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Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Air pollution is reducing life expectancy by a year: News in Numbers

Average human life is about one year shorter because of PM2.5 ambient air pollution, with lives shortened by 1.5-2 years in the most polluted Asian and African countries, a new study that uses data from the Global Burden of Disease Project has found. See more: https://bit.ly/2M2t86i

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26/11 Stories of Strength – A Rare Performance by Amitabh Bachchan

26/11 Stories of Strength – A Rare Performance by Amitabh Bachchan



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DECISION 2018: What’s at stake in the 5 states this election

As the results of assembly elections in five states unfold, here's a look at the mammoth exercise undertaken by the Election Commission of India.

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As TRS sweeps Telangana, here’s what worked in KCR’s favour | DECISION 2018

K Chandrashekhar Rao will continue as Chief Minister of Telangana for a second term. The victory is, for the most part, not a surprise. But here’s what worked in his favour. And what about the Congress-TDP alliance? Liz Mathew breaks it down.

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Why the Telangana poll result should worry the BJP about southern India | DECISION 2018

K Chandrashekhar Rao’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has swept Telangana. For the BJP, more than losing the election, the fact that these numbers put its dream to enter southern India on hold should be of greater concern.

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BJP’s star campaigner Yogi Adityanath’s emotive appeals turn a damp squib | DECISION 2018

Yogi Adityanath, the man in a saffron robe, has emerged as one of the star campaigners for the BJP in the last few elections. But his speeches in this election making a strong Hindutva pitch failed to get any results.

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Congress inches out BJP in Rajasthan, CM candidate to be decided on December 12 | DECISION 2018




Congress inches out BJP in Rajasthan, CM candidate to be decided on December 12 | DECISION 2018

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Isha Ambani-Anand Piramal Wedding Today: Here’s What the Ambani Residence Looks Like


Antilla is set to host what is being called one of India's most expensive weddings yet, on December 12. Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal are all set to tie the knot today evening at the Ambani residence.

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Congress picks Ashok Gehlot as Rajasthan CM, Sachin Pilot is deputy CM




After deliberations, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has picked Ashok Gehlot for the post of Rajasthan Chief Minister. Sachin Pilot, who fought for the position, will be made deputy Chief Minister of the state.


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Elephant plays the harmonica at Thekkampatti Elephant Camp

In this video filmed at the Thekkampatti Elephant Camp in Tamil Nadu, an elephant trainer can be seen placing a harmonica at the tip of Andaal the elephant's trunk. The harmonica sounds loudly as Andaal breathes in and out.



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Fragile ceasefire takes effect in Yemen – Why now and what’s next?

The deal has stoked hopes the belligerents could start full-blown talks to end a war that has driven the Arab world’s poorest country to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.




An internationally backed cease-fire in the key Yemen port of Hodeida got off to a shaky start Tuesday when fighting erupted moments after it took effect at midnight

The clashes died down hours later, and by late Tuesday, residents of the war-torn port were enjoying their first respite from a fight that has raged since June, displacing at least 550,000 people and leading to thousands of civilian deaths.

The truce, agreed to in Sweden last week by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government and its Houthi foes, is intended to ensure humanitarian access to Hodeida, which is the conduit for 70 percent of aid to Yemen. The deal has stoked hopes the belligerents could start full-blown talks to end a war that has driven the Arab world’s poorest country to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.

But the cessation of hostilities, which followed a weekend of heavy combat in the city, is fragile. And the sporadic bursts of gunfire that rang out even late Tuesday were a reminder that without concerted international support, heavy fighting could resume there.


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Four takeaways after judge lambasts Michael Flynn, postpones sentencing

When a federal judge lambasted Flynn and raised the prospect of prison, Flynn decided to postpone the hearing and keep cooperating to get as much credit as he can.




Four takeaways after judge lambasts Michael Flynn, postpones sentencing


The unexpected delay in Michael Flynn’s sentencing raised a new wrinkle in the Russia probe.

The former national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying the FBI about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador, had expected to face no jail time after prosecutors vouched for him, saying he had provided substantial assistance in their investigation.
But when a federal judge lambasted Flynn and raised the prospect of prison, Flynn decided to postpone the hearing and keep cooperating to get as much credit as he can.
What we learned at Tuesday’s hearing:
Cooperation counts, but so does the crime
There was no argument from either side about the extent and value of Flynn’s cooperation. But US. District Judge Emmet Sullivan made clear that he was still hung up on the crime itself, repeating multiple times his distress over the fact that Flynn had lied to the FBI on the grounds of the White House.
Though Sullivan gave Flynn an opportunity to reset the process and earn additional credit for his cooperation, it’s not clear that he’ll get past the underlying crime itself.
Mueller wants to reward cooperators
Even as it became clear the judge was going to call out Flynn for lying to the FBI, the Mueller team signaled it was still OK with seeking little to no prison time.
Prosecutor Brandon Van Grack told the judge that he continued to believe Flynn accepted responsibility even though a sentencing memo filed by his lawyers last week raised the prospect that he was less than remorseful.
For Mueller, a sentence of probation to reward cooperators is an important incentive for others who are contemplating admitting guilt and working with the government.
Van Grack also noted that Flynn had already provided the “vast majority” of the information he could and he has already committed to fulfilling any other cooperation needed.
What does it mean for Trump?
Flynn took the legs out of some of President Donald Trump’s most recent attacks on the Russia investigation.
Trump, who regularly attacks the Mueller probe as a witch hunt, has wrongly stated that the FBI said Flynn “didn’t lie.” In recent comments at the White House, Trump said Flynn’s guilt was now in dispute and “I think it’s a great thing that the judge is looking into that situation.”
Look into it, Sullivan did. And after repeated questioning Tuesday, Flynn never wavered: He lied, he accepted responsibility for doing it and he wasn’t withdrawing his plea.
Asked specifically if he was entrapped or if any FBI misconduct led to Flynn’s false statements, Flynn attorney Robert Kelner said, “No.”

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Elon Musk’s Boring Company set to unveil its first Los Angeles-area tunnel


In a tweet earlier this month, Musk said the big reveal would include "autonomous transport cars & ground to tunnel elevator cars."










foray into public transit after complaining in December 2016

The Boring Company, Elon Musk’s underground transit venture, planned unveiling of its first tunnel on Tuesday, two years after the billionaire entrepreneur complained about Los Angeles traffic and vowed to “just start digging” as a remedy. Musk has advertised his 2-mile (3.2 km) tunnel as the first step toward developing a high-speed subterranean network for whisking vehicles and pedestrians below the congested streets of the second-largest city in the United States.
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The tunnel, an initial proof-of-concept, has been excavated along a path that runs not through Los Angeles but beneath the tiny adjacent municipality of Hawthorne, where Musk’s Boring Company and his SpaceX rocket firm are both headquartered. The Boring Company announced plans for a live webcast on Tuesday at 8 p.m. local time (0400 GMT) of what it called a “product launch” for the tunnel, but gave scant details.

In a tweet earlier this month, Musk said the big reveal would include “autonomous transport cars & ground to tunnel elevator cars.”

Boring’s website describes a system of passenger- and automobile-carrying “skates” that can zip through the tunnels by way of electric power once they are lowered underground from street level.

Musk, best known as head of the Tesla Inc electric car manufacturer and energy company, launched his foray into public transit after complaining in December 2016 that L.A.’s traffic was “driving me nuts,” promising then to “build a boring machine and just start digging.” In May, the company gave the world a preview of the first tunnel, posting a fast-forward video of the interior shot by a camera traveling the length of the cylindrical passageway, which measures about 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter.

Musk also created a stir by promising free trips through the tunnel once it opened – “like a weird little Disney ride in L.A.” – to get public feedback before proceeding with a larger system. It remained doubtful, however, whether permits Musk received to dig what was then billed as an experimental tunnel would allow the public inside. “There will be no cars or people in the research tunnel,” according to the minutes of a special Hawthorne City Council meeting in August 2017 to review an easement for the project.

On its website, the Boring company said that “due to unbelievably high demand, tours through the Hawthorne test tunnel are by invitation only.” If successful, the Hawthorne tunnel is envisioned as eventually connecting to a network of other tunnels, yet to be approved or built.

Last month, the Boring Company scrapped plans for a slightly longer 2.7-mile segment under a West Los Angeles neighborhood, settling litigation brought by community groups opposed to that project.

But Musk’s company announced it was moving ahead with a proposed tunnel across town to connect Dodger Stadium, home of the city’s Major League Baseball team, to the existing subway line.

In June, Boring was selected by the city of Chicago to build a 17-mile underground transit system linking that city’s downtown to O’Hare International Airport. The company also has proposed an East Coast Loop that would run from Washington, D.C., out to the Maryland suburbs.



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High taxes could hasten bank moves from Britain after Brexit


UK Finance, which represents the country’s finance sector, has published research showing a typical bank in London has a higher tax burden than in rival international financial centres.






Britain risks driving banks overseas if current high levels of taxation on the industry are maintained after Brexit, a bank lobby group said on Wednesday.




Banks in London have already begun to make plans to move staff abroad ahead of Brexit, which will make it more difficult for them to do business in the European Union from Britain.


UK Finance, which represents the country’s finance sector, has published research showing a typical bank in London has a higher tax burden than in rival international financial centres.


The research, by consultancy PwC, found a bank in London faces an effective tax rate on profits of 50.6 per cent, compared to 43.8 per cent in Frankfurt, and 34.2 per cent in New York.




Singapore and Dubai had the lowest tax rates, at 23.2 per cent and 22.7 per cent respectively.

Stephen Jones, chief executive of UK Finance, urged the UK government to “rethink” bank taxation policies to ensure the overall competitiveness of the UK as a global financial centre is maintained post-Brexit.

At a time when domestic and international events are forcing many banks to restructure their global operations, it is important to consider the UK’s competitiveness relative to other leading financial centres,” he said.

“This report shows that the UK’s tax competitiveness has been substantially eroded relative to other financial centres to which globally mobile corporate and investment banks based here could relocate.”

Finance firms in the City of London have become increasingly frustrated at the government’s handling of Brexit, with only limited access to the EU market left on the negotiating table and a highly disruptive “no deal” exit still a possibility.

The finance industry is Britain’s largest taxpayer, responsible for more than a tenth of all tax receipts. Finance firms paid a record 75 billion pounds in taxes in the last financial year.

Any move to cut bank taxes would likely be politically unpopular because of widespread mistrust of the City of London financial services industry after banks had to be bailed out by taxpayers in the 2008 financial crisis.

Banks face higher taxes than other firms in Britain, after an additional corporation tax surcharge and levy on assets were imposed after the crisis.

The UK Finance report found banks contributed 36.7 billion pounds ($46.46 billion) of the City’s overall tax haul in the last financial year to March 2018, up 1.3 billion on the previous year.
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Amid Chinese inroads, Mike Pompeo meets Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali





US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had a rare meeting with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali as part of the Trump administration’s effort to thwart increasing Chinese influence in the Himalayan nation. Pompeo described his meeting on Tuesday with Gyawali as historic and said this demonstrates America’s commitment to its strong partnership with Nepal.
He emphasised the great potential for further development of US-Nepal ties, State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said. During the meeting, Pompeo highlighted the enduring strength of the US-Nepal partnership and the close people-to-people ties that form the foundation of the relationship.
“The two leaders discussed Nepal’s USD 500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact, Nepal’s central role in a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, and global issues, including North Korea,” Palladino said.

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UK economy to slip to 7th biggest in world in 2019: PwC

"India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world, with an enormous population, favourable demographics and high catch-up potential due to low initial GDP (gross domestic product) per head," PwC economist Mike Jakeman said.


UK economy to slip to 7th biggest in world in 2019: PwC



Britain risks slipping from being the world’s fifth-biggest economy to its seventh-largest next year, when it is due to leave the European Union, with France and India on course to overtake it, accountancy firm PwC said.


PwC projected economic growth in 2019 of 1.6 per cent for Britain — assuming the country manages to avoid the shock of a no-deal Brexit in March — versus 1.7 per cent for France and 7.6 per cent for India.


“The UK and France have regularly alternated in having the larger economy, but subdued growth in the UK in 2018 and again in 2019 is likely to tip the balance in France’s favour,” PwC economist Mike Jakeman said.


The ranking is based on the size of national economies in US dollar terms.




Britain’s economy slowed and the value of the pound slumped after the 2016 Brexit referendum decision to leave the EU.

“India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world, with an enormous population, favourable demographics and high catch-up potential due to low initial GDP (gross domestic product) per head,” Jakeman said.

“It is all but certain to continue to rise in the global GDP league table in the coming decades.”

PwC expects India to rise to fifth place next year from seventh, and France to remain at sixth.
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Madagascar begins voting in runoff presidential election

ndry Rajoelina, 44, president from 2009 to 2014, received 39 per cent of the vote in the first round in November, while Marc Ravalomanana, 69, president from 2002 to 2009, got 35 per cent.


Madagascar begins voting in runoff presidential election



Voters have begun casting their ballots are across the Indian Ocean island nation of Madagascar Wednesday to select a new president in a runoff election that pits two former leaders against each other.


Andry Rajoelina, 44, president from 2009 to 2014, received 39 per cent of the vote in the first round in November, while Marc Ravalomanana, 69, president from 2002 to 2009, got 35 per cent. They face off for the first time since political turmoil in 2009 forced Ravalomanana from power. Both have said they will accept the runoff’s results.


Ten million voters are registered in Madagascar, a former French colony which is ranked by the World Bank as one of the world’s poorest nations, although rich in ecological diversity. More than two-thirds of the island’s population of 25 million live in extreme poverty, while corruption is reportedly widespread.


Campaigning in the election was largely peaceful. The capital, Antananarivo, has been vibrant in the final days before the vote with the orange T-shirts of Rajoelina and the white and green ones of Ravalomanana worn by hundreds of supporters.
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Two Indians drown while trying to save family in Australia, 1 missing

The teenagers among the group went for a swim, but were trapped in the waters by strong tides.


Two Indians drown while trying to save family in Australia, 1 missing

A software engineer and another man from Telangana drowned off a beach in Australia while trying to rescue three teenagers trapped in strong tides, family members said Tuesday.

“Syed Rahat (35), a software engineer from Hyderabad and working in Sydney, along with Ghouse (45) drowned, while 28-year-old Junaid is missing,’Ali, a relative of Rahat said in Hyderabad. He said they received information about the incident on Monday.

Ali said their relatives in Australia informed them that a group of three families went for a picnic at Moonee beach Monday evening. The teenagers among the group went for a swim, but were trapped in the waters by strong tides.

On hearing their cries for help, three adults jumped into the sea to rescue them, but two drowned and another went missing, he said. “We are planning to go to Australia,” he said.

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Rare tornado damages homes in Washington state

Video from the television station's helicopter at the scene showed trees down, homes with roofs ripped off and debris scattered across yards.




A rare tornado touched down in a Seattle suburb on Tuesday, damaging several homes and toppling trees, authorities said. Based on radar imagery and video evidence, a tornado touched down south of Port Orchard shortly before 2 p.m., said Brent Bower, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Emily Silverman told the television station KOMO-TV she was driving to a store with her husband at the time. “It’s raining and it’s pouring down really bad and before you know it everything was flying everywhere,” Silverman said. “Our car back windows blew out, our side windows blew out … I thought I was a goner.”
Her 2-year-old son was in the back seat. “So glad he’s OK because the whole back window just busted in,” Silverman said. “It was just crazy. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office called the damage “catastrophic,” saying it was contained to neighborhoods east and south of a Walmart in Port Orchard. Power lines were down and roads were closed in the area, the sheriff’s office said.

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Chicago drug trafficker testifies against El Chapo at trial

In his first day on the witness stand Tuesday, Flores said he got his start as a young boy working as a translator in his father's drug-dealing operation.


Prosecutors seek sanctions against El Chapo lawyers



Identical twin brothers from Chicago made a fortune by distributing nearly 40 tons (36 metric tons) of cocaine worth $800 million for Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman before signing up as cooperators who spied on the cartel, one of them testified Tuesday at a US trial.




Pedro Flores told the jury that the brothers had face-to-face meetings with Guzman and another Sinaloa cartel leader, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, in Mexico in 2005 to begin negotiations for the cartel to use the pair’s successful drug-dealing network covering Chicago, New York, Detroit and other large cities. “You guys have my respect,” he quoted Zambada as saying. “Imagine if you guys were triplets.”




When Flores wore shorts to his first sit-down with Guzman or “The Man,” as he referred to him at a mountainside hideout, the kingpin joked about why “with all that money, I couldn’t afford the rest of the pants,” he said.

Flores, 37, is the first American in a parade of cooperators testifying against Guzman at his drug-trafficking trial in federal court in Brooklyn. Defense lawyers have labeled the witnesses as shady criminals willing to say anything to get breaks in their own cases.

In his first day on the witness stand Tuesday, Flores said he got his start as a young boy working as a translator in his father’s drug-dealing operation. He and his brother, Margarito, eventually took over and grew it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise that came with occupational hazards, he said.

After learning they would be charged in the U.S., the brothers relocated to Mexico in 2004 and kept dealing from afar as fugitives, Flores said. He described having a falling out with a Mexican drug dealer over a debt a feud that resulted in him being kidnapped by captors who kept him blindfolded, handcuffed and unfed.

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After two weeks, he was released to his brother, apparently with the help of Guzman. His brother’s first words to him, he said, were that he smelled bad and “I met Chapo.”

Flores said the dangers of the violent drug trade made him fear for his family, leading to a decision to contract Drug Enforcement Administration agents and begin cooperating by making secret recordings of Guzman and others, he said. A bloody civil war within the cartel meant “we were in a lose-lose situation,” he said, “because we had to choose a side.”

Flores, who eventually pleaded guilty and is serving a 14-year prison term, is to resume testifying Wednesday.
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First Sikh chaplain and Muslim padre join UK Royal Air Force

Flight Lieutenant Mandeep Kaur, who grew up in Punjab, was chosen to be a chaplain when she was studying for her engineering doctorate in the UK. Whereas Flight Lieutenant Ali Omar, who was born in Mombasa, Kenya, completed a masters degree in translation studies at Portsmouth University.


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In a first for Royal Air Force(RAF) and the British Military, a Sikh and a Muslim padre graduated as RAF Chaplains. Flight Lieutenant Mandeep Kaur and Flight Lieutenant Ali Omar completed their reservist officer training to become a part of the British forces. RAF’s official Twitter account shared a picture of the new officers at the RAF College Cranwell, England.

“A first for the Royal Air Force and the British Military, a Sikh Chaplain and Muslim Padre have graduated as RAF Chaplains following Initial Officer Training at the RAF College Cranwell,” read the tweet.
According to the official RAF website, Kaur and Omar were two out of the total five Chaplains who graduated along with one hundred and forty other Officer Cadets, who will be commissioning into various branches after the Regular and Reserve Officer training after the Regular and Reserve Officer training.
Kaur, who grew up in Punjab, was chosen to be a Chaplain when she was studying for her engineering doctorate in the UK. Whereas Omar, who was born in Mombasa, Kenya, completed a masters degree in translation studies at Portsmouth University. The two will be tasked with providing spiritual and welfare support to soldiers, airmen and women, and their families, according to a report. The news has created quite a buzz on social media, with many cheering the move.



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Virat Kohli is ‘World’s worst behaved player’, says Naseeruddin Shah; gets mixed reactions

While most people slammed Naseeruddin Shah for calling Virat Kohli the "world's worst behaved player" others defended Kohli stating that to beat the Australians "this kind of aggression is needed". However, many also agreed with Shah in criticising the cricketer.



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Not too long ago, Virat Kohli was trolled for a video where the Indian skipper asked a fan to leave India. The comment was made during a promotional video where the 30-year-old bashes the fan who said that he liked English and Australian batsmen more than the current Indian players. While Kohli was slammed for his comment, late to join the bandwagon is actor Naseeruddin Shah, who recently took to social media commenting on the cricketer’s behaviour.

“Virat K is not only the worlds best batsman but also the worlds worst behaved player. His cricketing brilliance pales beside his arrogance and bad manners. And I have no intention of leaving the country by the way,” read a post by Shah. It did not take long for people to notice the post, which garnered mixed reactions from people on social media.
While most people slammed Shah for calling Kohli the “worst behaved player”, others defended Kohli stating that to beat the Australians “This kind of aggression is needed”. However, many also agreed with Shah in criticising the cricketer. Here are some of the many reactions on social media:
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Woman captures grandpa’s adorable reaction every time she visits him; video makes tweeple emotional

The clip, which has over six lakh likes, was flooded with reactions from netizens all around. From people getting emotional over the viral clip to reminiscing their own loveable experiences, the post managed to move many.



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A compilation video of a cute grandfather’s reactions has gone viral after his granddaughter tweeted the clip on social media. Jennifer Barclay, from Scotland, captured her 87-year-old grandpa’s reactions every time she visited him. The viral clip resonated with many leaving them emotional.
“My wee Grandad, 87 years young and he’s my no.1 guy💕 I love him with all my heart. And I love recording his reactions when I come to visit. I hope everyone can appreciate the video I’ve made as much as I do👴🏻💕xoxo,” tweeted Barclay along with the one minute video. In the viral clip, which has over 7 million views, the chirpy grandfather can be seen opening the door for his beloved granddaughter with a cheerful greeting.
The clip, which has got over six lakh likes, was flooded with reactions from netizens all around. From people getting emotional over the viral clip to reminiscing their own loveable experiences, the post managed to move many. Here are some of the many reactions to the tweet:
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