Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Watch Live

logo-black

Download App

Watch Live

Abdul Hadi

US to probe claims Sikh turbans taken at border with Mexico

by
  • Sikh asylum seekers’ turbans were taken away after they were stopped at the US-Mexico border, activists claim.
  • The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has stated that the CBP’s own non-discrimination regulations are in conflict with the confiscations of turbans and violate federal law.

US authorities said they are looking into claims that Sikh asylum seekers’ turbans were taken away after they were stopped at the border.

Human rights activists claim that approximately 50 migrants have had their religious headwear confiscated.

Men who practise Sikhism must wear turbans and refrain from shaving their hair.

At the US-Mexico border, detentions of migrants from India have reached record highs recently.

Many come from Punjab, an area of India where Sikhs make up more than half the population.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has stated that the CBP’s own non-discrimination regulations are in conflict with the confiscations of turbans and “blatantly violate federal law.”

It referred to the seizures as “ongoing, egregious religious-freedom breaches” in a letter that was delivered to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Chris Magnus on August 1.

According to attorney Vanessa Pineda of the ACLU of Arizona, no adequate justification has been provided for what, if any, security issues wearing a turban would cause.

She claimed that it is a part of a larger problem in which immigrants’ personal belongings are seized and destroyed without justification or replacement.

It’s simply unacceptable, she continued. “They must halt this and find an other solution. It dehumanises people.”

The CBP’s Mr. Magnus said in a statement that the border agency requires its employees to “treat all migrants we encounter with respect.”

His statement read, “An internal investigation has been initiated to resolve this situation.”

Nearly 13,000 Indian citizens have been detained by Border Patrol agents at the US-Mexico border during the fiscal year that started in October, according to CBP statistics that have been made available online.

In the Yuma sector of the Boundary Patrol, a 202 km (126 mile) stretch of desert and steep mountains that runs from California’s Imperial Sand Dunes to the border between Yuma and Pima counties in Arizona, approximately 7,000 of these individuals have been apprehended. In a high-profile case in 2019, a six-year-old Indian citizen from the Punjab was discovered dead close to the Arizona town of Lukeville.

Authorities later reported that the young child passed away from heatstroke in temperatures over 42 C (108 F), after her mother had abandoned her with another group of refugees to go for water.

[embedpost slug=”/two-thirds-majority-of-u-s-senate-backs-finland-and-swedens-joining-nato/”]

Read more

After Kansas defeat, what’s next for abortion bans?

by
Kansans
  • A state-wide vote on whether to remove the right to abortion from Kansas was held on Wednesday. More than 900,000 Kansans, or almost a third of the state’s population, cast ballots.
  • 60% voted against the move, giving pro-choice supporters a landslide triumph. The failure of the anti-abortion movement in Kansas could cause other states considering similar referendums to reconsider their plans.
  • The topic could attract left-leaning voters and have an impact on not only the state’s future abortion laws but also the political make-up of the legislature.

A state-wide vote on whether to remove the right to abortion from the state’s constitution was held on Wednesday, and more than 900,000 Kansans, or almost a third of the state’s whole population, cast ballots. Many polls conducted in the months before the election projected a close result. However, when it came down to it, roughly 60% voted against the move, giving pro-choice supporters a landslide triumph.

As more states have their own referendums on abortion rights and as countrywide elections in November approach, the outcomes will have an impact on the entire nation in the coming months.

The US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade granted individual states the power to outlaw abortion. If any state should be able to pass abortion restrictions, it should be Kansas because it is a staunchly “red” state with a strong Republican base and Republican-controlled government.

However, because abortion rights are protected by the state constitution, pro-abortion lawmakers chose to bring the issue to a vote in an effort to advance more stringent legislation.

It appears that choice backfired. Although the state’s attempt to outlaw abortion may have failed, the fight goes on in other states around the nation.

Although the Kansas vote will undoubtedly have a substantial influence on women in the state, legal expert Naomi Cahn, Co-Director of the Family Law Center at the University of Virginia, claimed that its effects will extend well beyond its borders.

According to her, similar measures would likely be launched across the nation, either in an effort to protect the right or to restrict it and outlaw abortion, she told the BBC.

According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, 10 states—Arizona, Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, and Florida—have abortion rights codified in their state constitutions.

Despite their state constitutions, lawmakers in some of those states have stated they intend to outlaw abortions, and like Kansas, they might put the issue to a vote.

Abortion is already on the ballot in Montana for the midterm elections in November. In Kentucky, the state’s severe abortion restriction has been ping-ponged with by state courts despite the fact that the constitution does not guarantee the right to abortion. The question of whether to change the constitution to make it clear that abortion is not a right will be put to the vote in November.

In contrast, other states—most notably California and Vermont—are taking action to defend abortion rights by holding elections to add further abortion provisions to their state constitutions.

 

According to Kyle Kondik, a nonpartisan political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, the failure of the anti-abortion movement in Kansas could cause other states considering similar referendums to reconsider their plans, particularly if it could give pro-choice Democrats an advantage by inciting supporters of left-wing causes to cast ballots.

Republicans, in his opinion, “have a pretty evident vulnerability on this specific topic,” he said.

In Michigan, a so-called swing state where control frequently switches between the Democrats and the Republicans, such weakness might have significant repercussions.

Over 750,000 signatures were collected by pro-choice campaigners to put abortion rights on the November ballot. It’s possible that the topic will attract left-leaning voters and have an impact on not only the state’s future abortion laws but also the political make-up of the legislature and its congressional representatives.

According to Mr. Kondik, getting abortion rights on the ballot could become a strategy for Democrats to try and boost their voter turnout, but it’s not certain to be a success come November.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that Democratic Party principles are frequently more well-liked than Democratic Party candidates, he added.

People may go to the polls to support abortion rights, but it does not guarantee they will vote for candidates who support the freedom to choose. For instance, Mr. Kondik noted that while many voters continued to support conservative candidates for office, 37 states voted in favour of extending Medicaid in 2018, a left-leaning subject.

If lawmakers want to outlaw abortion but don’t want to risk political fallout, they might let the courts decide the matter. In Florida, where a prohibition on most abortions after 15 weeks has been contested and is its route to the state’s Supreme Court, that is what Governor Ron DeSantis has so far done.

In order to avoid linking their campaigns to a possibly unpopular notion, they might also postpone putting anti-abortion legislation on the agenda until after November.

No matter if states include abortion on the ballot or not, it is obvious that voters will think about it this fall. According to a June NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist survey, 40% of Americans supported the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade while 56% disapproved of it. In the same survey, 51% of respondents said they would be likely to vote for a congressional candidate who supported restoring abortion rights, while 36% said they would purposefully vote against such a politician.

Voters: Will they agree with the Supreme Court’s decision that abortion is not a fundamental right? Time will tell, but the court of public opinion may be unpredictable, as the Kansas results show.

[embedpost slug=”/u-s-iran-to-resume-nuclear-talks-u-s-expectations-in-check/”]

Read more

China gears up for military drills after Pelosi visit to Taiwan

by
  • China declares that five days of “necessary and just” military exercises will start on Thursday. Taiwan is talking with its neighbouring countries, Japan and the Philippines, to establish alternate aviation routes and has instructed ships to find alternate routes.
  • G7 foreign ministers warn that China’s escalation risked causing regional instability. China has criticised US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, accusing the US of “violating China’s sovereignty”.
  • The US adheres to the “One China” policy, which recognises only one Chinese government and establishes diplomatic ties with Beijing rather than Taiwan.

After a brief but contentious trip to Taiwan, which China views as a renegade province, Ms. Pelosi left on Wednesday.

In retaliation, China declared that five days of “necessary and just” military exercises will start on Thursday.

 

Taiwan reported that 27 Chinese fighter jets had already flown into its air defence zone.

 

Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that it had sent out jets to scare them off.

 

According to China, the exercises would include “long-range live ammunition shooting” and will take place in some of the busiest rivers in the world.

 

Taiwan is talking with its neighbouring countries, Japan and the Philippines, to establish alternate aviation routes and has instructed ships to find alternate routes to avoid the drills.

 

The nation was under “deliberately heightened military threats,” according to President Tsai Ing-wen.

 

The foreign ministers of the G7 countries—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US—released a unified statement in an effort to defuse the situation, warning that China’s escalation risked causing regional instability.

 

“The use of a visit as a cover for provocative military activities in the Taiwan Strait is not justified. International travel by lawmakers from our nations is common and customary “The declaration read.

Ms. Pelosi visited Taiwan as part of a larger Asian tour, becoming the highest-ranking US official to go there in the previous 25 years. China had forewarned her against visiting the island.

 

Wang Yi, the foreign minister of China, accused the US of “violating China’s sovereignty under the pretence of so-called democracy,” adding that those who play with fire will suffer the consequences of their actions.

 

China cannot “block world leaders or anybody from travelling to Taiwan to pay homage to its flourishing democracy, to highlight its many triumphs, and to reiterate our commitment to continuous collaboration,” Ms. Pelosi said in a statement following the visit.

 

President Joe Biden, a fellow US Democrat, did not support the senior politician’s trip, stating that given the current state of bilateral hostilities, it was “not a good idea right now.”

 

With its Taiwan policy, the US straddles a delicate diplomatic line. It adheres to the “One China” policy, which recognises only one Chinese government and establishes diplomatic ties with Beijing rather than Taiwan.

 

On the other hand, it keeps up a “strong unofficial” relationship with the island, selling Taiwan defence equipment.

 

What does “One China” policy entail?

Taiwan places Xi Jinping squarely in the driver’s seat.

Why are relations between China and Taiwan so bad? Taiwan and China were split apart during a civil war in the 1940s, but Beijing vows that the island will one day be recovered, possibly by force.

Who is in charge in Taiwan? The island has its own constitution, democratically elected officials, and an armed forces with roughly 300,000 active members.

Who acknowledges Taiwan? Taiwan is recognised by only a few nations. Instead, Beijing is where most people recognise the Chinese government. Despite not having diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the US is required by law to give the island the tools to defend itself.

[embedpost slug=”/u-s-iran-to-resume-nuclear-talks-u-s-expectations-in-check/”]

Read more

U.S., Iran to resume nuclear talks; U.S. expectations ‘in check’

by
  • Iranian and U.S. officials will meet again to discuss renewing the 2015 nuclear agreement.
  • Iran’s top negotiator says Washington must “show maturity & act properly” in order to salvage the agreement.
  • Both sides put the onus on each other to find common ground.

Top Iranian and American officials will meet again in Vienna this week to discuss renewing the 2015 nuclear agreement, according to officials from both nations on Wednesday. Despite playing down the likelihood of a breakthrough, they put the onus on each other to find common ground.

Before leaving for Vienna, Iran’s senior negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani tweeted that Washington must “show maturity & act properly” in order to salvage the agreement. learn more

Bagheri Kani wrote, “The onus is on those who breached the deal & have failed to separate from gloomy legacy,” in reference to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the agreement under which Iran restricted its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s U.N. ambassador, spoke at the organisation.

[embedpost slug=”/two-thirds-majority-of-u-s-senate-backs-finland-and-swedens-joining-nato/”]

Read more

Two-thirds majority of U.S. Senate backs Finland and Sweden’s joining NATO

by
NATO
  • More than two-thirds of the U.S. Senate approves Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO.
  • It is the most significant expansion of the 30-member alliance since the 1990s.
  • The move comes as NATO faces the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. Senate gave its approval to Finland and Sweden’s membership in NATO on Wednesday, making it the 30 member alliance’s largest expansion since the 1990s as it deals with the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The final vote count was 74 to 1, easily surpassing the 67 vote threshold needed for confirmation of the two countries’ accession articles.

[embedpost slug=”/major-victory-for-pro-choice-groups/”]

Read more

Summary of recent studies on COVID-19

by
Karachi experiences rise in COVID-19 infections
  • Children’s noses were less hospitable to the COVID-19 virus earlier in the epidemic than those of adults. Omicron may be more effective than earlier coronavirus variants at infecting kids through the nose.
  • The degree of smell dysfunction following coronavir infection may be a stronger indicator of long-term cognitive damage. Two-thirds of infected people had some degree of memory impairment.
  • Researchers presented their findings on Sunday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2022. States with COVID-19 vaccinations for nursing care employees in US states had the intended impact and did not face staff shortages.

Here is a summary of several recent COVID-19 investigations. They contain research that calls for additional investigation to confirm the results and that hasn’t yet been approved by peer review.

Children’s nostrils do a worse job of defending against Omicron.
According to a tiny study, the Omicron variation of the coronavirus may be more effective than earlier coronavirus variants at infecting kids through the nose.

Children’s noses were less hospitable to the COVID-19 virus earlier in the epidemic than those of adults.

In studies of the original SARS-CoV-2 and several of its derivatives, it was discovered that the virus elicited stronger immune responses in the cells lining young nostrils than in the cells lining the nasal passages of adults and that it was less successful in self-replicating in children’s noses. The antiviral defences in children’s nostrils, however, were “markedly less pronounced in the case of Omicron,” according to recent test-tube trials combining the virus with nasal cells from 23 healthy children and 15 healthy adults.

In comparison to Delta and the original virus, Omicron reproduced itself more effectively in children’s nasal-lining cells, according to their findings.

The researchers concluded in their paper that “these data are consistent with the higher number of paediatric illnesses observed during the Omicron wave” and requested more research.

After COVID-19, smell issues could indicate memory issues.
According to an Argentine study, the degree of smell dysfunction following coronavirus infection may be a stronger indicator of long-term cognitive damage than the overall severity of COVID-19.

Around 90% of the 766 adults over 60 who were included in the study’s random sample were infected with the virus. Three to six months after infection, physical, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric testing revealed that two-thirds of the infected people had some degree of memory impairment.

The researchers presented their findings on Sunday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2022, which was held online and in San Diego. After accounting for the participants’ other risk factors, the degree of anosmia, or loss of smell, “but not clinical status, significantly (predicted) cognitive impairment.”

“The better we can track it and start working on methods to prevent it, the more insight we have into what causes or at least predicts who will experience the significant long-term cognitive impact of COVID-19 infection,” study leader Gabriela Gonzalez-Aleman of Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina in Buenos Aires said in a statement.

Immunization laws are related to better nursing care staffing
According to a study, regulations requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for nursing care employees in US states had the intended impact and did not cause widespread resignations or a staffing shortage.

Nursing homes did, however, face staff shortages during the study period in states without such laws, researchers reported on Friday in JAMA Health Forum. Staff vaccination coverage rates ranged from 78.7 percent to 95.2 percent in the 12 states with COVID-19 vaccine mandates, according to data gathered from mid-June to mid-November 2021 by the National Healthcare Safety Network.

According to the research, states without requirements “had greater rates of reported staff shortages throughout the study period” and “consistently poorer staff immunisation coverage throughout the study window.”

The researchers noted that earlier initiatives to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among nursing care employees by education, outreach, and incentives were in contrast to the correlation of requirements with increased vaccination coverage. The data “suggests that the fear of huge personnel gaps related to vaccine mandates may be unwarranted,” they continued.

[embedpost slug=”/komodo-dragons-indonesians-strike-over-entry-price-hike/”]

Read more

Georgia offers tax credits for six-week-old embryos

by
  • Georgians can now include embryos as dependents on their tax filings. Tax credits of up to $3,000 (£2,500) for those with a ‘detectable human heartbeat’.
  • Medical professionals reject the idea of a foetal “heartbeat” as false. The Biden administration has filed a lawsuit to prevent an Idaho law that would make it nearly hard to procure an abortion from taking effect.
  • Around half of US states have now either outlawed new abortion restrictions or have plans to do so. The US Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the state is the first legal action in relation to abortion.

Following the state’s ban on the majority of abortions, Georgians can now include embryos as dependents on their tax filings.

Georgia has outlawed abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy, and as of the 20th of July or later, taxpayers who file taxes may be eligible for tax credits of up to $3,000 (£2,500).

Documentation demonstrating that the embryo has a “detectable human heartbeat” may be requested from tax payers.

The 1973 decision that guaranteed access to abortions was overturned by the US Supreme Court in June.

According to a statement released on Monday by the Georgia Department of Revenue, “any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat… is qualified for the Georgia individual income tax dependent exemption.”

The decision, according to the agency, was made after the court judgement on July 20 that allowed Georgia’s ban on abortions after six weeks to go into force.

Even at six weeks’ gestation, many women are unaware that they are expecting. Medical professionals reject the idea of a foetal “heartbeat” as false.

What is being found at this time, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is “a piece of the foetal tissue that will become the heart as the embryo develops.”

According to a news release from the tax authority, “like any other deduction claimed on an income tax return, necessary medical documents or other supporting evidence shall be submitted to substantiate the dependent deduction claimed, as asked by the Department.”

Legal experts have observed that it is not quite apparent what will happen if a pregnancy ends naturally at six weeks due to miscarriage.

According to Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis, “given how high the percentage of pregnancies that result in natural miscarriages, the treasury is going to be throwing out a lot of cash for pregnancies that would never come to term.”

After contesting a fine for using a high-occupancy carpool lane, a Texas expectant mother made global headlines last month.

When Brandy Bottone’s assertion that her unborn child qualified as a passenger was denied by an officer, she was issued a ticket. “My infant is in this area. She is a human “She claimed to have told the policeman.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade after almost 50 years, around half of US states have now either outlawed new abortion restrictions or have plans to do so.

The Biden administration filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to prevent an Idaho law that would make it nearly hard to procure an abortion from taking effect later this month.

The US Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the state is the first legal action the Biden administration has taken in relation to abortion.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated in the complaint, “If a patient comes into the emergency room with a medical emergency jeopardising the patient’s life or health, the hospital must give the care necessary to stabilise that patient.”

“This also includes abortion when it’s the only option.”

[embedpost slug=”/major-victory-for-pro-choice-groups/”]

Read more

Komodo dragons: Indonesians strike over entry price hike

by
  • The cost to visit the islands in Komodo National Park has increased 18-fold.
  • The aim of the government is to control the number of tourists and protect the threatened lizards.
  • However, locals claim that it will completely scare off tourists, causing a decline in revenue.

The cost to visit the main islands in Komodo National Park has increased from 200,000 rupiah (£11) to 3,750,000 rupiah (£206.40).

The aim of the government is to control the number of tourists and save the threatened lizards from excessive human contact.

However, locals claim that it will completely scare off tourists, causing a decline in their revenue.

Approximately 3,300 of the unique Komodo dragons live in Indonesia, according to the Reuters news agency. The largest lizard in the world may reach a length of three metres and has razor-sharp fangs and a deadly bite (10 feet).

Busloads of tourists from all over the world travel to Komodo National Park to observe the endangered species in person thanks to their distinctive, dinosaur-like look, with 220,000 doing so in 2019.

The local government expects that by raising the ticket charges, this number would drop and the islands will once again belong to their rightful owners, the dragons.

700 local employees that depend on tourism in response are going on strike through the end of August.

A nearby tour operator, Servianus Setiawan, claimed that the proposals endangered villagers who relied on tourism for their livelihood.

“Please come up with a reasonable amount so we can maintain Komodo dragons and so people whose livelihood depends on tourism can exist,” he said to the AFP news agency. “We support Komodo conservation.”

Viktor Laiskodat, the local governor, told AFP that although information about the fare rise might have been better disseminated, the 18-fold price increase will nonetheless go ahead.

In an effort to safeguard the endangered dragon species, local officials have made a variety of measures to restrict the number of visitors to the island.

Authorities had once intended to fully forbid visitors from entering the park, but in 2019 they floated proposals to restrict access to those who had paid for an expensive membership programme.

500 islands make up the East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia, where the Komodo National Park is located.

Given that it is one of the poorest areas in the Indonesian archipelago, the local economy depends heavily on tourism.

[embedpost slug=”/stephen-king-testifies-against-merger-of-publishing-giants/”]

Read more

Stephen King testifies against merger of publishing giants

by
  • Stephen King testified in an anti-trust trial to stop the merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster.
  • The merger between the two largest US publishers would have resulted in fewer books being published, the Justice Department claimed.
  • Both publishing houses argued that there would be no reduction in competition.

In an anti-trust trial to stop the $2.2 billion merger of the two largest US publishers, the author served as the key witness.

King was asked to testify by the US Department of Justice regarding the potential effects of the proposed merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster on authors.

The action “would be terrible for competition in the business,” King, 75, told the court in Washington, DC.

Both publishing houses contend that since they would continue to compete for the right to publish novels after the merger is complete, there would be no reduction in competition.

King, a publishing veteran with 50 years of experience, referred to that notion as “a little bit ludicrous.”

According to reporters present in court, the novelist joked, “You might as well say you’re going to have a husband and wife bidding against each other for the same house.”

Since the release of his debut book, Carrie, in 1974, Stephen King has written more than 70 books, including cult favourites like The Shining and It, which have collectively sold more than 350 million copies.

King has also become more active on social media in the last ten years, engaging with followers and frequently urging his 6.8 million Twitter followers to support small and local bookstores.

Penguin Random House and Paramount Global, the parent company of Simon & Schuster, declared intentions to merge in November 2020.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit to stop the acquisition a year later. The government of US President Joe Biden has made increasing competition a key component of its economic strategy.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland stated after the case was announced, “American authors and consumers will pay the price of this anticompetitive merger – smaller advances for authors and ultimately fewer books and less diversity for consumers.”

These accusations have been refuted by the merger’s attorneys, who assert that blocking the deal “would hurt the very authors DOJ pretends to defend.”

According to Daniel Petrocelli, Penguin’s main counsel in the trial, “the DOJ has not found, and it does not allege, that the combination will lessen competition in the sale of books.”

We are optimistic that the strong and competitive market will ensure that the purchase will strengthen rather than weaken competition.

Legal action against anti-trust violations aims to stop mergers and acquisitions from establishing market monopolies or engaging in anti-competitive behaviour like price-fixing.

[embedpost slug=”/first-grain-ship-out-of-ukraine-cleared-to-sail-to-lebanon/”]

Read more

First grain ship out of Ukraine cleared to sail to Lebanon

by
grain ship
  • The Razoni and its 26,000 tonnes of corn cargo have been inspected by a joint UN-Russian inspection team.
  • The ship sailed for the Lebanese port of Tripoli on Monday from the Ukrainian port of Odesa.
  • Russia has blocked Ukraine’s ports, worsening the world food crisis.

The crew of the Razoni and its 26,000 tonnes of corn cargo were examined by a team of representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN.

The ship could depart for Lebanon on Wednesday, according to the UN.

 

Since its invasion in February, Russia has blocked Ukraine’s ports, worsening the world food crisis.

 

Both parties agreed that shipments may continue under a deal mediated by Turkey and the UN last month, which established a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) to supervise exports.

 

The Razoni sailed for the Lebanese port of Tripoli on Monday from the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

 

The crew and cargo are as authorised and compatible with the information the JCC received before the vessel sailed from Odesa, the inspection team said on Wednesday after a three-hour inspection.

 

“The joint inspection team had the chance to speak with the crew and learn important details about the ship’s voyage in the JCC-approved maritime humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea.

 

The JCC will use this trip as part of its continuous efforts to optimise policies and procedures to ensure the Initiative’s continued safe passage of commercial ships through the Black Sea.

 

According to Ukraine, its naval ships will direct cargo ships through mined waterways.

 

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has stated that he wants to see grain exports resume on a regular basis. He expressed the hope that exports will motivate Ukrainian farmers to plant seeds for the upcoming season in addition to reducing food shortages elsewhere.

 

 

Following the safe return of the Razoni, 17 additional grain ships are reportedly ready to depart Ukrainian ports throughout the Black Sea.

 

After two months of discussions, a deal was reached between Russia and Ukraine at the end of July. However, less than 24 hours after it was announced, Russia launched two missiles towards the port of Odesa, casting doubt on the arrangement.

 

Although there is little trust on either side, if the agreement is followed, it will last 120 days and can be extended if both parties agree.

 

Together, Russia and Ukraine export about a third of the world’s wheat.

[embedpost slug=”/major-victory-for-pro-choice-groups/”]

Read more

Major victory for pro-choice groups

by
  • Kansas voters reject constitutional right to abortion access by a margin of more than 60%. The US Supreme Court’s decision to uphold abortion rights is seen as out of line with the general public. President Joe Biden predicted that people would consider abortion rights when Roe v. Wade was overturned.
  • A Catholic church and statue of the Virgin Mary were vandalised with red paint and a pro-choice message. Despite being a highly conservative state, Kansas has less restrictive abortion laws than many other states.
  • Other states, like Vermont and California, are conducting elections to strengthen abortion provisions in their constitutions.

The majority of voters said they did not want the state constitution to be changed to state there is no right to abortion.

Since the US Supreme Court permitted states to outlaw the practise, it had not been put to a vote before.

If the outcome of the election had been different, lawmakers might have taken action to further limit or outlaw abortion in Kansas.

Since the US Supreme Court invalidated Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that made abortion legal throughout the country, two months ago, the Kansas ballot question had been eagerly awaited.

According to projections, Kansans supported the state’s constitutional right to abortion access by a margin of more than 60%.

For the time being, it is only a projection; the final outcome will be verified in a week.

President Joe Biden predicted that people would consider abortion rights when Roe v. Wade was overturned. That theory now has support thanks to what happened in Kansas.

In a state that Republican former President Donald Trump narrowly won two years ago, the referendum outcome is being viewed as a landslide.

The Supreme Court’s decision is seen by Democrats and pro-choice organisations as being out of line with the general public, and this shows that Americans are extremely dissatisfied about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold abortion rights.

On November 8, the US will hold national midterm elections, with Democrats vying to keep possession of Congress.

 

The outcome, according to Mr. Biden, “shows that most Americans think that women should have access to abortion,”

At a watch party in Overland Park, Kansas, one voter, Taylor Hirth, sobbed as she celebrated the outcome with her nine-year-old daughter.

The idea of my kid ever getting pregnant and me being powerless to prevent it infuriates her since she was raped, she told the BBC.

“We have worked so hard to get the vote out here that I never imagined it would happen. Republicans miscalculated our might.”

Respect them Both, a Kansas-based pro-life organisation, claimed that during the preceding six months, “radical left organisations” had “spread lies” about the amendment and that “Kansans experienced an avalanche of misinformation from them.”

A statement on its Twitter page read, “This outcome is a momentary setback, and our devoted struggle to value women and babies is far from done.”

On a primary election day when Republicans often exceed Democrats by a two to one margin, Kansas officials reported that overall voter turnout was much higher than anticipated.

In the final month before the election, when emotions were high, a Catholic church and a statue of the Virgin Mary were vandalised with red paint and a pro-choice message.

Some Kansans had received false SMS on the day of the election pushing them to “vote yes” to defend choice, but the reverse was true – a “yes” vote was to restrict access to abortion. Twilio, a tech business, announced that it had removed the sender’s anonymity from its system.

Despite being a highly conservative state, Kansas has less restrictive abortion laws than many other states with Republican governors.

Other restrictions, such as an obligatory 24-hour waiting time and mandatory parental approval for children, apply to the termination of pregnancies up to 22 weeks.

Republicans who oppose abortion dominate the state’s legislature, while Laura Kelly, the governor of the Great Plains state, is a Democrat. She had cautioned that altering Kansas’ state constitution would send the state “back into the dark ages.”

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling on June 24th, more than a dozen states with Republican governors have taken steps to outlaw or further restrict abortion.

However, the right to an abortion is guaranteed by state constitutions in 10 US states, including Kansas. These provisions can only be changed through popular vote.

Other states, like Vermont and California, are conducting elections in November to strengthen abortion provisions in their state constitutions.

[embedpost slug=”/pelosi-leaves-taipei-to-sound-of-chinese-fury-by-matt-murphy/”]

Read more

Man who tried to kill spider with lighter sparked Utah blaze

by
utah
  • A man was using a lighter to try to kill a spider with marijuana and paraphernalia.
  • Utah Governor tweeted, “Don’t do drugs kiddies”. A 60-acre tract west of Springville burned Monday.
  • Authorities have no idea why the man wanted to set off a wildfire.

According to police, a man who was using a lighter to try to kill a spider set off a significant wildfire in Utah.

Even as flames engulfed a 60-acre tract west of Springville on Monday, the unnamed individual was taken into custody by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, according to the authorities. In the man’s possession, authorities also found marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.

“In the fire east of Springville, a suspect was detained. He claimed to be burning a spider with a lighter, according to law enforcement. UCSO deputies discovered drugs and paraphernalia in his backpack after he was taken into custody. He is being lodged in custody “The sheriff’s office tweeted the announcement.

According to police, they have no idea what the individual was thinking.

On Monday, Sgt. Spencer Cannon informed the local media, “We don’t know why he was doing that. He has been detained and is currently being put into jail on a charge relating to a fire.

I’m not sure why exactly he felt compelled to fire the spider, but you know, regret won’t affect the outcome based on whatever the reason was, the man said.

On Twitter, Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox made fun of the man by writing, “Don’t do drugs kiddies.” He also included a number of emojis showing a man smacking his forehead in humiliation.

For weeks, there have been wildfires in California and Utah, and firefighters have been battling fires that cover an area larger than 12 square miles all across the two states. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 35,000 wildfires have burnt 4.7 million acres in the United States so far in 2022.

[embedpost slug=”/pelosi-leaves-taipei-to-sound-of-chinese-fury-by-matt-murphy/”]

Read more

Pelosi leaves Taipei to sound of Chinese fury By Matt Murphy

by
Pelosi
  • US walks a diplomatic tightrope with its Taiwan policy – on one hand it recognises only one Chinese government, and on the other maintains a “robust unofficial” relationship with Taiwan.

After meeting with authorities in Taipei, Ms. Pelosi, the most senior US politician to visit in 25 years, left on Wednesday.

However, Beijing was furious with her because she disregarded its travel advisories when she visited the island as part of a larger Asian tour.

Taiwan is a self-governing island, but China views it as a separatist province that will one day reunite with the country.

Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, said in a statement on Wednesday that “those who play with fire will not come to a good conclusion, and those who harm China will be punished.”

Under the pretence of “so-called democracy,” the United States is infringing on China’s sovereignty, he continued.

With its Taiwan policy, the US straddles a delicate diplomatic line.

It adheres to the “One China” policy, which recognises only one Chinese government and establishes diplomatic ties with Beijing rather than Taiwan.

On the other hand, it also upholds a “strong unofficial” connection with the island that includes providing Taiwan with weaponry for self-defense.

Ms. Pelosi, who currently serves as Speaker of the US House of Representatives, is Vice President Kamala Harris’s heir apparent.

Taiwan places Xi Jinping squarely in the driver’s seat.

China responded to the visit by announcing military exercises it deemed “necessary and just” in waters about 10 miles (16 km) from Taiwan.

The exercises, which will start on Thursday and extend for five days, will involve “long-range live ammunition shooting” and will be conducted in some of the busiest rivers in the world.

On Wednesday, a US official told Reuters that Beijing might try to use the visit to raise tensions. Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for China’s defence ministry, acknowledged that some of the drills would enter Taiwan’s territorial seas.

 

Taiwan is facing “deliberately increased military threats,” according to President Tsai Ing-wen. She said that Taiwan “would not back down and that Taiwan will do all it takes to improve its self-defence capabilities.”

 

Transport Minister Wang Kwo-tsai said Taipei was working with its neighbours, Japan and the Philippines, to find alternate aircraft routes. Taiwan’s port authorities have asked ships to find alternate ways to avoid the drills.

 

It comes after days of rising tensions, during which Chinese jets have already flown as far as the median line, which serves as an unofficial boundary between China and Taiwan in the waters between them.

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is currently experiencing a full-blown Pelosi love fest.

They have been analysing every aspect of her appearance, including the colour of her clothing, the height of her heels (supposedly unusually high for an 82-year-old), and the fact that she “looked like Audrey Hepburn in that photo of her with President John F. Kennedy back in 1961.”

On Wednesday, throngs of people waited early outside Taiwan’s parliament in an effort to catch a glimpse of Ms. Pelosi as she emerged.

Almost everyone dismissed concerns about possible retaliation from China.

A 70-year-old guy declared, “China is bluffing.” Beijing may respond in the short term, but the United States will punish Beijing if it overreacts.

A 50-year-old housewife told us, “China shouldn’t bully Taiwan like this.” “This trip is typical; if China keeps acting this way, more nations will turn against it.”

However, this trip is anything but ordinary for China. Beijing views it as a shocking transgression of diplomatic protocol.

Ms. Pelosi commended Taiwan as “inspiration to all freedom-loving people” at a meeting with Ms. Tsai.

The American “determination to preserve democracy here in Taiwan remains iron-clad,” she added.

“America pledged 43 years ago to stand with Taiwan… today our delegation travelled to Taiwan to make it crystal clear we will not back down from our commitment to Taiwan,” Ms. Pelosi continued.

 

The 82-year-old had previously spoken with Tsai Chi-Chang, the deputy speaker of Taiwan’s parliament.

The trip has faced opposition from the White House, and President Joe Biden stated that the military thought it was “not a smart idea.”

Some pundits even suggested that the visit might force China, which has thus far declined to do so, to give Russia armaments for use in Ukraine.

However, she has received backing from a number of seemingly surprising sources. In a letter supporting the visit, 26 Republican senators signed on.

 

The letter claimed that “members of the United States Congress, including former Speakers of the House, have travelled to Taiwan for decades,” among its signatories being Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell.

 

The travel, it continued, was “compatible with the One China policy to which we are committed” in the United States.

[embedpost slug=”/2-children-4-family-members-from-orlando-found-dead/”]

Read more

India backs down from coal import targets for utilities, notice shows

by
  • India has eased coal import targets for utilities, setting aside a target for them to import 10% of their coal needs.
  • This follows two of India’s worst recent electricity crises.
  • The power ministry announced in May that it would cut domestic fuel supplies to state-run utilities.

According to a notice from the power ministry reviewed by Reuters, India has eased coal import targets for utilities, setting aside a target for them to import 10% of their coal needs, marking yet another shift in energy policy.

According to the notice, which was sent to government officials and private utilities on August 1, state government-run utilities and private power producers should instead decide for themselves how much coal they need to import.

“From now on, states/independent power producers and the Ministry of Coal may decide the blending percentage after assessing the availability of domestic coal supplies,” the power ministry said.

The power ministry announced in May that it would cut domestic fuel supplies to state-run utilities if they did not import 10% of their coal needs for blending with domestic coal.

Following two of India’s worst recent electricity crises, in October and April, the federal government reversed a long-standing policy of lowering coal imports.

In a separate notice sent on August 1 to the federal government-run NTPC Ltd (NTPC.NS) and DVC, the power ministry asked the companies to reduce their blending percentages to 5%.

“If stocks begin to deplete at any time, the blending percentage may be reviewed again,” according to the notice to NTPC and DVC, which also instructed the companies not to place new orders and to instead use imported coal that had already been delivered.

India’s annual power demand is expected to grow at its fastest rate in at least 38 years, while global coal prices are near record highs.

Due to this year’s unrelenting heatwave, demand for air conditioning has skyrocketed, while economic recovery as COVID restrictions ease has pushed power demand to all-time highs.

[embedpost slug=”/mexican-president-lopez-obrador-sparks-concerns-after-tough-statements-on-us-energy-dispute/”]

Read more

Why some heatwaves prove deadlier than others

by
Intense heatwaves to persist in Pakistan till May 24
  • Nearly 1,700 extra deaths occurred in England and Wales during Europe’s record-breaking heatwave. More than 11,000 of the nearly 15,000 people who died in France were over the age of 75.
  • The peak coincided with the traditional holiday period, when many children were out of school.
  • Some cities in the U.S. have hired “heat officers” to assist communities in dealing with the heat by handing out water bottles or directing people to air-conditioned cooling centres. This year, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been subjected to a scorching summer heatwave.

Early data from Europe’s record-breaking heatwave last month show that nearly 1,700 extra deaths occurred in England and Wales in just one week, with another 1,700 occurring in Portugal and Spain.

The figures, which are likely to change as records are updated, provide the first indication of heat-related deaths when temperatures reach nearly 40 degrees Celsius or higher from London to Madrid.

 

The data for England and Wales, released on Tuesday by the UK’s Office for National Statistics, compares registered deaths from July 16 to 22 to what would be expected over the same time period based on 5-year mortality averages.

 

The World Health Organization’s toll for the Iberian Peninsula is also provisional. more info

 

However, the July figures were nowhere near the 70,000 heat-related deaths recorded during a European heatwave in 2003.

 

Here are some of the factors that contribute to some heatwaves being more deadly than others.

The 2003 heatwave closed businesses, destroyed crops, and dried up rivers in the first two weeks of August.

The Paris region of France was hardest hit. Cities experience more intense heatwaves because concrete and asphalt absorb and retain heat.

The peak coincided with the traditional holiday period, when many children were out of school and families were on vacation, leaving elderly relatives behind in some cases.

More than 11,000 of the nearly 15,000 people who died in France were over the age of 75.

“A lot of people said goodbye to grandma sitting in her house and went on vacation,” said Matthew Huber, a Purdue University global expert on heat stress. “Normally, people would have checked in” on them.

Doctors were also on vacation. “Emergency services were not as well prepared, and there were no people on call,” said Mathilde Pascal, a researcher with the French Public Health Agency.

France is currently experiencing its third heatwave of the summer of 2022, which is affecting both humans and wildlife. more info

Following the disaster in 2003, many European countries developed heatwave action plans and began issuing early warnings. According to experts, preparing for extreme heat can save lives.

“More people are aware of what to do in the event of a heatwave,” said Chloe Brimicombe, a heatwave researcher at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. However, some countries are simply better equipped than others: nearly 90% of US homes have air conditioning, compared to only 20% of European households, according to US federal statistics.

 

However, technology cannot always assist. This year, Palestinians in the crowded Gaza Strip have been subjected to a scorching summer heatwave, which has been exacerbated by power outages that have left them without electricity for up to 10 hours per day. more info

Last month, nearly a third of the U.S. population was under a heat warning, and forecasts predict even more extreme heat this month.

People in poorer communities and the homeless are more vulnerable.

According to local health officials, 130 of the 339 people who died during last year’s heatwave in Phoenix, Arizona, were homeless. more info

Some cities in the United States, including Phoenix, have hired “heat officers” to assist communities in dealing with the heat by handing out water bottles or directing people to air-conditioned cooling centres. more info

“The risk of heat-related death is 200 to 300 times higher among our unsheltered neighbours than among the rest of the population,” Phoenix heat officer David Hondula said.

People who live in warm-weather countries are accustomed to extreme heat. When a person is repeatedly exposed to high temperatures, their heart rate and core body temperature decrease over time, increasing their tolerance.

As a result, the temperature at which people begin to die from heat-related illness varies by location, as does the related ‘Minimum Mortality Temperature’ (MMT), which is the temperature at which all deaths from natural causes reach their lowest point.

“If you live in India, your MMT is much higher than if you live in the UK,” Huber explained.

According to recent research, an area’s MMT can increase as the temperature rises. A 0.73C increase in MMT was found for every 1C increase in average summertime temperatures in Spain between 1978 and 2017, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters in April.

However, because so much about extreme heat and human endurance remains unknown, scientists are unsure whether the changes they are seeing in MMTs over time are also related to people becoming more aware of the dangers or better equipped to deal with them.

“There are several possible explanations,” Huber said, “and we still don’t know which is the most important cause.”

[embedpost slug=”/mexican-president-lopez-obrador-sparks-concerns-after-tough-statements-on-us-energy-dispute/”]

Read more

More than 1,400 London bus drivers to vote over strike action

by
  • More than 1,400 bus drivers in north London to be balloted for strike action over pay dispute.
  • Unite union says ballot opens on Friday and closes Aug. 26.
  • If drivers vote for industrial action, strikes could begin next month, the union said.

LONDON, Aug 2- More than 1,400 Arriva bus drivers in north London will be balloted for strike action in a pay dispute, the Unite union said on Tuesday, in Britain’s latest industrial dispute.

The polls open on Friday and close on August 26. Strikes could begin next month if drivers vote for industrial action, according to the union.

[embedpost slug=”/student-builds-platform-to-help-world-stay-informed-about-ukraine-war/”]

Read more

South Korea develops nanotech tattoo as health monitoring device

by
  • KAIST researchers develop tattoo ink that functions as a bioelectrode.
  • Hooked up to an electrocardiogram (ECG) device or other biosensor, it can send a readout of a patient’s heart rate.
  • Researchers eventually aim to be able to dispense with biosensors.

DAEJEON – South Koreans may soon be able to carry a device inside their bodies in the form of a custom tattoo that automatically alerts them to potential health issues if a science team’s project bears fruit.

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, southwest of Seoul, have developed an electronic tattoo ink that functions as a bioelectrode and is made of liquid metal and carbon nanotubes.

It can send a readout of a patient’s heart rate and other vital signs such as glucose and lactate to a monitor when connected to an electrocardiogram (ECG) device or other biosensor.

The researchers hope to eventually eliminate the need for biosensors.

“In the future, we hope to connect a wireless chip integrated with this ink so that we can communicate or send a signal back and forth between our body and an external device,” said project leader and materials science and engineering professor Steve Park.

In theory, such monitors could be placed anywhere, including patients’ homes.

The ink is non-invasive and made of gallium particles, a soft, silvery metal also used in semiconductors and thermometers. Platinum-decorated carbon nanotubes aid in the conductivity of electricity while also providing durability.

“When it is applied to the skin, the tattoo does not come off even with rubbing, which is not possible with just liquid metal,” Park explained.

[embedpost slug=”/pelosi-touches-down-in-malaysia-amid-tensions-over-trip-to-taiwan/”]

Read more

Richest and Poorest countries-2022

by
  • Gross domestic product (GDP) is the sum of all services and goods produced by a country in a given year.
  • The largest GDP countries are the United States, China, Japan, and Germany. But countries like Singapore and Luxembourg would be nowhere if GDP was the only measure of wealth.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the sum of all services and goods produced by a country in a given year. The largest GDP countries are the United States, China, Japan, and Germany. However, countries like Singapore and Luxembourg, which are tiny dots on the map, would be nowhere if GDP was the only measure of wealth.

GDP does not take into account wealth distribution. As a result, dividing the GDP by the country’s population yields a more accurate estimate, i.e. per capita GDP.

This method of measurement, however, has its own set of issues. In one country, a given income can buy much less than in another. As a result, determining how much a country’s residents can buy with their income is also important. GDP must be adjusted for the purchasing power parity of the country. In addition, inflation is considered.

Keeping these in mind the world’s top 10 richest countries are the following:

1. Luxembourg

2. Singapore

3. Ireland

4. Qatar

5. Macao SAR

6. Switzerland

7. United Arab Emirates

8. Norway

9. United States

10. Brunei Darussalam

According to the same measures, the poorest countries in the world are the following:

1. Liberia

2. Madagascar

3. Chad

4. Malawi

5. Mozambique

6. Niger

7. Somalia

8. Democratic Republic of the Congo

9. Central African Republic

10. South Sudan

11. Burundi

Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria, and Ukraine whose data is either unstable or not available also make it to the list of poor countries.

[embedpost slug=”/russia-accuses-us-of-direct-role-in-ukraine-war/”]

Read more

Menu

Latest

Entertainment

Lifestyle