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Passion cannot be driven by reason

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sat, 25 Feb 2017 21:57:00 +0530

Believe. Passion is purely divine, it has nothing to do with reason.
[PHOTO: Georgie Pauwels/Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0]

By Yogesh Pandey | The real passion has to be bereft of reason. In fact reason has no place in driving the passionate you. The moment reason creeps in, passion vanishes. It is somewhat innate, a gift from the god to the mankind, whose envelope has to be opened by the man himself. Whosoever succeeds in finding and opening that envelope gets life’s treasure. The treasure, which keeps up the quest for doing things madly. It is energy, an adrenaline rush that runs through the veins and makes us go deep in the work we cherish the most.

One may ask a singer why he loves to sing. He may simply answer that singing is the source of immense pleasure for him. Now, if he is being asked again as to why he derives pleasure from singing, the singer may not answer further because he has no idea as to why singing gives him an utmost pleasure, but doing so certainly lifts his spirit up.

The above example suggests that passion to do something is driven by inner and in-born traits which are natural and bestowed by god. For example, an infant responds to the pamper of everyone, even a stranger, but this may not be the case with every child. And if he responds or does not respond, one cannot reason it out. It is the nature of the child gifted by the god Himself which cannot be questioned. He is unique, so are his traits which were embedded by the god before his birth.

Similarly, passion too has its manifestations in the process of one’s creation. The process is purely divine in nature. And if the process is divine, the result that comes out of the same will equally be divine.

Follow @Yogesh_Pande901

Departing words of David Cameron as UK Prime Minister

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 00:48:00 +0530

ICYMI, here's the full text of David Cameron's farewell speech as UK Prime Minister.
[FILE PHOTO: Tom Evans/Crown Copyright/Number 10/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

By News Desk | London: "When I first stood here in Downing Street on that evening in May 2010, I said we would confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions, so that together we could reach better times.

It has not been an easy journey, and of course we have not got every decision right, but I do believe that today our country is much stronger.

Above all it was about turning around the economy. And with the deficit cut by two-thirds, two and a half million more people in work and one million more businesses, there can be no doubt that our economy is immeasurably stronger.

Politicians like to talk about policies, but in the end it is about people’s lives.

I think of the people doing jobs who were previously unemployed.

I think of the businesses that were just ideas in someone’s head and that today are making a go of it and providing people with livelihoods.

I think of the hard-working families paying lower taxes and getting higher wages because of the first ever National Living Wage.

I think of the children who were languishing in the care system and who have now been adopted by loving families.

I think of the parents now able to send their children to good and outstanding schools, including free schools that simply didn’t exist before.

I think of over 200,000 young people who have taken part in National Citizen Service, the fastest growing youth programme of its kind in the world, something that, again, wasn’t there 6 years ago.

I think of the couples who have been able to get married, who weren’t allowed to in the past.

And I think of the people on the other side of the world who would not have clean drinking water, the chance to go to school, or even be alive, were it not for our decision to keep our aid promises to the poorest people and the poorest countries in our world.

And we have used our stronger economy to invest in our health service. When I walked in there, there were 18,000 people waiting over a year for their operation. Today it’s just 800. Too many. Still too long.

But our NHS is a national treasure, and one whose staff perform miracles as I’ve seen every day.

And we’ve strengthened our nation’s defences, with submarines, destroyers, frigates and, soon, aircraft carriers, rolling out of our shipyards to keep our country safe in a dangerous world.

These are the choices and the changes that we have made.

And I want to thank everyone who has given so much to support me personally over these years.

The incredible team in No10, the civil servants, whose professionalism and impartiality is one of our country’s greatest strengths.

And my political advisers, some of whom have been with me since the day I stood for my party’s leadership 11 years ago.

I want to thank my children, Nancy, Elwen and Florence, for whom Downing Street has been a lovely home over these last 6 years. They sometimes kick the red boxes full of work. Florence, you once climbed into one, before a foreign trip, and said take me with you. No more boxes.

And above all, I want to thank Samantha, the love of my life. You have kept me vaguely sane and, as well as being an amazing wife, mother and businesswoman, you have done something every week in that building behind me to celebrate the best spirit of voluntary service in our country.

We will shortly be heading to Buckingham Palace to see Her Majesty the Queen, where I will tender my resignation as Prime Minister and I will advise Her Majesty to invite Theresa May to form a new administration.

I am delighted that for the second time in British history the new Prime Minister will be a woman, and once again, a Conservative. I believe Theresa will provide strong and stable leadership in fulfilling the Conservative Manifesto on which we were elected, and I wish her well in negotiating the best possible terms for Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Let me finish by saying this. The spirit of service is one of this country’s most remarkable qualities.

I have seen that service day in and day out in the incredible work of our armed forces, our intelligence agencies and our police. It is something I always knew. But as Prime Minister you see it so directly that it blows you away.

And of course writing those heart-breaking letters to the families who have lost loved ones is a poignant reminder of the profound scale of what these men and women give for us in the defence of our freedoms and our way of life. We must never forget that.

In a different way, I have seen that same spirit of service in the amazing contributions of countless volunteers in communities up and down our country who are making our society bigger and stronger.

And I am proud that every day for the past 2 years I have used the office of Prime Minister in a non-political way to recognise and thank almost 600 of them as Points of Light whose service can be an inspiration to us all.

For me politics has always been about public service in the national interest. It is simple to say but often hard to do.

But one of the things that sustains you in this job is the sense that, yes, our politics is full of argument and debate, and it can get quite heated, but no matter how difficult the decisions are, there is a great sense of British fair play, a quiet but prevailing sense that most people wish their Prime Minister well and want them to stick at it and get on with the job.

So I want to take this moment to say thank you to all those who have written letters and emails offering me that support, people who I will never get to meet and never get to thank personally.

It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve our country as Prime Minister over these last six years, and to serve as leader of my party for almost eleven years.

And as we leave for the last time, my only wish is continued success for this great country that I love so very much."

WATCH FULL SPEECH: Modi addresses US Congress

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Thu, 9 Jun 2016 06:28:00 +0530

Addressing US lawmakers, Indian PM Narendra Modi delivers a historic speech at Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
[PHOTO: Special Arrangements]

By News Desk | Washington, DC: In case you missed it, here's the full text and video of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic address to a joint session of the US Congress at Capitol Hill on Wednesday:

(Scroll down for video)

"Mr. Speaker,

Mr. Vice President,

Distinguished Members of the U.S. Congress

Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am deeply honoured by the invitation to address this Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker for opening the doors of this magnificent Capitol.

This temple of democracy has encouraged and empowered other democracies the world over.

It manifests the spirit of this great nation, which in Abraham Lincoln's words, "was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

In granting me this opportunity, you have honoured the world's largest democracy and its 1.25 billion people.

As a representative of world's largest democracy, it is indeed a privilege to speak to the leaders of its oldest.

Mr. Speaker,

Two days ago, I began my visit by going to the Arlington National Cemetery -the final resting place of many brave soldiers of this great land.

I honoured their courage and sacrifice for the ideals of freedom and democracy.

It was also the seventy-second Anniversary of the D-Day.

On that day, thousands from this great country fought to protect the torch of liberty on the remote shores of a land that they did not know.

They sacrificed their lives so that the world lives in freedom.

I applaud …India applauds, the great sacrifices of the men and women from 'The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave' in service of mankind.

India knows what this means because our soldiers too have fallen in distant battlefields for the same ideals.

That is why the threads of freedom and liberty form a strong bond between our two democracies.

Mr. Speaker,

Our nations may have been shaped by differing histories, cultures, and faiths.

Yet, our belief in democracy for our nations and liberty for our countrymen is common.

The idea that all citizens are created equal is a central pillar of the American constitution.

Our founding fathers too shared the same belief and sought individual liberty for every citizen of India.

There were many who doubted India when, as a newly independent nation, we reposed our faith in democracy.

Indeed, wagers were made on our failure.

But, the people of India did not waver.

Our founders created a modern nation with freedom, democracy, and equality as the essence of its soul.

And, in doing so, they ensured that we continued to celebrate our age old diversity.

Today, across its streets and institutions, in its villages and cities, anchored in equal respect for all faiths; and in the melody of hundreds of its languages and dialects.

India lives as one; India grows as one; India celebrates as one.

Mr. Speaker,

Modern India is in its 70th year.

For my government, the Constitution is its real holy book.

And, in that holy book, freedom of faith, speech and franchise, and equality of all citizens, regardless of background, are enshrined as fundamental rights.

800 million of my countrymen may exercise the freedom of franchise once every five years.

But, all the 1.25 billion of our citizens have freedom from fear, a freedom they exercise every moment of their lives.

Distinguished Members,

Engagement between our democracies has been visible in the manner in which our thinkers impacted one another, and shaped the course of our societies.

Thoreau's idea of civil disobedience influenced our political thoughts.

And, similarly the call by the great sage of India Swami Vivekananda to embrace humanity was most famously delivered in Chicago.

Gandhi's non-violence inspired the heroism of Martin Luther King.

Today, a mere distance of 3 miles separates the Martin Luther King memorial at Tidal Basin from the statue of Gandhi at Massachusetts Avenue.

This proximity of their memorials in Washington mirrors the closeness of ideals and values they believed in.

The genius of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was nurtured in the years he spent at the Columbia University a century ago.

The impact of the U.S. constitution on him was reflected in his drafting of the Indian constitution some three decades later.

Our independence was ignited by the same idealism that fuelled your struggle for freedom.

No wonder then that former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee called India and the U.S. 'natural allies'.

No wonder that the shared ideals and common philosophy of freedom shaped the bedrock of our ties.

No wonder then, that President Obama has called our ties the defining partnership of the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker,

More than fifteen years ago, Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee stood here and gave a call to step out of the 'shadow of hesitation' of the past.

The pages of our friendship since then tell a remarkable story.

Today, our relationship has overcome the hesitations of history.

Comfort, candour and convergence define our conversations.

Through the cycle of elections and transitions of Administrations the intensity of our engagements has only grown.

And, in this exciting journey, the U.S. Congress has acted as its compass.

You helped us turn barriers into bridges of partnership.

In the fall of 2008, when the Congress passed the India-U.S. Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, it changed the very colours of leaves of our relationship.

We thank you for being there when the partnership needed you the most.

You have also stood by us in times of sorrow.

India will never forget the solidarity shown by the U.S. Congress when terrorists from across our border attacked Mumbai in November of 2008.

And for this, we are grateful.

Mr. Speaker,

I am informed that the working of the U.S. Congress is harmonious.

I am also told that you are well-known for your bipartisanship.

Well, you are not alone.

Time and again, I have also witnessed a similar spirit in the Indian Parliament, especially in our Upper House.

So, as you can see, we have many shared practices.

Mr. Speaker,

As this country knows well, every journey has its pioneers.

Very early on, they shaped a development partnership even when the meeting ground was more limited.

The genius of Norman Borlaug brought the Green Revolution and food security to India.

The excellence of the American Universities nurtured Institutes of Technology and Management in India.

And, I could go on.

Fast forward to today.

The embrace of our partnership extends to the entirety of human endeavour-from the depths of the oceans to the vastness of the space.

Our S&T collaboration continues to helps us in cracking the age-old problems in the fields of public health, education, food, and agriculture.

Ties of commerce and investment are flourishing. We trade more with the U.S. than with any other nation.

And, the flow of goods, services and capital between us generates jobs in both our societies.

As in trade, so in defence. India exercises with the United States more than we do with any other partner. Defence purchases have moved from almost zero to ten billion dollars in less than a decade.

Our cooperation also secures our cities and citizens from terrorists, and protects our critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation, as I told President Obama yesterday, is a reality.

Mr. Speaker,

Our people to people links are strong; and there is close cultural connect between our societies.

SIRI tells us that India's ancient heritage of Yoga has over 30 million practitioners in the U.S..

It is estimated that more Americans bend for yoga than to throw a curve ball.

And, no Mr. Speaker, we have not yet claimed intellectual property right on Yoga.

Connecting our two nations is also a unique and dynamic bridge of three million Indian Americans.

Today, they are among your best CEOs; academics; astronauts; scientists; economists; doctors; even spelling bee champions.

They are your strength. They are also the pride of India. They symbolize the best of both our societies.

Mr. Speaker,

My understanding of your great country began long before I entered public office.

Long before assuming office, I travelled coast to coast, covering more than 25 States of America.

I realized then that the real strength of the U.S. was in the dreams of its people and the boldness of their ambitions.

Today, Mr. Speaker, a similar spirit animates India.

Our 800 million youth, especially, are particularly impatient.

India is undergoing a profound social and economic change.

A billion of its citizens are already politically empowered.

My dream is to economically empower them through many social and economic transformations.

And, do so by 2022, the seventy-fifth anniversary of India's independence.

My to-do list is long and ambitious. But you will understand.

It includes:

· A vibrant rural economy with robust farm sector;

· A roof over each head and electricity to all households;

· To skill millions of our youth;

· Build 100 smart cities;

· Have a broad band for a billion, and connect our villages to the digital world;

· And create a twenty-first century rail, road and port infrastructure.

These are not just aspirations; they are goals to be reached in a finite time-frame.

And, to be achieved with a light carbon foot print, with greater emphasis on renewables.

Mr. Speaker,

In every sector of India's forward march, I see the U.S. as an indispensable partner.

Many of you also believe that a stronger and prosperous India is in America's strategic interest.

Let us work together to convert shared ideals into practical cooperation.

There can be no doubt that in advancing this relationship, both nations stand to gain in great measure.

As the U.S. businesses search for new areas of economic growth, markets for their goods, a pool of skilled resources, and global locations to produce and manufacture, India could be their ideal partner.

India's strong economy, and growth rate of 7.6% per annum, is creating new opportunities for our mutual prosperity.

Transformative American technologies in India and growing investment by Indian companies in the United States both have a positive impact on the lives of our citizens.

Today, for their global research and development centres, India is the destination of choice for the U.S. companies.

Looking eastward from India, across the Pacific, the innovation strength of our two countries comes together in California.

Here, the innovative genius of America and India's intellectual creativity are working to shape new industries of the future.

Mr. Speaker,

The 21st century has brought with it great opportunities.

But, it also comes with its own set of challenges.

Inter-dependence is increasing.

But, while some parts of the world are islands of growing economic prosperity; other are mired in conflicts.

In Asia, the absence of an agreed security architecture creates uncertainty.

Threats of terror are expanding, and new challenges are emerging in cyber and outer-space.

And, global institutions conceived in 20th century, seem unable to cope with new challenges or take on new responsibilities.

In this world full of multiple transitions and economic opportunities; growing uncertainties and political complexities; existing threats and new challenges; our engagement can make a difference by promoting:

· Cooperation not dominance;

· Connectivity not isolation;

· Respect for Global Commons;

· inclusive not exclusive mechanisms; and above all

· adherence to international rules and norms.

India is already assuming her responsibilities in securing the Indian Ocean region.

A strong India-U.S. partnership can anchor peace, prosperity and stability from Asia to Africa and from Indian Ocean to the Pacific.

It can also help ensure security of the sea lanes of commerce and freedom of navigation on seas.

But, the effectiveness of our cooperation would increase if international institutions framed with the mindset of the 20th century were to reflect the realities of today.

Mr. Speaker,

Before arriving in Washington D.C., I had visited Herat in Western Afghanistan to inaugurate Afghan-India Friendship Dam, a 42 MW hydro-electric project built with Indian assistance.

I was also there on the Christmas day last year to dedicate to that proud nation its Parliament, a testimony to our democratic ties.

Afghans naturally recognize that the sacrifices of American have helped create a better life.

But, your contribution in keeping the region safe and secure is deeply appreciated even beyond.

India too has made an enormous contribution and sacrifices to support our friendship with Afghan people.

A commitment to rebuild a peaceful, and stable and prosperous Afghanistan our shared objective.

Yet, Distinguished Members, not just in Afghanistan, but elsewhere in South Asia, and globally, terrorism remains the biggest threat.

In the territory stretching from West of India's border to Africa, it may go by different names, from Laskhar-e-Taiba, to Taliban to ISIS.

But, it’s philosophy is common: of hate, murder and violence.

Although it's shadow is spreading across the world, it is incubated in India's neighbourhood.

I commend the members of the U.S. Congress for sending a clear message to those who preach and practice terrorism for political gains.

Refusing to reward them is the first step towards holding them accountable for their actions.

The fight against terrorism has to be fought at many levels.

And, the traditional tools of military, intelligence or diplomacy alone would not be able to win this fight.

Mr. Speaker,

We have both lost civilians and soldiers in combating it.

The need of the hour is for us to deepen our security cooperation.

And, base it on a policy:

· that isolates those who harbour, support and sponsor terrorists;

· that does not distinguish between "good" and "bad" terrorists; and that delinks religion from terrorism.

Also, for us to succeed, those who believe in humanity must come together to fight for it as one, and speak against this menace in one voice.

Terrorism must be delegitimized.

Mr. Speaker,

The benefits of our partnership extend not just to the nations and regions that need it most.

On our own, and by combining our capacities, we are also responding to other global challenges including when disaster strikes and where humanitarian relief is needed.

Far from our shores, we evacuated thousands from Yemen, Indians, Americans and others.

Nearer home, we were the first responders during Nepal's earthquake, in the Maldives water crisis and most recently during landslide in Sri Lanka.

We are also one of the largest contributors of troops to UN Peace Keeping Operations.

Often, India and the U.S. have combined their strengths in science, technology and innovation to help fight hunger, poverty, diseases and illiteracy in different parts of the world.

The success of our partnership is also opening up new opportunities for learning, security and development from Asia to Africa.

And, the protection of environment and caring for the planet is central to our shared vision of a just world.

For us in India, to live in harmony with mother earth is part of our ancient belief.

And, to take from nature only what is most essential is part of our civilizational ethos.

Our partnership, therefore, aims to balance responsibilities with capabilities.

And, it also focuses on new ways to increase the availability and use of renewable energy.

A strong U.S. support for our initiative to form an International Solar Alliance is one such effort.

We are working together not just for a better future for ourselves, but for the whole world.

This has also been the goal of our efforts in G-20, East Asia Summit and Climate Change summits.

Mr. Speaker and Distinguished Members

As we deepen our partnership, there would be times when we would have differing perspectives.

But, since our interests and concerns converge, the autonomy in decision making and diversity in our perspectives can only add value to our partnership.

So, as we embark on a new journey, and seek new goals, let us focus not just on matters routine but transformational ideas.

Ideas which can focus:

· Not just on creating wealth but also creating value for our societies;

· Not just on immediate gains but also long term benefits;

· Not just on sharing best practices but also shaping partnerships; and

· Not just on building a bright future for our peoples, but in being a bridge to a more united, humane and prosperous world.

And, important for the success of this journey would be a need to view it with new eyes and new sensitivities.

When we do this, we will realise the full promise of this extraordinary relationship.

Mr. Speaker,

My final thoughts and words would reiterate that our relationship is primed for a momentous future.

The constraints of the past are behind us and foundations of the future are firmly in place.

In the lines of Walt Whitman,

"The Orchestra have sufficiently tuned their instruments, the baton has given the signal."

And to that, if I might add, there is a new symphony in play.

Thank you Mr. Speaker and Distinguished members for this honour.

Thank you very much."

‘Islamic State on ASEAN hiring spree’

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Tue, 7 Jun 2016 06:36:00 +0530

Singapore's defence minister Ng Eng Hen addressing the 15th Shangri-La Dialogue.
[PHOTO: MINDEF Singapore]

By Abhinav Tripathi | New Delhi/Singapore: In a worrying confirmation, Singapore's defence minister Ng Eng Hen says the Islamic State is recruiting more manpower in ASEAN region than rival Al-Qaeda.

"In the past three years alone, IS has recruited more sympathisers and operatives in ASEAN than Al-Qaeda did in the last decade, with more than a thousand fighters in Iraq and Syria," he said at the concluding session of the 15th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

The dreaded terror group has reportedly capitalised on existing smuggling routes to move recruits and arms in the region that include Southern Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

"Some (recruits) transit through Singapore in the hope of eluding authorities by taking multiple hops to their final destinations," the minister added.

In a bid to curtail movement of extremists, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are mulling over joint patrols in Sulu-Sulawesi Seas, labelled as the ‘terrorist transit triangle'.

The Shangri-La security summit offers an annual dialogue platform for Asia-Pacific defence ministers, military chiefs and intelligence officials. This year, the three-day long event convened more than 500 delegates from 35 countries.

Addressing the event, Eng Hen further said returning fighters had ideologically “linked up among themselves through their networks and were working on their “collective goal to establish a caliphate.”

Around two weeks ago, the Islamic State released its “first” propaganda video explicitly targeting Southeast Asia. The sixteen-minute clip showed children clad in military outfit burning passports and denouncing their Asian citizenships.

Produced by the Malay-speaking unit of IS - Katibah Nusantara, the propaganda material also featured group's leader Zainuri Kamaruddin saying the “cubs of the caliphate” were preparing themselves to “become the fighters of tomorrow”.

Adding more substance to random threats, terror training camps have been reported in Poso in Central Sulawesi and Southern Philippines.

"This gathering storm has the real potential to destabilise this region, if not tackled decisively and together," Eng Hen warned.

About 30 active groups have pledged their allegiance to IS in ASEAN region, including Jamaah Ansharud Daulah, which claimed the responsibility for January’s Jakarta attack.

Follow @AbhinavTripathi

World Environment Day: Value of eco-crimes soars to USD 258bn - report

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sun, 5 Jun 2016 20:12:00 +0530

Eco-crimes hit record high at up to $258 billion, outstripping the illegal trade in small arms,
says a joint UNEP-Interpol report.
[Image: Interpol]

By News Desk | Nairobi, Kenya: According to a joint UNEP-Interpol report, the value of environmental crime is 26 per cent larger than previous estimates, at $91-258 billion today compared to $70-213 billion in 2014.

The Rise of Environmental Crime, released on the eve of World Environment Day, finds that weak laws and poorly funded security forces are enabling international criminal networks and armed rebels to profit from a trade that fuels conflicts, devastates ecosystems and is threatening species with extinction.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said, "Interpol and UNEP have joined forces to bring to the attention of the world the sheer scale of environmental crime. The vast sums of money generated from these crimes keep sophisticated international criminal gangs in business, and fuel insecurity around the world.

"The result is not only devastating to the environment and local economies, but to all those who are menaced by these criminal enterprises. The world needs to come together now to take strong national and international action to bring environmental crime to an end."

Environmental crime dwarfs the illegal trade in small arms, which is valued at about $3 billion. It is the world's fourth-largest criminal enterprise after drug smuggling, counterfeiting and human trafficking. The amount of money lost due to environmental crime is 10,000 times greater than the amount of money spent by international agencies on combating it - just $20-30 million.

"Environmental crime is growing at an alarming pace. The complexity of this type of criminality requires a multi-sector response underpinned by collaboration across borders. Through its global policing capabilities, Interpol is resolutely committed to working with its member countries to combat the organized crime networks active in environmental crime," said Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.

The report recommends strong action, legislation and sanctions at the national and international level, including measures targeted at disrupting overseas tax havens; an increase in financial support commensurate with the serious threat that environmental crime poses to sustainable development; and economic incentives and alternative livelihoods for those at the bottom of the environmental crime chain.

The last decade has seen environmental crime rise by at least 5-7 per cent per year. This means that environmental crime - which includes the illegal trade in wildlife, corporate crime in the forestry sector, the illegal exploitation and sale of gold and other minerals, illegal fisheries, the trafficking of hazardous waste and carbon credit fraud - is growing two to three times faster than global GDP.

To combat the illegal trade in wildlife, the United Nations system and partners have launched their Wild For Life campaign, which draws on support from celebrities such as Gisele Bündchen, Yaya Touré and Neymar Jr. to mobilize millions to take action against poaching and the trafficking of illegal wildlife products.

Already, thousands of people and more than 25 ministers have chosen a species to show their commitment to protecting wildlife. The host of this year's World Environment Day, Angola, has joined the fight, promising to shut down its domestic trade in illegal ivory, toughen border controls and restore its elephant population through conservation measures.

More than one quarter of the world's elephant population has been killed in a decade. Some of world's most vulnerable wildlife, like rhinos and elephants, are being killed at a rate that has grown by more than 25 per cent every year in the last decade.

The report also looks at how money generated from the illegal exploitation of natural resources funds rebel groups, terrorist networks and international criminal cartels. In the last decade, for example, poachers have killed an average of 3,000 elephants per year in Tanzania. That's an annual street market value for ivory traffickers of $10.5 million, an amount that is five times greater than the entire national budget of the country's wildlife division.

FB LIVE: Mark Zuckerberg to video chat with space station crew

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sun, 29 May 2016 20:39:00 +0530

Mark Zuckerberg on stage at the annual F8 developer conference.
[PHOTO: Special Arrangements]

By News Desk | Washington, DC: Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg will connect with three astronauts currently living and working aboard the International Space Station at 12:55pm EDT (10:25pm IST) Wednesday.

This unique Earth-to-space call will be beamed live on NASA's Facebook page.

During the 20-minute Facebook Live video call with NASA astronauts Tim Kopra and Jeff Williams, and European Space Agency’s Tim Peake, Zuckerberg will ask questions submitted at https://www.facebook.com/nasa.

The International Space Station serves as the world's leading laboratory for conducting cutting-edge microgravity research, and is the primary platform for technology development and testing in space to enable human and robotic exploration of destinations beyond low-Earth orbit, including asteroids and Mars.

WATCH: In Hiroshima, Obama calls for nuke-free world

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Fri, 27 May 2016 23:24:00 +0530

US President Barack Obama with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
[PHOTO: Special Arrangements]

By News Desk | Hiroshima, Japan: Here's the full text and video of US President Barack Obama's historic speech at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park:

(Scroll down for video)

"Seventy-one years ago, on a bright, cloudless morning, death fell from the sky and the world was changed. A flash of light and a wall of fire destroyed a city and demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself.

Why do we come to this place, to Hiroshima? We come to ponder a terrible force unleashed in a not so distant past. We come to mourn the dead, including over 100,000 in Japanese men, women and children; thousands of Koreans; a dozen Americans held prisoner. Their souls speak to us. They ask us to look inward, to take stock of who we are and what we might become.

It is not the fact of war that sets Hiroshima apart. Artifacts tell us that violent conflict appeared with the very first man. Our early ancestors, having learned to make blades from flint and spears from wood, used these tools not just for hunting, but against their own kind. On every continent, the history of civilization is filled with war, whether driven by scarcity of grain or hunger for gold; compelled by nationalist fervor or religious zeal. Empires have risen and fallen. Peoples have been subjugated and liberated. And at each juncture, innocents have suffered, a countless toll, their names forgotten by time.

The World War that reached its brutal end in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was fought among the wealthiest and most powerful of nations. Their civilizations had given the world great cities and magnificent art. Their thinkers had advanced ideas of justice and harmony and truth. And yet, the war grew out of the same base instinct for domination or conquest that had caused conflicts among the simplest tribes; an old pattern amplified by new capabilities and without new constraints. In the span of a few years, some 60 million people would die -- men, women, children no different than us, shot, beaten, marched, bombed, jailed, starved, gassed to death.

There are many sites around the world that chronicle this war -- memorials that tell stories of courage and heroism; graves and empty camps that echo of unspeakable depravity. Yet in the image of a mushroom cloud that rose into these skies, we are most starkly reminded of humanity’s core contradiction; how the very spark that marks us as a species -- our thoughts, our imagination, our language, our tool-making, our ability to set ourselves apart from nature and bend it to our will -- those very things also give us the capacity for unmatched destruction.

How often does material advancement or social innovation blind us to this truth. How easily we learn to justify violence in the name of some higher cause. Every great religion promises a pathway to love and peace and righteousness, and yet no religion has been spared from believers who have claimed their faith as a license to kill. Nations arise, telling a story that binds people together in sacrifice and cooperation, allowing for remarkable feats, but those same stories have so often been used to oppress and dehumanize those who are different.

Science allows us to communicate across the seas and fly above the clouds; to cure disease and understand the cosmos. But those same discoveries can be turned into ever-more efficient killing machines.

The wars of the modern age teach this truth. Hiroshima teaches this truth. Technological progress without an equivalent progress in human institutions can doom us. The scientific revolution that led to the splitting of an atom requires a moral revolution, as well.

That is why we come to this place. We stand here, in the middle of this city, and force ourselves to imagine the moment the bomb fell. We force ourselves to feel the dread of children confused by what they see. We listen to a silent cry. We remember all the innocents killed across the arc of that terrible war, and the wars that came before, and the wars that would follow.

Mere words cannot give voice to such suffering, but we have a shared responsibility to look directly into the eye of history and ask what we must do differently to curb such suffering again. Someday the voices of the hibakusha will no longer be with us to bear witness. But the memory of the morning of August 6th, 1945 must never fade. That memory allows us to fight complacency. It fuels our moral imagination. It allows us to change.

And since that fateful day, we have made choices that give us hope. The United States and Japan forged not only an alliance, but a friendship that has won far more for our people than we could ever claim through war. The nations of Europe built a Union that replaced battlefields with bonds of commerce and democracy. Oppressed peoples and nations won liberation. An international community established institutions and treaties that worked to avoid war and aspire to restrict and roll back, and ultimately eliminate the existence of nuclear weapons.

Still, every act of aggression between nations; every act of terror and corruption and cruelty and oppression that we see around the world shows our work is never done. We may not be able to eliminate man’s capacity to do evil, so nations –- and the alliances that we’ve formed -– must possess the means to defend ourselves. But among those nations like my own that hold nuclear stockpiles, we must have the courage to escape the logic of fear, and pursue a world without them.

We may not realize this goal in my lifetime. But persistent effort can roll back the possibility of catastrophe. We can chart a course that leads to the destruction of these stockpiles. We can stop the spread to new nations, and secure deadly materials from fanatics.

And yet that is not enough. For we see around the world today how even the crudest rifles and barrel bombs can serve up violence on a terrible scale. We must change our mindset about war itself –- to prevent conflict through diplomacy, and strive to end conflicts after they’ve begun; to see our growing interdependence as a cause for peaceful cooperation and not violent competition; to define our nations not by our capacity to destroy, but by what we build.

And perhaps above all, we must reimagine our connection to one another as members of one human race. For this, too, is what makes our species unique. We’re not bound by genetic code to repeat the mistakes of the past. We can learn. We can choose. We can tell our children a different story –- one that describes a common humanity; one that makes war less likely and cruelty less easily accepted.

We see these stories in the hibakusha –- the woman who forgave a pilot who flew the plane that dropped the atomic bomb, because she recognized that what she really hated was war itself; the man who sought out families of Americans killed here, because he believed their loss was equal to his own.

My own nation’s story began with simple words: All men are created equal, and endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Realizing that ideal has never been easy, even within our own borders, even among our own citizens.

But staying true to that story is worth the effort. It is an ideal to be strived for; an ideal that extends across continents, and across oceans. The irreducible worth of every person, the insistence that every life is precious; the radical and necessary notion that we are part of a single human family -– that is the story that we all must tell.

That is why we come to Hiroshima. So that we might think of people we love -- the first smile from our children in the morning; the gentle touch from a spouse over the kitchen table; the comforting embrace of a parent –- we can think of those things and know that those same precious moments took place here seventy-one years ago. Those who died -– they are like us. Ordinary people understand this, I think. They do not want more war. They would rather that the wonders of science be focused on improving life, and not eliminating it.

When the choices made by nations, when the choices made by leaders reflect this simple wisdom, then the lesson of Hiroshima is done.

The world was forever changed here. But today, the children of this city will go through their day in peace. What a precious thing that is. It is worth protecting, and then extending to every child. That is the future we can choose -– a future in which Hiroshima and Nagasaki are known not as the dawn of atomic warfare, but as the start of our own moral awakening."

Five things you can do in life if decided to remain a bachelor

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Thu, 26 May 2016 21:14:00 +0530

It becomes imperative to make most of a life that has less to do with family issues and obligations.
[PHOTO: Sebastiaan ter Burg/Flickr/CC BY 2.0]

By Yogesh Pandey

People who decide against getting married are confronted with questions as to what would be the purpose of life without marriage, the reason for taking this unusual decision and several other whys surround the person from all the sides, from friends to relatives and family.

However, considering the societal clutches one finds himself in, it becomes a tedious job to satisfy everyone with the rationales and reasons.

Moreover, the reasons for taking this decision may vary from one individual to another. But, it becomes imperative to make most of a life that has less to do with family issues and obligations.

Here are five ways that will change the way one perceives a life without getting hitched.

1# Read Books: It is for the wisdom and knowledge seekers who do not give up on knowing. Books on Religion, Philosophy, Economics, Psychology, Politics, Law, different genres of novels, Biographies, and sports can be read to satisfy the quest for knowledge. Those who do not have the latter, can develop the same and transform their lives.

2# Write: With ample of knowledge acquired through extensive reading, one can try his hand on penning down thoughts that will have a continuous influx once reading becomes steady. Writing extensively on subjects mentioned above, digging deeper, developing ideas, making your own conclusions and opinions, and engaging in constructive debates can make life interesting and better.

3# Explore the World: This is the practical way to know yourself and the world, one of the things that every great individual did before they became factory of ideas. Those who have a decent job or enterprise can afford to travel the world every weekend or fortnight with handheld camera, meeting people, getting acquainted with their cultures, problems, joys, and discovering new things. A travel blog dedicated to your travels can be made for recording the moments with words.

4# Help People: This is the application of what one has gained through reading, writing and exploring the world. The ideas thus created will be utilized for the service of mankind by helping people in their thick and thins, helping students achieve their goals, counseling people who are stressed, arranging for the education of marginalized children to uplift them from poverty etc.

5# Simply Follow Your Passion: We all like a thing or two to do endlessly without feeling even an iota of exhaustion. We all have one thing which by a mere mention lifts our spirit up, energizes our acts, engages us to the core, and gives an adrenaline rush. Stuffs like, sports, painting, music, trekking, mountaineering, river-rafting, sky-diving, swimming, scuba-diving, reading, writing etc that one is fond of can broaden the purpose of life with ease, giving it an entire new meaning.

P.S: The article does not contain any anti-marriage overtones. The things mentioned in this article can also be done even if the person is married, but the writer is of the view that one gets enough time to follow his passions if he is not married.

Follow @Yogesh_Pande901

How Zika caught the Americas by surprise

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Mon, 9 May 2016 00:10:00 +0530

Brazil has confirmed 1,198 cases of Zika-related microcephaly, and the disease has continued to spread through the Americas.
[PHOTO: Conifer/Flickr/CC BY 2.0]

Geneva: On 7th May 2015, tests conducted at Brazil’s national reference laboratory conclusively identified Zika in several samples. A new mosquito-borne disease had indeed arrived in the Americas, though no one knew what that might mean.

In early February last year, doctors in the impoverished northeastern part of Brazil noticed a surge in the number of people complaining about a mild illness, with and without fever, characterized by rash, fatigue, joint pains, and red eyes.

The illness was brief and recovery was spontaneous. A mild form of dengue, a mosquito-borne disease hyperendemic throughout the country, was initially suspected, but tests were negative in the vast majority of samples.

Chikungunya, another mosquito-borne disease first detected in Africa in 1952, had hopped to Brazil in September 2014 and was likewise suspected. Again, tests results were negative.

At the end of March 2015, Brazil informed WHO that nearly 7,000 cases of an illness characterized by skin rash had been reported in six north-eastern states.

In late April, on a long shot, a laboratory in Bahia State researchers began to suspect that the disease might be spread by the area’s ubiquitous and dense mosquito population.

They tested for Zika, an exotic and poorly understood virus, carried by mosquitoes, that had never been seen in the Americas.

At the end of October 2015, Brazil informed WHO that 54 cases of microcephaly among newborns had been detected since August.

The possibility that a mosquito bite during pregnancy could be linked to severe brain abnormalities in newborns alarmed the public and astonished scientists.

Though evidence was scant, paediatric neurologists in Brazil were convinced that the brain abnormalities were linked to Zika. Subsequent findings would prove them right.

Since then, Brazil has confirmed 1,198 cases of Zika-related microcephaly, and the disease has continued to spread through the Americas. -UNifeed

LPSC 2016 to feature Ceres, Mars, Pluto science results

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 23:21:00 +0530

Artist concept of Curiosity rover - a part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission (MSL).
[Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech]

Washington, DC: Researchers from NASA and other institutions will present science results from the agency’s Mars missions, New Horizons flyby of Pluto, and Dawn mission observations of the dwarf planet Ceres during the 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, which runs from March 21 to 25 near Houston.

In July 2015, New Horizons became the first spacecraft to fly past Pluto, observing a wide range of surface expressions and geology that raise fundamental questions about how small planets can have active processes billions of years after they formed.

Results from the first year of Dawn’s exploration of Ceres mission will be presented, including new insights about the dwarf planet’s surface and composition.

The science presentations at the conference will also include what researchers have learned from recent investigation by Curiosity rover of an active Martian sand dune and diverse findings from other NASA missions to Mars.

Angelina Jolie visits Syrian refugee shelters in Lebanon

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:15:00 +0530

UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie meets Syrian refugees in Lebanon, calls for leadership to address crisis.
[PHOTO: © L. Knott/UNHCR]

Beirut, Lebanon: UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie visited Lebanon and met with refugee families on the 5th anniversary of the war in Syria.

The special envoy visited Kholoud, a 38-year-old Syrian refugee and mother of four who lives in a tented settlement in the Bekaa. Khouloud was left paralysed three years ago by a sniper.

“The number of refugees is now higher than the last time we had a World War. We are at an exceptionally difficult moment internationally, when the consequences of the refugee crisis seem to be outstripping our will and capacity and even our courage to respond to it,” Jolie said.

While there are recent glimmers of hope with increased humanitarian access in Syria, the cessation of hostilities, renewed peace talks and promises of better funding, the 5th anniversary of Syria's war comes amid a backdrop of increasingly managed borders by neighbouring countries, creaking under the strain of hosting so many refugees.

“We should never forget that for all the focus on the refugee situation in Europe at this time, the greatest pressure is still being felt in the Middle East and North Africa, as it has for each of the last five years,” Jolie asserted.

The special envoy also visited Beirut where she met a group of women living in poor conditions; a damp collective shelter, that left them and their families exposed to sickness.

She urged, “My plea today is that we need governments around the world to show leadership: to analyse the situation and understand exactly what their country can do, how many refugees they can assist and how, in which particular communities and to what timeframe; to explain this to their citizens and address fears - based not on emotion but on a measured assessment of what can and must be done to share the responsibility and get on top of this situation”

European states which once welcomed Syrians are now bringing down the shutters in the wake of increasing numbers of refugees seeking safety there. Several countries have imposed entry and border restrictions, leading to a build-up of tens of thousands of refugees in Greece, while the European Union is in discussions with Turkey on an agreement that could potentially see asylum-seekers sent back to Turkey.

“Every Syrian refugee I have spoken to on this visit, without exception, talked of their desire to return home when the war is over and it is safe for them to do so – not with resignation, but with the light in their eyes of people dreaming of being reunited with the country that they love,” the special envoy added.

Five years on, Syria's conflict has spawned 4.8 million refugees in neighbouring countries, hundreds of thousands in Europe, and 6.6 million people displaced inside Syria against a pre-war population of over 20 million. -UNifeed

Asia growth vital for the world, says IMF chief Lagarde

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 04:20:00 +0530

IMF managing director Christine Lagarde (L) gives her closing remarks with Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley (R) as they participate in the conference on 'Advancing Asia: Investing for the Future' in New Delhi.
[PHOTO: Stephen Jaffe/IMF/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

New Delhi: Here's the full text of IMF managing director Christine Lagarde's closing remarks at the end of the conference on 'Advancing Asia'.

“I would like to express my profound appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to the people of India for their warm hospitality. My thanks go also to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his dedicated team at the Ministry of Finance for the organization of this Advancing Asia conference, where I had the opportunity to meet finance ministers, central bank governors, and private sector representatives from throughout the region.

“At the conference, we took stock of Asia’s strong economic performance and its ongoing policy challenges -- monetary, fiscal and structural -- in the face of an increasingly uncertain global economic environment. Our discussions included how to maintain and enhance the region’s high growth record while boosting jobs, reducing inequality, accelerating infrastructure and human capital development. We also exchanged views on managing capital flows, financial inclusion, demographic issues, women’s empowerment and climate change.

“Innovation and technology are some of the other major paths to unleashing Asia's full potential. We saw these attributes reflected in the creative submissions that we received from young people all over Asia for the conference's youth video contest. We also celebrated the agreement to establish a new South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC), which will serve Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka--and will be the first IMF-supported center to combine both technical assistance and training.

“Advancing Asia” is the continuation of an important conversation in the region that I look forward to sustaining as we look toward the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings to be held in Indonesia in 2018.

“The IMF deeply appreciates the opportunity to listen to the views and advice of all our Asian member countries, and we will build this into our work as part of our ongoing partnership with the region. As was recognised at our conference, Asia’s growth and prosperity is vitally important not only for the region, but for the world.”

#YearInSpace astronaut Scott Kelly to retire from NASA in April

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 18:46:00 +0530

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly inside the cupola of the International Space Station, a special module that provides a 360-degree viewing of the Earth and the station.
[PHOTO: NASA]

Washington, DC: NASA astronaut and one-year crew member Scott Kelly will retire from the agency, effective April 1. Kelly joined the astronaut corps in 1996 and currently holds the American record for most time spent in space.

After retiring, Kelly will continue to participate in the ongoing research related to his one-year mission. He will provide periodic medical samples and support other testing in much the same way that his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly, made himself available for NASA’s Twins Study during his brother’s mission.

“This year-in-space mission was a profound challenge for all involved, and it gave me a unique perspective and a lot of time to reflect on what my next step should be on our continued journey to help further our capabilities in space and on Earth,” Kelly said. “My career with the Navy and NASA gave me an incredible chance to showcase public service to which I am dedicated, and what we can accomplish on the big challenges of our day. I am humbled and excited by new opportunities for me to support and share the amazing work NASA is doing to help us travel farther into the solar system and work with the next generation of science and technology leaders.”

Kelly flew in space four times, beginning with space shuttle Discovery’s trip to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on the STS-103 servicing mission in 1999. On his second mission, STS-118, he crossed the threshold of the International Space Station for the first time as commander of space shuttle Endeavour. He returned to the station for a six-month stay in 2010, commanding Expedition 26.

A veteran of spaceflight, Kelly accepted the opportunity to participate in NASA’s unprecedented yearlong space station mission, which aimed to expand the boundaries of space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit through the collection of critical data on how the human body responds to extended space missions. On this mission, Kelly eclipsed two American space records.

“Records are meant to be broken,” Kelly said. “I am looking forward to when these records in space are surpassed.”

Kelly broke the American record for most cumulative time in space during his one-year mission, accruing 520 days.

“Scott’s contributions to NASA are too many to name,” said Brian Kelly, director of Flight Operations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “In his year aboard the space station, he took part in experiments that will have far-reaching effects, helping us pave the way to putting humans on Mars and benefiting life on Earth. His passion for this work has helped give hundreds of thousands of people a better understanding of what NASA does, thanks in part to the numerous photos and updates he shared from space. We appreciate his years of service and anticipate many benefits to come from them, thanks to the research he’s supporting.”

India, IMF ink pact to set up regional training centre

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 22:03:00 +0530

India and IMF ink agreement to establish a capacity development centre in New Delhi.
[PHOTO: Special Arrangements]

Special Correspondent | New Delhi: Indian government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has signed an agreement to establish a regional training and technical assistance centre in New Delhi to enhance capacity building of officials and promote greater coordination between member countries.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde and Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley exchanged the signed documents in the presence of PM Narendra Modi at the inaugural session of three-day international conference on 'Advancing Asia' here in the national capital.

Speaking on the occasion, Lagarde said, "This will be the first centre that fully integrates training and technical assistance and is a model for our future capacity development work."

The South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Centre (SARTTAC) is expected to become the focal point for planning, coordinating, and implementing the IMF’s capacity development activities in the region on a wide range of areas, including macroeconomic and fiscal management, monetary operations, financial sector regulation and supervision, and macroeconomic statistics.

The centre will help address existing training needs and respond to the demand for IMF training in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, while bringing the region’s training volume on par with those of other regions.

"The signing of this MoU represents a key step toward a fully integrated capacity development centre in New Delhi, and demonstrates the shared commitment between the IMF and its membership in using technical assistance and training as vehicles for economic stability and inclusive growth," IMF said in a media release.

SARTTAC will offer courses and seminars for policymakers and other government agencies from the six aforementioned countries.

Funding will come from contributions by regional member countries and development partners. The Australian Agency for International Development, South Korea and India have pledged financial support for the said centre.

US puts two Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin members on terror sanctions list

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sat, 12 Mar 2016 04:10:00 +0530

Abdul Saboor (left) and Abdullah Nowbahar (right)
[Handout Images]

By Abhinav Tripathi | Washington, DC: United States has added two explosives experts from Afghan extremist group Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) to its terror sanctions list for their alleged key involvement in suicide attacks in Kabul.

“The Department of State has designated Abdullah Nowbahar and Abdul Saboor as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons that have committed, or pose a serious risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States,” the State Department said in a media release.

"As a result of these designations, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Abdullah Nowbahar and Abdul Saboor have any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Nowbahar and Saboor," the release further read.

In February last year, Washington had announced rewards for information on both Nowbahar and Saboor. The Secretary of State authorised a reward of up to $3 million for information on Saboor and up to $2 million on Nowbahar.

According to the State Department, "both Nowbahar and Saboor participated in the September 18, 2012 attack on a bus carrying foreign employees of Kabul International Airport that killed 12 people. Saboor is also responsible for a May 2013 suicide attack in Kabul that destroyed a U.S. armored vehicle, killing two soldiers and four U.S. civilian contractors; eight Afghans – including two children – were also killed and another 37 were wounded."

HIG is an offshoot of Hezb-e-Islami (“Party of Islam”), a political and paramilitary organisation founded in the year 1976 by Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

Interestingly, it was a part of US-backed resistance movement trying to battle out the Soviet Union during latter's occupation of Afghanistan. HIG now espouses "virulently anti-U.S. ideologies."

Follow @AbhinavTripathi

World T20: India vs Pak match shifted to Kolkata over security concerns

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 22:14:00 +0530

ICC shifts India vs Pakistan World T20 fixture from Dharamshala to Kolkata citing security concerns.
[PHOTO: Indi Samarajiva/Flickr/CC BY 2.0]

New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the World Twenty20 2016 Super 10 Group 2 match between India and Pakistan has been relocated from Dharamsala to Kolkata.

The evening match will take place as scheduled on Saturday 19 March and will start at 19h30 local time.

Announcing the decision, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said, “The decision has been taken following consultation with the BCCI, the relevant state associations, the ICC and BCCI security consultant and other relevant authorities."

He asserted, “The decision to relocate the match has been made for security reasons. The concerns initially arose following alleged public comments recently reported by the Chief Minister of Hamachal Pradesh, warning of demonstrations and attempts to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the match. Our concerns relate both to uncertainty as to the level of those threats as well as the level of commitment to implement any security plan developed to mitigate such threats. The decision was not taken lightly. The ICC and the BCCI understand the disappointment that is likely to be felt by many over the decision to move the match. But the safety and security of the event is of paramount importance to the ICC and we have taken into consideration the concerns shared with us by our security advisors as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board."

“As far as those who have purchased tickets online for the match, they will be offered the choice of a full refund or the opportunity to exchange their tickets for ones for the Kolkata match," he added.

“Finally, I would like to confirm that the ICC has been assured by all relevant state authorities that all adequate security measures are in place and will be implemented to ensure that the event is staged in a safe and secure environment for all stakeholders,” Richardson concluded.

Gender gap remains wide in global labour market: Report

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Tue, 8 Mar 2016 18:15:00 +0530

New report highlights enormous challenges women continue to face in finding and keeping decent jobs around the world.
[PHOTO: Donnie Nunley/Flickr/CC BY 2.0]

Geneva: Despite some modest gains in some regions in the world, millions of women are losing ground in their quest for equality in the world of work, according to a new report prepared by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“The report shows the enormous challenges women continue to face in finding and keeping decent jobs,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.

“Our actions must be immediate, effective and far-reaching. There is no time to waste. The 2030 Agenda is an opportunity to pool our efforts and develop coherent, mutually supporting policies for gender equality.”

The report, Women at Work: Trends 2016 examined data for up to 178 countries and concludes that inequality between women and men persists across a wide spectrum of the global labour market. What’s more, the report shows that over the last two decades, significant progress made by women in education hasn’t translated into comparable improvements in their position at work.

At the global level, the employment gender gap has closed by only 0.6 percentage points since 1995, with an employment-to-population ratio of 46 per cent for women and almost 72 per cent for men in 2015.

In 2015, 586 million women were working as own-account and contributing family workers across the world. As globally, the share of those who work in a family enterprise (contributing family workers) has decreased significantly among women (by 17.0 percentage points over the last 20 years) and to a lesser extent among men (by 8.1 percentage points), the global gender gap in contributing family work is reduced to 11 percentage points.

Although 52.1 per cent of women and 51.2 per cent of men in the labour market are wage and salaried workers, this in itself constitutes no guarantee of higher job quality. Globally, 38 per cent of women and 36 per cent of men in wage employment do not contribute to social protection. The proportions for women reach 63.2 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa and 74.2 per cent in Southern Asia where informal employment is the dominant form of employment.

The report also provides new data for up to 100 countries on paid and unpaid working hours and access to maternity protection and pensions.

Women work longer hours

Women continue to work longer hours per day than men in both paid and unpaid work. In both high and lower income countries, on average, women carry out at least two and a half times more unpaid household and care work than men. In developed economies, employed women (either in self-employment or wage and salaried employment) work 8 hours and 9 minutes in paid and unpaid work, compared to 7 hours and 36 minutes worked by men.

In developing economies, women in employment spend 9 hours and 20 minutes in paid and unpaid work, whereas men spend 8 hours and 7 minutes in such work. The unbalanced share of unpaid work limits women’s capacity to increase their hours in paid, formal and wage and salaried work. As a result, across the world, women, who represent less than 40 per cent of total employment, make up 57 per cent of those working shorter hours and on a part-time basis.

In addition, across more than 100 countries surveyed, more than one third of employed men (35.5 per cent) and more than one fourth of employed women (25.7 per cent) work more than 48 hours a week. This also affects the unequal distribution of unpaid household and care work between women and men.

The cumulative disadvantage faced by women in the labour market has a significant impact in later years. In terms of pensions, coverage (both legal and effective) is lower for women than men, leaving an overall gender social protection coverage gap. Globally, the proportion of women above retirement age receiving a pension is on average 10.6 percentage points lower than that of men.

Globally, women represent nearly 65 per cent of people above retirement age (60-65 or older according to national legislation in the majority of countries) without any regular pension. This means some 200 million women in old age are living without any regular income from an old age or survivor’s pension, compared to 115 million men.

Homelessness is spreading with impunity: UN rights expert

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Mon, 7 Mar 2016 00:32:00 +0530

Homelessness affects every single country and is spreading with impunity, warns UN rights expert
[PHOTO: SLR Jester/Flickr/CC BY 2.0]

Geneva: Homelessness is a fact of life in all countries of the world, regardless of the level of development of their economic or governance systems, and it has been spreading with impunity, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, Leilani Farha, warned during the presentation of her latest report to the UN Human Rights Council.

“Widespread homelessness is evidence of the failure of States to protect and ensure the human rights of the most vulnerable populations,” Farha said noting that it is “one of the least examined consequences of persistent inequality, unfair distribution of land and property and poverty occurring on a global scale.”

In her report, the Special Rapporteur examines how homelessness is caused by States’ failures to respond both to individual circumstances and to a range of structural causes, abandoning responsibility for social protection and allowing unregulated real estate speculation and investment to exclude a growing number of people from any form of housing.

“Homelessness is a result of State acquiescence to real estate speculation and unregulated markets — a result of treating housing as a commodity rather than as a human right,” the independent expert stressed.

“The common denominator in virtually all structural causes of homelessness is government decision making inconsistent with human rights,” she said. “This has left millions of people subject to a violation of rights to life, health, housing, equality and non-discrimination, among others.”

The Special Rapporteur pointed to the social stigma, discrimination, violence and criminalization experienced by those who are homeless. From individuals sleeping on the streets, to families in makeshift dwellings, Farha’s statement to Council highlights the urgency of fighting the invisibility of the issue.

The expert urged all governments to recognize homelessness as a human rights crisis and commit to eradicating this global phenomenon by 2030, in line with the new UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“States must address the root causes of homelessness by establishing national strategies anchored in human rights and the right to adequate housing. We have been silent and have failed to tackle one of the most pervasive violations of human rights, but our lack of action can make us complicit,” she underscored.

The Special Rapporteur noted that 2016 can be a catalyst for the discussion on homelessness as the global community starts implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and prepares for Habitat III (the world Conference, on housing and sustainable urban development).

NASA plans major social event for March 8 solar eclipse

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Sat, 5 Mar 2016 23:59:00 +0530

During total solar eclipses — such as this one seen from the northern tip of Australia on Nov. 13, 2012 — the light halo of the sun’s atmosphere, called the corona, can be seen. Not only are such eclipses beautiful, they also provide a unique opportunity for scientists to study the corona.
[PHOTO: NASA/Romeo Durscher]

Washington, DC: NASA, in partnership with the Exploratorium Science Center in San Francisco, will host activities around the March 8 total solar eclipse, including opportunities to talk with solar scientists and live coverage of the eclipse originating from Woleai island in Micronesia.

The space agency will host a Facebook Q and A at 2 p.m. EST on Monday, March 7, with solar scientists from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, at: https://www.facebook.com/nasamarshallcenter

At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, solar scientists from Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will participate in a Reddit Ask Me Anything.

Twitter, Google+ and Facebook users will be able to join the conversation and ask questions using the hashtag #eclipse2016. The NASA Twitter account for the eclipse is @NASASunEarth. Public will be able to tag and share their images of the solar eclipse on the NASA Flickr group at: https://www.flickr.com/groups/eclipse2016/.

The total eclipse will be visible in parts of South East Asia and a partial eclipse will be visible in parts of Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and America Samoa.

An eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between Earth and the sun. When the moon's shadow falls on Earth, observers within that shadow see the moon block a portion of the sun's light.

Interpol holds crucial meet on terror threats across Asia-Pacific

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Fri, 4 Mar 2016 05:16:00 +0530

Interpol's APAC-centric meet gathered 43 law enforcement and counter-terrorism officers from 16 countries.
[PHOTO: Special Arrangements]

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Addressing emerging terrorism trends and information sharing on foreign terrorist fighters throughout the Asia-Pacific region was the focus of an INTERPOL meeting in Thailand.

The use of the Internet by terrorists for radicalisation and law enforcement evidence-gathering procedures relating to terrorist groups using social media were also key issues during the three-day INTERPOL Project Pacific working group meeting, which gathered 43 law enforcement and counter-terrorism officers from 16 countries.

The working group’s findings will result in an Intelligence Assessment in the Emerging Terrorist Threats and Trends in the region.

“The Bangkok terror attack last August, followed by a string of incidents in France, Indonesia, Malaysia and elsewhere demonstrated the current threat posed by both individuals and terrorist networks,” said Police Major General Apichat Suriboonya, Head of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Thailand.

“This working group meeting provided the Asia-Pacific region with the opportunity to compare the different, national, policing capabilities, and identify a way forward for the future,” concluded the Major General.

Countries represented at the working group which met from 23 to 25 February were Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Thailand, USA and Vietnam.

The meeting, co-hosted by INTERPOL and the Foreign Affairs Division of the Royal Thai Police, was supported by the Canadian government as part of the INTERPOL Capacity Building Programme on Countering Transnational Terrorism and Other Security Threats in Southeast Asia.

Yohanes Agus Mulyono, Executive Director at the ASEANAPOL Secretariat also participated in the meeting, as well as a representative from the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore.

India inks $300mn pact with World Bank for MP education reforms

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Wed, 2 Mar 2016 23:59:00 +0530

India signs USD 300mn financing pact with World Bank for higher education reforms in Madhya Pradesh state.
[PHOTO: Shiny Things/ Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0]

Washington, DC/New Delhi: Indian government, the Madhya Pradesh state and the World Bank have inked a US$ 300 million credit agreement for the Madhya Pradesh (MP) Higher Education Quality Improvement Project to improve student learning outcomes in select government-run higher education institutions in the state, particularly for the disadvantaged groups. The project will also help increase the overall effectiveness of the higher education system in Madhya Pradesh.

The credit agreement for the project was signed by Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Government of India; K K Singh, Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education, on behalf of the Government of Madhya Pradesh; and Onno Ruhl, World Bank Country Director, India on behalf of the World Bank.

“The focus on improving higher education will not only help MP accelerate its social and economic development but also exemplify the Government of India’s thrust on increasing the supply of high skilled workers to drive the economy,” said Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Higher education in India has expanded rapidly. Enrollment has more than doubled from 8.4 million students in 2001 to 17 million students in 2011. Of these, nearly 10 percent or 1.6 million higher education students are enrolled in university or colleges in Madhya Pradesh. While the state’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of 19.5 in higher education is close to the national average of 21.1 percent, in the age group 18 to 23 years, only 13.1 percent of scheduled caste students and 7.5 percent of scheduled tribe students are enrolled in higher education. There are major concerns over quality too. A recent World Bank study finds that employers are most likely to reject newly graduated engineers for poor technical skills. Over 77 percent of employers in MP said weak technical skills was the most important reason for rejecting a job applicant.

“The project will support the implementation of the Government of Madhya Pradesh’s vision for the higher education sector and focus on improving the quality of learning, employability and research in higher education institutions in Madhya Pradesh,” said K K Singh, Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Government of Madhya Pradesh.

About 3.6 million students, 10,800 academic staff and 1,400 administrators and officers in nearly 200 government colleges and universities are expected to directly benefit from the project.

“By focusing on good quality education for higher learning, extending scholarships to disadvantaged students, and improving resources available for teaching, learning and research, we hope the project will help produce a labor force that has the required skills and knowledge to boost the state’s economy and lift many out of poverty,” said Onno Ruhl, World Bank Country Director in India.

The main thrust of the project will be to help government colleges and universities to effectively use institutional grants in improving the quality of higher education, provide equitable access to education for all and ensure better capacity utilization, as well as include activities aimed at making students more employable. The project will also help create Centers of Excellence in select colleges and university departments to prepare best practice teaching-learning and research in a particular area.

Other strategic interventions of the project are to provide financial support to disadvantaged and meritorious students through scholarships; upgrade qualifications and skills of new and existing faculty members through a state institute for higher education training and research; and extend technical assistance to government-run higher education institutions to gain accreditation with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The project will also strengthen the governance structures of government colleges with clear mandates on governance and accountability.

A 2012 World Bank report, ‘Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Reforms: Policy Options’ has identified access, equity and low quality as core challenges for the state.

Only about half of an incoming cohort of students graduate at the end of three years, and an even smaller percentage of students find employment. Transition rates of students from one year to the next, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are low, with the drop-out rate being the highest between the first and the second years of study. Institutions are small in size, with average enrollment at 609 students (all-India average is 707), the study says.

“The project will enable colleges and universities to offer a better education to their students, to help them graduate on time and contribute to society. The reform path in higher education is long and complex, but Madhya Pradesh is a state ahead of many others in setting out on its reform path,” said Toby Linden, Lead Education Specialist and Sangeeta Goyal, World Bank’s Task Team Leaders for the project.

India Budget 2016-17: Key highlights, features

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Tue, 1 Mar 2016 23:22:00 +0530

Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley presented country's Union Budget for the year 2016-17 on Monday.
[PHOTO: Special Arrangements]

Here are the key highlights and features of the Union Budget of India for the year 2016-17, presented by finance minister Arun Jaitley on Monday.

INTRODUCTION

#Growth of Economy accelerated to 7.6% in 2015-16.

#India hailed as a ‘bright spot’ amidst a slowing global economy by IMF.

#Robust growth achieved despite very unfavourable global conditions and two consecutive years shortfall in monsoon by 13%

#Foreign exchange reserves touched highest ever level of about 350 billion US dollars.

#Despite increased devolution to States by 55% as a result of the 14th Finance Commission award, plan expenditure increased at RE stage in 2015-16 – in contrast to earlier years.

CHALLENGES IN 2016-17

#Risks of further global slowdown and turbulence.

#Additional fiscal burden due to 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations and OROP.

ROADMAP & PRIORITIES

#'Transform India' to have a significant impact on economy and lives of people.

++Government to focus on –

#ensuring macro-economic stability and prudent fiscal management.

#boosting on domestic demand

#continuing with the pace of economic reforms and policy initiatives to change the lives of our people for the better.

#Focus on enhancing expenditure in priority areas of - farm and rural sector, social sector, infrastructure sector employment generation and recapitalisation of the banks.

++Focus on Vulnerable sections through:

#Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

#New health insurance scheme to protect against hospitalisation expenditure

#facility of cooking gas connection for BPL families

#Continue with the ongoing reform programme and ensure passage of the Goods and Service Tax bill and Insolvency and Bankruptcy law

++Undertake important reforms by:

#giving a statutory backing to AADHAR platform to ensure benefits reach the deserving.

#freeing the transport sector from constraints and restrictions

#incentivising gas discovery and exploration by providing calibrated marketing freedom

#enactment of a comprehensive law to deal with resolution of financial firms

#provide legal framework for dispute resolution and re-negotiations in PPP projects and public utility contracts

#undertake important banking sector reforms and public listing of general insurance companies undertake significant changes in FDI policy.

AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS’ WELFARE

#Allocation for Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare is Rs35,984 crore

#‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana’ to be implemented in mission mode. 28.5 lakh hectares will be brought under irrigation.

#Implementation of 89 irrigation projects under AIBP, which are languishing for a long time, will be fast tracked

#A dedicated Long Term Irrigation Fund will be created in NABARD with an initial corpus of about Rs20,000 crore

#Programme for sustainable management of ground water resources with an estimated cost of Rs6,000 crore will be implemented through multilateral funding

#5 lakh farm ponds and dug wells in rain fed areas and 10 lakh compost pits for production of organic manure will be taken up under MGNREGA

#Soil Health Card scheme will cover all 14 crore farm holdings by March 2017.

#2,000 model retail outlets of Fertilizer companies will be provided with soil and seed testing facilities during the next three years

#Promote organic farming through ‘Parmparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana’ and 'Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region'.

#Unified Agricultural Marketing ePlatform to provide a common e-market platform for wholesale markets

#Allocation under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana increased to `19,000 crore. Will connect remaining 65,000 eligible habitations by 2019.

#To reduce the burden of loan repayment on farmers, a provision of Rs15,000 crore has been made in the BE 2016-17 towards interest subvention

#Allocation under Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana Rs5,500 crore.

#Rs850 crore for four dairying projects - ‘Pashudhan Sanjivani’, ‘Nakul Swasthya Patra’, ‘E-Pashudhan Haat’ and National Genomic Centre for indigenous breeds

RURAL SECTOR

#Allocation for rural sector - Rs87,765 crore.

#Rs2.87 lakh crore will be given as Grant in Aid to Gram Panchayats and Municipalities as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission

#Every block under drought and rural distress will be taken up as an intensive Block under the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Mission

#A sum of Rs38,500 crore allocated for MGNREGS.

#300 Rurban Clusters will be developed under the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission

#100% village electrification by 1st May, 2018.

#District Level Committees under Chairmanship of senior most Lok Sabha MP from the district for monitoring and implementation of designated Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

#Priority allocation from Centrally Sponsored Schemes to be made to reward villages that have become free from open defecation.

#A new Digital Literacy Mission Scheme for rural India to cover around 6 crore additional household within the next 3 years.

#National Land Record Modernisation Programme has been revamped.

#New scheme Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan proposed with allocation of Rs655 crore.

SOCIAL SECTOR INCLUDING HEALTH CARE

#Allocation for social sector including education and health care – `1,51,581 crore.

#Rs2,000 crore allocated for initial cost of providing LPG connections to BPL families.

#New health protection scheme will provide health cover up to Rs One lakh per family. For senior citizens an additional top-up package up to Rs30,000 will be provided.

#3,000 Stores under Prime Minister’s Jan Aushadhi Yojana will be opened during 2016-17.

#‘National Dialysis Services Programme’ to be started under National Health Mission through PPP mode

#“Stand Up India Scheme” to facilitate at least two projects per bank branch. This will benefit at least 2.5 lakh entrepreneurs.

#National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub to be set up in partnership with industry associations

#Allocation of Rs100 crore each for celebrating the Birth Centenary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay and the 350th Birth Anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

EDUCATION, SKILLS AND JOB CREATION

#62 new Navodaya Vidyalayas will be opened

#Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to increasing focus on quality of education

#Regulatory architecture to be provided to ten public and ten private institutions to emerge as world-class Teaching and Research Institutions

#Higher Education Financing Agency to be set-up with initial capital base of Rs1000 Crores

#Digital Depository for School Leaving Certificates, College Degrees, Academic Awards and Mark sheets to be set-up.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

#Allocation for skill development – Rs1804. crore.

#1500 Multi Skill Training Institutes to be set-up.

#National Board for Skill Development Certification to be setup in partnership with the industry and academia

#Entrepreneurship Education and Training through Massive Open Online Courses

JOB CREATION

#GoI will pay contribution of 8.33% for of all new employees enrolling in EPFO for the first three years of their employment. Budget provision of Rs1000 crore for this scheme.

#Deduction under Section 80JJAA of the Income Tax Act will be available to all assesses who are subject to statutory audit under the Act.

#100 Model Career Centres to operational by the end of 2016-17 under National Career Service.

#Model Shops and Establishments Bill to be circulated to States.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT

#Total investment in the road sector, including PMGSY allocation, would be Rs97,000 crore during 2016-17.

#India’s highest ever kilometres of new highways were awarded in 2015. To approve nearly 10,000 kms of National Highways in 2016-17.

#Allocation of Rs55,000 crore in the Budget for Roads. Additional Rs15,000 crore to be raised by NHAI through bonds.

#Total outlay for infrastructure - Rs2,21,246 crore.

#Amendments to be made in Motor Vehicles Act to open up the road transport sector in the passenger segment.

#Action plan for revival of unserved and underserved airports to be drawn up in partnership with State Governments.

#To provide calibrated marketing freedom in order to incentivise gas production from deep-water, ultra deep-water and high pressure-high temperature areas.

#Comprehensive plan, spanning next 15 to 20 years, to augment the investment in nuclear power generation to be drawn up.

++Steps to re-vitalise PPPs:

#Public Utility (Resolution of Disputes) Bill will be introduced during 2016-17

#Guidelines for renegotiation of PPP Concession Agreements will be issued

#New credit rating system for infrastructure projects to be introduced

#Reforms in FDI policy in the areas of Insurance and Pension, Asset Reconstruction Companies, Stock Exchanges.

#100% FDI to be allowed through FIPB route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India.

#A new policy for management of Government investment in Public Sector Enterprises, including disinvestment and strategic sale, approved.

FINANCIAL SECTOR REFORMS

#A comprehensive Code on Resolution of Financial Firms to be introduced.

#Statutory basis for a Monetary Policy framework and a Monetary Policy Committee through the Finance Bill 2016.

#A Financial Data Management Centre to be set up.

#RBI to facilitate retail participation in Government securities.

#New derivative products will be developed by SEBI in the Commodity Derivatives market.

#Amendments in the SARFAESI Act 2002 to enable the sponsor of an ARC to hold up to 100% stake in the ARC and permit non institutional investors to invest in Securitization Receipts.

#Comprehensive Central Legislation to be bought to deal with the menace of illicit deposit taking schemes.

#Increasing members and benches of the Securities Appellate Tribunal.

#Allocation of Rs25,000 crore towards recapitalisation of Public Sector Banks.

#Target of amount sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana increased to Rs1,80,000 crore.

#General Insurance Companies owned by the Government to be listed in the stock exchanges.

GOVERNANCE AND EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

#A Task Force has been constituted for rationalisation of human resources in various Ministries.

#Comprehensive review and rationalisation of Autonomous Bodies.

#Bill for Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services by using the Aadhar framework to be introduced.

#Introduce DBT on pilot basis for fertilizer.

#Automation facilities will be provided in 3 lakh fair price shops by March 2017.

#Amendments in Companies Act to improve enabling environment for start-ups.

#Price Stabilisation Fund with a corpus of Rs900 crore to help maintain stable prices of Pulses.

#“Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” programme will be launched to link States and Districts in an annual programme that connects people through exchanges in areas of language, trade, culture, travel and tourism.

FISCAL DISCIPLINE

#Fiscal deficit in RE 2015-16 and BE 2016-17 retained at 3.9% and 3.5%.

#Revenue Deficit target from 2.8% to 2.5% in RE 2015-16

#Total expenditure projected at Rs19.78 lakh crore

#Plan expenditure pegged at Rs5.50 lakh crore under Plan, increase of 15.3%

#Non-Plan expenditure kept at Rs14.28 lakh crores

#Special emphasis to sectors such as agriculture, irrigation, social sector including health, women and child development, welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, infrastructure.

#Mobilisation of additional finances to the extent of Rs31,300 crore by NHAI, PFC, REC, IREDA, NABARD and Inland Water Authority by raising Bonds.

#Plan / Non-Plan classification to be done away with from 2017-18.

#Every new scheme sanctioned will have a sunset date and outcome review.

#Rationalised and restructured more than 1500 Central Plan Schemes into about 300 Central Sector and 30 Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

#Committee to review the implementation of the FRBM Act.

RELIEF TO SMALL TAX PAYERS

#Raise the ceiling of tax rebate under section 87A from `2000 to `5000 to lessen tax burden on individuals with income upto `5 laks.

#Increase the limit of deduction of rent paid under section 80GG from `24000 per annum to `60000, to provide relief to those who live in rented houses.

BOOST EMPLOYMENT AND GROWTH

#Increase the turnover limit under Presumptive taxation scheme under section 44AD of the Income Tax Act to Rs2 crores to bring big relief to a large number of assessees in the MSME category.

#Extend the presumptive taxation scheme with profit deemed to be 50%, to professionals with gross receipts up to `50 lakh.

++Phasing out deduction under Income Tax:

#Accelerated depreciation wherever provided in IT Act will be limited to maximum 40% from 1.4.2017

#Benefit of deductions for Research would be limited to 150% from 1.4.2017 and 100% from 1.4.2020

#Benefit of section 10AA to new SEZ units will be available to those units which commence activity before 31.3.2020.

#The weighted deduction under section 35CCD for skill development will continue up to 1.4.2020

++Corporate Tax rate proposals:

#New manufacturing companies incorporated on or after 1.3.2016 to be given an option to be taxed at 25% + surcharge and cess provided they do not claim profit linked or investment linked deductions and do not avail of investment allowance and accelerated depreciation.

#Lower the corporate tax rate for the next financial year for relatively small enterprises i.e companies with turnover not exceeding Rs5 crore (in the financial year ending March 2015), to 29% plus surcharge and cess.

#100% deduction of profits for 3 out of 5 years for startups setup during April, 2016 to March, 2019. MAT will apply in such cases.

#10% rate of tax on income from worldwide exploitation of patents developed and registered in India by a resident.

#Complete pass through of income-tax to securitization trusts including trusts of ARCs. Securitisation trusts required to deduct tax at source.

#Period for getting benefit of long term capital gain regime in case of unlisted companies is proposed to be reduced from three to two years.

#Non-banking financial companies shall be eligible for deduction to the extent of 5% of its income in respect of provision for bad and doubtful debts.

#Determination of residency of foreign company on the basis of Place of Effective Management (POEM) is proposed to be deferred by one year.

#Commitment to implement General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) from 1.4.2017.

#Exemption of service tax on services provided under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana and services provided by Assessing Bodies empanelled by Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

#Exemption of Service tax on general insurance services provided under ‘Niramaya’ Health Insurance Scheme launched by National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disability.

#Basic custom and excise duty on refrigerated containers reduced to 5% and 6%.

MAKE IN INDIA

#Changes in customs and excise duty rates on certain inputs to reduce costs and improve competitiveness of domestic industry in sectors like Information technology hardware, capital goods, defence production, textiles, mineral fuels & mineral oils, chemicals & petrochemicals, paper, paperboard & newsprint, Maintenance repair and overhauling [MRO] of aircrafts and ship repair.

MOVING TOWARDS A PENSIONED SOCIETY

#Withdrawal up to 40% of the corpus at the time of retirement to be tax exempt in the case of National Pension Scheme (NPS). Annuity fund which goes to legal heir will not be taxable.

#In case of superannuation funds and recognized provident funds, including EPF, the same norm of 40% of corpus to be tax free will apply in respect of corpus created out of contributions made on or from 1.4.2016.

#Limit for contribution of employer in recognized Provident and Superannuation Fund of Rs1.5 lakh per annum for taking tax benefit. Exemption from service tax for Annuity services provided by NPS and Services provided by EPFO to employees.

#Reduce service tax on Single premium Annuity (Insurance) Policies from 3.5% to 1.4% of the premium paid in certain cases.

PROMOTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING

#100% deduction for profits to an undertaking in housing project for flats upto 30 sq. metres in four metro cities and 60 sq. metres in other cities, approved during June 2016 to March 2019 and completed in three years. MAT to apply.

#Deduction for additional interest of `50,000 per annum for loans up to `35 lakh sanctioned in 2016-17 for first time home buyers, where house cost does not exceed Rs50 lakh.

#Distribution made out of income of SPV to the REITs and INVITs having specified shareholding will not be subjected to Dividend Distribution Tax, in respect of dividend distributed after the specified date.

#Exemption from service tax on construction of affordable houses up to 60 square metres under any scheme of the Central or State Government including PPP Schemes.

#Extend excise duty exemption, presently available to Concrete Mix manufactured at site for use in construction work to Ready Mix Concrete.

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR AGRICULTURE, RURAL ECONOMY AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

#Additional tax at the rate of 10% of gross amount of dividend will be payable by the recipients receiving dividend in excess of Rs10 lakh per annum.

#Surcharge to be raised from 12% to 15% on persons, other than companies, firms and cooperative societies having income above Rs1 crore.

#Tax to be deducted at source at the rate of 1 % on purchase of luxury cars exceeding value of Rs ten lakh and purchase of goods and services in cash exceeding Rstwo lakh.

#Securities Transaction tax in case of ‘Options’ is proposed to be increased from .017% to .05%.

#Equalization levy of 6% of gross amount for payment made to non-residents exceeding Rs1 lakh a year in case of B2B transactions.

#Krishi Kalyan Cess, @ 0.5% on all taxable services, w.e.f. 1 June 2016. Proceeds would be exclusively used for financing initiatives for improvement of agriculture and welfare of farmers. Input tax credit of this cess will be available for payment of this cess.

#Infrastructure cess, of 1% on small petrol, LPG, CNG cars, 2.5% on diesel cars of certain capacity and 4% on other higher engine capacity vehicles and SUVs. No credit of this cess will be available nor credit of any other tax or duty be utilized for paying this cess.

#Excise duty of ‘1% without input tax credit or 12.5% with input tax credit’ on articles of jewellery [excluding silver jewellery, other than studded with diamonds and some other precious stones], with a higher exemption and eligibility limits of Rs6 crores and Rs12 crores respectively.

#Excise on readymade garments with retail price of Rs1000 or more raised to 2% without input tax credit or 12.5% with input tax credit.

#‘Clean Energy Cess’ levied on coal, lignite and peat renamed to ‘Clean Environment Cess’ and rate increased from `200 per tonne to `400 per tonne.

#Excise duties on various tobacco products other than beedi raised by about 10 to 15%.

#Assignment of right to use the spectrum and its transfers has been deducted as a service leviable to service tax and not sale of intangible goods.

PROVIDING CERTAINITY IN TAXATION

#Committed to providing a stable and predictable taxation regime and reduce black money.

#Domestic taxpayers can declare undisclosed income or such income represented in the form of any asset by paying tax at 30%, and surcharge at 7.5% and penalty at 7.5%, which is a total of 45% of the undisclosed income. Declarants will have immunity from prosecution.

#Surcharge levied at 7.5% of undisclosed income will be called Krishi Kalyan surcharge to be used for agriculture and rural economy.

#New Dispute Resolution Scheme to be introduced. No penalty in respect of cases with disputed tax up to Rs10 lakh. Cases with disputed tax exceeding Rs10 lakh to be subjected to 25% of the minimum of the imposable penalty. Any pending appeal against a penalty order can also be settled by paying 25% of the minimum of the imposable penalty andtax interest on quantum addition.

#High Level Committee chaired by Revenue Secretary to oversee fresh cases where assessing officer applies the retrospective amendment.

#One-time scheme of Dispute Resolution for ongoing cases under retrospective amendment.

#Penalty rates to be 50% of tax in case of underreporting of income and 200% of tax where there is misreporting of facts.

#Disallowance will be limited to 1% of the average monthly value of investments yielding exempt income, but not exceeding the actual expenditure claimed under rule 8D of Section 14A of Income Tax Act.

#Time limit of one year for disposing petitions of the tax payers seeking waiver of interest and penalty.

#Mandatory for the assessing officer to grant stay of demand once the assesse pays 15% of the disputed demand, while the appeal is pending before Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals).

#Monetary limit for deciding an appeal by a single member Bench of ITAT enhanced from Rs15 lakhs to Rs50 lakhs.

#11 new benches of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).

SIMPLIFICATION AND RATIONALIZATION OF TAXES

#13 cesses, levied by various Ministries in which revenue collection is less than Rs50 crore in a year to be abolished.

#For non-residents providing alternative documents to PAN card, higher TDS not to apply.

#Revision of return extended to Central Excise assesses.

#Additional options to banking companies and financial institutions, including NBFCs, for reversal of input tax credits with respect to non-taxable services.

#Customs Act to provide for deferred payment of customs duties for importers and exporters with proven track record.

#Customs Single Window Project to be implemented at major ports and airports starting from beginning of next financial year.

#Increase in free baggage allowance for international passengers. Filing of baggage only for those carrying dutiable goods.

TECHNOLOGY FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

#Expansion in the scope of e-assessments to all assessees in 7 mega cities in the coming years.

#Interest at the rate of 9% p.a against normal rate of 6% p.a for delay in giving effect to Appellate order beyond ninety days.

#‘e-Sahyog’ to be expanded to reduce compliance cost, especially for small taxpayers.

India Vs Pak: Kohli fined for showing dissent at umpire

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 02:34:00 +0530

ICC fines ace Indian batsman Virat Kohli for breaching code of conduct.
[PHOTO: Naparazzi/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0]

Mirpur, Bangladesh: Virat Kohli has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during India's Asia Cup T20 match against Pakistan in Mirpur on Saturday.

As per the ICC media release, the player was found to have breached Article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match."

The incident happened in the 15th over of India’s innings when Kohli, after being given out leg before, displayed dissent by first showing his bat and then leaving the crease while looking back at the umpire and uttering some words that were contrary to the spirit of the game.

"On Sunday, Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the elite panel of ICC match referees. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing," the release further said.

The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Ruchira Palliyaguruge and Sharfuddoula, third umpire Enamul Haque and fourth official Anisur Rahman.

For all first offences, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee.

Synopsis and sneak preview: Quantico Episode 12 - Alex

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 04:36:00 +0530

Quantico stars Priyanka Chopra as Alex Parrish, a top FBI recruit who later becomes a prime terror suspect.
[PHOTO: ABC/Twitter]

Episode 12 - 'Alex':

Alex finds herself in the middle of a Congressional hearing to testify about the terrorist bombings. Convinced Elias didn’t act alone, she is determined to find answers and the truth.

While back at Quantico, a new group of NATS join Alex and her classmates, causing tension and competition between the groups of trainees.

Watch sneak preview:

Priyanka Chopra-starrer Quantico returns from mid-season break on Sunday, March 6 (10:00–11:00 EST) on ABC. The show is aired in India on Star World.

Syria: Returnees strive to rebuild battered Baba Amr

noreply@blogger.com (news.BDTV.in) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 04:33:00 +0530

Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs is in desperate need of reconstruction.
[PHOTO: Freedom House/Flickr/Slightly Cropped/CC BY 2.0]

Homs, Syria: One year after fighting has stopped in the Syrian city of Homs, only 3,000 out of original 80,000 residents have returned to the neighbourhood of Baba Amr, where clashes in Homs first started in 2012.

Twelve out of 36 neighbourhoods in Homs are now in desperate need of reconstruction. One of them is Baba Amr.

Most are living in damaged and half-destroyed homes. Sabah and her family were among the first returnees. They escaped when their house was shelled.

“When the house was shelled we felt a huge explosion. We ran out of the house. We looked up and saw that a floor had collapsed,” recalls Sabah, a returnee.

Some 200 displaced families from other parts of Syria have also found shelter in this battered neighbourhood. Yousef is making do by selling produce from the back of his truck.

“When I came to Baba Amr I saw that people did not have anywhere to buy from. The residents lent me money and it was helpful,” says Yousef, who was displaced from Aleppo.

Having all been displaced at least once, the displaced and returnees are now collaborating to reclaim Baba Amr.

Nearly half a million residents from Homs and surrounding areas have been displaced by heavy fighting, some multiple times within Syria, while others have fled abroad. One of the biggest challenges facing returnees is rebuilding their homes that were turned into rubble. -UNifeed