India-US Military Drills Near LAC Violate The Spirit Of Sino-India Agreements: China

China on Wednesday said it was opposed to the joint Indo-US military exercises being held near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), asserting that it violates the spirit of the two border agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.

The 18th edition of the India-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' is currently underway in Uttarakhand, about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

It aims to enhance interoperability and share expertise between both armies in peacekeeping and disaster relief operations.

The nearly two-week exercise began earlier this month.

The joint military exercise between India and the US close to the LAC at the China-India border violates the spirit of the agreement between China and India in 1993 and 1996, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing.

It does not serve the mutual trust between China and India, he said in response to a question posed by a correspondent from Pakistan.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry's reference to the 1993 and 1996 agreements is interesting as India termed the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) attempts to move a large number of troops to the disputed areas in the LAC in eastern Ladakh in May 2020 violated the bilateral agreements which state that the boundary question is resolved through peaceful and friendly consultations.

The military exercise is conducted annually between India and the US with the aim of exchanging best practices, tactics, techniques and procedures between the armies of the two nations.

"The 18th Edition of India-US Joint Exercise #YudhAbhyas commenced today at Foreign Training Node, Auli. The aim of Joint Exercise is to enhance interoperability & share expertise between both the Armies in Peace Keeping & Disaster Relief Operations. #IndianArmy #IndiaUSFriendship," the Indian Army tweeted on November 19.

The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska, the US in October 2021, officials said.

The Ministry of Defence on November 15 had said that US Army soldiers of 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the Assam Regiment will be participating in the exercise.

The joint exercise will also focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

Troops from both nations will practice launching swift and coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity, the ministry said.

The exercise between the armies of India and the US will facilitate both armies to share their wide experiences, skills and enhance their techniques through information exchange.

In August, the Chinese military expressed similar concern over the India-US military exercises.

Since the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Chinese and Indian armies, bilateral ties between the two countries have taken a severe hit.

India has consistently maintained that peace and tranquility along the LAC are important to the overall development of bilateral relations with China. 

Extremism, Terrorism Against Very Meaning Of Islam: NSA Ajit Doval

 

Ulema have a leading role in educating the people on the original tolerant and moderate principles of Islam and countering extremism with progressive ideas and thought, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said Tuesday.

In his opening address at dialogue on the "Role of Ulema in fostering a culture of Interfaith Peace and Social Harmony in India and Indonesia", Doval said we need to work together to develop common narratives on deradicalisation.

A delegation of Ulema and representatives of other religions has come here with Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mohammad Mahfud MD.

The Ulema held a day-long dialogue with their Indian counterparts and other religious leaders at the India Islamic Cultural Centre on varied topics.

In his opening address, Doval said, "Extremism and terrorism are against the very meaning of Islam because Islam means peace and well-being (Salamati/Asalaam)."

"In a democracy, there is no place for hate speech, prejudice, propaganda, demonization, violence, conflict and misuse of religion for narrow ends," he said.

Underlining that both India and Indonesia have been victims of terrorism and separatism, Doval said while the challenges have been overcome to a considerable extent, the phenomenon of cross-border and ISIS-inspired terrorism continue to pose a threat.

"Cooperation of the civil society is essential in countering the threat from ISIS-inspired individual terror cells and returnees from theatres like Syria and Afghanistan," he said.

He said the essence lies in disseminating our positive discourse far and wide and not merely reacting to the agenda set by inimical forces.

"State institutions also need to come together in detecting and identifying potential negative influencers and share information to counter their activities. In this, Ulemas, due to their deep connect with civil society, can play a vital role," he said.

He said the Ulema have a leading role in "educating the people on the original tolerant and moderate principles of Islam and countering radicalisation and extremism with progressive ideas and thought".

"Our youth should receive special attention towards this end. They are often the primary target of radicalisation, but if their energies are nurtured in the right direction, they can emerge as harbingers of change and building blocks of progress in any society," he said.

Doval said the Ulema must also be adept in the use of technology and use it to thwart propaganda and hate.

He said against the backdrop of tectonic shifts in the global order, India and Indonesia, given their rich history, diversity, shared traditions and increasing bilateralism, have the potential to enhance prospects of peace, regional cooperation and prosperity in Asia.

India and Indonesia are home to the world's largest Islamic populations, Indonesia is the world's largest Islamic country, and India is home to the third largest Muslim population in the world, he said.

"Countries like India and Indonesia, with their experience of multi faith harmony and coexistence, can send a joint message to the world to eschew violence and conflict. This will be a powerful symbol of the determination of two large countries (together we have 1.7 Billion of the world's population) to preserve and promote the true values espoused by religion," he said.

Doval said that together we should strive to propagate the moderate virtues of Islam as a beacon of hope and cooperation for the entire world.

In his keynote address, visiting minister Mahfud MD, NSA's counterpart in Indonesia, said that we have witnessed people who use their religion as a doctrine of absolute truth and are quick to blame others.

"We have to go out of this and improve. Religion, I think, should be a source of peace, not the reason for discord, conflict, or violence. Religion should be a unifying tool, not a divisive instrument," he said.

The minister said the world is facing difficult challenges, ranging from poverty, climate change, food insecurity, pandemic, corruption, unemployment, armed conflicts, income inequality, and human rights abuses.

"Where are religions when the world fights against all these common concerns?" he said.

Great Barrier Reef Should Be On Heritage 'Danger' List, Says UN

A United Nations-backed mission is recommending that the Great Barrier Reef be added to the list of endangered World Heritage sites, warning that without ambitious, rapid and sustained climate action the world's largest coral reef is in peril.

The warning came in a report published Monday following a 10-day mission to the reef last March by officials from UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The reef, a living place of immense variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia, has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1981.

“Australia's federal government and Queensland's state authorities should adopt more ambitious emission reduction targets, in line with international efforts to limit future warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times,” according to the report.

Feedback from Australian officials, both at the federal and state level, will also be reviewed before UNESCO, the UN's Paris-based cultural agency, makes any official proposal to the World Heritage committee.

The text is damning about recent efforts to stop mass bleaching and prevent pollution from contaminating the reef's natural waters, saying they have not been fast nor effective enough. Uncurbed emissions lead to increased water acidity, which can be toxic.

“More money should be found to increase the water quality and stop the site's decline,” the report concludes.

In an email to AP, the UN cultural agency said, “In recent months, we have had a constructive dialogue (with) Australian authorities. But there is still work to be done.”

Adani Port Protest: Over 3,000 Booked For Attack On Police Station In Vizhinjam

 

Over 3,000 persons have been booked in connection with violent clashes during an ongoing protest against the Adani port project in Kerala's Vizhinjam area on Sunday night.

Police said cases have been registered against 3,000 'identifiable persons' for vandalising a police station and injuring police personnel. As many as 36 police personnel were reported to be injured in the violence that ensued.

Earlier on Sunday, the state police lodged an FIR against at least 15 Latin Catholic priests, including metropolitan Archbishop Thomas J Netto and Perera, over the violence at Vizhinjam.

Additional Director General of Police M R Ajith Kumar told the media that around 36 police personnel injured in the Sunday evening attack by the mob which vandalised the police station were admitted to various hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram.

"...a mob gathered at the police station in the evening and demanded the release of a few persons who were arrested in another case. They vandalised the police station and attacked the officers. An SI has received an open fracture on his leg. It seems like he was hit by a brick," Kumar told the media.

Kumar said there was no provocation on behalf of the police. He said officials were trying to maintain law and order in the region by exercising maximum restraint. It was when the protests turned violent that the police had to resort to lathi charge and tear gas to disperse the mob, he added.

Around 600 policemen were already deployed in the region and around 300 more were added to them, Kumar said.

In Thiruvananthapuram, the district administration on Sunday night held a meeting with the Latin Church authorities, who were leading the protests against the port project.

Vicar General Eugene Pereira, who attended the reconciliatory meeting on behalf of the protesters, told the media that the protesters who have gathered in the region will disperse without creating any trouble for the public.

"Today's talks have ended now. The people who have gathered in the nearby areas will leave without creating any trouble for the public. Talks will continue in the morning. We will have multiple meetings with the officials," he had said on Sunday.

Pereira said the facts of the cases registered against protesters have to be verified with regard to the violence and the church representatives will attend Monday's meeting called by the Collector.

He alleged the police had detained five local persons without giving details of the reasons for taking them, which provoked the locals.

"Many people are wounded and have been admitted to various hospitals of the city. We still don't know how many are injured. A few persons are said to be missing. So in tomorrow's meeting, we will include all the matters," Pereira said.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Vizhinjam on Monday morning with a strong police force being deployed to keep the situation under control.

Late on Sunday night, protesters had attacked mediapersons who were present at the site. ACV local channel cameraperson, Sherif M John was attacked by the protesters, who damaged his camera and snatched his cellphone. He has been shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.

NATO Vows To Aid Ukraine 'For As Long As It Takes'

 

NATO is determined to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia for as long as it takes and will help the war-wrecked country transform its armed forces into a modern army up to Western standards, the alliance's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg vowed on Friday.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Romania next week, Stoltenberg urged countries that want, either individually or in groups, to keep providing air defence systems and other weapons to Ukraine. NATO as an organisation does not supply weapons.

“NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will not back down," the former Norwegian prime minister said. "Allies are providing unprecedented military support, and I expect foreign ministers will also agree to step up non-lethal support.”

Stoltenberg said that members of the 30-nation security organisation have been delivering fuel, generators, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jamming devices, but that more will be needed as winter closes in, particularly as Russia attacks Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

“At our meeting in Bucharest, I will call for more,” he said. "Over the longer term, we will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment to modern NATO standards, doctrine and training."

Stoltenberg said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba would join the ministers to discuss his country's most pressing needs but also what kind of long-term support NATO can provide. NATO's top civilian official said the support will help Ukraine move toward joining the alliance one day.

The Nov 29-30 meeting in Bucharest is being held almost 15 years after NATO promised that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members of the organisation, a pledge that deeply angered Russia.

Also attending the meeting will be the foreign ministers of Bosnia, Georgia and Moldova - three partners that NATO says are coming under increasing Russian pressure. Stoltenberg said the meeting would see NATO take further steps to help them protect their independence, and strengthen their ability to defend themselves.

Since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion 10 months ago, NATO has bolstered the defences of allies neighbouring Ukraine and Russia but has carefully sought to avoid being dragged into a wider war with a major nuclear power.

But, Stoltenberg put no pressure on Ukraine to enter peace talks with Russia, and indeed NATO and European diplomats have said that Putin does not appear willing to come to the table.

“Most wars end with negotiations,” he said. “But what happens at the negotiating table depends on what happens on the battlefield. Therefore, the best way to increase the chances for a peaceful solution is to support Ukraine,” he said.

Iran Arrests Soccer Player For Criticising Government

 

Voria Ghafouri (PTI)

Voria Ghafouri, a former member of Iran's national soccer team, has been arrested for criticizing the government. 

The semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported on Thursday that he was arrested for insulting the national soccer team, which is currently playing in the World Cup, and criticizing the government. 

Ghafouri, who was not chosen to go to the World Cup, has been an outspoken critic of Iranian authorities and policies throughout his career. 

Iran has been convulsed by anti-government protests for more than two months, the biggest challenge to its Islamic theocracy in more than a decade. 

In Iran, security forces have violently cracked down on demonstrations triggered by the death of a 22-year-old woman allegedly in the custody of the morality police who was arrested for not wearing her hijab properly. At least 419 people got killed in the crackdown, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that has been monitoring the protests.

The unrest was spurred by the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country's morality police. It first focused on the state-mandated hijab, or headscarf, for women, but has since morphed into one of the most serious threats to the Islamic Republic since the chaotic years following its founding.

BJP Committed To Bring UCC Once Democratic Debates, Discussions Are Concluded: Amit Shah

 

The BJP is committed to bring Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after all democratic debates and discussions are concluded, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday.

When asked about UCC, Shah said it is the BJP's promise to the people of this country, right from the Jan Sangh days.

"Not only BJP, the Constituent Assembly had also advised the Parliament and states to bring UCC at an opportune time, because for any secular country, laws should not be on the basis of religion. If nation and state are secular, how can laws be based on religion? For every believer, there should be one law passed by the Parliament or the state Assemblies," Shah said at the Times Now Summit.

“This commitment of the Constituent Assembly was forgotten over a period of time,” he claimed.

“Except the BJP, no other party is in favour of the Uniform Civil Code. In a democracy, healthy debate is a necessity. There is a need for an open and healthy debate on the issue," he said.

The Home Ministry said in three BJP-ruled states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, a panel under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court and High Court chief justices has been formed, where people of different faiths are putting forth their views.

"We will take action on the basis of recommendations coming after this exercise. The BJP is committed to bring UCC once all democratic discussions are over," he said.

When asked if the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir was his biggest success story, the Home Minister said no success is his individual success as he was a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet and every success is that of the government.

"It was propagated for years that Jammu and Kashmir was a part of India because of Article 370. Now there is neither Article 370 nor 35A, yet Jammu and Kashmir is with India," Shah said.

“A new democratic generation is coming up in Jammu and Kashmir where over 30,000 panches and sarpanches are percolating the democracy to grassroots,” he said.

The Home Minister also said Rs 56,000 crore of investment had made its way there and 80 lakh tourists, the highest since independence, visited Jammu and Kashmir since 2019.

The lowest incidents of terrorism since it began in the 1990s and zero stone pelting have been reported, which is one of the biggest achievements of this government and there are no two views about it, he said.

"The roots of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir have grown deep, but the government is committed to eradicate it completely," he added.

Earlier, in his inaugural speech during the summit, the Home Minster said it was time that India's democratic values were let known to the world.

He said the country was moving at a fast pace towards achieving the target of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025. "In 2014, the country had four unicorn start-ups and the number has now spiralled to over 100," Shah highlighted.

When asked about allegations of agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate being misused ahead of elections, the Home Minister said anyone having grievances can move courts and such actions should not be seen through a political prism.

On the question of the purported video of jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain, in which he is seen receiving special treatment, Shah said it should be a question for the Arvind Kejriwal-led party to check whether the video was genuine or not.

"If the video is genuine, the accountability lies on his party and you are asking questions from me. I had also gone to jail and resigned as minister. Such shamelessness to cling to the post of a minister even after being lodged in jail is unprecedented," he said.

When asked about provisions allowing the Centre to remove a minister in such a scenario, he said even the Constitution makers had perhaps not seen such things coming, and hence, there was no such provision.

On the Shraddha Walkar case, the minister said Delhi Police and prosecution will ensure whosoever killed the 27-year-old woman will get the strictest punishment in minimal possible time.

When asked about the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat, Shah the said contest is between the BJP and the Congress. "We will beat all records in terms of seat and vote percentage in Gujarat," he said.

Argentina vs Saudi Arabia: Other Big World Cup Upsets

(Source: PTI)

The staggering loss for Lionel Messi and Argentina at the World Cup at the hands of Saudi Arabia is right up there with the biggest upsets in tournament history.

Messi, who had given Argentina the lead before the Saudis came back to win 2-1, is playing at likely his last World Cup.

But Messi and his highly-rated team, one of the title favourites in Qatar, now have an unwanted place on a very different list after losing to a team ranked 48 places below them. Saudi Arabia had won only three games previously at the World Cup, and only one in the last 28 years before Tuesday's shocker over the two-time champions.

Here is a look at some of the other major World Cup surprises through the years:

CAMEROON 1, ARGENTINA 0 (1990)

Diego Maradona, another Argentina great, led his country to the 1990 World Cup tournament in Italy as the defending champion. Maradona was established as the best player in the world and Argentina were favoured to retain the title.

A little-known Cameroon team that was playing at only its second World Cup had other ideas in the tournament's opening match against Argentina. Francois Omam-Biyik scored with a second-half header for the African team, which was also down to 10 men at the time after a red card. Cameroon eventually finished the game with nine men after another sending off but kept Argentina and Maradona out.

Argentina did recover to reach the final - something that may raise Messi's spirits slightly in Qatar - but lost to West Germany in that deciding game.

SENEGAL 1, FRANCE 0 (2002)

France were also World Cup champions when they came up against another African underdog at the start of the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.

France's team was packed with some of the best players in the world and no one thought they could lose the game. But Papa Bouba Diop bundled in a goal in the 30th minute and Senegal kept their nerve for a famous win on World Cup debut.

France ended up exiting in the group stage. Senegal went on to reach the quarterfinals, just as Cameroon did in 1990.

SOUTH KOREA 2, ITALY 1 (2002)

The 2002 World Cup threw up another eye-opener when co-hosts South Korea made a run to the semifinals.

South Korea had beaten Portugal in the group stage but bettered that upset with a 2-1 win in extra time over Italy in the last 16. Italy were a three-time champion at the time while South Korea had never won a World Cup game before the tournament.

Ahn Jung-hwan, who was playing his club soccer in Italy at the time, headed in a golden goal three minutes from the end of extra time to send the Italians home and reward a fanatical home crowd with a lasting World Cup memory.

UNITED STATES 1, ENGLAND 0 (1950)

Haitian-born Joe Gaetjens was the unlikely hero for the United States in a 1-0 upset over England at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.

The American team was basically made up of part-timers and the result reverberated across the game as one of the first big World Cup upsets.

NORTH KOREA 1, ITALY 0 (1966)

Italy were also on the wrong end of another upset in 1966 in England, when North Korea beat the Azzurris 1-0 in the first World Cup it ever played in. The result eliminated the Italians and sent the North Koreans to the quarterfinals.

North Korea weren't even expected to qualify for the tournament and didn't play at another World Cup until 2010.

Atleast 46 Killed As Earthquake Shakes Indonesia's Java Island

An earthquake shook Indonesia's main island of Java on Monday, killing at least 46 people, damaging dozens of buildings and sending residents into the capital's streets for safety.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.6 quake was centered in the Cianjur region in West Java province at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

“There are 46 dead people at the Cianjur regional hospital and around 700 injured people. Many were hurt because they were hit by collapsed buildings,” National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto said.

Several landslides were reported around Cianjur. Dozens of buildings were damaged, including an Islamic boarding school, a hospital and other public facilities, the agency said.

“Information was still being collected about the extent of casualties and damage,” it said in a statement.

The quake was felt strongly in the greater Jakarta area. High rises in the capital swayed and some were evacuated.

“The quake felt so strong. My colleagues and I decided to get out of our office on the ninth floor using the emergency stairs,” said Vidi Primadhania, an employee in South Jakarta.

Earthquakes occur frequently across the sprawling archipelago nation, but it is uncommon for them to be felt in Jakarta. The country of more than 270 million people is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

In February, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed at least 25 people and injured more than 460 in West Sumatra province. In January 2021, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed more than 100 people and injured nearly 6,500 in West Sulawesi province.

A powerful Indian Ocean quake and tsunami in 2004 killed nearly 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia.

Shivaji An Idol, Hero Till Sun And Moon Exist: Fadnavis

 

Amid a row caused by remarks made by Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari and BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi regarding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the warrior king will remain a hero and an idol for the state and the country as long as the sun and moon exist.

A major row erupted a day after Koshyari called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj an idol of "olden times" at a function in Aurangabad. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has accused Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi of claiming the founder of the Maratha empire apologised to Mughal king Aurangzeb five times.

"One thing is clear, that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will remain a hero and idol of Maharashtra and our country till the Sun and the Moon exist," Fadnavis, who is attending the closing ceremony of the 71st All India Police Wrestling Cluster Championship in Pune, told reporters.

"Even Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had no doubts about this in his mind. Thus, there are various meanings derived from the remarks made by the Governor. I feel there is no other role model than that of Shivaji Maharaj in the country," he added.

Clarifying the statement made by Trivedi, the deputy CM said, "I have clearly heard the statement given by Sudhanshu Trivedi. He never made any statement that Shivaji Maharaj has apologised."

Earlier in the day, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said Koshyari must reconsider his continuing on the post of Maharashtra governor, while the Sharad Pawar-led party's national spokesperson Clyde Crasto demanded that the BJP sack Trivedi.

Meanwhile, speaking about the police event, Fadnavis, who heads the Home department, said a special sports complex and hostel would be built for police personnel, and a proposal on it was in the final stage.

Letter Threatens Blasts In Indore During Bharat Jodo Yatra

(Source: PTI)

An anonymous letter has threatened that bomb blasts would be carried out in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city if the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi made a scheduled night halt at Khalsa Stadium in Indore on November 28.

The letter, which referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, also threatened assassinations of Rahul Gandhi and MP Congress chief Kamal Nath.

Police immediately launched an investigation and detained two persons for questioning, but it was suspected that it was a hoax, a top official said.

Two persons were questioned in connection with the letter, said inspector Yogesh Singh Tomar of Juni police station.

Talking to PTI, Indore Commissioner of Police H C Mishra said the letter was received at a sweets-snacks shop in Juni area on Thursday evening.

"It says that if the participants of the Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra stay at the Khalsa stadium, bomb blasts would be carried out in the city," he said.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Friday under section 507 (criminal intimidation by unknown person) of the Indian Penal Code.

"We have started an investigation into the threat letter. However, we suspect that this was the work of some mischievous elements," Mishra said.

A copy of the letter -- confirmed by police sources -- went viral on social media. Besides warning of bomb blasts, it said that no political party took up the issue of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and Rahul Gandhi and Nath would be killed.

State Congress secretary Nilabh Shukla demanded that security should be beefed up for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi's cross-country march, which is currently passing through Maharashtra and will enter MP on November 23.

Khalsa Stadium in Indore was in news on November 8 after there was a controversy over Nath being felicitated at a function held there on Guru Nanak Jayanti.

Kirtan singer Manpreet Singh Kanpuri had referred to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, regarding which Nath had faced allegations in the past, and blasted the organizers for felicitating Nath.

Already, the BJP has announced that if Nath enters the stadium during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it will be shown black flags.

As Climate Change Progresses, Trees In Cities Struggle

(Source: PTI)

As the driest summer in Seattle's record books ended, trees across the city were sounding silent alarms.

It was the latest in a string of Seattle summers in the last decade, including a record-breaking heat dome in 2021, to feature drier conditions and hotter temperatures that have left many trees with premature brown leaves and needles, bald branches and excessive seeding -- all signs of stress.

"You see it in big leaf maples and hemlocks, just loaded with cones or seeds, it's kind of their last-ditch effort to reproduce," said Shea Cope, an arborist at Washington Park Arboretum, a sprawling 230-acre (93 hectare) park north of downtown.

This summer was fatal for three significant trees in the park's pine collection, including an 85-year-old Japanese red pine infected with fungus left by beetles.

"We're losing conifers faster than our broad leaf, deciduous ones, " Cope added as he surveyed a towering knobcone pine with half its canopy dead.

Cities worldwide have promised to plant more carbon-absorbing trees to help fight climate change. Research has shown the shade of mature trees also helps reduce unhealthful heat islands, especially in poor neighbourhoods.

President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act infused USD 1.5 billion into the Forest Service's urban tree programme money for cities to do even more planting and maintenance.

CLIMATE THREAT TO URBAN FORESTS

Life in a city can be especially hard for a tree, and those challenges are escalating with global warming.

Researchers from France and Australia analysed the impact of hotter temperatures and less rain on more than 3,100 tree and shrub species in 164 cities across 78 countries. They found about half the trees already were experiencing climate conditions beyond their limits. They also concluded that by 2050, nearly all tree species planted in Australian cities will not be able to survive in urban areas.

"If trends hold, we are going to have a lot of trees die," said Nicholas Johnson, an arborist for Seattle City Parks. Under heat, trees get weak just like people.

"Heat and drought force trees to spend energy surviving, that would otherwise go to regeneration, growth or fighting off disease and pests, " Johnson said. "Everything outside is trying to eat a tree. The stresses become compounded."

Human-caused climate change also fuels more extreme weather such as intense wind, rain and freezing temperatures.

"It's not the gradual change that's going to be the problem, it's these extreme swings of too much water, too little water, too much wind, and storm intensities (that) are going to cause these rapid changes," said David Nowak, a retired scientist for the US Forest Service.

"Hurricane Katrina in 2005 wiped out about 10 per cent of the trees in New Orleans," said Michael Karam, Director of Parks and Parkways. "And in 2021," he added, "Hurricane Ida uprooted many new saplings."

"The need to increase the canopy is greater than in years past," he said. But the benefits in an urban setting remain the same. On any hot day, go in the shade and you're reminded that trees are such a benefit to public health and welfare.

A 2018 study by Nowak found that 25 states had seen significant tree declines earlier that decade.

Housing and commercial construction, compacted soil, pollution and even car crashes contribute to a city's canopy loss.

Cities are familiar with large scale tree loss, but usually one kind of tree is affected, such as birches killed by a borer pest.

With climate change, researchers are concerned canopy loss will outpace the rate of newly planted trees reaching maturity, which takes 10 to 20 years.

"A rising rate of tree mortality is coming to a city near you," said Aaron Ramirez, a tree researcher at Reed College.

 

Punjab Govt To Name Schools After Martyrs, Freedom Fighters

(Source: PTI)

Government schools in Punjab would be named after martyrs and freedom fighters, School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said on Tuesday.  

Village panchayats and the school management committees have been asked to pass resolutions for schools to be renamed, he said.

They will then send the same to the state headquarters within the next month through principals, along with the biographical notes about the martyrs and freedom fighters, said the minister in a statement.

Bains said the decision has been taken so that future generations get to know about the sacrifices of martyrs and freedom fighters for the country.

There's Only So Much A Robot Can Do

 

New cities should not be built to cater for robots and technology; instead robots must adapt to live with humans in existing cities.

Imagine a city of the near future where robots roam freely. They scoot along smooth footpaths, nimbly avoiding obstacles as they deliver groceries and medicines.

They glide through supermarket aisles, detecting spills and mopping them up before anyone can slip.

They provide valuable backup support in busy, understaffed restaurants, efficiently taking food to tables of waiting diners.

Robots are already doing these tasks. However, the utopian vision of efficient and problem-free robot helpers is a long way from reality. Recent reports highlight some difficulties: they have had trouble recognising people using wheelchairs on shared footpaths.

They have been labelled creepy and useless, and suspected of following shoppers for unknown reasons. In busy restaurants, they cannot navigate narrow aisles or customers' bags and coats.

So how can we make the best use of robots in shared urban spaces?

Cities are complex, dynamic and diverse -- this is part of the reason so many of us enjoy living in them.

But their unpredictability is what robots struggle to cope with. While some robots can operate successfully in shared city spaces, many can't and there is a long way to go before they'll be able.

There are several reasons for this. Most importantly, the complexity of apparently simple tasks is an ongoing technical challenge.

Although advances are constantly being made, research by Monash University found that there are fundamental reasons related to the logic of their programming that shape how robots perceive the urban environment.

The study found the growing army of robots has distinct ways of understanding the city through what is called 'robotic logics'. Two things are essential to their success: Predictability and connectivity.

Robots work best in situations where there are no surprises and where connectivity to bigger data networks which robots rely on to sense, categorise and make decisions about the world around them is available and reliable.

One solution is to design environments that are easier for robots to navigate. Early examples are warehouses where people and robots are kept separate to avoid accidents. Or dedicated road lanes specifically for driverless vehicles, as has been proposed in New South Wales.

While such responses might be great for robots, by prioritising their needs, they risk diminishing what people value about urban environments by simplifying them to a level that robots can manage.

Instead, the question is to ask how robots can best negotiate the hurly-burly of our cities. Studies have shown people can tolerate glitches or failures in the technologies they use, as they come to understand their limits.

This means that even when people's expectations of robots are not met because people often imagine that robots are more capable than they really are they can still find ways to work with them.

So, restaurant workers with concerns about whether they will be replaced by delivery robots find that a crowded dining room will possibly literally trip up a hapless robot, so they only use the machine when the restaurant is less crowded.

There is growing acceptance that robots perform quite simple tasks and people can step in to help when necessary.

This means thinking of robots less as replacements for human labour and instead as partners or helpers, akin to working animals, such as guide or cattle dogs.

A team from Monash University used an experimental scenario of a lost child in a shopping centre to explore how people understood a robot's limits.

They found people wanted to step into the role of decision-maker and leave less sensitive tasks such as information about shop locations to a robotic helper.

Another important shift in thinking is required in policy and regulation. Policies can sometimes struggle to keep up with quickly evolving technologies.

Experts have found that principles-driven approaches that prioritise people's needs without quashing innovative experimental technologies are possible.

Researchers have developed a checklist to help policymakers grapple with the complexity of new technologies and to guide policies on robots in public spaces.

This list links to the classic goals of public policy analysis which include defending people and property, promoting human flourishing, promoting efficiency and promoting social equity.

For now, robots work best when their environments are predictable -- and it is hard to assume how future cities would adapt to their needs.

This means that rather than thinking about how we can simplify cities to accommodate robots, we need robots that work in existing urban environments in all their diversity and complexity.

To do this we must recognise the limits of robots' capacities and focus on how best to collaborate with them. If we can address this, then we can support the sustainable and fair introduction of robots into our shared urban spaces.

This is a challenge that needs to be addressed collectively by roboticists, policymakers, end-users of robots and urban residents alike. 

(360info.org: By Shanti Sumartojo, Michael Mintrom, Dana Kulic, Leimin Tian, Pamela Carreno-Medrano, and Robert Lundberg, Monash University) 

Zelenskyy Calls Liberation Of Kherson 'Beginning Of The End'

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy takes part in a national flag-raising ceremony in Izium, Ukraine on September 14, 2022 (AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the Russian withdrawal from Kherson the beginning of the end of the war on Monday as he met with soldiers in the southern city.

The liberation of Kherson after a grinding offensive that forced Russia to pull back its forces from the city was one of Ukraine's biggest successes so far, in the nearly nine-month invasion and a stinging blow for the Kremlin.

Zelenskyy said that the country's strong army was persistently reclaiming the territories taken by Russia since its invasion while also acknowledging the difficulties and the heavy human toll.

The Ukrainian army has now reclaimed three major areas of the country in its counteroffensive -- the area north of Kyiv, the northeastern region of Kharkiv and now Kherson and many neighbouring settlements.

Zelenskyy has previously appeared unexpectedly in other front-line zones at crucial junctures of the war, to support troops and congratulate them for battlefield exploits.

Video footage showed Zelenskyy waving to residents who waved at him from an apartment window and yelled 'Glory to Ukraine!' The reply 'Glory to the Heroes!' came back from Zelenskyy's group, made up of soldiers and others.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday refused to comment on Zelenskyy's visit to Kherson, saying only that you know that it is the territory of the Russian Federation. 

Himachal Will Vote For OPS, Employment: Rahul Gandhi

As voting began for the Himachal Pradesh polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the state will vote for the return of the old pension scheme and employment. More than 55 lakh voters in the hill state will decide the fate of 412 candidates in 68 assembly constituencies.

"Himachal will vote for OPS, Himachal will vote for employment and Himachal will vote for 'Har Ghar Lakshmi'," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"Come, vote in large numbers, and make your valuable contribution to the progress and prosperous future of Himachal," the former Congress chief said, appealing to the voters of the hill state.

Gandhi is in Maharashtra undertaking the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Restoration of the old pension scheme, 300 units of free power, a Rs 680-crore StartUp fund, one lakh jobs and Rs 1,500 per month for women between 18 and 60 years are among the promises the Congress made in its manifesto for the Himachal Pradesh polls.

Voting began at 8 am on a slow note in the hill state but began to pick up as the morning progressed and the winter chill eased a bit. The polling will continue till 5 pm in all 68 assembly constituencies. 

Twitter's Grey 'Official' Labels Return For Some Accounts

 

Representational Image

Twitter is once again adding grey official labels to some prominent accounts. The company, in its second chaotic week after billionaire Elon Musk took over, had rolled out the labels earlier this week, only to kill them a few hours later.

But on Thursday night they were back again, at least for some accounts, including Twitter's own, as well as big companies like Amazon, Nike and Coca-Cola.

Some media companies, such as The New York Times and The New Yorker also had the labels as of 9pm Pacific time, while others, like The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times, did not.

Celebrities, some of whom have been impersonated this week since Musk began overhauling Twitter's blue check verification system, also did not appear to be getting the official label.

Twitter began offering a subscription service this week that for $8 a month, gets anyone who wants, without actual verification, the blue check mark, that previously was given to prominent accounts to prevent impersonation.

Now, there are two categories of 'blue checks', and the check marks look identical. One, which includes the accounts that were actually verified before Musk took helm, now note that 'This account is verified because it's notable in government, news, entertainment, or another designated category.' The other notes that the account subscribes to 'Twitter Blue.'

Earlier on Thursday, Musk tweeted that too many corrupt legacy Blue 'verification' checkmarks exist, so (there was) no choice but to remove legacy Blue in the coming months.

100,000 Russian Troops Killed Or Injured In Ukraine, US Says

(Source: PTI)

Russia's announced retreat from Kherson, a regional capital in southern Ukraine that it seized early in the war, and a potential stalemate in fighting over the winter could provide both countries an opportunity to negotiate peace, Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Wednesday.

He said as many as 40,000 Ukrainian civilians and well over "100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in the war, now in its ninth month. Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side," Milley added.

There has been a tremendous amount of suffering, human suffering, he said at The Economic Club of New York.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he was open to peace talks with Russia to end the war but only on the condition that Russia return all of Ukraine's occupied lands, provide compensation for war damage and face prosecution for war crimes.

Russia has said it is open to talks, and this week announced it had begun a retreat from Kherson.

Zelenskyy has warned that the Russians are feigning a pullout from Kherson to lure the Ukrainian army into an entrenched battle in the strategic industrial port city, a gateway to the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula.

Milley, the highest-ranking US military officer, said Russia had amassed 20,000 to 30,000 troops in Kherson and a full retreat could take several weeks.

"The initial indicators are they are in fact doing it. They made the public announcement they're doing it. I believe they're doing it in order to preserve their force to reestablish defensive lines south of the (Dnieper) river, but that remains to be seen," he said.

Milley said it's possible the Russians will use the retreat to reset their troops for a spring offensive, but there's also an opportunity here, a window of opportunity for negotiation.

But for negotiations to have a chance, both Russia and Ukraine would have to reach a mutual recognition that a military victory is maybe not achievable through military means, and therefore you need to turn to other means, Milley said, citing the end of World War I as an example. 

Seoul: North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Toward Sea

(Source: PTI)

South Korea's military says North Korea has fired at least one ballistic missile toward its eastern sea.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday did not immediately say how far the missile flew.

The launch extends a recent barrage in North Korean weapons demonstrations, including dozens of launches last week that the North described as simulated attacks on South Korean and US targets.

North Korea has dialled up its weapons demonstrations to a record pace this year as leader Kim Jong Un exploits the distraction created by Russia's war on Ukraine to accelerate arms development and ramp up pressure on the United States and its regional allies.

South Korea says the recovered debris of a North Korean missile fired toward the South amid a barrage of sea launches last week was determined to be a Soviet-era anti-aircraft weapon that dates back to the 1960s.

South Korea's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that an analysis of the 3-metre (9.8 foot)-long wreckage fetched from waters near the Koreas' eastern sea boundary on Sunday showed it was one of North Korea's SA-5 surface-to-air missiles.

The ministry said a similar missile was used by the Russian military to execute ground attacks during its invasion of Ukraine.

Photos released by the South Korean military showed what appeared to be a mangled rocket engine and wires sticking out from a broken rocket body that was still attached with fins.

The missile, which was one of more than 20 missiles North Korea fired last Wednesday, flew in the direction of a populated South Korean island and landed near the rivals' tense sea border, triggering air raid sirens and forcing residents on Ulleung island to evacuate.

The South Korean Defence Ministry said it strongly condemns North Korea's firing of the SA-5, which it sees as a violation of a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement on reducing tensions.

North Korea fired dozens of missiles last week, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that triggered evacuation warnings in northern Japan, in an angry reaction to a massive combined aerial exercise between the United States and South Korea that the North described as an invasion rehearsal.

Some experts say it's possible that North Korea reached into the inventory of some of its older weapons to support the expanded scale of last week's launches, which the North described as simulated attacks on key South Korean and US targets such as air bases and operation command systems.

The launches added to North Korea's record pace in weapons testing this year as leader Kim Jong Un exploits the distraction created by Russia's war on Ukraine to accelerate arms development and ramp up pressure on the United States and its regional allies.

The North Koreans would want to display their range of missile technologies through these tests, but not all launches have to reveal the latest technological advancements, said Soo Kim, a security analyst from California-based RAND Corporation.

It may be in North Korea's interest to hold some of its modern capabilities in reserve and test them at opportune occasions. Kim, again, is playing a longer game, so to reveal all of his cards -- the different types of missiles and capabilities his country has acquired  -- would not work to his favour, she said. 

"Get Out": Kerala Governor Bars 2 TV Channels From Press Meet

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan's decision to exclude some media groups from his interaction with reporters in Kochi on Monday evoked sharp criticism from the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress, with both terming the action as "fascist".

Khan on Monday morning categorically refused to speak to the media till reporters from CPI(M)-controlled "Kairali News" and Kozhikode-based "MediaOne" were removed from the area.

"I am not able to persuade myself any longer to speak to people who masquerade as media but are actually members of the party cadre. I won't talk to anyone from Kairali. I will walk away if Kairali is here. I hope there is no MedieOne here. I don't want to talk to you (MediaOne). Get out. I won't talk to you and I won't talk to Kairali. Please if anyone is there from MediaOne and Kairali, please get out from here," he shouted.

A visibly irate Khan claimed that MediaOne was only settling scores with him over the Shah Bano case.

"You (MediaOne) are carrying out a campaign against me," he said.

When some other reporters pointed out that everyone at the venue was invited or permitted to be there by the Raj Bhavan PRO, the Governor said "there might have been a mistake".

"I have repeatedly declared I shall not talk to Kairali, I shall not talk to MediaOne. They are carrying out campaigns against me based on total falsehood. If there is any lapse by someone from the Raj Bhavan, I will definitely look into it.

"But I have categorically made it clear that I shall not talk to Kairali or MediaOne. Have made it clear again and again. They are basically political persons masquerading as media," Khan said.

Criticising the Governor's exclusion of certain media houses as "unacceptable, undemocratic and unjustified", Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said that by barring a section of the press, Khan was preventing information from reaching the people.

"Excluding the media is a style of the fascist regime. It is not only a threat to democracy but also a violation of freedom of the press," he said in a statement.

Satheesan also claimed that even Congress-promoted "Jaihind TV" was denied access to the venue.

He further said that someone holding the office of Governor should not discriminate against anyone, including the media.

He also said that those who occupy high positions, including that of the Governor, should not tarnish the dignity of their office by such actions.

"Whosoever told the media to leave the venue, it was undemocratic," he added.

Speaking on similar lines, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that excluding certain media houses from the press conference, after they were invited, was a "fascist" move.

He said in a statement that the Left party will resist such moves and attempts to intimidate the people and the government of Kerala into submission by these methods will not be successful.

"The Governor earlier also took a similar stand. Those who criticised him were called cadres. This is unacceptable in a democratic society," he said.

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas also criticised the Governor's barring of some media groups, by terming him a "dictator."

"A dictator is born in Kerala," the MP said in response to the Governor's decision.

Brittas said that Khan insulted the media who came to participate in the press conference after obtaining permission and that freedom of the press needs to be protected.

He also said that all Kairali News employees will be wearing black badges as a sign of protest while presenting the news during the day.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) also condemned the Governor's decision and demanded that he rectify his "mistake" and "express regret" for his "undemocratic" action.

The KUWJ, in a release, also said the Governor's actions indicated intolerance towards criticism and added that it would be holding a protest march on Tuesday morning to the Raj Bhavan.

All media houses were instructed to send an e-mail seeking permission to attend the press conference on Monday morning.

Before the Governor arrived, his office-bearers read out the list of media houses and confirmed their presence, including Kairali and MediaOne.