US spy agencies monitor COVID-19 spread; concerned about outbreak in India

US intelligence agencies are also focusing on Iran, where the country’s deputy health minister has fallen ill during a worsening outbreak

US insight offices are checking the worldwide spread of coronavirus and the capacity of governments to react, sources acquainted with the issue said on Thursday, notice that there were worries about how India would adapt to an across the board flare-up. While there are just a couple of known cases in India, one source said the nation’s accessible countermeasures and the potential for the infection to spread given India’s thick populace was a focal point of genuine concern.

US insight organizations are likewise concentrating on Iran, where the nation’s appointee wellbeing priest has become sick during a compounding flare-up. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday the United States was “profoundly concerned” Tehran may have concealed insights concerning the spread of coronavirus. A U.S. government source said Iran’s reaction was viewed as incapable on the grounds that the administration just has negligible capacities to react to the episode.

Another source said U.S. offices were likewise worried about the feeble capacity of governments in some creating nations to react to an episode. The U.S. Place of Representatives Intelligence Committee has gotten an instructions on the infection from the covert agent organizations. “The Committee has gotten an instructions from the IC (insight network) on coronavirus, and keeps on accepting reports on the episode regularly,” an authority of the House Intelligence Committee told Reuters…

AGR: Voda Idea seeks hike in mobile data to Rs 35 per GB, calls to 6p a min

Current mobile internet prices are in the range of Rs 4-5 per GB

Vodafone Idea has demanded fixing minimum tariffs for mobile data at Rs 35 per GB, around 7-8 times of current prices, and for calls at 6 paise per minute along with monthly charges from April 1 to enable it pay statutory dues and make its business sustainable. The loss-making telco is under pressure to clear adjusted gross revenue dues of more than Rs 50,000 crore to comply with a Supreme Court order. The company has sought 18 years time to clear the dues, including a three-year moratorium on payment of interest and penalty, according to official sources.

“There are number of demands that Vodafone Idea has put across the government for its survival. The company wants minimum price of data should be fixed at Rs 35 per gigabyte and minimum monthly connection charge at Rs 50 from April 1, 2020. These are tough demands which is a problem for government to fulfil,” an official told PTI on the condition of anonymity. Current mobile internet prices are in the range of Rs 4-5 per GB.

According to the source, Voda Idea wants minimum price of outgoing calls should be fixed at 6 paise per minute. The demand to raise call and internet rates from Vodafone Idea comes within three months of company raising prices by up to 50 per cent. “According to the company, increase in mobile call and data rates will help it generate revenue to the same level as Vodafone and Idea individually generated in 2015-16. The company has said that it will take three years to get to that level after tariff hike hence it has sought three-year moratorium for payment of AGR dues,” the source said.

Anti-CAA protests: Prohibitory notices issued to 4,000 people in Aligarh

The police have issued notices to 200 people with a criminal background under Section 110 (G) of the CrPc and initiated process of the Goonda Act against 50 persons.

The police in Aligarh has issued prohibitory notices to 4,000 people, restricting their movement and warning them of action if there was any trouble in the Uttar Pradesh town on Friday. The police have issued notices to 200 people with a criminal background under Section 110 (G) of the CrPc and initiated process of the Goonda Act against 50 persons. Besides, around 100 arms license holders, who are residents of Shahjamal, Jamalpur and Jeevangarh areas, where protests are going on, have been issued warning notices, threatening cancellations of their licenses, if they were seen at the protest sites.

Aligarh SSP, Muniraj G, said that ‘red notices’ had been issued to 2,000 anti-social elements, informing them about restrictions on their movement and 2,000 others were issued notices under section 107/116 of the CrPC asking them to sign bonds wherein they would undertake not to breach peace. He said the police was on high alert and patrolling on highways has been intensified in view of the violence in the national capital. “Additional police force — nine companies of PAC and four companies of RAF — along with three additional SPs, eight deputy SPs and eight station house officers (SHO) of neighbouring districts have already been deployed in Aligarh as a precautionary measure,” the SSP added.

He further said that non-lethal weapons including anti-riot guns, tear gas guns and tear gas grenades, have been distributed at the police stations falling in the sensitive areas. Police have identified eight spots in the town which fall in sensitive areas and organised meetings with local leaders to maintain peace…Keep Reading 

Jeff Bezos teams up with Narayana Murthy to enter India’s food delivery biz

Amazon’s entry in the food delivery business comes at a time when Zomato and Swiggy have started cutting back on discounts

Amazon is all set to start its food delivery business in India from Bengaluru next month, says a news report in The Economic Times. The launch of the service, which would be offered as part of either Amazon’s Prime Now or Amazon Fresh platform, could happen as soon as next month. With this, Amazon will take on estabished players such as Zomato and Swiggy.

Executives at two restaurants, who did not want to be named, confirmed that Prione Business Services, a joint venture between Infosys cofounder NR Narayana Murthy’s Catamaran Ventures and Amazon India, has been signing contracts with brands to list on Amazon, offering 10-15% commissions, the report said. The report points out the e-commerce giant had already started pilot testing its service in select parts of Bengaluru, and by March, it will be rolling out to other parts of the country, says a news report in Dainik Bhaskar

Amazon’s entry into the food delivery market would create new challenges for Prosus Ventures -backed Swiggy, and Zomato, a 10-year-old startup that acquired Uber’s Eats business in India for about $180 million in January. Amazon’s entry in the food delivery business comes at a time when Zomato and Swiggy have started cutting back on discounts. Last month, Bezos told the audience at an Amazon event in New Delhi that the company plans to invest $1 billion in India.

Global shares head for worst week since 2008 crisis on coronavirus fears

Wall Street shares led the rout as the S&P 500 fell 4.42 per cent, its largest percentage drop since August 2011

Global share prices headed for the worst week since the darkest days of the world financial crisis in 2008 as investors braced for the coronavirus to become a pandemic and rapidly spread around the world. Hopes that the epidemic that started in China would be over in a few months and economic activity would return to normal have been shattered, as new infections reported around the world now surpass those in China.

“The coronavirus now looks like a pandemic. Markets can cope even if there is big risk as long as we can see the end of the tunnel,” said Norihiro Fujito, chief investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. “But at the moment, no one can tell how long this will last and how severe it will get.” MSCI all country world index fell 3.3 per cent on Thursday to bring its losses so far this week to 8.8 per cent, on course for its biggest weekly decline since a 9.8 per cent plunge in November 2008.

Wall Street shares led the rout as the S&P 500 fell 4.42 per cent, its largest percentage drop since August 2011. It has lost 12 per cent since hitting a record close on Feb. 19, marking its fastest correction ever in just six trading days while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,190.95 points, its biggest points drop ever. In Asia, Australian shares dropped 2.8 per cent to a six-month low while futures suggested Japan’s Nikkei is on course to fall more than 2 per cent.

Trump’s trip demonstrates value US places on ties with India: Mike Pompeo

Acting Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells said an excellent progress was made during the presidential visit to India

President Donald Trump’s simply closed India trip showed the worth the United Stated set on its ties with New Delhi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday. Trump’s “first official outing to India this week exhibits the worth the US puts on the US-India association”, Pompeo said in a tweet, a day after the president came back from his memorable two-day visit to India with stops in Ahmedabad, Agra and New Delhi. “Majority rule customs join us, shared interests bond us, and under the President’s administration our association has and will just become more grounded,” Pompeo said as he re-tweeted the White House post with comments by Trump.

“As we extend our organization with India, we recall that our two nations have consistently been joined by shared conventions of vote based system and constitutions that ensure opportunity, singular rights, and the standard of law,” Donald Trump said in the White House post that likewise had four photos of his gatherings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a progression of tweets, Acting Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells said a superb advancement was made during the presidential visit to India. “Brilliant advancement made for the current week in US India organization,” she said. Trump’s excursion to India propelled the common objectives and made ready for additional collaboration in key territories, for example, vitality, safeguard, individuals to-individuals ties and Indo-Pacific coordination, Wells said…

Priyanka Gandhi attacks govt over transfer of Delhi HC judge Muralidhar

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge S Muralidhar, saying the Centre’s attempts to “muzzle” justice and “break people’s faith in an upright judiciary are deplorable”.

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation. The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed “anguish” over the Delhi Police’s failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders. “The midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn’t shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad & shameful,” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted. “Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government’s attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable,” she said.

Malaysian king summons Mahathir, who’s trying to be PM again

A failed bid by Mahathir’s supporters to form a new government without his named successor Anwar Ibrahim plunged the country into a political limbo

Malaysia’s king summoned Mahathir Mohamad to the palace Thursday, fueling talks he may have majority support to return as the next prime minister after his abrupt resignation and the collapse of his ruling coalition this week. Mahathir didn’t speak to reporters as he was driven into the palace grounds. The meeting came after the king interviewed lawmakers to determine who they support as prime minister and if they want fresh elections.

A comeback as prime minister for a third time will be a remarkable feat for Mahathir, the world’s oldest leader at 94, after nail-biting twists, turns and machinations in the political drama that unraveled over the weekend. A failed bid by Mahathir’s supporters to form a new government without his named successor Anwar Ibrahim plunged the country into a political limbo.

A total of 37 lawmakers, led by Mahathir Mohamad‘s Bersatu party, left the ruling alliance, depriving it of majority support and sparking a crisis less than two years after it ousted a corrupt-tainted coalition that had ruled for 61 years. The king dissolved the Cabinet but reappointed Mahathir as interim leader. The result was a renewed battle between Mahathir and Anwar, whose political feud has stretched more than two decades.

Mahathir said Wednesday he had quit to show he wasn’t power crazy and because he doesn’t want to work with the former corrupt regime that he had ousted in 2018 polls. Despite a preelection pact to handover power to Anwar, he said Parliament should pick the next leader and that he would form a nonpartisan government if he is chosen again to helm the government.

Facebook bans ads with false claims about products linked to coronavirus

Ads that guarantee a cure or prevention are also banned

Facebook said Wednesday that it is banning ads that make false claims about products tied to the new coronavirus. The social network said it is removing ads that feature a product and imply a limited supply, seeking create a sense of urgency in their mention of coronavirus. Ads that guarantee a cure or prevention are also banned, it said. For instance, ads for face masks that claim the products are 100% guaranteed to prevent the spread of the virus are not allowed, the company said.

The ban went into effect this week. Facebook had previously banned ads, along with regular unpaid posts, that peddle fake cures such as drinking bleach, spread conspiracy theories about the virus, or discourage people from seeking medical treatment. The ban went into effect as the World Health Organization reported that the number of new cases outside China exceeded the number of new infections inside the country for the first time on Tuesday. The COVID-19 virus has now spread to at least 39 countries.

Pak PM Imran Khan to visit Qatar 2 days before US-Taliban deal signing

This will be Pak PM’s second visit to Qatar after assuming office in 2018

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will embark on a day-long visit to Qatar on Thursday, just two days before the US and Afghan Taliban would sign a landmark peace deal in Doha.

“As part of regular exchange of high-level visits, Prime Minister Imran Khan will be visiting Qatar on February 27, 2020 to meet His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar,” The Express Tribune quoted a Foreign Office statement as saying on Wednesday night.

This will be the premier’s second visit to Qatar after assuming office in 2018. Khan, however, would not attend the signing ceremony which is scheduled for Saturday. Instead Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will represent Pakistan at the ceremony to be attended by delegates from over two dozen countries. The 18-month gruelling talks have now resulted in an imminent agreement between the militant group and the US under which foreign troops would be withdrawn from the war-torn country. In return, the Taliban have agreed not to allow the Afghan soil to be used against any other country.

US: Gunman kills 5 workers at Milwaukee brewery before taking own life

The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex on Wednesday was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound

An employee opened fire at one of the nation’s largest breweries in Milwaukee, killing five fellow workers before taking his own life, police said. The assailant who attacked the Molson Coors complex on Wednesday was identified as a 51-year-old Milwaukee man who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. “There were five individuals who went to work today, just like everybody goes to work, and they thought they were going to go to work, finish their day and return to their families. They didn’t and tragically they never will,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

Authorities offered no immediate motive for the attack and did not release details about the shooter or how the shooting unfolded. None of the victims was identified. Police, who were still contacting relatives, said identities would not be released for at least 24 hours. No one was wounded beyond those who were killed, authorities said. Officers worked for hours to clear the more than 20 buildings in the complex where more than 1,000 people work. They announced at a late evening news conference that the work was done and all employees had been allowed to go home. Police Chief Alfonso Morales said authorities believe the shooter operated alone.

President Donald Trump addressed the shooting before speaking at the White House about his administration’s efforts to combat the coronavirus. “Our hearts break for them and their loved ones,” the president said. “We send our condolences. We’ll be with them, and it’s a terrible thing, a terrible thing.” The attack occurred at a sprawling complex that includes a mix of corporate offices and brewing facilities. The complex is widely known in the Milwaukee area as “Miller Valley,” a reference to the Miller Brewing Co. that is now part of Molson Coors…Read More

IndusInd Bank CEO race gets interesting as Tata Capital’s Sabharwal enters

No other bank in the nation has nearly its whole big shots so firmly connected with its helmsman all through the bigger piece of their vocations

The challenge to succeed Romesh Sobti at IndusInd Bank has somewhat more intriguing with the moneylender considering Rajiv Sabharwal of Tata Capital as a likely competitor. It is presently a two-route race between Sabharwal, Tata Capital’s overseeing chief (MD) and (CEO), and Sumant Kathpalia, head of customer banking at the Hindujas-advanced bank, as indicated by sources up to date.

This is likely the primary case where the head of a non-banking budgetary organization (NBFC) is being considered for the corner office at a bank. When reached, Tata Capital stated: “The data is totally false.” Sobti’s term as MD and CEO of IndusInd Bank will end on March 23.

Untouchables have moved into the corner workplaces in two private division banks — Amitabh Chaudhry from HDFC Life Insurance succeeded Shikha Sharma at Axis Bank, and Ravneet Gill from Deutsche Bank came into YES Bank after Rana Kapoor’s expulsion. Sandeep Bakhshi, who supplanted Chanda Kochhar as ICICI Bank MD and CEO, was head working official at the bank, and an ICICI bunch veteran of more than three decades. IndusInd Bank, nonetheless, doesn’t confront any of the issues that sprung up in front of the twirly doo change at ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and YES Bank. It is induced that the national bank may not really full for coherence by method for an “insider”.

119 Indians, 5 foreigners from coronavirus-hit cruise ship land in Delhi

India thanked Japanese authorities for facilitating the evacuation of people

An exceptional Air India flight conveying 119 Indians and five nationals from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru, who were ready the coronavirus-hit isolated voyage transport Diamond Princess, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday morning. India expressed gratitude toward Japanese experts for encouraging the clearing of individuals.

“Air India flight has quite recently arrived in Delhi from Tokyo, conveying 119 Indians and 5 nationals from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru who were isolated installed the #DiamondPrincess due to #COVID19. Welcome the assistance of Japanese specialists. Much obliged to you @airindiain by and by,” tweeted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Upwards of 138 Indians including 132 team and six travelers were among the 3,711 individuals on board the extravagance journey transport, which was isolated off Japan on February 5 after it developed that a previous traveler had tried positive for the infection. Of these, 16 were tried positive for coronavirus and will remain in Japan for treatment, while the rest of the will be repatriated to India.

The repatriation is being encouraged by the Indian government. Coronavirus has contaminated in excess of 80,000 individuals in 37 nations, causing in excess of 2,600 passings in the previous scarcely any months. Not long ago, India had emptied upwards of 640 of its nationals from Wuhan – the capital of the Chinese region of Hubei which has been the focal point of the novel coronavirus…

Realme C3 review: Good performance overall, but camera disappoints

This smartphone could be a good option for those looking for a performer, but if you are looking for Instagram-worthy pictures, you might not be impressed

Technology News: After launching several smartphones last year, Chinese smartphone brand Realme is continuing to bring more smartphones to the Indian market. After the Realme 5i, the company has brought the Realme C3, aimed at those who love to binge-watch movies and web series.

The Realme C3 comes with some notable software and hardware upgrades over the Realme C2, including MediaTek’s Helio G70 Processor chipset and a 5,000-mAh battery. In the first impression, we felt the smartphone was worthy of some praise but we couldn’t just do that at its face value, so we used the phone for a few days and here is what we found:

Design and display

The phone’s textured back panel is a deviation from the usual gradient design we see in most smartphones these days. Apart from that, the phone is lightweight, despite a 5, 000mAh battery. The power and volume buttons are on the right and left sides, respectively. But they are very sleek, hence a bit difficult to locate. The phone has a tray for two Nano-SIMs and a microSD card. There are a Micro-USB port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a loudspeaker at the conventional bottom position. Despite 195g weight, the Realme C3 feels light. The phone is available in Frozen Blue and Blazing Red colour options. When it comes to display, the smartphone has a 6.5-inch LCD screen with 1,600 x 720 pixel resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, and 89.8 percent screen-to-body ratio. The screen has Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

‘World is watching’: US lawmakers express concern over Delhi violence

Reacting to the violence that has claimed at least 13 lives in the past a couple of days, US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said the ‘deadly surge of religious intolerance in India is horrifying’

International News: The savagery over the corrected citizenship act in India’s capital New Delhi drew sharp responses from US legislators with the prevailing press noticeably revealing it alongside the simply finished up visit of President Donald Trump. Responding to the savagery that has asserted in any event 13 lives in the previous two or three days, US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said the “lethal flood of strict prejudice in India is astonishing”. “Majority rule governments ought not endure division and segregation or advance laws that undermine strict opportunity,” she said in a tweet, including that the “world is viewing”.

The Indian Parliament had passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) a year ago, bringing about a progression of fights the nation over. Pramila Jayapal had a year ago presented a Congressional goals encouraging India to end the limitations on correspondences in Jammu and Kashmir and save strict opportunity for all inhabitants.

Congressman Alan Lowenthal too named the savagery a “sad disappointment of good administration”. “We should stand up despite dangers to human rights in India,” he said. Popularity based presidential applicant and Senator Elizabeth Warren additionally a swipe at the savagery, saying, “It’s critical to fortify associations with equitable accomplices like India. Be that as it may, we should have the option to talk honestly about our qualities, including strict opportunity and opportunity of articulation, and viciousness against tranquil dissidents is rarely adequate.”

ISRO to launch geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 on March 5 from Sriharikota

GISAT-1 will encourage close to continuous perception of the Indian subcontinent, under sans cloud conditions

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Wednesday said that GSLV-F10 will dispatch geo imaging satellite, GISAT-1, from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota on March 5. The dispatch is booked to happen at 5.43 pm. “Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F10) will dispatch geo imaging satellite (GISAT-1) from the subsequent platform of the SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. The dispatch is probably planned at 1743 Hrs IST on March 05, 2020, subject to climate conditions,” ISRO said.

Weighing around 2,275 kg, GISAT-1 is a best in class deft Earth perception satellite that will be put in a ‘geosynchronous exchange circle’ by GSLV-F10. In this manner, the satellite will arrive at the last geostationary circle utilizing its installed drive framework. A four meter-measurement ogive molded payload fairing is being flown without precedent for this GSLV flight. This is the fourteenth trip of the GSLV, the space association said. Working from geostationary circle, GISAT-1 will encourage close to continuous perception of the Indian subcontinent, under without cloud conditions, at visit interims, it included.

Disney India blocks John Oliver’s show critical of PM Narendra Modi

A Hotstar representative didn’t reply to an email and calls seeking comment. A representative for India’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the government wasn’t involved in the matter.

A scene of John Oliver’s show that scrutinized Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been obstructed in India by Hotstar, the neighborhood stage run by Walt Disney Co. The humorist was seeing President Donald Trump’s visit to India on his Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. At the point when supporters signed in February 25, they could just discover more established scenes.

A Hotstar delegate didn’t answer to an email and calls looking for input. A delegate for India’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the legislature wasn’t engaged with the issue. The occurrence is the most recent to show how worldwide organizations need to bargain cautiously in countries run by pioneers frequently apparent as dictator. Trump’s visit to India comes in the midst of fights against another religion-based citizenship law, which ejected in brutality hours before Trump arrived in the national capital. Amazon.com a year ago expelled a scene of the CBS show Madam Secretary from its gushing help in India, the Quint..

With economy reeling, Hong Kong to give big cash handouts to 7 mn residents

The cash handout alone will cost HK$71 billion but officials hope consumers will plough much of the money back into local businesses

International News: Hong Kong’s legislature on Wednesday said it will give a HK$10,000 ($1,280) gift to 7,000,000 changeless inhabitants in an offer to kick off a downturn hit economy presently intensified by the coronavirus episode. Monetary Secretary Paul Chan revealed the money blessing in a yearly spending plan, submitting $120 billion to help mitigate the most noticeably terrible monetary midtown the global budgetary center point has looked in 10 years.

Hong Kong brags huge financial saves more than HK$1 trillion developed over the blast years, a store that the administration is presently taking advantage of. The money gift alone will cost HK$71 billion however authorities trust buyers will furrow a great part of the cash over into neighborhood organizations. “Utilizing financial stores to help endeavors and alleviate individuals’ hardship is surely in accordance with our kin’s desires,” he said.

Hong Kong’s economy is reeling from the US-China exchange war, long periods of genius majority rules system fights a year ago and now the coronavirus: a triple whammy Chan portrayed as “uncommonly somber”.Different estimates declared in the financial backing included benefits and pay tax cuts just as low intrigue credits for organizations battling to pay staff compensation. The traveler, café and retail areas have been hit particularly hard with insolvencies taking off and generally low joblessness rising…

Donald Trump’s visit: No trade deal, but India and US sign three MoUs

India and US signed three MoUs as part of the ongoing trade talks between the two nations. These are safety of medical products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) access in India, and mental health

MEDICAL DEVICES

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and the US Food and Drug Administration are the gatherings to the MoU. Sources asserted the two countries would concentrate on data trade to help in limit building. The discussions were relied upon to revolve around clinical gadgets, for the most part the valuing guideline that India has on gadgets like cardiovascular stents. The US clinical gadgets hall is discontent with the value guidelines and recommendations of exchange edge legitimization of gadgets and has shown that such guidelines hamper the presentation of inventive gadgets here.

India has shown every single clinical gadget would be treated as medications from April 1 and would be controlled under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940. The Medical Devices Rules, 2020, which will happen from April 1, requires all producers and shippers to enroll their gadgets with a focal permitting authority after they have conformed to the administrative necessities. Local industry entryway bunches have called attention to that for minimal effort and generally safe gadgets there be some unwinding in standards of posting as the SMEs may think that its unviable to conform to the standards.

LNG ACCESS IN INDIA

Another understanding secured during the visit was between ExxonMobil, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), and Chart Energy and Chemicals to build up an arrangement of transportation foundation to extend gas access in India. The Indian LNG arm of the American organization will supply gas for the reason while Chart will help make “virtual pipeline frameworks” that will convey condensed gaseous petrol by street, rail, and conduits to zones not associated by physical pipelines…Read More

Lot of Trump-Modi chemistry, but little maths over bilateral trade deal

Agreements signed on defence & energy but long-awaited trade deal remains elusive

Current Affairs: US President Donald Trump’s 36-hour visit to India didn’t perceive any stops broken on the two-sided economic accord, however he appeared to poke New Delhi to get Chinese 5G organize suppliers far from India. Trump said 5G should “be an instrument for opportunity, progress and flourishing” and “not a channel for concealment and control”. The meeting head didn’t change his perspectives on Kashmir, and even repeated his idea to intercede among India and Pakistan. There were no affirmations pending on India’s interests on H1B visas and a totalisation understanding.

He likewise raised the issue of strict resilience in India, yet said it was “dependent upon India to manage” the announced viciousness against Muslims in Delhi. In any case, the two sides finished the day fulfilled. New Delhi named it a “phenomenal visit”, insinuating the science among Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “loads of intrigue” the visit had created in the US. On the off chance that the visit was an individual triumph for Modi, with Trump lauding him as an “extreme”, “awesome” and a “decent man who is making an incredible showing”, it appeared to be all the more so for Trump, who is planning for re-appointment.

Over the span of the day, Trump on a few events alluded to the excellent invite he got in Ahmedabad on Monday, expressing that he had on great power that he was given the greatest greeting at any point agreed to a meeting remote pioneer in India. At the joint question and answer session…Read Full Story

Britain starts hearing US case for extraditing Wikileaks’ Julian Assange

A UK court ruled in February 2011 that Assange could be extradited back to Sweden to stand trial

Britain on Monday starts hearing Washington’s extradition request for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a test case of media freedoms in the digital age and the limits of US justice. A ruling against Assange in the case could see the 48-year-old Australian jailed for 175 years if convicted on all 17 US Espionage Act charges and one count of computer hacking he faces. Each stems from his site’s release in 2010 of a trove of classified State Department and Pentagon files detailing the realities of the US campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

One video from 2007 showed an Apache helicopter attack in which US soldiers gunned down two Reuters reporters and nine Iraqi civilians in broad daylight in Baghdad. The files also disclosed the secret identities of diplomats and government agents in hostile environments — as well as locals who risked their lives by cooperating with the United States. These names were redacted by the Western newspapers with which WikiLeaks initially worked.

But a falling out with their editors prompted Assange to release hundreds of thousands of files in their original form. The US Justice Department said last May that the “human resources” compromised by Assange “included local Afghans and Iraqis, journalists, religious leaders, human rights advocates, and political dissidents from repressive regimes”. His supporters argue that Assange’s prosecution was political — and personal — from the start.”For the sake of press freedom, Julian Assange must be defended,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said in December.

Australia govt says climate change targets can’t risk economy, jobs

Australia may continue to be an exporter of thermal coal in 2050, according to Anthony Albanese, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, that’s targeting net zero emissions by that date.

Australia’s government will work to set new long-term plans on reducing greenhouse gas emissions ahead of a key global summit this year, though signaled it won’t pursue policies that pose risks to jobs or growth. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has faced pressure over his climate and energy strategy in the wake of Australia’s deadly wildfires, has criticized opponents for pledging to target net zero emissions by 2050 without detailing how they’ll safeguard economic expansion.

“If we make the wrong decisions, not only would we be harming the Australian economy, harming Australian workers, we would also be harming the global environment,” Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said in an interview on Sky News. Australia’s plans will need to account for the production of materials including liquefied natural gas, which is exported to markets like China or Japan and typically displaces more polluting energy sources, Cormann said. “We know that that helps reduce global emissions by more,” he said.

Following the fires, Morrison, who won a national election in May and won’t face a new poll until late 2022, has appeared to signal he’ll resist any quick shift to more extensive cuts to carbon emissions. His Liberal-National coalition government also remains cautious over the impact on a coal sector that employs about 50,000 workers, according to the Minerals Council of Australia, an industry group…

Coronavirus outbreak: 4 more Indian on-board Diamond Princess test positive

Passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease started deboarding the ship after the quarantine period ended last week

Four Indian crew members who underwent tests for coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess moored off the Japan coast, have tested positive, taking the number of Indians infected with the virus on the vessel to 12, the Indian embassy said on Sunday. “Unfortunately, the results received include four Indian crew members having tested positive,” the Indian embassy tweeted. “All 12 Indians are responding well to treatment.”

Passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease started deboarding the ship after the quarantine period ended last week. The death toll from China’s coronavirus epidemic has shot to 2,442, while confirmed cases rose to 76,936, officials said on Sunday. Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered screening of passengers from four more countries — Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia — as part of efforts to prevent spreading of coronavirus. Now, fliers from as many as 10 countries would be screened. Maharashtra on Sunday said 81 out of 83 people admitted in isolation wards for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus have tested negative. While 80 of them have been discharged, three others continue to be hospitalised.

The industry body Assocham said the industry and trade, including pharmaceuticals, are ready to manage the “evolving” coronavirus situation without causing any major impact on the supply chain and no major challenge is foreseen in the near term. Stating that there is no need for panic, Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said the government and industry have been reacting in a pro-active manner in close coordination with each other…

Coronavirus outbreak: 4 more Indian on-board Diamond Princess test positive

Passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease started deboarding the ship after the quarantine period ended last week

Four Indian crew members who underwent tests for coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess moored off the Japan coast, have tested positive, taking the number of Indians infected with the virus on the vessel to 12, the Indian embassy said on Sunday. “Unfortunately, the results received include four Indian crew members having tested positive,” the Indian embassy tweeted. “All 12 Indians are responding well to treatment.”

Passengers showing no signs of the deadly disease started deboarding the ship after the quarantine period ended last week. The death toll from China’s coronavirus epidemic has shot to 2,442, while confirmed cases rose to 76,936, officials said on Sunday. Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered screening of passengers from four more countries — Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia — as part of efforts to prevent spreading of coronavirus. Now, fliers from as many as 10 countries would be screened. Maharashtra on Sunday said 81 out of 83 people admitted in isolation wards for suspected exposure to the novel coronavirus have tested negative. While 80 of them have been discharged, three others continue to be hospitalised.

The industry body Assocham said the industry and trade, including pharmaceuticals, are ready to manage the “evolving” coronavirus situation without causing any major impact on the supply chain and no major challenge is foreseen in the near term. Stating that there is no need for panic, Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said the government and industry have been reacting in a pro-active manner in close coordination with each other…

US surpasses China as India's biggest trading partner at $87.95 billion

Trade experts believe that the trend will continue in the coming years also as New Delhi and Washington are engaged in further deepening the economic ties

The US has surpassed China to become India’s top trading partner, showing greater economic ties between the two countries. According to the data of the commerce ministry, in 2018-19, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at $87.95 billion. During the period, India’s two-way commerce with China aggregated at $87.07 billion.

Similarly, during April-December 2019-20, the India China Bilateral Trade between the US and India stood at $68 billion. It stood at $64.96 billion with China in the same period. Trade experts believe that the trend will continue in the coming years also as New Delhi and Washington are engaged in further deepening the economic ties. An expert said that if the countries will finalise a free trade agreement (FTA), then the bilateral trade would reach at different levels.

“FTA with US will be very beneficial for India as the US is the biggest market for domestic goods and services,” Federation of Indian Export organisations Director General Ajay Sahai said. He said that India’s exports as well as imports are increasing with the US, while with China both are declining. America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. On the other hand, India has a huge trade deficit with China…

Donald Trump’s Taj visit: Royal graves get mud pack, chandelier refurbished

As per Supreme Court directions, petrol or diesel-operated vehicles are not permitted within 500 metres of the Taj Mahal’s gate

Authorities at the Archaeological Survey of India had “advanced the dates” for mud-pack treatment for the graves of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and wife Mumtaz Mahal at Taj Mahal in view of US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the famed mausoleum on Tuesday, an official said. The 17th-century monument to love, built over a period of nearly 20 years by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife after her death in 1631, is being refurbished to welcome the American leader and US First Lady Melania Trump.

“The red sandstones of the Taj complex are being cleaned of stains from weather, fountains have been spruced up and extra stock of shimmering flowers added in gardens to enhance the glory of the monument,” ASI Agra Circle Superintending Archaeologist Vasant Swarnkar said. The ASI official said the world heritage site was also getting ready to welcome Trump just like Agra was being decked up for his visit on Tuesday evening.

“We have already done the mud-pack treatment of the two royal graves. It is done with ‘multani mitti’ and takes a couple of days,” Swarnkar told PTI. “After the treatment, it is cleaned with distilled water. It was done in the last few days.” Asked if the special treatment was being given after a long time, he said such works were carried out regularly and its date was due in coming time. Asked if the special treatment was being given after a long time, he said such works were carried out regularly and its date was due in coming time. “But, we preponed the mud-pack dates keeping in view the visit of the US president,” the official said…Keep Reading

Modi my friend, says Trump as he leaves for maiden India visit with Melania

Trump is accompanied by First Lady Melania, daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and the top brass of his administration

US President Donald Trump on Sunday left for his maiden visit to India for talks with the top Indian leadership. Before taking the 17-hour flight to India, Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his “friend”.

‘Biggest event’

“I look forward to being with the people of India… I get along very well with PM Modi. He is a friend of mine,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “I had committed to this trip long time ago. I hear it’s going to be a big event…the biggest event they ever had in India. That’s what the Prime Minister told me. It’s going to be very exciting,” Trump said.

Trump, who is seeking re-election in the US presidential elections in November, routinely gets the biggest crowds of any candidate in the US presidential race, ranging up to 20,000 or so, and he has been grudgingly admiring of Modi’s ability to get a bigger crowd than him. “Here’s my problem,” Trump told a large crowd of supporters in Colorado last week. “We have a packed house. We have thousands of people who couldn’t get in.

It’s going to look like peanuts from now on.”

In India, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to greet Trump in a massive road show in Ahmedabad before he arrives at the newly-built Motera cricket stadium, which has a capacity of over 100,000 people, for the ‘Namaste Trump’ event. The event will be a larger version of the Howdy Modi rally that they jointly appeared at in Houston to a crowd of 50,000 Indian Americans last year…

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