Google bans 'deceptive' payday loan adverts from search results

Google is banning adverts for payday lenders from its search results, adding the short-term loan industry to a blacklist that includes guns, tobacco and drugs, and dealing a bitter blow to the industry.

The internet giant announced that from mid-July it would ban payday loans from its AdWords system that displays adverts at the top of search results.

The move cuts off a crucial channel for many online-only lenders. Google’s dominant search engine is a key online storefront, with lenders bidding fiercely against each other for a prime position at the top of its results.

The announcement added to a series of setbacks to the industry, which has been criticised for extortionate interest rates and predatory behaviour. Since 2014 lenders have been limited in the interest rates and additional fees they are allowed to charge, and the number of short term loans has subsequently slumped.
"These loans can result in unaffordable payment and high default rates for users"Google's David Graff

Although Google’s policies prohibit a long list of illegal or offensive practices, it is very rare for a licensed and regulated industry to be expressly blacklisted.

“When reviewing our policies, research has shown that these loans can result in unaffordable payment and high default rates for users so we will be updating our policies globally to reflect that,” Google’s director of global product policy David Graff said.

“This change is designed to protect our users from deceptive or harmful financial products.” He said any loans where repayment is due within 60 days would be banned.



The move was instantly criticised by the Consumer Finance Association (CFA), which represents short-term lenders.

“UK consumers enjoy a vibrant, highly competitive credit market and we will be interested to read the evidence that Google uses to justify overruling open market advertising of a legal, regulated industry to deny people freedom of choice,” the CFA’s chief executive Russell Hamblin-Boone said.

“Short term loans are a legal source of credit used by millions of people across the UK and the industry is highly regulated with a cap on the total cost of credit.”

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

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Expect unconditional apology, not silence, CM Chandy to PM Modi after Somalia remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced more heat on Thursday for comparing Kerala to Somalia with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy saying people of the state expected an unconditional apology from him and not his silence after it whipped up a controversy.

The comparison made by Modi at a poll rally in the state early this week when he said the “infant mortality rate among the scheduled tribe community in Kerala is worse than Somalia” has set off a political storm and triggered criticism in the social media.

Twitter users have responded with hashtag #PoMoneModi (Get lost Modi), a take off from the Mohanlal starrer, which features the famous punch line “Po Mone Dinesha” to ridicule some of the characters of his hit film ‘Narasimham’. Chandy flayed Modi for not withdrawing his controversial comment while CPI-M leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said his statement would result in a setback to BJP in the ensuing polls as it has insulted the people of the state. Kerala goes to polls on May 16.

In his Facebook post, Chandy said Modi had kept mum on the controversy and what Keralites want is not his silence, but an unconditional apology from the Prime Minister. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi left the election campaign rally without answering my questions. It could be due to the wide criticism he had received not only from the state, but also from Malayali community world over,” the senior Congress leader said.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to face impeachment trial

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is set to face trial after the Senate on Thursday voted to impeach and suspend her.

Fifty-five of the 81 members of Brazil's upper house voted in favour of the motion. Twenty-two voted against, BBC reported.

Rousseff, the country's first woman president, is accused of illegally manipulating finances to hide a growing public deficit ahead of her re-election in 2014, which she has denied.

Vice-President Michel Temer will now assume the presidency while Rousseff's trial takes place which may last upto 180 days, media reports said.

Rousseff made a last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to stop proceedings, but the move was rejected. Her suspension brings an end to 13 years of the rule of her Workers' Party.

The senators were each given 15 minutes to speak, with a buzzer indicating when their time was up. In total 71 of the house's 81 members spoke.

Former president Fernando Collor de Mello, himself impeached by the senate in 1992, said that he feels the country has "regressed politically", CNN reported.

His colleague Armando Monteiro said the impeachment was politically motivated and would set a dangerous precedence.

"We will, indeed, be promoting a rupture in the nation's institutional order."

Rousseff, who was first sworn into office in January 2011 and started a second term in 2015, has called the steps to remove her a "coup".

Rousseff has been also blamed for the worst recession since the 1930s, now in its second year.

Senator Waldemir Moka told the upper house during the motion that if the impeachment trial was successful, the future president would assume a government with a 250 billion Brazilian real debt ($72 billion) according to conservative projections, with the possibility of being up to 600 billion real ($174 billion).

Rousseff would be suspended during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro which starts on August 5.

When the investigation ends -- which could be as late as November -- the process would return to a special Senate committee.

At that point, Rousseff would have 20 days to present her case. Following that, the committee would vote on a final determination and then present it for a vote in the full senate.

It would take a two-thirds majority to then remove the president from office.

Source : http://www.business-standard.com

UPDATE 1-Uganda blocks social media, clamps down as president sworn in

May 12 Ugandan authorities blocked social media sites including Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp on Thursday as President Yoweri Museveni was sworn in after a disputed re-election that led to a crackdown on dissent.

Museveni, 71, who took the oath of office at an event in Kampala, officially won 60 percent of the vote in the February ballot, extending his 30-year rule by another five years.

The opposition said the vote was rigged and protests broke out, leading to clashes with police and dozens of arrests.

Ugandan officials said it was free and fair, and dismiss accusations that they have clamped down on free speech.

On Wednesday, police arrested opposition leader Kizza Besigye after a street protest. Besigye, who heads the Forum for Democratic Change party, won 35 percent of the vote. He has been under house arrest on and off since then.

Godfrey Mutabazi, the executive director of Uganda's telecommunications regulator, said security agencies had asked access to social media websites to be blocked "to limit the possibility of terrorists taking advantage" of visits by dignitaries.

Uganda is hosting several heads of state for the ceremony.

Residents said the sites had been inaccessible since late Wednesday.

The authorities also blocked social media during voting and shortly afterwards, a move criticised at the time by the United States and rights groups, who said it undermined the integrity of the process.

EU monitors said the election was held in an intimidating atmosphere and the electoral body lacked independence and transparency.

The government has also banned live television or radio coverage of protests.

One mobile operator, South Africa's MTN Group, told customers in a message that social media had been temporarily blocked at the request of the authorities.

In the days leading up to Museveni's swearing-in, authorities also placed more security patrols on the streets of Kampala and residents said there was a strong presence of military and police on Thursday.

Opposition to the president is strongest among youths in urban areas, where frustration has been fuelled by unemployment, corruption and crumbling public services.

Since coming to power in 1986, Museveni has been credited with restoring order after years of chaotic rule.

The economy has been growing, but experts say it has failed to keep pace with the rising population, and critics also complain about Museveni's failure to stem corruption and a clampdown on opposition voices. (Additional reporting by Elias Biryabarema in Nairobi; Editing by Edmund Blair and John Stonestreet)

Source: http://in.reuters.com

Brazilian Senate set to launch Dilma Rousseff impeachment

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was only hours from possibly being suspended at the start of an impeachment trial Wednesday in a political crisis paralyzing Latin America's largest country.

Her government lawyer lodged a last-ditch appeal with the Supreme Court on Tuesday, but it was unclear whether the court would even respond in time.

Barring a dramatic twist in events, the Senate was to start debating impeachment at approximately 9:00 am, with voting expected either

Her government lawyer lodged a last-ditch appeal with the Supreme Court on Tuesday, but it was unclear whether the court would even respond in time.

Barring a dramatic twist in events, the Senate was to start debating impeachment at approximately 9:00 am, with voting expected either late at night or in the early hours of Thursday.

A majority of more than half of the senators in the 81-member chamber would trigger the opening of a trial and Rousseff's automatic suspension for up


A majority of more than half of the senators in the 81-member chamber would trigger the opening of a trial and Rousseff's automatic suspension for up to six months. In the final judgement, removing her from office would require a two-thirds majority.

She is accused of breaking budgetary laws by taking loans to boost public spending and mask the sinking state of the economy during her tight 2014 re-election campaign.


Rousseff says the accounting maneuvers were standard practice for many governments in the past and describes the impeachment as a coup mounted by her vice president, Michel Temer, who will take over if she is suspended.

A onetime Marxist guerrilla tortured under Brazil's military dictatorship in the 1970s, Rousseff therefore faces possibly her final day in power Wednesday.

Her official agenda released daily to the public contained a solitary item: "Internal paperwork."
Rousseff vows to resist.

"I am going to fight with all my strength, using all means available," she told a women's forum in Brasilia on Tuesday.

Rousseff called her opponents "people (who) can't win the presidency through a popular vote" and claimed they had a "project to dismantle" social gains made by millions of poor during 13 years of Workers' Party rule.

In an effort to cripple Temer's ambitions, Rousseff allies went to the top electoral court asking that the prob ..

The country's first female president has also become deeply unpopular with most Brazilians, who blame her for presiding over the recession and a massive corruption scandal centered on the state oil company Petrobras.

In an already chaotic week in which the interim speaker of the lower house tried to order the upper house to halt impeachment proceedings -- only to back down hours later -- there was no patching over the sprawling South American country's deep divisions.

Workers' Party faithful on Tuesday burned tires and blocked roads in Brasilia and in Sao Paulo in a potential taste of more street trouble to come.

Lawmaker Jose Guimaraes, a Rousseff ally, said that despite almost certain defeat in the initial Senate vote, the impeachment trial itself would be an all-out fight.

"We will have 180 days in the Senate, talking with every one of them, to get them to change their minds," he told journalists, warning that "our main fight today will b ..

Read more at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

slamic State detonates car bomb in Baghdad market, kills 45

An explosives-laden car bomb ripped through a commercial area in a predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 45 people and wounding dozens in an attack that was swiftly claimed by the extremist Islamic State group.

Shortly after the explosion, one of the deadliest recently in the Iraqi capital, the Sunni extremist group — which sees Shiite Muslims as apostates — said it was behind the assault. IS said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, but Iraqi officials denied that.
Security forces and citizens inspect the scene after a car bomb explosion at a crowded outdoor market in Baghdad. AP

Security forces and citizens inspect the scene after a car bomb explosion at a crowded outdoor market in Baghdad. AP

The bombing showed that while IS has suffered a number of territorial defeats in the past year, the militants are still capable of launching significant attacks across the country. They also have recently stepped-up assaults inside Baghdad, something officials say is an attempt to distract from their recent battlefield defeats.

Wednesday's bomb struck a crowded outdoor market in Baghdad's eastern district of Sadr City, two police officials said, adding that the blast also wounded up to 65 people, several seriously, prompting fears the death toll could rise further.

Ambulances rushed to the scene where dozens of residents walked through the twisted and mangled wreckage of cars and other debris that littered the pavement, trying to help the victims. The street was stained red with blood in many places and front-side facades of several buildings were heavily damaged. Smoke billowed from ground-level stores gutted out by the explosion.

Karim Salih, a 45-year old grocer, said the bomb was a pickup truck loaded with fruits and vegetables that was parked by a man who quickly disappeared among the crowds of people.

"It was such a thunderous explosion that jolted the ground," Salih told The Associated Press.

"The force of the explosion threw me for meters (yards) away and I lost consciousness for a few minutes," the merchant added. He suffered no injuries, but two of his workers were wounded.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the car bomb. AP

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the car bomb. AP

Four medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to release the information to reporters.

In its online statement, IS said it had carried out a suicide attack that targeted a gathering of Shiite militiamen. The AP could not immediately verify the authenticity of the claim but it appeared on a website commonly used by the Sunni militants.

IS also a controls significant area in northern and western Iraq, including Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul. Commercial and public places in Shiite-dominated areas are among the most frequent targets for the Sunni militants seeking to undermine Iraqi government efforts to maintain security inside the capital.

In February, the group carried out devastating back-to-back market bombings in Sadr City, the stronghold of followers of an influential Shiite cleric. That attack claimed the lives of at least 73 people.

According to the United Nations, at least 741 Iraqis were killed in April due to ongoing violence. The U.N. mission to Iraq put the number of civilians killed at 410, while the rest it said were members of the security forces. A total of 1,374 Iraqis were wounded that month, UNAMI said.

In March, at least 1,119 people were killed and 1,561 wounded in the ongoing violence.

Source: http://www.firstpost.com

Xiaomi Mi Max: Top 5 Features of Xiaomi's Largest Smartphone

Xiaomi launched its largest display smartphone on Tuesday, the Mi Max. Featuring a 6.44-inch display, the smartphone is available in three variants, ranging from a 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage model up to a 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage model.

China and its massive adoption of large-screen smartphones, or phablets as they are called, was single-handedly responsible for making Apple reverse its decision on smartphone display sizes being limited to 4 inches. It's in this phablet-obsessed market that Xiaomi has launched its largest smartphone till date.

(Also see: Xiaomi Mi Max Full Specifications)

The company says the "supersized screen" on the Xiaomi Mi Max makes it ideal for watching movies and TV shows on the go. We take a look at the new smartphone from the Chinese manufacturer, and try to single out its top features.

Large display
Of course, without question, the top feature of the Mi Max is its large display. The 6.44-inch screen features a full-HD resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, and comes with a Sunlight Display mode that enhances legibility even under harsh sunlight. The company is also touting a night reading mode, apart from the "dynamic global pixel adjustment".

Large battery
Of course, with such a large display, a large battery would also be required. The Xiaomi Mi Max bears a 4850mAh battery, the highest capacity battery on any of the company's smartphones. While Xiaomi has not provided detailed battery life figures, it says the battery can support up to 14 hours of streaming video (via Wi-Fi) on a single charge.

High-res camera
The Xiaomi Mi Max features a 16-megapixel rear camera with a 5-lens setup and a large f/2.0 aperture. It is accompanied by a dual-tone flash, and supports phase detection autofocus (PDAF) apart from HDR. The front-facing camera on the other hand sports a 5-megapixel sensor, and is accompanied by the same large f/2.0 aperture apart from an 85-degree wide-angle lens.

Slim build
While not especially slim for a phablet - after all, as the size of the smartphone increases, it is easier to space out components to keep thickness in check - the Xiaomi Mi Max is just 7.5mm thick. This was touted by CEO Jun Lei ahead of the launch as well, and should be useful in slipping the massive phone away into a pocket.

Fingerprint sensor, infrared emitter
Once again, while the fingerprint scanner is by no means an extraordinary addition in the smartphone segment, the inclusion of the sensor on the Mi Max will be useful for users, from authorising online payments to unlocking the smartphone. The Mi Max also comes with an infrared emitter, which can be used as a universal remote controller - a handy feature.

Honourable mentions
Other standout features of the Xiaomi Mi Max that didn't make the list include the presence of 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in the top variant, the ability to expand storage via a microSD card, as well as VoLTE connectivity.

SOurce: http://gadgets.ndtv.com

Donald Trump, Bucking Calls to Unite, Claims ‘Mandate’ to Be Provocative

Donald J. Trump’s behavior in recent days — the political threats to the House speaker, Paul D. Ryan; the name-calling on Twitter; the attacks on Hillary Clinton’s marriage — has deeply puzzled Republicans who expected him to move to unite the party, start acting presidential and begin courting the female voters he will need in the general election.

But Mr. Trump’s choices reflect an unusual conviction: He said he had a “mandate” from his supporters to run as a fiery populist outsider and to rely on his raucous rallies to build support through “word of mouth,” rather than to embrace a traditional, mellower and more inclusive approach that congressional Republicans will advocate in meetings with him on Thursday.

Mr. Trump’s strategy is replete with risks. Roughly 60 percent of Americans view him negatively, according to pollsters, who say more-of-the-same Trump is not likely to improve those numbers. While a majority of Republican primary voters said they were looking for a political outsider, Mr. Trump will face a majority of voters in November who prefer a candidate with political experience, according to primary exit polls and several national polls. Many Republicans think they will lose the presidency and seats in the House and Senate if he continues using language that offends women and some racial and religious groups.

Still, Mr. Trump’s message, tone and policy ideas have drawn followers who are more passionate than Republican nominees typically enjoy, and he has monopolized the political conversation and news coverage of the race. Some Republicans argue that he cannot afford to change his stripes too much, while strategists in both parties say he is shrewdly sticking with a style that drowns out attacks that could deepen his negative rating.

“His rally rants and Twitter brawls are meant to dominate the media coverage and public conversation so that Democratic challenges have less space to break through all of the noise,” said Guy Cecil, the chief strategist and co-chairman of Priorities USA, the “super PAC” supporting Mrs. Clinton. “He doesn’t want people talking about his record or positions.”

Mr. Trump, in a telephone interview, compared his candidacy to hit Broadway shows and championship baseball teams, saying that success begot success and that he would be foolish to change his behavior now.

“You win the pennant and now you’re in the World Series — you gonna change?” Mr. Trump said. “People like the way I’m doing.”
Graphic: Why Republicans in Congress Are Opposing or Supporting Trump

He argued that he stood a better chance of inspiring voters in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania if he was his authentic self, rather than shifting from populist outsider to political insider to please a relative handful of Republican elites who are part of the establishment he has railed against for months. He said his huge rallies, where outbursts of violence and racist taunts have vexed many Republican leaders, and his attacks against adversaries on Twitter and in television interviews would continue because he believes Americans admire his aggressive, take-charge style.
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“I think I have a mandate from the people,” Mr. Trump continued, referring to his victories in 29 states, including Nebraska and West Virginia on Tuesday night. “The people are tired of incompetent leadership at the highest level. They’re tired of trade deals that are ripping our jobs apart and taking their wages.”

Mandates are usually claimed after a presidential candidate wins a general election, not a party nomination, but part of Mr. Trump’s style and strategy is to project a supreme confidence in himself and his popularity with voters. Several Republicans said they put little stock in his claim, arguing that he had won support from only a fraction of the electorate and that he had yet to prove he was worthy of leading the entire Republican Party, rather than just his fractious and highly visible wing.

“Donald Trump did earn a mandate from Republican primary voters,” said Senator Patrick J. Toomey, a Republican facing a tough re-election fight in Pennsylvania, whose primary Mr. Trump won with 57 percent of the vote. “My advice to him is that he should now consider how he will appeal to the many Republican and non-Republican voters who have serious concerns about his candidacy.”

Former Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire said that electoral mandates were a fallacy in American politics, and that leaders only did well when they focused on “ideas in the center that unite people.”

“I don’t even think the 1980 Reagan landslide gave Reagan a mandate,” said Mr. Gregg, whose state gave Mr. Trump his first win in the primaries, and who has not decided if he will follow through on his pledge to support the Republican nominee. “He was effective because the country was in terrible shape and he was able to bring large numbers of people behind his ideas. Trump hasn’t done that.”

But Patrick J. Buchanan, the conservative commentator and past presidential candidate, said Mr. Trump was rallying historic numbers of voters with a mix of conservative ideas and anti-establishment populism that evoked, among other politicians, Ross Perot and his magnetic appeal in the 1992 campaign. Mr. Perot lost, of course, but Mr. Buchanan said that Mr. Trump might stand a better chance.

“With the largest Republican turnout ever, Trump eliminated 16 rivals and is on track to winning more votes than any Republican nominee in history,” Mr. Buchanan said. “That gives him a mandate to lead the Republican Party and move ahead with his plans to secure the border, pull back from foreign interventions and wars, and end these terrible trade deals.”
The Electoral Map Looks Challenging for Trump

With many Republican leaders and elected officials torn between supporting their presumptive nominee and withholding their endorsement as leverage, Mr. Trump sounded torn himself. He said he wanted party unity but was unwilling to abandon the brand of politics and communication that has energized many Americans and divided others. He described his eight million followers on Twitter as a singular “advantage” and indicated that their support mattered more to him than the backing of Mr. Ryan, whose statement last week that he was “not ready” to endorse Mr. Trump led to the meetings Mr. Ryan is organizing on Thursday.

David Winston, a Republican pollster who worked on Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign in 2012, said Mr. Trump was putting himself at a severe disadvantage in the general election.

“At this point, at a minimum, he’s at least 50 million voters short of what he’s going to need,” Mr. Winston said. “He has created an interesting dynamic in that, during the course of the campaign, he was basically calling those individuals names, which didn’t endear him to their supporters.”

Uniting people behind Mr. Trump is “eminently doable, but it will take significant focus,” he said.

In Mr. Trump’s view, the rallies and the Twitter wars — even when he is punching down against a little-known evangelical leader (Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention) and a cable talk show host (Joe Scarborough of MSNBC), as he did recently — are crowd-pleasers, creating buzz that is critical to dominating the political landscape and overshadowing Mrs. Clinton’s message and attacks. Last week, he kept his commitments for rallies in Nebraska, Oregon and Washington State, even though he already had a lock on the nomination.

“In a Broadway theater, the best, the best, absolute best sale is called ‘word of mouth,’ ” said Mr. Trump, who once dabbled in theater producing. “If people love a Broadway show, it’s better than if you write a good review. Word of mouth is the No. 1 thing. And the word of mouth at my rallies is like, ‘You’ve got to go see it.’ And, you know, one person goes and they talk about it to 20 people.”

Over the coming weeks, Mr. Trump will offer policy speeches, including one on law and order, and another on judges — the latter being, in part, a response to conservatives who have said he cannot be trusted to pick Supreme Court justices.

But Mr. Trump is reluctant to trade in pitchfork populism for something more demure. He was gleeful, in fact, that so much attention was being paid to his Capitol Hill meetings on Thursday.

“Somebody said the paparazzi is going crazy over that meeting,” he said.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com

Is the worst behind Axis Bank post disclosure?

Some of the private sector banks are increasingly looking like public sector ones. After ICICI Bank declared that Rs 44,000 crore are at risk of turning toxic, it was the turn of Axis Bank to declare that it was monitoring Rs 22,600 crore worth of assets, 60% of which can turn non-performing. The result: ICICI Bank reacted negatively to the disclosure, but Axis Bank trades higher.

Part of the reason for no reaction in the market is that the news was already discounted because the disclosure was made at the time of results in April. Further, the maximum stress in Axis Bank’s books is in the power and iron and steel sector. Most of the issues in the power sector are sorted out, especially on the environment and fuel availability fronts. Similarly, iron and steel sector is in a revival mode with the government imposing heavy import duties on cheap imports from China, Japan and South Korea.

According to veteran banker KV Kamath,  the economic growth and asset resolution will take care of the challenge. Kamath pointed out that China, nearly 13 years back, had a non-performing asset of nearly 50% of its GDP. India’s NPAs were then only 5 to 10%, the same proportion as of now.

Indian banks have been disclosing their non-performing assets that were earlier hidden. The sharp rise in provisioning by banks across the board in the final quarter is a result of the change in norms.

In a conference call with analysts, Axis Bank said they are maintaining provision coverage of 70% which adds up to Rs 9,000 crore, much higher than the average of Rs 2,208 crore. Axis Bank’s management pointed out that there is scope of NPA’s increasing from outside the watch list. Accretion to the list can be from small and medium enterprises books and the retail book.

Motilal Oswal, in a note on the bank’s results, has said that with the disclosures, Axis Bank has identified nearly 14% of corporate loans as additional stress. Giving some colour to the watchlist, Motilal Oswal’s report points out that nearly 79% of these loans were disbursed between FY10 to FY12 and 17% were prior to FY09. Iron and steel account for 24% while Power accounts for 23%.

But what is worrying is that out of the known ‘leveraged groups’, nearly 75% of them are outside the watch list. Also, 28 per cent of loans of restructured assets are not in the list.

So is the worst behind Axis Bank now that it has transparently declared its problem assets?

As in the case of ICICI Bank, analysts downgraded their earnings estimate of Axis Bank. Motilal Oswal has downgraded its earnings estimates by 10% for the present fiscal and the next. But given the strength of the bank’s network and presence, the research firm says that the bank is geared up to ride the next growth cycle. Its strong presence in the retail and SME (small and medium enterprises), strong capitalisation of 12.5% and expanding liability franchise makes it rightly positioned to catch the next wave of growth.

Analysts have appreciated the transparency shown by the bank. Angel Broking in its note says that the disclosure by the bank gives better clarity on earnings going ahead; further, the core business of the bank continues to grow strong.

In the analyst community, all seems to have been forgiven for Axis Bank.

Source: http://www.business-standard.com

Google proposes new set of emoji to better represent professional women

A team of four Google employees has developed a set of 13 emoji designed to better represent women in the professional world. In a presentation to the Unicode Consortium, the body that approves and standardizes emoji, the team says the new emoji depict "a wide range of professions for women and men, with a goal of highlighting the diversity of women's careers and empowering girls everywhere."

These aren't just female versions of existing male emoji. The Google team is proposing that new male and female emoji be displayed by combining characters that are already in place; for example, a female farmer would be coded under the hood as woman plus tractor, while a male surgeon would be man plus hospital. The professional fields include business, healthcare, science, education, technology, industry, farming, food service, and music, with the latter category featuring an homage to the late David Bowie.

the Google team cites a recent New York Times op-ed called "Emoji Feminism" as capturing the motivation behind its work, quoting the following excerpt:

    "Where, I wanted to know, was the fierce professor working her way to tenure? Where was the lawyer? The accountant? The surgeon? How was there space for both a bento box and a single fried coconut shrimp, and yet women were restricted to a smattering of tired, beauty-centric roles? This was not a problem for our male emoji brethren. Men were serving on the police force, working construction and being Santa. Meanwhile, on our phones, it was Saturday at the Mall of America —” women shopping while men wrote the checks."

"We believe we can have a larger positive impact by adding 13 new emoji that depict women across a representative sample of professions," the Google team writes. "We believe this will empower young women (the heaviest emoji users), and better reflect the pivotal roles women play in the world."

The team says it would like to get the new emoji standardized by the end of 2016, and it probably has a good shot of achieving that goal — one member, Mark Davis, is co-founder and president of the Unicode Consortium.

Source: http://www.theverge.com

Cong has lost confidence of people in Uttarakhand: BJP

With its hopes of wresting power in Uttarakhand dashed, BJP today lashed out Congress and Rahul Gandhi, saying he should not give sermons as his party has "murdered" democracy by "paying off" legislators and has "lost" the confidence of the people of the state. "Congress, which is a murderer of democracy, is undemocratic and is a champion of corruption, should not give sermons to BJP on democracy. Congress has lost the confidence of people of Uttarakhand by purchasing the majority in the state assembly," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma alleged.

He said Congress has not just lost its MLAs, but also the confidence of the people of the state, who will give a "befitting" reply to it in the next assembly elections slated a few months away.

"The people will give a befitting reply to Congress for the insult heaped on them," he told reporters.

Sharma claimed the constitutional crisis in Uttarakhand was created because of Congress' "anti-people" policies and due to "anger" of its leaders against the party's central leadership.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today termed Rawat's reinstatement as a victory of democracy and voiced hoped that the Prime Minister will "learn the lesson".

"They (BJP) did their worst. We did our best. Democracy won in Uttarakhand.

"Hope the PM learns the lesson that people of India and institutions built by our founding fathers will not tolerate murder of democracy," Rahul said on Twitter.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said, "Congress leadership does not meet its own leaders and Chief Ministers, but spends time with anti-national elements who raise anti-India slogans."

Sharma also questioned Rahul for his "silence" on the sting videos purportedly showing Harish Rawat and said "it was shameful" as Congress has "looted" the state.

The BJP leader also accused Rawat of having "sold out Dev Bhoomi" for saving his own chair in the state and for "paying off" lakhs and crores to legislators. "Congress is celebrating today as it is hoping to clean the muck of corruption that it is embroiled in.

"The sting videos have shown how Harish Rawat was paying his MLAs to save his own chair, which made it clear that he trying to sell Uttarakhand," he alleged.

Rawat yesterday won the trust vote in the Assembly and the Supreme Court today put its stamp on it, clearing the decks for his reinstatement.
It was a setback for BJP which had earlier claimed that Rawat would lose the trust vote and it will form government in the state. SKC RT

Source: TOI

UK's refusal to deport Vijay Mallya is a big setback for the Modi government

The decision of the UK government to turn down India’s request to deport liquor-baron Vijay Mallya is a big blow to the Narendra-Modi government and kills any remaining hope for 17 banks, including State Bank of India, to get back Rs 9,000 crore Mallya’s grounded airline, Kingfisher owes to them. This is a classic case of banks and investigative agencies acting too late in a high profile case and ending up letting the defaulter escape the law.

This is also a egg on the face of Modi government, which has hurriedly taken up the issue at bilateral level even before making a foolproof case against Mallya.
Vijay Mallya. Reuters

Vijay Mallya. Reuters

As Firstpost highlighted from the very beginning, the Modi government hurried in this case taking it to a bilateral level even before making a foolproof case against Mallya. It is too difficult to handle now and would even raise questions on the bilateral commitment between India and UK on the cooperation of dealing with offenders.

Mallya has been defiant to the threats of the Indian government to deport him and arrest him in the case and is least shaken even after multiple courts have issued arrest warrants against him in cheque-bouncing cases. This was evident from the tycoon’s interview to UK based Financial Times, where he said ‘they aren’t getting any money by arresting me’ and he is more than happy to stay safe in the UK as the outcry in the UK continues.

Though the UK has offered India further assistance in the case asking the country to request extradition, it wouldn’t be easy for India. Extradition from the UK is a too difficult a process and Mallya can easily fight his case in the UK courts.

If one goes by reports, there are around 131 extradition requests from India in the UK, which involves even wanted criminals. Chances are very little that India can make a convincing case for Mallya’s extradition given that it doesn’t have a foolproof case against him beyond loan default and alleged financial fraud.

Legal experts point out several cases in the past where the Indian government has failed to bring back absconders and criminals (Iqbal Mirchi, Nadeem Saifi and Abu Salem). For someone like Mallya, it wouldn’t be difficult to seek asylum using his money power. This is why the case is going out of hands of India government, which has hurried to take up the case at a bilateral government level before gathering convincing evidences against Mallya.

There is apparent difference between India’s investigating agencies — the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the Mallya case.

While the government’s action of cancelling Mallya’s passport and seeking his deportation from UK was primarily due to pressure from ED, CBI has largely remained silent on the case.

Even if India manages to get back Mallya from the UK, it would be difficult to nail him in the court of law unless there is strong evidence of fund diversion by the promoter.

What makes the case even more difficult is the fact that a section of banks, including IDBI, in the lender consortium, has so far maintained that there is no evidence of fund diversion to abroad by Mallya as alleged by ED.

On the whole, this case is going in the Lalit Modi way, where India’s chances are pretty less to get the alleged offender back. Chances of Mallya never returning to the country cannot be ruled out since this case grown far beyond the definitions of a typical banker-borrower default for Modi government, hence the government is politically responsible to take follow up actions.

The possibility of a friendly settlement in the Kiingfisher case is absent since banks have twice rejected Mallya’s offer for partial payment.

The onus, as mentioned earlier, lies on the government and its investigating agencies for letting Mallya flee the country just in time to escape the proceedings of the law. When Mallya left on 2 March, there were already investigations on against him and banks were on the final stages of moving to Supreme Court to seek his detention.

There is very less probability of banks getting back their Rs 9,000 crores form Mallya now, which is ultimately a loss to the taxpayer. There is all probability that the Mallya episode would turn into another version of Lait Modi case.

If Mallya is a lost case for the Indian government, the ones to be blamed are the banks and investigating agencies for acting too late in this case, and the government for acting prematurely. The whole episode raises more questions than answers.

Source: http://www.firstpost.com

WhatsApp desktop for Mac and Windows arrive: Here’s how to get started

Whatsapp has now introduced a desktop app which will be available for both Windows and Mac. The WhatsApp desktop client will offer all the same features and shortcuts, which we have already seen on WhatsApp for Web. However, the difference is the fact that the new app will not depend on the mobile version of the communication platform.

WhatsApp stated in a blogpost, “Today we’re introducing a desktop app so you have a new way to stay in touch anytime and anywhere – whether on your phone or computer at home or work. Like WhatsApp Web, our desktop app is simply an extension of your phone: the app mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device.”

To download the app, visit WhatsApp’s blog from a desktop browser. Open the app and scan the QR code using the WhatsApp app on a smartphone. You can look for WhatsApp Web menu under Settings.

The desktop app is available for systems running Windows 8+ and Mac OS 10.9+ and gets synced with WhatsApp on one’s smartphone. It is because that the app runs natively on the desktop, users will get support for native desktop notifications, better keyboard shortcuts, and more.

WhatsApp has been all over the news for a while now. The company is indeed ramping up it’s service and introducing tons of new features. Along with the rumoured call back button, zip file sharing support and voicemail, WhatsApp is also rumoured to be working on video calls, NFC tags and group invites too. According to Android Police, video calls are coming very soon to WhatsApp, but whether they will be rolled out to beta participants only, to everyone, or as the same silly invite-like system of voice calls, is yet unknown.

In addition, the leak reveal the option to send group invites via links and NFC tags. WhatsApp is also trying out ways with which members of a limited group can invite other WhatsApp users to join as well. Recently, a report by PhoneRadar stated that WhatsApp for iOS and Android will now get a “Call Back” that will show notifications for a missed call with a call back button. With this new addition, a user will be able to dial back, without opening WhatsApp.

WhatsApp will also introduce voicemail for iOS devices. The new “Record Voice Mail” and “Send Voice Mail” buttons will soon allow users to send a voice mail during a call itself. One can also expect the voicemail to record and share in-call audio.

Source: http://tech.firstpost.com

UPSC declares Final Result of Civil Services Examination 2015, Tina Dabi secures 1st rank

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the final result of Civil Services Examination 2015 on Tuesday.

The first position was secured by Tina Dabi (roll no 0256747), followed by Aamir Ul Shari Khan Akthar (0058239) and Jasmeet Singh Sandhu (00105512) in second and third positions respectively. The full list is available on upsc.gov.in

The final merit list was prepared based on the results of the written examination held in December, 2015 and the interviews for Personality Test held in March-May, 2016.

A total of 1078 candidates have been recommended for appointment to Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.



Breakup as per category: 499 (General), 314 (OBC), 76 (SC) and 89 (ST)

Source: http://zeenews.india.com

Even Before Uttarakhand Result, Harish Rawat Says Thanks, We've Won: 10 Points

Harish Rawat, claims the Congress, has won the vote of confidence he sought in the Uttarakhand Assembly today. The official result will be announced tomorrow by the Supreme Court, which will receive records of today's vote in sealed cover.
Here are the 10 latest developments:

    Harish Rawat all but made a victory speech saying, "I thank supporters, all lawmakers, the Supreme Court and the people of Uttarakhand. The clouds of uncertainty will blow over tomorrow."

    Congress sources claimed Mr Rawat has won the trust vote with the support of 33 lawmakers, two more than he needed for majority. With nine Congress rebels barred from voting, the strength of the 70-member assembly was 61.

    In what appeared to confirm that Mr Rawat had won, a BJP lawmaker said the party was "ready to sit in the opposition." Sources said 28 lawmakers voted for the BJP in today's trust vote.

    While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said this morning that her two legislators in Uttarakhand would support the Congress.

    The Congress also reportedly had the support of three independent lawmakers and one from the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal together called the PDF (Progressive Democratic Front) along with the BSP. After the vote, a PDF lawmaker said, "All six of us have voted for Harish Rawat."

    Congress legislator Rekha Arya, incommunicado for days, walked into the Assembly with the BJP's Ajay Bhatt this morning, signaling which way she would vote. But, a BJP rebel Bhim Lal Arya said he would vote for Harish Rawat, leveling the field again. 

    President's Rule was lifted in the state for a few hours for the trust vote; only the legislators who votes and observers appointed by the Supreme Court were allowed in.

    Harish Rawat was chief minister of Uttarakhand till the Centre imposed President's Rule on March 27, arguing that he lost his majority when the nine Congress dissidents voted against his government's annual budget.

    The Supreme Court confirmed a High Court order yesterday barring the nine Congress rebels from voting in today's trust vote; they had been disqualified by the Speaker a day before the Centre imposed President's Rule in Uttarakhand on March 27.
 
    The Uttarakhand High Court had indicted the Centre for wrongly declaring President's Rule in a heavy-handed attempt to remove an opposition government; the Centre has challenged that verdict in the Supreme Court.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com

New election technology could bring end to searching voter lists, speed up result times

Elections Ontario wants to introduce new technology for the 2018 election to speed up the process for voters, get faster results and use fewer staff.

The agency says it successfully tested e-poll books and vote tabulators in the February byelection in Oshawa, with about 90 per cent of electors and poll officials supporting the changes.

The e-poll books replace the paper-based process where polling officials have to manually search through names, and would allow any poll worker to serve a voter.

Elections Ontario says the e-poll books mean electors will get a ballot within about one minute of arriving at the polling station.

The byelection pilot project with vote tabulators showed they could provide 90 per cent of the results within a half hour of polls closing if used across Ontario.

Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur knows the government would have to act quickly if it wants the new technology in place for the 2018 vote because it would take two years to implement the changes.
Current staffing model 'unsustainable'

"We are seriously considering the advice," she said. "We know it was very successful in the byelection, and we need to modernize our voting system."

It would cost $36 million to introduce the new technologies, but that would allow Elections Ontario to hire fewer staff, addressing its biggest challenge: finding enough people to work a 14- to 16-hour day in a polling station.

"The current staffing model is unsustainable in the long term," chief electoral officer Greg Essensa said in a news release.

 "The number 1 concern I hear from returning officers across the  province is that they are unable to find the staff required for polling day," he said.

Elections Ontario said it hired 76,000 poll officials for the 2014 election, and would need about 100,000 for the election planned for June 2018 because the number of ridings will increase and because of population growth.

However, the agency believes it could cut the number of staff required by about 41 per cent if the new technologies are in place, and would save about $16 million in staff costs over three election cycles.

The number of electors served by a poll -- currently 300 to 500 -- could be increased to 2,000, which means they would need about 31,000 fewer staff for election day.

The province could save another $28 million if it shared the vote tabulator technology with Ontario municipalities.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca

Conor McGregor applauds Amir Khan for stepping up in weight despite the result

UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has stated numerous times in the past that he believes more fighters should be willing to move up to different weight classes to showcase their talent, and that's why he appreciated Amir Khan taking a chance to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Khan moved up two divisions for his fight against Alvarez to take a run at his middleweight title, but his night ended in dramatic fashion courtesy of a vicious sixth-round knockout.

Despite that setback in the ring, McGregor applauded Khan for even taking the fight because it's something he believes most boxers wouldn't even be willing to try.

McGregor is no stranger to taking these same kinds of challenges with his own career.

Following his win over former featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 194 last December, McGregor then was matched up with lightweight king Rafael dos Anjos.

When dos Anjos fell off the card due to injury, McGregor ended up bumping to welterweight for a fight against Nate Diaz.

McGregor ended up losing that fight by second-round rear naked choke, but it didn't stop him from asking for an immediate rematch with Diaz with that bout also taking place at 170 pounds.

McGregor clearly has no problem moving up several divisions to accept whatever challenge is thrown his way, and he's supporting other combat sports athletes who are doing the same.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com

Campaign for conviction of criminals yields encouraging result in UP

Chief secretary Alok Ranjan has issued directions to conduct a campaign for speedy conviction of criminals in order to maintain peace and law and order. He said that officers of prosecution department deserve commendation for success in conviction of large number of criminals.


He was addressing the half-yearly review meeting of prosecution department on Wednesday. To encourage the prosecutions officers who have been instrumental in sentence of 10 years or more to criminals, he said that the name of district, date of decision and detail of sentence should be indicated in the appropriate register so that persons working for prevention of criminal activities get due appreciation and encouragement.


He said that summons, enforcement of warrant etc. should be regularly monitored by senior officials for disposal of pending cases. Prosecution department had launched campaign for conviction of criminals in July 2015, which has yielded encouraging results.


Director General Police, Prosecution, Dr Surya Kumar said that a total of 23,473 criminals were convicted from July 2015 till April 23 this year due to effective work of prosecution officers. He told that 24 convicts were sentenced to death and 2,055 criminals were sentenced to life imprisonment. Criminals numbering 4,295 were sentenced to imprisonment of 10 years or more. More than 1,800 convicts were history-sheeters and active criminals.


During the period, bail of 1,01,425 accused was cancelled and 3,48,827 summons/warrants were served and enforced. Assets and vehicles related to 89,325 cases were disposed off. 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Australia shares end up as CBA result boosts banks, NZ slips

Australian shares clawed back early losses and ended higher on Monday as upbeat quarterly results from Commonwealth Bank of Australia boosted financial stocks, while New Zealand stocks edged lower.

After dipping as much as 0.5 percent, the S&P/ASX 200 index reversed course to close up 28.7 points, or 0.5 percent, at 5,320.7. The benchmark has gained 8 percent in the past month.

Commonwealth Bank ended up 1.9 percent.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index s ..

Read more at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

UP Board High School (Class 10th) Exam Result 2016, upmsp.edu.in, UP 10th Results Date Board of High School and Intermediate Education U.P. Allahabad

UP Board High School Result 2016 Released On 15th May 2016


Good News for all Uttar Pradesh Board students ;UP Board 10th Result 2016 is going to be annouced on 15th May 2016 (Expected) on behalf of news website as Indian Express so dear students your waiting time is now about to finish you can check your result on the official website at upresults.nic.in. We understand your feelings its really hard to keep patience for UP High School Result 2016. You all can check your result using roll no and name wise.

Students are trying very hard for the exam to get higher marks. Because, on the basis of 10th class examination marks, they can choose the subject of their own choice for higher education. We are informing to all such students that your results will be available on the official website in the 3rd week of May 2016.

About UP Board

UP Board is also known as Board of High School and Intermediate Education Uttar Pradesh. UP Board was established in the year 1921. The main headquarter of this board is situated at Allahabad. The Board was established with an aim to provide the affiliation to the schools in Uttar Pradesh. At present time, there are many private and government schools are affiliated under this board. It also decides the syllabus and study material of such schools and conducts the exam of the board classes such as Class 10th and 12th Board provides the certificate to the deserving candidates.


Some previous Results Statistics : –

Year     Over All Pass Percentage %     Boys     Girls     No. of Appeared Students
2012     79.76     77.47     78.83     1,67,561
2013     82.39     80.76     81.92     2,71,739
2014     89.19     87.29     88.51     3,73,284
2015     93.73     91.25     92.29     4,23,671
2016     95 (Expected)     93 (Expected)     94 (Expected)     5,55,301 (Expected)

As per the above data, numbers of appearing students are increasing every year along with the result percentage. In year 2014, then result percentage was 89.19 and numbers of appearing students were 3, 73,284. In the year 2015, then result percentage was 93.73 and numbers of appearing students were 4, 23,671. In the year 2016, it is expected that around 5, 55,301 students will appear in the exam and the result percentage will be near about 95%.

UP Board High School Results 2016

Students, who appeared in 10th class examination under the UP Board, will able to check UP Board High School Results 2016on 15th May 2016 on the official website i.e.upresults.nic.in. For the support and help of students, we are providing some links and steps below. Students can follow below mentioned links and steps to get their results in very little time. These links will take them directly to their results, where they can get introduced what they got. It is also noted that the results can be obtain through the SMS and Email service provided by the Board.

check UP Board 10th Result 2016

1. Go to the above website.

2. Now click on the U. P. Board High School (Class X) Examination – 2016 Results link.

3. Then enter your Roll Number.

4. And after that click on Submit.

5. Here you will see your results.

6. Click ‘Print’ to get Printout and ‘Save’ to download.

Best Wishes for your Results!

UP Board 10th Class Results 2016

UP Board 10th Class Results 2016 will declare by UP Board on 15th May 2016 on the official website that is upresults.nic.in. All students are requested to keep some patience and stay connected with us. We will update the result here as soon as it will be available on the official website. Stay connected with us and visits this page at regular basis.

Source: http://www.up.results-nic.in

Sensex rises 460 points as banks gain amid Asia rally

India’s benchmark stock index posted its biggest jump in a month amid optimism over the progress of economic bills in parliament and as global equities climbed on speculation the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates gradually.

Bajaj Auto Ltd and Hero MotoCorp Ltd, the biggest two-wheeler makers, were among the biggest gainers on the S&P BSE Sensex. ICICI Bank Ltd and Axis Bank Ltd rose at least 3%. Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd, India’s largest mortgage lender, rallied to a four-month high. NTPC Ltd, the largest power utility, jumped the most in a month.

The Sensex increased 1.82%, or 460.36 points, to 25,688.86 at the close, the best performance in Asia. Productivity of both houses of Parliament has been the highest in a year, according to data from PRS Legislative Research. The lower house last week approved a bill that looks to overhaul century-old bankruptcy laws and make it easier to wind up a dying company or recover dues from a defaulter.

The Nifty 50 closed 1.71%, or 132.60 points, higher at 7,866.05.

“Interest-rate sensitives are rallying on expectation that the bankruptcy bill will be passed as a money bill in parliament, which will enable banks to reduce bad debts,” A.K. Prabhakar, the head of research at IDBI Capital Capital Market Services Ltd, said by phone from Mumbai. “Also, company earnings are showing a marked improvement in net interest margins across the board.”

Earnings in the world’s fastest-growing major economy seem to be recovering after the worst run since the global financial crisis. Seven out of 12 Sensex firms that have posted March quarter results so far beat or matched estimates.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), the biggest home-products company, reported a quarterly profit of Rs.1,090 crore, higher than the Rs.1,030 crore estimate of 22 analysts in a Bloomberg News survey. Still, the stock declined 0.9% after the company’s sales of Rs.7,810 crore rupees, less than the Rs.7,990 crore rupee estimate.

European and Asian stocks rose after disappointing US payrolls data added fuel to the argument against a Federal Reserve interest rate increase in June.

“The US non-farm payrolls data suggest that the Fed is unlikely to raise rates anytime soon,” Abhimanyu Sofat, founder at AdviseSure Ventures Pvt. Ltd in Mumbai, said by phone. “The earnings season has been better than expected and a good monsoon can trigger further rate cuts in India.”

The Sensex has lost 1.6% this year and trades at 15.9 times 12-month projected earnings versus 11.3 for the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Foreign investors sold $49.3 million of local stocks on May 5, paring this year’s inflows to $1.7 billion. They invested $585 million last month after an inflow of $4.1 billion in March, which was the highest in three years.

Source: http://www.livemint.com

Kim Jong Un Crowned As Party Leader At North Korean Congress

North Korean strongman Kim Jong-Un was named chairman of the ruling Workers' Party today at a once in a generation congress seen as a coronation for the young leader.

Thousands of delegates, many in uniform, clapped and cheered enthusiastically as the country's official head of state, Kim Yong-Nam, announced the post at the first top-level meeting of the party for 36 years.

The speech was the first time foreign journalists allowed into the reclusive country to cover the congress have got a glimpse of the delegate hall, festooned in red and gold banners carrying the party's logo.

Kim departed from his usual black outfit as he appeared on stage, sporting a tailored Western suit and grey tie along with large, trendy glasses.

The congress, which opened on Friday, has given 33-year-old Kim a podium to secure his status as supreme leader and confirm his legacy "byungjin" doctrine of twin economic and nuclear development.

North Korea has carried out two of its four nuclear tests under Kim's leadership, most recently in January when it claimed to have tried out a powerful hydrogen bomb -- a claim experts have disputed.

There has been growing concern that Pyongyang may be on the verge of conducting a fifth test, with satellite imagery showing activity at the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

Delegates to what is technically North Korea's top decision-making body on Sunday adopted his motion to "boost self-defensive nuclear force, both in quality and quantity".

The meeting also enshrined a policy of not using nuclear weapons unless the country's sovereignty is threatened by another nuclear power, and of working towards the reunification of the divided Korean peninsula.

"But if the South Korean authorities opt for a war... we will turn out in the just war to mercilessly wipe out the anti-reunification forces," said a document published by the North's official KCNA news agency.

Reiterating the North's long-held argument that its push for a nuclear deterrent was forced by US hostility, the congress said the nuclear weapons programme would move forward "as long as the imperialists persist in their nuclear threat".

Presenting his report to the congress in a marathon three-hour speech on Saturday, Kim said Pyongyang wanted better relations with previously "hostile" nations and proposed military talks with South Korea to ease tensions on their heavily fortified border.

'Propaganda with no sincerity'

The government in Seoul dismissed his remarks, including a vow to pursue global denuclearisation, as meaningless propaganda.

"There is absolutely no sincerity in talking about the necessity of military talks... while calling oneself a nuclear weapons state and launching nuclear and missile provocations," defence ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Gyun said.

Moon said the party congress had only served to reaffirm North Korea's intention to develop its nuclear arsenal, and added that Seoul would continue to counter those ambitions with sanctions and pressure.

The South Korean Unification Ministry was equally dismissive, describing Kim's remarks on improving North-South ties as a "propaganda act with no sincerity."

Kim was not even born when the last party congress was held in 1980 to crown his father, Kim Jong-Il, as the heir apparent to founding leader Kim Il-Sung.

When his own turn came, following the death of Kim Jong-Il in December 2011, the new young leader quickly set about cementing his power base and securing his legitimacy as the inheritor of Kim family's ruling dynasty.

One of his earliest moves was to adjust his father's "songun", or military first policy, to the "byungjin" policy of economic-nuclear development.

The nuclear half of that strategy had dominated the run-up to the party congress, starting with a fourth nuclear test in January that was followed by a long-range rocket launch and a flurry of other missile and weapons tests.

Some observers had predicted that the congress might switch the focus to the economic side of the equation, and Kim did unveil a five-year economic plan -- the first of its kind for decades.

But his report to the congress offered few details of the plan's policies or targets beyond general ambitions to boost production across all economic sectors, with a particular focus on energy production.
 
Source: http://www.ndtv.com

Google now shows Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India, not as disputed territory

Search engine giant Google seems to be intimidated by the new circular issued by Narendra Modi government warning penal action against any organization which disseminates an Indian map, which is contrary to the one officially circulated by the Union. For years, Google Maps used to highlight the territories of Jammu & Kashmir, along with Arunachal Pradesh in dotted lines, in order to signify that the region is disputed. (ALSO READ: Wrong depiction of India map can land you in jail, 100 cr fine)

However, Google has now altered its maps. No longer is the region of Kashmir and Arunachal shown as a territory of conflict. The new maps do not highlight the area with dotted lines. Instead, both the states are shown intact within the official territory of India. The change comes barely a couple of days after government decided to impose a fine of USD 15 million, or Rs 100 crore on any individual, organization or media platform disseminating the Indian map, which is not in line with the official version released by Government of India (GoI). Apart from the fine, the violator would also be sentenced up to seven years of jail.


The draft of ‘The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill 2016′ is about to be tabled in the Parliament. As per the legislation, it would be compulsory to take the approval of government to publish and disseminate any geospatial information.

“No person shall depict, disseminate, publish or distribute any wrong or false topographic information of India including international boundaries through internet platforms or online services or in any electronic or physical form,” the draft bill states.

Geospatial information refers to the data which has been captured through aerial instruments such as satellites, airships and unmanned aerial drones. It is used to prepare topographical maps. Source: http://www.india.com

HUL drops in volatile trade after reporting tepid volume growth in Q4

Hindustan Unilever fell 0.27% to Rs 850.65 at 15:27 IST on BSE, after the company reported tepid volume growth in its domestic consumer business Q4 March 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 467.45 points or 1.85% at 25,695.95

On BSE, so far 3.92 lakh shares were traded on the counter as against average daily volume of 1.13 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock was volatile. The stock rose as much as 1.88% at the day's high of Rs 869 so far during the day. The stock fell as much as 1.48% at the day's low of Rs 840.25 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 944 on 8 July 2015. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 765.35 on 27 January 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 6 May 2016, falling 2.14% compared with 1.32% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 0.95% as against Sensex's 2.48% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 216.39 crore. Face value per share is Re 1.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL)'s net profit rose 7.02% to Rs 1089.59 crore on 3.26% growth in total income to Rs 8027.91 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The growth in net profit in Q4 March 2016 was adversely impacted by base effect. HUL said it had booked higher exceptional income in Q4 March 2015 from the sale of subsidiary. Net profit before exceptional items rose 13% to Rs 1031 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The result was announced during market hours today, 9 May 2016.

HUL said net sales of its domestic consumer business grew 3.6% on year on year basis in Q4 March 2016. The growth rate was adversely impacted due to phasing out of excise duty incentives, a one-time credit for excise duty refund in Q4 March 2015 and marginal price degrowth. Volume growth stood at 4% on year on year basis in Q4 March 2016.

HUL's net profit fell 5.39% to Rs 4082.37 crore on 3.38% growth in total income to Rs 32487.80 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016) over the year ended 31 March 2015 (FY 2015).

HUL's consolidated net profit fell 6.43% to Rs 4082.42 crore on 3.23% growth in total income to Rs 33591.04 crore in the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY 2016) over the year ended 31 March 2015 (FY 2015).

The domestic consumer business grew by 4% with 6% underlying volume growth. Reported growth was impacted due to phasing out of excise duty incentives, HUL said. Profit before interest and tax (PBIT) grew by 10% with PBIT margin improving by 90 basis points. Profit after tax but before exceptional items, PAT (bei), grew by 6% to Rs 4078 crores. Net profit was at Rs 4082 crore, with the growth rate impacted by the higher exceptional income arising from subsidiary and property related sales in previous year, the company said. The strong track record of cash generation was sustained as cash from operations exceeding Rs 5000 crore for yet another year, it added.

HUL Chairman Harish Manwani commented that the company has delivered another year of competitive and profitable growth in challenging markets and a deflationary cost environment.

HUL is a leading fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company.   Source: http://www.business-standard.com

Narendra Modi’s degree: Arvind Kejriwal lays a trap, BJP walks into it

It’s rather embarrassing that our leaders would be discussing whether the educational degrees of the country’s Prime Minister are fakes. When Arvind Kejriwal made the allegation, it was expected that the BJP would laugh it off, calling it a frivolous piece of fiction concocted by a leader who has nothing worthwhile to do and is desperate for some cheap publicity. Now that no less than the party president Amit Shah and senior leader Arun Jaitley have come out with a defence for the prime minister, the matter appears to be serious.

Let’s not get into a debate over whether the documents produced by both sides are genuine. As is usual in such cases, it would lead us nowhere. The truth would finally get buried in the din of claims and counterclaims. The issue would die down after running its course. The AAP points out to several discrepancies in the BA degree of Modi. When the mark-sheet shows the year 1977, how can the degree issued mention it as 1978? How come, it alleges, the names are different in the mark-sheet and the degree certificate? No Narendra Damodar Modi passed out from Delhi University in 1978, the party claims, adding that the only Narendra Modi to graduate in the year from the varsity was Narendra Mahavir Modi, a resident of Rajasthan.
Arvind Kejriwal and Narendra Modi

Arvind Kejriwal and Narendra Modi

The BJP, on its part, has produced the BA and MA certificates of the Prime Minister and claims them to be genuine. We don’t have clear answers from the party on the discrepancies pointed out by AAP leaders, but they are expected to brush these off as clerical errors. The party would like others to believe that the allegations are pure fiction with no basis in reality. But why did it need to get into this in the first place?
Nobody was discussing the degree issue with any seriousness, but after the BJP’s media conference it has assumed some gravitas. It’s possible the AAP will dig out some more documents in the coming days and keep the BJP leaders on their toes. Television debates will only add to the party’s discomfiture. It could have done without the unnecessary attention but given the party’s natural inclination to give it back, its response is not unexpected.
Shah said AAP has taken the public discourse to a new low. He could be right, but the BJP has not exactly been the standard-bearer among political parties in this respect either. But such allegations don’t seem to bother the AAP. The fact that it managed to engage the BJP on the matter is good enough. Actually, it’s playing the BJP’s game when it comes to staying in news and putting the opposition in a situation of discomfiture. In a way what the BJP is doing to the Congress, the AAP is doing to the BJP.

It’s pointless to be judgmental over a certificate or two. It won’t diminish Narendra Modi. Political parties play their little games. The media is their new battle field. Here no low is low enough. Source: http://www.firstpost.com

Sadiq Khan sworn in, promises a ‘better’ London

Newly elected London Mayor’s opening words at his swearing-in ceremony – “Good Morning, I’m Sadiq Khan, and I’m the Mayor of London” – were drowned in claps and whistles by the audience at the Southwark Cathedral in London.

The 44-year old human rights lawyer of Pakistani descent is not only the first Muslim head of London, but set a record by winning 1.1 million votes. His lead over his closest rival was bigger than that achieved by both his predecessors Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone. With a 45 per cent election turnout, he finished with a margin of 13.6 percentage points over Zac Goldsmith of the Conservative Party.

Warmly acknowledging the introduction made by Doreen Lawrence, the mother of the British teenager Stephen Lawrence who was killed in a racist attack in London in 1993, Mr. Khan promised to “lead the most transparent, engaged and representative council London has ever seen”.

He harked back to his humble beginnings – “So you better know this but I grew up in a council estate,” – and said he achieved what he never dreamt of because of the opportunities and “helping hand” the city offered him and his family. Promising a “better” London, he pledged to give all Londoners the opportunities that he was offered.

Smear campaign

Mr. Khan led an energetic campaign that was turned increasingly toxic by the personal attacks and slander levelled against him by his opponent, the billionaire Mr. Goldsmith, including the smear that he shared platforms with extremists in the past.

Mr. Goldsmith’s campaign, which started with a focus on green and sustainable solutions to city issues, rapidly descended into racism and divisiveness. His piece in the Daily Mail four days before the elections made the schism between him and his opponent unbreachable. He warned that with a Labour victory “we will have handed control of the Met, and with it control over national counter-terrorism policy, to a party whose candidate and current leadership have, whether intentionally or not, repeatedly legitimised those with extremist views.”

There was mounting criticism even within the Conservative Party to Mr. Goldsmith’s campaign. Andrew Boff, a former Conservative member of the London Assembly, told Newsnight that Mr. Goldsmith’s tactic of painting religious conservatives as “extremists” had alienated the party from the city’s ethnic minority voters.

Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn’s absence at Mr. Khan’s swearing-in has led to speculation of an increasingly frosty relationship between the two.

Mr. Khan, a practising Muslim, is a liberal who received death threats from extremists for his support for the legalisation of gay marriage in 2013.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/