Baroda defeated arch-rivals Mumbai by 13 runs in the West Zone Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 League opener at the SCA Stadium here on Sunday.
Baroda, who had got the better of Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy group league earlier in the season, once again proved they were the better of the two sides in the shortened version of the game.
Baroda rattled up an imposing score of 210 for 3, powered by half centuries by wicket-keeper and opener Urvil Patel (50 in 29 balls) and captain Deepak Hooda (66 in 39 balls), who struck eight fours and one six, besides a breezy knock of 44 not out in 26 balls, studded with three sixes and a four, by Krunal Pandya.
Barring Dhawal Kulkarni, who returned figures of 1 for 29, the other Mumbai bowlers were expensive by 20-over standards with medium pacer Shardul Thakur leaking 47 runs in his four overs without a wicket against his name.
In reply, Mumbai were stopped at 197 for 8 with Siddesh Lad’s 82 off 51 balls with four sixes and six fours being its cornerstone.
Atit Sheth and Lukman Meriwala, who had troubled the Mumbai batsmen in the Ranji game, were once again among the pick of the Baroda bowlers with excellent returns of 3 for 31, including the scalp of Lad, and 3 for 29 respectively.
Baroda also secured four points from the victory.
Scores: Baroda 210 for 3 (Kedar Devdar 38, Urvil Patel 50, Deepak Hooda 66, Krunal Pandya 44 not out) beat Mumbai 197 for 8 (Jay Bista 36, Siddhesh Lad 82, Shivam Dube 33; Atit Sheth 3 for 31, Lukman Meriwala 3 for 29).
Indian Railways to equip all 8,500 stations with Wi-Fi
IANS | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 2:18 pm
Indian Railways (Photo: Getty Image)
All railway stations — nearly 8,500 across the country, including those in rural and remote areas — will be equipped with Wi-Fi facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore ($110 million).
As part of the government’s ambitious Digital India initiative, the national transporter has currently commissioned Wi-Fi services at 216 major stations enabling about seven million rail passengers to log on to the free Internet facility.
“Internet access has now become an important requirement in day-to-day working and we shall be providing this facility at all railway stations in the country,” a senior Railway Ministry official said.
As per the plan finalised at a recent meeting, while 1,200 stations have been identified for this facility to primarily cater to rail passengers, about 7,300 stations have been earmarked to not only serve passengers but also local people in rural and remote areas.
The Wi-FI facility at these stations in rural and remote areas will be offered to the local population as part of the digital makeover of rural India to promote e-governance.
Railway stations in rural areas will have kiosks with Wi-FI that will become digital hot spots offering services like digital banking, Aadhaar generation, issuing government certificates, including birth and death certificates, and filing taxes and paying bills, among others.
The kiosks will also enable the local populace to order and receive goods from e-commerce portals.
“These kiosks will be operated at stations with private participation for the local population,” said the official, adding, “The modalities of setting up such digital hot spots are being worked out with the Telecom Ministry.”
As per the timeline, while 600 stations are targeted to be provided with the Wi-FI facility by March 2018, the Railways aim to cover all 8,500 stations by March 2019.
Our aim is to ensure that more and more people get connected to the rail Wi-FI system as the Wi-Fi broadband access to these rail users will aid in implementing the government’s Digital India initiative, he said.
Anushka Sharma gets brutally trolled by Twitteratis for Kohli’s performance in 1st Test match
SNS | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:57 pm
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma (Photo Credits: IANS)
In the opening Test match of three-match series against South Africa at Newlands Cape Town, Indian batters failed to take the charge of the match after Protes were bowl put at 286 runs. Following the target of 286 runs, visitors lost their top order, including Indian skipper Virat Kohli (5) just for 28 runs
Last year, Virat Kohli shattered many records which had led to high expectations from the captain after Indian opener failed to make an impression on South African pacers. But Virat was not able to take charge of the match as he gifted his wicket to Morne Morkel on the first day. And it gave the trollers another opportunity to involve actress Anushka Sharma in the matter.
The newlywed couple had been making headlines even before their wedding. The after marriage and honeymoon photos have been going viral. Both of them are already been linked to each other for their every action. It has not been long that the Indian captain slammed the fans on social media for blaming Anushka for his performance. In 2016, Virat Kohli posted messages on various social media platforms to address the issue.
However, that does not seem to have made much of a difference as the fans behavior remains the same. Twitter users have again begun to troll the Bollywood actress. And it has nothing to do with anything that she has done. Check out the trail of tweets.
Sach toh yeh hai ki puri series mein #ViratKohli kam run banyega…
Aur puri series mein gaaliyan #AnushkaSharma khaayegi.
Maano yaa naa maano India in Overseas is flop.🙏#SAvIND
Ind vs SA, 1st Test: Cheteshwar Pujara in all praise for South African pacers
“All of their bowlers have done well, especially in South Africa. They know which areas to bowl in.”
SNS | January 7, 2018 1:55 pm
Cheteshwar Pujara (Photo: AFP)
India failed to take advantage of the situation after South Africa were bowled out for 286 runs, as the visitors lost their three top order batsmen just for 28 runs on the first day of the first Test against south Africa at Newlands on Friday.
On the back-foot due to the early exit of explosive Indian openers Murali Vijay (1) and Shikhar Dhawan (16), the spectators were expecting an exploding innings from the Indian skipper. But Virat Kohli failed to impress and was sent back by Morne Morkel for 5.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma took the charge on the second day, but soon were sent back to the pavilion. Virat’s side lost half of the wicket even before reaching 100 runs. As the second day ended, visitors were bowled out for 209 runs and hosts had taken a lead of 142 runs.
When visitors had reached South Africa, they were high on confidence with their golden win over Sri Lanka in the recently concluded series. But it seems as if they were just not ready for all the pace, bounce and movement that Newlands pitch provide to the bowlers.
Proteas pacers Vernon Philander (3/33), Dale Steyn (2/51), Morne Morkel (2/57) and Kagiso Rabada (3/34) took advantage of India’s struggle.
As per reports of www.sport24.co.za, while talking about South African pacers, Pujara said, “This is one of the best bowling attacks I’ve faced. You know that is their strength and you need to know how to counter-attack.”
“All of their bowlers have done well, especially in South Africa. They know which areas to bowl in.”
“At the same time, when I bat I don’t look at the bowler or the bowling line-up. I just try and a look at the ball and keep it simple. I would rather concentrate on what I want to do rather than whether they have the best bowlers in the world. It hardly matters … if you bat well, you can score runs,” Pujara added.
However, there is good news for Virat Kohli and his side as Dale Steyn has been ruled out from the match.
On third day, South Africa will resume their second innings at 65/2 with a lead of 142.
BSE to auction investment limits for Rs 6,600-cr govt bonds
PTI | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:50 pm
Representational Image (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Leading stock exchange BSE will auction investment limits for foreign investors for purchase of government bonds worth over Rs 6,600 crore tomorrow.
The auction for investment limits for such securities has been receiving a good response from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in recent past.
The auction will be conducted on BSE’s ebidxchange platform from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, after the close of market hours.
The debt auction quota gives overseas investors the right to invest in the debt up to the limit purchased.
“Live bidding session for allocation of debt investment limits (Rs 6,666 crore) for FII/FPI/sub accounts shall be conducted on January 8, 2018 on exchange’s ‘ebidxchange’ platform,” BSE said in a notice.
Besides, a mock bidding session was conducted on Friday to check the system’s performance.
In an auction conducted last month, investment limits for government debt securities had attracted bids to the tune of Rs 4,061 crore by FPIs as against Rs 3,074 crore on offer.
Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur (Photo: Twitter)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur asked party workers and visitors to shun the practice of touching his feet and offering garlands to him.
On Saturday, Thakur told the party workers to discourage the visitors from bringing shawls, garlands, bouquets or mementoes as it involves wastage of money.
Instead of bringing a bouquet, a visitor can present a flower to him, an official in the Chief Minister’s Office told IANS.
Thakur’s directive came after an octogenarian visitor tried to touch his feet at a recent event.
The Chief Minister remarked: “It’s the duty of the state to respect each and every individual. No individual should touch my feet or that of my ministers. We have to show respect in heart.”
Thakur’s office has asked people to contribute generously towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund instead of buying bouquets and garlands.
During one of his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programmes last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that people should gift useful stuff like books or handkerchiefs to him rather than bouquets.
Glen Everett | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:43 pm
Representational Image (Photo : Getty Images)
No matter how you ignore it, everybody loves a good superhero movie and growing up as a child, the superheroes you see simply turn from an inspiration to a character that you love for how badass they are.
Superheroes are superheroes, they are known for doing good — with the maximum collateral damage that can be imagined, from destroying the parking lot to entire cities. Their mark is not only their superpowers but also the ability with the ladies.
So these are some of the superhero movies that every geek should not miss out on.
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
One of our favorite cartoons of childhood comes to life in this action-packed, shell-shocked experience package as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They can be seen on the streets of Manhattan once again in a completely different and let’s be honest a much better looking avatar. The movie features the four mutant turtles Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello and their Sensei and adoptive father known as Master Splinter in their sewer base. The turtles work with April O Niel, a reporter working in Manhattan played by actress Megan Fox.
Missing out on one of the 90’s classic with the modern world’s tech can almost be considered a sin. I know some fans want to stay true to the originals but this remake for a movie really does catch ones attention.
Throughout the film you can see how the director, writers and the cast stay true to the feel of the TMNT touch and still shows the comical side of the turtles, especially Mike’s personality that shines through in almost all tense situations.
All in All, the movie is a good balance between sci-fi, intense battle scenes and a great comic sense that is maintained throughout the film.
2. Hellboy 2 The Golden Army
Successor to its previous version of Hell Boy, this one is my favourite. Hellboy 2 the Golden Army hits on all the targets when watching a sci fi superhero movie. The red BRPD agent is seen in the film, battling death, elves and monster never before seen in the franchise. As a tyrant ruler of a royal blood goes power berserk after killing his own father, Prince Nuada seeks to end the era of hiding for the world of fantasy and starts preparations to raise an unstoppable army to wage a supernatural war over the humans for utter dominance in power.
Hellboy with his team that includes his pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz, his best aquatic bud Abe and the tactician Johann set out to foil the plans of the mad prince of raising the immortal and undefeatable Golden Army.
The movie is a great pack of enjoyment for all those who are interested in lore and myths as one can clearly see a connection and enjoy the unknown world as its disguise is unveiled through the action and damage done by the rejected Hellspawn and his team.
Get ready to witness the son of the devil do some good in a very bad way.
3. Doctor Strange
The famous quote of Doctor Strange – ‘Dormaamu I’ve come to bargin’ has been the source of many internet memes but apart from the entire tiresome scene that puts some pressure on the conscience area of the brain. But the movie in itself is truly a fantastic thing to watch as it features a neurosurgeon played by the famous Benedict Cumberbatch who loses the stability in his hands after an accident and scans the globe to find a cure before finding Kamar Taj where the chosen one and her followers use the mystic arts to reshape reality to fight and protect earth from the inter-dimensional threats that arrive.
The doctor is taught the ways to find a cure but things get interesting when he finds out the real reason he is there and then the fight to save earth from getting consumed starts.
The film is sure to give everyone a true treat into the mystical world of Marvel and the arts that foreshadow a ton of new films.
4. Deadpool
Deadpool, a modern classic, is hate and loved equally by all generations. This hero of the bunch waivers off from the normal route that a mainstream superhero takes and is seen as one of the first characters in the Marvel universe to break the third barrier and engage directly with the audience. Deadpool as a movie and a comic are hilarious for it’s over the top punchlines and the simple badass attitude of Deadpool himself.
The character is played by the famous Ryan Reynolds that has a grand time playing the highly disfigured rebel hero.
The Deadpool movie is a great superhero movie that moves away from the norm and gives the viewer a bit of a different glance at the superhero movie spectrum.
5. X-Men: First Class
X-Men Apocalypse is the part of the X-Men Series and features the past of how the X-Men were formed and how did they originated.
Taking place in 1962, the Story line captures the audience’s attention as nostalgia sets in and relatable characters are seen on the screen. The movie showcases a past glimpse of a few favorites in the X-Menverse.
The viewer follows the story with Professor X, Magneto and a few other established favourites from in their younger years, interacting with other mutants in a time when their kind wasn’t publicly known.
X-Men First Class gives the start of the X-Men a rather unique sense of justice for both the heroes and the villains and gets us an insight to the working of a superpower team before the X-Men were born as a proper organisation.
Although it’s a prequel, the movie is definitely on a must not miss list due to the great screenplay and acting done to tell a smaller, yet still important, origin tale filled with dazzling, spy-like intrigue, thus freshening up the series and ushering in the ‘First Class” trilogy.
Industry body urges govt to check rising iron ore prices
PTI | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:35 pm
Representational Image (Photo: Pixabay)
The rising prices of iron ore in past two-three months has pushed up sponge iron rates by 25 per cent to Rs 24,000 a tonne, an industry body said while seeking immediate government intervention.
Iron ore is one of the main raw materials used to produce sponge iron. The other is non-coking coal.
“Sponge iron in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Odisha where most of the sponge iron plants are located, is trading at Rs 24,000 per tonne, which is a rise of almost 25 per cent compared to the prices at which the commodity was being sold two-three months back,” Executive Director of Sponge Iron Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Deependra Kashiva told PTI.
He was explaining what has been the impact of iron ore price raised by state-owned NMDC.
On January 2 this year, the country’s largest iron ore miner NMDC raised prices of higher grade iron lumps and fines by Rs 500 each to Rs 3,100 and Rs 2,760 per tonne, respectively, for the current month.
The price hike in January is the third-straight rise since November 2017 when NMDC had fixed the rates of lump ore at Rs 2,300 a tonne and that of fines at Rs 2,060 a tonne. In December, it raised the price of lump ore by Rs 300 a tonne to Rs 2,600 and fines by 200 to Rs 2,260 a tonne.
Sponge iron is used in producing semi finished steel items, ingots and billets, which are further used to make various finished steel items.
Ingots and billets, made from sponge iron and scrap, are raw materials for making angles, structural and TMT used as construction material, Kashiva said, adding that the government must come forward to tackle the situation as industry is bound to pass on the higher input cost to the immediate member in the business chain.
Besides high prices, there is also shortage in supply of iron ore, which is pushing up sponge iron prices. Due to this, induction furnace industry, which produces ingots and billets, has increased rates and from them rolling mills are buying and selling TMT on higher rates, he explained.
Various construction activity is going in the society.
People are making their ‘dream homes’. Middle class person is the one who will bear the burden of this price rise, he added.
It will also hit small players who produce items like bolts, nuts, nails etc. It will affect their working capital.
The big player like JSW Steel has also expressed the same view earlier this week.
Its Chairman Sajjan Jindal took to twitter to say that a hike in iron ore prices by NMDC has left steel companies with no choice but to pass on the increased production cost to customers.
“Recent increase in iron-ore price by state owned NMDC & Orissa private miners is forcing steel companies to pass on increased cost of production,” Jindal said in the tweet.
The increased cost of other raw materials like coal, refractory, electrodes is further fuelling this and leaving no other option, he added.
Referring to the recent orders due to which mining activities have been stopped at some places, Kashiva said production needs to be raised in mineral-rich states like Odisha, where there is iron ore in abundance.
The government must jump into action to check rising prices of raw materials, he added.
Chidambaram, Sibal slam PM Modi-led BJP govt’s Kashmir policy
SNS | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:31 pm
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram (Photo: Twitter)
Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday attacked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s Kashmir policy, saying its “hard, muscular, militaristic” approach had failed to end militancy in the troubled state.
“It was claimed that the hard, muscular, militaristic approach will put an end to infiltration and militancy. Has it?” the former Home Minister tweeted.
5. It was claimed that the hard, muscular, militaristic approach will put an end to infiltration and militancy. Has it? pic.x.com/AkT6ESrbJe
Chidambaram quoted statistics to say that the number of civilians and terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir had almost doubled from 28 to 57 and from 110 to 218 from 2014 to 2017 respectively.
The number of security forces killed had also increased from 47 to 83 in this period.
“If you are one of those who had thought that the hard, muscular, militaristic approach of the government should be given a chance … you may change your view,” Chidambaram said.
9. If you are one of those who had thought that the hard, muscular, militaristic approach of the government should be given a chance, please look at the table once again. You may change your view.
The Congress leader said that wisdom lay in actively working towards a political solution to the issues of Jammu and Kashmir, where a separatist campaign raging since 1989 has claimed thousands of lives.
He wrote in Tweet; “Both A.B. Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh will be remembered for the diligent efforts to find a solution to the issue.”
6. Wisdom lies in actively working to find a political solution to the issue of J&K. Both Mr A B Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh will be remembered for their diligent efforts to find a solution to the issue.
Former Union Minister also wrote about role of stakeholders in Kashmir.
7. The way forward is to invite all stakeholders for talks.Unfortunately, the stakeholders have perceived the appointment of the SR as a pre-election gimmick and have totally rebuffed the good fellow.
An intense cold wave saw most parts of Himachal Pradesh shivering on Sunday with Shimla at a biting 1.3 degrees Celsius while nearby Kufri recorded 1.8 degrees below the freezing point.
Shimla experienced its coldest night of the season despite long sunny conditions.
“The night temperature remained sub-zero in most of the towns in the state,” a weather official said.
Popular tourist spots near Shimla like Chail and Narkanda are also reeling under cold wave.
Kalpa and Manali towns saw a low of minus 5 degree Celsius while it was 0.8 degree in Dalhousie, 0.7 degree in Chamba, 5.2 degrees in Dharamsala and 1.5 degrees Celsius in Palampur town.
Met officials said the entire tribal belt in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Kullu and Chamba districts have been witnessing extreme cold climatic conditions with temperature at some places below minus 15 degree Celsius.
Keylong town in Lahaul-Spiti district recorded a low of minus 12.6 degree Celsius.
The weather department said dry weather would continue in the state for almost a week more.
The city of Sydney recorded its hottest day on Sunday with the mercury hitting 47.3 degrees Celsius after almost 80 years, according to Australian weather authorities.
Much of Sydney reached its peak temperature at about 3 p.m., with the city’s west bearing the brunt of the heat, reports the Guardian.
Richmond reached 46.3 degrees Celsius just after 2.30 p.m., while the temperature in Bankstown exceeded 45 degrees Celsius.
A severe fire danger rating was issued for the greater Sydney region, while much of the rest of the state has a “very high” rating.
Total fire bans are in place for Sydney and the Hunter region.
The Bureau of Meteorology said cooler conditions were expected to reach coastal areas later in the day.
Two convicted for cheating in Bofors offshoot case
PTI | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:20 pm
(Photo: Facebook)
In an offshoot of the Bofors guns purchase case, two executives of a private company have been convicted by a Special CBI court, Mumbai, in a 25-year-old matter pertaining to criminal conspiracy and cheating in exports to the Swedish company.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Laxmi Kant Bidwai has convicted Abhay V Udeshi, director of Jayant Oil Mills, and Harish Pandya, an employee of the company, for criminal conspiracy and cheating and sentenced them to two years of imprisonment.
In a recent order, Bidwai said it was a case of cheating to cause “damage or harm” to the reputation of the Indian government in the international market.
“This is not only an attempt to commit cheating but it is a complete act of cheating,” he said.
India had inked a deal with Swedish company Bofors for the supply of 400 155-mm Howitzer guns for the Indian Army worth Rs 1,437 crore in 1986 through a counter-trade agreement.
One of the conditions of the agreement was that in return for the sale of guns, Bofors would import from India commodities such as coffee and castor oil and its byproducts.
The Indian government had nominated the State Trading Corporation (STC) as the nodal agency to monitor the import of castor oil and other commodities by Bofors from India.
Similarly, Bofors had nominated London-based Alexander Crichton Associates Limited to import various commodities from India on its behalf under counter trade obligation.
Jayant Oil Mills agreed to export castor oil and its byproducts to Bofors through the London-based company. As part of the trade, Jayant Oil Mills had to pay 0.5 per cent of the Free On Board value of the export to the STC as a service charge.
In 1989 90, Abhay V Udeshi and Vithaldas G Udeshi — both directors of Jayant Mills — along with Harish K Pandya, an employee of the company, entered into a criminal conspiracy to cheat the STC.
Pandya dishonestly prepared false export shipment documents along with a cheque favouring STC as a service charge without exporting 56 MT Hydroxy Stearic Acid to Hamburg, West Germany.
The trio also submitted the forged documents to Alexander Crichton Associates Ltd which forwarded those documents to STC, without the actual export of a goods consignment.
The STC officials noticed the fraud and informed the CBI which started the investigation in 1992.
The CBI did not find any evidence against two STC officials and a private person, named in the FIR, during its probe. The agency dropped the charges against them.
In 2004, charges were framed against Abhay Udeshi, Vithaldas G Udeshi and Pandya. During the trial Vithaldas died, so the proceedings against him were dropped.
While pronouncing Udhesi and Pandya guilty, ACMM Bidwai said it was clear that the accused hatched a criminal conspiracy to cheat the STC.
Bidwai pointed out that the accused had deceived the STC to presume and accept that they had exported 56 MT Hydroxy Stearic Acid by virtue of an invoice and a bill of lading. In the event of giving approval to it, there was the likelihood of the STC’s reputation being harmed.
“Thus, even though there is no case of delivery or retention of any property by deception but as contemplated in Section 415 of the Indian Penal Code, there was the likelihood of damage to the reputation of STC and equally to the foreign trade policy of Government of India. Thus, it was a cheating, to cause damage or harm to the reputation of Government of India,” Bidwai said while convicting the accused.
He said even though there was no loss of money to any person, in this case, there was every likelihood of loss of reputation of Government of India in the eyes of the international trading market which could not be calculated in the terms of money.
“Even the act of accused is an attack on the Foreign Trade Policy of Government of India. They have tried to kick the Foreign Trade Policy of Government of India,” Bidwai said, but adopted a lenient approach in sentencing the accused considering that the trial had run on for 23 years, the age of the accused and that there was no monetary loss to anyone.
Get ready to step up your style quotient this winter with these trendy looks
Dressing up in winters, too, can be fun. Girls it’s not too late to add winter outfits in your wardrobe.
Lakshita Vohra | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:18 pm
(Photo Source: Getty Images)
It’s winter again, but that does not mean we need to be under layers and layers of bulky clothes. Dressing up in winters, too, can be fun. Though winter outfits bring a lot of challenges to dress up and look trendy, it also provides us with a lot of options in terms of colors and variety.
But how should we look stylish when we are layered up and completely covered?
No need to worry as from pants to dresses, sweaters to hats, coats to capes; all can become trendy and warm this winter.
So girls get ready to step up your style quotient this winter with these trendy looks:
Layer it up!
Pilling on the layers in the winter month is an art. Try doubling or layering up a couple of your favorite sweaters and pairing it up with a beanie for a cute winter outfit.
You can play with colors and varying the length of your layers. Try wearing a plain colored pullover and layer it up with a jacket. Team it further with leggings or jeggings with nude boots or stilettos to add a catchy look in your winter look.
Opt for high-neck sweater
High neck sweaters are a must in your wardrobe. They not only save us from cold, but also highlight our fashion sense.
Pair your high neck sweater with these striped palazzos pants or leggings and complete the look with brown tie up sandals or boots. This is definitely one of the comfiest cute winter outfits to have!
Classic long coats
Add a classic long coat in your wardrobe. They are easy to style with jeans, and dresses. Make your look even more powerful with a pair of high heeled ankle length boots and some killer eye-catchy shades to add a touch of classy look.
Oomph factor with leather jacket
It’s okay to love black and leather! This winter try paring up your leather jacket with a pair of denim jeans. To give oomph factor opt for leather boots.
Dress up and show up!
We all love wearing dresses all the year round. So why to stop wearing it in winters? Opt for warm woolen dresses that will make you look stylish and warm at the same time. Top it up with scarf, long coat and boots and look classy on the street. To add to a look, red lipstick will make it more appealing.
So, girls it’s not too late to add winter outfits in your wardrobe.
Indian diaspora a platform for stronger ties with ASEAN: Swaraj
SNS | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 1:15 pm
Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event in Singapore. (Photo: Twitter)
India’s dialogue partnership with ASEAN has evolved into a strategic partnership and the Indian diaspora provides a platform for stronger ties with the grouping, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday.
Addressing the Indian diaspora at the ASEAN-India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here, Swaraj reaffirmed India’s commitment to ASEAN.
“We are here to reaffirm our commitment and to share the course of our journey ahead to the future of India and ASEAN in the world,” Swaraj told some 3,000 delegates.
“Our diaspora provides a platform for a stronger relationship between India and ASEAN countries,” she said.
Noting the 25-year milestone of ASEAN-India partnership, she said, “Our dialogue partnership has evolved into a strategic partnership.”
“India’s engagement with the ASEAN region lies in the clarity of the principles that we share. We believe that when all nations adhere to international rules and norms and when we conduct on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect, our nations feel secure and our economies prosper, Swaraj said.
“As India’s economy grows its ties will deepen, its trade and investment flow will grow, she said, emphasising that ASEAN was a part of India s Act East Policy.
She said states play a vital role in India’s progress and advancing the country’s economic ties with the world.
She highlighted the presence of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the gathering and underlined that the North East will grow and become a bridge to South East Asia.
“Our North East region will prosper when it is better connected to South East Asia and when the North East becomes our bridge to South East Asia, we will be closer to realising our hopes for India and ASEAN ties,” she said.
She called for addressing the common challenges in the region like creating skills for the digital age, generating jobs in the age of disruption, meeting the need of rapid urbanisation, protecting the bio-diversity and making the energy sources cleaner.
“We are moving from industrial age to information age.
The global power balance is shifting, and the relation between nations are changing, said Swaraj.
“There is interesting new technology but unsettled question of history still divides us. At the same time, we see progress and opportunities as never before, said the minister.
“It is the time for India and South East Asia to work for prosperity for its people and secure a peaceful future for new generation,” she stressed.
On Saturday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in Singapore after holding talks with ASEAN Secretary General Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi in Jakarta, as India steps up efforts to strengthen engagements with the countries of the region under its ‘Act East’ policy.
ASEAN diplomacy
ASEAN is India’s 4th largest trading partner, accounting for 10.2 per cent of India s total trade.
India is ASEAN’s 7th largest trading partner. Trade is back on track and registered an 8 per cent increase in 2016- 17, as compared to the previous year.
New Delhi will host a commemorative summit on January 25 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Dialogue Partnership between India and the ASEAN in which all the leaders of the grouping are expected to participate.
ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid homage to those gunned down in Netai village in West Midnapore district on this day (January 7th) in 2011.
“On this day in 2011, innocent villagers in Netai were killed by indiscriminate firing,” Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle this morning.
The firing allegedly carried out by CPI(M) workers in Netai had killed nine villagers, including women, and injuring as many as 28 people, on January 7, 2011.
“My homage to the lives lost on that day,” Banerjee added.
China to move millions from homes to eradicate poverty
IANS | Beijing | January 7, 2018 1:00 pm
Representational image (Photo: Getty Image)
Chinese authorities will move millions of people from their homes across the country as part of President Xi Jinping’s goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2020, a media report said on Sunday.
Over the next three years, Xi’s anti-poverty crusade, which the President has declared one of the key themes of his second five-year term, will see marginalised rural dwellers resettled in new, government-subsidised homes, the Guardian report said.
A total of 9.81 million people are set to be moved between 2016 and 2020 across the 22 provinces.
Some will be being moved to distant urban housing estates, others just to slightly less remote or unforgiving rural locations, the report said.
By 2020, Beijing hopes to have helped 30 million people rise above its official poverty line.
China’s economic ascent has helped hundreds of millions lift themselves from poverty since the 1980s but in 2016 at least 5.7 percent of its rural population still lived in poverty, according to a latest UN report, with that number rising to as much as 10 percent in some western regions and 12 percent among some ethnic minorities.
Last year, Guizhou, China’s most deprived province, was aiming to move about 750,000 people to about 3,600 new locations.
More than 1 million people were set to be moved in Gansu, Sichuan and Guangxi while Yunnan province hoped to move about 677,000 people to nearly 2,800 new villages.
Mark Wang, a University of Melbourne scholar who studies Beijing’s use of resettlements to fight poverty, attributed Xi’s focus on the issue partly to the seven years he spent in the countryside during Mao’s Cultural Revolution, the Guardian reported.
Wang claimed those years of rural hardship continued to shape Xi’s political priorities: “From
the bottom of his heart he knows the Chinese farmers … He understands what they want… He even knows the dirty language the people use in the fields when they are farming.”
States asked to begin auction of 348 mining leases near expiry
PTI | New Delhi | January 7, 2018 12:59 pm
Narendra Singh Tomar (Photo: IANS)
With a total of 348 non-captive mining leases expiring in 2020, the Centre has directed states to begin auction by next year so that successful bidders have sufficient time to seek necessary clearances before commencing operations.
“A total of 348 non-captive mining leases will expire on March 31, 2020…it would be appropriate for states to start auction of the mines by July 1, 2019,” the mines ministry said in a letter addressed to states like Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Karnataka.
The mines ministry under Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the aim is to give successful bidders time to obtain various clearances before commencing mining operations.
“To ensure that there is no fall in production in the mineral sector it is important that there is orderly transition of these expiring leases to new leases by way of auctioning,” the ministry said.
It is therefore of utmost importance that an action plan for auctioning these mining leases is prepared at the earliest, the ministry said, adding that states may send the plan to the Centre.
“The action plan would require finalisation of exploration proposals, exploration within the lease hold area by the lessee, identification of agency for exploration outside of lease area (if required), finalisation of geological reports and carrying out of auction of the mines,” the Centre said.
The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) had earlier expressed concerns over the expiry of the existing mining leases in March 2020, which it said may affect availability of raw materials for the Indian mining industry if leases are not renewed in time.
