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Quantum X-ray machine takes razor sharp pictures with less radiation
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Fund managers fish for dividend plays amid sharp cuts
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Playing Sports Might Sharpen Your Hearing
Title: Playing Sports Might Sharpen Your Hearing
Category: Health News
Created: 12/9/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 12/9/2019 12:00:00 AM
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Music Lessons as Child May Keep Aging Minds Sharp
Title: Music Lessons as Child May Keep Aging Minds Sharp
Category: Health News
Created: 4/23/2011 11:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/25/2011 12:00:00 AM
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Hearing Aids May Help Keep Seniors' Minds Sharp
Title: Hearing Aids May Help Keep Seniors' Minds Sharp
Category: Health News
Created: 4/27/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/28/2016 12:00:00 AM
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Japan's Sharp halves full-year profit forecast as virus hits tech demand
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Victoria Beckham Is Making Harper Wearing School Uniform At Home
Victoria Beckham can’t seem to catch a break these days from social media critics. Posh shared a photo of her homeschooling Harper during the lockdown, only to be immediately criticized because the 7-year old is wearing a school uniform at home. Some trolls took an opportunity to blast Victoria again for using taxpayer’s money to […]
The post Victoria Beckham Is Making Harper Wearing School Uniform At Home appeared first on Chart Attack.
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What Would A Sharp Decline In Remittances Mean For Latin America
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U.S. Pharmaceutical Company Merck Sharp &
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U.S. Pharmaceutical Company Merck Sharp & Dohme Sentenced in Connection with Unlawful Promotion of Vioxx
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Saudi Arabia’s execution of al-Nimr throws U.S. policy dilemmas into sharp relief
What a way to start the new year. Decades of Saudi-Iranian tensions reached a new high this past week. The cycle of reactions to Riyadh’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr on January 2 is a reminder of how the Saudis, and their Iranian rivals, have viewed and used sectarianism throughout the tumultuous period since 2011.
Al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 and subsequently sentenced to death for allegedly "seeking ‘foreign meddling’ in Saudi Arabia, ‘disobeying’ its rulers and taking up arms against the security forces." The arrest was meant not merely as a signal to Tehran, but at least as much to Saudi Arabia’s own Shiite minority. Shiites comprise as much as 20 percent of the Saudi population, and are concentrated in the oil-rich Eastern Province—and the community has regularly erupted in protests against its economic and political marginalization. In 2011, amid the Arab Spring uprisings in majority-Shiite Bahrain, Saudi Shiites also demonstrated for the release of long-held prisoners, and Saudi forces shot and killed several Shia in the streets.
Riyadh’s decision to carry out the death sentence was greeted with demonstrations in Iran and attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities. This Iranian reaction must have been calculated, as al-Nimr has been on “death row” for a very long time. In response, Saudi Arabia quickly cut ties with its longtime geopolitical foe and urged fellow Sunni governments to follow suit. So far, Bahrain and Sudan have also cut off relations, and both Qatar and the UAE have downgraded them.
Governments on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide found a sectarian narrative useful in rallying their populations and in justifying their actions in response to the 2011 Arab uprisings. The sectarian narrative has helped the parties in this larger regional power struggle mobilize support by playing up the sectarian dimension of protests in Bahrain, the Assad regime’s crackdown in Syria, and the breakdown of inclusive politics in Iraq. Likewise, many Sunni-led countries have found sectarian rhetoric an effective way to rally Sunni citizens, intimidate their own Shiite populations, and to justify crackdowns on dissent.
Governments on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide found a sectarian narrative useful in rallying their populations and in justifying their actions in response to the 2011 Arab uprisings.
Last April, I wrote that Iran was likely to escalate its asymmetric efforts to destabilize Arab politics by exploiting the cracks within Arab societies. They have done so, and it is a form of escalation the Saudis are ill-equipped to match. Last summer, I suggested that the Sunni Arab states could defend best against this Iranian subversion by tamping down sectarian tensions and working to heal the rifts within their own societies through inclusive political and economic policies. So far, I have not seen much effort from the Arab Gulf states in that direction—instead, they have doubled down on divisive sectarianism in Yemen and elsewhere. As this escalatory spiral advances, civilians will pay the price.
Some are portraying the decision to execute al-Nimr as a negative Saudi response to Iranian efforts at rapprochement over the last few weeks. I do not necessarily see it that way, because the Iranians have done as much as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to provoke and exploit tensions between the two in recent times. That notwithstanding, there is no question this execution will inflame sectarian tensions in the Gulf and Iraq, as well as present the Islamic State with new opportunities.
It has been clear for some time that the U.S. focus on the threat from the so-called Islamic State is simply not matched by the Saudis, who are far more concerned about Iran and Shiite expansionism than by this violent extremist Sunni group in their neighborhood. As such, the execution and ensuing crisis brings the clash of U.S. and Saudi interests into sharp relief and has the potential to become an inflection point in regional affairs – not necessarily because of the way the Saudi and Iranian governments choose to play, but because of how others might react.
For example, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi quickly and publicly condemned the execution. The execution—and the inevitable crackdown on Shiite protests in Qatif—might increase pressure on Abadi from Shiites in Iraq (and from Iran) to demonstrate sectarian preferences in his rhetoric and policy. That could prevent him from moving forward on steps Washington has been pushing to bring Iraqi Sunnis back into the political fold. This easily could threaten the anti-Islamic State campaign in Iraq, since it relies on Sunnis in Ramadi, Mosul, and elsewhere turning away from Islamic State and back toward the Iraqi state. Iraqi counterterrorism forces have taken much of Ramadi, but they cannot hold it without local Sunni support.
Increased Islamic State influence in the Arabian Peninsula would certainly challenge the Saudi government and prompt a renewed securitization of domestic policy.
The Islamic State worked hard to stoke sectarian tensions within the Gulf states over the past year, carrying out attacks on Shiite mosques in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The GCC leaders were not drawn in at that stage, instead expressing solidarity with their Shiite compatriots. But this time, a Sunni Gulf government is taking steps that exacerbate sectarian tensions—and that could very easily push the Islamic State to take up the issue again by attempting more such attacks. Increased Islamic State influence in the Arabian Peninsula would certainly challenge the Saudi government and prompt a renewed securitization of domestic policy. It would be an ironic outcome of a Saudi move—47 executions, mostly of Sunni extremists—that was intended to deter ISIS sympathizers. At a moment when low oil prices and a tightened financial future constrain their capacity to coopt a large, underemployed, youthful populace, this is not a recipe for stability.
The possibility that ISIS will gain from this crisis illustrates the problem with governments self-interestedly wielding that sectarian narrative is that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it actually increases the incentive on both sides of the sectarian divide to escalate their real power competition, both directly and through proxies. Today, that narrative of sectarian conflict is far more than rhetoric in Iraq and Syria, where a true intercommunal conflict is underway.
More immediately, the ripple effects of al-Nimr’s execution spotlight American policy dilemmas in the region. The escalation in sectarian conflict threatens the nascent Syrian peace process. It increases the Islamic State’s scope for action there, threatens the political dimension of the anti-Islamic State strategy in Iraq, and incentivizes Sunni extremism in the Arabian Peninsula. It pushes the Yemen war further from resolution as well, leaving al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) with room to grow and plan attacks against the American homeland. And it puts the United States into a very tight spot as it continues diplomatic dialogue with Iran in the wake of the nuclear agreement. Given this beginning, 2016 looks to be an even tougher year for the United States in the Middle East than 2015.
Authors
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Laura Dern, Kellie Pickler, Valerie Harper Among Notable Voices Kicking Off National Women's Lung Health Week - #ShareYourVoice for LUNG FORCE
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lose all these sharpies
Today on Toothpaste For Dinner: lose all these sharpies
The Worst Things For Sale is Drew's blog. It updates every day. Subscribe to the Worst Things For Sale RSS!
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Jacqueline Fernandez looks like a breath of fresh air in these inside pictures from Harper’s Bazaar magazine
Jacqueline Fernandez’s latest cover for a leading magazine was flawless as ever but these inside images tell us, how we must reconnect with nature. What better inspiration than the actress, herself!
In the first one, we see Jacqueline playing a guitar and playing with a little goat. Jacqueline is seen wearing a beautiful dark ocean blue blazer with a bralette and a skirt. The magazine on their social media says, "Amidst news of the lockdown extension, we asked Jacqueline Fernandez to create images that would celebrate just some of the things that are bringing us joy right now—beautiful imagery, nature, and the hope of a better future. The actor is quarantined out on a Panvel farmhouse and is also currently promoting her new Netflix movie Mrs Serial Killer. She styled and did her own hair and makeup for this dreamy digital cover story. Watch this space to see more images created exclusively for Bazaar."
The second one is the one where we're searching for sunnier times. Jacqueline looks stunning in the beige skirt and a white single shouldered top with soft summery glowy dewy makeup. The magazine shares on their social media and says, "Dreaming of sunnier times and the great outdoors with cover star Jacqueline Fernandez".
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The last look of Jacqueline with wavy hair and the blazer with sunshine on her hair enhancing the looks. The last one is a perfect picture for how we are all feeling during the quarantine, the magazine writes, "Our April/May 2020 digital issue cover star Jacqueline Fernandez shared a glimpse of what life looks like for her right now in quarantine. The actor is grateful to be quarantined out on a Panvel farmhouse where she is, “reconnecting with nature”. She says she is, "doing everything that I can to help those in need from here and praying for strength and health to each one in this world during these tough times."
It’s amazing to see how we can totally relate to these images and mood as we are feeling it totally. Everyone is searching for hope, sunnier and happier times. Everyone is reconnecting with nature in their own way. Jacqueline is also one of those actress who wins hearts not just on magazine covers but also on-screen each time. Her recently released Mrs. Serial Killer has won hearts and the perfect portrayal of a dark character has just proved her versatility as an actress one more time.
Also Read: VIDEO: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Iulia Vantur send out bags of ration to the needy
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The Sharp Fall in Indian Rupee: 6 Points to Know
Posted by Equitymaster
As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to haunt the global financial markets, the rupee has been hit badly.
The domestic currency has been continuing its downtrend and hit its record low level against the dollar last week.
Here's a timeline showing how the Indian rupee has performed lately and the factors behind it...
- Rupee in 2018:
The Indian rupee was the worst performer in Asia in 2018. As can be seen from the chart below, it fell by around 12% against the US dollar. This was seen due to a strong dollar and high oil prices in 2018. Similarly, the spill-over from the emerging-market turmoil in Argentina and Turkey weighed on the rupee in 2018.
Indian Rupee: The Worst Performing Currency in Asia in 2018 - Rupee in 2019:
The rupee traded on a volatile note last calendar year. However, for most of 2019, it traded on a negative note against the US dollar.
While it started the year at 69.71 against the US dollar and also witnessed some uptrend from April 2019 to August 2019, it went on to depreciate during the end of the year. On December 2019, it ended at 71.31 against the US dollar.
Rupee Trades was Volatile in 2019 - Rupee in 2020 So Far:
On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the rupee has depreciated sharply against the US dollar. While it started the calendar year 2020 at 71.28 against the US dollar, it is currently trading at 76.27 against the US dollar. This translates to a depreciation of around 7% for the domestic currency.
YTD Performance of the USD/INR - Downtrend in March 2020:
The massive sell-off in equities and bonds led to a huge fall in rupee against the dollar in the month of March 2020. Most of the selling pressure was due to the slump in equities and currencies globally.
Investors were concerned that support measures from governments and central banks may be insufficient to halt the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Here's how the currency performed in the month of March:
Huge Depreciation of the Rupee in March 2020 - Rupee Hits Record Low in April 2020:
The rupee fell to a new record low of 76.55 against the US dollar on 9th April, 2020.
This was seen as a rise in coronavirus cases fanned fears of the government extending the lockdown to contain the pandemic.
- Factors Behind the Rupee's Fall:
Some major factors behind the recent fall in rupee are...
- Weak sentiments in the currency markets due to global risk aversion
- Sharp fall in the Indian stock markets
- Sharp fall in global financial markets due to coronavirus fears
- Strengthening dollar
- Thin liquidity due to reduced participation
These are some top pointers on how the Indian rupee has been performing in recent years and amid the coronavirus led stock market crash.
I reached out to Vijay Bhambwani, editor of Weekly Cash Alerts, who is closely tracking the Indian rupee in the current scenario. Here's what he has to say...
-
The onset of Corona virus has not been kind to the INR.
The Rupee futures (USDINR ) opened in March at 72.36 and have closed at 76.61 on April 09 2020. That is a decline of 5.87% in 6 short weeks.
The implications of the same will be widespread. India is a net importing Country. Everything that we import will now be more expensive. Approximately two thirds of all our imports are fossil fuels. Fuels are what we call multiplier effect commodities. If fuel prices rise at the petrol pumps, everything from fruits, vegetables, grains to dairy and poultry products get expensive.
That impact will be felt at a later date. I expect the trickle down effect to start appearing in prices after the April-June quarter is over.
I have already factored in this aspect in my statistical data model and plan to identify such events to generate profitable trading opportunities for my WCA plan subscribers.
Vijay has also talked about the Indian currency in a special edition podcast from Investor Hour. He shares what's around the corner for Indian rupee and how to should position oneself for potential gains.
You can listen the entire episode here...
Speaking of ongoing stock market crash, our special report, How to Trade the Coronavirus Crash, is the most comprehensive report on how to trade the coronavirus, both from a short-term and long-term perspective. You can claim your FREE copy here...
And rest assured, Equitymaster is with you all the way on this journey. To that end, we have decided to offer you two of our premium learning courses free!
From the comfort of your home, you can learn the basics of fundamental investing with Equitymaster Secrets and the ins and outs of making money using derivatives with Derivantage. Get started right away.
Happy Investing!
This article (The Sharp Fall in Indian Rupee: 6 Points to Know) is authored by Equitymaster.
Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
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