Ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth becomes World No 1
Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth today became World number 1 in men’s singles category after Badminton World Federation updated its weekly rankings. He overtook World Champion Viktor Axelsen at the top of rankings with 76,895 points.
Srikanth has now become the first Indian male shuttler to achieve the feat in modern ranking system. He joins Saina Nehwal to become only the second Indian to achieve the feat.
Twenty-five year old Srikanth had missed out on the chance to become No. 1 in the world last year after suffering an injury.
Roll-out of E-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods
GST Council, e-Way Bill system for all inter-State movement of goods has been rolled-out from 01stApril, 2018. E-way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods in the State of Karnataka is also operational from the said date. E-Way Bills are getting generated successfully and till 09thApril, 2018 more than sixty three lakh e-Way Bills have been successfully generated.
It is hereby informed that e-Way Bill system for Intra-State movement of goods would be implemented from 15th April, 2018 in the following States:-
1. Andhra Pradesh
2. Gujarat
3. Kerala
4. Telangana
5. Uttar Pradesh
With the roll-out of e-Way Bill system in these States, it is expected that trade and industry will be further facilitated insofar as the transport of goods is concerned, thereby eventually paving the way for a nation-wide single e-Way Bill system. Trade and industry and transporters located in these States may obtain registration/ enrolment on e-Way Bill portal namely https://www.ewaybillgst.gov.in at the earliest without waiting for the last date.
‘PROMOTING INNOVATION, CREATIVITY AND IP GENERATION AMONG WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’
Greetings from Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)!
We are pleased to announce that FICCI is commemorating the World IP Day 2018 with a conference on the theme ‘PROMOTING INNOVATION, CREATIVITY AND IP GENERATION AMONG WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ – being organized on April 27, 2018 at Hotel Lalit, Barakhamba Lane, New Delhi.
The focus of the event will be in keeping with WIPO’s IP Day theme for 2018 –Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity – and is intended to be a tribute to the brilliance, ingenuity and courage of the women who are making a difference in our lives while shaping our world’s future. The objective is also to provide a comprehensive outlook on India’s industrial landscape in the light of the various IP related developments in the country, and to generate stakeholder exchanges on how innovation is driving the businesses worldwide, and its relevance to India’s growth story.
We wish to cordially invite you to participate in the seminar and take part in the deliberations, on 27th April 2018. The registration time is 9.30 AM.
Conference admission is free of charge. However, in view of limited seats, you are requested to confirm your attendance (last date for confirmation 20th April 2018 by 5 PM) by replying to: dipankar.barkakati@ficci.com – or Call 011 -23487477.
You can also register online by clicking here.
The tentative program agenda is annexed herewith for your kind perusal.
We look forward seeing you on 27th April 2018.
Putin, Erdogan discuss Syria in phone call
The presidents of Russia and Turkey discussed the situation in Syria in a phone call on Thursday, media reports say, citing Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov. A Turkish presidential source also said that Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin discussed recent developments in Syria during a telephone conversation. The source said that the two leaders agreed to remain in close contact on Syrian issues. Erdogan said earlier that he was going to speak with Putin after he had exchanged views on Syria with US President Donald Trump on the phone.
Cho Yang-ho no comments on Cho’s misbehavior
South Korean police have launched an inquiry into reports a daughter of the chairman of Korean Air Lines threw a water bottle at someone’s face, the second daughter of the airline chief to get into trouble over an angry outburst.
Cho Hyun-min, a senior vice president at the airline, apologised on Thursday for her “foolish behaviour”, following media reports that she threw a water bottle at the face of a manager at the airline’s advertising agency.
In her apology on her Facebook page, Cho did not give details of the incident and an airline spokesman said she had thrown a water bottle on the floor, not at anyone’s face.
Cho’s older sister, Heather Cho, made headlines over a notorious “nut rage” incident in 2014, when she lost her temper over the way she was served nuts in first class and ordered the Korean Air Lines plane she was on to return to its gate at a New York airport.
Police had launched a preliminary investigation to see whether Cho Hyun-min had abused her power or broken any law in connection with the latest reports, an official at Seoul Gangseo Police Station told Reuters on Friday.
The official gave no details of the inquiry. Such inquiries are carried out to determine if a formal investigation of an incident is warranted.
A Korean Air Lines spokesman said the company had yet to be informed of any preliminary investigation.
The airline’s chairman, Cho Yang-ho, has not commented on the incident involving his younger daughter, who has left the country on a vacation, the company said.
The behaviour of the rich and powerful is sensitive in a country where the economy is dominated by family-run conglomerates know as chaebol, particularly days after a court jailed former President Park Geun-hye for 24 years over a scandal that exposed deep ties of corruption with several chaebol.
Korean Air Lines was not connected to the Park scandal.
Thousands of people have in recent days posted comments on a presidential office website where members of the public can lodge petitions, to demand changes at the airline.
Many of the people who signed a few dozen petitions demanded that the airline remove the word “Korean” from its name and stop using the symbol on the Korean flag as its logo.
Many said the daughters’ behaviour was “degrading” for the country and the company.
A petition needs to gain more than 200,000 signatures within 30 days to prompt a mandatory response from the presidential office.
Heather Cho was found guilty of breaking aviation law and jailed for a year over her “nut rage” incident but was freed in May 2015 after an appeal.
Decisions taken by the Union Cabinet
Cabinet approves MoU between India and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland on the return of Illegal Migrants
The Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the MoU between India and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland on the return of Illegal Migrants.
Benefits:
The MoU will facilitate that the Visa Free Agreement for holders of Diplomatic passports as well as liberalization of UK Visa Regime for those who are travelling to the UK legally, after conclusion of the MoU. It will ensure the return of persons who have no lawful basis to be in the territory of the other Party after verification of nationality to its satisfaction. It will help in streamlining the procedure of return of nationals who are caught to be staying illegally, belonging to the other party in a specified time-frame.
· Cabinet approves revision of pay and allowances of Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories
The Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for revision of pay and allowances of Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories. It will bring the pay and allowances of LGs at par with that of the Secretary to the Government of India.
Details:
The Cabinet has approved the proposal for increasing the pay and allowances of Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories with effect from 1st January, 2016 from Rs.80,000/- per month plus dearness allowance, sumptuary allowance at the rate of Rs.4,000/- per month and local allowances to Rs. 2,25,000/- plus dearness allowance, sumptuary allowance at the rate of Rs.4,000/- per month and local allowances at the same rate as applicable to the officers of the rank of Secretary to the Govt. of India It will be subject to the condition that the total emoluments (excluding sumptuary allowance and local allowances) shall not exceed the total emoluments drawn by the Governor of a State.
· Cabinet approves Headquarters (Host country) Agreement between India and the International Solar Alliance
The Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for entering into Headquarters (Host country) Agreement between India and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and authorizing the Ministry of External Affairs for signing the Headquarter Agreement. The Agreement was signed on 26th March, 2018. The Headquarters Agreement will institutionalize the functional arrangements between India and ISA. It will help in smooth transition of ISA as international inter-governmental organization. Creation of ISA will lead to accelerated solar technology development and deployment in ISA member countries including India.
· Cabinet approves Delegation of Powers to Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Finance to approve the award of the Blocks/Contract Areas to successful bidders under HELP/OALP after International Competitive Bidding (ICB)
In line with the Government initiative of ease of doing business, the Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for delegating the powers to Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Finance Minister to award the Blocks/Contract Areas to successful bidders under Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) after International Competitive Bidding (ICB) based on the recommendations of Empowered Committee of Secretaries (ECS). Under HELP, Blocks are to be awarded twice in a year. Therefore, this delegation of powers will expedite the decision making process on awarding blocks and give a boost to the initiative of ease of doing business.
Impact:
Under the NELP Policy, ECS considers the Bid Evaluation Criteria (BEC), conducts negotiations with the bidders wherever necessary and make recommendations to CCEA on award of blocks. The CCEA approves the award of blocks. The entire process, including Inter Ministerial Consultations (IMC) is quite lengthy and time consuming. In consonance with the Government initiative of ‘Ease of Doing Business’, it is desirable to shorten the duration of time taken for award of the Blocks / Contract Areas. Under the New Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy’ the competitive bidding will be continuous and blocks will be awarded twice a year.
· Cabinet approves Exploration and Exploitation of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) from areas under Coal Mining Lease allotted to Coal India Limited (CIL) and its Subsidiaries
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for issuing a notification amending clause 3(xiii) of the notification dated 03.11.2015 issued by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural gas under Section 12 of the Oil Fields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948 (ORD Act, 1948). Due to this amendment relaxation is granted under the Petroleum & Natural Gas Rules 1959 (PNG Rules, 1959), to Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries for not applying for grant of license/lease under the PNG Rules, 1959 for extraction of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) under their Coal Bearing Areas.
Impact:
The decision is in line with the Government’s initiatives of ‘Ease of Doing Business’. It will expedite the exploration and exploitation of CBM, enhance the availability of natural gas and reduce the gap in demand and supply of natural gas. The increased development activities for exploration and exploitation of CBM gas reserves in-and-around the block will generate economic activities which in turn has potential to create employment opportunities in CBM operations and in the industries.
Pak SC: Former Pak PM Nawaz Sharif disqualified
Supreme Court of Pakistan in its ruling a setback to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday ruled that he will never be able to contest elections or hold public office ever in life.
Justice Umar Ata Bandiyal read out the verdict, which seals the political fate of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Jahangir Tareen and other lawmakers disqualified under the said article.
The court has ruled that the disqualification will hold until the court declaration disqualifying the lawmaker stands.
The court said that the disqualification handed down under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution is for life.
Pakistan’s ousted premier was disqualified under Article 62(1)(f) by a five-judge SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on July 28, 2017 on charges on allegation in connection with the Panama Papers case.
Supreme Court in a historic verdict ruled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been disqualified for life, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said the verdict is the same as Nawaz’s trial court case.
“This decision is similar to Supreme Court rulings which took former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to the gallows and led to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto,” the information minister said while addressing the media in Islamabad on Friday.
Marriyum stated that time and again, democratically elected leaders of Pakistan are unceremoniously removed from their post. “This joke has already been played on previous premiers and all 17 prime ministers of Pakistan have faced a similar fate.”
“Today’s decision is the same as Nawaz’s trial court case,” she added maintaining that a decision has been made on a trial which is still under way.
She said, “Decisions against Nawaz are made first and trials are conducted later.”
“The verdict has started a phase of Nawaz’s politics which our enemies should be afraid of,” the information minister added.
Claiming that not a “single rupee’s corruption has been proven against the former premier”, the information minister said, “The case on which Nawaz has been disqualified for life is still under way as is the case which disqualified him from his premiership.”
“The NAB court trial is incomplete and Wajid Zia has also said there is no documental evidence to show that Nawaz took money from his son’s company,” she said.
“Nawaz was first disqualified as prime minister, then removed as head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), his party was barred from participating in Senate elections and now they have ruled against him from holding a public office for life,” the minister said.
Reiterating that the PML-N quaid is still facing trials, Marriyum said, “The premier was elected through the votes of the people and the decision regarding his disqualification also lies with the people.”
She lamented, “A prime minister who ended terrorism and load-shedding from the country and initiated development projects has been disqualified for life.”
Responding to a question, she further said, “We all respect Pakistan’s constitutional institutions and respecting the Supreme Court is necessary for us all.”
The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that lawmakers disqualified under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution will be unable to contest elections for the rest of their life.
