M6.7 – Banda Sea
| Magnitude | 6.7 |
| Date-Time |
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| Location | 7.236S 123.040E |
| Depth | 549 km |
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Improving public healthcare through fiscal federalism
Improving public healthcare through fiscal federalism
UPCOMING 2-DAY CONFERENCE | Oct 29 and Oct 30, 2017 | Improving public healthcare through fiscal federalism
An opportunity to deliberate over the critical issues of public health in India and to discuss how we relate to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for improved healthcare. Speakers at the conference will include policy makers from the government, international agencies, academia, medical industry, NGOs, global experts and journalists concerned with Indian healthcare.
For more information: http://brook.gs/2hZ0kBJ
RSVP: healthconf@forumfed.org
For more information: http://brook.gs/2hZ0kBJ
RSVP: healthconf@forumfed.org
Opening of the Regional Consular Conference, New Delhi
Opening of the Regional Consular Conference, New Delhi, today, 24 October 2017, chaired by Director (Section IV – Service) Mag. Dr. Elisabeth Tichy–Fisslberger and Ambassador Mag. Brigitte Öppinger- Walchshofer.
20 fighter jets touch down on Agra-Lucknow expressway
The aircraft touchdown exercise is now taking place on the stretch near Bangarmau in Unnao district, about 65 km from Lucknow. Traffic has been restricted in the area.
The IAF’s Special Forces Garud commandos got off the C-130J transport aircraft with their vehicle, and took positions on either side of the expressway to secure “their airstrip” for the fighter aircraft.
This is the first time a transport aircraft – a Super Hercules, which can carry 200 commandos – is landing on an expressway. These planes were inducted into the air force in 2010.IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal SB Deo said on the sidelines of an event in Delhi ahead of the exercise that the IAF is also landing transport aircraft, the C-130 which is special operations aircraft.
For the next two hours or so, a fighter aircraft will carry out a touch and go manoeuvre on the expressway every few minutes.
For the next two hours or so, a fighter aircraft will carry out a touch and go manoeuvre on the expressway every few minutes.
Three Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft will be followed up by six Mirage 2000 aircrafts flying in two formations and then, two more formations of three aircraft each of Sukhoi-30MKI.
The C-130 will return for another short landing to extricate the Garud Commandos.
IAF fighter planes, Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi-30, have twice landed on expressways in Uttar Pradesh. The first was in 2015 when a Mirage-2000 landed on the Yamuna expressway near Delhi.
Last November, six multirole combat aircraft Sukhoi-30 jets touched down on a 3.3 km stretch of the Lucknow – Agra expressway.
About a dozen highways that are wide enough and have a smooth road surface for the fighter jets – across the country have been identified for similar landing operations to be used in case of emergencies including disaster relief and war.
Govt waives off penalty on delayed filing of initial GST return
The government today waived off penalty on delayed filing of initial Goods and Services Tax (GST) returns for the months of August and September.
In a tweet, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, the decision to waive off late fee on filing of GSTR-3B for last two months has been taken to facilitate taxpayers. He said, the late fee which has been already charged to businesses will be credited back to taxpayers’ accounts.
The government had earlier waived late fee for delayed filing of the maiden returns for the month of July under the GST regime.
Businesses have been demanding that the government waives penalty for delayed filing of 3B returns.
As per the data, around 56 lakh GSTR-3B returns were filed for July, 51 lakh for August and over 42 lakh for September.
Preliminary returns GSTR-3B for a month is filed on the 20th day of the next month after paying due taxes.
ONGC plans to raise oil output
State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has drawn a blueprint to raise crude oil production by 4 metric tonne (MT) and almost double natural gas output by 2020.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, ONGC Chairman Shashi Shanker said, the Prime Minister had given a call to cut country’s oil imports by 10 per cent by 2022 and ONGC’s roadmap for meeting that is ready.
The state-owned firm will raise crude oil production from 22.6 MT in 2017-18 to 26.42 MT in 2021-22. The nation’s biggest oil and gas producer has prepared the ‘Roadmap for Import Reduction’ two years after Mr Modi set the target for reducing oil import dependence by 10 per cent, from 77 per cent in 2013-14.
India spend almost 1 trillion dollar on crude imports from financial year 2005-06 to 2015-16.
WPI inflation eases to 2.6 % in September
Wholesale inflation fell to 2(point)60 per cent in September as prices of food articles, led by vegetables, softened. Inflation, based on the wholesale price index, WPI, had soared to a four-month high of 3.24 per cent in August 2017. It was 1.36 per cent in September last year.
The government data showed that inflation in food articles reduced to 2.04 per cent in September, as against 5.75 per cent in August on an yearly basis.
Inflation in vegetable prices cooled to 15.48 per cent in September, as against a high of 44.91 per cent in the previous month.
Onion prices, however, continued to rule high with 79.78 per cent increase in September. In egg, meat and fish segment the rate of price rise was 5.47 per cent.
Inflation in manufactured products witnessed a slight increase at 2.72 per cent, against 2.45 per cent in August. In fuel and power segment, inflation cooled to 9.01 per cent, against 9.99 per cent in August. Pulses continued to witness deflation at 24.26 per cent.
Rex Tillerson arrive in Islamabad
Tillerson concerned about ‘safe-havens’ in Pakistan
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will arrive in Islamabad today as part of his tour to South Asia and the Gulf region.
According to a statement by the US State Department on October 19, Tillerson will meet with senior Pakistani leaders to discuss matters related to the bilateral relations between the two countries.
On Monday, Tillerson met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Bagram Airbase after he landed in Afghanistan on a surprise visit.
Addressing the media there, Tillerson said he will pressure Islamabad to take action on the support Taliban and other “terrorist organisations” receive in the country
According to a statement by the US State Department on October 19, Tillerson will meet with senior Pakistani leaders to discuss matters related to the bilateral relations between the two countries.
On Monday, Tillerson met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Bagram Airbase after he landed in Afghanistan on a surprise visit.
Addressing the media there, Tillerson said he will pressure Islamabad to take action on the support Taliban and other “terrorist organisations” receive in the country
Islamabad needed to “take a clear-eyed view of the situation that they are confronted with in terms of the number of terrorist organisations that find safe haven inside” the country, he told reporters, according to a pool report.
“We want to work closely (with) Pakistan to create a more stable and secure Pakistan as well,” Tillerson said.
This was Tillerson’s first trip to Afghanistan as secretary of state and comes several weeks after US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis also paid an unannounced visit.
As Tillerson heads to Pakistan, Islamabad wary of deepening US-India ties
US President Donald Trump “has declared that we are here to stay until we can secure a process of reconciliation and peace”, Tillerson said, adding: “It’s not an unlimited commitment.”
Tillerson’s unannounced visit follows one of the bloodiest weeks in Afghanistan in recent memory, with more than 200 people killed in multiple attacks on security installations and mosques across the country.
Following his visit, Tillerson headed to Iraq after which he will arrive in Pakistan. He has earlier visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar as part of his regional tour.
After Pakistan, the US secretary of state will head to New Delhi and then Switzerland.
media agencies
Moscow supporting Taliban is baseless
Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed accusations against Russia over its alleged support of Taliban terrorists recently brought by the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, as “unacceptable” and “baseless.”“We believe that such statements of the leader of the friendly [country of] Afghanistan are unacceptable,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that “Afghan officials repeatedly confirmed at various levels that such accusations against Moscow are baseless.”
The statement also said that Moscow continues to lend assistance to Afghanistan on security as well as contributing to the development of dialogue between various sections of Afghan societ
Jitu, Heena strike gold
Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu gave India their first gold medal of the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi, clinching the top honours in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on the opening day of competitions.
Rai, a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist, and Sidhu, former Commonwealth Games gold-winner, picked up their third gold together in the mixed team event, being held officially for the first time at an ISSF World Cup.
The mixed team competitions were organised as test events in the World Cups held earlier this year and will be making their Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games.
France secured the silver medal, while China settled for the bronze medal in the event.
K Srikanth lifts Denmark Open
Badminton, ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has lifted the Denmark Open Superseries trophy at Odense.
In the title clash last night, Srikanth, seeded 8th, defeated South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il in straight games, 21-10, 21-5 to bag his third Super Series title of the year and fifth overall. It was the first time Srikanth and Lee had faced each other.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Srikanth for the win. Mr Modi said in a tweet that the victory has made every Indian proud.
Boris: No doubt Iran nuclear deal to be preserved
Britain says there is absolutely no doubt that a deal between Western powers and Iran to curb its nuclear programme will survive despite the US decision not to recertify the deal.
Britain’s foreign Minister Boris Johnson said this in a speech on foreign affairs in London yesterday. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump broke ranks with other major powers by refusing to formally certify that Tehran is complying with the deal, even though international inspectors say it is.
The U.S. Congress now has 60 days since Trump’s action to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the pact.
Shri Birender Singh: SAIL must ramp up production from New Rail Mill in Bhilai
SAIL must ramp up production from New Rail Mill in Bhilai and meet all the requirements of its major customers, says Shri Birender Singh
SAIL must take its Joint Ventures at international level to logical conclusion at the earliest, says Steel Minister
New Delhi: 24th October, 2017
The Union Steel Minister Shri Birender Singh chaired a mid-year review meeting with top management of SAIL at Udyog Bhawan yesterday. The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Steel, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, the Secretary Steel Dr. Aruna Sharma, senior officials from Ministry and SAIL including CEOs of SAIL Steel Plants.
While expressing displeasure over tardy progress in critical areas of strategic importance, Shri Birender Singh said, “SAIL must ramp up production from New Rail Mill in Bhilai without wasting any more time, and meet all the requirements of its major customers. Company shouldchalk-out a time bound action plan to cater to the Indian Railways’ increasing demand. SAIL must take its joint ventures at international level to logical conclusion at the earliest. Company must leverage its position in the industry, instead of not being able to fulfill its commitments and agreements.” The Minister directed to the company management to submit quarterly plans and targets, which will be reviewed after every three months. Steel Minister will also be meeting CEOs and EDs of Steel plants next month, to get direct feedback about constraints, bottlenecks and issues of concern.
The CEOs have to understand their direct accountability and responsbility for performance of the Unit under their charge, the Minister added. Shri Singh emphasised that accidents in the Plants must be curtailed and highest safety standards must be adhered to in all Units. Safety should be a prime focus of all the plant heads and stress should be given on repair and regular maintenance to avoid unforeseen breakdowns, downtime and resulting loss of production. SAIL should focus on ensuring raw material security to avoid the vagaries of coal supplies currently afflicting the company, he added.
Shri Birendra Singh said that SAIL should explore possibilities for developing new markets by adopting new technology and adding value added products to its basket, like non corrosive steel products for construction in coastal areas. SAIL should also focus on product differentiation to create value for the shareholders, thereby creating an exclusive space for the company. Efficiency improvement and product quality improvement at individual plant level should be focused upon to meet the customer requirements and to improve the financial performance of the company.
In the meeting, SAIL’s overall performance as well as that of individual Integrated Steel Plants (ISPs) on critical techno-commercial parameters were reviewed. The Chairman, SAIL Shri P. K. Singh made a presentation on action taken on the recommendations by Group of Experts appointed by Ministry of Steel.
