CA December 04

NAVY DAY IS BEING OBSERVED TODAY

Navy Day is being observed on 4th December every year to commemorate the sinking of Pakistan Naval Ship “PNS Ghazi” and India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 engagement. Speaking on the occasion, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba today assured the nation that Navy is fully combat ready to protect country’s maritime interest in Indian ocean.

RBI TO SOON ISSUE NEW NOTES OF RS 20 & 50

The Reserve Bank of India, RBI will soon issue new notes of Twenty and Fifty rupees denomination in the Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005 and all old notes issued by the Bank will continue to be legal tender.In a statement, the RBI has said that the 50 rupees bank notes will be without inset letter in both the number panels and bear signature of RBI Governor Dr. Urjit R Patel.

DHARMENDRA PRADHAN LAUNCHES AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON CASHLESS TRANSACTIONS

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today launched customer awareness campaigns on cashless transactions at an IOC Retail Outlet in New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pradhan said through the digital awareness campaign, transition will be towards less cash and then towards cashless. He said in one month all retail outlets in Delhi will be covered under the customer awareness cum training programmes, and subsequently it will spread to across the country.

PM MODI VISITS GOLDEN TEMPLE WITH AFGHAN PRESIDENT GHANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani took a heritage walk and visited the Golden Temple yesterday evening soon after arriving in Amritsar to attend the Heart of Asia conference. Mr Modi and Mr Ghani walked through the renovated heritage corridor before reaching Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, where large number of people welcomed them.

NEW WAY TO PRODUCE NUCLEAR FUEL USING ELECTRICITY

Scientists in Russia have developed a unique, low-cost method for producing high-quality nuclear fuel using electricity

The main type of fuel for nuclear power reactors is the uranium oxide pellet composition, said Ivan Tananaev, from the Far Eastern Federal University School of Natural Sciences.

The new technology allows one to obtain products of high quality and to reduce the number of production stages without increasing the cost.

UK MOVES CLOSER TO ALLOWING ‘THREE-PARENT’ BABIES :

The United Kingdom may soon become the first country to explicitly permit the birth of children from embryos modified to contain three people’s DNA.

At the same time, new research backs up concerns that such a treatment — which aims to erase diseases transmitted by the DNA found in cellular structures called mitochondria — may not always be 100% effective.

Scientists advising the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)

KEHKASHAN BASU, UAE-BASED INDIAN TEEN, WINS CHILDREN’S PEACE PRIZE

Award-winning teen environmental activist Kehkashan Basu said on Friday ecologists should “not lose hope” in their battle to fight climate change, despite scepticism from world leaders including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump

“These are uncertain times, but I want to tell people to continue their work and not bother about it,” Ms. Basu, born in Dubai to Indian parents, told AFP in The Hague, where she was awarded the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize.

World leaders, CEOs, negotiators and activists attending a U.N. conference earlier this month in Marrakesh voiced concern following the election of Mr. Trump, who has vowed to withdraw the U.S. from a hard-won global agreement on climate change.

INDIA, QATAR INK FIVE PACTS ON VISAS, CYBERSECURITY, INVESTMENTS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed India’s keenness to invest in hydrocarbon projects in Qatar during talks with his counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani on key issues of energy, trade and security.

Modi and the Qatari Prime Minister, who is here on his first visit, discussed enhancing cooperation in defence and security, in particular in cybersecurity and agreed on joint action to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing.

RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS DEVELOPED NUCLEAR FUEL USING ELECTRICITY

Scientists from Russia have developed a new unique, low-cost method for producing high-quality nuclear fuel using electricity

Alternative novel method that forms the basis of powder metallurgy and involves electric pulse sintering under pressure

The main type of fuel for nuclear power reactors is the uranium oxide pellet composition

It is produced from a powder by granulation, pressing, and sintering (coalescing into a solid or porous mass by heating) with the subsequent control of the quality and size of the pellets

In the new method, the mould is heated by passing electric current with the uranium oxide pellet powder placed in

The uranium oxide fuel is simultaneously influenced by the powerful pulse discharge and mechanical pressure

EMIRATES LAUNCHED WORLD’S SHORTEST SERVICE ON LARGEST PLANE

Emirates launched the world’s shortest scheduled service on an Airbus A380, flying it from Dubai to Doha within 80 minutes and 70 minutes in return journey

The A380 flight landed at Hamad International Airport in Doha covering a total of 379 km route, the shortest on which the world’s largest passenger aircraft is used

The double-decker aircraft has 14 first class suites, 76 business class flat-bed seats and 429 economy class seats

The double-decker A380 is the world’s largest commercial aircraft in service

It comes complete with Emirates’ prized amenities like shower spas and first class private suites

THAILAND OFFICIALLY DECLARED CROWN PRINCE AS ITS NEW KING

Thailand named its crown prince Maha Vajiralongkorn as its new king,50 days after the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadei

Prince Vajiralongkorn ascended the throne and accepted his new responsibilities at the invitation of the National Legislative Assembly’s (NLA) President in his Bangkok Palace amidst the whole of Thai media

The ceremony was attended by several senior officials like the chief of NLA, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the head of the privv council, Prem Tinsulanonda

The Prince became Rama X, the 10th king of the Thailand’s Chakri dynasty. The dynasty was established in 1782

His official title will be – King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun.

FIRST ELEMENT IN ASIA ‘NIHONIUM’ DISCOVERED, AFTER JAPAN

Japanese scientists behind the discovery of element 113, the first atomic element found in Asia and named as nihonium after the Japanese language name for their country

Though the element was publicly recognized by International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the name was not announced publicly

DECEMBER 3 : INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY

International Day of Persons with Disability is an International observance promoted by UN since 1992

The observance of the Day aims to bring the persons with disabilities into mainstream

Theme : Achieving 17 Goals for The Future We Want

PAKISTAN AND CHINA START DIRECT RAIL AND FREIGHT SERVICE

Pakistan and China launched a direct rail and freight service with the first cargo train departing from China’s southwestern Yunnan province

The service was launched with the first cargo train loaded with 500 tonnes of commodities left Kunming, capital of Yunnan, an island province in southwest China departed for Karachi

The service is a part of China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative, of which USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a part

ARUNACHAL AND THAILAND SIGNS MOU ON UNIVERSITIES

For promoting cooperation and collaboration between Arunachal Pradesh and Thailand, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Surindra Rajabhat University Regional Development Strategies (SRRURDS) Foundation of Surin Province, North East of Thailand and Mahabodhi Lord Buddha College (MLBC) in Arunachal Pradesh

The MoU was signed by Associate Professor Achara Phanurat, Ex-President of Surindra SRRURDS Foundation and Ven Bhikkhu Panyaloka, Director of MLBC in presence of the Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and Tharadol Thongruang, Minister Councillor, Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi

UNSC IMPOSES NEW SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA

The United Nations Security Council has imposed new sanctions on North Korea aimed at cutting the Asian country’s annual export revenue by a quarter in responses to Pyongyang’s fifth and largest nuclear test in September

The 15-member council unanimously adopted a resolution to slash North Korea’s biggest export, coal, by about 60 per cent with an annual sales cap of $US400.9 million ($541.9 million) or 7.5 million metric tonnes, whichever is lower

The US-drafted resolution also bans copper, nickel, silver and zinc exports, as well as the sale of statues by Pyongyang

SPANISH CITY CHANGES NAME FOR THIRD TIME IN A DECADE

A Spanish city has changed its name for the third time in a decade, renaming itself Palma from Palma de Mallorca

The regional government voted for the name change, claiming the “de Mallorca” tag to be a leftover from Spain’s centralist past

The city was renamed Palma in 2008, but its name was changed to Palma de Mallorca in 2012

NEW YORK EMERGES AS MOST INSTAGRAMMED CITY OF 2016

New York has emerged as the most geotagged city on Instagram in 2016, followed by London and Moscow

São Paulo and Paris have ranked fourth and fifth respectively

Meanwhile, Los Angeles, Saint Petersburg, Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul and Jakarta have also featured on the list of the Most Geotagged Cities by the photo-sharing app.

GOVT EXTENDS MIP ON SELECT STEEL PRODUCTS TILL FEB 4

In order to protect domestic steel industry from below-cost imports, government today extended further the minimum import price (MIP) on 19 products for two months, till February 4.
“The Central Government hereby extends the applicability of MIP beyond 04/12/2016…for further two months, i.e., till 4th February, 2017,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification.
The MIP ranges between $ 643-752 per tonne.
The 19 products include semi-finished products of iron or non-alloyed steel, flat-rolled products of different widths, bars and rods.
To guard domestic steel producers against in-bound shipments that are sold at below-cost rate, the government in February had imposed MIP, ranging between $ 341 to $ 752 per tonne, on 173 steel products for six months.

INDIA PRESSES IRAN TO AWARD FARZAD-B FIELD TO OVL 

India has nudged Iran to quickly award rights to develop the coveted Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf to ONGC Videsh by wrapping up negotiations that have been dragging on for months.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif yesterday to press for award of rights to develop the field, which was discovered by OVL, at the earliest.

“Our relationship is much more than a usual (bilateral) relationship,” Pradhan told PTI. “We stood by them (Iran) in their difficult times (US and western sanctions) and continued to buy oil from them.”
He said that he reminded the visiting minister of Iran’s commitment to awarding the field development to OVL on nomination basis.

RETAILERS ASKED TO ACCEPT OLD RS 500 NOTE FOR RECHARGES: COAI

Amid complaints about non- acceptance of old Rs 500 notes for mobile recharges at some places, cellular operators body COAI has said the companies have given strict guidelines to accept these notes from customers but retailers and distributors cannot be forced.
COAI Director General Rajan Mathews told PTI that operators have provided strict guidelines to their distributors and retailers for accepting and processing Rs 500 demonetised notes so that no inappropriate activity, contrary to the objectives of the government, takes place.
“However, these retailers and distributors cannot be forced to do something they do not want to do, if they believe the process is tedious.

TATA HOUSING ENTERS NOIDA MARKET, TIES UP WITH LOTUS GREENS

Expanding presence in Delhi-NCR, Tata Group’s real estate arm Tata Housing has forayed into the Noida market by partnering with local builder Lotus Greens for a housing project.
In January this year, Godrej Properties had also entered the Noida market in partnership with Lotus Greens to develop a housing project on 36-acre land parcel.

Tata Housing is already present in the National Capital Region (NCR) property market and is developing four housing projects in Gurgaon. It is now entering Noida, which in the past decade has become a major real estate destination.

IIT-KANPUR STUDENT GETS RS 1.5-CRORE OFFER FROM MICROSOFT

A student of IIT-Kanpur who hails from Delhi has received a job offer of nearly Rs 1.5 crore per annum from Microsoft. This is the highest ever salary offer to a student of IIT-K, sources at the premier institute told TOI.
The student has been offered a position at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond. Sources said he will design a software, implement it and fix the bugs.
He will get $136000 (Rs 94 lakh) as base pay and $70,000 for relocation, medical and visa charges and stock ownership options. The total package, taking into account annual bonus and joining bonus, works out to nearly Rs1.5 crore. Last year, the highest base pay offered to a student at IIT-K was Rs 93 lakh.

PASSENGER VEHICLE SALES TO GROW 7-9 PER CENT IN 2017: FITCH

Passenger vehicle (PV) sales in India is likely to grow in the range of 7-9 per cent next year on the back of low fuel prices and an accommodative monetary policy stance by the Reserve Bank of India, according to global rating firm Fitch.
“We expect PV sales to increase by 7-9 per cent, after rising 12.3 per cent year on year in April-September 2016 due to improving consumer confidence, new model launches and the lifting of a ban on the sale of diesel cars in Delhi,” the rating firm said in a report.

POST DEMONETISATION, HYUNDAI OPTS FOR COASTAL ROUTE TO MOVE CARS

The logistics service sector has been badly impacted for the last three weeks due to the Centre’s demonetisation move.

Besides, the non-availability of Rs.100 notes has made it difficult for logistic service providers to aggregate large number of vehicles as truck drivers need money to meet fuel, toll and other expenses. Usually, large number of trucks are hired to move goods from Tamil Nadu to other parts of the country.

Having gained rich experience of moving cars from one port to another, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., (HMIL) has started tilting towards the coastal route. Out of the total volume, 96 per cent of cars are sent through road and rest by rail.

On Monday, HMIL will be moving 2,500 cars through Roll-on Roll-off vessel to Kandla from Kamarajar Port at Ennore. From there, trucks would be deployed to dispatch cars to Mumbai, Gujarat, National Capital Region and Rajasthan. Last month, HMIL shipped 1,450 cars through coastal route.

IIT KHARAGPUR SCIENTISTS DEVELOP A TINY BLOOD PH SENSOR

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur have successfully developed a small device to measure the pH of any solution, with preliminary studies showing its usefulness to measure the pH of blood.

Unlike the conventional approach of measuring the pH of blood potentiometrically, the device works by measuring the impedance.

The device was found to have satisfactory pH sensitivity in the physiological pH range.

In contrast to conventional arterial blood-sampling devices that are bulky as they use three electrodes and with time-consuming processes, the miniature device relies on venous blood sampling for pH measurement.

THE RESULTS WERE PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL RCS ADVANCES. TEAMINDUS WILL LAUNCH INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE MISSION TO MOON USING ISRO PSLV ROCKET

India will witness first ever private mission to Moon. A Bengaluru-based aerospace company named TeamIndus is all set to launch its spacecraft that will land on Moon and explore the lunar surface. Indian space agency ISRO will lift the TeamIndus spacecraft on December 28, 2017.

As per the reports, the aim of the mission is to successfully land the rover on the moon which will travel at least 500m on the lunar surface and beam back high-definition video and images back to the earth. The mission will lay the path for the bigger Chandrayaan-2 mission.

If the mission is successful then ISRO scientists will the use the technology and develop the Chandrayaan-2 lander for exploration of Moon. It will be ISRO’s second mission to the moon after the success of Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008. However, the Chandrayaan-2 mission is still in early stages and no mission update and launch dates have been announced by the officials yet.

The total expense of the project is about USD 60 million and we have raised USD 15 million so far. We will have to raise the remaining amount by September-October next year,” TeamIndus co-founder and Director Julius Amrit said.

INDIA TO BUY 200 MINI DRONES FOR SECURITY, SURVEILLANCE IN JAMMU-KASHMIR

The country’s decision is to revive a four-year-old plan to purchase 200 mini drones in the wake of attacks on army camps by militants located in Jammu & Kashmir recently, Geopolmonitor reported Thursday.

The drones would likely to arrive in variants. The loiter time will be the same, the plain variant would have a maximum ceiling of 1,000 meters above take off altitude and the hill variant will have a maximum elevation of four kilometers.

The army has requested drone manufacturers to deliver the security systems by December 23.

“The need for mini-UAVs for deployment along the Line of Control (de-facto border between India and Pakistan) has been felt for a long time because of persistent efforts by externally sponsored terrorists to infiltrate across the border,” said Brigadier Rumel Dahiya (retired), defense expert and former deputy director general of Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses.

INDIA-US DEFENSE TIES CLOSEST EVER: CARTER

Days ahead of his visit to India, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter today said that the defence relationship between the world’s two largest democracies has never been as close it is now.

“The US-India defence relationship is the closest it’s ever been. Through our strategic handshake – with America reaching west in the rebalance, and India reaching east in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls his Act East policy – our two nations are exercising together by air, land, and sea like never before,” Carter said.

Carter, who would be in India next week, said this in his address to the Regan National Defence Forum in Simi Valley, California.

The outgoing US defence secretary’s last overseas trip includes Japan, India, Israel, Bahrain, Italy and the UK.

MODI, GHANI HOLD BILATERAL TALKS; FOCUS ON TRADE, SECURITY

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani today held bilateral talks focusing on a range of key issues including boosting trade and investment, India’s reconstruction activities in the war-ravaged country and ways to strengthen defence and security partnership.

The issue of firming up an air cargo service pact between the two countries is understood to have figured in the talks which will give India a leverage in Afghanistan as Pakistan continued to deny transit link through its territory.

Ghani arrived here last evening to attend the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process conference which began here yesterday.

In the meeting, Modi assured Ghani of India’s continued support for ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Also, Afghanistan is learnt to have sought enhanced supply of military hardware from India.

Afghanistan has been trying to revamp its military to fight the resurgent Talibans after drawdown of NATO forces began nearly two years back.

EXCLUSIVE: NAVY CHIEF’S SAYING AIRCRAFT’S NAVAL VERSION DID NOT MEET TIMELINE ‘HURTFUL’, SAYS TEJAS DIRECTOR

In his first remarks after Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Sunil Lanba yesterday rejected the under-developed naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas for ‘not meeting timelines’ and being plagued by ‘further delays’, Program Director CD Balaji, who heads the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), termed the remark ‘hurtful’, adding that ‘it will only strengthen our resolve’.

The ADA functions under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and consists of scientists who designed the LCA Tejas.

The Indian Navy has spent over Rs 3,635 crore in the development of the naval version of LCA Tejas.

The Indian Air Force will be inducting a total of 120 LCA Tejas.

WHAT DID LANBA SAY?

While the navy’s unhapiness with the LCA has been evident for some time now, the Chief’s emphatic comments perhaps took most people by surprise. He said, “We were the first service to support the aircraft and wanted a timeline for it. The program has not met the timeline and there are further delays. LCA Navy does not meet the navy staff requirements and thus, we need to look at an alternative aircraft to have combat capability on our aircraft carrier. We will continue to support the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in developing an indigenous carrier-based fighter. But in the meantime, we need to have combat capability on Vikramaditya and Vikrant”.

MAX VERSTAPPEN A DOUBLE WINNER AGAIN AT FIA AWARDS

Dutch Formula One driver Max Verstappen collected two special awards for the second year in a row at the International Automobile Federation (FIA)’s gala prize-giving ceremony on Friday.

The 19-year-old won the Personality of the Year, while his overtake of Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes in the wet at the Brazilian Grand Prix was judged Action of the Year across all FIA-sanctioned series.

The personality award was voted for by the international media.

Verstappen, who became the youngest ever grand prix winner in Spain in May and is now the hottest young talent in the sport, has now won the Action of the Year award for three successive years.

AFROZ SHAH WINS UN ENVIRONMENT AWARD

On Saturday, Afroz Shah, a Mumbai-based lawyer made the country proud by winning United Nations Environment Programme Award which seeks to prove that citizens can also make a difference in protecting the environment.

Shah is among five people and one agency in the world bestowed with the ‘Champions of the Earth award’ this year. Shah, 36, is known for leading a massive clean-up exercise at Versova Beach in Mumbai launched in October 2015.

Within a year, his work was recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the ‘largest beach cleaning campaign in the world’ and his efforts as an example of the key role of citizen action in protecting the environment. The awards were announced on Friday night during a global conference on biological diversity in Cancum, Mexico.

Shah has received the award under the ‘Action and Inspiration’ category for kick-starting a campaign to pick up by hand, all the plastic bags, cement sacks, glass bottles, pieces of clothing, and shoes, that covered the entire 2.5-km stretch of the Versova Beach, even rising many feet high in some places.

PARALYMPIAN ADITYA MEHTA GETS HUMAN SPIRIT AWARD

Para-athlete Aditya Mehta was conferred the M.G. Mehta Human Spirit Award of the Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust (RNCT) here.

The award was given away by veteran social worker and crusader Anna Hazare on Friday night in memory of renowned philanthropist Mahendra Mehta, to mark the World Disability Day today (Saturday), said trustee Rajiv Mehta.

In his acceptance speech, Mehta said that he had filed a 12-point (Right to Information) RTI to the CISF under human rights violations and finally got a scanner installed at Delhi Airport. Now, he is planning to get this implemented at other airports in the country.

He recalled, how as a businessman, he cared only about money till his accident in 2006 which left him handicapped.

“I am a completely different person now and want to bring about change,” said Mehta, who bagged two silvers at the 2014 Para-Asian Cycling Championship, entered the Limca Book of Records in 2013 for riding fastest 100 kms with an artificial limb.

Later, he founded the Aditya Mehta Foundation in 2014 to help para-athletes rebuild their shattered lives and was in the news recently for being humiliated at Bengaluru Airport.

In his address, Hazare pointed out how he had received crores of rupees as cash awards all this life.

“But, I live in a temple and have only six sets of clothes. All the money awards is in a trust, and the interest from it goes towards helping the underprivileged people,” Hazare said.

The RNCT, which empowers disabled people, was selected by Google for its Impact Challenge for Disabilities Award this year.

ACER INDIA WINS ‘BRAND EXCELLENCE AWARD 2016’

Brand Excellence Award in IT sector, was conferred to Acer India at a Gala function on November 24th 2016 in Mumbai.
The ABP News Brand Excellence Awards is an independent brand recognition exercise initiated to give recognition to those brands and marketers who have achieved extraordinary success from innovative and effective marketing practices.
Bangalore, INDIA: ACER, the leading laptop and PC player in India, has marked another noteworthy milestone by winning the prestigious BRAND EXCELLENCE AWARD, 2016  under the IT Sector category.

The ABP News Brand Excellence Awards, hosted by World Marketing Congress in partnership with CMO Asia & Asian Confederation of Businesses & World Sustainability was held on 24th November, 2016 in Mumbai. It is an independent brand recognition exercise initiated to give recognition to those brands and marketers who have achieved extraordinary success from innovative and effective marketing practices. This Awards are held to foster marketing awareness in the professional community and inspire aspirations to achieve marketing excellence.

RANJEET, RIYA TRIUMPH IN CONTRASTING STYLES

The former toys with Vijay Kannan, while the latter is taken the distance by Nidhi

The focus was on the men, but Riya Bhatia stole the thunder, the hard way, as she wrestled the women’s title with 7-5, 6-7(0), 6-3 victory over Nidhi Chilumula in the State Bank of Patiala National grass court tennis championship at the Chandigarh Club on Saturday.

It was a welcome addition to her trophy collection for the 19-year-old Riya had won the National hard court title in Delhi, apart from an ITF women’s title in Egypt, in a rewarding season.

“Chandigarh is so close to Delhi, and I thought that I should go for this title also, as it is prestigious. I had beaten Nidhi in the quarterfinals of Fenesta Nationals but I am more happy today as I could beat her on her day when she played so well”, said Riya, after a three-hour battle.

ISL 2016: KERALA BLASTERS TAKE ON NORTHEAST UNITED FC IN BATTLE OF FOURTH PLAY-OFFS SPOT

Kerala Blasters and NorthEast United take on each other in a do-or-die battle to decide who make it to the last remaining play-offs spot of the Indian Super League football season three on Sunday.

Mumbai City FC, Delhi Dynamos and Atletico de Kolkata have already qualified for the semifinals and tomorrow’s match, the last game of the league stage, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here will decide who between Kerala Blasters and NorthEast United joins them as the fourth team.

Sunday’s match will also decide the ranking of the teams who qualified for the play-offs and hence who takes on whom in the semifinals. The top-ranked team will face the fourth-placed side of the league phase while the second-placed will take on the third.

Kerala, who are currently at fourth spot with 19 points from 13 matches, will start at an advantage as they just need a draw tomorrow to qualify for the semifinals. They will also have an extra motivation to play to their best as the grand finale of the ISL 3 will be played at the same venue on December 18

AUSTRALIA VS NEW ZEALAND, 1ST ODI: STEVEN SMITH, JOS HAZLEWOOD GIFT HOSTS A COMPREHENSIVE WIN

Australia edge out New Zealand by 68 runs in the first 50-over encounter of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy 2016, at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Australia captain Steven Smith was yet again in the thick of action, for he registered his highest individual score of 164 and that too at his home ground. In addition, he surpassed AB de Villiers’ 162, becoming the top-scorer at the venue. On the hand, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill scored a staggering 114, but it eventually came in a losing cause. The Trans-Tasmanian brothers will now face each other in the second ODI at Canberra, with Australia leading the series 1-0.It was yet another dropping wicket, and Smith, without giving it a second thought, decided to bat first. Given the total Australia had put up, the gameplan panned out well. But the hosts encountered early blows, as Matt Henry clean bowled Aaron Finch for a golden duck. That did not hold back David Warner’s belligerence though. He bludgeoned as many as 4 boundaries to set the scoreboard on fire. However, debutant Lockie Ferguson uprooted Warner’s defence and broke the important partnership between the captain and his deputy