NEW DELHI, March 31:
Natural gas prices was today cut by about 8 per cent to USD 4.66 a unit to reflect the softening in international prices, a move that will lower electricity and fertiliser costs.
Oil Ministry’s pricing cell, PPAC said domestically produced natural gas will cost USD 4.66 per million British thermal unit from April 1 to September 30 on gross clarofic value basis (GCV) as opposed to USD 5.05 per mmBtu currently.
On net clarofic value (NCV) basis, the rate would be USD 5.1726 or USD 5.18 as compared to USD 5.61 currently.
The new rates are as per the formula approved by the government in October last year.
This is the first reduction in price of natural gas in India. Domestic gas price was raised from USD 4.2 per mmBtu to USD 5.61 per mmBtu effective November 1.
Revenue impact on producers
While the cut will impact the revenue producers like Oil and Natural Gas Corp and Reliance Industries, it will bring gains for users in the power and fertiliser sector in form of lower feedstock cost.
As per mechanism approved in October 2014, price of domestically produced natural gas are to be revised every six month using weighted average or rates prevalent in gas—surplus economies of US/Mexico, Canada and Russia.
Indian gas price is calculated by taking weighted average price at Henry Hub of US, National Balancing Point of UK, rates in Alberta (Canada) and Russia with a lag of one quarter. So, the rates for April 1 to September 30 are based on average price at the international hubs during January to December 2014.
“In accordance with Para 8 of the ‘New Domestic Natural Gas Pricing Guidelines, 2014’ issued by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, the price of domestic natural gas for the period April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015 is given hereunder: USD 4.66 per mmBtu on GCV basis,” PPAC said.
The current price of USD 5.61 per mmBtu is already among the lowest in Asia Pacific. China pays explorers USD 11.9 per mmBtu rate for new projects while Indonesia and the Philippines price the fuel at USD 11 and USD 10.5 respectively.
Gas from offshore fields in Myanmar, where Indian firms ONGC and GAIL have stake, are sold to China for USD 7.72.
Thailand prices gas from new projects at USD 8.2 per mmBtu.
The only nations with lower rates are Vietnam (USD 5.2) and Malaysia (USD 5).
The Versova police on Wednesday arrested a ‘quack’ claiming to have medicines with properties for the regeneration of cells. It was being sold to patients at an exorbitant rate of over Rs6,000 per bottle.
The accused has been identified as Nisar Panjwani, 60, a resident of Versova. The arrest was made on the basis of a complaint by the Food and Drug Administration, which raided his residence last week. “Panjwani used to sell the tonic, claiming that it has cell regeneration properties,” said DCP KMM Prasanna.
According to senior police inspector Sharad Borse of the Versova police station, Panjwani operated from his home in Versova. “The investigation is on in the case, and we are trying to find out where Panjwani sourced this medicine from.” Panjwani, in his statement to the police, has claimed that he is merely a distributor and would get the medicines from Fazal pharmaceutical company in Bhiwandi.
“What has baffled us is that Panjwani claims he started prescribing the medicine after he used the Right to Information to get a clearance for his formula and other legalities,” said Borse.
The initial investigation has revealed that there no manufacturing date was mentioned on the tonic package, despite the fact that the expiry date is said to be three years from the manufacturing date.
Though sources in the police claimed that Panjwani was earlier booked on similar charges by the Versova police station, it could not be confirmed.
Citing the same reasons as before, ‘violation of Community guidelines’, Instagram has pulled down another image. This time photo-journalist Mandhar Deodhar’s picture named ‘This Mumbai and That Mumbai’ was pulled down for violating guidelines. The image depicted a lady bathing a minor girl in the backdrop of the Nariman Point’s skyscrapers. The photo was picked up and posted by Everydaymumbai, a page that chronicles the Mumbai’s day-today life and has over 28,000 followers. The image was also taken down from the page with a message, ‘We removed your post as it does not follow our Community Guidelines’.
“I should have at least got a chance to explain my picture. There is a difference between a child being bathed in the open and the real nudity that is all over Instagram”, Deodhar told the Mumbai Mirror.
Both Kaur and Deodhar’s images were reposted by Chirag Wakaskar of Everydaymumbai. “Both were photos depicting the photographers’ viewpoints about society. Besides, there are so many Instagram accounts that post nudity. Why are these posts never pulled down?” Wakasakr was quoted telling the Mumbai Mirror. Pointing towards the double standards of photo-sharing app, Wakaskar added that several celebrity handles on Instagram posted nudity but those images were never pulled down or censored by the app, instead Instagram endorsed them by having it as suggested users.
Instagram’s decision to take down Rupi Kaur’s image had sparked a debate on social media and earned much criticism for the app. Till Instagram relented and apologised for removing the image before restoring it.
What do you think will Deodhar’s image be restored or will the app stand by its decision this time?
Andreas Lubitz, the Germanwings co-pilot who is believed to have deliberately crashed flight 4U9525 into a mountain in southern France, suffered from suicidal tendencies several years ago, a statement from investigators has said.
“The co-pilot received psychotherapy treatment, with recorded suicidal tendencies, several years ago – before receiving his pilot’s licence,” the press statement from Düsseldorf chief prosecutor Ralf Herrenbrück said on Monday.
But the prosecutor also pointed out that the symptoms had not been noted during subsequent treatment, which appears to have lasted until shortly before last Tuesday’s crash.
“In the following period and until recently there were further doctors’ visits and sick notes, without suicidal tendencies or aggression towards others attested,” the statement said.
Lubitz, 27, is believed to have intentionally crashed the plane, killing all 150 people on board.
Herrenbrück remained reluctant to interpret the evidence, underlining that no claim of responsibility had been found during the search of Lubitz’s home. “Please understand that the state prosecutor cannot and will not speculate on the motives of the deceased co-pilot,” he said. “Investigative authorities are obliged to adhere to the facts alone.”
“No circumstances have been found in his direct personal or family circles or at his workplace that offer solid indications of a possible motive,” he added.
It emerged on Friday that Lubitz had visited Düsseldorf University hospital on 10 March, for what the hospital would only describe as a “diagnostic evaluation”. Citing patient confidentiality, a brief hospital statement said it would not reveal any further details, but insisted that media reports that he had been treated for depression there had been false. The New York Times reported that the treatment had been for eyesight problems.
Some German politicians have proposed that patient confidentiality rules should be relaxed for cases where lives could be at risk.
Düsseldorf police has set up a task force of more than 100 officers to investigate the Germanwings crash. The team is to investigate both Lubitz’s background and help collect information to identify the 75 German victims.
Depressed pilots need sympathy and help now, just as before flight 4U9525
Letters: Ask why Andreas Lubitz did what he did. But not why a stressful job was entrusted to somebody who had an illness six years ago
Read more
While media commentators try to fathom the alleged actions of Lubitz, new details have emerged about the captain, who frantically attempted to break down the cockpit door in the moments before the plane crashed into the French Alps.
Many of the details of his life remain unclear, as is usual in Germany, where public sensitivity and press regulations prevent the reporting of personal details of victims of crimes.
Even the correct spelling of his name is yet to be confirmed. His name was apparently leaked to NBC news as “Patrick Sonderheimer” and to the Independent as “Sondenheimer,” while “Sondheimer” has been used by a number of newspapers. The German media, abiding by press regulations, has consistently referred to him only as “Patrick S”. Lufthansa refused to comment when asked by the Guardian.
Don’t stigmatise depression after Germanwings crash, says top doctor
Read more
German tabloid Bild am Sonntag published transcripts of the black box recordings from the flight, in which the captain could be heard shouting “open the damn door” as he tried to break down the cockpit door.
Unlike his co-pilot, the 34-year-old was an experienced pilot, having logged more than 6,000 flight hours since he began working for Lufthansa in 2005.
“He was an open, engaged, helpful man with an enormously positive presence,” Elke Bonn, head of the kindergarten attended by his two young children, told the magazine Bunte. She also said that he had he helped out at parties and deliberately switched to shorter flights a year ago so he could spend more time with his family.
Speaking to the French news outlet Europe 1, a former colleague named only as “Dieter” described the captain as “one of our best pilots”. “He was very reliable – I’m 100% convinced he did everything possible [to prevent the crash].
China to Pay Nepal to Keep Tibetan Dissenters at Bay
Firming up ties with Nepal, Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged NRs 14.5 billion to Nepal for transport and infrastructure building as Kathmandu promised to keep up the crackdown on Tibetans supporting the Dalai Lama.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the 900 million RMB (NRs 14.5 billion) economic aid package for Nepal during his meeting with Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav on the sidelines of Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan Province in China yesterday, Nepal Foreign Ministry officials said.
“China appreciates Nepal’s firm support on issues concerning China’s core interests, including issues related to Tibet and Taiwan,” Xi said, apparently referring to Kathmandu’s crackdown on Tibetan refugees crossing over to meet the Dalai Lama at Dharamshala in India.
Xi hoped that Nepal would not allow any forces to use Nepal’s territory to engage in anti-China separatist activities.
He said China will continue to support Nepal’s effort in safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Yadav said Nepal would never allow its territory to be used by any anti-China activities.
The assistance will be used to upgrade the 115-km Araniko Highway that links Nepal with China, and to develop the transport infrastructure, foreign ministry sources said here.
China is also willing to initiate talks on Free Trade Agreement with Nepal at an early date, Xi said, adding that the two countries should work on traffic interconnectivity, infrastructure, hydro power development, modernisation of agriculture and science and technology.
Xi welcomed Nepal’s participation in the Silk Road projects unveiled by him at the forum to improve China’s connectivity to Europe through a maze of road, rail and port network.
The two sides are also planning to beef up the connectivity with rail and road links, amid concerns in India over China’s growing influence in the Himalayan country.
Early this month, China had increased its annual aid to Nepal to USD 128 million from USD 24 million.
There was something simple, something cute and something downright sexy on the evening of Day 4 at Amazon India Fashion Week 2015 in the Capital. Veteran designer Poonam Bhagat’s label Taika, on Saturday, took an artistic interpretation of Cubist painter Pablo Picasso’s fascination for lines and dots, transferred the constellation drawings from the canvas to the fabrics, and presented a simple and unique collection on the ramp.
Long skirts, dresses with outwardly curved thighs, full-sleeve shirts with wide peplums, boatneck tops and cut-out jackets formed the range in ivory, cobalt blue, black and orange, paying ode to the setting sun. Special ‘constellation headgears’ were crafted by Tokyobased milliner Satsuki Nakagawa for the show. The collection was minimal yet chic, and brought to the fore the designer’s skill for traversing through younger styles with a sophisticated sensibility. Speaking of sensibilities, Pero by Aneeth Arora brought explored identity through art with her 1930’s militaryinspired collection , juxtaposed with adorable little dolls created by a Gurgaon-based contemporary artist. Miniature dolls lined either side of the ramp and small green-coloured first-aid military boxes lay on the seats-with knick-knacks like Swiss knives, patterned band-aids, badges and postcards- while chants in a foreign language filled the room.
As guests took guesses over what the collection was going to be about, they were called to attention by a live marching band belting out beats on a drum and tunes from synchronised bugles. The show began with models strutting down in feminine-androgynous ensembles-check jackets with loose jeans and boots, berets with pompoms on top, dresses with softly pleated skirts boasting of dot and star prints, dungarees, oversized parkas and gallaces over wide trousers-while Princess Pea dolls played as accessories
Fabrics comprised handwoven wool (from the Himalays) with Scottish checks and indigo resist block-printed khadi from Gujarat. Also on display on garments were enamel brass buttons made by Rajasthani silversmiths. The showstopper was the artist herself who walked the ramp wearing an oversized doll head covering her face.
The final show for the evening was by one of the hottest tickets among the fashion fraternity, designer Gaurav Gupta. Lame fabrics made a comeback at the show with draped one shoulder dresses, hooded tops, and pre-stitched saris in shimmering blue and plum tones. Elements of the customary ‘goth’ in G.G. Studio was presented with subtle elegance.
Three party dresses with irregular gold and black sequins were wellcrafted and received admiration and applause from the spectators. Structured bows and shoulders added dimension to the garments while men’s suits in grey pinstripes brought a masculine edge
The panellists discussed if India needed to make efforts to win the West or if there was already enough to grab their attention. Adding historical context, Kumar said, “India has faced too many years of carrying a colonial hangover. We were a poor country, yes, but we were never poor in textiles. We need to build on our strengths.” Rhodes-who has designed for the likes of UK’s Princess Diana and singer Freddie Mercury- confessed she fell in love with Indian textiles, saris and salwar-kameez in 1980s. In 1987, she even did a show on saris.
Beeche, meanwhile, said, “India riveted my whole being. My senses were on fire with the colours, smells, emotions and devotion. I thought this was better than a Paris catwalk, and decided to give it all up to stay here and photograph the beauty I saw.”
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amazon-india-fashion-week-2015-for-the-love-of-picasso-and-dolls/1/426369.html
With the massive victory for the BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections, the RSS feels the need to be close to the action.
Keshav Kunj, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Delhi office, to make way for 11-storied twin towers
The tectonic political shift brought about by the Narendra Modi-led and RSS-guided victory for the BJP in the last Lok Sabha election is likely to lead to another significant change.
The RSS has begun work on constructing two 11-storied buildings on a 3-acre plot in the heart of New Delhi where its current Delhi headquarters Keshav Kunj is located. And the buzz is that the RSS will eventually move its national headquarters here from Nagpur.
Portions of Keshav Kunj are already being dismantled – the change not at all visible from the outside. Sources said material saved from the old building will be used in the construction of the twin towers, which, it is reliably learnt, will retain the name.
“Space in Delhi – over the years – was becoming a major problem for the party, its leaders, pracharaks and affiliates. The party has expanded in the last 15 years,” said a person well versed with the plan, which was shown in a power point presentation a fortnight ago to top RSS leaders, including Mohan Bhagwat.
Currently, the RSS has a little over 6 million active members who operate its 50,000-plus morning shakhas across the country. Its operation in Delhi has assumed greater importance following the BJP’s stupendous victory in the 2014 polls.
The twin towers, likely to cost around Rs 50 crore, will have accommodation for leaders, members, pracharaks, and also those who work for the RSS and currently operate from various offices located in Delhi. There will be spacious libraries full of books written by RSS leaders, both past and present; a new room for press conferences equipped with instant power point presentations; and a yoga room too. Around the twin towers, there will be space to grow organic fruits and vegetables and laboratories to develop ayurvedic medicines.
Interestingly, organic vegetables currently being grown around the existing building for in-house consumption are also delivered to select leaders in Delhi, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Sources close to the RSS claimed that if required, the party could even rent out some floors to both government and private companies in the twin towers. But that decision will only be taken after a full estimate is presented to the top brass about the needs of the party affiliates, currently numbering close to 40.The leadership is aware that the construction of the twin towers could create unnecessary controversy, mainly because of RSS’s focus on nofrills existence. And that’s the reason why the construction of the twin towers is being kept an extremely low-key affair.
The controversy courted by the Congress party when it had planned to shift into a swanky building close to the imposing Meridien Hotel in New Delhi is fresh in everybody’ memory. Eventually, the party remained at its government-sanctioned bungalow on Akbar Road near the Taj Mansingh Hotel and turned the building into Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies.
The source said the decision to create the twin towers was taken three years ago by the RSS high command – with active encouragement coming from then BJP president Nitin Gadkari – but could not fructify because of a lingering court case with the state-owned Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) which had its office in the old building. Only recently, the DRT agreed to vacate Keshav Kunj, thus paving the way for the RSS to start construction.
Architects for the twin towers are a secret so that the news does not leak out on the prized project, which political observers said will catapult the RSS into the leagues of powerful political parties with impressive offices. Besides their headquarters located in Lutyen’s Delhi, the Congress has the magnificent Rajiv Gandhi Institute, and controls the Teen Murti Bhawan and its spacious and wellstocked Nehru Library. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has Ajoy Bhawan near the city’s Fleet Street, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has the imposing AKG Bhawan close to iconic Birla Mandir in the heart of the city.
Former Republican California gubernatorial candidate Carly Fiorina said over the weekend it is very likely she will run for president on the GOP ticket. If the former Hewlett-Packard CEO runs, she could be the Republican answer to Hillary Clinton.
Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Fiorina said she is “higher than 90 percent” likely to run in the upcoming presidential race, according to the Washington Post. She ran in 2010 for California governor, and now she says she will use her economic expertise gained in corporate America to continue improving the economy. She will announce her decision in April or May.
Fiorina argued she will appeal to voters thanks to her “deep understanding of how the economy actually works, having started as a secretary and become the chief executive of the largest technology company in the world.”
Touting similar Republican talking points as other potential candidates, Fiorina blames the government for “crushing small businesses now.” She adds that it has “tangled people up from a web of dependence from which they can’t escape.”
However, she echoed more anti-establishment rhetoric by calling on more support for community banks, which are foundering as corporate banks grow.
“If we want mainstream and the middle class going and growing again, we’ve got to get small and family-owned businesses going and growing again,” she said.
However, the former CEO is also proud of her position and how well she did her job. According to Bloomberg, she also told the Fox News show she had increased HP’s revenue during her tenure.
“We took Hewlett-Packard from about $44 billion to $88 billion in six years. We quadrupled cash flow,” Fiorina said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We went from a market laggard to a market leader in every product category and every market segment.”
Taking aim at potential Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Fiorina commented on the recent email debacle engulfing the former Secretary of State.
“There’s a competence issue now. Anyone in 2015 who says you can’t have two email accounts on a single device obviously doesn’t understand technology,” she said.
Fiorina fashions herself, in a way, as the anti-Clinton and courts female conservative voters, according to Time.
Back in February, Fiorina took a swipe at Clinton during CPAC, asking her, “Mrs. Clinton, name an accomplishment.”
Mumbai: Maharashtra government will construct 11 lakh houses in Mumbai and about seven lakh in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), state Housing Minister Prakash Mehta said on Tuesday.
Out of the total, 50 percent of the houses will be completed in next five years, he told the Legislative Assembly.
“The government could bring down the number of the cessed buildings in the city to 16,000 from 19,000 few years ago. We have decided to complete the redevelopment of all the cessed buildings in next five years. FSI for such buildings have already been raised to 3 from 2.5 and we would not hesitate to increase it to 3.5, if the need be,” Mehta said.
He was replying to a debate on the budgetary allocation to the housing department late last evening.
The minister also said that the redevelopment projects by Mhada (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) will be monitored to ensure the completion of the projects.
“We will not shrug off the responsibility of the completion of redevelopment projects by merely issuing no objection certificate. Mhada will monitor all the development projects till its completion so that they are not delayed,” he said.
Responding to the alleged corruption and delays in the implementation of the slum rehabilitation projects, Mehta said rehabilitation of the slums will be allotted to builders by the government.
“We will prepare the master plan of the slum rehabilitation by preparing a list of slum dwellers across the city. The projects will be allotted through e-tendering. This will help us in completing the projects on time,” he said.
BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, on the other hand demanded white paper on the slum rehabilitation projects and also alleged that government officials were “stalling the projects for obvious reasons.”
Mehta also announced that the builders would be allowed to go for redevelopment (of buildings), irrespective of the construction year, if the government authorities have announced them dilapidated.
Hence, even a building constructed in 2000, can go for the redevelopment, he said.
He said a plan has been chalked out for construction of about 50,000 tenements for police personnel in Mumbai with private participation.
PTI
Thane: A woman from Ulhasnagar area here was allegedly sold by a woman under the pretext of providing her job, police said on Sunday.
The victim, 35, a resident of Ulhasnagar camp no. 3, was allegedly sold for Rs 80,000 by a woman, aunt of one of victim’s friends, who took her to Rajasthan and Punjab, Ulhasnagar police station sub-inspector GJ Patil said.
According to the complaint filed by the victim with Kalyan Railway Police Force (RPF), she was taken by a woman, who she claimed to be her friend’s aunt on January 19 from dadar railway station to various places in Rajasthan and Punjab and was sold for Rs 80,000 for doing domestic works.
But, later in February she managed to come back to Mumbai and filed a complaint with Kalyan RPF, which later forwarded the case to Thane Police Commissionerate that transferred it to Ulhasnagar police station yesterday, he said.
The exact place where she was sold was not specified in the woman’s complaint.
No arrest has been made so far and police is also investigating if there was a flesh trade racket involved in it.
PTI
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