Mob of 1,000 attacked Africans in Noida: FIR

For Precious Amalcima, a 24-year-old law student from Nigeria, and his younger brother Endurance Amarawa, 21, a visit to a mall in Nodia turned out to be a nightmare. As they were walking in the mall, a mob rushed towards them. Before they could react, the two brothers were thrashed and sustained serious injuries to their heads, limbs and hands.

The due became a target of racial violence when more than 1,000 people came out on the streets of Greater Noida, around 40 km from the heart of the Capital on Monday, and attacked anyone who looked African.

The police have arrested seven people and have launched a massive manhunt for others who were involved in the violence. “There were more than 1,000 people on a witch-hunt for Africans,” the First Information Report (FIR) into the incident says.

Racial tensions had been brewing in the area for the past four days over allegations by local residents that a teenage student was drugged to death by some Africans. Five people were detained by the police but later let off as there was no evidence against them.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi had promised a “fair and impartial” probe.

“I have spoken to Adityanathji about (the) attack on African students in Greater Noida.

He has assured that there will be a fair and impartial investigation into this unfortunate incident,” Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

Sushma Swaraj spoke to Yogi on Tuesday morning after an African student, Sadiq Bello, tweeted her to “act fast” as living in Noida, he said, was becoming a “life threatening issue” for Africans.

On Monday, several Africans staged a peaceful candle-light march in the memory of a local teenager, Manish Khari, who died last week in the NSG Society in Greater Noida due to suspected drug overdose. Sources said he suffered a cardiac arrest.

A mob attacked the Africans when they were staging the candle-light march, leaving several of them injured.

“I thought the mob would lynch us. We felt helpless. Instead of helping us, people stared at us as if we had done something wrong,” said Endurance Amarawa who, along with his brother, is in hospital.

“We rushed to one of the showrooms to be safe but the people refused to let us in and started pushing us out. The people caught hold of us and started attacking us with sticks, stools and trash cans,” he added.

Imran, a student of Noida International University, was looking for an auto-rickshaw near Pari chowk when he was attacked for no fault of his.

“I was coming from my sister’s house. All of a sudden, I heard racial remarks from a bunch of people heading towards me. They caught hold of me and started thrashing me,” he said.

This is not the first time Africans have become victims of racial attacks in the country. Last year, six Africans were thrashed in three separate incidents in Chhattarpur, in Delhi. A Congolese national was also beaten to death in the Capital.

There were incidents of racial violence in Bengaluru also where a Tanzanian student and her friends were attacked by a mob last year.

Fearing further violence against the African community, the government has stepped up security.

Around 200 additional police personnel have been deployed in all sectors of Greater Noida. Special instructions have been issued to secure residential societies with African population.

“We have already registered a case against 10 people out of which 7 have been arrested and three are still absconding. Another 300 unknown suspects have been figured out and we will be taking tough action against them,” said Sujata Singh, Superitendant of Police (Rural), Noida.

After the racial attacks on Monday, the African students living in Greater Noida say they face daily slurs and are living in fear over the last few days following the mysterious death of a local youth.

People accused Nigerians living in the building of drugging the boy. Police picked up five Nigerians and confiscated their passports, but released them because of lack of evidence.

More than 4,000 Africans stay in Greater Noida, many of them studying in private universities and colleges that have come up in the area over the past decade. But many of them say that they feel uncomfortable at the hostile attitude of locals, who see the Africans as the source of crime and drugs.

“We come to India to study in peace but we will not be bullied by any violence. The African students should unite against this blatant racism and we want government to take strong action against the mob,” said Jenal, a Nigerian

On Tuesday, District Magistrate NP Singh held a meeting with the members of resident welfare associations and representatives of Nigerian Students’ Association.

“They have come here to study, the rumours that are being spread need to stop. We should try to understand and value one another’s culture,” said Singh.

He also called the rumours of cannibalism that have spread as ridiculous.

He added “We met to clear out the confusions and for confidence building measures between foreign nationals, locals and administration. We have formed committees for coordination and sensitisation of local and formal communities. These communities will work towards cultural sensitisation and creating awareness of law of land.”

“There are a lot of Indians living in Africa peacefully. Nigeria alone has around two lakh Indians living there. We give them the best of treatment and hospitality. And when we come here, we expect the same,” said Association of African Students President Samuel Jack.

“If this continues, we might have to call a boycott of India,” he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar spoke to the Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria and assured him of the steps being taken by local authorities for the safety and security of Nigerian nationals.

“The government is committed to ensuring safety and security of all foreigners in India. People from Africa, including students and youth, remain our valued partners,” said the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

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Fan Moment' Led To Aadhaar Data Breach For MS Dhoni

NEW DELHI:  It was meant to be a "fan moment", but went all wrong with one tweet. The personal details of cricket icon MS Dhoni have been made public, accidentally, by the agency helping the Unique Identification Authority of India or UIDAI implement Aadhaar. In a series of tweets, the former India captain's wife Sakshi Dhoni took up the issue with Information and Technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who had tweeted the cricketer's

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Budgam encounter: Three civilians and a militant killed

Three civilians were killed in security forces' action against protesters near an encounter site in Budgam district in Kashmir during an anti-militancy operation which ended with the killing of the lone militant. "One militant has been killed and a weapon has been recovered from the scene of the encounter," an army official said. The encounter has ended, a police official said adding that one para-trooper also sustained injuries.
Three civilians, all young men in their twenties — were killed while 18 others were injured in security forces' action against a large number of protesters who pelted stones on the law enforcing personnel allegedly in a vain bid to help the holed-up militant escape. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Durbugh area of Chadoora in the early hours on Tuesday following information about the presence of militants in the area, the police official said.

Meanwhile, DNA reported that 63 security personnel, including 43 from the CRPF and 20 from the state police, were injurd in stone-pelting by local mobs. One para-commando was injured in the 11-hour long operation too.

The mob, which was shouting pro-azadi and pro-militant slogans, pelted stones at the security forces to break the barricades. Security forces used smoke shells and pellet guns to disperse the mob. However, when that did not work, the forces opened fire.

The police official also said the search operation turned into a gunbattle after the militant opened firing on security forces. The slain civilians have been identified as Zahid Dar, Saqib Ahmad and Ishfaq Ahmad Wani. All of them had firearm injuries, the official said. Clashes between protesters and security forces were going on till reports last came in, he added. The trend of civilians assembling near encounter sites and engaging security forces in clashes emerged last year.

It has continued even after Army Chief Bipin Rawat warned the youth against interfering in anti-militancy operations and the state administration imposing Section 144 within three kilometre radius of the encounter site.

Meanwhile, separatists in Kashmir have called for a general strike on Wednesday against the killing of three civilians during protests near an encounter site in Budgam district and sought an impartial inquiry into the incident.

"There should be a complete strike tomorrow and peaceful protests after Friday prayers against the incident," chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik said in a joint statement in Srinagar. Two youths were killed when security forces, engaged in an encounter with militants at Durbugh village of Chadoora, opened fire to chase away protesters attempting to break the cordon around a house where militants had taken shelter.

The separatists alleged that the Chadoora incident was the outcome of the Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's statement warning local youth against creating hurdles during anti-militancy operations early this year.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah had blamed the Centre and state government for the "alarming situation" and advocated talks with all stakeholders.

"By choosing to turn a blind eye towards the unprecedented level of alienation and perpetual uncertainty in Kashmir both the Central Government of Narendra Modi and the state government of Mehbooba Mufti have compounded the situation in the Valley and pushed the youth into a corner," Abdullah had said in a statement. He had said the political issue in Kashmir cannot be resolved through rhetoric, operational measures or development. "There is no alternative to talks. You have to talk to the people of Kashmir and the stakeholders of all shades of opinion with an honest intent to resolve the political issue," Abdullah said.

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NextGen energy: German scientists testing world’s largest ‘artificial sun’ to make hydrogen fuel

New Delhi: German scientists are testing a new device what they call as the world's largest 'artificial sun' in an attempt to make hydrogen fuel, an emissions-free alternative fuel that can be produced from diverse domestic energy sources.
The device called Synlight, which they believe could pave the way toward creating hydrogen to use as a green fuel, is being developed at the German Aerospace Center in Juelich near Cologne, Germany.

The artificial light, which has been created from 149 powerful short-arc lamps, emits light about 10,000 times stronger than typical sunlight.According to the researchers, the aim of the experiment is to find novel ways of making solar fuels, including hydrogen, which is believed as an important renewable energy source in the future.

“The test aims to find new ways to create hydrogen to fuel vehicles such as cars and planes,” explained Bernhard Hoffschmidt, the director of the Center’s Institute for Solar Research.

“We’re essentially bringing the sun to the Earth, by re-creating its radiation in a lab,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview.

“We orientate all lamps to focus on one point, which can generate temperatures of over 3,000 degrees Celsius.”

Hoffschmidt said the operation produces water vapour that can be split into hydrogen and oxygen.

“The hydrogen created can then be used to power airplanes and cars (with) carbon-dioxide-free fuel,” he said.

Countries are under increasing pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and hope to use excess power generated by renewable sources such as wind or solar to create hydrogen from water through a process called electrolysis.

However, Synlight itself consumes a large amount of energy, Hoffschmidt added.

“In four hours the system uses about as much electricity as a four-person household in a year. Our goal is to eventually use actual sunlight to make hydrogen, rather than artificial light.”

He also acknowledged there was “a long way to go” before the method could be scaled up for commercial use, which he said would require billions of tonnes of hydrogen.

“I think commercial use will only really be possible when societies and governments realise that we cannot burn any more fossil fuels,” Hoffschmidt said.

He added, however, that global events like recent UN climate talks in Morocco in November provided welcome momentum in the fight against climate change, and were a sign that “things are starting to change”.

Experts are of the view that renewable energies will be the mainstay of global power supply in the future.

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British teenager points out a major error in NASA data

A 17-year-old Brtish teenager pointed out a major error in a set of data that NASA collects from the International Space Station (ISS), the media reported.

A-level student Miles Soloman from Tapton School in Sheffield, was working on the TimPix project - which lets school students in the Britain access data recorded by radiation detectors.


The project, held during British astronaut Tim Peake's six-month stay on the ISS, helps the school children look for anomalies and patterns that might lead to further discoveries.

Soloman found that radiation sensors on the ISS were recording false data and then emailed scientists at NASA, which according him was "pretty cool", the BBC reported on Wednesday.

The correction was said to be "appreciated" by NASA, which invited him to help analyse the problem.

"It's pretty cool. You can tell your friends, I just emailed NASA and they're looking at the graphs that I've made," Soloman was quoted as saying to BBC Radio 4's World at One programme.

Soloman and his fellow students were given Timepix measurements in a giant pile of excel spreadsheets, where they analysed the radiation levels on the ISS.

"I went straight to the bottom of the list and I went for the lowest bits of energy there were," Soloman explained.

Soloman noticed that when nothing hit the detector, a negative reading was being recorded. But you cannot get negative energy. Thus, he contacted scientists at the US space agency. It turned out that Soloman had noticed something no-one else had, including the NASA experts.

According to NASA, it was aware of the error, but believed it was only happening once or twice a year.

However, Soloman had found it was actually happening multiple times a day.

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Militants attack J&K minister's home, snatch four weapons

Militants attacked the ancestral home of a ruling PDP minister late on Sunday night in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir and decamped with four weapons of security guards, police said here on Monday.

"Militants attacked the home of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Minister Farooq Andrabi in Dooru area of Anantnag district late last evening.


"Guards posted at the minister's ancestral home retaliated the militant fire. Firing exchanges continued for some time resulting in injuries to two security guards.

"Militants managed to decamp with four service rifles of the security guards," police said.

A massive manhunt was launched to trace the militants.

Injured security guards were shifted to hospital.

"The minister was not at his ancestral home when the attack took place," police added.

An AK-47 rifle was snatched by three persons from a police constable in Jammu on Saturday.

Police said two persons involved in the Jammu weapon snatching incident had been arrested while the third was still at large along with the snatched weapon.

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Gilgit-Baltistan part of J&K, Pakistan in illegal occupation: British Parliament

LONDON: A motion was passed in the British Parliament condemning Islamabad's announcement+ declaring Gilgit-Baltistan as its fifth frontier , saying the region is a legal and constitutional part of Jammu & Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.
The motion which was tabled on March 23 and sponsored by Conservative Party leader Bob Blackman, stated that Pakistan, by making such an announcement, is implying its attempt to annex the already disputed area.
"Gilgit-Baltistan is a legal and constitutional part of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India, which is illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947, and where people are denied their fundamental rights including the right of freedom of expression," the motion read.
It was further noted that the attempts to change the demography of the region was in violation of State Subject Ordinance and the 'forced and illegal construction' of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor+ (CPEC) further aggravated and interfered with the disputed territory .
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign affairs ministry has said that Beijing was ready to work with Islamabad to take forward the CPEC to benefit the people of both countries.The economic corridor is a $51.5 billion project that aims to connect Kashgar, in China's western province of Xinjiang, with the port of Gwadar+ in the Pakistani province of Balochistan.

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Yogi Adityanath's crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses

A host of illegal abattoirs have been forced to shut shop under the Yogi Adityanath government.Meat items are flying off the menu from a majority of eateries in Uttar Pradesh as a host of illegal abattoirs have been forced to shut shop under the Yogi Adityanath government.
The Muslim-dominated western parts, adjoining the national Capital, are among the worst affected, a reality check by MAIL TODAY found.
While the debilitated meat supply highlights the fact that erstwhile governments in UP had turned a blind eye to unlawful slaughterhouses, it also proves the incumbent government had no consolidated plan to avoid a crisis-like situation.

"I have not seen such scarcity of raw meat in the last 35 years that we have been in business," said Mohamad Khalid, owner of Al-Nafis dhaba at Dasna on NH 24. "The last 10 days have been harrowing. This is worse than the demonetisation phase," said Khalid, the second generation owner of the popular dhaba serving highway frequenters.

RS 4,000 CRORE IN LOSSES

The accumulated losses in the last two months since the BJP manifesto promised closure of illegal slaughterhouses runs into Rs 4,000 crore, according to All India Meat and Livestock Exporters Association. Association members recently met Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow and requested him to intervene in protecting legal business and clear confusion.
Four mechanised plants, which slaughter and process buffalo meat, were shut last week by district administration across UP. Two of them were in Meerut and one each in Bijnor and Saharanpur.
The exporters' association said while the move by the government is against illegal slaughterhouses, an overzealous tribe of officers and vigilante groups have forced even legal traders to suspend operations. "Transporting meat is a risky task nowadays and only very few vehicle-owners are ready to stick their necks out," said a meat trader.
But numbers speak for themselves. "UP has only 41 slaughter houses, which are certified by the Union ministry. These units contribute to 60-70 per cent of the total export of buffalo meat, worth around Rs 320 billion. The fear of closure is among the owners' mind, who are now being troubled by several agencies," Fauzan Alavi, member secretary of the exporters' association told MAIL TODAY.

CERTIFICATION PROCESS A TEDIOUS PROCESS, SAYS SMALL SLAUGHTERHOUSES

Several small illegal slaughterhouses that the MAIL TODAY team spoke to were united in complaining that certification process for an abattoir is a tedious process, often requiring multiple clearances at the state and central level. "It is not feasible for a small operator to attain all the clearances," said one such owner, who downed shutters soon after Yogi's ascension as CM.
The closure of these slaughterhouses has a ripple effect on smaller units selling meat or cooked preparations. A number of small eateries and mobile food carts in Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad have been out of business.
Chetan, a chicken shop owner at Murad Nagar in Ghaziabad, told MAIL TODAY that 20 members of his family are dependent on his shop, running for seven years. But now, uncertainty looms on them as he could be forced to look for other job. "Police warned me to shut the shop. I have put a curtain at the entry of my shop to keep business limited only to loyal customers. I will apply for a license at the tehsil office and if I do not get it, I would think of another business like selling vegetables," he said.
"Taking surprise decisions is the BJP's trademark," said owner of a food cart, Ishaan Qureshi, in Muzaffarnagar. "First it was note ban and now meat ban. We live in an area where economy depends on unorganised sectors. Now people are losing bread and jobs."
Meat shops and eateries in proximity with the national Capital still had an easy run as they shifted their supply route towards Delhi's Ghazipur meat mandi.
"Our hotel has a daily consumption of 30-35 kg of buffalo meat that was earlier available in slaughterhouses locally. Now, we are purchasing it from Ghazipur at Rs 170-180 per kg, which is Rs 30 higher than earlier," said Mohammad Akhlak, owner of Shahdan Muslim Dhaba on NH 24. "Ninety per cent of eateries have either suspended operation temporarily or raised prices."
Akhlak said in the last one week police vigilance has been high and seizure of meat consignment always looms large during transportation. There is total fear in the mind of street vendors and roadside eateries about restarting their businesses, he added.

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NASA plans to launch magnetic shield into space to make Mars habitable

New Delhi: NASA scientists have proposed the idea of launching a giant magnetic shield into space to protect Mars from solar winds, which could eventually make the Red Planet habitable for humans.
In a presentation at the Planetary Science Vision 2050 Workshop in Washington, DC last week, NASA scientists suggested that launching a giant magnetic shield into space between Mars and the Sun could help the Red Planet restore its atmosphere and make it suitable for humans to colonise in the future.
Launching an "artificial magnetosphere" into space between Mars and the Sun could hypothetically shield the Red Planet in the extended magnetotail that trails behind the protective field, NASA's Planetary Science Division director Jim Green was quoted as saying.
"This situation then eliminates many of the solar wind erosion processes that occur with the planet's ionosphere and upper atmosphere allowing the Martian atmosphere to grow in pressure and temperature over time," the researchers explained in an accompanying paper.

Scientists believe that the Red Planet once had a thick atmosphere necessary to maintain liquid water, and a warmer, potentially habitable climate. It is the collapse of the protective magnetic field billions of years ago that eventually made Mars what it is today - cold and arid.

The US space agency thinks a powerful-enough magnetic shield launched into space could serve as a replacement for Mars's own lost magnetosphere, Science Alert reported on Monday.

Mars now appears to be a cold desert world and it has no global magnetic field. The cold temperatures and thin atmosphere on the Red Planet do not allow liquid water to exist at the surface for long. But it might not have been always so.

However, the researchers believe that the magnetic shield could help Mars regain some of its lost Earth-like habitability within the space of a couple of generations.

If the concept does prove workable, there's no telling just how much it would alter the prospects of colonizing Mars in the future.

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Rape accused SP minister denied protection from arrest

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request from Samajwadi Party leader Gayatri Prajapati, accused in a rape case, to protect him from arrest and asked him to opt for a legal remedy against the non-bailable warrant issued against him.

“Our order is only the registration of FIR, nothing else. Let the police investigate and report to us. We never ordered arrest. If an NBW (Non-Bailable Warrant) is issued you have your remedies," NDTV quoted the apex court as saying to Prajapati's lawyer.

A non-bailable warrant was issued against Prajapati on Saturday after reports emerged that the absconding Uttar Pradesh minister may try to flee the country fearing arrest. His passport was also revoked for four weeks.

The Supreme Court also said that its order directing the Uttar Pradesh Police to file an FIR is being given a "political colour" and it is "unfortunate".

Prajapati had on February 20 moved the Supreme Court against its order of registering an FIR against him in connection with a gang rape and sexual harassment case.

Prajapati filed a plea in the apex court seeking protection from arrest and recall of the top court's earlier order.

The apex court had earlier directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to file a status report in the case within a period of eight weeks.

A 35-year-old woman had accused Prajapati of raping her when she met him three years ago.

He is also accused of taking obscene photos of the victim and threatening her to make the photos public and raping her for the past two years.

However, Prajapati claimed that it is a conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against him in order to distract people's attention from the assembly polls.

"It is a conspiracy against me. I don't even know who the lady is. Since the government has ordered such probe, I would accept it gladly," Prajapati told ANI.

The woman, who hails from Chitrakoot alleged that she was raped by Prajapati and others for two years on the pretext of getting a position within the Samajwadi Party.

Earlier, the woman had moved the apex court after the police in Uttar Pradesh did not register the FIR, following which the police were ordered to file a status report in the matter within eight weeks.

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US Prez Donald Trump to sign new travel ban order today: What to expect

President Donald Trump is preparing to sign a revised executive order temporarily barring the entry of people from certain Muslim-majority countries and halting the nation's refugee programmed.

A White House official says plans to roll out the order are on track for today. The official insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the order ahead of the official announcement.


The new order has been in the works since shortly after a federal court blocked Trump's initial effort, but the administration has repeatedly pushed back the signing as it has worked to better coordinate with the agencies that it will need to implement the ban.

Trump administration officials have said the new order aims to overcome the legal challenges to the first. Its goal will be the same: keep would-be terrorists out of the United States while the government reviews the vetting system for refugees and visa applicants from certain parts of the world.

Trump's original orders temporarily blocked citizens of Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya from coming to the United States and put on hold the US refugee programmed.

The revised order is expected to remove Iraq from the list of countries whose citizens face a temporary US travel ban for 90 days. That follows pressure from the Pentagon and State Department, which had urged the White House to reconsider, given Iraq's key role in fighting the Islamic State group.

According to a draft version of the new order outlined to lawmakers late last week, citizens of the other six countries will face the 90-day suspension of visa processing as the administration continues to analyze how to enhance vetting procedures.

Other changes are also expected, including making clear that all existing visas will be honored and no longer singling out Syrian refugees for an indefinite ban. Syrian refugees will now be treated like other refugees and be subjected to a 120-day suspension of the refugee programmed.

The new version is also expected to remove language that would give priority for religious minorities. Critics had accused the administration of adding such language to help Christians get into the United States while excluding Muslims.

Trump signed his original executive order in late January, sparking confusion and anger as travelers were detained at US airports and barred from boarding flights at foreign airports.

The signing is expected to spark a new round of lawsuits and controversy.

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Mumbai terror attacks carried out by group based in Pakistan: EX-Pakistan NSA

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani has admitted that 2008 Mumbai terror attacks were carried out by a terror group based in Pakistan.
At the same time, Durrani, however, said the Pakistani government had no role in the Mumbai attacks.
Durrani was speaking at a conference on combating terrorism at the Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis in Delhi.
"26/11 Mumbai strike, carried out by a terror group based in Pakistan, was a classic trans-border terrorist event", he added.
The former Pakistan NSA also hit out at JUD chief Hafiz Saeed
"Hafiz Saeed has no utility, we should act against him," Durrani said.
India had earlier this month asked Pakistan to reinvestigate the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case and put on trial Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed who is currently under house arrest in Lahore under the anti-terrorism law.

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Lessons for investors in India from Warren Buffett’s annual letter

One of the most-awaited events in the global financial world is Warren Buffett’s annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Buffett typically provides interesting investment insights and there is much investors can learn from his perceptive thinking. Though his letter is for a largely American audience, there are numerous takeaways for investors around the world. Here are six points from Buffett’s 2016 letter that are relevant in the Indian context.

Don’t pay too much for goodwill 

What he said 

“As is the case in marriage, business acquisitions often deliver surprises after the “I do’s.” I’ve made some dumb purchases, paying far too much for the economic goodwill of companies we acquired. That later led to goodwill write offs and to consequent reductions in Berkshire’s book value.”

Lesson for Indian investors 

In addition to tangible assets like land, office building, factory, etc. intangible assets like brand, reputation and the like are also considered while valuing a company at the time of acquisition. These intangibles are accounted as goodwill. Existing goodwill is good because the acquirer does not have to allocate additional financial resources to build goodwill. But as Buffett says, it will be foolish to pay a very high price for goodwill. Due to this goodwill impact, companies with good brands usually trade at higher multiples and investors need to be wary. Paying too much, even for a great branded company, might not be a good investment.

Take advantage of movements 

What he said 

“Charlie and I have no magic plan to add earnings except to dream big and to be prepared mentally and financially to act fast when opportunities present themselves. Every decade or so, dark clouds will fill the economic skies, and they will briefly rain gold. When downpours of that sort occur, it’s imperative that we rush outdoors carrying washtubs, not teaspoons. And that we will do.”

Lesson for Indian investors 

Dark clouds cover the Indian economy as well at times. And often, it does rain gold too. For example, Indian markets tanked after demonetization, but it recovered fast. With people forced to deposit cash into their bank accounts, the banking and financial services sector benefited from this event. Any investor who could have thought about this strategically would have made a windfall from his investments by now.

Believe in your country’s future 

What he said 

“You need not be an economist to understand how well our system has worked. Just look around. See the 75 million owner-occupied homes, the bountiful farmland, the 260 million vehicles, the hyper productive factories, the great medical centres, the talent-filled universities, you name it—they all represent a net gain for Americans from the barren lands, primitive structures and meager output of 1776. Starting from scratch, America has amassed wealth totaling $90 trillion.”

Lesson for Indian investors 

According to market research group New World Wealth, total wealth in India stood at $5.2 trillion in July 2016. This made India the 7th richest country in the world. As Buffett says, you don’t need to be an economist to understand this. Just look around and see the construction activities going on, the money being spent in malls, the number of people vacationing abroad or the jobs being created by new companies. And investors should participate in this growth story through the equity route.

Overcome fear during choppy times 

What he said 

“The years ahead will occasionally deliver major market declines that will affect virtually all stocks. No one can tell when these traumas will occur. During such scary periods, you should never forget two things: First, widespread fear is your friend as an investor, because it serves up bargain purchases. Second, personal fear is your enemy. It will also be unwarranted.”

Lesson for Indian investors 

This one is a very important insight because the typical Indian investor tends to run away from the markets in a bear phase and reappears with guns blazing in a bull run. This is exactly the opposite of what an investor should be doing. The right time to invest in stocks is when they are available cheap. This is why you should look for purchase opportunities in a downturn.

Low cost products are better 

What he said 

“A number of smart people are involved in running hedge funds. But to a great extent their efforts are self-neutralizing, and their IQ will not overcome the costs they impose on investors. Investors, on average and over time, will do better with a low-cost index fund than with a group of funds of funds.”

Lesson for Indian investors 

If both products are similar, go for the low cost one. For example, direct plans of mutual funds are considerably less expensive than regular plans. A lower expense ratio directly translates into higher returns for the investor. Even when insurance products are concerned, the low-cost options like term insurance are better than complicated products like Ulips. Pure insurance policies provide a higher cover for the same premium amount as compared to policies that offer a mix of investment and insurance.

See through the sales pitch 

What he said 

“Can you imagine an investment consultant telling clients, year after year, to keep adding to an index fund replicating the S&P 500? That would be career suicide. Large fees flow to these hyper-helpers, however, if they recommend small managerial shifts every year or so. That advice is often delivered in esoteric gibberish that explains why fashionable investment “styles” or current economic trends make the shift appropriate

Lesson for Indian investors 

Most distributors or agents will tell you to put money into a product that earns them a sizeable commission. This is why, before you take a financial decision, you should be fully aware of the charges and expenses of that product.

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Centre, states broadly agree on CGST, IGST provisions

NEW DELHI: The GST Council at a meeting on Saturday broadly agreed on the contours of two key legislation - CGST and IGST - but a final approval is likely only by mid-March.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley met with his state counterparts and discussed the GST legislation to be adopted by Union Territories, but there was no discussion with regard to the State GST Bill.
"As many as 26 changes sought by the states have been accepted by the Centre. This shows the federalist character of India. CGST and IGST will come up for further discussion at the next meeting of the Council in mid-March," West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra said.
Mitra further said both the Centre and states have agreed to provide a composition scheme to dhabas and small restaurants.
"States were seeking that dhabas and small restaurants can adopt the composite scheme. The Centre has agreed to that and now these small businesses will pay 5 per cent tax (to be shared equally between the Centre and states)," Mitra said.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the central GST and integrated GST legislations have been broadly agreed upon at the Council meeting on Saturday.
"Real estate should be brought under GST. Everybody knows that a lot of blackmoney finds its way into real estate and bringing real estate under GST will help in curbing black money," Sisodia said.
Jammu & Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu felt that "some minor editorial changes" are required in the legislations and they have to be sent to the legal department again.
Mitra further said IGST, which relates to taxation of inter-state transfer of goods, the legislation will provide for cross empowerment of state and central officers.
"It has been agreed that there will be cross-empowerment of states. Also, we did not want this as a notification, we wanted in the Act so that never in future can another council come and say states won't have power," Mitra stressed.

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Flat stomach food guide

Tired of not knowing what kinds of foods to eat? Not sure how much fat, calories and sodium you should be consuming everyday? All the tips you need are here....
In addition to regular exercise, you'll also want to add some fat burning foods to your diet to help trim your waistline.
Foods that are high in protein and fibre are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat around your middle.
Did you know that it takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat? So the more protein you eat, the more calories your body burns.

Eggs

Eggs are super high in protein and can help you burn that unwanted belly fat. They contain the vitamin B12 a great supplement for breaking down fat cells.
You may have heard all the warnings about eggs and your health. That's because a couple of eggs will put you over the recommended daily amount of cholesterol.
Well, more recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has a minimal impact on blood cholesterol. Dietary fat is the real culprit. It's what raises your bad cholesterol levels.
However, if you're still worried about your overall cholesterol intake from eating too many eggs, you can remove the yolk and still benefit from the high protein contained in eggs.

Low fat dairy products

According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk, three to four times a day, lost 70 per cent more fat than low-dairy dieters.
In another study done at Purdue University those who consumed 3 cups of fat-free milk gained less weight over the course of 2 years than those on low calcium diets.
So, not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in

burning that unwanted body fat.

If you are a regular consumer of milk and other dairy products, that's great, just watch your proportions and perhaps switch over to the low or no fat varieties.

Beans

While beans are often associated with the gastrointestinal disturbances they may cause, they are also very good sources of protein, fiber and iron.
Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are:
- Navy beans
- White beans
- Kidney beans
- Lima beans

And as always, limit baked and refried beans in your diet as refried beans contain tons of saturated fat, while baked beans are usually loaded in sugar. Sure, you'll be getting your protein but you'll also be consuming a lot of fat and sugar that you don't need.
Here's something else to remember. Be sure to cook your beans thoroughly because our digestive tracks are not adapted to breaking down some proteins that are contained in certain beans.
Tip: A vegetable called Edamame (pronounced ed-uh-ma-may) an organic soybean in a pod often served at Japanese restaurants.
All you do is boil them for three minutes, add a pinch of salt and eat the soybeans out of the pods. They are surprisingly tasty and very good for you. One serving contains 10 grams of soy protein. The best place to find them is at a store that sells organic foods.

Oatmeal

While it may not be the tastiest thing you can eat, oatmeal definitely has some great nutritional qualities.
You may have noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level. That's because oatmeal is loaded with soluble fibre which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system.
The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavoured. While its tempting to select the apples and cinnamon flavour and load it with butter and sugar you really lose out on all the health benefits. If you must sweeten your bowl of oatmeal, do so by adding fruit.
Or add a spoonful of honey (much better for you than sugar) and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.
Oatmeal is also beneficial in fighting colon cancer and heart disease.

Olive oil

Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those good fats. In fact, it's so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down.
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85 per cent of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.
So instead of taking a swig of orange juice in the morning, many dieters are picking up a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Whole grains

These days everyone seems to be screaming "No carbs!" It's as if the world has gone no-carb crazy and everyone is running from sliced breads and pastas.
Well the truth is, your body needs carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it's not a good idea to exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you.
It's the processed carbohydrates that are bad for you the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice to name a few.
The above foods have all been processed, thus stripping out all the nutrients leaving you with loads of starch.
The key is to eat whole grain foods because they haven't been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs.
So don't be fooled by a loaf of bread labeled wheat. Regular wheat bread is still lacking in vitamins and minerals. Manufacturers add molasses to it so it turns brown.
Don't let them trick you. The only kind of bread that's good for you is the kind that's labeled whole grain.

Meat and fish

Turkey and beef are great for building muscle and boosting the immune system, but as always you have to be careful as:

Basted turkeys are usually injected with fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. If you are going to eat beef, be sure to consume the leanest cuts you can find by looking for loin or roundon the labels.

Salmon and tuna are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids which may sound bad, but are actually healthy fats. These two foods are also good for giving your immune system a nice boost and should be consumed at least thrice a week.

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Is it worth having an extra-marital affair?

Infidelity is perhaps as old as marriage. And, along with the growing tribe of cheating spouses, there are some partners who remain blissfully unaware of any damage to their marriage.
Interestingly, the Infidelity Facts website states that up to 41 per cent of spouses who cheat actually admit to their affair. "It's nothing new, but more in the open now," says Sarika Pilot Chaudhry.
Many, who are prone to experimenting, do it guilt-free as long as they're meeting "responsibilities" in the domestic space. Mrs and Mr Shah were the most perfect couple; they made the most brilliant hosts at parties and seemed inseparable. Later, the husband was seen romancing Nirali in another city. He reasoned, "I love my wife, but since we have been married for so long, I am a bit bored and need that excitement. Nirali is also married, so it's 'safe'! I love it when she accompanies me on an official trip as we can spend time exclusively. I am enjoying it while it lasts."

Expert speak

Psychiatrist Dr Himanshu Saxena believes males by nature are polygamous. He agrees that Indians are more open about expressing their sexuality now. "Often, it's marital disharmony that leads to extra-marital affairs. In arranged marriages, the spouses may not click, and look for options elsewhere. A liberal media and generally more openness with the opposite sex, such as colleagues, bring people closer emotionally and sexually." He adds, "The seven-year itch persists and if marital relations stale, a fresh person appears more interesting."

No guilt!

For some, an affair provides something lacking in their own marriage, which could be sex or mental stimulation. Rajesh Goyal, married for 12 years and recently blessed with a son says, "I don't feel guilty. My wife has no reason to complain; I give her all that a loving husband would, but my girlfriend is my ideal companion and lover. And, one can't marry everyone they love, right?"
For Maya, it's just about sex, "I love my husband deeply and can't dream of any other man in my life. Unfortunately, he has a low libido and I don't want to lead the life of a nun; I am young and have my desires, so if it's a man that excites me, I simply have to go ahead."
Then there are the serial cheaters or the sex addicts! 'Sex is wilder and more exciting with a stranger," shares Krishna.

Is it worth it?

Says socialite Sonu Wassan, "To bring back the spark in the marriage, an affair can act as a catalyst." Adds Arjun Sawhney, who runs a PR firm, "Humans are not monogamous, so if you feel it's fine and your partner is okay with it, go for it. Variety is the spice of life."
Comedian Gurpreet Ghuggi warns, "I think one gets into this purely for sex and it's not worth risking your marriage."
In 'open marriages', individuals have to learn the art of backing off before things become too hot to handle. Ultimately, whether it's an affair of the mind or for sexual pleasure, it's the families they want to go home to!

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Pakistan makes a U-turn, won’t send back ‘spy

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: Two months after Pakistan's top foreign affairs official Sartaj Aziz said there was inadequate evidence against the alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, Islamabad ruled out his extradition and said an FIR had been registered against him.
Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan on March 3, 2016, with authorities claiming that he was a RAW agent involved in "subversive activities" against Pakistan since 2013. But in December 2016, Aziz, while addressing the Senate, had said the dossier on Jadhav contained "mere statements" and did not have "any conclusive evidence".

Contradicting his previous statement, Aziz on Friday told lawmakers that the government was in the process of prosecuting Jadhav for carrying out "subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan".

Official sources in New Delhi, responding to media reports from Pakistan, said, "The government has on several occasions completely rejected the baseless allegations against Kulbhushan Jadhav. The circumstances of his presence in Pakistan remain unclear, particularly because we have not been provided consular access despite our repeated requests.

We expect Pakistan to follow well-established international practice in this regard and ensure his well-being while he is in its custody." Aziz told the Senate that a dossier had been prepared based on thorough groundwork and inputs from various state departments on the "Indian involvement in internal affairs of Pakistan."

The dossier, Aziz said, was shared with the UN secretary general. "It includes details about Kulbhushan Jadhav and his activities," he said, adding that the government was also examining the possibilities of sharing it with other countries and international organisations.

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China opts for low rise in military budget but will still spend lot more than India

BEIJING: China has announced a modest increase of 7 percent in its military budget for this year. But the expected expenditure of $145 billion in 2017 will be over three times the size of India's defence budget for 2017-18.
Beijing's decision to opt for a low increase in military expenditure contrasts sharply with US president Donald Trump's recent announcement that he will push for a 10 percent increase in defence spending. This is seen as a second attempt by Chinese president Xi Jinping to capture the moral high ground since his recent announcement at the World Economic Forum that China would stick to the path of globalization despite protectionist tendencies in the US.
Fu Ying, spokesperson for the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) annual session, rubbed it in at a press conference as she pointed out that China will spend just 1.3 percent of its Gross Domestic Product on defence compared to a decision by NATO countries to invest 2 percent of GDP for the purpose.
"You should ask them what their intentions are," Fu said.
Many military analysts believe China's defence figures do not fully reflect its actual spending because many forms of investments are shown as civil works. They include the $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and contains several security aspects. It is also not clear if the recent building of artificial islands in South China Sea is shown as military or civilian expenditure.
India and other neighbors of China have reasons to be worried because a portion of the increase in defence expenditure would go to the navy which is enhancing its capabilities in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.
"In order to protect China's territories and overseas interests, China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," Yin Zhuo, a rear admiral and a senior researcher at the PLA Navy Equipment Research Center, told the Global Times newspaper.
Analysts said China opted for low spending on military in view of the economic slowdown and the government's need for investing in areas that can boost the economy.
"The fresh raise could be the country's slowest defense budget rise in more than a decade, and mark the second time that defense budget dip to single-digit increase since 2010. In 2009, the figure was about 15%," Xinhua, the official news agency, said.

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Jordan hangs 15 convicts in rare mass execution

 Jordan hanged 15 death row prisoners including convicted "terrorists" at dawn on Saturday, its information minister said, in a further break with a moratorium on executions it observed between 2006 and 2014.
Ten of those put to death had been convicted of terrorism offences and five of "heinous" crimes including rape, Mahmud al-Momani told the official Petra news agency.
All were Jordanians and they were hanged in Suaga prison, south of the capital Amman.
Among the terrorism offences were a 2006 attack on tourists at Amman's Roman amphitheatre which killed a Briton and a June 2016 attack on an intelligence service base north of the capital that left five agents dead.
They also included the September 2016 murder of Christian writer Nahed Hattar as he stood trial for publishing a cartoon deemed offensive to Islam.
King Abdullah II had said in 2005 that Jordan aimed to become the first Middle Eastern country to halt executions in line with most European nations.
Courts continued to hand down death sentences but they were not carried out.
However, public opinion blamed a rise in crime on the policy and in December 2014 Jordan hanged 11 men convicted of murder, drawing criticism from human rights groups.
Opinion hardened after the murder by the Islamic State (IS) group of captured Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh whose plane had crashed in a jihadist-held region of Syria in December 2014 while serving with a US-led coalition.
Grisly footage posted in February the following year of him being burnt alive in a cage outraged the public.
Swiftly afterwards, Jordan hanged two people convicted of terrorism offences, one of them Sajida al-Rishawi.
She had taken part in a 2005 suicide attack on luxury hotels in Amman organised by IS's forebear, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, but her explosives failed to detonate.
According to judicial sources, 94 people remain on death row in Jordan, most of them convicted of murder or rape, following Saturday's executions.

Jordan, which hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees from the conflict in Syria, carries out air strikes on IS in both Syria and Iraq as a member of the US-led coalition.

The pro-Western kingdom fears a spillover of the jihadist threat and closely monitors thousands of Jordanians suspected of being IS or Al-Qaeda sympathisers.

In June 2016, a car bomb at a crossing from Syria, claimed by IS, killed seven Jordanian security personnel. Amman has responded by sealing the border.

Jordanian authorities say several other IS attacks were foiled last year.

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Oscars 2017: Red Carpet

Here's a look at the celebrities who dazzled the 89th Academy Awards red carpert. Hollywood celebs upped the glam quotient with their high fashion sense.

Priyanka Chopra walks the red carpet for the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, California on February 26, 2017.

Emma Roberts attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Taraji P. Henson attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Model Chrissy Teigen and singer John Legend pose together as they arrive for the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Sofia Carson attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Model Chrissy Teigen attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Blanca Blanco arrives in a thigh-high-slit designer gown at the 89th Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Actor Olivia Culpo unveils a one-of-a-kind Marchesa for Stella Artois gown featuring beads made from the Stella Artois Limited-Edition Chalices during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Actor Auli'i Cravalho attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood

TV Personality Zuri Hall attends the 89th Academy Awards held at the at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood

Teresa Palmer attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps walk the red carpet for the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Felicity Jones attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Debbie Matenopoulos attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood

Wishing luck to her fellow nominees, Natalie Portman said, "Due to my pregnancy, I am unable to attend the Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards

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