Tag Archives: china

Indian Market Makes Historic Recovery, Investors Gain Rs 10.9 Lakh Crore

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In an unprecedented turn of events, the Indian stock market made a remarkable recovery on Tuesday, April 15, as investors regained a colossal Rs 10.9 lakh crore in a single day. This recovery effectively wiped out the losses incurred following the US tariff shock on April 2, marking a significant milestone in the financial sector.

The Sensex, a benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange, witnessed a surge of over 1,570 points, while the Nifty, the National Stock Exchange’s benchmark index, soared past the 22,300 mark. This marked one of the most substantial gains in recent months, reflecting a robust and resilient market.

The Broad-Based Recovery and Its Drivers

This recovery was not limited to a specific sector or a handful of stocks. Instead, it was broad-based, encompassing various sectors and indices. The driving force behind this rally was a combination of strong investor sentiment, positive global cues, and domestic optimism. The primary catalyst for this rally was a significant update on US trade policy.

The US administration announced a 90-day delay in tariffs for most countries, with the notable exception of China. This announcement served to calm investor nerves and reignite hopes for India’s position in global supply chains.

Financial stocks, due to their heavy weightage in the indices, led the charge, rising over 2 per cent. The midcap and smallcap indices, which had been underperforming recently, also saw a strong recovery, each rising by around 3 per cent. Market experts noted that domestic institutional investors turned aggressive buyers on Tuesday, further supporting the upward momentum. Asian markets were also firm, supported by a weaker US dollar and stable bond yields, giving Indian markets an additional boost as they reopened after an extended weekend.

India’s Position Amid Tariff War

India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals continue to attract investor interest, apart from global cues. With robust domestic demand and limited direct exposure to US-China tensions, India is increasingly seen as a stable bet amid global uncertainties, market experts noted. While data on foreign institutional investor flows is yet to be released, early signs point to strong buying activity.

“Markets are adjusting the new reality of daily Trump twists and turns,” said Vikas Gupta, CEO and Chief Investment Strategist at OmniScience Capital. He added that sometimes when tariffs look like they have been temporarily removed, the markets will react positively, when something unexpected happens they will react negatively.

China’s Underground Lab Aims to Unlock Deepest Mysteries of Universe, Begins With Dark Matter

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China has launched a cutting-edge underground laboratory in a bold bid to unravel the universe’s greatest mysteries. The China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL), buried 2,400 meters beneath Sichuan province, is the world’s deepest underground research facility. Its depth shields sensitive experiments from cosmic rays, creating optimal conditions to explore elusive phenomena like dark matter and neutrinos.

The lab’s primary focus is dark matter, which constitutes 85% of the universe’s mass but remains undetected. The next-gen PandaX experiment at CJPL aims to capture rare interactions between dark matter and normal particles. CJPL is also studying neutrinos—lightweight particles crucial to understanding cosmic processes.

China’s investment in CJPL highlights its ambition to lead in scientific research, alongside major projects like the Chang’e lunar missions and its space station, Tiangong. As CJPL advances, global scientists anticipate discoveries that could redefine our understanding of the universe.

The laboratory beneath more than 2,400 meters of solid rock, makes it the deepest underground research facility of its kind in the world. This remarkable depth helps shield the lab from cosmic rays and other background radiation, creating an ideal environment for sensitive experiments that require near-zero interference from external factors.

To investigate dark matter, the lab houses a range of advanced detectors and technologies, including the next-generation PandaX (Particle and Astrophysical Xenon) experiment. PandaX aims to detect the weak interactions between dark matter particles and normal matter by observing tiny flashes of light or electrical signals that might be produced when dark matter collides with atomic nuclei. By conducting these experiments in such a highly shielded environment, scientists hope to capture elusive evidence of dark matter’s existence.

Another major area of focus for the CJPL is the study of neutrinos—extremely lightweight and elusive particles that are produced by nuclear reactions, such as those occurring in the sun or in supernovae. Neutrinos can pass through matter almost undisturbed, making them difficult to detect but crucial to understanding fundamental processes in the universe. The lab’s experiments, such as the Jinping Neutrino Experiment, are designed to capture and study these particles to gain insights into how the universe works on a subatomic level.

Capable of studying , nuclear reactions, gravitational waves 

In addition to its role in dark matter and neutrino research, the Jinping lab has the potential to support a wide range of other scientific endeavors, such as studying rare nuclear reactions, examining the nature of gravitational waves, and exploring potential links between cosmic phenomena and the origins of life on Earth.

As the Jinping Underground Laboratory continues to expand its capabilities, it has the potential to yield groundbreaking discoveries that could transform humanity’s understanding of the universe. Scientists worldwide are watching with great interest, hopeful that this deep-earth facility will shed light on the unseen forces and particles that govern the cosmos.

With its unique design, cutting-edge technology, and ambitious goals, China’s underground lab stands at the forefront of global efforts to answer some of the most profound questions in modern physics and cosmology.

China raises again its claim over Arunachal Pradesh

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Despite India’s stand, Chinese Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Defence Ministry, reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is their territory, aimed at keeping the issue burning as ever.

Zhang’s comments came in response to India’s recent reinforcement of military infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh, specifically through the construction of the Sela Tunnel, aimed at improving connectivity and troop movement in the strategically significant area.

China consistently maintained that Indian leaders’ visits to Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as South Tibet,  undermine its territorial claims. However, India firmly rejected China’s assertions, maintaining Arunachal Pradesh’s integral status within the nation and disregarding China’s attempts to rename the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, where he inaugurated the Sela Tunnel, drew criticism from China. Zhang criticized Modi’s visit, stating that it hinders efforts to ease border tensions and disrupts peace in the region. He urged India to refrain from actions complicating the border issue and emphasized China’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China’s response followed a diplomatic protest lodged earlier against India by the Chinese Foreign Ministry over Modi’s visit.

India, in turn, firmly rejected China’s objection, reaffirming Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s stance, emphasizing that objections to Indian leaders’ visits or developmental projects in Arunachal Pradesh lack rationale and do not change the factual status of the state.

Agni-5: Simple tweet by Indian embassy in China on Mission Divyastra goes viral

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The Indian embassy’s social media post celebrating the successful test flight of the indigenously developed Agni-5 ballistic missile has gone viral, accumulating more than 10,000 likes and 3,000 reposts.

The post, shared on microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) by the Indian embassy in China, praised the achievement and shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message to the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists.

Prime Minister Modi on Monday hailed Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of homegrown Agni-5 ICBM with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle technology (MIRV), terming it a landmark achievement by DRDO scientists.

“Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable re-entry vehicle technology,” he posted on X.

While the Agni-5 missile is a potent ingredient in defence preparedness as it puts India in the select league of nations with ICBM capability, the development of MIRV technology – where the payload contains several warheads, each capable of being aimed to hit a different target, makes India only the sixth country with this technology.

This system is equipped with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages, which ensure that the re-entry vehicles (warheads) reach the target points within the desired accuracy. The capability is an enunciator of India’s growing technological prowess, sources said.

India’s successful test of the Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, dubbed Mission Divyastra, marks a significant milestone in enhancing the nation’s nuclear deterrence capabilities, particularly against adversaries like China. India becomes the sixth nation globally to possess this advanced technology, joining the ranks of the P5 countries (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States).

With a range of 5,000-7,000 km, the Agni-5 missile is specifically aimed at bolstering India’s defense posture against China. Previous successful tests in November 2021 and December 2022 laid the groundwork for this latest achievement. The new MIRV capability allows a single missile to deploy multiple warheads, significantly enhancing India’s strategic capabilities.

Daily 4 cups of black or green or Oolong tea can cut diabetes risk by 17%

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Sep 18 (IANS) A moderate consumption of black, green or Oolong (traditional Chinese drink) tea is linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a study involving over a million adults from eight countries has revealed.

The findings suggest that drinking at least four cups of tea a day is associated with a 17 per cent lower risk of diabetes over an average period of 10 years.

“Our results are exciting because they suggest that people can do something as simple as drinking four cups of tea a day to potentially lessen their risk of developing type 2 diabetes”, said lead author Xiaying Li from Wuhan University of Science and Technology in China.

benefits of green tea/Ians

The study, to be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting in Sweden next week, scanned 19 cohort studies.

While it’s long been known that regularly drinking tea may be beneficial for health because of the various antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic compounds tea contains, less clear has been the relationship between tea drinking and the risk of diabetes.

Overall, the new meta-analysis found a linear association between tea drinking and diabetes risk, with each cup of tea consumed per day reducing the risk of developing diabetes by around 1 per cent, said the study published in peer-reviewed journal Diabetologia.

When compared with adults who didn’t drink tea, those who drank 1-3 cups daily lowered their risk of diabetes by 4 per cent, while those who consumed at least 4 cups every day reduced their risk by 17 per cent.

The associations were observed regardless of the type of tea participants drank, whether they were male or female, or where they lived, suggesting that it may be the amount of tea consumed, rather than any other factor, that plays a major role.

“While more research needs to be done to determine the exact dosage and mechanisms behind these observations, our findings suggest that drinking tea is beneficial in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, but only at high doses (at least 4 cups a day)”, said Li.

It is possible that particular components in tea, such as polyphenols, may reduce blood glucose levels, but a sufficient amount of these bioactive compounds may be needed to be effective.

Despite the important findings, the authors noted that the study is observational and cannot prove that drinking tea reduces the risk of diabetes, but suggests that it is likely to contribute.

6.9-magnitude quake hits Taiwan; Three-storey building collapsed

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Sep 18 (IANS):A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County at 2:44 p.m. Sunday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter was monitored at 23.15 degrees north latitude and 121.30 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 10 km, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the CENC.

Strong tremor was felt across the island. A three-storey building in Hualien, whose ground floor was a convenience store, collapsed, trapping some people, according to local media.

Earthquake/Ians

A train carriage was turned over by a fallen rain shed in a railway station in Hualien, but all passengers left safe. A bridge fracture left two people injured. The rescue work is underway, according to local media.

Major road accident: 27 killed, 20 injured in China bus accident

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Sep 18 (IANS) Twenty-seven people were killed and 20 others injured after a bus turned on its side in China’s Guizhou Province early Sunday morning.

The bus with 47 people on board was running on a highway section in Sandu Shui Autonomous County when the accident happened, Xinhua news agecy reported quoting the county’s public security bureau.

Bus accident in China/Ians

Details are awaited.

India to assume G20 Presidency for a year from Dec 1; Sets priorities

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New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) India has listed its priorities ahead of assuming the G20 Presidency for a year from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “Our G20 priorities are in the process of being firmed up, ongoing conversations inter alia revolve around:

  • Inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth;
  • LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment);
  • women’s empowerment;
  • digital public infrastructure and tech-enabled development in areas ranging from health, agriculture and education to commerce,
  • skill-mapping,
  • culture and tourism;
  • climate financing;
  • circular economy;
  • global food security;
  • energy security;
  • green hydrogen;
  • disaster risk reduction and resilience;
  • developmental cooperation;
  • fight against economic crime; and multilateral reforms”.

    Under the role, India is expected to host over 200 G20 meetings across the country, beginning from this December.

    The G20 Leaders’ Summit at the level of Heads of State Government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi, said the Ministry statement.

    The G20 is an inter-governmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.

    G20 comprises 20 countries — India, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US — and the European Union (EU).

    Collectively, the G20 accounts for 85 per cent of the global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

  • G20 flags

    India is part of the G20 Troika (current, previous and incoming G20 Presidencies), which includes Indonesia and Italy.

    “During our Presidency, India, Indonesia and Brazil would form the Troika. This would be the first time when the Troika would consist of three developing countries and emerging economies, providing them a greater voice,” the statement said.

    The G20 currently comprises Finance Track, with eight workstreams (Global Macroeconomic Policies, Infrastructure Financing, International Financial Architecture, Sustainable Finance, Financial Inclusion, Health Finance, International Taxation, Financial Sector Reforms)

    Sherpa Track, with 12 workstreams — Anti-corruption, Agriculture, Culture, Development, Digital Economy, Employment, Environment and Climate, Education, Energy Transition, Health, Trade and Investment, Tourism.

    Ten Engagement Groups of private sector/civil society/independent bodies (Business 20, Civil 20, Labour 20, Parliament 20, Science 20, Supreme Audit Institutions 20, Think 20, Urban 20, Women 20 and Youth 20).

    In addition to G20 members, there has been a tradition of the G20 Presidency inviting some guest countries and international organizations to its meetings and summit.

    Accordingly, in addition to regular international organizations (UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO, WTO, ILO, FSB and OECD) and Chairs of Regional Organizations (AU, AUDA-NEPAD and ASEAN).

    India, as G20 Presidency, will be inviting Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE as guest countries, as well as the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Asian Development Bank as guest international organizations.

Pakistan raises accidental missile issue at UN; China, US support direct talks

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Despite India’s clarification, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi chose to complain to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on what he said was the “blatant violation of Pakistans airspace by the ‘accidental’ firing of a missile by India on March 9”, reports said.

India’s Defence Ministry had given clarification that in the course of routine maintenance on March 9, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile that landed inside the territory of Pakistan.

However, Pakistan said “multiple shortcomings and technical lapses of a serious nature in India’s management of strategic weapons” was “irresponsible conduct” and needed to be addressed by the international community, including the UN Security Council. Islamabad also insisted on a joint probe of the incident.

Meanwhile, the US and China have urged India and Pakistan to hold direct talks for reducing tensions as both are nuclear-armed nations. “We continue to support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on issues of concern,” a US State Department official said on Monday, though Washington said it sees no wrong intention behind the mishap.

Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said, “We called on relevant countries to have dialogue and communication as soon as possible and launch a thorough investigation into this incident,” spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing.

 

Coronavirus: Who is the loser in US-WHO rift? Global Health

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When US President Donald Trump tweeted a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last week threatening to make permanent the US freeze on WHO funding that began in April, unless the organization “can actually demonstrate independence from China” within 30 days, it has heralded another onslaught on fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

If President Trump sidelines the World Health Organization, experts foresee incoherence, inefficiency and resurgence of deadly diseases. The fissure between the United States and the World Health Organization has unveiled further the repercussions which could range from a resurgence of polio and malaria to barriers in the flow of information on COVID-19.

On the flip side, scientific partnerships around the world would be damaged, and the United States could lose influence over global health initiatives, including those to distribute drugs and vaccines for the new coronavirus as they become available, according to health experts.

“I don’t think this is an idle threat,” says Kelley Lee, a global health-policy researcher at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada. The acrimony is poorly timed when the need of the hour is for international coordination and cooperation to contain with the coronavirus. “In this pandemic, people have said we’re building the plane while flying,” Katz says. “This proposal is like removing the windows while the plane is mid-air,” said Rebeca Katz, director of the Center for Global Health at Georgetown University in Washington DC.

Trump’s Allegations

Trump’s letter, which he tweeted on 18 May, reiterated his earlier allegations that the WHO intentionally ignored reports that COVID-19 was spreading between people in Wuhan, China, in December itself. “I cannot allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that, in its present state, is so clearly not serving America’s interests,” he wrote.

A few of Trump’s claims such that the medical journal The Lancet had published on the new coronavirus in December was debunked the next day when the journal issued a statement calling the claim factually incorrect because their first reports on COVID-19 were published on 24 January.

Tedros has reiterated his commitment to an independent evaluation of the WHO’s response to COVID-19, and an assessment of the organization’s operations in the first part of 2020 that has already been made public. But when reporters asked Tedros, he said, “Right now, the most important thing is fighting the fire, saving lives.”

Last year, the US government gave the WHO roughly US$450 million. Nearly 75% of that was voluntary, and the other quarter was mandatory — a sort of membership fee expected from the 194 member countries, adjusted by the size of their economies and populations. The United States is the biggest donor, representing about 15% of the WHO budget.

So far this year, it has paid about one-quarter — $34 million — of its membership dues, according to a WHO spokesperson. Voluntary funds are more complicated because a large portion were paid last year, however the spokesperson says that the freeze has put a hold on new agreements, meaning that the full-blown effects of the decision will be felt in 2021.

The US government provides 27% of the WHO’s budget for polio eradication; 19% of its budget for tackling tuberculosis, HIV, malaria and vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles; and 23% of its budget for emergency health operations. David Heymann, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says this will also amount to resurge of polio.

The WHO will survive a US funding freeze in the next few months as other donors will help to compensate for the financial gap during the pandemic. Already, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $2 billion to the coronavirus response.

Even the United States would lose its influence on what the agency does and eventually lose its voting rights. Currently, only three countries — South Sudan, Venezuela and the Central African Republic — are in this category.

With that loss, the United States will relinquish its ability to shape health agendas around the world, says Lee. Ironically, that is exactly what the Trump administration is complaining about. “If the US pulls out and leaves a vacuum, it will be filled by other countries, like China,” she says. “You’ll see a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

 

 

84 endangered Amur leopards found in China, Russia

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In a good and bad news to tiger conservationists, scientists estimate that 84 highly endangered Amur leopards are roaming in the wild across its current range along the southernmost border of Primorskii Province in Russia and Jilin Province of China.

This new estimate of the Amur leopard population was recently reported in the scientific journal, Conservation Letters by scientists from China, Russia, and the United States. The scientists combined forces to collate information from camera traps on both sides of the border of China and Russia to derive the estimate. Because there are no records of leopards in other parts of its former range, this estimate represents the total global population of this subspecies in the wild.

Although numbers are small, previous estimates in Russia were even less, ranging from 25 to 50 individuals. However, those surveys, based on tracks left in the snow, were extremely difficult to interpret due to the unclear relationship between numbers of tracks and number of individuals. With camera traps, each individual can be identified by its unique spot pattern, providing a much more precise estimate.

Combining data from both countries increased precision of the estimate, and provided greater accuracy. Surprisingly, about one-third of the leopards were photographed on both sides of the Sino-Russian border.

Anya Vitkalova, a biologist at Land of the Leopard National Park in Russia, and one of the two lead authors of the publication said: “We knew that leopards moved across the border, but only by combining data were we able to understand how much movement there really is.”

Despite the movement, there were differences in population dynamics in Russia versus China. Leopards are currently recolonizing habitat in China by dispersing from the Russian side, where leopard numbers appear to be close to the maximum that can be supported.

Because of these transboundary movements of leopards, simply adding results from both sides would have greatly exaggerated the estimate.

Dale Miquelle, a co-author and Tiger Program Coordinator for the Wildlife Conservation Society noted: “This first rigorous estimate of the global population of the Amur leopard represents an excellent example of the value of international collaboration. The trust and goodwill generated by this joint effort lays the foundation for future transboundary conservation actions.”

Where’s world’s largest mobile manufacturing unit? It’s here in NOIDA, India

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 for re-sale in refurbished shape and price

Samsung India will open its new manufacturing in India that would be the largest mobile manufacturing unit in the world, beginning Monday, July 9, 2018. With this, China’s lead in making mobile phones will come down.

Built in a 35-acre complex at Sector 81 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh but almost in Delhi, the new factory will be inaugurated by the visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday.

The first Samsung’s manufacturing facility was set up way back in 1997 and upgraded in 2005 with mobiles, which will emerge the largest in the world with the addition of new complex in Noida.

In June 2017, South Korean company Samsung said it would invest Rs.4,915 crore investment to expand the Noida plant to double its production, which is likely by 2019. From the current production of 67 million smartphone units being manufactured in India, the company is expecting to produce 120 million mobile phones by the end of next year.

Samsung is already a house name in India with many home appliances like refrigerators and flat-panel televisions being made here. The NOIDA unit will be nearer to the capital and the entire northern market, giving the company lee way in terms of distribution.

In the south, Samsung has its facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, where some key R&D centre is currently in existence. Samsung India employs over 70,000 people. Once the new unit in NOIDA comes up, the company will be manufacturing its 50% of world production in India alone.

With over Rs 50,000 crore sales annually, Samsung India is likely to triple its sales figures in India by the end of 2020.

Rare Tapanuli Orangutan to be extinct soon, thanks to China’s mega dam

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A Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Credit: Maxime Aliaga

The rare Tapanuli Orangutan, discovered last year in Sumatra, Indonesia, and one of the rarest animals on the planet could become an extinct species soon unless urgent action is invoked to reign in on a mega dam in China, said a team of global scientists.

Besides the usual deforestation, the researchers have pointed out that the Batang Toru project being constructed by Chinese state-owned corporation Sinohydro as the major threat to the survival of the rare orangutan.

“This is just the seventh species of Great Ape ever discovered, and it could go extinct right before our eyes,” said Prof. Jatna Supriatna from the University of Indonesia. Echoing similar view, William Laurance from James Cook University in Australia, co-author of the study said, “In 40 years of research, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this dramatic.”

A baby Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Credit: Maxime Aliaga

Currently, fewer than 800 of the apes are surviving facing assault from mega-projects, deforestation, road building, and poaching, explained Sean Sloan, lead author of the article in Current Biology. “Their entire remaining habitat is unbelievably small, less than a tenth the size of Sydney, Australia,” said Sloan.

The authors are vehemently zeroing in on the culprit — the planned $1.6 billion Batang Toru mega dam that would go into construction phase soon, relegating the available forest cover for the Tapanuli orangutan, driving them to extinction.

“If it proceeds, the dam will flood crucial parts of the ape’s habitat, while chopping up its remaining habitat with new roads and powerlines,” said Supriatna.

Since the rare ape survives only in areas with virtually no roads, the project will stifle their livelihood, said researchers. “This is a critical test for China and Indonesia. They say they want sustainable development–but words are cheap,” said Laurance. “This could be ecological Armageddon for one of our closest living relatives,” he quickly added.

A Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Credit: Maxime Aliaga

What IUCN says?

The newly described Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) exists in an isolated area in around 1100 km2 of forests in the Central, North and South districts of Tapanuli, in the province of North Sumatra.

Until recently, it was thought that only two species of orangutan existed; the Bornean (Pongo pygmaeus) and Sumatran (Pongo abelii). Orangutans are found only in Indonesia and Malaysia and are listed as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

“It is rather amazing that this population of orangutans differs so much from the orangutans in the north of Sumatra and that even today, after many decades of intensive research on Great Apes, a new species of this primate family can still be discovered” stated Dr. Ian Singleton, Director of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), who has worked on improving protection of the Tapanuli orangutans and their habitat since 2005.

The Tapanuli orangutan was initially found by scientists in 1997, but was not confirmed as a separate species until 2017. To reach that conclusion, researchers needed to closely examine the genetic, morphological and behavioural traits which differed from the other two known orangutan species.

“Despite only just now being described, with less than 800 left, the Tapanuli orangutan is already the most endangered great ape species in the world” stated Matthew Nowak, co-author of the recently published ‘Population Habitat Viability Analysis for Orangutans’ and Director of Research at the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme. ”

The Red List status of this new orangutan is currently being assessed, but conservation concerns for the species are high. This is due to a small population, slow reproduction levels, concerns over local habitat destruction, and killing.

Researchers involved in the definition of this new species included experts from the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Primate Specialist Group (including Ian Singleton, Matthew Nowak and Serge Wich).

PM Modi to Attend BRICS Summit in China

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Amid border tension on Doklam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend 9th BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China from 3-5 September 2017.

In his Facebook post, the Prime Minister said:”India had the privilege of hosting the previous Summit in Goa in October last year. I look forward to building upon the results and outcomes of the Goa Summit. I also look forward to productive discussions and positive outcomes that will support the agenda of a stronger BRICS partnership under the chairmanship of China.”

PM Modi will also interact with the BRICS Business Council represented by captains of industry from all five countries, he said.

In addition, he will also engage with leaders of nine other countries, including BRICS partners, in an Emerging Markets and Developing Countries Dialogue, hosted by President Xi Jinping on 5 September.

“I will have the opportunity to meet leaders bilaterally on the sidelines of the Summit. India attaches high importance to the role of BRICS that has begun a second decade of its partnership for progress and peace. BRICS has important contributions to make in addressing global challenges and upholding world peace and security,” said PM Modi.

Visit of Prime Minister to China and Myanmar (September 3-7, 2017)

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At the invitation of the President of People’s Republic of China, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China’s Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit.

Subsequently, Prime Minister will pay a State visit to Myanmar from September 5-7, 2017 at the invitation of H.E. U Htin Kyaw, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first bilateral State visit to Myanmar. During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan.

India Missile in Pipeline to Target Whole of China: Report

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India is gearing up its nuclear arsenal aimed at targeting entire China, while it is already capable of deterring Pakistan, said a research article published in July-August issue of ‘After Midnight’.

Written by top American nuclear experts — Hans M Kristensen and Robert S Norris — in the article titled, “Indian nuclear forces 2017“, the report said India is modernising its atomic arsenal seeking parity with China and not Pakistan, its traditional arch rival in the region of South Asia.

The writers claimed that India is now developing a missile which can carry nuclear heads to any remote area in China from its bases in South India. So far, India has developed an estimated 600 kilograms of plutonium, sufficient to produce 200 warhead though it has developed 120 to 130 nuclear warheads, they said.

India’s nuclear strategy is fast shifting to China, which they called “Decoupling” strategy aimed at both the northern neighbours. “While India has traditionally been focused on deterring Pakistan, its nuclear modernisation indicates that it is putting increased emphasis on its future strategic relationship with China. That adjustment will result in significantly new capabilities being deployed over the next decade that may influence how India views nuclear weapons’ role against Pakistan,” they said.

The report has also estimated that India has seven nuclear-capable systems in total, four land-based nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, the short-range Prithvi-2 and Agni-1, the medium-range Agni-2, and the intermediate-range Agni-3. At least two other longer-range Agni missiles are under development known as the Agni-4 and Agni-5, it said.

There is speculation to arm the Agni-5 with multiple warheads – even multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) in the near future, said the report. The report attributed this development to recent changes in China and Pakistan policies. China resorted to equip some of its ICBMs with MIRVs, while Pakistan announced in January 2017 that it had test-launched a new Ababeel ICBM with MIRVs. Soon, India may come under pressure to opt for MIRV technology, argued the authors.

 

NASA Data Detects Huge Drop in Global Fires, Good or Bad?

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NASA satellites have detected from space that the number of fires across tropical forests in South America, the Eurasian Steppe, and the savannas of Africa are increasingly declining due to settled lifestyle than previous nomadic lifestyle in the regions.

The transition is leading intensified agriculture and steep drop in the use of fire leading to decline of forest fires, said researchers from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The total acreage burned by fires declined annually by 24% from 1998 to 2015, said a research paper based on NASA satellite data and ground-based socioeconomic information. The beneficiaries are mainly the savannas and grasslands, which witnessed fires burning out half the size of the US every year, said Niels Andela, a research scientist at Goddard and lead author.

In traditional savanna cultures, people often set fires to keep grazing lands productive and free of shrubs. Since many of these communities have shifted to cultivate more permanent fields and to build more houses, roads and villages, the use of fire declines.eading organisaed governance that controls fires. By 2015, savanna fires in Africa had declined by 270,000 square miles (700,000 square km), almost equivalent to an area the size of Texas.

“When land use intensifies on savannas, fire is used less and less as a tool. As soon as people invest in houses, crops and livestock, they don’t want these fires close by anymore. The way of doing agriculture changes, the practices change, and fire slowly disappears from the grassland landscape,” said Andela.

Fires in the savanna, like this one in South Africa, burn quickly through grasses, and help prevent trees and larger shrubs from taking root. CREDIT: Guido van der Werf / Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands

For their study, researchers used data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, as well as other sources and compared it with trends in population, agriculture, livestock density and gross domestic product.

The scientists found a different pattern emerging in the rainforests close to the equator. Natural fires are rare in tropical forests, but as people settle an area they often burn to clear land for cropland and pastures. Once settled, they set fewer fires and the burned area declines.

The impact of a warming and drying climate is seen at higher latitudes in Canada and the American west, where fire has increased. Even in parts of China, India, Brazil and southern Africa, an increase in burned area is coming to light, said Doug Morton, a research scientist at Goddard and a co-author of the study.

“Climate change has increased fire risk in many regions, but satellite burned area data show that human activity has effectively counterbalanced that climate risk, especially across the global tropics,” Morton said.

The 24% decline in burned area may have contributed about 7% to the ability of global vegetation to absorb the increase in carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and land use change.

China, India Behind 50% of Global Deaths Due to Air Pollution: Study

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China and India together contributed for more than half of the total global deaths due to air pollution in 2015, said a study by the U.S.-based Health Effects Institute (HEI).

The report showed that air pollution caused more than 4.2 million deaths in 2015, making it the fifth highest cause of death. But just two countries – India and China alone reported 2.2 million deaths, or half of the global deaths.

The institute on its website – www.stateofglobalair.org – said 92% of the world’s population lives in areas which are filled with polluted or unhealthy air. In turn, air pollution causes cancer, stroke and heart disease, as well as chronic respiratory problems such as asthma.

However, China is trying to bring down the deaths but India has a long time to go, it said. In January, a ministry spokesman told domestic media, “It is currently too early to draw conclusions about the extent of the impact of smog on health, especially its long-term impact on the body.”

The report said most of the world’s population lives in areas where air quality is unhealthy and an estimated 92% of people live in areas where fine particulate matter concentrations (small dust or soot in the air) exceed the World Health Organization’s Air Quality Guideline of 10 µg/m3.

Air pollution is a complex mixture of particles and gases and the composition varies from place to place, depending on what sources are present, including power plants, heavy industry, traffic, weather conditions, and how they mix in the atmosphere, said the organisation in it study.

Trumpeting ‘America First’ Theory Far-Fetched But Feasible

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US President Donald Trump in his first Presidential address has put “America First”, setting the tone for an inward-looking diplomacy that might radically change the course of world events since the Pearl Harbor attack seven decades ago.

“We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first, America first,” he said in his first Presidential speech.

In domestic politics, what President Trump proclaimed was feasible but in international politics, diplomacy varies from capital to capital and region to region. Depending on where he stands, it changes.

To begin with, going westward, America of Trump may seek more from Japan where it has stationed its war fleet round the clock for a sum. Now this has to be a ransom to sustain what Trump wanted. Will Tokyo, stuck in a stagnated economy, tax its citizens more to pay Uncle Sam?

Australia and New Zealand, who fall in line every time an emergency struck the US in the past, may not benefit from America First policy directly but certainly they can look inward for a domestically centred economic push, instead of looking at Washington DC for succour.

Asia is as divided as ever. China may tremble under the pressure of a constant panic button by an erstwhile businessman who may want more concessions or threaten to replete the markets for ever. China may retaliate in many ways including selling its US dollar reserves which are in plenty. This may be an uphill task but once mooted, even the US economy will shake.

India, being a late entrant into the US-dominated international politics after the Cold War, will have to safeguard its Information Technology companies and contracts whether H1B visa is there or not. The time is for Indian honchos to give room to their US counterparts in office space to thwart any direct attack from Trump. It is going to be a roller-coaster ride for Indian IT companies for the next four years.

Pakistan, whose Prime Minister woke up to a sudden phone call from President-elect Trump, may cosy up to the fact that they have to rein in on Islamic leaders either willingly or unwillingly for the next four years. US troops in Afghan border will remain a direct answer to every word that Trump speaks from now onwards. How Taliban in Kabul outskirts reacts to Trump will shape the drone war in the vicinity of Hindukush mountains.

Middle East will remain the major beneficiary from the Trump Administration as long as the Arabs keep their oil wells in tact and hand over the IS agents in return for business considerations. One pointer is that oil prices will be given a push to touch $100 if diplomacy by business is what Trump means.

More of Israel than Iran in Middle East policy will gain currency again. To achieve this, United Kingdom will have to be roped in and NATO alliance has to remain in its place to keep Russia’s Putin in place. US future with Europe is so intertwined that no President can just distance the siblings here.

Africa in the backyard, as usual, with focus on warlords and military mafia who will resurrect terror and attract Trump’s attention eventually tasting his iron-handed approach. Unlike the previous Bush administration, Trump may be forced to involve more in African affairs, for a change now.

Back to borders with other American nations like Mexico, he may build a wall but how much of the cost will be footed by the Mexican drug mafia, if not the Mexican government, will be the major question. Other Latin Americans may wait in the wings for the next administration to take over in 2021.

All said and done, Trump’s slogan remains the same – “Yes, together, we will make America great again.”

New Year’s Eve Celebrated Around the World

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Come New Year’s Eve, display of fireworks to revelers displaying the joyous mood mark the night of December 31 every year. Throughout the world the celebration begin with New Zealand and Australia reporting it first and New York or California joining the party much later in the day.

New Zealand:

A giant digital clock on Auckland’s landmark Sky Tower will show the countdown to New Year with people joining the spree shouting the seconds down to midnight. This is the first New Year Celebration every year to report with horns blared and crowds cheered as the tower goes up in lights varying from green to red to white in colour accompanied by fireworks.

Australia:

In Australia, Sydney’s famed harbour hosts pyrotechnics followed by waterfall of multicoloured fireworks in the sky, witnessed more than a million people off the Harbour Bridge.

Japan:

It’s holiday mood in Japan with most of the offices empty and cities virtually deserted. The New Year’s eve is celebrated by Tokyoites with children by releasing balloons from the top of the Tokyo Tower. Otherwise, millions of people leave cities for hometowns in trains. Temple ceremonies come to life on the New Year’s eve with the bronze bells ringing in the new year.

South Korea:

South Koreans too mark New Year’s Eve with traditional bell ringing ceremonies in Buddhist temples, with fireworks and music accompanied by pubic shows and performances in cities. On this day, several North Korean refugees, usually gather near the border to wish for a united Korea one day.

Malaysia

It is the fireworks time and celebrations on top of Kuala Lumpur’s landmark, Petronas Twin Towers, make the New Year’s Eve celebration in Malaysia comparable with the ‘Ball Drop’ at Times Square in New York.

China

China celebrates New Year’s Eve hosting performances and fireworks near Beijing’s Forbidden City in the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing. Those at home are usually glued to TV broadcast of a gala from the National Stadium, known to most as the iconic Bird’s Nest.

Philippines

Fireworks mark both the revelry and tragedy of Filipinos on New Year Eve over the years. Traditionally Filipinos eat “media noche” on the midnight as others try thier hands at fireworks to make the loudest noise possible in Manila. After 2015 New Year Eve tragedy that injured about 850, shopping malls are holding the fireworks display to discourage individuals firing crackers in the city. Even the annual procession called the Black Nazarene, or carrying a black wooden statue of Jesus Christ, is being held a day earlier now to avoid injuries due to left over crackers on the streets.

Thailand

Following the demise of King Bhumbol, the New Year Eve will not be held in Thailand, which is observing one year mourning. Some of the canceled events include the Central World’s New Year Countdown Party & Beer Garden, the annual Patong Carnival, no fireworks at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) this year, and the New Year celebrations in Pattaya.

India:

Delhi, known for its showcase culture, will see many youngsters celebrating the New Year’s Eve on the streets dancing in an inebriated status while the police try to keep an eye on motorcyclists and drunk vehicle drivers. Usually Rashtrapati Bhavan is illuminated on the New Year’s Eve and 5-star hotels hold special events with live bands, dancing and plenty of drinks.

United Arab Emirates

In Dubai, the world’s second tallest building Burj Khalifa will be fitted with 400,000 LED lights and 1.6 tons of fireworks planned on every New Year’s Eve.

Gaza Strip

Palestinia hardly celebrates the New Year as Gaza’s Islamist Hamas rulers have banned New Year celebrations in the Palestinian territory and hotels and restaurants were not allowed to hold parties for three days, a day before the New Year and a day after the New Year.

France

The Champs Elysee in Paris is usually the centre of New Year’s Eve celebrations every year though last year it was not held due to November terrorist attacks in the city. It is likely that the Elysee may bring back the revelry of the New Year this time.

Belgium

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, canceled last year’s New Year’s Eve fireworks due to fear of terrorist attack but this year, it may be resumed though at a scaled down level.

United Kingdom

Fireworks in London are the most watched scenes around the world over the New Year’ Eve until the New York Ball drop takes place. Spectacular fireworks in London, Edinburgh and other big cities mark the event but police keep a tab on those without tickets.

Brazil

Remember the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? It’s here the giant Christ statue will be lighted to say goodbye to 2016 and welcome 2017. Last year’s New Year’s Eve show was illuminated by 24 tons of fireworks spanning over 16 minutes. Music shows, samba dances and revelers mark the day with their performance.

US – New York

Come to New York on New Year’s Eve and watch the historic Ball Drop at Times Square at the midnight. Nearly one million people watch the event every year and big music bands including Luke Bryan, Charlie Puth, Demi Lovato and Carrie Underwood would perform. The descent of a glittering crystal ball from a rooftop flagpole marks the fireworks.