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BUSINESS STANDARD SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 DANIELA HEMANDEZ As concerns about the health hazards of vaping mount, a market for illicit cannabis-vaping products and the tools to create counterfeits is thriving online. On Instagram, users offer products ranging from  cannabis   oils to vaping devices and packaging materials. On Amazon.com Inc, third-party sellers hawk empty packaging for vape products, and on  Facebook   Inc.’s Marketplace, sellers offer vaping products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the mind-altering ingredient in  cannabis . These and other tech companies say they have policies against any illegal or inappropriate sales and do remove offenders from their sites. They say they invest in technology and people to sleuth out illegitimate products. Web sales of products used to make cannabis-containing vape cartridges are legal under certain circumstances, but doctors and industry experts warn about the potential health risks from buying such items on

BUSINESS STANDARD SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 China,  Japan   and South Korea have set ambitious targets to put millions of hydrogen-powered vehicles on their roads by the end of the next decade at a cost of billions of dollars. But to date,  hydrogen fuel   cell vehicles (FCVs) have been upstaged by electric vehicles, which are increasingly becoming a mainstream option due to the success of Tesla Inc's  luxury cars as well as sales and production quotas set by  C hina. Critics argue FCVs may never amount to more than a niche technology. But proponents counter hydrogen is the cleanest energy source for autos available and that with time and more refueling infrastructure, it will gain acceptance. Ambitious targets China, far and away the world's biggest auto market with some 28 million vehicles sold annually, is aiming for more than 1 million FCVs in service by 2030. That compares with just 1,500 or so now, most of which are buses. Japan, a market of more than 5 mil

BUSINESS STANDARD SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 JASH KRIPLANI The Global Investor Experience Study (GIE) of Morningstar has drawn criticism from the Foundation of Independent Financial Advisers (Fifa) -- a body of mutual fund (MF) advisers -- with the latter differing from the study’s finding that India is the fourth most expensive markets for investing in equity funds. Last week, Morningstar's study said that India’s overall ranking on fees and expense had improved on the back of the regulatory changes (moving India from below average to average group of markets), but pointed out relatively higher expenses when investing in equity funds. According to Dhruv Mehta, chairman of Fifa, the study doesn’t do a fair comparison. “Morningstar’s study when ranking fund fees does not distinguish bundled markets (where advice costs are embedded in total expense ratios like India) with unbundled markets, where advice costs have to be paid separately through fees. This can lead to errone

FIRSTPOST SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 Kant's remarks come at a time when the government has taken several measures to boost the economy that has hit over the six-year low of 5 percent  The government is determined to take India back to a high trajectory growth rate of 8-9 percent, he said  The challenge before India is really to grow on a sustained basis of 8-9 percent per annum year after year for three decades or more, Kant said New Delhi: The government is determined to take India back to a high trajectory growth rate of 8-9 percent and the real challenge before the country is to sustain that growth, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said. His remarks come at a time when the government has taken several measures to boost the economy that has hit over the six-year low of 5 percent. "The government is determined to take India back to a high trajectory growth rate of 8-9 percent and the challenge before India is really to grow on a sustained basis of 8-9 percent per annum

FIRSTPOST SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 DINESH UNNIKRISHNAN The sad part is that the RBI hardly gave any warning to the customer what is coming  PMC Bank has public deposits worth Rs 11,600 crore and close to 140 branches  The cooperative bank has also been barred from taking fresh liabilities and issuing loans without the RBI permission  If one goes by past evidence, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s clampdown against Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank under Section 35A of Banking Act citing irregularities would culminate in a forced merger with some stronger bank. That is unless PMC manages a miraculous recovery in the given time rectifying alleged irregularities and improving financials. The imposition of Section 35 A for a period of six months is to make sure that there is no panic run on the bank post the regulatory action. The sad part is that the RBI hardly gave any warning to the customer what is coming. PMC Bank has public deposits worth Rs 11,600 crore and clos

HINDUSTAN TIMES SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 Pelosi for months has resisted calls to be impeachment proceedings, but a stream of Democrats over the past two days have shifted from urging caution on impeachment to backing action after revelations that Trump pushed Ukraine’s government to investigate Joe Biden. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, acquiescing to mounting pressure from fellow Democrats and plunging a deeply divided nation into an election year clash between Congress and the commander in chief. The probe centers on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government for his reelection. Pelosi said such actions would mark a “betrayal of his oath of office” and declared: “No one is above the law.” Pelosi’s brief statement capped a frenetic stretch on Capitol Hill, as details of a classified whistleblower complaint about Trump burst into the open and momentum shifted

HINDUSTAN TIMES SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 The global meeting unfolds against the backdrop of flaring tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, backed by its long time ally, the United States. The Saudis accused Iran for an attack earlier this month on two oil facilities in the kingdom, which Iran denies. The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned global leaders Tuesday of the looming risk of the world splitting in two, with the United States and China creating rival Internets, currency, trade, financial rules “and their own zero sum geopolitical and military strategies.” In his annual “state of the world address” to the General Assembly’s gathering of heads of state and government, Guterres said the risk “may not yet be large, but it is real.” “We must do everything possible to avert the great fracture and maintain a universal system, a universal economy with universal respect for international law; a multi-polar world with strong multilateral institutions,” he told

HINDUSTAN TIMES SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 The Paris climate agreement signed by the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says that Russia is formally accepting the 2015 Paris agreement and will now “allocate financial resources to developing countries for prevention of and adaptation to climate change.” Russia’s prime minister on Monday gave formal support to the Paris climate agreement, just hours ahead of a key summit trying to tackle ever increasing gas emissions. The document signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says that Russia is formally accepting the 2015 Paris agreement and will now “allocate financial resources... to developing countries for prevention of and adaptation to climate change.” The Paris Agreement, which Russia signed in 2016, gives countries a choice in how to join the accords by ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the agreement, depending on their national legislation. The decision to “accept” the accord signifies “Russia’s consent

HINDUSTAN TIMES SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 SHISHIR GUPTA The entire consignment, using the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) network, was supported by Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence and orchestrated through Germany and Lahore; the ultimate aim — to fuel terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir. At least eight drone sorties, carrying a total of 80 kg of weapons (arms and ammunition), were sent across the border into Punjab by Pakistan-based Khalistani terror groups between September 9 and 16, officials in security agencies and the Punjab Police have confirmed on condition of anonymity. The entire consignment, using the Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) network, was supported by Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence and orchestrated through Germany and Lahore; the ultimate aim — to fuel terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir. The details of these drops have emerged following investigations that led to and following the September 22 weapons seizure at Ta

DAWN SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 ISLAMABAD: The business community on Tuesday expressed hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ongoing visit to the United States of America would bring the two countries closer besides seeking direct market access on zero rate duty to help stabilise its economy. In a press statement, Founder Chairman Pak-US Business Council Iftikhar Ali Malik said Pakistan needs immediate direct access to the US markets and not aid. He also stressed the need for negotiation on bilateral investment treaty for promotion of investment. “Joint efforts are needed to further cement the existing economic ties between the private sectors in Pakistan and the US,” he added. Mr Malik who is also Senior Vice President of Saarc Chamber said that USA was the largest trading partner of Pakistan with trade volume $6.7 billion. Pakistan’s major exports to the United States include sports goods, surgical goods, leather and finished leather products, textile, cotton yarn, garmen

DAWN SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 MUBARAK ZEB KHAN ISLAMABAD: Amid record fiscal deficit and low revenue collection, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) served as many as 482,354 notices to non-registered or non-compliant industrial and commercial consumers across the country in order to persuade them to e-file income tax return for the tax year 2019. The alarmingly poor compliance with tax laws is at the heart of country’s widening fiscal deficit. Nine power distribution companies and six FBR regional offices jointly with regional tax offices (RTOs) issued notices to unregistered units across the country. The notices warned of discontinuation of supplies in case they failed to come on the tax roll. Section 181AA of the Income Tax Ordinance mandates every industrial and commercial connection holder to register with the FBR. The section further clarifies that the government will not process any application for commercial or industrial connection for electricity or gas unless

THE HINDU SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 HAPPYMON JACOB It is perhaps for the best that the U.S.-Taliban talks were called off earlier this month. The Taliban leadership’s proposed visit to Camp David in the United States would have led to a slew of significant geopolitical changes with implications for the region and beyond. Perhaps the Taliban became far too greedy and impatient, or the U.S. President has pulled out what he thinks is the Trump card to gain a negotiating advantage especially given that the American establishment is not too happy with the deal. There were misgivings about the deal that the chief U.S. negotiator to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, was about to ink with the Taliban. Back to square one The Taliban, having fought against and displaced the powerful coalition forces over the past 18 years, has the luxury of time on its side, even as it is steadily increasing its political legitimacy within Afghanistan. Recall that this is not the first time U.S.-Tali