Brathwaite smashes West Indies to World T20 title

West Indies' Carlos Brathwaite smashed a remarkable four successive sixes in the last over as they beat England by four wickets to win their second World Twenty20 title on Sunday.

Brathwaite's heroics alongside Marlon Samuels, who remained unbeaten on 85, saw West Indies, the 2012 champions, win with two balls to spare, sparking jubilant scenes at Eden Park.

Put in to bat, 2010 champions England rode Joe Root's 54 to post 155 for nine wickets in their 20 overs as Dwayne Bravo and Brathwaite picked up three wickets apiece for West Indies.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by Ken Ferris)

Union HRD Minister, Smt Smriti Zubin Irani to Participate in an International Conference on the Zero at UNESCO Headquarters

The High Level segment of the International Conference on the Zero, will be addressed by Smt Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Human Resource Development, Government of India and Ms. Irina Bokova, Director General UNESCO on 5th April 2016. 

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, through the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO, and together with the Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, will host an International Conference on the Zero on 4-5 April, 2016 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The International Conference will share the rich and remarkable history of mathematics, through the participation of some brilliant minds, resonating with the UNESCO’s mandate to advance, transfer and share knowledge for the greater global good. 

The International Conference in Paris will open on 4th April at the Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, with a session by Professor Manjul Bhargava, Fields Medalist and Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University on “Gems of Ramanujan and their lasting Impact on Mathematics”. Session 2 at UNESCO on “Negative Numbers, Zero, Infinity and Beyond” will be addressed by Dr. Shailendra Mehta from Auro University, Gujarat. There will also be a Panel Discussion on the “Arabic Traditions in Mathematics”. Special Session by Professor Manjul Bhargava on “Mathematics in Indian Music” will be a high point of the Conference. 

Through the length of the event at UNESCO, there will be visual and interactive sessions, including films on Mathematics and Science, and interactive problem solving events designed for a young audience. In this category, the highlight will be “Zero: Infinity and Set Theory” conducted by Mr. Romain Attal from the Palais de La Decouverte in Paris. 

The event will formally close with the unveiling of a bronze bust by the Minister of Human Resource Development, India and the Director General, UNESCO of the ancient Indian mathematician-astronomer Aryabhata which is a gift from India to UNESCO, as its tribute to the world of Mathematics and Science. The Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Smt Smriti Zubin Irani participated in the high level segment, the Leaders’ Forum, held at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris on November 16-17, 2015 as a part of the 38th session of the UNESCO General Conference. 

During this visit, the Minister also held a meeting with the Director General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova, to discuss the full range of India's cooperation with the organization. As a follow up to the discussions held during the bilateral meeting, for the first time, both the leaders issued Joint Statement on the occasion of the National Mathematics Day, i.e. 22nd December, which is the birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, the great Indian intellectual and mathematician. Both the leaders agreed to organize in 2016 a Conference on “Zero” at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. 

INDIAN ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY NOTIFIES HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES, 2016

“The new Hazardous Waste Rules will ensure resource recovery and disposal of hazardous waste in environmentally sound manner. The Rules are environment and industry- friendly. The provisions of the new Rules are in line with this Government’s priority for Ease of Doing Business and Make in India, but with responsible concerns for sustainable development”, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, ShriPrakashJavadekar, said here today, while releasing the HW Rules, 2016.

For the first time, Rules have been made to distinguish between Hazardous Waste and other wastes. Other wastes include:Waste tyre, paper waste, metal scrap, used electronic items, etc. and are recognized as a resource for recycling and reuse. These resources supplement the industrial processes and reduce the load on the virgin resource of the country. 

The salient features of Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management &Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 include the following:- 

i. The ambit of the Rules has been expanded by including ‘Other Waste’. 

ii. Waste Management hierarchy in the sequence of priority of prevention, minimization, reuse, recycling, recovery, co-processing; and safe disposal has been incorporated. 

iii. All the forms under the rules for permission, import/export, filing of annual returns, transportation, etc. have been revised significantly, indicating the stringent approach for management of such hazardous and other wastes with simultaneous simplification of procedure. 

iv. The basic necessity of infrastructure to safeguard the health and environment from waste processing industry has been prescribed as Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs), specific to waste type, which has to be complied by the stakeholders and ensured by SPCB/PCC while granting such authorisation. 

v. Procedure has been simplified to merge all the approvals as a single window clearance for setting up of hazardous waste disposal facility and import of other wastes. 

vi. Co-processing as preferential mechanism over disposal for use of waste as supplementary resource, or for recovery of energy has been provided. 

vii. The approval process for co-processing of hazardous waste to recover energy has been streamlined and put on emission norms basis rather than on trial basis. 

viii. The process of import/export of waste under the Rules has been streamlined by simplifying the document-based procedure and by revising the list of waste regulated for import/export. 

ix. The import of metal scrap, paper waste and various categories of electrical and electronic equipments for re-use purposehas been exempted from the need of obtaining Ministry’s permission. 

x. The basic necessity of infrastructure to safeguard the health and environment from waste processing industry has been prescribed as Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) specific to waste type. 

xi. Responsibilities of State Government for environmentally sound management of hazardous and other wastes have been introduced as follows: 

 Toset up/ allot industrial space or sheds for recycling, pre-processing and other utilization of hazardous or other waste

 To register the workers involved in recycling, pre-processing and other utilization activities. 

 To form groups of workers to facilitate setting up such facilities; 

 To undertake industrial skill development activities and ensure safety and health of workers. 

xii. List of processes generating hazardous wastes has been reviewed taking into account technological evolution in the industries. 

xiii. List of Waste Constituents with Concentration Limits has been revised as per international standard and drinking water standard. 

The following items have been prohibited for import: 

a. Waste edible fats and oil of animals, or vegetable origin; 

b. Household waste; 

c. Critical Care Medical equipment; 

d. Tyres for direct re-use purpose; 

e. Solid Plastic wastes including Pet bottles; 

f. Waste electrical and electronic assemblies scrap; 

g. Other chemical wastes especially in solvent form. 

xiv. State Government is authorized to prepare integrated plan for effective implementation of these provisions, and have to submit annual report to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 

xv. State Pollution Control Board is mandated to prepare an annual inventory of the waste generated; waste recycled, recovered, utilised including co-processed; waste re-exported and waste disposed and submit to the Central Pollution Control Board by the 30th day of September every year. 

3. Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste means any waste, which by reason of characteristics, such as physical, chemical, biological, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive, causes danger to health, or environment. It comprises the waste generated during the manufacturing processes of the commercial products such as industries involved in petroleum refining, production of pharmaceuticals, petroleum, paint, aluminium, electronic products etc. As per the information furnished by CPCB in the year 2015, the total hazardous waste generation in the country is 7.46 million metric tonnes per annum from about 44,000 industries. 

4. Proper Hazardous Waste Management

i. Scientific disposal of hazardous waste through collection, storage, packaging, transportation and treatment, in an environmentally sound manner minimises the adverse impact on human health and on the environment. The hazardous waste can be disposed at captive treatment facility installed by the individual waste generators or at Common Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs). There are 40 Common Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) available in 17 States/UTs. 

ii. Hazardous waste as lead acid battery scraps, used oil, waste oil, spent catalyst etc. and other waste such as waste tyres, paper waste, metal scrap etc. are used as raw material by the industries involved in recycling of such waste and as supplementary resource for material and energy recovery. Accordingly, it is always preferable to utilise such waste through recycling, or for resource recovery to avoid disposal through landfill or incineration. There are about 1080 registered recyclers; 47 cement plants permitted for co-processing; and about 108 industries permitted for utilisation of hazardous waste. 

5. Problems of unscientific disposal of Hazardous and other waste

Unscientific disposal of hazardous and other waste through burning or incineration leads to emission of toxic fumes comprising of Dioxins & Furans, Mercury, heavy metals, causing air pollution and associated health-related problems.Disposal in water bodies, or in municipal dumps leads to toxic releases due to leaching in land and water entailing into degradation of soil and water quality.The workers employed in such unscientific practices suffer from neurological disorders, skin diseases, genetic defects, cancer etc.Hence, there is a need for systematic management of hazardous and other waste in an environmentally sound manner by way of prevention, minimisation, re-use, recycling, recovery, utilisation including co-processing and safe disposal of waste.

6. Consultation process for new Hazardous and Other Waste Rules

Draft Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules were published in July, 2015 inviting suggestions and objections. 473 suggestions/ objections were received from Government organisations, institutions and private individuals. Draft rules were shared with industry associations, Central Government ministries and State Governments. Stakeholders’ consultation meetings were organised in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru. A working group comprising technical and subject experts examined all the suggestions. Based on the recommendations of the Working Group, the Ministry has published the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. 

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi visiting the Masmak Fortress at Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia on April 02, 2016

Indian cigarette makers halt production over health warning rules

New Delhi : Indian cigarette makers including ITC Ltd, part-owned by British American Tobacco, suspended production on Friday over what they said was ambiguity in the government's new health warning rules for packs, a leading industry body said.

Rules that mandated 85 percent of a cigarette pack's surface to be covered in health warnings, up from 20 percent, kicked in from Friday after being delayed for a year.

But cigarette makers failed to comply, with packs with smaller warnings still being sold in the capital New Delhi.

The Tobacco Institute of India (TII) said the industry was concerned over potential violation of health warning rules by continuing production, adding that the production halt would cost the industry $53 million a day.

India was last year forced to delay implementation of stringent pack warning rules as a parliamentary panel sought time to assess how the industry would be impacted.

The health ministry later decided to implement the rules from April this year, but the panel last month issued a report saying the size of warnings should be reduced to 50 percent in the interest of the industry and tobacco farmers.

Health activists have criticized the panel for favoring the industry. The World Health Organization has called the debate on reducing the warnings size in India "worrisome".

India's $10 billion cigarette market is dominated by ITC and Godfrey Phillips India Ltd, a partner of U.S.-based Philip Morris International. ITC declined to comment. Godfrey Phillips was not immediately available for comment.

TII, which has called the new rules drastic and impractical, said the industry had written to the health ministry seeking clarification. It did not elaborate on what was ambiguous about the new rules.

A senior health ministry official, who declined to be named, said the government was committed to implementing the rules.

Smoking kills about 1 million people in India each year, BMJ Global Health estimates. The Canadian Cancer Society in 2014 ranked India 136th out of 198 countries that use pack warnings to deter smokers, lagging nations such as Thailand.

"The industry is holding the government to ransom. There is no ambiguity in the rules," said Amit Yadav, director, southeast Asia region at Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control, a group of more than 350 global organizations.

(Editing by Alexander Smith and David Holmes)

PM Shri Narendra Modi meets Canadian, UK PMs on the sidelines of NSS on April 01, 2016

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today (April 01, 2016) met the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC. 

The Prime Minister said new energy and dynamism has been imparted to relations between the two countries, since Mr. Trudeau assumed office. He spoke of immense possibilities for further expanding the relationship in the economic sphere. He recalled his meeting with the heads of Canadian pension funds during his visit to Canada last year, and observed that some of these funds are now Investing in India. 

The Canadian Prime Minister congratulated Prime Minister Modi for his intervention during the NSS dinner yesterday, and said Canada and India can be leaders in efforts towards non-proliferation. 

Prime Minister Modi also spoke of India's thrust towards renewable energy. He mentioned smart cities, urban infrastructure and skill development as areas where Canada could further deepen its engagement with India. He also mentioned India's progressive policy in the hydrocarbon sector, and sought Canadian cooperation in the areas of coal gasification and underground mining of coal. 

Prime Minister Trudeau accepted Prime Minister Modi's invitation to visit India. 

Prime Minister Modi met the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Mr. David Cameron. Both leaders recalled Shri Narendra Modi's visit to the UK last year, and Prime Minister Modi said that ties between the two countries had become richer and deeper. Defence cooperation came up for discussion and Prime Minister Modi mentioned that the UK could be a partner in the Make in India initiative, especially in the defence sector. Visa issues also came up for discussion. 

PM Shri Narendra Modi meets PM of Japan on the sidelines of NSS (April 01, 2016)

PM Modi and PM Abe met on the sidelines of NSS 2016. In line with the Special Strategic and Global Partnership with Japan, discussions were held in a very cordial atmosphere. PM Abe thanked PM Modi for the excellent hospitality during his bilateral visit to India in December 2015. He described his visit to Varanasi as unforgettable. 

PM Abe acknowledged that under PM Modi's leadership, the Indian economy was now serving as the engine of global growth. 

The two leaders reviewed the decisions taken during PM Abe's visit and expressed satisfaction at the strong pace of implementation. PM Abe conveyed that a survey Mission will be coming from Japan in May to take forward the Convention Centre project in Varanasi. They also discussed measures to promote further trade and investment. 

PM thanked PM Abe for Japan's strong participation in the International Fleet Review. 

The two leaders also discussed the continuing threat of terrorism and the need for the International community to eschew selective approaches. They also reviewed global and regional issues. 

PM Abe said that he was greatly looking forward to PM Modi's bilateral visit to Japan later this year. 

India Water Week-2016 to begin from April 4 Israel to be partner country

The Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Sushri Uma Bharti addressing the curtain raiser press conference on India Water Week 2016, in New Delhi on April 02, 2016. The Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Shashi Shekhar and the Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Shri A.P. Frank Noronha are also seen.

New Delhi : The fourth edition of India Water Week will be observed from 04 to 08 April, 2016. Making this announcement in New Delhi today the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti said that the theme for this year’s India Water week is “Water for all: Striving together”. The Minister informed that Israel will be associated as the partner country for this mega event.

Sushri Bharti said the Inaugural session of India Water Week will be followed by Plenary session and Water Resources Ministers conclave on first day.  About 1500 delegates from India and 20 other countries will be attending the conclave.

The Minister informed that the event has been divided into Seminars (eight nos.), Brainstorming sessions (six nos,), Panel Discussions (seven nos.), Case studies (six nos.) and Side Events (five nos.). These events will take place at ITPO, Pragati Maidan. Apart from this, an Exhibition ‘Water Expo-2016’ showcasing the technologies and solutions in water resources sector is also being organised at Hall No. 9, Pragati Maidan for the benefit of delegates.

            

Sushri Bharti said it will be a multi-disciplinary conference enriching the theme with dialogue by national and international community alongwith the exhibition.  Delegates of the event will be immensely benefitted from Israeli experience in efficient management of water resources as well as other national and international experiences. Many reputed National and International Organizations, Research Institutes, Educational Institutions and NGOs from water resources, agriculture, power sectors etc. are participating in the event to share their knowledge and experience in the sector. Most important stakeholder of water, i.e. farmers from different parts of the country are also going to participate in this important event as a part of INPIM Programme on Participatory Irrigation Management and share their experiences.

The Union Water Resources said that the multi-disciplinary dialogue will be addressing the important  initiatives  of the Minister and priority programmes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY), Jal Kranti Abhiyan, More crop per drop, Interlinking of Rivers, etc. apart from other important topics such as (a) Water and Health – managing water quality (b) Agriculture and Irrigation (c) Water and Power – hydro and thermal (d) Industrial water efficiency (e) Water supply and sanitation for rural and urban areas (f) Environment, climate change and water resources sector. Sushri Bharti recalled that in Jal Manthan-2 Programme held at New Delhi in February, 2016, important issues like bridging gap between irrigation potential created and irrigation potential utilised, fast-tracking of 89 AIBP projects under PMKSY, ground water protection and augmentation, National Hydrology Project, etc were discussed in detail. Such issues are also proposed to find important place in discussion during the present event.

Partner country Israel will exclusively organise two sessions viz. (i) Role of Micro Irrigation in existing command and (ii) Israel makes in India – COE’s and commercial success stories, water management. International Commission for Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has planned to organize first in the series “India Irrigation Forum-2016” as a part of India Water Week-2016.

Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India has been organising India Water Week since 2012 as an international event to focus on water related issues. Three editions of India Water Week have been organised so far in 2012, 2013 and 2015. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Saudi visit part of push to "de-hyphenate" India from Pakistan

U.S. Chief of Protocol Ambassador Peter Selfridge (L) greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives for a working dinner with heads of delegations for the Nuclear Security Summit at the White House in Washington March 31, 2016.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday is part of a broader diplomatic offensive to put pressure on arch rival Pakistan by forging ties with some of Islamabad's closest allies, Indian ruling party and government officials said.

Modi is expected to sign trade agreements, including contracts to secure investment for infrastructure projects, and offer security and military cooperation, such as training and joint exercises, they said.

The visit comes just months after he travelled to another Pakistan ally, the United Arab Emirates, and signed a security cooperation agreement that includes regular meetings between top security advisers.

"It's simple. We have to do everything to deal with Pakistan - use economics, strategy and emotional ties to win the hearts of Islamabad's friends," said Ram Madhav, national general secretary of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over Kashmir. New Delhi has long accused Islamabad of sponsoring a separatist movement and militancy in the Himalayan region. Pakistan denies the charge and accuses India of occupying Kashmir and fomenting trouble in its restive provinces, like Baluchistan.

Stronger relationships with Pakistan’s allies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE can help India get a more sympathetic hearing on global and regional forums and put pressure on Islamabad to rein in militants.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia and the United States imposed joint sanctions targeting the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group blamed for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

New Delhi has been frustrated that often its ties with countries have been coloured by concerns about its relationship with Pakistan. One foreign ministry official said the Saudis tended to bring up Pakistan during discussions with India.

Government officials described Modi’s diplomatic push as an effort to "de-hyphenate" India from Pakistan, especially as New Delhi tries to play a bigger geopolitical role in Asia to counter China's influence.

RIGHT TIMING

Until now, India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia has been driven primarily by trade and the Indian diaspora in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is India's top energy supplier and home to more than 3.5 million Indian expatriates.

Over the past few years, there has been some cooperation on security between the two countries, with Riyadh deporting four most wanted fugitives to India.

Modi will look to broaden those ties, with one foreign ministry official saying healthcare, education, religious tourism and labour reforms would also be key talking points.

Still, there are limits to what New Delhi can hope to achieve. The relationship between Pakistan and the Saudis goes back decades, based in their shared Sunni Muslim heritage.

Saudi Arabia has long been a source of financial aid for Islamabad. In 2014, the Saudis gave Pakistan $1.5 billion as a "gift" to shore up its foreign reserves.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spent time in political exile in Saudi Arabia in the 2000s, after he was ousted in a military coup.

But Indian officials said the timing was right for Modi’s visit, as relations between Riyadh and Islamabad enter a rough patch.

Pakistan declined to provide ships, aircraft and troops to the Saudi-led fight to halt Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen last year. It has also sought to avoid taking sides in the escalating dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"Pakistan knows that relations with Saudi have come to a low. That doesn't mean that India can fill that gap," said Zahid Hussain, a former newspaper editor in Pakistan. "But certainly this is part of Modi's diplomatic offensive in the region."

(Additional reporting by Doug Busvine in NEW DELHI, Asad Hashim and Mehreen Zahra-Malik in ISLAMABAD; Editing by Paritosh Bansal and Nick Macfie)

India`s PM Shri Narendra Modi at dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama

State actors working with nuclear traffickers and terrorists present the greatest risk

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today made an intervention during the dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama, on the theme of nuclear security threat perceptions.

Appreciating the US President for putting the spotlight on nuclear security, the Prime Minister said he had, by doing so, done great service to global security.

Referring to the recent terror attacks in Brussels, the Prime Minister said that Brussels shows us how real and immediate is the threat to nuclear security from terrorism. Shri Narendra Modi called for focus on three contemporary features of terrorism: First, today’s terrorism uses extreme violence as theatre.

Second, we are no longer looking for a man in a cave, but we are hunting for a terrorist in a city with a computer or a smartphone. Third, state actors working with nuclear traffickers and terrorists present the greatest risk.

Noting that terror has evolved and terrorists are using 21st century technology, the Prime Minister observed that our responses are rooted in the past. He said terrorism is globally networked, but we still act only nationally to counter this threat. He added that the reach and supply chains of terrorism are global, but genuine cooperation between nation states is not.

The Prime Minister said that without prevention and prosecution of acts of terrorism, there is no deterrence against nuclear terrorism. He urged everyone to drop the notion that terrorism is someone else’s problem and that “his” terrorist is not “my” terrorist.

The Prime Minister said nuclear security must remain an abiding national priority, and all States must completely abide by their international obligations.