Paraguay will pick a new president in Sunday's election with the ruling Colorado Party expected to keep power but lose seats in Congress, which could complicate its pro-business agenda and raise the risk of higher taxes on the country's key farm sector.

Mario Abdo, a 46-year-old former senator who campaigned for the Colorado Party on an anti-corruption platform, supports current low-tax policies aimed at stimulating foreign investment and agricultural production in Paraguay, the world's No. 4 soybean exporter and a major supplier of beef.

Abdo has promised to fight pressure to raise taxes despite calls from the opposition for a levy on soybean exports. Polls show him 18 to 20 points ahead of candidate Efrain Alegre, a lawyer from the center-left GANAR coalition.

Outgoing president Horacio Cartes, who tried but failed to change the constitution to allow him to seek a second consecutive term, is running for a Senate seat on Sunday.

Abdo is the son of the private secretary of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay with an iron hand for 35 years. Abdo, who was 16 when his father's regime ended in 1989, vows to respect human rights and democratic institutions if elected.

"My leadership style is not to impose my ideas," he recently said on television.

Grains-dependent Paraguay produced more than 10 million tonnes of soy last year and is trying to attract investment needed to reach its goal of 20 million tonnes by 2028.

Polls say Abdo's party is likely to lose some of the 20 seats it has in Paraguay's 45-member Senate, which last year debated a bill to slap a 10 percent tax on soybean exports.

"The push for an export tax will intensify after the election, which is likely to see the empowering of the Frente Guasu, a major proponent of the initiative, and a party which is expected to substantially increase its presence in Congress," said Thomaz Favaro, an analyst for consultancy Control Risks

Abdo may be forced to support the export tax in order to safeguard other parts of his investment-friendly agenda.

"Uncertainty over the level of taxation for the agriculture industry will thus likely persist in the short-to-medium term," Favaro said.

About 4.2 million Paraguayans are eligible to vote in the election. The new president will take office on August 15.

Paraguay will pick a new president in Sunday's election with the ruling Colorado Party expected to keep power

Paraguay will pick a new president in Sunday's election with the ruling Colorado Party expected to keep power but lose seats in Congress, which could complicate its pro-business agenda and raise the risk of higher taxes on the country's key farm sector. Mario Abdo, a 46-year-old former senator who campaigned for the Colorado Party on an anti-corruption platform, supports current low-tax policies aimed at stimulating foreign investment and agricultural production in Paraguay, the world's No. 4 soybean exporter and a major supplier of beef. Abdo has promised to fight pressure to raise taxes despite calls from the opposition for a levy on soybean exports. Polls show him 18 to 20 points ahead of candidate Efrain Alegre, a lawyer from the center-left GANAR coalition. Outgoing president Horacio Cartes, who tried but failed to change the constitution to allow him to seek a second consecutive term, is running for a Senate seat on Sunday. Abdo is the son of the private secretary of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay with an iron hand for 35 years. Abdo, who was 16 when his father's regime ended in 1989, vows to respect human rights and democratic institutions if elected. "My leadership style is not to impose my ideas," he recently said on television. Grains-dependent Paraguay produced more than 10 million tonnes of soy last year and is trying to attract investment needed to reach its goal of 20 million tonnes by 2028. Polls say Abdo's party is likely to lose some of the 20 seats it has in Paraguay's 45-member Senate, which last year debated a bill to slap a 10 percent tax on soybean exports. "The push for an export tax will intensify after the election, which is likely to see the empowering of the Frente Guasu, a major proponent of the initiative, and a party which is expected to substantially increase its presence in Congress," said Thomaz Favaro, an analyst for consultancy Control Risks Abdo may be forced to support the export tax in order to safeguard other parts of his investment-friendly agenda. "Uncertainty over the level of taxation for the agriculture industry will thus likely persist in the short-to-medium term," Favaro said. About 4.2 million Paraguayans are eligible to vote in the election. The new president will take office on August 15.

Conservatives seen keeping power as Paraguay goes to the polls

A Chinese national, the managing director of a shipping firm in Pakistan, was killed in Karachi after being shot in the head by unidentified gunmen here in what police are calling a targeted attack.

Chen Zhu, who was hit in the head and later died in hospital.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-urges-pakistan-to-solve-chinese-citizens-killing-31996">China urges Pakistan to solve Chinese citizen&#39;s killing</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/chinese-national-shot-dead-in-karachi-31862">Chinese national shot dead in Karachi</a>

The incident highlights China&#39;s increased concern about its money invested and people working on projects in Pakistan.

The incident comes nearly two months after China warned its citizens in Pakistan to be on alert after receiving intelligence reports about possible attacks targeting Chinese.

Pakistan is becoming more dependent on China as relations with the US have hit a low.&nbsp;

China is ramping up investment as part of a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan&#39;s Gwadar port.

Thousands of Chinese workers are employed in the development of infrastructure projects under Beijing&#39;s &#39;Belt and Road&#39; initiative.&nbsp;

The port and road-building projects have come under frequent attacks in Balochistan.

Protecting employees of Chinese companies, as well as individual entrepreneurs who have followed the investment wave along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has been a concern for Chinese officials.

Last year, two Chinese nationals, believed to be Christian missionaries, were abducted from Quetta and killed by the Islamic State group in the restive Balochistan province.

The couple had reportedly been &quot;preaching&quot; in Balochistan under the garb of learning Urdu.

Pakistan faces an &quot;unprecedented situation whereby growing foreign direct investment is accompanied by a significant increase in the physical presence of foreign nationals,&quot; said a researcher of a security consultancy.&nbsp;

Thousands of Chinese workers are employed in the development of infrastructure projects under Beijing's 'Belt and Road' initiative.

A Chinese national, the managing director of a shipping firm in Pakistan, was killed in Karachi after being shot in the head by unidentified gunmen here in what police are calling a targeted attack. Chen Zhu, who was hit in the head and later died in hospital. Also read: China urges Pakistan to solve Chinese citizen's killing Also read: Chinese national shot dead in Karachi The incident highlights China's increased concern about its money invested and people working on projects in Pakistan. The incident comes nearly two months after China warned its citizens in Pakistan to be on alert after receiving intelligence reports about possible attacks targeting Chinese. Pakistan is becoming more dependent on China as relations with the US have hit a low. China is ramping up investment as part of a $54 billion project known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, upgrading infrastructure, power and transport links between its far-western Xinjiang region and Pakistan's Gwadar port. Thousands of Chinese workers are employed in the development of infrastructure projects under Beijing's 'Belt and Road' initiative. The port and road-building projects have come under frequent attacks in Balochistan. Protecting employees of Chinese companies, as well as individual entrepreneurs who have followed the investment wave along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has been a concern for Chinese officials. Last year, two Chinese nationals, believed to be Christian missionaries, were abducted from Quetta and killed by the Islamic State group in the restive Balochistan province. The couple had reportedly been "preaching" in Balochistan under the garb of learning Urdu. Pakistan faces an "unprecedented situation whereby growing foreign direct investment is accompanied by a significant increase in the physical presence of foreign nationals," said a researcher of a security consultancy.

Concerns rise in China over CPEC after murder of its citizen in Pakistan

The BSE Sensex fell by 185 points in early session today due to losses in realty, power, PSU, metal and infrastructure stocks amid weak Asian cues.

Besides, investors were cautious ahead of September quarter GDP data to be released later in the day.

Offloading of positions by participants with today being the last trading session of November series contracts in the derivatives segment pulled down the index, brokers said.

The 30-share flagship index was down 185.24 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 33,417.52 with sectoral indices led by realty and power falling up to 0.88 per cent.

The gauge had fallen 121.68 points in the previous two sessions.

The 50-share NSE Nifty too was quoting lower by 57.50 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 10,303.80.

Weakness in the rupee, which slipped 24 paise to 64.55 against the dollar today, too weighed on the sentiments.

Among laggards Kotak Bank, Cipla, Adani Ports, ONGC, M&amp;M, Reliance Industries, Coal India, Axis Bank, Hind Unilever, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Ltd, Tata Steel and Lupin dropped up to 1.71 per cent.

Hong Kong&#39;s Hang Seng weakened 1.21 per cent while Shanghai Composite lost 0.26 per cent in early trade. Japan&#39;s Nikkei too shed 0.10 per cent.

US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.44 per cent higher yesterday.&nbsp;

The BSE Sensex fell by 185 points due to losses in realty, power, PSU, metal and infrastructure stocks

The BSE Sensex fell by 185 points in early session today due to losses in realty, power, PSU, metal and infrastructure stocks amid weak Asian cues. Besides, investors were cautious ahead of September quarter GDP data to be released later in the day. Offloading of positions by participants with today being the last trading session of November series contracts in the derivatives segment pulled down the index, brokers said. The 30-share flagship index was down 185.24 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 33,417.52 with sectoral indices led by realty and power falling up to 0.88 per cent. The gauge had fallen 121.68 points in the previous two sessions. The 50-share NSE Nifty too was quoting lower by 57.50 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 10,303.80. Weakness in the rupee, which slipped 24 paise to 64.55 against the dollar today, too weighed on the sentiments. Among laggards Kotak Bank, Cipla, Adani Ports, ONGC, M&M, Reliance Industries, Coal India, Axis Bank, Hind Unilever, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Ltd, Tata Steel and Lupin dropped up to 1.71 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng weakened 1.21 per cent while Shanghai Composite lost 0.26 per cent in early trade. Japan's Nikkei too shed 0.10 per cent. US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.44 per cent higher yesterday.

Stocks fall ahead of GDP numbers, F&O expiry

China aims to prevent power generated by its renewable energy sector being wasted by 2020, the country&rsquo;s National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Monday.

Power from wind, solar and hydro plants is often wasted as there is not enough transmission capacity to absorb it, leading to high curtailment rates, especially in northwestern China.

The NEA said in a statement that the utilization rate of hydro-power plants in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan should reach around 90 percent by 2017.

It expects the wind power curtailment rate to drop to about 30 percent in the northwestern provinces of Gansu and Xinjiang and to around 20 percent in the northeastern region of Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia in 2017.

Solar power waste in Gansu and Xinjiang provinces should be controlled below around 20 percent and in Shaanxi and Qinghai to below 10 percent this year, it added.

Power generated from wind and solar power plants in other regions across the country will have to meet the 2017 targets set by the NEA last year, it said in the statement.

China has vowed to raise the portion of its renewable and non-fossil fuel power consumption to 15 percent of the total energy mix by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030.

It also said that it will promote the power trade market and improve its cross-region power transmission capacity to boost renewable energy consumption and cut its coal dependence.

Coal-fired power capacity across the country will be capped at 1,100 gigawatts by 2020, the NEA said.

Power from wind, solar and hydro plants is often wasted as there is not enough transmission capacity to absorb it, leading to high curtailment rates, especially in northwestern China

China aims to prevent power generated by its renewable energy sector being wasted by 2020, the country’s National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Monday. Power from wind, solar and hydro plants is often wasted as there is not enough transmission capacity to absorb it, leading to high curtailment rates, especially in northwestern China. The NEA said in a statement that the utilization rate of hydro-power plants in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan should reach around 90 percent by 2017. It expects the wind power curtailment rate to drop to about 30 percent in the northwestern provinces of Gansu and Xinjiang and to around 20 percent in the northeastern region of Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia in 2017. Solar power waste in Gansu and Xinjiang provinces should be controlled below around 20 percent and in Shaanxi and Qinghai to below 10 percent this year, it added. Power generated from wind and solar power plants in other regions across the country will have to meet the 2017 targets set by the NEA last year, it said in the statement. China has vowed to raise the portion of its renewable and non-fossil fuel power consumption to 15 percent of the total energy mix by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030. It also said that it will promote the power trade market and improve its cross-region power transmission capacity to boost renewable energy consumption and cut its coal dependence. Coal-fired power capacity across the country will be capped at 1,100 gigawatts by 2020, the NEA said.

China to stop wastage of renewable energy by 2020

The sane people in Bangladesh do not think that Bangladesh and India are enemies although since 1975, right wing political forces have tried to paint such a picture. Even today, some fringe elements in the Bangladeshi intelligentsia keep peddling such a narrative to an audience that thrives on this.

However, over the past several years, the sensible quarters of the civil society and media have been able to reassert, by and large, the objective narrative of mutual trust and the benefits of Bangladesh-India cooperation and the need for strengthening it. India didn&rsquo;t do anything in the last 46 years that shows New Delhi&#39;s intent to gobble up Bangladesh. Nor it is possible. False fear mongering and small neighbour mentality are out.

There are big economic and political changes taking place in the region and beyond. It is an ongoing geopolitical game and all the interested parties are trying to get the most out of it through conventional non-violent means i.e. strategic posturing, economic cooperation, diplomacy, etc.

Unlike in the past, today, bigger domestic constituencies of leading developing countries are getting increasingly interested in their nations&#39; regional and global standings. Therefore, alongside international politics and security, other factors such as economic benefits, regional or international stature and even domestic politics have become important determinants of bilateral and multilateral relationship between countries.

Since the Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist BJP government came to power in India in 2014, riding on the development plank, India-Bangladesh relationship needed a reboot. The secular Awami League under Sheikh Hasina, with a history of good relations with the secular Indian National Congress, continued to be in power in Dhaka for a second term.

Both the governments realised that inter-state relations come ahead of inter-party relations across the border and thus developed a good working relationship. Moreover, Bangladesh and India have a shared history and commonalities of culture, not to mention the huge volume of bilateral trade and other interactions.

However, Bangladesh is an aspirational country and it is already the world&rsquo;s 31st largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. It has a big population with a large number of young people who want jobs and a good life. Therefore, when it comes to economy, Bangladesh, like other Least Developed Countries (LDCs), needs more FDI in infrastructure, manufacturing, processing industries and other fields. As the western, Japanese and West Asian finances are drying out, China is fast stepping into that vacuum. It has overtaken India as the largest trading partner of Bangladesh. Bangladesh&#39;s military is also dependent on Chinese supply of military hardware as those are of reasonable standards and are affordable.

Bangladesh&rsquo;s cosiness with China seems to have puzzled India, Beijing&#39;s geopolitical competitor. It is a different matter that India is currently utilising China&rsquo;s economic rise and has replaced Pakistan as China&#39;s largest trade partner in South Asia.

To nullify the Bangladesh-China intimacy, India has proposed a long-term defence cooperation pact with Bangladesh which&nbsp;&nbsp;involves purchasing Indian military armaments, various military-to-military cooperation measures like training, capacity building, joint exercises, etc.

Much has not been disclosed but there is a sense that India would also seek a deeper military strategic alliance. This would serve the Modi government very well as the overall security and geopolitical rise of India are key promises made by Modi. If successful, this defence agreement with Bangladesh would help Modi in his 2019 re-election bid. He can then claim that he has been successful in &lsquo;isolating Pakistan in South Asia&rsquo; and &lsquo;resisting China in this part of South Asia&rsquo;.

What does this mean for Bangladesh and the Awami League government?

Bangladesh doesn&rsquo;t need Indian armaments which are not known for their quality although Dhaka may wish to reduce its dependence on Chinese armaments, owing to China&rsquo;s proximity to Myanmar. But for that, Dhaka would do better to look at Russia or Eastern Europe.

The Awami League government of Bangladesh, unlike the BJP in India, will be significantly embarrassed in the domestic political sphere if this agreement goes through. Its detractors have long accused it as a pro-India party.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moreover, Bangladesh still has important unresolved issues with India like water sharing of the Teesta and other rivers.

India also did not support Bangladesh on the humanitarian Rohingya issue, considering its own geostrategic interest in Myanmar. Most importantly, a comprehensive India-Bangladesh defence pact would inevitably raise the obvious question as to who the pact is against. It will send China, Bangladesh&rsquo;s strategic economic partner, a wrong signal. Beijing has just committed to invest a whopping $27 billion in Bangladesh while indicating that it could invest another $13 billion in the private sector. Bangladesh, therefore, will do well to keep out of the India-China geopolitical competition and engage in economic ties with both.

The Modi government made the lingering Land Boundary Agreement a reality and allowed more Bangladeshi products to reach the Indian markets without tariff. Bangladesh actively and consistently went after hideouts of northeast Indian insurgents along its border. Bangladesh will probably reciprocate by allowing India&rsquo;s landlocked northeast region to use its seaports for a reasonable fee.

Bangladesh doesn&rsquo;t consider India as an enemy but it is surrounded by the country on three sides. The adjacent northeastern region of India is a highly militarised zone and keeps Bangladesh wary at all times. It is also difficult for Bangladesh to gauge the direction of India&#39;s domestic politics in the light of anti-Bangladesh rhetoric, specially on immigrants, used in previous general elections. India&rsquo;s record of politico-military involvement in Sri Lanka also doesn&#39;t help.

Many Bangladeshis are worried about the state of Muslims in India as news of discrimination and persecution by Hindutva activists keep making news. On the other hand, Bangladesh&rsquo;s current relationship with Pakistan is moving from bad to worse. Currently, Bangladesh&rsquo;s relationship with the rest of the Islamic world is less cosy than in the past for obvious reasons. Even though India and Bangladesh share a warm relationship at present, Bangladesh doesn&rsquo;t want to put all its eggs in the same basket by aligning too closely with the saffron dispensation in New Delhi.

Therefore, neither Bangladesh wants acrimony with India nor does it need any defence cooperation. It&rsquo;s better that Bangladesh&rsquo;s defence remains independent of India. Rather, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on friendly coexistence and cooperation in countering terrorism and extremism would be a fair shot for both the countries. Hopefully, the Indian government would understand Bangladesh&rsquo;s conundrum and would settle for something sustainable for both the sides.

Dhaka and New Delhi should instead agree on friendly coexistence and cooperation in countering terrorism

The sane people in Bangladesh do not think that Bangladesh and India are enemies although since 1975, right wing political forces have tried to paint such a picture. Even today, some fringe elements in the Bangladeshi intelligentsia keep peddling such a narrative to an audience that thrives on this. However, over the past several years, the sensible quarters of the civil society and media have been able to reassert, by and large, the objective narrative of mutual trust and the benefits of Bangladesh-India cooperation and the need for strengthening it. India didn’t do anything in the last 46 years that shows New Delhi's intent to gobble up Bangladesh. Nor it is possible. False fear mongering and small neighbour mentality are out. There are big economic and political changes taking place in the region and beyond. It is an ongoing geopolitical game and all the interested parties are trying to get the most out of it through conventional non-violent means i.e. strategic posturing, economic cooperation, diplomacy, etc. Unlike in the past, today, bigger domestic constituencies of leading developing countries are getting increasingly interested in their nations' regional and global standings. Therefore, alongside international politics and security, other factors such as economic benefits, regional or international stature and even domestic politics have become important determinants of bilateral and multilateral relationship between countries. Since the Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist BJP government came to power in India in 2014, riding on the development plank, India-Bangladesh relationship needed a reboot. The secular Awami League under Sheikh Hasina, with a history of good relations with the secular Indian National Congress, continued to be in power in Dhaka for a second term. Both the governments realised that inter-state relations come ahead of inter-party relations across the border and thus developed a good working relationship. Moreover, Bangladesh and India have a shared history and commonalities of culture, not to mention the huge volume of bilateral trade and other interactions. However, Bangladesh is an aspirational country and it is already the world’s 31st largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. It has a big population with a large number of young people who want jobs and a good life. Therefore, when it comes to economy, Bangladesh, like other Least Developed Countries (LDCs), needs more FDI in infrastructure, manufacturing, processing industries and other fields. As the western, Japanese and West Asian finances are drying out, China is fast stepping into that vacuum. It has overtaken India as the largest trading partner of Bangladesh. Bangladesh's military is also dependent on Chinese supply of military hardware as those are of reasonable standards and are affordable. Bangladesh’s cosiness with China seems to have puzzled India, Beijing's geopolitical competitor. It is a different matter that India is currently utilising China’s economic rise and has replaced Pakistan as China's largest trade partner in South Asia. To nullify the Bangladesh-China intimacy, India has proposed a long-term defence cooperation pact with Bangladesh which involves purchasing Indian military armaments, various military-to-military cooperation measures like training, capacity building, joint exercises, etc. Much has not been disclosed but there is a sense that India would also seek a deeper military strategic alliance. This would serve the Modi government very well as the overall security and geopolitical rise of India are key promises made by Modi. If successful, this defence agreement with Bangladesh would help Modi in his 2019 re-election bid. He can then claim that he has been successful in ‘isolating Pakistan in South Asia’ and ‘resisting China in this part of South Asia’. What does this mean for Bangladesh and the Awami League government? Bangladesh doesn’t need Indian armaments which are not known for their quality although Dhaka may wish to reduce its dependence on Chinese armaments, owing to China’s proximity to Myanmar. But for that, Dhaka would do better to look at Russia or Eastern Europe. The Awami League government of Bangladesh, unlike the BJP in India, will be significantly embarrassed in the domestic political sphere if this agreement goes through. Its detractors have long accused it as a pro-India party. Moreover, Bangladesh still has important unresolved issues with India like water sharing of the Teesta and other rivers. India also did not support Bangladesh on the humanitarian Rohingya issue, considering its own geostrategic interest in Myanmar. Most importantly, a comprehensive India-Bangladesh defence pact would inevitably raise the obvious question as to who the pact is against. It will send China, Bangladesh’s strategic economic partner, a wrong signal. Beijing has just committed to invest a whopping $27 billion in Bangladesh while indicating that it could invest another $13 billion in the private sector. Bangladesh, therefore, will do well to keep out of the India-China geopolitical competition and engage in economic ties with both. The Modi government made the lingering Land Boundary Agreement a reality and allowed more Bangladeshi products to reach the Indian markets without tariff. Bangladesh actively and consistently went after hideouts of northeast Indian insurgents along its border. Bangladesh will probably reciprocate by allowing India’s landlocked northeast region to use its seaports for a reasonable fee. Bangladesh doesn’t consider India as an enemy but it is surrounded by the country on three sides. The adjacent northeastern region of India is a highly militarised zone and keeps Bangladesh wary at all times. It is also difficult for Bangladesh to gauge the direction of India's domestic politics in the light of anti-Bangladesh rhetoric, specially on immigrants, used in previous general elections. India’s record of politico-military involvement in Sri Lanka also doesn't help. Many Bangladeshis are worried about the state of Muslims in India as news of discrimination and persecution by Hindutva activists keep making news. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s current relationship with Pakistan is moving from bad to worse. Currently, Bangladesh’s relationship with the rest of the Islamic world is less cosy than in the past for obvious reasons. Even though India and Bangladesh share a warm relationship at present, Bangladesh doesn’t want to put all its eggs in the same basket by aligning too closely with the saffron dispensation in New Delhi. Therefore, neither Bangladesh wants acrimony with India nor does it need any defence cooperation. It’s better that Bangladesh’s defence remains independent of India. Rather, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on friendly coexistence and cooperation in countering terrorism and extremism would be a fair shot for both the countries. Hopefully, the Indian government would understand Bangladesh’s conundrum and would settle for something sustainable for both the sides.

Why a long-term defence pact with India is not in Bangladesh?s interest

Actor Bryan Cranston has been roped in to play Zordon in the &quot;Power Rangers&quot; remake. 
 
The 60-year-old six-time Emmy winner broke the news on Twitter. 
 
&quot;Excited to play #Zordon in the #PowerRangersMovie! T or F: #BlueRanger Billy Cranston was named after what actor?,&quot; he wrote, noting that Billy Cranston, the Blue Ranger, was named after him. 
 
The &quot;Breaking Bad&quot; alum has worked with the Power Rangers franchise previously as well, voicing Snizard and Twin Man on the &quot;Mighty Morphin Power Rangers&quot; series in the early &#39;90s. 
 
The film will chronicle the adventures of five high school students who must save the planet, which includes their town of Angel Grove, from alien destruction. 
 
Elizabeth Banks is playing the villain, Rita Repulsa, while the young cast includes Becky G as Yellow Ranger Trini, Ludi Lin as Black Ranger Zack, Dacre Montgomery as Red Ranger Jason, Naomi Scott as Pink Ranger Kimberly, and RJ Cyler as Blue Ranger Billy. 
The film is scheduled to release in March 2017. 
 
(PTI)

The 60-year-old six-time Emmy winner broke the news that he'd be playing 'Zordon' on Twitter

Actor Bryan Cranston has been roped in to play Zordon in the "Power Rangers" remake. The 60-year-old six-time Emmy winner broke the news on Twitter. "Excited to play #Zordon in the #PowerRangersMovie! T or F: #BlueRanger Billy Cranston was named after what actor?," he wrote, noting that Billy Cranston, the Blue Ranger, was named after him. The "Breaking Bad" alum has worked with the Power Rangers franchise previously as well, voicing Snizard and Twin Man on the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" series in the early '90s. The film will chronicle the adventures of five high school students who must save the planet, which includes their town of Angel Grove, from alien destruction. Elizabeth Banks is playing the villain, Rita Repulsa, while the young cast includes Becky G as Yellow Ranger Trini, Ludi Lin as Black Ranger Zack, Dacre Montgomery as Red Ranger Jason, Naomi Scott as Pink Ranger Kimberly, and RJ Cyler as Blue Ranger Billy. The film is scheduled to release in March 2017. (PTI)

Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston to star in Power Rangers reboot

To meet their ever-growing energy needs, countries in South Asia are focussing on renewable energy in the long run. Some are also turning to nuclear power to bridge existing energy deficits in the short run. 
 
India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the three biggest economies of South Asia, are all on a growth trajectory. They grew by 7.3, 4.24 and 6.5 per cent respectively in 2015 (World Bank). The International Monetary Fund estimated that the world&rsquo;s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1 per cent in the corresponding period. Since sustained economic growth is inextricably linked to energy security, these countries need to take urgent measures to increase power generation, expand grid mapping and to check transmission losses. India and Pakistan have embarked on ambitious programmes of meeting their energy security needs by reducing dependence on conventional (fossil fuel dependent: oil, coal, gas) energy. And both New Delhi and Islamabad have placed the emphasis on tapping renewable and nuclear energy to achieve their goals. Bangladesh has modest renewable energy plans. It has steered clear of nuclear energy thus far. This is the way to go. 
 
According to the Indian Ministry of Renewable Energy, the country has plans to increase the contribution of nuclear power to overall electricity generation capacity (also called installed capacity) from 3.0 per cent to 9 per cent by 2035. New Delhi aims to draw 25 per cent of its total electricity supply from its nuclear power plants by 2050. India&rsquo;s nuclear power generation is by and large dependent on imported uranium. But due to earlier sanctions and lack of substantial uranium reserves, it has put a lot of resources to develop a unique nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its copious thorium deposits. However, the reactor is an experimental one and it will be a long while before it can be scaled up. 
 
India targets to achieve 40 per cent of total power generation capacity from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind, by 2030. This would translate to around 3,50,000 Megawatts by 2030. Clearly, in the long run, the Indians are hedging their bets on the renewable path. 
 
The picture is strikingly similar in Pakistan which grapples with six to eight hours daily power outages in its cities. Islamabad plans to construct 32 nuclear power plants by 2050. The Nuclear Vision 2050 document states generation of more than 40,000 Megawatts of nuclear power by 2050 which translates into 15 per cent of the projected capacity. 
 
The last Pakistan government in power announced that by 2030, almost 50 per cent of the country&rsquo;s installed capacity would come from renewable sources. The Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Plant which is being built with Chinese help has been a step in the right direction. The largest solar project in the world, as Ecowatch calls it, started selling electricity to the grid in 2015. When completed in 2017, its installed capacity will touch 1000 Megawatts, according to China Dialogue. 
 
Bangladesh has set a target of getting 3168 Megawatts of renewable energy installed by 2021 which will account for 10 per cent of its total capacity, according to the country&rsquo;s Power Ministry. 
On the surface, it is surprising for countries, ranked medium to low in terms of human development indices and per capita GDP, to opt for the expensive renewable highway. Renewable power projects are many times costlier to build than nuclear ones. 
 
The cheapest power station to build are the ones which run on coal, oil and gas. But their operational costs are the highest and vary according to price fluctuations in international crude and coal markets. It is unsustainable in the long run and does not help in reducing carbon emission. 
 
Nuclear plants are many times expensive than those running on fossil fuels. But they are several times cheaper than solar or wind energy stations and require less space. 
 
But its operational cost in countries like India and Pakistan is not nominal as the reactors use expensive fuel such as uranium or plutonium which need to be imported. Alongside, nuclear plants require the most rigorous safety and maintenance standards which involve high costs. 
 
And in case of an accident at the plant in a country as densely populated like India, the financial and humanitarian cost may assume monumental proportions. The passing of the Nuclear Liability Act by the Indian Parliament in 2010 effectively absolved the reactor-selling nations such as Russia, France or the US of any liability in case of an accident. This is a gambit that goes horribly wrong when it does. 
 
There was widespread opposition to ratification of the Nuclear Liability Act. Protests even spread to rural pockets leading to clashes between agitators and policemen. But India&rsquo;s energy demand doubled between 1991 and 2011 and the government pushed the pedal. 
 
Renewable energy projects cost a bomb but are the cheapest to run. They have zero raw material costs, negligible maintenance costs and zero carbon emission. And last but not the least, in case of any critical failure, they do not endanger the lives and livelihoods of thousands or pose a threat to the natural environment. 
As technology advances and economies of scale kick in, and they are scaling rapidly, the costs will come down. 
 
Ideally, countries in South Asia must collaborate, taking into account each other&rsquo;s strong points to offset the high costs of renewable power projects. For example, cement and other construction materials in Pakistan are cheaper than India. In technology components, India enjoys a cost advantage because of the economies of scale. The countries in the region are already discussing buying from and selling electricity to each other. It would be a good idea to involve Nepal and Bhutan as well. The point is to take the &lsquo;power&rsquo; equation in the region to the next level.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries must work with each other to offset the high costs of renewable power projects

To meet their ever-growing energy needs, countries in South Asia are focussing on renewable energy in the long run. Some are also turning to nuclear power to bridge existing energy deficits in the short run. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the three biggest economies of South Asia, are all on a growth trajectory. They grew by 7.3, 4.24 and 6.5 per cent respectively in 2015 (World Bank). The International Monetary Fund estimated that the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1 per cent in the corresponding period. Since sustained economic growth is inextricably linked to energy security, these countries need to take urgent measures to increase power generation, expand grid mapping and to check transmission losses. India and Pakistan have embarked on ambitious programmes of meeting their energy security needs by reducing dependence on conventional (fossil fuel dependent: oil, coal, gas) energy. And both New Delhi and Islamabad have placed the emphasis on tapping renewable and nuclear energy to achieve their goals. Bangladesh has modest renewable energy plans. It has steered clear of nuclear energy thus far. This is the way to go. According to the Indian Ministry of Renewable Energy, the country has plans to increase the contribution of nuclear power to overall electricity generation capacity (also called installed capacity) from 3.0 per cent to 9 per cent by 2035. New Delhi aims to draw 25 per cent of its total electricity supply from its nuclear power plants by 2050. India’s nuclear power generation is by and large dependent on imported uranium. But due to earlier sanctions and lack of substantial uranium reserves, it has put a lot of resources to develop a unique nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its copious thorium deposits. However, the reactor is an experimental one and it will be a long while before it can be scaled up. India targets to achieve 40 per cent of total power generation capacity from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind, by 2030. This would translate to around 3,50,000 Megawatts by 2030. Clearly, in the long run, the Indians are hedging their bets on the renewable path. The picture is strikingly similar in Pakistan which grapples with six to eight hours daily power outages in its cities. Islamabad plans to construct 32 nuclear power plants by 2050. The Nuclear Vision 2050 document states generation of more than 40,000 Megawatts of nuclear power by 2050 which translates into 15 per cent of the projected capacity. The last Pakistan government in power announced that by 2030, almost 50 per cent of the country’s installed capacity would come from renewable sources. The Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Plant which is being built with Chinese help has been a step in the right direction. The largest solar project in the world, as Ecowatch calls it, started selling electricity to the grid in 2015. When completed in 2017, its installed capacity will touch 1000 Megawatts, according to China Dialogue. Bangladesh has set a target of getting 3168 Megawatts of renewable energy installed by 2021 which will account for 10 per cent of its total capacity, according to the country’s Power Ministry. On the surface, it is surprising for countries, ranked medium to low in terms of human development indices and per capita GDP, to opt for the expensive renewable highway. Renewable power projects are many times costlier to build than nuclear ones. The cheapest power station to build are the ones which run on coal, oil and gas. But their operational costs are the highest and vary according to price fluctuations in international crude and coal markets. It is unsustainable in the long run and does not help in reducing carbon emission. Nuclear plants are many times expensive than those running on fossil fuels. But they are several times cheaper than solar or wind energy stations and require less space. But its operational cost in countries like India and Pakistan is not nominal as the reactors use expensive fuel such as uranium or plutonium which need to be imported. Alongside, nuclear plants require the most rigorous safety and maintenance standards which involve high costs. And in case of an accident at the plant in a country as densely populated like India, the financial and humanitarian cost may assume monumental proportions. The passing of the Nuclear Liability Act by the Indian Parliament in 2010 effectively absolved the reactor-selling nations such as Russia, France or the US of any liability in case of an accident. This is a gambit that goes horribly wrong when it does. There was widespread opposition to ratification of the Nuclear Liability Act. Protests even spread to rural pockets leading to clashes between agitators and policemen. But India’s energy demand doubled between 1991 and 2011 and the government pushed the pedal. Renewable energy projects cost a bomb but are the cheapest to run. They have zero raw material costs, negligible maintenance costs and zero carbon emission. And last but not the least, in case of any critical failure, they do not endanger the lives and livelihoods of thousands or pose a threat to the natural environment. As technology advances and economies of scale kick in, and they are scaling rapidly, the costs will come down. Ideally, countries in South Asia must collaborate, taking into account each other’s strong points to offset the high costs of renewable power projects. For example, cement and other construction materials in Pakistan are cheaper than India. In technology components, India enjoys a cost advantage because of the economies of scale. The countries in the region are already discussing buying from and selling electricity to each other. It would be a good idea to involve Nepal and Bhutan as well. The point is to take the ‘power’ equation in the region to the next level.

South Asian mandate to renewable energy for sustainable growth

India and the US welcomed preparations that could lead to the building of six nuclear reactors in India by US-based Westinghouse, in what would be the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil-nuclear issues. 
 
The joint statement said India and the US&nbsp;Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project and that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Westinghouse had confirmed engineering and site design work would begin immediately. 
 
It said Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would work toward finalizing the contract by June 2017 - a year later than Westinghouse&#39;s chief executive&nbsp;Daniel Roderick&nbsp;said he had hoped for.&nbsp; 
 
The text of a logistics agreement, which will allow the countries&#39; militaries to&nbsp;use each other&#39;s land, air and naval bases, would be signed soon, a US&nbsp;official said. 
 
Modi&nbsp;told an event organized by the US&nbsp;India Business Council that relations between India and the United States were &quot;closer than ever&quot;. He said the planned reactor purchases would mark new era in nuclear and scientific cooperation. 
 
Modi&#39;s address to a joint session of Congress will be a significant personal step. Although this has become a&nbsp;tradition for Indian prime ministers, he was once banned from the United States for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. 
 
More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Modi&nbsp;had just become the state&#39;s chief minister.&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;has denied any wrongdoing, and India&#39;s Supreme Court in 2010 ruled there was no case. 
 
In the joint statement, the United States said it now recognized India as a &quot;Major Defence Partner&quot; and would work on technology sharing &quot;to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners&quot;. 
 
Tensions between the United States and Pakistan, as well as regional concerns about China,&nbsp;have served as a backdrop to increased security cooperation. 
 
Senator John McCain, chairman of the US&nbsp;Senate Armed Services Committee, said the address to Congress was &quot;entirely appropriate&quot; given the new partnership. 
 
&quot;There&rsquo;s no doubt there are significant tensions and challenges in the region, which argues for closer coordination between our militaries,&quot; he said. 
 
While&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;is generally popular with the US&nbsp;lawmakers, they criticize what they see as lingering unfriendliness to US&nbsp;firms and a stifling bureaucracy, in spite of&nbsp;Modi&#39;s pro-business image. They also question New Delhi&#39;s record on human rights. 
 
Modi&nbsp;got a boost on Tuesday when Amazon Inc&nbsp;Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said his company will&nbsp;invest an additional $3 billion in India, increasing&nbsp;its committed investment in the country to over $5 billion.

The US said it now recognized India as a "Major Defence Partner" and would work on technology sharing "to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners"

India and the US welcomed preparations that could lead to the building of six nuclear reactors in India by US-based Westinghouse, in what would be the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil-nuclear issues. The joint statement said India and the US Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project and that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Westinghouse had confirmed engineering and site design work would begin immediately. It said Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would work toward finalizing the contract by June 2017 - a year later than Westinghouse's chief executive Daniel Roderick said he had hoped for. The text of a logistics agreement, which will allow the countries' militaries to use each other's land, air and naval bases, would be signed soon, a US official said. Modi told an event organized by the US India Business Council that relations between India and the United States were "closer than ever". He said the planned reactor purchases would mark new era in nuclear and scientific cooperation. Modi's address to a joint session of Congress will be a significant personal step. Although this has become a tradition for Indian prime ministers, he was once banned from the United States for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Modi had just become the state's chief minister. Modi has denied any wrongdoing, and India's Supreme Court in 2010 ruled there was no case. In the joint statement, the United States said it now recognized India as a "Major Defence Partner" and would work on technology sharing "to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners". Tensions between the United States and Pakistan, as well as regional concerns about China, have served as a backdrop to increased security cooperation. Senator John McCain, chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, said the address to Congress was "entirely appropriate" given the new partnership. "There’s no doubt there are significant tensions and challenges in the region, which argues for closer coordination between our militaries," he said. While Modi is generally popular with the US lawmakers, they criticize what they see as lingering unfriendliness to US firms and a stifling bureaucracy, in spite of Modi's pro-business image. They also question New Delhi's record on human rights. Modi got a boost on Tuesday when Amazon Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, increasing its committed investment in the country to over $5 billion.

Obama and Modi talks touch on nuclear power, military cooperation and Big Business

Thailand`s junta leader swatted away critics, vowing to stay in power despite &quot;people&#39;s hatred&quot; for him, &nbsp;as tensions simmered before a referendum which the military says will pave the way for elections.&nbsp; 
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha seized power two years ago from the elected government when he was army chief, promising to heal a bitter decade-long political divide.&nbsp; 
But his regime has curbed free speech, outlawed political activities and penned a new charter designed to entrench the military`s role in government.&nbsp; 
&quot;I won`t go anywhere as long as the country is not at peace and in order. I won`t leave, despite how much you hate me,&quot; Prayut, who is renowned for his often irate outbursts, said in remarks to a forum in Bangkok.&nbsp; 
While he was speaking Wednesday morning a Thai folk singer was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for royal defamation -- one of several harsh laws the junta has used to curb critics, especially on the Internet.&nbsp; 
The singer, known by his stage name Tom Dundee, was convicted for comments he made in a 2013 speech at a political rally organised by supporters of the now-ousted government. 
Prayut also defended the sweeping powers granted to him as junta chief, saying &quot;there are still some politicians expressing their opinions&quot;.&nbsp; 
On the surface the political climate has calmed significantly under the junta, following years of competing street protests that often turned deadly.&nbsp; 
But disquiet is returning before an August referendum on the charter, despite a new law which punishes campaigning in the run-up to the vote with up to 10 years in prison.&nbsp; 
The junta has promised elections will go ahead in 2017 but has not clarified what will happen if the charter is rejected in the referendum, raising fears the timetable will slip once again.&nbsp; 
Prayut`s speech comes after the junta appeared to be loosening its grip by ending travel restrictions on many former politicians and promising to move its &quot;attitude adjustment&quot; sessions -- a common punishment for critics -- from military camps to government buildings and police stations.&nbsp; 
Critics say the regime is bent on dismantling the powerful political network of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose parties have long dominated the polls but are reviled by Bangkok`s military-allied elite.&nbsp; 
Analysts say the political troubles are exacerbated by the failing health of the 88-year-old monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej as competing elites jostle for power before the succession.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha had seized power two years ago from the elected government when he was the army chief, promising to heal a bitter decade-long political divide

Thailand`s junta leader swatted away critics, vowing to stay in power despite "people's hatred" for him, as tensions simmered before a referendum which the military says will pave the way for elections. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha seized power two years ago from the elected government when he was army chief, promising to heal a bitter decade-long political divide. But his regime has curbed free speech, outlawed political activities and penned a new charter designed to entrench the military`s role in government. "I won`t go anywhere as long as the country is not at peace and in order. I won`t leave, despite how much you hate me," Prayut, who is renowned for his often irate outbursts, said in remarks to a forum in Bangkok. While he was speaking Wednesday morning a Thai folk singer was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for royal defamation -- one of several harsh laws the junta has used to curb critics, especially on the Internet. The singer, known by his stage name Tom Dundee, was convicted for comments he made in a 2013 speech at a political rally organised by supporters of the now-ousted government. Prayut also defended the sweeping powers granted to him as junta chief, saying "there are still some politicians expressing their opinions". On the surface the political climate has calmed significantly under the junta, following years of competing street protests that often turned deadly. But disquiet is returning before an August referendum on the charter, despite a new law which punishes campaigning in the run-up to the vote with up to 10 years in prison. The junta has promised elections will go ahead in 2017 but has not clarified what will happen if the charter is rejected in the referendum, raising fears the timetable will slip once again. Prayut`s speech comes after the junta appeared to be loosening its grip by ending travel restrictions on many former politicians and promising to move its "attitude adjustment" sessions -- a common punishment for critics -- from military camps to government buildings and police stations. Critics say the regime is bent on dismantling the powerful political network of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose parties have long dominated the polls but are reviled by Bangkok`s military-allied elite. Analysts say the political troubles are exacerbated by the failing health of the 88-year-old monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej as competing elites jostle for power before the succession.

Thailand's junta leader says he will stay in power despite 'people's hatred' for him

power

Power, News on Power, stories on Power, articles on Power, Power stories at Wion, Power news, Power latest news