Paul Manafort's associate Sam Patten charged with lobbying law violation

A former associate of Paul Manafort, Sam Patten, was charged Friday with failing to register in the US as a foreign agent for his work lobbying on behalf of a Ukrainian political party. US Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office referred the case to the US Attorney in the District of Columbia, according to William Miller, a spokesman for US Attorney Jessie Liu. From 2014 until now, Patten worked with a Russian national on lobbying and political consulting services, including on behalf of a Ukrainian oligarch and a Ukrainian political party, according to a document filed by the U.S. in federal court in Washington. As part of his lobbying work, he violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the US said. The charge is a felony and carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, Miller said. Because it’s a pending case, the US Attorney declined to comment further.

China outgrowing 'Factory of the World' tag as reliance on imports dips

President Donald Trump talked tough against Mexico, and then essentially agreed to renew the existing trade deal and called that a victory. If only the China spat could end the same way. It won’t. That’s because the gulf between Beijing and Washington is not just caused by recent rhetoric and tariffs. It also goes beyond national security concerns. The inevitable clash stems from how the American and Chinese economies have evolved over decades. Relative to China, Mexico hasn’t shifted much. It has been and remains mortgaged commercially, diplomatically and culturally to its northern neighbour. The White House is fond of citing the merchandise trade deficit with China that America racks up each year. In 2017, it amounted to $375 billion. Sure, it’s big. But the fixation with that number misses the broader point.

Rare Chinese 'Da Vinci' scroll likely to set Asian art auction record

An extremely rare, 11th-century Chinese scroll could set an auction price record for an Asian artwork, when it goes on the block at Christie’s November Hong Kong sale. Estimated in excess of HK$400 million ($51 million), the work is only one of two known scrolls produced by Song dynasty artist Su Shi, and the first to ever appear at auction, Christie’s said. The other resides in the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. “This is simply the best Chinese painting you could possibly get,” said Jonathan Stone, co-chairman of Christie’s Asian Art department, who likened the piece’s significance and rarity to that of “Salvator Mundi” by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Ind vs Eng 4th Test Day 2: Pujara hits 15th ton, India take 27-runs lead

England enjoyed upperhand in the post lunch session despite dogged defiance from Cheteshwar Pujara as India reached 181 for 5 at tea on the second day of the fourth Test at The Rose Bowl cricket Stadium in Southampton. Rishabh Pant (0) patiently left the deliveries outside the off-stump before Moeen Ali got one to straighten after pitching trapping him leg-before at the stroke of tea. Pujara however batted in his customary style reaching 70 off 151 balls with nine boundaries to his credit. Pujara played in his usual style. He took time to settle down and waited patiently for the loose deliveries to dispatch it to the boundary. Earlier, Starting from overnight 19 for no loss, Dhawan and Rahul made a sedate start. The duo were watchful for any hint of lateral movement, similar to what the Indian pacers generated on the first morning of the match.James Anderson (0-37) didn't find much movement, while Stuart Broad (2-34) did hit on a troubling length to the left-handed Dhawan whenever he pitched the ball up. Broad struck in the fourth over of the morning, trapping Rahul lbw in the eighth over of the innings. The batsman opted for DRS, but the decision stayed in England's favour.

Fortis Healthcare CFO Gagandeep Singh Bedi quits; cites personal reasons

Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Chief Financial Officer of Fortis Healthcare has quit, the hospital chain announced on Thursday. In a stock exchange notification, Fortis said that Bedi had resigned for personal reasons and the board had approved the resignation on Thursday. He will remain in service till September 30. Bedi is the first senior company executive to leave the organisation post stake-sale to Malaysia-based IHH Healthcare. In July, Fortis board had approved Rs 40 billion offer from IHH for 31 per cent stake in the company. The proposal received shareholders' nod this month. In June, the senior management of Fortis had come under criticism for lapses in respect of loans granted to entities controlled by former promoters. The management had denied the charges. Bedi had joined Fortis in 2011 from Philips Healthcare, Netherlands, and had set up the supply chain and shared services function.

Mandatory to have 3rd party insurance cover; SC refuses to extend deadline

From Saturday, it would become mandatory for new cars and two-wheelers to have third-party insurance cover of three and five years respectively, with the Supreme Court on Friday refusing to extend the September 1 deadline. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and S Abdul Nazeer dismissed an application filed by General Insurance Council (GIC), constituted under provision of the Insurance Act 1938 by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), seeking extension of the deadline fixed by the top court. The apex court had on July 20 this year said that third-party insurance cover for new cars should mandatorily be for a period of three years and for two wheelers, it should be for five years. Currently, the insurance cover period is one year. The court had then directed that the decision be implemented from September 1.

Over 200 rescued in Arunachal and Assam, flood alert in Meghalaya

As many as 19 people were airlifted by the Air Force from a flooded Arunachal Pradesh island on Friday and over 200 others rescued from Assam's Dhemaji district as Siang river, which originates in China, continued to swell due to rains in that country, officials said. A flood alert was sounded in three Meghalaya districts too. Siang river, which originates in Tibet and is known as Tsangpo in China, joins Lohit and Dibang rivers downstream to form the Brahmaputra in Assam. The 19 rescued people - cattle-herders from Assam -- were stranded for over 24 hours in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh and the IAF operation followed a request by the district administration, its deputy commissioner Tamiyo Tatak said. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu personally monitored the evacuation operations from Itanagar, he said, adding Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering and Pasighat West MLA Tatung Jamoh along with police and locals helped in rescuing the cattle. The rest, who were rescued by personnel of National Disaster Response Force and Assam State Disaster Response Force, had gone to Dhemaji adjacent to East Siang for farming.

Law panel backs simultaneous polls but 'several points need to be debated'

The Law Commission on Thursday suggested three options to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls but said several points still remain to be addressed.

In a public appeal issued along with its draft report on holding the mammoth exercise, it said though many of the impediments in achieving synchronisation of LS and assembly elections have been addressed, some of the points would "still remain to be pondered upon."

It asked all stakeholders to suggest whether holding simultaneous elections, by any means, tinker with the democracy, basic structure of the Constitution or the federal polity of the country?

It said various committees and commissions have made suggestions to deal with the situation of hung Parliament or Assembly, where no political party has majority to form a government.

Flood alert has been issued in low-lying areas nearing the Siang/ Brahmaputra river in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam after 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo river by China on Thursday.
The Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh has turned virulent with unusually high waves, according to sources in the Central Water Commission (CWC).

The East Siang District Administration has cautioned the public to refrain from venturing into Siang River for fishing, swimming and other activities to avoid any eventualities.

"Chinese Government relayed to Government to Arunachal Pradesh by Government of India states that due to heavy rainfall in Chinese portion the Tsangpo river is swelling with observed discharge of 9020 cumec this morning (Thursday) at 8 am at the various GD station on Tsangpo river which is reported as highest in 50 years," said T Tatak, deputy commissioner, East Siang District, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.

IRCTC case: Rabri, Tejashwi get bail; production warrant against Lalu

A New Delhi court on Friday issued a production warrant against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and granted bail to his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and some others in connection with a 2006 IRCTC hotels maintenance contract case.

The case relates to alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts of two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri to a private firm involving a bribe in the form of a three-acre commercial plot at a prime location in Patna district.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar asked jail authority of Ranchi to present Lalu Prasad before his court on October 8.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief is lodged in a Ranchi jail in connection with a fodder scam.

The court asked former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to each furnish personal bonds of Rs 100,000 and a surety of the same amount.

They appeared in pursuance of summon issued against them.

SC adjourns next year hearing on pleas to January challenging Article 35A

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned to January next year the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the Constitutional validity of Article 35 A, which provides special rights and privileges to natives of Jammu and Kashmir, after taking note of submissions of the Centre and the state government that there was a law and order problem in the state.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra was informed by Attorney General K K Venugopal and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government respectively that in view of the impending eight-phased local body elections and law and order situation in the state, the hearing be deferred.

"Let the elections take place. We are told that there is a law and order problem," the bench which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said while adjourning the hearing to the second week of January on petitions challenging Article 35 A.

Mallya case effect? India building better jails for fugitive millionaires

The largest and oldest prison in India’s financial hub Mumbai will get a new block of cells that will meet international norms on prisoner rights. The reason: fugitive businessmen are citing poor jail conditions to stave off extradition.

The Mumbai Central Prison, popularly known as the Arthur Road Jail, is demolishing an old structure to make way for the block, the Times of India newspaper reported, citing an official it did not identify. The government is in the process of improving standards of prisons across Maharashtra state in line with standards in the US and Europe, Rajvardhan, inspector general, prisons, said in a phone interview.

“We don’t want anyone saying they don’t want to come back to the country,” he said. The government doesn’t extend any “special treatment” to anyone, he said, declining to comment on facilities that will be provided.

ED quizzes P Chidambaram fourth time in Aircel-Maxis PMLA case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday questioned former finance minister P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case for the fourth time, officials said.

Chidambaram arrived at the agency's office here early in the day, they said, adding that his statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

This is the fourth time the senior Congress leader is being questioned in the probe. He was last grilled for about six hours on August 24.

Some specific queries on the circumstances and procedures adopted by the now-defunct Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) are being put to the former Union minister during these sessions, it is learnt.

Chidambaram's son Karti has been questioned twice by the ED in this case.

While the CBI has filed a charge sheet in this case involving the politician in July, the ED is expected to file its own prosecution complaint within the next fortnight.

Soon, Twitter may help you decide whom to unfollow, whom to keep

If you feel the list of people you follow is exploding, Twitter will now help you ease out the burden by suggesting users you can unfollow.

The platform is testing a new feature which suggests accounts you might want to unfollow. It is aimed at those who want a more relevant Twitter timeline and one way to do that is by unfollowing those whom they don't engage with regularly, Slate reported.

Although the limited scale test has concluded, it is not clear if the company has decided to bring a full fledged version of the feature to all users.

Amid engine snag reports, GoAir to induct 13 more A320 Neo this year

Budget carrier GoAir, which on Wednesday announced commencement of its overseas flights from October, said it will induct 13 more A320 Neo planes this year.

The airline also said plans to bring an initial public offering (IPO) is not at the table right now.

"We already have 19 Airbus A320 new engine option (Neo) planes in the fleet, and we have 13 more such planes to come this year," Cornelis Vrieswijik, chief executive officer, GoaAir, told reporters on Thursday.

Four of these planes will be joining the fleet next month, he said, adding, "The induction of A320 Neo will go up significantly from next month."

On the IPO, Vrieswijik said, "There has been plan, but it is not there on the table for now."

On the issue of frequent glitches in the Pratt & Whitney engines, which power these planes, the GoAir chief executive said that faulty engines are major issues when it comes to operations.

Idea Cellular completes merger with Vodafone India after NCLT nod

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The merger of Idea Cellular and Vodafone India has been completed, creating India's biggest telecom service provider with over 408 million subscribers, the two companies said today.

A new board has been constituted for the merged entity "Vodafone Idea Ltd' with 12 directors (including six independent directors) and Kumar Mangalam Birla as its Chairman. The board has appointed Balesh Sharma as the CEO, the companies said in a joint statement.

The combination will have all India revenue market share of 32.2 per cent and take the numero uno slot in nine telecom circles, it said adding that both Vodafone and Idea brands will continue.

The telecom giant will topple Bharti Airtel from its current pole position, and will have the firepower to take on competition in the Indian telecom market, which has intensified with the aggressive entry of Reliance Jio.

Adani Transmission to explore all PPP, distribution franchise opportunities

Post the acquisition of the Mumbai distribution business from Reliance Infrastructure, Anil Sardana, managing director and chief executive officer of Adani Transmission and chairman of Adani Electricity Mumbai (AEML), which is the new subsidiary formed to house the Mumbai distribution business, shares more details on the deal and the road ahead.

1. How much has been paid upfront to Reliance Infrastructure and are there any further payments to be made which are linked to certain milestones?

The transaction size is Rs 121 billion and besides this about Rs 6.50 billion has been paid on account of approved regulatory assets. Besides the above, the outcome of unapproved and pending legal cases at Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and Supreme Court shall be to the account of RInfra.

2. How has the deal been funded?

The deal was funded through Rs 850 billion of loans from Indian lenders and Rs 36 billion of equity which in turn has been funded by promoters.

Coca-Cola takes big step into coffee with $5.1 billion Costa deal

Coca-Cola Co has agreed to buy the world's second largest coffee chain Costa from Britain's Whitbread Plc for $5.1 billion including debt, opening a new front in its push into healthier markets.

The two companies said on Friday that Coke, one of the biggest soft drinks groups in the world, would buy Costa's almost 4,000 outlets across markets such as Britain, Europe and China after Whitbread's board unanimously backed the deal.

Whitbread shares jumped 19 per cent in early trading, with dealers saying the purchase price was more than 700 million pounds ($911 million) higher than expected.

The purchase of the biggest coffee chain behind Starbucks adds to Coca-Cola's drive to diversify away from fizzy drinks and expand its options for increasingly health-conscious consumers after countries started introducing sugar taxes.

RInfra bags Rs 19-bn contract for package 7 of Nagpur-Mumbai e-way

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) on Friday said it has bagged a contract worth Rs 19.07 billion from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for package-7 of Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway project.

The contract involves the development of package-7 from 296 km to 347 km, which is a part of Maharashtra government's flagship Rs 460-billion and over 700 km long Samruddhi Mahamarg project, a statement said.

The scope of work includes design, engineering, procurement and construction of six-lane expressway and associated structures and project facilities.

The work is expected to be completed in 30 months from the appointed date.

NAFTA 2.0: US and Canada aim to finalise trilateral deal today

Top NAFTA negotiators from Canada and the United States increased the pace of their negotiations Thursday to resolve final differences to meet a Friday deadline, with their Mexican counterpart on standby to rejoin the talks soon. Despite some contentious issues still on the table, the increasingly positive tone contrasted with US President Donald Trump's harsh criticism of Canada in recent weeks, raising hopes that the year-long talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement will conclude soon with a trilateral deal. "Canada's going to make a deal at some point. It may be by Friday or it may be within a period of time," US President Donald Trump told Bloomberg Television. "I think we're close to a deal." Trilateral talks were already underway at the technical level and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo was expected to soon rejoin talks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, possibly later on Thursday, people familiar with the process said. President Donald Trump said in a Bloomberg interview: "Canada's going to make a deal at some point. It may be by Friday or it may be within a period of time," Trump said. "I think we're close to a deal."

US will withdraw from the WTO unless it shapes up, threatens Trump

President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the US from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) if the body fails to change the way it treats America. "If they don't shape up, I would withdraw from the WTO," the BBC quoted Trump as saying in an interview with Bloomberg News on Friday. The WTO was established to provide rules for global trade and resolve disputes between countries. However, Trump, who has been pushing protectionist policies, says the US is treated unfairly by the body, the BBC reported. His warning about a possible US pull-out from the organisation highlights the conflict between the president's trade policies and the open trade system that the WTO oversees. Washington has also blocked the election of new judges to the WTO's dispute settlement system, to potentially paralyse its ability to issue judgments. Trump has been sounding off about unfair trade since even before he became president. In 2017, Trump told Fox News: "The WTO was set up to benefit everybody but us We lose the lawsuits, almost all of the lawsuits in the WTO."

To balance China in Indian Ocean, India needs to fix its gaze on Africa

India trade with Africa has grown in leaps and bounds over the last decade, but all too often, once official visits and large summits come to an end, the attention New Delhi places on Africa quickly fades.As China’s top-level Africa forum is held in Beijing on September 3 and 4, and India is slated to hold its next triennial Africa summit in the near future, the foreign policy establishment in New Delhi will once again turn its geopolitical gaze west to the African continent. This time, however, India should stay tuned. Africa can no longer be viewed as intermittent and peripheral interest. Instead, Africa must be appreciated as part and parcel of New Delhi’s challenge of recouping lost geostrategic ground from China’s expansionist endeavours on the Indian Ocean. Together, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, to drive trade and finance through Asia, Africa, and Europe, and its encroaching military activities, are serving to redefine India’s relationship with Africa.

No change in H-1B visa processing: Trump admin ahead of US-India dialogue

There has been no change in the processing of H-1B visas, the Trump Administration has said ahead of next week's two-plus-two dialogue between India and the US, during which External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to raise the issue. "We are already raising the issue formally at various fora. We are speaking on it with the White House, with state administration as well as with Congressmen... We will raise it humbly at the 2+2 dialogue on September 6 in New Delhi," Sushma Swaraj told the Rajya Sabha last month. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior official of the administration acknowledged that it was prepared for India raising the H-1B issue at the 2+2, but added that it would not have much to say as the policy remained the same and was undergoing review.

Flood alert in Arunachal, Assam as China releases water into Tsangpo river

Flood alert has been issued in low-lying areas nearing the Siang/ Brahmaputra river in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam after 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo river by China on Thursday. The Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh has turned virulent with unusually high waves, according to sources in the Central Water Commission (CWC). The East Siang District Administration has cautioned the public to refrain from venturing into Siang River for fishing, swimming and other activities to avoid any eventualities. "Chinese Government relayed to Government to Arunachal Pradesh by Government of India states that due to heavy rainfall in Chinese portion the Tsangpo river is swelling with observed discharge of 9020 cumec this morning (Thursday) at 8 am at the various GD station on Tsangpo river which is reported as highest in 50 years," said T Tatak, deputy commissioner, East Siang District, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.

Russia arms purchase: US rules out an automatic waiver for India

The Pentagon has ruled out an automatic waiver for India from the punitive US sanctions over its weapons purchase from Russia, saying Washington has concerns over the nearly $5 billion missile defence system deal, ahead of the first 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi next week. The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) waiver is intended at preventing US sanctions on countries like India. India is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russia for around $4.5 billion. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has publicly been a strong proponent of granting India waivers from sanctions. Randall G Schriver, assistant secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said, "I can't sit here and tell you today that a (CAATSA) waiver would necessarily be used. It would be a topic discussed at the highest level of our government and they would make some determination.”

Weak El Nino conditions likely next month, says IMD weather report

The southwest monsoon, which has been relatively quiet during the week that ended on August 29, isn't expected to show a big improvement in the next fortnight, with rainfall activity likely to be below normal from the second week of September. In its latest weather update, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that there was possibility of development of weak El Niño conditions in the last part of the four-month monsoon season, which began from June. Overall, the monsoon till August 30 has been 6 per cent less than normal, with several districts of north interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Bihar, Jharkhand, Saurashtra and Kutch staring at a shortfall. The rainfall, according to agriculture ministry officials, has been well-distributed, though overall quantum might have been low in some regions. This they said won’t have any impact on the overall production of kharif crops in 2018, which is poised for another record. On Tuesday, India said its overall foodgrains production in 2017-18 (July to June) was at an all-time high of 284.83 million tonnes, almost 2 per cent more than the last estimate that came in June, and 9.72 million tonnes more than 2016-17. The rise, however, hasn’t been beneficial for the growers because price of several commodities particularly pulses slumped due to bumper harvest.

India committed to work with BIMSTEC to boost regional connectivity: Modi

India is committed to work with the BIMSTEC member states to enhance regional connectivity and combat the menace of terrorism and drug trafficking, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. Addressing the inaugural session of the 4th BIMSTEC summit here, Prime Minister Modi also called for "cooperation and coordination" among member states in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. "There is no country in the region which has not suffered from terrorism and trans-national crimes such as drug trafficking linked to networks of terrorism," he told the summit which was inaugurated by Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. Modi said India is ready to host a conference under BIMSTEC frame-work on narcotics related topics.

India has most number of internet shutdowns in world, says report

When it comes to curbing dissent and freedom of expression, some governments take the drastic step of shutting down the internet. Across the world, internet shutdowns and deliberate slowdowns are becoming more common and they generally occur when someone (usually a government) intentionally disrupts the internet or mobile apps to control what people do or say. According to Access Now data reported by Vice News, India has the most number of shutdowns of any country by a huge distance - 154 between January 2016 and May 2018. By comparison, second-placed Pakistan only had 19 shutdowns during the same period. A report by The Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), found that 16,315 hours of intentional internet down-time between 2012 and 2017 has cost the Indian economy $3.04 billion.

Spencer's in talks with Amazon, other investors for minority stake sale

RP-Sanjiv Goenka’s food and grocery retail chain, Spencer’s Retail, is in talks with multiple players, including Amazon, for offloading a minority stake. Sources said talks were at preliminary stage and discussions were being held with more than one entity. It was understood that Amazon was one of players that Spencer’s was in talks with. Asked whether Amazon is looking at a minority stake in Spencer’s, Shashwat Goenka, sector head of Spencer’s Retail, said, “We keep exploring multiple things but I cannot comment on anything unless it materialises. We are open to opportunity and at any given time we are exploring two to three opportunities.” Amazon, however, declined to comment.

To save cost, Air India chief orders staff to stop 'non-mandatory' travel

To save costs, cash-strapped Air India has decided to discontinue all "non-mandatory" travel for staff for meetings and instead use conference call and video conference facilities, according to a communication. The loss-making national carrier is looking at ways to reduce expenses amid spiralling fuel costs and intense competition in the fast-growing domestic aviation sector. In a communication, Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola has said that a lot of "non-mandatory Staff On Duty (SOD) movements on daily basis are taking place across the Air India network for attending meetings and interviews, among others. Such movements "not only involves expenditure on travel, cost of hotel accommodation and providing replacement for staff who is travelling SOD (in case of operational departments) but also result in loss of man days," he said.

Yes Bank gets RBI nod for continuance of Rana Kapoor as MD & CEO

Private sector lender Yes Bank today said it has received RBI's approval for continuance of Rana Kapoor as MD and CEO of the bank till further notice from the central bank. In June this year, Yes Bank's shareholders had approved the re-appointment of Rana Kapoor as the chief executive and managing director for three years, subject to final approval from the Reserve Bank of India. "We wish to inform you that the Bank has received the RBI's approval that Rana Kapoor may continue as Managing Director & CEO of YES Bank till further notice from RBI," the bank said in a regulatory filing. Kapoor is the Founder, Managing Director and CEO of Yes Bank. Prior to establishing Yes Bank, Kapoor was CEO and Managing Director, and main Managing Partner of Rabo India Finance (RIF) (a corporate finance and investment banking organisation). Yes Bank was incorporated in November 2003 under the Companies Act, 1956 and received the certificate of commencement of business on January 21, 2004.

16 Indian firms bid to develop bullet train's Sabarmati terminal hub: NHRCL

As many as 16 companies based in India have shown interest in the development of the multi-model Sabarmati terminal hub of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, NHRCL, the executing agency of the high-speed corridor, said on Thursday. This is the first tender for a station on the bullet train route. The Sabarmati terminal hub will act as originating point for those boarding the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train from Ahmedabad and as terminating point for those boarding the bullet train from the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. It will be based on the theme of Mahatma Gandhi's famous Dandi March of 1930. The 16 agencies bought bid documents during a pre-bid meeting here, spokesperson of the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd said (NHSRCL) Dhananjay Kumar said. All the companies are based in India, he said but did not disclose their names.

After PMO nod, it's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport now

The slot-constrained Mumbai airport will soon be called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The Prime Ministers' Office approved the addition of the honorific "Maharaj" in the airport's name following a resolution from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and protests from Shiv Sena, BJP's alliance partner in the state and at the Centre. "Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Congratulations to the people of Maharashtra, the long pending demand is now fulfilled. I thank PM @narendramodi ji for the concern towards the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra," Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted on Thursday. The government is yet to issue a formal notification to announce the name change. Mumbai airport was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport during late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure in the late 1990s.

High Court rejects plea for allowing foreign aid for flood-hit Kerala

The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking a directive to the Centre to accept foreign aid for relief operations in the flood-ravaged state, saying it cannot interfere in policy matters of the government. Rejecting the plea by Arun Joseph, a division bench of Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar observed that the court cannot interfere in the matter as receiving foreign aid as it was something related to the government's foreign policy. The bench also said the petitioner did not have any solid proof regarding the overseas aid offered to Kerala in the wake of the floods. The petitioner sought a direction to the central government to receive foreign aid for flood relief operations in the state.

Cap independent directors' pay for services at 10%, says expert committee

So far as overall remuneration of an independent director by a company is concerned, it is recommended that it be capped at 20 per cent of his gross annual income.
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Shardul Shroff, the executive chairman of Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas who was a part of the committee, told Business Standard said the above two caps would ensure independence of the independent directors.
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For other income for professional or any services to a company or its subsidiaries or associates or promoters, etc, other than board-related services, the same is limited to 10 per cent of the total income, he said.
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These directors are paid in two ways — through sitting fee and commission. While the sitting fee is not a concern, it is commission, which raises eyebrows. The commission could range from 1-3 per cent of a company’s net profit, depending on whether the company has a managing director or a whole time director.

WhatsApp looks for middle ground to quell govt's fear on fake news

With the privacy argument falling flat in the face of extreme pressure from the government which wants to trace the source of fake news, the world’s biggest chat messenger, WhatsApp, is trying to find a middle ground to its demands.

From training people to spot fake news to running advertisement campaigns creating awareness about the effects of misinformation, Facebook’s chat app, which has over a billion users globally, is trying every way possible to ensure the flow of fake news and messages goes down in the run-up to the 2019 general elections.

The last couple of months have been tough on WhatsApp, which has been at loggerheads with the government on the issue of fake forwards. The government has time and again alleged that the chat app is now being used to run misinformation campaigns which it believes is causing major law and order problems as well as pose a threat to national security.

How to increase life expectancy in India by 4 yrs? Here are recommendations

Provide the public with regular information about polluters and fine industries for emissions that exceed legal limits.

These are two of five “evidence-based” recommendations to tackle air pollution across India, according to a 2018 policy brief prepared by researchers of the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago (EPIC) and Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) programme at the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston.

The other three: Stop industries from paying supposedly independent laboratories to audit their smokestacks, provide regulators with real-time emissions data and allow industries to trade their emissions, said the brief, released on August 16, 2018.

More than 660 million Indians live in areas that exceed the country’s standard (40 µg/m3 annual and 60 µg/m3 for 24 hours) for particulate matter (PM) 2.5, airborne particles 30 times finer than a human hair that can sicken or kill people by entering the lungs.
Indians would live a year longer if India were to achieve its national air quality standards; life expectancy would increase by four years if India could meet pollution standards–10 µg/m3, or three times tighter–set by the World Health Organization (WHO), said the brief.

How DNA Bill gives near-sweeping powers to the state to bulldoze privacy

Following close on the heels of the release of the draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 (PDP Bill) release, is the proposed DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018 (DNA Bill), which was introduced in parliament this monsoon session. This DNA Bill is the latest in a series that originated as the “DNA Profiling Bill” in 2007. Since then, the proposed law has gone through multiple iterations – with each version raising privacy concerns, such as the lack of adequate standards for consent, notice, retention and security of data.

Chief amongst these privacy concerns is the fact that each of these iterations seems to grant near-sweeping powers to the state for the collection of DNA samples, with very few safeguards to protect citizens.

Unfortunately, the present DNA Bill does little to address these concerns. For instance, the Bill allows the state, through its law enforcement agencies, to collect “intimate bodily substances” from citizens with very questionable standards to protect their privacy. The consent mechanism under the DNA Bill appears to be entirely superficial.

Encounter underway in Kashmir's Bandipora; three terrorists 'trapped'

An encounter is underway between terrorists and security forces in Hajin area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Thursday.

Two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped in the area.

No report of casualties or injuries has been reported as of now. More details are awaited.

On Wednesday, four policemen lost their lives in a terrorist attack in South Kashmir's Shopian district. According to the police, a police party came under indiscriminate firing by a group of terrorists during the afternoon hours in Shopian's Arhama.

This came after two terrorists from Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were gunned down in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

Arrests of activists: These are worrying days for dissent in India

Indian liberals are reeling from a shocking set of arrests this week: Synchronized police raids targeted some of the country’s best-known civil-liberties activists. Authorities have been vague about why they were arrested; many are being held under a draconian national security law that permits detention for six months without formal charges. But, judging by what police officials have leaked to the media -- and what members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have told news channels -- the accused are all supposedly “Naxalites.”

For many Indians, this sounds like an accusation from the distant past. Back in the 1970s, a Maoist insurrection began in a small town called Naxalbari; its political descendants came to be known as Naxalites. They’ve vanished from the towns of the more prosperous India of today. But, in the forests of central India, where the hand of the state has often been brutal, a Maoist insurgency continues to smolder, though with far less intensity than just a decade ago when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called it India’s greatest threat.

Modi arrives in Nepal to participate in two-day 4th BIMSTEC Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit that will focus on enhancing regional connectivity and boosting trade.

Modi said on Wednesday that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

In a statement before leaving for Nepal for the two-day summit, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.

"I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and reviewing the progress we have made in our bilateral ties since my last visit to Nepal in May 2018," he said.

Militant killed in Jammu & Kashmir's Bandipora, encounter underway

A militant on Thursday was killed in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hajin area following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces positions.

One militant has been killed in the operation, the official said adding searches were still going on.

The identity of the slain militant is yet to be ascertained.

On Wednesday, four policemen lost their lives in a terrorist attack in South Kashmir's Shopian district. According to the police, a police party came under indiscriminate firing by a group of terrorists during the afternoon hours in Shopian's Arhama.

This came after two terrorists from Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were gunned down in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

Kerala to explore legal options to avail of foreign aid: CM Vijayan

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As Kerala picks up the pieces, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the government would explore the possibility of legal options to avail the funds offered to the state, including that from abroad.

His statement assumes significance in the wake of a row over the Centre's refusal to accept the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) reported offer of Rs 7 billion to the flood-hit state.

Addressing a specially convened one-day session of the state assembly to discuss the unprecedented flood situation, Vijayan said 483 people have lost lives in the state since the onset of monsoon on May 28 and 14 were still missing.

He said the state's economy had been badly hit and the loss could be much more than the state's annual plan outlay for the year which stood at Rs 372.47 billion.

Do not indulge in 'polemics', says India after Pak rakes up Kashmir in UN

Pakistan's new government must not indulge in "polemics" but work to build a South Asian region free of terror and violence, India has said after Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin's remarks came during the UNSC debate on Mediation and Settlement of Disputes.

"I take this opportunity to remind - Pakistan - the one isolated delegation that made unwarranted references to an integral part of India, that pacific settlement requires pacific intent in thinking and pacific content in action," Akbaruddin said at the debate on Wednesday.

Pakistan's Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi raked up the Kashmir issue during the debate, drawing a sharp reaction from Akbaruddin who said Pakistan is "regurgitating a failed approach, which has long been rejected, is neither reflective of pacific intent nor a display of pacific content.

Road accidents led to 3 deaths every 10 minutes in India in 2017: Report

Road Accident - Nearly three persons died every ten minutes in road accidents across India last year, a yet to be published official report revealed, a grave reminder of abysmal road safety standards in the country.

The report, which is being prepared by the Transport Research Wing of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, also discovered that a total of 4,64,910 road accidents were reported by states and union territories in the calendar year 2017, claiming 1,47,913 lives and causing injuries to 4,70,975 persons.

The subject of road safety is an important one and the delay in the passage of Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016, which proposes hefty penalties ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 100,000. State governments can even increase the fine up to 10 times.

Victims of hit-and-run cases would now be compensated for up to Rs one million in case of road accident fatalities.

SC/ST community can't claim quota benefits in govt job in another state: SC

Maratha QuotaStir - Member of SC/ST community of a state cannot claim quota benefits in govt job in another state unless his/her caste is notified there, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday.

The apex court also said that the benefits of quota for SC/ST would stand confined to geographical territory of a state or union terrritory.

The court, however, held that in Delhi the pan-India reservation rules for SC/ST would be debatable.

PayPal announces partnership with Brazil's biggest private bank Itaú

Digital payments company PayPal Holdings Inc on Wednesday announced a partnership with Brazil's biggest private lender Itaú Unibanco Holding SA to offer its services to the bank's card clients. PayPal's general-director in Brazil, Paula Paschoal, said the company expects to add 1 million users to its current 3.8 million client base in Brazil in two years as a result of the partnership. Itaú is PayPal's first partner in Brazil, but Paschoal said the company is open to new agreements with other financial institutions in the country.

Greaves Cotton to acquire Ratan Tata-backed Ampere Vehicles

Greaves Cotton, a diversified engineering company, will acquire a majority stake in Coimbatore-based electric vehicle company Ampere Vehicles Pvt Ltd. Quantum of the deal was not disclosed. Ratan Tata-backed Ampere has in-house capabilities in designing, developing, manufacturing & marketing electric vehicles with a wide range of applications. Greaves currently provides transportation to almost 10 million people daily through its powertrain solutions. In addition, Greaves reaches 5 million customers (of aftermarket spare parts) per month through its network of over 5000 retail outlets. The newly launched Greaves Care network services nearly over 7000 vehicles per month, with plans to substantially ramp-up in the coming years. Greaves will be able to leverage its distribution, aftermarket and service strengths to help Ampere grow more rapidly, said the company.

Bharti Airtel shareholders approve merger proposal with Tata Teleservices

Telecom major Bharti Airtel today said its shareholders have approved the proposed merger between the company and Tata Teleservices as part of ongoing proceedings at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The special resolution to approve the proposed composite scheme of arrangement between Tata Teleservices, Bharti Airtel and Bharti Hexacom received 99.97 per cent voting in favour of the resolution, Bharti Airtel said in a regulatory filing. There was 100 per cent voting in favour of the resolution from the promoter and promoter group, as well as public - institutions category. About 99.97 per cent votes were cast in favour of the proposal by the public non-institutions shareholders, it added. The filing detailed out the "voting results of the meeting of equity shareholders of Bharti Airtel" convened on August 28 as per the directions of the Principal Bench of the NCLT in New Delhi.

Sebi slaps Rs 3.5 mn fine on Zeestar, directors for illegal CIS scheme

Sebi on Wednesday imposed a total fine of Rs 3.5 million on Zeestar Multi Club and Tours as well as its directors for illegally raising fund from investors through unregistered Collective Investment Scheme (CIS). The directors of Zeestar -- Mrinal Atal, Surendra Kumar and Shailendra Prasad Badoni -- were acting as directors of the company during the mobilisation of funds, Sebi said in an order. Sebi in an examination found that the firm and its directors in 2010 had offered schemes whereby the investors had to pay an initial amount towards the construction of cottages and other infrastructure for tourism purposes. 

The company then promised to put such cottages on rent and had assured monthly reimbursement/ income to the investors. Noting that the scheme carried out by Zeestar constituted collective investment scheme, Sebi said the firm was carrying out CIS activities without obtaining a certificate of registration in accordance with the provisions of CIS regulations and thereby contravened CIS norms.