Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India successfully made other countries realize that terrorism can harm them too in the future if not contained now, Jaishankar said.
Tag: Pakistan
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Angelina Jolie visits Pakistan to support people affected by floods
By ANI
DADU: Hollywood star Angelina Jolie on Tuesday arrived in Pakistan to support people affected by the devastating floods in the country.
According to the Express Tribune, the ‘Salt’ actor landed in Dadu, Pakistan, and will hear from people affected directly about their needs and about steps to prevent such suffering in the future.
“International humanitarian Angelina Jolie is visiting Pakistan to support communities affected by the devastating floods. Heavy rains and floods across the country have impacted 33 million people and submerged one-third of the country under water. Angelina Jolie is visiting to witness and gain an understanding of the situation, and to hear from people affected directly about their needs, and about steps to prevent such suffering in the future,” the report said, citing a release by International Rescue Committee (IRC).
“Jolie, who previously visited victims of the 2010 floods in Pakistan, and the 2005 earthquake, will visit the IRC’s (International Rescue Committee) emergency response operations and local organisations assisting displaced people including Afghan refugees. Jolie will highlight the need for urgent support for the Pakistani people and long-term solutions to address the multiplying crises of climate change, human displacement and protracted insecurity we are witnessing globally,” the IRC release added.
The monsoon rains have claimed more than a thousand lives across Pakistan since June and unleashed powerful floods that have washed away swathes of vital crops and damaged or destroyed more than a million homes.
According to the authorities, the death toll has reached 1,559, including 551 children and 318 women and viral diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, diarrhoea, and skin infections have wreaked havoc across provinces as the water starts to recede.
The record monsoons and heavy floods have affected 33 million people and are estimated to have caused USD 30 billion of damage.
DADU: Hollywood star Angelina Jolie on Tuesday arrived in Pakistan to support people affected by the devastating floods in the country.
According to the Express Tribune, the ‘Salt’ actor landed in Dadu, Pakistan, and will hear from people affected directly about their needs and about steps to prevent such suffering in the future.
“International humanitarian Angelina Jolie is visiting Pakistan to support communities affected by the devastating floods. Heavy rains and floods across the country have impacted 33 million people and submerged one-third of the country under water. Angelina Jolie is visiting to witness and gain an understanding of the situation, and to hear from people affected directly about their needs, and about steps to prevent such suffering in the future,” the report said, citing a release by International Rescue Committee (IRC).
“Jolie, who previously visited victims of the 2010 floods in Pakistan, and the 2005 earthquake, will visit the IRC’s (International Rescue Committee) emergency response operations and local organisations assisting displaced people including Afghan refugees. Jolie will highlight the need for urgent support for the Pakistani people and long-term solutions to address the multiplying crises of climate change, human displacement and protracted insecurity we are witnessing globally,” the IRC release added.
The monsoon rains have claimed more than a thousand lives across Pakistan since June and unleashed powerful floods that have washed away swathes of vital crops and damaged or destroyed more than a million homes.
According to the authorities, the death toll has reached 1,559, including 551 children and 318 women and viral diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, diarrhoea, and skin infections have wreaked havoc across provinces as the water starts to recede.
The record monsoons and heavy floods have affected 33 million people and are estimated to have caused USD 30 billion of damage.
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China remains a formidable challenge and has increased its presence: Indian Navy Chief
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: “While China is expanding its presence around India, Pakistan in the West has continued with the modernisation of the Navy,” said Admiral R Hari Kumar here on Tuesday. Elaborating on “Security Challenges” that India faces, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) pointed out that while competition is being played out on a daily basis – at times testing limits – but without escalating into armed action, a war with potential adversaries can never be ruled out.
In this regard, “China remains a formidable challenge and has increased its presence, not only along our land borders but also in the maritime domain by leveraging anti-piracy operations to normalise its naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region.”
To the West, Pakistan, despite economic constraints, has continued its military modernisation, especially its Navy, which is on track to becoming a 50-platform force, added CNS.
The CNS specified that China began its Indian Ocean maritime deployment in 2008 using anti-piracy operations “as the reason” and since then there has been a continuous presence in the region. “At any point we have anything between 5-8 Chinese Navy units, be it warships or research vessels and a host of Chinese fishing vessels operating in the IOR. We keep a watch on them and see how they are undertaking their activities in the IOR,” he said.
While “China now has a base in Djibouti, and have been involved in development of various ports in the IOR, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan and so many other countries, the Navy Chief said, India is also building its capability but it is “not based on a nation, it is based upon our requirements to protect, preserve and promote our national interests.”
With the structuring of our force and developing the capability, “these get factored and enable us to keep the Indian Ocean under surveillance. We have aircraft sorties, ships deployed almost 24X7 to keep an eye on the IOR, Adm Kumar said.
Chief of Naval Staff was delivering the Keynote Address for the plenary session on India’s Naval Revolution: Becoming an Ocean Power at the 49th National Management Convention, All India Management Association. He also talked about the reliability of the weapons of Russian origin and its assistance in the technological realm.
Talking about the Russian equipment, he said they are reliable and while there have been teething issues with some of the systems; they have been getting good support from Russia.
Russia supported us with some technologies which we are not able to get from any other sources, Adm Kumar said, “In that sense, we have really been receiving good support from Russia over the years.”
While the conventional military challenges persist, CNS pointed towards terrorism which “remains a major security threat, as it continues to evolve in shape, scale and size.” Staying one step ahead of such an invisible enemy, who will constantly innovate tactics, enabled by niche technologies, is a challenge that persists.
NEW DELHI: “While China is expanding its presence around India, Pakistan in the West has continued with the modernisation of the Navy,” said Admiral R Hari Kumar here on Tuesday. Elaborating on “Security Challenges” that India faces, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) pointed out that while competition is being played out on a daily basis – at times testing limits – but without escalating into armed action, a war with potential adversaries can never be ruled out.
In this regard, “China remains a formidable challenge and has increased its presence, not only along our land borders but also in the maritime domain by leveraging anti-piracy operations to normalise its naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region.”
To the West, Pakistan, despite economic constraints, has continued its military modernisation, especially its Navy, which is on track to becoming a 50-platform force, added CNS.
The CNS specified that China began its Indian Ocean maritime deployment in 2008 using anti-piracy operations “as the reason” and since then there has been a continuous presence in the region. “At any point we have anything between 5-8 Chinese Navy units, be it warships or research vessels and a host of Chinese fishing vessels operating in the IOR. We keep a watch on them and see how they are undertaking their activities in the IOR,” he said.
While “China now has a base in Djibouti, and have been involved in development of various ports in the IOR, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan and so many other countries, the Navy Chief said, India is also building its capability but it is “not based on a nation, it is based upon our requirements to protect, preserve and promote our national interests.”
With the structuring of our force and developing the capability, “these get factored and enable us to keep the Indian Ocean under surveillance. We have aircraft sorties, ships deployed almost 24X7 to keep an eye on the IOR, Adm Kumar said.
Chief of Naval Staff was delivering the Keynote Address for the plenary session on India’s Naval Revolution: Becoming an Ocean Power at the 49th National Management Convention, All India Management Association. He also talked about the reliability of the weapons of Russian origin and its assistance in the technological realm.
Talking about the Russian equipment, he said they are reliable and while there have been teething issues with some of the systems; they have been getting good support from Russia.
Russia supported us with some technologies which we are not able to get from any other sources, Adm Kumar said, “In that sense, we have really been receiving good support from Russia over the years.”
While the conventional military challenges persist, CNS pointed towards terrorism which “remains a major security threat, as it continues to evolve in shape, scale and size.” Staying one step ahead of such an invisible enemy, who will constantly innovate tactics, enabled by niche technologies, is a challenge that persists.
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Massive floods likely to reduce Pak’s GDP by over 2 percentage points, says PM Shehbaz Sharif
By PTI
ISLAMABAD: The massive floods in Pakistan are likely to reduce its GDP by over 2 percentage points and the government is grappling with the immediate challenge of averting imminent food insecurity in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said.
During a telephonic conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to express gratitude for extending humanitarian relief assistance to Pakistan, Sharif said the ongoing floods have devastated millions of acres of standing crops, houses and critical infrastructure in the country, according to an official statement.
The prime minister said as per initial estimates, the floods are likely to reduce Pakistan’s GDP by over 2 percentage points.
“Pakistan is grappling with the immediate challenge of averting imminent food insecurity in the country as well as providing for rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of this climate-induced calamity,” Sharif told Erdogan.
He said the government is fighting to avoid food shortages due to the destruction of crops in the wake of the historic floods.
The current floods triggered by monsoon rains have so far killed nearly 1,400 people and injured another 12,728, while damaging 6,674 km of road and destroying over 1.7 million houses.
ISLAMABAD: The massive floods in Pakistan are likely to reduce its GDP by over 2 percentage points and the government is grappling with the immediate challenge of averting imminent food insecurity in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said.
During a telephonic conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to express gratitude for extending humanitarian relief assistance to Pakistan, Sharif said the ongoing floods have devastated millions of acres of standing crops, houses and critical infrastructure in the country, according to an official statement.
The prime minister said as per initial estimates, the floods are likely to reduce Pakistan’s GDP by over 2 percentage points.
“Pakistan is grappling with the immediate challenge of averting imminent food insecurity in the country as well as providing for rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of this climate-induced calamity,” Sharif told Erdogan.
He said the government is fighting to avoid food shortages due to the destruction of crops in the wake of the historic floods.
The current floods triggered by monsoon rains have so far killed nearly 1,400 people and injured another 12,728, while damaging 6,674 km of road and destroying over 1.7 million houses.
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India may rush humanitarian aid to flood-hit Pakistan
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: With Pakistan reeling under unprecedented floods that have submerged one-third of the country and claimed at least 1,100 lives, India is considering sending aid to the neighbouring country on humanitarian grounds, sources told this newspaper.
“India has always extended humanitarian aid to countries in need,” points out an official, adding that a decision on assistance to Pakistan will be taken in a day or two. On Tuesday, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce sought permission from the Pakistan government to import vegetables from India. The floods have destroyed crops on thousands of acres.
The development comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was “saddened” to see the devastation in Pakistan and Pak Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said Islamabad was considering importing vegetables from India to deal with high prices and shortage.
If the BJP government decides to extend humanitarian aid to Pakistan, it will be the first time since 2014 that India will be doing so. India had sent aid to Pakistan during the 2010 floods and before that for the 2005 earthquake. Congress-led UPA government was in power on both occasions.
NEW DELHI: With Pakistan reeling under unprecedented floods that have submerged one-third of the country and claimed at least 1,100 lives, India is considering sending aid to the neighbouring country on humanitarian grounds, sources told this newspaper.
“India has always extended humanitarian aid to countries in need,” points out an official, adding that a decision on assistance to Pakistan will be taken in a day or two. On Tuesday, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce sought permission from the Pakistan government to import vegetables from India. The floods have destroyed crops on thousands of acres.
The development comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was “saddened” to see the devastation in Pakistan and Pak Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said Islamabad was considering importing vegetables from India to deal with high prices and shortage.
If the BJP government decides to extend humanitarian aid to Pakistan, it will be the first time since 2014 that India will be doing so. India had sent aid to Pakistan during the 2010 floods and before that for the 2005 earthquake. Congress-led UPA government was in power on both occasions.
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NIT-Srinagar asks students not to watch India-Pak match, Rs 5,000 fine will be imposed
By PTI
SRINAGAR: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) here has asked its students not to watch Sunday’s India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match in groups or post anything related to it on social media platforms.
In a notice issued by the dean of students’ welfare, the institute administration has asked the students to remain in their allotted rooms during the match.
“Students are aware that a cricket series involving various nations is going on in the Dubai International Stadium. Students are hereby directed to take sports as a game and not create any kind of indiscipline in the institute/hostel,” the notice read.
During Sunday’s match, the students have been directed to remain in their allotted rooms and not allow other students to enter their rooms and watch the match in groups, it said.
“If there is a group of students watching the match in a particular room, then the students to whom that particular room is allotted will be debarred from the institute hostel accommodation and a fine of at least Rs 5,000 will be imposed on all the students involved,” the NIT said.
The students have also been directed to avoid posting any material related to the match on social media platforms.
Furthermore, they have been instructed not to step out of the hostel rooms during or after the match.
In 2016, clashes broke out at the institute between outstation and local students following India’s defeat to the West Indies in the T-20 World Cup semi-final, leading to a closure of the NIT for days.
SRINAGAR: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) here has asked its students not to watch Sunday’s India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match in groups or post anything related to it on social media platforms.
In a notice issued by the dean of students’ welfare, the institute administration has asked the students to remain in their allotted rooms during the match.
“Students are aware that a cricket series involving various nations is going on in the Dubai International Stadium. Students are hereby directed to take sports as a game and not create any kind of indiscipline in the institute/hostel,” the notice read.
During Sunday’s match, the students have been directed to remain in their allotted rooms and not allow other students to enter their rooms and watch the match in groups, it said.
“If there is a group of students watching the match in a particular room, then the students to whom that particular room is allotted will be debarred from the institute hostel accommodation and a fine of at least Rs 5,000 will be imposed on all the students involved,” the NIT said.
The students have also been directed to avoid posting any material related to the match on social media platforms.
Furthermore, they have been instructed not to step out of the hostel rooms during or after the match.
In 2016, clashes broke out at the institute between outstation and local students following India’s defeat to the West Indies in the T-20 World Cup semi-final, leading to a closure of the NIT for days.
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Captured Pakistani terrorist was sent to attack Indian post: Army
By PTI
RAJOURI: A Pakistani terrorist, who was captured in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, was paid Rs 30,000 by a colonel of Pakistan intelligence agency to attack the Indian Army post, officials said on Wednesday.
Thirty-two-year-old Tabarak Hussain, a resident of Sabzkot village of Kotli in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was arrested in Naushera sector on Sunday after his accomplices abandoned him and fled back after being intercepted by the alert Indian troops.
This was for the second time in the past six years that Hussain, who also worked for an intelligence unit of the Pakistani army, was arrested while trying to infiltrate into this side from across the border, the officials said.
The Army’s 80 Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier Kapil Rana, said on August 21, in the morning hours alert soldiers deployed in Jhangar spotted the movement of two to three terrorists from across the LoC.
“One terrorist came close to the Indian post and tried cutting the fence, when he was challenged by alert sentries. The terrorist trying to flee, however, was brought down by effective fire, incapacitating him,” he said.
He said two terrorists who were hiding behind, fled the area by taking cover of dense forest and broken ground.
The injured Pakistani terrorist was captured alive and provided with immediate medical aid and lifesaving surgery was carried out.
Brigadier Rana said the captured terrorist revealed his identity as Hussain, a resident of Sabzkot village of Koti in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
On further interrogation, the terrorist confessed about their plan to attack the Indian Army post.
Hussain revealed that he was sent by a colonel of Pakistan intelligence agency named Col Yunus Chaudhry who had paid him Rs 30,000 (Pakistani currency).
Arms, ammunitions and Pakistani currency recovered by Indian Army personnel after a search operation, in Rajouri district. (Photo | PTI)
Hussain also revealed that he along with other terrorists had carried two to three close recces of Indian forward posts with an aim to target them at an opportune time.
“The go-ahead to target the Indian post was given by Col Chaudhry on August 21,” the brigadier said.
Hussain confessed his long association with terrorism and said he was trained by Major Razak of the Pakistan army.
“I was betrayed (by accompanying terrorists) and subsequently captured by Indian Army,” Hussain told reporters in a brief interaction at the military hospital.
“I underwent six-month training and visited several (terrorist) camps (run by Pakistan army) for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members,” he said.
Brigadier Rajeev Nair, the commandant of the military hospital in Rajouri, said the condition of Hussain is stable.
“He came to bleed our troops but they saved his life, gave him their blood and fed him by their hands,” Nair said.
At the time of the arrest, officials said he was heard shouting “Mai marne ke liye aaya tha, mujhe dhoka de diya. Bhaijaan mujhe yahan se nikalo” (I had come to die but was betrayed.Brothers, pull me out from here).
As per the officials, his hair of private parts was found shaved, which is being done by terrorists when on a suicide mission as seen in the past.
Hussain, along with his younger brother Haroon Ali, was arrested on April 25, 2016, and underwent 26 months of imprisonment before being repatriated via Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar.
He was cultivated by the Pakistan army and trained to acquire enemy information and establish a cover story in case the individual is ever apprehended, the officials had said, adding he underwent six weeks training as a guide at LeT training camp at Bhimber along the LoC.
On December 16, 2019, Hussain’s another younger brother Mohd Sayeed was also apprehended by the army in the same sector, the officials said, adding Sayeed was found to be under heavy influence of drugs at the time of his arrest but he confirmed repatriation of his brothers.
RAJOURI: A Pakistani terrorist, who was captured in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, was paid Rs 30,000 by a colonel of Pakistan intelligence agency to attack the Indian Army post, officials said on Wednesday.
Thirty-two-year-old Tabarak Hussain, a resident of Sabzkot village of Kotli in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was arrested in Naushera sector on Sunday after his accomplices abandoned him and fled back after being intercepted by the alert Indian troops.
This was for the second time in the past six years that Hussain, who also worked for an intelligence unit of the Pakistani army, was arrested while trying to infiltrate into this side from across the border, the officials said.
The Army’s 80 Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier Kapil Rana, said on August 21, in the morning hours alert soldiers deployed in Jhangar spotted the movement of two to three terrorists from across the LoC.
“One terrorist came close to the Indian post and tried cutting the fence, when he was challenged by alert sentries. The terrorist trying to flee, however, was brought down by effective fire, incapacitating him,” he said.
He said two terrorists who were hiding behind, fled the area by taking cover of dense forest and broken ground.
The injured Pakistani terrorist was captured alive and provided with immediate medical aid and lifesaving surgery was carried out.
Brigadier Rana said the captured terrorist revealed his identity as Hussain, a resident of Sabzkot village of Koti in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
On further interrogation, the terrorist confessed about their plan to attack the Indian Army post.
Hussain revealed that he was sent by a colonel of Pakistan intelligence agency named Col Yunus Chaudhry who had paid him Rs 30,000 (Pakistani currency).
Arms, ammunitions and Pakistani currency recovered by Indian Army personnel after a search operation, in Rajouri district. (Photo | PTI)
Hussain also revealed that he along with other terrorists had carried two to three close recces of Indian forward posts with an aim to target them at an opportune time.
“The go-ahead to target the Indian post was given by Col Chaudhry on August 21,” the brigadier said.
Hussain confessed his long association with terrorism and said he was trained by Major Razak of the Pakistan army.
“I was betrayed (by accompanying terrorists) and subsequently captured by Indian Army,” Hussain told reporters in a brief interaction at the military hospital.
“I underwent six-month training and visited several (terrorist) camps (run by Pakistan army) for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members,” he said.
Brigadier Rajeev Nair, the commandant of the military hospital in Rajouri, said the condition of Hussain is stable.
“He came to bleed our troops but they saved his life, gave him their blood and fed him by their hands,” Nair said.
At the time of the arrest, officials said he was heard shouting “Mai marne ke liye aaya tha, mujhe dhoka de diya. Bhaijaan mujhe yahan se nikalo” (I had come to die but was betrayed.Brothers, pull me out from here).
As per the officials, his hair of private parts was found shaved, which is being done by terrorists when on a suicide mission as seen in the past.
Hussain, along with his younger brother Haroon Ali, was arrested on April 25, 2016, and underwent 26 months of imprisonment before being repatriated via Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar.
He was cultivated by the Pakistan army and trained to acquire enemy information and establish a cover story in case the individual is ever apprehended, the officials had said, adding he underwent six weeks training as a guide at LeT training camp at Bhimber along the LoC.
On December 16, 2019, Hussain’s another younger brother Mohd Sayeed was also apprehended by the army in the same sector, the officials said, adding Sayeed was found to be under heavy influence of drugs at the time of his arrest but he confirmed repatriation of his brothers.
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Pakistan rejects India’s closure report of BrahMos accidental missile firing
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Pakistan has rejected the closure report of the Court of Inquiry (CoI) in the case regarding the accidental firing of Missile. The responsibility for the accident was fixed on three officers of the Indian Air Force on Tuesday and all of them have been terminated from service.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, “Pakistan rejects India’s purported closure of the incident of the firing of a supersonic Missile into Pakistani territory on 9 March 2022 and reiterates demand for a joint probe.”
The incident involved accidental firing of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which landed deep inside Pakistan. The Air Force in its statement on Tuesday had said, “BrahMos missile was accidentally fired on 09 March 2022. A Court of Inquiry (Col), set up to establish the facts of the case, including fixing responsibility for the incident, found that deviation from the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by three officers led to the accidental firing of the missile.
“These three officers have primarily been held responsible for the incident. Their services have been terminated by the Central Govt with immediate effect. Termination orders have been served upon the officers on 23 August 22,” added the Air Force.
The supersonic cruise missile had landed around 120 kilometres in Pakistan’s Mian Channu in Khanewal district. It did not have any explosive thus there was no detonation. Expressing regret for the incident the Indian Government had ordered to probe the matter at a high level. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement said, “On 9 March 2022, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile.”
Expressing deep regret, the Indian government had expressed relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident. Pakistan had summoned India’s charge d’affaires and had registered a protest for unprovoked violation of its airspace.
NEW DELHI: Pakistan has rejected the closure report of the Court of Inquiry (CoI) in the case regarding the accidental firing of Missile. The responsibility for the accident was fixed on three officers of the Indian Air Force on Tuesday and all of them have been terminated from service.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, “Pakistan rejects India’s purported closure of the incident of the firing of a supersonic Missile into Pakistani territory on 9 March 2022 and reiterates demand for a joint probe.”
The incident involved accidental firing of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which landed deep inside Pakistan. The Air Force in its statement on Tuesday had said, “BrahMos missile was accidentally fired on 09 March 2022. A Court of Inquiry (Col), set up to establish the facts of the case, including fixing responsibility for the incident, found that deviation from the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by three officers led to the accidental firing of the missile.
“These three officers have primarily been held responsible for the incident. Their services have been terminated by the Central Govt with immediate effect. Termination orders have been served upon the officers on 23 August 22,” added the Air Force.
The supersonic cruise missile had landed around 120 kilometres in Pakistan’s Mian Channu in Khanewal district. It did not have any explosive thus there was no detonation. Expressing regret for the incident the Indian Government had ordered to probe the matter at a high level. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement said, “On 9 March 2022, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile.”
Expressing deep regret, the Indian government had expressed relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident. Pakistan had summoned India’s charge d’affaires and had registered a protest for unprovoked violation of its airspace.
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80 per cent water loss projected in the Indus basin by mid-century due to Climate change: Research
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: An irreversible decline in freshwater storage projected in parts of Asia due to climate change could impact 2 billion people living downstream of the Tibetan Plateau as it could pose a serious threat to water supplies to India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan by mid-century, according to the satellite-based assessment of water changes in Tibetan Plateau.
Terrestrial water storage over the Tibetan Plateau, a major global water tower, is crucial in determining water transport and availability to a large downstream Asian population. The assessment over the last two decades (2002-2020) and projection for 2021-2060 are based on measurements of water mass in glaciers, lakes, and below-ground sources, combined with machine-learning techniques to provide a benchmark of observed TWS (Terrestrial Water storage) changes, reflecting competing effects of glacier retreat, lake expansion, and subsurface water loss.
Research led by scientists at Penn State, Tsinghua University, and the University of Texas at Austin projects that climate change, under a scenario of weak climate policy, will cause irreversible declines in freshwater storage in the region, constituting a serious threat to the water supply for central Asia, Afghanistan, Northern India, Kashmir, and Pakistan by the middle of the century.
“In a business as usual scenario, where we fail to meaningfully curtail fossil fuel burning in the decades ahead, we can expect a substantial — that is, nearly 100% loss — of water availability to downstream regions of the Tibetan Plateau. I was surprised at just how large the predicted decrease is even under a scenario of modest climate policy,” said Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State. The research is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
According to the researchers, despite its importance, the impacts of climate change on past and future terrestrial water storage (TWS) — which includes all the above- and below-ground water — in the Tibetan Plateau have largely been underexplored.
The team found that climate change in recent decades has led to a severe depletion in TWS (-15.8 gigatons/year) in certain areas of the Tibetan Plateau and substantial increases in TWS (5.6 gigatons/year) in others, likely due to the competing effects of glacier retreat, degradation of seasonally frozen ground, and lake expansion.
The team’s projections for future TWS under a moderate carbon emissions scenario — specifically, the mid-range emissions scenario — suggest that the entire Tibetan Plateau could experience a net loss of about 230 gigatons by the mid-21st century (2031 to 2060) relative to an early 21st century (2002 to 2030) baseline.
More specifically, excess water loss projections for the Amu Darya basin — which supplies water to central Asia and Afghanistan — and the Indus basin — which supplies water to Northern India, Kashmir, and Pakistan — indicate a decline of 119 per cent and 79 per cent in water-supply capacity, respectively.
NEW DELHI: An irreversible decline in freshwater storage projected in parts of Asia due to climate change could impact 2 billion people living downstream of the Tibetan Plateau as it could pose a serious threat to water supplies to India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan by mid-century, according to the satellite-based assessment of water changes in Tibetan Plateau.
Terrestrial water storage over the Tibetan Plateau, a major global water tower, is crucial in determining water transport and availability to a large downstream Asian population. The assessment over the last two decades (2002-2020) and projection for 2021-2060 are based on measurements of water mass in glaciers, lakes, and below-ground sources, combined with machine-learning techniques to provide a benchmark of observed TWS (Terrestrial Water storage) changes, reflecting competing effects of glacier retreat, lake expansion, and subsurface water loss.
Research led by scientists at Penn State, Tsinghua University, and the University of Texas at Austin projects that climate change, under a scenario of weak climate policy, will cause irreversible declines in freshwater storage in the region, constituting a serious threat to the water supply for central Asia, Afghanistan, Northern India, Kashmir, and Pakistan by the middle of the century.
“In a business as usual scenario, where we fail to meaningfully curtail fossil fuel burning in the decades ahead, we can expect a substantial — that is, nearly 100% loss — of water availability to downstream regions of the Tibetan Plateau. I was surprised at just how large the predicted decrease is even under a scenario of modest climate policy,” said Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State. The research is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
According to the researchers, despite its importance, the impacts of climate change on past and future terrestrial water storage (TWS) — which includes all the above- and below-ground water — in the Tibetan Plateau have largely been underexplored.
The team found that climate change in recent decades has led to a severe depletion in TWS (-15.8 gigatons/year) in certain areas of the Tibetan Plateau and substantial increases in TWS (5.6 gigatons/year) in others, likely due to the competing effects of glacier retreat, degradation of seasonally frozen ground, and lake expansion.
The team’s projections for future TWS under a moderate carbon emissions scenario — specifically, the mid-range emissions scenario — suggest that the entire Tibetan Plateau could experience a net loss of about 230 gigatons by the mid-21st century (2031 to 2060) relative to an early 21st century (2002 to 2030) baseline.
More specifically, excess water loss projections for the Amu Darya basin — which supplies water to central Asia and Afghanistan — and the Indus basin — which supplies water to Northern India, Kashmir, and Pakistan — indicate a decline of 119 per cent and 79 per cent in water-supply capacity, respectively.
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India slams Pakistan for ‘politicising’ Chess Olympiad
By PTI
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday criticised Pakistan for pulling out of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Tamil Nadu and said it is “highly unfortunate” that Islamabad has “politicised” the prestigious international event.
Reacting to Pakistan’s decision, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said it was surprising that Pakistan has suddenly taken the decision not to participate in the event.
It is highly unfortunate that Pakistan has politicised the prestigious international event by making such statements and withdrawing its participation after its team has already reached India, he said.
Bagchi was responding to questions on Pakistan’s decision to pull out from the Olympiad, citing the torch relay of the event passing through Jammu and Kashmir.
On this, Bagchi asserted that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “have been, are and will remain an integral part of India.
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday criticised Pakistan for pulling out of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Tamil Nadu and said it is “highly unfortunate” that Islamabad has “politicised” the prestigious international event.
Reacting to Pakistan’s decision, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said it was surprising that Pakistan has suddenly taken the decision not to participate in the event.
It is highly unfortunate that Pakistan has politicised the prestigious international event by making such statements and withdrawing its participation after its team has already reached India, he said.
Bagchi was responding to questions on Pakistan’s decision to pull out from the Olympiad, citing the torch relay of the event passing through Jammu and Kashmir.
On this, Bagchi asserted that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “have been, are and will remain an integral part of India.