The water level at flood-hit <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/death-toll-mounts-to-28-due-to-floods-in-assam-236888">Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park</a> has started receding with the sustained efforts of the forest department to provide relief to the animals residing there.

"We have put in a lot of efforts to provide immediate relief to animals residing in these sanctuaries. The water level has started receding slowly. We have been carrying fodder and grass in boats for rhinos. There are 12 rhinos in Pobitora," a forest guard said.&nbsp;

Both the sanctuaries have been battling the mayhem unleashed by floods in the state. Almost 95 per cent of the Kaziranga park was flooded due to incessant rains.

On July 22, Environment Minister Parimal Shukla had said about 162 wild animals have lost their lives in the floods.

"About 12 rhinos lost their lives out of which three were adults. Apart from this, eight lion cubs died. Other animals that died in floods were bears, buffalos, etc," he said.

The Rhino Protection Force was deployed in the national park to monitor the situation at the National Highway 37, which is used by the animals to reach highland.

Meanwhile, flood-affected people of Bandhara village in Bongaigaon district have installed makeshift houses on a bridge as their residences have completely submerged in water.

According to them, around 100 houses were destroyed in floods. "It has been around 1.5 months here. We are getting ration and medical treatment. But employment and education have been affected adversely," they said.&nbsp;

As of July 31, a total of 12 districts and 26 revenue circles of Assam are reeling under floods.

Currently, 436 relief camps are operational in Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, and Jorhat districts.

Several rivers are flowing above the danger mark like the Brahmaputra river at Neamatighat in Jorhat and Dhubri, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur district, Puthimari in Kamrup district and Beki and Kushiara rivers in Barpeta and Karimganj districts, respectively.

The water level at flood-hit Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park has started receding with the sustained efforts of the forest department to provide relief to the animals residing there.

The water level at flood-hit Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park has started receding with the sustained efforts of the forest department to provide relief to the animals residing there. "We have put in a lot of efforts to provide immediate relief to animals residing in these sanctuaries. The water level has started receding slowly. We have been carrying fodder and grass in boats for rhinos. There are 12 rhinos in Pobitora," a forest guard said. Both the sanctuaries have been battling the mayhem unleashed by floods in the state. Almost 95 per cent of the Kaziranga park was flooded due to incessant rains. On July 22, Environment Minister Parimal Shukla had said about 162 wild animals have lost their lives in the floods. "About 12 rhinos lost their lives out of which three were adults. Apart from this, eight lion cubs died. Other animals that died in floods were bears, buffalos, etc," he said. The Rhino Protection Force was deployed in the national park to monitor the situation at the National Highway 37, which is used by the animals to reach highland. Meanwhile, flood-affected people of Bandhara village in Bongaigaon district have installed makeshift houses on a bridge as their residences have completely submerged in water. According to them, around 100 houses were destroyed in floods. "It has been around 1.5 months here. We are getting ration and medical treatment. But employment and education have been affected adversely," they said. As of July 31, a total of 12 districts and 26 revenue circles of Assam are reeling under floods. Currently, 436 relief camps are operational in Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, and Jorhat districts. Several rivers are flowing above the danger mark like the Brahmaputra river at Neamatighat in Jorhat and Dhubri, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur district, Puthimari in Kamrup district and Beki and Kushiara rivers in Barpeta and Karimganj districts, respectively.

Assam floods: Water level recedes in Kaziranga, Pobitora

MS Dhoni sets out to discharge his duties as lieutenant colonel in territorial army in J&K

A gang of African nationals which used to cheat people through social media platforms was busted by the Bindapur Police in Delhi on Wednesday.

The police said that the ten-member gang allegedly used to cheat people through social media platforms.&nbsp;

They used to disguise as foreigners stuck at Airport and used to request people to lend them money so that they can pay off the Custom officials on the Airport.

The Police seized 48 mobile phones, 21 sim cards, six laptops, six dongles and a diary which has the detail of all the transactions.

An FIR has been registered in the Bindapur Police station.

Further investigation is underway.

A gang of African nationals which used to cheat people through social media platforms was busted by the Bindapur Police in Delhi on Wednesday. The police said that the ten-member gang allegedly used to cheat people through social media platforms.

A gang of African nationals which used to cheat people through social media platforms was busted by the Bindapur Police in Delhi on Wednesday. The police said that the ten-member gang allegedly used to cheat people through social media platforms. They used to disguise as foreigners stuck at Airport and used to request people to lend them money so that they can pay off the Custom officials on the Airport. The Police seized 48 mobile phones, 21 sim cards, six laptops, six dongles and a diary which has the detail of all the transactions. An FIR has been registered in the Bindapur Police station. Further investigation is underway.

Delhi: African gang of online cheaters busted by police

Washington on Friday approved $125 million worth of support for Pakistan's F-16 warplanes, and also $670 worth of support for India's C-17 transport planes.

Approval to support US-built aircraft for the two south Asian rivals were approved by the US State Department, and announced simultaneously by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The approval for technical and logistics support for Pakistan's F-16s comes just days after Prime Minister Imran Khan met with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

The potential sale will support US foreign policy and national security "by protecting US technology through the continued presence of US personnel that provide 24/7 end-use monitoring," the statement announcing the Pakistan approval read.

Separately, the DSCA said that India asked to buy spare parts and test equipment for their Boeing C-17 transport planes, and is seeking personnel training, among other things, "for an estimated cost of $670 million."

"India needs this follow-on support to maintain its operational readiness and ability to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) assistance in the region.&nbsp;

"India will have no difficulty absorbing this support into its armed forces," the statement announcing the approval read.

Both statements added that the proposed sales of equipment and support "will not alter the basic military balance in the region."

Washington on Friday approved $125 million worth of support for Pakistan's F-16 warplanes, and also $670 worth of support for India's C-17 transport planes. Approval to support US-built aircraft for the two south Asian rivals were approved by the US State Department, and announced simultaneously by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Washington on Friday approved $125 million worth of support for Pakistan's F-16 warplanes, and also $670 worth of support for India's C-17 transport planes. Approval to support US-built aircraft for the two south Asian rivals were approved by the US State Department, and announced simultaneously by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The approval for technical and logistics support for Pakistan's F-16s comes just days after Prime Minister Imran Khan met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. The potential sale will support US foreign policy and national security "by protecting US technology through the continued presence of US personnel that provide 24/7 end-use monitoring," the statement announcing the Pakistan approval read. Separately, the DSCA said that India asked to buy spare parts and test equipment for their Boeing C-17 transport planes, and is seeking personnel training, among other things, "for an estimated cost of $670 million." "India needs this follow-on support to maintain its operational readiness and ability to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) assistance in the region. "India will have no difficulty absorbing this support into its armed forces," the statement announcing the approval read. Both statements added that the proposed sales of equipment and support "will not alter the basic military balance in the region."

US approves sales to support Pakistan's F-16s, India's C-17s

India pays homage to Kargil martyrs on 20th anniversary

WhatsApp will roll out its payments service in India this year following a year-long pilot, its global chief Will Cathcart has said, as the Facebook-owned messaging giant taps an upsurge in digital payments in its dominant market.

WhatsApp is ubiquitous across India, where data consumption is surging thanks to cheap internet, but a full launch of its payments feature had been delayed amid some false messages circulating on the platform that have led to mob lynching and more government scrutiny, according to local media.

The Menlo Park, California-based firm has also been trying to comply with Indian regulations including data storage norms that require all payments-related data to be stored locally.

"It's a regulatory approval question in India at this point," Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday on the company's earnings conference call in reference to WhatsApp Pay.

"We're also working beyond India in a number of other countries and hope to have this rolled out to a large per cent of the people who use WhatsApp within the next year," he added.

WhatsApp now has about 400 million users in India, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, encompassing almost a third of India's population of 1.3 billion. The person did not wish to be named because they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the media.

WhatsApp's payments feature would compete with a crowded market in India that includes Alphabet Inc's Google Pay, Softbank- and Alibaba-backed Paytm and Walmart's PhonePe, all of which are used, especially in cities, to pay for everything from groceries to Uber rides.

Digital payments, lending and e-wallet services have been growing rapidly in India, led by a government push to bring more of the country's cash-loving merchants and consumers into the formal economy.

"Payments services are critical to ... bringing millions more people into India's fast-growing digital economy," Will Cathcart, WhatsApp's global head, said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Cathcart was speaking at an event held to announce a tie-up with India's top government think tank NITI Aayog to promote women's entrepreneurship.

"We can't wait to provide this service to our users across India this year," Cathcart said.

WhatsApp will use India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) standard used by many other digital payments services, which is growing rapidly — UPI processed over 750 million transactions last month, rising from about 246 million a year earlier.

WhatsApp will roll out its payments service in India this year following a year-long pilot, its global chief Will Cathcart has said, as the Facebook-owned messaging giant taps an upsurge in digital payments in its dominant market.

WhatsApp will roll out its payments service in India this year following a year-long pilot, its global chief Will Cathcart has said, as the Facebook-owned messaging giant taps an upsurge in digital payments in its dominant market. WhatsApp is ubiquitous across India, where data consumption is surging thanks to cheap internet, but a full launch of its payments feature had been delayed amid some false messages circulating on the platform that have led to mob lynching and more government scrutiny, according to local media. The Menlo Park, California-based firm has also been trying to comply with Indian regulations including data storage norms that require all payments-related data to be stored locally. "It's a regulatory approval question in India at this point," Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Thursday on the company's earnings conference call in reference to WhatsApp Pay. "We're also working beyond India in a number of other countries and hope to have this rolled out to a large per cent of the people who use WhatsApp within the next year," he added. WhatsApp now has about 400 million users in India, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, encompassing almost a third of India's population of 1.3 billion. The person did not wish to be named because they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the media. WhatsApp's payments feature would compete with a crowded market in India that includes Alphabet Inc's Google Pay, Softbank- and Alibaba-backed Paytm and Walmart's PhonePe, all of which are used, especially in cities, to pay for everything from groceries to Uber rides. Digital payments, lending and e-wallet services have been growing rapidly in India, led by a government push to bring more of the country's cash-loving merchants and consumers into the formal economy. "Payments services are critical to ... bringing millions more people into India's fast-growing digital economy," Will Cathcart, WhatsApp's global head, said in New Delhi on Thursday. Cathcart was speaking at an event held to announce a tie-up with India's top government think tank NITI Aayog to promote women's entrepreneurship. "We can't wait to provide this service to our users across India this year," Cathcart said. WhatsApp will use India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) standard used by many other digital payments services, which is growing rapidly — UPI processed over 750 million transactions last month, rising from about 246 million a year earlier.

WhatsApp to roll out payments feature in India this year

India on Wednesday provided clearance to the government of Nepal to operationalise suspension bridge at the Darchula border.

Constructed over the Mahakali River at the Lekam Rural Municipality in Nepal`s Darchula district, the bridge (commonly known as Lali Bridge) would provide connectivity with the Pithoragarh town on the Indian side.

"Government of India has provided clearance for operationalisation of the suspension bridge over Mahakali connecting Lalli, Dharchula in Nepal to Dauda, Pithoragarh, India," Spokesperson of the Indian Mission in Nepal Abhishek Dubey told ANI.&nbsp;

"This suspension bridge will provide all-weather connectivity to the people on both sides of the border," he added.

The locals earlier had to risk their lives to cross the Mahakali River. The Bridge would serve as a lifeline for the residents of Darchula district, who reply on Pittoragarh town for the supply of goods.&nbsp;

The town serves as the centre of employment for many people living on the Nepal side, as well as the nearest place for the treatment of sick. No roads are connecting the two sides.

The bridge was constructed in December 2018, more than two years after the initial deadline of September 2016. Constructed for USD 3.2 billion, the bridge is 200 meters long.

India on Wednesday provided clearance to the government of Nepal to operationalise suspension bridge at the Darchula border. Constructed over the Mahakali River at the Lekam Rural Municipality in Nepal`s Darchula district, the bridge (commonly known as Lali Bridge) would provide connectivity with the Pithoragarh town on the Indian side.

India on Wednesday provided clearance to the government of Nepal to operationalise suspension bridge at the Darchula border. Constructed over the Mahakali River at the Lekam Rural Municipality in Nepal`s Darchula district, the bridge (commonly known as Lali Bridge) would provide connectivity with the Pithoragarh town on the Indian side. "Government of India has provided clearance for operationalisation of the suspension bridge over Mahakali connecting Lalli, Dharchula in Nepal to Dauda, Pithoragarh, India," Spokesperson of the Indian Mission in Nepal Abhishek Dubey told ANI. "This suspension bridge will provide all-weather connectivity to the people on both sides of the border," he added. The locals earlier had to risk their lives to cross the Mahakali River. The Bridge would serve as a lifeline for the residents of Darchula district, who reply on Pittoragarh town for the supply of goods. The town serves as the centre of employment for many people living on the Nepal side, as well as the nearest place for the treatment of sick. No roads are connecting the two sides. The bridge was constructed in December 2018, more than two years after the initial deadline of September 2016. Constructed for USD 3.2 billion, the bridge is 200 meters long.

India provides Nepal clearance to operationalise suspension bridge at Darchula border

A suspected meteorite the size of a football plunged into a rice field in Madhubani's Laukahi, Bihar startling farmers to the point of amazement, authorities said Thursday. The stone that weighed 10 kg was brought to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's notice who inspected it with high interest.&nbsp;

Onlookers said the light brown-coloured object sent them fleeing from the field when it fell at their rural village on Wednesday afternoon, sending up smoke.

"The farmers were working in the paddy field when this heavy rock fell from the sky with a very loud noise," Shirsat Kapil Ashok, the magistrate for Madhubani district in Bihar state, told AFP.&nbsp;

The villagers returned after the smoke subsided and pulled the rock out from its four-feet-deep crater.

"We saw it has very strong magnetic properties, some shine and weighs around 15 kilograms (33 pounds)," Ashok added.

The find is being analysed by scientists as a possible meteorite.

Meteors are particles of dust and rock that usually burn up as they pass through Earth's atmosphere, with those that survive the fall known as meteorites.

In 2016 authorities in southern India's Tamil Nadu state said a meteorite killed a bus driver and injured three others.&nbsp;

While Indian scientists backed the claim of the regional authorities, the US space agency NASA later said did not believe the object was a meteorite.

In February 2013 a meteorite plunged over Russia's Ural Mountains, creating a shockwave that injured around 1,200 people and damaged thousands of homes.

A suspected meteorite the size of a football plunged into a rice field in Madhubani's Laukahi, Bihar startling farmers to the point of amazement, authorities said Thursday.

A suspected meteorite the size of a football plunged into a rice field in Madhubani's Laukahi, Bihar startling farmers to the point of amazement, authorities said Thursday. The stone that weighed 10 kg was brought to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's notice who inspected it with high interest. Onlookers said the light brown-coloured object sent them fleeing from the field when it fell at their rural village on Wednesday afternoon, sending up smoke. "The farmers were working in the paddy field when this heavy rock fell from the sky with a very loud noise," Shirsat Kapil Ashok, the magistrate for Madhubani district in Bihar state, told AFP. The villagers returned after the smoke subsided and pulled the rock out from its four-feet-deep crater. "We saw it has very strong magnetic properties, some shine and weighs around 15 kilograms (33 pounds)," Ashok added. The find is being analysed by scientists as a possible meteorite. Meteors are particles of dust and rock that usually burn up as they pass through Earth's atmosphere, with those that survive the fall known as meteorites. In 2016 authorities in southern India's Tamil Nadu state said a meteorite killed a bus driver and injured three others. While Indian scientists backed the claim of the regional authorities, the US space agency NASA later said did not believe the object was a meteorite. In February 2013 a meteorite plunged over Russia's Ural Mountains, creating a shockwave that injured around 1,200 people and damaged thousands of homes.

India farmers shocked as suspected meteorite crashes into rice field

Rising by five positions since last year, India was placed at 52 rank&nbsp;in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2019 on Wednesday.

The country&nbsp;was positioned at 57th rank in&nbsp;GII 2018.

The rankings,&nbsp;published annually, were&nbsp;released by the Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

Switzerland was placed at the top of the GII list while&nbsp;Sweden, the US, the Netherlands, the UK, Finland, Denmark, Singapore, Germany and Israel were listed in the top ten slots of&nbsp;the Global Innovation Index.

The ranking in GII is determined by 80 indicators which include intellectual property filing rates to mobile-application creation, education spending and scientific and technical publications.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Rising by five positions since last year, India was placed at 52 rank in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2019 on Wednesday. The country was positioned at 57th rank in GII 2018.

Rising by five positions since last year, India was placed at 52 rank in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2019 on Wednesday. The country was positioned at 57th rank in GII 2018. The rankings, published annually, were released by the Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Switzerland was placed at the top of the GII list while Sweden, the US, the Netherlands, the UK, Finland, Denmark, Singapore, Germany and Israel were listed in the top ten slots of the Global Innovation Index. The ranking in GII is determined by 80 indicators which include intellectual property filing rates to mobile-application creation, education spending and scientific and technical publications.

India improves its ranking in Global Innovation Index, placed at 52 position

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its projection for India's economic growth by 0.3 percentage points to 7 per cent for the fiscal year 2019-20 owing to the "weaker-than-expected outlook" for the domestic demand.

The growth is expected to rise to 7.2 per cent points in FY21, down by the projected growth rate of 7.5 in the earlier report.

"India's economy is set to grow at 7.0 per cent in 2019, picking up to 7.2 per cent in 2020. The downward revision of 0.3 percentage point for both years reflects a weaker-than-expected outlook for domestic demand," the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its World Economic Update.

Similarly, the global growth forecast for FY20 has been cut down by 0.1 per cent points to 3.2. This is the fourth consecutive time that the global growth forecast has been lowered.

Among the factors cited by the report for the lower growth forecast includes increased trade and technology tensions between the United States and China, prolonged uncertainty on Brexit, and weaker-than-expected activity in emerging market and developing economies.

"Among emerging market and developing economies, the first-quarter GDP in China was stronger than forecast, but indicators for the second quarter suggest a weakening of activity. Elsewhere in emerging Asia, as well as in Latin America, activity has disappointed," the report read.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its projection for India's economic growth by 0.3 percentage points to 7 per cent for the fiscal year 2019-20 owing to the "weaker-than-expected outlook" for the domestic demand.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its projection for India's economic growth by 0.3 percentage points to 7 per cent for the fiscal year 2019-20 owing to the "weaker-than-expected outlook" for the domestic demand. The growth is expected to rise to 7.2 per cent points in FY21, down by the projected growth rate of 7.5 in the earlier report. "India's economy is set to grow at 7.0 per cent in 2019, picking up to 7.2 per cent in 2020. The downward revision of 0.3 percentage point for both years reflects a weaker-than-expected outlook for domestic demand," the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its World Economic Update. Similarly, the global growth forecast for FY20 has been cut down by 0.1 per cent points to 3.2. This is the fourth consecutive time that the global growth forecast has been lowered. Among the factors cited by the report for the lower growth forecast includes increased trade and technology tensions between the United States and China, prolonged uncertainty on Brexit, and weaker-than-expected activity in emerging market and developing economies. "Among emerging market and developing economies, the first-quarter GDP in China was stronger than forecast, but indicators for the second quarter suggest a weakening of activity. Elsewhere in emerging Asia, as well as in Latin America, activity has disappointed," the report read.

International Monetary Fund cuts India's GDP growth forecast to 7% for fiscal year 2019-20

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the move of US President Donald Trump of mediating between India and Pakistan for Kashmir.

Imran said that the contentious issue of Kashmir between the two neighbours could never be resolved bilaterally.

“There was one point when there was General (Pervez) Musharraf and Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee of India when we did get close to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. But since then we are poles apart and I feel that India should come on the table; US could play a big part. President Trump certainly can play a big part," said Khan in an interview with Fox News.

On Monday evening, Donald Trump, during his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House, offered to mediate between the two countries to resolve the issue of Kashmir.

Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked him to help ease tensions between the two neighbouring countries on the “disputed” Kashmir region and that he would love to be a mediator.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the move of US President Donald Trump of mediating between India and Pakistan for Kashmir. Imran said that the contentious issue of Kashmir between the two neighbours could never be resolved bilaterally.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed the move of US President Donald Trump of mediating between India and Pakistan for Kashmir. Imran said that the contentious issue of Kashmir between the two neighbours could never be resolved bilaterally. “There was one point when there was General (Pervez) Musharraf and Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee of India when we did get close to the resolution of the Kashmir issue. But since then we are poles apart and I feel that India should come on the table; US could play a big part. President Trump certainly can play a big part," said Khan in an interview with Fox News. On Monday evening, Donald Trump, during his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House, offered to mediate between the two countries to resolve the issue of Kashmir. Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked him to help ease tensions between the two neighbouring countries on the “disputed” Kashmir region and that he would love to be a mediator.

Kashmir issue can't be resolved bilaterally: Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan after Trump meeting

Police on Monday filed a charge sheet in the May 24 major fire mishap at the '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/surat-fire-municipal-corporation-issues-notices-to-over-3000-buildings-failing-security-norms-222123">Takshashila Arcade` building in Sarthana</a> area of Surat, in which 22 students lost their lives.&nbsp;

The 4271-page charge sheet names 14 people out of which 11 have been arrested and three declared absconders.&nbsp;

In the aftermath of the fire tragedy, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/surat-fire-delhi-fire-department-to-conduct-audit-of-coaching-institutes-221648">Surat Municipal Corporation</a> had issued "notices or sealed 3,000-3,500 buildings" across the city which did not have fire safety equipment installed.

A blaze ripped through the coaching centre located in Takshashila Arcade in Surat`s Sarthana area on May 24, killing as many as 22 people and injuring many others.

Several students were seen jumping off the building to escape the inferno. Some people were unable to escape and died on the spot. As the rescue operations were carried out, charred bodies were found. The fire was reportedly triggered by a short circuit.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had ordered an investigation in the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those killed.

Police on Monday filed a charge sheet in the May 24 major fire mishap at the 'Takshashila Arcade` building in Sarthana area of Surat, in which 22 students lost their lives.

Police on Monday filed a charge sheet in the May 24 major fire mishap at the 'Takshashila Arcade` building in Sarthana area of Surat, in which 22 students lost their lives. The 4271-page charge sheet names 14 people out of which 11 have been arrested and three declared absconders. In the aftermath of the fire tragedy, Surat Municipal Corporation had issued "notices or sealed 3,000-3,500 buildings" across the city which did not have fire safety equipment installed. A blaze ripped through the coaching centre located in Takshashila Arcade in Surat`s Sarthana area on May 24, killing as many as 22 people and injuring many others. Several students were seen jumping off the building to escape the inferno. Some people were unable to escape and died on the spot. As the rescue operations were carried out, charred bodies were found. The fire was reportedly triggered by a short circuit. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had ordered an investigation in the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those killed.

Surat fire: Police files 4271 page charge sheet against 14 accused

India bids farewell to Sheila Dikshit, thousands mourn her loss

Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighbouring countries in light of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-plans-to-divert-40-million-in-aid-to-venezuelas-opposition-236654">Trump administration</a> tariffs.

Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, data show.

At the same time, the shift has exposed the murkiness of trade export rules, putting a premium on lawyers expert in the minutiae of US customs rules.

"We have a lot of questions from our members," said Sage Chandler, vice president of international trade at the Consumer Technology Association. "Companies are trying to find ways to avoid having to pay 25 per cent."&nbsp;

Some companies may be pushing the envelope a little too much, violating US rules against "transhipments," the routing of China-made goods through other countries to evade tariffs, legal experts say.

The speeding shift from China&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-seeks-to-override-supreme-court-ruling-on-census-233448">President Donald Trump</a> since last year has slapped 25 per cent duties on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened additional levies on all other Chinese items coming to the United States though the two sides agreed last month to hold their fire for now.

Trump's trade measures have led some multinationals to fortify their North American operations and others to transfer some manufacturing capacity from China to any number of countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philipines, Bangladesh, India and Ethiopia.

Exports of computers and electronics from Vietnam to the United States have risen 71.6 per cent in the first five months of 2019 compared with the year-ago period, according to government data.&nbsp;

The pattern has also held for other machines and equipment, with exports from Vietnam rising 54.4 per cent over that period.

Even before Trump targeted China on trade, US companies had been reducing their dependence on China because of increasing production costs and elevated transport expenses compared with other Asian countries.

But the trade war has sped up those moves.

Ralph Lauren has "accelerated the diversification of our supply chain to mitigate the long-term impact of any potential tariff outcomes," said a spokesperson for the clothing company, adding that tariffs have so far not hit the company's goods.

Xcel Brands, which owns Isaac Mizrahi, Judith Ripka and other fashion houses, will cease manufacturing in China in 2020, a big shift from two years ago when the country was the source of 100 per cent of its merchandise.&nbsp;

The company has moved clothes-making operations to Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh, and is exploring adding capacity in Central America, Mexico and Canada.

This retooling, which was in the works before the tariffs, could boost profit margins, said Xcel chief executive Robert D'Loren. The trade war with China "accelerated our sourcing diversification efforts," he said.&nbsp;

A decade ago, more than 90 per cent of US footwear was made in China. But today, the figure is 69 per cent, said Matt Priest, president of Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.

Problem solved

Yet shifting production outside of China to other Asian centres is not necessarily a panacea.&nbsp;

Many of these countries lack the roads, airports and other vital infrastructure of the world's second-biggest economy. And there is no guarantee that the emerging manufacturing venues will be safe from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-us-tariffs-must-be-lifted-to-reach-a-deal-to-end-trade-war-232996">US tariffs</a> down the road.

Companies can also run afoul of US law if goods are made in China and then sent to an intermediate destination to dodge US tariffs.

"I have noticed an upswing in the number of tariff evasion cases that have been made public and also in the number of inquiries my firm has received," said Jeff Newman, a Boston attorney.

A June Wall Street Journal report showed that billions of dollars of Chinese-made goods were being rerouted in this manner through Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

US customers officials did not respond to request for comment.

Retail giants such as Walmart and Target say significantly reducing their reliance on Chinese-made goods is unrealistic because of the demand for low prices.

That means retailers are more likely to stop producing goods with very low-profit margins than to incur additional costs by moving production out of China, according to Priest of the footwear distributors association.&nbsp;

He points to flip flops, which earn returns of only around six or seven per cent.

"It won't be worth moving to Vietnam for six or seven per cent-margin shoes," Priest said.&nbsp;

"That shoe is not worth it."

Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighbouring countries in light of Trump administration tariffs. Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, data show.

Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighbouring countries in light of Trump administration tariffs. Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, data show. At the same time, the shift has exposed the murkiness of trade export rules, putting a premium on lawyers expert in the minutiae of US customs rules. "We have a lot of questions from our members," said Sage Chandler, vice president of international trade at the Consumer Technology Association. "Companies are trying to find ways to avoid having to pay 25 per cent." Some companies may be pushing the envelope a little too much, violating US rules against "transhipments," the routing of China-made goods through other countries to evade tariffs, legal experts say. The speeding shift from China President Donald Trump since last year has slapped 25 per cent duties on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened additional levies on all other Chinese items coming to the United States though the two sides agreed last month to hold their fire for now. Trump's trade measures have led some multinationals to fortify their North American operations and others to transfer some manufacturing capacity from China to any number of countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philipines, Bangladesh, India and Ethiopia. Exports of computers and electronics from Vietnam to the United States have risen 71.6 per cent in the first five months of 2019 compared with the year-ago period, according to government data. The pattern has also held for other machines and equipment, with exports from Vietnam rising 54.4 per cent over that period. Even before Trump targeted China on trade, US companies had been reducing their dependence on China because of increasing production costs and elevated transport expenses compared with other Asian countries. But the trade war has sped up those moves. Ralph Lauren has "accelerated the diversification of our supply chain to mitigate the long-term impact of any potential tariff outcomes," said a spokesperson for the clothing company, adding that tariffs have so far not hit the company's goods. Xcel Brands, which owns Isaac Mizrahi, Judith Ripka and other fashion houses, will cease manufacturing in China in 2020, a big shift from two years ago when the country was the source of 100 per cent of its merchandise. The company has moved clothes-making operations to Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh, and is exploring adding capacity in Central America, Mexico and Canada. This retooling, which was in the works before the tariffs, could boost profit margins, said Xcel chief executive Robert D'Loren. The trade war with China "accelerated our sourcing diversification efforts," he said. A decade ago, more than 90 per cent of US footwear was made in China. But today, the figure is 69 per cent, said Matt Priest, president of Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Problem solved Yet shifting production outside of China to other Asian centres is not necessarily a panacea. Many of these countries lack the roads, airports and other vital infrastructure of the world's second-biggest economy. And there is no guarantee that the emerging manufacturing venues will be safe from US tariffs down the road. Companies can also run afoul of US law if goods are made in China and then sent to an intermediate destination to dodge US tariffs. "I have noticed an upswing in the number of tariff evasion cases that have been made public and also in the number of inquiries my firm has received," said Jeff Newman, a Boston attorney. A June Wall Street Journal report showed that billions of dollars of Chinese-made goods were being rerouted in this manner through Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. US customers officials did not respond to request for comment. Retail giants such as Walmart and Target say significantly reducing their reliance on Chinese-made goods is unrealistic because of the demand for low prices. That means retailers are more likely to stop producing goods with very low-profit margins than to incur additional costs by moving production out of China, according to Priest of the footwear distributors association. He points to flip flops, which earn returns of only around six or seven per cent. "It won't be worth moving to Vietnam for six or seven per cent-margin shoes," Priest said. "That shoe is not worth it."

US importers find ways to adapt to, skirt Donald Trump's tariffs

Any nation, developed or developing, carries the accountability of building a sustainable future for its citizens by upholding the environment, maintaining culture and supporting a stable, growing economy. Rapid globalisation has changed the economic structures of developing and developed nations through innovation, increased communication and technology. The model set by the Modi 1.0 and 2.0 governments in particular, has brought about a defining, positive reform process for India's economic stabilisation. India's model aims at resolute economic growth. The Narendra Modi-led NDA 1.0's aggressive push for industrialisation and schemes to bolster several sectors have induced rapid growth. In particular, India focused on cash crops, natural resources, renewable energy, small businesses, entrepreneurship and public capital investment.

However, there were several factors that hindered stable growth and will pose a challenge to growth over the next five years. For India, these factors are monsoon and unpredictability in oil.

Monsoon

The Indian economy is indispensably linked with our monsoon because of water resources. Most of the country gets over 75 per cent annual rainfall in just three to four months which impacts agriculture, in particular, grain crops (legumes, wheat etc). Hydro-electric power also makes up a significant portion of power usage in India. Generating renewable energy from water is especially lucrative for India because monsoon is a consistent season in India even though the amount of water fluctuates. Speaking of which, over the past five years, the economy has faced hard luck in terms of monsoon. Water potential and wind power directly impact the Indian economy. Wind power is used to generate electricity and even to draw water. As for rainfall, the Modi-led NDA's first term was hit by drought, floods or pointedly less rainfall in comparison to previous years. In this time, the population also exploded to 1.3 billion people. The population has increased at a much faster rate than grain production. If this trend continues, India will face a very serious economic crisis.

At the end of the day, we are all hoping for stable and necessary rainfall over the next monsoon season so that the economy can also stabilise in this regard. Additionally, in order to offset shocks from potential years of drought and/or floods, PM Modi can take several steps. The first is to create mechanisms for mass water storage from unused monsoon water in places of largescale irrigation and where hydro-power is generated. A system should be devised where not a drop is wasted. This is especially important because PM Modi has assured to double farmer incomes and this year's Budget depends expressively on agriculture to boost the economy. Simultaneously, one can see the crisis associated with no water in Chennai, for example, over the past four months. The government has also paid farmers during past droughts which puts fiscal deficit under stress. Food accounts for approximately half of India's consumer price index. Therefore, droughts and floods also raise prices on crop which requires more government spending on welfare. Another step PM Modi should take is utilising technological innovation in cultivation and transportation of agriculture. Technology should also be used with more focus in things like soil testing, water allocation and water management. Agricultural innovation should be encouraged and used with full force as well.

Oil

The precariousness of oil prices is a major destabilising factor for the Indian economy. It proves especially poignant for India who imports a significant portion of our oil. Most recently, India has lost 11 per cent of its oil from Iran when we agreed to comply with US sanctions. Oil volatility can lead to large deficits and can force the government to spend money on energy instead of allocating to other necessary areas (water, schemes to help poor, etc). Therefore, it is necessary to build shields to offset volatility shocks over the next five years. There are several methods to do this. PM Modi should focus on more active derivative financial and commodities markets with oil products. This will help India reduce dependence for oil imports and would also bring discipline to the oil market. Another suggestion would be to strengthen the rupee. This would help deflect the surges from oil import bills which are inelastic in nature.&nbsp; Inelasticity in this case refers to consumer buying habits remain unchanged regardless of the price of oil increasing or decreasing.

As a rapidly growing economy over the next five years, it is high time that India understands and acts to buffer the severity of oil prices; especially in light of US sanctions on oil producing countries that India receives exports from. Oil volatility can destabilise our economy and also has the potential to disrupt the global economy by causing a precipitous inflation. If the above measures are implemented, India would be able to not only cushion oil volatility shocks, but also reduce volatile oil prices to a sustainable, predictable level.

Conclusion

Despite these imponderables, India is still well on its way to become a US $5 trillion economy. The development of the energy market will be a determining factor of how fast we reach the target, as will employment generation, water management and sustainable growth. The good news is that PM Modi has placed immense importance on all of these areas respectively.

The number of government job vacancies are expected to grow in the next year through schemes involving industry and government (ie. Sagarmala Port project, road, railway infrastructure across the country, development in the Northeast, etc). A water ministry has already been implemented and there are multiple schemes for environment sustainability. PM Modi's increased focus and expansion on already existing on healthcare (Ayushman Bharat) and education schemes (Beti Bachao, NEP 2019, etc) aim to alleviate overpopulation in the next decade. Now it is up to citizens to also actively join forces with the government. If we work to conserve water, develop innovation (especially in agriculture, renewable energy) and clean up our environment, why just a five trillion economy? We can achieve a ten trillion dollar economy in less than five years.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Any nation, developed or developing, carries the accountability of building a sustainable future for its citizens by upholding the environment, maintaining culture and supporting a stable, growing economy.

Any nation, developed or developing, carries the accountability of building a sustainable future for its citizens by upholding the environment, maintaining culture and supporting a stable, growing economy. Rapid globalisation has changed the economic structures of developing and developed nations through innovation, increased communication and technology. The model set by the Modi 1.0 and 2.0 governments in particular, has brought about a defining, positive reform process for India's economic stabilisation. India's model aims at resolute economic growth. The Narendra Modi-led NDA 1.0's aggressive push for industrialisation and schemes to bolster several sectors have induced rapid growth. In particular, India focused on cash crops, natural resources, renewable energy, small businesses, entrepreneurship and public capital investment. However, there were several factors that hindered stable growth and will pose a challenge to growth over the next five years. For India, these factors are monsoon and unpredictability in oil. Monsoon The Indian economy is indispensably linked with our monsoon because of water resources. Most of the country gets over 75 per cent annual rainfall in just three to four months which impacts agriculture, in particular, grain crops (legumes, wheat etc). Hydro-electric power also makes up a significant portion of power usage in India. Generating renewable energy from water is especially lucrative for India because monsoon is a consistent season in India even though the amount of water fluctuates. Speaking of which, over the past five years, the economy has faced hard luck in terms of monsoon. Water potential and wind power directly impact the Indian economy. Wind power is used to generate electricity and even to draw water. As for rainfall, the Modi-led NDA's first term was hit by drought, floods or pointedly less rainfall in comparison to previous years. In this time, the population also exploded to 1.3 billion people. The population has increased at a much faster rate than grain production. If this trend continues, India will face a very serious economic crisis. At the end of the day, we are all hoping for stable and necessary rainfall over the next monsoon season so that the economy can also stabilise in this regard. Additionally, in order to offset shocks from potential years of drought and/or floods, PM Modi can take several steps. The first is to create mechanisms for mass water storage from unused monsoon water in places of largescale irrigation and where hydro-power is generated. A system should be devised where not a drop is wasted. This is especially important because PM Modi has assured to double farmer incomes and this year's Budget depends expressively on agriculture to boost the economy. Simultaneously, one can see the crisis associated with no water in Chennai, for example, over the past four months. The government has also paid farmers during past droughts which puts fiscal deficit under stress. Food accounts for approximately half of India's consumer price index. Therefore, droughts and floods also raise prices on crop which requires more government spending on welfare. Another step PM Modi should take is utilising technological innovation in cultivation and transportation of agriculture. Technology should also be used with more focus in things like soil testing, water allocation and water management. Agricultural innovation should be encouraged and used with full force as well. Oil The precariousness of oil prices is a major destabilising factor for the Indian economy. It proves especially poignant for India who imports a significant portion of our oil. Most recently, India has lost 11 per cent of its oil from Iran when we agreed to comply with US sanctions. Oil volatility can lead to large deficits and can force the government to spend money on energy instead of allocating to other necessary areas (water, schemes to help poor, etc). Therefore, it is necessary to build shields to offset volatility shocks over the next five years. There are several methods to do this. PM Modi should focus on more active derivative financial and commodities markets with oil products. This will help India reduce dependence for oil imports and would also bring discipline to the oil market. Another suggestion would be to strengthen the rupee. This would help deflect the surges from oil import bills which are inelastic in nature. Inelasticity in this case refers to consumer buying habits remain unchanged regardless of the price of oil increasing or decreasing. As a rapidly growing economy over the next five years, it is high time that India understands and acts to buffer the severity of oil prices; especially in light of US sanctions on oil producing countries that India receives exports from. Oil volatility can destabilise our economy and also has the potential to disrupt the global economy by causing a precipitous inflation. If the above measures are implemented, India would be able to not only cushion oil volatility shocks, but also reduce volatile oil prices to a sustainable, predictable level. Conclusion Despite these imponderables, India is still well on its way to become a US $5 trillion economy. The development of the energy market will be a determining factor of how fast we reach the target, as will employment generation, water management and sustainable growth. The good news is that PM Modi has placed immense importance on all of these areas respectively. The number of government job vacancies are expected to grow in the next year through schemes involving industry and government (ie. Sagarmala Port project, road, railway infrastructure across the country, development in the Northeast, etc). A water ministry has already been implemented and there are multiple schemes for environment sustainability. PM Modi's increased focus and expansion on already existing on healthcare (Ayushman Bharat) and education schemes (Beti Bachao, NEP 2019, etc) aim to alleviate overpopulation in the next decade. Now it is up to citizens to also actively join forces with the government. If we work to conserve water, develop innovation (especially in agriculture, renewable energy) and clean up our environment, why just a five trillion economy? We can achieve a ten trillion dollar economy in less than five years. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Can India realistically become US $5 trillion economy?

The government is in talks with foreign lenders to provide as much as $14.5 billion in credit to millions of its small firms, two officials said, in a sign the country's banking system may not be robust enough to do the job on its own.

The government is in discussions with multiple foreign lenders, including Germany's state-owned development bank KfW Group, the World Bank and some Canadian institutions to extend lines of credit to small enterprises, one of the officials, who did not want to be identified, told Reuters.

KfW's India office confirmed the discussions, though the main focus was on credit lines to support small businesses'&nbsp;solar power generation. The talks were at an early stage, KfW said.

The World Bank's India spokesperson did not reply to an email seeking comment.

The official said the government plans to source up to 1 trillion Indian rupees of loans from foreign institutions because Indian banks were not in a position to provide enough capital for the small business sector, which is seen as critical to job creation.

“We are exploring, we are having discussions with various funding agencies if something can be done (for small and medium firms),” the second official said.

The officials did not provide full details of the discussions they are having with banks, or identify all those they are talking to, but said talks are at a very early stage.

India's micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ministry is discussing the proposal to pull in foreign banks with the country's ministry of finance, which will make a final call, the second official said.

The push for foreign loans comes on the heels of the Indian government's announcement earlier this month that it plans to borrow about 700 billion rupees by issuing overseas sovereign bonds.

India's 63 million firms in the micro, small and medium firm sector are responsible for more than a quarter of the country's manufacturing and services output, and must be re-energised for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to kick-start the economy.&nbsp;

Gross domestic product growth fell to a five-year low of 5.8 per cent&nbsp;in the January-March quarter, well below the 8 per cent-plus rates that the government is targeting.

But credit availability for small and medium firms, which also account for about 45 per cent&nbsp;of India's total exports, has worsened due to a liquidity crisis in the country's shadow banking industry that has seen big lenders struggling to remain solvent.&nbsp;

State-owned banks, which dominate the sector, have not been able to drive increased lending because they are burdened with more than $145 billion in bad loans.

This has led to a severe credit squeeze for smaller firms. They pay up to 17 per cent&nbsp;annual interest on loans from banks, while the shadow banks, which are also known as non-banking financial companies (NBFCS) can charge as much as 20 per cent.

Last month, a study by a Reserve Bank of India panel said the overall deficit in credit for the MSME sector is estimated at about 20 trillion rupees to 25 trillion rupees.&nbsp;

But lending to such firms can be risky as some lack proper financial information, such as historical cash flow data, which makes challenging for banks to assess the credit risks.

To mitigate such risks for foreign banks, the loans would be given sovereign guarantees and be routed through Indian government agencies such as the Small Industries Development Bank of India, the first official said. 
&nbsp;

The government is in talks with foreign lenders to provide as much as $14.5 billion in credit to millions of its small firms, two officials said, in a sign the country's banking system may not be robust enough to do the job on its own.

The government is in talks with foreign lenders to provide as much as $14.5 billion in credit to millions of its small firms, two officials said, in a sign the country's banking system may not be robust enough to do the job on its own. The government is in discussions with multiple foreign lenders, including Germany's state-owned development bank KfW Group, the World Bank and some Canadian institutions to extend lines of credit to small enterprises, one of the officials, who did not want to be identified, told Reuters. KfW's India office confirmed the discussions, though the main focus was on credit lines to support small businesses' solar power generation. The talks were at an early stage, KfW said. The World Bank's India spokesperson did not reply to an email seeking comment. The official said the government plans to source up to 1 trillion Indian rupees of loans from foreign institutions because Indian banks were not in a position to provide enough capital for the small business sector, which is seen as critical to job creation. “We are exploring, we are having discussions with various funding agencies if something can be done (for small and medium firms),” the second official said. The officials did not provide full details of the discussions they are having with banks, or identify all those they are talking to, but said talks are at a very early stage. India's micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ministry is discussing the proposal to pull in foreign banks with the country's ministry of finance, which will make a final call, the second official said. The push for foreign loans comes on the heels of the Indian government's announcement earlier this month that it plans to borrow about 700 billion rupees by issuing overseas sovereign bonds. India's 63 million firms in the micro, small and medium firm sector are responsible for more than a quarter of the country's manufacturing and services output, and must be re-energised for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to kick-start the economy. Gross domestic product growth fell to a five-year low of 5.8 per cent in the January-March quarter, well below the 8 per cent-plus rates that the government is targeting. But credit availability for small and medium firms, which also account for about 45 per cent of India's total exports, has worsened due to a liquidity crisis in the country's shadow banking industry that has seen big lenders struggling to remain solvent. State-owned banks, which dominate the sector, have not been able to drive increased lending because they are burdened with more than $145 billion in bad loans. This has led to a severe credit squeeze for smaller firms. They pay up to 17 per cent annual interest on loans from banks, while the shadow banks, which are also known as non-banking financial companies (NBFCS) can charge as much as 20 per cent. Last month, a study by a Reserve Bank of India panel said the overall deficit in credit for the MSME sector is estimated at about 20 trillion rupees to 25 trillion rupees. But lending to such firms can be risky as some lack proper financial information, such as historical cash flow data, which makes challenging for banks to assess the credit risks. To mitigate such risks for foreign banks, the loans would be given sovereign guarantees and be routed through Indian government agencies such as the Small Industries Development Bank of India, the first official said.

Government seeks to tap foreign lenders for loans to its small firms: Report

A look back at seven match-winning knocks by Mahendra Singh Dhoni

With summer holidays beginning in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/glacier-the-size-of-britain-could-disappear-and-drown-low-lying-coasts-study-234708">Britain</a> this week, officials are redoubling efforts at the border to stop young people from being dragged into forced marriages.

At a Heathrow Airport arrivals gate, an AFP reporter watched as officials from a special task force comprising police, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-agents-prepare-to-arrest-thousands-migrants-live-in-fear-235693">immigration agents</a> and charity workers intercepted a family disembarking a flight from Bangalore, India.

A young woman in the group raised red flags because of bruises on her arm, while a 13-year-old girl appeared especially timid both indicators of potential coercion.

After speaking to family members individually, officials were satisfied that the family was traveling to Britain for a funeral and the bruising was due to a traffic accident.

But the officials also learned that the young woman's parents had recently found her a fiance in their home state of Kerala and that he, too, may travel to Britain.

Trained task force officers took the woman aside to brief her on her rights and to press upon her that forced marriage is illegal in Britain.

"She's (now) aware of consent, and that she can withdraw her consent at any time," Detective Sergeant Kate Bridger of the Metropolitan Police told her team after they questioned 72 of the 250 people on the Air India flight.

'No winners here'&nbsp;

Britain outlawed forced marriage in 2014, with a maximum jail term of seven years for offenders.

Figures from the interior ministry's forced marriage unit show 1,764 reported cases in 2018 &nbsp;a 47 percent increase from the year before.

The reported cases are thought to be the tip of the iceberg.

Most cases involve Britons being married against their will overseas, mainly in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.

So the task force targeted passengers on flights to and from the Indian sub-continent as well as Middle East hub airports.

"It's not just a South Asian problem... it cuts across lots of different cultures and communities too," task force member detective sergeant Trudy Gittins told AFP.

Men were also affected, she said, as well as members of the LGBT community with cases of gay men forced to marry members of the opposite sex by their conservative families.

Cases in Britain have ranged from a two-year-old promised in a religious ceremony to marry into another family, to an 80-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer whose carer forced him into marriage to inherit his estate.

A third of the victims are younger than 18, and three-quarters are girls or women.

West Midlands Police last year secured the first conviction in England for forced marriage, with a woman jailed after her 13-year-old daughter was raped by her "fiance", a relative in Pakistan.

"There are no winners here this was her mum," said Gittins.

Senior officers said the emphasis of this week's operation was on prevention rather than prosecution.

"Our focus is not to criminalize parents or members of the extended family," said the Met's acting chief superintendent Parm Sandhu.&nbsp;

"Our focus is to safeguard young people."

Like being 'buried alive'

The task force is targeting Britain's busiest airports, stations and ports as the school holiday season gets underway a time when cases typically spike.

As team members gathered in a windowless room in the bowels of Heathrow, Gittins told them that victims have described being forced into marriage as being "buried alive".

"I want you to feel that statement today," she urged her colleagues.&nbsp;

Some of those greeted by the task force on arrival at Heathrow welcomed the initiative.

"We were very surprised, it's not something we've come across before," said Karan Shah, 31, with his wife on a three-week visit to Britain.

The couple had an arranged marriage to which both had agreed, he said, adding that in many parts of rural India forced marriages do still occur.

"It's very unfortunate so I give this a big thumbs up," said Shah.

With summer holidays beginning in Britain this week, officials are redoubling efforts at the border to stop young people from being dragged into forced marriages.

With summer holidays beginning in Britain this week, officials are redoubling efforts at the border to stop young people from being dragged into forced marriages. At a Heathrow Airport arrivals gate, an AFP reporter watched as officials from a special task force comprising police, immigration agents and charity workers intercepted a family disembarking a flight from Bangalore, India. A young woman in the group raised red flags because of bruises on her arm, while a 13-year-old girl appeared especially timid both indicators of potential coercion. After speaking to family members individually, officials were satisfied that the family was traveling to Britain for a funeral and the bruising was due to a traffic accident. But the officials also learned that the young woman's parents had recently found her a fiance in their home state of Kerala and that he, too, may travel to Britain. Trained task force officers took the woman aside to brief her on her rights and to press upon her that forced marriage is illegal in Britain. "She's (now) aware of consent, and that she can withdraw her consent at any time," Detective Sergeant Kate Bridger of the Metropolitan Police told her team after they questioned 72 of the 250 people on the Air India flight. 'No winners here' Britain outlawed forced marriage in 2014, with a maximum jail term of seven years for offenders. Figures from the interior ministry's forced marriage unit show 1,764 reported cases in 2018 a 47 percent increase from the year before. The reported cases are thought to be the tip of the iceberg. Most cases involve Britons being married against their will overseas, mainly in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. So the task force targeted passengers on flights to and from the Indian sub-continent as well as Middle East hub airports. "It's not just a South Asian problem... it cuts across lots of different cultures and communities too," task force member detective sergeant Trudy Gittins told AFP. Men were also affected, she said, as well as members of the LGBT community with cases of gay men forced to marry members of the opposite sex by their conservative families. Cases in Britain have ranged from a two-year-old promised in a religious ceremony to marry into another family, to an 80-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer whose carer forced him into marriage to inherit his estate. A third of the victims are younger than 18, and three-quarters are girls or women. West Midlands Police last year secured the first conviction in England for forced marriage, with a woman jailed after her 13-year-old daughter was raped by her "fiance", a relative in Pakistan. "There are no winners here this was her mum," said Gittins. Senior officers said the emphasis of this week's operation was on prevention rather than prosecution. "Our focus is not to criminalize parents or members of the extended family," said the Met's acting chief superintendent Parm Sandhu. "Our focus is to safeguard young people." Like being 'buried alive' The task force is targeting Britain's busiest airports, stations and ports as the school holiday season gets underway a time when cases typically spike. As team members gathered in a windowless room in the bowels of Heathrow, Gittins told them that victims have described being forced into marriage as being "buried alive". "I want you to feel that statement today," she urged her colleagues. Some of those greeted by the task force on arrival at Heathrow welcomed the initiative. "We were very surprised, it's not something we've come across before," said Karan Shah, 31, with his wife on a three-week visit to Britain. The couple had an arranged marriage to which both had agreed, he said, adding that in many parts of rural India forced marriages do still occur. "It's very unfortunate so I give this a big thumbs up," said Shah.

As holidays begin, UK looks out for forced marriages

Indian warships escorting merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf will remain deployed for the longer term, officials with direct knowledge of the matter said, as tensions between Iran and Western powers rise.

But the two ships, backed by surveillance aircraft, will not be part of a military coalition that the United States is assembling to safeguard the waters off Iran near the Straits of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil moves, the two officials said.&nbsp;

Since June following attacks on tankers that the United States blamed on Iran and Iran-aligned fighters, a charged Tehran denies, the Indian navy ships have been escorting Indian-flagged vessels in and out of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

"This is not going to stop, the situation being what it is, we will be there for the foreseeable future," said an official with knowledge of naval deployments.

India's navy, which has traditionally operated closer to home waters, has over the past year or so begun deployments across the Indian Ocean stretching from the Malacca Strait in Southeast Asia to waters off Africa, largely as a response to China's expanding weight across the region.

But the maritime operation in the Gulf is also to heed US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's call that major buyers of Middle East oil protect their own tankers, a second Indian official with knowledge of India's policy on the region said.&nbsp;

The issue figured during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Japan last month and Modi told the US&nbsp;leader he had sent ships to protect Indian-flagged vessels, the official said.&nbsp;

Trump has been putting pressure on European and Asian allies to shoulder security responsibilities and not depend on the United States alone.&nbsp;

Deepening regional tensions, Iran said on Thursday it had seized a foreign tanker smuggling fuel in the Gulf, and the US&nbsp;military commander in the region said the United States would work "aggressively" to ensure free passage of vessels.

Refuelling

On Friday, US&nbsp;officials will speak to members of the Washington diplomatic corps about the new initiative to promote freedom of navigation and maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department said.

New Delhi will not be formally joining such a force, in large measure because that would pit it directly against Iran, with which it has had historical political and energy ties. It also has never been part of foreign military task forces, preferring to work under the United Nations flag instead, the first official said.

India is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China.

"We will be carrying out the force protection measures on our own for Indian-flagged vessels. So far, nearly two dozen ships have been provided security," the official said.

But there is coordination with the US&nbsp;military with which India has a logistics support agreement, the official said.

Indian naval ships operating in the Gulf have been fuelled by the large fleet of US&nbsp;tankers and such assistance will remain because of the indefinite length of operation, the official said.&nbsp;

There have been no incidents so far involving Indian commercial shipping in the vital waterways.&nbsp;

"I surmise in a conflict we will be neutral. We will be drawn into it only if our shipping is hit," said former Indian naval officer Abhijit Singh, who heads the Maritime Policy Initiative think-tank at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation.

Singh said Indian navy ships had sailed in the Persian Gulf earlier though never exclusively to escort merchant marine.

About 15 Indian ships - destroyers, frigates, corvettes and large patrol vessels - are operating at the entry and exit points of the Indian Ocean, stretching from the Malacca Strait, through which much of China's trade and fuel is routed, to the Gulf of Aden in the west. 
&nbsp;

Indian warships escorting merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf will remain deployed for the longer term, officials with direct knowledge of the matter said, as tensions between Iran and Western powers rise.

Indian warships escorting merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf will remain deployed for the longer term, officials with direct knowledge of the matter said, as tensions between Iran and Western powers rise. But the two ships, backed by surveillance aircraft, will not be part of a military coalition that the United States is assembling to safeguard the waters off Iran near the Straits of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil moves, the two officials said. Since June following attacks on tankers that the United States blamed on Iran and Iran-aligned fighters, a charged Tehran denies, the Indian navy ships have been escorting Indian-flagged vessels in and out of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. "This is not going to stop, the situation being what it is, we will be there for the foreseeable future," said an official with knowledge of naval deployments. India's navy, which has traditionally operated closer to home waters, has over the past year or so begun deployments across the Indian Ocean stretching from the Malacca Strait in Southeast Asia to waters off Africa, largely as a response to China's expanding weight across the region. But the maritime operation in the Gulf is also to heed US President Donald Trump's call that major buyers of Middle East oil protect their own tankers, a second Indian official with knowledge of India's policy on the region said. The issue figured during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Japan last month and Modi told the US leader he had sent ships to protect Indian-flagged vessels, the official said. Trump has been putting pressure on European and Asian allies to shoulder security responsibilities and not depend on the United States alone. Deepening regional tensions, Iran said on Thursday it had seized a foreign tanker smuggling fuel in the Gulf, and the US military commander in the region said the United States would work "aggressively" to ensure free passage of vessels. Refuelling On Friday, US officials will speak to members of the Washington diplomatic corps about the new initiative to promote freedom of navigation and maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department said. New Delhi will not be formally joining such a force, in large measure because that would pit it directly against Iran, with which it has had historical political and energy ties. It also has never been part of foreign military task forces, preferring to work under the United Nations flag instead, the first official said. India is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil after China. "We will be carrying out the force protection measures on our own for Indian-flagged vessels. So far, nearly two dozen ships have been provided security," the official said. But there is coordination with the US military with which India has a logistics support agreement, the official said. Indian naval ships operating in the Gulf have been fuelled by the large fleet of US tankers and such assistance will remain because of the indefinite length of operation, the official said. There have been no incidents so far involving Indian commercial shipping in the vital waterways. "I surmise in a conflict we will be neutral. We will be drawn into it only if our shipping is hit," said former Indian naval officer Abhijit Singh, who heads the Maritime Policy Initiative think-tank at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation. Singh said Indian navy ships had sailed in the Persian Gulf earlier though never exclusively to escort merchant marine. About 15 Indian ships - destroyers, frigates, corvettes and large patrol vessels - are operating at the entry and exit points of the Indian Ocean, stretching from the Malacca Strait, through which much of China's trade and fuel is routed, to the Gulf of Aden in the west.

Indian warships to stay longer in Persian Gulf, won't join US coalition

5 reasons why you should never use FaceApp

India's consumer goods industry is losing steam as spending in the country's rural heartland cools and small manufacturers lose competitive advantages in a slowing economy, market research firm Nielsen said on Thursday.

Volume growth in India's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector slowed to 6.2 per cent&nbsp;in the three months to June from 9.9 per cent&nbsp;in the previous quarter, Nielsen said, citing internal data from retail research.

"The sentiments echo those in India's economic environment, with GDP moving down," the report said.

In Jan-March, India's economy grew at its slowest pace in more than four years, while retail inflation hit an eight-month high in June on higher food prices.

Growth in the consumer goods sector in rural India, where over two-thirds of Indians live, was slowing at twice the rate of urban areas in the previous few quarters, Nielsen said.

Higher raw material costs and slowing demand in the foods sector have hurt small manufacturers, the report added.

India's biggest FMCG companies also posted disappointing results in the March quarter. Hindustan Unilever Ltd, which owns brands such as Dove, Surf excel and Lakme, reported a smaller-than-expected rise in profit, while rival Dabur India Ltd posted a fall in profit.

Nielsen also cut its forecast for FMCG growth for the first half of 2019 to 12 per cent against their earlier prediction of 13-14 per cent.

India's consumer goods industry is losing steam as spending in the country's rural heartland cools and small manufacturers lose competitive advantages in a slowing economy, market research firm Nielsen said on Thursday.

India's consumer goods industry is losing steam as spending in the country's rural heartland cools and small manufacturers lose competitive advantages in a slowing economy, market research firm Nielsen said on Thursday. Volume growth in India's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector slowed to 6.2 per cent in the three months to June from 9.9 per cent in the previous quarter, Nielsen said, citing internal data from retail research. "The sentiments echo those in India's economic environment, with GDP moving down," the report said. In Jan-March, India's economy grew at its slowest pace in more than four years, while retail inflation hit an eight-month high in June on higher food prices. Growth in the consumer goods sector in rural India, where over two-thirds of Indians live, was slowing at twice the rate of urban areas in the previous few quarters, Nielsen said. Higher raw material costs and slowing demand in the foods sector have hurt small manufacturers, the report added. India's biggest FMCG companies also posted disappointing results in the March quarter. Hindustan Unilever Ltd, which owns brands such as Dove, Surf excel and Lakme, reported a smaller-than-expected rise in profit, while rival Dabur India Ltd posted a fall in profit. Nielsen also cut its forecast for FMCG growth for the first half of 2019 to 12 per cent against their earlier prediction of 13-14 per cent.

India's consumer goods growth slows as rural demand cools: Report

The Ministry of Defence in its annual report on Thursday slammed Pakistan for avoiding to take "action against Jihadi and internationally proscribed terror outfits that target Pakistan’s neighbours," news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

It added that India will continue to take "robust and decisive steps to ensure national security" until Pakistan takes "credible and irreversible steps" to stop supporting terror groups and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure used to launch attacks against India.&nbsp;

The report further added that the Pulwama attack, that killed over 40 CRPF personnel in February this year, shows that India remains a "persistent" target of Pakistan's cross-border terrorism policy.&nbsp;

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Defence Ministry: Pulwama attack by JeM confirmed that India remains a persistent target of Pakistan’s state sponsored cross border terrorism policy. India’s response included a successful preemptive non-military anti-terror aerial strike on largest JeM training camp in Balakot. <a href="https://t.co/5A61REUyMt">https://t.co/5A61REUyMt</a>
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"Pulwama attack by JeM confirmed that India remains a persistent target of Pakistan’s state-sponsored cross border terrorism policy. India’s response included a successful preemptive non-military anti-terror aerial strike on largest JeM training camp in Balakot," the report stated.

"Terrorist groups are being continuously encouraged (by Pakistan military) to infiltrate into India under cover of massive cross border firing in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering an appropriate response from Indian armed forces," the report stated.&nbsp;

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Defence Ministry Annual Report: Until Pakistan takes credible &amp; irreversible steps to stop supporting terror groups and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure used to launch attacks against India, India will continue to take robust and decisive steps to ensure national security. <a href="https://t.co/wmRNGYDdFh">pic.twitter.com/wmRNGYDdFh</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1151815603893805056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2019</a></blockquote>
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On China, the report said that as compared to last year, the number of face-offs and aggressive interactions during transgressions by the Chinese Army into Indian territory have reduced this year.

"After the disengagement from Doklam plateau by both sides on August 28, 2017, strength of Indian and Chinese Army has been reduced there. Indian Army is monitoring Chinese activities in the area and is adequately prepared to respond to any contingency there," the report added.&nbsp;

This comes a day after Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/seen-this-drama-says-india-on-hafiz-saeeds-arrest-by-pakistan-236906">Hafiz Saeed was arrested by&nbsp;Pakistan</a>'s Punjab government on Wednesday over terror financing charges. He has been sent on 7-day judicial remand.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, India has dismissed the arrest and has called it a drama which New Delhi has seen in the past.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We have seen the arrest reports. This has been going on for a long time. The arrest-release drama has happened more than 8 times since 2001."

"The question is, will Saeed be tried this time. We reiterate Saeed is a designated terrorist, listed by the UN," Kumar added.

The Ministry of Defence in its annual report on Thursday slammed Pakistan for avoiding to take "action against Jihadi and internationally proscribed terror outfits that target Pakistan’s neighbours," news agency ANI reported.

The Ministry of Defence in its annual report on Thursday slammed Pakistan for avoiding to take "action against Jihadi and internationally proscribed terror outfits that target Pakistan’s neighbours," news agency ANI reported. It added that India will continue to take "robust and decisive steps to ensure national security" until Pakistan takes "credible and irreversible steps" to stop supporting terror groups and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure used to launch attacks against India. The report further added that the Pulwama attack, that killed over 40 CRPF personnel in February this year, shows that India remains a "persistent" target of Pakistan's cross-border terrorism policy. Defence Ministry: Pulwama attack by JeM confirmed that India remains a persistent target of Pakistan’s state sponsored cross border terrorism policy. India’s response included a successful preemptive non-military anti-terror aerial strike on largest JeM training camp in Balakot. https://t.co/5A61REUyMt — ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019 × "Pulwama attack by JeM confirmed that India remains a persistent target of Pakistan’s state-sponsored cross border terrorism policy. India’s response included a successful preemptive non-military anti-terror aerial strike on largest JeM training camp in Balakot," the report stated. "Terrorist groups are being continuously encouraged (by Pakistan military) to infiltrate into India under cover of massive cross border firing in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering an appropriate response from Indian armed forces," the report stated. Defence Ministry Annual Report: Until Pakistan takes credible & irreversible steps to stop supporting terror groups and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure used to launch attacks against India, India will continue to take robust and decisive steps to ensure national security. pic.twitter.com/wmRNGYDdFh — ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2019 × On China, the report said that as compared to last year, the number of face-offs and aggressive interactions during transgressions by the Chinese Army into Indian territory have reduced this year. "After the disengagement from Doklam plateau by both sides on August 28, 2017, strength of Indian and Chinese Army has been reduced there. Indian Army is monitoring Chinese activities in the area and is adequately prepared to respond to any contingency there," the report added. This comes a day after Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed was arrested by Pakistan's Punjab government on Wednesday over terror financing charges. He has been sent on 7-day judicial remand. Meanwhile, India has dismissed the arrest and has called it a drama which New Delhi has seen in the past. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We have seen the arrest reports. This has been going on for a long time. The arrest-release drama has happened more than 8 times since 2001." "The question is, will Saeed be tried this time. We reiterate Saeed is a designated terrorist, listed by the UN," Kumar added.

Pulwama attack confirms that India remains persistent target of Pakistan’s terrorism policy: Defence report

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it would roll out a lower-priced mobile-only plan in India within the next three months to tap into a price-sensitive market at a time the streaming company is losing customers in its home turf.

India is among the last big growth markets for the company, where it faces competition from Amazon.com Inc's Prime Video and Hotstar, a video streaming platform owned by Walt Disney Co's India unit.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/game-of-thrones-and-netflix-tipped-to-sweep-emmy-nominations-236401&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj6qv3Km77jAhWUjeYKHSlxBmwQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2Lm1Zz_htOed5vy4tEub9Y">Netflix</a> lost US streaming customers for the first time in eight years on Wednesday, when it posted quarterly results. It also missed targets for new subscribers overseas.

"India is a mobile-first nation, where many first-time users are experiencing the internet on their phones. In such a scenario, a mobile-only package makes sense to target new users," said Tarun Pathak, an analyst at Counterpoint Research.

The creator of "Stranger Things" and "The Crown" said in March that it was testing a 250-rupee ($3.63) monthly subscription for mobile devices in India, where data plans are among the cheapest in the world.

The country figures prominently in Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings' global expansion plans.

"We believe this plan, which will launch in the third quarter, will be an effective way to introduce a larger number of people in India to Netflix and to further expand our business," the company said in a letter to investors released late on Wednesday.

Netflix currently offers three monthly plans in India, priced between 500 rupees ($7.27) and 800 rupees $11.63).

It has created a niche following in the country by launching local original shows like the thriller "Sacred Games" and dystopian tale "Leila", which feature popular Bollywood actors.

The second season of "Sacred Games" is set to release in August.

In contrast, Hotstar, which also offers content from AT&amp;T Inc's HBO and also streams live sports, charges 299 rupees ($4.35) per month. Amazon bundles its video and music streaming services with its Prime membership.

"We've been seeing nice steady increases in engagement with our Indian viewers that we think we can keep building on. Growth in that country is a marathon, so we're in it for the long haul," Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said.

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it would roll out a lower-priced mobile-only plan in India within the next three months to tap into a price-sensitive market at a time the streaming company is losing customers in its home turf.

Netflix Inc said on Wednesday it would roll out a lower-priced mobile-only plan in India within the next three months to tap into a price-sensitive market at a time the streaming company is losing customers in its home turf. India is among the last big growth markets for the company, where it faces competition from Amazon.com Inc's Prime Video and Hotstar, a video streaming platform owned by Walt Disney Co's India unit. Netflix lost US streaming customers for the first time in eight years on Wednesday, when it posted quarterly results. It also missed targets for new subscribers overseas. "India is a mobile-first nation, where many first-time users are experiencing the internet on their phones. In such a scenario, a mobile-only package makes sense to target new users," said Tarun Pathak, an analyst at Counterpoint Research. The creator of "Stranger Things" and "The Crown" said in March that it was testing a 250-rupee ($3.63) monthly subscription for mobile devices in India, where data plans are among the cheapest in the world. The country figures prominently in Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings' global expansion plans. "We believe this plan, which will launch in the third quarter, will be an effective way to introduce a larger number of people in India to Netflix and to further expand our business," the company said in a letter to investors released late on Wednesday. Netflix currently offers three monthly plans in India, priced between 500 rupees ($7.27) and 800 rupees $11.63). It has created a niche following in the country by launching local original shows like the thriller "Sacred Games" and dystopian tale "Leila", which feature popular Bollywood actors. The second season of "Sacred Games" is set to release in August. In contrast, Hotstar, which also offers content from AT&T Inc's HBO and also streams live sports, charges 299 rupees ($4.35) per month. Amazon bundles its video and music streaming services with its Prime membership. "We've been seeing nice steady increases in engagement with our Indian viewers that we think we can keep building on. Growth in that country is a marathon, so we're in it for the long haul," Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said.

Netflix to roll out cheaper mobile-only plan for India

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/vk-singh-takes-charge-as-minister-of-state-for-road-transport-and-highways-223834">Union Minister Gen (retired) VK Singh</a> on Thursday hailed the Kulbhushan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-kulbhushan-jadhav-verdict-imran-khan-should-grasp-the-nettle-236723">Jadhav verdict</a> and asserted that the positive judgment may make Pakistan realize their mistake.

Speaking to ANI on the International <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-legal-team-in-hague-for-kulbushan-jadhav-verdict-236395">Court of Justice`s verdict delivered yesterday</a>, Singh said, "The judgement is positive. With a judgment of 15:1 they have supported what we have said. It is visible that ICJ has honoured the basic conventions of law and justice and India has been successful in its mission".

On being asked about whether India will further exhort more pressure on Pakistan for resolution of this issue, he said, "The way they had abducted Kulbhushan and filed a fake case, we believe something must be done about it. Hopefully, Pakistan will realise the mistake that they have made and will take action to ensure that Kulbhushan Jadhav gets justice and is returned to India. "

His reaction comes after the ICJ on Wednesday continued its stay on the execution of the Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, held in a Pakistani jail on allegations of spying, and called for an effective review and reconsideration of the conviction.

Jadhav, 49, was purportedly "arrested" from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016, after he allegedly entered the country from Iran, as claimed by Islamabad.

India has held that Pakistan, which faces several problems on its border with Iran, has been using Jadhav`s case to blame India for its problems in Balochistan.

It has used proxy groups such as Jaish al Adl against Iran, while Iranian officials have spoken of Pakistan`s sponsorship of terror activities along the Iran-Pakistan border.

It was on March 25, 2016, that then Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, had informed the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad of Jadhav`s "arrest."

Since then, Pakistan has not offered any explanation as to why Islamabad took over three weeks to inform the Indian High Commissioner about Jadhav`s arrest.

Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on April 11, 2017.

Following this, India on May 8, 2017, approached the ICJ against Pakistan "for egregious violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963" in the matter.

India alleged that Pakistan is in breach of Article 36(1) (b) of the Vienna Convention, which obliged Pakistan to inform India of the arrest of Jadhav "without delay".

Union Minister Gen (retired) VK Singh on Thursday hailed the Kulbhushan Jadhav verdict and asserted that the positive judgment may make Pakistan realize their mistake.

Union Minister Gen (retired) VK Singh on Thursday hailed the Kulbhushan Jadhav verdict and asserted that the positive judgment may make Pakistan realize their mistake. Speaking to ANI on the International Court of Justice`s verdict delivered yesterday, Singh said, "The judgement is positive. With a judgment of 15:1 they have supported what we have said. It is visible that ICJ has honoured the basic conventions of law and justice and India has been successful in its mission". On being asked about whether India will further exhort more pressure on Pakistan for resolution of this issue, he said, "The way they had abducted Kulbhushan and filed a fake case, we believe something must be done about it. Hopefully, Pakistan will realise the mistake that they have made and will take action to ensure that Kulbhushan Jadhav gets justice and is returned to India. " His reaction comes after the ICJ on Wednesday continued its stay on the execution of the Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, held in a Pakistani jail on allegations of spying, and called for an effective review and reconsideration of the conviction. Jadhav, 49, was purportedly "arrested" from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016, after he allegedly entered the country from Iran, as claimed by Islamabad. India has held that Pakistan, which faces several problems on its border with Iran, has been using Jadhav`s case to blame India for its problems in Balochistan. It has used proxy groups such as Jaish al Adl against Iran, while Iranian officials have spoken of Pakistan`s sponsorship of terror activities along the Iran-Pakistan border. It was on March 25, 2016, that then Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, had informed the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad of Jadhav`s "arrest." Since then, Pakistan has not offered any explanation as to why Islamabad took over three weeks to inform the Indian High Commissioner about Jadhav`s arrest. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on April 11, 2017. Following this, India on May 8, 2017, approached the ICJ against Pakistan "for egregious violations of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963" in the matter. India alleged that Pakistan is in breach of Article 36(1) (b) of the Vienna Convention, which obliged Pakistan to inform India of the arrest of Jadhav "without delay".

Judgment positive, hopefully, Pakistan will realize their mistake and return Jadhav: VK Singh

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday paid tributes to two police personnel who died after a van with 24 under-trial prisoners en route to Moradabad jail was attacked by criminals here.

Speaking to ANI, Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Yamuna Prasad on Wednesday said: "The van was taking 24 under-trials after hearing in Chandausi court to Moradabad jail. The driver of the van heard a gunshot after which he stopped the van. Then the criminals shot two policemen and ran away with a rifle. Three prisoners escaped in the incident."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended condolences on the death of the two police personnel and directed the department to provide compensation of Rs 50 lakhs, government service for one dependent and extraordinary pension to the wife of the deceased.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday paid tributes to two police personnel who died after a van with 24 under-trial prisoners en route to Moradabad jail was attacked by criminals here.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday paid tributes to two police personnel who died after a van with 24 under-trial prisoners en route to Moradabad jail was attacked by criminals here. Speaking to ANI, Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Yamuna Prasad on Wednesday said: "The van was taking 24 under-trials after hearing in Chandausi court to Moradabad jail. The driver of the van heard a gunshot after which he stopped the van. Then the criminals shot two policemen and ran away with a rifle. Three prisoners escaped in the incident." Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended condolences on the death of the two police personnel and directed the department to provide compensation of Rs 50 lakhs, government service for one dependent and extraordinary pension to the wife of the deceased.

Uttar Pradesh: Police pays tribute to personnel killed in Sambhal

When we think of international borders between two countries, we often tend to come across either secured checkpoints or, perhaps, unremarkable, isolated, and imaginary dividers between the two pieces of land.

In this context, it would be very interesting to note that a house located on the zero-line (no fencing in an area of 385 yards) between India and Bangladesh is home to people who belong to the two different countries.&nbsp;

The house is located in Haripukur, on the India-Bangladesh border. Interestingly, the house draws attention as `Bangladesh` is written on the left wall while `India` on the other side.&nbsp;

This identification indicates that all dwellers in the house do not belong to the same country.

&nbsp;People share the same house, celebrate festivals together and continue their daily works without affecting anyone`s interest, despite vigilant security at all times.

The Border Security Force and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) keep their troops deployed on respective sides of the India-Bangladesh border. Speaking to ANI, BGB Major Nayeem commander said that they do not face much problem due to a cordial relationship with India but remain cautious at the same time.

The BSF too reiterated the same thing to ANI.BSF commander B.S. Negi told ANI that the BSF and the BGB ensure the security and safety of zero-line.

"There is no line between temples and mosques here, but people are not fear-free. They do feel some sort of restrictions due to round the clock presence of security forces. Bangladeshis and Indians have a separate mosque to offer Namaz prayers. Even before any celebration or festival security forces are intimated," Negi added.&nbsp;

When we think of international borders between two countries, we often tend to come across either secured checkpoints or, perhaps, unremarkable, isolated, and imaginary dividers between the two pieces of land.

When we think of international borders between two countries, we often tend to come across either secured checkpoints or, perhaps, unremarkable, isolated, and imaginary dividers between the two pieces of land. In this context, it would be very interesting to note that a house located on the zero-line (no fencing in an area of 385 yards) between India and Bangladesh is home to people who belong to the two different countries. The house is located in Haripukur, on the India-Bangladesh border. Interestingly, the house draws attention as `Bangladesh` is written on the left wall while `India` on the other side. This identification indicates that all dwellers in the house do not belong to the same country. People share the same house, celebrate festivals together and continue their daily works without affecting anyone`s interest, despite vigilant security at all times. The Border Security Force and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) keep their troops deployed on respective sides of the India-Bangladesh border. Speaking to ANI, BGB Major Nayeem commander said that they do not face much problem due to a cordial relationship with India but remain cautious at the same time. The BSF too reiterated the same thing to ANI.BSF commander B.S. Negi told ANI that the BSF and the BGB ensure the security and safety of zero-line. "There is no line between temples and mosques here, but people are not fear-free. They do feel some sort of restrictions due to round the clock presence of security forces. Bangladeshis and Indians have a separate mosque to offer Namaz prayers. Even before any celebration or festival security forces are intimated," Negi added.

House on Indo-Bangladesh border has dwellers from both countries

Kulbhushan Jadhav case: What is the International Court of Justice and how does it work

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/reserve-bank-of-india-to-enhance-monitoring-of-shadow-banking-firms-governor-225678">Reserve Bank of India (RBI) </a>has imposed a penalty of Rs 7 crore on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/budget-likely-to-spell-out-roadmap-for-banking-sector-reforms-consolidation-225649">State Bank of India</a> for non-compliance of directions.

The regulatory lapses relate to bad loan classification, fraud risk management and reporting of frauds.

The RBI directions specifically relate to Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms, code of conduct for opening and operating current accounts and reporting of data on Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC), fraud risk management and classification and reporting of frauds.

&nbsp;The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of section 47A (1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 51(1) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.

"Based on the inspection report and other relevant documents, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for non-compliance with directions issued by RBI," said a statement issued by the banking regulator.

"RBI came to the conclusion that the charges above of non-compliance with RBI directions were substantiated and warranted the imposition of monetary penalty," it said adding the action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 7 crore on State Bank of India for non-compliance of directions. The regulatory lapses relate to bad loan classification, fraud risk management and reporting of frauds.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 7 crore on State Bank of India for non-compliance of directions. The regulatory lapses relate to bad loan classification, fraud risk management and reporting of frauds. The RBI directions specifically relate to Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms, code of conduct for opening and operating current accounts and reporting of data on Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC), fraud risk management and classification and reporting of frauds. The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of section 47A (1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 51(1) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949. "Based on the inspection report and other relevant documents, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for non-compliance with directions issued by RBI," said a statement issued by the banking regulator. "RBI came to the conclusion that the charges above of non-compliance with RBI directions were substantiated and warranted the imposition of monetary penalty," it said adding the action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Reserve Bank of India imposes a penalty of Rs 7 crore on State Bank of India for regulatory lapses

Cricket World Cup 2019: Dream team of the tournament

Indian Army personnel rescued at least 160 people affected due to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/monsoon-rains-wreaking-flood-havoc-across-south-asia-236353&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjagImHwbnjAhWo6nMBHcpUDTIQFjACegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1iK2gXo0rkZjMjtxXixh8r">floods</a> triggered by incessant rains in the Nalabari district during a night operation.

Torrential downpour amounted to a breach of embankments of the Pagladiya River in Nalbari, flooding 133 villages and affecting 1, 50,000 people across the district.

Army personnel carried the flood-affected people on their shoulders and in the army boats and moved them to a safer place on Monday night.

The flood situation remains grim in several states across the country, more than a hundred National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) troops have been deployed in various flood-affected areas of the country including Bihar and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/heavy-rain-and-floods-in-assam-kill-at-least-11-and-displace-more-than-1-million-236009&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjagImHwbnjAhWo6nMBHcpUDTIQFjAEegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0kDE_8L2jAP4M2EPCaJqox">Assam</a>.

In addition, the 24X7 NDRF control room in Delhi is closely monitoring the situation to coordinate with various agencies for further deployment, said an official statement on Monday.

The torrential downpour in the state of Assam continued to wreak havoc on Monday, causing the flooding on National Highway 37 and affecting 200 villages in Morigaon district alone due to the rising water levels of river Brahmaputra.

Large areas of Kaziranga National Park were submerged, and the animals from the sanctuary were taken to highlands.&nbsp;

Ferry services to Umananda Devaloi Temple, located at the Peacock Island in the middle of the river Brahmaputra, were halted on Monday, leaving the priests and other people on the island stranded.

In Assam, 14 NDRF teams have been deployed in Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Biswanath, Chariali, Cachar, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Guwahati, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia to tackle the worsening flood situation in the districts due to torrential rain and overflowing rivers and water bodies.

On Monday, in the low lying areas of district Bishwanath, Chariali, Golaghat, Morigaon and Tinsukia, NDRF evacuated 460 people and shifted them to safer places and so far over 3000 people have been evacuated in Assam by the force.

The Assam flood situation was brought up in the Parliament on Monday with Congress parliamentarian and Assam Congress Committee President Ripun Bora giving a Zero Hour Notice over flood situation in his home state.&nbsp;

Indian Army personnel rescued at least 160 people affected due to floods triggered by incessant rains in the Nalabari district during a night operation. Torrential downpour amounted to a breach of embankments of the Pagladiya River in Nalbari, flooding 133 villages and affecting 1, 50,000 people across the district.

Indian Army personnel rescued at least 160 people affected due to floods triggered by incessant rains in the Nalabari district during a night operation. Torrential downpour amounted to a breach of embankments of the Pagladiya River in Nalbari, flooding 133 villages and affecting 1, 50,000 people across the district. Army personnel carried the flood-affected people on their shoulders and in the army boats and moved them to a safer place on Monday night. The flood situation remains grim in several states across the country, more than a hundred National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) troops have been deployed in various flood-affected areas of the country including Bihar and Assam. In addition, the 24X7 NDRF control room in Delhi is closely monitoring the situation to coordinate with various agencies for further deployment, said an official statement on Monday. The torrential downpour in the state of Assam continued to wreak havoc on Monday, causing the flooding on National Highway 37 and affecting 200 villages in Morigaon district alone due to the rising water levels of river Brahmaputra. Large areas of Kaziranga National Park were submerged, and the animals from the sanctuary were taken to highlands. Ferry services to Umananda Devaloi Temple, located at the Peacock Island in the middle of the river Brahmaputra, were halted on Monday, leaving the priests and other people on the island stranded. In Assam, 14 NDRF teams have been deployed in Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Biswanath, Chariali, Cachar, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Guwahati, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia to tackle the worsening flood situation in the districts due to torrential rain and overflowing rivers and water bodies. On Monday, in the low lying areas of district Bishwanath, Chariali, Golaghat, Morigaon and Tinsukia, NDRF evacuated 460 people and shifted them to safer places and so far over 3000 people have been evacuated in Assam by the force. The Assam flood situation was brought up in the Parliament on Monday with Congress parliamentarian and Assam Congress Committee President Ripun Bora giving a Zero Hour Notice over flood situation in his home state.

Assam floods: Over 160 people rescued by Army in night operation

Air Chief Marshal <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-chief-birender-singh-dhanoa-embarks-on-four-day-visit-to-russia-233971&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj_y-Hit7njAhWZiHAKHfqBDX0QFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1k1QSkpQxxFBE6I8JtR0Hy">B S Dhanoa</a> on Tuesday said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is well prepared to fight a Kargil-like war again.

"Like all good generals, we are prepared to fight the last war. If Kargil comes again, we are very well prepared," he said at an event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1999 Kargil conflict.

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Indian Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa on the 20th anniversary of Kargil War: Like all good Generals, we are prepared to fight the last war. If Kargil comes again, we are very well prepared. <a href="https://t.co/EBVNmFB3YO">pic.twitter.com/EBVNmFB3YO</a>
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Listing out the precision attack capabilities acquired by the force after the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/20th-year-of-kargil-war-indian-air-force-turns-gwalior-air-base-into-war-theatre-229911&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj_y-Hit7njAhWZiHAKHfqBDX0QFjAEegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1B99-sGZFfnG95SxiDeGOz">Kargil War</a>, Dhanoa said, "In case required, we can do all-weather bombing even through the clouds very accurately.&nbsp;

We have seen an attack carried out on February 26 (Balakot airstrike) that we are capable of carrying out a precision strike from standoff distances and very accurately.

"The `Kargil Vijay Diwas`, named after the success of `Operation Vijay`, marks the victory of India over Pakistan during the Kargil War in 1999.

It is celebrated on July 26 every year.

India had successfully managed to recapture the high outposts in the Kargil-Drass sector, which was occupied by the Pakistani intruders.

To assist the Indian Army, the IAF had launched airstrikes under the `Operation Safed Sagar` to evict the Pakistani intruders from the high outposts.

The Army has planned celebratory events across the country from July 25-27 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the conflict. 
&nbsp;

Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Tuesday said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is well prepared to fight a Kargil-like war again. "Like all good generals, we are prepared to fight the last war.

Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Tuesday said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is well prepared to fight a Kargil-like war again. "Like all good generals, we are prepared to fight the last war. If Kargil comes again, we are very well prepared," he said at an event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1999 Kargil conflict. Indian Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa on the 20th anniversary of Kargil War: Like all good Generals, we are prepared to fight the last war. If Kargil comes again, we are very well prepared. pic.twitter.com/EBVNmFB3YO — ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2019 × Listing out the precision attack capabilities acquired by the force after the Kargil War, Dhanoa said, "In case required, we can do all-weather bombing even through the clouds very accurately. We have seen an attack carried out on February 26 (Balakot airstrike) that we are capable of carrying out a precision strike from standoff distances and very accurately. "The `Kargil Vijay Diwas`, named after the success of `Operation Vijay`, marks the victory of India over Pakistan during the Kargil War in 1999. It is celebrated on July 26 every year. India had successfully managed to recapture the high outposts in the Kargil-Drass sector, which was occupied by the Pakistani intruders. To assist the Indian Army, the IAF had launched airstrikes under the `Operation Safed Sagar` to evict the Pakistani intruders from the high outposts. The Army has planned celebratory events across the country from July 25-27 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the conflict.

Well prepared for a Kargil-like conflict again: IAF Chief BS Dhanoa

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