would make it impossible for the U.K. to strike a trade deal with the U.S. after leaving the European Union.
Here are the most talked-about parts of Trump’s attention-grabbing interview with Farage.
Trump says Brexit deal would prevent a new U.S. trade agreement
Trump said that while the U.S. wants to negotiate a new trade deal with the U.K., Johnson’s Brexit deal would prevent such a deal from happening.
“To be honest, under certain aspects of the deal, you can’t do it, you can’t trade,” Trump told Farage. “We can’t make a trade deal with the U.K.”
This comes after Johnson has claimed his Brexit deal would allow the U.K. to trade freely with the rest of the world.
In response, the Johnson’s spokesperson told TIME Friday: “The Prime Minister had not spoken to the President about the Deal, and [the Brexit deal] was agreed after they were last in touch. The Prime Minister’s deal takes back control over all of our money, laws and borders, and allows us to do trade deals with whichever country we choose including the U.S.”
Trump also spoke of the Duchess of Sussex’s recent complaint about the abuse she has received from the British tabloid press since meeting Prince Harry. Trump, who bolstered his public persona in the New York tabloids, said she was taking the critical media coverage “very personally.”
“I’ve been watching her interviews and I’ve seen it, and she’s taking it very personally. I guess you have to be a little bit different from that,” Trump told Farage.
“She takes it very, very personally and I can understand it. I don’t know her—I will say, I’ve met Harry, he’s great,” he added.
On Oct. 1, Markle—who is American—and Prince Harry announced they were suing a U.K. tabloid after it published parts of a letter Markle had sent to her father. A few weeks later, Markle spoke to a British TV documentary about U.K. press coverage of her. “I never thought this would be easy but I thought it would be fair,” she said.
As for the rest of the royal family, Trump had nothing but praise. Of his June state visit to the U.K., which included meetings with the royal family, Trump said: “We had something that was so incredible, recently. I got to meet Harry, and he’s a really fine young man. I think the whole family is terrific.”
Trump couldn’t contain his admiration for the British royals, especially Queen Elizabeth II. He described the Queen as a “great, great woman,” who “had gone through everything from wars to anything you could go through.”
Prince Charles, with his love of the environment, was described as “so, so good” by Trump.
“[Prince Charles] loves the environment, he loves your country so much,” Trump told Farage. “We had a great time… Really special people.”
Boris Johnson should team up with Nigel Farage
During his radio interview with Nigel Farage, the Trump also said that Johnson and Farage, the leader of the U.K.’s Brexit Party, should get together to form an “unstoppable force.”
“You and I have become friends over the years and you’ve seen what’s happening with my thing,” Trump said. “I would like to see you and Boris get together because you would really have some numbers. Because you did fantastically in the last election.”
Farage’s Brexit Party stormed to victory in the 2019 E.U. elections in April, winning 31.6% of the vote, and beating the U.K. Conservative and Labour parties.
“I know that you and him will end up doing something that could be terrific if you and he get together,” he added. “You’d be an unstoppable force.”
Trump also told Farage that Johnson “respects you a lot, I can tell you that”.
Johnson has repeatedly ruled out any prospect of an electoral allegiance with the Brexit Party. Asked if he would do a deal with Farage, Johnson told the BBC in September: “No. There is good reason for that, that is that the Conservative Party is the oldest and greatest political party in the world. It is a big, broad church and we don’t do deals with the help of other parties.”
Johnson made the claim despite the last two Conservative Party prime ministers both governing with the help of other parties.
Trump: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would be ‘so bad’ for the U.K.
As the conversation turned to U.K.’s opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, Trump was vocal in his criticism.
“Corbyn would be so bad for your country, so bad. He’d take you in such a bad way,” Trump said. “He’d take you into such bad places.”
“I’m sure he’s a lovely man but of a different persuasion to put it mildly. He’s at the opposite end,” Trump added.
In contrast, Trump praised Johnson. “I think he’s a fantastic guy and I think he’s the exact right guy for the times,” he said.
Trump blamed Corbyn for the suggestion that the U.S. would “take over” the U.K.’s healthcare system, the National Health Service (NHS), in any trade deal after Brexit.
But in a joint press conference in London with former U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May in June, Trump said that the NHS would be on the table in future post-Brexit trade talks. He said: “Everything’s on the table, so NHS or anything else. A lot more than that.”
Some in the U.K. are concerned that the U.S. could demand increases in the amount that the NHS pays for America-made medicines and medical supplies as part of a trade deal—which could lead to increased costs to the NHS.
“I don’t even know where that started. I don’t know where your healthcare system started with respect to us taking over your healthcare system,” Trump said. “It’s not for us to have anything to do with your healthcare system.”
In a strong rebuttal, Corbyn said on Twitter: “Donald Trump is trying to interfere in Britain’s election to get his friend Boris Johnson election.”
“It was Trump who said in June the NHS is “on the table”. And he knows if Labour wins, U.S. corporations won’t get their hands on it,” Corbyn added.
Donald Trump is trying to interfere in Britain’s election to get his friend Boris Johnson elected.
It was Trump who said in June the NHS is “on the table”. And he knows if Labour wins US corporations won’t get their hands on it.
Days after President Trump announced the death of the self-proclaimed leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, during a U.S. special forces operation in northwest Syria on Oct. 26, the terror group has named its new leader: Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi.
But besides a name that implies the new leader is a descendant of the Quraysh tribe of the Prophet Muhammad, we know little about him. ISIS’s statement on Thursday gave no indication of what he looks like, how he sounds, or precise his role in the group before it designated him “caliph” and “emir of the believers.” (A caliph is a spiritual leader of Islam who claims succession from the Prophet Muhammad.)
In the almost eight-minute-long audio recording posted on messaging service Telegram, ISIS introduced its new spokesman as Abu Hamza al-Qurashi—connecting him too with the Prophet’s lineage. (The previous spokesman was killed in a separate joint U.S.-Kurdish operation hours after the one targeting al-Baghdadi.) In the recording, the new spokesman warned the U.S. to “beware vengeance” for al-Baghdadi’s death, swiped at Trump’s erratic leadership, and emphasized the group’s global reach. Here’s what else to know.
What do we know about al-Baghdadi’s successor?
Almost nothing. “Nobody — and I mean nobody outside a likely very small circle within ISIS — have any idea who their new leader “Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi” is,” Paul Cruickshank of the Combating Terrorism Center, wrote on Twitter shortly after the militant group made the leader’s name public.
The audio recording described the new leader as a “prominent figure in jihad.”
But the lack of identifying biographical details should come as no surprise, says Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online networks affiliated with jihadist and white supremacist organizations. “Any successor that is already known to the world would start his rule with a major security vulnerability,” Katz told TIME on October 30. “I don’t foresee a video message, audio message, or anything that is in any way revealing.”
Still, that’s not prevented speculation as to the new leader’s identity. ISIS officials often change names when their role or rank shifts, one expert notes. The day before ISIS released its recording, National Counterterrorism Center director Russ Travers suggested the name of Hajji Abdullah as a potential successor to al-Baghdadi. Some analysts suggest al-Hashimi could be Abdullah’s nom de guerre.
Trump claimed on Friday morning that the U.S. already knows the identity of the new leader.
How does ISIS select its leaders?
Like al-Baghdadi before him, the new leader was approved by a shura, or governing council, implying the ISIS hierarchy and bureaucracy remains operational. Thursday’s announcement also claimed al-Baghdadi had earmarked his successor before his death: “The sheikhs of the mujahadeen agreed, after consulting with their brothers and acting on the recommendation of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to pledge allegiance to the sheikh and mujahid, the scholar, doer and worshipper, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurasyhi,” it said.
Why is the “caliph” designation important?
The claim that ISIS’s new leader is descended from the Prophet Muhammad’s tribe, while difficult to prove, is important to the group’s attempt to assert his legitimacy as a “caliph.” In contrast to deceased Al Qaeda Osama bin Laden, who cast himself as a military leader, al-Baghdadi also declared himself the “caliph” of all Muslims in a caliphate; his caliph name was also appended with al-Qurayshi.
Al-Baghdadi’s positioning was “much more oriented around engineering the perception of leadership in a way that compels actions,” says Michael S. Smith II, a terrorism analyst, and lecturer at Johns Hopkins University’s Global Security Studies Program. Al-Baghdadi’s own rhetoric emphasized that allegiance to him should be “demonstrated not just by words but actions,” Smith II adds.
ISIS’s claim of al-Hashimi as its new “caliph” conveys an attempt to continue its past operational strategy despite no longer holding territory in Syria and Iraq, experts say.
How have pro-ISIS networks responded to al-Baghdadi’s death?
One of the surprising aspects of al-Baghdadi’s death was the relative lack of online “chatter” on pro-ISIS networks as rumors of his demise gathered pace. According to Smith II at John Hopkins, that’s likely a result of ISIS’s ability to assert control beyond its official propaganda channel. “The group has been incredibly careful about managing perceptions and using propaganda to do that,” he said. “But it’s also been very good at constraining commentaries made by the group’s wider support base online that are not considered to be in line with a strategic communication program.”
Within hours of Thursday’s release, ISIS’s weekly publication Al Naba was offering coverage of the recording. “Troubling that even after past week’s developments, ISIS’ media machine is still chugging along: Naba digital newspaper out on time, communiques rolling out, etc,” SITE Intelligence Group’s director Katz wrote on Twitter. “Cannot be stressed enough: Despite politically driven narratives of victory, ISIS is not “beaten.” She added that based on reactions “already pouring in” from the ISIS community, the group’s supporters appeared re-energized by the developments.
What will the new successor mean for ISIS?
The signs point to business as usual. Besides naming ISIS’s new leader and spokesman, Thursday’s statement emphasized the group’s global reach. “America, don’t you realize that the Islamic State is now at the forefront of Europe and West Africa? It is extended from the East to the West,” the new spokesman said. Counterterrorism experts told the New York Times that in the coming week they expect to see pledges of fealty to the new leader from ISIS’ affiliates in Afghanistan, Sinai, the Philippines and elsewhere.
The enduring threat underscores experts’ assessment that the death of al-Baghdadi will not debilitate ISIS. “We’re not likely to see much of an impact in terms of operational capacity, certainly not to result in the group’s demise, or really even bring about a decline,” Jenna Jordan, author of Leadership Decapitation: Strategic Targeting of Terrorist Organizations told TIME a few days before the announcement of al-Baghdadi’s successor. “An argument I make is that it can, in fact, make things worse.”
More than a year after he was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the case of journalist Jamal Khashoggi remains at the top of a list of the most serious threats to press freedom.
The list — released each month by the One Free Press Coalition, which was created by a dozen news organizations, including TIME, with the goal of defending journalists under attack — identifies ten of the most severe cases of threats to press freedom around the world.
Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post who had criticized Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. He was among the four journalists and one news organization named The Guardians as the TIME 2018 Person of the Year, recognized for his work in the face of serious threats to journalistic freedom.
Khashoggi’s death has remained a controversial topic in the thirteen months since he was killed. Despite findings from the CIA concluding that bin Salman ordered Khashoggi’s killing and a United Nations special report that found “credible evidence” calling for a deeper investigation into bin Salman’s role in the assassination, President Donald Trump has been criticized for his muted response over the murder and continuing to maintain ties with Saudi Arabia.
Bin Salman said he takes “full responsibility” for Khashoggi’s murder, but denied ordering the killing in an interview with 60 Minutes in September.
Other journalists on the list who have come under threat include an imprisoned reporter in Egypt who has been tortured and a detained Uzbek blogger.
Read about all 10 journalist on the November list here:
1. Jamal Khashoggi (Saudi Arabia): No resolution in violent killing inside Saudi consulate
The one-year anniversary of Khashoggi’s killing has passed without officials opening independent criminal investigation opened into his death, despite findings from U.S. intelligence officials and the United Nations pointing to bin Salman’s involvement. Although the Saudi prince has claimed responsibility for the murder, calling it a “mistake,” he has denied having a direct role.
2. Daphne Caruana Galizia (Malta): No resolution two years after reporter was murdered in Malta
More than two years have passed since the investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed in a car-bomb explosion in Malta. Though three men have been taken into detention in relation to her murder, no one has been brought to justice. Trial dates have not been announced, either.
3. Esraa Abdel Fattah (Egypt): Imprisoned and tortured over allegations of spreading false news
The Egyptian journalist Esraa Abdel Fattah was arrested on Oct. 13 and was one of at least seven journalists detained amid anti-government protests in Egypt. Abdel Fattah has said through lawyers that she would start a hunger strike to protest being abused while detained, saying she was tortured while in custody, including being beaten, hung from her handcuffs and choked while being asked to give up her cellphone password.
4. Azory Gwanda (Tanzania): Authorities withholding information about journalist missing for two years
Nov. 21 will mark two years since the freelance journalist Azory Gwanda disappeared. He had previously been investigating mysterious killings in Tanzania. Though a Tanzanian government official said in July that Gwanda had “disappeared and died,” they later backtracked on the statement.
A correspondent for Mexico City newspaper La Jornada, Miroslava Breach Velducea was killed in March 2017 for her reporting on ties between politicians and organized crime. The trial in her murder case is ongoing, though the next court date has not been set.
6. Shujaat Bukhari (India): Suspects still at large in editor’s killing
Shujaat Bukhari, founder and editor of the newspaper Rising Kashmir, was fatally shot along with two police officers in June 2018. While police have identified four suspects, one of whom was later killed, officials have given few other updates in the case.
The Uzbek blogger Nafosat Olloshukurova has been detained in a psychiatric center for at least a month, following 10 days detention on charges of petty hooliganism and taking part in unauthorized assemblies. Prior to her arrest, Olloshukurova was covering writer Mahmud Rajabov’s efforts to have a criminal case against him dropped. Her family says they have not been able to contact her since late September.
Mahmoud Hussein, a journalist who was working with Al Jazeera, was arrested in Dec. 2016 on charges of spreading false news and inciting actions against state institutions. Though his detention was initially said to be for 15 days, it has been repeatedly extended every 45 days. The arrest and detention is tied to a 2016 documentary about conscription in Egypt, which the government says uses fake footage.
9. Agba Jalingo (Nigeria): Nigerian publisher faces life sentence if found guilty in upcoming trial
Nigerian publisher Agba Jalingo was arrested on Aug. 22 and later charged with disturbance of public peace and treason for writings and social media posts about Cross River State Gov. Benedict Ayade. If found guilty of treason, Jalingo could face a life sentence in prison.
10. Martin Inoua Doulguet (Chad): Chadian newspaper leaders face fines and unequal punishment
The director of the newspaper Salam Info, Martin Inoua Doulguet has been arrested and faces charges of conspiracy and defamation brought from a Chad government health official. Doulguet is awaiting a date to appeal his three-year sentence, which began in September.
Perched on the ochre scrub of Argentina’s sunbaked Puna Jujeña plateau, the $400 million Cauchari power station is the world’s highest-altitude solar farm at 13,000 ft (about 4,000 meters) above sea level. In Kenya’s volcano-strewn Rift Valley, a newly green-lit, super-efficient electrical substation will soon funnel clean power from the nearby Olkaria Geothermal Plant about 50 miles (80 km) to downtown Nairobi. Some 14 miles off blustery northeastern Scotland, Moray East is set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, helping to heat and light up to a million homes.
Three distinct renewable energy projects utilizing cutting edge technology in far-flung corners of the globe sharing one uniting characteristic: Chinese finance. Over the past five years, Chinese bankrolling of green energy projects overseas has soared as the world’s number two economy and number one polluter rebrands itself as an environmental champion.
Not only is China today the world’s largest producer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, but it has also been the top investor in clean energy for nine out of the last ten years, according to the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. Since 2014, Chinese equity investment has supported a total of 12,622 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar projects in South and Southeast Asia alone, according to new research by Greenpeace. That’s the equivalent of 21 standard coal plants or enough to power New York City. The shift from simply exporting to bankrolling green tech—driven by both a drying up of domestic subsidies in China and new incentives to invest abroad—is a boon since “it means China really cares about the future profitability of each project,” says Greenpeace campaigner Liu Junyan.
Beijing’s refocus from fossil fuels to renewable energy is a net positive for a myriad of reasons: protecting scarce resources, cutting carbon emissions that spur global warming, and boosting energy security by reducing reliance on costly fuel imports. While only a hatful of nations boast significant oil and gas reserves, nearly all have the potential to develop clean energy themselves, whether via solar, wind, tidal, geothermal or hydroelectric plants, mitigating geopolitical tensions by making the world less dependent on restive regions like the Middle East.
Chinese export of renewable energy technology around the globe is set to boost Beijing’s clout as the influence of major oil exporters like Russia and Saudi Arabia wanes. China has by far the most renewable energy patents with the U.S., Japan and Europe lagging behind. “No country has put itself in a better position to become the world’s renewable energy superpower than China,” says a recent report by the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation, chaired by former Iceland President Olafur Grimsson.
The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords under President Donald Trump provided China an opening to seize. America’s abandonment of global leadership on the issue was thrown into sharper focus by Trump’s empty chair during a climate change discussion at August’s G7 meeting in France. “The U.S. administration is not particularly interested in renewables at home let alone overseas,” says Simon Nicholas, an analyst for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Now, China has firmly established its leading position in renewable energy output, as well as in related technologies such as electric vehicles, transmission lines and battery storage, and Beijing is managing to weaponize green technology in a way that strategic rivals like the U.S. may struggle to counter.
For many Chinese investors, a combination of rising domestic competition and rolling back of subsidies at home has widened their gaze. In solar firm Sungrow’s six-story, steel-and-glass headquarters in China’s eastern province of Anhui, CEO Cao Renxian explains how “struggles with the U.S. trade war” forced him to relocate production to India in order to dodge the 25% tariffs the Trump Administration slapped on imported made-in-China panels last year.
After overcoming the significant cultural, legal and linguistic barriers to secure a foothold abroad, Cao now has designs on growing his foreign portfolio. Sungrow currently has stakes in two solar farms of a combined 90 MW in Vietnam, and is constructing a new 60 MW solar farm to soak up the cerulean skies 100 miles north of Melbourne, Australia. Cao explains his global efforts as something of a rapturous calling “to boost environmental protection for our nation and the whole world,” while adding that his firm now sees annual revenues of 10 billion RMB ($1.4 billion).
The geostrategic corollaries are vast. These green investments chime with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a metaphorical repaving of the ancient Silk Road though a $1 trillion transcontinental trade-and-infrastructure network largely bankrolled by Beijing. It has the potential to be the world’s greatest building project since the Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Europe in the aftermath of World War II. The BRI will extend China’s presence across the globe while reorienting nations away from the U.S.-and-Eurocentricism of the last half century.
Since the BRI was enshrined in the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) constitution in 2017, the nation’s biggest banks are obliged to offer preferential loans towards its projects. There are also tens of billions of dollars set aside in dedicated cash pools like the Silk Road Fund. The Import-Export Bank of China, for one, loaned enough money to fund 85% of the Cauchari solar farm in Argentina at just 3% annual interest over 15 years, according to Reuters. (That compares favorably to the more typical 4.5%-7% interest bank loans for such projects.) The proviso is that three quarters of materials used on the project are sourced from Chinese firms such as Huawei.
Apart from the obvious headache of having allies and partners in hock to Beijing, national security concerns loom large. The Trump Administration has accused Huawei—the world’s biggest supplier of telecoms equipment as well as solar inverters, which turn the energy produced by solar panels into a grid-ready electrical current—of installing illicit “backdoors” in equipment that could be used to spy on or cripple users’ networks, and has threatened to cut off intelligence sharing with nations that embed it. (Huawei vehemently denies this, and hard evidence is scant.)
Suspicions regarding Chinese firms persist, however, with the E.U. in March even branding Beijing a “systemic rival.” Last year, Germany blocked a deal in which China’s state-owned State Grid, the world’s largest utility company, would have purchased a $1.2 billion stake in Germany’s national high-voltage energy network, on apparent “national security” grounds.
However, since State Grid’s cutting-edge high-voltage transmission lines, which are far more efficient than existing technology for long-distance transmission, are seen as vital for linking remote and underutilized renewable energy plants into the national grid, many nations believe the benefits outweigh any risk.
Few have embraced Chinese renewable technology and investment as warmly as Brazil, where State Grid is the largest power generation and distribution company. Another Chinese behemoth, China Three Gorges (CTG), the world’s largest hydropower provider with operations across 47 countries, controlling 14 out of a total of 48 hydro-plants in Brazil, amounting to 8% of the nation’s total hydropower capacity, as well as 11 wind farms. CTG Brazil CEO Li Yinsheng tells TIME that Brazil is attractive for investment because it has the resources, demand and necessary regulatory framework. “And by combining [Chinese and Brazilian] equities we are in a unique position to be more competitive in the market,” he says.
It’s not all blue skies ahead for China. The country still generates 70% of its power from coal, and will continue to consume about half the world’s coal until 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. It also approved 141 million tons of new annual coal mining capacity in the first half of this year; in the whole of 2018, Beijing approved just 25 million tons of new coal mining capacity.
The vast majority of the more than $244 billion that China has spent on energy projects worldwide since 2000 have been on fossil fuels, according to data from the Global Development Policy Center, a policy-oriented research body affiliated with Boston University. Despite Xi telling journalists at April’s second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing that he embraces “open, clean and green development,” China has financed more than 300 foreign coal plants from Egypt to the Philippines.
According to Nicholas, the analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, Beijing’s vociferous championing of renewables is “partly an attempt to position itself globally regarding climate issues, but also to distract from the fact that it’s also heavily pushing coal-fired technology to developing countries.” For as long as the Chinese Communist Party’s legitimacy relies on the prosperity of the Chinese people, green intentions will always be sacrificed on the altar of economic expediency, both at home and abroad.
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AUSTRALIAN politician Bob Katter has called for a harsher policy to combat shark attacks after two Britons were left severely injured off the Whitsunday islands in Queensland.
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University of Calicut Result 2019 is one of the famous university in Kerala which releases the examination results by the board. The Calicut University Results released on 01st November 2019 for Semester wise Bachelor & Master Degree Exams. Here we provide all the Courses Results according to the semester wise. Candidates do check complete section to know the Updated Calicut University Exam Results 2019.
University of Calicut Results 2019-20
Calicut University (CU) is one of the top universities in India. Around 373 colleges are affiliated to the University of Calicut which has an annual intake of 100000 students. The University conducts exams for the students who are pursuing their UG, PG Programme, Ph.D. Programming Courses. Candidates can get the updated University results from the below page which will direct you to the official site. Earlier CU had declared M.Com 2nd Sem Results. Candidates can check their results of all exams from the direct link given below. Here you will find the direct link to check Calicut University Exam Result 2019.
Latest University of Calicut Exam Results 2019-20
Examination Name
Release Date
Results Link
IV Year Bachelor Of Hotel Management Examination 4/2019
The University of Calicut is the largest University in Kerala. Established in the year 1968, it is the second university to be set up in Kerala. The University aims to nurture excellence in education and research in its catchment areas of Northern Kerala, historically consigned to the periphery of Kerala's academic map. Calicut University lays its emphasis on fostering quality human resource and promoting productive research that benefits both local communities and wider humanity. The University created through a Government plan bifurcating Kerala University. As per the plan, the four post-graduate departments of the University of Kerala operating in Calicut annexed to the new University along with fifty-four constituent colleges spread across seven northern districts.
University of Calicut Regular/ Supplementary Result
Students, those who have not cleared or got low marks in the University examinations can apply for the Revaluation. This is is a second chance for the students to increase their marks in subjects in which they have scored low marks. If students have written the main exam well and still got a low score or having doubts in the correction of the exam paper it is a choice to increase their marks. Currently, the Calicut University has released the revaluation results for UG, PG with all-region Students. So Students can check the Revaluation results from the official website as well as on this. We have provided a direct link to get the Supply/Revaluation Results.
MGU Results 2019 released by Mahatma Gandhi University. Aspirants who had written the semester exam can check out for the direct links from the below section of this page. Candidates can get the Mahatma Gandhi University UG/ PG Semester Exam Results. The direct links provided below will take you at the official site of the university without any confusion. Hence, Check other information of MGU Kerala Results in the below sections of this page. Also, visit the official website i.e, mgu.ac.in to know about admissions & course details.
MGU Exam Results 2019 @mgu.ac.in
Students of Mahatma Gandhi University here is great news for you all. Get the updated Regular, Supplementary, Revaluation results for the Mahatma Gandhi University. As the university offers all kinds of courses like UG/PG/Ph.D. and other courses people from all over Kerala are studying. Candidates can evaluate their performance through below attached links. Make sure you get down the full section. Also, find the latest updates about MG University Results included with MGU PG 4th Sem Results 2019.
MGU Result 2019-20 Released
Examination Name
Result Link
Third Semester BHM Degree Examination February 2019 (Regular /Supplementary)
Mahatma Gandhi University was established on 2 Oct 1983 in Kerala State. The university has 100 affiliated colleges over 5 districts in central Kerala. It is also known as MG University. MGU is one of the top 50 Universities in India. It is only the university from south India. This university offers maximum of 299 academic programs like Bachelor's, Masters, Doctoral degrees in the fields of Pure and Applied Sciences, Technology, Paramedical Studies, Nursing, Management, Engineering, Gandhian Thought, International Relations, Politics, Physics, Nano Science, Disability Studies, Rehabilitation Sciences, Special Education, Psychology, Behavioral Medicine, Tourism, Journalism, Chemical Sciences, Polymer Engineering, Hospital Administration, Environmental Sciences, Disaster Management, Business Studies, Commerce, Economics, Arts, Pedagogical Studies, Hotel and Hospitality Management, Catering Science etc.
Regular/ Supplementary Results for MGU
Students of MGU should get to know the details regarding the Revaluation Results. Once after the main examination is conducted, the University will give you one more chance. In case you fail or score low marks in the semester exam, the university will give you a second chance called Revaluation mode. Applicants do check with the Official Website to know about the Revaluation procedure. Students can get the Regular, Revaluation and Supplementary Results for the MGU here. This Revaluation process may take a few weeks to process the results.
Through the process of revaluation, students can increase their semester exam ranking or those who failed in the examination will get a chance to pass. The exam paper will be evaluated once again for those who have applied for the Revaluation process. So, we advise the candidates to stay updated with our webpage or with the Official website to gather more information about the MGU Revaluation Results.
Dear Folks!!. Check out Kerala University Result 2019 for B.Com, MCA, BFA, M.Tech, BSc, BA, M.Sc, M. Com, M.Phil & Other Courses. The University has declared the results for various courses every day. Currently, The University has released the results of B.Ed 2nd Sem, M.Tech 1st Sem, 3rd Sem Supplementary, B.Com 2nd Sem CBCS, B.Sc 2nd Sem, M.A Arabic Supplementary, LL.B 5th year, LL.B 1st Sem 3yr, LLM 2nd Sem, M.A Political Science and other Courses results available here. Students who have been appeared for these examinations can check the results from the official website of the University i.e, keralauniversity.ac.in. Hence more, you can check the Kerala University Result at the Official Site. Moreover, we also provide the Kerala University Revaluation Result 2019 here.
Kerala University Result 2019
If you are in search of the Kerala University Exam Result 2019, then you came to the right place. Here, you can check out the semester wise results of this University regarding all the courses. So, candidates can get their respective scores of this Kerala University Exam Results 2019. Here, find the results for Kerala University Degree Result, Kerala Technical University Result, Kerala University Distance Education Result along with Kerala University Revaluation Result.
Hence more, you can verify the Kerala University Result at the official website and our site recruitment.guru. Recently, the University has published some results, and the future will release some Courses Result. Here we will be updating the Upcoming Kerala University Result link, it will work once the University will release it officially. Students anyone can check their results from this site now, here we have provided a direct link to get your Kerala University Result without any confusion.
Latest Results Update: Students can get all UG/PG Results which released from Kerala University
Latest Kerala University Exam Result 2019
Name of the Exam
Announcement Date
Download Link
FIRST AND SECOND SEMESTER BACHELOR OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE (BLISc) DEGREE EXAMINATIONS UNDER CSS (SDE) JUNE 2019 (2017 ADMISSION)
FIRST SEMESTER (APRIL 2019), THIRD SEMESTER (MAY 2019), FIFTH (APRIL 2019) AND SEVENTH SEMESTER (JUNE 2019) – FIVE YEAR MBA (INTEGRATED) DEGREE EXAMINATIONS (2015 SCHEME)
Third Semester B.Com Commerce with Computer Application (138) Career Related First Degree Programme Under CBCSS Group 2 (b) (Prior to 2013 Admission.Mercy Chance 2010&2011 Admns.& Supplementary 2012 Admn) Degree Examination June 2019
FOURTH SEMESTER POST GRADUATE DEGREE EXAMINATIONS SEPTEMBER 2019 MSc Bioinformatics Chemistry Applied Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Geography Zoology MA Political Science
Rank List of Fourth semester MA Philosophy, MA Sanskrit Language and Literature, MA Business Economics, MA Public Administration, MA Human Resource and Management and MA Tamil Language and Literature examinations September 2019.
FOURTH SEMESTER POST GRADUATE DEGREE EXAMINATIONS, SEPTEMBER 2019 – MA – Philosophy, Sanskrit Language and Literature, Business Economics, Public Administration, Human Resource Management.
Fifth Semester Group 2(a) B.A English and Communicative English (133)Degree Career Related First Degree Programme under CBCSS Examinations (Prior to 2013 Admn) 2010, 2011 Mercy Chance, 2012 Admn Supplementary), 2019
Sixth and Fifth Semester Group 2(a) B.Sc. Chemistry & Industrial Chemistry (241) Degree Career Related First Degree Programme under CBCSS Examinations (Prior to 2013 Admn) 2010, 2011 Mercy Chance, 2012 Admn Supplementary), 2019
Fifth Semester Group 2(a) B.Sc. Physics and Computer Application (328) Degree Career Related First Degree Programme under CBCSS Examinations (Prior to 2013 Admn) 2010, 2011 Mercy Chance, 2012 Admn Supplementary), 2019
SECOND SEMESTER B.A HONOURS DEGREE PROGRAMME IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE DEGREE EXAMINATION JUNE 2019 (2018 ADMISSION-REGULAR/ 2017 ADMISSION-IMPROVEMENT / 2013-2016 ADMISSION-SUPPLEMENTARY)
FIRST DEGREE PROGRAMME UNDER CBCSS FIRST SEMESTER B.COM COMMERCE & TAX PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE (337),GROUP 2(A), (2018 ADMN : REGULAR) DEGREE EXAMINATION, NOVEMBER 2018)
The University of Kerala, formerly the University of Travancore, is an affiliating university located in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the state of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937. At present, the University has sixteen faculties and forty-one departments of teaching and research in addition to study centres and other departments. Teaching, Research, and Knowledge extension are the mandate of the Departments. They primarily focus on post-graduate (masters) programmes, MPhil programmes (1-year research degree) and doctoral research.
Kerala University Supply/Revaluation Results
Students are waiting for the results if they scored well they will lead to next year. But if they will not get more marks they can apply for the Revaluation Results. Once they applied for the Examination, the higher level Examiner will check the paper again. They can get the revaluation results within the time. Also if still get fail marks, they can apply for the Supplementary examination. For each and every semester Students can apply for the revaluation after the announcement of the main examination results. The University of Kerala will take a week or more to process the exam papers to announce the Kerala University Revaluation Results. Do stay updated with the University to know about the Revaluation Exam Results.
KUHS Results 2019 released for MBBS Degree Regular Examinations, August 2019. Check out your Kerala University Results Declared on 1st November 2019.
Dear Folks!!. Kerala University of Health Sciences announced the course wise results through its official website i.e., kuhs.ac.in. Here on this page, we provide the result for various KUHS courses like Nursing, Ayurveda, Pharmacy, Paramedical, Medical, Homoeopathy, Unani, Siddha, Dental. Students who are looking for KUHS can find the results on our page. Hence, go through the information of Kerala University of Health results in sections below. We recruitment.guru moderated this page with the most recent results given by the KUHS for various courses. Students of KUHS can find both regular and supplementary exam results on our page. And this article is completely enclosed with the updated Kerala University of Health Sciences Results 2019.
KUHS Results 2019
Students studying at the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) used to check their exam results this month. Here on this page, we have provided a direct link to get the KUHS Results from the below table. We update the results on our page immediately when the official website updates. By this student who is eager to check the result can find without any delay. Also, reduces the confusion in finding their performance in the examinations. Students of KUHS can find both Undergraduate, Postgraduate of regular and supplementary exam results on our page. Apart from this, we used to update the latest information regarding the KUHS Exam Time Table, Admit Card, Syllabus, Previous Paper, and others. So, we advise the students of KUHS to check results through our website.
Latest KUHS Exam Results 2019
Name of the Exam
Release Date
Download Link
Withheld Release of First Professional MBBS Degree Regular Examinations(2018 adm) – August 2019 of Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Jubilee Mission Medical College, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Science
Withheld Release of Third MBBS part I Supplementary Examinations, July 2019 of SUT Medical College, Aeezia Medical college, MES Medical College, GMC Ernakulam
The Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) was established in the year 2010. The university is located on the government medical college, Thrissur campus. It was established on the basis of the Kerala University of Health Act 2010. There are 282 professional colleges of Kerala affiliated under this university. All affiliated colleges imparting professional education in health care in Kerala. All branches of treatment would come under the university and medical and para-medical colleges now functioning under different Universities.
KUHS Supply/Revaluation Results
Students have a chance to apply for the revaluation, if the students may get low marks in the examination, they can apply for the Revaluation results. So again the head of the Examiner will review the answer paper. After revaluation, students may get high marks. Still, if anyone got low marks, they can apply for the Supplementary Examinations. For Revaluation/Supplementary, students should pay the fee. Students can get all the results from this page Regular, Revaluation and Supplementary Results. Students of Kerala University of Health Sciences can also get all Results Also. Just we are advising the Students to frequently visit this page to get the latest updates of all KUHS Result 2019.
MAHADISCOM Admit Card 2019 – Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited will issue the admit card for the post of 450 Graduate & Diploma Engineer Trainee. The board will release the admit card in the month of November 2019. Therefore, Aspirants have to download the hall ticket from the below table. The direct link to download the MAHADISCOM Trainee Admit Card will be available at the upcoming table.
MAHADISCOM Hall Ticket 2019 – Overview
Description
Details
Name of the Board
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited
MAHADISCOM Hall Ticket 2019 – MAHADISCOM has released the admit card for the MAHADISCOM Upkendra Sahayak examination. Thus, the examination is going to be held on 25th August 2019. Make sure to download the admit card before the exam. The MAHADISCOM Admit Card has been issued on 19th August 2019. Get the direct link to download the admit card from the upcoming table.
MAHADISCOM Hall Ticket 2019 – Overview
Description
Details
Name of the Board
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited
MAHADISCOM Upkendra Sahayak examination Admit Card 2019 – Download Here
MAHADISCOM Admit Card 2019: Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited has released the Interview Call Letter for various posts. MAHADISCOM Admit Card is for Executive Engineer, Additional Executive Engineer, and Deputy Executive Engineer Posts. Hence, Candidates can download the admit card from the below segment. However, Aspirants must download the admit before the Interview Date. The Interview has been scheduled from 17th July to 19th July 2019. The MAHADISCOM Call Letter has been released on 15th July 2019. The MAHADISCOM Admit Card link will get deactivated on 19th July 2019.
MAHADISCOM Admit Card 2019-20
Candidates can get the MAHADISCOM Call Letter by following the steps given in the below page. Hence, Aspirants who have qualified the exam can download the admit card from the end of the section. Moreover, Applicants should enter the Unique Registration ID and Date of Birth to download the MAHADISCOM Hall Ticket 2019. Therefore, the admit card is an important factor to participate in the Interview. Download your call letter prior to avoid the last time rush.
MAHADISCOM Call Letter 2019 – Overview
Description
Details
Name of the Board
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited
Details to be Noticed in MAHADISCOM Admit Card Download
All the below-listed contents are important in MAHADISCOM EE Admit Card. Contenders should enter the valid details as in the application form. Moreover, Aspirants must download the valid admit card to participate in the Interview. Therefore, Participants will not be allowed to take down the interview with the Invalid MAHADISCOM Admit Card.
Candidate’s Name
Date of Birth
Exam Venue and Address
Exam Timing
Date of examinations
MAHADISCOM Executive Engineer Interview 2019
MAHADISCOM has decided to conduct the Interview from 17th July to 19th July 2019. Aspirants must check to the exam results and download the Interview Call Letter. Download the Interview Schedule from the below section and make your presence at the scheduled time. Candidates can check the venue of the Interview at the MAHADISCOM Admit Card. MAHADISCOM Exam results will also be available in the upcoming section. Get a clear view of your eligibility to attend the MAHADISCOM Executive Engineer Interview 2019.
{ MAHADISCOM Interview Schedule 2019 – Download Here }
Important Things to Download MAHADISCOM Hall Ticket 2019
Download the Interview Call Letter from the MAHADISCOM Admit Card Link stuffed below. Make use of the direct link to get the admit card. Hence, Contenders should keep the interview letter until the issue of the Offer Letter from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited. Carry the required documents to the Interview. Participants without original ID proof will not be allowed to attend the Interview.
Original Photograph
Voter Card
Pan Card
Employee ID
College ID
PAN Card
Passport
Driving License
Any other ID proof issued by a Gazetted Officer
Bank Pass Book with the photograph
How to Download MAHADISCOM Admit Card 2019-20?
Visit the “MAHADISCOM Call Letter 2019”
Enter the Login details
Click on to the Submit Button.
A Call Letter page will arise on the screen.
Enter all the valid details in that.
Check once for the clear view of the details you entered.
Now go to the Download option to get the Admit Card.
Take a photocopy of it.
Direct Links to Download MAHADISCOM Call Letter 2019
NIFT Syllabus 2019: National Institute of Fashion Technology Officials has issued a job notification for filling 30 vacancies of the various posts. Interested candidates who are willing to apply for this post can apply before or on 29th November 2019. National Institute of Fashion Technology Officials is going to conducting Written Examination for various vacancies. The National Institute of Fashion Technology will be announced its Examination Date soon. Here on this page, we have updated the NIFT Syllabus 2019 along with Exam Pattern for the sake of candidates' reference purposes.
So candidates who are willing to take part in the written exam can start doing their exam preparation using the National Institute of Fashion Technology Syllabus 2019. Applicants can make a perfect plan using the NIFT Junior Engineer Syllabus 2019 and Exam Pattern provided here on this page. In order to score top marks in the written exam, candidates need to work hard. In the below sections we have updated the NIFT Junior Engineer Syllabus 2019 Subject Wise. To prepare well for the written examination candidates should refer all the topics and sub-topics covered for the written examination. We suggested the candidates refer to NIFT Syllabus 2019 to secure top marks in the written examination.
Hence, go through the detailed information provided in the below sections. Begin your preparation with the proper schedule by referring the each and every topic in the NIFT Exam Pattern 2019. Interested candidates, to prefer more time for preparation purposes. At the same time also concentrate on high weighted marks on the NIFT Junior Engineer Syllabus 2019 topics. Will get qualifying marks in the written examination, then you will forward it to the next level. The written test is the first step to the next levels.
NIFT Junior Assistant 2019 exam syllabus consists of multiple-choice questions. You can download the syllabus in the pdf file. We are providing the NIFT Junior Engineer Exam Syllabus 2019 in the pdf file. Download this pdf file from the given link. Candidates who are interested in attending for Junior Assistant exam have to know the NIFT Junior Engineer syllabus 2019 and exam pattern for the exam. Understanding the NIFT Syllabus and Exam Pattern before the exam will helpful for the aspirants during the exam. For the sake of applicants here we are providing exam syllabus, interested candidates can check NIFT Junior Engineer 2019 Syllabus given below.
NIFT Computer Engineering Syllabus
Knowledge of C++
Operating Systems – DOS
PHP
MS SQL Server
Oracle PL_SQL Architecture
JSON
The query will be an added plus
Grid Computing, Distributed
OS
ASP.NET
ADO.NET
Object-Oriented designing
Proposing and creating architecture and re-usable libraries in.NET
JavaScript
Networking with LAN/WAN
Novel
Window OS client & server & Linux OS-client & server.
Web Services
Java & JavaScript
Manageable switch/router & wireless LAN with the network security
Firewall & antivirus
UML
Image processing, Digital signal processing
Image processing
VLSI
Embedded System
Window Services
Electrical Engineering Syllabus
Non-conventional Energy sources like Wind, Solar, Biomass
Switchgear & protection (MC/LV) & LT Switchgear design and testing
Distribution HT/LT Line parameters
Performance of line fault analysis
Measurement of Electrical Power
Present Power Sector scenario in India and others Electrical
Power Engineering
Distribution Network Installation & load studies
Engineering topics
Functions of capacitors & reactors
Low Voltage constraint & resolving thereof
Analysis of Dist Transformers, Meters & Testing
NIFT Syllabus for Civil Engineering
Building Planning
Valuation
Hydraulic Structure
Town Planning
GIS
Structural Analysis
Soil Mechanics
Professional practice
Building Code
Transportation Engineer 1 & 2 (Road)
Quantity Estimation
Logical Reasoning Syllabus
Analytical Ability and Data Interpretation
Society
Polity
Economy
Heritage and Culture
Human Development Indices and the Development Programmes in India
Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus Topics
Time and Work Partnership
Ratio and Proportion
Boats and Streams
Simple Interest
Profit and Loss
Permutations and Combinations
Problems on L.C.M and H.C.F
Compound Interest
Volumes
Odd Man Out
Quadratic Equations
Probability
Time and Distance
Problems on Trains
Areas
Races and Games
Numbers and Ages
Mixtures and Allegations
Mensuration
Indices and Surds
Pipes and Cisterns
Percentages
Simple Equations
Problems on Numbers
Averages
Simplification and Approximation
Important Links Related To National Institute of Fashion Technology
RTMNU Results 2019 – The Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur announces the Semester Exam results for the M.A 2nd semester Examination. Those who are checking out for the updated semester wise results for Supplementary & Regular Examination can get it here. The Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur offers all kinds of UG & PG Courses. Hence, Check other information of RTMNU Results in the below sections of this page.
RTMNU Results 2019-20
Get the updated and lastest Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University Results of Nagpur Branch. Here is the RTMNU Results Hub listed for the B.Tech, M.Tech, M.Pharmacy, MBA, MCA, Pharma D & other Graduate & Post Graduate programming courses. Students of Nagpur City who are pursuing their degree under RTM Nagpur University can check out the complete semester examination results from the below section of this page. For detailed information and to know the previously released RTM Nagpur University Results candidates can get on the official website @nagpuruniversity.org for both the supplementary and regular results.
About Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University
Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University is also known as Nagpur University which located in the city of Nagpur in the central Indian state of Maharashtra. RTMNU is one of the oldest universities and second oldest in Maharashtra. The university named on the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj, who was a spiritual leader, orator and musician from Vidarbha. The university is a member of the Association of Indian universities and the association of Commonwealth universities.
Nagpur University was established in the year 1923 with 6 affiliated colleges and 927 students. By 1947 the number of students increased to 9,000. On this year even Library & Sports activities were drastically increased. The Governor of Maharashtra state will act as Chancellor of the university. While Mr. Siddharthavinayaka P. Kane is the Vice-Chancellor of the university.
RTMNU Revaluation Results
Students are waiting for the results if they scored well they will lead to next year. But if they will not get more marks they can apply for the revaluation results. Once they applied for the Examination, the higher level Examiner will check the paper again. They can get the revaluation results within the time. Also if still get fail marks, they can apply for the supplementary examination. For each and every semester Students can apply for the revaluation after the announcement of the main examination results. Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University will take a week or more to process the exam papers to announce the RTMNU Revaluation Results. Do stay updated with the University to know about the RTMNU Revaluation Results.
Hello Folks !! Latest DTU Assistant Professor Syllabus 2019 along with Exam Pattern is available here. Are you searching for DTU Assistant Professor Syllabus 2019 to start preparation? If yes! then read this entire page to get the required material for better preparation. Here on this page, you will find out the latest Delhi Technological University Syllabus 2019 and DTU Assistant Professor Exam Pattern here. Prepare well for the written exam by using DTU Exam Syllabus 2019 which helps to know the important topics covered for the written exam. By knowing the DTU Assistant Professor Syllabus 2019 important topics you can easily analyze in which you are strong or weak.
If you want to crack the written examination successfully then make a perfect plan by taking the help of DTU Assistant Professor Exam Pattern 2019 which is available on this page. Also, refer to Delhi Technological University Syllabus 2019 and Exam Pattern to get an idea about the exam scheme. Moreover, take the assistance of DTU Previous Papers with Solutions, Preparation Tips shared on this page to score qualifying marks in the written exam. Make a preparation plan to clear the written exam by using the DTU Assistant Professor Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Selection Procedures and also Previous Papers shared on this page. Scroll down to view the detailed information about DTU Assistant Professor Syllabus 2019.
DTU Assistant Professor Selection Process 2019 detailed information is given in this section. The Assistant Professor selection Procedures will be based on the following rounds. Candidates who want to get through this examination have to perform well in all of these rounds. So, the Delhi Technological University Assistant Professor selection procedures are mentioned below
Screening Test
Document Verification
Personal Interview
Delhi Technological University Assistant Professor Syllabus 2019
Name Of Discipline
Syllabus
Software Engineering
Same As For GATE 2019 For Computer Science and Information Technology
Computer Engineering
Information Technology
Management (DSM)
Unit I, Unit II, Unit III, Unit IV, Unit V, Unit VI, Unit VII, Unit VIII, Unit IX, Unit X
Management(USME)
Economics (USME)
Micro Economic Analysis, Macro-Economic Analysis, Development & Planning, Public Finance, International Economics, Indian Economy, Statistical Methods
Mathematics& Computing
Set, Relation & Functions, Data Structures & algorithms, Operating System, Probability and Statistics, Statistical Quality Control
Applied Physics
Same As For GATE 2019 For Physics
Engineering Physics
Bio-Technology
Same As for GATE 2019 For Bio-Technology
Electronics & Communication Engineering
Same As for GATE 2019 For Electronics & Communication Engineering
FCI Assistant DV Admit Card 2019 – Food Corporation of India will announce the Document Verification date on its official site. Hence, the DV Admit Card will be released soon on its official website. Therefore, the Food Corporation of India Admit Card has to be downloaded by every individual via Online Mode. Eligible and Interested aspirants can download the hall ticket to participate in the examination.
FCI Manager Admit Card 2019 – Food Corporation of India has decided to conduct the examination on 28th November 2019 tentatively. Hence, the admit card will be issued on 18th November 2019. Therefore, Aspirants who are interested to take down the examination can download the FCI Admit Card from the below section. Stay tuned with the official portal to know the latest updations from the Food Corporation of India about the FCI Admit Card and the exam details.
FCI Haryana Admit Card 2019 – Food Corporation of India, Haryana will issue the admit card for the post of Watchman in October 2019. Thus, the examination is going to be held on October 2019 at various exam centers. Aspirants are suggested to download the hall ticket in the below section. Thus, the hall ticket can be downloaded by the aspirants by providing the valid details in the FCI Admit Card.
FCI Haryana Watchman Hall Ticket 2019 – Download Here
FCI Admit Card 2019 is released for Typing Steno Skill Test. Thus, the admit card has been issued on 14th September 2019. The FCI Skill Test will be held on 28th September 2019. Therefore, Candidates who are eligible to take down the examination can download the hall ticket from the below section.
FCI JE Skill Test Admit Card 2019 will be released soon. Now, the Food Corporation of India has announced the exam schedule on its official portal. Hence, the admit card will be issued before 3 days of the exam date. Download the FCI Hall Ticket from the direct link provided below.
FCI Haryana Watchman Admit Card 2019 – Food Corporation of India will release the admit card for 380 Watchman Posts. Hence, the Board has committed to reveal the admit card on August 2019. Moreover, the FCI Watchman Exam schedule will be released by the board soon. Get the complete details from the official website.
FCI Watchman Admit Card 2019 – Download Here (Available Soon)
FCI Admit Card 2019-20: Food Corporation of India has announced the exam date for the Phase II exam on 15th July 2019. The Phase II exam is going to be held on 27th July 2019. So, the board has released the admit card now for the exam. The Board has released the FCI Hall Ticket on its Official Website. Moreover, Aspirants can download the admit card from the direct link provided below. Download FCI JE Admit Card 2019 to attend the FCI JE Phase-II Examination. Get down to get the How to Download Steps and to update about Phase II Exam.
FCI Admit Card – Overview
Name of the Board
Food Corporation of India
Entrance Exam Details
JE, Assistant Grade-II & III, Steno & Typist Other
Candidates who have cleared the Phase I exam are eligible to download the Phase II exam Call Letter 2019. Hence, Aspirants must download the FCI Phase II admit card to appear for the exam. Moreover, Candidates ca check to the results from here and later can download the admit card. Eligible Candidates can attend the exam on the described date along with the hall ticket. Therefore, Candidates download their scoreboard and can check their eligibility for the Phase II Exam. However, the Corporation has released the result in region wise. Get the direct link to download the scorecard from the below table. Participants can check the result based on Roll Number wise and as well as can get as a PDF.
FCI Admit Card 2019 is available here. The Aspirants who applied for various FCI Recruitment around the country can download their Hall Ticket here. However, We provide a direct link for FCI Admit Card for UP, Punjab, MP, Haryana and the Other States in India. Also, make you get your FCI Hall Ticket 2019 easily, we have given direct links for the FCI Call Letter 2019. Hence, check the details and click on the FCI Admit Card 2019 link to download the Call Letter. For more details and for any errors aspirants can check the Official www.fci.gov.in admit card page.
FCI Admit Card – Overview
Name of the Board
Food Corporation of India
Entrance Exam Details
JE, Assistant Grade-II & III, Steno & Typist Other
However, the Applicant needs to check the details on the FCI Admit Card 2019 after downloading. The details on the Food Corporation of India Admit Card is listed in the section below. Moreover, Candidate needs to carry his/her FCI Call Letter to the Examination Center along with any of the Personal identity proof.
How to download FCI Admit Card 2019?
Click on the below link, which will direct you to the Official Website to download the FCI Admit Card.
Then Log in with your Credentials ie. Registration Number/ Roll Number & Password/ DOB.
Then Select the respected post you wanted to download for.
Then Download the respected FCI Admit Card 2019.
Take a printout of FCI Admit Card 2019 for future reference.
Details on FCI Admit Card 2019
The Food Corporation of India Board had planned to generate Hall ticket just before the written examination starts. So, the candidates are curious to download the FCI North Zone Admit Card 2019 as soon as possible. To acquire it fast, be ready with your registration number and other exam details. After that, just click the official link provided here and enter the required details to download FCI Call Letter 2019, East Zone. Once you have downloaded the hall ticket, you can find the below-listed details.
Name of the Candidate
Father Name
Date of Birth
Exam Date
Examination Center
Photo Copy of yours
Instructions on Admit Card
FCI Entrance Exam Information 2019
Food Corporation of India has announced the job offers for various vacancies such as JE, Assistant Grade, Steno Grade, and Typist Post. Those who have registered for the FCI Jobs 2019 then its time to download the FCI Hall Ticket 2019 for all the vacancies. Only with the Admit card, you will not be allowed to take down the examination. To enter into the examination hall, the candidate should have the proper Identity. Those identities should match with the FCI Admit Card Downloaded. In case of mismatch or the supervisor finds any confusion then He/ She will not be allowed to write the exam. So aspirants please do be careful with the FCI Hall Ticket and your identity proof.
Finally, Aspirant is advised to visit our main site i.e., www.recruitment.guru for more related job notifications. Candidate can get details like Recruitment Notification, Admit Card, Exam Date, Result, Previous Papers, Syllabus of particular Board or Exam on our site. Keep visiting our Website.
NEW DELHI: India's antitrust body has sought more information from Amazon.com Inc about its planned acquisition of a stake in India's Future Retail , sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, which could potentially delay the deal.Amazon in August agreed to acquire a 49% stake in a unit of India's Future Group which owns 7.3 per cent of Future Retail, giving the U.S.-based company a 3.58% stake in the retailer which operates more than 1,500 stores in the country.The deal would help Amazon tap into the booming retail market in India, as it separately boosts its e-commerce operations, offering everything from electronics to groceries on its Indian website. Future Retail runs 290 budget department and grocery stores branded "Big Bazaar".In a notice to Amazon last month, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said "in certain overlapping segments and areas of operation of the parties, the combined market share exceeds the threshold specified in the combination regulations", one of the sources told Reuters.The CCI also queried the procedure Amazon adopted to seek approval. Amazon had notified the CCI through a so-called Form I, instead of a Form II that is more onerous and is required when parties assess the combined entity will exceed a pre-defined market share threshold.The CCI sought justification from Amazon on why it chose to file a Form I, the source added, which could potentially delay approval of the deal. A Form I filing typically takes 2-3 months compared with three to six months for a Form II.Amazon and Future Retail declined to comment for the story. A source at Future group said it had recently answered the CCI's questions related to the deal, but did not elaborate.The CCI did not respond to Reuters queries.Additionally, the competition watchdog has asked Amazon more than 40 questions related to the deal and its businesses, the first source with knowledge of the matter said.A second source confirmed to Reuters that the CCI had sent additional queries to Amazon, calling it part of the regular deal approval process by the watchdog."There are questions about e-commerce ... the CCI needs to assess whether there is any adverse impact on competition or not," the source said.Amazon's notification available on the CCI's website says that the company believes the deal is "not likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition" in India."Such queries mean the deal is being closely scrutinised and could face potential delays, but it can eventually sail through if no antitrust concerns are found," said Karan Singh Chandhiok, an antitrust partner at Indian law firm Chandhiok & Mahajan who is not involved in the proposed stake purchase.Typically in such cases, the company needs to defend its decision and, if the watchdog disagrees, has no choice but to give more details in a Form II filing, Chandhiok added.
By Farrhad AcidwallaI'm surprised that you're surprised. Seriously. Many people always felt there could be mechanisms spying on us, but most people never really cared. Well, not deeply enough anyway. They say that only those who value their security, deserve it. However, the dystopian future you were worried about might be already here.The latest reports of some 1,400 WhatsApp users across the world, including Indian journalists & activists, being targeted by a spyware installed on the users' phones, are something that even an abundance of precautions and warnings may have failed to prevent.The exploited vulnerability was allegedly created by Israeli technological firm NSO Group, which claims only to sell its products and services towards State-sanctioned functions. However, they state that their technology is "not permitted" to be used to violate human rights. Whats-App has taken NSO to court and the proceedings are awaited.WhatsApp has asserted that this cyberattack violated laws in the US, and also that it went against the Facebook-owned messaging service's terms of service, which strictly forbid such exploitation. WhatsApp's usage of end-to-end encryption means messages communicated via its infrastructure are expected to be secure. The quandary comes in when malicious code compromises the user's device itself, in this case, the mobile phone.Did someone, somewhere, consciously used a tool, meant only for State-use, against private citizens? Who was involved? Fortunately, this cyberattack has been made public. So, we can take care to stop things in their tracks today from happening again tomorrow. Future generations will look back at this time as a defining one when it comes to protecting privacy, being both a corporate as well as a governmental responsibility. Keeping privacy and regulations in mind, WhatsApp did not disclose the specifics of those who were targeted by the recent attack in India.However, the company has claimed to have contacted each affected user and alerted them of the attack.WhatsApp? You've a GuestA buffer overflow — an irregularity where a software or application, while pushing data to a buffer, overruns the latter's limits and goes on to overwrite adjoining memory locations — is the entry point for this spyware.The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) structure of WhatsApp permitted a remote code to be executed via a uniquely crafted series of Real-Time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP) packets sent to a target device. Reports claim that a missed video call on WhatsApp could also allow this spyware to get through via injection. For consumers, this is like being in an episode of Black Mirror, the Netflix science fiction TV series that examines modern society, and some of the scary, unanticipated consequences of new technologies in an imagined near future.India accounts for around a fourth of WhatsApp's global 1.5 billion accounts. This deep security hole has made many fearful of the popular messaging service's infrastructure and privacy. Or has it? Consumers have alternatives. But WhatsApp's convenience might keep most users still around.WhatsApp says they have patched this vulnerability in their stack, and all that consumers now need to do is ensure they are on the latest version of the application. They also need to keep their device's operating system (OS) up to date.Facebook, WhatsApp's parent company, is in a precarious position. They have admitted to the vulnerability, followed through reasonably in terms of corporate responsibility and patching the exploit endpoint. However, what about those who were affected by the spyware? What if another vulnerability is exploited before WhatsApp patches it?This is a game of cat and mouse. Facebook has considerable responsibility to society. They may need to rethink a few things when it comes to security and privacy. One of the potential solutions could be to increase their security disclosure rewards programmes. If a hacker in the future finds a new vulnerability, they need to be incentivised to disclose it to WhatsApp, instead of selling it to an organisation like NSO.A person's mobile phone is as private as it gets. Your phone probably knows you better than your spouse or partner. Consumers are likely to forget this imbroglio in a week, and the cycle might just repeat itself, something that we should guard ourselves against.This latest spyware attack — and a recent WhatsApp bug involving 'muted chats' (which was reportedly fixed earlier this week) — could lead to the diminishing evidentiary value of WhatsApp chats in courts of law. Recent rumours allege that documents and chats could, indeed, have been planted (pending verification). From a legal perspective, this is huge. Previous court cases could see new claims, while current cases could see disruptions.Find the Doors, & Close 'em WhatsApp is just one application. The alarm bells have been sounded because of its ubiquitous presence on almost all our mobile devices. But there are many other applications that have the potential to be used against us without us realising it.Which is why we need to look at security and privacy from a macro perspective. The signal needs to be sent across to enterprises, developers and publishers all over. It doesn't matter which political party rules our country today. Governments, by their very nature, want control, and to control. Future wars will be the ones driven by technology within a country's borders. We are in a unique time where we can actually shape the contours of our security and privacy. For that, we shall have to speak up and act.The writer is founder, Cybernetiv Digital
GENEVA: A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel said on Friday that China was entitled to slap compensatory sanctions on U.S. imports worth $3.579 billion annually for the U.S. failure to remove anti-dumping duties - roughly half the amount China had sought.The decision came as the world's two biggest economies try to clinch Phase 1 of a trade deal. President Donald Trump and U.S. negotiators are "very optimistic" about concluding it, White House adviser Larry Kudlow said.In the WTO ruling, a three-member arbitration panel said Chinese exporters suffered impairment to trade valued at $3.579 billion annually. China may now ask the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body for a green light to impose the retaliatory tariffs on imported U.S. goods valued up to that amount each year.China told the WTO in September 2018 that it had suffered $7.043 billion in damages annually due to U.S. anti-dumping duties ruled illegal by a WTO panel in 2016 & later upheld. China therefore requested permission to raise trade barriers on U.S. goods to the same amount, as allowed under WTO rules.As the Trump administration objected to the amount, the issue was sent to arbitration.The case relates to U.S. dumping duties on industries including machinery and electronics, light industry, metals and minerals, and the U.S. Commerce Department's way of calculating the amount of "dumping" - Chinese exports that are priced to undercut American-made goods on the U.S. market.The U.S. calculation method, known as "zeroing", tended to increase the level of U.S. anti-dumping duties on foreign producers and was repeatedly ruled to be illegal in a series of trade disputes brought to the WTO.The U.S. Trade Representative's office in Washington had no immediate response.
MUMBAI: The income-tax department has cancelled the registration of six Tata Trusts — Jamsetji Tata Trust, RD Tata Trust, Tata Education Trust, Tata Social Welfare Trust, Sarvajanik Seva Trust and Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust. The order was issued by the office of the principal commissioner of income tax, Mumbai, on October 31."The Trusts would like to clarify that this order of cancellation is a culmination of the decision taken by these six Trusts in 2015 to surrender, of their own volition, their registration under the Income Tax Act and to not claim the associated tax exemptions. The decision to surrender the registration (an option available in law) was taken in the best interests of the Trusts and to maximise the resources available to the Trusts for their charitable work which is the principal object and focus of the Trusts," Tata Trusts said in a statement late on Friday.The statement reiterated the stand of the Tata Trusts that the cancellation should take effect from 2015. "While the tax department's order has cancelled the Trusts' registration with immediate effect, we believe that as a matter of law and consistent with the department's own decision in the past, the cancellation should take effect from 2015, when the registrations were surrendered and the Trusts themselves consented to cancellation."Tata Trusts said they are studying the order and will take legal recourse soon."The Trusts are examining the order and will take necessary next steps in accordance with the law. The Trusts have effective legal options to vindicate their grievances against the order both factually and legally," said the statement from Tata Trusts.According to sources familiar with the issue, the tax authorities have 'refused' to accept the Trusts' contention that the cancellation should be with effect from 2015. Sources said the I-T department will soon send a demand notice."There is no merit in the Trusts' contention that since they have surrendered their licence in 2015, provisions of Section 115 (TD) cannot be applied. The cancellation order has been passed, and it will be followed by a demand notice that amounts to several thousand crores," said a person privy to the development.According to Section 115 (TD) of the I-T Act, a trust whose registration is cancelled must pay tax on accumulated income.In July, the tax department had served notices on the six Tata trusts seeking to reopen assessment and questioning their decision to 'surrender' registrations in 2015.Replying to the notice last month, the Trusts said they had already surrendered their registration provisions under I-T Act, and that the levy of additional tax — which accrues if a charitable trust converts into or merges with a non-charitable trust or transfers its assets on dissolution to a non-charitable institution — cannot be applied to them, sources told ET.In the statement, the Trusts said they hadn't received a demand notice. "We would also like to clarify that Trusts have not received any demand notice from the Income Tax Department pursuant to the cancellation order, as has been speculated in certain sections of the media. It is equally surprising how the issue of seizure of the Trusts' assets has been raised today."The dispute dates back to 2013, when the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) pointed out that Jamsetji Tata Trust and Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust had invested Rs 3,139 crore in "prohibited modes of investment". The CAG had noted that the I-T department had given "irregular tax exemptions" to these trusts, resulting in Rs 1,066 crore escaping tax.In March 2015, the Tata Trusts moved the tax department to surrender registrations (under Section 12AA of the I-T Act) while admitting that some of their assets were not in compliance with the provisions of Section 13(1)(d) of the Act. However, following the CAG's observations and subsequent remarks by a subpanel of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament in 2018, the matter was transferred from the division looking into tax exemptions to the I-T department's assessment wing, that has now sought an explanation from the Trusts.The Trusts, according to the PAC report, were investing in prohibited modes of investment despite the law forbidding public charitable trusts from holding such assets after 1973.
NEW DELHI: A panel of secretaries set up to recommend relief measures for telecom companies is likely to seek legal opinion on the options, including any legislative measures needed, to alleviate the stress on the sector that was aggravated by last week's Supreme Court order on adjusted gross revenue (AGR).While the committee, headed by cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, is mulling steps such as a two-year moratorium on spectrum payments, besides reductions in the Universal Service Obligation Fund component of the licence fee, and spectrum usage charges (SUC), government officials say it may also discuss issues arising out of the SC order broadening the definition of AGR. This includes any precedent of waivers being granted on penalties and interest after a court order."We have to assess whether we have the right to do it (grant a waiver) or not … we need to take a legal opinion on this," a senior government official said. "We also need to know whether there is any precedent, if after an apex court judgment any waiver was given."Gauba earlier this week met telecom department (DoT) officials, who gave presentations on the sectoral stress, including issues arising from the AGR ruling. 71860787 More meetings are slated early next week.The government needs to tread "extremely carefully" to avoid any future vigilance scrutiny, another official said.The panel, set up earlier this week, comprises secretaries from the ministry of corporate affairs and departments of financial services, revenue, law & justice, and information technology, as well as the NITI Aayog CEO besides Gauba.The court's decision to broaden the definition of AGR to include non-core items has added to the debt-ridden sector's woes as telecom companies must now pay an additional Rs 1.3 lakh crore within three months to the government towards licence fees and spectrum usage charges. Both licence fees and SUC are paid on the basis of AGR. The industry association as well as Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel have sought a waiver on the payment, or at least lower penalties and interest on the dues, and the government is considering their demand, among other options.Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, the two most affected operators facing combined dues worth over Rs 80,000 crore, have board meetings next week to consider their fiscal second quarter results. They are hoping for some clarity from the government on any relief before those meetings.The officials though said it is up to the mobile phone companies to move court to seek a review of the order or seek more time to pay up the statutory dues, and that the DoT will be issuing the updated demand notices in a few weeks, which will include both licence fees and SUC dues.Industry body Cellular Operators Association of India has sought a total waiver of the entire amount of over Rs 1.3 lakh crore, "given the poor financial state of the sector" If that is not possible, it has requested that the principal portion be allowed to be repaid over 10 years, with a two-year moratorium. Reliance Jio Infocomm, which has dues of just Rs 41 crore, has opposed any relief.Loss-making Vodafone Idea, which analysts say, would face survival issues if forced to pay the entire amount, had last week said it might file a review application. Analysts said while Bharti Airtel was better placed financially, the telco too would need to curb its spending sharply, including on capex and on spectrum buys, if it needed to pay the dues in full.According to government officials, an analysis of the financial performance of the mobile phone companies showed that AGR of the industry between 2017-18 and 2018-19 had decreased. Besides, the price of data was an average of Rs 8 per GB at present, which was perhaps the lowest in the world, even as monthly average revenue per user had plunged to Rs 113 in FY19 from Rs 174 in FY15. They added that the SC ruling was expected to further hurt the telcos.Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea shares surged nearly 23% intraday, before closing 10.5% higher at Rs 4.30 on the BSE Friday, after co-parent Vodafone Group said Thursday that it had no plans to exit India and would support the local JV in the "challenging" times. Bharti Airtel ended flat at Rs 374.05.
KOLKATA: Coal India has decided to advance its target year for achieving an annual production capacity of one billion tonnes by two years -- 2024. The company was earlier planning to achieve the target by 2019-20. However, lack of adequate demand and a plethora of issues with respect to raising production levels had forced the company to push back the deadline to 2025-26.Minister of Coal & Mines, Pralhad Joshi on Friday said state-run Coal India will produce one billion tonnes coal by 2023-24 and the company has to produce 750 million tonnes in the next fiscal. This year its production target is 660 million tonnes which, analysts believe, may not be achieved due to a series of issues.The minister was addressing employees at the 45th Coal India Foundation Day.He also said the company will offer around eight thousand jobs in the near future to boost the employment and directed Coal India to take necessary steps to achieve these goals in light of growing energy requirements of the nation and assured all possible support from the government and ministry of coal to achieve these goals."Power demand is rising so fast and steeply that there is enough opportunity for both government and private sectors to produce coal without adversely impacting each other. Referring, the central government's recent decision of 100% foreign direct investment under automatic route in coal, as one of the much-needed structural reforms in the sector, he said the decision will minimize the volume of coal import that is denting the government exchequer and will help the nation get much amount of coal."He made it very clear that FDI in coal does not stand for FDI in Coal India and the government wants to strengthen Coal India," a statement issued by coal ministry mentioned.Moreover, he said, due to foreign direct investment, there is scope for mutual learning as foreign companies – apart from providing appointment – will bring advanced coal mining technology and modern planning and management practices, which Coal India can imbibe. These companies on the other hand can learn about local conditions and the handling of various issues from Indian coal companies. Hence, the fear of domestic players and labour unions are misplaced.He also urged Coal India to get associated with central government's Jal Shakti Abhiyan to conserve water and provide treated mine water to the populace living in and around coal mining areas. On the Prime Minister's call for eradication of Tuberculosis (TB) from India by 2025, the minister appealed Coal India to eradicate TB in and around coal mining areas in 08 states of the country by 2024 under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
The painful bear hammering, led mainly by toxic debt and punitive government policies, seen in domestic equities over the past few months did not spare even quality companies. This is why as the market shows first signs of a bounceback, stocks that have been maintaining robust return on capital employed (RoCE) for last 10 years should be the first ones to draw investor attention.Chances are that some of these stocks would emerge frontrunners and deliver handsome returns to investors in the coming months.RoCE measures capital efficiency of a business. It is a measure of earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for every rupee of capital (equity and debt) employed in the business.Investing in companies with higher RoCE can reap rich rewards if it can maintain higher capital efficiency on new capital as well. In short, higher RoCE indicates better capital efficiency, which can will lead to better wealth creation for shareholders.As many as 67 per cent of stocks that have a record of maintaining an RoCE of 15 per cent have lost up to 80 per cent of value in this correction.With an 80 per cent fall since January 2018, TPL Plastech emerged as biggest loser on the list. It was followed by Wimplast (down 73 per cent), Kitex Garments (down 72 per cent), NBCC (down 71), eClerx (down 71 per cent), RPP Infra (down 69 per cent), Care Ratings (down 60 per cent) and Zee Entertainment (down 59 per cent).Zee shares were under pressure through most the year, as worried investors sold the stock amid concerns that lenders may redeem pledged shares. The company has since managed to bring in some strategic investors. 71849710 71849711 71849712 BSE benchmark Sensex has advanced 18 per cent since January 2018 amid select buying in blue chips, while broader market indicators BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices dipped 18 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively."Some quality midcaps got hit badly in this selloff in tandem with companies that had corporate governance issues. This is an opportunity to buy," says Vijay Kedia, MD, Kedia Securities."There are very few good stocks in the market right now and they may have bottomed out. We may not see any V-shaped recovery in the companies that have issues. They may recover partially, but it is very difficult to say if they will make money," he said.Data available with Ace Equity showed there are 117 companies that have been maintaining an RoCE of at least 15 per cent on BSE since 2009. Analysts believe after a steep correction such stocks can be good options to look at."Investors should look for such stocks, but there is a caveat. One cannot go by historical RoCE alone. One should look for prospective RoCE before taking any investment decision. In the current environment, several businesses have undergone massive business model changes, and hence, one needs to figure out how the RoCE will pan out in the future," says Prabhakar Kudwa, Director, Samvitti Capital.Meanwhile, among the chart toppers some stocks like NIIT Technologies, Asian Paints, Vinati Organics, Berger Paints, Dr Lal Pathlabs, Astral Poly Technik, Tata Consultancy Services, HUL, HDFC Bank, Relaxo, Titan, Morganite Crucible, Pidilite, L&T Infotech have rallied between 30 per cent and 133 per cent in this period. 71849713 71849714 Analysts feel many of these stocks have room to grow on the upside. Centrum Broking still has a 'buy' rating on Asian Paints with a target price of Rs 2,042. BoBCAPS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, has an 'add' rating on NIIT Technologies with a price target of Rs 1,600.IDBI Capital Market is bullish on HDFC Bank with a price target of Rs 1,490, while ICICIdirect has a 'buy' rating on Dabur India with a price target of Rs 550.Some of these companies, which had debt in excess of Rs 1,000 crore as of March 31, delivered negative returns to investors in last 22 months.For instance, ONGC had a consolidated debt of Rs 1,07,640 crore at the end of FY19. The stock declined 26 per cent between January 1, 2018 and October 29 this year.Wipro, Dilip Buildcon, Godrej Consumer Products, Coromandel International, Hindustan Zinc, Aarti Industries, Coal India, Redington and Zee Entertainment had debt ranging from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore as of March 31, Ace Equity showed.Kolkata-based Abhishek Basumallick, Founder and Chief Equity Advisor of Intelsense Capital, says looking at RoCE alone may not help. However, it is a very good starting point to spot stocks."Any company that can earn a decent RoCE over longer periods, especially if it is above its cost of capital, will be able to sustain the business and flourish," he said.
By Divya PatilForeign investors' net sales of Indian rupee company bonds rose to the highest in five months, as the slowest economic growth in six years and credit market strains weighed on sentiment.Overseas funds pulled Rs 2,640 crore ($372.2 million) in October, making it the seventh straight month of outflow and the longest streak since 2016, according to National Securities Depository. While foreign investors only account for a small share of India's corporate debt purchases, their retreat adds to pressures at a time of record defaults amid a shadow banking crisis.India's central bank has already cut interest rates five times in a row to spur spending, while the government has taken a series of fiscal steps to boost growth, including a $20 billion cut to corporate taxes. Concerns that the government will borrow more to fund its fiscal deficit, and a sharp jump in credit spreads in October as credit strains deepened, are also making some overseas investors wary. 71850155 "Smart money is leaving to take profit and will continue to do so," said Tongli Han, chief investment officer at Deepblue Global Investment Ltd. A lack of progress in strengthening the nation's banking sector, and better prospects for other emerging market currencies than the rupee, are also reasons, according to Han.The extra yield demanded by investors to buy top-rated three-year corporate paper over government bonds climbed 26 basis points to 116 last month. That's the biggest increase in a year.Not all investors are pessimistic. Some signs that the economy may improve have also emerged."Even with issues in the banking sector, Indian local bonds have delivered solid returns over the last year," said Kenneth Akintewe, senior investment manager at Aberdeen. "Valuations remain compelling in better quality issuers."Troubles in India's credit market began last year when major shadow bank IL&FS Group unexpectedly defaulted, prompting broader shock that made it hard for many companies to refinance debt. Altico Capital India, a realty financier, recently became the latest to default.
NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: Pegasus, the spyware sold by Israel's NSO Group and Q Cyber Technologies that is believed to have broken through encrypted communication systems such as WhatsApp, can concurrently monitor about 50 smartphones.A person who runs a private cybersecurity firm and has seen Pegasus' snooping capabilities up close told ET on condition of anonymity that the spyware can monitor up to 500 phones in a year, but can only track a maximum of 50 at one go. He said it costs about $7-8 million per year to license Pegasus.Facebook-owned WhatsApp's court filings in the US show a contract with a Ghanaian company for monitoring 25 phones.WhatsApp filed a lawsuit in a California court on October 29, alleging that NSO Group gained unauthorised access to its servers and communication service.Court filings allege that the Israeli company reverse-engineered the messaging app and developed a program that copied WhatsApp's network traffic to target devices over the app's servers. Targeted individuals included lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, political dissidents, diplomats and senior foreign government officials.71860887 In February 2019, the NSO Group was acquired by its management from private equity firm Francisco Partners, cofounded by Dipanjan Deb. The acquisition was led by NSO Group's cofounders Shalev Hulio and Omri Lavie.The acquisition was funded by European PE fund Novalpina Capital, according to a February 14 press release from Francisco Partners that is part of the court filings in the US. Interestingly, the press release is no longer available on the Francisco Partners website.Representatives of Toronto-based cyber security group The Citizen Lab, which investigated the breach on behalf of WhatsApp, reportedly told the individuals targeted in India that it is possible some state agency had used the spyware. "The software costs millions of dollars, and it cannot be your neighbourhood crank using it against you. It has to be someone with a lot of resources, like the State," The Citizen Lab's John Scott-Railton was quoted as saying by one of the Indian activists.India's former national cybersecurity coordinator Gulshan Rai said, "Every government looks at cyberdefence seriously, including ours. We are also starting our own capabilities. A lot of the focus now has moved towards domestic sourcing. They are actively funding startups in the space… We have CERT-In (the nodal government agency that deals with cybersecurity threats). The MHA (ministry of home affairs) is looking at forensic labs. The government is taking a lot of steps."Annexed to the court papers in California is a purchase agreement that NSO Group entered into with Ghana's Infraloks Development Ltd. The entire package for Pegasus software was to cost the Ghanaian company $8 million. The amount would be payable in three instalments, and support services would cost 22% more. The contract was for concurrently targeting 25 mobile phones.POTENT PROGRAMThe program, or 'agent' as it is called, can not only survive a system reboot but also a factory reset and operating system upgrades. It is capable of extracting all data and access all communications through messaging services such as BlackBerry Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Line, WeChat and Tango. It can also monitor keystrokes and retrieve files, and turn on the cameras and microphone of a mobile device.The language of the contract with Infralok seems to suggest that NSO Group was aware the Ghanaian company was not the real client, and hence the contractual assurances, obligations and responsibilities were aimed at the end user.
US Energy Secretary Perry asked to testify in Trump impeachment inquiry State Department counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale have also been asked to testify on Wednesday.
Yes Bank posts loss of Rs 600 crore in Q2, know what hit the lender Net interest income declined 9.6% y-o-y to Rs 2,185.91 crore, which was largely due to Rs 228-crore fresh slippages during the quarter.
Manufacturing activity falls to a two-year low in October India's manufacturing activity plummeted to a two-year low in October with both factory orders and production rising at the weakest rates.
RCEP talks: India braces for hard negotiations over weekend Earlier last month, amid persisting differences, RCEP members had decided that all issues must be settled by negotiators by October 22.
WhatsApp hacking: Govt concerned over non-disclosure Facebook-owned WhatsApp has over 1.5 billion users globally, of which India alone accounts for about 400 million.
FIRST AND SECOND SEMESTER BACHELOR OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE (BLISc) DEGREE EXAMINATIONS UNDER CSS (SDE) JUNE 2019 (2017 ADMISSION)
