Jharkhand Assembly Elections are nearing and the state is now gearing up to select the next government that will take charge of the state’s Vidhan Sabha once the term of the present government ends on 5 January 2020. The election scene in the state is turning highly interesting with some top candidates eyeing the CM seat. We see the following names in the CM race in Jharkhand now. Raghubar Das Raghubar Das is the first non-tribal Chief Minister of Jharkhand who completed the full term of his office on the CM seat after the formation of the state in 2000. Representing BJP, he became the CM following 2014 assembly elections as the party could get 37 seats and form the coalition government with AJSU which contributed its 5 seats to form a majority government with 42 seats. Never to miss another chance to become the CM this time, Raghubar Das might be contesting from Ranchi or Dhanbad in addition to his home constituency Jamshedpur East in the upcoming 2019 assembly elections. Babulal Marandi Babulal Marandi earlier represented BJP and became the first chief minister of the state in the interim government formed for the assembly in November 2000 and remained in power for two years till March 2003. In 2006, he left BJP and formed JVM (Jharkhand Vikas Morcha). Babulal Marandi contested from two seats in 2014 assembly elections. Unfortunately he lost both these seats. This time, he said he will be reattempting to fight from two constituencies as he did in 2014 elections. Hemant Soren in the shadow of Shibu Soren Following Shibu Soren’s retirement from public life, his son Heman Soren emerges from his shadow to provide the leadership to JMM. In 2005 elections, Shibu Soren’s JMM won from 17 seats. Though BJP secured 30 seats, Shibu Soren became the CM and remained in the office only for 10 days as he failed to prove his majority support. Between 2008 and 2010, Shibu Soren became the CM of Jharkhand two times. And the state was put under the president’s rule successively. Shibu Soren also became the CM for four months till January 2009 after Madhu Koda, an independent resigned. Between June and September, Shibu Soren once again became the CM for just five months. This time, JMM, INC and RJD are together facing the assembly elections in the state and the alliance has said the former CM of Jharkhand Hemant Soren will be the CM face of the mahagathbandhan for the upcoming elections. In 2014 assembly elections, Hemant Soren represented his party JMM by contesting from two seats namely Dumka and Barhet, but lost Dumka and could win only from Barhet. Gourav Vallabh The Congress Party is fielding Gaurav Vallabh as the party’s chief minister candidate for the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand. Gaurav Vallabh served as the professor in finance at XLRI Management Institute in Jamshedpur. Born in a family of academicians, he is the first one to join politics. His recent debate in the media with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra helped him rise to prominence.

These Names Are In CM Race In Jharkhand assembly Election

New Delhi, Mar 20 () The telecom department on Friday met telcos and associations to discuss critical issues around business continuity of communication networks, as industry sought the government's intervention for allowing movement of essential field staff and sought other waivers to keep services up-and-running amid the coronavirus outbreak. Representatives from industry bodies like COAI and Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (TAIPA) as well as telecom operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio and state-owned telcos attended the meeting called by senior telecom department officials. "We are grateful to the DoT for convening a meeting today (Friday) to address various issues highlighted by the industry in the light of challenges faced by the industry relative to COVID-19. The DoT was clear that they were keen to work with the industry to ensure our networks remained available 99.99 per cent of the time and customers were not inconvenienced, especially those operating now from their homes," Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General Rajan Mathews told . The industry is also pitching for additional spectrum both access and backhaul microwave on a temporary basis to augment capacity given that bigger data pipes will be needed as people work from home. The industry has urged DoT to issue directions to states that telecom be treated under essential services and, accordingly, staff and engineers have access to network operations centres, data centres and other critical sites in the event of any lockdown. In a letter to DoT on Friday, COAI urged the Department of Telecommunications "to also instruct term cells to provide necessary relaxations to telecom service providers". It has also sought waiver on compliance-related issues saying all audits, including licence and security audits, should be cancelled till the situation stabilises. "While the operators comply to the requirement put forth by DoT on a day-to-day basis, the audit to ascertain the level of compliance can be put on hold for the time being considering the restrictions in place," COAI said. Minimum roll-out obligation timelines should also be extended for at least six months, it said noting that submission for such compliance involves getting maps of district and block headquarters, due testing in field and getting self-certificates prepared for testing. On the subscriber verification-related matters, COAI said tele-verification by the employees should be exempted for the time being as the same will be impacted due to temporary suspension of call centre operations. "DoT may consider tele-verification to be carried out through interactive voice response only in the interim," it said. It has also pressed for digital acquisition process where documentation is collected in scanned format instead of physical hard copy. At the same time, it has flagged issues related to interconnection and quality of service, and urged for waiver in regulator's quality of service compliance for the duration of any lockdown. COAI has also told DoT that heads of oil companies should be requested to ensure availability of diesel to telecom towers on a priority basis and that power distribution companies should be urged to ensure round-the-clock power availability. MBI HRS

DoT holds meeting as industry seeks movement of essential staff, other waivers for biz continuity

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d80ec872e22af33db215ad9-2400/ap08100806328.jpg" border="0" alt="trader screens" data-mce-source="Thibault Camus/AP" data-mce-caption="A trader is seen in Paris, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008." />Thibault Camus/AP</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>The trade-war negotiations in October will be a key determinant of what happens next in the stock market and the global economy, according to Marko Kolanovic, JPMorgan's global head of macro quant and derivative strategy.</li><li>He is optimistic that the negotiations - along with a technical rotation from momentum to value stocks - will be bullish for the market in the months ahead.</li><li>But in preparation for alternative scenarios, he recommended six trading themes that should capture the market's upside while also providing hedges against losses. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>The stock market's future hinges a great deal on what happens during the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/trade-war">trade</a> negotiations between the US and China in October. That's according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/marko-kolanovic">Marko Kolanovic</a>, JPMorgan's global head of macro quant and derivative strategy, who is getting ready for multiple outcomes.In the interim, he is leaning towards the likelihood that the global economy will not sink into a recession should the trade war escalate. Traders, too, have recently sided with this view. Their optimism for productive trade negotiations has helped the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500</a> rebound from its swoon in August to within 1% of its all-time high. The market's recovery was particularly beneficial for stocks that were considered undervalued and had missed out on gains on the way up. Kolanovic observed that so-called value stocks had been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-investing-momentum-trend-unseen-since-tech-bubble-kolanovic-2019-9">underperforming relative to momentum stocks</a> in a manner not observed for any factor pair since the tech bubble.He expects this technical rotation to continue being a bullish force for stocks. But he also wants investors to be well-positioned in case the market turns south.The six recommendations below are designed to capture the upside of a rebound in the months ahead while safeguarding against losses if the trade war suddenly escalates again. All quotes are attributable to Kolanovic.1. Remain overweight equities versus underweight government and corporate bonds. "We increase the government <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/bonds">bond</a> UW in our long only portfolio, given risks of continued mean reversion from the technical flow-driven sharp rally last month, and in-line with our overall risk-on portfolio stance." 2. Overweight US, Japan and emerging-market equities."Given that the S&amp;P 500 is heavy in bond proxies and secular growth, we see higher upside potential in small caps, cyclicals, value, and Emerging Market stocks than the broad S&amp;P 500. If the October negotiations fail, these moves could be unwound, but given the extreme low positioning and style tilt, we think the downside is limited."3. Overweight US small and mid versus large-cap, value versus low-volatility stocks given their record valuation divergence."We believe that this week's value rotation can continue and the broad market can move higher going into October negotiations, and if real progress is made, continue into a more sustained rally."4. Long US three-year, long 30-year Italy versus Germany and 10-year Spain versus France"In Europe, the dovish ECB easing package has also occurred against a backdrop of a receding of political risks in Italy after the formation of a new Five Star - PD coalition government. Given the mainstream nature of PD, we see only limited chances of a confrontational approach with the European Commission on the 2020 budget."Given this cleaner political landscape, we see QE and search for yield as the main drivers exerting continued tightening pressure on Italian spreads to Germany going forward. Our strategists continue to favor OW periphery spread exposure, via 30y Italy vs. Germany and 10y Spain vs. France."5. Short AUD/JPY, GBP/USD bear put spread, long CHF versus USD" Despite forecasts that further easing will be necessary (and the ongoing unemployment rates that are still a ways from [the Reserve Bank of Australia's] goals, thought are at least stable), our base case remains that that easing doesn't arrive until the first half of next year, although there is some risk of an earlier delivery in November / December if our call on Fed cuts is realized." 6. Overweight energy, stay Overweight precious metals and agriculture"The August rebound in manufacturing PMI, increased policy support, and light investor positioning leave us with a positive risk bias for commodities overall, despite looming risks of a slowdown. We expect continued rotation into Value assets, which include most commodities (particularly energy, base metals and agriculture)." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/animation-rise-partisanship-congress-house-representatives-60-years-2016-4">This 60-second animation shows how divided Congress has become since 1949</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/5dSagupe-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

JPMorgan unveils 6 trades that should rake in profits regardless of whether the stock market tanks or rebounds in the near future

Texas found startling amounts of a cancer-causing chemical in the air outside Houston. Nobody told the residents.

<ul><li>As the government banned 59 Chinese apps around talks of data privacy and security, many influencers and brands have been left in the lurch.</li><li>Since apps like <keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> have a huge influencer community and brands also have their marketing monies invested on the platform, we spoke to experts to understand how things might pan out in the near future.</li></ul> For a while now, there have been increasing debates around <keyword id="145060" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-security">data security</keyword> and privacy in India. Amidst these conversations and also mounting tensions between China and India, the government of India on Monday announced the ban of around 59 Chinese apps. These apps include popular video-sharing social networking platform TikTok, WeChat, UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu Map, Shein, Helo and Likee, amongst others. The government, in its official announcement said, “The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats has decided to block 59 apps ( see Appendix) since in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.” Hours after the announcement was made, TikTok India’s head <keyword id="47432" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nikhil-Gandhi">Nikhil Gandhi</keyword> released a statement.It read, “The Government of India has issued an interim order for the blocking of 59 apps, including TikTok and we are in the process of complying with it. We have been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications. TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and have not shared any information of our users in India with any foreign government, including the Chinese Government. Further if we are requested to in the future we would not do so. We place the highest importance on user privacy and integrity. TikTok has democratized the internet by making it available in 14 Indian languages, with hundreds of millions of users, artists, story-tellers, educators and performers depending on it for their livelihood, many of whom are first time internet users.” TikTok enjoys a huge following in India and has a dedicated fan base as well as innumerable users who have become influencers on the platform. India accounts for a huge chuck of TikTok’s global installs. According to estimates by Sensor Tower, when TikTok crossed 2 billion global downloads, India was at the forefront of this growth. The country accounted for 611 million lifetime downloads or 30.3% of the total. This opened up the opportunities for both content creators and brands who started looking at the platform as an effective way of reaching out to audiences. We saw quite a few brands come up with innovative campaigns on the platform. TikTok has also been strengthening its offerings for advertisers. However, this ban will put a lot of things on hold. We wanted to understand the impact of this ban on the influencer community and reached out to a few experts. Here is what they had to say: <keyword id="2705387" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shamsuddin-Jasani">Shamsuddin Jasani</keyword>, Group MD, Isobar South Asia We don't know how long this ban is going to last for. But if it lasts for a few months it certainly is going to have a big effect on the curated video space, YouTube for sure will be the big gainer as well as Indian apps on the space. Ashutosh, CEO and Co-founder, Buzzoka The ban on Tik-Tok definitely calls for brands to rethink their influencer marketing strategies. Undeniably, the platform saw a spike in interest in the recent past however it must be noted that it formed only a part of brands' influencer marketing spend. On the contrary, mature platforms like Instagram and YouTube have always had an edge over the former. As a result, the impact of its ban will be lesser on brands and more on the content creators who were only present on Tik-Tok. I believe there's always a silver lining. Disruption will take place in the market. There is no dearth of platforms hence, brands will increasingly turn to them to reach similar audiences. Similarly, influencers will be able to make new identities on other platforms as far as they are good and confident about their content creation. Moreover, this will create new avenues in the ecosystem for emerging Indian platforms like Mitron and Chingari and will encourage them to invest more in enhancing their respective platforms and see rapid growth from here. Premkumar Iyer, National Operations Head, Gozoop This ban is a very big move for Indian M&amp;A. It will be interesting to see how the whole ban eventually plays out. Of all the apps banned, TikTok ranks highest on potential due to its hinterland dominance, which led brands to make investments on the platform, both in terms of time and money. Brands will probably press pause and see how this culminates before attempting any major course correction. However, the real game here is for the influencers who have built strong communities on the platform. We are witnessing a shift as most are moving towards Instagram as it is natively closest to what TikTok enabled for these creators. Cross promoting communities have always been the norm for influencers and since the ban was announced creators have started posting content asking their community to follow them on Instagram and YouTube so that if the ban continues fans can still watch their content. What's going to make this even more interesting is if Instagram's Reels and Facebook's Lasso short video format app launches in India as the timing could not be better.I think for most it is going to be like JayZ says “On to the Next One”. Harikrishnan Pillai, CEO and Co-founder, TheSmallBigIdea Digital platforms across the world are facing tremendous pressure from governments and advertisers to bring in more data transparency and content filtering. This move is led by public outrage and both, the government and brands are quite conscious of their imagery basis their stance. The 150+ brand boycott of Facebook or the Chinese platform bans are clear indicators of this phenomenon. The question is what does it mean to the advertisers, agencies and platforms. In a short to medium term, advertisers and agencies will look at alternate platforms to help them meet their marketing goals. Some of the banned platforms are sizeable, so it would be difficult to find an immediate apparent replacement. In this case, a combination of replacements or an increase in presence in existing platforms can be an option. Also, the ban is still a little unclear from an implementation standpoint. The downloaded apps are still running, though new downloads are at a halt. If the government calls for a complete ban, things will go south for these platforms. Even then, I don't believe brands will advertise on these apps, fearing public outrage. For influencers, from a short term POV, the business will be affected if they have had a single platform focus. From a long term perspective, Indian apps have a great opportunity to grow. ‘Revenge Download' will lead to a sudden spike of Indian apps. Whether they manage to be sticky and effective, time will tell. <keyword id="7372416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viraj-Sheth">Viraj Sheth</keyword>, Co-founder and CEO, <keyword id="9491005" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="monk-entertainment">Monk Entertainment</keyword> The TikTok ban, if it stays for perpetuity, will prove to be a big dent in the life of many young and budding influencers. TikTok has given rise to an incredible number of influencers who rose to stardom through the platform and earned their bread and butter due to the audience earned from the app. While most of the established TikTokers will see a dip in their branded content earnings because of this ban for a few months, they've been smart enough to build their audiences on platforms like Instagram &amp; YouTube. When brands divert their spends from TikTok to other platforms, this ban will not affect their earnings over a period of time. TikTok had been a huge catalyst in enabling talent from the farthest nooks and corners of India. The ban will leave a gap in the market for Indian short video platforms to come through and make their mark. I hope they make their moves right. Neel Gogia, Co founder, IPLIX Media This step will impact thousands of Tiktok influencers who are dependent on brands for their survival. Brands will be impacted as well. They have already started reaching out to us to understand how they can realign their strategies to reach similar audiences. It will be interesting to see how influencers and brands change their strategies to adapt to the other platforms. We feel in 5-6 months influencers can build their audience in these platforms (if they create relevant content). Ankit Agarwal, Founder, Do Your Thng The ban is more of a statement right now - a comma rather than a full stop. That’s evident from the clarification updated by TikTok India. If, and that’s a big if, the block becomes permanent, it has the potential to change the influencer landscape significantly. Right now, for marketers, TikTok is the space to target Gen Zers as 41% of its users fall in this age bracket. I feel it is one reason why brand custodians place it in the top 3 three platforms for influencer marketing [Instagram (94%), TikTok (52%) and YouTube (52%)]. On top of it, the app has higher engagement rates and average time spent per day than Instagram. When you take away something so effective, brands are bound to feel the pinch. To compensate, they’ll redirect their influencer marketing efforts to other platforms – trigger the said change. On the creator side, the impact will be more substantial and devastating. As Nikhil Gandhi correctly points out, TikTok gave a voice to hundreds of creators generating vernacular content in India. While most creators are savvy enough to diversify to other platforms, there will be few who stand to lose their entire body of work. But all this is contingent on a permanent block, which in my opinion will most probably not happen. Not just because TikTok has been given a chance to submit clarifications, but because executing a ban is not simple with plenty of workarounds available. Honey Singh, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, #ARM Worldwide Content creators have already started nurturing their other platforms like Instagram and Youtube. After this ban, I feel there will be a significant spike on Instagram. These content creators will also face monetary losses since brands have already started pausing their planned TikTok activities for now. At the moment, we are already in touch with many content creators and figuring out how to finish ongoing campaigns. Lastly, this ban will also allow these content creators to think about building a uniform fan following. Post anti-China sentiments have already started depleting the wallets of influencers. After the ban, all the scheduled campaigns from the brands are on pause until further clarity from the government. Creators having large followings on other channels like Instagram/Youtube may recover, but there will be a significant loss for them. The silver lining is that content creators should realize that nothing is permanent. They should start working on an omnichannel presence. Aside from nurturing an audience on a platform, a community beyond a single rented house is a must. The thumb rule for any brand is to know exactly where their audience is. Long-term solutions can include developing platforms such as forums, websites, blogs &amp; newsletters to nurture their audience beyond a single platform. Sandeep Sreekumar, Managing Director, Media Moments Over the years, apps like TikTok, Helo and the likes had caught the eye of various brands and had developed into strong marketing mediums. Now, with the recent update, there will be a shift in the platforms used by the influencers while the overall approach will remain the same. This move will also open new opportunities for many Indian apps.And it will be interesting to see how Indian apps like Chingari, Mitron and Roposo will come into the foreplay and cash in the situation. For instance, many apps experienced a massive increase in the download rates soon after the announcement. Having said that; thorough understanding, planning and research will be required before associating with these apps to deliver right message and content. But as long as quality content is being created, audiences will follow and as long as audiences are there, brands will invest regardless of the platform. Piyush Kumar, CEO &amp; Founder, Rooter We have seen a 250% increase in new users joining Rooter in the last 12 hours and we are estimating 1 million new users on our platform in the next 15 Days. This surge will be organically driven by our users and content creators. The ban on Chinese apps like TikTok opens up a huge opportunity for Indian apps to come to the forefront. There will be a huge drop in user acquisition costs as Chinese apps may no longer invest their money in our homegrown apps money. Moreover, the advertising business for the Indian apps will also increase in the absence of TikTok. TikTok might have been a source of income for thousands of content creators, but there were only 1-1.5% of users creating content on it. The rest were the consumers. With the emergence of alternate local platforms, creators will automatically shift their content dais, enticing the brands to partner with them for engaging with the audience. It will be a win-win situation for both. Divanshi Gupta, Director, The Marcom Avenue The recent geopolitical events on Indo-China borders have resulted in the Indian government banning TikTok and other 58 apps in the light of protecting the privacy and sovereignty of its residents. This action may have its repercussions on both the governments, but it is definitely going to have a significant impact on the brands and advertisers who had set aside the quarter budget for influencer marketing campaigns on TikTok social media. This short-form content media app had begun to attract a considerable number of users. And now, the advertisers will have to undeniably shift their strategy and focus on creating long-form content on platforms, like YouTube and Instagram, with already established and known faces by bidding adieu to TikTok influencers.

How TikTok’s ban in India might impact influencers and brands

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56a8ef3e58c3238c008b5938-869-652/rtr4xx9m.jpg" alt="ISIS Libya" data-mce-source="Reuters" data-mce-caption="An Islamic State militant holds a gun while standing behind what are said to be Ethiopian Christians in Wilayat Fazzan, in this still image from an undated video made available on a social media website on April 19, 2015." />ReutersAn Islamic State militant holds a gun while standing behind what are said to be Ethiopian Christians in Wilayat Fazzan, in this still image from an undated video made available on a social media website on April 19, 2015.</div></div></div>Five years after the fall of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the country has plunged into chaos, allowing extremist groups to rise up in place of the dictator's brutal regime.The failure to establish a unity government that includes both rival governments fighting for power in Libya has led the terrorist group ISIS (also known as the Islamic State, ISIL, or Daesh) to exploit the power vacuum and take control of territory in the country, <a href="http://soufangroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TSG_Libya-Extremism-and-the-Consequences-of-Collapse-Jan2016.pdf">a new report</a> from strategic security firm The Soufan Group notes. And Al Qaeda has also used the situation in Libya to its advantage.A 2015 agreement between Libya's two rival governments - one in the east that's internationally recognized and one in the west that controls the capital of Tripoli - fell apart earlier this year. The UN-brokered agreement would have created a cabinet that would have included members of both governments."Even if reconciliation leads to the formation of a unity government, that government will immediately face the monumental task of reuniting the country both socially and militarily," The Soufan Group wrote in its report.The group continued: "It will need to provide law and order for the Libyan people; dismantle the extensive black market networks flourishing in Libya; and secure operational control of the main drivers of the Libyan economy - primarily the oil and gas infrastructure. It will also need to defeat the extremist networks that have capitalized on the weakness of the Libyan state and used the country as a base to generate revenue and train fighters."As a US-led coalition continues to threaten ISIS' main base of operations in Raqqa, Syria, the group <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/isis-sirte-libya-2015-11">has established a fall-back capital of sorts</a> in Sirte, Libya - Gaddafi's hometown. ISIS' branch in Sirte is the only affiliate that the group's central leadership directly controls, and leaders have reportedly adopted a slogan that reflects Sirte's heightened profile within the jihadist organization: "Sirte will be no less than Raqqa."Libya's oil resources make it especially attractive territory for ISIS, which generates millions of dollars in revenue each year by selling oil it acquires from seized infrastructure in Iraq and Syria.The chaos in Libya started when Gaddafi was overthrown, with the US supporting the revolutionaries.In October 2011, after Gaddafi's death at the hands of rebels who opposed his regime, US President Barack Obama <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/20/remarks-president-death-muammar-qaddafi">gave a speech from the Rose Garden</a>. He said the US was "committed to the Libyan people" and that the country looked forward to "the quick formation of an interim government, and a stable transition to Libya's first free and fair elections."But that vision still hasn't been realized. And the failure to establish a stable and inclusive government could have dire consequences for both Libya and the West, as terrorist groups look to use the country as a base to launch international attacks.Foreign fighters are now encouraged to travel to Libya, as they were once encouraged to go to Syria when ISIS first established a base there, and both ISIS and Al Qaeda are using the country as a safe haven.<a href="http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2016/01/27-the-islamic-state-challenges-alqaida-lister/en-jihadi-rivalry.pdf">A new report</a> from the Brookings Institution that was also released on Wednesday noted that the competition between the world's two biggest jihadist groups could lead to more attacks on the West."The world no longer faces one Sunni jihadi threat, but two, as Al Qaeda and IS compete to outperform each other on the global stage," the report said.Libya could be an ideal staging area for these attacks, especially considering its proximity to Europe.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/565c7576c28144ba018b612b-1207-795/sirte, libya map.png" alt="Sirte, Libya" data-mce-source="Screenshot / Google Maps" />Screenshot / Google Maps</div></div></div>"The power vacuum left by the Gaddafi regime - and the enormous stockpiles of weapons - created a security situation that continues to threaten the region, and which has severe implications for the broader global struggle against violent extremism," The Soufan Group states.US officials <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/isis-can-organize-attacks-from-libya-2016-1">have taken note</a>.Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfaVxQmrypo" target="_blank">testified</a> before the House Armed Services Committee earlier this month and said he was "watching what's happening in Libya with concern.""They have an increasing ability to project military power out of their base at Sirte, and they have a safe haven space to organize, plan, and recruit," Ford said. "Just as the attack in Paris was organized in Syria, so they have space in Libya to do the same kind of thing."ISIS seems to be mimicking its Iraq and Syria strategy in Libya - seizing territory, imposing strict laws, and setting up propaganda <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/isis-propaganda-strategy-2015-11">"media points"</a> in the city. And ISIS has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/isis-is-going-after-libyas-oil-2016-1">already begun attacking Libyan oil facilities</a> in an effort to find a new source of funding as airstrikes target ISIS' oil resources in Iraq and Syria.ISIS is now thought to have thousands of fighters in Libya.This timeline from the Soufan Group's report spells out the events that led to the current state of affairs in Libya:<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56a8ee1858c3236d028b58e2-648-826/screenshot 2016-01-27 11.18.33.png" alt="Libya timeline" data-mce-source="The Soufan Group" />The Soufan Group</div></div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/presidency-ages-you-admnistration-barack-obama-george-bush-bill-clinton-2016-1">Here's how much the presidency ages you</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VqMmE1MDE6F7KDLqrmSpersKacqMu2bu" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'VqMmE1MDE6F7KDLqrmSpersKacqMu2bu',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

How one major failure allowed ISIS to exploit the chaos in its newest hotspot

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/530dc5afeab8ea9f79042c8f-700-393/f9cf2d0dd9c8acdc4ce07c0cbb223875.jpg" border="0" alt="russia ukraine" />AP Photo/Andrew LubimovA Russian armored personnel carrier is driven on a street in Sevastopol, Ukraine's Black Sea Port that hosts a major Russian navy base Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. Tensions were building up in the Crimea, where ethnic Russians who make the majority of the local population are deeply suspicious of the new Ukrainian authorities who replaced fugitive Russia-backed President Viktor Yanukovych.</div></div></div>SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine (AP) - Dozens of pro-Russian protesters rallied Tuesday in this Crimean Peninsula city, bitterly denouncing politicians in Kiev who are trying to form a new government, with some even calling for secession from Ukraine. A Russian lawmaker stoked their passions by promising that Moscow will protect them.
"Russia, save us!" they chanted.
The outburst of pro-Russian sentiment in the strategic peninsula on the Black Sea, home to a Russian naval base, came amid fears of economic collapse for Ukraine as the fractious foes of President Viktor Yanukovych failed to reach agreement on forming a new national government and said the task of assigning posts could not be completed before Thursday.
While Ukraine's politicians struggled to reorganize themselves in Kiev, a Russian flag had replaced the Ukrainian flag in front of the city council building in Sevastopol, 500 miles (800 kilometers) to the south of the capital. An armored personnel carrier and two trucks full of Russian troops made a rare appearance on the streets, vividly demonstrating Russian power in this port city where the Kremlin's Black Sea Fleet is based.
Some called on Moscow to protect them from the movement that drove Yanukovych from the capital three days ago.
"Bandits have come to power," complained Vyacheslav Tokarev, a 39-year-old construction worker. "I'm ready to take arms to fight the fascists who have seized power in Kiev."
Yanukovych's whereabouts are unknown but he was reportedly last seen in the Crimea, the staunchly pro-Russian region the size of Massachusetts. Law enforcement agencies have issued an arrest warrant for him over the killing of 82 people, mainly protesters, last week in the bloodiest violence in Ukraine's post-Soviet history.
His former chief of staff, Andriy Klyuyev, was wounded by gunfire Monday and hospitalized, spokesman Artem Petrenko told The Associated Press. It wasn't clear where in Ukraine the shooting took place or what were the circumstances of the shooting.
The pro-Moscow protesters gathered for a third day in front of administrative buildings in Sevastopol and in other Crimean cities. Protests on Sunday numbered in the thousands.
"Only Russia will be able to protect the Crimea," said Anatoly Mareta, wearing the colors of the Russian flag on his arm.
"I hope for the Ossetian way," he added - a reference to the brief but fierce 2008 war in which Russian tanks and troops helped Georgia's separatist provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to break free. Russia has recognized both as independence states, but few other nations have.
Russia, which has thousands of Black Sea Fleet seamen at its base, so far has refrained from any sharp moves in Ukraine's political turmoil, but could be drawn into the fray if there are confrontations between the population in Crimea and the supporters of the new authorities. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in Washington that their countries oppose any attempt to partition or divide the former Soviet republic into pro-Western and pro-Russian territories.
A senior Russian lawmaker promised protesters that his government will protect its Russian-speaking compatriots in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine that tilt heavily toward Moscow. "If lives and health of our compatriots are in danger, we won't stay aside," Leonid Slutsky told activists in Simferopol, the regional capital of Crimea.
Slutsky's statements followed more cautious remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said that Moscow has no intention of interfering in Ukraine's domestic affairs but also warned the West against trying to turn the situation there to its advantage.
Lavrov nevertheless criticized the new authorities who assumed control after Yanukovych fled, accusing them of failure to rein in radical groups.
Ukraine's interim leader, Oleksandr Turchinov, met with top security officials Tuesday to discuss the tensions in Crimea and elsewhere.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also summoned his top security officials Tuesday to discuss Ukraine, but no details were released.
Many in Russia have been dreaming about regaining the lush Crimean peninsula, which was conquered by Russia in the 18th century under Catherine the Great. Crimea only became part of Ukraine in 1954 when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred jurisdiction from Russia. The move was a formality until the 1991 Soviet collapse meant Crimea landed in an independent Ukraine.
Ethnic Russians make up the majority of Crimea's population, and some, including retired navy officers and their families, have Russian citizenship. The peninsula's nearly 2 million people includes 60 percent Russian speakers, as well as 12 percent who are Crimean Tatars, a minority group deported and persecuted in Soviet times, leaving them with little love for Russia. Refat Chubarov, the head of the Tatar community, says the Tatars want new elections to the regional parliament and to remove any monuments to Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin.
At the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, lawmakers delayed the formation of a new government until Thursday, reflecting the political and economic challenges the country faces after Yanukovych went into hiding.
Turchinov, the parliament speaker, is now nominally in charge of this strategic country of 46 million whose ailing economy faces a possible default and whose loyalties are sharply torn between Europe and longtime ruler Russia.
The European Union's top foreign policy official, Catherine Ashton, urged Ukraine's new government to quickly work out an economic reform program so the West could consider financial aid to keep Ukraine from bankruptcy. Meanwhile, the Institute of International Finance, a Washington-based association of banks and financial companies, warned that Ukraine's finances "are on the verge of collapse." Ukraine is battling to keep its currency, the hryvnia, from collapsing. Its acting finance minister says the country needs $35 billion (25.5 billion euros) to finance government needs this year and next.
After meeting with interim authorities in Kiev, Ashton urged the new government not to exclude members of Yanukovych's Party of Regions.
"It needs to be inclusive," she told reporters.
Protests in Ukraine erupted after Yanukovych in November abruptly reject an agreement to strengthen ties with the European Union and instead sought a bailout loan from Moscow. But they grew into a massive movement demanding an end to corruption and greater human rights.
__
Associated Press writer Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
<div class="nc_footer">
Copyright (2014) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
</div>
<img class="nc_pixel" src="http://pixel.newscred.com/px.gif?key=YXJ0aWNsZT1lNzVhMDFhM2RlMDU3YmY4ZTg3Y2NmYjM0YTE0YjQxZCZub25jZT1lYjdhMmYxZi0zZjQwLTQ2NzUtYWI3My1kZWMxYWYwMzE2Y2EmcHVibGlzaGVyPThjMDBmYmVlNjFkNWJjZjBjNjA5MmQ4YjkyZWJiY2Ex" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" />

You Searched For "interim government formation" and got 10 results

These Names Are In CM Race In Jharkhand assembly Election

BI India Bureau

DoT holds meeting as industry seeks movement of essential staff, other waivers for biz continuity

PTI

JPMorgan unveils 6 trades that should rake in profits regardless of whether the stock market tanks or rebounds in the near future

Akin Oyedele

Texas found startling amounts of a cancer-causing chemical in the air outside Houston. Nobody told the residents.

David Leffler,Savanna Strott,…

How TikTok’s ban in India might impact influencers and brands

Samarpita Banerjee

How one major failure allowed ISIS to exploit the chaos in its newest hotspot

Pamela Engel

Russian Flags Are Flying 500 Miles South Of Kiev In Ukraine

Associated Press

Insiders say RAINN, the nation's foremost organization for victims of sexual assault, is in crisis over allegations of racism and sexism

Bradford William Davis

HERBALIFE CRASHES AFTER EARNINGS MISS

Linette Lopez

Herbalife earnings beat, but the stock is sliding

Julia La Roche