Trump prioritises ‘trade’ at G20, China’s Xi warns against protectionism

Trump also said he would discuss Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei with the Indian leader

US President Donald Trump clarified on Friday that exchange was a top need at a summit of pioneers of Group of 20 countries, as Chinese pioneer Xi Jinping cautioned against rising protectionism and India and Russia safeguarded multilateral exchange rules.

In front of converses with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Trump said he would talk about exchange, days in the wake of condemning the US-Japan security arrangement and requesting New Delhi pull back retaliatory taxes.

“I believe we will have some huge things to report. Big economic agreement. We’re doing some huge things with India as far as exchange, as far as assembling,” Trump said toward the beginning of converses with Modi. Donald Trump likewise said he would talk about Chinese telecoms gear producer Huawei with the Indian head. “We really sell Huawei huge numbers of its parts,” Trump said. “So we will talk about that and furthermore how India fits in. What’s more, we’ll be talking about Huawei.”

A White House authority said Trump needed to elevate to Abe and Modi “a strong quality secure foundation” – a reference to the US push with partners to stay with the Chinese out of cutting edge telecoms systems. Washington has squeezed its partners to avoid Huawei in their fifth era, or 5G, arranges on security grounds, yet has likewise proposed it could be a factor in an economic agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom Trump meets on Saturday…

Govt’s new move to revive discoms: Install 300 mn smart meters in 3 years

As part of the plan, the federal government is mulling providing subsidies to partially cover the costs

India is thinking about an arrangement to introduce savvy meters in each home and business as a feature of its continuous exertion to pivot the nation’s sickly power part, as indicated by authorities with learning of the circumstance.

The arrangement under thought would require 300 million brilliant meters more than three years, said the general population, who asked not to be recognized as the data isn’t open. The government control service has started talks with producers on providing the meters, which improve productivity by observing and transmitting force use information.

As a feature of the arrangement, the government is pondering giving sponsorships to mostly take care of the costs, one of the authorities said. Primer gauges by the administration put the expense for the smart meters at about Rs 2,000 ($29) each, or $8.7 billion altogether, as per one of the authorities. That is incompletely founded on a desire that costs would be lower than a littler government delicate for 5 million brilliant meters in 2017 at Rs 2,503.  The power service wasn’t quickly ready to react to demands for input.

Broad utilization of brilliant meters could be a gamechanger for sickly Indian dissemination utilities. These merchants lose about one-fifth of their income through different specialized and business reasons including power burglary or wasteful charging and gathering, as indicated by the power service.

Terrorism biggest threat to humanity: Modi at BRICS leaders’ meet in Japan

The Prime Minister is in Osaka for the G20 Summit

Executive Narendra Modi on Friday said that psychological warfare is the greatest danger to mankind which kills blameless people as well as seriously influences the financial advancement and social security Talking at the casual BRICS pioneers’ gathering in Osaka, Modi said that there is a need to stop every one of the modes of help to psychological warfare and bigotry.

“Fear based oppression is the greatest danger to mankind. It executes honest people as well as seriously influences the financial advancement and social solidness,” he said The Prime Minister, who is in Osaka for the G20 Summit, praised Jair Bolsonaro on being chosen as the President of Brazil and invited him in the BRICS family.

infra advancement He likewise complimented Cyril Ramaphosa on his race as the President of South Africa as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) pioneers met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit Osaka. In his comments, Modi talked about fortifying the WTO, battling protectionism, guaranteeing vitality security and the need to cooperate to battle fear based oppression.

“Today, I will concentrate on the three noteworthy difficulties. First is the precariousness and defeat in the worldwide economy. Unilateralism and aggressiveness are eclipsing the standard based mutilateral worldwide exchange frameworks. “Inadequacy of assets, there is a deficit of nearly USD 1.3 trillion interest in the foundation,” he said..

G20 summit: Modi, Trump, Abe meet, discuss Indo-Pacific, infra development

The discussion focused on how the three countries can together work together towards an open, stable and rule-based Indo-Pacific region

Head administrator Narendra Modi on Friday held a “profitable” trilateral gathering with US President Donald Trump and Japanese chief Shinzo Abe, and broadly talked about issues of the Indo-Pacific area, availability and foundation improvement in front of the formal opening of the G-20 Summit here. It was the second Japan-America-India (JAI) meeting.  The dialog concentrated on how the three nations can together cooperate towards an open, stable and guideline based Indo-Pacific district. 

During the Japan-America-India trilateral gathering, Modi featured “the significance India appends to” the gathering. The fundamental point of dialog was Indo-Pacific, how the three nations can cooperate as far as availability, foundation, guaranteeing harmony and security, and cooperating to expand upon this new idea, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said.“Focused on a superior future. Meeting of JAI (Japan-America-India) Trilateral happens in Osaka. PM @AbeShinzo respects the pioneers. @POTUS compliments Prime Ministers Modi and Abe for their appointive triumphs. PM Modi features the significance India joins to JAI,” the head administrator’s office tweeted. 

“The present gathering of the JAI Trilateral was a gainful one. We had broad exchanges on the Indo-Pacific district, improving network and foundation improvement. Appreciative to PM @AbeShinzo and President @realDonaldTrump for sharing their perspectives also,” Modi tweeted later.“second ‘JAI’ – Japan-America-India Trilateral Meeting between PM @narendramodi, Japanese PM @AbeShinzo and POTUS @realDonaldTrump on edges of #G20 Summit. Talk concentrated on how the 3 nations can together cooperate towards an open, stable and principle based Indo-Pacific locale,” External Affairs Ministry representative Raveesh Kumar said on Twitter. 

Afterward, the head administrator met Trump independently.  On Thursday, Modi held wide-extending chats with Abe on the worldwide economy, issues of criminal monetary guilty parties and debacle the board. Head administrator Modi will likewise meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Putin and different pioneers during the June 28-29 summit.  This will be Modi’s 6th G-20 Summit.

Mike Pompeo promises better relations with India, but plays down trade spat

trade disputes have led to higher tariffs by the two countries and created unease over the depth of their security alliance

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tried to lessen elevated exchange pressure with India on Wednesday, promising a recharged spotlight on arranging better ties, yet giving couple of points of interest of how they would beat arguments about exchange and venture.

Pompeo’s India visit comes as the two nations ponder issues extending from access to Indian markets for American firms to New Delhi’s interest for outside organizations to store Indian information in the nation, and fares of steel and aluminum to the US The two countries are “companions who can help each other all around the globe,” Pompeo told a joint news meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar after they met.

The present contrasts were communicated “in the soul of kinship”, he included. Be that as it may, any advancement on exchange would most likely be declared at a normal gathering of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at a  G20 summit in Japan this week, monetary and political examiners said. “If there is going to be some kind announcement on trade, it will come at a Trump-Modi meeting,” said Neelam Deo, founder of the Gateway House think tank in the financial capital of Mumbai.

Exchange SPAT

The exchange questions have prompted higher taxes by the two nations and made unease over the profundity of their security union. Specifically, the abrupt presentation of new web based business rules for remote financial specialists in February rankled the Americans since it demonstrated New Delhi was set up to move the goal lines to hurt two of the biggest US organizations, markdown retailer Walmart, and Amazon.com Inc.

Godrej family hires top law firms to untangle land holdings worth Rs 20k-cr

The Godrej group owns 3,400 acres in Vikhroli, a northeastern suburb of Mumbai. Of this, bout 1,000 acres can be developed

The Godrej family, one of the biggest land owners in Mumbai, has appointed advisors and top law firms to untangle its land holdings. The 1,000-acre land bank at Vikhroli, which can be developed, is worth Rs 20,000 crore at the prevailing rate of Rs 20 crore per acre in the area, according to real estate experts.

While Godrej & Boyce chairman Jamshyd Godrej has hired veteran investment banker Nimesh Kampani of JM Financial and lawyer Zia Mody of AZB Partners to help in the re-organisation of the land holdings, cousins Adi (chairman, Godrej group) and Nadir (chairman, Godrej Agrovet) have hired banker Uday Kotak and Cyril Shroff of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said a source close to the development.

The Godrej group owns 3,400 acres in Vikhroli, a northeastern suburb of Mumbai. Of this, about 1,000 acres can be developed. Another 1,750 acres has mangroves and will not be developed because of environment concerns, Adi Godrej had promised in 2011.

Another 300 acres of land has been encroached upon. The land parcel can be developed into real estate worth up to Rs 100,000 crore — taking into account the per square feet price in Godrej’s Vikhroli complex. Godrej family members did not respond to queries. Spokespersons of Kotak Mahindra Bank and JM Financial also did not respond, while law firms Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and AZB Partners declined to comment.

Tariff hike is unacceptable, must be withdrawn: Donald Trump to India

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought to reduce heightened trade tension with India on Wednesday

US President Donald Trump on Thursday asked India to withdraw retaliatory tariffs that New Delhi imposed this month, calling the duties “unacceptable”. India slapped higher tariffs on 28 US products following Washington’s withdrawal this month of key trade privileges for New Delhi.

“I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the fact that India, for years having put very high tariffs against the United States, just recently increased the tariffs even further,” Trump said on Twitter. “This is unacceptable and the tariffs must be withdrawn!” said Trump, who will meet Modi at this week’s G20 summit in Japan.

India’s trade ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters email seeking comment. Trump’s remarks could further worsen a trade row that has led to tit-for-tat tariffs from India and the United States and created an unease over the depth of their security alliance. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in New Delhi on Wednesday, sought to reduce heightened trade tension with India, promising a renewed focus on negotiating better ties, but giving few specifics of how they would overcome disputes over trade and investment.

Trump scrapped trade privileges for India under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), under which New Delhi was the biggest beneficiary that allowed duty-free exports of up to $5.6 billion. India initially issued an order in June last year to raise import taxes as high as 120% on a slew of U.S. items, incensed by Washington’s refusal to exempt it from higher steel and aluminium tariffs.

Growing wheat in north-west, rice in eastern states can reduce water crisis

While 42% of India’s land area is currently facing a drought, 88.11% of Punjab’s districts and 76.02% of Haryana’s are drought-resilient, according to a 2018 study published in Journal of Hydrology.

Mumbai: Shifting the real piece of rice creation to India’s focal and eastern states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, while empowering wheat development through manageable water system in the rice-developing districts of Punjab and Haryana, could enable India to forestall a looming water emergency by 2030, as per a recent report by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). Water request by 2030 is anticipated to be double the accessible supply, a WaterAid India report from March 2019 appeared.

Wasteful editing examples have affected groundwater saves, that have accommodated generally 84% of the inundated region included the most recent four decades, said the NABARD and ICRIER concentrate titled ‘Water Productivity Mapping of Major Indian Crops‘. Rice and wheat, two of India’s most significant sustenance crops, are additionally the most water-serious; delivering a kilogram of rice requires a normal of 2,800 liters of water, while a kilogram of wheat takes 1,654 liters, says WaterAid India’s ”Beneath the Surface: The State of the World’s Water 2019’ report.

India’s top rice and wheat makers Punjab, Haryana in the north west- – which contribute practically 15% of India’s whole rice creation, as indicated by the NABARD and ICRIER report- – and western Uttar Pradesh in the Gangetic plain, are likewise among the world’s top water-hazard zones for farming generation, the others being northeastern China and southwestern USA, as per the WaterAid report.

While 42% of India’s property territory is right now confronting a dry season, 88.11% of Punjab’s locale and 76.02% of Haryana’s are dry spell strong, as indicated by a recent report distributed in the Journal of Hydrology. Broad interests in water system and power framework and government sponsorships on water and power utilization have shrouded the way that Punjab was at one time a desert. “Punjab as we probably am aware it today is just 100-150 years of age…

Bitcoin climbs to 18-month high, soars past $13,000 as Libra spurs interest

Bitcoin bounced to a 18-month high on Wednesday, as speculators searched for security in elective ventures in the midst of geopolitical pressure, and cheered prospects that Facebook Inc’s Libra token could push digital forms of money into the standard.

The world’s greatest cryptographic money has flooded in an incentive since April and on Wednesday hit a pinnacle of $13,666.02 on the Bitstamp trade, the largest amount since January 2018. So far this year, bitcoin has risen over 260%, despite the fact that it stays underneath its unsurpassed high of about $20,000 hit in December 2017.

Bitcoin last exchanged up 14.7 percent at $13,475.

Financial specialists have rushed back in to advanced monetary forms after a wounding 2018. Bitcoin has ascended for eight back to back days. What’s more, presently Facebook has said it would offer its very own digital currency, the Libra coin, by end of June 2020.

Examiners state Facebook’s declaration this month has restored enthusiasm for computerized monetary standards, while speculators looking for security have likewise pushed up bitcoin’s cost. “Cryptographic money merchants were revived by Facebook’s dispatch of their own computerized coin and force has all the earmarks of being working up crisp new speculators,” said Edward Moya, senior market examiner, at online FX representative OANDA in New York.

“Bitcoin doubters are wary in attempting to stop this flood and may search for the following key opposition level which is $15,000,” he included. With significant national banks keeping loan fees close to unequaled lows, financial specialists have been searching for approaches to expand their portfolios, including through cryptocurrenies, examiners said….

Will leave no stone unturned to fulfil ‘housing for all’ dream: PM Modi

Modi had launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to provide affordable housing to the urban poor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government is committed to further improving urban infrastructure and will leave no stone unturned to fulfil the dream of housing for all.

Taking to Twitter, Modi said, “Four years ago, today we started important initiatives PM Awas Yojana (U), AMRUT, Smart Cities with the aim of #TransformingUrbanLandscape in India. These initiatives have not only helped usher in a new paradigm of urban development but have also transformed crores of lives.”

In another tweet, he said, “These initiatives have seen record investment, speed, use of technology and public participation. We are committed to further improving urban infrastructure. No stone will be left unturned to fulfil the dream of Housing for All, which will give wings to crores of aspirations.”

Modi had launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to provide affordable housing to the urban poor. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) aims at giving basic civic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, urban transport, parks to improve the quality of life for all especially the poor and the disadvantaged.

Black money stashed outside India is estimated at $216-490 bn, say studies

MPs’ panel: There’s huge variation in estimates of black money circulation from 7% to 120% of GDP

Various studies and estimates have pegged black money circulation in India anywhere between 7 per cent and 120 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009-10 and 2010-11. This was revealed by the standing committee on finance, quoting various studies and estimates. It highlighted the lack of a reliable estimation of unaccounted income and wealth. Given that the GDP stood at Rs 64.5 trillion in FY10 and Rs 76.7 trillion in FY11 (in old series), black money could amount to Rs 4.5-77.4 trillion in FY10 and Rs 5.3-92.08 trillion in the following year.

These estimates were given by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), and the National Institute of Finance Management (NIFM). The previous UPA government had commissioned studies by these institutions. The report, submitted to Parliament on Monday, also quoted these studies, estimating that the black money stashed away by Indians abroad was in the range of $216.48 billion to $490 billion between 1980 and 2010.

Besides, the committee, chaired by former law minister Veerappa Moily, pressed for the earliest introduction of the direct taxes code (DTC) in order to simplify and rationalise direct tax laws in the country. Moily told Business Standard that the Income Tax Act, due to its various amendments, had become a ‘fountain of black money generation’, and hence the entire Act needs to be simplified instead of making adhoc amendments.

Love it or return it: Honor 20 available on Flipkart with 90% buyback offer

Priced at Rs 32,999, the Honor 20 will be available in sapphire blue and midnight black colours. The Flipkart-exclusive smartphone that will also be available on offline stores

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei’s sub-brand Honor recently unveiled the Honor 20-series in India. The series includes the Honor 20 Pro, Honor 20 and Honor 20i. While the Honor 20 Pro’s sale details are yet to come out and the Honor 20i is on sale from June 18, the Honor 20 goes on sale from June 25. Priced at Rs 32,999, the phone will be available in sapphire blue and midnight black colours. The Flipkart-exclusive smartphone will also be available on offline stores.

90 per cent buy back offer details

As part of launch offer, Honor is providing 90 per cent buy back guarantee on the Honor 20. In the buy back, the company would refund 90 per cent value of the phone if customer decides to return it within 90 days from the date of purchase. Called ‘Love it or return it challenge’, the buyback offer is subject to terms and conditions.

Honor 20 launch offers

The Honor 20 is eligible for no-cost equated monthly instalments, which start as low as Rs 5,500 per month on select debit and credit cards. Additionally, the Honor 20 comes bundled with a Reliance Jio cashback offer worth Rs 2,200. The cashback is valid only for Jio users. To avail the cashback, users need to recharge with either Rs 198 or 299 to get a cashback in the form of recharge vouchers. These vouchers can be redeemed, one at a time, against subsequent recharges of Rs 198 and Rs 299 via MyJio app only.

Honor 20 specifications and features

The Honor 20 is an identical twin of the Honor 20 Pro, albeit with different camera module, RAM and storage configurations and a lower capacity battery of 3,750 mAh. Powered by Kirin 980 system-on-chip, the phone comes with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. This phone sports a 6.26-inch screen of a fullHD+ resolution, stretched in a tall 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The screen has a punch-hole design on the top-left corner accommodating its 32-megapixel front-facing camera. At the back, the phone has a quad-camera module of a 48MP sensor of an f/1.8 aperture, a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.

Pakistan planes didn’t cross LoC in Feb 27 dogfight, says IAF chief Dhanoa

Referring to the Kargil conflict, Dhanoa said that Mirage aircraft of the IAF carried out effective strikes on Pakistani infiltrators

Air Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa on Monday said Pakistan Air Force planes did not cross the Line of Control (LoC) during the February 27 dogfight in the aftermath of the Balakot air strike, a military objective which India achieved.

“Pakistan did not come into our airspace. Our objective was to strike terror camps. Their objective was to target army places. None of them crossed the border. We achieved our military objective. None of them crossed the Line of Control into our territory,” he said. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa was speaking at a press meet after the Indian Air Force at its Gwalior airbase recreated the Tiger Hill attack and displayed aircraft used during the ‘Operation Vijay’ to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil conflict.

Replying to questions, the Air Chief said, “They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace…that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part and you have noticed that the Air Force has never stopped our civilian air traffic.” He recalled, “Only on February 27 (this year) we had stopped Srinagar airspace for two-three hours…We did not allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs.”

Referring to the Kargil conflict, Dhanoa said that Mirage aircraft of the IAF carried out effective strikes on Pakistani infiltrators. “We standby the people who achieved this. Pakistan did not have beyond visual range missile. When you have an element of surprise by your side then you can make success,” he said, adding, “Purpose of our attack has always been to show our resolve and capability.”

Sri Lanka aims to woo 400,000 Indian tourists after Easter bomb attacks

Country’s tourism minister announces discounts which will make Sri Lankan holidays 50-60 per cent cheaper for Indians.

Sri Lanka expects 400,000 visitors from India in 2019 as it lines up discounts, events and aggressive marketing campaigns. These measures are being planned as the country recovers from April 21 terror attack at Colombo hotels and churches which killed over 250 persons and crippled its tourism sector.

On Monday, the country’s tourism minister John Amaratunga announced discount offers which will make Sri Lankan holidays 50-60 per cent cheaper for Indian tourists. Amaratunga who is in Mumbai to interact with local travel agents said the packages will be offered by Sri Lankan Airlines in partnership with local hotels and tour operators.

India is the largest source market for Sri Lanka which received 2.3 million tourists last year. Around 425,000 Indians visited the country in 2018. But the attack led to mass cancellations. Hotel occupancies fell as arrivals shrank 70 per cent in May. Moody’s cut Sri Lanka’s GDP forecast anticipating a decline in tourist arrivals.

Sri Lanka Tourism Authority (SLTA) is now wooing tourists following withdrawal of security advisories by twelve countries including India. “We want the tourists to come back. It is important to build confidence. Revenue growth will follow and we are not worried about it,’ said SLTA chairman Kishu Gomes.

This year arrivals from India are expected to be 5-6 per cent lower compared to last year. Overall arrivals are expected to be around 2 million in 2019, Gomes said. Foreign airlines cut down on frequencies to the island nation after the April attack but now Air India is now resuming its second Delhi-Colombo flight from July 15.

Fans lose faith as mafia and corruption scandals rock Italian football

Over the past decade, media investigations and research have uncovered an unseemly lack of virtue within the industry

Football could be considered Italy’s most popular sport, with world-class teams worth billions attracting a dedicated following across the country. But more than that, football shapes the nation’s collective identity, bringing people from the smallest village to the biggest city together in their love for “the beautiful game”.

But over the past decade, media investigations and research have uncovered an unseemly lack of virtue within the industry. Mafia infiltration and corruption have come to characterise Italian football to the point that malpractice, deviance and criminal behaviour might seem to be the norm.

For example, fans of one of Italy’s most successful teams, Juventus Football Club (also known as “Juve”), have been dismayed by a series of corruption allegations. In April 2019, the Italian Supreme Court ruled that Juventus managers had supplied match tickets that were touted for profit by groups of hard-core fans, known as ultras, under the control of individuals linked to the Calabrian mafia, known as the ‘ndrangheta.

In an earlier case, concluded in October 2018, former Juventus player and 2006 World Cup winner Vincenzo Iaquinta was sentenced to two years in prison for firearms offences, in part of a larger trial concerning the infiltration of ‘ndrangheta clans in northern Italy. The footballer’s father was also sentenced to 19 years on mafia-related charges.

Playing for power

These incidents are not confined to one club – organised crime groups have interests at all levels of the sport. In 2018, football generated 2.397 billion euro in Italy alone – the bulk of which came from audiences, not even counting TV, sponsorship and advertising contracts. It’s obvious that an industry attracting such enormous amounts of money would make an appealing target for criminal groups that seek to accumulate profits and conceal the proceeds of crime.

Mirage 2000 jets, air support turned the tide of 1999 Kargil war: Dhanoa

B S Dhanoa said deploying Mirage 2000 jets and air support to ground forces turned the tide of the 1999 war

The integration of targeting pods and laser-guided bomb system for the Mirage 2000 aircraft for the Kargil war was done in a record time of 12 days, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said Monday. Dhanoa was speaking at an event at the Gwalior air base to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil war.

“Modification to the Mirage 2000 was in process and expedited, and system was brought in place for the Kargil War,” the IAF chief said. “The integration of Litening targeting pod and laser-guided bomb system was done in a record time of 12 days,” the IAF chief said.

He also said deploying  jets and air support to ground forces turned the tide of the 1999 war. On the Balakot air strike and subsequent events, the IAF chief said, “Pakistan did not enter our airspace, we hit the terror camps and it failed to target our army bases.”

To a question on the recent crash of an IAF AN-32 aircraft in Arunachal Pradesh, Dhanoa said, “AN-32 aircraft will continue to fly in mountainous areas. We don’t have any replacement.”

“We are in process of getting more modern aircraft which will be put in critical role once received, and AN-32 will be out and used for transport and training purposes,” he said. All 13 air-warriors on board the transport aircraft died in the crash in a heavily forested mountainous area in Arunachal Pradesh this month.

Behind Walmart’s multi-billion-dollar profits, a story of worldwide bribery

A ‘sorceress’ in Brazil, a ‘wink’ in India: Walmart pleads guilty after a decade of bribes

Inside Walmart’s corporate offices in Brazil, one local contact was known as the “sorceress” for the ability to obtain government permits quickly. In India, concerns about bribery were met with a “wink and a nod” by Walmart’s local business partner. In China, money was funneled to a local landlord for “government relationship consulting services.” And in Mexico, cars and computers were donated to governments in communities where Walmart was planning to build new stores.

For more than a decade, Walmart used middlemen to make dubious payments to governments around the globe in order to open new locations, United States prosecutors and securities regulators said in a settlement agreement on Thursday. But even as employees frequently raised alarm, the company’s top leaders did little to prevent Walmart from being involved in bribery and corruption schemes.

That lack of internal control led to a seven-year inquiry that culminated on Thursday with Walmart’s Brazilian subsidiary pleading guilty to a federal crime. The guilty plea, and the $282 million in fines that Walmart has agreed to pay, capped one of the biggest investigations ever under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which makes it illegal for American corporations to bribe overseas officials.

“Walmart profited from rapid international expansion, but in doing so chose not to take necessary steps to avoid corruption,” Brian A. Benczkowski, an assistant attorney general, said in a statement.

The investigation, which was conducted by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, came after The New York Times revealed in 2012 that Walmart had made suspicious payments to officials in Mexico and then tried to conceal them from top executives at the company’s headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. And even when the issues reached the main office, an internal investigation essentially went nowhere.

600 million people at risk: Climate change may soon turn critical in India

Climate change is likely to make rainfall erratic, lead to rising seas and make extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods and heat waves-like the one currently sweeping large parts of India

That is the warning delivered by N H Ravindranath, the scientist who is tasked with preparing the first national study on the impacts of climate change, even as he describes how unprepared India is in terms of data and planning.

Climate change is likely to make rainfall erratic, lead to rising seas and make extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods and heat waves–like the one currently sweeping large parts of India–frequent, according to the latest report of the United Nations body to assess climate science, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). Communities and livelihoods nationwide have already been affected by climate change, as IndiaSpend reported in a seven-part series from India’s climate-change hotspots.

Yet India, where one in every seventh person on the planet lives, has no national study on the impact of climate change, although about 600 million people are at risk from its effects. This is set to change over the next few months of 2019. Ravindranath, a climate scientist at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is currently heading a study that will assess the impact of climate change across regions and sectors. His assessment, which is likely to be the bedrock that will inform climate-related policy, will be submitted to the Indian government and the United Nations (UN).

Human activities have already caused warming of one degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times, according to a 2018 IPCC report. By 2030, or latest by mid-century, global warming is likely to reach 1.5 degrees Celsius. In March 2019, Ravindranath headed the first study that analysed climate change in India’s Himalayan Region (IHR). The study found, as IndiaSpend reported, that all 12 Indian states studied–including Assam, Mizoram and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)–are “highly vulnerable”, with little capacity to resist or cope.

PM Modi greets Yoga 2019 award winners, tweets applause in 6 languages

The winners will be felicitated with of a trophy, certificate and a Rs 25 lakh cash award each.The Ministry of AYUSH had developed the guidelines for the awards

Head administrator Narendra Modi on Saturday praised the four individuals consulted with the Prime Minister’s Awards for Outstanding Contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga – 2019. PM Modi posted his message on his official Twitter handle in six authority UN dialects – Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and English.

“Congrats to the individuals who have been given the Prime Minister’s Awards for Outstanding Contribution for Promotion and Development of Yoga – 2019. We are massively glad for their rich work to guarantee more individuals grasp Yoga and our planet ends up more beneficial,” tweeted Modi. On the event of the second International Yoga Day festivities in Chandigarh on June 21 of every 2016, Prime Minister had declared the establishment of the honor. The beneficiaries of the honor are – Swami Rajarshi Muni of Life Mission, Antonietta Rozzi of Italy, Bihar School of Yoga and Japan Yoga Niketan.

Saluting Swami Rajarshi Muni, hailing from Gujarat, for his commitment, PM Modi stated: “Swami Rajarshi Muni has tried wonderful endeavors to spread Yoga 2019. Most quite, he established the LIFE Mission and is related with Lakulish Yoga University that coaches understudies to exceed expectations in Yoga. His pledge to social administration is likewise remarkable.”

Rajashri Muni had established the Lakulish International Fellowship’s Enlightenment Mission (Life Mission) in 1993, and the Mission has done generous work for the advancement of Yoga just as in helpful administration. Additionally, praising Antonietta Rozzi for her Exceptional commitment and eminent commitment, the Prime Minister tweeted in Italian stated: “Antonietta Rozzi has a place with Italy and has been rehearsing Yoga for more than 4 decades. She established the Sarva Yoga International and promoted Yoga crosswise over Europe. We are pleased with devoted people like her!”

Donald Trump approved air strikes on Iran, then pulled back: Report

Airstrikes would have marked a dramatic escalation in the already high tensions between the two nations and would raise the specter of a broader conflict in the volatile region

President Donald Trump approved military strikes on Iran after an American drone was shot down by Iranian armed forces, but then decided not to go through with them, the New York Times reported Thursday night. The targets included radar and missile batteries, the newspaper said, citing unnamed administration officials. The operation was actually underway on Thursday evening — with planes and ships heading toward their targets — when the administration called off the attack, according to the Times.

The White House declined to comment on the report. The Times said it was unclear why the attack did not go forward. Airstrikes would have marked a dramatic escalation in the already high tensions between the two nations and would raise the specter of a broader conflict in the volatile region, which supplies one-third of the world’s oil.

Earlier Thursday, Donald Trump downplayed Iran’s attack on the US Navy drone in the Persian Gulf that escalated regional tensions and fueled a surge in oil prices, suggesting a “loose and stupid” individual may have been responsible for the strike.

“I would imagine it was a general or somebody who made a mistake by shooting that drone down,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting Thursday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “I find it hard to believe it was intentional. It could have been somebody who was loose and stupid.” The last time the US launched a significant military operation against Iran was Operation Praying Mantis in 1988. In that operation, US Navy ships sank two Iranian ships and destroyed two Iranian surveillance platforms.

Eyeing assembly polls, Modi govt plans bigger things under PM-KISAN scheme

PM-KISAN could be the second Modi govt’s marquee scheme

Convinced that Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana or (PM-KISAN) has made some impact in assuaging farmers’ anger on account of falling prices, the Narendra Modi government is planning bigger things for the flagship programme.

The recent Cabinet decision to expand PM-KISAN to cover all farmers, irrespective of the size of land held by them, is just one of the several steps in the offing. Under the scheme, the Centre promises to give Rs 6,000 per year to all farmers in three equal installments.

Initially, only small and marginal farmers were to be covered, but this was later expanded to include an estimated 145 million farmers. Officials said that a database generated through the PM Kisan scheme could henceforth form the bedrock of all transfers that the Centre plans to make to farmers. 

Gradually, over a period of time, there are plans to use the same to map the total amount of Central subsidy that each farmer avails — on seeds, farm machines and equipment, and even fertilizers. Perhaps, a reason why the Central government is pushing states hard to enroll maximum farmers in the shortest possible time. For Opposition-ruled states such as West Bengal, which haven’t join the scheme so far, the Centre is regularly sending communication through official channels urging it to join the scheme in the interest of farmers.

“We are getting calls from farmers asking us as to how they can join the scheme, but unless state government does the needful, we are helpless,” a senior agriculture ministry official said. Few days back, Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan expressed their intention to participate in the scheme after dithering for months.

International Yoga day: PM Modi says yoga integral part of our culture

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday performed Yoga with around 40,000 enthusiasts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday performed Yoga with around 40,000 enthusiasts at the Prabhat Tara ground here and said everybody should practice the ancient Indian discipline lifelong. The Jharkhand capital has been selected as the venue for the main event for the 5th International Day of Yoga.

Events to mark the day are being held across the country and several of them are being led by Union ministers, including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh. Modi also said the government has been working to make Yoga a pillar of preventive healthcare. Expressing concern that young people are becoming vulnerable to heart ailments, Modi said, “Yoga can play a huge role in tackling the issue and hence, this year’s theme is ‘Yoga for Heart’.”

He also appealed to the people to take yoga to all sections of society. “We should make efforts to take yoga from cities to villages, tribal areas. Yoga is above region, above faith, above everything,” Modi told the gathering. He also stressed that for yoga to become popular, infrastructure for it must be strengthened and said the government was working towards it.

Urging people to make yoga a part of daily life, Modi said, “Peace and harmony are related to Yoga. People across the world must practice it.” The prime minister had arrived here Thursday night to participate in the main event on the International Yoga Day.

After 128 encephalitis deaths, Bihar’s poorest prefer health to jobs, roads

Investment in public health was preferred to job creation programmes and road building by 73% and 79% of respondents, respectively

As 128 children died of encephalitis in Bihar over 19 days to June 21, 2019, a new study reports that the state’s rural population prefers government investment in public healthcare over roads, jobs and cash transfers.

In a survey conducted by the Brookings Institution, an American research group, in an administrative block of Bihar, 3,800 respondents–comprising the poor, less-educated and disadvantaged caste groups–were asked to make a choice: an incremental (and hypothetical) budget for their block to be transferred directly to them as direct cash transfers (DCT), or budgetary allocations for better welfare services.

Only 13% wanted the funds to come their way via DCT. The majority (86%) wanted it to be invested in public healthcare (the remaining 1% had no opinion on the matter). Approximately 63% of respondents wanted the budget to be spent on new roads rather than the DCT scheme, the study found. Investment in public health was preferred to job creation programmes and road building by 73% and 79% of respondents, respectively.

“It would appear from these responses that some of the poorest citizens of one of the most economically underdeveloped parts of India prioritise public health well above job creation programmes and roads, with cash coming last,” said Stuti Khemani, one of the report’s co-authors and a senior economist at the World Bank’s Development Research Group.

Poor, third most populous state, Bihar gets 1% of transfer funds

The central government launched the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme on January 1, 2013, with the aim of “reforming Government delivery system by re-engineering the existing process in welfare schemes for simpler and faster flow of information/funds, and to ensure accurate targeting of the beneficiaries, de-duplication and reduction of fraud”.

This flow of funds to the public takes place through two modes, cash (DCT) or kind. During 2018-19, an estimated Rs 2,14,092 crore ($30.7 billion) was transferred to approximately 590 million beneficiaries in the country, and accounted for 65% of the total DBT provided by the central government…

Click Here: encephalitis deaths