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'India’s membership was not taken up'
China denies blocking India’s membership bid at the NSG, repeatedly asserting that India’s case did not come up specifically as the question of its signature to the Non Proliferation Treaty needs to be resolved first.Speaking to Diplomatic Editor Suhasini Haidar outside the NSG conference venue in Seoul, lead negotiator and Director-General of the Arms Control division at the Chinese foreign ministry Wang Qun claimed “dozens of members” of the 48-member group support China’s position.Why does China stand opposed to India’s membership, when so many countries have supported it?There is no question of opposing or supporting India’s membership. To discuss something on the agenda is one thing, some “irrelevant remarks” may be made. Despite the fact that India’s membership was not on the agenda, people are concerned and China too attaches great importance to the membership applications of NPT states for members at the NSG including India and Pakistan. China has worked hard to make this a topic for discussion on how to deal with such countries.But a special session was held, discussing the inclusion of non-NPT members. Now only two India and Pakistan have applied, and only one whose membership has been backed by multiple members that is India….Well, India was not a specific agenda item, though the discussion you refer was held with the caveat that there can always be interventions or comments made by any member. Country specific memberships is not discussed normally. Even so, since members including China attach great importance to India’s membership application, so we asked for an exercise to discuss the “political legal and technical” aspects of participation by countries of non-NPT states.Is China isolated? More than 30 countries of the NSG have come out in support of India, we have seen the leaders of Switzerland, Mexico, US,UK, France say publicly that India’s membership application should be accepted.No, China is not isolated. Firstly, India’s membership was not taken up. Also on the question of how to deal with Non-NPT states, the group is divided, and far apart, and there are many including some countries you mentioned , I do not want to name them because of confidentiality rules at NSG, but their public statements are not what the Indian media said they were. They appreciated the efforts India has made for the NSG but in the meantime hoped that its membership could be considered within the framework of the NPT. In fact, the NPT is really an issue, because for admission the NSG has five criteria for members, most noticeably the NPT, it is a must. This is not a rule set by China, this is the rule set by the NSG and reaffirmed by the international community.Are you saying that there is consensus in NSG members that NPT is a precondition to membership? How many support that?Well yes, there is broad consensus on the criteria for NSG membership, and NPT is among them. Starting from the year 2000, the NPT is a necessary criterio.PM Modi spoke to President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, calling for China to make a fair assessment of India’s merit. Despite that, there seems to be no shift in China’s stand. Should India give up hopes, or may this be reconsidered in the near future?I think India is making great efforts, and China has taken positive note of India’s non-proliferation efforts. So have other countries like Pakistan, though to a different degree. So we see India’s case as a close friend and near neighbour.Pakistan is a known proliferator of illicit nuclear trade including to Iran Libya North Korea. Don’t you think it is unfair to consider India and Pakistan in the same category?They are in the same category of non-NPT state parties. This is based on the fact they haven’t signed the non proliferation treaty. This is a fact of life and no one can deny it.Do you think China’s stand at the NSG will affect bilateral ties with India? Is that not a concern?China has tried to positively support the discussion that may eventually lead to India’s membership at the NSG at some stage. I think not only China but dozens of countries share China’s view that we need to discuss how we can go forward, how can we deal with non-NPT states as a whole. In the first place, a decision needs to be taken within the group, and then we can come to India’s case.Keywords: NSG, Nuclear Suppliers Group, India NSG entry
‘Divided’ Kingdom leaves EU
Britain has voted to leave the European Union to take greater control of its economy and its borders, shattering the stability of the continental unity forged after World War II.The decision launches what will be years of negotiations over trade, business and political links with the E.U., which will shrink to a 27-nation bloc.Official results released early Friday show the ‘Leave’ side prevailed 52 per cent to 48 per cent in Thursday’s vote, which had a turnout of 72 per cent.The U.K. is the first major country to decide to leave the bloc, which evolved from the ashes of the war as the region’s leaders sought to build links and avert future hostility.Financial authorities around the world have warned that a British exit will reverberate through a delicate global economy.Live updates (time in IST):12:35 p.m: "Today on behalf of the 27 leaders, I can say that we are determined to keep our unity as 27," says European Union president Donald Tusk.12:26 p.m.: Dutch parliamentary party leader Geert Weilders calls for Netherlands to hold referendum on its EU membership12.07 p.m.: UKIP leader Nigel Farage says the European Union is dying after Britain votes to leave.12.01 p.m.: U.K. Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn says Britons feel very angry at way marginalised by successive governments11.55 a.m.: U.K. Electoral Commission declares Britain has voted to leave European Union.11.45 a.m.: Official results show the ‘Leave’ won by 12,69, 501 votes (52 per cent).11.40 a.m.: RBI watching all markets, including currencies, and will provide liquidity wherever necessary: RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on Brexit impact.11.40 a.m.: Top European Union officials are hunkering down in Brussels trying to work out what to do next after the shock decision by British voters to leave the bloc.European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is hosting talks on Friday with the leaders of the European Council and Parliament, along with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the E.U.’s rotating presidency.The four will try to agree on a European position on the vote, which could see a member country leave the bloc for the first time ever, ahead of a summit of E.U. leaders in Brussels starting on Tuesday.Parliamentary leaders were meeting separately, and European commissioners the E.U.’s executive body could hold separate talks later.11.30 a.m.: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen says there should be a similar referendum about E.U. membership in France after Britons voted to leave the 28-nation bloc.“A victory for Freedom,” Ms. Le Pen tweeted. “We now need the same referendum in France and in EU nations.”11.20 a.m.: India well prepared to deal with short and medium-term consequences of Brexit, says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.“Aim will be to smoothen volatility and minimise Brexit impact on the economy in the short-term, the FM says.11.05 a.m.: Now that voters have chosen exit, will more referendums follow suit? Social media averse on this: #Brexit Will UK be Little England now ?— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka)June 24, 201610.56 a.m.: Tally by the BBC shows Britain has voted to leave the 28-nation European Union.10:36 a.m.: Voters in Wales and the English shires have backed Britan’s exit in large numbers.10:35 a.m.: London and Scotland voted strongly to stay in the EU but the remain vote has been undermined by poor results in the north of England.10.30 a.m.: Dutch anti-immigration leader Geert Wilders has called for a referendum on the Netherlands' membership in the European Union after Britain voted to leave the 28-member bloc.“We want be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy,” he said in a statement. Hurrah for the British! Now it is our turn. Time for a Dutch referendum!#ByeByeEUhttps://t.co/kXZ0aQtgmx— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) June 24, 2016 Congratulations Britain!Congratulations @Nigel_Faragepic.twitter.com/VH7c8cStW0— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) June 24, 201610.21 a.m.:93 per cent of the vote counted, ‘Leave’ lead is impossible to reverse.10.19 a.m.: Scotland will seek independence now. Cameron's legacy will be breaking up two unions. Neither needed to happen.https://t.co/4MDj7pndcq— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling)June 24, 201610.15 a.m.: Indian govt. prepared for all eventualities; stock market down on initial spontaneous reaction, says Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das on Brexit.10.10 a.m.: Don’t think Brexit will impact India in medium or long term, says Banking Secretary Anjuly Duggal.10.05 a.m.: After Brexit vote, Downing Street aide says “we're in unchartered territory".10 a.m.: The head of the British conservative party in the European Parliament said on Friday that the British people had voted to leave the European Union and it was time to move on.“It's the democratic will of the British people. The British people have voted to leave. I think we now have to come together, have to move on,” Syed Kamall, a conservative member of parliament for London, tells Reuters.9.57 a.m.: ‘Remain’ on 14.584 million votes, ‘Leave’ on 15.705 million after more than 90 per cent of votes counted, says ITV9.54 a.m.: Sinn Fein chairman says if UK leaves the EU then the British government has “forfeited any mandate” to represent interests of the Northern Ireland people.9.49 a.m.: Govt., RBI ready with measures to curb volatility: Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa on Brexit.9.45 a.m.: With 329 of 382 counting centers reporting results, the ‘Leave’ side is ahead by over 900,000 votes.9.42 a.m.: RBI intervenes in forex market with liquidity support: Sources.9.40 a.m.: As ‘Leave’ votes pour in from Britain’s historic vote on European Union membership, post-mortems are already being produced. One expert says the ‘Remain’ side had suffered from “a degree of complacency”.Tim Oliver, a fellow at the London School of Economics’ IDEAS foreign policy think tank says “the campaign failed to connect to ordinary people, seemed too much of an elite and London-based one.”Mr. Oliver says the vote wasn’t just about Europe but also about a popular British backlash against the capital and its elites. He says “the E.U. was one of the things kicked by this, but there were lots of other things such as a general anti—establishment feeling, anti-London feeling.”9.35 a.m.: Scotland has made clear that it sees its future as part of the European Union, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday, after it voted to remain while most of the United Kingdom voted to leave.“The vote here makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union,” Ms. Sturgeon said in a statement.“We await the final UK-wide result, but Scotland has spoken - and spoken decisively.”9.10 a.m.: BBC predicts ‘Leave’ win, U.K. votes to leave European Union with 309 out of 382 results declared, says the Beeb.9.06 a.m.: Reuters reports — ITV says ‘Leave’ to win8.46 a.m.: ‘Leave’ leader Nigel Farage says June 23 will be Britain’s independence day. “The dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom,” U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said to loud cheers at a “leave” campaign party. “Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day!”8.41 a.m.: British pound tumbles to 31-year low as E.U. vote results show 'Leave' side in lead.8.30 a.m.: Sky News says its election analyst predicts ‘Leave’ will win referendum with 53 per cent — Reuters8.25 a.m.: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley declines to comment on the current trends of ‘Brexit’, says he would prefer to wait till the full results are out. "I think when the counting is on and you have close margin of results coming in you can not expect me to comment at this state,” he said, adding that he would rather wait for the full results.Mr. Jaitley was replying to a question on how concerned India is about the ‘Brexit’ results at a business seminar.8.22 a.m.: Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage tweets he now "dares to dream" of independent U.K.The top anti-E.U. campaigner said he was increasingly confident of victory on Friday after early results from Britain's E.U. referendum put the ‘Leave’ camp ahead.‘I now dare to dream that the dawn is coming up on an independent United Kingdom," he said on Twitter, hours after coming close to conceding defeat. I now dare to dream that the dawn is coming up on an independent United Kingdom.— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016With 200 of 382 results declared, Brexit leads 51.7%: Pound at $1.36 on Brexit fears, lowest levels since 2009 — AFP reports8.20 a.m.: With about half of the 382 results declared here's a round-up of what happened so far:First results suggest an extremely tight race, with swathes of northern England backing ‘Leave’ but parts of London and Scotland coming out strongly for ‘Remain’.Some of the major results:‘Remain’Gibraltar: 95.9% Remain, 4.1% Leave. The tiny overseas territory, which shares a land border with Spain, was always expected to back the E.U.City of London - 75.3% Remain, 24.7% Leave. Home of the financial services industry, again this is no surprise.Glasgow City - 66.6% Remain, 33.4% Leave. This is a boost for the Remain camp although the turnout was lower than elsewhere, at just 56.2 percent. All of Scotland that has declared has voted Remain.London - Several heavily populated boroughs have declared strong support for Remain, including Wandsworth (75%) and Lambeth (78.6%).‘Leave’Sunderland - 61.3% Leave, 38.7% Remain. This early result, showing much stronger than expected support for the Brexit camp, sent the pound plunging.Wales - Polling experts were not sure which way Wales would go but its second city Swansea declared 51.5% Leave, 48.5% Remain, while several other areas followed.Nuneaton - 66% Leave, 34% Remain. This town in central England is seen as a bellweather of opinion in general elections.Blackpool - 67.5% Leave, 32.5%. This northwestern seaside resort reflects wider gains for the Brexit camp across the north of England.8.17 a.m.: Pound's wild ride continues, tumbles to 5-month low after hitting 2016 high. Tokyo stocks plunged more than 3 per cent in volatile trade on Friday morning. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 3.05 percent, or 495.95 points, to 15,742.40 by the break, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares slumped 3.17 percent, or 41.18 points, to 1,257.53.8.15 a.m.: Reuters reports: ‘Remain’ on 48.7%, ‘Leave’ on 51.3% after half of of 382 counting areas plus partial BBC Northern Irish figures.8.10 a.m.: Stomach-churning night for ‘Remain’ sideThe close vote in the referendum made for stomach-churning twists and turns as the ‘Remain’and ‘Leave’ camps traded the lead in the official count. At a ‘Remain’ party in East London, Labour Party councilor Andrew Cregan said he and his guests had been through “a bit of a roller-coaster ride.”Mr. Cregan said the partygoers had mostly gone home but he couldn’t sleep until he saw the final result.“I’m fearful of the result,” he said. “This is the most important decision that people are voting on in my lifetime. And I don’t think that many people who have cast a vote today understand what they’re casting a vote on, or understand what’s at stake.”8 a.m.: Reuters reports: ‘Remain’ on 48.8%, ‘Leave’ on 51.2% after 160 of 382 counting areas plus partial BBC Northern Irish figures.7.56 a.m.: Voters seeking a British exit from the E.U. are leading, as one-third of official results have been declared in Britain’s historic referendum.As Friday’s vote counting continued overnight, the ‘Leave’ side led with 50.9 per cent of votes with ‘Remain’ trailing on 49.1 per cent. The gap between the two sides stood at about 191,000 votes with 144 of the 382 count centers reporting results.7.50 a.m.: U.K.’s bitterly contested referendum on whether to quit the European Union was too close to call on Friday as early results showed a deeply divided nation while the pound was hammered on financial markets.7.24 a.m.: Sterling, stocks routed as early Brexit results put ‘Leave’ aheadRisk assets routed as early results point to Brexit; Sterling slumps in broad selloff, yen rallies; U.K. and U.S. stock futures skid, Asian shares follow; Oil and commodities swing lower, gold strong — Reuters7.21 a.m.: South London comes in strong for ‘Remain’ sideEarly results from London are showing strong support for the campaign to keep Britain within the European Union.A win for the pro-European forces in the cosmopolitan capital was expected, but the high margins of victory in some London areas have given a little confidence to the “remain” camp amid poor results elsewhere.The key will be turnout in a city that saw massive summer downpours on referendum day Thursday that caused some train and traffic chaos.The south London boroughs of Wandsworth and Lambeth saw big margins and high turnouts, with 75 per cent and 79 per cent backing the “remain” side respectively.7.17 a.m.: Bookmakers dramatically reversed the odds on Britain leaving the European Union as early results from a historic referendum pointed to strong support for a Brexit, AFP reports.Just hours after giving odds that indicated an estimated 90-per cent chance of Britain staying in the E.U, the main betting companies shifted to make a "Leave" vote the strong favourite.Betting exchange Betfair moved to odds of 8/13, an implied probability of a Brexit of more than 60 per cent. Ladbrokes had odds of 4/7, an implied probability of 63 per cent.7.06 a.m.: A slew of new voting results from England, Wales and London are supporting the campaign to pull Britain out of Europe and that means warning signs for the “Remain” camp.The first four results from Wales have shown majorities for the “leave” camp, even in Swansea, an urban area where “remain” had been expected to perform well.The “leave” campaign also appeared to be doing better-than-expected in northeast England, where voters overwhelmingly chose to leave the E.U.Early indications showed high turnout in London, where the “remain” side is expected to dominate, but some commentators said turnout would have to be even higher to counterbalance the “leave” vote elsewhere.6.45 a.m.: Though no exit polls had been commissioned, an “on the day” survey by YouGov late last night predicted a 52 per cent vote share for the Remain camp as opposed to 48 per cent for ’Brexit’ or Britain’s exit from the economic bloc.The final national result is to be officially declared by U.K. Electoral Commission’s chief counting officer Jenny Watson from Manchester Town Hall.6.20 a.m.: Google: Spike in searches about U.K. ‘Leave’ winThe results from the British referendum on European Union membership are still far too incomplete to draw any solid conclusions.Google Trends says there has been a 250 per cent spike in searches for the phrase “what happens if we leave the EU” in the past hour.6.05 a.m.: The neck-and-neck nature of the British referendum vote count had politicians and pollsters predicting an all-nighter for a nervous nation.Senior Labour official John McDonnell is predicting a final result which will put both sides within one or two percentage points of each other.One pollster described the vote as hanging “on a knife edge”.Former Labour leader Ed Milliband told Sky News that the vote would be very close, saying “I think this is going to be a long night.”5.31 a.m.: British pound drops sharply as votes come inThe British pound is getting whipsawed by volatile trading as initial results from the vote on whether the U.K. should remain in the European Union showed the race is too close to call.The currency surged shortly after the polls closed on Thursday, climbing to a 2016 peak of $1.50 after a leading proponent of the “leave” vote indicated he thought his side was heading for a loss. But the pound sold off falling 4 cents in 5 minutes after counts from cities including Newcastle and Sunderland showed the result was far from certain.The pound was trading at about $1.453.5.45 a.m: Opinion polls suggest that Britons have voted in a referendum to stay in the European Union, but the first few official results put the 'Brexit' campaign ahead, prompting wild swings in the value of the pound. - Reuters4.45 a.m.: The ‘Remain’ side has scored only a narrow victory in the large northern English city of Newcastle.Official figures show that 50.7 per cent of voters in Newcastle backed U.K. membership in the European Union and 49.3 per cent wanted to leave.The odds of a ‘Remain’ victory fell from almost 90 per cent to 72 per cent on the Betfair exchange, and the pound which had soared after polls suggested a ‘Remain’ victory fell by 1.5 cents against the dollar to $1.4830.University of Strathclyde political scientist John Curtice told the BBC “it may be possible that the experts are going to have egg on their face later on tonight. It may be the first sign that the ‘remain’ side are not going to do as well as those early polls suggested.”4.35 a.m.: The vote counting in the northern England area of Leeds and neighbouring Kirklees was briefly abandoned for a minute’s silence in honour of lawmaker Jo Cox, who was stabbed and shot to death in the run-up to the referendum.The killing of Cox, a parliamentarian with Britain’s opposition Labour Party, shocked the country and prompted both the ‘Remain’ and the “leave” camps to suspend their campaigning.Television footage showed ballot papers being set aside as counters stood up and bowed their heads late Thursday before resuming their work. Cox’s death has loomed large over the vote, darkening the tone of an already fiercely fought campaign.4.20 a.m.: U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage says “the euroskeptic genie is now out of the bottle and it will not be put back.”Mr. Farage appeared to walk back on his apparent concession after the British polls closed Thursday night on the E.U. referendum, telling reporters in London that “maybe just under half, maybe just over half of the country” had voted to pull Britain out of the E.U.Still, he struck a downbeat note, saying the government’s decision to extend the voter registration deadline before the vote had probably tipped the scales in the ‘Remain’ camp’s favour.Mr. Farage says “win or lose this battle tonight, we will win this war.” He says “we will get our independence back. We will get our country back. We will get our borders back.”4.15 a.m.: Gibraltar, the first British territory to announce its E.U. referendum result, says an overwhelming 95.8 per cent of its voters have backed remaining in the bloc.Gibraltar’s leader, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, says a lopsided pro-E.U. vote was always expected because of the British overseas territory’s dependence on maintaining easy cross-border travel and trade with neighbouring E.U. member Spain.The strategic spot overlooking the western entrance to the Mediterranean was seized by Britain in 1704. Today the territory, barely 7 sq. km in size, is home to more than 30,000 British citizens.Gibraltar electoral officials say of the 20,172 people who voted, 19,322 chose to remain in the E.U.4 a.m.: Pollster Ipsos MORI says a survey conducted on Wednesday and Thursday suggests the ‘Remain’ side will win Britain’s E.U. referendum by a margin of 54 per cent to 46 per cent.Earlier Thursday, the firm released a poll conducted on Wednesday that indicated a 52-48 victory for ‘Remain’. That phone poll of 1,592 people had a margin of error of plus or minus three per centage points.The firm’s chief executive, Ben Page, said continued polling on Thursday referendum day suggested a bigger swing to ‘Remain’ that gave the 54-46 result.3.55 a.m.: Early reports suggest a very high turnout in Britain’s E.U. referendum.The first area to officially declare its turnout was Gibraltar, a British enclave at the southern tip of Spain that is expected to heavily back a ‘Remain’ vote. There, almost 84 per cent of eligible voters turned out to cast ballots.Local counting officers in several areas say turnout was higher than in last year’s general election, which was 66 per cent.The last time Britain had a referendum on its E.U. membership, in 1975, turnout was 65 per cent.3.25 a.m.: Dozens of Conservative lawmakers who called for Britain to leave the European Union have signed a letter saying Prime Minister David Cameron should stay in office whichever side wins the membership referendum.The letter signed by 84 legislators says “whatever the British people, decide you have both a mandate and a duty to continue leading the nation implementing our policies.”That leaves more than 60 Brexit-supporting Tory lawmakers who did not sign.The referendum on the E.U. has deeply split Mr. Cameron’s Conservative party. Mr. Cameron led the ‘Remain’ campaign, but senior figures including Justice Secretary Michael Gove and former London Mayor Boris Johnson backed a ‘Leave’ vote.Many observers feel Mr. Cameron will have to resign if Britons vote to leave the 28-nation bloc.3:15 a.m.: Vote counting beginsBritish Electoral Commission Chair Jenny Watson says the first stages of the vote counting process are now underway in Britain’s referendum on membership in the European Union.Polling station workers were seen rushing ballot boxes to be counted. - AP2:45 a.m.: UKIP's Farage says looks like Remain to win EU voteUKIP leader Nigel Farage, a key figure calling for Britain to leave the European Union, has said it looks like the Remain camp will win Thursday's referendum, the campaigner told Sky News on Thursday.Sterling rose after Mr. Farage, who has long campaigned to leave the EU, said it “looks like Remain will edge it". Polls have now closed for the vote. - Reuters2:40 a.m., Friday: Polls close in UK referendum on EU membershipThe voting on Thursday was hampered by torrential rain and some flooding in London and parts of southeast England.Counting will begin immediately with results expected Friday morning. Final polls suggested a close race. - AP6:30 p.m.: Parvati Menon, Our London Correspondent gives a mid-day (at 1300 GMT) round upTorrential rain and flooding in parts of southeast Britain, including London, saw polling get off on Referendum day to a sluggish start with momentum picking up towards midday. The prediction that bad weather will deter voters from getting to their polling booths was proven wrong as by midday reports of long queues outside polling stations had started coming in.Around 4.5 million citizens are eligible to vote in the Referendum on the question “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or should it leave the European Union.” The referendum outcome is crucial for Britain’s future. If a majority vote to leave, Prime Minister David Cameron is predicted to step down, leaving to his successor – former London Mayor Boris Johnson most likely, to begin the process of extricating the country from the elaborate web of links to the EU.Much will depend on how the undecided 10 per cent vote. The very last poll opinion poll, conducted by Ipsos Mori and released today puts Remain at 52 per cent and Leave at 48 per cent. Polling booths are open for voting from 7 am to 10 am, after which counting begins. The results will come in through the night, with the final result known by the morning of July 24.There are strict guidelines on how media can report the voting process. While they can report factual developments, they are not allowed to publish/broadcast anything that could be interpreted as supporting either side. Exit polls are not allowed in the referendum.A member of Parliament from a constituency in west London, and who did not wish to be named, told the Hindu that the turnout appears to be marginally higher in that particular constituency than it had been for the general elections last year. (For the UK voter turnout was 66 per cent in the 2015 elections).3.48 p.m.: New EU referendum poll puts 'Remain' at 52% - AFP #BREAKING New EU referendum poll puts 'Remain' at 52%— AFP news agency (@AFP)June 23, 20162.05 p.m.: Voters in parts of Britain are facing floods and torrential downpours as they cast their ballots in the referendum. London is expecting a month’s rainfall in a few hours. Overnight thunderstorms flooded some streets, homes and businesses. Commuters also suffered disruptions. The Environment Agency has issued four flood warnings and 22 flood alerts across the southeastern part of the country. Sunny weather is predicted for much of the rest of the country.Pollsters say turnout will be a critical factor in the vote. A large turnout will favour the ‘Remain’ campaign as those who waver at the end tend to go for the status quo.1.50 p.m.: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn votes at a polling station in Islington.1.30 p.m.: British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha vote in the E.U. referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Wesminster.1.20 p.m.: After the voting closes at 9 p.m. GMT, sealed ballot boxes will be collected and transported to the count venue for each of the 382 local counting areas. These represent all 380 local government areas in England, Scotland and Wales, plus one each for Northern Ireland and Gibraltar.1.11 p.m.: What happens after the polls? The referendum’s outcome is hard to predict, because there is little precedent Britain hasn’t had a referendum on Europe since 1975. Opinion polls were notoriously inaccurate about Britain’s 2015 election, and vary widely. Some show a lead for the “remain” side, while others put “leave” ahead.Once the results are in, they will be announced by region rather than by constituency.12.31 p.m.: Turnout is considered critical in the vote, as polling suggested there were a number of undecided voters. Those who waver at the end tend to go for the status quo, which would favour the 'Remain' campaign.It was raining heavily in some parts of the country, which could have an effect on turnout. Downpours and flooding swamped parts of London and southeastern Britain. London’s Fire Brigade received hundreds of calls of weather-related incidents early Thursday, including some reports of flooding and lighting strikes.12.12 p.m.: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says there will be a big impact on the global economy if Britain votes to leave the European Union.“It would be a very big shock, there is no doubt about that. ... There will be obviously be great efforts to ensure that the consequences of that shock are minimized,” Turnbull told reporters.Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters it is in Australia’s “national interest for a strong Britain, an indispensable friend and ally of ours, to remain within the European Union.”12.05 p.m.: With no exit polls under way, the result is unlikely to begin emerging before about 8.30 a.m. IST (3 a.m. GMT) on Friday. On the eve of the historic referendum, two polls — both conducted over the Internet — put the ‘Leave’ camp ahead by one or two percentage points, well within the margin of error.In one telephone poll, however, ‘Remain’ took a notable lead of 48 per cent, ahead of ‘Leave’ on 42 per cent with the rest undecided, according a survey by ComRes for the Daily Mail and ITV News.11.50 p.m.: The often acrimonious, deeply-emotional campaign has exposed a gulf among Britons on membership of Europe. The Thursday editions of British newspapers captured the drama of voting day. "Independence day" was the headline of the pro-Brexit Sun, while The Times called it a "Day of reckoning".11.35 a.m.:Polling stations remain open until 9 p.m. GMT (2.30 a.m. IST, Friday) and an indication of the overall outcome could emerge around 3 a.m. GMT on Friday (8.30 a.m. IST).Watch video: The Brexit question ‘Independence Day’The often acrimonious, deeply-emotional campaign has exposed a gulf among Britons on membership of Europe.The Thursday editions of British newspapers captured the drama of voting day. "Independence day" was the headline of the pro-Brexit Sun, while The Times called it a "Day of reckoning".Leading Brexit backer Boris Johnson, a former London mayor, who is widely touted as a future Prime Minister, insisted the 'Leave' campaign was on the brink of victory."I do think that we are on the verge, possibly, of an extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed in the whole of Europe," Mr. Johnson said in eastern England in a final scramble for support on Wednesday.Prime Minister David Cameron, who has staked his political legacy on the referendum, implored people to vote to stay in the bloc at a final rally in Birmingham on the eve of voting."Winston Churchill didn't give up on European democracy... and we shouldn't walk away," he said."Our economy will suffer if we leave," he warned.'Out is out'"If you jump out of the aeroplane, you cannot clamber back through the cockpit hatch. That is why anyone in any doubt should vote remain tomorrow."EU leaders warned Britons that there would be no turning back from a vote to quit."Out is out," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in Brussels on Wednesday, dismissing any talk of a post-vote renegotiation of Britain's membership terms.French President Francois Hollande warned an exit would be "irreversible".A British withdrawal from the E.U. would trigger a lengthy exit negotiation, leading to the loss of unfettered access to its partners in the E.U.'s single market and forcing the country to strike its own trade accords across the world.In Europe, the referendum has raised concerns of a domino effect of exit votes that would imperil the integrity of the bloc, already buffeted by the eurozone and migration crises.Though many voters fret over the financial consequences of a Brexit, others relish the prospect of taking back power from Brussels and reining in high levels of immigration.The referendum battle had paused for three days to honour the brutal murder of Jo Cox, a pro-'Remain' British lawmaker and mother of two who was stabbed, shot and left bleeding to death on the pavement a week ahead of the vote."Jo's killing was political. It was an act of terror," her husband Brendan Cox told around 5,000 people gathered in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday on what would have been her 42nd birthday.Thomas Mair, 52, has been charged with Cox's murder.On his first appearance in court on Saturday, he gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain".A psychiatric report was requested.E.U. leaders will open a two-day summit in Brussels on Tuesday to deal with the result and decide how to cope with the risk of similar referendums on the continent that could threaten the bloc's integrity.(With inputs from news agencies)Keywords: Brexit, Britain E.U. referendum
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Archives IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 30th December, 2015 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TOPIC General studies 3: Science and Technology - developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Nothing free or basic about ‘Free Basics’ (Facebook’s initiative) Recently a massive protest was organised by students in Hyderabad against Facebook’s initiative, free basics. Facebook (FB) had recently allowed signing an online petition by those who support free basics. As per FB’s online petition, it urges users to send a letter to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) supporting Free Basics. What is free basics? Free Basics is part of the Internet.org by Facebook initiative. Free Basics is a platform (app) which makes the internet accessible to more people by providing them access to a range of free basic services like news, maternal health, travel, local jobs, sports, communication, and local government information. Examples: Babajobs Babajobs, India’s largest blue collar jobs site, has seen tens of thousands of people come to their site from Free Basics and a healthy amount of them resulting in job applications. Maya Maya is a mobile messaging based health and counselling service for women and has seen an 18x increase in daily queries year-over-year since joining Free Basics. In an app of free basics, services of babajobs, maya can be accessed without any data cost. What are the benefits of free basics? Try to get more people online mostly the unconnected masses. In India roughly around 30% of population have access to internet, with the free basics initiative more people can access online. More than 90% of population have access to mobile phones with majority having smart phones, through an app like free basics which is free of cost, many services like education, health care, jobs etc can be accessed by individuals easily. Improves digital literacy, which is one of the objective of digital India initiative by the present government. Directly or indirectly, free basics try to empower the citizens by improving their access to quality socio economic services. What is the state of free basics in India now? The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has stopped the service for now, pending its public consultation on the subject. However Facebook is involved in influencing campaigns like online petition, public forums etc to essentially influence the outcome of such consultation by TRAI. Why people are against free basics? Data as commodity: When users go online internet data is consumed. Personal data is the currency of the Internet economy. Data as commodity is the oil of the 21st century. Facebook and Google’s revenue model is based on monetising our personal data and selling it to advertisers (like what we search more, which age group etc). Facebook generates an estimated revenue of nearly $1 billion from its Indian subscribers, on which it pays no tax (FB is a US based company for which it pays no tax in India). Free basics is not free and violates net neutrality: Free Basics is not free, basic Internet as its name appears to imply. It has a version of Facebook, and only a few other websites and services that are willing to partner Facebook’s proprietary platform. With free basics the concept of net neutrality is violated. The internet service providers (ISP’s) by tying up with FB act as gatekeepers, regulating what content we have to view and what we should not. Basic flaw with the model: Facebook’s ads and advertorials talk about education, health and other services being provided by Free Basics, without telling us how we are going to access doctors and medicines through the Internet; or education. It forgets that while English is spoken by only about 12 per cent of the world’s population, 53 per cent of the Internet’s content is English. If Indians need to access education or health services, they need to access it in their languages, and not in English. And no education can succeed without teachers. The Internet is not a substitute for schools and colleges but only a complement, that too if material exists in the languages that the students understand. Similarly, health demands clinics, hospitals and doctors, not a few websites on a private Facebook platform. Monopolization of internet: Free basics has some limited apps which can be accessed without any cost (zero rating). When more people log onto free basics as it has no data charge, indirectly FB starts monopolising internet. Internet becomes FB and FB becomes internet. Who knows after monopolisation FB can charge money or data from people for accessing its services. Need of the hour: Regulate price of internet data: While the Free Basics platform has connected only 15 million people in different parts of the world, in India, we have had 60 million people join the Internet using mobiles in the last 12 months alone. And this is in spite of the high cost of mobile data charges. There are 300 million mobile broadband users in the country, an increase fuelled by the falling price of smartphones. In spite of this increase in connectivity, we have another 600 million mobile subscribers who need to be connected to the Internet. Instead of providing Facebook and its few partner websites and calling it “basic” Internet, we need to provide full Internet at prices that people can afford. This is where the regulatory system of the country has to step in. The main barrier to Internet connectivity is the high cost of data services in the country. If we use purchasing power parity as a basis, India has expensive data services compared to most countries. That is the main barrier to Internet penetration. Till now, TRAI has not regulated data tariffs. It is time it addresses the high price of data in the country and not let such prices lead to a completely truncated Internet for the poor. Way ahead: The danger of privileging a private platform such as Free Basics over a public Internet is that it introduces a new kind of digital divide among the people. A large fraction of those who will join such platforms may come to believe that Facebook is indeed the Internet, which is not. The British Empire was based on the control of the seas. Today, whoever controls the data oceans controls the global economy. The same should not happen by promoting free basics initiative of Facebook. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the role of free basics initiative in bridging the digital divide gap that exists in India. What is net neutrality? Do you think free basics initiative by Facebook is a violation of net neutrality? Substantiate. Comment on the pros and cons of free basics initiative by Facebook. NATIONAL TOPIC General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders; Governance Issues General studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation Delhi’s traffic experiment – Will this reduce the Emission Levels? In the coming New Year (2016) Delhi will be subject to the much-discussed driving restrictions, according to which between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. most private vehicle operators will only be able to take their vehicles out on alternate days, from Monday through Saturday, depending on whether their license plate numbers are odd or even. The restrictions were devised after the Delhi High Court ordered the Delhi and Central governments as well as the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to produce an action plan to tackle the city’s alarming levels of air pollution. In early December, the city, which had already been declared the world’s most polluted city by the World Health Organisation, recorded a level of atmospheric particulate matter that was 10-16 times higher than what is considered safe. What are the experiments employed to manage traffic in other countries and their outcome? Model employed In Mexico City’s Hoy No Circula (‘“Your car does not circulate today”) programme instituted in 1989 to bring down record levels of ozone. The restrictions, which have evolved over the years and continue today, mean that almost all private vehicles are banned for one day per week. Outcome : There was no evidence that the concentration of pollutants declined. Citizens did not sufficiently substitute their private car trips for subway, bus or taxi rides. Instead, the number of vehicles in circulation increased, and with a greater proportion of second-hand high-emitting cars. Do these traffic restrictions make policy of pollution control effective? As per the recent study and empirical evidence do suggest that across the different versions of driving restrictions, not only was there no significant improvement in air quality, there was actually a significant increase in the atmospheric concentration of nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and ozone. The concentration of nitric oxide alone decreased in one version of the restriction. City residents buying second-hand vehicles or making more than one trip during unrestricted hours to compensate for each trip forgone during restriction hours were among the reasons for the policy’s ineffectiveness. Change in aspiration & values In India, car ownership is an aspiration. At the heart of the longer term solution to Delhi’s current transport pollution problem is a shift in attitudes and aspirations. This is going to require a comprehensive government strategy, targeting all populations in order to create a stronger culture of public transport across the board. When underlying values change, behavioural changes are often not far behind. However, shifting values can take time, and transport mode-choice can be influenced parallely at the behavioural level. Bottlenecks and way ahead: According to a 2014 study by the Transport Research and Injury Prevention Programme at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, over 80 per cent of metro riders take long trips of more than 10 km, while only 17 per cent of trips in Delhi are 10 km or more. The research suggests that transport policies need to focus on modes that cater to short trips, including non-motorised transport. Another finding is that the metro overestimated its ridership by at least 75 %. When car owners take buses, do carpooling, use the metro, they will have a first-hand experience of the bottlenecks and frustrations of public transport like end point connectivity, capacity, peak hours, ease of interchange from one mode of transport to another, and so on. They will thus become stakeholders in the city’s public transport in a direct way. This applies to the companies too. All these will put sufficient pressure on the city’s public transport's planning, building, expanding Public transport at the earliest. This is also a wake-up call to other cities to finish their unfinished metros, procure their electric buses, roll out their intelligent transport systems and do whatever is necessary to prevent themselves from landing in the entirely avoidable position Delhi finds itself in. Connecting the dots: What are the harmful effects of vehicular pollutions in metro cities and suggest few methods to reduce vehicular pollutions? Is Delhi prepared enough to implement its new found traffic restrictions on emission levels? What substitutions citizens will make for private vehicle trips during restriction hours? Can change in values and aspirations in citizens’ help in traffic management and reduction in pollution? Comment. MUST READ India- Pakistan: Secure the Line of Commerce with Pakistan Hindu Kerala’s ban on Liquor consumption- Only for the rich? Hindu Short-sighted hike in U.S. visa fee Hindu Welcome push on infrastructure - Global sovereign, pension funds to invest in NIIF Hindu Business Standard The LPG model- NDA’s subsidy reform in the sector sets a template for other areas of the economy. Indian Express A win-win move- Longer maternity leave for working women in the private sector will be good for women — and company bottomlines. Indian Express Govt to issue notification on BS-V and BS-VI- The draft notification proposes BS-V norms to be implemented by April 2019 for new vehicle models and April 2020 for existing vehicle models Business Standard Challenging year ahead for the Supreme Court- While problems multiply there is little stir for a radical revamp Business Standard We need innovation and entrepreneurship beyond e-commerce If sectors like healthcare are ripe for entrepreneurial disruption, then why is the reality different? Live Mint
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as alone for Christmas this year, but I wasn’t really alone. Text messages and phone calls were shared between my lovely and I. Many friends sent well wishes, and I had Vida (my kitten) to keep me company.I’m currently feeling quite melancholy. I’ve been listening to Cherry Wine by Hozier and hoping to take a road trip somewhere. I want to drive out of city and see the chaotic flatness that is Saskatchewan. I feel alive, yet somehow trapped under a layer of unshed self, as I attempt to break free of a routine held for 3 years. I’m rejuvenated, yet held down by a suitcase, neatly packed, pad lock and all. I don’t want to open it, yet I think I may have unlocked it. There are personal effects, and potential evidence, in there, and I don’t want anyone to ask questions. Explanations are difficult, as well as uncomfortable. I don’t want to incriminate anyone.“Oh Mama, don’t fuss over me”, but please do. Actions speak far louder than words you know, and the actions committed toward me say quite different things than you do. I spoke to you yesterday, breaking a silence so truly felt by me, that I woke this morning hearing new sounds. These are unique feelings, only felt one other time. I thought you’d changed before, but you proved me wrong, and I was hurt and alone. This time, if you hurt me, I don’t know what I will do. I live with the daily reminders of pain and torture, yet I have returned with a hopeful heart.
NJAC law unconstitutional and void, says Supreme Court
In a collective order, the Supreme Court has struck down on the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) law meant to replace the two-decade old collegium system of judges appointing judges in higher judiciary. A Bench of five judges of the SC held the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act and the NJAC Act 2014 "unconstitutional and void".The Supreme Court also held that the Collegium system as it existed before the NJAC 'operative'. The five-judge Bench listed the petitions on November 3 to invite suggestions to improve the working of the existing Collegium system. "Help us decide for a better system of judicial appointments," Justice J.S. Khehar told the Centre and the petitioners. The Bench said that the judgment was the "collective view of the court".The Bench struck down on the government's arguments that the question of validity of the NJAC and the 99th Constitutional Amendment should be referred to a larger Bench in light of the two 'Judges Cases' of 1993 and 1998.Though a "collective order", Justice J. Chelameswar said he has "upheld" the constitutionality of the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act but recused himself from passing any judgment on the NJAC statute as the majority of four had already held it unconstitutional.Meanwhile, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said,"Surprised by the verdict of the Supreme Court. NJAC was completely supported by Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha; it had 100 per cent support of the people."Speaking at a press conference later in the afternoon, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said, "It is a flawed judgment ignoring the unanimous will of the Parliament, half the State Legislatures and the will of the people for transparency in judicial appointments. It is inappropriate to revive the Collegium system. This judgment is not a case for review. The Parliament may take a call, I cannot speak for them.""The SC is giving a message that the power is with them," senior advocate Harish Salve said on the apex court scheduling a hearing on November 3 to "improve" the Collegium system.The NJAC Act was meant to replace the two-decade old collegium system of judges appointing judges in higher judiciary. The SC rejected the plea of Centre that the petition challenging NJAC Act be referred to a larger Bench.The NJAC was a body created to end the two-decade-old Supreme Court Collegium system of judges appointing judges to the highest courts in the land.A five-judge bench - J.S. Khehar, J. Chelameswar, Madan B. Lokur, Kurian Joseph and A.K. Goel - had reserved its judgement on July 15 on the issue of validity of the 99th Constitutional amendment and the NJAC Act.The parliament had unanimously voted in favour of the NJAC law and the Constitutional Amendment. The latter was then ratified by 20 State Assemblies and had received the Presidential assent.One of the contentious provisions of the new law was the inclusion of two eminent persons to the NJAC which included Chief Justice of India, two senior most judges of the apex court and the Union Law Minister.
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Climbing to the top demands strength, whether it is to the top of Mount Everest or to the top of your career. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam