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Showing posts from June, 2019

H1B visa: US may not go in for quotas yet — here’s why

This is likely to impact companies under our coverage given their higher dependence on H-1B visas. As per USCIS data for FY16/17, India accounted for 62-63% of the approved H-1B petitions for initial employment, 80-81% for continuing employment and 74-76% overall. In this note, we address several key points. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2NlRywY

UPDATE 1-Japan big manufacturers’ mood hits near 3-year low – BOJ tankan

TOKYO -- Japanese big manufacturers' business confidence worsened to a nearly three-year low in the quarter to June, a closely watched central bank survey showed, in yet another sign of the growing economic toll exerted by slowing global demand and the bitter U.S.-China trade war. Read More from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2IYFUDT

Gupta brothers fined Rs 2.5 lakh for littering, open defecation in Auli during sons’ weddings

The Gupta family of South Africa is known for their dubious links to the country’s former president Jacob Zuma. The Rs 200 crore weddings -- Suryakant, son of Ajay Gupta, and Atul Gupta, son of Shashank, took place on June 20 and June 22, respectively in Auli. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2IXe9vy

Sikh activists demand apology from Kamala Harris for defending discriminatory policy in 2011

In a statement, these Sikh activists alleged that during her tenure as California's Attorney General, Harris defended a policy that prohibited state prison guards from keeping beards for religious reasons, even though exceptions were given for medical reasons. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2RT2hhf

Delhi pollution: Govt admits high ozone levels, rejects reports of reduced life expectancy due to air pollution

According to the data presented by Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in the Lok Sabha, ozone was reported as a prominent pollutant for 95 days in Delhi and for 11, 48, eight and 49 days in Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida respectively in the last three years. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2NnQJno

Round 2 of Democratic Debate Is Party’s Most-Watched Ever

NBC says round two of the Democratic presidential debate was the party’s most-watched ever. Based on Nielsen figures out Friday, the event including early front-runners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders averaged 18.1 million viewers across NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo. That topped the previous Democratic debate audience high of 15.5 million for an October 2015 event, which included eventual nominee Hillary Clinton. Viewership for that debate was previously estimated at 15.8 million. Neither of this week’s debates approached the audience for the first 2016 GOP primary debate, with newcomer Donald Trump driving curiosity. It drew nearly 24 million viewers on Fox News Channel. The pair of Democratic debates, the first of the 2020 campaign, split a field of 20 contenders into two groups. A headline-making exchange Thursday involved former Vice President Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris, who sparred over Biden’s civil rights record. More must-read stories from Fortune : --What the 2020 Democra

Biden Defends Past Civil Rights Record After Harris Attack

Joe Biden strongly defended his civil rights record on Friday, pledging to be a “president who stands against racism” and defiantly dismissing any suggestions otherwise. Speaking to the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the white former vice president was working to repair the damage from a blistering attack from California Sen. Kamala Harris , the lone black woman in the 2020 presidential race. During Thursday’s presidential debate , Harris criticized Biden for recently highlighting his decades-old work with segregationist senators and his opposition to public school busing during the 1970s -- creating a dramatic and deeply personal breakout moment. “I heard, and I listened to, and I respect Sen. Harris,” Biden said. “But we all know that 30 seconds to 60 seconds on a campaign debate exchange can’t do justice to a lifetime commitment to civil rights.” Biden has surged to the top of the Democratic pack arguing that he’s best positioned to defeat President Donald Trump bec

Fact-Checking Claims From Night 2 of the Democratic Debate

Ten Democrats seeking the presidency sparred on a Miami stage Thursday in the second night of the opening round of 2020 campaign debates. Here’s a look at some of their statements and how they compare with the facts. BERNIE SANDERS: Under Medicare for All, “the vast majority of the people in this country will be paying significantly less for health care than they are now.” THE FACTS: Probably true, but that’s only part of the equation for a family. The Vermont senator’s plan for a government-run health care system to replace private insurance calls for no premiums, and no copays and deductibles. But taxes would have to go up significantly as the government takes on trillions of dollars in health care costs now covered by employers and individuals. Independent studies estimate the government would be spending an additional $28 trillion to $36 trillion over 10 years, although Medicare for All supporters say that’s overstating it. How those tax increases would be divvied up remains

2019 Democratic Debate Night 2: Live Updates

Second Democratic Debate Kicks Off – 9 p.m. The second debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential debate is kicking off with 10 more candidates, including many of the leading White House hopefuls. Former Vice President Joe Biden is center stage Thursday night in Miami alongside Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Joining them for the two-hour event are two other top contenders: California Sen. Kamala (KAH’-mah-lah) Harris and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (BOO’-tuh-juhj). At either end will be the candidates polling at the bottom of the field: author Marianne Williamson and California congressman Eric Swalwell. Candidates will not get opening statements but will have time for closings. Ten other candidates debated on Wednesday, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. More must-read stories from Fortune : --4 times 2020 candidates clashed during the Democratic debate --5 things to watch for on night 2 of the Democratic presidential debate --What the 2020 Democrati

Former FDA Chief Gottlieb Heads to Pfizer’s Board: Brainstorm Health

Good afternoon, readers – and a short one for you amid some busy times. Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb abruptly resigned from his post earlier this year following a tenure marked by aggressive changes is drug approval, digital health, and tobacco policy. On Thursday, he announced he’s already got a new gig – with one of the very pharmaceutical giants he recently regulated. “I'm honored to be joining the board of directors of Pfizer and working together with more than 90,000 Pfizer colleagues to promote medical innovation, advance patient care, and secure access to better healthcare outcomes for families around the world,” Gottlieb wrote in a tweet . Gottlieb’s ties to multiple health and biopharmaceutical companies riled critics during his confirmation process for the FDA’s top perch. He pledged to recuse himself from any decisions involving companies in which he’d had a financial interest in exchange, and garnered a reputation as a refo

Oil prices fall as market awaits G20 summit, OPEC

Oil prices rose more than 2% on Wednesday and hit their highest in about a month, buoyed by U.S. government data showing a larger-than-expected drawdown in crude stocks as exports hit a record high and surprise drops in refined product stockpiles. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2XusGal

BJP’s idea of one election, one face, one ideology not acceptable to India, says Congress

Congress leader Anand Sharma, while speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, also urged the ruling party to recognise the efforts made by previous governments since independence and not disregard them. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2Fzw8Go

Fact-Checking Claims From the First Democratic Debate: Live

Ten Democrats seeking the presidency tussled on a Miami stage Wednesday night in the opening debate of the 2020 campaign, with 10 more on tap Thursday. A look at some of their statements and how they compare with the facts: Tim Ryan: “The bottom 60% haven’t seen a raise since 1980. The top 1% control 90% of the wealth.” THE FACTS: Those figures from the U.S. representative from Ohio exaggerate the state of income and wealth inequality. While few studies single out the bottom 60%, the Congressional Budget Office calculates that the bottom 80% of Americans have seen their incomes rise 32% since 1979. That is certainly lower than the doubling of income enjoyed by the top one-fifth of income earners. And the richest 1% possess 32% of the nation’s wealth, according to data from the Federal Reserve , not 90%. More must-read stories from Fortune : -- Democratic debate watch parties --and drinking games--are a thing --Meet the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates you've (pr

To dodge trade war, Chinese exporters shift production to low-cost nations

GUANGZHOU -- Pressured by a labor crunch and rising wages in China, Shu Ke'an, whose company supplies bulletproof vests, rifle bags and other tactical gear to the United States, first considered shifting some production to Southeast Asia a few years ago, but nothing came of it. Read More from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2YjstE6

Can Socialism Win in 2020? Democrats Aren’t Embracing It

Bernie Sanders is leading the charge to mainstream democratic socialism in the 2020 Democratic race. But some of his opponents want to distance themselves from the label. Sanders has been talking about democratic socialism for decades, but the ideology has seemingly gained more traction--particularly among younger voters--since the Senator’s 2016 run for president. As the movement continues to grow, the Vermont Senator recently gave a speech about democratic socialism at George Washington University. Sanders defined the ideology as a matter of economic rights. “Today in the 21st century, we must take up the unfinished business of the New Deal and carry it to completion,” he said. “In other words, the issue of unfettered capitalism is not just an academic debate, poverty, economic distress and despair are life-threatening issues for millions of working people in the country,” the senator told the crowd, while arguing that democratic socialism is about economic freedom for all people

Will Trump Watch Tonight’s Democratic Debate? He Says He’s ‘Off to Save the World!’

President Donald Trump started his characteristic bombastic tweeting ahead of the first Democratic primary presidential debates with the words "FACT CHECKING" in all capital letters, perhaps setting the tone for how he and the White House will react to the 10 candidates on stage tonight. Trump tagged several accounts in the tweet including one for his own 2020 re-election campaign called @TeamTrump and campaign staff: manager Brad Parscale, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, director of communications Tim Murtaugh, and director of strategic communications Marc Lotter. He wrote that there would be "rapid response" and "truth," all in all capital letters, as they seemingly will be reacting in real-time to comments made by the likes of Senators Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, and frontrunner Elizabeth Warren tonight . For tonight's #DemDebate , be sure to follow @TeamTrump , @TrumpWarRoom , @Parscale , @KayleighMcEnany , @TimMurtaugh , and @Marc_Lotter

As Workplace Burnout Gets More Attention, Could More Tech Actually Be the Answer?

Ever since May 2019, when the World Health Organization's 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) included a more detailed description of the burnout, the term has been increasingly making headlines. The new definition calls burnout syndrome the results of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. WHO characterizes it as having three dimensions: feelings of low energy and exhaustion, negative feelings toward or disengagement from the job, and reduced professional effectiveness. But, while WHO stopped short of classifying burnout as a medical condition. Instead, it's listed as an "occupational phenomenon," and included it in a chapter of reasons that people contact health services--but which are not considered illnesses or health conditions. That's good news for individuals and a possible area of concern for employers, says Russell Thackeray, Ph.D., a U.K.-based licensed clinical psychologist and organizationa

RPT-REFILE-WRAPUP 2-U.S. hopes to re-launch China trade talks, will not accept conditions on tariffs

WASHINGTON -- The United States hopes to re-launch trade talks with China after President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping meet in Japan on Saturday but Washington will not accept any conditions on tariffs, a senior administration official said on Tuesday. Read More from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2X07W5L

Fathers of two encephalitis victims among 19 booked for blocking highway during Nitish Kumar’s Muzaffarpur visit

The Supreme Court has directed the Bihar to file an affidavit within seven days, apprising it about the preventive measures taken so far to minimise casualties due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. The outbreak of AES has claimed the lives of more than 140 children in Muzaffarpur. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express https://ift.tt/2J8QTJM

Donald Trump ‘comfortable with any outcome’ from pivotal Xi Jinping talk, says official

The United States and China have waged an 11-month trade war marked by tit-for-tat tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of each others’ goods, roiling financial markets, disrupting supply chains and crimping global economic growth prospects. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express http://bit.ly/2ZNzxJ9

Lack of predictability, coherence in India-US strategic relationship: Congressman to Mike Pompeo

"I am deeply concerned by the inconsistencies between the administration's rhetoric and actions toward India, which are further exacerbated by the lack of a confirmed assistant secretary more than two years into this administration's term," Engel said in his letter to Pompeo. from The Financial ExpressThe Financial Express http://bit.ly/2ZL4cHm