घरेलू प्राकृतिक गैस के दाम में 18 प्रतिशत की कटौती, सीएनजी होगी सस्ती

नयी दिल्ली, 30 सितंबर :भाषा: बिजली और उर्वरक कारखानों तथा सीएनजी आपूर्ति में इस्तेमाल के लिए प्राकृतिक गैस की दर आज 18 प्रतिशत घटाकर 2.5 डालर प्रति 10 लाख ब्रिटिश थर्मल यूनिट कर दी गयी। पिछले 18 महीने में चौथी बार प्राकृतिक गैस के मूल्य में कमी की गयी है।

सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र की तेल एवं प्राकृतिक गैस निगम :ओएनजीसी: तथा रिलायंस इंडस्ट्रीज के मौजूदा फील्डों से उत्पादित प्राकृतिक गैस की दर में कटौती कर 2.5 डालर प्रति 10 लाख ब्रिटिश थर्मल यूनिट :एमएमबीटीयू: कर दिया गया है। यह कटौती एक अक्तूबर से छह महीने के लिये की गयी है। फिलहाल यह 3.06 डालर प्रति एमएमबीटीयू है।

राजग सरकार द्वारा अक्तूबर 2014 में नये गैस कीमत फार्मूले के तहत गैस के दाम में हर छह महीने में संशोधन किया जाता है और अगला संशोधन एक अप्रैल को होगा।

प्राकृतिक गैस के दाम में कमी का मतलब है कि काम्प्रेस्ड नेचुरल गैस :सीएनजी: और घरों में पाइप के जरिये पहुंचने वाली गैस :पीएनजी: के लिये कच्चे माल की लागत कम होगी। इससे खुदरा कीमत में कमी आएगी। साथ ही इससे बिजली उत्पादन और उर्वरक बनाने की लागत भी कम होगी।

इससे पहले, एक अप्रैल को मूल्य 20 प्रतिशत घटाकर 3.06 डालर कर दिया गया।

पेट्रोलियम मंत्रालय के पेट्रोलियम नियोजन एवं विश्लेषण प्रकोष्ठ ने एक अधिसूचना में कहा, ‘‘सकल कैलोरिफिक मूल्य :जीसीवी: आधार पर घरेलू प्राकृतिक गैस की कीमत एक अक्तूबर 2016 से 31 मार्च 2017 तक 2.50 डालर प्रति एमएमबीटीयू होगी।

आतंकवादी संगठनों पर लगाम लगाए पाकिस्तान: रूस

नयी दिल्ली, 30 सितंबर :भाषा: भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच नियंत्रण रेखा पर स्थिति ‘‘आक्रामक’’ होने पर चिंता जताते हुए रूस ने आज कहा कि वह पाकिस्तान से अपेक्षा करता है कि वह अपनी सरजमीं से आतंकवादी संगठनों की गतिविधियों को रोकने के लिए ‘‘प्रभावी’’ कदम उठाएगा ।

रूस ने दोनों पड़ोसियों से यह भी कहा कि वे तनाव नहीं बढ़ने दें और बातचीत के जरिए अपने विवाद सुलझाएं ।

एक बयान जारी कर रूस ने कहा कि वह आतंकवाद के सभी स्वरूपों के खिलाफ ‘‘निर्णायक संघषर्’’ के साथ खड़ा है ।

रूसी विदेश मंत्रालय ने एक बयान में कहा, ‘‘भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच नियंत्रण रेखा के पास स्थिति आक्रामक होने पर हम चिंतित हैं ।’’ बयान के मुताबिक, ‘‘हम सभी पक्षों से अपील करते हैं कि वे तनाव नहीं बढ़ने दें और बातचीत के जरिए राजनीतिक एवं कूटनीतिक माध्यमों से अपनी मौजूदा समस्याएं सुलझाएं । हम आतंकवाद के सभी स्वरूपों के खिलाफ निर्णायक संघर्ष के साथ खड़े हैं ।’’ रूस ने कहा, ‘‘हम पाकिस्तान सरकार से अपेक्षा करते हैं कि वह अपने देश की जमीन पर आतंकवादी संगठनों की गतिविधियों को रोकने के लिए प्रभावी कदम उठाएगी ।’’

Pakistan postpones SAARC summit

Pakistan postpones SAARC summit

Islamabad, Sep 30 (PTI) Pakistan today postponed the SAARC Summit to be held here next month after five member states of the grouping decided against attending the meet as India asserted that Islamabad was "compelled to recognise" the regional sentiment against terrorism.

"Pakistan deplores India's decision to impede the SAARC process by not attending the 19th SAARC Summit at Islamabad on 9-10 November 2016," the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.

It claimed that the spirit of the SAARC Charter is "violated" when a member state "casts the shadow" of its bilateral problems on the multilateral forum for regional cooperation.

Following Pakistan's announcement, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, "We note Pakistan's decision to postpone SAARC Summit. They've been compelled to recognise the regional sentiment against terrorism."

The Pakistan Foreign Office said a new set of dates for holding of the summit in Islamabad will be announced soon, through Nepal, which is currently the SAARC Chair.

"Accordingly, we have conveyed the same to the Prime Minister of Nepal," it said.

Meanwhile, a regional conference on SAARC's effectiveness, concluded in Kathmandu today. It suggested for holding the 19th Summit on scheduled date. It also urged the bloc to change the venue for the same if necessary.

"The next SAARC Summit should be held without any unnecessary delay," former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said while sharing the conclusion of the two-day conference.

"While Islamabad Summit is deferred for now, with an understanding of all member states, we can even broach the idea of finding an alternative venue for holding the next Summit at the earliest possible date," he was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times.

The Pakistan Foreign Office statement said Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was looking forward to welcoming the SAARC leaders for their participation in the summit. All preparations had been made for "successful" holding of the summit.

It alleged that the decision by India to "derail the summit" effectively "contradicts" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's own call to fight against poverty in the region.

"India's decision to abstain from the Summit on the basis of unfounded assumptions on the Uri incident is a futile effort to divert attention of the world from the atrocities" by India in Kashmir, the Foreign Office said. .

News from ukrain-Joachim Gauck: Ukraine has its own place in European history as a sovereign nation

30.09.2016 16:00174

Since the end of the "Cold War" Ukraine has reminded the world that it has its own place in European history as a sovereign nation and state whose territorial integrity should be respected.

This is what German President Joachim Gauck said at events to commemorate the victims of Babyn Yar, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"With the end of the Cold War Ukrainians reminded us that they have their place in European history. They reminded us that Ukraine today and in the future has a place in the family of nations as a sovereign nation and state, whose territorial integrity should be respected," said Gauck.

According to him, in Germany they have seen Ukrainians as fighters for freedom, democracy and statehood, and therefore - as part of the "European community of values." "We learned a lot about Ukraine as a nation and something about our own role and responsibility," he added.

He noted that perhaps the Holodomor, with its numerous victims, is more strongly imprinted in the collective memory of the Ukrainian nation than the crimes committed at Babyn Yar.

"But I, as president of Germany, stand here still in despair and sorrow because of the disgusting crimes carried out by other Germans in another time. But a look at the past improves my view of the present. When I bow my head before all the victims of those times, I stand shoulder to shoulder with all people who now call their name injustice, help the persecuted and intercede relentlessly for the rights of those who are denied human rights,” the president of Germany said summing up.

World's Largest Hydrogen Plant May Be Built in Fukushima

Tokyo, Sept. 29 (Jiji Press)--Toshiba Corp. <6502>, Tohoku Electric Power Co. <9506> and Iwatani Corp. <8088> said Thursday that they will conduct a feasibility study on the development of a major hydrogen energy system in Fukushima Prefecture.
   The envisioned system will have a hydrogen production facility with a capacity equivalent to 10,000 kilowatts, the world's largest, the companies said.
   The government plans to build a major renewable energy base in the northeastern Japan prefecture, battered by the 2011 nuclear crisis at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 power plant, and produce hydrogen there by using solar, wind and other renewable energies.
   The government also plans to use Fukushima-produced hydrogen for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
   The three companies will conduct the feasibility research under a deal awarded by the state-affiliated New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization.

News from Japan-election in January,

Tokyo, Sept. 30 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling coalition is bracing for a possible general election in January, as speculation grows that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may dissolve the House of Representatives at the beginning of next year's ordinary session of the Diet, the nation's parliament.
   "We should be fully prepared for elections at any time," Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, told a meeting of his intraparty faction on Thursday.
   Speculation about a snap Lower House election in January was fueled by a decision by the LDP earlier in September to hold next year's party convention in March, two months later than usual. The decision was led by none other than Nikai, informed sources said.
   Other LDP faction leaders also mentioned a possible snap election this week.
   "Ties with local communities cannot be built instantly," said Taro Aso, who doubles as deputy prime minister and finance minister.

News from Japan-Tokyo Fails to Pinpoint Timeframe, Responsibility for Toyosu Problems

Tokyo, Sept. 30 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said Friday that the metropolitan government has failed to figure out the timeframe and responsibility for changes to soil-laying plans proposed to fight pollution at the planned Toyosu food wholesale market.
   "It is difficult to precisely point" to when the decision was made to establish a space instead of laying fresh soil under key facilities at the market, and who was responsible, Koike said at a press conference, releasing the results of the government's investigation into the matter.
   The transfer of duties in personnel changes was sloppy, Koike said, highlighting insufficient communications among staff and flawed decision-making processes.
   "The biggest cause was a lack of governance and sense of responsibility," she said, stressing the need for reform to tackle the metropolitan government's structural problems.
   As part of the reform, she expressed willingness to set up a task force comprising vice governors and bureau chief-level officials to scrap the vertically divided administrative structure and promote interdivisional information sharing.

Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Korean newspapers on Sept. 30.

Korean-language dailies

-- Ruling party divided over audit boycott (Kyunghyang Shinmun)

-- Young people strive to escape from temporary jobs (Kookmin Daily)

-- Saenuri party, assembly speaker in feud with each other (Donga llbo)

-- U.S. to use all economic, diplomatic means to push N. Korea to edge (Seoul Shinmun)

-- Saenuri Party divided over whether to return to parliamentary audit (Segye Times)

-- U.S. to push to ban N. Korea's coal mine exports (Chosun Ilbo)

-- Municipalities in Seoul have no budget for administration due to growing welfare spending (JoongAng Ilbo)

-- Conglomerate document shows Cheong Wa Dae played leading role in creating Mir Foundation (Hankyoreh)

-- OPEC countries agree to cut oil production (Hankook Ilbo)

-- S. Korea gets analgesia for economic crisis (Maeil Business Newspaper)

-- 112-day probe dealt blow to both Lotte, prosecution (Korea Economic Daily)

English-language dailies

-- Saenuri lawmaker breaks rank over boycott (Korea JoongAng Daily)

-- National strikes weigh on economy (The Korea Herald)

-- Assembly standoff turning uglier (The Korea Times)

(LEAD) Authorities discover over 100 toothpastes containing toxic chemicals

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- Health authorities said Friday they've discovered more than 100 toothpastes containing the same chemicals used in the toxic humidifier sterilizers, though their miniscule amounts pose no harm.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has detected chloro-methylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) in 149 products by 10 manufacturers. The ministry reviewed toothpastes by 68 makers.

CMIT/MIT were used in the controversial humidifier sterilizers that have been linked to more than 200 deaths here.

Earlier in the week, the ministry ordered the recall of 25 toothpastes by two manufacturers for their CMIT/MIT content.

Some of the recalled toothpastes were included in the 149 products that the ministry announced Friday.

The ministry said these recalled toothpastes contained 0.0022-0.0044 ppm of CMIT/MIT, far below Europe's maximum permissible level of 15 ppm, though they pose no significant health risks as consumers rinse it with water. The ministry also said the products it announced Friday contain only tiny amounts of the substances.

Under local regulations, up to 15 ppm of CMIT/MIT are allowed in wash-off type products, such as shampoo and body wash, but they are banned in "quasi-drugs," including toothpaste and mouthwash.

In addition to toothpastes, the ministry is also going over air fresheners, insect repellents and preservatives for CMIT/MIT content.

Putin's cyber play:

What is Russia trying to do with its hacking efforts? Who are the people doing this? How do we know they're working for Russia, and how closely tied are they to the government? File Photo by SP-Photo/Shutterstock

Russia has been implicated in many breaches of U.S. networks in recent months, most notably the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee hacks, whose data were subsequently dumped to the whistleblowing site WikiLeaks. On Sept. 28, FBI Director James Comey told a congressional hearing that Russian hackers have been testing cyberdefenses of voter registration databases in more than a dozen states.

Last year, hackers working on behalf of the Russian government stole sensitive information from the IRS, the Pentagon, the State Department and the White House.

Hacking groups using names like Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear, and pseudonymous individuals like Guccifer 2.0, are not just targeting the U.S., but are also going after any entity that obstructs the interests of Russia's government.

These hackers are tied to, for example, the recent breach of the World Anti-Doping Agency, making public the health records of many Olympians. That attack was an apparent response to the doping scandal that saw many Russian athletes banned from Olympic competition in Rio de Janeiro – possibly to suggest that it wasn't just Russians who broke the rules. (They have also hacked the email accounts of thewhistleblowers who revealed Russia's violations.)

What is Russia trying to do with its hacking efforts? Who are the people doing this? How do we know they're working for Russia, and how closely tied are they to the government? As scholars of Russian cyber-conflict and information warfare, we have learned that this is just Russia's most recent digital effort to benefit its national interests.

Taking on Hillary Clinton

One clear goal for the Russian hackers involved in these recent attacks is to make the presidential campaign harder for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and easier for her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. The hack of emails belonging to former Secretary of State Colin Powell was an obvious effort to deepen the private email saga that has damaged Clinton's campaign.

Given the DNC and DCCC hacks, it seems that Russian hackers are targeting only Clinton and the Democrats. There is evidence that the Republican National Committee was hacked as well, but no documents obtained have yet been made public. Furthermore, the U.S. affiliates of Russian state-owned media outlets such asRT (formerly Russia Today) and Sputnik daily report negative stories about Clinton and upbeat stories about Trump.

There are very good reasons Russian President Vladimir Putin would favor Trump. Trump's views on NATO's relevance, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine conflict more generally are music to Putin's ears. By contrast, a Clinton presidency would see a stronger and expanded NATO, increased pressure on Russia over the Ukraine dispute, and even a push to oust Russian allies from powerful positions in the Middle East.

It's impossible to be certain, but a personal conflict may be in play, too: Putin is apatient and calculated seeker of revenge. In Russia's 2011-2012 legislative and presidential elections, Putin's United Russia Party won big, and Putin was again elected president by large margins. Some election watchdogs cried foul, alleging stuffed ballots and overcounts for the United Russia candidates. Then Secretary of State Clinton demanded further investigations, which lent support to anti-Putin demonstrations across Russia.

Understanding Russian information warfare

Russia has a long history of using information as a political and military tool. Domestically, the practice of doctoring and censoring information dates back to thebeginnings of the commercial newspaper industry during the late years of imperial Russia. It continued, in an ever more sophisticated form, throughout the Soviet era.

Using information as a support for domestic political systems led to its use as a lever in foreign affairs and a weapon in military conflict. That did not disappear with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Rather, decades-old methods have been used in new ways.

Some Russian cyberattacks made headlines for backfiring. The large-scale DDoS attack on Estonia in 2007, a response to the relocation of a Soviet war memorial, failed. In fact, it pushed Estonia to build some of the world's strongest cyberdefenses.

A year later, Russia brought information warfare to its conflict with Georgia. Targeting Georgian communications, both online and physically, its efforts were not only aimed at providing an advantage for troops on the ground. They also had the goal of preventing the spread of objections to Russia's forcible annexation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Word got out anyway.

Similar efforts have been under way in Russia since the beginnings of the Ukraine crisis. Sometimes they have been unimaginative and unsuccessful; other efforts have been more effective.

For example, many people still question the "Western" version of the Malaysia Airlines 17 plane crash, which pins the blame on Russia or the Kremlin-backed separatists in Ukraine. This skepticism is an effect of Russian propaganda. While theRussian versions have failed to convince most people, they still have spread doubts about who actually shot down the airliner in 2014.

Taking on the West

Russia conducts both overt and covert information operations in Europe and the U.S. The overt methods include using state-owned Russian media outlets to inject pro-Russian narratives into the political discourse. Less visible efforts include having individuals and groups spread Russia's messages, a phenomenon that has become known as a "troll army." Also, well-placed individuals and interest groups spread Russian narratives in support of their own causes, with some even being paid for their support.

As with the Malaysia Airlines 17 narrative, credibility is not always Russia's main goal. Rather, it's just trying to spread distrust of official viewpoints, particularly those coming from the EU or NATO. With any Western fringe group Russia can attract, it is attempting to stall Western decisions, sow discontent and distrust, and draw apart societies and partnerships.

We are now seeing this tactic making inroads in the American political discourse. For example, the DNC emails released by WikiLeaks showed party leaders' prejudices against insurgent candidate Bernie Sanders, and their efforts to divert DNC funds to help Clinton win the nomination.

Although the revelations don't disclose anything illegal, the popular narrative from many U.S. media outlets was that the DNC unduly influenced the outcome of the primary. That divided the Democratic Party, potentially giving Trump an advantage.

Similarly, recent DCCC voting list releases shouldn't have any direct effect on the electoral outcomes in November, but spread doubt about the legitimacy of the election. There's also no way to say whether it worked – if Trump ends up winning, it'll be impossible to say any of these leaks was the cause.

Ties to the Russian government

There are some advantages to taking on adversaries in cyberspace, rather than the physical world. It is less costly in terms of risk and escalation: Conventional espionage would require physical infiltrations and, if caught, could spark an escalating crisis between Russia and the U.S. Cyberspace is also relatively ungoverned by international law and a much easier place to achieve plausible deniability.

Despite evidence to the contrary, the Russian government has denied any involvement or collusion with Cozy Bear, Fancy Bear, Guccifer 2.0, the Dukes andQuedagh. Usually malicious nonstate group cyberattackers are motivated by money – but these groups and individuals seem to be focused on stealing information that could be used geopolitically against Russia's adversaries. That suggests a direct connection to the Russian government.

Key to stopping these incursions will be improving American cyber-hygienepractices, building more resilient networks throughout the public and private sectors and promoting international cyber-norms. Therefore, perhaps contrary to thesophisticated cyberattacks it has launched in the past, the U.S. must cooperate with international efforts to improve global cybersecurity.

Ryan C. Maness, Visiting Fellow in Political Science, Northeastern University andMargarita Levin Jaitner, Researcher of Information Operations, Russia Project, Military Studies, Swedish Defence University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Entitled' people may be pursuing an unhappy path, study shows

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2016 -- "Entitled" individuals who feel superior to others often end up unhappy when reality fails to match their expectations, new research shows.

"Entitlement is a broad construct, but basically it refers to a desire to get something for nothing," explained study lead author Joshua Grubbs, assistant professor of psychology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

According to Grubbs, entitlement is a personality trait where a person has an exaggerated belief that he or she is an exception to the rule -- much more deserving of life's blessings that others.

But the new review of more than 170 studies on the subject suggests that entitled folk are also especially vulnerable to disappointment.

And when disappointment strikes, it can mean anger, blaming others, social strife, collapsed relationships and depression, Grubbs' team said.

That's because entitlement is "really an attitude of 'deservingness', without any consideration for earning those things you want," said Grubbs, who conducted the review while a graduate student in psychology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. "I often describe it as someone saying, 'I exist, therefore I deserve whatever I want.' "

He said this outlook doesn't necessarily hinge on wealth. "We observe it across cultures and economic status," he added.

But no matter its source, "entitlement has long been known to be associated with negative emotion and distress," Grubbs said.

Along with co-author Julie Exline, a professor of psychological sciences at Case Western Reserve, Grubbs set out to examine why entitlement can be such a problem.

The review of the data uncovered a common three-step pattern of pressures and behavior that often plague entitled individuals.

First, there's the burden of living with the constant threat of failed expectations, Grubbs said.

Next comes emotional instability when an expected path or goal fails to materialize.

Entitled people often muddle through these emotional minefields, but not by admitting that perhaps they aren't so special. Instead, Grubbs said, adversity tends to cause them to lean even more heavily on an inherent sense of superiority.

However, this just perpetuates a cycle of disappointment, unhappiness, frustration and social turmoil, he said.

Grubbs stressed that there's a big difference between entitlement and healthy ambition.

"Ambition, drive and high standards are not necessarily symptoms of entitlement at all," he said. "You can want to be successful and have high standards for yourself while still being humble and grateful. Many of the world's greatest, most-accomplished leaders have been truly humble people."

That notion is seconded by Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University.

"I agree, it's important to distinguish entitlement from other characteristics," she said. "Entitlement is not the same as ambition. Someone who is ambitious but not entitled knows he will have to work for what he wants. Someone who is entitled expects it to be handed to him."

That said, Grubbs stressed, "there are always exceptions to the rule," and not all entitled people will end up miserable.

Also, he said, "disappointment is not always the result of entitlement. Some people with very low levels of entitlement might still end up disappointed, because life has given them a truly -- objectively -- raw deal."

So if any of this seems familiar, is there a way to get yourself out of the entitlement trap? Yes, said Grubbs, who advocates for introspection and what's known as "active" gratitude.

"What I mean by 'active' gratitude is making a point to be grateful to others throughout your day and your life's experiences," he said. "I also mean this in a deep way -- it's not just saying 'thank you' to the barista at Starbucks, but actually taking time to reflect about how much you are grateful for, how much others have helped you become what you are, and the ways you can express that gratitude."

For her part, Twenge said there's much that parents can do to raise kids without a sense of entitlement.

"The best thing parents can do for their kids is to emphasize the importance of hard work," she said. "The world doesn't owe you anything. But if you put in the effort, most but not all of the time it will pay off."

Grubbs and Exline published their findings in a recent issue of Psychological Bulletin

Science News-Bees have emotions: Good food puts them in a good mood

Bees are in a good mood after getting a drink of sweet nectar. Photo by Betty Shelton/Shutterstock

LONDON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- New research suggests certain bee behaviors meet the criteria for emotional states. In a recent study, biologists at Queen Mary University of London found bees exhibited signs of a positive emotional state after drinking an especially sweet droplet of sugar water.

The new findings open the door for further exploration into the expression of emotions through relatively simple nervous systems.

"Investigating and understanding the basic features of emotion states will help us determine the brain mechanisms underlying emotion across all animals," lead researcher Clint J. Perry said in a news release.

Through a series of tests, researchers trained bees to recognize blue flowers as being a source of food and green flowers as being devoid of nectar. Researchers then introduced the trained bees to a new blue-green flower. Bees that had tasted the sugar water prior to the test were less hesitant to land on the foreign flower.

Prior tests prove excitement nor accelerated foraging behavior explain the bees' willingness to quickly land on the blue-green flower.

"The finding that bees exhibit not just surprising levels of intelligence, but also emotion-like states, indicates that we should respect their needs when testing them in experiments, and do more for their conservation," Lars Chittka said.

In another experiment, researchers simulated a spider attack. Test bees who had just had some sugar water were quicker to resume foraging in the wake of the spider scare.

"Sweet food can improve negative moods in human adults and reduce crying of new-borns in response to negative events," said Luigi Baciadonna, a PhD candidate at QMUL. "Our results suggest that similar cognitive responses are occurring in bees."

The new research was published this week in the journal Science.

India investing in offshore reserves

India announces plans to steer funds toward offshore energy development over the next four years. Photo by AzmanMD/Shutterstock

NEW DELHI, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- India's oil and gas corporation said Friday it was planning to spend just over $5 billion to develop reserves locked in deep national waters.

The company said through its official Twitter account it was looking to develop a cluster of two developments off the nation's east coast over the next four years.

According to industry estimates, India's demand for oil grew by almost 7 percent over last year. The government, meanwhile, is moving to potentially merge state oil companies into one conglomerate.

The recent recovery in crude oil prices could expose the Indian economy to external risks. A recent profile from the International Monetary Fund said deflation in India has been "dramatic," though its growth rate of 7.5 percent remains higher than that of even China's.

Moody's Investors Service said last month the economy of energy-hungry India is on pace for steady growth that outpaces the global economy, though gains are moderating.

From the perspective of Moody's, inflation remains steady enough and efforts aimed at improving the business climate are supportive of growth.

France begins aicraft carrier air strikes against Islamic State targets in Mosul

French Rafale fighter jets on Friday began launching attacks against the Islamic State in Iraq from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to support Iraqi security forces ahead of the battle for Mosul. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy

MOSUL, Iraq, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- French fighter jets on Friday began launching attacks against the Islamic State in Iraq from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean Sea as the battle for Mosul looms.

Rafale fighters have been targeting IS positions in Mosul, RTL reported.

In Friday's missions, 24 aircraft each armed with four 550-pound laser-guided bombs will participate in bombing the Islamic State's positions in Mosul. The Charles de Gaulle carrier is a 850-foot, 38,000-ton ship powered by two nuclear reactors with a crew of more than 1,900 people.

The Charles de Gaulle set sail earlier this month after France's Ministry of Defense announced it would deploy artillery forces and the aircraft carrier to support Iraqi security forces in their fight for the city of Mosul against the Islamic State.

France was the first nation to join the United States in carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in 2014.

The Islamic State launched an attack in Paris in November in which 130 people were killed. Ten months earlier, militants pledging allegiance to the terror group targeted French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket, killing 17 people.

Iraqi security forces launched an offensive to retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State in March, supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. Mosul is considered a key battle in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq. U.S. PresidentBarack Obama said he expects the city of Mosul to be retaken by the Iraqi government by the end of the year.

Philippines' Duterte likens himself to Hitler, wants to kill millions of drug users

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte appeared to liken himself to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Friday and said he would "be happy" to exterminate three million drug users and peddlers in the country.

His comments triggered shock and anger among Jewish groups in the United States, which will add to pressure on the U.S. government to take a tougher line with the Philippines leader. Duterte recently insulted President Barack Obama and in a series of remarks he has undermined the previously close relationship between Manila and Washington.

In a rambling speech on his arrival in Davao City after a visit to Vietnam, Duterte told reporters that he had been "portrayed to be a cousin of Hitler" by critics.

Noting that Hitler had murdered millions of Jews, Duterte said: "There are three million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them.

"If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have...," he said, pausing and pointing to himself.

"You know my victims. I would like (them) to be all criminals to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition."

Duterte was voted to power in a May election on the back of a vow to end drugs and corruption in the country of 100 million people. He took office on June 30 and over 3,100 people have been killed since then, mostly alleged drug users and dealers, in police operations and in vigilante killings.

His comments were quickly condemned by Jewish groups.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Digital Terrorism and Hate project, called them "outrageous".

"Duterte owes the victims (of the Holocaust) an apology for his disgusting rhetoric."

The Anti-Defamation League, an international Jewish group based in the United States, said Duterte's comments were "shocking for their tone-deafness".

"The comparison of drug users and dealers to Holocaust victims is inappropriate and deeply offensive," said Todd Gutnick, the group's director of communications. "It is baffling why any leader would want to model himself after such a monster."

EX-PRESIDENT'S WARNING

Two days before the Philippines election, outgoing President Benigno Aquino had warned that Duterte's rising popularity was akin to that of Hitler in the 1920s and 1930s.

"I hope we learn the lessons of history," Aquino said in widely reported remarks. "We should remember how Hitler came to power."

Duterte has been scathing about criticism of his anti-drugs campaign and has insulted the United Nations and the European Union, as well as Obama, at various times in recent weeks.

On Friday, reacting to critical comments on his war on drugs by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Benjamin Cardin, Duterte said: "Do not pretend to be the moral conscience of the world. Do not be the policeman because you do not have the eligibility to do that in my country."

He also reiterated there will be no annual war games between the Philippines and the United States until the end of his six-year term, placing the longstanding alliance under a cloud of doubt. It also may make Washington's strategy of rebalancing its military focus towards Asia in the face of an increasingly assertive China much more difficult to achieve.

Still, U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter, speaking before the latest remarks from Duterte, said Washington had an "ironclad" alliance with Manila.

A senior U.S. defense official, also speaking earlier, told reporters that the United States had a long enduring relationship with the Philippines regardless of who was president.

"It's going to continue to survive based on what we think are strong U.S.-Philippines common security interests, so we’ll be engaging President Duterte further," the official said.

Malcolm Cook, a senior fellow at Singapore's ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said the U.S-Philippines alliance was not necessarily at risk, but Washington could seek to focus on ties elsewhere in the region.

"We are all in some sense becoming, by necessity, desensitized to Duterte's language," he said.

"Diplomatically, the U.S. would say they'll continue to work with him and the alliance is strong. But it's whether they'll continue to strengthen that alliance or not."

(Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Yeganeh Torbati in San Diego and Marius Zaharia in Singapore; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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